Wow the first Gossip Girl series is wayyyyy bettter than The Carlyles, although i do like The Carlyles. But none are as good as the Private series by Kate Brian.

Oh really? What's better about it?

That makes me excited to read the original series now!

I haven't read the Carlyles, but everything I've read about it.. I don't know! The new Blair and Serena? I'm not sure, I think I prefer the original. They're really good, I think they're better than the series but actually you can't compare them. The series' Pilot episode is sort of the first book but after that the series just goes its own way. When you're reading the book you feel more like you're in a fantasyworld ín the real world and when I'm watching the series I don't feel that way.
Hope I helped you at a little ;)
I've read the first nine books plus the Prequel, so I know a lot about it :P The other two books aren't out yet in my first language, so.
If there's anything else you need to know, just ask ;)

Oh, I think that you might have misunderstood me-- I wasn't comparing the original book series to the show, I was comparing it to the new Carlyle Gossip Girl series, I wanted to know which series of books was better. But thanks for all that info =)