Mini Shopaholic

A Novel

By: Sophie Kinsella

Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor

Length: 13 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Party Crasher and Love Your Life comes “frothy fun . . . Faster than a swiping Visa, more powerful than a two-for-one coupon, able to buy complete wardrobes in a single sprint through the mall—it’s Shopaholic!” (The Washington Post)

“Sophie Kinsella keeps her finger on the cultural pulse, while leaving me giddy with laughter.”—Jojo Moyes, author of The Giver of Stars and The Last Letter from Your Lover

Becky Brandon thinks that having a daughter is a dream come true: a shopping friend for life! But two-year-old Minnie has a quite different approach to shopping. The toddler creates havoc everywhere she goes, from Harrods to her own christening. On top of everything else, Becky and Luke are still living with her parents (the deal on house #4 has fallen through), when suddenly there’s a huge nationwide financial crisis.

With people having to cut back, Becky decides to throw a surprise party for Luke to cheer everyone up. But when costs start to spiral out of control, she must decide whether to accept help from an unexpected source—and therefore run the risk of hurting the person she loves. Will Becky be able to pull off the celebration of the year? Will she and Luke ever find a home of their own? Will Minnie ever learn to behave? And . . . most important . . . will Becky’s secret wishes ever come true?

Praise for Mini Shopaholic

“Madcap adventure.”—People

“A page-turner . . . [Sophie] Kinsella at her most hilarious best.”—Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“Screamingly funny.”—USA Today

Attention, shoppers: don't miss more in the Shopaholic series.

©2010 Sophie Kinsella (P)2010 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Series fans know what to expect and will get it by the Birkin-load." (Publishers Weekly)

“Frothy fun . . . Faster than a swiping Visa, more powerful than a two-for-one coupon, able to buy complete wardrobes in a single sprint through the mall—it’s Shopaholic!” (The Washington Post)

“Screamingly funny.” (USA Today)

I loved it!

This is another one of Sophie Kinsella's books that stole my heart and made me laugh out loud as I was listening to it. I usually purchase non-fiction literature, which I read from my Kindle, but I've found that when I'm listening, I prefer something light and well narrated. Kinsella's books bring a respite from the worries and stress of every day life, and Rosalyn Landor brings such life to these colorful characters. "Becks" is a darling, and now we have her "Minnie-Me" to love and amuse us as well. Please, Sophie...keep em' coming! I have become a true fan of your work!

Charming as ever but "Mini" storyline was more of an after thought

I love these books. Becky Bloomwood is like a modern day Lucille Ball in I love Lucy. The title of this book made it sound like the book would be about her being a Mom to her little girl. However, this was just more of a side story. Still a great, entertaining book.

Love the story

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I had a problem with the narrative version of this story. I'm a huge fan of Sophie Kinsella and love her characters and the story they tell, however the narrater of this audiobook made for a unenjoyable experience for me.

Excellence once again!

The shopaholic series is always worth listening to and this one is no exception. I love the Minnie voice as well as all the rest.

Shopaholic Finally Jumps The Shark

Any additional comments?

Like so many, many, others, I have been a huge fan of the Shopaholic series from the start. Of course, the stories are fanciful (these are characters in a book, not 'ripped from the headlines'). But up until now, each chapter in the series has contained enough relatable truths to lead the reader to believe, "well, this seems farfetched, but if the stars aligned, i suppose it could happen."But not this time.Mini Shopaholic doesn't simply ask you to suspend disbelief... you're also asked to suspend any notion of reality. Somehow the author has transformed her lead character (Becky Brandon) from being an immature, but well meaning, young woman to a narcissistic sociopath, and along the way all elements of 'likeability' have been stripped from the character.The story moves from one crisis to the next, and at every turn, you can't help but think, "wait... i already know how this is going to turn out... Becky will be unastonishingly self-absorbed and try to use magical-thinking to pretend no problem exists, or make the problem go away... and when it doesn't, she'll feel awful and dreadful and then do the exact same thing the next time."Perhaps the challenge is how to continue a tradition of stories that rely on behavior considered 'charming' for a young adult, but disturbing and 'self-destructive' for someone with a two-year old. Or perhaps its that I've grown up, just a bit, and Shopaholic hasn't.

I can't stand Rebecca in this book please stop no

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

No one. Rebecca is selfish, foolish with spending, spoiling Mini and just all around if I knew her I would want to slap her to get her to see reality.

I think this series has petered out and I am not going to waste anymore of my money on this junk. I do like some of Sophie Kinsella's other books like The UnDomestic Goddess and Rosalyn Landor does the best she can with this manuscript but it is time to let this series go.

As another reviewer said, what was maybe cute and endearing when Rebecca was in her early 20s is now so obnoxious and bordering on crazy.

What could Sophie Kinsella have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Have Rebecca have a better grip on reality. She comes up with crazy ideas that are negative foolish, she does not take anyone else into account. I can't stand this character Rebecca and Mini is a little snot.

What aspect of Rosalyn Landor’s performance would you have changed?

Rosalyn did the best she could. I think she was fine.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Mini Shopaholic?

98% of it and told her to rewrite. I think some authors get to a certain level of success as Sophie Kinsella did and then they get lazy and since they have a following they produce sloppy writing which this is.

Slow moving

Too many misunderstandings in the story. Plot was a surprise party which did not happen til the end.

Ugh

Thank goodness for Rosalyn Landor. If not for her, this book would have been unbearable. I've listened to all the Shopaholic books on audio. Yes, Grey is my preferred Becky but Landor is way better than the one who reads "and Sister."

The book itself was a huge disappointment. Becky just never learns. She never grows, develops or changes. She was a compulsive liar, completely unrealistic and utterly spoiled in the first book and now, several years later, she is exactly the same. This is a 29 year old woman who behaves like a teenager with daddy's credit card. Horriflyingly, she is responsible for a young child, who gives every indication she is becoming as spoiled as her overly indulged mother.

Kinsella had an opportunity here to develop Becky beyond the shallow consumer who is only interested in the next big thrill into a grown woman who understands that life is not a just party or reason to acquire more stuff. This will be the last Shopaholic book for me. The series is definitely played out.

The charm has worn off.

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Better story line with realistic edgy but exaggerated entanglements that befall our protagonist in dealing with her compulsion.

What was most disappointing about Sophie Kinsella’s story?

Embarrassingly redundent and her characters have become stupidly blind.

Would you be willing to try another one of Rosalyn Landor’s performances?

Although I missed the

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Not a one.

Any additional comments?

Was this ghost written or cranked out to make money? The previous characters were always edgy and compulsive but intelligent. This lead and supporting characters were all shallow nitwits with no redeeming qualities. And the plot was nonexistent.

Becky should known better by now.........

I was very excited to read this new book, I thought since Becky has a baby she would have grown up by now...needless to say I was wrong. It was a horrible listen for me, I found myself being very frustrated by her constant lies and immature actions. I felt like I was listening to a modern day I Love Lucy, utterly ridiculous. I agree with another reviewer, Becky is a 29 year old woman who acts like an irresponsible teenager. I only finished the book because I paid for it. I really love Kinsella's books but this novel in the series was just a bit much and overwhelming.