Revenge of the Flower Girls

Brewster Triplets #1

by Jennifer Ziegler

In this middle-grade Bridesmaids, hilarity ensues as triplets have to stop a wedding!

One bride. Two boys. Three flower girls who won't forever hold their peace. What could go wrong with this wedding? Everything!

The Brewster triplets, Dawn, Darby, and Delaney, would usually spend their summer eating ice cream, playing with their dog, and reading about the US Presidents. But this year they're stuck planning their big sister Lily's wedding. Lily used to date Alex, who was fun and nice and played trivia games with the triplets, and no one's quite sure why they broke up. Burton, Lily's groom-to-be, is not nice or fun, and he looks like an armadillo.

The triplets can't stand to see Lily marry someone who's completely wrong for her, so it's up to them to stop the wedding before anyone says "I do!" The flower girls will stop at nothing to delay Lily's big day, but will sprinklers, a photo slideshow, a muddy dog, and some unexpected allies be enough to prevent their big sister - and the whole Brewster family - from living unhappily ever after?

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Family, Childrens, Fiction, Young Adult

229 pages, Hardcover

First published May 27, 2014

Reviews

[Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would never know how it would end!! Surpising!! I love this book!!

[Delaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was okay, though im sticking to horror

[Pop Bop · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll See Your Twins, And Raise You A Sibling

Eleven year old triplets Dawn, Darby and Delaney love their 22 year old sister Lily, and are distraught that she has abandoned her entirely acceptable long time boyfriend Alex in favor of a drippy guy she has just met and plans to marry. Mom isn't too keen on this soon-to-be groom either, but won't butt in. So, it looks like it's up to the girls to derail the planned nuptials.

Now, you read this summary and you know, in your heart, to a certainty, that as a story and as a readable book, this could go anywhere, and a number of the options are very bad indeed. Well, get this. This triplets are sincere in their concern for Lily, and earnest in their desire to see the best for her. They are clever, spunky, a bit head strong, and very definite in their likes and dislikes, (as eleven year olds are inclined to be). They are also level headed, decent and appealing.

The book is funny in a dry and understated way, with that slightly manic and yet deadpan seriousness that good writers can find in their young characters. The girls' voices are filled with matter-of-fact inanity and blissful cluelessness that keeps books like this from being snarky or mean spirited. That's a very hard tone to maintain, and our author doesn't slip up once.

It has been said, and it seems to hold true, that young readers like to step up in age and read about characters who are two or three years older than they are. This seems ideal for that eight to ten year old sweet spot.

Each triplet has a slightly different personality and set of strengths and weaknesses. They take turns narrating, and one of the delights of the book is the knowing little digs and needles that each girl directs to the others when it's her turn to narrate. The comments are funny, perceptive, and give us a bit of variety in the narration as the story progresses. This approach also allows the author to slip in some subtle and knowing bits and graceful observations that flesh out the characters and maintain reader interest.

But above all the book is fun, because the girls are engaging, appealing authentic and so fundamentally decent that their shenanigans seem natural and well-intentioned. I like my middle grade humor snark and angst free, and that strikes me as what we have here. The book feels a bit old-fashioned in its plotting and lack of edginess. The Hayley Mills movie version of this setup, "The Parent Trap", came out in 1961, and this book has a little bit of that era's sensibility. But some plots are timeless, and with characters as engaging as these are this really seems like a very attractive choice for a reader who likes romantic comedy with a bit of slapstick. A very happy find.

Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eleven-year-old triplets Darby, Delaney, and Dawn have just learned their big sister Lily is getting married! And they'd be thrilled if he were marrying Alex, her high school sweetheart. He loves to play Presidential Trivia with them and knows just how to make Lily smile. But no. She's marrying Burton, who the girls have nicknamed "the Armadillo" - and he doesn't seem to care much about Lily at all. He spends all his time at the library and never takes Lily on fun dates the way Alex used to. And now they're getting married in only a month! Can these three feisty sisters spoil the wedding and help Lily see that Alex is the one for her?

Marketed as "Bridesmaids for the middle-grade set," Ziegler's story is perfectly fun and will be enjoyed by middle-grade girls looking for a fluffy beach read. However, there were major issues with characterization - the story is told in the first person from the alternating viewpoints of each triplet, and I could almost never tell which one was narrating. Each triplet had one Defining Characteristic, so unless somebody was being shy (Darby), being energetic (Delaney), or being in charge (Dawn), it was pretty muddled as to who was telling which part of the story. This doesn't matter so much in the early part of the story, but toward the climax it gets pretty confusing. I also didn't like that there was such wholesale dislike for Burton when he hadn't really done anything wrong except not get to know the triplets. The last few pages finally give Burton some characterization, and he's not a villain, exactly... but I really don't like that the premise is built around "don't give new people a chance." There was also no reason given for Lily wanting to marry Burton so quickly, which I found strange.

There are some plausibility issues with this one, too, just in terms of what eleven-year-olds could conceivably get away with in ruining a wedding, but that didn't influence my score - it's par for the course in this type of wish-fulfillment fiction. All in all, this is one that young female readers might love, but librarians and teachers shouldn't feel compelled to collect unless there's a hole in their collection for this type of fiction.

(SUPER-minor quibble: why are the girls in foofy pink dresses on the front cover when they say in the book that they wouldn't be caught dead in such a getup and decide to wear tuxedoes instead?)

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up because despite the fact that major suspension of disbelief was required, it was still a cute read. I thought the reason for why Lily and Alex broke up wasn’t really explained.

[zapkode · Rating 5 out of 5]

{My Thoughts} – Triplets can sometimes mean triple the fun or triple the trouble. In the case of these eleven year-old triplets: Dawn, Darby and Delaney it is a combination of both at an extreme level. These girls understand what the true meaning of family and friendship is and they are on a goal through out this whole book to attempt to stop their older sister Lily’s wedding. They don’t believe that her groom Burton is really the right guy for them and they all three want to see her get back together with Alex her ex boyfriend.

I really enjoyed getting to know all the triplets throughout the entire book. They are so lovable. They were always busy doing something and with the stress of the wedding it seemed like most of what they did wasn’t that bad but was made out to be terrible. I can understand how people could and can overact in extremely stressful situations.

I would like to think that if any of my children were getting married that their siblings would try to stop it for them with as much ambition as these three were trying to stop Lily’s wedding. It’s amazing how much siblings truly love each other and know what is best for each other, how connected they are. Bonds like that take years to make and those bonds are incredibly helpful when you believe a sibling is making a mistake.

That leaves us wondering if Lily got married? Did the triplets stop the wedding? What was was the final outcome? I suppose if you want those answers you will need to read the book. I can’t wait to let my daughter read this book, I am sure that she will enjoy it, especially the little adventures the girls seem to take part in.

This is a wonderful book, and I strongly recommend it for girls with siblings! Especially those with siblings about to be getting married. Also, I think it could be a wonderful read all around for any girl of any age that just needs a book with plenty of laughs in it.

[Priyanka · Rating 4 out of 5]

ating: 4 out of 5 stars

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age Recommended: 11 and up

A hilarious book about the lengths that three sisters go to to stop their eldest sister's wedding.

Revenge Of The Flower Girls
-------------------------------------------------------
Dawn, Darby, and Delaney are triplets.

Their older sister, Lily is getting married to someone they don't like. Burton, Lily's fiancee, is boring, unattractive, and doesn't know how to keep Lily happy. The three of them plot to get rid of Burton because they think that Lily is rushing into this marriage.

Their first few tries end up in everyone getting mad at them but these three never give up. One of their plans involves bringing Lily's old boyfriend, Alex, into the picture. They tell Alex to "accidentally" burn or shred the official wedding documents but Alex isn't sure about this plan because he thinks it's illegal so he tells the three sisters that he can't help them.

Dawn, Darby, and Delaney are very disappointed but then they come up with one final plan. The wedding. Lily can't find any place to have the wedding so the wedding is taking place at their house. The triplets know exactly how to stop it from happening.

Let the fun begin...

[Ashley Castillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my opinion the book I read Revenge of The Flowergirls is a good book.I think this is a good book because some characters in the book are my age.I think this is a funny too because in one of the sentences it said that she thaught there was a ghost in the house because her sister was whereing a big white flowing wedding dress.I think I would recomend this book to a classmate.And the best part it gets better a the end.At first I thaught it was going to be an ok book but it was better than I thaught.In my opinion I think this is a great book.

[Angela Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute! I loved these triplets and the sweet little plot line. I could picture this book as a kid's movie and will certainly be recommending it often.

[Ellie Reuschel Taylor's Version · Rating 4 out of 5]

So so funny! Awesome!😁😋

[Autumn✌🏻P4L✌🏻 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this when I was really little, maybe nine or ten? Idk but I loooooved it!😄💜

[James Garman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the last 5 or so books that I have picked up at a free library in my neighbor, getting home, I realized that this is another of those that were written with young adults and children in mind, but I have read and enjoyed them anyway. In this one, we have a trio of trouble, three sisters that together combine enough talent and ability, even at eleven years old, to at least feel they know when a marriage is unadvised. Their big sister is making a mistake in her decision to marriage a man who really is more focused on work than family, already, and the marriage hasn't been begun year. Big sister doesn't strike her siblings as being happy.

So they begin a scheme to try to break the two up even though that gets them in trouble several times. Apparently their parents think they are not giving their big sister the respect of accepting her choice. However the three are absolutely determined and continue to interfere. Then they learn some things, their parents are almost as concerned as they are, and they may be wrong.

Before it is over, they all learn about themselves with one of them getting over their shyness and at least one learning that the people they thought were "the enemy" really are just folks trying to do their best.

I recommend this for those who enjoy reading about family issues and age may or may not the decider of who is most aware of what is really happening.

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me on the edge of my seat because it was full of mischief, adventure, and excitement. Three girls, Dawn, Darby, and Delaney, who are triplets do not approve or like their older sister's fiancé, Burton. The triplets think Burton is boring, unattractive, allergic to everything, and not right for Lily. Lily's old boyfriend, Alex, they think was meant for Lily. He always knew how to make her smile, and when she was with him, Lily was always in a happy mood. Lily is preparing to marry Burton, but the triplets think that if they stop the wedding, Lily will realize her true love was Alex. Through pranks and other mischief like eavesdropping on the wedding plans, pretending like this house is haunted to scare the maids of honor, and more, the triplets will do whatever it takes to make sure the wedding never happens. I definitely recommend this book because there were twists throughout the book, and I was never bored at any point in the book. Read the book to find out whether or not Dawn, Darby, and Delaney succeed!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this book because I loved the cover and the girls’ expressions caught my eye. They looked mischievous. I expected this book to be a typical old boyfriend/new boyfriend relationship book but I was totally wrong. This book was better than I expected it to be! It had things not going as planned, people wearing the wrong clothes, a wedding going haywire, an ex-boyfriend showing up, and some VERY devious triplets who will stop at nothing to achieve their goal of destroying their sister’s wedding. This book is very fun to read. The plot twists and turns really exceeded my expectations! I definitely recommend this book to people who are looking for a laugh during this hard time. This book will take your mind off of anything! I give this book a 5 star rating because it was really entertaining and it shows that these flower girls will do anything to save their sister from what THEY believe will be a disastrous marriage!

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story about triplets who don't like the man their older sister has chosen to marry. He's allergic to everything, looks like an armadillo, doesn't pick good gifts, and has an overbearing mother. Instead, they want her sister's ex-boyfriend for a brother-in-law. They pull every stunt they can think of to interfere with the wedding plans. Their ace is the ex-boyfriend himself, who they are certain still loves their sister.

4th and 5th graders will really enjoy this series. Weddings and triplets. A fun combination. My only criticism, and the reason for 3 stars instead of 4, is the lack of differentiation in the the voice of the triplets. Chapters alternate perspectives, but they're too similar for me to keep track of. The author tells rather than shows the personality differences. Plot good. Character development meh.

[Erica Elwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun cute read! The girls do get in a bit of mischief but it is for the right reasons. And they are willing to admit they may have been wrong about some things which is nice. I like the relationship the girls have with both of their parents, even though they are divorced, and their older sister. Also really like that the girls are obsessed with presidents, voting and politics! Very refreshing for 11 year old girls to love something with substance!

Recommend for 8 and up

[Mari McR · Rating 2 out of 5]

My child read this for school, and she liked it so much, I decided to read it myself. I believe it's important to read what you children read every once in a while. It's a good enough read for a girl in 3rd-4th grade, but I found Revenge of the Flower Girls too predictable. I expected more suspense throughout. I remember reading a slew of Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys books when I was that age, and I still prefer mysteries to comedies. I guess not much has changed.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Revenge of the flower girls was a very funny book. What I liked about the book was that the triplets where trying to figure out how to sabotage her older sisters wedding because they do not like the future husband. Proof of the claim I just made would be, "It was Delaney's idea that we ruin Lily's wedding. She'll probably argue and say it wasn't, but it was." I love this book and I would definitely read it again!!

[Evan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book to end the year with. This one was one of my favourites as a kid and when I found it in my basement a few months ago I knew I had to reread it. Though it’s not something I’d choose to read now, the nostalgia makes it a solid five stars. I can’t even remember how many times I reread this book after getting it at the book fair in elementary school. I really enjoyed the sibling dynamic and relatively calm nature of the story. Onto more great books next year!!

[Sidney Burbridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was my second time reading it and it wasn't as good this time. i finished it in about 4 and a half hours the first time and 4 the the second. it was to easy, but good. i recommend it to someone younger.

[23nboyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think that the book overall was good. I like how the author put Burton's mother in the book at the evil person. Mrs. Caldwell Burton's mother I did not like very much it was like she would as well get married to her own son the way she was controlling the wedding.

[Amy Bearce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute!

This is a fun, fast read with three smart and clever girls who manage to be mischievous without ever being mean. I enjoyed all the history and president trivia as well as the family dynamics.

[Stacy Lynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I recommend this book for young audiences, as it's not the best in vocabulary and not very descriptive. I admit this book was fun to read and I was amused by Dawn, Darby and Delaney's (the main characters) personalities. However, this type of book isn't normally a type I'd LOVE reading.

[Laura Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved, loved, loved this book and cannot wait to read the other books in this series. I felt like a kid again as this book brought back memories of when I read The Babysitters' Club series years ago.

[Brent Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

I read this book for fun and just for a good laugh. The vibe kinda felt like an old Walt Disney movie
Mrs. Caldwell (the villian) could have been Mr. Hawk in another life. I felt like the events were awesome but it could have been written better to bring this book to it's full potential.

[May Buchanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed this book. At first I thought the triplets were annoying, but the characters really grew on me. The only concern I have was that the plot seemed to happen a little two quickly.

[Michele Knott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the spunk of these triplets! I can see why this book is frequently checked out in my classroom library!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alana recommended it and I enjoyed it! Cute!

[Izzy Obert · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2

[Syd · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome; funny; cute; sweet; etc.
4 ages 9 and up