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.

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.

Still loving rediscovering this series as a woman in my 30s. Loved how much discovery took place among the friends in this story. Carmen learned that she is a good friend and daughter, Bee learned that she deserves to be loved and cared for, Lena learned to stand strong when it comes to her dream/passion of being an artist, and Libby learned to be brave and accept change. Such a great installment to the story of the lifelong friends and their traveling pants. I was so emotional with their end of summer beach trip together and their gifts to one another before heading off in separate directions following high school graduation.

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.

3.5 STARS.
Just as it was for the last two books, Bridget was my favorite character and POV; and this time I was so proud and happy to see how much she has grown as a character as she finds herself once more at a summer soccer camp, this time as a coach, and having to deal with her feelings with the same boy from her past.

honestly probably could have been another three star read if not for the return of the SEXUAL PREDATOR from book 1. remember that?? the 19 year old who had sex with bridget when she was 15 then abandoned her and threw her into a year long depressive episode? yes that one. and guess what. THEY END UP TOGETHER. looooove to read books about girls in their formative years being groomed and making it seem like romance. like seriously what the fuck.

wow! lena finally gets a storyline! and it’s still shallow and not thought about at all. surprise surprise. if lena was a real person she would be the neglected fourth child. this author does not care for her at all. should have never written her in the first place.

i was scared at the start that carmen was going to make the SAME MISTAKES AGAIN FOR THE THIRD BOOK IN A ROW but i was pleasantly surprised with her development this story. definitely one of the highlights for me.

and tibby continues to be the best character. i love her and she is special to me. i will only be reading the next book for tibby. also because these books are easy reading and despite my qualms with them i do sort do enjoy them. they are quite comforting. minus the grooming.

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.

it’s a testament to how much I adore these books that I don’t care that it hits one of my BIGGEST YA pet peeves: All of These Children Are Inexplicably Rich And Money Is Never A Problem For Them

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.

I LOVE THESE BOOKS

I listened to this on audio for the read along #pantsalong. I enjoyed the fact that the girls have all matured a bit since the last two books. It's the summer before they go to college. But without spoiling the book I felt that some of the storylines were a bit unrealistic and we don't see much of the pants in this book. The storyline that I enjoyed the most was Carmen's mothers. Looking forward to reading the next book.

Rereading all 4 books this summer (after 10+ years) and reading for the first time Sisterhood Everlasting.

The 4 girls face some hard challenges this summer. It is the summer before college and there are a lot of life lessons and self-discoveries. I love how Ms. Brashares takes important life lessons and weaves them in to accessible and moving journeys. Lena learns to fight for what she wants and how to uncover the truth with her art - "always draw the chair." Bridget has matured a lot since her first summer with Eric and has learned how to not just focus on her wants and desires, but be more considerate towards others. Carmen learns (finally!) not to focus on her feelings of selfishness and perceived neglect. And Tibby learns how to open her heart and give it to others.

Definitely a lot of inspiring character development and maturing!