Confessions of a Shopaholic.

I want to start by saying that I was somewhat skeptical of this book before I started reading, partially because it has been pretty hyped up over the years and partially because British humor tends to be a little on the dry side. But, since I’ve been on a chick-lit kick here lately and Jen Landcaster, whom I absolutely adore, praised Sophie Kinsella, I thought I’d go ahead and give it a shot.

Let me say, Kinsella is extremely detail oriented and engaging in her tale of financial journalist, Rebecca Bloomwood’s unhealthy spending habits. Set in modern-day London, the story's protagonist, Rebecca Bloomwood, is stuck in a boring and seemingly dead-end job working for the British financial journal Successful Saving. Her off-beat parents and their neighbors believe her to be an extremely savvy financial goddess. Her friends and co-workers believe her to be financially set and sophisticated. Her creditors believe her to be irresponsible and flaky. Confessions of a Shopaholic cronicles Bloomwood's journey from the lowest points in her life to one of the highest. Just when Rebecca is considering giving up her career in journalism, she finds a story that she is passionate about. When her story appears in a somwhat shifty tabloid publication (think National Enquirer), she finds a new career and manages to find herself and love along the way.

The fact that the novel is written in first person allows Kinsella to focus on the inner-workings of Rebecca's mind. For example, Bloomwood justifies some of her spending as "a treat" that she deserves as a result of good behavior or a job well done. I thoroughly enjoyed Rebecca's shopping escapades and catching a glimpse her rationale. Letters from creditors and bankers detailing outlandish excuses from Mrs. Bloomwood add humor and a sense of just how much debt Rebecca has racked up through mostly frivolous purchases that would be otherwise left to the imagination. Amazingly enough, there is never a lull in the story. Kinsella keeps us engaged with Rebecca's web of "white lies", get rich quick schemes, and a mildy scandalous love triangle.

Charming and witty, Confessions of a Shopaholic is a definite must-read for anyone who's picked the cashmere blend turtleneck shell despite the gaping hole in her (or his) bank account.