Jen Lancaster is condescending, cynical, egomaniacal, self-centered and downright b*tchy. But in a weird way she makes being bitter becoming. Her blatant, unapologetic honesty gives way to her humanity, flaws and inner strength in Bitter Is the New Black.

I recently interviewed Jen Lancaster after reading her newest book Such a Pretty Fat, and I was interested in her story. She’s a former sorority girl who went from being a successful corporate mogul to getting her car repossessed and almost being evicted from her ghetto Chicago apartment. Bitter Is the New Black follows Jen from her corporate office to the unemployment office (with Prada bag in tow).

And I wasn’t disappointed. Jen is funny, cynical, sharp and sweet. Her panache for pearls and designer duds don’t mesh well with clipping cat food coupons, but she makes do. Bitter Is the New Black reveals the humiliation and shame of losing everything, but does so with wit and unconventional tactics.

In the course of 400 pages (a breezy weekend read) Jen will:

1. Steal a Coach bag from a homeless guy
2. Decide to get married to get out of debt
3. Cancel her COBRA health insurance for a pair of new boots
4. Hurl a laptop at her husband on their wedding night
5. Turn to her pantry to primp, using vanilla extra as perfume and Crisco as lip gloss. (Just call her Miss. MacGyver!)

This chick-lit is light, but deals with the dark subject of unemployment. And with the way the economy has been rolling lately, a lot more of us seem to be following in Jen’s COBRA-financed shoes.

Lancaster’s snotty, sarcastic, self-depreciating humor is addictive. Once you’re done reading all three of her books, you can still get your Jen fix at her popular blog www.jennsylvania.com.

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