29) Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella

The Blurb :

An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.

My Thoughts :

Since changing jobs there has been only one or two bad consequences and one is that while I only have a ten minute walk to work, I only have a ten minute walk to work.  Which means my audio book listening time has dropped dramatically.  I am trying to make up for it but this short book took me two weeks to listen to.  But it was a lovely two weeks of listening.

I have enjoyed every Sophie Kinsella book I have read and Finding Audrey is no exception.  While this isn't the usual Chick-it Romance that fans will be used to it does have very strong elements of these two genres.  However this leans towards Young Adult but deals with very grown-up situations.  It is also very amusing and heart-warming while also being an eye-opener and general chance to learn something you wouldn't normally know about unless it has happened to you or someone close to you.

Now I don't know how much research the author put into the topic at hand but it seems like she hit the nail on the head in most aspects. I am not saying that I know everything about it either but what I do know rung true here.  However I have to wonder why the author went with a young girl and didn't write this from the perspective of an adult.  Bringing awareness for the subject seems to be a huge reason for this book but I wanted more.

I loved Audrey right from the beginning.  Her dysfunctional family were realistic and funny.  I couldn't wait to see what happened and how things would end.  Although I found it annoying that the mystery of what really happened to Audrey was left unanswered.  A brave move but one I am sure upset some readers.  After getting to know Audrey so well and her letting us see everything it felt like she was keeping her biggest secret from us.

A wonderful read and a great listen.  I didn't really like the mother, father and brother having different narrators sometimes and then other times they had the main narrator.  It put me off at times and didn't really change the story or the impact it made.

Well worth checking out.  Don't be put off by anything, the subject matter, the YA, the fact it isn't something you wouldn't read, nothing....just try it and enjoy it.

138) Shopaholic on Honeymoon by Sophie Kinsella

The Blurb :

The new Mr and Mrs Brandon are on honeymoon, and Becky has big plans! They’ve got a whole year to explore Venice, learn yoga in India, sleep in little wooden huts in South America… maybe even see penguins in the Arctic. And of course they’ll need to buy just a few essential souvenirs along the way (everyone needs a set of Murano glass goblets, after all).

They’re not just tourists, they’re travellers. Becky is sure it is just the thing that Luke needs – time to unwind. He’ll come back a changed man… with all the good bits still intact of course.

But it soon becomes clear that Luke has different plans entirely. Can Becky help him let go, or will this little disagreement threaten their whole honeymoon?

My Thoughts :

There isn't much to say about this novella.  A free Kindle version the author has released for the fans so they can find out what Becky and Luke did on their Honeymoon.

Short, somewhat sweet, this isn't as funny and amusing as the full length novels.  It was a nice quick read and it was good to be back in Becky's Shopaholic world but it isn't much to write about.

A definite must read for fans of the series and not a bad choice if you are looking for something short  to read.  As I mentioned this is a free e-book so there is no wasted money just a free story that follows the couple on a nice trip to Venice.

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

81) Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

The Blurb :

Lara Lington has always had an overactive imagination, but suddenly that imagination seems to be in overdrive. Normal professional twenty-something young women don’t get visited by ghosts. Or do they?

When the spirit of Lara’s great-aunt Sadie—a feisty, demanding girl with firm ideas about fashion, love, and the right way to dance—mysteriously appears, she has one request: Lara must find a missing necklace that had been in Sadie’s possession for more than seventy-five years, because Sadie cannot rest without it.

Lara and Sadie make a hilarious sparring duo, and at first it seems as though they have nothing in common. But as the mission to find Sadie’s necklace leads to intrigue and a new romance for Lara, these very different “twenties” girls learn some surprising truths from and about each other. Written with all the irrepressible charm and humor that have made Sophie Kinsella’s books beloved by millions, Twenties Girl is also a deeply moving testament to the transcendent bonds of friendship and family.

My Thoughts :

Before I started reading paranormal/fantasy books I was a bit of a chick-lit reader.  A lot of the authors didn't really make an impression on me and they were just books I picked up free or cheap but a few authors are ones that I make a real effort to keep up with and check in with now and again.  One of those authors is Sophie Kinsella.

When I saw Twenties Girl on Audible I decided it was high time I gave it a try.  It has been out for a few years and for some reason I just haven't come across a copy to give it a go.  Within a few chapters I wondered why I bothered.  Lara was really doing my head in and the whole story was just making me cringe  constantly.  All the things she was saying and doing were totally stupid and there were so many other ways she could have dealt with the situtations but oh boy was the girl being naive and stupid.

So why did I keep reading?  The ghost!  Aunt Sadie the ghost was the one who kept me reading.  There was a slim chance that Lara was imagining her but the spooky twist in the tale made me eager to see how things would pan out.  So I tried to ignore all the cringe worthy moments and listened to the first half of the book to be rewarded with a spectacular second half!

How the story opened up and twisted around was unbelievable and I didn't see it coming.  The surprises came one after another and even though I started to guess some of the outcomes it made for a great story.  I have to admit there were a few tears in my eyes at certain moments but the book left me feeling happy and warm.  A lovely story and a fun ghost!

If you aren't into chick-lit but you need something for a friend then this is something you may consider giving someone as a gift.  It is a super story all set in London and well worth curling up with.

     

    

↑ Grab this Headline Animator      

          

101) Six Geese A-Laying by Sophie Kinsella

The Blurb :

Christmas is approaching and Ginny is looking forward to the birth of her first baby. It's a pity her partner Dan is so useless, and she has to keep reminding him where he's going wrong. Luckily she's enrolled into the most exclusive antenatal class going - all the highest achieving, smartest mothers-to-be aspire to be taught by the legendary Petal Harmon. Like the other five women in the class, Ginny already knows exactly what she wants, and how she's going to handle motherhood.But when they turn up for the final class it isn't quite what they expect. As Ginny discovers what parenthood is really going to be like, she begins to realize the things that really matter...

My Thoughts :

I was taking part in a Read-a-thon and the theme was Christmas in July. Now I am sure I have a few books somewhere on my bookshelf that take place over the holidays but I didn't want to spend all day looking when I should be reading. However on the other hand I really wanted to read at least one Christmas book for the read-a-thon. So this novella was definitely about the holidays and was also a free Kindle book. Problem solved!

Sophie Kinsella is a brilliant chick-lit writer and one of only a few authors from that genre that I still try and keep up with. Six Geese A-Laying was short and sweet but it really did mean something. There was a moral to the story and it was interesting finding out what it could mean to all the women involved. What was even better was the slight paranormal twist. If only the author could do this again but on a full novel level. I think she would do it extremely well.

Short but sweet this is a cute little novella to get you in the Christmas spirit or to check out a really nice author. Nice break from the intense reads and a little fun.

77) I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

The Blurb :

I've lost it. The only thing in the world I wasn't supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It's been in Magnus's family for three generations. And now, the very same day his parents are coming, I've lost it. The very same day. Do not hyperventilate, Poppy. Stay positive!!

Poppy Wyatt has never felt luckier. She is about to marry the ideal man, Magnus Tavish, but in one afternoon her 'happy ever after' begins to fall apart. Not only has she lost her engagement ring but in the panic that followed, she has now lost her phone. As she paces shakily round the hotel foyer she spots an abandoned phone in a bin. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number for the hotel to contact her when they find her ring. Perfect!

Well, perfect except the phone's owner, businessman Sam Roxton doesn't agree. He wants his phone back and doesn't appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life.

What ensues is a hilarious and unpredictable turn of events as Poppy and Sam increasingly upend each other's lives through emails and text messages. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, mysterious phone calls and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents... she soon realises that she is in for the biggest surprise of her life.

My Thoughts :

Yes! Yes! I know! This isn't my usual paranormal filled read. However sometimes I need a break from the vamps and other monsters. Back in the old days, before I discovered Paranormal Urban Fantasy, I used to read quite a few chick-lit books. Now I don't have much time or energy for them but there are a few authors I like to keep up with whenever possible and Sophie Kinsella is one of them. So when I came across this book on Audible I decided it was high time I caught up.

I won't bore you all with a long review because it will most likely not interest many of you. However I will say that the story, characters and plot were great. Sure there were a few moments when I thought 'God Poppy you are being an idiot' and wondered why she hadn't done things differently but it was all part of the web the author was weaving and I giggled and gasped as things unfolded.

What struck me most about this story was the realisation that mobile phones are exactly this special to us nowadays. Poppy's attachment to the phone seemed over the top but when you think about it, well it seems practically logical. Technology has a hold of us these days and I could see exactly where the poor girl was coming from.

A great tale that had me laughing and rolling my eyes. I loved the outcome and even though I thought I knew what was going to happen it still took me by surprise and made me smile. Sophie Kinsella is a great author and if she just added a few ghosts or something...well...I would love her work even more ;)