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tigerxwasp's review against another edition
2.0
I tried to get to the end I really did but then I reached page 265 and though no I'm not putting myself through anymore I this. I was cringing in embarrassment at each new story turn.
abbywebb's review against another edition
2.0
Not sure what happened with Sophie Kinsella's storyline in the latest installment in the Shopaholic series. It took me about halfway through the book to identify the main plot (surprise birthday party for Luke) as there were all these other weird storylines. Of course, it all (for the most part, anyway) came together at the end but it took the entire book to do that. And seriously, things with Elinor did not get resolved, leaving me to question another book in the series.
Call me ridiculous, but even though I haven't enjoyed the latest books in the series as much, I just can't not imagine reading them. There's always the idea that the latest book will be the best one yet, but to be honest, I think that Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) is done. It's still a decent read for chick-lit lovers though. I am not completely dissing this book, it just makes me question Kinsella's motives to continue the series again and again (I mean really, we're already on book #6). Her non-Shopaholic books are far better than this series and I would love to see her write more in that area.
Call me ridiculous, but even though I haven't enjoyed the latest books in the series as much, I just can't not imagine reading them. There's always the idea that the latest book will be the best one yet, but to be honest, I think that Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) is done. It's still a decent read for chick-lit lovers though. I am not completely dissing this book, it just makes me question Kinsella's motives to continue the series again and again (I mean really, we're already on book #6). Her non-Shopaholic books are far better than this series and I would love to see her write more in that area.
stephsec's review against another edition
4.0
Once again Mrs. Kinsella has got me completely wrapped into her tales of Mrs. Brandon née Bloomwood. I was having trouble only reading this at night but it was definitely worth it being dragged out a few more days. I do hope there is another book in this series where Luke patches things up with Elinor. I love the way the story is put together and the way friendship is portrayed through every circumstance. This book had me looking for more temper-tantrums and laughing out loud because a 3 yr old should not know what a visa is... or how to entice a mother into spending money. I have realized that I am two books short of reading everything by Mrs. Kinsella not including the one she will be releasing soon. I am a true fan and glad that I was put onto her works but sad that there are not more to read NOW.
alidottie's review against another edition
3.0
Same old shopaholic formula. I got what I expected and was in the mood for--no complaints
jimmyjamesnickels's review against another edition
2.0
Well, it's certainly a Shopaholic book.
What can you even say about the books in this series, they're the book equivalent of those cheap, frosted puffy sugar cookies you can get in plastic bins by the dozen near the Walmart check out (which Google tells me are actually called Lofthouse cookies). I buy Lofthouse cookies for the same reasons I read books in the Shopaholic series: it's a guilty pleasure in the form of a sweet, fluffy treat that's crammed full of artificial gunk. The sugary pulp may be moderately enjoyable during the partaking but it always leaves me feeling a bit sick and ashamed of myself afterwards.
I don't expect much from these cookies much in the same way I don't expect much anymore from this series. I'm also to the point now where I'm not going to buy the Walmart Lofthouse cookies on my own dime anymore than I'd actually purchase a Shopaholic book, but if someone wants to give me one or lend me one at the library...okay, this analogy has gone far enough.
For a book entitled "Mini Shopaholic" the titular "Mini", Becky's daughter Minnie, is largely absent, barely featuring in what feels like an afterthought sub plot about how Minnie is consistently terrible and out of control and wrecks havoc unchecked where ever she goes. Fair enough, this description also applies to the Shopaholic herself however Minnie is two in the book, one must make allowances for toddlers and the same could not be said for a grownass woman. The meat of the book involves Becky planning a surprise party for Luke's birthday, but I suppose "Shopaholic Throws a Party" was rejected as a title for sounding unbelievably shallow even for the series.
There are the traditional Shopaholic subplots, all of which involve Becky getting into bizarre situations and compounding them into bigger problems by being dishonest to make herself look better. But the meat and potatoes of this pretty pink frosted cookie is The Party. That's it. Over 400 pages about a birthday party...in the immortal words of Peter Griffin "Oh my god, who cares".
Becky's relationship with her daughter, and her daughter's role in the narrative was the most uncomfortable part of the book for me. I think the books as a whole may have been better without the addition of Minnie, as the child is dead weight, at best doing nothing more than highlighting how much Becky is not growing as a character. An example of this, a common phrase in the Shopaholic books is Becky's frequent small fantasies about being known as "The Girl with the _____", the fill in the blank being some item of clothing or cool ~thing~ which will define her image and strike envy in those around her. Becky's daydreams about being "The Girl with the ___" are typically presented in a way that we the reader understand to be fundamentally shallow and unrealistic, throwaway moments to justify whatever selfishly materialistic and completely silly decision Becky's facing at the moment. Aaaand she does this "Girl with the _____" with her daughter, reducing the toddler to nothing more than a thing, an object. Literally in text treating her child as nothing more than an accessory to artificially bolster Becky's own image.
You don't have to be some radical crunchy granola earth mother to see how completely wrong it is for this to be used with a child. I understand the purpose of the "Girl with the ____" device, I just think it's wrong to see it repeatedly applied to a kid. Becky's character is flippant and materialistic, fine. Becky seeing herself as "The Girl with the D&G Scarf" or "The Girl with the Whatever Status Bauble the Author is Getting Kickbacks to Namedrop"...fine. The silly escapism in seeing a character be out of control with materialism is part of the draw. But it was off putting to see a toddler reduced to the level of an accessory by her mother. It doesn't work, it's not funny. This is a child, not a hand bag or a cute fluffy little purse-dog (I'd also like to point out, it's wrong to treat cute fluffy dogs as fashion accessories too) It's gross.
The impetus driving Becky Bloomwood née Brandon is just a little hard to swallow these days. She lies all the time, flits from one impossible situation to another leaving a path of confusion and mayhem and there are absolutely, positively no consequences what-so-ever for the things she does unless beyond being constantly showered in material goods, fabulous getaways and the unconditional love of her long suffering friends and family. There's no growth as a character, if anything she seems to be getting more shallow, more selfish and less likable. And it's all excused because this is what one expects from the series...a grown-up's version of a materialistic fairy tale wrapped up in a pretty designer bow. By this point in the series, you know exactly what you're getting with a Shopaholic book, and in that sense Mini Shopaholic does deliver. It's fluff. Nothing but unrealistic silly moments which are moderately amusing so long as they are read in the 'brain off' position.
It's a frivolous book to be read in a day or two, and there's nothing wrong with frivolous fun. It's not going to change the world or change your life once you read it, but it might give you a giggle while you read it over a bubble bath. You don't eat a dozen ginormous pink Walmart cookies because they're healthy and you want to feel well nourished, you eat 'em because they're yummy.
Bottom line, that's why I read this book.
What can you even say about the books in this series, they're the book equivalent of those cheap, frosted puffy sugar cookies you can get in plastic bins by the dozen near the Walmart check out (which Google tells me are actually called Lofthouse cookies). I buy Lofthouse cookies for the same reasons I read books in the Shopaholic series: it's a guilty pleasure in the form of a sweet, fluffy treat that's crammed full of artificial gunk. The sugary pulp may be moderately enjoyable during the partaking but it always leaves me feeling a bit sick and ashamed of myself afterwards.
I don't expect much from these cookies much in the same way I don't expect much anymore from this series. I'm also to the point now where I'm not going to buy the Walmart Lofthouse cookies on my own dime anymore than I'd actually purchase a Shopaholic book, but if someone wants to give me one or lend me one at the library...okay, this analogy has gone far enough.
For a book entitled "Mini Shopaholic" the titular "Mini", Becky's daughter Minnie, is largely absent, barely featuring in what feels like an afterthought sub plot about how Minnie is consistently terrible and out of control and wrecks havoc unchecked where ever she goes. Fair enough, this description also applies to the Shopaholic herself however Minnie is two in the book, one must make allowances for toddlers and the same could not be said for a grownass woman. The meat of the book involves Becky planning a surprise party for Luke's birthday, but I suppose "Shopaholic Throws a Party" was rejected as a title for sounding unbelievably shallow even for the series.
There are the traditional Shopaholic subplots, all of which involve Becky getting into bizarre situations and compounding them into bigger problems by being dishonest to make herself look better. But the meat and potatoes of this pretty pink frosted cookie is The Party. That's it. Over 400 pages about a birthday party...in the immortal words of Peter Griffin "Oh my god, who cares".
Becky's relationship with her daughter, and her daughter's role in the narrative was the most uncomfortable part of the book for me. I think the books as a whole may have been better without the addition of Minnie, as the child is dead weight, at best doing nothing more than highlighting how much Becky is not growing as a character. An example of this, a common phrase in the Shopaholic books is Becky's frequent small fantasies about being known as "The Girl with the _____", the fill in the blank being some item of clothing or cool ~thing~ which will define her image and strike envy in those around her. Becky's daydreams about being "The Girl with the ___" are typically presented in a way that we the reader understand to be fundamentally shallow and unrealistic, throwaway moments to justify whatever selfishly materialistic and completely silly decision Becky's facing at the moment. Aaaand she does this "Girl with the _____" with her daughter, reducing the toddler to nothing more than a thing, an object. Literally in text treating her child as nothing more than an accessory to artificially bolster Becky's own image.
You don't have to be some radical crunchy granola earth mother to see how completely wrong it is for this to be used with a child. I understand the purpose of the "Girl with the ____" device, I just think it's wrong to see it repeatedly applied to a kid. Becky's character is flippant and materialistic, fine. Becky seeing herself as "The Girl with the D&G Scarf" or "The Girl with the Whatever Status Bauble the Author is Getting Kickbacks to Namedrop"...fine. The silly escapism in seeing a character be out of control with materialism is part of the draw. But it was off putting to see a toddler reduced to the level of an accessory by her mother. It doesn't work, it's not funny. This is a child, not a hand bag or a cute fluffy little purse-dog (I'd also like to point out, it's wrong to treat cute fluffy dogs as fashion accessories too) It's gross.
The impetus driving Becky Bloomwood née Brandon is just a little hard to swallow these days. She lies all the time, flits from one impossible situation to another leaving a path of confusion and mayhem and there are absolutely, positively no consequences what-so-ever for the things she does unless beyond being constantly showered in material goods, fabulous getaways and the unconditional love of her long suffering friends and family. There's no growth as a character, if anything she seems to be getting more shallow, more selfish and less likable. And it's all excused because this is what one expects from the series...a grown-up's version of a materialistic fairy tale wrapped up in a pretty designer bow. By this point in the series, you know exactly what you're getting with a Shopaholic book, and in that sense Mini Shopaholic does deliver. It's fluff. Nothing but unrealistic silly moments which are moderately amusing so long as they are read in the 'brain off' position.
It's a frivolous book to be read in a day or two, and there's nothing wrong with frivolous fun. It's not going to change the world or change your life once you read it, but it might give you a giggle while you read it over a bubble bath. You don't eat a dozen ginormous pink Walmart cookies because they're healthy and you want to feel well nourished, you eat 'em because they're yummy.
Bottom line, that's why I read this book.
shhchar's review against another edition
5.0
It's a really easy read and that's what I love about it. Rebecca Brandon (nee Bloomwood) is always interesting and funny. Plus it's original-never read the same plot line in a different book before. I hope she writes more!(:
sydnee_calhoun's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
bookish_mrs_w's review against another edition
3.0
3.75 The hi-jinx in this one was a bit much but definitely made me giggle here & there. Eitherway, Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) will always hold a special place in my bookish heart.
_ashreadsalot's review against another edition
2.0
I used to really enjoy the Shopaholic series but this book just really irritated me. Becky takes zero responsibility for any of her actions, is on the perfect track to raise her daughter the exact same way, and she spends money irresponsibility and is teaching her daughter the same way of life. Not the best of the series by far.