Ground-Breaking Titles of 2014: Books That Changed The Face of Chick-lit

I had been meaning to post this way back when I had too much time on my hands but never got around to. So as I have taken a mini-blogging break, I would leave you with my list of:

GROUND-BREAKING Books of 2014: BOOKS THAT CHANGED THE FACE OF CHICK-LIT.

(Not listed in any order)

The List by Joanna Bolouri.

Following the adventures of one shy girl with a naughty list, this book has a plot that sets it apart from all other chick-lit titles you’ve ever read. Told in the form of a diary, this book has lots to keep you engaged and SO MUCH MORE TO KEEP YOU GASPING FOR SHOCK! Not to mention it’s funny as hell, and of course sexy as Helen Mirren.  PURCHASE| READ REVIEW

An Open Marriage by Tess Stimson.

I love Tess Stimson because she’s not afraid to use the letters on her keyboard to talk about issues a lot of society frowns upon (except for the old who are now embracing a YOLO approach to life). Focusing on the much hush-hushed swinging life of older marriages, Tess Stimson pens an emotionally steamy novel stacked with lots of lessons to learn from in our rapidly-changing society blurring the lines between adultery and fidelity as well as morality and immorality.  PURCHASE| READ REVIEW

Christmas In The Snow by Karen Swan.

This book puts down the notion that Chick-lit cannot be fast-paced and very intriguing without guns and women sleuths. Karen Swan speaks on issues of feminism and women in high-ranking positions where male-domination is the opposite of what’s said in a Beyoncé track. Now, a book about ‘dark family secrets’ with dark, twisted family secrets! Absolutely ground-breaking! .  PURCHASE| READ REVIEW

A Husband’s  Confession by Zoe Miller.

This is not your ordinary infidelity book! I never thought the main issue behind a book about infidelity could be something besides the ‘Oh, well, he cheated’ fact. Laced with family rivalry, intrigue, suspense and lots of ‘when the fuck is he going to cheat?’ moments, this book is told in present day and past day narratives that gives it a hallmark character! .  PURCHASE| READ REVIEW

Courting Trouble by Kathy Lette.

Listed as the funniest book of 2014, Kathy Lette’s latest release isn’t all about one big book with so much chemistry between the protagonists and too much to laugh at. Putting across issues such as battling rape and its repercussions for feminists and rape-haters all-alike, Kathy Lette tells a remarkable story laden with suspense and so many issues of sexism swept under the carpet. .  PURCHASE| READ REVIEW

So there you have it. And you can vouch that as it appears on this blog, these books have NEVER, EVER, EVER BEEN DONE in chick-lit/women’s fiction. These titles demonstrate chick-lit is not all about ‘That Pink Book’! And by these titles, CHICK-LIT WOULD NEVER, EVER, EVER BE THE SAME AGAIN!

Book Review: The List by Joanna Bolouri

                                                       MY SYNOPSIS

Imagine This: Since your cheating, SOB boyfriend dumped you it has put a hole in your sex life. Hole, (I use this word loosely) since he was not much of an experimentalist and loved the old-fashioned way even missionaries stopped using when they came down to Africa to ‘spread the—ahem, babies—gospel… anyway!

Point is, he messed up your year when you caught him rolling in bed with some unknown creature of giant tits, Miss Tits, you like to refer her. (Even I would have seen it coming since we all men love giant tits, but hey, not all of us love missionary!).

It’s the New Year, and at a celebratory party with your bestest friends in a hotel, you vow to get him off your mind and move on. Thankfully you have your girlfriends, Lucy—the serial dater and Hazel—the mother, to help you through. But your friend Oliver says, “Isn’t this another year where you make shitty resolutions about losing weight and you don’t?” As much as you hate it, the dickhead is right, you need to make more realistic resolutions. But what would they be? No, no change of job. You cannot afford to even do that!

So what if you vow to revamp your sex life? Try all those things you’ve never done. Be more adventurous than your old unimaginative boyfriends were. You make a list of all the things you want to try to update your sex life. This year, you are going to create a new you who’s raunchy, who isn’t too frigid, who isn’t afraid to try that or tap that. Your friends scream, “Atta girl!” You are scared shitless but still would go through this mumbo-jumbo.

But fuck, you need a partner. Someone skillful and adventurous to help you. Oh, and did I mention you are single? Fuck, it must have skipped my mind.

Phoebe Henderson’s life for your entertainment.

MY REVIEW

I loved, loved this book! So in my review, you all know I’ll be screaming at you to go get this!

(I read through cold nights!) The storyline is perrrrr-fect! Not done before, or rather, not executed the way Joanna Bolouri did it. Ordinary girl makes new year resolutions that she’d actually follow through this year (so new), ordinary girl brings up the most bizarre sex list (so new), ordinary girl really goes through all this sex list and really comes out with a change—mind you, a very positive one (so new)! Who would have known sex could make a good girl turn best? I love the whole brain behind this story. Marvelous execution.—★

Joanna Bolouri made me remember why I love debut authors. The needle in the haystack published authors. The ones who have so unique voices among the pile, it’s a must-publish. But, I’m digressing here…—★★

(I walked around the house hiding my hard-on from five brothers, one inquisitive mother and one dad who wouldn’t quit making me ran errands for him!) I loved, loved Phoebe. God, knows how much I did! Ballsy characters are New Age Chick-lit, everyone now wants a character who’d venture paths no one tries, who’d go all the way. And as if that is not enough, she’s funny, she’s adorable (even when she’s not polite). I couldn’t resist yelling, “Pick me! Pick me!” after I saw her jaw-dropping list. She’s probably the reason guys would convert to strict chicklitarians, and while she might put many women off she’d do that because they’d die to be her (because who really isn’t sick of that monotony New Year resolution shits: lose weight, get married, get job, then a New Year comes and you achieved nothing! Urgh!) So fuck, she’s relatable!—★★★

(I found out two of my brothers read this book, explains the smug smiles in my direction whenever they saw me reading in the garden! Fuck! Awkwardly embarrassed!) The characters in this book were awweeesoome! From Lucy who had the bad girl appeal I loved, loved and who wouldn’t bother dumping men because they write poetry even if the sex is amazing (Poor me). From Hazel, the mother who wouldn’t make her single friends hate hanging out with her because she wouldn’t make them feel being single sucked thinking being married is the closest to being in heaven. I loved Oliver, really, I’m more like him, very open to other options, only I wouldn’t be brave enough to try some of the things he’d already done. Frank, the annoying boss who I’d hate forever for getting into a position (I mean the word with a double entendre) that I’d always wanted to get in from the start of the book. Alex, the moron cheater, who for some reason I think really, women all around the globe should read this book and beware of such exes (who want to make a comeback. Lonely Bag of Shit!). Phoebe’s parents who were outrageous, adventurous and were always never around. Kelly, the office cat, always meowing in languages no one understood. Brian, the young, office dickhead who screamed his workplace conquests at the top of his lungs. All the characters and the ones I failed to mention, made this reading worthwhile.—★★★★

(I laughed so hard it surpassed the number of times I felt some growth under my jeans) It was really hilarious, really. I am nuts for how Joanna portrayed the sex scenes, not like your average porn where everything is up-close and makes you want to gag… like I just did (sorry for the imagery). No, thank you, I’m into soft core where they actually teach you kissing is stimulating… I’M NEVER GOING TO DIGRESS AGAIN, I CROSS MY HEART! And everyone loves sex scenes that leaves them imagining (and fantasizing—but no, I promised I’d stick to the topic).—★★★★★

(I vowed not to read this book anywhere outside my house, but why did it find its way with me in the conference room, anytime an annoying coworker was giving a suggestion) So yes, I couldn’t put this book down, if I didn’t have work I’m sure I’d read it all in a sitting. Wait a minute, no, that would have been hurting myself (I’m a guy, unlike you ladies, I have to occasionally walk around to blow off steam).—★★★★★

My rating: Five stars en point.

The List is available in both paperback and kindle on Amazon.

(Mother: I want to read the book. Me: (withdraw so quickly you’d think I’d just been electrocuted) No, no, it’s the kind of book everyone should have their copy!) I recommend this book to anyone who stocks revolutionary, different chick-lit released over the years, because I’m sure Joanna Bolouri is joining my list of Women Who Changed The Scene Of Chick-lit. I recommend this book to anyone who loves their chick-lit sexciting! Anyone who wouldn’t mind combining in a little humor, a little raunchy and a little heart-warming, should get this. Plus, I did think it was a great read because the romance wasn’t too mushy-mushy. Thanks, but I don’t like books that try so hard to sweep me off my feet, especially ones with no humor… here I am digressing again. THE END!

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Goodreads.