Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Shop Till You Drop
review by Maryom

I was inspired to re-read this by the Shopaholic challenge at onemorepage.co.uk I don't think I'm likely to finish all 5 books before September, but I thought I'd give it a go.

This is undoubtedly one of my favourite chick-lit feel good reads. Becky Bloomwood is a financial journalist who knows all about finance - unless it involves her own personal spending. Starting with an interest free overdraft after leaving university, she just keeps adding to it - and ignoring any nasty little bank and credit card statements that turn up in the post. At last though, she feels some action is needed. First she tries Cutting Back - this somehow leads to MORE spending. Then she tries Making More Money - hhmm, no that doesn't work either. How is she ever going to sort out her finances?

I actually prefer its original title of Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic because so much of Becky's time is spent in that dreamworld - where she will win the lottery, be photographed on the street for magazines, be swept off her feet by a movie star - rather than the dull one of financial journalism. It's only when she starts to take her journalism seriously, instead of it being a stop-gap job on the way to bigger things, that she accidentally finds a way out of her financial mess.

I've heard the Shopaholic series knocked for portraying Becky as a scatter-headed bimbo, saying it doesn't provide a suitable role model for today's young women, but chick lit is meant to be light, fluffy and escapist, and that's what the Shopaholic books are all about. I love them!

Maryom's review - 5 stars

Publisher - Transworld Publishing

Genre - Chick-Lit


Confessions of a Shopaholic can be bought from Amazon