Shopaholic to the Stars: A Novel Paperback – April 14, 2015

Oh how I've missed Rebecca Bloomwood, nee' Brandon! When I sat down with Shopaholic To The Stars, I knew exactly what I was in for: a heroine whose good intentions land her in one funny misunderstanding after another. Becky is such an adorable character that this series quickly became one of my favorites when it first came out several years ago. The mishaps Becky encountered all because she just can't help but shop, were clever and provided pure entertainment!I was so pleased to see that some of the characters in the original book had large roles in this installment. Suze, Becky's best friend since she first admitted she was a Shopaholic, was a great sidekick for Becky's escapades in Hollywood since she was desperate to become an extra in a movie. Alicia Bitch Long-Legs reprised her role as Becky's nemesis, and even Tarkie's appearance helped facilitate Becky's goal to get on a movie set. Kinsella used everything iconic to Hollywood to enhance Becky's trip to California: paparazzi, award shows, movies, and of course, high-priced shopping. Truth be told there could have been a bit more of the crazed shopping sprees, but shopping permeated the book in the best ways. I love that Becky made chanting "Prada" in group therapy funny. Some phrases just didn't translate from an English audience to an American one. For example, rose-colored glasses became rose-tinted spectacles, and there were other phrases that seemed out of place; I just couldn't imagine a Hollywood starlet saying, "my bad." Even with the odd terms here and there, this was a pure brain candy read with delightful characters and an engaging plot.The ending left no doubt that another book is on the way and I can't wait!

I have fond memories of my first encounter with the Shopaholic series. I was living in Atlanta at the time, and some friends had invited me to join them on a trip to Toronto. Pretty soon we've discovered that we were not very good travel companions, and at a certain point we've decided to take a "morning off" and do things separately, which for me included a visit to a book store where I stumbled on the first book of this series, and I was hooked from the first paragraph. I believe most of us are tempted by shopping, and can identify with the good feeling of unpacking a new purchase, whether it is a Denny & George scarf or a new gadget, abd Becky Bloomwood seems to embody this enjoyment to its fullest (well, at least until she had to face the Visa bill at the end of the month or got serious phone calls from her bank branch manager).Even though the premise of the first few books was similar (Becky wanting to buy anything she can lay her hands on until she gets in trouble - then finds a way to fix everything by the last part of the book), Sophie Kinsella managed to change the settings of each binge enough to make it refreshing - whether it was a move to NYC, or a wedding, or a new born child, or having to handle a thrifty sister...Unfortunately, it seems as though shopaholic to the stars has lost its freshness. While Kinsella manages to use the current quirks of starts (or perhaps Americans in general) to make us laugh, the book doesn't seem that much different than "Shopaholic Takes Manhattan" for its foreign setting or "mini Shopaholic" for Mini's little quirks.Another issue that seems to bother me is that Becky B. does not seem to get older in the same rate we as readers do. While she seemed to be around my age when the first book came out, it seems that Becky only gets a few months older between books which come out about 3 - 5 years apart, which makes me feel a little disconnected.Also, like many other readers here, I didn't like the fact the book ended in such a big cliff hanger. We did have cliff hangers in the past - "Shopaholic & Sister" ended with announcing Becky's pregnancy in its last page or two. The difference was that the loose ends of the story itself were closed, and the cliff hanger was a clue for a future story - while here the story i itself was not closed. Taking into consideration the fact that Kinsella's next book(s) may not be a continuation of this but rather standalone stories (as she had done for quite a while now), it does bother me as a reader.

I really loved the first three Shopaholic books and I have really enjoyed other books by Sophie Kinsella. But I've felt that the continued series has gone down hill. It's hard to empathize with a character that, given the situations she's been in, should have learned a bit more maturity, and that lying is terrible. She's an adult, she's a mother. I'm not saying adults, nor mothers, are without their flaws, but I'd love to see Becky's flaws grow up a bit more. I'd love to see her be much less selfish, and to stop causing so many of her own problems.The other thing is the book literally stops in the middle. In the last few chapters the conflict you've dealt with for the majority of the books is glossed over, a new conflict emerges and ... it's off to another book. I think Becky had two pages of self-realization, that is supposed to help the reader believe it's cool if we all move on. Very unsatisfying ending.That said... I have hope! Maybe this next book will be the time where Becky really grows up. I really want to know what happens next. I want her to classily take her sworn enemy down. Some themes that were introduced regarding Becky's independence were interesting and I'd like to explore that more. I like to see Luke explore that more too.So, it was okay. If you're a dedicated fan it's worth the read, even if it's not a great one in the series, it gives you hope that maybe the next one will be.

I have read all of the shopaholic books up to this point. The initial book is so funny you can’t help, but to laugh out loud, no matter where you are. It is pure genius! But this book, shopaholic to the stars, is the most warm, heartfelt, emotional, roller coaster of them all. I cannot tell you how many times this book brought tears to my eyes. It is like poetry. I love it so much cannot wait for shopaholic to the rescue!

I love Sophie Kinsella! I have read everyone of her books. They are all magnificent and Shopaholic to the Stars was no different. Becky Brandon got herself into yet another pickle. This time family and friends were along for the ride. I think this is the best book in the series so far.

I've loved this series since the beginning and just didn't realize there had been two more books published. It read it really quickly. The author stays true to the characters and it was delightful.

Mas o melhor ainda continua sendo "Can you keep a Secret?". Show de bola! Eu nunca ri tanto em toda minha vida. Adoro a Sophie Kinsella.

As a huge fan of Sophie Kinsella's work this was a great addition to the series! Love her style of writing and am looking forward to starting the next book of the series. A fun and enjoyable read!

J'avais lu beaucoup de commentaires négatifs et je m'attendais à pire. Honnêtement, celui-ci est beaucoup plus crédible que par exemple "shopaholic ties the knot". On retrouve les côtés agréables de cette série, personnages bien connus et identiques à eux-mêmes. Certes, les maladresses de Becky sont parfois un peu exagérées, mais elle fait face à ses propres problèmes (son égoïsme lui est largement reproché, elle tente de rapprocher Luke de sa mère, elle réalise quesi Suze est toujours là pour elle, ce n'estpas réciproque...)OK, le livre se termine sur un "à suivre" mais pas si frustrant parce que l'histoire se suffit à elle-même (comment Becky résout-elle tel ou tel problème qui la concerne?). J'ai passé un bon moment, après quelques petites longueurs audébut et je n'ai pas pu le poser avant de l'avoir terminé sur les 100 dernières pages!