Review: "Jeneration X" by Jen Lancaster

Oh, Jen Lancaster, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.....

Jeneration X, Jen Lancaster's latest release, documents Jen's (mainly successful) attempts to grow up and act her age. From volunteering in the community to buying her first home to making a will, Jen participates in several activities meant to help her to grow up, and luckily for us, she documents the process for us.

It's no secret (well, it shouldn't be anyways!) that Jen is hilarious and irreverent. I have read every single one of her books and I find myself laughing out loud every time. Her adventures are hilarious (I dare you to read the chapter titled "Burning Ring of Fire" and not laugh!), and sometimes you wonder how a grown woman can find herself in so many wacky situations, but it certainly makes her books fun to read!

I have to say that this book is my second favourite one of hers to date. My favourite of her books is Such a Pretty Fat, which I re-read every time my chocolate-loving self needs a good, swift kick in the behind. In fact, my copy has made the rounds among my friends who all agree that the book rocks. Jeneration X has found a spot among my favourites as well, though, perhaps because I could relate to so much of the book! I mean, Jen and I have very little in common if you were just looking at our lives from an outsider's perspective, however so many of these chapters actually had me nodding my head in agreement with her. For example, she talks about how she and her husband recently purchased their first house, and my hubby and I just purchased and moved into our new home this April. She writes about her need to know what the neighbors are up to and I had to laugh because I am totally like that! She writes about the importance of having a group of close friends and I have only recently (in the past year or so) realized that without my girls I would go completely insane!!! Plus, the really freaky thing? She and husband Fletch aren't going to have any kids but if they did? They would have named their son Holden. My seven-year-old is named Holden. Spooky!

You wouldn't really think of a memoir being one that you should "take to the beach" but honestly Jen Lancaster's books are the exception. Fresh, honest, and laugh-out-loud funny, Jeneration X should be a mandatory addition to the beach bag this summer. (I borrowed this copy from the library).