Nowhere To Go But Up • Bitter is the New Black

Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster

Publisher: NAL Trade
Publication Date: March 7, 20016

Source/Format: Bought || Paperback

Jen Lancaster was living the sweet life-until real life kicked her to the curb. She had the perfect man, the perfect job-hell, she had the perfect life-and there was no reason to think it wouldn't last. Or maybe there was, but Jen Lancaster was too busy being manicured, pedicured, highlighted, and generally adored to notice. 

This is the smart-mouthed, soul-searching story of a woman trying to figure out what happens next when she's gone from six figures to unemployment checks and she stops to reconsider some of the less-than-rosy attitudes and values she thought she'd never have to answer for when times were good.

Jen Lancaster has an amusing, witty writing style that will either instantly appeal to the reader or turn one off from reading her book. In my case, obviously, it was the former, as I hurriedly devoured Bitter is the New Black, the tale of her adventures in unemployment. 

What I liked most about Bitter is the New Black is the personal journey Jen is forced to go on in the face of her unemployment problems - we get to see a marked change from the bratty, self-centered, bossy, wisecracking smartass that she is in the beginning to the more money conscious, less bratty and bossy and more likeable Jen she is in the end. For me, I went through the whole I-sort-of-hate-her-but-then-feel-sorry-for-her-and-now-after-a-big-change-in-personality-I-actually-like-her while I was reading (and yes, I know that was a mouthful, sorry!). 

Jen has a fantastic way of telling her story, bringing us smack dab into the middle of her situation and helping us understand what she's going through. It's also great how she manages to give life to her characters and add a dimension of reality to it all. Bitter is the New Black is a funny, witty, sassy read, this book would be perfect for fans of chick lit and memoirs.