Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely Fabulous!
Review: I didn't think that there would ever be another book like Confessions of s Shopaholic, so when I found out there was a sequel in the works, I was overjoyed! Shopaholic Takes Manhattan was another fabulous read by Sophie Kinsella. I once again saw a lot of myself in Becky - and I could totally relate to the fn she had in Manhattan, being a New Yorker myself.
If you like to shop, like to read, and like to laugh, then what are you waiting for. Break out your AMEX and get this book!
Rating:
Summary: laugh, laugh, laugh
Review: These two books are just too funny. "Bridget Jones" for the shopper in all of us. Make sure that you read "Confessions of a Shopaholic" first. I'm recommending these books to everyone. I laugh explaining them to friends. I want to see a movie from these two books. It would be a "Pretty Woman" movie for the shopper!
Rating:
Summary: Rebecca Bloomwood does it again.
Review: More antics from our favorite spender, the girl who knows how to spend a dollar or a pound from continent to continent. Becky has some of the best rationalization skills when it comes to her needs, or should I say wants. She will have you laughing all the way to the bank a place her money never seems to end up.This follow up book to Kinsella's debut novel CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC is a wonderful piece of light hearted banter with a main character that leaves you wanting to shake some sense into her, while her heart of gold makes her contagious to a fault. The problem with Becky is she just can't say no, not only to spending, but also to people and their demands. This fault in her character leads her into some hysterically tight spots. This light-hearted read packs a punch on the humor Richter scale. I promise it will keep you smiling long after the fact. Kelsana 1/31/02
Rating:
Summary: a fun read, hampered by worry for the main character
Review: Becky Bloomwood is back with a new slew of problems (brought on by her shopaholism) that threaten her finances, job, and, this time around, her relationship with the man she loves! This sequel to "Confessions of a Shopaholic" finds Becky hosting her own successful personal finance show on cable, with a book deal to write her very own self-help money-management manual. She is also seriously involved with Luke Brandon, a workaholic who runs a successful London PR firm. But Becky is not completely transformed --- she increased her spending to keep up with her increased income; she has already spent the 1000 pound advance from the publishers without writing a word (and the first draft was due last week -- oops, she forgot); her understanding bank manager has been replaced by one who will not indulge her, and she is back in hock with her bank overdraft and myriad credit cards. She is hiding her many new purchases from her flatmate Suze, whom Becky has made promise to monitor her spending for her. And now she and Luke are off to Manhattan as he hammers out some business deals, where there are all sorts of new stores for her to explore and, since the American dollar is less than the British pound, then everything is technically a bargain, right? Although told in a fun light style with many fun moments, it is still disturbing to see how careless Becky is, willing to throw away everything for a new pair of shoes or two (in lilac and clementine, size 6). Even more disturbing is how she lies about everything to everyone. SHE NEEDS THERAPY! That is the only thing that keeps this book from being really entertaining -- this is a real sickness, and you get scared for her at times, even if she is not a real person.
Rating:
Summary: Even BETTER than the first!
Review: I purchased this book yesterday and had it finished by last night. I'm tempted to say it's even MORE hilarious than Bridgett Jones. Sad, sure, because this girl really does have a serious addiction. But the laugh out loud (and embarass yourself on the train home from work) scenes are priceless.
Much better than the first Shopaholic and I thought I loved that one.
More Becky please!!!!
p.s Do these books make anyone else want to shop like a mad woman???
Rating:
Summary: Becky does it again.
Review: I read the British version of this over Christmas and couldn't put it down. Becky Bloomwood is back and she is back to get some more shopping done. After the first book when her life goes down the drain, you can't think it can get worst then it was, but it does. Luke, Beckys boyfriend is going New York to do business and invites Becky along to see if she could get a job in New York. Becky starts out in New York just fine. She doesn't go overboard on the shopping, till she finds out what sample sales are and then she goes back to her old ways of being a shopaholic. But when things go bad back in London she feel that her life is crumbling and so she tries to fix it. This is another one of those books that had me laughing and wondering what she would do next. I can't wait to see what happens to her next.
Rating:
Summary: Becky does it again!
Review: In this sequel to Confessions of a Shopaholic, Becky Bloomwood is even more lovable. With Luke by her side, Becky plans to storm the Big Apple. While in New York, she discovers all the wonderful culture, including The Guggenheim..... well, the Museum shop, to be honest. But she is on a strict budget, as always. So how does she justify her attendance at "sample sales"? After all, as Becky says, American money isn't real. How can one be expected to take it seriously, it's like monopoly money. But we have faith in Becky's ability to stick to her "need only" budget, right? Once again, in the taxi on the road to happiness, Becky and Luke hit some speed bumps and potholes along the way. But it's worth the cabfare.
Rating:
Summary: Shopaholic Wins Again
Review: I got this book from the bookstore I work at as an advanced reading copy.....I was completely estactic when I saw it on the counter and started reading it as soon as I got home that night. This book is more hilarious and funny than the first.
Kinsella writes a view from the shopaholic perfectly. This book has more closure than the first, and that makes me like it more. Becky Bloomwood does it again, doesn't she? Read this book now! I urge you to run out and get it....absolutely amazing!
Rating:
Summary: Becky is at it again
Review: I have been wanting to read "Shopaholic Takes Manhattan" ever since I finished reading the first book in this series, "Confessions of a Shopaholic." It took me awhile to get to it, but it was well worth the wait. My favorite out of control shopper, Becky Bloomwood, is at it again and this time she's in New York! She and her boyfriend, Luke, have flown to New York for a two week stay as he stakes the city out due to a job offer. What Becky finds in New York, however, is Saks Fifth Avenue, Barney's and the amazing thing known as sample sales. As far as Becky is concerned, she's in heaven. Only being in heaven has gotten Becky even deeper into debt. In fact, she's in worse shape than she was back home in London! What's a girl to do? I just love the ways that Becky comes up with to rationalize purchasing things (did you know that spending foreign money doesn't count when pinching pennies?). She is so genuine and really tries to be good, only she can't stop shopping. If you loved "Confessions of a Shopaholic," you will love "Shopaholic Takes Manhattan" just as much. It is funny, witty and a must read!
Rating: 
Summary: Would have been better if it wasn't a sequel.
Review: "Confessions of a Shopaholic" and "Shopaholic Takes Manhattan" could have been combined with absolutely no damage done to the characters or to the story. In true sequel fashion, this story is basically a rehash of the first book, but with higher stakes, bigger scenes, and a more dramatic climax. In this book, Becky and Luke find themselves in Manhattan. He's there to establish a US branch of his successful public relations firm; she's interviewing for a lucrative TV contract. However, Becky's main focus is shopping, which inevitably leads to financial disaster (again). The story starts rather slowly, it takes 100 pages before the characters even get to New York but Kinsella's take on NYC culture is one of the highlights.
On its own merit, "Manhattan" is actually a stronger story than its predecessor, there's more drama and the conflicts are better explained. It would merit higher marks...if it weren't a sequel. However, because it's a sequel, there's a sense of "been there, done that" and it becomes tedious. There's even a repeat scene where Becky is delighted to discover a museum gift shop and goes wild with her credit card.
As in "Confessions," Kinsella leaves large plot holes and several nagging questions unexplained. For example, when Becky and Luke take a weekend vacation, Becky goes to great pains to ship her vast wardrobe via overnight courier, to avoid explaining to Luke why she needs so many clothes for only three days. However, Kinsella fails to tell us how Becky gets her clothes back home. Wouldn't Luke notice when she hauls out the cardboard boxes and the packing tape? This and other similar situations leave the book feeling rather second rate.
Becky's character is unchanged and she grows tiresome, especially since she supposedly learned her lesson in the first book. She's as shallow and wishy-washy as ever and her frequent "Erm..." got on my nerves. Luke is very underdeveloped, even by the end of book two. If he is as smart and sophisticated and pragmatic as Kinsella describes, why is he with a melodramatic scatterbrain like Becky? There are no clues in the book to explain why he's attracted to her and the characters seem to have no chemistry. Luke exists simply for the sake of the generic love interest, thrown in because all chick-lit books must have a romance. Kinsella needed to show more chemistry, though I am glad she left the bedroom scenes up to the reader's imagination.
It can be entertaining at times and is okay for light reading, but don't expect anything great.
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