Tag: Sophie Kinsella

Twenties Girl


After reading a ghastly (really!)  ghost story last year, I was a bit wary of reading another book with a female relative making a ghostly apparition, but my love for Sophie Kinsella won me over.

Sophie Kinsella is one of my favorite chick lit authors, and she always hits the spot whenever I need a chick lit fix. I enjoyed Sophie Kinsella’s The Undomestic Goddess and Can You Keep a Secret?; and I liked the Shopaholic series as well (ahhh, Luke Brandon…). Remember Me? was a bit more serious than any of her other books, but I enjoyed it as well. A few weeks back, I was in dire need of a pick-me-up so I decided to finally read Sophie Kinsella’s latest book, Twenties Girl.

Continue reading “Twenties Girl”

Remember Me? (At last!)

Sophie Kinsella is one of my favorite chick lit authors, and God knows how many times I’ve stared at this book longingly at the bookstores, bemoaning the price tag on a brand new hardcover. When the mass market paperback came out recently, I refused to buy a copy, knowing I’d only end up “doing a Blooey” — in the Flips Flipping Pages /Bookmoochers Pilipinas lexicon, that phrase is equivalent to an irrational compulsion of mine — upgrading paperback copies into hardcovers.

I found it on BookMooch a couple of times, but both times I mooched it were unsuccessful and I resigned myself to getting a full-priced copy when I got the cash until one fateful day I stumbled upon a new listing posted by my good friends at Bookay Ukay (way to go guys!) and almost fell off my seat when I read that they had a hardcover copy, selling for less than half the bookstore price. Within seconds, I had reserved the book (*evil laugh*) and in a few days I finally had a copy (Squee!).
Remember Me is the story of Lexi Smart, who wakes up in a hospital room one day and finds out her life isn’t how she remembers it to be. Her once frizzy, mousy hair is now sleek and shiny; her “snaggletooth” smile is pearly white and perfectly aligned; and her frumpy figure and scaggy clothes are replaced by a lean, carb-free, and perfectly toned bod in La Perla underwear and designer clothes.
Apparently, she has been in a car crash and can’t remember the past three years of her life; and she has gone from corporate drudge to power executive leading a glamorous life and the perfect… marriage?!?

Lexi struggles to find her bearings and reconstruct the three-year memory gap, rediscovering the path her life has taken and reevaluating the choices she has made along the way.

Lexi’s bewilderment translates quite palpably throughout the text, as for most of the book, the reader joins Lexi in trying to piece together the missing chunks of her life, and it can get very confusing. The plot gets unwieldy at times, calling on a suspension of disbelief, but Kinsella keeps the connection with a skill she has mastered in her previous books: characters that come alive on the page. Whether it’s the protagonist, the love interest, the annoying “other guy”, the quirky mum, or even bit parts like the salesgirl from last Christmas, Kinsella knows how to write them and make them memorable and just wildly funny.

Readers can also look forward to Kinsella’s trademark comical situations (her heroines just can’t help getting into the craziest circumstances!): office hijinks, bedroom comedy, and other laugh-out-loud episodes only a Sophie Kinsella character can get into. The awww… moments are there too, especially when you discover the significance of the sunflower on the cover!

Remember Me? is more about self-discovery than romance, tackling themes such as the meaning of success, careerism, friendship, and family. It reminds me 0f the movie 13 going on 30 in some ways (the Mont Blanc scene = umbrella scene), although there is no time element in this book. It’s a quick and engaging read, but still manages to establish that a perfect life isn’t necessarily a happy one.

The Undomestic Goddess is still my favorite, by far.

***

My copy: hardcover with dustjacket, from Bookay Ukay

My rating: 3/5 stars

Book #39 for 2009

Shopaholic and Baby by Sophie Kinsella

Becky Bloomwood is back! This time, with a bump — Becky and Luke’s first baby!

Becky Bloomwood is back in the 5th novel of the Shopaholic series, armed with her credit card as she prepares for the baby’s arrival – booties, designer rompers, prams, you name it and Becky has to have it. So when news of a celebrity ob/gyne Venetia Carter breaks out, Becky has to have her too, and decides to switch from her old ob/gyne. All’s well, until she finds out Venetia is Luke’s ex-girlfriend from college, and still carries a torch for Luke, posing an impending threat to their fledgling family.

My sisters, my mom (yes, my mom likes chicklit, especially Sophie Kinsella and Meg Cabot) and I are Shopaholic fans, so I was delighted when Tattie (my eldest sister) bought me a copy of Shopaholic and Baby a couple of months ago when I complained that I couldn’t find one (of course now, it’s back in stock).

I liked Shopaholic and Baby, although I think I really love Shopaholic Ties the Knot and Shopaholic and Sister best. Becky is up to her usual antics, but I guess some themes in this book make it a bit more serious than the rest in the series. I guess, Becky has to grow up sometime, well at least more grown-up than Becky has ever been in her life, and it shows in this book.

The supporting cast is still a riot, though, especially Suze, Janice, Danny, and Mr. and Mrs. Bloomwood. Jess is back too, hint, hint, I wish Sophie Kinsella would write a book about her as well, haha like the Shopaholic’s Non-Shopaholic sister. Heehee.

Of course, all’s well that ends well, and it’s still a great addition to the series :)

***
My copy: Gosh, I have three copies of this book – 2 hardcovers (one mooched, one from NBS) and one large paperback…

My rating: 3/5 stars