Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella

Back blurb of Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella: Everyone's favorite shopaholic is back! Becky Bloomwood is about to get some incredible news—she has a long lost sister. But can her very own sister really... hate shopping?!

My take

Sophie Kinsella fans are wont to kill me if I say anything terrible about this book, as the Shopaholic series is so popular.

But, as luck would have it, I didn't exactly hate this book. Not at all. In fact I found myself laughing crazily at Becky Bloomwood and her antics. Like who could pass off being "enlightened" and actually run across hot coals barefoot, when all that's on her mind was some half-priced jewelry? Or who would think to entertain a bunch of kids by taking off her bra one-handed without removing her top?

I think that every girly-girl can somehow relate about the penchant for impulse buys. But Becky is larger-than-life but oh-so-relatable. She is superficial, self-obsessed, and definitely has no control over how she spends. What she wants, she buy, at all costs, even lying to a man she supposedly loves. The depiction of Luke, Becky's husband, as a total pushover, disgusts me. Maybe the larger-than-life-ness of Becky is what makes laughing at her so much easier. Maybe we just won't admit that given the chance, we all secretly hope to indulge that shopping devil in us all.

I'd liken reading anything Sophie Kinsella to choosing a fastfood hamburger meal over a gourmet meal. Which isn't that bad once in a while but a regular diet of Kinsella would definitely leave me hankering for something better.

Find out, heaven forbid, if you're a Becky Bloomwood.