52 {Books} in 52: Mini Shopaholic

I've read most of Sophie Kinsella's books because her books are silly and fun to read. The latest entry in the Shopaholic series is Mini Shopaholic. The story follows Rebecca Brandon (nee Bloomwood) as she tackles motherhood, vows not to buy anymore clothes until she wears everything she owns three times, and attempts to throw her husband, Luke, a surprise birthday party. The economy has taken a hit and Luke is afraid their daughter, Minnie, is out of control. In the end, and like all the other books, there is a third party that comes in to save the financial day. Becky is always on the brink of catastrophe and it often gets annoying that she gets saved all the time, but you can't help but love the character.

For a book called Mini Shopaholic I don't think it focused enough on Minnie's character. Sure, she is a toddler versed in Visa-talk and part of the reason Luke's mother, Elinor, is in the book, but still. I thought the book would focus more on their mother-daughter relationship and how Minnie became a "mini shopaholic" but instead most of the book is spent with the drama of planning and hiding the party from Luke. To be completely honest, I can't relate to Becky's character but I have enjoyed the books because they are so silly and the situations Becky finds herself in are shocking and so full of irony that you can't help but giggle. I was really hoping the addition of a mother role would help her be more relate-able to me but it didn't because there was always someone available to watch Minnie or, in a way, you kind of forgot they had a kid because they didn't act like they did.

So what a mixed review, huh? The book was fun to read but didn't have that spark the previous books because this one felt farther from reality than the last books.

Here's what I've read for my 52 {Books} in 52 challenge:

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
3. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
4. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
5. Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities, and Occasional Moments of Grace by Ayelet Waldman
6. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
7. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
8.  Misery Loves Cabernet by Kim Gruenenfelder
9.  The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
10. Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler
11. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
12. Best Day of Someone Else's Life by Kerry Reichs
13. The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson
14. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Steig Larsson
15. Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
16. The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf
17. Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson
18. Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler
19.  The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
20.  Bossypants by Tina Fey
21. Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
22. Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella