I often read books that don't use speech marks, and that gets a little wearing. You never know whether it's something being said, thought, or just happening to move the plot on!
I prefer books written in the first person - it seems to draw the reader in more. I really love the way Julie Myerson writes: she uses mainly first person (although in one of her books part of it is written in the second person 'you' which I found intriguing).
Recent reads:
Sophie Hannah's Point of Rescue http://www.amazon.co...41&sr=8-1-fkmr0 which took me over three weeks and a lot of to-ing and fro-ing to remember the characters.
Julian Barnes' Sense of an Ending http://www.amazon.co...51692194&sr=1-1 - just about to start it.
Wouldn't describe the following as chick lit, but more women's fiction: my favourite writer is Lesley Glaister. Others that come close are Julie Myerson, Nicci French, Maggie O'Farrell.