Chick Lit

Chick Lit is a fairly new (only about 10 years old) genre of literature that is aimed at single, middle-class professional women. This same women is usually our heroine and the plot will usually include a love interest, an obsession with shopping and a career change. Sex is discussed frankly, along with self-esteem issues. Many times the heroine's life has fallen apart or become dull and through the course of the novel, she is healed. They are written in a light-hearted style that keeps readers entertained and interested in the plot.
Though some would say Chick Lit novels are becoming as formulaic as a romance novel, there are definitely some out there that are worth the read. Helen Fielding's novel Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination, is part chick lit and part spy novel, with Olivia following someone she believes to be a terrorist all over the world and trying to expose him.
This style of novel has become some popular (many novels have been on the bestseller list) that is has spawned sub-genres. Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez writes Chica Lit and there's also Christian Chick Lit, Matron Chick Lit, Teen Chick Lit and Indian Chick Lit.
As these novels continue to grow in popularity, we are seeing the birth of a new genre in literature. Though these novels may not always deal with serious themes, they may be turning a whole new generation of women on to reading and that's never a bad thing.
So if you're stuck on an airplane or heading for the beach, pick up some Chick Lit. I would recommend starting with the basics - Bridget Jones Diary.