Every time there's a new Shopaholic novel, I'm overjoyed and also fear (dread!) that it could be the last one. Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) has been a favorite character of mine from book one, but seeing "CHRISTMAS" and "SHOPAHOLIC" together along with the author's name must have been like Becky let loose at a 90-percent-off sale at Harrods! I think I laughed only reading the title because if you know Becky, you understand the significance of those two words side by side.

Becky has her shopping addiction under control. Mostly. Somewhat. Well, not really. She, her husband Luke, and their daughter Minnie have moved just outside of London - away from the tempting posh stores. But there's online shopping where the best bargains can be found! Which, of course, will be ever so helpful when Becky is tasked with planning the Christmas celebrations instead of her mother, who's become a bit of a hipster. Becky is terrified, then frazzled: there's a lot to do in a bit over a month, so what better way to start than with a shiny new planner. And a beautiful new pen. Now, where to start? The decorations? The food? The gifts? Those prove to be extremely challenging when Becky's sister Jess returns from Chile. Jess insists on a vegan, "non-consumerist, sustainable" Christmas, not precisely Becky's forte, but oh my goodness does it make for hilarious situations and adventurous shopping! This is where you get to witness Sophie Kinsella's British humor at its best!

Then there's the sudden appearance of Becky's university boyfriend, which provides unforeseen tension and fantastic plot twists. It's rare to see such a carefully crafted story with so many layers and subplots seamlessly woven in, especially in a long-running series and in this particular genre. I will not spoil anyone's fun, but CHRISTMAS SHOPAHOLIC is absolutely brilliant, clever, full of surprises, and an extremely quick read! The take on the current "hygge" craze is sheer genius, as is little Minnie's occasional baby talk which gives a new meaning to misunderstanding (plus side-splitting shenanigans), and the quest for Luke's present is a masterpiece of creativity.

The writing is wonderfully breezy, Becky's inner monologues are as fun as ever, there's madness and mayhem galore - and almost nothing went the way I expected! There are also a few genuinely touching moments that left me teary-eyed and all choked up. I couldn't wait to read this book because the mere thought of Becky and Christmas shopping is as irresistible as it gets! But I never thought CHRISTMAS SHOPAHOLIC would turn out to be one of the best Christmas stories I have ever read! It's super fast-paced and enormously entertaining, all in the true spirit of Christmas. Thank you, Sophie Kinsella for this wonderful present! Happy Christmas!