Survey says....

Earlier this summer, we asked everyone to take a survey. By the time we closed it in order to tally results, we had 55 responses. We apologize for the delay in getting the results to you, but it's been a busy month (or so).


How old are you?

The top age ranges were:
1. 36-45 (36%)
2. 26-35 (24%)
3. 46-55 (15%)

What type of chick lit novel do you prefer to read?

The top three types were:
1. Light and humorous, i.e. Sophie Kinsella novels (87%)
2. Something heavier, possibly a tearjerker (55%)
3. A story with historical elements (36%)

There was also some preference for mystery and suspense.



What types of situations do you like to read about?

The top five types were:

1. Friendship (93%)
2. Marriage (76%)
3. Crazy job situations, i.e. The Devil Wears Prada (69%)
4. Single girl going on dates (67%)
5. Sibling relationships (63%)

Would you read a book written by a male author (i.e. All You Could Ask For by Mike Greenberg)?

The majority (73%) said "Yes."
"No" made only the bottom four percent.

Would you read a book written from a man's perspective (i.e. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell)?

The majority (71%) said "Yes."
"No" made only the bottom four percent.


What topic do you feel is overdone in chick lit/women's fiction novels?

There was a large mix of answers, but after reading through them, we found multiple answers indicating the following:

• Affairs/cheating
• Girls trying to find love
• Weight issues
• Divorce/breakup

One of the interesting choices that stood out was about too many books taking place in New York City.

What is a topic you haven't read about much in chick lit/women's fiction and would like to see an author write about?

There was a large mix of answers, but after reading through them, we found multiple answers indicating the following:

• Set in the past (40s, 50s)
• Diversity (race, ethnicity)
• Special needs
• Not ending up with the guy; independent/powerful women

What is the best chick lit/women's fiction novel you've read in the past year (between summer of 2013 and now)? What made it the best?

With the large variety of answers, there were some titles and authors that stood out as being chosen multiple times. Sarah Jio's books (a combination of Goodnight June, Morning Glory, and The Violets of March) got the most "votes." After that, The One and Only by Emily Giffin, Me Before You by Jojo Moyes, and The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty each received more than one mention.



Most common reasons for books being the best reads of the year:

• Well written
• Great storyline
• Great characters
• Humor
• Mystery

What is your least favorite chick lit/women's fiction novel you've read in the past year (between summer of 2013 and now)? Why is it low on your list?

We don't want to single out authors or books for negative reasons, but we were surprised to see multiple "votes" for a book by a well-known author that came out last year.

Most common reasons for books being a least favorite in the past year:

• Predictable
• Far-fetched, 
• Dull or moved slowly
• Hard to relate to characters

Do you prefer books by well-known authors (i.e. Emily Giffin) or independent and new authors (i.e. Samantha Stroh Bailey)?

The majority (89%) said that either are fine, while 11% said that they prefer books by well-known authors.

Thanks to everyone who participated in our survey! We will be having other surveys in the future and encourage as much participation as possible to make your voices heard.