Yep, another literary treasure from Jen Lancaster, who also wrote Bitter is the New Black, which hit the shelves at the tail end of when she was writing this book. I bought this at the end of August but apparently had never registered it. Whoops.

Apart from? her annoying habit of random question marks (while at the same time railing on those who use LOL), this book was pretty good. Some interesting bits:

-very surprised she calls herself a republican. Politics don't play a huge part in the book but they are mentioned and one of my favourite spots was the PS in a letter to America that read, "If I could endure the fraternity party otherwise known as the Clinton administration, you can deal with President Churchy McJesus." That made me laugh - unforunately I was on the train at the time which is only slightly less odd than Chicago's mass transport.

She's got a thing for "Mc" - Slutty McGabsalot makes an appearance later. She gets props for fun names :)

Her book is also full of some very good lines:

"Here's a quick rule of thumb: no meeting requests to anyone you've seen naked, okay?"

"I ask for the Marquis deSade and instead I get an Olsen twin"

I liked it in that it's different from some books wherein you've read the blog, you've read the book. The two dove tail from one another but they're not exact replicas which is nice.

Live Serena Mackesy's The Temp I could identify with her temping stints. At the moment, I'm glad I'm done with that. Some were great but some you definitely held on for the end of the assignment.

My comment about Becky/Shopaholic holds true from the first book - there are times I want to slap her. Shallow gets old, but its funny to read. I think I'd go nuts if she were someone I had to deal with on a daily basis.

All this said, if there is a third book - I'll probably buy it.

RELEASE NOTES:

Antof9 and I had a discussion re: this book, among other things and I promised it to her to read.

Happy travels!

Thanks SKing! I got home from a crazy business trip to find this -- I'd already forgotten we'd talked about it!

Thanks, thanks -- I know I'll enjoy it :)

I'm on a short business trip (leaving this afternoon), and finished this one last night in my hotel room (it was this or the revamped "American Gladiator". Please). It's my third book of the year and frankly would have been the first, but I didn't finish Breakfast at Tiffany's last year and frankly didn't think I had the nerve to have the first book on my list have this title :) That said, I loved it!

As I was reading (also in my hotel room) it on Monday night, I got to the part where she's at the doctor's office and they give her a paper gown. By the time I hit this phrase I begin to get very angry at the exploding clothing. Exactly when did I turn into the Jen-credible Hulk?, I am laughing so hard I 1. am crying, 2. can hardly breathe, and 3. am dialing my sister to read this section to her.

Aside from her love of the "f" word (which really, who can blame her), I think Jen Lancaster is my kindred spirit. She's mouthy AND conservative. She's modest and so not into The Naked. She's bigger than she should be and although she cares about it, it doesn't run her. She has a funny husband who often thinks she's nuts and ... seriously, she might be me (she even points out to the Target person that they didn't greet her! This is so me-embarrassing-my-husband). I mean, I even lived in Chicago for 12 years. What are the chances? Really, we are basically the same person, which is just one of the reasons I'd put this one head and shoulders over any Shopaholic book any day of the week. I had to look it up but I was pretty sure I actually said (and I did!) that Becky Blomberg and her lying actually gave me a stomach ache in Confessions of a Shopaholic. (major side note to SKing and anyone else reading this and forming opinions: if you get a chance to read Can You Keep a Secret?, do. It's seriously one of the funniest books I've ever read and will also make you laugh out loud)

All that said, this is one of those books where I folded down too many corners and now don't know which ones to quote here. Frankly, I could re-type the entire book here because it's just that funny, but I'm also at work at the end of a business trip and need to finish this book review so I can hand the book to a friend before I get on the plane :)

I'll just add some random, short, funny things:
Talking about IKEA (of course I've been in the one she shops in -- it's near my old house) ...they carry every single thing you could possibly ever need ... at low, low prices, but in obscure Swedish sizes so those items won't coordinate with anything else you own, like, say, if you want to put a regular Target lamp shade on your IKEA lamp. Fletch thinks it's Sweden's master plan to make Americans so busy trying to construct furniture with Allen wrenches that we don't notice they've invaded us. (Personally, I think it's payback; the Swedes are pissed that we aren't buying ABBA albums anymore). (another side note: what is it with 4-letter Swedish words in all caps?)

About cultural diversity in an urban Target Plus, I've heard their cashiers speaking ten different languages, so I, Miss Whitey McXenophobe, should perhaps cut them some terry-cloth-covered, stool-seated slack.

OK -- no time for anything more except to say THANKS! to SKing for sharing this one with me (because of course now I have to go buy Bitter) and I'm passing it on to another BookCrosser who usually forgets to "catch" books I give her so we may never get another journal entry out of it, but I know she will laugh at it.

My beloved FF has brought me yet another hilarious book about being a plus size woman in a size 2 world. She has already warned me about the volume of F-bombs (one of my reader pet peeves).

I made the mistake of starting this book the other night right before bed and of course now I'm not getting any beauty rest because I keep telling myself "one more chapter and then I'll turn the lights out"

We expecting 8 inches of snow tomorrow (which is a lot for New Jersey) so maybe I will have the luxury of finishing it tomorrow under a fleece blanket by a cozy fire.

Well it never snowed so it took a little longer than expected to finish because I only read a chapter or two every night before bed.It was great when my 13 year old son would ask what I was laughing about and it was not appropriate to descrbe the scene that caused my giggles.

This book was funny though (as my FF Antof9 will tell you), I'm not a big fan of profanity in literature

Anyway, I loved the adventures of Loki and Maisy and the way Jen deals with the people she encounters on a day-to-day basis. Most of what comes out of her mouth I only think in my head (minus the f-word)

Light reading. Good for on the nightstand (except for when I kept telling my self "one more chapter" and stayed up way past my bedtime).

I couldn't resist this one when DMA7 offered to trade! It arrived with a yummy dark chocolate Lindt Excellence bar--I'm smitten:)
Thanks!

This finally got to the top of Mt. TBR! I did enjoy it, but I must say I'm kind of glad I'm not her neighbor;)
I did laugh out loud in places.
I'm a closet cynic and she's an out of the closet cynic!
Thanks for the chocolate fix and the fun read. I'm sorry it took me so long to get around to it. I'll pass it on soon...

Sending to jennyc1230 for the virtual bookbox...It's humor and memoir:)

Caught today for the Virtual Biography/Auto-Biography/Humor Bookbox.

Here is the Bookring that I read: Bright Lights, Big Ass

Sending to Firegirl from the Virtual Biography/Auto-Biography/Humor Bookbox.

Enjoy the books!

Arrived safely and, after seeing Antof9's review, can't wait to get started. Hi, Ant!!

I haven't read Lancaster's first book, but this makes me want to. She's good for a laugh and writes in a very free and easy style, as though you were sitting and talking with her over a couple of margaritas. It's great to have to pick up now and again as each chapter is a totally different story. (Makes for a great bath book.) Loved the emails, too. No heavy reading, nothing too serious, just right for lounging about and laughing. Glad I picked this one out of the VBB. Will be sending it on down to Oz shortly.

Mailed to the always-fabulous Libertine101 down in Oz. Happy reading, dear friend! The kittyboys send their love.

This was on my wishlist and kindly sent to me as a surprise by firegirl, along with a gorgeous kitty card. :) Thank you!