A Complete Guide to Sophie Kinsella's Books
Who is Sophie Kinsella, and why should you read her books?
Sophie Kinsella is a British author, and my favorite author because her books are so funny and heartwarming. Anytime I’m going through something tough, I pick up one of Kinsella’s books to get me through it or at least distract me. Kinsella writes about women (usually young) navigating life’s ups and downs. Her books have been translated into over 40 languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. In this guide, we'll take a closer look at her most popular series and standalone novels.
Whether it’s dealing with a career crisis, finding love, or self discovery, Kinsella’s characters are always relatable and endearing. Kinsella's writing style is incredibly entertaining and always leaves me feeling uplifted and happy. With her engaging storytelling ability, Kinsella has become one of the most popular authors in the genre of women's fiction/”chick lit” or “wit lit” as she prefers to call it.
Start with her popular Shopaholic series.
If you’re new to Sophie Kinsella’s works, the perfect place to start is with her popular Shopaholic series. This series follows Becky Bloomwood, a lovable and relatable character who is obsessed with shopping, through different phases of her life. The first book in the series Confessions of a Shopaholic introduces readers to Becky as she struggles with debt due to her uncontrollable spending habits. Subsequent books delve deeper into Becky's romantic relationships and personal growth as she navigates through various challenges. With witty humor and relatable themes, the Shopaholic series is a must-read for any fan of Sophie Kinsella's writing style.
Note: Sam and I are eternally grateful for any books you purchase using the following bookshop.org list! Buying from bookshop.org not only supports Picking Books but also local book stores.
Move on to her standalone novels
After you read through the Shopaholic series, move on to Sophie Kinsella's standalone novels. These books feature a variety of lovable characters. Though it's hard to pick a favorite, I did. Sort of, My three favorite stand-alone Sophie Kinsella novels are I Owe You One, My Not-So-Perfect Life But no matter which book you choose to read, I love that each main character has her own unique storylines and struggles. Kinsella’s stand-alone novels are also on our handy dandy Bookshop.org list.
You’ll notice that after the Shopaholic series, we list my favorite stand alone Kinsella novel, I Owe You One, first. I Owe You One, follows Fixie Farr as she navigates relationships and a family business. Being involved in a family business myself, probably explains my utter obsession with this book, but even if you aren’t, it’s good because Kinsella added some surprising twists on the traditional love story.
We follow I Owe You One with My Not So Perfect Life because—if you follow the blog, you’ll know that I’m a sucker for existential crises—there’s an existential crisis over what the protagonist, Katie Brenner, should do with her career. I was smitten with this one because I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.
And just to round out our top three favorite Kinsella stand-alone novels, I’ll tell you about The Undomestic Goddess. In The Undomestic Goddess, Samantha Sweeting unexpectedly finds herself working as a housekeeper after tanking her high-profile legal career. Honestly, this one could have easily been first or second because it is laugh-out-loud funny, a difficult feat for any writer.
Don’t Forget About the Books Written Under Kinsella’s Real Name
Thanks right, Sophie Kinsella is a pen name. Her real name is Madeleine Wickham. I haven’t read all of these (yet), but Kinsella, or Whickham, rather, is a talented writer and I suspect you won’t be disappointed by any of these books either. Books published under her real name include Sleeping arrangements, Swimming Pool Sunday, A Desirable Residence, The Wedding Girl, The Gatecrasher, Cocktails for Three, and the Tennis Party.
Kinsella Also Writes Children’s Books
Finally, if you love Sophie Kinsella, your kids might like her too. The following is a list of her books for children and teens.These books include Finding Audrey (Kinsella’s only YA novel, which we read and loved even as adults), Mummy Fairy and Me, Fairy in Waiting, Unicorn Wishes, and Mermaid Magic.
