Mates, Dates Utterly Fabulous

Mates, Dates #1-3

by Cathy Hopkins

Lucy, Izzy, and Nesta are sassy, sparkling...and utterly smitten.In Mates, Dates, and Inflatable Bras , Lucy is at a turning point. She doesn't feel like she fits in with her friends Izzie and Nesta. Then Lucy sees the most wonderful boy, and things start to change -- in all areas of her life.Izzie is smitten with Mark in Mates, Dates, and Cosmic Kisses . When Izzie cancels plans just so she's available if Mark should call, Lucy and Nesta know they need to intervene. But how can they help when Izzie is convinced that she and Mark are destined to be together?Nesta meets a boy of her own in Mates, Dates, and Designer Divas . Simon is rich and his lifestyle is totally glamorous. So is his friend Cressida. But competing for Simon's affections could cost Nesta more than she anticipated.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Childrens, Fiction, Teen

460 pages, Paperback

First published May 22, 2006

Reviews

[karla pérez cué · Rating 1 out of 5]

One Star, it should deserve none.

I started reading this book and the plot is okay.
But I'm really, really mad! I'm pissed! Because of how badly is written! Seriously I don't mind that the word are weird because of LONDON but when you write a book you correct it! That's why you guys have editors and stuff!

I THINK I will finish the book but let me tell you. Is a waist of money ($9.00) to be written like this!

Learn to write first! And The computer can even check your work!

Sincerely Karla P.C.


I just read till page 338 and it sucks sorry.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book Lucy is starting to think that she doesn't fit in with her friends Nesta and Izzie. She spots this incredible looking guy. Then her life changes in all different areas. There was an internal conflict with Lucy. She was trying to decide if she should be nice to Nesta or not. The main characters are Lucy, Izzie, and Nesta. The setting is in London.
Text to Self. Lucy had decided she needed to have some things changed in her life. She did it to feel older and get guys to notice her. I could connect to this because I had decided i needed a small change in life as well. Even though the reasons for change were different, we both still wanted the change.
I gave this book 4 stars because I thought it was a cool book. I love books that have best friends and their stories This shows that even though you are different it's okay.

[Kenzie · Rating 1 out of 5]

OMG sooooooo many spelling problems!

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book contains three volumes about three fourteen-year-old girls in London, with each volume narrated by a different girl. The stories explore the themes of self-discovery, friendship, and confidence, all of interest to young girls, but it's done in such a heavy-handed way as to be almost completely unrealistic. There are many more YA books that explore these themes with much greater success. The author also uses a good deal of British slang that might be inaccessible to some readers, and refers to current events in a way that will quickly date the book. Finally, I don't know if the text ever saw a copyeditor; not only were there typos, but also appalling errors along the lines of there/their misuse and tense changes in the middle of paragraphs. I feel completely indifferent to this book, and am only grateful that, despite its 497 pages, it was a very quick read.

[Syira · Rating 1 out of 5]

These girls need to grow up

[Mpho · Rating 5 out of 5]

its a very interesting book. it opened my eyes mostly in cases that the friends i have are they true to me or is it just a current friendship that is going to end in some few days or weeks.

[706Sacha · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was okay, it wasn't great but it wasn't bad

[Pete (DS) Lagerts · Rating 5 out of 5]

:)

[mybooks.myshelf.and.I]

okay this is 3 books in one so goodreads should count it as 3 books i've read instead of one. in that case, i've read 54 books i guess, review coming later btw-

[Rhea Loire · Rating 4 out of 5]

These three books in one are a super fast, and fairly cute read. Although these characters are in their early teens their struggles reminded me of many that I have had, and I will very shortly start books 4-6. I like how each story is a continuation yet from a different girls perspective. It gives more insight into each girl with out being to repetitive in the story line

[706sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friend Me was a very friendly, and warm book that showed haw friendships can really work out if you care about them and you work to make them better, and stronger. It reminded me of : "Things only come out the way you want them to if you work at it." My parents always say that to me. At first I thought Friend me was going to be about Facebook, and that was okay, but i definitely preferred learning about friendships a little more. I liked the fact that they switched perspectives, and I could really see how each girl thought about their friendship with the other two girls, and how they could make it stronger. For example; Nesta, being the new girl to the treo and all she talked about them like they were her true friends, and would do anything for them. Once she got her pocket money back, she bought them each gifts because she was so sorry. That's how she normally made up with them, she apologized and gave them a gift. That's how she made their friendship stronger, she gave them something that represented her and them. It couldn't be forgotten.
I also didn't like this book. I felt like they forgave each other very easily. I know that it's very hard to write out a long fight, and not have it get too boring, so Cathy Hopkins did do a good job, but i feel like having longer fights might've made their friendship stronger. And maybe not buying them presents all the time, and just face them with a sincere apology might've also been stronger, and a bit more realistic. I do think Nesta was brave though, instead of texting them she went over and faced them face to face. That definitely worked better, and I wish i could have enough courage to do that. I normally text my friends, but than again I don't get into so many fights.
Overall, I think Cathy Hopkins did a good impersonation of really getting into a teenage character. They sounded like 14 year old girls, especially the way they talked about boys. Although they were super nice for their age. I have friends like Isobel, Nesta, and Lucy and I hope we are all still very close to each other at that age. And i hope I am that nice, although I have no doubts I won't be.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am severely impressed with the speed I've finished this book.

I feel as if this book was a bit boring in the beginning, when it was written in Lucy's POV. I was in the mood for a interesting beginning, and this book began in the worst way imaginable. It picked up soon after that, though. Some of her worries are so similar to what I feel, and I feel as if I can relate to the characters.

Especially about the boys, haha. Though in real life they aren't "dropping gorgeous" and have startling colorful eyes.

I've noticed a lot of grammatical errors while reading this. Sometimes finding a quotation mark at the beginning, and they aren't even talking! I frowned when I saw this, and I think that they should re-read this book. It had more than one wrong use of grammar. Once I even found they ended a sentence with a comma, not a period. Shocking, I know.

It's very obvious that this tale is written in the United Kingdom, and the way they spoke. For example, the word loo and snog. Loo is the British word for bathroom, snog is to kiss in American English. Though sometimes I found that if the author stuck to American grammar, it would help lots. I guess British people spell realize REALISE. And I just want to grit my teeth, burn the book, then spread the ashes all over my dogs dog house. I don't know, just the thought of their grammer, uiehnfkjdshfksdjh.

In the second book, Mates, Dates, and Cosmic Kisses, I was horrified with the petty problems. And the weak sense of characterization, oh my!

I feel as if they should include more romance. It seemed more as a side-genre, and if there was a bit more it would seem fitting to the titles, as you see the word Dates.

Overall, I'm actually liking this book, if you see my ratings. I follow the GR ratings based on what GR says: One star if I didn't like it, two stars if it was okay, three if I liked it, four if I really liked it, and five if it was amazing.

[Sarah Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

While reading the first book of Friend Me, I fell in love with Lucy as the main character, and her older crush Tony. I loved everything about them, their innocence when together, the way she was so head over heels for him, but most of all, the way that she changed him. Tony was such a free spirit, flying through girls each week, but not Lucy. She was different to him, she made him crazy. Nesta, Tony's sister did not approve, as she knew of his I appealing past with girls. While lovable, wise Izzie only warned her to be cautious. But what Lucy really wants is to look older and fit in wither friends. She soon finds what she wants to do, and that being make clothing.she really found her calling as she's amazing at it.

In the second book, you're following the life of Izzie, Lucy's friend. Izzie is the groups "hippie". Although she's an only child with an uptight neat freak mother, all she wants is to be "clean". Izzie says that to do so you must eat natural and healthy foods, but that's the last thing her mother and stepfather have time for. Izzie loves songwriting and has a good voice but is too shy to show it. For someone who goes through that I find Izzie very relatable.

Nesta, oh, Nesta. Will she ever be accepted into Lucy and Izzie's group? Eventually. Nesta is a beauty queen of only 14, and gets just about every guy that looks her way. When she introduces Lucy and Iz to her brother Tony, there may be hope after all. She soon finds out that this is Lucy's dream boy and can only feel sorry for her. Nesta knows good and well of Tony's reputation with girls and doesn't want Lucy to get hurt. But in the end everything's okay and the three girls decide it would be an awful mistake not to be a best friend threesome.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since my best friend and I both agreed that life is too serious and so is everything in YA lately, we both went to the bookstore and decided to pick out a few much needed chick lit books. At least, I bought some chick lit anyways. She went straight back to the dramatic stuff ;)

Friend Me isn't life-changing or traumatizing or anything mildly surprising. Probably because I've gone through all these moments before in my life as most people have. And even if this wasn't my favorite book of all time, it was definitely what I needed: cute! I've been in such a reading slump as of late and I didn't even bother trying to get out of it.

So yes, I'm still in love with the ever dramatic YA and the intense Dystopian but honestly? I needed a break. And I'm probably going to squeeze in a few more chick lit books before I return to my classics. Everybody needs to mix it up here and there and that's exactly what I needed. And honestly, I can't wait to get the next book.

What's next on the reading agenda? The Duff by Kody Keplinger!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

[Charleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't expect a heart-stopping story within this book when I picked it up to begin with. Which is good because that is not what this story had for me. And the story isn't bad, it's a nice little three-book-package. I enjoyed it because it was fast and easy to get through. But I didn't fall in love with the characters and care about everything they did. It was a good breezy read though.

I do not plan on continuing the series since I feel like I have seen a good chunk of these characters but all in all, these books were cute and a good time filler. And I feel like if I had read this years ago, I would have fallen head over heels.

This book was definitely not the worst one I have read this year and when it comes down to it, I think it was a good book for me at the time. Plus, I did really like some of the quotes in there. I proudly marked them, satisfied in finding them within the stories.

[Etney Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a lot of different feelings about this book. This is definitely not the type of book that I would usually pick up and I read it simply because it appeared in my room on a day that I had nothing to read. At the start, I was appalled by the lack of editing and the ridiculously slow plot line. The first two books are tedious as both Lucy and Izzie face very little character growth within their respective books. The third book however, written in Nesta's perspective was where the text picked up for me. I feel that within this triad of stories, the reader is bound to relate to one of the girls. Once the reader identifies with a character, they breeze through the book and are able to forgive the spelling and grammar mistakes in this book.

I likely will not read more of this series.
While I found this book boring and difficult to read, the connection that I felt to Nesta gave me a pleasant ending to the book as a whole.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Jane Kinner for TeensReadToo.com

In FRIEND ME, Lucy, Izzie, and Nesta's adventures are both hilarious and heartbreaking. From cover to cover, I found myself laughing, crying, and smiling with the three girls as they battle relateable struggles in high school.

The British point-of-view of the book is original and fresh, and really adds to the story. The trio's ups and downs are completely entertaining, and I really couldn't put the book down until I was finished.

I really enjoyed the fact that FRIEND ME contained three books in one: MATES, DATES, AND INFLATABLE BRAS - MATES, DATES, AND COSMIC KISSES - and MATES, DATES, AND DESIGNER DIVAS. I wouldn't have been able to wait until each one was released to find out what happens next!

Cathy Hopkins succeeds with this novel that sparkles with both humor and heartache.

[Mailis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well as i couldn't file this under YA and i don't have teenage lit shelf yet, this goes under children's books. I have to say that as far as insight and wisdom goes this is pretty good book to have if you are about 13 years old. Clearly I am not at that age anymore, so it didn't connect with me that much. There were couple of Rennison worthy jokes, but overall it was quite serious and seemed to aim to be even a tad bit of self-help book with its offering of philosophical quotes in abundance and self powering mentality.

[Esme Bowen · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book did not work. I found the characters annoying and bland and I feel like the author only made them British so they were not so 2 dimensional. Lucy was insecure and whiney. Nesta was to I learned this from this experience and now I accept who I am kind of person. That's not bad but the author made her to goody goody and made her get drunk to toughen her up a bit but then she returned to perfect Nesta. Izzie was the typical my mom does not under stand me girl. Just do not read this book I'm sad I wasted my time on it.

[Anne Lamug · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the book and so far, it was utterly amazing. Though, there were typographical errors, which angered me at first. But, let's put it this way: it is a compilation of the main characters' personal diaries. Technically, a typical fourteen-year-old girl would accidentally make typographical errors in the page she is writing. I think Cathy Hopkins is trying to give the book a feeling making us think that we are reading Lucy's/Izzie's/ Nesta's diary.

[Olivia Monahon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is three books in one. The story is about three friends Izzy,Lucy and Nesta. It is set in present day England. The first book "Mates,Dates and Inflatable Bras" is narrated from Lucy's point of view. The second book "Mates,Dates and Cosmic Kisses" is through Izzys point of view. And the last book "Mates,Dates and Designer Divas." is through Nesta's point of view. I thought all books were entertaining and well written. My favorite one is the first one through Lucy's point of view!

[Jamika · Rating 5 out of 5]

What i learned from this book is that the newest character Lucy Lovering was nervous the first day back to high school becasue she felt like her friend she new since kindergarten Izzie was finding a new best friend named Nesta, the Italian and Jamaican who traveled around the world and this made me think Lucy shoukd try to get to know Nesta becasue Izzie and Nesta hang out. this book is awsome

[Nia]

Friend Me by Cathy Hopkins deals with three supposedly best friends go through tons and tons of drama. The main characters Lucy,Izzy, and Nesta go through struggles with boys, It's ethier they don't call you back,you have to compete for them, or their just a dream. Lucy goes through her two friends Izzy, and Nesta.

[Alex''D]

I wanna have this book because of its cover haha
i don't know it was the series of mates,dates at first

but i'm always wanna read that series but i never had a chance

this story is very girly but i feel it kinda young for me
but still love it

there are different narrator for each book
easy to read :) and warm heart

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

This tome, which holds the first 3 of the "Mates, Dates" series, is cute for what it is. The protagonists are 14-year-old best friends who must learn to navigate through the beginning of their love lives. Cute read for a young crowd. While I love YA and teen fiction, this was just a few years too young for me to get completely reeled in.

[Maia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was hilarious and the three friends played off each other perfectly. I liked how you got to know the characters through all three of the perspectives: Lucy (my fave), Izzie, and Nesta- it gave you a very full perspective. I loved how real and relatable the characters were in their questions, thoughts, and relationships. Great read.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This giant book includes 3 stories from each girl's perspective. The last story, was my favorite story and i wouldn't read the first and the second story if i were you until you reached the age of either a 6th grader or 7th grader and is a girl because this IS a GIRL'S ONLY BOOK! But it's really good :)

[Meaghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good at points. A lot of the time it was boring. I seem to want more drama or issues in a book. When I was bored I kept reading only to finish it. I just wanted it to be over with at certain points. When done I'm not looking forward to the next three in one book but yet I'm curious on what happens.

[Jayda Jamison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy, Nesta, and Isobel are total opposites, but totally best friends. Like all teenage girls, they have insecurities, set backs, and boy troubles. Books 1-3 in this set, gives advice from the girls themselves, and how they handle things their way. These girls may have their ups and downs, but they stick together through it all. Watch as these mates get closer than ever.

[jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was cute for izzie and lucy's parts, but nesta's left a sour taste in my mouth.

what is GetYaCoatUvePuld??

tony and lucy were adorable. that was my favorite part of the whole book.

this was a really cute book i know, and i think im being so critical because im sick and in a bad mood

seriously what is GetYaCoatUvePuld??? like what does that mean

i love lucy and tony c: