Book Review: Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty

Pages: 368

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: April 11, 2006

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Jessica Darling continues to grow, groove, lust, and hook up. In this witty follow-up to Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings, Jessie studies and romps through three years at New York's Columbia University. When not soaking up Ivy League ambience, this exuberant undergraduate is busy salvaging her long-distance relationship with her high school boyfriend Marcus Flutie, now a candidate for nirvana at an unaccredited Buddhist college in California. As usual, Jessie's perceptions are somewhat less ethereal but probably more interesting to readers."

Jessica is off to college at Columbia and readers will follow her through all the ups and downs of college life, such as meeting new people, meeting new love interests, losing friends, finding out what you want to do with your life, making mistakes, and so much more.  At the beginning of the book, she is still with Marcus, but they have a long-distance relationship as he is in California at a "college" and we all know how hard long distance relationships can be while you are in college.  Megan McCafferty's third book in the Jessica Darling series, Charmed Thirds, not only will have readers laughing-out-loud in true McCafferty fashion, but also reflecting back to their own college experience as they follow Jessica through hers.  


I adore Jessica Darling- LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this character.  I think anyone who has gone to college can relate to parts if not ALL of Jessica's college experience.  She is so easy to identify with and although this book illustrates a more series side of Jessica, I think that is expected now that she is growing up and finding her place.  I liked seeing all the sides of Jessica and watching her make the mistakes that are a part of life.


I love this series, because readers will follow these characters as they grow up and not just Jessica, but Len, Sara, Bridget, Pepe, Hope, and Marcus. You feel personally invested and as you read, you'll want to know what happens to their life. Will they end up happy? Who will they end up with? What will their careers be?  Plus, this series really and truly takes you back to the same exact points in Jessica's life that she is experiencing. McCafferty undoubtably knows how to capture her readers and connect with them through Jessica's tales.


With that said, I immediately downloaded the fourth book called Fourth Comings and I am dying to know what happens, because Jessica is at that point in her life where she graduates college and is thinking.....ok....now what?! We've all been there and I can't wait to relive it with Jessica.  If you haven't read this series, you MUST.  I'm convinced no one knows teenagers and young adults better than McCafferty!

*Buy Charmed Thirds

*Read an excerpt

*Buy Fourth Comings