Received in the mail from nearby Wallingford, Connecticut, USA, through Swappingtons. So many people refer to this as one of the best chick lit books, but Becky Greenwood annoyed the hell out of me. Read an excerpt at RandomHouse.com.

From Publishers Weekly
Add this aptly titled piffle to the ranks of pink-covered girl-centric fiction that has come sailing out of England over the last two years. At age 25, Rebecca Bloomwood has everything she wants. Or does she? Can her career as a financial journalist, a fab flat and a closet full of designer clothes lessen the blow of the dunning letters from credit card companies and banks that have been arriving too quickly to be contained by the drawer in which Rebecca hides them? Although her romantic entanglements tend toward the superficial, there is that wonderful Luke Brandon of Brandon Communications: handsome, intelligent, the 31st-richest bachelor according to Harper's and actually possessed of a personality that is more substance than style. Too bad that Rebecca blows it whenever their paths cross. Will Rebecca learn to stop shopping before she loses everything worthwhile? When faced with the opportunity to do good for others and impress Luke, will she finally measure up? Rebecca is so unremittingly shallow and Luke is so wonderful that readers may find themselves rooting for the heroine not to get the man--although, since Shakespeare's time, there's rarely been any doubt concerning how romantic comedies will end. There's a certain degree of madcap fun with some of Rebecca's creative untruths; when she persuades her parents that a bank manager is a stalker, some very amusing situations ensue. Still, this is familiar stuff, and Rebecca is the kind of unrepentant spender who will make readers, save those who share her disorder in the worst way, pity the poor bill collector. (Feb. 13) Forecast: This is a well-designed book, with a catchy magenta spine, and a colorful and kinetic double cover--which will attract many browsers. Major ad/promo, including national NPR sponsorships, will enhance sales, despite the novel's flaws.

Mailed to KiwiWonder in New Zealand for the "More Chick Lit" BookRelay.

Received yesterday afternoon in the Post -- looking forward to reading it!

I loved this book! It's true that it embodies me maybe a bit more than I'd like it to... but I loved this book! Great easy reading, hillarious at times, and nearly disastourous at others... an all over good read for those fond of chick-lit.

Reserved as a RABCK for aussie-rose

On it's way to Australia as a competivite RABCK... Enjoy it!

This book arrived over the past week or so (we are on holidays and hubby returned home to play his 'Friday night tennis' game with the local club and picked up all the mail).

Thanks for the RABCK :-) and the competition you ran!

I am 1/4 through this book and enjoying it, though I get totally frustrated at Becky for being such a total 'airhead' as far as her money goes! The girl has no money sense at all....or so it seems!

I am making this interim journal entry to let the previous readers of this book know that although this book was at the bottom of my Mount TBR pile, I have bumped it up to the top so I can pass it on ASAP. Another 'Confessions of a Shopaholic' is the victim of a "stalled bookring" and I have offered this copy to the next participant, so the ring/ray can be restarted. So when I have finished with it, I will post it to Mundoo who has kindly offered to take it to the New Zealand BC Convention at Easter, and give it to Futurecat. :-)

I'll update my thoughts on this book once I have finished it.

Finished! :-) I enjoyed the book, thanks for sharing it with me!

Rebecca Bloomwood is a 'shopaholic' and just can't resist a bargain, infact she can't resist spending money even if it's NOT a bargain! With bills and VISA card statements mounting up she ignores the problem and seeks to avoid, escape and deny the fact she's up to her eyeballs in debt!!!! She has a "lucky escape" from her pending financial ruin and hopefully has learnt her lesson and will act more responsibly with her money from now on!??? I wonder! LOL!!

Ok, an update on the 'bookring' situation: Since posting my last journal entry the person stalling the 'other confessions of a shopaholic' book has surfaced! :-) She shifted to a new city unexpectantly and all her books were stored in her mum's garage. She has promised to get the bookrings moving again soon, so THIS copy probably won't be needed to "re-start" the bookring. HOWEVER, because of the uncertainty and limited time frame, I am still going to send this to Mundoo so that she can have it with her to take to NZ if the other book doesn't arrive on fushmush (ring owner) or Futurecat's doorstep soon. I'll leave it up to Mundoo to find 'the right person' to pass this onto depending on what circumstances pan out!

RELEASE NOTES:

Sending to Mundoo, by the time she is ready to leave for NZ hopefully we'll know "what to do" with this book! :-)

Received today in the mail

Typical chick-lit of a girl/woman who's finances are way out of control, and finally she takes responsibility and deals with overdrafts, overdrawn Visa's and owing money. along the way she finds a rich boyfriend as well

RELEASE NOTES:

Given to futurecat at the NZ 2005 Bookcrossing convention at the final brunch

Received from Mundoo at this morning's farewell breakfast. The convention's all over now :-( But on the positive side, I'll finally get some sleep! ;-)

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Yawning cat

Read in one sitting this morning. Entertaining, but I've never been into the whole fashion thing, so I couldn't really relate to Rebecca's shopping urges - I just wanted to shout at her "It's easy - just don't buy it!" The ending was a little bit too pat, too - I think I would have preferred it if she'd had to put in a bit more effort to sort her life out, instead of it all just magically falling into place. But that's probably why I don't read a lot of chick-lit ;-)

Anyway, I'm glad I had the chance to read this, just so I know what everyone else is going on about ;-) And it did have some really funny bits (I loved the letter from the Finnish banker) - a good choice for a lazy morning's reading.

I'm still not sure whether this is a replacement bookring book or not, so I'll hang onto it until I find out.

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RELEASE NOTES:

Left in the cafe after tonight's meetup. One of the staff members said she was going to put the books on a shelf in the bar - could this be a proto-OCZ?

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