The Blurb:
”Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) thought motherhood would be a breeze and that having a daughter was a dream come true a shopping friend for life!
But it s trickier than she thought two-year-old Minnie has a quite different approach to shopping. She can create havoc everywhere from Harrods to Harvey Nicks to her own christening. She hires taxis at random, her favourite word is Mine , and she s even started bidding for designer bags on ebay.
On top of everything else, there s a big financial crisis. People are having to Cut Back including all of Becky s personal shopping clients and she and Luke are still living with Becky s Mum and Dad. To cheer everyone up, Becky decides to throw a surprise birthday party on a budget but then things become really complicated.
Who will end up on the naughty step, who will get a gold star and will Becky s secret wishes come true?”
(source: Amazon)
What I thought:
She’s ba-aack! And this time she has a mini-me in tow. My very favourite Calamity-Jane, Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood), is double trouble in this latest giggle-fest as hanging on to her Gucci coat tails is two year old Minnie, who comes complete with her own very finely tuned shopping instincts.
I have been literally chomping at the bit since I found out that this book was coming out. I am a HUGE Sophie Kinsella fan – she is one of my favourite authors, chicklit or otherwise, as every single one of her books (and I’ve read them all) make me laugh out loud and they are the ultimate tonic for me. I knew this book wouldn’t deviate from my expectations and I was right.
Mini Shopaholic starts, as you might expect, in a shopping mall where young Minnie is wrestling with Becky over a toy pony that she just has to have! Becky is trying to look like the responsible parent in public and tries reasoning with a increasinly loud Minnie. When this doesn’t appear to have any affect, and Becky also realises that the pony is, in fact, gorgeous and Minnie really should have one, she devises a pocket money plan for Minnie whereby she will get 50p per week and as she will be backdating this to the day of her birth, she can afford to buy the pony now! Result!
This is only the beginning and what ensues is a cab-hailing Minnie with instructions to drive to Starbucks, the arrival of a nanny who quits after just one day, a TV personality called Nanny Sue who accompanies Becky and Minnie to a play area (which gets quickly forgotten when the cab pulls up at lights right outside a brand new shopping mall where every visitor gets a gift). In the middle of trying to assure Nanny Sue and the rest of the world that she can cope, Becky is also trying to arrange a surprise birthday party for Luke which just screams disaster from the start, especially while she has to deal with trying to prevent Minnie from bidding for designer shoes on ebay!
I just loved this book. Becky had me in stitches and hiding behind pillows cringing at the mess she gets herself into, in equal measures. If you’ve read the others in the series (and if not, why not?) then you MUST read this one – it’s hillarious, sweet and feel-good and I am already excited that the next book in the series has been nicely lined up at the end of this one (and when you read it and see why at the end, you just know you’re in for a real treat).
Here are my reviews of all the other books in the Shopaholic series and here are my reviews of Kinsella’s stand-alone books.
Have you read any of Sophie Kinsella’s books? What did you think? Are you looking forward to Mini Shopahoic coming out?
(I received my copy of this book for review from Bantam Press – thank you!)
Oh man! I so cannot wait to read this! Great review
It’s great Amanda – well worth the wait!
I’ve read the first three in the series and I have to say they are my guilty pleasure
I didn’t even know she’d brought a new one out!
Aren’t they great, Jenny? Hope you enjoy the others too.
I haven’t read this one, but I don’t think I’ve read all of the Shopaholic series. I find Becky a bit too silly. I loved The Undomestic Goddess, though. It’s my favorite chick lit.
Becky is silly but a lovable silly – she’d drive me crazy in real life but I can’t get enough of reading about her.
I have to be honest and say I have always disliked the shopaholic books, they’re actually the reason that I’m hesitant to pick up chick-lit. I just can’t deal with the main character. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this one though
Iris – you’re breaking my heart
Oh, my, I’m so glad to read that this book doesn’t disappoint! I’ve been salivating for this one, too…And I’ve also laughed out loud at all the Shopaholic books.
Thanks!
Laurel-Rain, they’re so funny aren’t they? I’m sure you’ll enjoy the new book.
I’m glad to hear that this is a good book — I found the last two in the Shopaholic series disappointing and wasn’t sure if I was going to pick this one up.
I enjoyed The Undomestic Goddess and Remember Me and LOVED Twenties Girl.
Suzanne, I have loved them all – I’d still give this a go if you liked most of them.
I’m so jealous you got a copy of this book! I loved all the Shopaholic books – I credit them with getting me hooked on reading again
I’m very happy to hear that this one lived up to the rest of the series!
It definitely does live up to the rest – just as funny and feel-good. Hope you enjoy!
I am looking forward to read this one, the first book in this series it’s still my favorite Chick Lit ever…I also found the last two books a little boring but I read them all, I won’t give up now
Don’t give up Emily, this one is really funny.
I absolutely love Sophie Kinsella!! They are exactly what I need when I’ve had one of those awful work days…stress begone, with Sophie Kinsella’s stories!!
Stree begone – I love it! That’s exactly how I feel about them too; they are my perfect comfort reads.
Ooo-eee a new Shopaholic book! I still have to read Shopaholic and Sister and Shopaholic and Baby – they’re great fun reads that make me laugh
Becky can drive me insane (I start mentally shouting at her, “stop being so polite and letting things go from bad to worse!!”) but I love her anyway.
Come by my blog – I have an award for you
I cringe at her and yell at her too – but I just love her, Shannon!
On my way over to your blog now….
I was waiting for a review of this to see if it lived up to the rest of them – so glad it’s just as fun!
Amused, it is, it is! Hope you enjoy
I love the Shopaholic series and can’t wait for this book! Glad to see it sounds like it’s as enjoyable as the rest of them!
If you love the others, I’m sure you’ll love this one too
She just cracks me up. I can’t stand the way Becky is, and I literally cringe through the books, but I love them. Can’t wait to get my hands on this one.
She cracks me up too. Becky would be a nightmare to know in real life but I just love reading about her
I love the shopaholic series! I’ve read all the books. When I’m upset is Becky who makes me laugh. And the Mini Shopaholic book will be realease in 4 DAYS TIME in Britain. God!!!! I’ so excited!!!!
Anneliese, I couldn’t agree more! If you love Becky you will love this one. Enjoy!
Sophie Kinsella is my favorite guilty pleasure. Can’t wait to get my hands on this one.
Have you read her books written under the pen-name Madeleine Wickham? I read one and quite liked it
I haven’t tried those yet, actually. I think I will read them at some point though.
I love the shopaholic series i’m halfway through shopaholic and baby so have nearly finished the whole series and am buying mini shopaholic tomorrow! I cant wait to start reading it my favourite book was shopaholic and sister it made me laugh out loud a lot and not many books can do that! thanks for the review some people have said its rubbish compared to the others but it sounds just as hilarious which has made me more confident in buying it! Thanks!
Tasha, they are great books aren’t they? I really enjoyed Mini Shopaholic just as much as the others – I still laughed out loud. Hope you enjoy the rest of the series
I read some of these books and although I do find them funny, I had to step away from them as the main character, Becky, was driving me crazy. I just can’t stand that she’s such a ditz . I know it’s all fiction but what a pain in the *** she is.
That’s just what I love about them, Debbie. Yes, Becky is pretty off-the-charts but she makes me laugh so much
What I do crack up over are the letters she gets. LOL Like can she get flyer miles for her unborn baby etc. because she took an airplane while pregnant and stuff like that. Those are funny.
[...] Wong Book Whisperer Wondrous Read The Gloss Goss Book Chick [...]
[...] Reads EVER!!!Interview: Kathryn Stockett ( author of The Help)Book Review: The Snowman by Jo NesboBook Review: Mini Shopaholic by Sophie KinsellaBoofBook Review: The Lagacy by Katherine WebbBoof's Whisperings: Can you spot the difference?A trip [...]
I love the shopaholic series and i have already read mini shopahollic!
its as interesting as the other books in the series but Becky can get a bit too silly. but, thats why i love her and cannot put the book down once I stared reading it! one night, i read from page 1 to around 230 and thank god the next morning was a saturday because i had trouble putting the book and and getting some sleep! i was so tired but i just had to finish it that day! its a really good book
I agree Caila, the whole series is fantastic isn’t it?
Just finished this book, and I loved it! Some people think that the books are getting too silly and this one was disappointing, but I feel that they’re meant to be fun, light-hearted books and this one was every bit as good as the rest. I have to admit I do find Becky very frustrating though, sometimes I love her but every time she gives in to Minnie, or lies to someone, or goes and buys another meaningless thing I feel like shouting at her :/ What especially irritates me is when they’re all worried about Minnie being spoilt and ‘wild’, but if they just looked at how Becky gives in to her every time and dresses her in Baby Dior etc. they would be able to solve that without all these nannies…I really hope she does go and get her addiction sorted out in the next one.
Thanks for stopping by, Rosie. I agree that her books are meant to be fun and light-hearted. Becky can be infuriating but you can’t help but love her can you?
I love the series and this one did not disappoint! Becky is off her rocker but endearing- I can’t resist!