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Jinx #1
Those Girls
At the exclusive Stagmount School for Girls, wealthy seventeen-year-olds Jinx Slater and her best friend Liberty Latiffe are having a fabulous year until a new student arrives and Liberty falls under her spell, unaware of her sinister intentions. Original.
311 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2007
12 people are currently reading
278 people want to read
About the author
Sara Lawrence
6 books9 followersSara Lawrence is a writer and journalist. The Those Girls series is based on her years at the elite Roedean School. Sara lives in Brighton and Ibiza.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 22, 2013
Bought this at a used book store in Amsterdam because how cool is that?!
Well, not so cool, actually, when the book is as flimsy and superficial as this.
I imagine this is like a bargain-brand Gossip Girl (though I've never read the books or seen the show, so that's merely speculation). It doesn't matter.
This is a book about terribly rich British prep school girls taking ecstasy and playing tricks on their teachers. The characters are absurdly one-dimensional, the storyline is preposterously formulaic, with plot devices that are like being smashed in the head with a signpost that says HERE'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT!!
Oh anyway, whatever. It got me through a couple of hours on the flight home, and saved me from having to watch The Time Traveller's Wife. So I guess that's a win.
Well, not so cool, actually, when the book is as flimsy and superficial as this.
I imagine this is like a bargain-brand Gossip Girl (though I've never read the books or seen the show, so that's merely speculation). It doesn't matter.
This is a book about terribly rich British prep school girls taking ecstasy and playing tricks on their teachers. The characters are absurdly one-dimensional, the storyline is preposterously formulaic, with plot devices that are like being smashed in the head with a signpost that says HERE'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT!!
Oh anyway, whatever. It got me through a couple of hours on the flight home, and saved me from having to watch The Time Traveller's Wife. So I guess that's a win.
November 15, 2012
Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com
Jinx Slater can do no wrong at Stagmount School for Girls in Brighton, England. She can even convince her best friend Liberty Lattife's father to let Liberty remain at Stagmount for previous transgressions. The only person that Jinx can't sweet talk is the house-mistress of their dorm. But Jinx and her friends have been able to get away with tormenting her and not getting in too serious of trouble.
But after the start of term, Stella Fox, the new girl, arrives. Jinx and the rest of her friends know that Stella isn't all she seems to be. But Liberty has been trapped under her spell.
Jinx knows someone that went to Stella's old school and contacts her while home on holiday to get the scoop. Stella didn't leave her old school the way she says. Now Jinx knows that Liberty is in way over her head. But Liberty doesn't want to believe Jinx, thinking Jinx is just jealous that she has a new friend.
The story unfolds slowly with a lot of background information on their histories at Stagmount since this is the first book in the THOSE GIRLS series. But once Stella arrives, things begin to move along swiftly. Jinx and her friends form a strong bond and do everything they can to prevent Liberty from being led astray by the newcomer who isn't what she seems.
Jinx is a strong character who becomes a pit-bull to defend her friend, even if her friend doesn't think she needs her protection. Jinx is a breath of fresh air in the normal boarding school genre, where the main character is usually out to get only what she wants for herself. She's not mean to be mean, but to be protective of her friends. I look forward to the next installment to see what hijinks the girls of Stagmount can get themselves into!
Jinx Slater can do no wrong at Stagmount School for Girls in Brighton, England. She can even convince her best friend Liberty Lattife's father to let Liberty remain at Stagmount for previous transgressions. The only person that Jinx can't sweet talk is the house-mistress of their dorm. But Jinx and her friends have been able to get away with tormenting her and not getting in too serious of trouble.
But after the start of term, Stella Fox, the new girl, arrives. Jinx and the rest of her friends know that Stella isn't all she seems to be. But Liberty has been trapped under her spell.
Jinx knows someone that went to Stella's old school and contacts her while home on holiday to get the scoop. Stella didn't leave her old school the way she says. Now Jinx knows that Liberty is in way over her head. But Liberty doesn't want to believe Jinx, thinking Jinx is just jealous that she has a new friend.
The story unfolds slowly with a lot of background information on their histories at Stagmount since this is the first book in the THOSE GIRLS series. But once Stella arrives, things begin to move along swiftly. Jinx and her friends form a strong bond and do everything they can to prevent Liberty from being led astray by the newcomer who isn't what she seems.
Jinx is a strong character who becomes a pit-bull to defend her friend, even if her friend doesn't think she needs her protection. Jinx is a breath of fresh air in the normal boarding school genre, where the main character is usually out to get only what she wants for herself. She's not mean to be mean, but to be protective of her friends. I look forward to the next installment to see what hijinks the girls of Stagmount can get themselves into!
August 23, 2011
Gorgeous British crack - oops, I mean ‘story’.
Goodreads:
'Jin, I’ve been drawing that fucking crab for three hours now, and it’s starting to freak me out. I keep looking into its dead staring eyes and thinking it’s trying to talk to me.'
Jinx Slater is in the lower sixth of England’s most exclusive school for girls, Stagmount. She and her best friend Liberty live life to then fullest and delight in causing mayhem. When the mysterious new girl Stella Fox arrives, things change dramatically.
http://www.thebookseller.com/books/au...
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/s...
My Review:
Just this side of `Desperate Housewives’ crazy when it comes to realism, this book hits the mark. If you’ve been to a girl’s boarding school then everything coming out of this author’s head would seem plausible and certainly familiar. The screw driver to release the window’s safety catch, exeat weekends, terrible school food and pupils with stories more horrifying than most people would initially realise etc.
The wonder then, perhaps, is that you’d bother to read on; however Sara Lawrence has written a funny, engaging book, with a strong heroine. ‘Jin’ is observant, intriguing and will make you want to stand up and cheer occasionally, despite the books’ third person narration. It’s all just so very personable.
I’ll be checking out the sequel ‘Jinxed’ just as soon as I can (apparently Jinx gets a man in that one). :-)
Goodreads:
'Jin, I’ve been drawing that fucking crab for three hours now, and it’s starting to freak me out. I keep looking into its dead staring eyes and thinking it’s trying to talk to me.'
Jinx Slater is in the lower sixth of England’s most exclusive school for girls, Stagmount. She and her best friend Liberty live life to then fullest and delight in causing mayhem. When the mysterious new girl Stella Fox arrives, things change dramatically.
http://www.thebookseller.com/books/au...
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/l/s...
My Review:
Just this side of `Desperate Housewives’ crazy when it comes to realism, this book hits the mark. If you’ve been to a girl’s boarding school then everything coming out of this author’s head would seem plausible and certainly familiar. The screw driver to release the window’s safety catch, exeat weekends, terrible school food and pupils with stories more horrifying than most people would initially realise etc.
The wonder then, perhaps, is that you’d bother to read on; however Sara Lawrence has written a funny, engaging book, with a strong heroine. ‘Jin’ is observant, intriguing and will make you want to stand up and cheer occasionally, despite the books’ third person narration. It’s all just so very personable.
I’ll be checking out the sequel ‘Jinxed’ just as soon as I can (apparently Jinx gets a man in that one). :-)
February 28, 2013
Originally reviewed - 4/24/08
Yes this is another clique-esque book. But the characters are so sweet and likable that you can't help......not liking them. The girls in this book use their powers of infinite popularity for good not evil like certain other book series. It was refreshing reading about girls who love to eat and aren't to worried about the way they will look after grubbin' (yeah I said grubbin') on hamburgers, onion rings and a nilla-strawberry shake. I like Sara Lawrence's decision to go against the trend of shallow rich girls in a boarding (even though I like some of those books too). I also loved that even though Jinx was the main voice you read throughout the book; you got to hear from a few others including teachers. In closing, I loved Those Girls and cannot wait for the sequel Crushworthy to be released.
Yes this is another clique-esque book. But the characters are so sweet and likable that you can't help......not liking them. The girls in this book use their powers of infinite popularity for good not evil like certain other book series. It was refreshing reading about girls who love to eat and aren't to worried about the way they will look after grubbin' (yeah I said grubbin') on hamburgers, onion rings and a nilla-strawberry shake. I like Sara Lawrence's decision to go against the trend of shallow rich girls in a boarding (even though I like some of those books too). I also loved that even though Jinx was the main voice you read throughout the book; you got to hear from a few others including teachers. In closing, I loved Those Girls and cannot wait for the sequel Crushworthy to be released.
August 2, 2011
I was unable to finish this book because I found it extremely boring. This rarely happens to me, I usually try to finish a book no matter what.
November 15, 2007
I wish I could give this negative stars...
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July 9, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use
Alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use
Read
July 9, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use
Alcohol consumption
Recreational drug use
March 14, 2010
So this is what happens when vampire books -- even repackaged Christopher Pike vampire books from 1992 -- start taking up all the shelf space at the regular bookstore. You wind up with a suddenly huge YA section at the remainder book store, which is usually best for bizarre inaccuracies (e.g. a book predicting that the 2008 presidential race would be between Hillary Clinton and Condoleeza Rice) and weird hey-I-remember-that moments (e.g. cast guide to The Real World circa 2001, self-help books from the Queer Eye guys). According to the signs, everything marked as $4 or more was now $4 (literally signs like "do you have $4? then that book is yours" are plastered everywhere), but the guy gave me all the books I wanted for $3 each, which is how I wound up with this. (I also might mention that this place used to house that "Bodies" exhibit and still has the fake walls and stuff that say "Bodies" in it, and it's also partially a year-round Halloween store. Yup, Crown Books UTC rules.)
As far as I can tell, this book (and possibly the second one, since this one ends rather abruptly) is a repackaging of a British single-title book, High Jinx. Some bright bulb was like wait a sec, if frenemies + boarding school = The It Girl, then maybe (frenemies + boarding school) x England = The Brit Girl. Did they pull it off? Ehm, not quite, given that in spite of the second book's claim that the author is "working on" the third book it never got published, and also that the remainder stickers on these babies were old enough to have discolored the covers. I have a fuzzy memory of having possibly seen these books before somewhere else, but the publisher isn't super familiar to me either, so not sure.
Anyway, I've only read this first one so far, though I have the second one (cause come on, $3) too. It was okay -- has its ups and downs, moments of extreme predictability and moments of extreme WTF (one of the subplots is driven by all of the characters' inability to tell two Asian girls apart), but overall I'd say it reads like a reasonably competent draft someone else could have come along and cleaned up. With all of the chapters from the (gratuitously grotesque and caricatured) teachers' points of view, this actually reminded me most of the movie Private School -- stuff kind of just happens for little reason, there's slapstick to the point of the teen characters appearing nihilistic (they absolutely crack up over any kind of bodily injury to an adult, no matter how horrific), and overall the focus is on everyone just having a fun, sexy time.
It's also very, very British, which makes me question whether this was ever intended for the US market -- loads of Britspeak, and unlike those Georgia Nicolson books, you're on your own with nary a glossary. Also compared to a US YA book, there is much more cursing, drinking (there's not a character here who doesn't seem to be a full-on alcoholic), smoking (same), and heavy drug use (there's some pot, but mostly it's the girls' frankly incredible appetites for ecstasy that gave me pause). I feel like that might have been toned down for a US release. Same goes for their love of Dido, Neighbors, Paul Oakenfold, MTV Dance, and house music in general.
None the less, it was enjoyable enough to get through in a couple days. Did it fill the void left by the lack of Gossip Girl in my life? No. Did it help me push off reading the last A-List: Hollywood Royalty book a little longer and thus extend that series' life for me? Yes. At the same time though, did I learn a lesson about the quality you can expect when you buy a $3 remainder book that has a cover blurb from an author who does not actually exist? Well yes, yes I did.
As far as I can tell, this book (and possibly the second one, since this one ends rather abruptly) is a repackaging of a British single-title book, High Jinx. Some bright bulb was like wait a sec, if frenemies + boarding school = The It Girl, then maybe (frenemies + boarding school) x England = The Brit Girl. Did they pull it off? Ehm, not quite, given that in spite of the second book's claim that the author is "working on" the third book it never got published, and also that the remainder stickers on these babies were old enough to have discolored the covers. I have a fuzzy memory of having possibly seen these books before somewhere else, but the publisher isn't super familiar to me either, so not sure.
Anyway, I've only read this first one so far, though I have the second one (cause come on, $3) too. It was okay -- has its ups and downs, moments of extreme predictability and moments of extreme WTF (one of the subplots is driven by all of the characters' inability to tell two Asian girls apart), but overall I'd say it reads like a reasonably competent draft someone else could have come along and cleaned up. With all of the chapters from the (gratuitously grotesque and caricatured) teachers' points of view, this actually reminded me most of the movie Private School -- stuff kind of just happens for little reason, there's slapstick to the point of the teen characters appearing nihilistic (they absolutely crack up over any kind of bodily injury to an adult, no matter how horrific), and overall the focus is on everyone just having a fun, sexy time.
It's also very, very British, which makes me question whether this was ever intended for the US market -- loads of Britspeak, and unlike those Georgia Nicolson books, you're on your own with nary a glossary. Also compared to a US YA book, there is much more cursing, drinking (there's not a character here who doesn't seem to be a full-on alcoholic), smoking (same), and heavy drug use (there's some pot, but mostly it's the girls' frankly incredible appetites for ecstasy that gave me pause). I feel like that might have been toned down for a US release. Same goes for their love of Dido, Neighbors, Paul Oakenfold, MTV Dance, and house music in general.
None the less, it was enjoyable enough to get through in a couple days. Did it fill the void left by the lack of Gossip Girl in my life? No. Did it help me push off reading the last A-List: Hollywood Royalty book a little longer and thus extend that series' life for me? Yes. At the same time though, did I learn a lesson about the quality you can expect when you buy a $3 remainder book that has a cover blurb from an author who does not actually exist? Well yes, yes I did.
May 1, 2009
This book is about two girls, Jinx Slater and Liberty Latiffe, that live in Britain and go to a all girls boarding school called Stagmount. Jinx and Liberty are best friends and are pretty popular. They have a teacher that doesn't care what they do, a whole bunch of girls that admire them and a whole town waiting for them to come and enjoy. Jinx and Liberty have a window in there room that is almost too easy to escape from, So whenever they can they like to sneak out and stay out all night. Mrs. Patricia Gunn is the most hated teacher at Stagmount. She is a Grumpy old lady who is 6 feet five inches and is as wide as she is tall. One night when Jinx and Liberty try to sneak out Mrs. Gunn happened to look out her window and saw them pushing her mother's wheelchair trying to escape. She already disliked them alot so this pushed her over the edge. She just will have to wait until the next time they escape and catch them.
So life is all good for Jinx and Liberty until Stella Fox comes. Stella comes to Stagmont with all the latest clothes, shoes, and bags. Liberty, who loves all of the cool stuff, quickly falls under Stella's Spell, following her around, ditching her old friends for her, and gossiping about everyone. When Jinx realizes what Stella is doing she quickly informs Liberty about Stella. But Liberty just thinks that Jinx is jealous. So Jinx and her other friends make up a plan to win Libery back. They will act like they like Stella and become friends with her. The plan works pretty good until 1 day Jinx wakes up in the middle of the night to find Liberty crying outside her window. Liberty tells Jinx that she was at dinner with Stella. Liberty wanted to leave and Stella didn't because she saw some cute boys. Libery leaves to go to the bathroom. When she comes back Stella is gone and there is a boy waiting for her. he tells her Stella and the other boy are gone and he can take her home. Liberty feels better when she is walking with him on the beach but suddenly he pushes her down on the ground and steals all her stuff. Liberty tries to get him but cant so she runs back to Stagmont. On her way she slips in the mud ruining Stella's shirt she borrowed. Jinx is furious and is intended on killing her.
One day Jinx comes up with a brilliant plan. she goes into Stella's room and has a chat with her. Stella admits that she was using Liberty. But Jinx can't do anything about it. But what Stella doesn't know is that Jinx had a tape recorder in her pocket catching everything that Stella says. Then she shows the headmistress. Stella gets Expelled and Liberty and Jinx finally get to talk. Jinx tells Liberty the truth and Liberty forgives her.
So life is all good for Jinx and Liberty until Stella Fox comes. Stella comes to Stagmont with all the latest clothes, shoes, and bags. Liberty, who loves all of the cool stuff, quickly falls under Stella's Spell, following her around, ditching her old friends for her, and gossiping about everyone. When Jinx realizes what Stella is doing she quickly informs Liberty about Stella. But Liberty just thinks that Jinx is jealous. So Jinx and her other friends make up a plan to win Libery back. They will act like they like Stella and become friends with her. The plan works pretty good until 1 day Jinx wakes up in the middle of the night to find Liberty crying outside her window. Liberty tells Jinx that she was at dinner with Stella. Liberty wanted to leave and Stella didn't because she saw some cute boys. Libery leaves to go to the bathroom. When she comes back Stella is gone and there is a boy waiting for her. he tells her Stella and the other boy are gone and he can take her home. Liberty feels better when she is walking with him on the beach but suddenly he pushes her down on the ground and steals all her stuff. Liberty tries to get him but cant so she runs back to Stagmont. On her way she slips in the mud ruining Stella's shirt she borrowed. Jinx is furious and is intended on killing her.
One day Jinx comes up with a brilliant plan. she goes into Stella's room and has a chat with her. Stella admits that she was using Liberty. But Jinx can't do anything about it. But what Stella doesn't know is that Jinx had a tape recorder in her pocket catching everything that Stella says. Then she shows the headmistress. Stella gets Expelled and Liberty and Jinx finally get to talk. Jinx tells Liberty the truth and Liberty forgives her.
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November 17, 2010From the first line (which made me laugh so hard), I knew that this would be the kind of quirky book I usually read and I was hooked. I'd put it up but I don't think it's really appropriate, if you get my drift.
Jinx Slater is up to complete mischief, and having just sweet-talked Liberty's strict father into letting her stay at Stagmount, life is good and the pair are set on enjoy themselves by harassing the teachers they hate.
Insert: Stella Fox. Ahh Stella. What can I say about Stella? She is not at all what she seems to be, but unfortunately she has Liberty wrapped round her little finger. Stella isn't telling the whole story, and what she says happened regarding leaving her old school, is not true and what really happened is a lot more shocking when Jinx gets the scoop from some friends who go there.
Meanwhile, Liberty is not budging and refuses to believe what Jinx is telling her about Stella's past. She puts it down to Jinx just being jealous that Liberty has found somebody else to hand around with. As if! But Jinx has a plan to send Stella back to the hell hole she came from and show her exactly who's the boss around here.
I think Stella was a fantastic addition to the book! She is definitely the kind of girl we all know/knew and hate..but maybe a little bit more exaggerated!
I really like Jinx's attitude; how she stayed beside Liberty after what she has accused her of, after all she actually was trying to do what was best for her best friend, and not doing it for herself, which is what we would assume from a rich attendee of a posh and snobby school.
High Jinx is a hilarious story with fantastic teen characters and a very interesting setting! I really enjoyed this and was appalled at how long I could laugh for whilst reading the book! Definitely check this one out, you won't be able to put it down! I'd especially recommend it to lovers of the Young, Loaded and Fabulous series by Kate Kingsley.
Jinx Slater is up to complete mischief, and having just sweet-talked Liberty's strict father into letting her stay at Stagmount, life is good and the pair are set on enjoy themselves by harassing the teachers they hate.
Insert: Stella Fox. Ahh Stella. What can I say about Stella? She is not at all what she seems to be, but unfortunately she has Liberty wrapped round her little finger. Stella isn't telling the whole story, and what she says happened regarding leaving her old school, is not true and what really happened is a lot more shocking when Jinx gets the scoop from some friends who go there.
Meanwhile, Liberty is not budging and refuses to believe what Jinx is telling her about Stella's past. She puts it down to Jinx just being jealous that Liberty has found somebody else to hand around with. As if! But Jinx has a plan to send Stella back to the hell hole she came from and show her exactly who's the boss around here.
I think Stella was a fantastic addition to the book! She is definitely the kind of girl we all know/knew and hate..but maybe a little bit more exaggerated!
I really like Jinx's attitude; how she stayed beside Liberty after what she has accused her of, after all she actually was trying to do what was best for her best friend, and not doing it for herself, which is what we would assume from a rich attendee of a posh and snobby school.
High Jinx is a hilarious story with fantastic teen characters and a very interesting setting! I really enjoyed this and was appalled at how long I could laugh for whilst reading the book! Definitely check this one out, you won't be able to put it down! I'd especially recommend it to lovers of the Young, Loaded and Fabulous series by Kate Kingsley.
August 12, 2010
Those Girls
By Sara Lawrence
320pp. Penguin Group.
ISBN-13: 9781595141699
ISBN: 1595141693
Jinx Slater and Liberty Latiffe are best friends and they're finally in charge at their exclusive high school, the Stagmount School for Girls. Jinx and Liberty are both rich and run wild, doing whatever they want. The girls are having as much fun as they want with as much money, alcohol and drugs as they want, until Stella Fox, a snobby new girl at school, shows up and changes everything. Jinx soon finds herself losing her best friend as Liberty seems to be drawn to Stella. But Jinx doesn't trust Stella as far as she can throw her, and she's not about to lose her best friend to her.
Those Girls fell flat as a novel. I found the plot to be highly unoriginal and full of petty conflict. The girls do drugs and drink (even with their parents) even though they're underage. There's definitely a lot of unnecessary and excessive use of foul language, which takes away from the story. The characters are shallow in their personalities. They constantly sneak off of school grounds, they take advantage of their wealth, they live wild lifestyles for teens.
This story was somewhat similar similar to the Gossip Girl series, as far as how the character behave and act towards one another. I personally don't like the Gossip Girl series, so I'm never too fond of books that are similar to it.
This book wasn't entirely terrible, and there were parts where the author, Sara Lawrence, managed to incorporate some tasteful humor into the text. In the end, I don't plan on reading the next book in the series.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the Gossip Girl series or any book about wild teens and their drama.
By Sara Lawrence
320pp. Penguin Group.
ISBN-13: 9781595141699
ISBN: 1595141693
Jinx Slater and Liberty Latiffe are best friends and they're finally in charge at their exclusive high school, the Stagmount School for Girls. Jinx and Liberty are both rich and run wild, doing whatever they want. The girls are having as much fun as they want with as much money, alcohol and drugs as they want, until Stella Fox, a snobby new girl at school, shows up and changes everything. Jinx soon finds herself losing her best friend as Liberty seems to be drawn to Stella. But Jinx doesn't trust Stella as far as she can throw her, and she's not about to lose her best friend to her.
Those Girls fell flat as a novel. I found the plot to be highly unoriginal and full of petty conflict. The girls do drugs and drink (even with their parents) even though they're underage. There's definitely a lot of unnecessary and excessive use of foul language, which takes away from the story. The characters are shallow in their personalities. They constantly sneak off of school grounds, they take advantage of their wealth, they live wild lifestyles for teens.
This story was somewhat similar similar to the Gossip Girl series, as far as how the character behave and act towards one another. I personally don't like the Gossip Girl series, so I'm never too fond of books that are similar to it.
This book wasn't entirely terrible, and there were parts where the author, Sara Lawrence, managed to incorporate some tasteful humor into the text. In the end, I don't plan on reading the next book in the series.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the Gossip Girl series or any book about wild teens and their drama.
Read
December 3, 2012Jinx and Liberty have been the most popular girls at their private school in Europe for years. They have been best friends for years as well, and nothing, not even their evil house mistress, could ruin that. That is, until Stella Fox shows up. From the get go, Jinx does not like Stella, but Stella and Liberty instantly become friends. Jinx is obviously jealous of their new friendship, especially since she can see the truth about Stella. After talking to an old friend, Jinx learns harmful new serets about Stella's past, and uses them to blackmail her. Yet, Stella has a plan of her own, that ends up breaking up Jinx and Liberty forever.
The purpose of writing this novel was entertainment for the reader. It is intended to be interesting, but the book is not that great. It seems like a cheap spin-off of the Gossip Girl series. The girls go out all of the time and do drugs, and it gets boring after awhile.
The theme of this novel is trust. Liberty should have trusted Jinx when she realized Stella was no good, but she didn't and instead got hurt from it.
The purpose of writing this novel was entertainment for the reader. It is intended to be interesting, but the book is not that great. It seems like a cheap spin-off of the Gossip Girl series. The girls go out all of the time and do drugs, and it gets boring after awhile.
The theme of this novel is trust. Liberty should have trusted Jinx when she realized Stella was no good, but she didn't and instead got hurt from it.
June 19, 2010
Gorgeous British crack - oops, I mean ‘story’. Thoroughly satisfying read. :-)
My Review:
Just this side of `Desperate Housewives’ crazy when it comes to realism, this book hits the mark. If you’ve been to a girl’s boarding school then everything coming out of this author’s head would seem plausible and certainly familiar. The screw driver to release the window’s safety catch, exeat weekends, terrible school food and pupils with stories more horrifying than most people would initially realise etc.
The wonder then, perhaps, is that you’d bother to read on; however Sara Lawrence has written a funny, engaging book, with a strong heroine. ‘Jin’ is observant, intriguing and will make you want to stand up and cheer occasionally, despite the books’ third person narration. It’s all just so very personable.
I’ll be checking out the sequel ‘Jinxed’ just as soon as I can (apparently Jinx gets a man in that one). :-)
My Review:
Just this side of `Desperate Housewives’ crazy when it comes to realism, this book hits the mark. If you’ve been to a girl’s boarding school then everything coming out of this author’s head would seem plausible and certainly familiar. The screw driver to release the window’s safety catch, exeat weekends, terrible school food and pupils with stories more horrifying than most people would initially realise etc.
The wonder then, perhaps, is that you’d bother to read on; however Sara Lawrence has written a funny, engaging book, with a strong heroine. ‘Jin’ is observant, intriguing and will make you want to stand up and cheer occasionally, despite the books’ third person narration. It’s all just so very personable.
I’ll be checking out the sequel ‘Jinxed’ just as soon as I can (apparently Jinx gets a man in that one). :-)
July 15, 2015
Omg- I'm so glad I'm not in High School anymore, and especially not with these girls!! 'Those Girls' is a coming-to-reality story told from the perspectives of 3 frien-emies, who all eventually realize that life doesn't revolve around them, they are better off just being themselves, and that honesty really will clear up most issues in life. Wise and brilliantly written in 'teenage voice'- I can hear my High School self in the characters.. girls talking about me "like I wasn't a real person with feelings and ears who maybe had a side of the story also" and dealing with the everyday social angst of girls "scanning me & my performance for signs of imperfection to exploit." Daft gets the twisted social escapades and thought processes of teen girls, which is so often hatefulness disguised as friendship, and delivers one hell of a view with 'Those Girls'.
July 13, 2012
Full of all the little details that make it so familiar to anyone who's been to an all-girls school in England. Running up the down staircase to annoy an unpopular teacher, the unspoken rule that you don't sulk if an easy-going teacher tells you off for breaking the rules, hiding to miss assembly but going to lessons... so much of this book was familiar (even though I didn't go to a boarding school). Lawrence really captures the experience of her characters so even though most of the characters apart from Jinx could have done with a little more fleshing out, the novel is an honest and engaging one to read.
March 12, 2008
I really enjoyed this book about life in the sixth form of a private school. There were real laugh out loud moments, and I thought it portrayed teenagers and their thoughts very well. I also liked that this book didn't have the usual 'everyone lives happily ever after' ending. Great read.
July 30, 2007
I couldn't even finish this. Don't waste your time.
September 26, 2008
This seemed like it should have been one of those mindless YA books, but despite having the storyline of one, the writing made it seem more than that.
July 30, 2009
Poor young adult that relies on swearing, bitchy comments and sexual references. Disappointing.
August 1, 2010
Nice book. Fun to see how much a private school in England differs from the schools here.
December 23, 2010
Great light reading for when I wanted something fun.
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January 7, 2012you know actually i think this book is very confusing and seems like alot of info is skipped over i mean it is a very good book but its like something is missing i hope the next one is better
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September 3, 2012This book just not good to mean...it wasnt a good attention grabber
June 11, 2014
This was quite a book, in the sense of what-did-I-just-read. Extremely random and cheeky at parts, but it somehow redeemed itself at the end and earned that second star.
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March 12, 2014Awesome and really funny
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June 12, 2011Can't Wait to read the next book
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