Becky's still shopping, but it's for work!

You've gotta admire Becky Bloomwood, the heroine of the Shopaholic series.  No matter how badly her grandiose plans turn out (and they always fail spectacularly), she never stops dreaming and planning for her glittering future.  She's up to her old tricks in Shopaholic to the Stars.

The Brandon family (Becky, husband Luke and two year old Minnie) relocate to Los Angeles when Luke gets involved in a project related to the film industry.  Becky had hoped to continue her career as a personal shopper, but when that job falls through, she sets her sights on bigger and better things:  becoming a Hollywood stylist.  Certainly, her background in fashion and her close friendship with renowned fashion designer Danny Kovitz would seem to indicate that being a stylist is the ideal career for her.  But how does she get her foot in the door?

Naturally, Luke is no help.  Even though he's working closely with movie star Sage Seymour, will he help Becky with introductions and red carpet appearances?  Not likely.  He remains as unimpressed as ever.  Still, he does just happen to mention to Becky that Sage is looking for someone to join her "team" in running a charity marathon -- the next day.  Naturally, Becky immediately takes steps to participate.  She goes shopping for the perfect running outfit.  While in the store, she happens to see someone shoplifting and runs after the thief.  She's shocked when the culprit turns out to be another Hollywood star, Lois Kellerton.  Lois gives Becky the stolen merchandise and makes her promise to tell no one.

In the meantime, Becky enrolls Minnie into a pre-school that turns out to have a waiting list and very competitive parents vying for the few openings.  So how was Becky able to get Minnie in with no problems?  It turns out the school is run by none other than Becky's nemesis:  Alicia Billington (known non-affectionately as Alicia Bitch-Longlegs). Alicia seems to be all sweetness and light, but Becky is still suspicious.

Soon, Becky's best friend Suze and her family arrive for a visit, but Becky's laser focus on getting started with her styling career doesn't leave her much time to see them.  Before leaving England, she had promised to look up an old friend of her father's, and when that leads nowhere, her father also hops on a plane over to LA.

At the same time, Becky has finally managed to get acquainted with Sage Seymour and gets invited to a big event, but an embarrassing incident leads Becky to her "15 minutes of fame" -- Hollywood style.  She hires bodyguards and begins contemplating appearing on a plastic surgery reality show.  Meanwhile, Suze is facing her own problems, which Becky seems too self-absorbed to help with, and when Suze's husband and Becky's father head out on a mysterious road trip, Becky finally has to take note of what's going on under her own roof.

While I love the madcap antics that Becky always gets involved in, I didn't like the way this book seemed to be just a set-up for the next book.  We all know and love Becky and the other characters in the series, so I didn't like it that everything wasn't resolved in this book.  I'm sure it will be a while before the next book is released, and all of the events of this book will be long forgotten by then!  Still, it's good to spend some time in Becky's fashionable, high energy world again.

Final Verdict for Shopaholic to the Stars: Four Gherkins, for being an amusing look at  the life of a self-absorbed fashionista

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Are you moving, or are you staying?

I have long been a fan of the "Shopaholic" series by Sophie Kinsella, so I'm always thrilled to find any other books she may have written.  A Desirable Residence was originally published in 1996 under her real name of Madeleine Wickham.  This story is interesting and engaging, and deals with much more serious topics than Becky Bloomwood's maxed out credit cards!

Perhaps seeing the coming housing crisis, the author has her main characters, Liz and Jonathan Chambers, stressed out by mortgage payments.  In their case, however, it is because they are paying on two mortgages at the same time.  They were both working as teachers and living with their teen aged daughter Alice in the family home. Then the opportunity arose for them to buy Silchester Tutorial College, and Liz (the much more decisive of the pair) decided that it would be a good move for them professionally.  It involved moving across town, and they thought there would be no problem in selling their current house.  However, months have gone by and there's been no interest in their old house.  The young real estate agent is even suggesting they drop the price so low that it won't even bring in enough to cover the existing mortgage.  Liz thinks her prayers have been answered when an older, more assured agent, Marcus Witherstone, takes an interest in the property and suggests an alternative:  perhaps the Chambers should rent out the house for a while to at least have some cash coming in.  Luckily, he knows some prospective tenants:  Ginny Prentice and her actor husband Piers.

Marcus, married to the beautiful but high-strung Anthea, is engaged in some shady real-estate dealings, and looking for a distraction.  Liz, stressed out about money and wondering if buying the college was a mistake, is also eager to forget about her problems for a while.  It's not surprising when the two of them begin an affair.

Meanwhile, Alice is having a rough time of things.  She doesn't understand why her parents have made her leave their lovely old home for a poky flat at the tutorial college.  Her best (and really only) friend Genevieve has moved away, and she's feeling extremely lonely and isolated.  So much so that she often sneaks back to her old house and hides out in the garage, smoking.

When Ginny and Piers move in to the old Chambers house (accompanied by frequent house guest Duncan), it's not long before they discover the stowaway Alice in the garage.  Far from being angry, they are friendly and welcoming to the lonely girl.  Unfortunately, Alice takes their openness as an invitation, and starts spending more and more time with them, unbeknownst to her parents (who are pretty taken up with their own problems anyway).  Piers, who hasn't had an acting job for a while, is being considered for a part and this is the main concern for him and Ginny.

So all of these people go about in their own little bubbles, until invariably, they all collide in unexpected and disruptive ways.  I really, really didn't like the self-absorbed and flighty Liz.  She had no problem in uprooting her family (seemingly on a whim) to buy the college, and then left the great majority of the work to her husband.  I found it hard to believe that the young couple, Ginny and Piers, had no problem with Alice showing up on their doorstep pretty much any time they were home.  But, for the most part, it was really fun to try to figure out where this train-wreck was headed!  Because with so many secrets going around, some dirty linen was going to get aired in public before it was over!

I really enjoyed the book, and the story really held my interest.  I'm looking forward to reading more of the "Wickham" books while I wait for the next installment of the Shopaholic series.

Final Verdict for A Desirable Residence:  Four Gherkins, for being an inside look at several dysfunctional families whose lives intersect in unforeseen ways

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Not a shopaholic, but a phonaholic

I was so excited to see another Sophie Kinsella book was coming out!  I immediately put my name down on the waiting list at the library, and was shocked when I was notified that the book was ready for me to pick up on the same day it was released!  Talk about good timing!

I've Got Your Number is a book with a now classic Kinsella formula:  the somewhat ditzy but lovable heroine who gets herself into a pickle, but ultimately wins the heart of the fabulously wealthy and successful male character.  And it's set in London, so what's not to love?

Our main character this time is Poppy Wyatt, a physiotherapist who, as the book begins, is attending her hen night party in advance of her upcoming wedding to the somewhat condescending Magnus.  Poppy is immediately thrown into turmoil from the first page as her engagement ring (a family heirloom) goes missing in the midst of a fire alarm at the hotel where the party is being held.  Unable to get a signal on her cell phone (which she's using to try to alert everyone to her predicament -- well, everyone except Magnus), she runs outside to see if reception is better.  Distracted, she is totally unprepared when a thief on a bike rides by and steals her phone from her outstretched arm.  In a complete panic now, she runs back into the hotel lobby, and as she's passing a trash can, she notices a discarded cell phone.  Since she's currently in dire need of one (to be available for messages in case her ring turns up), she decides to "borrow" this phone for the time being.

The phone turns out to have formerly belonged to the Personal Assistant of Sam Roxton, head of a global corporation that happens to be holding an event at the same hotel and at the same time as Poppy's hen party.  It turns out that Sam can't be bothered to receive messages himself (neither business nor personal), so Poppy makes an arrangement with him:  she'll forward all his emails and messages if he will only let her keep the phone until her ring is found.

Of course, this might have been a very bland book except for the fact that Poppy can't keep from reading Sam's messages and eventually replying for him.  Sam is a somewhat gruff and detached person, but the emails from him that are sent by Poppy interact with employees and acquaintances in ways that Sam never did before.    While Poppy's interference causes Sam some embarrassment, it also allows her to become a major player when a looming scandal threatens Sam's company.

Meanwhile, Poppy is preparing for her wedding.  Magnus comes from a family of high-achieving intellectuals, and Poppy has to deal with feelings of anxiety and inferiority whenever she comes into contact with them.  Shortly before the wedding, she receives an anonymous email that causes her to re-evaluate her entire situation.

I've Got Your Number is an engaging and fun read.  Poppy is thrown into messes, largely of her own making, but is able to overcome every obstacle with her own brand of spunkiness and ingenuity.  Her determination to do what's right for everyone (whether they want it or not) is just one of the aspects of her endearing personality.  If you're looking for a light read that will leave you with a good feeling, this is the book for you!

Interestingly, there was a somewhat negative interview (well, the interviewer was negative, Ms. Kinsella was nothing but charming) with Sophie Kinsella recently in The Guardian which resulted in a follow-up commentary defending Ms. Kinsella and all things "chick lit."

Final verdict for I've Got Your Number:   Four Gherkins, for being an enjoyable, if somewhat predictable, fun read

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The ghost with the dragonfly necklace

I was thrilled to win a copy of Sophie Kinsella's latest novel Twenties Girl from the great book blog Peeking Between the Pages. I've always loved Kinsella's novels, and I was excited to get right to this one. Unfortunately, I maintain a teetering stack of books in my To Be Read pile by the bed, and this one only got added to the tower. Finally, though, I decided I had delayed the pleasure long enough.

In a departure from Kinsella's previous chick-lit outings, this book is a ghost story. Twenty-something Lara has hit a rough patch in her life. Her boyfriend Josh has inexplicably broken off their relationship. She's quit her job and cashed in her savings to go into the headhunting business with her friend Natalie, who has gone on vacation and refuses to return. All of this is not easy for a girl whose uncle is the world-famous founder of the wildly popular Lingtons Coffee shops. You'd think some of the business acumen and confidence would have rubbed off on Lara, but no such luck.

At this point, Lara attends the funeral of her previously unknown Aunt Sadie. Sadie recently passed away at the age of 105 after living many years in a nursing home. Lara had never seen Aunt Sadie before, and knew nothing about her. During the service, Lara is surprised to hear the voice of a young woman, stridently asking where her necklace is. Lara soon discovers that she is the only person who can hear the voice -- for the voice with the misplaced necklace turns out to be the ghost of the recently departed Sadie. This ghost, however, takes the form of a flapper from the 1920s, rather than the 105 year old woman Sadie was at the end of her life.

The ghost is so annoying and instant that Lara is able to delay the funeral service so that she can investigate the missing necklace that the ghost is so desperate to find. Lara is also powerless to resist when the ghost gives her advice on dress, makeup, dating and other matters. On the bright side, the ghost can also travel effortlessly through walls and eavesdrop on conversations which end up being useful talents that ultimately help Lara.

Although Lara has apparently been a total screw-up to this point, with Sadie's help she is able to discover all sorts of family secrets and gain control of her life. While the premise of the book ensures that the reader doesn't take it too seriously, some of the events of the novel just don't ring true. For instance, Lara is obsessed with Josh, her former boyfriend, but when Sadie tells her, "He never loved you" Lara basically is able to turn off her obsessive behavior and completely forget about him. Not exactly how the out-of-control-serial-texter Lara would have probably really reacted!

All in all, I didn't enjoy this book as much as the others by Sophie Kinsella. The plot was a bit too unrealistic (even for a ghost story!) and everything was a bit too neatly tied up at the end. Still, it's a pleasant enough read. I just hope her next book will be better!

Final Verdict for Twenties Girl: Three Gherkins, for a wonderful London setting (including a trip on the London Eye!), but somewhat lukewarm characters

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Confessions of a frustrated reader

During the Golden Globe awards, I saw a commercial for the film Confessions of a Shopaholic. It is going to be released on Feb. 13. Unfortunately, the film has been inexplicably moved from London to New York, so I'm very concerned about how it's going to turn out. I have no problem with Isla Fisher playing Becky, but her parents are going to be played by Joan Cusack and John Goodman. They are both fine actors, but somehow that makes me even more worried about the film. I think it will bear no resemblance to the book.

At least it seems the Kate Hudson version of Can You Keep a Secret has been put on hold. Why can't they film it as Sophie Kinsella and God intended, with British actors in London??? We can always hope . . .

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Led astray once again

Browsing around the audio book shelves in the local library, a work by a new (to me) author, Katie Fforde, caught my eye. I quickly read the overview of the story on the back of the container for Stately Pursuits and it sounded promising: "look after a relative's stately home," "dilapidated house," "quirky, ever-present neighbors," "absurdities of every day life," and "wit and charm" were some of the phrases used to describe it. The story was also set in the English countryside, so it sounded right up my alley. Unfortunately, somehow I missed the fact that this is a romance novel {shudder}. Now, I have read some decent romance novels in my time (I used to be quite taken with Kathleen Woodiwiss), but this one is just dreadful. It has the requisite brooding hero, but unfortunately he is given to such eye-rolling, cringe-inducing dialogue as, "I promised my Uncle Samuel that I wouldn't seduce you." The heroine, Hattie, is a sympathetic enough character, but as she is generally described as wearing "filthy" jeans and "grubby" t-shirts, it's a bit puzzling as to what is supposed to make her romance heroine material. I did persist throughout the whole book, hoping it would improve, but it was predictable, bland, and (despite the blurb on the back) not at all funny. Give this one a miss and pick up something by Sophie Kinsella or Marian Keyes instead. Now they can write "romantic comedy!"

In Entertainment Weekly's list of the top 20 films of the week, inexplicably they noted about the film Happy-Go-Lucky, "This quirky dramedy from British director Mike Leigh finally made its way onto the chart after seven weeks in theaters." I highlighted the "finally" because that makes it sound as if everyone is puzzled as to why such a masterpiece has struggled at the box office. Um, could it be because it's one of the worst, most pointless films ever made? We should be asking ourselves instead how the theaters showing it avoided riots in the streets. EW somehow gave this film a grade of A-. A relative of someone in the cast must have been the reviewer -- or else the reviewer didn't actually sit through the film. Those are the only possible explanations for an even lukewarm review, let alone a positive one.

Also in EW this week, Stephen King gives his Top 10 books of the year, and coming in at #3 is When Will There Be Good News? Well, I'm not sure if I would have listed it as one of the top books of the year, but it's nice to know that Uncle Stevie and I share similar tastes in leisure reading material.

Final Verdict for Stately Pursuits: One Gherkin, for some interesting plot ideas (such as opening a stately home to the public), but an overall weak story

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A new comedy series

I had a new British comedy series from Netflix in the mail on Friday. The series is called Barbara, and is about the everyday lives of a Yorkshire family. I must say, the 3 episodes on the first disc weren't all that impressive. Amazon.com describes the series as "explosively hilarious", but I watched it and I wasn't close to exploding even once! It's a somewhat bland series made all the more unwatchable by an annoying laugh track that does "explode" about every 15 seconds . . . and nothing about the series is particularly funny. There are 2 more discs in the series, so maybe it will improve.

Finally finished Remember Me? and it turned out to be not all that bad. Since the main character has amnesia, it's a bit difficult to get to know or like her. This character, Lexi, is also very rich, beautiful and successful as the book opens, and Kinsella's books are always more enjoyable when the main character is a lovable screw-up.

I've moved on to In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith on the audio book front. It's as enjoyable as the other books in the series. I've read some reviews of the latest book in the series, The Miracle at Speedy Motors,which say that one of the main characters, Mma Makutsi, is treated rather badly. That seems odd. She's such a hardworking and sympathetic character in the other books. I'm anxious to find out what causes the author to "turn agin" her in the new novel!

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Today's Diversions

TV Series
Last night, I was watching an episode from the wonderful series Lewis, when what did I happen to see:



A character was clearly wearing one of those terrorist-supporting scarves! I was *shocked* I tell you, shocked! Other than that one disturbing incident, though, I really enjoyed the episode. The series is wonderful, particularly for its views of Oxford. I haven't seen much of the Inspector Morse series, but you don't need to have seen those to be able to enjoy this program on its own merits.

Book
I am currently reading the latest novel by Sophie Kinsella, Remember Me? This one is uncharacteristically hard going so far. I truly loved Confessions of a Shopaholic and Can You Keep a Secret, but The Undomestic Goddess was a mess. I kept wondering where the editor was on that one -- or did they just think that since the great reading public had so enthusiastically embraced her previous books that this one could just go out into the world "as is"? I truly hope this most recent book will pick up and show some of the charm of the earlier books. And while I'm on the subject, who though that setting the Shopaholic movie in New York was a good idea??? If the book had been set there, I certainly wouldn't have given it a second glance! I would go see a film set in London no matter how flimsy the story (yes, Killing Me Softly, I'm talking to you).

Audio Book
While between new audio books for a moment, I decided to give a listen to my favorite audio book of all time, The Wimbledon Poisoner. It is the hilarious account of a man who decides to poison his wife, but ends up accidentally killing nearly everyone in the neighborhood instead. The second part of the book (when he gives up trying to kill the wife) does drag a bit, but the first part more than makes up for that with gems such as:

(on a book the protagonist is writing being unleashed on the reading public) "There would be no escape from the great wall of knowledge being propelled in their direction."

(description of the action of a specific poison) "You experience vomiting, diarrhea, and then it's byesie-bye to your renal functions."

(on his overweight daughter attending her first funeral) "Maisie started asking what people generally ate at funerals, and if there was a lot of it."

Quite a lot of enjoyment comes from the outstanding reading done by James Saxon. I must to a little research and find out if he's read other audio books. I was pleased to see that The Wimbledon Poisoner is part of a Wimbledon Trilogy by Nigel Williams, although, sadly, the other books in the group all appear to have different characters. Still, I have placed my orders for the other two books and I can only hope they are half as funny as the first one.

Summer Reading List
I was pleased to see that several of my favorite authors are going to have new books in the stores soon, including Ruth Rendell, Marian Keyes, David Sedaris and Janet Evanovich. OK, so only one of those authors is British -- I have to occasionally dip my toe into other literary waters, although I try not to make a habit of it!

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