Shopaholic Ties the Knot

So, I'm totally in love with the Shopaholic series, but this book was the one I had the most difficulty relating to. I'm still giving it five stars because I think it was really well-done, but the conflict in this one was difficult for me to deal with--almost TOO scary! I'd like to say that nothing like that would ever happen to me, just like I'd like to say that I'd never get into debt and throw away my bills without reading them, but...it's like reading about all my worst fears! I don't want to say any more and spoil the plot, so you, dear reader, will have to read it yourself to find out just what was so nail-biting.Which is one of the achievements of this series. It seems so lighthearted and glittery, and it is, but it uses its surface glitter to tap into deep-seated fears and problems. How do you deal with the fact that you have recurring patterns of behavior that you can't seem to control and that repeatedly cause problems for you and the people you love? How do you deal with the conflicting demands of your family, your in-laws, and your own desires? How do you stop things that you've innocently set into motion out of a desire not to make things bad, but that are now threatening to blow up in your face? Becky Bloomwood is peculiarly like a figure out of classical or Shakespearean tragedy (snobs, stop your howls of outrage!), caught up in the inevitability of her fate and her character, it's just that her problems come wrapped up in Vera Wang wedding dresses. Technically there's so much to love here, despite a certain repetition that keeps repeating itself (haha!) as the series goes on, and scholars of literary technique would do well to study the apparent lighthearted effortless that Kinsella imbues her plot with, even as she draws subtly on tricks from detective and horror fiction in order to keep the tension ramped up to high.

Becky will never change. She never learns from her mistakes, but she always lands on her feet. In this third visit with our gal, she is still spending too much money on ridiculous things and trying to hide it from herself and everyone else, and she's still lying compulsively in situations where the truth probably wouldn't get her into trouble. Becky isn't someone I'd want to know (WAY too high maintenance), but I do get a kick out of reading about her, maybe just so I can feel a teeny bit superior. Sure she's self-centered and greedy, but she really is a pretty nice person underneath it all, so you can still find yourself rooting for her to come through in her typical fashion of [goofing] everything up and then finding a bizarre solution. The irony of how much she is like her manipulative, superficial mother-in-law-to-be is totally lost on Becky, but no matter. You'll like all the right people, dislike all the people you're not supposed to like, and even though you'll see the end coming a mile away, you'll still have fun when you reach it. The "Shopaholic" series isn't deep reading, it's the kind of light, fun fluff you pick up when you want to kill some time, smile a bit, and not think too hard. If you haven't met Becky yet, I recommend you start at the beginning of the series instead of at the end--it takes some time for Becky to grow on you, but it's pretty likely that she will.

Kinsella's writing style was a pleasure to read. The antics were plentiful, and they start as soon as you open the book. The letters to the bank and from the bank, the shopping sprees, and Becky's excuses and conniving rational during and after each were just far over the top humor.Can't call them tips as I think Becky and I might be running neck and neck, but there are lots of tricks in this one... like the explanation of how the white out got on the bank statement, but then damn, the clunk of gook falls off and Luke sees what she's tried to hide. Darn it, she should have spilled ketchup on it... like she did the last time! Hilarious! The discussion about the Mui Mui skirt and when Luke again argues about her spending, her getting choked up on her own brilliance playing the victim. Hysterical! Suze's going into labor and there's Becky again, obligated to go shopping for the baby and her friend... I mean, come on now, ...when she can't find an inflatable ball (the kind that would cushion Suze's back), she settles for a canoe... and funnier... has the salesman inflate it. This just goes on and on... the antics in so abundance that it's remarkable following this smooth yarn without so much as one knot in the story.All of the characters are endearing, to include Elinor who wasn't exactly painted with a soft charm brush meant to win over admirers. And still that fru-fru woman won me over. I, in fact, liked her as much as I enjoyed Becky's conniving deeds. Both of them `two peas in a pod' made the story a charming read. Very easy on the eyes and light on the heart anticipating what they were up to next. My only problem was, ...sssh... validating my own spending habits using Becky's logic, which as I see from the reviews, it's not ONLY ME!This is a book good to carry in your purse, or in your pocket. It goes down easy whether you're having a good day or bad day, and definitely is a winner for those guilty days when you know good and well you've spent too much! I'd be very surprised to find that this is the only `aholic book of Kinsella's I like.

Lettura piacevole!

Livre en anglais, livraison rapide et soignée.

Perfect for my bride who’s wedding theme is “Tie the Knot”

I absolutely love Becky Bloom but this book did not get me 100% in love. Still a good book though!

Lovvveee it