Book of the Month: Not Your Average Leading Lady
- Ingrid Rivera
- Mar 1, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: May 27, 2024
Grab your bucket of popcorn, the large cup of soda, your favorite candy snack, and your softest blanket because our March Book of the Month will have you falling back into the days you used to lounge around in your pajamas watching your favorite rom-com. But we all know life is not like the movies, no matter how many times you've dreamt of yourself kissing your celebrity crush. Sometimes, we watch movies to escape, others to distract, and at times, even to forget. But what's more magical than any movie we could watch is when reality surprises us in the best way.
There are many things that stand out about the month of March. As the third month, it officially marks the end of the first quarter of the year. For our barhoppers and Irish enthusiasts this month is all about the merriment and celebration of St. Patrick's Day. This year especially, March is extra special as Easter falls on the very last day of the month. But what we focused on this year is March's distinguishment as the month that holds the Spring Equinox, the official start of Spring. Spring made us think of a lot of things: Spring Break, flowers, the colors green, yellow, and pink, but there was one animal in particular that came to mind, and no, it's not a bunny. It's the chick! And what better way to honor such a symbol of spring like the chick than to highlight the literary genre named after it? Okay, fine, maybe the genre is not named for the animal, but come on, I can't imagine someone not smiling at the thought of a baby chick---they're adorable! Anyways, to kick off Spring, we are highlighting Chick Lit as our Genre of the Month. And that's chick as in reference to women, not the undeniably adorable baby animals.
Chick Lit
Unlike its close friend the romance genre, chick lit is one that has not been around for a very long time, its origins tracing back only as far as the 1990s. When it first arrived on the scene, chick lit was a genre that dominated, with novels of the genre consistently topping bestselling charts and readers flocking to novels under the chick- it umbrella. What made it so special? Well, that's a bit harder and yet very easy to answer depending on how you look at it. The 90s were much more than the last decade of a century, they were the years that saw so much transformative change to society and societal expectations of everything from rights to gender to beliefs. And with chick lit, known for its books written by women for women, there was no better time for the genre to rise. Chick lit books typically feature women in their young adulthood as protagonists and focus generally on romance, friendship, and the workplace.
It was a genre born when it was needed most and the proof is in the history. Chick Lit tiles, as previously mentioned, were consistent holders of slots on top bestsellers lists, but more than that, the genre saw the rise of a handful of sub-genres, although none managed the acclaim that chick Lit held. But as the 200s began to progress, the genre faced more and more challenges. The term "chick," which comes from the American slang meaning young woman, was felt to be derogative and sexist. Female authors felt that regardless of the substance of their work, their novels were filed under the chick lit umbrella. Many chick lit authors turned on the genre and began to speak out against it. This caused a split in the literary sphere, as others came out in firm support of the genre. While one side claimed that chick lit was demeaning and a tool being used to diminish female success, the other argued that the genre was essential and celebrated the realities of life itself in its exploration of love, loss, friendship, grief, and so much more.
While everyone is entitled to their opinion on the matter, regardless of where you stand, the chick lit genre has persevered. While its sub-genres have long since faded into near obscurity, chick lit itself remains a popular literary category amongst readers. It is my own opinion, and that of The Book Hive, that there is a book out there for everyone. No matter your interests, beliefs, views, circumstances, or any other, a book exists that fills your needs. But more than that, sometimes, we want a book that we know will make us feel a certain way. Chick lit is one of a handful of literary genres that you know will guarantee you a very specific experience for the simple, undeniable reason that it is very specific. Love, Loss, Friendship, Grief, Self-discovery, Female-oriented, and, almost every time, a happy ending (even if it's not the one you're expecting). There are times in each of our lives when we just know that we need to distract ourselves or find a book that we can relate to and chick lit has that power. It holds that guarantee of what you are getting when you go into it, and unlike many other genres, it almost never disappoints.
Regardless of your stance on chick lit, I am confident in saying that the genre is here to stay. We may refer to it in different ways or acknowledge its validity while maintaining an opposing view, but there is no denying the power and following of the genre. And like romance, it is one that is constantly evolving and expanding its content, but more than that, it is one that can cross into other genres. Our Book of the Month, for example, is a chick lit novel, yet it is also a romance novel, a young adult/coming of age novel, a contemporary novel, and so much more. Chick lit holds a special power to offer a very specific emotion that many crave when they seek comfort in reading and that is joy. While that may sound a bit presumptuous, it is not without merit. Think of the last rom-com you watched and adored and how it made you feel, and now picture a book that offers that exact same joy. That is chick lit and no one can deny its power.
Book of the Month
We ask you to join us in giving a standing ovation to the Busy Bee Book Club's March Book of the Month: Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter.
Perpetual daydreamer Liz Buxbaum gave her heart to Michael a long time ago. But her cool, aloof forever crush never really saw her before he moved away. Now that he’s back in town, Liz will do whatever it takes to get on his radar - and maybe snag him as a prom date - even befriend Wes Bennet. The annoyingly attractive next-door neighbor might seem like a prime candidate for romantic-comedy fantasies, but Wes has only been a pain in Liz’s butt since they were kids. Pranks involving frogs and decapitated lawn gnomes do not a potential boyfriend make. Yet, somehow, Wes and Michael are hitting it off, which means Wes is Liz’s in. But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz noticed by Michael so she can have her magical prom moment, she’s shocked to discover that she likes being around Wes. And as they continue to grow closer, she must reexamine everything she thought she knew about love - and rethink her own ideas of what happily ever after should look like. |
Have you ever heard the saying that when a boy picks on you it usually means that they like you? If you haven't, then let's say you are both lucky and unlucky. If you have, this blurb will undoubtedly bring back some hopefully fond memories of your childhood. Although, as someone with a self-admitted irrational fear of frogs, I might have broken my no-violence rule if someone had used one to prank me. In that scenario potential-future-boyfriend becomes automatic-arch-nemesis with no hesitation. But alas, sometimes, even our fears and hypothetical dislike for frog-pranking boys must take a step to the side to make way for the desires of our hearts. Love as many like to say, can make a person do stupid things. It's a transrfmitive force, no doubt, but one that often likes to play games---much like said hypothetical frog-painting boy might play. Alright, enough with the fake frog-pranking boy.
Let's talk about the real frog-pranking boy, Mr. Wes Bennet. Resident prankster, boy-next-door, thorn in Liz Bauxbaum's side. He's run up a long list of reason for Liz to dislike him. Frog prank right at the top, followed, by decapitated gnomes, and I'm sure the list will grow as we jump into their world. But it seems he's earned a new title, one that will have Liz breaking what should be a zer-engagement rule: Michael's newest friend. Who's Michael, you may be asking. Only the boy who Liz has spent forever crushing on and who after moving away, has just come back to town, in time to take Liz to prom. The only problem is that michael can;t seem to give Liz the time of day, it seems, forcin gLiz to turn to the one person who's single-handedly responsible for creating her list of fears (an assumption, of course, as I have not read it yet, but I'm pretty confident it's true). But Wes might just turn out to be more than meets the eye. Maybe the frog-pranking boy-next-door is really just a prince trapped in a frog-pranking boy-next-door waiting for his moment to shine. And maybe, that saying that when a boy picks on you it usually means they like you holds more truth to it than we give it credit for. While I can't even imagine finding myself forgiving someone who has used a frog to prank me the remote makings of a chance, I'm interested to see how Liz and Wes's relationship develops. And more importantly, what the hell is going to happen to Michael?
I do love a good love triangle!
JOIN THE BUSY BEE BOOK CLUB TO BEE A PART OF OUR MONTHLY BOOK DISCUSSIONS AND COME BACK ON MARCH 29TH FOR OUR OFFICIAL REVIEW OF
BETTER THAN THE MOVIES.
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