Shopaholic [Hardcover]

Judy Waite (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2003

Taylor, Sam, and Sophie have been best mates forever. But lately things have been changing. Taylor is starting to sense that maybe Sam and Sophie would rather hang out only with each other rather than with her. And she can't talk to her mum about it -- she's been acting even more depressed than usual, spending the day watching the telly in her bathrobe and only eating when Taylor makes her dinner.

Then Taylor meets Kat while out shopping one day. Kat is glamorous. Kat is planning on becoming a model. Kat has dozens of older blokes following her around. And suddenly Taylor's life is looking brighter. Kat seems to understand exactly how Taylor feels and Taylor is willing to do anything to be friends with her. The thing is, Kat loves to go shopping and if Taylor wants to continue to be her friend, then she'll have to come up with the money to keep Kat happy...even if that means going against everything Taylor knows is right.

An emotionally-charged novel about what loneliness can drive you to do, and how a little credit card can lead to lots of trouble.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9-Taylor's sister has died, which has thrown her mother into an extended, debilitating depression. Besides having to cope with Mum, the teen has her own grief to deal with, including her belief that she was responsible for her sibling's death. Life looks a little brighter when glamorous Kat befriends her, and the girls pass the time by shopping. But then Kat begins using her, and, to keep their friendship, Taylor behaves in ways that she knows are wrong. Fortunately, her mother's new medication brings her out of her mental stupor, and she is there for Taylor as the girl pours out details of the accident in which her sister lost her life. While the many Briticisms may be difficult for some readers, those who stay the course will be rewarded with an engaging, emotionally wrenching read.
Catherine Ensley, Latah County Free Library District, Moscow, ID
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 6-10. English teenager Taylor is 14 and miserable: her mother is deeply depressed, her two best friends from childhood don't seem to need her anymore, and she doesn't have enough money to ignore the pinch when a thief nicks the purse with her granddad's Christmas offering. The story unfolds in controlled, nicely limned passages, allowing the reader to feel Taylor's anxiety as she makes friends with Kat, a wilder, older girl who has problems of her own. Kat's dishonorable intentions--and Taylor's vulnerability--are clear to the audience, but Waite still manages an engaging, compelling revelation of Taylor's new understanding of herself, her mother, and Kat's manipulations. The Briticisms are minimal and contextually clear in this artful portrayal of a teenager's epiphany that comes across as more than a simple cautionary tale. Francisca Goldsmith
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers; 1st edition (May 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689851383
• ISBN-13: 978-0689851384
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,091,050 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars NOT the "Shopaholic" series, but good book, December 23, 2010

By 

E. Clark "ITuser" (CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shopaholic (Hardcover)

I ordered this book used to complete my "Shopaholic" series, but didn't check the description or author. My mistake. But the book was very good. Just be sure you know it's not the series about Becky B!

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent young adult novel. A heartbreaking tale of a confused young woman who blames herself for a family trauma., May 22, 2009

By 

Mr. A. Crowley - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shopaholic (Hardcover)

Waite's Shopaholic is an extremely well-written work; also, the novel is one of the more touching and thoughtful young adult novels I have read in some time and I happen to love this genre of fiction. The novel touches on many contemporary themes that readers (both teenage and adult) will find engaging, including the poison shallowness of consumer culture and the definition of true friendship.

Taylor is an insecure, deeply intelligent young woman who lives in a nondescript, depressed British town. She is on the verge of womanhood, dealing with more than her fair share of issues: her sister has died in a tragic accident (for which Taylor feels responsible), her mother has become so depressed that she is unable to care for Taylor or for herself, and Taylor's grandfather is the one steady light in her life but he suffers from health troubles. Taylor struggles to keep her situation steady by cooking for her mother and tackling all of the household duties while her mother sleeps and samples psychiatric medications.

Then her dull life takes a sudden turn. While out at the local shopping mall with her "old," less glamourous friends, Taylor meets the dazzling Kat -- an aspiring model, gorgeous and charismatic and a bit too mature for her years. Things quickly spiral downwards: Taylor bends rules and lies to win Kat's favour and she soon finds herself in an untenable situation.

The only complaint I have with this novel is that at times Waite seems to oversimplify, as if makeup, fashion, and an interest in pop music and boys are always bad, bad things for a teenage girl (instead of being inevitable things that can be pleasurable in their own right and balanced with deeper. more meaningful life goals). This complaint though is a minor one given the novel's overall effectiveness and grace. Highly recommended.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great fast and entertaining story, September 7, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Shopaholic (Hardcover)

I just finished this book, read it over the weekend. It was a good story and very real displaying young girls' emotions: Loneliness, desperation for friends, wanting money, needing parents to be parents and not the child being the parent....along with shopping, something all girls love. The book is fast paced and enjoyable. A good story to curl up with on a rainy day because the book will keep you interested and it's a simple read. I recommend it, and not just for teens, older people will find it entertaining too, I'm in my 20's. The title "Shopaholic" is what attracted me to it. I had heard about this book while reading a magazine and am glad I bought it.