Sisterhood Everlasting (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, #5)

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Sisterhood Everlasting (Sisterhood #5)

3.88 of 5 stars 3.88 · rating details · 14,814 ratings · 2,654 reviews

Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bridget have grown up, starting their lives on their own. And though the jeans they shared are long gone, the sisterhood is everlasting. Despite having jobs and men that they love, each knows that something is missing: the closeness that once sustained them. Carmen is a successful actress in New York, engaged to be married, but misses her friends....more

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Published (first published June 14th 2011)

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Jun 02, 2011 Jenny rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: unputdownable

ARC of this. I'll write an official review closer to the publication date but I will tell you I have never cried so much during a book (except maybe one of the previous Sisterhood books). I stayed up half the night reading this book. I couldn't put it down.

review for library website:
A lot of books have made me cry but only a few have made me sob---tear stained pages---reaching blindly for a tissue. Two of those books are Ekaterina Gordeeva's MY SERGEI and Ann Brashares's the SECOND SUMMER OF TH...more ARC of this. I'll write an official review closer to the publication date but I will tell you I have never cried so much during a book (except maybe one of the previous Sisterhood books). I stayed up half the night reading this book. I couldn't put it down.

review for library website:
A lot of books have made me cry but only a few have made me sob---tear stained pages---reaching blindly for a tissue. Two of those books are Ekaterina Gordeeva's MY SERGEI and Ann Brashares's the SECOND SUMMER OF THE SISTERHOOD (FYI: the 2nd Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants movie does not do this series justice. It basically crams 3 books into a 2 hour movie) I was overjoyed to hear that Ann Brashares was releasing a novel, SISTERHOOD EVERLASTING, set about 10 years after the 4th book FOREVER IN BLUE. It is classified as an adult novel instead of young adult like the rest of the series but it's not for content reasons...it's because of the age of the characters.

You're hooked from the first page. I stayed up entirely too late reading this book because I could not put it down. The girls haven't really kept in touch since college. Like it says in the prologue "Growing up is hard on a friendship". They all have their own lives now in different parts of the country. Carmen drives me crazy in this book and I want to shake Bree. Lena and Tibby are both tied for my favorite character. Tibby reaches out and buys them all plane tickets for a reunion in Greece. None of them will return home the same. One thing I love about this series is you really feel like you're one of the "sisters". I feel like everything that has happened in this series has happened to me.
I can't tell you why I sobbed but be warned to read this with a box of tissues handy. I thought I had said farewell to the girls after book 4 but then they returned as full fledged adults in this book and I had to say goodbye all over again at the end of this book. I really didn't expect to like the ending of the book especially after sobbing so much throughout it. Everything comes together in the end. Everything happens for a reason.(less)

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Jan 15, 2012 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I believe that this is the last book in the series and its a great way to wrap up the story lines of the characters. I'm not saying that just because I won a free copy of this from good reads. It is just too bad that Tibby had to die; its so sad!! She left behind Brian, her daughter, Bailey and friends and her family. She wasn't even thirty yet.

This book teaches readers a great life lesson: life rarely goes accordingly to way we plan it but the obstacles that one faces does not serve as an excu...more I believe that this is the last book in the series and its a great way to wrap up the story lines of the characters. I'm not saying that just because I won a free copy of this from good reads. It is just too bad that Tibby had to die; its so sad!! She left behind Brian, her daughter, Bailey and friends and her family. She wasn't even thirty yet.

This book teaches readers a great life lesson: life rarely goes accordingly to way we plan it but the obstacles that one faces does not serve as an excuse to stop trying or caring. Yes the loss of a loved is extremely painful and should be mourned but just because they're gone doesn't mean that you should stop living your own life too. Because life is that short, you should live life to the fullest and follow your heart. Not everyone would agree with the decisions you make but those who truly love you will come around.

Tibby's decision to move to Australia with Brian puts strain on the girls' friendship. With Carmen being a famous actress who lives in New York and Lena as an art teacher at a prestigious school in Providence and Bee moving to San Fransisco, the distance makes it harder for the girls to stay in touch. Tibby's absence make the girls feel that it is wrong to have any get-togethers or formal meetings without her because it was always the four of them.

In the beginning of the story the girls are supposed to meet up in Greece for a reunion; it was Tibby's suggestion. But when the girls arrive and see no Tibby, they decide to wait. After hours upoon hours of waiting the girls start to get worried. Morning brings no better news as the girls find out that Tibby has drowned in the ocean. The girls, at first, assumed that Tibby had taken her life because the letters that she leaves the girls indicates that Tibby knew that she was going to die. The girls are shocked and blame themselves for Tibby's death. They are angry at Tibby for her lack of communication with the girls and her family in the states but they are also angry at themselves for not trying harder to reach out to Tibby.

As the story progresses on, the girls all go through a series of phases where they recover from Tibby's tragic death. The letters Tibby leaves the girls instruct them to do things that would not have done on their own. At the end of the story, all three girls with their respective lovers and Tibby's family all meet up the ranch that Brian and Tibby bought.

Lena is finally with Kostos and Bee is pregnant with Eric whereas Carmen breaks up with her self-absorbed finance. The girls are all staying at the ranch to watch over Bailey, Tibby's daughter. Tibby writes in one of her letters that she knows Bailey won't be without a mother; in fact she'll have three loving mothers who will watch over her as she grows. (less)

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Apr 16, 2012 Deborah rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-grown-ups, series

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Okay, this is not really going to be a kind review. I'm not trying to sound mean or like a weirdo Internet commenter, but there are some things that really ticked me off about this book.

So there's a spoiler that all Traveling Pants fans knew about months ago, one that you can read pretty easily online, and that many have, but if you don't know and want to read the book, stop reading here! And if you do know the major spoiler, there are more revealed below, so just take care if you do want to re...more Okay, this is not really going to be a kind review. I'm not trying to sound mean or like a weirdo Internet commenter, but there are some things that really ticked me off about this book.

So there's a spoiler that all Traveling Pants fans knew about months ago, one that you can read pretty easily online, and that many have, but if you don't know and want to read the book, stop reading here! And if you do know the major spoiler, there are more revealed below, so just take care if you do want to read the book!

SPOILERS COMMENCE

So I found out from my mother who read it in a Kirkus review a few months ago that Tibby dies in this book. Upon finding out, I was in a state of shock, and for days went around telling people "TIBBY DIES!!!" yes, including people who never read a Traveling Pants book. I considered not bothering to read the books, but I didn't think I could ever skip a Pants book. But it turns out that Tibby's death is the least bothersome thing in this book. It's easiest to explain by pretending that I'm the dust jacket of the books back when they were still YA and going character by character:

Carmen: always my favorite character, now a successful TV actress engaged to a producer that none of her friends like. Here's the jist of what Carmen's character has become -- she's horrible because she has an iPhone. Seriously, the others all look down on her because in this universe only shallow, terrible people use (shudder) iPhones!!! So instead of focusing deeply on things that are a concern like her being engaged to someone she doesn't really love, or how she barely eats anymore the biggest concern is that she uses an iPhone. But don't worry -- she becomes a better person when she meets a widowed man and his two children on a train and gives up acting. All because her iPhone doesn't work. Seriously all iPhone users, Ann Brashares is sending you a message!

Lena: always my least favorite character, she's still pining for Kostos. Sigh. Enough already is what I thought when I first read her storyline, but this surprised me by turning out to be one of the better storylines in the book.

Bridget: Oh this really annoyed me. No actually, made me angry. So while grieving for Tibby (in a very erratic way that I kind of hoped they would explore more) Bee discovers that she's pregnant. Sigh. We all know that of course she'll have the baby. Much like television characters, book characters never have abortions. But the way she comes about making her decision is just such a bizarrely anti choice scene that I could barely believe -- I can only quote -- "Bridget thought about the thing in her uterus, not a thing, but a person, a soul, and she felt chastened. Just look what she was willing to do. Had been willing to do." You hear that pregnant ladies? That's a soul you're carrying, and don't you dare even think about not having it. Then she cries, ". . . for the people like herself , grimly forsaking what few precious gifts they would ever get." I can forgive Ann Brashares for killing off a character, but I don't know if I can forgive her for forcing a stance like this into her book. As I said, no surprise that Bridget would keep the baby, but could we have had a different way of arriving at this decision please rather than condemning anyone who would consider not carrying an unplanned pregnancy?

And then there's Tibby: oh Tibby, even in death, you keep making the same mistakes over and over again, just like you did in the other books. After some thought, I've decided not to reveal the real key to why Tibby dies (those who already know some of the spoilers may know that it's speculated that Tibby may have drowned on purpose). But I will say as someone who has spent most of her life watching soap operas, the the real reason behind Tibby's death is ripped from some of the weakest soap opera storylines. I can't really reveal more except to say that her death could have been a strong storyline was weakened and cheapened by the true circumstances. Also Tibby -- way to write elaborate, long meaningful letters to all your friends (well except Carmen, but she's a shallow iPhone user) but leave nothing for your parents and siblings. Reeeaaaal Nice.

So overall, I didn't think I would love this book the way I loved the others, but I also didn't think I would hate it. This series is another one that helped gain YA some much needed respect, so it feels even more personal to me to have had some of my favorite characters used this way.(less)

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Jul 28, 2011 Danielle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: the-sisterhood-of-the-traveling-pan, books-i-own

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. So here I am, writing a review for a book before it comes out. This makes me a big loser. Whatever. Anyway, words cannot describe how excited I am to read this. When i realized that this is a new Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants book, and not another 3 Willows book (yes, it was cute, but not the same.) i started tearing up. I wish I was joking. I'm not. Thats how excited I am.

REVIEW:

When an author has written a good book, you feel like you are part of the story, the characters are your friends...more So here I am, writing a review for a book before it comes out. This makes me a big loser. Whatever. Anyway, words cannot describe how excited I am to read this. When i realized that this is a new Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants book, and not another 3 Willows book (yes, it was cute, but not the same.) i started tearing up. I wish I was joking. I'm not. Thats how excited I am.

REVIEW:

When an author has written a good book, you feel like you are part of the story, the characters are your friends and you can identify with them all. That has definitely been the case for me with the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I was there to see them come-of-age. When Carmen’s dad got remarried, Lena fell in love with Kostas, Bridget found out the truth about her grandmother, and Tibby had a pregnancy scare, I felt like I was going through the same things with them (not literally of course). In return, Lena, Bridget, Tibby and Carmen were better friends to me than most of the people I knew at the time (I read them in middle school, and my middle school classmates? Not so nice.) I was like an honorary sisterhood member. And even though they were older than me at the time, and I wasn’t going through the same things as them, I identified with each of the girls. I related mostly to Tibby and Lena, but I also saw myself in Bridget and Carmen. It is like Carmen says in the first book; they are four girls with very different personalities, but when together made a “complete” person. Mix up all of the girl’s personality wise, and I saw a lot of myself in them. I finished the original series in freshman year of high school and was very sad to see the series end. Fast forward four years later, to the publication of sisterhood everlasting. I’m sure you can imagine what my reaction was. I cried with joy. I couldn’t wait to be “reunited” with the Sisterhood, the girls who were there for me during the less than pleasant times in middle school, my friends. This book started out being about the reunion of the Sisterhood, and I felt like I was reuniting with the Sisterhood as well. I was happy when Bridget, Carmen, and Lena reunited at the airport after all the time. However, as much as I didn’t want to, I could sense what was going to happen from the very beginning. Not the way it happened, but that it was going to happen. I have read through Sisterhood Everlasting much quicker than I had planned, or even wanted to. Although I have really enjoyed reading it and having a final reunion with my childhood book friends, the beginning was hard to read. Not hard as in boring, quite the opposite. Hard as in it was painful to ee the characters so depressed. The book takes a turn mid-way, which reminded me of why I loved the Sisterhood so much in the first place. Despite the unfortunate events and their aftermath in the beginning of the book, the characters all grew up and got to where they needed to be. Part of me is wishing it were longer because I feel like this is really the end of the series, which makes me sad. Like the original Sisterhood books, Sisterhood Everlasting will stay with me for years to come, and it was nice to say a final goodbye to the much beloved characters.(less)

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Jun 23, 2012 Amanda rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 21, 2011 Denise rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

"At least I tried."

In this 5th book in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, Ann Brashares brings back the characters we knew and loved as they enter their thirties. Four friends ten years later. How has the sisterhood fared - how has life treated them and where are they now?

Although the girls had gone their separate ways and had sort of lost touch with each other, Lena, Carmen and Bee gather in Greece for a reunion arranged by Tibby. What they find there changes their lives forever.

Thi...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Khaya rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: someone much, much less cynical than I

Shelves: audiobooks, chicklit

What was I thinking? Why did I bother? Okay, I know why. I tend to do better with audiobooks that require less concentration and offer an engaging story that's not too challenging. And although I didn't have high hopes for the fifth (fifth! Am I actually still reading these?) book in the Traveling Pants series, when I saw it was available on audio I couldn't resist.

Well. If I tell you the pivotal plot point it will be a big fat spoiler, so I'll try to gripe about the book without doing that. As...more What was I thinking? Why did I bother? Okay, I know why. I tend to do better with audiobooks that require less concentration and offer an engaging story that's not too challenging. And although I didn't have high hopes for the fifth (fifth! Am I actually still reading these?) book in the Traveling Pants series, when I saw it was available on audio I couldn't resist.

Well. If I tell you the pivotal plot point it will be a big fat spoiler, so I'll try to gripe about the book without doing that. As usual, I have several complaints.

Wish fulfillment and emotional manipulation. No. Just, no. Ever-patient, tolerant boyfriends who you up and leave with no explanation, who then proceed to lend you $10K, no questions asked? And much later, after a continued period of no contact, said boyfriend drops everything to come across the country to meet you? And when you drop a major bomb on this same boyfriend, all he cares about is YOUR feelings? In what universe? And really, would I want a long-term relationship with a guy who was so short on backbone or opinions? How genuine can this love really be if the guy doesn't even take it personally when she disappears?

Re. Lena and Kostas, I just have one word: AGAIN? Again with the back and forth? Again with the fear of revealing feelings in the context of this supposedly loving relationship? Again with...oh, I just can't any more.

Not to mention children who immediately win the hearts of women with absolutely no childcare experience, both of whom thought they never wanted kids but almost instantly changed their minds when faced with these angelic cherubs who love them immediately and never throw tantrums. Oh, puh-leeze.

Don't get me started on the ending, where the girls suddenly inherit a house from someone who supposedly had financial problems. Huh? And the ridiculously prescient letters. Yet another instance of the incredible wisdom-cum-ESP foisted on the dying.

We haven't even gotten to Carmen's incredible superficiality, leading up to the unbelievable turnaround where she does a 180 and becomes deep again. And the jerky guy she's dating, despised by all except her. Carmen really gets more idiotic in every book.

The girls haven't grown up. The few changes they've made are somewhat ridiculous and over the top. Three out of four are with the same guys even.

I will not read the next book. I will not read the next book. I will not...well, if it's the only thing available on audio, I don't know...(less)

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Aug 05, 2011 Jodi Papazian rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Having read the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, I was so excited to find out that there was a "ten years later ..." installment coming out.
I was definitely very greedy with this book - reading it in one afternoon, desperate to be moved and amazed by it. However, about halfway through, I realized I was quickly reading just to get to the end of it. Unfortunately I had heard that there was a pretty shocking event in the story awhile back before the book actually came out. So of course,...more Having read the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, I was so excited to find out that there was a "ten years later ..." installment coming out.
I was definitely very greedy with this book - reading it in one afternoon, desperate to be moved and amazed by it. However, about halfway through, I realized I was quickly reading just to get to the end of it. Unfortunately I had heard that there was a pretty shocking event in the story awhile back before the book actually came out. So of course, I was anticipating that event. It happened quickly and the rest of the story just kind of started to drag for me.

At this point, I'll suggest you cease reading if you don't want any indication to spoilers in this story.

The characters were certainly not endearing to me the way that they once were. Bee was childish and irritating, Lena was just so "blah" and determined to be miserable while Carmen seemed shallow and fake. I was a little disappointed to not be introduced to any new characters. It seemed unrealistic that (aside from Jones - and honestly, he was hardly a character) these girls would not form any new relationships over 10 years.
I found the plot rather predictable, too. Even without knowing that there was going to be a big spoiler, you pretty much deduced early on that something would be up with Tibby as she was glaringly absent through the first few chapters.
Of course this story produced more than its fair share of tears. The most endearing character for me was Bailey as the scenes with her were by far the most animated and interesting. The most irritating one was the father Carmen befriended on the train (see that, I finished this book not half an hour ago and I already I forgot his name!). It felt to me that he was being introduced so that he would become a romantic interest for Carmen. Not only did I not like that idea, but it never really happened anyway. I thought the whole idea of all of them living together on Tibby's land was a bit lame and cheesy, but I saw that Brashares was trying to create the place that would be the "home base" for the four of them again.
All in all, I think that I would have been better off had I left the Sisterhood back in their teen years. Sisterhood Everlasting really just did not give me the continuance of their story that I had hoped for.(less)

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Jul 06, 2011 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own, 50-book-challenge-2011, contemporary-fiction

Wow. Thank you, Kirkus Reviews Description, for the ENORMOUS spoiler with absolutely no warning beforehand. *sigh* ;(

Oh, well. I still can't wait to read this. I had no idea it was even happening. <3

7 likes · like · see review

Mar 17, 2012 Brandy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, audiobooks, adult, romance, realistic, friendship

UPDATE, 3/17: I am DONE DONE DONE. It was, um, everything I expected it to be, for better or worse. Such tragedy and wisdom (what's the phrase for the Wisdom gained by the dying? it's something really obvious that I'm not grabbing) and of COURSE all a woman needs to find fulfillment with her life is to BECOME A MOTHER in some way. Even if she thinks she doesn't want kids. Even if she finds kids annoying. As soon as she's forced to care for one for a couple of minutes THE WORLD IS MAGICAL and KID...more

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Mar 28, 2012 J.A. Belfield rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

To summary this in one paragraph would be impossible. There were a few bits that niggled me (listed in the cons sections below), but due to the fact I believe I am to blame on part for those, for not having read any earlier titles in the series, rather than the author, I decided it would be wrong to hold that against my rating--because once I'd figured out the who's who, the author pretty much had me hooked. See below for more details:

What bugged me:

The opening bothered me. The first person writ...more To summary this in one paragraph would be impossible. There were a few bits that niggled me (listed in the cons sections below), but due to the fact I believe I am to blame on part for those, for not having read any earlier titles in the series, rather than the author, I decided it would be wrong to hold that against my rating--because once I'd figured out the who's who, the author pretty much had me hooked. See below for more details:

What bugged me:

The opening bothered me. The first person writing, giving a rundown (or a recap) of the main characters of the book. 1) It jarred my flow when it suddenly then switched to third person from three differing POV's. 2) I'd much rather have learned about them as I went through, but that's probably just me. But, when I reached the end and discovered a closing summary written in exactly the same style as the opening, I then wondered if this might be a quirk/tradition of the series, which I might have got had I read the preceding titles.
Also, because there were three differing POV's, and I wasn't familiar with the characters from not having read the earlier books, it then took me to around 12% to keep up with which character/personality I was dealing with each time the switch was made.

What I loved:

Well, I pretty much loved everything else. This is possibly one of the most beautiful yet saddest stories I have read in a very long time. From beginning to end. Yes, the three ladies were 'lost' before the pinnacle moment of the tale that pretty much pushed them all over the edge. But it took something as devastatingly shocking as that occurrence for them to realise exactly what they had but had just forgotten was there. I suspected from the off that Tibby hadn't committed the suicide the other three had (in their grief and frustration and desperation) believed of her. I suspected, in fact, pretty early on that a terminal illness would be to blame.
However, I never once predicted the possibility of a child for her, or pretty much anything that followed.
The only outcome I guessed correctly was the inevitable one (to me) for Lena and the man she'd never quite fallen out of love with. I prayed and prayed the entire way through that they would find their way to each other. Thank you so much for delivery of that because I doubt I'd have forgiven the author had it ended differently for them.
Carmen's path: I hoped she wouldn't go through with the wedding, yet some little part of me worried the whole way through that she might. Then her train journey pretty much undid me, her interactions with the father she met and how they somehow connected. Although it didn't happen in this book, I'd like to think they might one day speak again.
Bridget: Damn, that was one lost and fragile woman. And God bless that beautiful man of hers for forever being there for her. I almost felt proud of her during the moment when she finally figured out what her heart needed again.
And then back to Tibby: Tibby who knew them all so well that she understood what they needed way more than they knew themselves.
I've seriously never cried quite so much. For around the final 40% of the novel, there must have been something wrong with my Kindle, because the words were constantly blurry. ;o) This is quite possible the most moving story of self discovery I've ever read. Just beautiful.

This review can also be viewed at Bookaroo-Ju (less)

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Dec 06, 2011 Crystal Cook rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011

I had a love/hate relationship with the traveling pants books. Mainly because three of the four characters made continuously stupid decisions and it was SO frustrating. But I wanted to read this book anyway because I DID like parts of the series (especially Tibby's character) and I wanted to see what happened to the girls as adults.

About twenty five pages into this book I almost stopped reading it because of the HUGE tragedy that I never saw coming. I was angry. How could Ann do this to us loya...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Mayra rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. So here's the thing. As all of the books in this series, Ann Brashares' writing and character development is excellent, and it was interesting to hear about the lives of the four girls ten years later. But I think the series was fine with four books. I didn't feel like this final novel settled in well with the rest of the series. It was just too depressing and unnecessary. Okay.
SPOILERSPOILERSPOILERSPOILERSPOILER
So, Tibby's death was shocking and sad and again, unnecessary. It didn't seem like...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Winna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mellow-books, young-adult

I've been waiting forever for this to be in store. In the end, I order it via Book Depository and devour it once it arrives :)

I didn't love the whole series that much, but I always have a feeling that lingers whenever I think of the four girls. I am Carmen, I am Lena, but I am also Tibby and Bridget. It feels so familiar to read their stories, as if I've just stepped into their shoes and lived their lives my whole life. Brashares' voice rings through in every passage, her words so simple yet so...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Oaki rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: american, favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I have freaked out for officially 15 minutes now.
OH MY GOD THERE'S ONE MORE!!!!
The girls are back! Do the pants still fit? What's going on with Bridget! Oh dear Lord I am freaking out.

REVIEW:
Oh dear, where do I start...
I grew up with those books, and you can imagine the impact this book had on me, as I felt just like Ann was describing the girls were feeling in the book. I was wondering how I was going to show up in the morning at breakfast and look like some of my best friends died. I was a com...more I have freaked out for officially 15 minutes now.
OH MY GOD THERE'S ONE MORE!!!!
The girls are back! Do the pants still fit? What's going on with Bridget! Oh dear Lord I am freaking out.

REVIEW:
Oh dear, where do I start...
I grew up with those books, and you can imagine the impact this book had on me, as I felt just like Ann was describing the girls were feeling in the book. I was wondering how I was going to show up in the morning at breakfast and look like some of my best friends died. I was a complete mess, I never cried this hard, not even during Snape's death. And all the time I had this thing in mind about my best friend parting away and something like this happening to us. She's going to college in another country.
As I haven't seen the any of the spoilers online, Tibby's death came as a huge surprise to me. And I felt just like the girls. Yesterday I also watched a movie with my best friend about us parting, cryied out a lot, and I intended to give this book to her in order to show her that our sisterhood is everlasting. Well so much of that, 'cause now the message would have been: "yeah, we could survive time&distance...or die, whatevs."
I felt just like the girls when Tibby died. It felt just like Dumbledore's death in HP series. The series cannot continue without those characters, the series are based on them, what do you mean they died, not possible, I do not concieve such thing! I waited for a couple of chapters for her to jump out of somewhere with a camera and say it was a prank or something but no.
This book was most about them learning to be on their own, without having to rely on the others. But this could've been achieved through other methods, like a coma or something, not neccesarily death...of course, this was the only REAL way but I hated it. The girls simply aren't the girls if they are only 3! I was able to pretty much see what was going to happen, and I hated that it was so obvious...a little to cheesy, kind of like P.S. I love you style...yes, cool the first time you read it, annoying that Ann got this into the series I love. That is a complete different book, you have to make this one GRAND, and WORTH of a good finale, not this cheesy sequell..I had the impression she simply cut off some episode of the girls' life and put it in there for us so she can get some more money. No start, no end, just the drama.
I don't deny the fact that the book has taught me some things, and that's great, I loved it for that, but Tibby's death (althought it was supposed to act as a surogate for the pants, and unite them) really wasn't neccesary. I mean no offence, but if my best friend since birth moved across the world and stuck herself down there and said nothing, I'd go track her down! It was amazing how in the first books they kept doing this, and got to one another in time of need, but they spend TWO YEARS without doing something like that, even though they all knew something was going on. Nobody changed that much!
I think Ann tried to make this huge literature work of art out of it, and she couldn't quite grasp it. Instead, she felt down the ugly valley of lame, predictable, cheese soap operas. Forever in blue was the perfect ending to the series, and althought I'm happy I read the book, I have mixed feelings, maybe I didn't want to read it after all.
Also, I was crying 90% of the book. Every 5 pages. Not exactly something I was looking for.(less)

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Nov 04, 2011 Heidi (awesome group member) rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2011, ugh-really, i-want-my-time-back

I should have stuck with book four and left it at that. It seemed like all the characters reverted to their 18 year old behaviors and no one had grown or matured. I was not happy with the whole premise (no spoilers -- but come on!) nor any of the characters lives. I also found the letters the girls received lacking any heart or soul -- they did not move me in anyway not to mention the lack of believability for most of the plot(s) (view spoiler)...more

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Jun 22, 2011 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction

Fans of Brashares young adult series will definitely want to pick this up - but I'm not sure that they'll all be happy with it. There are difficult moments and all of the girls (now almost 30) are dealing with different combinations of success and problems. There were a few plot points that felt a little clunky, making this not a great book, but one that will definitely pull in fans.

I wouldn't give this to younger fans of the original series, but older teens and up - not so much because there's...more

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Jun 11, 2011 Danielle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, ya, weepy, chicklit

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 06, 2011 Tamar rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adorable, chicklit, friendship, y-a

I DON'T CARE THAT PARTS OF IT ARE STUPID AND UNBELIEVABLE AND TOTAL FANTASY I loved it even though I know nothing of this series except for one good-bad movie (that also made me cry).

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Jun 15, 2011 Allie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

Wow, I was surprised to be so disappointed by this book. I LOVE the Traveling Pants series, and I was very excited to hear about this ten-years-later installment. Unfortunately, it was a let down. I feel that the plot twists were kind of hack-job-ish. The girls have the same problems (you know, Lena being too shy/withdrawn, Bridget's constant restlessness, etc.) that consistently plagued them in the first four books, only multiplied. What does it take for them to learn from their experiences?

I'...more

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May 13, 2011 E rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I hate books that make me cry. Couldn't stop reading this. Cried several times. Spent the first half of the book feeling like Brashares had unfairly recycled her characters, but it came together in the second half.

Now I have to go blow my nose.

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Nov 07, 2011 Erica - Bonner Springs Library rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Sisterhood of Traveling Pants books

Shelves: 2011, adult-fiction, audiobook

The summer I graduated from graduate school I listened to all four of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books. When I had moved away from my friends Tibby, Lena, Bee and Carmen became my friends. To revisit them in this book was bittersweet.

The book starts ten years after the last book when the girls are 29. They are all split up living in different cities all over the world - Carmen in New York, Lena in Providence, Bee in San Francisco and Tibby in Australia. They seem to have lost touch w...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Jen Houle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: any woman who enjoyed THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS

When the book first came out, I noticed it on a shelf and almost passed by it. The author's name didn't strike me as familiar, for some unknown reason. I came to it a few weeks later, at another bookstore, and picked it up and read the back and it dawned on me that it was the follow up to a much loved series from long ago.

Since then, though, every time I've hit a local library, the book has had a long waiting list. The day before I left for vacation, it was sitting on the shelf for the first tim...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Amy Scissors rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2013

Well. This killed any nostalgic feelings I had for one of my favorite YA novels. I didn't even know this book existed, and, to be honest, I could have been perfectly happy being completely ignorant of this book's existence. I feel like all my happy memories of staying up until 3am finishing each new Pants book as it came in at the library are now tainted by this terribly written, self-absorbed garbage.

Granted, Brashares is not the next great American author, but as a YA author she has been pret...more Well. This killed any nostalgic feelings I had for one of my favorite YA novels. I didn't even know this book existed, and, to be honest, I could have been perfectly happy being completely ignorant of this book's existence. I feel like all my happy memories of staying up until 3am finishing each new Pants book as it came in at the library are now tainted by this terribly written, self-absorbed garbage.

Granted, Brashares is not the next great American author, but as a YA author she has been pretty successful. This novel weirdly jumps ahead ten years in time which makes me question for whom this book is intended. Some situations in the book may be difficult for middle schoolers, which is irritating to me. Why write the end of a YA series as an adult novel?

I made the mistake of reading many spoilers, which did, in fact, spoil the book for me. But at least I was prepared for the awfulness going in, so I wasn't as pissed when the shit started going downhill. The girls are whiny and immature; their once strong friendship reduced to a few emails here and there. Lena is as boring as ever, still pining away for Kostos, of course, despite not having communicated with him for TEN Freaking years. Bridget is with Eric- who, apparently is a no longer a character but a doormat. I could not stand her at all. She loses her phone in the garbage. She gives away her shit and then absentmindedly buys it back at street sales. Seriously, Brashares, could you have dumbed Bridget down any more? Both Lena and Bridget have no ambitions or really anything compelling to their stories. At least Carmen had a job and some semblance of a life, however unhappy. (Also, why the constant iPhone hate? Brashares must hate iPhones as much as she hates writing three-dimensional characters)

The book gets progressively sappy and the plot is completely unrealistic- I don't buy all those coincidences for a second, and the ending is too much of a neat little package to be believable. What I'm most unhappy with is the weird conservative tone of this novel. The first novel dealt realistically with sex and teenagers, while this novel just felt like one big pro-life screed. Usually if a book sucks, I don't really care, but this series meant a lot to me growing up. Two stars because I don't have it in me to completely hate a traveling pants book.(less)

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Jan 03, 2013 Liesa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Jeder kennt sie, die September-Girls, Tibby, Carmen, Lena und Bridget und wer sie nicht kennen sollte, der hat einen guten Grund sich zu schämen, denn die vier Mädchen haben mich durch meine Jugend begleitet und auch wenn ich klassischen Teenie-Büchern immer etwas skeptisch gegenüberstehe, haben sie es geschafft, dass mich ein Buch aus ebendiesem Genre komplett mitgerissen hat, ein Buch, bei dem ich weinen und lachen musste, bei dem ich vor Wut geschrien habe, wenn eine der vier nicht so gehande...more Jeder kennt sie, die September-Girls, Tibby, Carmen, Lena und Bridget und wer sie nicht kennen sollte, der hat einen guten Grund sich zu schämen, denn die vier Mädchen haben mich durch meine Jugend begleitet und auch wenn ich klassischen Teenie-Büchern immer etwas skeptisch gegenüberstehe, haben sie es geschafft, dass mich ein Buch aus ebendiesem Genre komplett mitgerissen hat, ein Buch, bei dem ich weinen und lachen musste, bei dem ich vor Wut geschrien habe, wenn eine der vier nicht so gehandelt hat, wie ich es mir vorgestellt hatte, ein Buch, dass vor lauter Geschichten nur so sprüht und das man einfach lesen muss, wenn man nicht das Gefühl haben möchte, etwas ganz wichtiges und besonderes verpasst zu haben.

Inhalt: Einige Zeit ist vergangen und die vier unzertrennlichen Freundinnen hat es in alle Windrichtungen zerstreut. Carmen lebt als erfolgreiche Schauspielerin in New York; Lena unterrichtet Kunst auf Rhode Island; Bridget hat es nach San Francisco verschlagen und Tibby nach Australien. Sie alle kämpfen mit ihren ganz eigenen Problemen, beruflicher und privater Art. Da hat Tibby die geniale Idee: Sie schlägt vor, sich auf »ihrer« griechischen Lieblingsinsel zu treffen, um dort ein großes Wiedersehen zu feiern. Alle sind begeistert und reisen voller Vorfreude an. Nur Tibby taucht nicht auf. Bridget fliegt nach Australien, um herauszufinden, was passiert ist. Die Suche nach den Hintergründen bringt die Wahrheit ans Licht: Die Freundschaft der vier Jeans-Mädchen hält für immer und ewig – und trotzt jedem Schicksalsschlag …

Meinung: Mit diesem fünften Band, der die Geschichte der September-Girls komplettiert, hat Ann Brashares sich fast selbst übertroffen. Zum einen grenzt es schon an einen Geniestreich, die Geschichte der vier Mädchen noch einmal aufzugreifen und diese dann zehn Jahre später wieder aufleben zu lassen, zum anderen schockt die Autorin durch einen ungeahnten Handlungsstrang, mit dem wohl niemand so wirklich gerechnet hätte und bei dem mir sofort die Tränen flossen. Auch wenn das Leben der vier Mädchen sich komplett verändert hat, sie teilweise in völlig anderen Welten leben, so sind die Charaktere doch immer noch die gleichen – die temperamentvolle Carmen, die zurückhaltende Lena, die verrückte Tibby und die aufgeweckte Bridget verzauberten mich als Leser genauso, wie sie es in den vorherigen vier Bänden getan hatten, mit Witz, Charme und Intelligenz, mit immer neuen Problemen, mit denen sie konfrontiert wurden und vor allem in diesem Buch mit einem ganz gewaltigen Konflikt, mit dem die Mädchen zu kämpfen haben, der sich durch den ganzen Roman zieht und erst zum Schluss richtig aufgelöst wird. Jede der 448 Seiten ist grandios geschrieben, hält die Spannung des Lesers aufrecht und wartet mit neuen Überraschungen auf, die mich als Leser zum Teil komplett aus der Fassung gebracht haben. Und auch wenn mir ein kleiner Logik-Fehler zum Schluss nicht entgangen ist, so konnte ich doch darüber hinwegsehen, denn diese letzte Geschichte der September-Girls war einfach viel zu spannend und viel zu fantastisch, um sich an Kleinigkeiten aufzuhängen.

Trotz allem positiven, gibt es einen kleinen Wehrmutstropfen, den ich gerne weiter erläutern würde, allerdings möchte ich denen, die das Buch noch nicht gelesen habe, die Spannung nicht stehlen und so sage ich nur, dass die Geschichte von Carmen, Tibby, Lena und Bridget auch anders hätte weiter gehen können, etwas…erfreulicher vielleicht, denn wie ich bereits erwähnt habe, mir sind (mal wieder) sehr oft die Tränen geflossen und ich denke, dass auch die Personen, die nicht so nah am Wasser gebaut sind wie ich, es nicht vermeiden können an der ein oder anderen Stelle eine Träne zu verdrücken. Nichtsdestotrotz möchte ich der Qualität des Buches nichts absprechen, es ist ein gelungener Abschluss der wunderbaren Buchserie und ich bin traurig, dass mit dem Ende dieses Buches auch ein bisschen das Ende meiner Jugend eingeläutet wurde.(less)

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Jan 03, 2013 Linda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After reading Gone Girl I knew I needed something light before I started in on my book club book which is a WWII survival non-fiction. I'd never read any of the traveling pants books, but did see one or two of the movies. I didn't like it at first, but I warmed up to it. It wasn't as "light" as I was looking for, but certainly not intense like Gone Girl. If you've seen the movies or read any of the books, you know that some of it takes place in Greece on Santorini. I didn't realize until I finis...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Kristine rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. It was by chance that I found out about this book. I was watching the second movie and did a search on the books, and discovered a fifth had been published. I love these characters, but I felt like the story had ended with Forever in Blue, so I was really curious about this book.

I won't do a sequence of events, I'll just go by character.

Carmen: I used to love her. She was more down to earth and reminded me of myself. Her story lines were always so interesting. The visit with her dad, dealing w...more It was by chance that I found out about this book. I was watching the second movie and did a search on the books, and discovered a fifth had been published. I love these characters, but I felt like the story had ended with Forever in Blue, so I was really curious about this book.

I won't do a sequence of events, I'll just go by character.

Carmen: I used to love her. She was more down to earth and reminded me of myself. Her story lines were always so interesting. The visit with her dad, dealing with the new baby, acting in Vermont, going to Williams, etc. In this book, she is shallow, self centered, too attached to her stupid phone, and lost. It disappoints me that we had to end with Carmen relying on her iPhone. I'm an avid iPhone user myself, but at least I take time to actually live and not revolve around my phone so much. Her fiancé was more of a background character next to the phone. I would not have imagined Carmen becoming as shallow as she did. I expected more. Shame on you, Ann.

Bridget: also seems horribly lost. She has turned into a California hippie: cannot hold a job, biking, moving, throwing things out. I also can't stand that she just up and leaves Eric, Only to go back to ask for a thousand bucks. Then asks him to fly out to Pennsylvania. Their relationship does not seem like it would be strong enough to last all this or that deep. I would have figured he'd have left her by that point. The whole going to Australia and staying for a long time? I don't get. The Alabama trip in book 2 made sense. This doesn't.

Lena: if I had to pick a favorite, Lena would be it. At the end of book 4, I figured she and Kostos would end up together anyway...and now we have a long, dragged out reunion that was not emotional at all. This disappointed me since Lena is my favorite. I love the Greece scenes, but it was a dry, unemotional reunion. Maybe I've been reading too much Diana Gabaldon, but wow. I was bored. Oh, and she yells at Effie. Hooray, Lena, you finally got some balls.

Tibby: really the only reason I stuck through the book. She was central in pulling it all together and knew what she was doing before she died. (Yes, Tibby dies.) I like how they all reunited at the end, thanks to her. I know killing off characters in novels is tough. I hate doing it myself. The scene with the police felt like it wa written by a tween. Sorry, Ann. I felt Tibby deserved more passion and emotion than that. No one really cried, they were just all blank zombie for six chapters. All of them. I can understand one or two, but ALL of them?! Come on.
Also, Tibby had a daughter and named her Bailey. Also, no one saw that coming.

To sum up, I stuck through it because the first four books were good, but this...I was sorely disappointed. Don't make a movie of this one, PLEASE. I was also disgusted at the Q&A at the end when Ann said she may not be done with her characters and hinted at a Bee/Brian pairing. PLEASE NO. Let this be the end. Please. I can guarantee that Eric will stand by waiting for her and supporting her financially...let's not beat a dead horse.(less)

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Nov 07, 2012 Maddie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I had no idea this book existed until I found it at a yard sale a few weeks ago. I paid my fifty cents. I am so glad I didn't know of it until then, instead of paying 25 dollars for it.

This used to be a series where four girls used a pair of pants as a system of pen-pals as they split up for a few months. The first fifty pages of this book, one of them dies. I threw my book at the wall at this part.

My early teens were spent with Bridget, Tibby, Carmen, and Lena. I had this personal connection wi...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Sonya Sophia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a conclusion/epilogue to the original series Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, which I read years ago and loved very much. ***spoiler alert***

In the originals, I'd always found Carmen so spoiled And bratty, but really came to love and respect her character in this book as she grew and matured. Bridget I've always loved, despite an impatience with her inability to settle down, and I was so happy that she chose to love and keep her baby. I don't, however, like the authors hint at th...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Aaron rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't think many guys would enjoy reading this book. I didn't like it at all, despite liking the other sisterhood books. My dislike started right at the beginning: all the characters had the exact same problem. Their lives were good, but...there was just...something...missing. If only they could figure what it was their lives would be magically fixed. Let's see, how does that phrase go, oh yes, SUCK IT UP. The characters then spend the next 200 pages moping about, it gets so monotonous and dep...more

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About Ann Brashares

Ann Brashares grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with three brothers and attended a Quaker school in the D.C. area called Sidwell Friends. She studied Philosophy at Barnard College, part of Columbia University in New York City. Expecting to continue studying philosophy in graduate school, Ann took a year off after college to work as an editor, hoping to save money for school. Loving her job, she ne...more

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Books by Ann Brashares

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Sisterhood, #1)

The Second Summer of the Sisterhood (Sisterhood, #2)

Girls In Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood (Sisterhood, #3)

Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood (Sisterhood, #4)

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Quotes from Sisterhood Everlasting

“Maybe you think you’ll be entitled to more happiness later by forgoing all of it now, but it doesn’t work that way. Happiness takes as much practice as unhappiness does. It’s by living that you live more. By waiting you wait more. Every waiting day makes your life a little less. Every lonely day makes you a little smaller. Every day you put off your life makes you less capable of living it.” — 137 people liked it

“You get older and you learn there is one sentence just four worlds long and if you can say it to yourself it offers more comfort than almost any other. It goes like this… Ready ”
“Ready.”
“At least I tried.” — 86 people liked it

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Sisterhood Everlasting (Sisterhood #5)

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