YOU JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH (GOSSIP GIRL THE CARLYLES)
Created by CECILY VON ZIEGESAR
Written by Annabelle Vestry
Contemporary YA

Rating: 4 Enchantments

It doesn't seem like the Carlyle triplets Avery, Owen and Baby have only been in Manhattan for only a week. They haven't even begun to make their mark despite the party that managed to get the cops called and Avery taken to the police station. But not everything is smooth sailing for the triplets, Baby's trying to get back in the good books at Constance Billard, Avery's already got one frenemy in Jack, and Owen's trying to get over Kelsey, who just happens to be the ex-girlfriend of one of his good friends from the swim team. What will happen if Rhys finds out that Owen's the real reason Kelsey broke up with him?

The Carlyles are a great addition to the Gossip Girl series. I have to say I'm partial to Owen and Baby. Jack's the perfect bad girl, out to oust Avery from her inner circle of friends but with Avery knowing the truth about her financial situation, Jack is practically being blackmailed till the truth comes out and then Jack is hopeful it'll send Avery out of Constance Billard, out of Manhattan and straight out of New York. I loved Owen having to struggle with the fact he's interested in Kelsey, but knowing Rhys is still into her as well. The swim team scenes with Owen and Rhys are actually some of my favorite in the book.

Fans of the Gossip Girl series won't go wrong picking this one up.

Look for the Gossip Girl: The Carlyles #3 `Take a Chance on Me' out in May 2009. Read the first chapter of YOU JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH here: http://www.pickapoppy.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/GGC2Chap1.pdf

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
October 2008

Much to my surprise the triplets are a refreshing change from the original characters---don't get me wrong the originals are fabulous and I too wonder what it would be like to follow them to college. Having said that I find an increased sense of humor in some of the descriptions of the never ending adventures and details to the brand of Manhattan and of the powers that be in the Constance Billard School. The episodes of the triplets are great and I can't wait for more.

Let me start by saying I'm well over the target audience age for this book, but as someone who volunteers with teens, I like to know what they're reading--especially when it's a series that's become such a cultural phenomenon. That said, these books are frothy, escapist fun. This book is the second to follow the Carlyle triplets as they navigate the complicated social maze of the Upper East Side. The outsiders perspective is refreshing as it pulls back the gilded curtain into the monogrammed, designer-clad, and scandalous lives of the world of the teens who attend Constance Billard School for Girls and St. Judes School for Boys while Gossip Girl and her wink-wink, nudge-nudge asides give the series its glossily addictive sheen. I'l admit, I'm totally hooked!!

I hate to say this, but this book was boring . I have been a fan of the Gossip Girl series from the beginning, and normally I'd finish the books within a few hours after purchasing them, but it took me a few days to get through this one, because I just couldn't get into it. The storylines with the new characters are uninteresting, as are most of the characters, who seem to be cheap rip-offs of the original characters. Avery is like an even less interesting version of Jenny Humphrey with her wannabe ways. Jack seems to be the new Blair, but nowhere near as fun to read about, as is with Owen, who seems to be the new Nate, but in my opinion doesn't even compare. Rhys gets annoying with his moaning over Kelsey (I mean I feel bad for the guy and all, seeing as how he loves her but come on, grow some balls!) and Kelsey is just irritating with the way she leads Rhys on, and even agrees to date him again even though she's in love with Owen. JP is okay I guess, but again, nothing special. The only character I enjoy reading about is Baby Carlyle. In my opinion she's the only good thing about the new series so far, and is by far the most original. I like how she's not the typical rich girl, and how she pretty much lashes with the rest of her classmates and how she has her own ideas and thoughts about doing things.

Now I'm not going to say that this is the point where the Gossip Girl series went downhill. Because come on, truthfully the last few books of the series with the original characters weren't oh so wonderful either because of the repetitive storylines (Nate loves Serena.....Nate loves Blair....Nate loves Serena....Nate loves Blair again....etc, etc!) so I do think its good that Cecily ended those books before it got even worse, but she could have atleast made the "caryle" series way better! When I read the new series, I can't help but miss the old characters and wonder what they have been up to since the series ended.

Now I'm not saying that I'm necessarily going to stop reading the new series, because like I said, I like Baby, and I've been a Gossip Girl fan for a long time, but if the series still ends up going nowhere in the third book, I might just have to give up.

I really wish that Cecily would atleast come out with one book that tells us what the original characters have been up to since they left for college (oh how I miss Blair and all her drama!) and even though I'm not a huge Serena fan, I think itd even be interesting if Cecily wrote a book about everything that happened to Serena during her days at boarding school!

I loved the original series. When it first came out several years ago, it was a fresh, new idea with awesome characters. Blair Waldorf was my personal fav. Then, towards the end of the series, it started to go downhill, my friends who read the books agreed with me. The author tried to recreate the same characters in The It girl series, and now is trying for a third time with a new Gossip Girl series. Why didn't she put all that effort into making one, really awesome seriees?

Personally, Jenny Humphrey is not interesting at all. What should have been done, is create a sequel series of GG that follows Blair to Yale, and have had all three of those characters we really love (Blair,Nate, Serena) all be together in college. Or just Blair and new people.

Being an addict I of course have both books in the new series. They get me through when I need some trashy reading, but it's just not the same. Just a cheap imitation of a really good read.

I just seen the peek of this 2nd book; it's much bit of so-so than the first one, wait for the third book of this GG.

As pleased as I was displeased, the new era for a fact has been less provacative and stunning as to now. The month's anticipation was downed by the over-used plot and the downgraded promiscuous actions that I used to love about Gossip Girl. Although it does show depth and drama, the characters feel like a tangled mess or shallow-based characters with no relevance to the city itself. As it seems that the plot has been repeated, so has the interaction with the characters! I am overwhelmed with the nonexistant drama, scandal, and sex appeal. Maybe my opinion has been affected by the hit show itself, but I remember more steamy and discriptive one-night stands wiht jealous pledges following. But the queens of the upper east side should be ashamed, there needs to be more. More of everything and more of anything. These characters deserve more that they are getting. Let the Miu Miu kitten heel ring that the gossip can get jucier than this.
xo