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Mates, Dates #4
Mates, Dates And Sleepover Secrets
TJ has always been a sports-mad tomboy, but when her best friend moves away, TJ finds herself very lonely, and starts to reassess her life. Lucy brings her into her gang and they all help her sort out her own style.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 3, 2002
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1154 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
May 27, 2015
Great book from my early teenage years. Lots of fun. Probably not my favourite, actually possibly my least favourite so far. But still very enjoyable.
May 28, 2017
This one was probably my least favourite of the 4 that I have read so far. I couldn't really connect with T.J. but I love Lucy, Nesta, and Izzie. T.J. was fun to read about but her story wasn't anything special, I loved mojo the dog.
March 23, 2015
Fucking disgusting . The homophobic comment was the last straw
February 28, 2025
Najsłabsza ze wszystkich czterech książek do tej pory. Trochę mnie wynudziła i miała najbardziej kliszową. O ile poprzednie wyłamywały się z konwencji chociaż trochę, to w przypadku tej części można było trafnie zgadnąć 99% fabuły po pierwszym rozdziale. Fabuła jest również bardzo stereotypowa, niektóre rzeczy wręcz dziwnie się czytało.
Narracja z punktu widzenia TJ jest też trochę irytującą, bo bohaterka jest jednocześnie niepewna siebie i arogancka. Więc jej wewnętrzny monolog w kółko przechodzi z „nikt mnie nie lubi� przez „jestem najlepsza we wszystkim oprócz matmy� z powrotem do „jak można mnie lubić�. Wydaje mi się, że rozumiem zamysł i jest to niecodzienna kreacja, ale cieszę się, że 5. część jest z punktu widzenia Lucy xd
Mam nadzieję tylko, że już nie wróci wątek Scotta, bo ten debil przebił wszystkich typów w tej serii. Aż niekomfortowo się czyta to, jak ma w poważaniu swoją niby przyjaciółkę.
Narracja z punktu widzenia TJ jest też trochę irytującą, bo bohaterka jest jednocześnie niepewna siebie i arogancka. Więc jej wewnętrzny monolog w kółko przechodzi z „nikt mnie nie lubi� przez „jestem najlepsza we wszystkim oprócz matmy� z powrotem do „jak można mnie lubić�. Wydaje mi się, że rozumiem zamysł i jest to niecodzienna kreacja, ale cieszę się, że 5. część jest z punktu widzenia Lucy xd
Mam nadzieję tylko, że już nie wróci wątek Scotta, bo ten debil przebił wszystkich typów w tej serii. Aż niekomfortowo się czyta to, jak ma w poważaniu swoją niby przyjaciółkę.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2017
TJ Watts is a strong sporty top of the class girl who needs to gain some confidence in her (attractive) looks. And she is having a tough year.
Her best friend moved away to South Africa and she's having a hard time finding new friends. Her brother is also leaving on a self-discovery trip. She feels lonely and sad, left only with her insecurities and her communication problem when she's faced with a boy she finds attractive.
Exchanging e-mails with her friend Hannah, the later convinces her to apply for editor at the school's magazine, for it is TJ's dream to be a writer. Will she succeed?
Our previous trio of friends joins us once more with a new girl. Will these four girls become good friends?
When my younger-self read this, I liked some lessons and parts, but felt frustrated at the protagonist's naiveté, passive almost submissive at times nature (especially with Scott) and, well, her ignorance. My frustration remains now. You do not need to know about males, to know common bad actions and traits to people. Scott uses TJ as a bank account, a psychologist and to stroke his ego and brag. This is clearly a one-sided relationship, and this guy is not worth it.
Also TJ has stupid moments of insecurity like worrying about the other girls judging her basic pjs. Well, if they do then they're also not worth it.
I suppose some people will take longer to learn, though. So I guess it's good there's books like this to teach young ones about not being used and fooled by selfish people.
Her best friend moved away to South Africa and she's having a hard time finding new friends. Her brother is also leaving on a self-discovery trip. She feels lonely and sad, left only with her insecurities and her communication problem when she's faced with a boy she finds attractive.
Exchanging e-mails with her friend Hannah, the later convinces her to apply for editor at the school's magazine, for it is TJ's dream to be a writer. Will she succeed?
Our previous trio of friends joins us once more with a new girl. Will these four girls become good friends?
When my younger-self read this, I liked some lessons and parts, but felt frustrated at the protagonist's naiveté, passive almost submissive at times nature (especially with Scott) and, well, her ignorance. My frustration remains now. You do not need to know about males, to know common bad actions and traits to people. Scott uses TJ as a bank account, a psychologist and to stroke his ego and brag. This is clearly a one-sided relationship, and this guy is not worth it.
Also TJ has stupid moments of insecurity like worrying about the other girls judging her basic pjs. Well, if they do then they're also not worth it.
I suppose some people will take longer to learn, though. So I guess it's good there's books like this to teach young ones about not being used and fooled by selfish people.
February 9, 2010
T.J's best friend leaves London. T.J is left by herself. Lucy befriended T.J. But Nesta and Izzie doesnt know yet. T.J has to wait and find out if they will accept her into their group. T.J has her eye on a guy but she is trying tou get him to notice her. The characters are T.J, Lucy, Nesta and Izzie. It is in London. There was an external conflict with Izzie and Hannah for the editor job.
Text to World. In this book T.J let Nesta, Izzie, and Lucy give her makeover. But when they were done with the makeover, she wasnt sure if that was her. She didnt feel like it was her, even though she was getting attention from guys. Many teenage girls change themsleves for whatever reason. But then there is also a point when they question themselves about who they are now and who they arent.
I gave this book 4 stars becauase once again it is about real life situations. The friendship in this book is amazing. They have such a strong bond and ir reminds me of how my bond is with my friends.
Text to World. In this book T.J let Nesta, Izzie, and Lucy give her makeover. But when they were done with the makeover, she wasnt sure if that was her. She didnt feel like it was her, even though she was getting attention from guys. Many teenage girls change themsleves for whatever reason. But then there is also a point when they question themselves about who they are now and who they arent.
I gave this book 4 stars becauase once again it is about real life situations. The friendship in this book is amazing. They have such a strong bond and ir reminds me of how my bond is with my friends.
May 5, 2008
OMG! I think that i am really into her books because i just can't stop reading her books. i think all of them have their own story and secrets and i want to read on. but hopefully i am reading other books because i want to read other author's book to compare what type of books i like to read. bye bye Mates, Dates, and .... Farewell! This book talks about T.J and her having a lot of difficulties in school, friendship, and boyfriend. Later she finds friend in her school and they are Lucy, Nesta, And Izzie. She got picked to write the magazine for school and she went out with Lucy's brother Steve!
March 14, 2009
I can't wait until I go back to school to finish the series.
=D
It's that GOOD!!
I read it in ONE DAY.
I'm a FAST READER.
=D
It's that GOOD!!
I read it in ONE DAY.
I'm a FAST READER.
October 27, 2013
3.5 stars
Read very, very young. Like what a 9-year old thinks high school is going to be. And good lord were those emails annoying.
Read very, very young. Like what a 9-year old thinks high school is going to be. And good lord were those emails annoying.
August 14, 2022
This book is so stereotypical and I wanted to slap Scott in the face throughout various parts of this book. Nesta is right though “for a supposed babe with brains, how can TJ (the main character) be so stupid?�
Enter TJ Watts. She’s sporty, nerdy, and pretty, but she doesn’t realise the last thing yet. She has a crush on a “friend� (who is awful, by the way) Scott but he doesn’t notice her as more than that. When her BFF Hannah leaves England to go to South Africa, TJ has to make new friends. She eventually becomes friends with Lucy an artsy blond girl, Izzie an alternative witchy rock musician, and Nesta a mixed black/white girl who loves fashion and wants to be an actress. Nesta wants TJ to have a makeover, since TJ just wears hoodies and jeans (aka what 95% of high school students wear???). Steve, Lucy’s brother, notices her before the makeover, but Scott doesn’t. TJ becomes this OTT glam girl, after the makeover, and hates it. Eventually TJ finds her style as more of a punk rocker, gets with Steve “who noticed her from the beginning� after going on a date with Scott and hating it, and manages to snag a role as editor of the school magazine. Plus Nesta, Lucy, and Izzie are now her friends.
I’m giving this an extra star because it gives me “She’s All That� and “Princess Diaries� vibes (especially with the romance). And yet again, I HATE SCOTT. He’s sexist, homophobic, a player, and more.
Enter TJ Watts. She’s sporty, nerdy, and pretty, but she doesn’t realise the last thing yet. She has a crush on a “friend� (who is awful, by the way) Scott but he doesn’t notice her as more than that. When her BFF Hannah leaves England to go to South Africa, TJ has to make new friends. She eventually becomes friends with Lucy an artsy blond girl, Izzie an alternative witchy rock musician, and Nesta a mixed black/white girl who loves fashion and wants to be an actress. Nesta wants TJ to have a makeover, since TJ just wears hoodies and jeans (aka what 95% of high school students wear???). Steve, Lucy’s brother, notices her before the makeover, but Scott doesn’t. TJ becomes this OTT glam girl, after the makeover, and hates it. Eventually TJ finds her style as more of a punk rocker, gets with Steve “who noticed her from the beginning� after going on a date with Scott and hating it, and manages to snag a role as editor of the school magazine. Plus Nesta, Lucy, and Izzie are now her friends.
I’m giving this an extra star because it gives me “She’s All That� and “Princess Diaries� vibes (especially with the romance). And yet again, I HATE SCOTT. He’s sexist, homophobic, a player, and more.
May 14, 2020
4 stars
My favorite of the series. I love TJ and Steve.
These are books that if you read them when you were younger and you liked them then rereading the series is going to be the same as it was the first time with the added benefit of soothing your aging heart with wholesome heartwarming and nostalgia. However, at the 21 years old that I am now and it had been my first time reading them I would not have liked them as much. The emailing your best friend who moved to a different state, emailing with your besties in general, and the school newspaper is all a bit outdated but luckily this is a reread for me. Sometimes I remember it and I have such a huge urge to reread some of them. The fourth one remains my favorite.
My favorite of the series. I love TJ and Steve.
These are books that if you read them when you were younger and you liked them then rereading the series is going to be the same as it was the first time with the added benefit of soothing your aging heart with wholesome heartwarming and nostalgia. However, at the 21 years old that I am now and it had been my first time reading them I would not have liked them as much. The emailing your best friend who moved to a different state, emailing with your besties in general, and the school newspaper is all a bit outdated but luckily this is a reread for me. Sometimes I remember it and I have such a huge urge to reread some of them. The fourth one remains my favorite.
Read
July 16, 2023#1 mates, dates, and inflatable bras unrated
#2 mates, dates, and cosmic kisses unrated
#3 mates, dates, and designer divas unrated
#4 mates, dates, and sleepover secrets unrated
#5 mates, dates, and sole survivors unrated
#6 mates, dates, and mad mistakes unrated
#2 mates, dates, and cosmic kisses unrated
#3 mates, dates, and designer divas unrated
#4 mates, dates, and sleepover secrets unrated
#5 mates, dates, and sole survivors unrated
#6 mates, dates, and mad mistakes unrated
November 29, 2017
HAVE READ THE OTHERS AND MY NIECES HAVE GOT THE SET ( MORE OR LESS ) SO READING THEM JUST FOR AMUSEMENT AND TO FORGET ADULT LIFE TOOK ME AWHILE TO TAKE TO THIS NEW CHARACTER T.J BUT REMEMBER THIS TIME OF LIFE SO MUCH WHEN PEOPLE ARE PAIRED OFF AND IS SO IMPORTANT WERE YOU SIT IN CLASS OR THE PERSON YOU HUNG AROUND WITH ALL THE TIME LEAVES YER CONFIDENCE GROWS AS U AGE AND KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE WHEN EVERYONE BAR U BOY CRAZY BUT U SOONER OR LATER LEARN TO HANG AROUND WITH OPPOSITE SEX AS MATES NOT DATES !!
March 6, 2024
Mi sono divertita molto, perché il modo in cui si vestono TJ e le altre, e i riferimenti a persone famose come canoni di bellezza sono rappresentativi della mia preadolescenza, per non parlare del modo in cui si scambiano le email!
L'ho riletto perché sto dando via alcuni libri di quando ero piccola per fare spazio ad altri ma... Penso che questo lo terrò in libreria (per quanto foriero di messaggi sbagliati sull'importanza della bellezza estetica).
L'ho riletto perché sto dando via alcuni libri di quando ero piccola per fare spazio ad altri ma... Penso che questo lo terrò in libreria (per quanto foriero di messaggi sbagliati sull'importanza della bellezza estetica).
May 13, 2018
I really enjoyed these books when I was younger. I’ve definitely matured, and not sure I’d enjoy them too much now. But great for younger readers, say about 11-14? Silly and fun but you get to love the main characters
July 12, 2018
What's I love about teenlit is refreshing!
Sebetulnya lg coba baca buku-nya Artemis but my brain got hang for a moment wkwkwk
Aq emang udh suka serial kisah Lucy, Iz and Nesta. Sekarang jd tambah kisah TJ yg so sweet juga...
Akh, so sweet!
Sebetulnya lg coba baca buku-nya Artemis but my brain got hang for a moment wkwkwk
Aq emang udh suka serial kisah Lucy, Iz and Nesta. Sekarang jd tambah kisah TJ yg so sweet juga...
Akh, so sweet!
February 14, 2018
Mysig bok för unga tjejer
July 20, 2018
All I can say is thank heavens I’m not a teenage girl and that I don’t have any teenage girls. It was a fun read though
January 22, 2019
Juvenil, com este empece
December 30, 2019
Un libro para pasar el tiempo
June 9, 2020
Quick Review:
Adorable continuation of this early 2000s YA romance.
Adorable continuation of this early 2000s YA romance.
September 6, 2020
Just a little one-off book I purchased in Venice. Young-adult books are not really my thing anymore but nevertheless it was fun to read through something light.
September 27, 2020
This book sure thought me a life lesson
December 29, 2021
Great book 👍 funny to read.
January 19, 2022
12 year old me thought i waS TJ and therefore all of her books were my favourite
May 30, 2022
email � s. 65, 124, 125, 127 (3×)
uvozovky - s. 58
uvozovky - s. 58
October 15, 2023
This was the book that made me fall in love with reading as a pre teen. Changed everything for me. I’d read it once a day� FOR MONTHS!!!
August 7, 2024
3 estrellas y medias
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September 15, 2016Rome wasn't built in a day and neither was TJ's character. Cathy hopkins decided to throw a bit of a wrench in the series and introduce a new character totally out of left field.
"Life shrinks or expands in porportion to one's courage." TJ's story is that her best friend has moved away and since they were a pair, she is left with any sort of close friends. TJ slowly befriends Nesta, Izzie and Lucy well also finding her passion for writing, which included a project that the girls worked on together. She also is finding her footing when it comes to boys, her looks, bullies and other teen problems.
TJ also deals with the interesting topic of having older parents which she calls the wrinklies. This is a subject that was interesting to touch base on because it's not a common Teen topic and it's good to see Ms. Hopkins branching out and trying to avoid the cliche teen problems by covering other interesting tropes.
Another interesting subject that is heavily focused on is Passion and the balance of practicality. TJ's sibling who has left school enroute to doing something in the medical field which was the field his parents work & expected him to enter into, to go on a journey to find himself. I think the intersting parellels between TJ and her broter are interesting. He inspires her to find her passion and go for it despite what her parents might expect her to do. Albeit even though TJ is younger she seems tohave a more clear headed vision of her goals pertaining to writing. She brainstorms ideas, makes plans and follows through. Where as her sibling is just sort of free floating and that might be because he took longer to break free of the mould his parents set out for him, the slight age gap/generation gap between the two, or just TJ finding her own balance between passon and practicality.
TJ was a new face and it was interesting to see the balance of building the foundation of who she is, her backstory and how she devoloped her friendship with Lucy, Izzie,and Nesta. Which I thought was a highlight since it was't this instant moment where she became BFF with the crew. Through out the book was also e-mails exchanged between TJ and her old BFF. Cathy Hopkins seems to have really established one unique thing about the end of a chapter that is personal to the character of the book. TJ's was e-mails and for example Nesta was diary entries and text messages.
"You Have to consider the words. Play with them until you've got them right. Let them come to you sometimes. I'd say that is the sign you will be a writer."
I think this was a favorite of mine of the Mates and dates book and probably because I found it quite well written wth balance between the new character, introducing her backstory, still following the three main mates Izzie, Nesta and Lucy, and continuing to be immeresed in the Mates and dates world through continued secondary character devolopment.
Again another novel in the series that I highly recommend reading albeit if you can get over the use of British slang.
"Life shrinks or expands in porportion to one's courage." TJ's story is that her best friend has moved away and since they were a pair, she is left with any sort of close friends. TJ slowly befriends Nesta, Izzie and Lucy well also finding her passion for writing, which included a project that the girls worked on together. She also is finding her footing when it comes to boys, her looks, bullies and other teen problems.
TJ also deals with the interesting topic of having older parents which she calls the wrinklies. This is a subject that was interesting to touch base on because it's not a common Teen topic and it's good to see Ms. Hopkins branching out and trying to avoid the cliche teen problems by covering other interesting tropes.
Another interesting subject that is heavily focused on is Passion and the balance of practicality. TJ's sibling who has left school enroute to doing something in the medical field which was the field his parents work & expected him to enter into, to go on a journey to find himself. I think the intersting parellels between TJ and her broter are interesting. He inspires her to find her passion and go for it despite what her parents might expect her to do. Albeit even though TJ is younger she seems tohave a more clear headed vision of her goals pertaining to writing. She brainstorms ideas, makes plans and follows through. Where as her sibling is just sort of free floating and that might be because he took longer to break free of the mould his parents set out for him, the slight age gap/generation gap between the two, or just TJ finding her own balance between passon and practicality.
TJ was a new face and it was interesting to see the balance of building the foundation of who she is, her backstory and how she devoloped her friendship with Lucy, Izzie,and Nesta. Which I thought was a highlight since it was't this instant moment where she became BFF with the crew. Through out the book was also e-mails exchanged between TJ and her old BFF. Cathy Hopkins seems to have really established one unique thing about the end of a chapter that is personal to the character of the book. TJ's was e-mails and for example Nesta was diary entries and text messages.
"You Have to consider the words. Play with them until you've got them right. Let them come to you sometimes. I'd say that is the sign you will be a writer."
I think this was a favorite of mine of the Mates and dates book and probably because I found it quite well written wth balance between the new character, introducing her backstory, still following the three main mates Izzie, Nesta and Lucy, and continuing to be immeresed in the Mates and dates world through continued secondary character devolopment.
Again another novel in the series that I highly recommend reading albeit if you can get over the use of British slang.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2017
Steve and T.J omg so cute.
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