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Sisterhood #3
Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood
The Pants first came to us at the perfect moment. That is, when we were splitting up for the first time. It was two summers ago when they first worked their magic, and last summer when they shook up our lives once again. You see, we dont wear the Pants year-round. We let them rest so they are extra powerful when summer comes. (There was the time this spring when Carmen wore them to her moms wedding, but that was a special case.) Now were facing our last summer together. In September we go to college. And its not like one of those TV shows where all of us magically turn up at the same college. Were going to four different colleges in four different cities (but all within four hours of one anotherthat was our one rule). Were headed off to start our real lives. Tomorrow night at Gildas well launch the Pants on their third summer voyage. Tomorrow begins the time of our lives. Its when well need our Pants the most.
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First published January 25, 2005
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About the author
Ann Brashares
76 books4,969 followersAnn Brashares is an American young adult novelist. She is best known as the author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,083 reviews
July 24, 2021
Rereading this series as an adult woman and falling in love with it all over again. I’m also slightly mad that my mother didn’t make friends with three other pregnant women in an aerobics class in the late 80's so that I could grow up with three best friends.
This summer is the last before the sisterhood begins college. All of them face life defining choices and none of them are easy to make.
-Bridget coaches at a soccer camp where she comes face to face with Eric, the boy she fell in love with two summer ago. Approaching cautiously, Bee vows to just be friends with Eric as she doesn’t want to fall too deep again.
-Lena is heartbroken still over Kostos (is this her life story? I am not a stan) and wants to attend art school in the fall. When her father demands she must leave art school and attend a regular university, Lena needs to prove to him and herself she has what it takes to become an artist. (Also this was the best Lena plot of the three books so far, imo).
-Tibby and her friendship with Brian is progressing to something even more. But when an accident happens close to home, she freaks out a bit and doesn’t know how to move forward.
-Carmen is going to be an older sister really soon. She’s spending the summer watching Lena’s grandmother Valia, who is miserable in Maryland after being ripped away from her home on an island in Greece.
I absolutely loved this book and I am so glad this series is standing the test of time. It may be outdated in terms of technology for Gen Z, but I think the plot and friendships are still something they very much could relate to.
This summer is the last before the sisterhood begins college. All of them face life defining choices and none of them are easy to make.
-Bridget coaches at a soccer camp where she comes face to face with Eric, the boy she fell in love with two summer ago. Approaching cautiously, Bee vows to just be friends with Eric as she doesn’t want to fall too deep again.
-Lena is heartbroken still over Kostos (is this her life story? I am not a stan) and wants to attend art school in the fall. When her father demands she must leave art school and attend a regular university, Lena needs to prove to him and herself she has what it takes to become an artist. (Also this was the best Lena plot of the three books so far, imo).
-Tibby and her friendship with Brian is progressing to something even more. But when an accident happens close to home, she freaks out a bit and doesn’t know how to move forward.
-Carmen is going to be an older sister really soon. She’s spending the summer watching Lena’s grandmother Valia, who is miserable in Maryland after being ripped away from her home on an island in Greece.
I absolutely loved this book and I am so glad this series is standing the test of time. It may be outdated in terms of technology for Gen Z, but I think the plot and friendships are still something they very much could relate to.
July 14, 2016
Maybe 4.5 stars?
I think this is my favorite book of the series so far. It's hard to tell because the first book packs such a hard punch right off the bat. But I didn't realize how little I liked book 2 until book 3 walked in and brought back that intensity! It's made more powerful because of all the history I now have with these girls and their lives.
I still just don't enjoy the format of this book, and I keep getting stuck on that. But I feel like the writing has vastly improved since book 1. I'm seeing more of the character actions and reactions instead of just being told how they felt off page.
I think this is my favorite book of the series so far. It's hard to tell because the first book packs such a hard punch right off the bat. But I didn't realize how little I liked book 2 until book 3 walked in and brought back that intensity! It's made more powerful because of all the history I now have with these girls and their lives.
I still just don't enjoy the format of this book, and I keep getting stuck on that. But I feel like the writing has vastly improved since book 1. I'm seeing more of the character actions and reactions instead of just being told how they felt off page.
December 1, 2019
Re-Read 2019
Now high school graduates Lena, Tibby, Carmen, and Bridget should have it all figured out, but with changes on the horizon they face another summer of the world as they know it being changed. Since the death of her grandfather, Lena's father has been pretty strict and now he's not sure his daughter's art talents are a promising future. Tibby feels guilty when a mishap at home has devasting consequences for one of her siblings and threatens her relationship with Brian. Carmen's thrown for a loop when she finds out her mother and stepfather's secret,but is she ready for her own romance? Then there is Bridget who comes face to face with her past at soccer camp.
Although I must confess that book 3 is a little bit of a letdown in terms of the first two books which had a lot of plot development, I have to say that Carmen really redeemeed herself in this one. I think I loved her storyline the best. But admit to always having a soft spot for Tibby who really needs that heart to heart with her parents.
Goodreads review published 25/10/19
Now high school graduates Lena, Tibby, Carmen, and Bridget should have it all figured out, but with changes on the horizon they face another summer of the world as they know it being changed. Since the death of her grandfather, Lena's father has been pretty strict and now he's not sure his daughter's art talents are a promising future. Tibby feels guilty when a mishap at home has devasting consequences for one of her siblings and threatens her relationship with Brian. Carmen's thrown for a loop when she finds out her mother and stepfather's secret,but is she ready for her own romance? Then there is Bridget who comes face to face with her past at soccer camp.
Although I must confess that book 3 is a little bit of a letdown in terms of the first two books which had a lot of plot development, I have to say that Carmen really redeemeed herself in this one. I think I loved her storyline the best. But admit to always having a soft spot for Tibby who really needs that heart to heart with her parents.
Goodreads review published 25/10/19
July 22, 2019
Reading Rush: Read a book in one spot(my bedroom)
GOD!!! I forgot how much I loved book 3 Girls In Pants. This book just hit me in the feels.
In Girls In Pants we catch up with our girls Lena, Carmen, Tibby and Bridget the summer before college. These girls aren't girls anymore they're adults even if they don't wanna be or act like it.
I think I've come to the conclusion that Lena is unnecessary. I just don't find her all that interesting, which is crazy because as a teenager I loved her but as an adult she's boring y'all. As unlikeable as I find Carmen to be, at least Carmen's interesting. Lena's just blah.
I'm so happy I decided to reread this series during the summer. I feared I wouldn't like them, that maybe I had out grown them but no! They're still just as great as when I originally read them.
Now I'm on to book 4!
GOD!!! I forgot how much I loved book 3 Girls In Pants. This book just hit me in the feels.
In Girls In Pants we catch up with our girls Lena, Carmen, Tibby and Bridget the summer before college. These girls aren't girls anymore they're adults even if they don't wanna be or act like it.
I think I've come to the conclusion that Lena is unnecessary. I just don't find her all that interesting, which is crazy because as a teenager I loved her but as an adult she's boring y'all. As unlikeable as I find Carmen to be, at least Carmen's interesting. Lena's just blah.
I'm so happy I decided to reread this series during the summer. I feared I wouldn't like them, that maybe I had out grown them but no! They're still just as great as when I originally read them.
Now I'm on to book 4!
October 9, 2022
Yk what ? The only reason why I gave this book 4 starts is Bridget and Eric.
December 7, 2018
4.5/5 stars
“You couldn't erase the past. You couldn't even change it. But sometimes life offered you the opportunity to put it right.”
I do not like young adult books much anymore, especially contemporary young adult, and especially young adult contemporary coming of age stories with romance (whew, that was a mouthful). And The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants series is all of those things. And somehow I really enjoy it. Girls in Pants is the 3rd book in the series, and so far my favorite one. I lost some faith in the book 2 (I didn't like it much), but book 3 came back and definitely brought it home for me.
“She was still waiting for him to come back to her, even though he wasn't going to. She was still holding out for something that wasn't going to happen. She was good at waiting. That seemed like a sad thing to be good at.”
If I was a teenager reading these books right now - they would be my holy grail of books. I can say that with a 100 percent certainty. But as I am not a teenager anymore, I just appreciate these books for what they are - a really good, proper young adult coming of age story. Young Adult genre, while skyrocketing in popularity over the last couple of years, definitely went downhill in quality of its content. A lot of ya contemporaries are very mainstream, "hip" (or whatever they are trying to be) and just not generally good (in my humble opinion).
The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants is a classic of coming of age stories - it's relatable, it's real and it's very raw. Nobody in these books is perfect - adults or teens - both are flawed, both are guilty of doing wrong things. And I really love that. Nowadays it's teens vs parents, or parents are very often absent (I guess we have Disney to thank for a trend of "poor unfortunate orphans" that always somehow save the day.
“Why does he have to be my boyfriend? Are you inferior if you don't have a boyfriend? Why does everybody have to be in love with somebody?”
Girls in Pants is far from perfect, not just character wise, but plot wise too. I admit that it is too easy, too convenient, too happy even. But I (ever the critic of cliches and tropes) somehow am okay with it. There was plenty of heavy emotions to offset the cheesy- it was a pretty good balance. Being on a third book in this journey my only fear right now is for the series not to become horrible with the last books, because oh that is definitely a possibility. But, fingers crossed.
I always try to say who was my favorite in each book, and I always gravitate towards Lena - I just really love her. And her story arc in this book was so, so good. And happy to say that I finally didn't hate Carmen or Tibby - both definitely evaluated themselves as characters in my eyes. Bee is always a solid number 2 for me, I love Bee.
“Sometimes when she thought of Eric, and now more powerfully when she saw him, she felt some achy nostalgia for her old self. For the dauntless, daring soul she used to be. There were certain qualities you possessed carelessly. And you couldn't retrieve them when they were gone.”
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“You couldn't erase the past. You couldn't even change it. But sometimes life offered you the opportunity to put it right.”
I do not like young adult books much anymore, especially contemporary young adult, and especially young adult contemporary coming of age stories with romance (whew, that was a mouthful). And The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants series is all of those things. And somehow I really enjoy it. Girls in Pants is the 3rd book in the series, and so far my favorite one. I lost some faith in the book 2 (I didn't like it much), but book 3 came back and definitely brought it home for me.
“She was still waiting for him to come back to her, even though he wasn't going to. She was still holding out for something that wasn't going to happen. She was good at waiting. That seemed like a sad thing to be good at.”
If I was a teenager reading these books right now - they would be my holy grail of books. I can say that with a 100 percent certainty. But as I am not a teenager anymore, I just appreciate these books for what they are - a really good, proper young adult coming of age story. Young Adult genre, while skyrocketing in popularity over the last couple of years, definitely went downhill in quality of its content. A lot of ya contemporaries are very mainstream, "hip" (or whatever they are trying to be) and just not generally good (in my humble opinion).
The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants is a classic of coming of age stories - it's relatable, it's real and it's very raw. Nobody in these books is perfect - adults or teens - both are flawed, both are guilty of doing wrong things. And I really love that. Nowadays it's teens vs parents, or parents are very often absent (I guess we have Disney to thank for a trend of "poor unfortunate orphans" that always somehow save the day.
“Why does he have to be my boyfriend? Are you inferior if you don't have a boyfriend? Why does everybody have to be in love with somebody?”
Girls in Pants is far from perfect, not just character wise, but plot wise too. I admit that it is too easy, too convenient, too happy even. But I (ever the critic of cliches and tropes) somehow am okay with it. There was plenty of heavy emotions to offset the cheesy- it was a pretty good balance. Being on a third book in this journey my only fear right now is for the series not to become horrible with the last books, because oh that is definitely a possibility. But, fingers crossed.
I always try to say who was my favorite in each book, and I always gravitate towards Lena - I just really love her. And her story arc in this book was so, so good. And happy to say that I finally didn't hate Carmen or Tibby - both definitely evaluated themselves as characters in my eyes. Bee is always a solid number 2 for me, I love Bee.
“Sometimes when she thought of Eric, and now more powerfully when she saw him, she felt some achy nostalgia for her old self. For the dauntless, daring soul she used to be. There were certain qualities you possessed carelessly. And you couldn't retrieve them when they were gone.”
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July 27, 2008
I enjoyed this book as much as the first two, although I did have a few issues with it.
1. What kind of camp assigns a male and female councelor to do an overnight trip with 10-14 year old boys and has them share a tent without the campers in it? I don't care if they -are- both over 18, I just don't see a camp doing that. It became unbelievable to me. Now, if they'd had different tents and one or the other snuck over to the other... although that would go against what they were trying to accomplish (trust) so... yeah. Same problem with him helping her when she was sick. Although it was super sweet, I think someone would complain and they'd probably get fired for her sleeping in his bed. Even if she was sick. And especially cause he was there too, they were both in nothing but underwear, and he had his arms around her. At a camp full of 10-14 year old MALE campers... that seems like a no-no to me. I was very, very proud of Bee for not having sex with the guy, though.
2. Lena's scholarship. It was just too perfect. Her parents take away her chances of going to school, her teacher pushes her to apply for a scholarship - there are already 70 applications and only a few days to apply - she pulls off a bunch of drawings of her family in a very short time with very little preparation... and of course she gets the scholarship. It just works out too perfectly for me. I was almost hoping she -wouldn't- get it, to shock us, since everyone -knew- she would get it. Or maybe she didn't get it, but her parents saw how amazing her work was and changed their mind and saw she was really determined to go so they paid for it and it all worked out, but for a while we were scared she wouldn't get to go, you know?
3. I must be a bad person, but I was seriously hoping that David (Carmen's mom's husband) was having an affair. Out of town for work all the time, his cell phone is turned off... I was seriously thinking that Carmen and Win would get to Trenton or wherever he was, and find him with another woman. But no, of course, these books are too good for that. Once again, predictablilty wins.
4. And finally, something good. I loved Tibby in this book. In the first two, she annoyed me. But in this one, she really came into her own and I really liked her character. She was not predictable, and she changed a lot as a person throughout the book. Yay Tibby!
1. What kind of camp assigns a male and female councelor to do an overnight trip with 10-14 year old boys and has them share a tent without the campers in it? I don't care if they -are- both over 18, I just don't see a camp doing that. It became unbelievable to me. Now, if they'd had different tents and one or the other snuck over to the other... although that would go against what they were trying to accomplish (trust) so... yeah. Same problem with him helping her when she was sick. Although it was super sweet, I think someone would complain and they'd probably get fired for her sleeping in his bed. Even if she was sick. And especially cause he was there too, they were both in nothing but underwear, and he had his arms around her. At a camp full of 10-14 year old MALE campers... that seems like a no-no to me. I was very, very proud of Bee for not having sex with the guy, though.
2. Lena's scholarship. It was just too perfect. Her parents take away her chances of going to school, her teacher pushes her to apply for a scholarship - there are already 70 applications and only a few days to apply - she pulls off a bunch of drawings of her family in a very short time with very little preparation... and of course she gets the scholarship. It just works out too perfectly for me. I was almost hoping she -wouldn't- get it, to shock us, since everyone -knew- she would get it. Or maybe she didn't get it, but her parents saw how amazing her work was and changed their mind and saw she was really determined to go so they paid for it and it all worked out, but for a while we were scared she wouldn't get to go, you know?
3. I must be a bad person, but I was seriously hoping that David (Carmen's mom's husband) was having an affair. Out of town for work all the time, his cell phone is turned off... I was seriously thinking that Carmen and Win would get to Trenton or wherever he was, and find him with another woman. But no, of course, these books are too good for that. Once again, predictablilty wins.
4. And finally, something good. I loved Tibby in this book. In the first two, she annoyed me. But in this one, she really came into her own and I really liked her character. She was not predictable, and she changed a lot as a person throughout the book. Yay Tibby!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2015
Loved rereading this book! This is about the summer before college and we see Bridget, Tibby, Lena and Carmen grow up a lot and figure out what they want. Loved, loved, loved :)
May 13, 2023
Miałam momentami wrażenie, że zachowanie dziewczyn jest trochę za bardzo patetyczne jak na taką fabułę, ale cały czas bawię się całkiem dobrze i czas na tom czwarty - ostatni.
April 8, 2024
i know this book meant for young adult. but the story of 4 girls going through thick and thin somehow touching me.
that kind of friendship is rare. reading this book makes me believe there is magic in this world.
that kind of friendship is rare. reading this book makes me believe there is magic in this world.
November 24, 2008
So frustrating!!!! I had some issues with Book #2, but really wanted to see what happened next, so I moved on to Book #3. I seriously want to slap everybody in this book. Brashares doesn't seem to realize that in order for characters to mature, they should (hopefully) learn from their mistakes and their experiences. No one has progressed one whit. Carmen is still terribly upset when anybody has something going on in her life that doesn't revolve around her, and proceeds to act like a very small child. Lena and Tibby are moping (*eyeroll* - not very convincingly). And Bee..... actually, Bee was the only character I liked here. Guess what? She's the only character who has grown and changed and isn't acting like an idiot anymore. Go Bee!!! For the rest of them, UGH.
(Will I read Book 4? possibly. Maybe I'll just skim it. I gotta see what Carmen thinks of Williams.... *more eyerolling*)
(Will I read Book 4? possibly. Maybe I'll just skim it. I gotta see what Carmen thinks of Williams.... *more eyerolling*)
January 2, 2009
TISSUE ALERT!
Well, I was told to have more tissues on hand for this book than the other two. That was good advice. This definitely had more heavy moments, and earlier on, than the first two books.
The author's writing was a bit more poetic in this book, as if her writing, like The Septembers, is growing up. This book takes place during the summer after their senior year of high school, and I actually got choked up when I read the second sentence in this section: "But if you're me, you realize that life as we've known it is over. Our shared childhood is ending. . . . To me that is awe-inspiring, but it is also the single scariest thought in the world."
I'm trying to figure out how to describe how I felt about these girls. I was pleased as they each became more fully aware of others around them, less selfish and caring. I suppose that's something we all hope will happen as we grow up. But of course it doesn't happen to everyone. Carmen's change was the most obvious, as she realized that "Good Carmen" was actually part of her, not just an act to impress a nice guy. But I loved what Bee did for one gangly soccer player. Tibby's story was heart-wrenching in multiple ways, and Lena's experience with her art was beautifully touching. The interaction with her dad at the end is wonderful. I'm sure I found it more touching because my dad isn't alive any more, but still -- it was great reading.
I don't think I can give much more of a review without giving spoilers, so I'll end with this: I loved this book! I really like this series, and would recommend it to anyone, but this last one especially is very good. The first two were sort of fun YA that older people might enjoy too, but this third one puts a lovely finish on the series and makes it a great book for all ages. If I had a teenage daughter, I'd want her to read these books and then discuss them with me. There's a lot of life application within them, and I think it would be an easy "in" to cover a lot of heavy subjects that parents might shy away from discussing in the first place.
Well, I was told to have more tissues on hand for this book than the other two. That was good advice. This definitely had more heavy moments, and earlier on, than the first two books.
The author's writing was a bit more poetic in this book, as if her writing, like The Septembers, is growing up. This book takes place during the summer after their senior year of high school, and I actually got choked up when I read the second sentence in this section: "But if you're me, you realize that life as we've known it is over. Our shared childhood is ending. . . . To me that is awe-inspiring, but it is also the single scariest thought in the world."
I'm trying to figure out how to describe how I felt about these girls. I was pleased as they each became more fully aware of others around them, less selfish and caring. I suppose that's something we all hope will happen as we grow up. But of course it doesn't happen to everyone. Carmen's change was the most obvious, as she realized that "Good Carmen" was actually part of her, not just an act to impress a nice guy. But I loved what Bee did for one gangly soccer player. Tibby's story was heart-wrenching in multiple ways, and Lena's experience with her art was beautifully touching. The interaction with her dad at the end is wonderful. I'm sure I found it more touching because my dad isn't alive any more, but still -- it was great reading.
I don't think I can give much more of a review without giving spoilers, so I'll end with this: I loved this book! I really like this series, and would recommend it to anyone, but this last one especially is very good. The first two were sort of fun YA that older people might enjoy too, but this third one puts a lovely finish on the series and makes it a great book for all ages. If I had a teenage daughter, I'd want her to read these books and then discuss them with me. There's a lot of life application within them, and I think it would be an easy "in" to cover a lot of heavy subjects that parents might shy away from discussing in the first place.
March 10, 2025
Sisterhood of the traveling pants re read as an adult. I think this is my favorite from the series so far!! Definitely teared up!
July 22, 2009
Okay, Brashares, you should have quit while you were ahead. The plot is thin. The story is anti-climactic. I love the descriptive writing style, but it doesn't make up for what's lacking.
It seems as if Brashares was forced to write this book in a limited amount of time. There's very little development, and frankly, it's boring. Relationships are built-up and there's no follow through. The characters get what they want with very little effort, the events are predictable and too much is said instead of shown. I could go on.
The first book in this series is absolutely worth reading, but the rest are not. Really, nothing so incredible happens to the characters that a reader is missing out by skipping the rest of the series.
It seems as if Brashares was forced to write this book in a limited amount of time. There's very little development, and frankly, it's boring. Relationships are built-up and there's no follow through. The characters get what they want with very little effort, the events are predictable and too much is said instead of shown. I could go on.
The first book in this series is absolutely worth reading, but the rest are not. Really, nothing so incredible happens to the characters that a reader is missing out by skipping the rest of the series.
July 2, 2018
Toujours une aussi bonne lecture. J'ai adoré suivre la suite de leurs aventures et les bouleversements de leurs vies. Une grande étape va être franchie par les 4 amies avec les peurs qui l'accompagne.
Un récit encore une fois émouvant et très facile à lire.
Un récit encore une fois émouvant et très facile à lire.
April 14, 2016
Another great book in this series! Although, admittedly, maybe not as good as the rest.
The fabulous Bee is back with a vengeance. At the end of book 1, Eric made her lose her spark. So book 2 was all about her learning to love herself again. Now, the Bee I fell in love with in book 1 was back! And, so was Eric. So, we had exactly what I wanted - awkward sexual tension, flirting, stress, and gossip with the girls. It didn't end how I wanted it to. I won't tell you what happened, of course. But I had a way I wanted it to end, and they chose to take the predictable route instead. Lucky she's so great, so I can forgive her.
Carmen has by far grown up the most. For the first two books, she whined about EVERYTHING. In fact, I kind of hated her for it. And at the beginning of this book, I was prepared for the same rubbish all over again. Her mum has just got married, so she's overly angry about that. But she realised that actually, her mum deserved to be happy. She did adorable things like looking after her in pregnancy classes when David was away. I really liked her for that. Plus, she met Win. Win was a fantastic love interest for her. He saw the good in her, which helped Carmen see the good in herself. Hooray! Win is probably my favourite boy in the book, he's so cute. Especially with the little kids (like Katherine).
Tibby didn't have her usual spunk. She spent most of this book feeling sorry for herself. Which meant she couldn't accept that Brian loved her, she couldn't look after Katherine and Nicky like they deserved, she couldn't get into her film making, and she couldn't do anything that made her slightly happy. It kind of annoyed me. Especially with Brian, because they're PERFECT. She grew a lot by the end. It was just all the rest that upset me. I understood she blamed herself for what happened to her baby sister Katherine. And I understood she was going off movies because she was watching them a thousand times. But that's no reason to be unhappy.
Lena did crazy big character development with her family, and in part with herself (though not as much as Carmen). First, there was the art classes she was taking, and that went terribly wrong. She coped with it incredibly well, I thought. Second, there was the art portfolio she did of her family. She got to know them so much better than she did before. I absolutely loved seeing the interaction between them all. Especially with her grandmother, Valia. Poor Valia had been dragged out of Greece, and was absolutely miserable. Lena helped her with a lot of her pain, and even talked to her scary dad about letting her go home. I really loved seeing the relationship between those two. In this book, Lena might have been my favourite.
There's only two books of this series to go. I'm so scared of saying goodbye to my lovely girls. I'm also scared they're going to get worse from now. But with that sweet ending, it looks like it'll stay just as amazing.
The fabulous Bee is back with a vengeance. At the end of book 1, Eric made her lose her spark. So book 2 was all about her learning to love herself again. Now, the Bee I fell in love with in book 1 was back! And, so was Eric. So, we had exactly what I wanted - awkward sexual tension, flirting, stress, and gossip with the girls. It didn't end how I wanted it to. I won't tell you what happened, of course. But I had a way I wanted it to end, and they chose to take the predictable route instead. Lucky she's so great, so I can forgive her.
Carmen has by far grown up the most. For the first two books, she whined about EVERYTHING. In fact, I kind of hated her for it. And at the beginning of this book, I was prepared for the same rubbish all over again. Her mum has just got married, so she's overly angry about that. But she realised that actually, her mum deserved to be happy. She did adorable things like looking after her in pregnancy classes when David was away. I really liked her for that. Plus, she met Win. Win was a fantastic love interest for her. He saw the good in her, which helped Carmen see the good in herself. Hooray! Win is probably my favourite boy in the book, he's so cute. Especially with the little kids (like Katherine).
Tibby didn't have her usual spunk. She spent most of this book feeling sorry for herself. Which meant she couldn't accept that Brian loved her, she couldn't look after Katherine and Nicky like they deserved, she couldn't get into her film making, and she couldn't do anything that made her slightly happy. It kind of annoyed me. Especially with Brian, because they're PERFECT. She grew a lot by the end. It was just all the rest that upset me. I understood she blamed herself for what happened to her baby sister Katherine. And I understood she was going off movies because she was watching them a thousand times. But that's no reason to be unhappy.
Lena did crazy big character development with her family, and in part with herself (though not as much as Carmen). First, there was the art classes she was taking, and that went terribly wrong. She coped with it incredibly well, I thought. Second, there was the art portfolio she did of her family. She got to know them so much better than she did before. I absolutely loved seeing the interaction between them all. Especially with her grandmother, Valia. Poor Valia had been dragged out of Greece, and was absolutely miserable. Lena helped her with a lot of her pain, and even talked to her scary dad about letting her go home. I really loved seeing the relationship between those two. In this book, Lena might have been my favourite.
There's only two books of this series to go. I'm so scared of saying goodbye to my lovely girls. I'm also scared they're going to get worse from now. But with that sweet ending, it looks like it'll stay just as amazing.
November 13, 2008
The third summer of the sisterhood takes place before their freshman year of college. This is an important time in their life and they are anxious for their futures. Everyone this summer is staying in Bethesda except for Bridget who attends soccer camp in Pennsylvania where she is reunited with Erik, her heartthrob from two summers ago who changed her forever. This time though after creating a friendship they pursue a relationship together. Brian and Tibby are in love, but Tibby is afraid they will lose their friendship. In the end, she lets go of her fears when she learns that sometimes you just have to take the chance when her younger sister, Katherine, is injured. She falls out of Tibby’s window, which Tibby opened, when reaching for an apple belonging to the apple tree behind their house. Against her father’s desires Lena wishes to attend the Rhode Island School of Design, so, without his financial support she works hard to win a scholarship. Later, he apologizes and gives her his permission though she doesn’t need it, but wants it. Carmen discovers that her mother is pregnant, and chooses to attend the University of Maryland to stay close to home, but after the baby is born she realizes she should follow her dreams and “re-enrolls” to Williams (she doesn’t think her parents ever took her out). Her summer job is to watch Lena’s homesick, newly widowed grandmother, Valia. Despite their disputes Carmen ends up caring for Valia and persuades the Kaligaris to let Valia return to her beautiful, Greek island. Carmen and a boy, Win, develop a strange relationship which Carmen feels guilty about because she thinks she is giving this false impression of her being some saint who volunteers all the time when really she thinks of herself as a pretty awful person. In the end, she discovers that “Good Carmen” is a part of her, too. The foursome end their summer with a trip to the beach where they each present each other with gifts for remembering their everlasting bond.
Once again, I was engrossed in the “girls in pants’” compelling journeys. It was romantic, credible, bittersweet, and full of much change. The characters were developed to a degree where they felt like long, lost friends. The relationships were strong and the author kept my attention with her perfectly built suspense. Lovely imagery allowed me to visualize everything that occurred. I can’t wait to read the next and final book.
Once again, I was engrossed in the “girls in pants’” compelling journeys. It was romantic, credible, bittersweet, and full of much change. The characters were developed to a degree where they felt like long, lost friends. The relationships were strong and the author kept my attention with her perfectly built suspense. Lovely imagery allowed me to visualize everything that occurred. I can’t wait to read the next and final book.
June 30, 2018
Yep, still my favorite book in this series. These characters have grown so much!
July 26, 2014
I enjoyed the movie of the first book, so I picked up the second and third books to read. I got them in the french translation because I figured that I might as well be learning something if I'm going to read fluffy books.
The second book was ok and managed to keep my attention, but this one was a total flop. I kept reading online how all the books are so much different from one another and that this one is the best one of all. They are not different! In any way! See formula:
1) The girls are sad about splitting up for the summer.
2) They go wherever they're supposed to go anyway and start to enjoy themselves.
3) Things turn bad and we flip between Tibby being morose, Carmen's boy troubles, wishy-wasy Lena trying to make a decision, and Bee being an emotional spaz
4) They get over their problems, reunite, and none of us can remember why they are friends in the first place because they have absolutely no chemistry and nothing in common
The end.
Safe to say I didn't like it. I was only glad to have a conclusion for Bee and Eric.
The second book was ok and managed to keep my attention, but this one was a total flop. I kept reading online how all the books are so much different from one another and that this one is the best one of all. They are not different! In any way! See formula:
1) The girls are sad about splitting up for the summer.
2) They go wherever they're supposed to go anyway and start to enjoy themselves.
3) Things turn bad and we flip between Tibby being morose, Carmen's boy troubles, wishy-wasy Lena trying to make a decision, and Bee being an emotional spaz
4) They get over their problems, reunite, and none of us can remember why they are friends in the first place because they have absolutely no chemistry and nothing in common
The end.
Safe to say I didn't like it. I was only glad to have a conclusion for Bee and Eric.
September 16, 2020
While this still isn’t a perfect read, it’s been my favorite to reread so far in the series. I really enjoyed the individual stories for each of the girls during this summer before college, which is always a time I’m partial to reading about. I definitely got the feels reading this one!
August 28, 2018
I loved this book!! Such a great story!! Glad that carmen went to the college she wanted too!!
January 18, 2016
I. Does it represent/portray and do it well?
One of the protagonists and some minor characters are characters of color. Another character is heavily immersed in her culture. Grief/suicide/mental health is covered throughout the series, and done well. Elderly issues are explored.
II. Does it teach me something or make me think?
It definitely inspires reflection. It’s the kind of book that makes you analyze yourself.
III. Does it perpetuate healthy ideals?
Absolutely! Carmen, Lena, and Bridget all struggled with overcoming their past unhealthinesses (yup, that’s the word I’m using). Tibby struggled in the area the most, but even she was attempting to shed past ideals and behaviors. This book FOCUSED on the development of health.
IV. How was the writing itself? (Style, plot, characters, ease of reading, pace, world-building.)
Brilliant. There is not a single unnecessary sentence. The characters are relateable and likable and their struggles are reflections of our lives. The ease of reading is perfect, especially because I consider this YA literary fiction. I cannot praise the writing style and the chosen words enough. I also love that Brashares is tackling typically final book issues in the middle of a series!
V. Did I enjoy reading it?
I struggled to get into it because it hits with emotional intensity from the get-go, but once I got into it, I read until completion.
One of the protagonists and some minor characters are characters of color. Another character is heavily immersed in her culture. Grief/suicide/mental health is covered throughout the series, and done well. Elderly issues are explored.
II. Does it teach me something or make me think?
It definitely inspires reflection. It’s the kind of book that makes you analyze yourself.
III. Does it perpetuate healthy ideals?
Absolutely! Carmen, Lena, and Bridget all struggled with overcoming their past unhealthinesses (yup, that’s the word I’m using). Tibby struggled in the area the most, but even she was attempting to shed past ideals and behaviors. This book FOCUSED on the development of health.
IV. How was the writing itself? (Style, plot, characters, ease of reading, pace, world-building.)
Brilliant. There is not a single unnecessary sentence. The characters are relateable and likable and their struggles are reflections of our lives. The ease of reading is perfect, especially because I consider this YA literary fiction. I cannot praise the writing style and the chosen words enough. I also love that Brashares is tackling typically final book issues in the middle of a series!
V. Did I enjoy reading it?
I struggled to get into it because it hits with emotional intensity from the get-go, but once I got into it, I read until completion.
June 7, 2023
WARNING: do not read any of my kindle notes unless you have either already read this book, or are fine with spoilers.
Okay, I have to admit, I almost didn’t finish this book. However, it picked up the pace and was interesting enough to read. Hence all the notes.
I think I’m going to give it a solid 3 stars. A little above halfway.
It had potential, it really did, but it was kind of a flop for me.
Why? Let’s see here…
•The romance was almost too cringey to read
•Carmen made some interesting comments to her mother
•Bridget is a hot flamin’ mess
•That Win boy had zero personality
•Lena decided to stay at that VERY odd art school, even though her parents told her not too
•Tibby and Brian’s relationship felt artificial
•And again, Carmen is a brat
Other than those minor issues it wasn’t horrible.
I’m still in love with Brian. He’s so sweet to Tibby’s siblings. They really need to get together. It’s taking forever.
I’m ranting.
Basically, read this book with caution.
Or don’t read it at all, that might be a better option.
Okay, I have to admit, I almost didn’t finish this book. However, it picked up the pace and was interesting enough to read. Hence all the notes.
I think I’m going to give it a solid 3 stars. A little above halfway.
It had potential, it really did, but it was kind of a flop for me.
Why? Let’s see here…
•The romance was almost too cringey to read
•Carmen made some interesting comments to her mother
•Bridget is a hot flamin’ mess
•That Win boy had zero personality
•Lena decided to stay at that VERY odd art school, even though her parents told her not too
•Tibby and Brian’s relationship felt artificial
•And again, Carmen is a brat
Other than those minor issues it wasn’t horrible.
I’m still in love with Brian. He’s so sweet to Tibby’s siblings. They really need to get together. It’s taking forever.
I’m ranting.
Basically, read this book with caution.
Or don’t read it at all, that might be a better option.
May 25, 2019
I don’t even know where to start with my thoughts on this one, it was such a beautiful story, with my closest book friends I’ve ever had. Getting to step back into another summer with them was incredible and beautiful.
This summer the pants are with the girls as each one grows and changes, spending one last summer together before college and before they are all separated into different states.
Bridget is the only one that is away for the summer being in philadelphia working at a boys summer camp as a soccer coach. When she shows up there having not read the staff roster she is surprised to see Eric working there also, the two are thrust together to work alongside each other and find a perfect way to become friends. Building a connection between them so deep.
Lena deals with a lot going on in her family, her yaya now living with them since Bapi died, but her temperament seeps through to them all. When her dad sees what type of art class she is taking he gets angry and she has to find her own ways of attending class and going to college. But in order to create a perfect portfolio she truly learns who everyone is in her family.
Tibby is afraid most of the summer, Brian says he loves her but she’s too afraid to accept it and to feel the same. When her sister hurts herself Tibby blames herself and can’t let go of that bad feeling she created within herself; but in a moment of need she has to help Carmen’s mom and understand more about love, life and letting yourself go than she ever dreamed she would learn.
Carmen who’s been an only child her whole life has to adjust and deal with a new arrival joining her family. She gets a job looking after Valia not enjoying her behaviour until she truly sees her and helps her. While taking her out and to the hospital she meets with a volunteer Win who she forms an instant connection too and finds herself for the first time at ease with a boy she likes. With her life adjusting and expanding she realises that the things she thinks will be bad aren’t.
This book is beautiful I’ve said that so many times but honestly it’s the best word I have to describe it. I adored seeing the girls learning, growing, changing and understanding themselves and their lives more. It was such an amazing approach to the story for each girl and it’s certainly my favourite of the first three books in the series. The end chapters even made me cry it touched me so much.
This summer the pants are with the girls as each one grows and changes, spending one last summer together before college and before they are all separated into different states.
Bridget is the only one that is away for the summer being in philadelphia working at a boys summer camp as a soccer coach. When she shows up there having not read the staff roster she is surprised to see Eric working there also, the two are thrust together to work alongside each other and find a perfect way to become friends. Building a connection between them so deep.
Lena deals with a lot going on in her family, her yaya now living with them since Bapi died, but her temperament seeps through to them all. When her dad sees what type of art class she is taking he gets angry and she has to find her own ways of attending class and going to college. But in order to create a perfect portfolio she truly learns who everyone is in her family.
Tibby is afraid most of the summer, Brian says he loves her but she’s too afraid to accept it and to feel the same. When her sister hurts herself Tibby blames herself and can’t let go of that bad feeling she created within herself; but in a moment of need she has to help Carmen’s mom and understand more about love, life and letting yourself go than she ever dreamed she would learn.
Carmen who’s been an only child her whole life has to adjust and deal with a new arrival joining her family. She gets a job looking after Valia not enjoying her behaviour until she truly sees her and helps her. While taking her out and to the hospital she meets with a volunteer Win who she forms an instant connection too and finds herself for the first time at ease with a boy she likes. With her life adjusting and expanding she realises that the things she thinks will be bad aren’t.
This book is beautiful I’ve said that so many times but honestly it’s the best word I have to describe it. I adored seeing the girls learning, growing, changing and understanding themselves and their lives more. It was such an amazing approach to the story for each girl and it’s certainly my favourite of the first three books in the series. The end chapters even made me cry it touched me so much.
September 13, 2016
3.5 Stars
Re-Read: September 7-13, 2016
Original Read: May 26-27, 2009
My re-read of the series continues... this time on audio book. All so I can *finally* read the final book in the series, Sisterhood Everlasting.
I had forgotten so much about this third book (then again it has been seven years since I originally read it). I don't feel the need to do a full review so here are some random thoughts.
* For the third book/summer in a row Bridget is away from the other girls. In the first book they were all apart but here especially it felt like one story about the other three girls... and then another story about Bridget.
* Lena showed some growth here that I was applauding. Moving on from Kostos and going against her father's wishes to follow her own dreams/goals. Go Lena.
* Tibby has always been a favorite (I can't help but love her cynical/sarcastic personality) but her pushing Brian away had me annoyed with her. Last summer she blew him off in favor of her "cool" new film-making friends and now she shuts him out after Katherine's accident. Brian deserves better treatment, Tibby. He might not always be waiting around for you.
* Carmen has always been my least favorite. Between her temper and her selfishness, I don't find her all that likable. Once again she treated her mother so shabbily and yet again Christina took it all graciously without ever putting Carmen in her place. Carmen is a brat.
* Bridget showed some real restraint and self-awareness while away at soccer camp in PA. She was much less impulsive with Eric and I really liked how their story played out.
Re-Read: September 7-13, 2016
Original Read: May 26-27, 2009
My re-read of the series continues... this time on audio book. All so I can *finally* read the final book in the series, Sisterhood Everlasting.
I had forgotten so much about this third book (then again it has been seven years since I originally read it). I don't feel the need to do a full review so here are some random thoughts.
* For the third book/summer in a row Bridget is away from the other girls. In the first book they were all apart but here especially it felt like one story about the other three girls... and then another story about Bridget.
* Lena showed some growth here that I was applauding. Moving on from Kostos and going against her father's wishes to follow her own dreams/goals. Go Lena.
* Tibby has always been a favorite (I can't help but love her cynical/sarcastic personality) but her pushing Brian away had me annoyed with her. Last summer she blew him off in favor of her "cool" new film-making friends and now she shuts him out after Katherine's accident. Brian deserves better treatment, Tibby. He might not always be waiting around for you.
* Carmen has always been my least favorite. Between her temper and her selfishness, I don't find her all that likable. Once again she treated her mother so shabbily and yet again Christina took it all graciously without ever putting Carmen in her place. Carmen is a brat.
* Bridget showed some real restraint and self-awareness while away at soccer camp in PA. She was much less impulsive with Eric and I really liked how their story played out.
March 12, 2018
In this book we follow Carmen, Bridget, Tibby and Lena to their "last" summer. They all graduate high school and are soon to start university. So this summer is special, exciting and nerve-wrecking. Totally understandable that as young adults/ late teens your are scared and contemplating about your future. Especially in the US, where a lot of kids leave their homes to start college or university.
Carmen gets into emotional turmoil because her mother has plans that are not really to her liking. Lena struggles with going after her dream and trying to not piss off her family.
Bridget goes to summer camp again.
Tibby tries to cope with change and with finding her path.
The book is a quick read as were the other ones. It is again a bit weird that all of them struggle at the same time and experience happiness at the same time. Other than that I was happy how each character got their own story and how they are keeping contact to each other. With Carmen I was a bit irritated that her "love interest" from the previous book only got mentioned in one sentence but she met another guy very quickly. And of course it is still weird that Lena is pretty but doesn't want to be seen as pretty but also kinda wants it. I never met anyone who was pretty and tried to hide it.
Can't wait to pick up the next one!
Carmen gets into emotional turmoil because her mother has plans that are not really to her liking. Lena struggles with going after her dream and trying to not piss off her family.
Bridget goes to summer camp again.
Tibby tries to cope with change and with finding her path.
The book is a quick read as were the other ones. It is again a bit weird that all of them struggle at the same time and experience happiness at the same time. Other than that I was happy how each character got their own story and how they are keeping contact to each other. With Carmen I was a bit irritated that her "love interest" from the previous book only got mentioned in one sentence but she met another guy very quickly. And of course it is still weird that Lena is pretty but doesn't want to be seen as pretty but also kinda wants it. I never met anyone who was pretty and tried to hide it.
Can't wait to pick up the next one!
December 12, 2016
This book is from Tibby's point of view
The sisterhood of the Traveling Pants graduates from high school and spends their last summer before college learning about life and themselves.
So I am reading the third book, and again Carmen is killing me, she just spoiled everything. I just finished and I am really happy for Carmen's choice on Win and Williams, and for Tibby and Brian, and Bee and Erik and Lena for once doing what she is good at. But I don't want the series to end.
The sisterhood of the Traveling Pants graduates from high school and spends their last summer before college learning about life and themselves.
So I am reading the third book, and again Carmen is killing me, she just spoiled everything. I just finished and I am really happy for Carmen's choice on Win and Williams, and for Tibby and Brian, and Bee and Erik and Lena for once doing what she is good at. But I don't want the series to end.
May 19, 2020
I'm loving these books! They make me miss my childhood and high school best friends! Most of the time, I forget that these books fall into the YA genre because they seem like I'm re-living a younger part of life. Friendship and adapting to change are the two biggest themes in these books, both of which can be both beautiful and beautifully sad.
November 15, 2025
These books are so cute and this time I felt the writing was a lot more rich and vivid. I loveee how the author describes Lena being in her flow with drawing, Bee and Eric’s relationship, Carmen and Win… so wholesome and girly core
March 6, 2012
Oh, you guys. The last book of this series is going to hurt so much. I love these girls. I want to go back in time so I’m young enough to hang out with them and then I want us to all grow up together so they can help me understand things like mortgages and my 401k. But I guess I’ll just have to stick with the books because (NEWSFLASH, SELF) these characters are not real people.
The third book in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series takes place just after the girls have graduated from high school and are preparing for college. Also: THEY GROW UP SO MUCH. Even though the only one who actually travels anywhere is Bridget (I think?), the rest have completely separate adventures and experiences. Although, obviously, there is some overlap, because Ann Brashares knows you just want to read about these BFF(s) 4EVA!!!!1!!1!!!
(I’m sorry for that.)
Bridget goes to a summer soccer camp, where she’s a coach this time, and runs into Eric, the boy she was obsessed with (and did sex with) in the first book. She’s determined, however, that they will just be friends. She regrets the way she acted when they first met and wants to respect the fact that he has a girlfriend this time. See? Grown up!
Tibby struggles with a couple of things. Her sister hurts herself and Tibby finally realizes that, although her much younger siblings get on her nerves (duh), she really, really loves them. The other thing is that her friend Brian has gotten totally hot and loves her with the fire of a thousand suns. So that’s awesome. But also scary. Because Tibby is Tibby. And she really Tibbies it up all over the place in this book.
Poor Lena is trying to figure out how to be an artist. Her father, angry that his daughter wants to pursue a career he deems worthless, tells her he won’t pay for college if she goes to art school. Lena, for once, fights for what she wants and pursues a scholarship so she won’t need her father’s permission. Also, there’s probably some whiny drama about Kostos BECAUSE OF COURSE THERE IS.
Carmen is preparing to become a big sister. Her mother, recently married, is pregnant and Carmen, worried that she’s being replaced, gets jealous and tries to come to terms with this huge change. I have a confession to make. Up until this book, I was not the biggest Carmen fan. Most of the time I wanted to tell her to shut up and stop acting like a brat. But! I finally, FINALLY, grew to love her in this book. She’s so sassy!
I mean, what do you want me to say? If you’re reading this, you’ve probably read at least one other Pants book in the series, so I’m basically preaching to the choir. I’m not sure what book is my favorite (so far), because I feel like I can’t make an objective decision. I like whatever book I’ve finished most recently the best. Sounds like I’m going to have to reread all of them once I’ve finished the fifth.
The third book in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series takes place just after the girls have graduated from high school and are preparing for college. Also: THEY GROW UP SO MUCH. Even though the only one who actually travels anywhere is Bridget (I think?), the rest have completely separate adventures and experiences. Although, obviously, there is some overlap, because Ann Brashares knows you just want to read about these BFF(s) 4EVA!!!!1!!1!!!
(I’m sorry for that.)
Bridget goes to a summer soccer camp, where she’s a coach this time, and runs into Eric, the boy she was obsessed with (and did sex with) in the first book. She’s determined, however, that they will just be friends. She regrets the way she acted when they first met and wants to respect the fact that he has a girlfriend this time. See? Grown up!
Tibby struggles with a couple of things. Her sister hurts herself and Tibby finally realizes that, although her much younger siblings get on her nerves (duh), she really, really loves them. The other thing is that her friend Brian has gotten totally hot and loves her with the fire of a thousand suns. So that’s awesome. But also scary. Because Tibby is Tibby. And she really Tibbies it up all over the place in this book.
Poor Lena is trying to figure out how to be an artist. Her father, angry that his daughter wants to pursue a career he deems worthless, tells her he won’t pay for college if she goes to art school. Lena, for once, fights for what she wants and pursues a scholarship so she won’t need her father’s permission. Also, there’s probably some whiny drama about Kostos BECAUSE OF COURSE THERE IS.
Carmen is preparing to become a big sister. Her mother, recently married, is pregnant and Carmen, worried that she’s being replaced, gets jealous and tries to come to terms with this huge change. I have a confession to make. Up until this book, I was not the biggest Carmen fan. Most of the time I wanted to tell her to shut up and stop acting like a brat. But! I finally, FINALLY, grew to love her in this book. She’s so sassy!
I mean, what do you want me to say? If you’re reading this, you’ve probably read at least one other Pants book in the series, so I’m basically preaching to the choir. I’m not sure what book is my favorite (so far), because I feel like I can’t make an objective decision. I like whatever book I’ve finished most recently the best. Sounds like I’m going to have to reread all of them once I’ve finished the fifth.
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