Book Banter -- Charmed Thirds

Title: Charmed Thirds
Author: Megan McCafferty
Length: ~350 pages
Genre: chick lit
Plot Basics: Jessica Darling is off to college at Columbia and her boyfriend, Marcus, is off at school in California. Like most couples going to college in different places, the relationship gets rocky.
Banter Points: McCafferty writes such a clear voice for Jess. That is probably the strength of these books. Word Nerd was also excited to see that an author did a fairly good job of capturing that sense of displacement during the college years when school isn't home and home isn't home anymore.
Bummer Points: Word Nerd did not enjoy book three as much as the first two books. The book felt rather rushed as it covered Jessica's entire time in college in 350 pages, but only ever gave the reader glimpses into school breaks and not her actual semesters. The ending felt a bit forced too.
Word Nerd recommendation: If you haven't read Sloppy First and Second Helpings read them. They are quite good. Charmed Thirds is by no means bad. So you can read that one too... just be prepared that it doesn't deliver the way one and two do.