Review: "Pretty in Plaid" by Jen Lancaster

Jen Lancaster has shared with us about her time on the unemployment line (Bitter is the New Black), her time as a little fish in a big pond (Bright Lights, Big Ass), and her struggles with weight loss (Such a Pretty Fat). Recently I reviewed her latest, My Fair Lazy, and loved the fact that she's as honest as they come and says exactly what she's thinking. We could use more people like Jen! I was at the library with my boys the other day (yay for the summer reading program!) and I picked up a copy of her book Pretty In Plaid.

Pretty in Plaid covers the time periods not covered in her previous books. We get glimpses into her childhood, teenage years, college years, and then her early years of working life. Although her trademark wit and charm are present in spades, this wasn't my favourite of her books so far. There are laughs to be had, but the middle dragged for me a bit. When she recounts her days as Rush Chairman of her sorority I had to stifle a few yawns, because her list of rules for her sorority sisters spanned pages.

That being said, there were parts that I found interesting. I enjoyed reading about the early days of her relationship with (her now husband) Fletch. I enjoyed reading about the ups and downs of her first job "in the real world", and I enjoyed the fact that she doesn't censor herself- she tells us about getting herself into debt as openly as she tells us about her triumphant graduation from College. I also enjoyed her various clothing descriptions, and I may or may not have bought a new purse after reading the description of her new Coach bag (no, I didn't buy a Coach purse, yes, I bought an inexpensive knockoff, and yes, I'm enjoying the latest addition to my purse collection).

The fact that this one didn't entirely do it for me hasn't turned me off of reading her other books. Jen Lancaster's books are great for both a laugh and a reality check, and I still have Bitter is the New Black and Such a Pretty Fat on my wishlist!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Recommended to: Readers who love their memoirs chock-full of humour
Challenges: 2010 100+ Reading Challenge, 2010 Support Your Local Library Challenge