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The Ladybirds #1
Flirty Dancing
Bea Hogg is shy but fiery inside. When national dance competition Starwars comes to her school looking for talent, she wants to sign up. It's just a shame her best friend agreed to enter with school super-cow Pearl Harris. Bea will fight back! But when school hottie, Ollie Matthews, who also happens to be Pearl’s boyfriend, decides to enter the competition with Bea, she will have more than a fight on her hands.
This warm, nuanced, hilarious story about friendship, fortitude . . . and dancing is impossible not to fall in love with. Jenny’s voice is fresh and convincing, and she handles both darker and lighter elements of the story with equal panache.
This warm, nuanced, hilarious story about friendship, fortitude . . . and dancing is impossible not to fall in love with. Jenny’s voice is fresh and convincing, and she handles both darker and lighter elements of the story with equal panache.
246 pages, Paperback
First published July 3, 2014
21 people are currently reading
1580 people want to read
About the author
Jenny McLachlan
53 books304 followersI have always loved reading and I studied English at university just so that I could read a bit more. Next I found my way into secondary teaching and discovered that I loved it too: I got to read more books, show off and hang out with very funny teenagers. What a great job!
Teaching English also encouraged me to write. Soon I had planned and started lots of different stories, but they were all abandoned and shoved to the back of a drawer. Then, one day, the plot for Flirty Dancing came together; Bea’s story was so alive it was like a film running in my head and I knew it was a story I would finish.
Over the next few years, various exciting events distracted me from Flirty Dancing: I got married, travelled the world, was chased by an angry elephant (and a pack of dogs) and I had two babies. While I was sitting on trains, swimming in the Outback and raising two crazy girls, I kept thinking about Bea, and her friends, Betty, Kat and Pearl, until I realised I had planned three more books.
In 2013, after attending the Winchester Writers’ Festival, I plucked up the courage to send Flirty Dancing to Julia Churchill, a brilliant children’s fiction agent at A.M. Heath. With dazzling speed I was then signed by Bloomsbury to write the four books in the series.
Teaching English also encouraged me to write. Soon I had planned and started lots of different stories, but they were all abandoned and shoved to the back of a drawer. Then, one day, the plot for Flirty Dancing came together; Bea’s story was so alive it was like a film running in my head and I knew it was a story I would finish.
Over the next few years, various exciting events distracted me from Flirty Dancing: I got married, travelled the world, was chased by an angry elephant (and a pack of dogs) and I had two babies. While I was sitting on trains, swimming in the Outback and raising two crazy girls, I kept thinking about Bea, and her friends, Betty, Kat and Pearl, until I realised I had planned three more books.
In 2013, after attending the Winchester Writers’ Festival, I plucked up the courage to send Flirty Dancing to Julia Churchill, a brilliant children’s fiction agent at A.M. Heath. With dazzling speed I was then signed by Bloomsbury to write the four books in the series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
January 10, 2016
Had so much fun reading this book!
Can’t wait to read about the other Ladybirds! Bea is such a cute and funny character and I really enjoyed reading about her and her dance adventures. Ollie is such a perfectly imperfect type of guy and it was not possible for me to not like him immediately. The story was very entertaining, I have to mention some pretty cool supporting characters – “mad as a badger” Betty, Bea’s kick-ass Nan and the indirect matchmaker Lulu. Without them the story wouldn’t be the same. I really,really loved the ending and it melted my heart. I seriously need to read the next book as soon as possible!
Also,the cover is too cute for words.
You can read this review on BookishFever.
Can’t wait to read about the other Ladybirds! Bea is such a cute and funny character and I really enjoyed reading about her and her dance adventures. Ollie is such a perfectly imperfect type of guy and it was not possible for me to not like him immediately. The story was very entertaining, I have to mention some pretty cool supporting characters – “mad as a badger” Betty, Bea’s kick-ass Nan and the indirect matchmaker Lulu. Without them the story wouldn’t be the same. I really,really loved the ending and it melted my heart. I seriously need to read the next book as soon as possible!
Also,the cover is too cute for words.
You can read this review on BookishFever.
December 31, 2015
I've had my eye on this series for some time now, and seeing as I've been approved for an ARC of book 3, this was the perfect time to read it.
Flirty Dancing was a really quick and easy read. With my e-book being only 180 pages, it seemed to fly through. The book was fun, and a little cheesy - the perfect story to read when jet lagged and in the mood for some fluff.
Our main character was Bea, a 14 year old from Brighton, who faces the same challenges most teenagers do. She's dealing with school, with her friends - and enemies, and struggling with her body image. I really connected with her, as I could definitely understand some of the feelings she had throughout the book. This was undoubtedly helped by the fact it was UKYA, so I understood the slang and colloquialisms used.
The background of the series, that all four girls were friends called The Ladybirds, seems very promising. I can't wait to read further books to see exactly how Bea, Kat, Betty, and Pearl fell out, and hopefully, to see them become friends again. Betty was a wonderful character, and I'm glad that Love Bomb is from her perspective.
Bea and Ollie's romance was cute and fluffy, and perfect for a quick contemporary read. I loved seeing Bea's first crush/love pan out, especially as it started from friendship. Their dancing as the Jive Monkey's seemed very real, and almost as if I was actually watching them perform - McLachlan did an excellent job with this!
Even the background characters were enjoyable. I loved Bea's baby sister, Emma - she really reminded me of Libby from the Georgia Nicolson series. She was very funny and helped to lighten the mood at times. Also, Bea's nan was so influential in the book. Because of her, Bea came out of her shell and thrived. Bea's whole dancing career with Ollie was due to her nan's input. She no longer put up with the bullying she suffered, and became more body positive as a result. This is a really important message for teenagers today, and I loved how it was addressed.
Even though Flirty Dancing was a quick read, that by no means was at the detriment of the story. I feel as though everything that needed to happen, happened, and anything that perhaps hadn't, will be covered in the companion books. I'm definitely going to continue with this series, and am so glad I have an advance copy of Sunkissed.
Flirty Dancing was a really quick and easy read. With my e-book being only 180 pages, it seemed to fly through. The book was fun, and a little cheesy - the perfect story to read when jet lagged and in the mood for some fluff.
Our main character was Bea, a 14 year old from Brighton, who faces the same challenges most teenagers do. She's dealing with school, with her friends - and enemies, and struggling with her body image. I really connected with her, as I could definitely understand some of the feelings she had throughout the book. This was undoubtedly helped by the fact it was UKYA, so I understood the slang and colloquialisms used.
The background of the series, that all four girls were friends called The Ladybirds, seems very promising. I can't wait to read further books to see exactly how Bea, Kat, Betty, and Pearl fell out, and hopefully, to see them become friends again. Betty was a wonderful character, and I'm glad that Love Bomb is from her perspective.
Bea and Ollie's romance was cute and fluffy, and perfect for a quick contemporary read. I loved seeing Bea's first crush/love pan out, especially as it started from friendship. Their dancing as the Jive Monkey's seemed very real, and almost as if I was actually watching them perform - McLachlan did an excellent job with this!
Even the background characters were enjoyable. I loved Bea's baby sister, Emma - she really reminded me of Libby from the Georgia Nicolson series. She was very funny and helped to lighten the mood at times. Also, Bea's nan was so influential in the book. Because of her, Bea came out of her shell and thrived. Bea's whole dancing career with Ollie was due to her nan's input. She no longer put up with the bullying she suffered, and became more body positive as a result. This is a really important message for teenagers today, and I loved how it was addressed.
Even though Flirty Dancing was a quick read, that by no means was at the detriment of the story. I feel as though everything that needed to happen, happened, and anything that perhaps hadn't, will be covered in the companion books. I'm definitely going to continue with this series, and am so glad I have an advance copy of Sunkissed.
April 10, 2017
After falling in love with Stargazing for Beginners, I wanted to try out something else from this author, and when I found out she had a MG/young YA series, I was all on board. I loved reading about Bea and Ollie - dancing is one of the things I would have been obsessed with in another life, so any book that deals with it in some way is extremely pleasing.
Although I thought some of the language the teens used and the references were a little outdated (who remembers Bebo, anyone?) it was a bunch of fun to read, and made me feel like the fourteen year old girl again.
Although I thought some of the language the teens used and the references were a little outdated (who remembers Bebo, anyone?) it was a bunch of fun to read, and made me feel like the fourteen year old girl again.
April 14, 2017
More like 2.5 stars. It was quick (seriously, I read it in like 35 minutes) and fun and I really want to read the rest in the series! They're perfect speedy young YA stories that really get you in the mood for reading!
December 18, 2014
This review appears on Happy Indulgence. Check it out for more reviews!
I can’t help but feel I’m in the wrong age group for Flirty Dancing. It’s incredibly light and fluffy, and with the main character Bea being only 14, I’d take a guess that it’s aimed towards the younger YA spectrum (of which I am nowhere near).
It took me a few goes of picking up this book, because of the fluffy popcorn-style writing. Within the first few lines, Bea’s younger toddler sister Emma would do typical kid things like play with dolls, yell “PRESENT NOW” and say stuff like “Love you, frog-nose!”. I needed to be in the right mood to pick it up.
Although Flirty Dancing was completely and utter fluff, I couldn’t help but warm to Bea, the shy (around others) and curvy girl who learns to shine through the dance competition. Unlike other YA books that like to tell us young teenagers act like fully grown adults with decades of life experience behind their belt, sometimes that is just not the case. It was refreshing to see Bea actually acting her age and that includes swooning over her crush, muck around with her best friend Kat and reminisce over cruel nicknames and everything.
The romance was incredibly cute, like the rest of the book, and it was lovely seeing Ollie and Bea grow together over a dancing competition. At first, Bea is a character who is bullied by the most popular girl in school, but she slowly learns to be more confident and empowered as she finds something she loves in dancing.
The book is incredibly short with barely enough character development. Scenes it would be building up to will be covered in a few sentences, and before you know it, everything will be over.
While Flirty Dancing is incredibly short, light and fluffy, it manages to fit in a romance, some great family scenes and a great message of empowerment for Bea. This definitely isn’t a book aimed at everyone though, but for younger teenagers and even those in primary school, it definitely serves as a great message.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I can’t help but feel I’m in the wrong age group for Flirty Dancing. It’s incredibly light and fluffy, and with the main character Bea being only 14, I’d take a guess that it’s aimed towards the younger YA spectrum (of which I am nowhere near).
It took me a few goes of picking up this book, because of the fluffy popcorn-style writing. Within the first few lines, Bea’s younger toddler sister Emma would do typical kid things like play with dolls, yell “PRESENT NOW” and say stuff like “Love you, frog-nose!”. I needed to be in the right mood to pick it up.
Although Flirty Dancing was completely and utter fluff, I couldn’t help but warm to Bea, the shy (around others) and curvy girl who learns to shine through the dance competition. Unlike other YA books that like to tell us young teenagers act like fully grown adults with decades of life experience behind their belt, sometimes that is just not the case. It was refreshing to see Bea actually acting her age and that includes swooning over her crush, muck around with her best friend Kat and reminisce over cruel nicknames and everything.
The romance was incredibly cute, like the rest of the book, and it was lovely seeing Ollie and Bea grow together over a dancing competition. At first, Bea is a character who is bullied by the most popular girl in school, but she slowly learns to be more confident and empowered as she finds something she loves in dancing.
The book is incredibly short with barely enough character development. Scenes it would be building up to will be covered in a few sentences, and before you know it, everything will be over.
While Flirty Dancing is incredibly short, light and fluffy, it manages to fit in a romance, some great family scenes and a great message of empowerment for Bea. This definitely isn’t a book aimed at everyone though, but for younger teenagers and even those in primary school, it definitely serves as a great message.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 25, 2015
This was such a fun read for me and I already can think of a load of teen girls I'll be happily recommending it to for the foreseeable future.
Flirty dancing is the story of Bea who is super shy at school and ends up entering a national dance competition with the hottest boy at school who unfortunately is going over with Bea's ex best friend and now sworn rival.
I liked several things about the book.
Firstly the voice of Bea was really authentic. It was spot on when you saw the two sides of Bea. One being this bubbly confident girl and the other being the shy persona she took on once she walked into school. It really resonated with me because that was exactly how I was at school because of the people I happened to be surrounded with when I was there who made me feel like I had to be that way. I loved seeing her confidence grow over the course of the book.
The storyline itself was sweet and funny. It's compared to a Georgia Nicholson book but actually I think this is better purely because Bea is a sweeter character on huge whole. I loved the scenes with her younger sister and I loved the relationship she had with her Nan.
For me this book was about friendship and the overriding message that surrounding yourself with the right people is so crucial. As I said before I loved seeing how Bea changed and grew as a character once the influence of ex best friend turned nasty girl pearl lessened over her as she started to care less about what that girl thought of her.
All in al a fab little read which I enjoyed.
Flirty dancing is the story of Bea who is super shy at school and ends up entering a national dance competition with the hottest boy at school who unfortunately is going over with Bea's ex best friend and now sworn rival.
I liked several things about the book.
Firstly the voice of Bea was really authentic. It was spot on when you saw the two sides of Bea. One being this bubbly confident girl and the other being the shy persona she took on once she walked into school. It really resonated with me because that was exactly how I was at school because of the people I happened to be surrounded with when I was there who made me feel like I had to be that way. I loved seeing her confidence grow over the course of the book.
The storyline itself was sweet and funny. It's compared to a Georgia Nicholson book but actually I think this is better purely because Bea is a sweeter character on huge whole. I loved the scenes with her younger sister and I loved the relationship she had with her Nan.
For me this book was about friendship and the overriding message that surrounding yourself with the right people is so crucial. As I said before I loved seeing how Bea changed and grew as a character once the influence of ex best friend turned nasty girl pearl lessened over her as she started to care less about what that girl thought of her.
All in al a fab little read which I enjoyed.
February 24, 2014
*Received in exchange for an honest review*
*Thank you, Bloomsbury*
This was such a funny, light hearted little read! With it being under 200 pages, it makes for a quick and easy read. It wasn't something I expected to enjoy as much as I did, but Flirty Dancing picked me up and transported me straight back to my childhood. I felt like I was curled up on the back seat of the car, reading all the way to where ever we were going. It was lovely and a much needed dose of humour and lightness following my previous read.
I loved the moral lessons that were interwoven into this book. The messages of loving yourself, standing up for you believe in, remaining loyal to your friends.This mixed in with humour made for a great 12+ read. The quirky characters were lovely to read about, and it's always nice to see a happy ending! Seeing Bea really come into herself in this book was so uplifting and she is without a doubt a really great role model for younger girls. She is quiet, has uncontrollable hair, isn't super skinny but she really embraces herself by the end of the book. It's definitely the sort of message that we should be sending out to girls and women everywhere.
The relationship between Ollie and Bea is so sweet, and it was great to reminisce about my time in school even though it wasn't all that long ago! It captures the positives and negatives of school life perfectly and took me back to my memories of my first crush and all of the emotion that came with it. This is a brilliant debut my Jenny McLachlan and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of her work!
*Thank you, Bloomsbury*
This was such a funny, light hearted little read! With it being under 200 pages, it makes for a quick and easy read. It wasn't something I expected to enjoy as much as I did, but Flirty Dancing picked me up and transported me straight back to my childhood. I felt like I was curled up on the back seat of the car, reading all the way to where ever we were going. It was lovely and a much needed dose of humour and lightness following my previous read.
I loved the moral lessons that were interwoven into this book. The messages of loving yourself, standing up for you believe in, remaining loyal to your friends.This mixed in with humour made for a great 12+ read. The quirky characters were lovely to read about, and it's always nice to see a happy ending! Seeing Bea really come into herself in this book was so uplifting and she is without a doubt a really great role model for younger girls. She is quiet, has uncontrollable hair, isn't super skinny but she really embraces herself by the end of the book. It's definitely the sort of message that we should be sending out to girls and women everywhere.
The relationship between Ollie and Bea is so sweet, and it was great to reminisce about my time in school even though it wasn't all that long ago! It captures the positives and negatives of school life perfectly and took me back to my memories of my first crush and all of the emotion that came with it. This is a brilliant debut my Jenny McLachlan and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of her work!
July 3, 2017
4½ Stars
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2014/06/f...
When I discovered the synopsis for this one, I had assumed it was another light and fluffy teen romance, but it was so much more. Not since The Year Nick McGowan Came to Stay, have I laughed so much. Snorting, unbridled and unattractive laughing, it was brilliant. Bea is the shy girl who has so much to say but lacks the confidence to speak out. I absolutely adored Bea, her inner thoughts and narrative were delivered with composure and a comedic timing that most authors would struggle to maintain, all from a debut author in Jenny McLachlan.
Flirty Dancing was incredibly engaging and entertaining, but also deals with intimidation, a first love, self confidence, and celebrates the unique, the quirky and the outrageously entertaining. It allows readers to experience a sense of family and belonging, while taking a lighthearted and heartwarming approach. I'm thrilled that this will be part of a series, following each one of the original Ladybirds. From the mock dance troupe The Panty Liners, to Bea's grandmother in what is clearly a pimp coat and cowboy hat, to adding 'arse' onto the end of nouns. Flirty Dancing was flirty, fabulous fun and I'm an instant fan of the fabulous Jenny McLachlan.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2014/06/f...
When I discovered the synopsis for this one, I had assumed it was another light and fluffy teen romance, but it was so much more. Not since The Year Nick McGowan Came to Stay, have I laughed so much. Snorting, unbridled and unattractive laughing, it was brilliant. Bea is the shy girl who has so much to say but lacks the confidence to speak out. I absolutely adored Bea, her inner thoughts and narrative were delivered with composure and a comedic timing that most authors would struggle to maintain, all from a debut author in Jenny McLachlan.
Flirty Dancing was incredibly engaging and entertaining, but also deals with intimidation, a first love, self confidence, and celebrates the unique, the quirky and the outrageously entertaining. It allows readers to experience a sense of family and belonging, while taking a lighthearted and heartwarming approach. I'm thrilled that this will be part of a series, following each one of the original Ladybirds. From the mock dance troupe The Panty Liners, to Bea's grandmother in what is clearly a pimp coat and cowboy hat, to adding 'arse' onto the end of nouns. Flirty Dancing was flirty, fabulous fun and I'm an instant fan of the fabulous Jenny McLachlan.
July 30, 2015
This one was so much fun! :) Very excited to get to the next two books in the series. A series review of all 3 coming soon!
July 31, 2016
Ich finde es klasse, wie die Autorin es in den wenigen Seiten geschafft hat, dass Bea sich glaubwürdig weiter entwickelt. Naja, und diesen coolen Dirty Dancing-Vibe sowieso. =)
March 29, 2015
I absolutely flew through the pages of Flirty Dancing. Bea is a wonderful character, instantly likeable. You just can’t stop reading about her and her family. I adored Nan in particular.
Jenny McLachlan pulls you into Bea’s story from the very first sentence. I thought her descriptions for the dance routines Bea and Ollie were visual without being too detailed and thus distracting you from the story.
There is a joy to reading Flirty Dancing, it makes you smile throughout. I can see me handing this to anyone that appreciates good writing and fun. It’s also an excellent book if you need cheering up.
While Flirty Dancing is essentially a happy book it does deal with bullying. I thought Jenny McLachlan handled the subject very well, Bea’s character growth is subtle but effective.
Flirty Dancing will make you grin like those big cheesy smiles you see on TV sitcoms. A must read and I don’t say that often.
Jenny McLachlan pulls you into Bea’s story from the very first sentence. I thought her descriptions for the dance routines Bea and Ollie were visual without being too detailed and thus distracting you from the story.
There is a joy to reading Flirty Dancing, it makes you smile throughout. I can see me handing this to anyone that appreciates good writing and fun. It’s also an excellent book if you need cheering up.
While Flirty Dancing is essentially a happy book it does deal with bullying. I thought Jenny McLachlan handled the subject very well, Bea’s character growth is subtle but effective.
Flirty Dancing will make you grin like those big cheesy smiles you see on TV sitcoms. A must read and I don’t say that often.
July 23, 2014
Written by a friend of a friend, I was keen to read this as it came strongly recommended. Even though not aimed at me (a 42 year old), I was still keen to follow the story, loved the main characters and wanted to know how it all was going to end. The dancing, the talent competition and the age group is just so perfect for the current market. I would recommend this to all 10-15 year olds girls and for us slightly older ones too!
March 26, 2016
This was a really sweet and fun teen romance. I loved Bea and how she developed resilience against Pearl and the bullies. The jive dancing was a nice quirk and as someone who loves dance and has always been overweight, this resonated with me on many levels. Looking forward to reading the next in the series.
August 20, 2014
"Though she be but little, she is fierce."
Sometimes a book will land in my mailbox for review that under normal circumstances I don't think I would have picked up to read since my TBR list is so incredibly long. And what a shame that would be, because I've discovered some real gems that I would not have had the pleasure of reading otherwise. Flirty Dancing is one of those such books. It is such a cute, fun read. But there are also some deeper undertones to the story, that make this so much more than what I expected at first glance.
Bea Hogg comes across as a shy, reserved girl. She is bullied and taunted by Pearl, the popular girl at school, so is lacking in a lot of friends or the confidence to stand up for herself. But underneath that shyness is a girl who knows what she wants. A girl who has dreams and opinions. When the opportunity arises to compete in a dance competition, Bea has visions of her and her best friend competing together. Unfortunately the best friend decides to join Pearls dance group instead. So Bea's Nan comes to the rescue. She signs Bea up to partner the school hottie Ollie Matthews. Bea is nervous, but so excited. There's only one problem. Ollie is Pearl's boyfriend, and Bea is pretty sure that Pearl will be anything but happy about this turn of events.
I couldn't help but continually visualize Dancing with the Stars while I was reading this. Only with teens. It was just so cool. Camera's, lights... I cannot dance. At all. So to get swept away in the buzz of practising and the glamour of performing in front of the cameras was such a thrill.
Together we leave the gloom of backstage and emerge into dazzling lights, swinging into a perfect close hold in the centre of the stage. Blackness and stars surround us. The audience is silent, waiting. Our eyes lock, something we've rehearsed, and Ollie says, quietly, but perfectly clearly, "Be fierce, Bea."
I loved Bea and Ollie together. They seemed to click and fit so well almost immediately. Ollie was just so sweet and confident, and he looked out for Bea without ever making a big deal about it. That's just the type of person that he is. I love books where the characters develop a friendship and a real and true liking for each other before the big romance, and that's exactly what I got here.
I also love when support characters have personality and zest. When they really, truly add something to the story. And I think I would have to say that that was the case with almost everyone of the support characters in this book. One of the standouts for me in Flirty Dancing was Bea's Nan. She was hilarious, comforting, protective, and loving. She was there to support and boost Bea's confidence. She had me laughing big huge belly laughs on so many occasions. As did Bea's little sister. I think she almost stole every scene she was in.
Who cares what happens at school tomorrow? Right now, I have a staring role in my life... and I love it!
Bea goes through a wonderful growth during the story, as she discovers herself and learns that she is worthy of standing up for herself and being treated with respect. One of the main reasons for this is the wonderful people that she has around her. Such a beautiful and supportive family and a wonderful friendship with Ollie.
Even though Flirty Dancing dealt with some deeper subjects, it was just written so lightly and with so much fun that I'm pretty sure the huge smile I was wearing very rarely left my face for the whole book. If you're after something fun and cute and flirty, then I suggest you pick yourself up a copy of Flirty Dancing. Today!!
4/5 Fun and Flirty Stars.
A huge thank you to Bloomsbury Australia for providing me with this copy for review.
Sometimes a book will land in my mailbox for review that under normal circumstances I don't think I would have picked up to read since my TBR list is so incredibly long. And what a shame that would be, because I've discovered some real gems that I would not have had the pleasure of reading otherwise. Flirty Dancing is one of those such books. It is such a cute, fun read. But there are also some deeper undertones to the story, that make this so much more than what I expected at first glance.
Bea Hogg comes across as a shy, reserved girl. She is bullied and taunted by Pearl, the popular girl at school, so is lacking in a lot of friends or the confidence to stand up for herself. But underneath that shyness is a girl who knows what she wants. A girl who has dreams and opinions. When the opportunity arises to compete in a dance competition, Bea has visions of her and her best friend competing together. Unfortunately the best friend decides to join Pearls dance group instead. So Bea's Nan comes to the rescue. She signs Bea up to partner the school hottie Ollie Matthews. Bea is nervous, but so excited. There's only one problem. Ollie is Pearl's boyfriend, and Bea is pretty sure that Pearl will be anything but happy about this turn of events.
I couldn't help but continually visualize Dancing with the Stars while I was reading this. Only with teens. It was just so cool. Camera's, lights... I cannot dance. At all. So to get swept away in the buzz of practising and the glamour of performing in front of the cameras was such a thrill.
Together we leave the gloom of backstage and emerge into dazzling lights, swinging into a perfect close hold in the centre of the stage. Blackness and stars surround us. The audience is silent, waiting. Our eyes lock, something we've rehearsed, and Ollie says, quietly, but perfectly clearly, "Be fierce, Bea."
I loved Bea and Ollie together. They seemed to click and fit so well almost immediately. Ollie was just so sweet and confident, and he looked out for Bea without ever making a big deal about it. That's just the type of person that he is. I love books where the characters develop a friendship and a real and true liking for each other before the big romance, and that's exactly what I got here.
I also love when support characters have personality and zest. When they really, truly add something to the story. And I think I would have to say that that was the case with almost everyone of the support characters in this book. One of the standouts for me in Flirty Dancing was Bea's Nan. She was hilarious, comforting, protective, and loving. She was there to support and boost Bea's confidence. She had me laughing big huge belly laughs on so many occasions. As did Bea's little sister. I think she almost stole every scene she was in.
Who cares what happens at school tomorrow? Right now, I have a staring role in my life... and I love it!
Bea goes through a wonderful growth during the story, as she discovers herself and learns that she is worthy of standing up for herself and being treated with respect. One of the main reasons for this is the wonderful people that she has around her. Such a beautiful and supportive family and a wonderful friendship with Ollie.
Even though Flirty Dancing dealt with some deeper subjects, it was just written so lightly and with so much fun that I'm pretty sure the huge smile I was wearing very rarely left my face for the whole book. If you're after something fun and cute and flirty, then I suggest you pick yourself up a copy of Flirty Dancing. Today!!
4/5 Fun and Flirty Stars.
A huge thank you to Bloomsbury Australia for providing me with this copy for review.
April 8, 2015
3.5 stars
Love love love this premise.
Bea is a great MC. She's struggling with how she looks, dealing with mean girls at school, and crushing on The Hot Boy. She's honest with herself and with what she's struggling with. It was great being in her head, reading her figure it all out. Ollie was also a fun character and there were some adorably sweet swoons. However, the best character might have been Emma. She stole the show.
The dancing was used perfectly. As the routines get harder, we see Bea growing more confident. The ending is perfect for the story and I wasn't left wanting.
My only complaint is that the voice was very young. I get that she's only 14, but it definitely felt more middle grade than YA. Overall, it was super cute and a quick read.
**Huge thanks to Feiwel and Friends and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
Love love love this premise.
Bea is a great MC. She's struggling with how she looks, dealing with mean girls at school, and crushing on The Hot Boy. She's honest with herself and with what she's struggling with. It was great being in her head, reading her figure it all out. Ollie was also a fun character and there were some adorably sweet swoons. However, the best character might have been Emma. She stole the show.
The dancing was used perfectly. As the routines get harder, we see Bea growing more confident. The ending is perfect for the story and I wasn't left wanting.
My only complaint is that the voice was very young. I get that she's only 14, but it definitely felt more middle grade than YA. Overall, it was super cute and a quick read.
**Huge thanks to Feiwel and Friends and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
July 2, 2014
Source: received from publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did.
This is a very light - hearted book that you can't help but smile at.
A very short and quick read.
Mucho enjoyableo :)
Full review to come....
I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did.
This is a very light - hearted book that you can't help but smile at.
A very short and quick read.
Mucho enjoyableo :)
Full review to come....
February 9, 2014
Really enjoyed this one!
April 3, 2016
*I won a copy of this book via Goodreads*
This was a sweet, feel-good read that I enjoyed.
Bea was a good protagonist and I liked reading as she came out of her shell.
This was a sweet, feel-good read that I enjoyed.
Bea was a good protagonist and I liked reading as she came out of her shell.
July 2, 2021
This was a quick, fun read. I really liked Bea and was glad to see her confidence grow as the story progressed. Her little sister Emma was such a funny side character, and Ollie and Lulu were favorites as well.
November 12, 2017
Heerlijkheid. Pure fluff! Soms moet dat even tussendoor. Verwacht geen literair hoogstandje maar pure cheesy chicklit.
February 9, 2020
Yes, it's a YA sop story. Yes I enjoyed it when I read it a few years ago. While I am not sure I'd enjoy it now, best not to tar good memories.
February 13, 2016
I am so happy I bought this book, because it was absolutely worth it.
Our main character Beatrice, or Bea or Bean was a wonderful girl. A girl with insecurities, but also with a feisty spirit that just needed to be drawn out. She is sweet and wonderful and I really liked her from page 1.
She was really brave, even when Pearl (her ex-best friend) was bullying her, she stayed strong, even though she just wanted to cry a lot.
I loved that she found a love in dancing, or more specific in jiving.
I laughed quite a few times about her actions, or her descriptions of her hair (I can just imagine that hair, all poofy and big and not doing anything the owner says).
Then we got various other characters, for instance Emma. The 3-year old sister of Bea. And 3-year old she is. Demanding hugs, kisses, being totally covered in some kind of food, being enthusiastic about everything her sister does. I really liked that they added a sister, though it was a bit awkward to read that she walked around naked, hugged her sister while being naked and so on. Maybe me, but I just don't really like descriptions like that. I don't feel like that is needed and I feel like I am reading something that I shouldn't.
But all in all I really liked Bea's and Emma's relationship, I do hope they will stay like this forever. Forever good sisters without fighting and such.
Other characters involve swoon-worthy Ollie, who was really cute and I loved how he treated Bea. Loved how he tried to help her out, tried to make her more comfortable. You can clearly see a big spark between these 2 characters and that made the book even more fun. Would they get together, or would it all be a dream?
Then we have Nan, Betty and several other minor characters who all make the book wonderful and hilarious.
The only characters I didn't like were Kat and Pearl. Kat for the fact that she choose Pearl over Bea. Even started ignoring her or not talking to her out of fear for Pearl. I really hate it when best friends do this, sorry, I should say, when friends do this, because best friends don't screw the other like this.
Pearl was just an annoying bitch and I truly hated her attitude. Claiming a guy, making very rude remarks, bullying, stealing money and a lot more. It amazes me that no one ever went to a teacher and told on her.
The story has various other elements/settings. We got the whole dancing competition, but we also got bullying, grandma getting sick, missing dads, friendships and boyfriends, dancing shows. And while some of these were big topics, they were done in a light-hearted mood and you knew everything would turn out ok in the end.
I loved the whole dancing setting (a big reason (other than the cover) why I wanted to read this book). It was fun to read about the tv-show, about the dance lessons, about the bands and groups that were participating.
I really had lots of fun reading this book, I had some moments that I was just laughing out loud, even parts that I shared with my boyfriend. The ending was wonderful and luckily it wasn't that cliché.
All in all, I would really recommend this book to everyone. Searching for a light-hearted book? Looking for some comedy? Some romance? Then try this book!
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Our main character Beatrice, or Bea or Bean was a wonderful girl. A girl with insecurities, but also with a feisty spirit that just needed to be drawn out. She is sweet and wonderful and I really liked her from page 1.
She was really brave, even when Pearl (her ex-best friend) was bullying her, she stayed strong, even though she just wanted to cry a lot.
I loved that she found a love in dancing, or more specific in jiving.
I laughed quite a few times about her actions, or her descriptions of her hair (I can just imagine that hair, all poofy and big and not doing anything the owner says).
Then we got various other characters, for instance Emma. The 3-year old sister of Bea. And 3-year old she is. Demanding hugs, kisses, being totally covered in some kind of food, being enthusiastic about everything her sister does. I really liked that they added a sister, though it was a bit awkward to read that she walked around naked, hugged her sister while being naked and so on. Maybe me, but I just don't really like descriptions like that. I don't feel like that is needed and I feel like I am reading something that I shouldn't.
But all in all I really liked Bea's and Emma's relationship, I do hope they will stay like this forever. Forever good sisters without fighting and such.
Other characters involve swoon-worthy Ollie, who was really cute and I loved how he treated Bea. Loved how he tried to help her out, tried to make her more comfortable. You can clearly see a big spark between these 2 characters and that made the book even more fun. Would they get together, or would it all be a dream?
Then we have Nan, Betty and several other minor characters who all make the book wonderful and hilarious.
The only characters I didn't like were Kat and Pearl. Kat for the fact that she choose Pearl over Bea. Even started ignoring her or not talking to her out of fear for Pearl. I really hate it when best friends do this, sorry, I should say, when friends do this, because best friends don't screw the other like this.
Pearl was just an annoying bitch and I truly hated her attitude. Claiming a guy, making very rude remarks, bullying, stealing money and a lot more. It amazes me that no one ever went to a teacher and told on her.
The story has various other elements/settings. We got the whole dancing competition, but we also got bullying, grandma getting sick, missing dads, friendships and boyfriends, dancing shows. And while some of these were big topics, they were done in a light-hearted mood and you knew everything would turn out ok in the end.
I loved the whole dancing setting (a big reason (other than the cover) why I wanted to read this book). It was fun to read about the tv-show, about the dance lessons, about the bands and groups that were participating.
I really had lots of fun reading this book, I had some moments that I was just laughing out loud, even parts that I shared with my boyfriend. The ending was wonderful and luckily it wasn't that cliché.
All in all, I would really recommend this book to everyone. Searching for a light-hearted book? Looking for some comedy? Some romance? Then try this book!
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
April 24, 2015
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Flirty Dancing is such a fun read. It kind of reminded me of the British Georgia Nickelson series. Laugh out loud antics with a refreshingly levelheaded main character. I don't know how to best describe Bea. She is her own person, she is nice, has a good little group of friends (most of the time), is quirky funny, has eclectic interests and is such a great big sister. She just seems like a well rounded girl that I would love to be friends with. And she brings Flirty Dancing to life. I loved watching her Jive. The more she jive danced, the happier she got. It was like she just started glowing as the book went on. I know that sounds kind of dramatic and strange, but dancing really brought Bea to life. It was lovely to see.
In Flirty Dancing, a show like Britain's got Talent, was search for high school students all across the country. First up was dancing. And Bea's school was one of the schools on the auditions list, so naturally the whole school went crazy forming dance groups. First, of all I give Bea major props for even deciding to do a dance. She didn't have any training and she was already kind of picked on at school. And both of her best friends joined other dance groups, leaving Bea all alone. (I think if she really wanted to she could have joined Betty's group, but that is besides the point.) Just deciding to try out, won Bea huge points in my book. And then her grandma talked her into doing jive and swing dancing. I loved the throw back feel, plus I think Jive dancing is awesome. I had big band music playing in my head every time I watched Bea practice.
And then can we talk about Ollie?? And how awesome he is. This is a guy that is genuinely nice and doesn't care what anyone else thinks. I wish that more Ollie's went to my high school. He is a rare breed. He didn't even think twice about dancing with Bea, when his sister paired them up. He was never anything but totally nice and fun with her. I just loved Ollie. When Bea was made fun on right off the bat in the book, I was kind of worried that Ollie was going to take some warming up to her, because he was the hot guy, but that wasn't the case at all. Ollie is a gem.
Flirty Dancing is the first book in the Ladybirds series. The second book is already out in Australia and Britain, but I don't think we will get it until next year sometime. It is Betty's story. The Ladybirds is the name of the group that Bea, Betty, Kat and Pearl (the mean one.) formed when they were younger. I want to find out more about Pearl and Kat because I don't know what caused Pearl to turn into a mean girl, and Kat disappointed me with her sheep-ness in this book. But Jenny McLachlan is an author that I want to see lots more of. I love her writing style. Humor seems effortless in Flirty Dancing. I was smiling and laughing with every turn of the page. If you are looking for a Laugh out loud, flirty fun read, look no further than Flirty Dancing. It is great.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Flirty Dancing is such a fun read. It kind of reminded me of the British Georgia Nickelson series. Laugh out loud antics with a refreshingly levelheaded main character. I don't know how to best describe Bea. She is her own person, she is nice, has a good little group of friends (most of the time), is quirky funny, has eclectic interests and is such a great big sister. She just seems like a well rounded girl that I would love to be friends with. And she brings Flirty Dancing to life. I loved watching her Jive. The more she jive danced, the happier she got. It was like she just started glowing as the book went on. I know that sounds kind of dramatic and strange, but dancing really brought Bea to life. It was lovely to see.
In Flirty Dancing, a show like Britain's got Talent, was search for high school students all across the country. First up was dancing. And Bea's school was one of the schools on the auditions list, so naturally the whole school went crazy forming dance groups. First, of all I give Bea major props for even deciding to do a dance. She didn't have any training and she was already kind of picked on at school. And both of her best friends joined other dance groups, leaving Bea all alone. (I think if she really wanted to she could have joined Betty's group, but that is besides the point.) Just deciding to try out, won Bea huge points in my book. And then her grandma talked her into doing jive and swing dancing. I loved the throw back feel, plus I think Jive dancing is awesome. I had big band music playing in my head every time I watched Bea practice.
And then can we talk about Ollie?? And how awesome he is. This is a guy that is genuinely nice and doesn't care what anyone else thinks. I wish that more Ollie's went to my high school. He is a rare breed. He didn't even think twice about dancing with Bea, when his sister paired them up. He was never anything but totally nice and fun with her. I just loved Ollie. When Bea was made fun on right off the bat in the book, I was kind of worried that Ollie was going to take some warming up to her, because he was the hot guy, but that wasn't the case at all. Ollie is a gem.
Flirty Dancing is the first book in the Ladybirds series. The second book is already out in Australia and Britain, but I don't think we will get it until next year sometime. It is Betty's story. The Ladybirds is the name of the group that Bea, Betty, Kat and Pearl (the mean one.) formed when they were younger. I want to find out more about Pearl and Kat because I don't know what caused Pearl to turn into a mean girl, and Kat disappointed me with her sheep-ness in this book. But Jenny McLachlan is an author that I want to see lots more of. I love her writing style. Humor seems effortless in Flirty Dancing. I was smiling and laughing with every turn of the page. If you are looking for a Laugh out loud, flirty fun read, look no further than Flirty Dancing. It is great.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
April 13, 2014
The cover of Flirty Dancing is what initially drew my attention, I love how bright and fun it looks, so of course I had to find out more. After reading the synopsis I decided that I HAD to read this book, it sounded just as good as the cover looked and is possibly one of the few books that has a synopsis that matches the cover perfectly.
I want to get this out of the way now, I will admit to nearly giving up on this book when I began reading it. I felt like the characters were childish, but I am glad I persevered and made it to the end. While I wouldn't rate this as being one of my favourite books, I did enjoy it. I also won't say too much about what happens, but I did enjoy the progress of the plot, it wasn't rushed or unbelievable, and I like how it all ended.
Bea was a loveable character that I wanted to hug, especially when she is being the victim of Pearl's unwanted attention, I wish she could put away her shy Bea and bring out the Bea from home and stand up for herself. I absolutely loved her sister Emma, and I love how Bea is with her, even though the wake up calls aren't necessary the most appealing wake up calls in the world, how Bea deals with them is beyond amazing, I know for a fact if it was me whoever dare to wake me up would be pushed straight off the bed and onto the floor, no matter who they were or how old they are.
Pearl is a bully and thinks she is Queen Bee, however the fact that Bea is dancing with Ollie certainly made her unhappy and feel very threatened, and only increases the bullying towards Bea, although I was glad when Ollie decided to stick with Bea. Ollie is the unassuming person in the background to start with, but I do like that even before he is partnered up with Bea, she rescues Emma's doll for her. Lulu was someone how was an instant hit for me. I love her personality and her dress sense and style, it is unique and out dated, but definitly fits her to a T. Kat I think could have done more for Bea, you don't give up on your friends just to stay in the popular clique, and I felt very disappointed I her behaviour towards Bea for abandoning her and being too easily swayed.
Flirty Dancing was a quick read, that after the initial bumpy start I found myself enjoying. I love how fun this book is, but also has serious issues, like bullying and loss. I did have to look up a few dance moves that were described in Flirty Dancing so I could get a better idea of what Bea and Ollie were trying to do. Following Bea and Ollie on their journey to the competition certainly kept me entertained, and as the final drew near I was so nervous for this duo and even worried that they would not pull of all of the moves they wanted to do. Upon finishing Flirty Dancing I thought that the ending was fitting, not only for Bea and Ollie, but for how Bea has come so far in her self belief, and she is an inspiration to others in a similar situation.
I want to get this out of the way now, I will admit to nearly giving up on this book when I began reading it. I felt like the characters were childish, but I am glad I persevered and made it to the end. While I wouldn't rate this as being one of my favourite books, I did enjoy it. I also won't say too much about what happens, but I did enjoy the progress of the plot, it wasn't rushed or unbelievable, and I like how it all ended.
Bea was a loveable character that I wanted to hug, especially when she is being the victim of Pearl's unwanted attention, I wish she could put away her shy Bea and bring out the Bea from home and stand up for herself. I absolutely loved her sister Emma, and I love how Bea is with her, even though the wake up calls aren't necessary the most appealing wake up calls in the world, how Bea deals with them is beyond amazing, I know for a fact if it was me whoever dare to wake me up would be pushed straight off the bed and onto the floor, no matter who they were or how old they are.
Pearl is a bully and thinks she is Queen Bee, however the fact that Bea is dancing with Ollie certainly made her unhappy and feel very threatened, and only increases the bullying towards Bea, although I was glad when Ollie decided to stick with Bea. Ollie is the unassuming person in the background to start with, but I do like that even before he is partnered up with Bea, she rescues Emma's doll for her. Lulu was someone how was an instant hit for me. I love her personality and her dress sense and style, it is unique and out dated, but definitly fits her to a T. Kat I think could have done more for Bea, you don't give up on your friends just to stay in the popular clique, and I felt very disappointed I her behaviour towards Bea for abandoning her and being too easily swayed.
Flirty Dancing was a quick read, that after the initial bumpy start I found myself enjoying. I love how fun this book is, but also has serious issues, like bullying and loss. I did have to look up a few dance moves that were described in Flirty Dancing so I could get a better idea of what Bea and Ollie were trying to do. Following Bea and Ollie on their journey to the competition certainly kept me entertained, and as the final drew near I was so nervous for this duo and even worried that they would not pull of all of the moves they wanted to do. Upon finishing Flirty Dancing I thought that the ending was fitting, not only for Bea and Ollie, but for how Bea has come so far in her self belief, and she is an inspiration to others in a similar situation.
January 28, 2015
Posted originally on my blog http://www.reviewedthebook.co.uk/2014...
(Actual rating 4.5)
I was drawn to Flirty Dancing by its quirky cover and its Louise Rennison-style comparison and the book itself was just as fun as I had been expecting. The main character, Bea, is on the surface very shy and afraid to be herself. At school, her childhood best friend turned bully makes her time very uncomfortable and sees Bea lacking in confidence. At home, however, Bea is full of life and can be just as mad as her crazy, loveable family.
From nursery, ‘The Ladybirds’ were four best friends; Bea, Kat, Betty and Pearl. Now at high-school, I found it really interesting just how different they all were from each other. I’m really pleased to see that each Ladybird will get their own story because their characters are all so unique. Kat in this story grated on me a little bit because I wanted her to be protective over her apparent friend, Bea, and not so ashamed of her at times but I think she also suffered from a bit of similar fear.
I’ve been the girl who was picked on, the one who never stood up for herself and so I knew the journey I wanted to see Bea go on. I loved seeing her character grow and when she took to dancing with Ollie, a whole new side was brought out in Bea and it was sweet and uplifting to see her change in attitude. She was very likeable, quite innocent and naïve at times but smart. She knew her own mind and what she wanted, even if she found that difficult to express.
Her relationship with her family was a joy to read. Her mentality and approach towards her family is one I see as relatable to a lot of the targeted readers of Flirty Dancing. At times, she may find her wacky nan, little sister Emma and the rest of her family as a little over-the-top and embarrassing but on the whole, you could tell how much love she had for them and how she wouldn’t have a bad word said about them.
I adored this plot and thought Flirty Dancing was a really cute, amusing read but I would have liked to see an added twist or two – not necessarily to change the outcome of the novel but maybe to make me at least question whether the plot was going to turn out pretty much exactly how I thought it would from the start. It was completely entertaining but just a little too predictable for me to be fully satisfied with it. Though it was light-hearted on the whole, Flirty Dancing touches on some more serious themes too and I thought the author clearly wrote in some important messages for young readers. I can’t wait to see what Jenny brings us with the other Ladybirds’ stories.
*Book gifted for honest review.
October 5, 2014
Read reviews, see awesome GIFS and see my rambling thoughts at my blog, The Loony Teen Writer
THIS BOOK WAS COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY AWESOME. Let me list the ways.
1) Bea’s sister Emma. Emma is by turns a cat, a frog and adorable little sister. She made me laugh so many times throughout the book, and is a very realistic three-year-old (unfortunately, I know many of these unnatural creatures).
2) Dancing!
The dancing Bea, our protagonist, does is called jive. Which is so refreshing and lovely, because most of the time you hear about hip hop or ballet or jazz or something common. Jive is awesome. It’s a lot of fun to watch. If you’re like me and enjoy watching people dance because you’re not great at the actual dancing part, you should definitely head over to Youtube and watch some. It’s fantastic.
There should be more books about dance.
3) Bea, our main character
In the beginning she’s not your most confident character. But she comes out of her shell a lot, and I loved watching her grow over the course of the novel.
4) The general hilarity
Especially from Bea’s grandma. As well as Emma, of course. This book was laugh-out-loud funny.
5) The middle grade-ness
This is apparently a YA, but other people had told me to go into this book as if it was an MG. Which I did, and it worked splendidly. There are a few things that cross over into more YA (drinking, etc) but they’re mentioned only briefly, so my suspension of disbelief didn’t suffer.
6) Did I mention the dancing?
On the same day as reading this, I also watched the new Footloose movie, so that might have explained why I’m so obsessed with dance right now. Tumblr gifs of it are very funny, too.
7) Great themes
There were themes of friendship and confidence and bullying – there was so much jam-packed into this very small book, and it all worked really well together. I felt so sorry for Bea at times, and wanted to cheer for her at others.
8) Ollie
I won’t say anything more in case I spoil something, but he’s a really lovely character.
9) Unexpected ending
I was wondering how this would end and I’m glad it ended the way it did. If you’ve read the book you might know what I mean when I say that it could have gone with a cheap out that wouldn’t have felt authentic.
If you haven’t read the book…what are you waiting for? Go into it as though it’s an MG and you’ll probably have a ton of fun with it.
THIS BOOK WAS COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY AWESOME. Let me list the ways.
1) Bea’s sister Emma. Emma is by turns a cat, a frog and adorable little sister. She made me laugh so many times throughout the book, and is a very realistic three-year-old (unfortunately, I know many of these unnatural creatures).
2) Dancing!
The dancing Bea, our protagonist, does is called jive. Which is so refreshing and lovely, because most of the time you hear about hip hop or ballet or jazz or something common. Jive is awesome. It’s a lot of fun to watch. If you’re like me and enjoy watching people dance because you’re not great at the actual dancing part, you should definitely head over to Youtube and watch some. It’s fantastic.
There should be more books about dance.
3) Bea, our main character
In the beginning she’s not your most confident character. But she comes out of her shell a lot, and I loved watching her grow over the course of the novel.
4) The general hilarity
Especially from Bea’s grandma. As well as Emma, of course. This book was laugh-out-loud funny.
5) The middle grade-ness
This is apparently a YA, but other people had told me to go into this book as if it was an MG. Which I did, and it worked splendidly. There are a few things that cross over into more YA (drinking, etc) but they’re mentioned only briefly, so my suspension of disbelief didn’t suffer.
6) Did I mention the dancing?
On the same day as reading this, I also watched the new Footloose movie, so that might have explained why I’m so obsessed with dance right now. Tumblr gifs of it are very funny, too.
7) Great themes
There were themes of friendship and confidence and bullying – there was so much jam-packed into this very small book, and it all worked really well together. I felt so sorry for Bea at times, and wanted to cheer for her at others.
8) Ollie
I won’t say anything more in case I spoil something, but he’s a really lovely character.
9) Unexpected ending
I was wondering how this would end and I’m glad it ended the way it did. If you’ve read the book you might know what I mean when I say that it could have gone with a cheap out that wouldn’t have felt authentic.
If you haven’t read the book…what are you waiting for? Go into it as though it’s an MG and you’ll probably have a ton of fun with it.
April 21, 2015
A really sweet YA story - perfect for putting a smile on your face!
Bea Hogg is 14, in year 9 at school (this story is set in the UK) and is very quiet. She spends her days just trying not to get noticed by Pearl, the queen bee of her year-group.
When a TV company hold auditions for local dancers to star in a talent show, Bea is cruelly dumped by her best friend Kat, after Kat joins Pearl's group The Pink Ladies. When Bea's nan helps out by arranging dance lessons with a jive duo, her new dance partner is the last person she expected to see there.
Ollie is the year 10 hunk, and also Pearl's boyfriend, so Pearl doesn't react too well when she finds out that he is Bea's partner. Bea has to run the gauntlet everyday, suffering Pearl's cruel comments whilst pretending it doesn't bother her.
There's also her growing attraction to Ollie to deal with, even though she knows he's off limits, they spend an awful lot of time together and they grow close.
I loved Bea, she was so timid at first but once she started dancing her inhibitions fell away, and gradually as she practiced more, and spent more time with Ollie, her confidence grew and she started to believe in herself. I loved how she took everything in her stride, and even when Pearl tried to intimidate her she still carried on with her dancing.
The climax of the book when they were at the finals of the dance off had me on the edge of my seat, I could feel the anticipation as the results were being delivered.
The writing style of Jenny McLachlan had me sucked in from the beginning of this book, and I flew through it in a few hours, it was one of those stories where you felt as though you are there with them watching it unfold. The characters were loveable and funny, especially Bea's little sister Emma - she was a great supporting character in this book, some of the things that she came out with had me chuckling away to myself!
I'll definitely by keeping a look out for more books by Jenny McLachlan.
** ARC supplied by Net Galley **
Bea Hogg is 14, in year 9 at school (this story is set in the UK) and is very quiet. She spends her days just trying not to get noticed by Pearl, the queen bee of her year-group.
When a TV company hold auditions for local dancers to star in a talent show, Bea is cruelly dumped by her best friend Kat, after Kat joins Pearl's group The Pink Ladies. When Bea's nan helps out by arranging dance lessons with a jive duo, her new dance partner is the last person she expected to see there.
Ollie is the year 10 hunk, and also Pearl's boyfriend, so Pearl doesn't react too well when she finds out that he is Bea's partner. Bea has to run the gauntlet everyday, suffering Pearl's cruel comments whilst pretending it doesn't bother her.
There's also her growing attraction to Ollie to deal with, even though she knows he's off limits, they spend an awful lot of time together and they grow close.
I loved Bea, she was so timid at first but once she started dancing her inhibitions fell away, and gradually as she practiced more, and spent more time with Ollie, her confidence grew and she started to believe in herself. I loved how she took everything in her stride, and even when Pearl tried to intimidate her she still carried on with her dancing.
The climax of the book when they were at the finals of the dance off had me on the edge of my seat, I could feel the anticipation as the results were being delivered.
The writing style of Jenny McLachlan had me sucked in from the beginning of this book, and I flew through it in a few hours, it was one of those stories where you felt as though you are there with them watching it unfold. The characters were loveable and funny, especially Bea's little sister Emma - she was a great supporting character in this book, some of the things that she came out with had me chuckling away to myself!
I'll definitely by keeping a look out for more books by Jenny McLachlan.
** ARC supplied by Net Galley **
September 15, 2015
The Ladybirds were once a group of friends from nursery, but now as they've grown up they have parted ways. But when a dancing show gives their school an opportunity to audition, she can't but want to be a part of it even without a partner. She loves to dance in her room so why not dance for a show. Her nan however, makes sure she gets to dance, so she arranges to dance with Ollie, Pearl's boyfriend (ish). Pearl was part of their friendship but now she has become the bitch of the group, basically. You all know how they can be.
Bea, is one of those girls who feels very self conscious and shy about herself, although dancing becomes an integral part of her personality, it gets her to open up. What I loved was how her Nan played such an emotional and driven relationship with Bea that I felt that was the most precious thing in the entire book. Although Ollie and Bea was indeed a highlight as well. I know what that relationship is like and I love how Nans and Grandma's have a certain view of the world that we don't get to see in this new generation.
Each novel starts with an event or incentive to get the girls in the competitive spirit which you can see throughout the series. What I loved was the setting which was Brighton, I mean who has read a book in Brighton? Not me until now. We need more of them to explore the beauty of which is the UK and not just London. Flirty Dancing was indeed a breath of fresh air. The Ladybird series is one of those that you can read when you want just a light and fluffy novel. This particular novel in the series really made me remember when I was at school, although I wasn't very much the person who had a love story at that age. Just quite a couple of crushes I guess. All I have to say to Bea is don't lose herself or Ollie when she leaves school. Be the person you are. It was a very young YA novel for myself and sometimes I find that you can't really connect with the characters very often. But if I'm honest I find that it really depends on the character herself and the story-line. But that didn't deter from Bea's novel.
Rating - 3
Bea, is one of those girls who feels very self conscious and shy about herself, although dancing becomes an integral part of her personality, it gets her to open up. What I loved was how her Nan played such an emotional and driven relationship with Bea that I felt that was the most precious thing in the entire book. Although Ollie and Bea was indeed a highlight as well. I know what that relationship is like and I love how Nans and Grandma's have a certain view of the world that we don't get to see in this new generation.
Each novel starts with an event or incentive to get the girls in the competitive spirit which you can see throughout the series. What I loved was the setting which was Brighton, I mean who has read a book in Brighton? Not me until now. We need more of them to explore the beauty of which is the UK and not just London. Flirty Dancing was indeed a breath of fresh air. The Ladybird series is one of those that you can read when you want just a light and fluffy novel. This particular novel in the series really made me remember when I was at school, although I wasn't very much the person who had a love story at that age. Just quite a couple of crushes I guess. All I have to say to Bea is don't lose herself or Ollie when she leaves school. Be the person you are. It was a very young YA novel for myself and sometimes I find that you can't really connect with the characters very often. But if I'm honest I find that it really depends on the character herself and the story-line. But that didn't deter from Bea's novel.
Rating - 3
July 4, 2015
Originally posted at so many books, so little time
This is a story of how harsh school life is- everyone at war with the other for friendships, in pursuit of that achievement the glory of which might not last, and being mean over a boy. Friends become strangers, and bullies become allies. The point here is- at high school, weird things happen.
Life has just taken a turn for the unexpected- the should-never-happen unexpected for Bea Hoggs.
The plot goes like this: we have a bunch of people crazy for dance. The passionate crazy. Bea is not our model. She won't fit into skinny jeans, and dancing will take a lot of hard word, because she isn't a natural. So her friends and estranged friends ditch her, form groups and start preparing for the competition. By some really interesting quirks of fate, she is now supposed to pair up with the college hottie, and dance with him.
You should read this book. I say this for two very important reasons.
a) You are so tired from the day that you need to read, and you are so tired that you just cannot dig into some serious fiction with deep philosophical strands, or imagine that impossible sci-fi world. You need this book to make you smile. And, smile you will!
Because, throughout the book, I was smiling: the plot is predictable, right, but the author carries the narration so effervescently that one cannot help but love the vivaciousness of the plot.
b) High school is hard as it is. And then life intervenes. Everything becomes crooked, plans are thwarted, all balance is twisted upside down! You deal with it all, and as it turns out, the destination is worth all the pains. This book is the most humourous and light-hearted example of dealing with the serious issues.
So, yes, i'd recommend you read this book when you are looking for a couple hours of entertainment, similar to that teen movie!
This is a story of how harsh school life is- everyone at war with the other for friendships, in pursuit of that achievement the glory of which might not last, and being mean over a boy. Friends become strangers, and bullies become allies. The point here is- at high school, weird things happen.
Life has just taken a turn for the unexpected- the should-never-happen unexpected for Bea Hoggs.
The plot goes like this: we have a bunch of people crazy for dance. The passionate crazy. Bea is not our model. She won't fit into skinny jeans, and dancing will take a lot of hard word, because she isn't a natural. So her friends and estranged friends ditch her, form groups and start preparing for the competition. By some really interesting quirks of fate, she is now supposed to pair up with the college hottie, and dance with him.
You should read this book. I say this for two very important reasons.
a) You are so tired from the day that you need to read, and you are so tired that you just cannot dig into some serious fiction with deep philosophical strands, or imagine that impossible sci-fi world. You need this book to make you smile. And, smile you will!
Because, throughout the book, I was smiling: the plot is predictable, right, but the author carries the narration so effervescently that one cannot help but love the vivaciousness of the plot.
b) High school is hard as it is. And then life intervenes. Everything becomes crooked, plans are thwarted, all balance is twisted upside down! You deal with it all, and as it turns out, the destination is worth all the pains. This book is the most humourous and light-hearted example of dealing with the serious issues.
So, yes, i'd recommend you read this book when you are looking for a couple hours of entertainment, similar to that teen movie!
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