What do you think?
Rate this book
Making Friends #3
Third Time's a Charm
Dany's sketchbook is at it again, but this time it's not Dany's doing!
Dany and Madison are living a new reality. Rather than best friends, the pair now believe they are twins -- and that isn't the only part of their lives that has been completely rewritten. Their mom is a novelist, their dad is a rock star, and Dany has suddenly become a diligent student.
Things. Aren't. Adding. Up.
Dany and Madison start sleuthing and discover that someone has drastically altered the universe! Can the pair put things back the way they were, or is this magic beyond their control?
Dany and Madison are living a new reality. Rather than best friends, the pair now believe they are twins -- and that isn't the only part of their lives that has been completely rewritten. Their mom is a novelist, their dad is a rock star, and Dany has suddenly become a diligent student.
Things. Aren't. Adding. Up.
Dany and Madison start sleuthing and discover that someone has drastically altered the universe! Can the pair put things back the way they were, or is this magic beyond their control?
201 pages, Paperback
First published August 3, 2021
191 people are currently reading
551 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
January 13, 2022
ahhhhhh I love how completely bonkers this series continues to be ~magic!~
Did this just end on a cliffhanger? Did Kristen just do that to me???? (I love this series. The level of detail and cleverness with the world building in background panels is just genius.)
Did this just end on a cliffhanger? Did Kristen just do that to me???? (I love this series. The level of detail and cleverness with the world building in background panels is just genius.)
October 27, 2021
This instalment was so confusing. And what was that ending?
January 9, 2022
This was actually terrible, especially because volume one made me laugh AND cry?? It’s one of my favorite kids graphic novels of all time and now we get this nonsensical plot and messing writing. I don’t even understand the ending, it barely had any of the charm we see in the first and second volume (even though the second volume is mush slower than the first). Even the illustrations were cluttered and felt messy. This is bad.
August 4, 2022
THE PLOT TWISTS WERE MIND BLOWING
didn’t see it coming. one of the things I love abt this series is its fantasy, but theres a lot of girl power n friend drama. its hard to find a series like this that doesn’t toooootally make me cringe my eyes out. however, this book in particular made me scream bcos I cant stop thinking abt the crazy ending n broooo if the author doesn't make a fourth book and this is how it ends... It made me so sad n mad like the main character has been through sm crazy magic stuff and what happened isnt fair.
Ya thought it was rlly good
didn’t see it coming. one of the things I love abt this series is its fantasy, but theres a lot of girl power n friend drama. its hard to find a series like this that doesn’t toooootally make me cringe my eyes out. however, this book in particular made me scream bcos I cant stop thinking abt the crazy ending n broooo if the author doesn't make a fourth book and this is how it ends... It made me so sad n mad like the main character has been through sm crazy magic stuff and what happened isnt fair.
Ya thought it was rlly good
October 14, 2021
Oof. I only keep reading these so I know what to recommend to my middle-school students, but at this point, I'm throwing in the towel with this series. I think the art will appeal to manga-loving kids, but the story is so disjointed sometimes that I'm not entirely sure what the point is...
November 14, 2021
3.5. The books in this series definitely don't get better as they go on, but I still enjoy reading them. They are light and fun and I don't think they should be taken too seriously. Yes, they might be a little disorganized, and the characters don't always learn from their mistakes, and things get a little chaotic and ridiculous at times - but its a romp and there's always something that makes me laugh. Reading this gives me the same feelings as reading certain one panel comic memes, and that's alright with me. I may even enjoy these more if I were to read them in closer succession instead of having months, or even years, in between each reading.
September 11, 2021
Oh, wow. I finished this in about an hour, and let me say what I thought:
The beginning and middle was pretty great, because it gives you a sense of "Wait, what? Why has their reality changed?" and it didn't make me want to stop reading. I liked Amara, and was happy to see Prince Neptune come back (my not-so-secret crush, hah ha). The background jokes were funny as always, but the one thing I didn't like was the ending, as I found it a bit confusing. Now, I won't say too much to people who haven't read the book yet, but for the people who have...You know what I meant. I had to read that last part twice and I still didn't get it.
The beginning and middle was pretty great, because it gives you a sense of "Wait, what? Why has their reality changed?" and it didn't make me want to stop reading. I liked Amara, and was happy to see Prince Neptune come back (my not-so-secret crush, hah ha). The background jokes were funny as always, but the one thing I didn't like was the ending, as I found it a bit confusing. Now, I won't say too much to people who haven't read the book yet, but for the people who have...You know what I meant. I had to read that last part twice and I still didn't get it.
July 17, 2025
I feel like I missed a volume, even though I've read both the others! This one was kind of confusing. The back blurb says "things aren't adding up," and while they do get explained, they don't get resolved.
June 13, 2022
The others were a little better 😭📚
January 14, 2023
this volume was AWESOME. love the return to tons of magic everywhere. the ending is a cliffhanger and makes me so excited to read the next volume.
August 26, 2023
I can't wait for book 4!!
September 3, 2023
This took me forever to read.
1. IT WAS BORING
2. It made me randomly emotional at parts
3. It made absolutely positively no sense whatsoever at all
4. There was no plot
5. The main character wasn’t even the same character from the other 2 books
6. I really thought Aunt Elma was dead, (wow that was random!)
7. I don’t know why I even bothered to read the rest of the series!
I may read the last book and get real life copies of all the books. Really boring, what a waste of time!!!!!!!!
1. IT WAS BORING
2. It made me randomly emotional at parts
3. It made absolutely positively no sense whatsoever at all
4. There was no plot
5. The main character wasn’t even the same character from the other 2 books
6. I really thought Aunt Elma was dead, (wow that was random!)
7. I don’t know why I even bothered to read the rest of the series!
I may read the last book and get real life copies of all the books. Really boring, what a waste of time!!!!!!!!
Read
May 25, 2025Buddy Read with 10 year old niece
September 1, 2021
I love this book! I want to read number 4
Read
April 18, 2022Loved it really good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2022
great book
Very good and interesting. Would recommend it to anyone. Good good good good good good good good and good it was amazing
Very good and interesting. Would recommend it to anyone. Good good good good good good good good and good it was amazing
January 5, 2023
Hard to keep up with the plot, but I know my library students will keep loving this series! The illustrations are awesome and the colors are wonderful. The humor is on point and the friendship here reigns supreme. Cute series!
September 23, 2021
This was just as fun and witty as the previous books. The plot twists are a doozy!! Dany is such a complex character and there were a few moments in this book where my heart positively ached for her. I don't want to give away spoilers but there are two moments where Dany has mentally given up and I felt that in my soul. Its that feeling of 'I guess no matter what wacky stuff happens I'm never going to be happy'. Sheesh! Anyway, the ending is baffling. Read it and I'm sure you'll agree.
February 3, 2022
it was a magical book
July 31, 2022
Extra wild ride this time, but as usual it was great!
August 11, 2021
Possibly the best entry in the series yet, Kristen pushes Making Friends into bold, new directions. Not fully satisfied at it being a humorous, pleasant and fanciful middle grade exploration of awkwardness, foolishness and loneliness, Making Friends (3): Third Time's A Charm starts to unravel the world around Dany and Madison, pulling back the curtain at the way the world really works, revealing them (and in a sense, us all) as minor characters ignorant of a much larger game we're unwittingly playing. Surely the Goodreads reviewers who wanted more back story on the mysterious magical elements at play will be more than satisfied at where the story goes (is going?)
It's a risky move, and the book is full of risks, whether it's the incalculable amount of unbelievably absurd background gags, almost unforgivable character flaws revealing themselves, or an ending so distressing that it just may ruin some poor child's summer. The final lines of dialogue will chill readers of all ages, they haunted me for hours after reading. Making Friends 3 is complex, cleverly meta (both defiantly and self-critically), and still never sacrifices the crucial consistent ingredient: how do you make people like you when you can barely convince yourself you like you?
On the visual level, Gudsnuk's color palette is as eye-pleasing as ever, and her mastery of ultra-specific (and laugh out loud funny) facial expressions and character acting is fairly unmatched in this genre. The book often feels wildly animated even though they are still drawings. Even an early panel of Dany asleep is full of life and movement, her mouth cartoonishly open (snoring?) and her eyes scrunched in an angry, troubled expression. Kristen seems to be unable to draw a page without the goal of making herself laugh, or surprised.
In short, everything gels. Book 1 was Kristen exploring a new genre for herself, possibly attempting to fit into the Scholastic mold. Book 2 was the hyperactive farce where all the toys are played with and left a mess on the floor, and Book 3 is now the sophisticated, complicated, dark underbelly of it all, and one of Kristen's most personal and best-realized works. What will be in store for Book 4?
It's a risky move, and the book is full of risks, whether it's the incalculable amount of unbelievably absurd background gags, almost unforgivable character flaws revealing themselves, or an ending so distressing that it just may ruin some poor child's summer. The final lines of dialogue will chill readers of all ages, they haunted me for hours after reading. Making Friends 3 is complex, cleverly meta (both defiantly and self-critically), and still never sacrifices the crucial consistent ingredient: how do you make people like you when you can barely convince yourself you like you?
On the visual level, Gudsnuk's color palette is as eye-pleasing as ever, and her mastery of ultra-specific (and laugh out loud funny) facial expressions and character acting is fairly unmatched in this genre. The book often feels wildly animated even though they are still drawings. Even an early panel of Dany asleep is full of life and movement, her mouth cartoonishly open (snoring?) and her eyes scrunched in an angry, troubled expression. Kristen seems to be unable to draw a page without the goal of making herself laugh, or surprised.
In short, everything gels. Book 1 was Kristen exploring a new genre for herself, possibly attempting to fit into the Scholastic mold. Book 2 was the hyperactive farce where all the toys are played with and left a mess on the floor, and Book 3 is now the sophisticated, complicated, dark underbelly of it all, and one of Kristen's most personal and best-realized works. What will be in store for Book 4?
September 1, 2021
So, this series is not for me. I got through the first two, and at this point, not sure I'll keep reading. My teen also felt the same way and she's the target demographic.
The story was so disjointed and jumped around, and there really wasn't a linear plot that wove everything together. Too much happening. Too many side plots. No real structure. I almost DNF'd it. But it's a graphic novel, so that seemed pretty harsh.
There also didn't seem to be any consequences for her mom basically disrupting the time continuum and being what I consider to be a really selfish person. I hated her for trying to make her daughter something she wasn't and for making all these changes to benefit herself. She was evil, and no one seemed to care.
The story was so disjointed and jumped around, and there really wasn't a linear plot that wove everything together. Too much happening. Too many side plots. No real structure. I almost DNF'd it. But it's a graphic novel, so that seemed pretty harsh.
There also didn't seem to be any consequences for her mom basically disrupting the time continuum and being what I consider to be a really selfish person. I hated her for trying to make her daughter something she wasn't and for making all these changes to benefit herself. She was evil, and no one seemed to care.
August 10, 2021
I read the first two books in this series so I know what happened previously and yet I still felt like this book started in the middle of a story. I was a bit confused for a while. I didn’t like the way Dani’s mom acted in this one. It was weird and mean. I’m a bit confused by the ending. Was it all a dream? A new reality? Clearly we are let with a lot of questions so I really hope there will be a fourth book. Overall I enjoyed the story, and I love the art.
February 9, 2022
i feel like these books are getting better as they go on! sure, they’re not for everyone. the plot is a bit hard to follow and the art style is a little messy at times, but i think that’s ok. it’s not supposed to be some big, grand, harry potter story. it’s just a fun book about magical girls and space drama, and that’s just fine!
February 27, 2022
I couldn't get into this. The first book in the series was delightful. The second, meh. This one?
Confounding.
And the art has deteriorated to the point where I'm turned off. How does someone who makes hand peacocks (page 11) get a multi-book deal?
Confounding.
And the art has deteriorated to the point where I'm turned off. How does someone who makes hand peacocks (page 11) get a multi-book deal?
November 7, 2023
Ok, so I’ve read this book over and over.
This is one of my favorite series!
But
The end is SO confusing and I still don’t understand it.
If anyone does, please explain
OTHERWISE, love it, 3.5 stars
This is one of my favorite series!
But
The end is SO confusing and I still don’t understand it.
If anyone does, please explain
OTHERWISE, love it, 3.5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2023
It took me a bit to like really know what was going on but it did kind of make sense the more I read, I liked the ending but I just didn't really know what happened but I did like it
April 4, 2023
Just as bad as the one before if not worse.
Read
May 20, 2024dnf-
ig it was my fault for reading my little sister's book
ig it was my fault for reading my little sister's book
November 2, 2024
I think its an very interesting book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews