Ask Booktrust

In the first installment of our new regular feature in which we answer your questions about books, reading and writing, we recommend some of our favourite 'chick lit'

Dear Booktrust,
I'm 23 years old and I never read any books. I used to read the Goosebumps books as a child.
I want to get back into reading as I want to take my GCSE English in September. What would you advise? I quite like the idea of reading some romantic/comedy, young, girlie, books (I'm a gay guy). Are these books called chick flicks?
Adam

Hi Adam,

It's really great to hear that you want to get back into reading.

The books you are thinking of are sometimes called 'chick lit' - stories that focus on young female characters and deal with romantic dilemmas. There are lots of great examples out there, but as a starting point, some of our favourites are Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella, Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner and Last Chance Saloon by Marian Keyes. We’re big fans of Jojo Moyes’ books too: try her bestselling Me Before You (but be prepared - it’s a bit of a tear-jerker). Jilly Cooper’s books are also great fun: Rivals is a good place to start, or you might enjoy Appassionata.

Have you also thought about trying some young adult books? Although these generally have teenage characters, so-called ‘crossover’ books like Twilight and Hunger Games have proved that they are often just as engaging for adult readers as they are for teens themselves. If you like funny, romantic stories, you could try Adorkable by Sarra Manning, Diary of a Chav by Grace Dent, or Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O’Porter – or if you’d like to read a romance with young gay characters, check out our booklist here. You also mentioned that you liked the Goosebumps series as a child – do you think you might still enjoy reading mystery stories? We love James Dawson’s spooky Hollow Pike or Tanya Byrne's gripping Follow Me Down - a murder mystery set in an exclusive boarding school. Take a look at the Young Adult section of our website for lots more ideas.

You might also want to check out Quick Reads. These books are written by big name, bestselling authors like Andy MacNab, Kathy Lette and Lynda La Plante, but are specifically aimed at adults who are less confident in their reading skills. As the name suggests, they are very quick and easy to read, and they cost just £1.00 each. You can buy them online from retailers like Waterstones or borrow them from your local library: find out more at the Quick Reads website.

We hope you’ll enjoy some of these suggestions. Best of luck with your GCSE English – and happy reading!

Do you have a question for Booktrust? Whether you’d like book recommendations, reading advice or writing tips, we’re here to help! Email us at websites@booktrust.org.uk with your question, and we’ll try and answer it here.