The Originals by Cat Patrick

Elizabeth is a normal, busy high school student. She juggles advanced courses, dance, cheerleading, a college course, and a part-time waitressing job. What nobody else knows is that Elizabeth is actually three identical girls. Ella, Betsy, and Lizzie are clones. Their mother smuggled them out of a lab after the clients were going to take only one baby and kill the other two. At least that was what the girls had always been told, and what they always believed.

In the beginning, Lizzie attends morning classes, Ella attends afternoon classes, and Betsy does after school activities, waitressing, and their college course. The girls are all tutored at home, so they still receive a complete education. When Lizzie fails a test, their mother switches her to afternoons. This is actually better suited to Lizzie, as she enjoys the creative writing and dance classes. This is also how she meets Sean Kelly.

Sean is in the creative writing class, and he notices the change in Elizabeth right away. Unfortunately, Betsy develops an interest in another young man in one of the morning classes. The girls have never been permitted to date before, but their mother gives them permission this time. The catch is that Elizabeth can only be seen dating one boy. Unfortunately for Lizzie, it's not going to be Sean.

This is when the girls take matters into their own hands. They start to break the rules that they have been living with for way too long. It's not just about the right to date whomever they want, there are much bigger issues. Lizzie, Ella, and Betsy want to be more than just one third of a person.

This was a fairly entertaining book. It was nice to see a subject matter that hasn't been done to death, so definite points for that. There is a nice, though slightly cliche, message about being yourself. It's made up for by the intriguing mysteries being hidden from the girls. Best of all, this isn't actually going to expand into a series. If you read this, there's no anticipation, waiting, or major commitment. I consider that a major win.