fluffy
New To Stoneybrook
Posts: 180
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Post by fluffy on May 25, 2006 3:18:58 GMT -5
 They're barely worth discussing, but has anyone out here read and of the Friends Forever books? The popularity of the BSC must have been really deteriorating, because it's hardly a surprise to me that the series lasted about 14 books! Most of the club members have either left or dropped out, so we're left with the original four. Even leaving out the essential Chapter 2 (we get a short description for each girl on the back of the cover), and the baby-sitting jobs and discarding Logan doesn't help much. Kristy's not her bossy, aggressive self; Claudia and Stacey are incredilby bitchy and Mary Anne- ugh. On the other hand, the girls do branch out a bit more from their exclusive clique-dom and Claudia becomes friends with Erica Blumeberg. Her squeeze, Alan Gray, is inexplicably cuddly and sweet (and when Kristy goes insane over the two of them dating, there is no mention whatsoever of her having attended a few dances with Alan herself). And who found #10, Stacey's Problem veryunnecessary? 
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Post by sugarmonkey on May 25, 2006 8:40:09 GMT -5
I have some but haven't read them yet. I think that having the girls' descriptions on the back cover and not in Ch 2 is a good idea though, assuming the descriptions were detailed enough. It would leave room in the book for more story and less repitition.
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wanderingfrog
Sitting For The Arnolds
Official BSC Archivist
Posts: 2,548
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Post by wanderingfrog on May 25, 2006 20:09:02 GMT -5
I have all of them, but I've only read #1-#4 and the two special editions, and I read all of those when they first were released and haven't reread any of them since. I don't remember any of them very well and don't have much to add to the conversation... for now. I mean, of course I'm going to read (and reread) them all someday.
Spare time has seemed like a myth for so long now...
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Amalia
Sitting For The Braddocks
Her Original Point of View
Posts: 3,664
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Post by Amalia on May 26, 2006 3:55:03 GMT -5
I've only read "Everything Changes" and "Welcome Home MA." Man, was Sunny annoying in the latter and Kristy in the former.
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ktag
Junior Sitter
Posts: 694
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Post by ktag on May 26, 2006 16:25:54 GMT -5
I just got two of them from ebay, including the graduation one.  But I like to read in order, so I probably won't get to them for awhile. |
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Post by booboobrewer on May 26, 2006 16:28:28 GMT -5
I have a grand total of one of the FF books and I can't even remember the title lol. It's where Stacey and Claudia fight over that dude Jeremy. I was so bored by it. The writing was dull; I can't recall any special or funny parts. If I ever get another FF book it'll have to be Graduation Day, but the others don't interest me.
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wanderingfrog
Sitting For The Arnolds
Official BSC Archivist
Posts: 2,548
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Post by wanderingfrog on May 26, 2006 20:31:00 GMT -5
It's where Stacey and Claudia fight over that dude Jeremy. That doesn't really narrow it down, haha. |
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Post by buffykay70 on May 27, 2006 5:29:34 GMT -5
haha, yeah, in practically every FF book they were fighting over him. ive read a few FF books, well the ones i could find, but my public library still has them.
ive read the one where Kristys dad gets remarried, Stacey and Claudia fight over Jeremy - the one where he moves to Stoneybrook, the one where all of Staceys exes come back, the one when Staceys dad is getting remarried, the one where Sunny comes to visit after her mum dies, the one where Claudia dates Alan Grey, Everything Changes and also the one where they graduate. im sure there are a few more that i am yet to read.
mostly the suck. they are very short, theres nothing about babysitting and it doesnt even feel like the same characters anymore.
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jen
Sitting For The Johanssens
Posts: 1,156
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Post by jen on May 28, 2006 1:21:08 GMT -5
I actually really liked Stacey's Problem! I have the whole series, and I liked seeing how they changed. But yeah, the Jeremy thing was totally boring. And I agree, it doesn't feel like the same books - the community and spirit of the original BSC are lacking in this one. Except I don't think it's as radical a shift as the California Diaries.
My favourites in this series were Kristy's Big News, Claudia Gets Her Guy, Stacey's Problem, Mary Anne's Revenge and Welcome Home, Mary Anne. There are lots of small descriptions in there that I love, like the description of wedding dresses in Kristy's, the description of Mary Anne's new house, the lunches and presents that Alan gives Claudia, the description of Stacey's mum's outfit for her date...
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Post by booboobrewer on May 29, 2006 18:36:48 GMT -5
Ha, I didn't know the Jeremy thing spanned several books! I just checked and the one I have is "Stacey vs. Claudia". I remember wondering what the deal was with that new girl Rachel Griffin, who comes into the picture and befriends Stacey. Were there other random characters we'd never heard of thrown in the other FFs for the sake of the plotline?
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Post by lovelylemontree on May 29, 2006 19:47:12 GMT -5
I prefer to pretend the FF series never happened. I've erased almost everything about it from the canon in my head. Except the Claudia/Erica friendship because I actually enjoy that.
Isn't Sunny annoying in every book?
Stacey's Problem is the only FF book I remember in any detail because it's the only one I've read twice. I think that, like the rest of the series, it's pretty terrible. Stacey doesn't seem like the same Stacey from the regular series. I even picture her differently in my head. The ghostwriter jammed a lot into such a short book - Mr. McGill's engagement, Mrs. McGill's depression, Stacey's quest to find Mrs. McGill a man, Mallory being Mallory, Laine's reappearance, and Mrs. McGill becoming Ms. Spencer and randomly deciding to open a boutique. The only part I liked about the book was Laine's appearance, even though I didn't exactly care for her characterization. I like that Stacey and the readers get some sort of closure on the Stacey/Laine friendship. Although, I think Laine should have made a reappearance long before the FF series. And I do like Stacey's reflection on the end of her friendship with Laine.
Other than that, it wasn't a good book. It did serve to further convince me of my hatred for Mr. McGill. He couldn't control his workaholism for his wife and daughter, but he's willing to try for his young, former model girlfriend. He's such a jerk.
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Amalia
Sitting For The Braddocks
Her Original Point of View
Posts: 3,664
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Post by Amalia on May 30, 2006 2:05:03 GMT -5
Other than that, it wasn't a good book. It did serve to further convince me of my hatred for Mr. McGill. He couldn't control his workaholism for his wife and daughter, but he's willing to try for his young, former model girlfriend. He's such a jerk. ^ Men . . . enough said. |
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Post by greer on Jun 3, 2006 1:26:26 GMT -5
I actually really like FF. I almost always feel like the only hardcore BSC fan who actually likes them. I think they're fun, and I like the way they bring tons of characters you haven't seen in a long time back--a nice sendoff.
On Mr. McGill--I think he just realizes that it cost him his first marriage, so he's going to try harder for the second. By the time he realized this, the love between him and Maureen had already been lost. And I think he tries hard now to make room and time for Stacey.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2006 10:02:03 GMT -5
I own two FF, and those two are the only ones I've read...Stacey's Boyfriend Trap and Kristy and the Kidnapper (or something like that). Stacey's Boyfriend Trap just basically solidifies all our inklings that Stacey's a bit of a skank. I love how even Wes and Toby manage to be thrown into the mix. Even Pete seems to like Stacey again. Come on. WTF. The beginning when Stacey's visiting her dad for New Year's Eve and gets on the news? And how Mary Anne's dad manages to record it? What was Richard doing? Keeping a blank video in his VCR and then he sees Stacey and presses record? Anyone else think that Richard will play that tape again and again for his own personal use? Kristy and the Kidnapper...um, what? She and Abby are in D.C. and are debating with other 13 year olds about why cats are better than dogs? And their new friend (Stacey's bf from a Mystery book) reappears and it looks like he's kidnapped but nope he's just out on his own because he wants to be normal and not have a Secret Service guy follow him?  |
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Post by supernatural babe on Jun 3, 2006 10:19:08 GMT -5
I own two FF, and those two are the only ones I've read...Stacey's Boyfriend Trap and Kristy and the Kidnapper (or something like that). Stacey's Boyfriend Trap just basically solidifies all our inklings that Stacey's a bit of a skank. I love how even Wes and Toby manage to be thrown into the mix. Even Pete seems to like Stacey again. Come on. WTF. The beginning when Stacey's visiting her dad for New Year's Eve and gets on the news? And how Mary Anne's dad manages to record it? What was Richard doing? Keeping a blank video in his VCR and then he sees Stacey and presses record? Anyone else think that Richard will play that tape again and again for his own personal use? |
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They're barely worth discussing, but has anyone out here read and of the Friends Forever books? The popularity of the BSC must have been really deteriorating, because it's hardly a surprise to me that the series lasted about 14 books! 
But I like to read in order, so I probably won't get to them for awhile.
