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bookish_brooklyn's review against another edition
5.0
This is honestly a book everyone needs to read! It’s so vital in terms of its messages and themes, and relatable in many a sense! It’s a book I wish I had read in high school, but am way too over the moon to have finally read it now!
Take Three Girls focuses, and is told from the split points of view between our three main girls:
There’s Clem, once a swimming sensation, but now not at all feeling the longing for the pool that she once had – whilst being tangled up with Stu, one who she can never quite forget.
Then there’s popular Adelaide, or Ady, feeling disconnected from her family and friends- her comfortable life falling apart before her own eyes.
And last but most certainly not least, Kate, torn between her music dreams and the career her parents have sacrificed lots for.
All three girls are faced with the brunt of PSST (think Gossip Girl, well that’s what it instantly reminded me of – a website which relentlessly shames it’s targets, namely women and says absolutely loathsome and humiliating things about them – mostly inaccurate and often hurtful things too. No one really knows who is behind PSST, but let me say, when I found out- I was pretty surprised – it definitely wasn’t who I would expected that contributed to the website.
I love how the book was told from three different narrations- I loved them all equally! It’s funny, because of her popular demeanour, I initially didn’t like Ady, but I soon grew to love her as she started to realise every thing is not all it seems in her life- and I mean, the reader finds out that her family is slowly unravelling, not even due to lack of finances, but to her father’s health – I must admit, I found that in itself to be a surprise- and of course, it definitely made me feel bad for her! I mean not only did she have to come to terms with that, but her sister constantly only gives her half attention, and as the story goes further, I really got a sense of how alone she really feels in the world.
Which is why I was so happy Max comes into her life! Their friendship and more was just utter deliciousness and made me so happy!
Clem, darling Clem – I just wanted to hug her as soon as I met her in this book, so disheartened by her weight, her being so hung up on Stu (I have lots of not so flash feelings about that one), but also her toxic relationship with her twin sister, Iris! Now, Clem really, in my opinion, hadn’t done anything to Iris – but Iris was so horrible to Clem, it hurt to read about, as they were evidently once close but now all Iris seemingly has to say horribly negative things about her sister, but Clem, how she navigated her way through this story was just gorgeous, whether it was coping with fat shaming (which no one should have to go through!), to dealing with a change in swimming mindset.
Kate, dear Kate- friend of Iris, aspiring cellist and initially my favourite character at that! I could so easily feel her passion and love for music and tech and I loved how she would just be so creative in terms of mixing the two – and yes she absolutely had inner angst about wanting to chase her music dream, when her parents have given her the oppurtunity to study medicine, but she was just so brave going for her dream, and I loved her banter and chemistry with nerdy Oliver, they were easily some of my favourite scenes, just how they bounced off one another and had that shared passion for music was such a pleasure to read about!
Whilst I loved reading about all three girls as separate characters, my favourite scenes were when they all came together- initially, they weren’t even in the same friendship groups- but their individual character growth and collective friendship development and self love was easily so stellar, and Kate, Ady and Clem feel like friends, and the book is definitely a new favourite!
And I love that it was the school’s wellness course that brought them all together, that made them face what was going not so great with their lives, facing and standing united together against the toxic people, and just being the best and happiest versions of themselves that they can be!
If you haven’t read this book, pick it up! I cannot recommend it enough!
Take Three Girls focuses, and is told from the split points of view between our three main girls:
There’s Clem, once a swimming sensation, but now not at all feeling the longing for the pool that she once had – whilst being tangled up with Stu, one who she can never quite forget.
Then there’s popular Adelaide, or Ady, feeling disconnected from her family and friends- her comfortable life falling apart before her own eyes.
And last but most certainly not least, Kate, torn between her music dreams and the career her parents have sacrificed lots for.
All three girls are faced with the brunt of PSST (think Gossip Girl, well that’s what it instantly reminded me of – a website which relentlessly shames it’s targets, namely women and says absolutely loathsome and humiliating things about them – mostly inaccurate and often hurtful things too. No one really knows who is behind PSST, but let me say, when I found out- I was pretty surprised – it definitely wasn’t who I would expected that contributed to the website.
I love how the book was told from three different narrations- I loved them all equally! It’s funny, because of her popular demeanour, I initially didn’t like Ady, but I soon grew to love her as she started to realise every thing is not all it seems in her life- and I mean, the reader finds out that her family is slowly unravelling, not even due to lack of finances, but to her father’s health – I must admit, I found that in itself to be a surprise- and of course, it definitely made me feel bad for her! I mean not only did she have to come to terms with that, but her sister constantly only gives her half attention, and as the story goes further, I really got a sense of how alone she really feels in the world.
Which is why I was so happy Max comes into her life! Their friendship and more was just utter deliciousness and made me so happy!
Clem, darling Clem – I just wanted to hug her as soon as I met her in this book, so disheartened by her weight, her being so hung up on Stu (I have lots of not so flash feelings about that one), but also her toxic relationship with her twin sister, Iris! Now, Clem really, in my opinion, hadn’t done anything to Iris – but Iris was so horrible to Clem, it hurt to read about, as they were evidently once close but now all Iris seemingly has to say horribly negative things about her sister, but Clem, how she navigated her way through this story was just gorgeous, whether it was coping with fat shaming (which no one should have to go through!), to dealing with a change in swimming mindset.
Kate, dear Kate- friend of Iris, aspiring cellist and initially my favourite character at that! I could so easily feel her passion and love for music and tech and I loved how she would just be so creative in terms of mixing the two – and yes she absolutely had inner angst about wanting to chase her music dream, when her parents have given her the oppurtunity to study medicine, but she was just so brave going for her dream, and I loved her banter and chemistry with nerdy Oliver, they were easily some of my favourite scenes, just how they bounced off one another and had that shared passion for music was such a pleasure to read about!
Whilst I loved reading about all three girls as separate characters, my favourite scenes were when they all came together- initially, they weren’t even in the same friendship groups- but their individual character growth and collective friendship development and self love was easily so stellar, and Kate, Ady and Clem feel like friends, and the book is definitely a new favourite!
And I love that it was the school’s wellness course that brought them all together, that made them face what was going not so great with their lives, facing and standing united together against the toxic people, and just being the best and happiest versions of themselves that they can be!
If you haven’t read this book, pick it up! I cannot recommend it enough!
sean67's review against another edition
3.0
It was alright, there were some good moments, but it did feel like it was about 100 pages over long, and just kept going.
abbeyleec's review against another edition
5.0
I wasn't expecting much from this book when I first went into it. I actually got this in a subscription box and it wasn't something I would have bought but it blew me away. It was actually amazing.
This book kind of really reminded me of One of us is Lying but Karen M. McMannus but without the murder of a school kind. The gossip website though, totally relatable.
I love the way that these three main characters (Clem, Kate and Ady) come together and would have never been friends if they weren't pushed together in a wellness program. But they all have stuff going on underneath the personas they show the people around them and you really get to know they and its amazing.
It's also set in Australia which is something I don't get to see very often! It was a really enjoyable story and also just a real representation of girls when they are 16 and what you can go through and it's not like a movie in this book.
Also I loved all the romances (EXCEPT STU, F**K YOU) and it was cute and great but all the female friend ship was just . . . so good.
This was seriously so amazing.
This book kind of really reminded me of One of us is Lying but Karen M. McMannus but without the murder of a school kind. The gossip website though, totally relatable.
I love the way that these three main characters (Clem, Kate and Ady) come together and would have never been friends if they weren't pushed together in a wellness program. But they all have stuff going on underneath the personas they show the people around them and you really get to know they and its amazing.
It's also set in Australia which is something I don't get to see very often! It was a really enjoyable story and also just a real representation of girls when they are 16 and what you can go through and it's not like a movie in this book.
Also I loved all the romances (EXCEPT STU, F**K YOU) and it was cute and great but all the female friend ship was just . . . so good.
This was seriously so amazing.
shanayahreads's review against another edition
4.0
Full Review Here
When I first heard of Take Three Girls, my interest was piqued. There have been several similar stories set in high school, with similar YA/MG fiction tropes, but I tended to find them too childish or outlandish. Take Three Girls felt a lot more realistic and YA than other similar stories I’ve read, and I loved the authors’ take on high school and the girls. I really enjoyed the book, I flew threw it in one sitting.
It was interesting to see the wellness journal session structures and the occasional online post and comment snippets within the book, I thought they really emphasised the story. From my high school experience, I can’t say I’ve heard anything quite as brutal as what’s described in the book, but the representation seemed realistic and was handled well by the authors. It was interesting to see how the characters all grew and adapted to the varying circumstances and what their reactions were.
Initially, I couldn’t stand Clem, she was very brash and annoying, and I hated every single decision she made and almost every word she said. She did get better later on in the book though, and although I still don’t love her, I don’t hate her. Buuuut, I do love Kate and Ady! Kate is so lovely and I was rooting for not just her big decisions, but also for her & her love interest from the beginning hehe. I loved the contrast between what everyone thought Ady was like to the real Ady, and I think that’s something that people tend to do a lot now – judge people really harshly without really knowing them. Ady’s love interest was kind of a surprise, but also not really because the relationship seemed to blossom so naturally and I loved it.
The story was very character-driven, and very empowering for girls. The building of friendships was so genuine and lovely to read. Additionally, there wasn’t much physical description (at least that I remembered), which I actually enjoyed since I was free to build the girls how I saw them. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I was really happy with the conclusion, and though it was far from a perfect ending, it was nicely wrapped up.
Overall, I enjoyed Take Three Girls. I think it’s a good book for girls, especially girls transitioning from middle-grade fiction to young adult fiction, since it highlights the importance of friendship and promotes positivity.
I received a review copy from the publisher
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When I first heard of Take Three Girls, my interest was piqued. There have been several similar stories set in high school, with similar YA/MG fiction tropes, but I tended to find them too childish or outlandish. Take Three Girls felt a lot more realistic and YA than other similar stories I’ve read, and I loved the authors’ take on high school and the girls. I really enjoyed the book, I flew threw it in one sitting.
It was interesting to see the wellness journal session structures and the occasional online post and comment snippets within the book, I thought they really emphasised the story. From my high school experience, I can’t say I’ve heard anything quite as brutal as what’s described in the book, but the representation seemed realistic and was handled well by the authors. It was interesting to see how the characters all grew and adapted to the varying circumstances and what their reactions were.
Initially, I couldn’t stand Clem, she was very brash and annoying, and I hated every single decision she made and almost every word she said. She did get better later on in the book though, and although I still don’t love her, I don’t hate her. Buuuut, I do love Kate and Ady! Kate is so lovely and I was rooting for not just her big decisions, but also for her & her love interest from the beginning hehe. I loved the contrast between what everyone thought Ady was like to the real Ady, and I think that’s something that people tend to do a lot now – judge people really harshly without really knowing them. Ady’s love interest was kind of a surprise, but also not really because the relationship seemed to blossom so naturally and I loved it.
The story was very character-driven, and very empowering for girls. The building of friendships was so genuine and lovely to read. Additionally, there wasn’t much physical description (at least that I remembered), which I actually enjoyed since I was free to build the girls how I saw them. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I was really happy with the conclusion, and though it was far from a perfect ending, it was nicely wrapped up.
Overall, I enjoyed Take Three Girls. I think it’s a good book for girls, especially girls transitioning from middle-grade fiction to young adult fiction, since it highlights the importance of friendship and promotes positivity.
I received a review copy from the publisher
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neevechristine's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I’m not sure aye. By the end I was really enjoying it, but it did take me over a year to get through. But I’m staying that I read the second half in 24 hours 🤷♀️
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Fatphobia, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Drug abuse, and Eating disorder
meganishere's review against another edition
5.0
I felt I could really relate to the characters, which is a must (for me anyway). Great read, good quotes too!
eleanormoloney's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice story of female friendship, which I always love. The the three main characters were very different and interesting. They were all strong female characters and it was nice to watch their relationship strengthen as the book went on.
hayleymorgan548's review against another edition
3.0
An Australian book written by three authors and set in Melbourne, follows the lives of three drastically different girls. Clem, Kate and Ady all attend St. Hilda’s, an all-girls school where both Clem and Kate board. Assigned to a group together in a Wellness class, the three grow to become friends while finding themselves.
It was fascinating to see the versions of each girl in the others’ mind. They’ve seen one another around school for a while, and therefore they know each other’s reputation. Clem the sporty swimmer, Kate the brainy computer-wiz and Ady the stuck-up, popular rich girl.
Clem’s story is very stereotypical of teenage girl’s stories; wants to find who she is, falls for an older, handsome guy, becomes completely obsessed with him. Though she has a twin the two don’t get along, it’s like cats and dogs really. There’s no apparent reason for this; they came to St. Hilda’s, Clem wanted to her own room and that was it. It’s like normal sibling squabbling times two. Their disagreement appears to be long-standing and simply down to their personality differences. Stu, the boy Clem likes, was shifty from the beginning and it made it infuriating that she didn’t suspect anything. Yes, it did demonstrate her naïve like many teens in love, but it was still exasperating to read. I found her story slow and her character to be maddening, though I admit she is a successful representation of many teenage girls.
The brainy, tech wiz of the group is Kate, a girl who struggles with her parents’ expectations whilst devoting every waking hour towards her passion for music. Her passion is practically an obsession. She’s constantly thinking of new techniques while she’s supposed to be doing other things, like studying. Fighting such a deep part of yourself looks downright painful and you can sense this in each passage. Her two paths diverge when she has the opportunity to apply for a music scholarship to Iceland but in doing so will limit her chances at getting a scholarship for St. Hilda’s which her family desperately need her to get. In orchestra her fellow cellist, Oliver, infuriates her with his condescending lectures, yet to have a chance at Iceland Kate must pair up with him. As they begin to work together Kate develops feelings for him. I loved this character, but the storyline would’ve been more unique without the whole the-two-that-couldn’t-stand-each-other-yet-end-up-together. Paired with her interest in weird alternate cello music this point of view would’ve been the best of the three if not for the disappointing love story.
With the beautiful appearance of the rich popular girl, Ady seems like the confident Queen-Bee. Yet as we learn about her life it’s revealed she’s a secret clothing artist trouble by family drama. Like Kate she day-dreams about her art, visualising people in her fabulous outfits while attempting to keep up her demanding façade. Making genuine friends with the two girls allows Ady great relief to be herself. She isn’t even comfortable to be herself at home with her brother, sister and arguing parents. Through her viewpoint the reader experiences the hardship of having a family member with an addiction. Due to her family’s wealth, Ady is forced to uphold appearances no matter how tumultuous the situations. Though many characters are obsessed with fashion I loved Ady’s eye, her taste was a unique mix of vintage elegance and modern fashions.
Unfortunately, the e-book formatting was poorly lacking. There are pages that are designed like handwritten pages from a notebook. These pages were nearly impossible to read if it wasn’t for the new zoom function on the Kindle app I never would have been possible. My whole book club had the same problem, forcing many to buy the physical book as well. However, the physical copies had no formatting problem.
This book would be suitable for mid to late teen readers, young people who are trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives. The middle section was slow and the storyline following PSST was incredibly so, only getting resolved in the final chapters. Overall it was an enjoyable book and I give it 3/5.
It was fascinating to see the versions of each girl in the others’ mind. They’ve seen one another around school for a while, and therefore they know each other’s reputation. Clem the sporty swimmer, Kate the brainy computer-wiz and Ady the stuck-up, popular rich girl.
Clem’s story is very stereotypical of teenage girl’s stories; wants to find who she is, falls for an older, handsome guy, becomes completely obsessed with him. Though she has a twin the two don’t get along, it’s like cats and dogs really. There’s no apparent reason for this; they came to St. Hilda’s, Clem wanted to her own room and that was it. It’s like normal sibling squabbling times two. Their disagreement appears to be long-standing and simply down to their personality differences. Stu, the boy Clem likes, was shifty from the beginning and it made it infuriating that she didn’t suspect anything. Yes, it did demonstrate her naïve like many teens in love, but it was still exasperating to read. I found her story slow and her character to be maddening, though I admit she is a successful representation of many teenage girls.
The brainy, tech wiz of the group is Kate, a girl who struggles with her parents’ expectations whilst devoting every waking hour towards her passion for music. Her passion is practically an obsession. She’s constantly thinking of new techniques while she’s supposed to be doing other things, like studying. Fighting such a deep part of yourself looks downright painful and you can sense this in each passage. Her two paths diverge when she has the opportunity to apply for a music scholarship to Iceland but in doing so will limit her chances at getting a scholarship for St. Hilda’s which her family desperately need her to get. In orchestra her fellow cellist, Oliver, infuriates her with his condescending lectures, yet to have a chance at Iceland Kate must pair up with him. As they begin to work together Kate develops feelings for him. I loved this character, but the storyline would’ve been more unique without the whole the-two-that-couldn’t-stand-each-other-yet-end-up-together. Paired with her interest in weird alternate cello music this point of view would’ve been the best of the three if not for the disappointing love story.
With the beautiful appearance of the rich popular girl, Ady seems like the confident Queen-Bee. Yet as we learn about her life it’s revealed she’s a secret clothing artist trouble by family drama. Like Kate she day-dreams about her art, visualising people in her fabulous outfits while attempting to keep up her demanding façade. Making genuine friends with the two girls allows Ady great relief to be herself. She isn’t even comfortable to be herself at home with her brother, sister and arguing parents. Through her viewpoint the reader experiences the hardship of having a family member with an addiction. Due to her family’s wealth, Ady is forced to uphold appearances no matter how tumultuous the situations. Though many characters are obsessed with fashion I loved Ady’s eye, her taste was a unique mix of vintage elegance and modern fashions.
Unfortunately, the e-book formatting was poorly lacking. There are pages that are designed like handwritten pages from a notebook. These pages were nearly impossible to read if it wasn’t for the new zoom function on the Kindle app I never would have been possible. My whole book club had the same problem, forcing many to buy the physical book as well. However, the physical copies had no formatting problem.
This book would be suitable for mid to late teen readers, young people who are trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives. The middle section was slow and the storyline following PSST was incredibly so, only getting resolved in the final chapters. Overall it was an enjoyable book and I give it 3/5.
sungmemoonstruck's review against another edition
4.0
I think I really need to be reading more Australian YA? This was very good and very real and I got a bit emotional by the end.