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Summary: Becca needs a lesson in consumerism and money management.
Review: Rebecca Bloomwood spent beyond her means and let it spin out of control because she failed to respond to her creditors and never asked herself if she really needed these things. The purpose of a budget is to control spending, not deprive yourself of pampering. That is what she made it out to be. Eventually, the character triumphed with a job that she really loved and was able to keep in contact with her creditors. This should be a valuable lesson for women who spend money they don't have and expect to be rescued from their situation. This book was a great read and amusing. But as consumers, we do have to be wise.
Rating:
Summary: a fantastic read
Review: My friends would call me somewhat of a cynic, so the fact that I enjoyed this book is already quite an achievement. Even more astonishing, I absolutely adored this novel with its insane main character Becky focused so intently on shopping. I have never laughed out loud so much at a novel. Becky had so many intricate lies to diminish her debt; much as is the case in my personal life. The ways Becky manages to rationalize every purchase and life choice is so farfetched, but I know I've thought those things before as well. One of my personal favorites is the part where Becky gets a job in retail and spends her time shopping instead of working. Then when she is asked to work in the dressing rooms, she sees a shopper walking in with the last pair of the pants Becky was going to buy. The scene that ensues is pure comedy. The underlying romance was a fairytale come true. I don't think I have ever read a novel where the narrator addressed the reader, until this one. These asides managed to force the reader to care about the character on a more personal level. It was fabulously funny throughout.
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Summary: Made me laugh out loud!!!
Review: This book hit pretty frighteningly close to home but it still made me laugh out loud. Very light reading along the lines of "Bridget Jones" but quite entertaining. Reading about shopping has never been so much fun--I want to go shopping with this woman!!! The ending seemed a little too perfect but how else could it end without being too depressing? I highly recommend this book to anyone who has read and enjoyed Bridget Jones and the books of Marian Keyes.
Rating: 
Summary: Be sure to buy this one when you're out shopping!
Review: Sophie Kinsella's "Confessions of a Shopaholic" was a funny and charming novel. Becky Bloomwood is perhaps more common than most people will want to admit. She knows she ought to stop spending money on "things", but just can't find the solution to her problem.One of the most delightful sequences has got to be when Becky purchases a copy of "Controlling Your Cash". Her intent is to use it as a guide to saving money. If only that were the case! Her rationale for all the purchases that follow are hilarious. My favorite part of the novel is when she reads that she can make a homemade curry, rather than go out for one, for under 2.50 pounds. By the time Becky purchases a brand new pan and all the ingredients for her curry it comes to something like 72.28 pounds! (I'm familiar with that! Isn't that always the way?) The tragically hot results of her curry make for fun reading as well. The surrounding cast are fleshed out beautifully and have their own unique personalities. There are a few segments where the narrative slows down a bit, however, it does not take away from the delight of this story. We can only speculate what some of Becky's replies to her bill collector's were in this novel, as we only get to see their letters to her. The letters from the bank and creditors are quite funny. This is a great summertime novel.
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Summary: Unbelieveable character, but great shopping
Review: I definitely could identify with the thrill Becky got from a sign that said "Sale" or the sight of carrier bags from her favorite stores. However, as much as I tried to like Becky, I really couldn't. She is self-centered, beyond materialistic, thoughtless, and immature. I don't know if Kinsella wanted to paint a picture that all "shop-aholics" are this way, but somehow I don't think they are. Becky is an unbelievable character because in real life there would be no way that she would be able to avoid dealing with her mounting financial debts. I found myself irritated that everything just worked out for her--she didn't deserve it. Furthermore, what in the world would someone like Luke Brandon see in her? However, it was an easy interesting read (read it in an evening), and the minor characters were pretty well-written.
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Summary: You will laugh out loud as you read this book!
Review: This has to be the best book that I have read in a while. I stayed up until 4:30 A..M., just so I could finish it. Rebecca is a character that I could totally relate to, well, except that I pay my bills, and she has a huge problem with that. Her denial about her debt is very real and she handles it in a way that I imagine is very popular, to deny it even more. Her logic that if you don't open your bills, then they must not exist, comes across beautifully. I also like the fact that letters from the bank are included. In the end, you just want her to get it together and grab the life she deserves. Read this book, it is very funny!
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Summary: Thank god I haven't gotten this bad yet!
Review: I have to say for the first few times I opened the book I had to set it down after awhile because I got so stressed. But I thoroughly enjoyed knowing that I am not the only one out there with this disease and that my case is pretty mild compared to some. It definitely helped me to further realize the error in my ways. Yet, I don't have a tall, rich, handsome CEO to help me get over my shopaholism!
Rating:
Summary: It had its moments, but....
Review: Overall, this book was something of a disappointment! To give credit where credit is due, Ms Kinsella did a wonderful job in painting her main character, Rebecca, as a shopaholic. The fixes Rebecca finds herself in, as well as the "creative" solutions she takes to get herself out of those situations, range from pathetic to hilarious. That said, Rebecca Bloomwood is not a sympathetic character. While we might all be able to identify with aspects of her personality, she was so self-absorbed, especially in relation to the few friends she had, that it was difficult to remain involved with Rebecca, or even to root for her. Even when she does do something selfless, the effects of that act on her character are short lived. The result, needless to say, does not endear the main character to reader. Finally, this book would have been a much better read if Rebecca's love life had been better developed. As it is written, it seems not only implausible, but disingenuous.
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Summary: Fantastic and fun and true to life
Review: This story of a 20-something British woman who has gotten a bit over her head in outstanding-credit card debt is hilarious. I dare anyone in my age group to dismiss the story as pure fiction. I could find a bit of myself and many of my friends in this story, and it was reassuring to read about someone else (even a fictional character) who had similar struggles controlling herself at the 1/2 price sale at Macy's last week - thank you Sophie Kinsella! Why, just today I was at the Crate & Barrel outlet convincing myself that while I do not actually need a silver plated ice bucket, at $24.99 it is a true bargain not to be passed up (I bought it). But - I digress...back to the review. You may not love this story - you could find this story trite or predicable or you may just be tired of all the 'Brit-Lit' characters - but I guarantee you will be entertained and won't be bored by Rebecca Bloomwood.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This novel is hilarious and I enjoyed it thoroughly. As someone who suffers from a Becky Bloomwood-esque shopping problem, it didn't help me spend less, but I've spent so much time reading the book over and over again that I can't spend so much time shopping. Buy it today!
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