MINI SHOPAHOLIC by Sophie Kinsella

Publisher: The Dial Press
Date published: September 2010
ISBN: 978-0385342049
Chic Lit
Hardcover
Reviewed by Valerie
Obtained by publisher


Becky Brandon is enjoying motherhood. At last she and her daughter can become shopping friends. But Minnie has one word that she loves…mine! And she can’t always get what she wants and causes havoc everywhere. So much havoc in fact that they get banned from various shops and a few Santa grottos. Becky and her husband Luke are still living with Becky’s parents and it seems, that every house they think could be ‘the one’ has a jinx on it and the deals fall through. On top of all this, a financial crisis hits and everyone needs to cut back. Becky would really like to cheer Luke up and plans a party, the party of all parties, but it could prove to be more expensive than she plans. She needs help but doesn’t really want to accept help. And then there is Becky’s secret wish.

I haven’t read any of the ‘shopaholic’ books before, as they are not really the type of books I would pick up to read. I was however curious when I received this one as I know they are very popular. So, I dived in. Ms. Kinsella has a wonderful knack of creating a rollercoaster type of story with lots going on, then weaving it all together and giving her readers a very warm-hearted ending. At first, I was a bit annoyed with all the brand name dropping…Becky complaining about not being able to buy any clothes for almost a year and Minnie’s (her daughter) spoiled behavior. But nobody is perfect and I was quite charmed with all the characters and their interaction with each other. Ms Kinsella has another knack, and that is giving her readers characters that charm and worm their way into your heart.

This was a quick read for me, an entertaining read and a nice story that gave me a nice warm, emotional ending. I am sure that ‘shopaholic’ fans have devoured this one and I can recommend chic lit fans should pick this one up.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

TWENTIES GIRL by Sophie Kinsella

Published: Dial Press
Date published: March 2010
ISBN: 978-0-385-34203-2
Contemporary Romantic Comedy/Chick Lit.
Trade Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Publisher


Lara Lington thought she was going slightly nuts when she started seeing the ghost of her feisty great-aunt Sadie. Normal people don’t see ghosts…..do they? Sadie wants Lara to find her necklace, the one she has had in her possession for more than seventy-five years and she can’t rest in the afterlife without it. What happens next is a tale of laughter, hijinks and love as these two find that the bonds of family and friendship really do run deep.

TWENTIES GIRL is a fun, light hearted chick lit story that will leave you laughing and smiling. I haven’t read one of this author’s books before and this was a delightful blend of comedy, laughter and tears. It will surely leave you breathless when the last page is read. Ms. Kinsella is a marvelously talented storyteller and writes a story that will captivate you from the beginning. This is told in the first-person so be warned if you don’t normally read that type of story. TWENTIES GIRL is a gem to read and has characters that fairly step off the pages to steal your heart.

Meet Lara Lington. She “meets” her great-aunt Sadie at the Sadie’s funeral and is stunned to see her roaming the place. Yep-Sadie is a ghost and she wants Lara’s help in finding her beloved necklace before she can rest in the afterlife. Lara thinks she is going nuts. No sane “normal” woman sees ghosts…..do they? But she agrees to help Sadie if only to get her to leave Lara alone! What ensures is a roller coaster ride that will have you laughing, cheering and smiling in the end. Two different women-both learn much about each other and Lara finds herself falling for the charmingly nice guy, Ed. Ms. Kinsella delivers two characters that are polar opposites. Lara is naïve, sincere and resourceful. Sadie is outspoken, opinionated and has firm ideas on fashion & romance. Lara and Sadie go on a search to find the missing necklace and in return, find out much more about themselves and each other than they ever knew. Ms. Kinsella has some intriguing secondary characters that keep the storyline flowing smoothly and the moments between Sadie and Lara were a laugh a minute. The plot weaved its spell around you and before you knew it, you were knee-deep into the story with some interesting twists to keep you flipping the pages.

TWENTIES GIRL is a story not just about family but friendships and inner strength as well. Lara learns to trust herself and finds a romance that will steal her heart in Ed. Sadie is a riot. Every time Lara encounters an obstacle, Sadie is there to push her onward-sometimes with unexpected results. Ms. Kinsella is a talented author who delivers a story that will leave you eager for more. If you enjoy a story full of interesting characters, mysteries to solve, and a romance to cheer for, then pick up TWENTIES GIRL. This is a perfect beach read this summer. I am looking forward to checking this author’s backlist titles for more reading enjoyment.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

REMEMBER ME? by Sophie Kinsella

Publisher Dial Press
Date published March 2008
ISBN 978-0-385-33872-1
Chick lit
Hardcover
Reviewed by ratmammy


> Having only read the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella, I wasn't sure if one of her standalones would be worth reading. However, REMEMBER ME? was a very delightful book, and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

The story starts with the main character, Lexi Smart, having drinks with friends in a bar. As they leave the place, she falls and hits her head. When she awakens, she finds herself in hospital and is told it's now three years later. She is very confused. She is told she has lost her memory and all that had happened to her in the last three years is not even a memory. The last thing she can remember happening was having drinks with her best friends Carolyn, Debs, and Fi. As far as she knows, she was slightly over weight, and was called Snaggletooth by loved ones because of her crooked teeth. But, looking at herself now, she discovers she has really nice manicured nails, her hair has been nicely done, and she’s got very expensive clothes and a designer handbag. Plus, she’s lost a lot of weight. Furthermore, she's no longer snaggletooth. Her teeth have been straightened out! And, she’s no longer single, but married to a very wealthy man. What the hell happened?

REMEMBER ME ? is Lexi's journey as she tries to put together the puzzle of the last three years of her life. She cannot understand how she had changed so much, and why she married a very wealthy man who doesn't seem to be a good fit for her, at least for the old Lexi Smart. She has new best friends, her new job is that of the head of the department she used to work for (Flooring), and lives in a very wealthy home in a very wealthy neighborhood. And, she's been told, she was on television. It’s a hilarious adventure as Lexi finds out slowly exactly what her life is like now. But the fun of the book is discovering what happened to her to bring her to this new life. It’s almost like reading a whodunit, with Lexi being the person who has to find out.

Part of the fun was Lexi rediscovering her old friends, women who now would have nothing to do with her. Because the reader was introduced to her character before her memory loss, we are with her all the way as she goes on a search for her past life. The reader will also enjoy putting the pieces together, never a step ahead of Lexi, which makes her self-discovery as much of a surprise to the reader as it is to Lexi. The introduction to a business partner of her husband, Jon, holds the key to who Lexi really is, causing Lexi to struggle with who she knows she is deep inside. But she is having a hard time reaching that person she used to be.

REMEMBER ME ? was a very fun read, reminiscent of the Shopaholic books, but the main character is not as aggravating and annoying as I know many readers found Becky Bloomwood, the Shopaholic. Lexi is a lot smarter than Becky, as is shown from her track record from being just another flunky in flooring, to becoming a director who had saved the company from ruin. REMEMBER ME? is Lexi's quest to find her real self, to try to remember who she was and where she came from, and where she should be going, whether it be with her new wonderful husband Eric, or someone else entirely.