So here’s a new one, she may not be as well known or high profile as authors I’ve put in the notable section but damn if she isn’t funny. And well known in her own mind.

I’ve read only two of her memoirs, Bitter is the New Black and Pretty in Plaid but they give you a good overview of who she is. Loud, opinionated, obnoxious and arrogant but she’s honest about it. She’s pretty unashamed that she can be a bitch and she’ll rip you a new one to your face but it’s all hilarious. In fact, she’s so brutally mean that I almost started believing this was some sort of satire. But she says it’s true.

Which I can only admire her chutzpuh in admitting she can be an awful person and show all her failures, tantrums and messes to the viewing masses. But then again, she’s making money off of it so. . . genius.

Or maybe it’s because she’s from New Jersey.
(I’m allowed to say that, I’m from NJ myself)

As for her fiction books, they are very imaginative and well done. If You Were Here is about a couple who decides to go after the home that inspired 80s aueter John Hughes’ famous movies like Sixteen Candles. But find that living their HGTV dreams to be a big mess. This was less like fiction but more similar to memoir right down to the footnotes at the bottom of the pages. Which make sense considering it is loosely based on her and her husband’s attempts at finding a house.

Her other fiction works are more separate like Here I Go Again. Remember that high school mean girl who makes everyone’s lives hell? Lissa Ryder is that high school mean girl and her adult life is in shambles. Her boyfriend dumped her, she lost her job, she’s living with her fighting parents. Life is awful and is all due to karma according to her kookie time travelling karma assistant Deva. So all Lissa has to do is go back in time and be nice in high school/collage. Let’s say the results on the high school continuum vary as Lissa tries, tries and tries again. It actually becomes quite meaningful as Lissa truly sees the effects of her actions and begins to see the root to her relationship problems (it’s parental issues. It’s totally because of her parents), and her own family’s relationships with each other.

It also brings up a surprisingly and probably true point. Mean girls do make your life miserable, and yes, life would be easier not to have them but they also inspire you to make your life better so you can rub it in their face at the 10th year reunion.

The Best of Enemies makes a great case for girl friendships and why they fail. Part A Simple Favor, part Bridesmaids this book pits former sorority head and current PTA mom Kitty against war journalist Jacqueline aka Jack who both rush to their mutual friend, Sarabeth’s side when her husband is killed. Yeah it’s the poster girl for mommy perfection vs the “not like other girls” steroetype and it really works as they try to place nice. there’s a bit of a side mystery going on to that quickly veers into thriller territory but it allows for some meaningful heart to hearts so that they soon see they had a lot more in common than they thought.

By the Numbers covers what happens when the “sandwich” mom, Penny (sandwiched between so many people/things to deal with) has to help fix her ex, her children’s and her in laws personal and financial troubles all at once. Utter headache but also insightful in what contributes to a failing marriage and affair, the classism of older generations and its effects on Penny when it comes to her workaholic tendencies and her child-rearing as well what did Penny and her ex Chris go wrong in regards to their kids. It’s sweet and funny and frustrating all at once with a heartwarming twist on the final page.

Really, if you’re looking for a good laugh or a relaxing beach read, Lancaster is your woman. Go give her a read, she’ll tell you all the reasons why you should and then join her kingdom of Jennsylvania.