Shopaholic

Disclaimer: "I am not a shopaholic and I am not in denial about it."

Many of you have likely seen the movie Confessions of a Shopaholic that came out last year, but did you know this movie was based on a five book series? I thought not. I had no idea until a friend of mine mentioned that she had started reading the Shopaholic series. Shocked, a bit disturbed and a little curious I plunked myself down at my laptop, logged on to half.com and purchased the first book of the series, Confessions of a Shopaholic for $0.75 ($3.75 with shipping and handling).

Before beginning the first book I couldn't even fathom how there could be a whole series on shopping! A little embarrassed about my book of choice, I began to discretely, yet faithfully read the series. I was soon pleasantly surprised.

The book took me through a few emotions as I experienced the absurdness that is Becky Bloomwood. I couldn't help but become frustrated with Becky's incredulous ideas and spending habits. But then I began to relate and see the series for all the humor that it is. I mean, is Becky really all that different from me, or really any girl for that matter?

Sophia Kinsella does an amazing job of taking something so seemingly uninteresting as an English girl who shops too much, and turn her into a vibrant character that any girl could relate to and want to befriend. I was amazed at how drawn I was to the series. I would often try to understand my interest in the series, and it wasn't until the fourth book that I realized it was Becky Bloomwood's relatability that drew me to the series.

I can't even count the times I have let my imagination wander to such a childish place that I would be incredibly embarrassed if anyone found out. Well, Becky Bloomwood befriends you in this very secret place. She is hilarious at the conclusions she jumps to as she blows nearly every situation out of proportion through feeding her imagination with the most exceptional and unlikely ideas. Sophia Kinsella has created a character that I can relate to on this level through very exaggerated and entertaining events that make my childish fantasies seem, well...a little ridiculous, but also more common than I'd imagined. Suddenly, I find more humor in my fantasies than before.

Then there is the shopping...the excuses and justifications that Becky makes for each purchase is highly entertaining simply because every girl has made a similar silent excuse or justification at some point in her life for some extravagant, or not-so-extravagant, purchase. In fact, I chuckled at myself the other day when I found myself mimicking a phrase that Becky Bloomwood uses so frequently in the series while wearing a purple patent leather pair of shoes I purchased over a year ago "I knew they'd be a good investment."

I recommend the book series for any girl who has ever had childish fantasies or justified a purchase to herself. Though it will never be considered a classic, it is a well-written, highly entertaining series.

There are five books to the series and the last is better than the first. The books in order are:

Confessions of a Shopaholic
Shopaholic Takes Manhattan
Shopaholic Ties the Knot
Shopaholic and Sister
Shopaholic and Baby

Happy reading!