Kate Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 This is also called: "The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic" Synopsis from Amazon: Meet Rebecca Bloomwood. She's a journalist. She spends her working life telling others how to manage their money. She spends her leisure time ...shopping. Retail therapy is the answer to all her problems. She knows she should stop, but she can't. She tries Cutting Back, she tries Making More Money. But neither seems to work. The stories she concocts become more and more fantastic as she tries to untangle her increasingly dire financial difficulties. Her only comfort is to buy herself something - just a little something...Can Becky ever escape from this dream world, find true love, and regain the use of her Switch card? "The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic"...the perfect pick me up for when it's all hanging in the (bank) balance. Well I loved this book! I was gripped from the word go. This is pure chick-lit - with a cheesy storyline, which was quite unbelievable and predictable, but did that effect the book? Nope. I was excited about reading it - I didn't want to stop, I didn't want the book to finish. We follow Becky through many spending sprees, many disasters and thoughtlessness and pain, and well, I loved it. Yes, Becky was shallow, and manipulative, but I felt sorry for her and really wanted to know what was going to happen to her. I guess I secretly liked her character.The characters are all well written, and although I didn't like some of them (the mean ones!) I liked how they were written; I could believe in them. I laughed a lot through this book and was just thoroughly entertained. I think some people will dismiss this book as utter rubbish as it is a bit unbelievable and predictible, but I can't help but give it the top rating because I felt so excited by the book, I didn't want to stop reading, I was hooked, and actually I wasn't disappointed at all. 10/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K1nS Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I read all the shopaholic series when I was younger but couldn't really get into them, I think I will have to get back into these again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethany725 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I love the Shopaholic books! They are so fun and light.. such easy reading.. perfect beach books! They're one of the first things I read when I got back into reading about 6 years ago -- great way to ease back into an old habit. I'm glad you loved the first one KB.. the others are just as great! Also, if you haven't.. try Marian Keyes. She's very similar to Kinsella in some ways! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anisia Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I only read the first two in the Shopaholic series but I thought they were a fun read Enjoyed them both a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie2008 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I haven't read all of them. I have read the first one, the one where she goes abroad, the one where she gets married and Shopaholic and Baby (I think I have only missed the sister one). I do enjoy these books, and really want to see the film version that coming out soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ii Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I hated them. The first one was okay, but the second was basically the same, only taking place abroad, that it was just horrible! And yes, it's chick-lit, but there should be some point to the story, no? These ones didn't! Becky didn't learn anything, nothing changed, the situation at the end was basically the same as in the beginning. If I want to read descriptions of shoes and jackets, I pick up Elle. And if I want to experience shopping, I hit the stores, not read a book. I just found her utterly annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Has anyone here read Save Karyn by Karyn Bosnak? It's the true story of Karyn Bosnak who was a real-life 'shopaholic'. She moved to New York and went mad with a credit card and ended up $20,000 in debt. It charts her spiral into debt and then her journey out of it. Unbelievably, she started a website called 'Save Karyn' and asked for complete strangers to help her pay off her debt - and it actually worked! This is the original website - now closed for requests of help. It was a good read - I'd recommended it if you liked the Shopaholic series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rach.at.the.disco Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 (edited) I loved this series. Yes it was unbelieveable and a tad predictable but I loved to hate Becky. She was incredibly shallow and very frustrating though - there was times I wanted to give her a good shake for being so irresponsible but I was hooked and couldn't resist reading the rest of the series. I'm not too sure about the film though, but I will probably end up watching it . Edited April 8, 2009 by rach.at.the.disco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethany725 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I loved this serires. Yes it was unbelieveable and a tad predictable but I loved to hate Becky. She was incredibly shallow and very frustrating though - there was times I wanted to give her a good shake for being so irresponsible but I was hooked and couldn't resist reading the rest of the series.I'm not too sure about the film though, but I will probably end up watching it . I'll probably end up watching it, too, and being annoyed at it as I always tend to do with film adaptations of books. I'm just going to try to go in with no expectations and see how I do! I do like the girl that plays "Becky" in the movie.. She was hilarious in "Wedding Crashers." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookBee8 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 "Becky" in the movie.. She was hilarious in "Wedding Crashers." Which one was she? That movie is so funny! I doubt I'll read this book to be honest. It doesn't really sound like my kind of thing. Maybe something that would be well suited for a plane ride or a holiday? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethany725 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Which one was she? That movie is so funny! I doubt I'll read this book to be honest. It doesn't really sound like my kind of thing. Maybe something that would be well suited for a plane ride or a holiday? Isla Fisher plays Becky in the movie.. She played Gloria in "Wedding Crashers".. the one opposite Vince Vaughan. She acted all crazy and obsessed and attacked him at night, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie2008 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Isla Fisher plays Becky in the movie.. She played Gloria in "Wedding Crashers".. the one opposite Vince Vaughan. She acted all crazy and obsessed and attacked him at night, etc. I love her in that movie - it's quite funny. She also played April in Definitely Maybe. I think she will be great in this movie, she's very similar to what I pictured when I read the books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen1 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Has anyone here read Save Karyn by Karyn Bosnak? I read this towards the end of last year and thought it was a really good read. Would definitely recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K1nS Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I have ordered the first book of these series from the library the other day, I read them a few years ago but I have completly forgotten the story so I thought it would be good to read them again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah1979 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I haven't read this book yet but i was at the cinema last night and saw a trailer and they are making this book into a film. Can't wait for that, think i may have to read the book before then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen1 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I personally think the movie trailer looks pretty bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I haven't seen the trailer, but it seems stupid to change the location setting from London to New York, when the second book is all about Becky going to Manhattan! I think Sophie Kinsella's books are rooted in their Britishness, so I'm disappointed Hollywood has decided they need to change it in order to get the American audiences to watch it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen1 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I definitely think the fact it's been Americanised will affect it, but from what I've seen from the trailer (which admittedly isn't a whole lot) it looks a bit tacky to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted January 25, 2009 Author Share Posted January 25, 2009 Will Becky be American or English in the film? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Will Becky be American or English in the film? She's American Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ii Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I definitely think the fact it's been Americanised will affect it, but from what I've seen from the trailer (which admittedly isn't a whole lot) it looks a bit tacky to me! And you didn't find the books tacky?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen1 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I don't think the books are tacky. They're classic chick lit, so I suppose it all depends on your tastes as to whether you think that's tacky or not. But as for the movie, well that's a whole other story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ii Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 I have only seen a clip of the trailer, and read the first and second of the books years back, but from what I recall, the tone is pretty much the same in both. So I'm suprised why you'd say one is 'classic chick-lit' and the other 'tacky'. They seemed pretty same to me. And I do like chick-lit, every now and then, don't get me wrong! I didn't like Shoppaholic -series, but I've explained that earlier, so I won't go into that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen1 Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 The film looks a bit over-the-top to me with regard to the wardrobe etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadenza Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I read the first one recently and really enjoyed it. It is a nice light read, slightly predictable and Becky gets annoying but it also has some funny moments. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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