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My Top Ten Favorite Books


Challenge Accepted:
A fellow blogger challenged me to list my top ten favorite books.  It's a hard list to make, but I'm going to try with all my heart to put together some of my top favorite books!  I'm going to try to be a tad versatile and really dig deep with this one!

The American Favs...
I am probably best known for my love of all things Irish / Uk chick lit.  However, I DO have some favorites that are American as well!



The Ex-Debutante
LINDA FRANCIS LEE  
Linda Francis Lee writes quintessential southern royalty type chick-lit.  Her characters are so fun, yet are in a totally different income bracket as myself and I personally haven't experienced the same southern life as her characters, but it's fun to delve into the "Southern High-Society" and escape my own existence for a period!


The Fixer Upper
Mary Kay Andrews

Mary Kay Andrews is one of my all time favorite authors, it doesn't hurt that she's a southern girl.  But her books are truly, truly delightful.  She has such a fun sense of humor and her characters are always flawed in some way, which I always love!
The Fixer Upper was one of the first books I read and I loved the whole "restoration" aspect to the storyline.  Mary Kay Andrews is always a go-to author for me!


The One & Only: A Novel
EMILY GIFFIN

I LOVE Emily Giffin, she's definitely an all time favorite "Chick-Lit" author for me.  I first read "Something Borrowed", long before it became a movie.  Most of her books have been around big cities, but I liked the southern "small-town" setting and of course the predominance that SEC football played in her newest book, "The One & Only", being from the south College Football is our life.  It's in our blood.  I'm from Alabama, where you must declare a side at birth:  University of Alabama aka. Roll TIDE or Auburn aka War Eagle.  I am on the ROLL TIDE side, the WINNERS side....


Best Friends Forever: A Novel
Jennifer Weiner

Jennifer Weiner is another American author I discovered shortly after my love affair with all things chick lit started.  All of her books are so different, and yet all told with a wonderful sense of humor.  In " Best Friends Forever", we have two friends who have been seperated by time and distance suddenly reunited when once friend suddenly has a HUGE favor to ask.  It's a story about how old wounds sometimes take a long time to heal, and how we can unknowingly be hurtful to those who we are supposed to be closest to.  Jennifer Weiner is a truly talented author.

Notable Mentions:
These are some authors that are not quite as well known, but that I've recently read and discovered to be little hidden gems.  Their work truly is on par with the big boy's and I truly have high hopes that other's will discover these fabulous authors!

 The Dating Mr Darcy Trilogy: Prada and Prejudice / Love and Liability / Mansfield Lark
Katie Oliver

So, I haven't read this particular book, but chose it because had it been available when I purchased "Prada and Prejudice", I definitely would have picked this.  It contains three of Ms. Oliver's books.  I have only  had the chance to read "Prada and Prejudice", but I can tell you that she definitely has a fun and witty rapport.  I have the other two on my "must read" list.  I'll probably end up buying the triology when I go to buy another book!  When I first read Katie Oliver, I have to admit, I thought she was another of my new fav UK authors, I was DELIGHTED to discover that nope, she's an US girl too!  I get really excited to find new American authors who are up an coming and Katie Oliver definitely is one to watch!



Pie Girls
Lauren Clark

I recently did a review on Pie Girls.  I luckily stumbled across another blogger who was highlighting Miss Clark, and when I discovered that she was a Bama/ Dixie girl like me, I had to give her a go!  This was a really fun book!  A book about a small town girl turned BIG city girl turned small town girl again.  LOL It was a really fun southern chick-lit read.  I also have her other book Dancing Naked in Dixie and was working on reading it, when I had some other books come in that I had promised to review.  I do have it still beside me waiting and calling for me to open it back up.....  I also purchased another one of her books,Stay Tuned that is currently awaiting me on my Kindle!  Lauren Clark is a mixture of Mary Kay Andrews mixed in with a little bit of Linda Francis Lee.  I really hope that she can find some mainstream success in the world of Chick-Lit!  One of the benefits to us readers for these unfound treasures, is we can find these books at a STEAL of a price!  I believe, the most expensive book is only $2.99!!!!  NOT BAD AT ALL, even a poor girl from Bama like me can afford them prices.

Over the Seas Favs....
So, anyone whom has read any of my posts, I'm certain is aware of my fascination bordering on obsession with all things UK and Irish chick lit.  I love the style writing of these delightful authors!  


 Practically Perfect: A Novel
Katie Fforde

If I'm being honest, Katie Fforde all of Katie Fforde books are my favorites, so choosing just one is a hard task.  However, I decided to choose Practically Perfect, as it's one I haven't really talked much about.  All of Katie Fforde books have a theme of friendship, and starting over and restoration.
In Practically Perfect, we meet Anna an interior designer, whom has just purchased a ramshackle of a home and is in the process of restoring it on her own.  It's got Katie Fforde's signature style and warmth that fills each and every of her books!  You could play the enimanyminimo game with your eyes closed picking one of her books, and it's still going to be a great selection!  She's definitely on my top five list of ALL TIME favorite authors!


 Miranda's Big Mistake
Jill Mansell

Another of my all time favorites, there were many books I could have chosen.  I would have chosen Solo, the book I just read by Jill Mansell, but as it's not available on Kindle at present, I thought I'd give my readers a quick option!  Miranda's Big Mistake is about Miranda a girl who works in a salon and is always giving stuff away.  Unbeknownst to Miranda she unwittingly finds that her generosity has garnered the attention of a local documentary.  The story is filled with Jill Mansell's humor and her lovely characters she always seems to be able to create.  She's brilliant at creating worlds in which we would all love to submerse ourselves in.

White Wedding
Milly Johnson

I could have chosen any of Milly Johnson's wonderful stories, however I chose White Wedding, because it truly is one of my favorites.  All of Milly Johnson's books have beautiful friendship based themes in idyllic type surroundings.  White Wedding is about three strangers who meet and bond at a local wedding shop.  Each with their own stories and their own drama filled lives, we get to experience and learn of each one of these women lives.  I love Milly Johnson's style of writing.  All of her books, I'm barely able to pull myself away and find myself immersed inside the world she creates.


A Place to Call Home
Carole Matthews

Recently, I reviewed this book, and it truly is a fantastic read.  A bit on the heavier side than most chick-lit.  Carole Matthews still was able to mix a heavy subject with some lighthearted fun.  She so expertly created a wonderful balance with no minimizing the seriousness of the subject at hand, but also maintaining the light air feel that we find ourselves drawn to the world of chick-lit.  In A Place to Call Home, we are met with issues of domestic violence and starting over.  While it's a fictional tale, it's one that unfortunately rings true for far too many women.  Carole Matthews did an excellent job of mixing the two worlds together.

Notable Mentions:
These are a couple of other favorites, that I wanted to definitely include!!


Moody not Broody: to breed or not to breed? THAT is the question.
Kathryn Player

This is another independent author, that I recently discovered through Twitter.  This is Kathryn Player's debut novel and it was definitely a HILARIOUS one!  In Moody not Broody we meet a wonderful cast of characters who are all mostly teachers.  Emma, our heroine of the story, has been married for a year and suddenly feels suffocated by the realization that her husband expects babies.  The story is all about her NOT wanting a baby and delivers us some hilarious scenes!  It's such a fun book and I really recommend it to those who love a good humorous book!  This book had me doubling over laughing!


Things We Never Say
Sheila O'Flanagan

This was truly a wonderful story.  I've read a few of Sheila O'Flanagan's books and they always manage to capture my attention and keep me unable to do anything until I've devoured every word.
Ms. O'Flanagan is an Irish Best Selling author, so she's not an independent author, but she's not quite as well known in the states, although she truly needs to be!  If you ever have a chance to pick up on of her books, I strongly urge you to do so!!

Most of these books are available for download on Kindle.  However, there may be a couple that have to be ordered and shipped from overseas.  I hope that you've enjoyed my TOP TEN list, I would love to hear back from you and find out what you love to read!!  There are so many talented authors and this list in no way encompasses all of the authors I truly love and admire!

Let me know your favorites!

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