I have been sucked into the trend . I tend not to like the stuff that everyone else likes. Most of my music is indy or names or Christian bands that don’t hit the charts. I don’t find anything wrong with listening to the “non-popular” stuff that I do. I love it in fact. And this morning I was doing research on the world wide web to find a link to go with the new book that I am reading. Being that its an advance copy (perks of working a bookstore), its not on amazon.com where I normally get my links for my “what I’m reading” (aka “Who’d have thought that love could be so caffeinated?”) link section. In this search I have stumbled upon lots of articles connected with this book by Steeple Hill Cafe (that’s one of the reason I asked my boss if I may steal her advance copy. Not only did it look cute but it has cafe at the end of the publishing name!). Apparently this is a very popular trend in the Christian market. I don’t know if I’m comfortable with that.

I don’t read every Christian fiction that comes out, unlike a good handful of customers that I have gotten to know because they come in every week to get themselves a new book. I once had a lady come in after recommending her Redeeming Love and asking her how she liked it. She said “I just wish my husband would love me as much as that man loved Angel.” Her response to me let me baffled and I didn’t know what quite to say to her. I wanted to tell her she wasn’t allowed to read anymore fiction books and just her bible if that’s going to happen. There are some women in the world who need to stay away from fiction, it can be as bad as guys looking at porn and I am dead serious. Lust is lust, end of story. Sorry, this is a blog about Christian chic lits, not Joshua Harris’ new book.

Anyways, I do read some Christian fiction, some of the popular stuff even (Francine Rivers, some Lori Copland) and have never had a problem with it. I guess my feeling of uncomfortable (wedgie type uncomfortable) is that my first Christian chic lit was “What a Girl Wants” and I was the first to read it (in my circle of reading friends). Everyone loved it that I recommend it too, which made me feel warm fuzzys inside because books are real personal to me (heck I call them friends at times). So, when someone doesn’t like something I enjoyed reading, I don’t like it. But I never knew picking up the brightly covered book that Id be sucked into a trend.

The Whitney Chronicles from the 116 pages I have read so far its a lot like “What a Girl Wants”. I don’t have a problem with that because I’m enjoying reading it. But little less than half way through it, I doubt I will buy it. I’m a quote girl, I highlight or write down quotes from books a lot. I haven’t written down as many quotes from this book so more than likely I probably wont buy it, but its a cute book. I’ll have to review it (and maybe even send it to Relevant since we are talking about trends) when I am done which I don’t do often enough on my blog, review books.

I know there’s nothing wrong with liking what’s popular. Heck, that says that the company’s marketing for the popular whatever is doing a fine job (I blame it on my weakness of brightly colored book covers). I wish the reviewers would pick a different phrase rather than “Bridget Jones goes to church.” That rubs me the wrong way. I know the Christian market is 10 years behind in the chic lit trend and this is what they are pulling these new book ideas from. Come to think of it, is there anything the Christian market has made up on its own without copying secular markets? Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad we have a Christian fiction section to pick from instead of just the trashy (“You got porn” Is it bad I think of Friends very often when I type?) books with covers that make you feel dirty. I don’t know where I’m going with this (most of my ponderings end this way). I think I don’t want to get wrapped up in a Christian bubble. As much as its healthy and a good idea to surround myself with Christian friends and Christian materials, its only healthy to a degree.

“15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify[2] them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. John 17:15-19
I was trying to find the verse that says “be in the world not of it” but I could not find it. Many thanks to Jason , Carla and Ashley who helped my search for this, what we think is a Christian phrase and not an actually bible verse.