Weddingbee

Mr. Jasmine and I are back from our honeymoon, many pounds heavier and much tanner. We had an incredible time in Hawaii and I’m putting together a couple of recap posts for all of you, with lots of cringe-inducing pics of the Jasmines in swimwear.

Much of the honeymoon was spent lounging by the pool/beach with a good book. Mr. Jasmine and I love to read, but unlike him, my tastes run from high-brow to so-called chick lit. I try not to be a book snob and in my little world, a good read is a good read, whether it’s Russian literature, a British classic, or a twenty-first century tale of dating in the big city. I chose books of the latter type for our honeymoon since I couldn’t process anything more weighty than that. Some of them I loved, some of them were just meh, and some of them….well, read on:

Books I Loved:
Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and Baby Proof, all by Emily Giffin:

I officially have a crush on Emily Giffin. I purchased Something Borrowed for the flight to Hawaii and two days later in Kauai, I made Mr. J drive me to the nearest Borders so I could purchase Something Blue and Baby Proof.


Something Borrowed was a delicious read- I was suprised at how invested I felt in the plot and the characters. They were women I could relate to and their emotional entanglements had depth and nuance. Mr. Jasmine laughed at me when he noticed a 13 year also reading Something Borrowed by the pool, but I say it’s a book for all ages. Something Blue, the follow-up to Something Borrowed, was just as witty and emotional, and I loved following up on the characters’ lives from a different perspective.

Baby Proof was thought-provoking and heart-breaking. It explores the societal pressure to conceive from a unique perspective, and Giffin does a lovely job in creating characters you want to know and believe in. It was just as satisfying as the other two, but a bit more serious and somber.

I can’t wait to pick up the next Emily Giffin book– her spare, witty writing style completely hooked me.

The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella

I was already a die-hard Sophie Kinsella fan when I picked up The Undomestic Goddess. Her Shopaholic series is witty, finely drawn chick lit at its best and it’s a little alarming how much I can relate to protagonist Becky Bloomwood. I wasn’t sure what to expect with Goddess, but it did not disappoint. Despite a seemingly far-fetched plot, The Undomestic Goddess was hilarious and absorbing. The tale of a lawyer who makes an unforgivable work mistake was bone-chilling for me as a fellow lawyer and I could relate to her need to stop obsessing about her career. The book is an ode to relaxation and quality of life, which makes it the perfect honeymoon read.

Books That Were So-So:
Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult:

I generally enjoy Picoult’s books– My Sister’s Keeper was particularly gripping and it’s being made into a movie starring Cameron Diaz (a casting choice that boggles the mind, but that’s an entirely different post). And Vanishing Acts is well-written, with a provocative plotline and strong character development. But the book is riddled with several scenes of extremely graphic and unnecessary violence. It felt like it was there for shock value alone, as I didn’t think it added much to the plot and made the book feel much longer than it should have been. I would recommend the book, with just a few reservations about the graphic scenes and length.

Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger:

I was one of those rare people who didn’t loooooove The Devil Wears Prada and I actually enjoyed the movie a lot more (gasp!). So maybe I just don’t gel with Weisberger’s writing style? Chasing Harry Winston was frothy fun– the characters lead charmed lives, their problems are soap-opera worthy, and the descriptions of the dating escapades, fabulous men and even more fabulous apartments and clothes make it a fairly enjoyable read. Less enjoyable was the fact that all the forced fabulousness feels very trite and throwaway in the end.

Books I Ditched in the Sea:
Bergdorf Blondes by Plum Sykes:

This was my first Plum Sykes book and I was looking forward to it, especially since so many women I know love her novels. A couple years ago, I read an article by Plum Sykes in Vogue that detailed her quest for wedding lingerie. Her extravagant and lavish trousseau shopping, at some of the finest lingerie stores in the world, completely fascinated me. I was transfixed by her search for the perfect silk “set” and I wondered if someday I would put the same time and thoughtfulness into my own trousseau (I didn’t). I’m now convinced Plum lives in an alternate universe where women wear matching lingerie every day, no matter what, and all of it is silk.

I really wanted to like Bergdorf Blondes, but I couldn’t even finish it. The way the characters spoke to each other was SO maddening; the dialogue was full of silly affectations. If the characters were pretentious and snobby in Harry Winston, they were beyond so in Bergdorf Blondes. And I realize the book was meant to mock how silly these women are, but I couldn’t stand reading their silly, affected way of speaking to each other. I don’t know if I was just in a mood that day, but I put Bergdorf Blondes down midway through and never picked it back up.

This is Chick Lit, edited by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

It is probably unfair for me to comment on this book because I only read a couple of the short stories included. I also want to make a note that I really support the idea of this book; chick-lit is often unfairly maligned and this book, a response to the collection This is Not Chick-Lit, is meant to be a rebuke to all those who claim chick lit is senseless fluff. Unfortunately, the few stories I did read felt bland and uninspired. And one fantasy story about a woman who has a mole removed and ends up with an actual third eye creeped me the hell out, and not in a good way. The collection is really well-reviewed on Amazon though, so maybe I’ll give it another chance someday. After the third-eye nightmares have subsided….

Any other books you’d recommend to fill the post-wedding, post-honeymoon void? From high-brow to chick lit, I’m all ears!

images from emily giffin, jodi picoult, barnes & noble, amazon, and jennifer coburn

• Something Recycled
• Ideas Coming to Life