My 2008 DIKs
(from debut - June 2005 *)
My January column
My February column
My March column
My April column
My May column
My June column
* Co-authored Oct column
 What was begun as an online journal of the books I read evolved...or maybe it devolved...to also feature behind the scenes goings-on at All About Romance from my perspective (mostly based on my personal feelings - okay, it's a personal pity party); topics I've gone over ad nauseum in commentary at AAR, including the nature of reviews and online behavior; and my non-cyber life (including family and items in pop culture that capture my interest, which is just about everything). Please do not violate my trust. I restricted certain AAR-related and personal entries for a reason...to keep them as private as possible. Now that my blog is read-only, to access restricted entries you must already have a password; if you do, hold onto it so that you can continue to read restricted entries. This blog is not part of All About Romance. I ask that you keep comments or questions regarding restricted blog content off of AAR. |
Cathy Hopkins' Mates & Dates YA series
The first of Hopkins series is Mates, Dates, and Inflatable Bras. It's followed by Mates, Dates, and Cosmic Kisses, and Mates, Dates, and Designer Divas. Only these three books have been released in the U.S. thus far; a fourth - Mates, Dates, and Sleepover Secrets won't be released in the U.S. until September.
The three books focus on three 14-year-old friends who live in London. Lucy is the lead character in the first book. She's small and blond and wants to look older (she looks about 12) and have breasts. She's insecure about her lack of goals, her kooky family, and thinks her best friend Izzie traded her in for a better best friend, the darkly exotic Nesta. When it turns out that the boy she's crazy about is Nesta's brother, things go from bad to worse.
Any girl who's ever had a crush on a friend's brother can relate to this one, which means it's a universal thang. And any girl who's ever been insecure about her friendships will also relate - again, a universal thang. If only my best friends were as funny as Izzie and Nesta, my adolescence would have been a whole lot more enjoyable! But then again, I'm not exactly a blond, gamine clothing designer type of girl, and Lucy is. 
The second book focuses on Izzie, who's the New-Agey friend. She too has boy trouble; Mark, the boy she likes, always says he'll call, but he never does, at least until she follows her friends' advice about not being available. It takes her a long time to get to this point, and the biggest lesson she learns is not to take your girlfriends for granted - they'll be there regardless of the boys who'll come and go as they please.
The third book focuses on Nesta, whose life has always been fairly glamorous. So when she meets the boy she likes (and all three boys turn out to be 17) and discovers he's really rich, she's not insecure... until she learns she may no longer have the kind of money she herself is used to having. Her mother may lose her "newsreader" job and her father, a director, is between jobs, so things are tight and the family must cut back. Nesta, the most confident of the three girls, suffers an identity crisis as she comes to grips with a major change in her status. Simon really likes her, but could his sister's snobby friend be right? Does he only like her because she's different and might piss off his parents?
All three books are written in a breezy, easy-to-read style that's very modern. Whether these girls are talking on their cell phones or text messaging, there's no sense that the author is either trying too hard to be cool or preaching. But she makes her points anyway and those of you with tween-aged daughters can read the books together and have a very nice time doing so.
TTFN, Laurie Likes Books
i read mates, dates, and cosmic kisses and they turns out sso GREAT... i am
waiting now to go to the bookstore to buy the inflatable bra and designer
divas... and cant wait for sleepover secret...
charlotte
I've read the 1st four "Mates and Dates" and i love love LOVED them! I
couldnt put them down. Cant WAIT till the fifth book comes out...I read the
beginning (it was at the end of the fourth)and it soundz just as good as
the first 4!!
keep it real,
*..KaTeLyN..*
What is the reading level (grade level) for this book? Appropriate
age?
debbie [xxxxxx@xxx.net]
Debbie -
My daughter read them - she's eleven. There's nothing objectionable about them in the least. But then again, I'm very liberal about my reading views because my own mother was.
TTFN, LLB
i read mates, dates, and cosmic kisses, and inflatable bras. i have mates,
dates, and desighner divas and sleep over secrets too butt have knot read
them yet. i just want to say that these are wonderful books and i'd advise
people to read them. i'm 17 and i still find them to be great. there's a
5th one?? sure can't wait....TTFN*
*~*Stephenie*~*
I've read the first four and they totally rock!! I would advise anyone
between the ages of 11 and 21 to read them - they're awsome! Can't wait to
get the third (i just need to get off my fat arse n go find it!)
:-D
Amaretta :-D (I have a really cool name!)
Amaretta
i read mates dates and cosmic kisses first but then went to buy the whole
series they are soooo good ! i love them i just lose my self when i read
them i cant wait to see if yo make more
books!.
lindsay [hotty9111@hotmail.com]
hi
read mates dates and cosmic kisses first but then went to buy the whole series they are soooo good ! i love them i just lose my self when i read them i cant wait to see if you make more books!.
absouloutly loved the book. as they would say, the books are "brillopad" i
am reading them all again. i have to go and buy great escapes now! is
designer divas out yet?
saffiah [pink_pixie_2k3@hotmail.com]
though i'm already 24, i thoroughly enjoyed reading this series. i'm now
reading mates, dates and sequined smiles. can't wait for the 8th book!
i luuuuuuuuuuvvv these books so much bcoz u can relate them 2 real life
they are the ideal friends and have great lives the books are a joy 2 read
and are the best books iv ever read
xxx
abz [abby_francis_13@hotmail.com]
Hey! I'm from the UK and all nine books are released over here. I love them
all. A fourth friend joins the crew in the fourth book and it rocks. The
books are enjoyable, fun and are wrote in a reality like way. I think
everyone can relate to the characters and their everyday
problems
Paula [princess_paula@hotmail.com]
Hello there! I'm from the Philippines and I have all of its released books.
I love them all. Those books were inspiring. It's fun to read them because
you can learn so many things.
Janine [janine08j@hotmail.com]
U FINK UR SO GD U TURNED MY BRO AGAINST ME COZ UR BOOKS U MOO COW
wow i used to hate reading but when me and my cousin went to the library
and found those books i wouldn't stop my mom was tired seeing me locked up
in my room reading all those books she was impressed at how much i read
Cathy i have to say thank you for bringing these books to my llife