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finesilkflower's review
3.0
Stacey's final book is essentially "Stacey McGill, This Is Your (Romantic) Life" as several of her love interests converge. While she plans a goodbye party for her math teacher, Mr. Zizmore, Stacey has no fewer than seven (7) boys swarming around her:
* Her current boyfriend, Jeremy, the nothing boy she stole from Claudia in [b:Claudia and the Friendship Feud|275455|Claudia and the Friendship Feud (Baby-Sitters Club Friends Forever, #4)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388807778l/275455._SX50_.jpg|632627];
* Her most recent ex, Ethan, the cool New York City-based art student whom she met while in the midst of breaking up with Robert in [b:Stacey's Broken Heart|176729|Stacey's Broken Heart (The Baby-Sitters Club, #99)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387742413l/176729._SX50_.jpg|170751], with whom she is actively trying to maintain a friendship;
* Her ex before that, Robert, whom she convinced to quit the basketball team in [b:Stacey and the Cheerleaders|107932|Stacey and the Cheerleaders (The Baby-Sitters Club, #70)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1171577639l/107932._SX50_.jpg|2322551] and who suffered from depression in [b:Stacey's Ex-Boyfriend|49073572|Stacey's Ex-Boyfriend|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1576225808l/49073572._SY75_.jpg|74503139], who has decided to Make and Effort and is helping with the party;
* Pete Black, a perennial background player whom she used to take to dances in the early books, who is always involved in school events and the party is no exception;
* Sam Thomas, Kristy's older brother, whom she dated on and off mid-series, who apparently had Mr. Zizmore as a teacher and is helping rally the ex-student contingent;
* Wes Ellenburg, the student teacher Stacey crushed on in [b:Stacey's Big Crush|363364|Stacey's Big Crush (The Baby-Sitters Club, #65)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1174110001l/363364._SX50_.jpg|2181756], who is back at the school angling for Mr. Zizmore's job;
* and last but not least, Toby, Stacey's first kiss from [b:Boy-Crazy Stacey|137947|Boy-Crazy Stacey (The Baby-Sitters Club, #8)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1390945749l/137947._SX50_.jpg|3057022], who drops in out of the blue for a visit.
Despite all the potential for drama, this book is curiously anodyne. Stacey doesn't seem to have particularly strong feelings for any of the boys, including her current boyfriend. There are no fistfights, just some light scowling. Mr. Ellenburg thankfully ignores her. Pete, Robert, and Sam hint lightly while mostly just being helpful with the party. Toby is annoying, and Stacey finds entertaining him to mostly be an awkward chore. Jeremy does literally nothing, and Stacey doesn't much seem to care about spending time with him, and then he breaks up with her out of the blue and she is like "Okay." The only one she seems to like is Ethan, and though it feels more chummy than romantic or sparky, the book ends with her 'choosing' him. Allrightsir.
Lingering Questions: What's the trap?
* Her current boyfriend, Jeremy, the nothing boy she stole from Claudia in [b:Claudia and the Friendship Feud|275455|Claudia and the Friendship Feud (Baby-Sitters Club Friends Forever, #4)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388807778l/275455._SX50_.jpg|632627];
* Her most recent ex, Ethan, the cool New York City-based art student whom she met while in the midst of breaking up with Robert in [b:Stacey's Broken Heart|176729|Stacey's Broken Heart (The Baby-Sitters Club, #99)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387742413l/176729._SX50_.jpg|170751], with whom she is actively trying to maintain a friendship;
* Her ex before that, Robert, whom she convinced to quit the basketball team in [b:Stacey and the Cheerleaders|107932|Stacey and the Cheerleaders (The Baby-Sitters Club, #70)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1171577639l/107932._SX50_.jpg|2322551] and who suffered from depression in [b:Stacey's Ex-Boyfriend|49073572|Stacey's Ex-Boyfriend|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1576225808l/49073572._SY75_.jpg|74503139], who has decided to Make and Effort and is helping with the party;
* Pete Black, a perennial background player whom she used to take to dances in the early books, who is always involved in school events and the party is no exception;
* Sam Thomas, Kristy's older brother, whom she dated on and off mid-series, who apparently had Mr. Zizmore as a teacher and is helping rally the ex-student contingent;
* Wes Ellenburg, the student teacher Stacey crushed on in [b:Stacey's Big Crush|363364|Stacey's Big Crush (The Baby-Sitters Club, #65)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1174110001l/363364._SX50_.jpg|2181756], who is back at the school angling for Mr. Zizmore's job;
* and last but not least, Toby, Stacey's first kiss from [b:Boy-Crazy Stacey|137947|Boy-Crazy Stacey (The Baby-Sitters Club, #8)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1390945749l/137947._SX50_.jpg|3057022], who drops in out of the blue for a visit.
Despite all the potential for drama, this book is curiously anodyne. Stacey doesn't seem to have particularly strong feelings for any of the boys, including her current boyfriend. There are no fistfights, just some light scowling. Mr. Ellenburg thankfully ignores her. Pete, Robert, and Sam hint lightly while mostly just being helpful with the party. Toby is annoying, and Stacey finds entertaining him to mostly be an awkward chore. Jeremy does literally nothing, and Stacey doesn't much seem to care about spending time with him, and then he breaks up with her out of the blue and she is like "Okay." The only one she seems to like is Ethan, and though it feels more chummy than romantic or sparky, the book ends with her 'choosing' him. Allrightsir.
Lingering Questions: What's the trap?
sammah's review
3.0
So far of the Friends Forever books I've read, this one is the weakest. It was pretty silly, and rehashed all of Stacey's relationships that she had over the span of the BSC books. Which is a little weird when you consider that she's only thirteen.
HA! Remember Luca in the movie? THIRTEEEEEEEEEEEN!
Anyway. I digress. I am glad she ditched Jeremy, who is sort of weird and clearly has a thing for Claudia despite not thinking he did to begin with. I don't like that guy. I liked Ethan well enough though, so I guess score for the NYC boy.
I'm glad we can now move on from Stacey's many relationships.
HA! Remember Luca in the movie? THIRTEEEEEEEEEEEN!
Anyway. I digress. I am glad she ditched Jeremy, who is sort of weird and clearly has a thing for Claudia despite not thinking he did to begin with. I don't like that guy. I liked Ethan well enough though, so I guess score for the NYC boy.
I'm glad we can now move on from Stacey's many relationships.
pixieauthoress's review
4.0
Although the idea of Stacey having so many boyfriends was rather unbelievable, this was still a fun and amusing book. I'll definitely be looking out for more of the FF books for my collection. 8/10
ssshira's review
3.0
this is my first time reading this book.
in this friends forever answer to [b:Boy-Crazy Stacey|137947|Boy-Crazy Stacey (The Baby-Sitters Club, #8)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1390945749l/137947._SX50_.jpg|3057022] by ghostwriter [a:Suzanne Weyn|99836|Suzanne Weyn|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_50x66-6a03a5c12233c941481992b82eea8d23.png], basically every guy stacey has ever even flirted with happens to show up in her life around the same time: ethan (whom stacey dated from main series #99 through [b:Stacey vs. Claudia|558200|Stacey vs. Claudia (Baby-Sitters Club Friends Forever, #2)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387722541l/558200._SX50_.jpg|545378]) is coming to stoneybrook to see an exhibit (see lowlights/nitpicks); toby from the aforementioned BCS, [b:Mary Anne and Too Many Boys|233789|Mary Anne and Too Many Boys (The Baby-Sitters Club, #34)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1435682558l/233789._SX50_.jpg|2152020], and [b:Sea City, Here We Come!|282613|Sea City, Here We Come! (Babysitters Club Special, #10)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1173398445l/282613._SY75_.jpg|281839] is stopping in stoneybrook on a family trip; and even student teacher wes from [b:Stacey's Big Crush|363364|Stacey's Big Crush (The Baby-Sitters Club, #65)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1174110001l/363364._SX50_.jpg|2181756] is vying for the job that stacey's math teacher mr. zizmore is vacating. plus, pete black (with whom stacey often attended school dances early in the series) asks stacey to help him plan mr. zizmore’s going away party, and both robert (whom she dated from main series #70-99) and sam thomas (with whom she had a minor romance - see [b:Baby-sitters at Shadow Lake|371064|Baby-sitters at Shadow Lake (The Baby-Sitters Club Super Special, #8)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328006887l/371064._SX50_.jpg|1955094]) are perpetually around to help plan it as well. to add to the drama, stacey’s ACTUAL boyfriend jeremy is acting distant and weird. though she is surrounded by a veritable treasure trove of fuckboys from her past, she is mostly unfazed by it. and then jeremy breaks up with her, and she doesn’t even really care. in the end, it seems like she and ethan are getting back together, and more importantly, it seems like she and claudia are getting back together as well.
highlights:
-I’m not sure who it’s supposed to be, but the picture of the boy in stacey’s left hand looks just like brad renfro (RIP):
-a guy named van sant is doing an exhibition at the stoneybrook museum. I hope it's not stills from elephant.
-toby’s email address is tobythegreat. that's enough of a sign that stacey shouldn’t meet up with him. but also it’s hilarious.
-claud says that math has a use for stacey, because it helps her keep track of all her old boyfriends. sick burn, claudia!
-I love that after all this time, stacey hangs out with toby and HE SUCKS. he is seriously the biggest fuckboy in the world, and I am here for it.
lowlights/nitpicks:
-stacey says she and jeremy haven't been going out all that long, but for 13-year-olds they have. it's been since around the beginning of the school year, and now it's near new year's. so at least 3 months. that's forever for teens.
-stacey narrates that eating snails grosses her out and that instead she ate shrimp cocktail. okay, I know I’m a vegetarian and all, but shrimps are definitely one of the most bug-like non-bug creatures I can think of.
-stacey says that she and claudia haven't spoken, aside from a few cold polite words, in weeks. it's actually been longer than that. it was around thanksgiving that she fake apologized, so it's been well over a month.
-stacey’s dad thinks that it’s not possible for stacey and ethan, who used to date, to be friends. really? what an immature thing for a grown-ass man to say.
-there’s an exhibit that ethan can’t wait to see and it’s in STONEYBROOK CONNECTICUT? he lives in manhattan but he has to go to a crappy town outside stamford to see high art. suuuuuure.
-the blurb on the back of the book says five of stacey’s exes are in town. who are the five exes in question? ethan, sure, but toby? not really her ex. wes? DEFINITELY not her ex. pete? robert? sam? they always live in stoneybrook, and only one of them is her ex. and she and jeremy are still dating.
-stacey says robert has "become friendly with pete" even though they've been friends for a while; in fact, pete helps robert lie when cheating on stacey in [b:Stacey's Broken Heart|176729|Stacey's Broken Heart (The Baby-Sitters Club, #99)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387742413l/176729._SX50_.jpg|170751].
-stacey gets jeremy to help with the party to "meet new people" but really it's to get him to hang out with claudia less. she is such a controlling and awful girlfriend.
-stacey says "mary anne deserves to think about herself once in a while. she always thinks about other people." excuse me, but mary anne ALWAYS thinks about herself. when other people suffer and it makes her cry, it’s because she is making their pain about her. see [b:Baby-Sitters' Winter Vacation|371080|Baby-Sitters' Winter Vacation (The Baby-Sitters Club Super Special, #3)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387711881l/371080._SX50_.jpg|361047] for the worst mary anne self-centeredness in the whole series.
-stacey is emailing toby, and it really sounds like an aim conversation. I think suzanne weyn is just old and doesn't know what iming is (cue the comments from people who are much younger than me and don’t know what iming is). toby even logs off at one point. stacey wouldn't see him log off from email, only from an im service. that said, I do enjoy suzanne weyn’s idea of what normal screen names/email addresses are: wes is Mathguy, and toby is tobythegreat
-toby says to stacey, "even though we didn't do anything, it was fun." stacey thinks it's weird that he expected her to plan an activity or something, but he CLEARLY means they didn't hook up. get with the program, stace.
-ethan says he misses stacey and suggests they spend more time together again. and stacey thinks that it's good that all of these boys she dated/liked in the past were together so she could pick the one she likes the most, ethan. but it seems like he picked her, and she’s just trying to make herself feel better about jeremy dumping her.
outfits
stacey:
-"I picked up my black velvet overalls...I also pulled out my thermal long underwear...I put on the thermals, then a long-sleeved white shirt, and, finally, the overalls. I slid on a black headband decorated with white peach signs and pulled wisps of my blonde hair out around my face...Then I pulled on my ankle-high black boots and was done."
-"I wore my best jeans and a soft blue sweater I'd just received for Christmas."
stacey's dad:
-"Ski mask. Scarf. Heavy gloves. Down parka."
snacks in claudia’s room:
-raw veggies (n.s.)
in this friends forever answer to [b:Boy-Crazy Stacey|137947|Boy-Crazy Stacey (The Baby-Sitters Club, #8)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1390945749l/137947._SX50_.jpg|3057022] by ghostwriter [a:Suzanne Weyn|99836|Suzanne Weyn|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_50x66-6a03a5c12233c941481992b82eea8d23.png], basically every guy stacey has ever even flirted with happens to show up in her life around the same time: ethan (whom stacey dated from main series #99 through [b:Stacey vs. Claudia|558200|Stacey vs. Claudia (Baby-Sitters Club Friends Forever, #2)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387722541l/558200._SX50_.jpg|545378]) is coming to stoneybrook to see an exhibit (see lowlights/nitpicks); toby from the aforementioned BCS, [b:Mary Anne and Too Many Boys|233789|Mary Anne and Too Many Boys (The Baby-Sitters Club, #34)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1435682558l/233789._SX50_.jpg|2152020], and [b:Sea City, Here We Come!|282613|Sea City, Here We Come! (Babysitters Club Special, #10)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1173398445l/282613._SY75_.jpg|281839] is stopping in stoneybrook on a family trip; and even student teacher wes from [b:Stacey's Big Crush|363364|Stacey's Big Crush (The Baby-Sitters Club, #65)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1174110001l/363364._SX50_.jpg|2181756] is vying for the job that stacey's math teacher mr. zizmore is vacating. plus, pete black (with whom stacey often attended school dances early in the series) asks stacey to help him plan mr. zizmore’s going away party, and both robert (whom she dated from main series #70-99) and sam thomas (with whom she had a minor romance - see [b:Baby-sitters at Shadow Lake|371064|Baby-sitters at Shadow Lake (The Baby-Sitters Club Super Special, #8)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328006887l/371064._SX50_.jpg|1955094]) are perpetually around to help plan it as well. to add to the drama, stacey’s ACTUAL boyfriend jeremy is acting distant and weird. though she is surrounded by a veritable treasure trove of fuckboys from her past, she is mostly unfazed by it. and then jeremy breaks up with her, and she doesn’t even really care. in the end, it seems like she and ethan are getting back together, and more importantly, it seems like she and claudia are getting back together as well.
highlights:
-I’m not sure who it’s supposed to be, but the picture of the boy in stacey’s left hand looks just like brad renfro (RIP):
-a guy named van sant is doing an exhibition at the stoneybrook museum. I hope it's not stills from elephant.
-toby’s email address is tobythegreat. that's enough of a sign that stacey shouldn’t meet up with him. but also it’s hilarious.
-claud says that math has a use for stacey, because it helps her keep track of all her old boyfriends. sick burn, claudia!
-I love that after all this time, stacey hangs out with toby and HE SUCKS. he is seriously the biggest fuckboy in the world, and I am here for it.
lowlights/nitpicks:
-stacey says she and jeremy haven't been going out all that long, but for 13-year-olds they have. it's been since around the beginning of the school year, and now it's near new year's. so at least 3 months. that's forever for teens.
-stacey narrates that eating snails grosses her out and that instead she ate shrimp cocktail. okay, I know I’m a vegetarian and all, but shrimps are definitely one of the most bug-like non-bug creatures I can think of.
-stacey says that she and claudia haven't spoken, aside from a few cold polite words, in weeks. it's actually been longer than that. it was around thanksgiving that she fake apologized, so it's been well over a month.
-stacey’s dad thinks that it’s not possible for stacey and ethan, who used to date, to be friends. really? what an immature thing for a grown-ass man to say.
-there’s an exhibit that ethan can’t wait to see and it’s in STONEYBROOK CONNECTICUT? he lives in manhattan but he has to go to a crappy town outside stamford to see high art. suuuuuure.
-the blurb on the back of the book says five of stacey’s exes are in town. who are the five exes in question? ethan, sure, but toby? not really her ex. wes? DEFINITELY not her ex. pete? robert? sam? they always live in stoneybrook, and only one of them is her ex. and she and jeremy are still dating.
-stacey says robert has "become friendly with pete" even though they've been friends for a while; in fact, pete helps robert lie when cheating on stacey in [b:Stacey's Broken Heart|176729|Stacey's Broken Heart (The Baby-Sitters Club, #99)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387742413l/176729._SX50_.jpg|170751].
-stacey gets jeremy to help with the party to "meet new people" but really it's to get him to hang out with claudia less. she is such a controlling and awful girlfriend.
-stacey says "mary anne deserves to think about herself once in a while. she always thinks about other people." excuse me, but mary anne ALWAYS thinks about herself. when other people suffer and it makes her cry, it’s because she is making their pain about her. see [b:Baby-Sitters' Winter Vacation|371080|Baby-Sitters' Winter Vacation (The Baby-Sitters Club Super Special, #3)|Ann M. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387711881l/371080._SX50_.jpg|361047] for the worst mary anne self-centeredness in the whole series.
-stacey is emailing toby, and it really sounds like an aim conversation. I think suzanne weyn is just old and doesn't know what iming is (cue the comments from people who are much younger than me and don’t know what iming is). toby even logs off at one point. stacey wouldn't see him log off from email, only from an im service. that said, I do enjoy suzanne weyn’s idea of what normal screen names/email addresses are: wes is Mathguy, and toby is tobythegreat
-toby says to stacey, "even though we didn't do anything, it was fun." stacey thinks it's weird that he expected her to plan an activity or something, but he CLEARLY means they didn't hook up. get with the program, stace.
-ethan says he misses stacey and suggests they spend more time together again. and stacey thinks that it's good that all of these boys she dated/liked in the past were together so she could pick the one she likes the most, ethan. but it seems like he picked her, and she’s just trying to make herself feel better about jeremy dumping her.
outfits
stacey:
-"I picked up my black velvet overalls...I also pulled out my thermal long underwear...I put on the thermals, then a long-sleeved white shirt, and, finally, the overalls. I slid on a black headband decorated with white peach signs and pulled wisps of my blonde hair out around my face...Then I pulled on my ankle-high black boots and was done."
-"I wore my best jeans and a soft blue sweater I'd just received for Christmas."
stacey's dad:
-"Ski mask. Scarf. Heavy gloves. Down parka."
snacks in claudia’s room:
-raw veggies (n.s.)
lovelyflowersinherhair's review
4.0
This book was pretty good, better than most in the series. I enjoyed how all of Stacey's boyfriends came back to haunt her, including Toby from Sea City and Wes, the student teacher she had a crush on in the regular BSC series.
sidhe's review
3.0
This book's premise was more than a little silly and it was nowhere near as funny as other reviews have said but it kept me entertained and had a satisfying ending.
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