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Gossip Girl: The Carlyles #1
The Carlyles
Get out your Montblanc pens, Chloé satchels, and cashmere cardigans: it's a brand new season on the Upper East Side, and the irresistable Carlyle triplets are taking Manhattan by storm. You know its going to be another wild and wicked year, and I'll be there to whisper all the juicy secrets.
You know you love me,
GossipGirl
gossipgirl.net
You know you love me,
GossipGirl
gossipgirl.net
243 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
76 people are currently reading
3588 people want to read
About the author
Cecily von Ziegesar
105 books2,967 followersCecily von Ziegesar is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Gossip Girl novels, upon which the hit television show is based.
Cecily von Ziegesar was born in New York City. Her childhood dream was to grow up to be a ballerina; she began lessons at age 3 and auditioned for the School of American Ballet at age 8, but was rejected.
As a teenager, von Ziegesar commuted to Manhattan at 6 a.m. to attend the Nightingale-Bamford School. After graduating from Nightingale, von Ziegesar attended Colby College before spending a year in Budapest working for a local radio station.
Von Ziegesar returned to the United States to study creative writing at the University of Arizona, but dropped out shortly thereafter.
Back in New York, while working at book-packaging firm Alloy Entertainment, von Ziegesar became inspired to create the Gossip Girl series, which follows the lives of privileged teenagers in New York. The series climbed to the top of The New York Times best-sellers list in 2002. A spin-off series, The It Girl, made the list in 2005.
The Constance Billard School for Girls in Gossip Girl is based upon an exaggerated version of von Ziegesar's alma mater, Nightingale. She also culled events from the book from the lives of her extremely wealthy friends, as well as her own life as a perpetual gossip.
She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her family.
Cecily von Ziegesar was born in New York City. Her childhood dream was to grow up to be a ballerina; she began lessons at age 3 and auditioned for the School of American Ballet at age 8, but was rejected.
As a teenager, von Ziegesar commuted to Manhattan at 6 a.m. to attend the Nightingale-Bamford School. After graduating from Nightingale, von Ziegesar attended Colby College before spending a year in Budapest working for a local radio station.
Von Ziegesar returned to the United States to study creative writing at the University of Arizona, but dropped out shortly thereafter.
Back in New York, while working at book-packaging firm Alloy Entertainment, von Ziegesar became inspired to create the Gossip Girl series, which follows the lives of privileged teenagers in New York. The series climbed to the top of The New York Times best-sellers list in 2002. A spin-off series, The It Girl, made the list in 2005.
The Constance Billard School for Girls in Gossip Girl is based upon an exaggerated version of von Ziegesar's alma mater, Nightingale. She also culled events from the book from the lives of her extremely wealthy friends, as well as her own life as a perpetual gossip.
She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her family.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
July 18, 2019
I used to be obsessed with the gossip girl series and the it girl series and also the carlyles spin off! I'm going to devour this and feel 14 again!
July 25, 2008
after all the better books in the gossip girl this was a huge letdown.
The earlier books were so much better than this bundle of crap.
It was like she wanted to continue her books because, goshity, people still like her
stuff and this was like: I couldn't think of more complex characters.
Some of them were the same:
-The head honcho beeotch-addicted to shopping
-New girl-perfectionist, oblivious to New York's popularityness
-New girl-boho rebel (of course), hates school, hates mainstream
-New boy- in love with his best friend's girlfriend, gorgeous (aren't they all?)
-Best Guy friend- swimmer, gorgeous(see what I mean????), had his girlfriend break up with him
-Head honcho beeotchs friends-obsulutely no personality or at least in their fashion choices and what type of body language they have.
And the rest of it is about the 4 s's: smoking, school, shopping, and sex.
Of course.
But the earlier books, why yes they did talk about sex and yes it was a semi manin point, it wasn't the main subject! LIke the way how she developed the characters and then it was fun to read about what happened intheir lives. YOu know?
The earlier books were so much better than this bundle of crap.
It was like she wanted to continue her books because, goshity, people still like her
stuff and this was like: I couldn't think of more complex characters.
Some of them were the same:
-The head honcho beeotch-addicted to shopping
-New girl-perfectionist, oblivious to New York's popularityness
-New girl-boho rebel (of course), hates school, hates mainstream
-New boy- in love with his best friend's girlfriend, gorgeous (aren't they all?)
-Best Guy friend- swimmer, gorgeous(see what I mean????), had his girlfriend break up with him
-Head honcho beeotchs friends-obsulutely no personality or at least in their fashion choices and what type of body language they have.
And the rest of it is about the 4 s's: smoking, school, shopping, and sex.
Of course.
But the earlier books, why yes they did talk about sex and yes it was a semi manin point, it wasn't the main subject! LIke the way how she developed the characters and then it was fun to read about what happened intheir lives. YOu know?
February 7, 2016
A fun and quick read, very addicting!
December 1, 2016
wel geinig
May 15, 2017
i couldn't even finish this. that's saying a lot, since i could manage to finish the twilight books..
November 25, 2015
At A Glance
Genre: Young Adult; Chick Lit
Love Triangle/Insta Love?: Slight triangle.
Cliff Hanger: nah
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 7
Plot: 7
Characters: 5
World Building: 6
Flow: 7
Series Congruity: n/a
Writing: 7
Ending: 7
Total: 6
In Dept
Best Part: um. More bitchy girls
Worst Part: Felt the same.
Thoughts Had: So you're Blair basically; what a ho; yah blackmail!
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: yes
Recommending: eh
Short Review: The whole time i was reading this i felt like i was reading Gossip Girl still, but just different names. Jack is basically Blair, J.P. is Nate, Baby feels like Serena, Avery is like Blair mixed with Serena. Haven't figured out who Owen is yet, but we'll see how the second book goes. I'm fine with them reminding me of the past characters but they better start having their own personalities come out soon
Genre: Young Adult; Chick Lit
Love Triangle/Insta Love?: Slight triangle.
Cliff Hanger: nah
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Score Sheet
All out of ten
Cover: 7
Plot: 7
Characters: 5
World Building: 6
Flow: 7
Series Congruity: n/a
Writing: 7
Ending: 7
Total: 6
In Dept
Best Part: um. More bitchy girls
Worst Part: Felt the same.
Thoughts Had: So you're Blair basically; what a ho; yah blackmail!
Conclusion
Continuing the Series: yes
Recommending: eh
Short Review: The whole time i was reading this i felt like i was reading Gossip Girl still, but just different names. Jack is basically Blair, J.P. is Nate, Baby feels like Serena, Avery is like Blair mixed with Serena. Haven't figured out who Owen is yet, but we'll see how the second book goes. I'm fine with them reminding me of the past characters but they better start having their own personalities come out soon
June 10, 2024
The Carlyle’s (UPDATED)
Avery Carlyle has passed away. It says she had a kind heart and gave away a lot of her fortune (to museums, libraries, parks, and such). She was “charming” and could get what she wanted out of anyone. She had a daughter named Edy who ran away to Nantucket to find herself and she came back to sort out her mother’s things. This might take a while so she’s moved in with her triplets (Baby, Avery, and Owen) and shut down the Nantucket House.
Baby thinks about her boyfriend Tom Devlin who surprised her with a visit to NY but left last night. She goes into her sister Avery’s room and wakes her up. NY just hasn’t felt like home to her. She tries to get Avery to go out with her. Avery sees her sisters puffy eyes and knows what it’s about so she agrees. (even though she doesn’t think much of Tom). Avery unlike her sister loves the East Side. They’re joined by their brother Owen who offers them a mimosa. He’s up because of a porno dream. His sisters are being vague and he wonders what’s up with them and if he’ll ever understand them (in between thoughts of swimming). Edy comes out and asks them for their opinion on a sculpture she bought of a chinchilla. Baby. Avery, and Owen make up excuses to leave. (Even tho Baby kind of likes the sculpture).
Avery spends the day at Barney’s. There’s a 4. 000 bag that catches her eye, but as she’s about to purchase it, it’s attempted to be claimed by Jack Laurant. The sales girls tells her they tried to contact her so they’ll have to put her back on the waiting list. Only Jack isn’t giving up the bag. Avery pulls the bag out of Jack’s grip and walks away with it. Only a buzzer goes off and the bag is snatched back by the sales girl. Avery protesting all the while she was going to pay for it, but the sales girl gives the bag to Jack. She’s escorted out by security guards. She’s embarrassed until she realizes no one knows her here. She can be who she wants and by tomorrow the incident with that bitchy girl who stole her purse will be forgotten.
Owen goes to pick up his swim trunks from the (Rhys). He invites him to brunch but instead suggests bagels in the park. Reece takes him to his favorite spot (Velveter Castle). O wen thinks of a girl named Cat that he lost his virginity too back home. She pulled a “Cinderella” and left him on the beach leaving only her bracelet behind. They exchange some small talk about Nantucket and what school is like there. He doesn’t tell Reece back home he was thought of as a player. Then they race as cute girls watch. Even tho they’re chased from the pond, he decides living in Manhattan might not be so bad.
Jack meets up with her boyfriend JP after ballet class. We get some background. Her mother was a famous ballerina but gave it up when she was born. .Her father is an Ambassador from Paris. They divorced after being in NY for a short time and her father remarried and had kids. Jacq had a bad ballerina class. They decide to have lunch. JP is excited about an intern. Jack only cares that he didn’t tell her she looked pretty. She’s feeling insecure because she got kicked out of the Paris Opera Program. But it’s all good as long as she has JP (who she knows she’ll mary one day and maybe this eyar they’ll do it). It’s not long into the lunch before she suggests “getting out of there”. As Rhy swims and tries to sober up, he thinks of his girlfriend Kelsey. He’s been in Europe and she’s been in the Cave. They’ve been missing each others ’s calls and he thinks of the promise they made to make love when they hooked back up. Kelsy then shows up. Rhys is about to get it but his mother interrupts and tells them to meet her for teas. Kelsey tells him another time not at all upset (Rhys notices).
On the first day of school, Avery introduces herself to Jiffy. She overhears her talking about a girl named Jack to another girl. But then she turns around and there’s Jack asking if she’s stole any Givenchy bags lately. She tells her to move she’s in her seat and suggests she sit by the door in case she needs to run. So, Avery goes to sit by Baby. Baby asks what’s up with Jack, but Avery doesn’t tell her what went down at Barney’s. Before they can introduce themselves, Jaq makes a snide comment about their clothes. Then Baby calls her a bitch in French. She’s then sent to the office. Avery takes up for her and apologizes. Jacq says if she would have known they were sisters she would have been nicer. She says she knows Avery has some issues too. The teacher says she doesn’t want to hear anymore and gives them a French test. Avery sees a note that asks if the new girl is on something. The first day has been a fail but there’s always tomorrow.
In art class, Owen thinks about Kat. After class, he sees Kat. She runs to Rhys and he introduces him to his girl Kelsey. He tells her his name is Owen. He apologizes and says he and Kelsey are going to hang out for lunch so he can’t have lunch with him. He’s oblivious to them both looking at the floor. They part and Rhys and Kelsey go to the park. Kelsey calls it off with himand tells him there’s someone else but she won’t say who. She says she’ll always love him, but it’ll be dishonest if they stay together. Then she walks away. Baby finds herself in the headmistress’s office She tells her to do her community service for a month and they’ll put this incident behind them. She gives her the Code of Conduct book and warns her she has three strikes. Baby thinks hmm. If she can get kicked up she can convince Edy she doesn’t belong here.
Avery is introduced to a girl with stripper boots and what looks like a nipple piercing that says her name is Sdyney. She tells her about her disgust with Constance, but despite her morning, Avery loves Constance. Sdyney tho seems to be the only one that will talk to her. Avery is wondering how she can make her mark there when the principal announces a position for the student liaison to the board of overseers. The elections wil be at the mother daughter Ravern on the Green lunch Sunday. Jiffy thinks Jacq thinks It sounds boring but it’ll be a good excuse to plan some good parties and look good on her college applications so she picks up a application. Then thinks Avery and the other girl who got a packet don’t stand a chance. When Baby calls Tom,, Kendra gets on the phone (which makes her jealous). She tells her she’ll be back in time for the beach party Friday. The rest of the conversation is quick. Theyre headed for the dock. A cute guy catches her attention walking a dog (who takes off). She brings him back to his own.
He's handsome but not her type. He says his name is JP. He introduces her to his other dogs. Then they become better acquainted. He asks if she’d like to help him take care of the dogs. She’d get paid. She agrees to but says she doesn’t need his money. Avery goes to her grandmother’s house after school. She wanted her family to live here but it’s being catalogued. She wonders how to win over the girls so she can get voted onto the overseers. The spirit of her grandmother tells her to throw a fabulous party. So, she decides to throw a modern-day tea party. She packs up her grandmother’s tea set. Rhys notices weirdly that Owen seems to be just as depressed as he is even tho the girls all seem to fawn over him and follow him everywhere. The swim coach announces the yearly date auction. When Jacq comes home she finds out her father has sold the house and all the furniture. They’ll live on the rooms on the top floor. He’d been warning her mother for some time now to get a “real job”.
Rhys confesses to Own Kelsey broke up with him and told him there was someone else. In solidarity the swim team guys agree not to get any until Rhys gets some again. And they’ll all grow facial hair. Rhys confides to Owen he’d feel better if he knows who the guy is and makes him promise to pull the guys nuts off if he meets him. Avery passes out invites to her party (tea cups with an invite attached). Baby is supposed to help the lunch lady sort out suggestions but skips it. STRIKE TWO! Avery tells her about the get together. Baby then goes to meet up with JP. He offers to go with her but she says she’s got this. Jacq convinces Sarah, Genevive, and jiffy to not go to the party They decide to go out instead, but Jacq has to tell them they’re renovating Not shortly after, Jacq’s card is declined and she makes an excuse and leaves abruptly. Jacq goes to her father to confront him and tells her until she can prove she’s responsible he’s not supporting her lifestyle. He doesn’t want her to end up like her mother (whose an artist) and he’ll only pay for her schooling (not ballet). He invites her to come live with him, but Jacq knows her mother needs her. Jacq says she got the position of the student liaison and Charles says he’ll come. She calls JP but can’t quite bring herself to tell him that now she’s poor and just tells him to call her back.
Kelsey comes by and tells Owen their neighboors. She apologizes and gives an explanation. She says she was hoping he’d find her. Owen immediately takes her in his arms Rhys texts and invites him to have cocktails. Rhys arrives before Kat can even leave. He tells her to wait in his room and when they leave, she can leave. They both agree to figure this out. Rhys says he waited at Kat’s apartment for an hour and then she came out and he followed her, but he lost her. Owen tells him he’s obsessing and then suggests they go out for beers. No one shows up for Avery’s tea party but Sydney. She asks her why its so important to her to get the student liaison position. She says it’s just important (thinking of her grandmother). After Sydney leaves, she all of a sudden gets a new sense of determination to prove herself.
Avery decides to have another *real* party. She invites Jiffy and Genevive. Baby doesn’t like how quick her sisters switched up. All Jiffy has to hear is Avery has a brother. JP and Baby bond when taking the dogs for a run. During dinner with JP’s family, Jaq announces she’s going to have a party at one of JPs father’s buildings to celebrate getting the position. JP acts blasé about it. Jacq overreacts when the dog tries to be affectionate and scratches her. with her at the restaurant (Umm..) JP cares more about the dog and his mother than his bleeding girlfriend. Kelsey wants to see Owen again but he tells her can’t because of Rhys. Rhys and Owen (in disguise) go to spy and see if they can find out Kat’s new guy. They come close to getting caught. Owen says he’ll help Rhys find a girl. Rhys thinks this will make Kat come back.
Jacq goes over to JPs to fool around, but is interrupted and then she sees Baby. JP tries to treat her like she’s just an employee to save face and she gets the hint and leaves. Jacq breaks down over she leaves but tells JP it’s about a dress. Baby talks to Tom and he rushes of to do something with Kendra. She tries to get Avery to change the party to Saturday but she says too late.Tom won’t change the date of his party either. Baby is late for class and gets kicked out and sent to the headmistresses. She bumps into her and she reminds her that her community service is mandatory and tells her to be there after school. Baby tells her she won’t be able to make it EVER and then walks out of the school.
Rhys wants to go to a waxing place because the hair is slowing his swimming down. While there owen hooks him up with a girl named Astra. Avery tries to invite jaq and her friends to her party, but Jaq just snubs her and insults her grandmother. Avery goes over to Jaqs and then finds out she lives in the attic. Jacq says she’ll put her party off until October and she’ll tell her people to come. But Jacq starts to plot. What if Avery’s party got trashed. Baby finds out when she goes back home that Tom’s being having Kendra on the side. He tells her he was lonely and she was just there. Baby leaves to go back home. Rhys leaves the party after Kelsey comes up to him and doesn’t care in the least he’s there with Astra. JP leaves the party too. The party rages on until 1:00 Am. Jaq continues to get Avery drunker and drunker. But then Jacq calls in a noise complaint. The police show up and the other kids flee. Avery is handcuffed for trespassing and taken to the station. (The cuffs are emmoved in the car). Owen is allowed to take her home. After this Owen tells Kat she was only a one-night-stand so she’ll get back with Rhys. JP comes to Nantucket, apologizes, and asks Baby to come home.
Avery wins the student liason position. Jacqu’s dad tells her he’s disappointed in her for lying and tells her to call him when she’s serious. Jacq starts in on JP for not showing up and for leaving the party early. He tells her he can’t anymore but doesn’t fully break up with her. He gets a cab and sends her home. On the way home, she sees Baby in JPS sweat shirt.
My Thoughts:
As much as I didn’t want to re-read this because I remembered it being not that great as I started to read the second book, I realized this one didn’t have a full summary. I choose this book thinking it would be the first in the Gossip Girl series-hearing such strong praise of the television series by my cousin-. Confusedly finding out it wasn't the first book in the series. An easy mistake to make as my copy only says Gossip Girls on the front. It didn't give me the best first impression. It was a little lack-luster because honestly, I couldn't relate to the characters.
Avery is one of those girls that wants the approval of the "in" crowd so badly that she'll do anything to get it. Even throwing an out-of-control party orchestrated for the benefit of the same girl who she's trying to be down with who just so happens to be the one that knife's her in the back and winds her up drunk and behind bars. Then she proudly wears the same necklace that says ASlob like it's a thing of honor to a brunch, where the only reason she gets the position is because of her grandmother.
The mother Eddie seems oblivious. She doesn't notice her child is missing for a couple of days and then she seems more concerned about the uniforms and keeping up appearances than oh let's say your daughter just threw a party with practically half-naked people having sex, getting high, and drunk. In what world? Definitely not mine.
Then there's Baby. Even though I can't fault Baby's blindness (because I've been there). Yet, I don't think it was a secret that he would NOT stay faithful to her. It was practically in your face from the moment her "friend" got on the phone.
Now Owen as a character impressed me the most because it showed integrity to do what he did. It made him stand out above all the three.
Jack, I don't know if we were supposed to sympathize with her for her loss of everything and JP (which honestly sometimes it felt like we should roll our eyes. Poor little Jack. It's the end of the world you can't buy Prada bags and Manolo's and have to live in an attic. Life as we know it is OVER! ) Or if we should hate her for being the bad girl-villain. I've read worse.
JP also felt a little bland. There was a reason that dog keeps crapping on him. He's a crappy character. What even does he do except walk dogs and serve as Jack's lap dog half the book?
Rating: 4. It was a bad introduction to the series but hopefully, the original series will be better
Avery Carlyle has passed away. It says she had a kind heart and gave away a lot of her fortune (to museums, libraries, parks, and such). She was “charming” and could get what she wanted out of anyone. She had a daughter named Edy who ran away to Nantucket to find herself and she came back to sort out her mother’s things. This might take a while so she’s moved in with her triplets (Baby, Avery, and Owen) and shut down the Nantucket House.
Baby thinks about her boyfriend Tom Devlin who surprised her with a visit to NY but left last night. She goes into her sister Avery’s room and wakes her up. NY just hasn’t felt like home to her. She tries to get Avery to go out with her. Avery sees her sisters puffy eyes and knows what it’s about so she agrees. (even though she doesn’t think much of Tom). Avery unlike her sister loves the East Side. They’re joined by their brother Owen who offers them a mimosa. He’s up because of a porno dream. His sisters are being vague and he wonders what’s up with them and if he’ll ever understand them (in between thoughts of swimming). Edy comes out and asks them for their opinion on a sculpture she bought of a chinchilla. Baby. Avery, and Owen make up excuses to leave. (Even tho Baby kind of likes the sculpture).
Avery spends the day at Barney’s. There’s a 4. 000 bag that catches her eye, but as she’s about to purchase it, it’s attempted to be claimed by Jack Laurant. The sales girls tells her they tried to contact her so they’ll have to put her back on the waiting list. Only Jack isn’t giving up the bag. Avery pulls the bag out of Jack’s grip and walks away with it. Only a buzzer goes off and the bag is snatched back by the sales girl. Avery protesting all the while she was going to pay for it, but the sales girl gives the bag to Jack. She’s escorted out by security guards. She’s embarrassed until she realizes no one knows her here. She can be who she wants and by tomorrow the incident with that bitchy girl who stole her purse will be forgotten.
Owen goes to pick up his swim trunks from the (Rhys). He invites him to brunch but instead suggests bagels in the park. Reece takes him to his favorite spot (Velveter Castle). O wen thinks of a girl named Cat that he lost his virginity too back home. She pulled a “Cinderella” and left him on the beach leaving only her bracelet behind. They exchange some small talk about Nantucket and what school is like there. He doesn’t tell Reece back home he was thought of as a player. Then they race as cute girls watch. Even tho they’re chased from the pond, he decides living in Manhattan might not be so bad.
Jack meets up with her boyfriend JP after ballet class. We get some background. Her mother was a famous ballerina but gave it up when she was born. .Her father is an Ambassador from Paris. They divorced after being in NY for a short time and her father remarried and had kids. Jacq had a bad ballerina class. They decide to have lunch. JP is excited about an intern. Jack only cares that he didn’t tell her she looked pretty. She’s feeling insecure because she got kicked out of the Paris Opera Program. But it’s all good as long as she has JP (who she knows she’ll mary one day and maybe this eyar they’ll do it). It’s not long into the lunch before she suggests “getting out of there”. As Rhy swims and tries to sober up, he thinks of his girlfriend Kelsey. He’s been in Europe and she’s been in the Cave. They’ve been missing each others ’s calls and he thinks of the promise they made to make love when they hooked back up. Kelsy then shows up. Rhys is about to get it but his mother interrupts and tells them to meet her for teas. Kelsey tells him another time not at all upset (Rhys notices).
On the first day of school, Avery introduces herself to Jiffy. She overhears her talking about a girl named Jack to another girl. But then she turns around and there’s Jack asking if she’s stole any Givenchy bags lately. She tells her to move she’s in her seat and suggests she sit by the door in case she needs to run. So, Avery goes to sit by Baby. Baby asks what’s up with Jack, but Avery doesn’t tell her what went down at Barney’s. Before they can introduce themselves, Jaq makes a snide comment about their clothes. Then Baby calls her a bitch in French. She’s then sent to the office. Avery takes up for her and apologizes. Jacq says if she would have known they were sisters she would have been nicer. She says she knows Avery has some issues too. The teacher says she doesn’t want to hear anymore and gives them a French test. Avery sees a note that asks if the new girl is on something. The first day has been a fail but there’s always tomorrow.
In art class, Owen thinks about Kat. After class, he sees Kat. She runs to Rhys and he introduces him to his girl Kelsey. He tells her his name is Owen. He apologizes and says he and Kelsey are going to hang out for lunch so he can’t have lunch with him. He’s oblivious to them both looking at the floor. They part and Rhys and Kelsey go to the park. Kelsey calls it off with himand tells him there’s someone else but she won’t say who. She says she’ll always love him, but it’ll be dishonest if they stay together. Then she walks away. Baby finds herself in the headmistress’s office She tells her to do her community service for a month and they’ll put this incident behind them. She gives her the Code of Conduct book and warns her she has three strikes. Baby thinks hmm. If she can get kicked up she can convince Edy she doesn’t belong here.
Avery is introduced to a girl with stripper boots and what looks like a nipple piercing that says her name is Sdyney. She tells her about her disgust with Constance, but despite her morning, Avery loves Constance. Sdyney tho seems to be the only one that will talk to her. Avery is wondering how she can make her mark there when the principal announces a position for the student liaison to the board of overseers. The elections wil be at the mother daughter Ravern on the Green lunch Sunday. Jiffy thinks Jacq thinks It sounds boring but it’ll be a good excuse to plan some good parties and look good on her college applications so she picks up a application. Then thinks Avery and the other girl who got a packet don’t stand a chance. When Baby calls Tom,, Kendra gets on the phone (which makes her jealous). She tells her she’ll be back in time for the beach party Friday. The rest of the conversation is quick. Theyre headed for the dock. A cute guy catches her attention walking a dog (who takes off). She brings him back to his own.
He's handsome but not her type. He says his name is JP. He introduces her to his other dogs. Then they become better acquainted. He asks if she’d like to help him take care of the dogs. She’d get paid. She agrees to but says she doesn’t need his money. Avery goes to her grandmother’s house after school. She wanted her family to live here but it’s being catalogued. She wonders how to win over the girls so she can get voted onto the overseers. The spirit of her grandmother tells her to throw a fabulous party. So, she decides to throw a modern-day tea party. She packs up her grandmother’s tea set. Rhys notices weirdly that Owen seems to be just as depressed as he is even tho the girls all seem to fawn over him and follow him everywhere. The swim coach announces the yearly date auction. When Jacq comes home she finds out her father has sold the house and all the furniture. They’ll live on the rooms on the top floor. He’d been warning her mother for some time now to get a “real job”.
Rhys confesses to Own Kelsey broke up with him and told him there was someone else. In solidarity the swim team guys agree not to get any until Rhys gets some again. And they’ll all grow facial hair. Rhys confides to Owen he’d feel better if he knows who the guy is and makes him promise to pull the guys nuts off if he meets him. Avery passes out invites to her party (tea cups with an invite attached). Baby is supposed to help the lunch lady sort out suggestions but skips it. STRIKE TWO! Avery tells her about the get together. Baby then goes to meet up with JP. He offers to go with her but she says she’s got this. Jacq convinces Sarah, Genevive, and jiffy to not go to the party They decide to go out instead, but Jacq has to tell them they’re renovating Not shortly after, Jacq’s card is declined and she makes an excuse and leaves abruptly. Jacq goes to her father to confront him and tells her until she can prove she’s responsible he’s not supporting her lifestyle. He doesn’t want her to end up like her mother (whose an artist) and he’ll only pay for her schooling (not ballet). He invites her to come live with him, but Jacq knows her mother needs her. Jacq says she got the position of the student liaison and Charles says he’ll come. She calls JP but can’t quite bring herself to tell him that now she’s poor and just tells him to call her back.
Kelsey comes by and tells Owen their neighboors. She apologizes and gives an explanation. She says she was hoping he’d find her. Owen immediately takes her in his arms Rhys texts and invites him to have cocktails. Rhys arrives before Kat can even leave. He tells her to wait in his room and when they leave, she can leave. They both agree to figure this out. Rhys says he waited at Kat’s apartment for an hour and then she came out and he followed her, but he lost her. Owen tells him he’s obsessing and then suggests they go out for beers. No one shows up for Avery’s tea party but Sydney. She asks her why its so important to her to get the student liaison position. She says it’s just important (thinking of her grandmother). After Sydney leaves, she all of a sudden gets a new sense of determination to prove herself.
Avery decides to have another *real* party. She invites Jiffy and Genevive. Baby doesn’t like how quick her sisters switched up. All Jiffy has to hear is Avery has a brother. JP and Baby bond when taking the dogs for a run. During dinner with JP’s family, Jaq announces she’s going to have a party at one of JPs father’s buildings to celebrate getting the position. JP acts blasé about it. Jacq overreacts when the dog tries to be affectionate and scratches her. with her at the restaurant (Umm..) JP cares more about the dog and his mother than his bleeding girlfriend. Kelsey wants to see Owen again but he tells her can’t because of Rhys. Rhys and Owen (in disguise) go to spy and see if they can find out Kat’s new guy. They come close to getting caught. Owen says he’ll help Rhys find a girl. Rhys thinks this will make Kat come back.
Jacq goes over to JPs to fool around, but is interrupted and then she sees Baby. JP tries to treat her like she’s just an employee to save face and she gets the hint and leaves. Jacq breaks down over she leaves but tells JP it’s about a dress. Baby talks to Tom and he rushes of to do something with Kendra. She tries to get Avery to change the party to Saturday but she says too late.Tom won’t change the date of his party either. Baby is late for class and gets kicked out and sent to the headmistresses. She bumps into her and she reminds her that her community service is mandatory and tells her to be there after school. Baby tells her she won’t be able to make it EVER and then walks out of the school.
Rhys wants to go to a waxing place because the hair is slowing his swimming down. While there owen hooks him up with a girl named Astra. Avery tries to invite jaq and her friends to her party, but Jaq just snubs her and insults her grandmother. Avery goes over to Jaqs and then finds out she lives in the attic. Jacq says she’ll put her party off until October and she’ll tell her people to come. But Jacq starts to plot. What if Avery’s party got trashed. Baby finds out when she goes back home that Tom’s being having Kendra on the side. He tells her he was lonely and she was just there. Baby leaves to go back home. Rhys leaves the party after Kelsey comes up to him and doesn’t care in the least he’s there with Astra. JP leaves the party too. The party rages on until 1:00 Am. Jaq continues to get Avery drunker and drunker. But then Jacq calls in a noise complaint. The police show up and the other kids flee. Avery is handcuffed for trespassing and taken to the station. (The cuffs are emmoved in the car). Owen is allowed to take her home. After this Owen tells Kat she was only a one-night-stand so she’ll get back with Rhys. JP comes to Nantucket, apologizes, and asks Baby to come home.
Avery wins the student liason position. Jacqu’s dad tells her he’s disappointed in her for lying and tells her to call him when she’s serious. Jacq starts in on JP for not showing up and for leaving the party early. He tells her he can’t anymore but doesn’t fully break up with her. He gets a cab and sends her home. On the way home, she sees Baby in JPS sweat shirt.
My Thoughts:
As much as I didn’t want to re-read this because I remembered it being not that great as I started to read the second book, I realized this one didn’t have a full summary. I choose this book thinking it would be the first in the Gossip Girl series-hearing such strong praise of the television series by my cousin-. Confusedly finding out it wasn't the first book in the series. An easy mistake to make as my copy only says Gossip Girls on the front. It didn't give me the best first impression. It was a little lack-luster because honestly, I couldn't relate to the characters.
Avery is one of those girls that wants the approval of the "in" crowd so badly that she'll do anything to get it. Even throwing an out-of-control party orchestrated for the benefit of the same girl who she's trying to be down with who just so happens to be the one that knife's her in the back and winds her up drunk and behind bars. Then she proudly wears the same necklace that says ASlob like it's a thing of honor to a brunch, where the only reason she gets the position is because of her grandmother.
The mother Eddie seems oblivious. She doesn't notice her child is missing for a couple of days and then she seems more concerned about the uniforms and keeping up appearances than oh let's say your daughter just threw a party with practically half-naked people having sex, getting high, and drunk. In what world? Definitely not mine.
Then there's Baby. Even though I can't fault Baby's blindness (because I've been there). Yet, I don't think it was a secret that he would NOT stay faithful to her. It was practically in your face from the moment her "friend" got on the phone.
Now Owen as a character impressed me the most because it showed integrity to do what he did. It made him stand out above all the three.
Jack, I don't know if we were supposed to sympathize with her for her loss of everything and JP (which honestly sometimes it felt like we should roll our eyes. Poor little Jack. It's the end of the world you can't buy Prada bags and Manolo's and have to live in an attic. Life as we know it is OVER! ) Or if we should hate her for being the bad girl-villain. I've read worse.
JP also felt a little bland. There was a reason that dog keeps crapping on him. He's a crappy character. What even does he do except walk dogs and serve as Jack's lap dog half the book?
Rating: 4. It was a bad introduction to the series but hopefully, the original series will be better
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2024
'The Carlyles' is the first book of a new series in the Gossip Girl universe, but, by a new author. And it actually shows. Yes, the writing style tries to mimic the original one, but fails to do so. Also, the story was predictable, kind of reminded me of the original one, and the characters were flat and boring.
June 20, 2010
First off; the things that bother me. It's really hard to keep these new characters straight. Also, sometimes the writing style gets to the point where the author tries too hard to mimic Cecily von Ziegezar's style. There's just no perfectly imitating someone's writing style, and the over-the-top attempts get annoying after a while. I guess I'm just not a fan of the ghost writer concept in general. And the names bother me so much. It's like every new name introduced is more outrageous than the previous as if the author deliberately tries to find the weirdest and stupidest names to name these characters.
That said, the characters are slightly interesting, though. I especially like how some of them have to actually struggle to fit in.. the love triangle is a little interesting, and it doesn't give the vibe that these characters get away with everything (even though there's that miraculous twist in the end for Avery). Anyway, the problems do feel a bit more real, and at one point I was actually more than just a little interested in their efforts. The summary however was misleading, because I thought the triplets were gonna be these fabulous new people or whatever, when they actually started out from pretty much nobodies and aren't all that amazing.
That said, the characters are slightly interesting, though. I especially like how some of them have to actually struggle to fit in.. the love triangle is a little interesting, and it doesn't give the vibe that these characters get away with everything (even though there's that miraculous twist in the end for Avery). Anyway, the problems do feel a bit more real, and at one point I was actually more than just a little interested in their efforts. The summary however was misleading, because I thought the triplets were gonna be these fabulous new people or whatever, when they actually started out from pretty much nobodies and aren't all that amazing.
July 4, 2008
The Carlyles is the first installment in the new series of Gossip Girl books. The old crew has moved out and in come the younger generation. I picked this up out of sheer curiosity; I enjoyed the original series lightly and have become a fan of the show so I decided to just check the new series out.
This series follows the Carlyle triplets who are new to the Upper East Side. This book has the same combination of snobby characters, angst-ridden additions, and crazy behavior (drinking, smoking, drugs, sex, etc.) as the original. In fact, throughout most of the book I was not getting into the story nor was I finding any particular character enticing. However, by the end I found that the story had shaped up a bit. I am still out on whether or not it is worth continuing the series. At least I have until October to decide.
This series follows the Carlyle triplets who are new to the Upper East Side. This book has the same combination of snobby characters, angst-ridden additions, and crazy behavior (drinking, smoking, drugs, sex, etc.) as the original. In fact, throughout most of the book I was not getting into the story nor was I finding any particular character enticing. However, by the end I found that the story had shaped up a bit. I am still out on whether or not it is worth continuing the series. At least I have until October to decide.
February 13, 2018
Read this mostly for continuity - and also because I found it at a store for RM5.
I hardly remember what happened in the original Gossip Girl series, but I get the feeling that the plotlines are similar. This book felt like all the YA clichés thrown into one. Everyone is young, rich, and beautiful - that much I remember from Gossip Girl.
I hardly remember what happened in the original Gossip Girl series, but I get the feeling that the plotlines are similar. This book felt like all the YA clichés thrown into one. Everyone is young, rich, and beautiful - that much I remember from Gossip Girl.
July 28, 2019
Enjoyed it very much . I considered it suitable for light reading series. Laughed at parts and got annoyed at other's but overall found the idea of triplets in same place lead different lives good to follow. Didn't read the first season of gossip girl so can't compare but hopefully I will enjoy it to .
January 30, 2025
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ 3.5 S T A R S
❝Last year a girl who’d succumbed to bad influence had to find a more appropriate education situation—a boarding school.❞ — The Carlyles
JENYY HUMPHREY MENTIONED 🗣️🗣️
———————-
ohhh lord. all of the characters were annoying, which i guess i excepted, i mean its a gg book💀 But yeah some of the things in this book didn’t age well. there was a lot of homophobia and specifically biphobia..
Avery was so annoying sometimes. i hated the way she treated Sidney. Also Avery was just so dumb sometimes like she could have avoided so many things.
Baby was my fav Carlyle. she was annoying too but at least she gave a reason to be annoying.
owen carlyle i hate you. thats it.
❝Last year a girl who’d succumbed to bad influence had to find a more appropriate education situation—a boarding school.❞ — The Carlyles
JENYY HUMPHREY MENTIONED 🗣️🗣️
———————-
ohhh lord. all of the characters were annoying, which i guess i excepted, i mean its a gg book💀 But yeah some of the things in this book didn’t age well. there was a lot of homophobia and specifically biphobia..
Avery was so annoying sometimes. i hated the way she treated Sidney. Also Avery was just so dumb sometimes like she could have avoided so many things.
Baby was my fav Carlyle. she was annoying too but at least she gave a reason to be annoying.
owen carlyle i hate you. thats it.
May 24, 2023
baby and j.p <33
May 29, 2024
Solid 3.5/5
Your typical YA novel. Just enough romance and drama to keep you turning the pages. Fun and easy beach read
Your typical YA novel. Just enough romance and drama to keep you turning the pages. Fun and easy beach read
April 24, 2009
Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen were the reigning princesses of the Upper East Side. Until now.
Following the great success that was "Gossip Girl" book series, the inimitable Gossip Girl introduces the most fabulous sixteen year-old triplets to ever inhabit the Upper East Side. When the Waldorfs move from their apartment at the end of "Don't You Forget About Me" the Carlyle triplets of Nantucket, Massachusetts--Owen, Baby, and Avery-- move in.
In the new titles of the Gossip Girl series, we will follow the Carlyles, plus three other teenagers living in gorgeous apartments, attending the most exclusive prvate schools nd treating New York's Upper East Side as their personal playground.
Baby is too wrapped up in the boyfriend she left behind to do anything remotely ladylike, preferring to spend her days torturing the Constance Billard teachers, and skipping class. Avery is determined to take over her deceased grandmother's role of society hostess, doing what she can to make friends via updated tea parties. And Owen just wants to find the girl he hooked up with over the summer. But finding her may just cause bigger problems than he could have ever imagined.
This spin off sounded promising but proved to be a lame attempt. Nt only is it a pale comparison to the original book series, but I soon realized the book was written differently: in an almost desperate attempt to portray a fake writing style. I flipped back to the beginning and noted it wasn't written by von Ziegesar but by Annabelle Vestry. The original "Gossip Girl" series flowed naturally, whereas this one appeared to be forced. As if Vestry is saying "Let me prove to you how uppity I can make these characters be." Overall, doesn't hold a candle to the original series.
Book Details:
Title Gossip Girl, The Carlyles #1
Author Cecily von Ziegesar
Reviewed By Purplycookie
Following the great success that was "Gossip Girl" book series, the inimitable Gossip Girl introduces the most fabulous sixteen year-old triplets to ever inhabit the Upper East Side. When the Waldorfs move from their apartment at the end of "Don't You Forget About Me" the Carlyle triplets of Nantucket, Massachusetts--Owen, Baby, and Avery-- move in.
In the new titles of the Gossip Girl series, we will follow the Carlyles, plus three other teenagers living in gorgeous apartments, attending the most exclusive prvate schools nd treating New York's Upper East Side as their personal playground.
Baby is too wrapped up in the boyfriend she left behind to do anything remotely ladylike, preferring to spend her days torturing the Constance Billard teachers, and skipping class. Avery is determined to take over her deceased grandmother's role of society hostess, doing what she can to make friends via updated tea parties. And Owen just wants to find the girl he hooked up with over the summer. But finding her may just cause bigger problems than he could have ever imagined.
This spin off sounded promising but proved to be a lame attempt. Nt only is it a pale comparison to the original book series, but I soon realized the book was written differently: in an almost desperate attempt to portray a fake writing style. I flipped back to the beginning and noted it wasn't written by von Ziegesar but by Annabelle Vestry. The original "Gossip Girl" series flowed naturally, whereas this one appeared to be forced. As if Vestry is saying "Let me prove to you how uppity I can make these characters be." Overall, doesn't hold a candle to the original series.
Book Details:
Title Gossip Girl, The Carlyles #1
Author Cecily von Ziegesar
Reviewed By Purplycookie
September 16, 2013
The book Gossip Girl: The Carlyles was writen by Cecily Von Ziegesar. This book is basiclly about romance and a lot of drama. So if you like those topics you might like this book. I also liked this book because it is very realistic, so i can imagine the whole story very easily. It tales place in the Upper East Side in New York. There is a new family in time, they come from Nantucket. This family is composed by Edie, the mom and her triplets: Aver, Owen and Baby Carlyle. Then, there's Jack, short for Jacqueline. She's the meanest and richest girl in the whole Constance Billard High School, but there is something that could ruin her whole reputation and no one must find out. Avery likes Upper East Side and is trying to gain popularity in her new school. Baby is going crazy, she feels like she dosen't fit in and she is trying to get kicked out of Constance Billard so she can be sent back to Nantucket, were her real home is. Owen dosen't have to worry about being popular. He is a good looking and muscular swimmer and he is best friends with the swim team captain. Until he finds out his best friends girlfriend is the girl he had a summer romance with but wants it to last more than summer. You thought New York City was a place full of Jack and her drama? Just wait to see how The Carlyles take over Jacqueline's throne and New York City.
August 19, 2011
A great book! A good start to a new series. It was such a page turner and all i can say after reading it was "OH MY GOD!" I totally fell in ��� with the Carlyles. I'm an avid fan of the Gossip Girl series, though i wasn't able to read the last three books of the famous Cecily von Ziegesar. It wasn't a surprise that the book was written differently compared to original Gossip Girl. I find it quite interesting to know new characters and bound to develop an addiction to the characters afterwards. The book may have mention some old characters like Blair ( the queen bee)but it's definitely not the same plot as before.
When the former glamazons' B, S and the rest of the gang are off to bigger and better things, a new trouble makers are here to take their place. A new set of drama queens, STONERS and fashionistas are going to rule the UES.
For me, it's quite realistic and a lot of humor in it. Better get hitched with the trio's adventures. Super fun to read. :D xoxo
When the former glamazons' B, S and the rest of the gang are off to bigger and better things, a new trouble makers are here to take their place. A new set of drama queens, STONERS and fashionistas are going to rule the UES.
For me, it's quite realistic and a lot of humor in it. Better get hitched with the trio's adventures. Super fun to read. :D xoxo
October 15, 2016
Gossip Girl is back, and she’s shaking up New York City with a new batch of girls, and guys. The Carlyle triplets have just moved to the Upper East Side, and are making a big splash. From party fails, to party crashes, jail, and stealing boyfriends, the world is just the same as it’s always been. The writing was a little clichéd and lazy; some of the phrases used were supposed to be fun, or funny puns that just came off as lame. But, even though the writing wasn’t on par, as Vestry tried to emulate Ziegesar’s writing, the plot just sucked the reader in because no matter how dumb or spoiled the characters got, it was still kinda juicy to see what would happen. The characters were alright; all of them are full of themselves, but maybe that will change in the following novels, and maybe we’re one step closer to finding out who Gossip Girl is…
July 15, 2009
I can't say I've gotten into these books like I did the original series. I found it started off really oddly and you were never really introduced to the characters well. I found this book was less over the top but a lot of character types (eg. the weird artistic outcast, the bitchy popular girl) were reused and the names simply changed. I did like how the characters did have "real" problems such as fitting in and becoming poor and facing hardships like that instead of just going on about boys or what to wear to the next party. I think if I had been younger reading this I would have liked it more.
February 20, 2024
Unfortunately this was my first DNF. The characters were very similar to the original gossip girl characters:
-Beautiful blonde who loves to shop
-Popular bitchy brunette who is always up to something
- The ‘it’ couple who were together since kindergarten and are still ‘virgins’ planning to lose it to each other however the girl cheated on him in the summer
It didn’t feel like the writer put any effort into this book which was very disappointing and I don’t think I’ll finish the series but I like the books for the vibes. I was very bored reading it and found myself skipping alot of pages so I could get to the end but I just couldn’t make it.
-Beautiful blonde who loves to shop
-Popular bitchy brunette who is always up to something
- The ‘it’ couple who were together since kindergarten and are still ‘virgins’ planning to lose it to each other however the girl cheated on him in the summer
It didn’t feel like the writer put any effort into this book which was very disappointing and I don’t think I’ll finish the series but I like the books for the vibes. I was very bored reading it and found myself skipping alot of pages so I could get to the end but I just couldn’t make it.
December 26, 2012
I could not get into these books, I could never understand why Cecily stopped writing these books and paid someone else. Whoever ended up writing these spin off books tried far too hard to mimic von Ziegesar's writing style The characters were no where near as the characters in the main series, Blair, Serena, Nate and Chuck. The book was awfully dragged out, I mean it took about 250 just to cover the first week of school. I am starting to see why there were only four books written.
February 4, 2009
I've never read the Gossip Girl series, so I figured I would give the second series a try. I really liked this book, and the whole overall plot of it. I really enjoyed the Gossip Girl updates and thought they were really fun. This book was basically just an introduction to the characters, and I can't wait to read the next one to find out how everything unfolds for everyone in New York!
June 19, 2008
I was a big fan of the first series and was pleasantly surprised to see another series! This is like Sex and the City but with high school kids :) I love them although its not high brow intellectual, but hey they make reading fun!
May 8, 2014
I like that book when I read it is so cool so everone get this book
August 10, 2023
2.5 Sterne
Nichts wirklich neues. Teilweise erinnern die neuen Charaktere sehr an Blair & Co.
Trotzdem recht unterhaltsam - werde den nächsten Teil definitiv lesen.
Nichts wirklich neues. Teilweise erinnern die neuen Charaktere sehr an Blair & Co.
Trotzdem recht unterhaltsam - werde den nächsten Teil definitiv lesen.
November 20, 2022
Very mid. Not as good as the original series, and took me far too long to read.
July 10, 2023
I have watched the Gossip Girl series but haven’t read the books.
‘The Carlyles’ is pretty much like the show, at least the vibes I got from it. The lives of rich kids on the Upper East Side, scandals, old money, brands, competition, hookups and breakups. This time Gossip Girl targets the rich Carlyles triplets: Avery, Baby and Owen.
Avery is a mix of Blair and Serena, a smart, ambitious blonde. Baby is like Serena, beautiful, rebellious and carefree. Owen is the original one.
Jack is definitely like Blair but I prefer Blair. Her storyline is similar to Nate, a rich girl who loses her money but hides it. Last but not least, Rhys is like Nate, a good boy, handsome and a one-woman man who is not over his first love.
The book ends with a good cliffhanger. Avery and Baby becoming Jack’s enemies unintentionally, so I cannot wait to read the second one.
‘The Carlyles’ is pretty much like the show, at least the vibes I got from it. The lives of rich kids on the Upper East Side, scandals, old money, brands, competition, hookups and breakups. This time Gossip Girl targets the rich Carlyles triplets: Avery, Baby and Owen.
Avery is a mix of Blair and Serena, a smart, ambitious blonde. Baby is like Serena, beautiful, rebellious and carefree. Owen is the original one.
Jack is definitely like Blair but I prefer Blair. Her storyline is similar to Nate, a rich girl who loses her money but hides it. Last but not least, Rhys is like Nate, a good boy, handsome and a one-woman man who is not over his first love.
The book ends with a good cliffhanger. Avery and Baby becoming Jack’s enemies unintentionally, so I cannot wait to read the second one.
May 31, 2020
I can't believe I'm in my mid-twenties and just read a Gossip Girl book, but that's what quarantine will do to you. I actually have fond memories of reading the original series when I was in middle/high school, and this story was a continuation of the same writing style. I actually enjoyed it. It's as good as it's going to get for a Gossip Girl book. The new characters are interesting... I think Jack is reminiscent of Blair, Owen is the new Nate, Baby is the new Jenny, Rhys is like a nice-guy Chuck Bass, and I guess Avery is kind of like Serena. I like that Nantucket was tied in for a change of setting. It was exactly what I expected, but I enjoyed it and I think there was a tinge of humor and a few comical moments (unlike the original series, which was never "funny").
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2019
I never knew there was a whole second Gossip Girl series- this is apparently a Gossip Girl, part 3 with a new cast of juniors, with a set of triplets and a poor little rich girl turned not so rich girl as the main characters. It was ok- it was the kind of mindless reading I seem to need when I have too much going on to concentrate on better books, so I liked it ok- it kept my attention and it was free, and I have 2 or 3 more of them that I'll probably read, so...2 stars. Maybe the next one will be a little heavier on plot- I hope, at any rate.
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