A Bump in the Road: From Happy Hour to Baby Shower by Maureen Lipinski

I have made the comment recently that I read more fiction than non. After reading A Bump in the Road: From Happy Hour to Baby Shower by Maureen Lipinski, I think I need to clarify that statement.

I don't tend to finish fiction. Why? Because most of what I read is terrible. Bad plots, badly drawn characters, and the worst offense--authors who cannot put their main characters in peril. Fiction is supposed to be cathartic, allow readers to experience things we would be too scared to otherwise or would never have the opportunity to. Nothing irritates me more than when an author is too gentle with the plot for the sake of the main character.

Yes, Stephanie Meyer, I am calling you out.

So lately, I have been gravitating towards memoir because it feels more authentic. However, Jen Lancaster made some fiction suggestions on her summer reading list. Looking for a change, I decided to try some out. First up was Lipinski's book, a story about a young woman in Chicago, still enjoying her marriage's honeymoon stage, who accidentally gets pregnant. The novel follows Claire through each trimester as she struggles with the sudden changes, the morning sickness, managing her life, and coming to terms with the fact that nothing will be the same again.

At first I struggled to get into the book. I found Claire to be silly and unrealistic (really, who can drink that much?), but once she got pregnant, I could relate to her much better. This novel reminded me of my own unexpected pregnancy in so many ways. This novel excels because it has just enough realism and outlandish moments combined.

Now, it's not perfect. There are some cliches, some characters who aren't fully developed (overbearing mother-in-law, perfectionist friend with bad marriage, slutty friend with heart of gold, etc.) But it's good enough for me to look forward to the sequel I requested from the library.

I recommend this book for non-literary snobs, especially women. I don't see guys getting into this. Well, it's not really for them anyways.

Hillary

Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster

I do not tend to be a big fan of non-fiction, but I make the exception for humor writers. In my opinion, Jen Lancaster is pretty dang funny, but humor writing is a "funny" thing. One person's side-splitter is another person's curled lip and/or eye roll. I am a huge fan of sarcasm and shock (well, not too much shock--I'm pretty modest.) But I love when people can tell the stories of crazy things that happen to them, especially when they can be honest about themselves and their short comings.

Last summer I read Lancaster's Bitter is the New Black and Such a Pretty Fat. It is not necessary to read these books before Pretty in Plaid, but all three books are pretty quick reads. In Pretty in Plaid, Lancaster writes about growing up, using the context of her favorite/most memorable outfits. This book will particularly appeal to those who can relate to 80's fashion, etc. In every story, Lancaster writes about herself with honesty and humor. She has a really strong view of the world, but she is open about her flaws.

I recommend this book for women who want to laugh. This is definitely not a book for the guys and not for children. While Lancaster is modest about sex, she does have a foul mouth and she drops several f-bombs. She is funnier than heck though and all her books make a great summer read. You can learn more about Jen Lancaster on her website http://www.jennsylvania.com.