A light, enjoyable read that’s pure escapism.
Becky Brandon and her shopping habit head to Hollywood in the latest book in Kinsella’s series (Mini Shopaholic, 2010, etc.).
Shopaholic Becky, her husband and their daughter move from London to LA so Luke can tackle a new job doing PR for celebrities. Becky, however, is mostly interested in the celebrity part of his job—she wants to use Luke’s connections to become a stylist to the stars. After a lot of work (read: shopping) and a chance run-in with a thieving celeb, Becky winds up with a gig styling a real live actress…who just happens to be the nemesis of Luke’s client. Predictably, the entire situation gets out of hand, especially when Becky discovers that things aren't always what they seem in Hollywood. Luckily, Becky’s best friend, Suze, is around to support her—that is, if Becky can manage to think about anyone’s problems but her own. Becky soon finds herself doing whatever she can to advance her career and stay in the press, even if it involves causing problems with Luke, neglecting her family and letting down her friends. With so many plots to keep straight (Becky’s dad’s mysterious quest, Becky’s BFF problems, Becky’s desire to be a stylist, the relationship between Luke and his mother), the book starts to feel a bit bloated and hard to follow. Luckily, Becky is a truly engaging narrator. She may be self-centered, a shopping addict and a bit flighty, but she’s also good-natured and genuinely funny. It’s a joy to accompany her on her journey, no matter how tangled it seems at times.
A light, enjoyable read that’s pure escapism.Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-8129-9386-8
Page Count: 496
Publisher: Dial Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 17, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2014
An extremely powerful story of a young Southern Negro, from his late high school days through three years of college to his life in Harlem.
His early training prepared him for a life of humility before white men, but through injustices- large and small, he came to realize that he was an "invisible man". People saw in him only a reflection of their preconceived ideas of what he was, denied his individuality, and ultimately did not see him at all. This theme, which has implications far beyond the obvious racial parallel, is skillfully handled. The incidents of the story are wholly absorbing. The boy's dismissal from college because of an innocent mistake, his shocked reaction to the anonymity of the North and to Harlem, his nightmare experiences on a one-day job in a paint factory and in the hospital, his lightning success as the Harlem leader of a communistic organization known as the Brotherhood, his involvement in black versus white and black versus black clashes and his disillusion and understanding of his invisibility- all climax naturally in scenes of violence and riot, followed by a retreat which is both literal and figurative. Parts of this experience may have been told before, but never with such freshness, intensity and power.
This is Ellison's first novel, but he has complete control of his story and his style. Watch it.
Pub Date: April 7, 1952
ISBN: 0679732764
Page Count: 616
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Sept. 22, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1952
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
IN THE NEWS
APPRECIATIONS
Honeyman’s endearing debut is part comic novel, part emotional thriller, and part love story.
A very funny novel about the survivor of a childhood trauma.
At 29, Eleanor Oliphant has built an utterly solitary life that almost works. During the week, she toils in an office—don’t inquire further; in almost eight years no one has—and from Friday to Monday she makes the time go by with pizza and booze. Enlivening this spare existence is a constant inner monologue that is cranky, hilarious, deadpan, and irresistible. Eleanor Oliphant has something to say about everything. Riding the train, she comments on the automated announcements: “I wondered at whom these pearls of wisdom were aimed; some passing extraterrestrial, perhaps, or a yak herder from Ulan Bator who had trekked across the steppes, sailed the North Sea, and found himself on the Glasgow-Edinburgh service with literally no prior experience of mechanized transport to call upon.” Eleanor herself might as well be from Ulan Bator—she’s never had a manicure or a haircut, worn high heels, had anyone visit her apartment, or even had a friend. After a mysterious event in her childhood that left half her face badly scarred, she was raised in foster care, spent her college years in an abusive relationship, and is now, as the title states, perfectly fine. Her extreme social awkwardness has made her the butt of nasty jokes among her colleagues, which don’t seem to bother her much, though one notices she is stockpiling painkillers and becoming increasingly obsessed with an unrealistic crush on a local musician. Eleanor’s life begins to change when Raymond, a goofy guy from the IT department, takes her for a potential friend, not a freak of nature. As if he were luring a feral animal from its hiding place with a bit of cheese, he gradually brings Eleanor out of her shell. Then it turns out that shell was serving a purpose.
Honeyman’s endearing debut is part comic novel, part emotional thriller, and part love story.Pub Date: May 9, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7352-2068-3
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Pamela Dorman/Viking
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2017
BOOK TO SCREEN
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
