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The Ladybirds #2
Love Bomb
Perfect Valentine's reading for fans of Geek Girl and Louise Rennison.
Betty Plum has never been in love. She's never even kissed a boy. But when H.O.T. Toby starts school it's like Betty has been hit with a thousand of Cupid's arrows. It's like a bomb has exploded – a love bomb!
More than ever Betty wishes her mum hadn't died when Betty was a baby. She really needs her mum here to ask her advice. And that's when she finds hidden letters for just these moments. Letters about what your first kiss should feel like and what real love is all about …
Is Betty ready to fall in love? Will she finally have her first kiss? - See more at: http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/love-bom...
Betty Plum has never been in love. She's never even kissed a boy. But when H.O.T. Toby starts school it's like Betty has been hit with a thousand of Cupid's arrows. It's like a bomb has exploded – a love bomb!
More than ever Betty wishes her mum hadn't died when Betty was a baby. She really needs her mum here to ask her advice. And that's when she finds hidden letters for just these moments. Letters about what your first kiss should feel like and what real love is all about …
Is Betty ready to fall in love? Will she finally have her first kiss? - See more at: http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/love-bom...
304 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2015
11 people are currently reading
833 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 83 reviews
March 20, 2015
Cute, very cute!
Review is on the blog already.
Review is on the blog already.
April 1, 2015
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2015/03/a...
I absolutely love this series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but introduces readers to the lives of the former children's playgroup The Ladybugs, girls who have since drifted apart although their lives still entwine with one another. Love Bomb follows Betty, the quirky teen who has never felt the loss of her mother more than when Toby walks into her life. He's the new kid, described as unnaturally attractive and quite the catch. It's love at first sight for Betty, who isn't sure how to gain Toby's undivided attention, especially not when you have mean girl Pearl sniffing around him. But Toby seems to like Betty enough to choose her over Pearl to become the new lead singer of The Vanilla Chinchillas, drawing on her mother's spirit as lead singer of her own band when she had met her father.
But Toby is confusing, he seems to like her but in the same breath will ignore her. Discovering her late mother's letters in their attic couldn't have come at a more pivotal time in Betty's life, needing the advice that only a mother can offer. Your first boyfriend, first kiss, and first heartbreak. It gives Betty clarity for what to look for in a boyfriend, a boy who allows you to be who you are and loves you unconditionally for it. But is Toby the one?
One of the brilliant aspects of this fluffy teen series is the comedy. I wavered between laughing out loud and smiling to myself like an idiot. It's absolutely joyful. But under the comedy and like it's predecessor, Love Bomb touches on real issues such as losing a parent, friendship, first loves, first kisses and finding your place in the world. An absolutely charming coming of age that you'll fall head over heels in love with. Jenny McLachlan has created yet another heartwarming and kooky contemporary that will become an instant favourite.
I absolutely love this series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but introduces readers to the lives of the former children's playgroup The Ladybugs, girls who have since drifted apart although their lives still entwine with one another. Love Bomb follows Betty, the quirky teen who has never felt the loss of her mother more than when Toby walks into her life. He's the new kid, described as unnaturally attractive and quite the catch. It's love at first sight for Betty, who isn't sure how to gain Toby's undivided attention, especially not when you have mean girl Pearl sniffing around him. But Toby seems to like Betty enough to choose her over Pearl to become the new lead singer of The Vanilla Chinchillas, drawing on her mother's spirit as lead singer of her own band when she had met her father.
But Toby is confusing, he seems to like her but in the same breath will ignore her. Discovering her late mother's letters in their attic couldn't have come at a more pivotal time in Betty's life, needing the advice that only a mother can offer. Your first boyfriend, first kiss, and first heartbreak. It gives Betty clarity for what to look for in a boyfriend, a boy who allows you to be who you are and loves you unconditionally for it. But is Toby the one?
One of the brilliant aspects of this fluffy teen series is the comedy. I wavered between laughing out loud and smiling to myself like an idiot. It's absolutely joyful. But under the comedy and like it's predecessor, Love Bomb touches on real issues such as losing a parent, friendship, first loves, first kisses and finding your place in the world. An absolutely charming coming of age that you'll fall head over heels in love with. Jenny McLachlan has created yet another heartwarming and kooky contemporary that will become an instant favourite.
December 31, 2015
As I have an ARC of book 3, Sunkissed, this was the perfect opportunity to read Love Bomb for the first time. Love Bomb follows Betty, who I adored in book 1, Flirty Dancing. Betty is weird, and wacky, and just the perfect amount of strange and loveable that we need in cutesy contemporary fiction. Even though I'm now 20, I adore reading UKYA contemporaries such as the Geek Girl series, and Jessica Cole: Model Spy. The Ladybirds is no exception to this! To be honest, I feel like I'm back to being a teenager when I read books such as this; all the British colloquialisms and inside jokes make it a much more enjoyable experience.
As I've already said, Betty was a wonderful protagonist, and I could easily read more books from her point of view. As with most contemporaries, there was a split of fluffy nonsense with actual real life issues, meaning the books stay with you for days to come. In Love Bomb, Betty is a fifteen year old, dealing with the fact that her widowed father is now dating again, all at the same time as she has her first crush on the new boy, Toby. Toby, I was not a fan off. However, I liked his presence as it allowed Betty to discover herself, and, also, discover her mother. Betty had been receiving letters her mother left for her, before she died of cancer, and through these letters, especially the more personal ones hidden in the loft, Betty could really understand her mother better, and, ultimately, fall in love with the woman who desperately wished she could have been there through the years. Personally, I would've loved to have met Lorna, Betty's mam, as she seemed to be a truly amazing woman, and even though she was no longer with Betty, in the physical sense, she helped her it the best way possible.
Betty's gang of friends, the original Ladybirds, bar Pearl, were just as lovely as in Flirty Dancing, and I can't wait to read Kat's story in Sunkissed. I truly hope that by the end of the series The Ladybirds are together again, and are all friends. Bollie (Bea and Ollie from Flirty Dancing) were as cute as ever, and Emma continues to steal the scene with every appearance she made.
The best thing about the book was the romance between Bill and Betty. From the start I had hoped Bill would be the love interest, and my wait was well rewarded. Even though it took some time to come to fruition, we could see how compatible the two were, and how they transitioned from best friends to being in love, and together. Again, I hope they have a good, supporting role in subsequent books, as I am desperate to find out how their relationship progresses.
All in all, this was a wonderful addition to a delightful series, and I can't wait to dive into my ARC of Sunkissed. I'd absolutely recommend this series to lovers of contemporary fiction, UKYA, and just plain cutesy books!
As I've already said, Betty was a wonderful protagonist, and I could easily read more books from her point of view. As with most contemporaries, there was a split of fluffy nonsense with actual real life issues, meaning the books stay with you for days to come. In Love Bomb, Betty is a fifteen year old, dealing with the fact that her widowed father is now dating again, all at the same time as she has her first crush on the new boy, Toby. Toby, I was not a fan off. However, I liked his presence as it allowed Betty to discover herself, and, also, discover her mother. Betty had been receiving letters her mother left for her, before she died of cancer, and through these letters, especially the more personal ones hidden in the loft, Betty could really understand her mother better, and, ultimately, fall in love with the woman who desperately wished she could have been there through the years. Personally, I would've loved to have met Lorna, Betty's mam, as she seemed to be a truly amazing woman, and even though she was no longer with Betty, in the physical sense, she helped her it the best way possible.
Betty's gang of friends, the original Ladybirds, bar Pearl, were just as lovely as in Flirty Dancing, and I can't wait to read Kat's story in Sunkissed. I truly hope that by the end of the series The Ladybirds are together again, and are all friends. Bollie (Bea and Ollie from Flirty Dancing) were as cute as ever, and Emma continues to steal the scene with every appearance she made.
The best thing about the book was the romance between Bill and Betty. From the start I had hoped Bill would be the love interest, and my wait was well rewarded. Even though it took some time to come to fruition, we could see how compatible the two were, and how they transitioned from best friends to being in love, and together. Again, I hope they have a good, supporting role in subsequent books, as I am desperate to find out how their relationship progresses.
All in all, this was a wonderful addition to a delightful series, and I can't wait to dive into my ARC of Sunkissed. I'd absolutely recommend this series to lovers of contemporary fiction, UKYA, and just plain cutesy books!
February 17, 2017
Love Bomb is the second book in The Ladybirds and the first one that I have read. From what I understand, the books in this series can also be read as standalone even though the series centers around a group of friends. Love bomb introduces us to Betty, a fifteen year old trying to handle school, friends, family drama and her first crush.
Betty had lost her mother at a very young age. Her connection to her mother is through the letters her mother has left for her. As she turns fifteen, Betty finds out that the letter she has received this year is the last one her mother has left for her. Then Toby enters her life as the new kid in school and Betty is immediately smitten. But she has no clue what to do or how to act around him… Just when she misses her mother the most, she discovers another stash of letters from her mother, which cover some significant moments in a person’s life. Armed with her mother’s advice, Betty is ready to tackle her situation… or so she thinks!
Betty is a pretty much normal teenager. Immature at times, she can also be a brat when she chooses so… But beneath all that is a sweet girl who is trying to navigate through her life as best as she can. It is pretty easy to like Betty even though she acts out every now and then. It is easy to see where she is going wrong and empathize with her. I have seen Betty’s life play out in real life among some of my friends and so I could connect with the storyline without difficulty. Toby on the other hand brings in the ‘cool’ factor to the dynamics. I found it difficult to like him – maybe because as a reader I could see through his antics for most part. However, the best part about the book was Betty’s mother and her letters. Though she is dead, Betty’s mother’s character really blooms through the letters to her daughter. She felt like the kind of person whom everybody simply cannot help but love.
The storyline, while predictable, was interesting enough to keep me glued to the book. The author’s style of narration is pretty easygoing and would probably appeal to younger readers – the target audience that is. Overall, a pretty entertaining book and perfect for Young Adults.
Betty had lost her mother at a very young age. Her connection to her mother is through the letters her mother has left for her. As she turns fifteen, Betty finds out that the letter she has received this year is the last one her mother has left for her. Then Toby enters her life as the new kid in school and Betty is immediately smitten. But she has no clue what to do or how to act around him… Just when she misses her mother the most, she discovers another stash of letters from her mother, which cover some significant moments in a person’s life. Armed with her mother’s advice, Betty is ready to tackle her situation… or so she thinks!
Betty is a pretty much normal teenager. Immature at times, she can also be a brat when she chooses so… But beneath all that is a sweet girl who is trying to navigate through her life as best as she can. It is pretty easy to like Betty even though she acts out every now and then. It is easy to see where she is going wrong and empathize with her. I have seen Betty’s life play out in real life among some of my friends and so I could connect with the storyline without difficulty. Toby on the other hand brings in the ‘cool’ factor to the dynamics. I found it difficult to like him – maybe because as a reader I could see through his antics for most part. However, the best part about the book was Betty’s mother and her letters. Though she is dead, Betty’s mother’s character really blooms through the letters to her daughter. She felt like the kind of person whom everybody simply cannot help but love.
The storyline, while predictable, was interesting enough to keep me glued to the book. The author’s style of narration is pretty easygoing and would probably appeal to younger readers – the target audience that is. Overall, a pretty entertaining book and perfect for Young Adults.
July 27, 2015
Another really solid story from the Ladybirds series. This time, it involved Betty, new hot guy Toby and her best friend Bill. I liked the friendships, focus on first love and first kisses, the cute ending and the letters from her dead mum. Overall though, I enjoyed it a bit less than Flirty Dancing because the majority was Betty obsessing about Toby who is not very likable. I also didn't appreciate some of Betty's choices. These would be great reads for 10+
March 9, 2015
With most reviews, there's a defined overruling emotion that I have throughout, and an overall feelings towards the book in question, but on this occasion, with Love Bomb, I don't have that joy, in fact, this review may just turn heads, and I've done that a few times already in the past. To put it in plain and simple terms, Love Bomb could have and would have been, in my eyes, a perfect book, a book with the right amount of humour and snark, with beautiful friendships and relationships between friends and family and a real sense of growing up and coming to terms with loss, damn, it might even have become the first favourite read of 2015, but alas, I was stopped in my tracks by one page, and that brought this book, and myself, back down to earth. It affected me on a whole other level.
Before we get to that unfortunate event, I'd like to talk about how this book is really, otherwise, the perfect teenage read exploring love, friendships and what it means to lose someone you love and McLachlan explored these features perfectly. Betty was a wonderful character, we'd already met her and got to explore her character a little in Flirty Dancing, but to see how her home life was, with a single parent, her father no less, was a lovely change, and the inclusion of little letters for each Birthday left to her from her mother was really quite wonderful too. The relationship that was between Betty and her mother, even through the letters, was utterly beautiful, you could honestly feel the love that her mother felt for her just leap off the page and how painful it was for her to leave Betty. I admit, I cried a good few times, it's definitely not just your easy, laid back type of childrens romance. Even Betty's relationship with her father and how they developed to include Rue, how they developed together, each accepting change and difference, but learning and slowly becoming comfortable with the changes in their lives, it was explored well, honestly and emotionally, and I related to it a lot.
Even Betty's fellow characters and friendships were just as wonderful to read about. Betty and Kat's friendship was really one of a kind, it was really honest and down to earth, really sweet and really reminded me of my own high school friendships, and the inclusion of Bea and Ollie from Flirty Dancing was also really pretty darn lovely, but nothing beats the sweet and adorable friendship to more relationship between Bill and Betty - they were ust the most adorable friendship in this novel, a really honest and sweet one, listening to each other, appreciating each other, seeing the beauty within someone on the inside and feeling safe and at home with someone, and just what they'd do for one another, it was just so beautiful and beyond cute, I don't have enough words. It's fair to that I was never a fan of Toby, he was constantly a jerk in my eyes, but one characters development I did like was Pearl's, compliments of Betty, watching their broken friendships start to mend, seeing how Betty's decisions and actions affected Pearl and her choices was wonderful to see, and I really cannot wait to see where McLachlan takes Pearls, and Kat's stories in the future novels in the series.
For those wondering exactly what brought this book down a whole star, highlight the following, but be warned, spoilers.
This book was a really lovely, adorable and cute novel, and the relationships throughout the novel made this as beautiful as it was. The inclusion of the letters from Betty's mother and the little life lessons, from accepting girlfriends to your father, to having your heart broken, to finding what love is like, and how it fills you up and feels like home, even how you can be your own person, it really was a really enjoyable read, despite my issues with it. It's not just for the younger generation, the writing is simple and highly enjoyable, and the humour and snark involved is enough to make anyone at least smile - I love reading more laid back and innocent novels, and this is exactly one of them. McLachlan, you've got yourself one dedicated fan.
Before we get to that unfortunate event, I'd like to talk about how this book is really, otherwise, the perfect teenage read exploring love, friendships and what it means to lose someone you love and McLachlan explored these features perfectly. Betty was a wonderful character, we'd already met her and got to explore her character a little in Flirty Dancing, but to see how her home life was, with a single parent, her father no less, was a lovely change, and the inclusion of little letters for each Birthday left to her from her mother was really quite wonderful too. The relationship that was between Betty and her mother, even through the letters, was utterly beautiful, you could honestly feel the love that her mother felt for her just leap off the page and how painful it was for her to leave Betty. I admit, I cried a good few times, it's definitely not just your easy, laid back type of childrens romance. Even Betty's relationship with her father and how they developed to include Rue, how they developed together, each accepting change and difference, but learning and slowly becoming comfortable with the changes in their lives, it was explored well, honestly and emotionally, and I related to it a lot.
Even Betty's fellow characters and friendships were just as wonderful to read about. Betty and Kat's friendship was really one of a kind, it was really honest and down to earth, really sweet and really reminded me of my own high school friendships, and the inclusion of Bea and Ollie from Flirty Dancing was also really pretty darn lovely, but nothing beats the sweet and adorable friendship to more relationship between Bill and Betty - they were ust the most adorable friendship in this novel, a really honest and sweet one, listening to each other, appreciating each other, seeing the beauty within someone on the inside and feeling safe and at home with someone, and just what they'd do for one another, it was just so beautiful and beyond cute, I don't have enough words. It's fair to that I was never a fan of Toby, he was constantly a jerk in my eyes, but one characters development I did like was Pearl's, compliments of Betty, watching their broken friendships start to mend, seeing how Betty's decisions and actions affected Pearl and her choices was wonderful to see, and I really cannot wait to see where McLachlan takes Pearls, and Kat's stories in the future novels in the series.
For those wondering exactly what brought this book down a whole star, highlight the following, but be warned, spoilers.
This book was a really lovely, adorable and cute novel, and the relationships throughout the novel made this as beautiful as it was. The inclusion of the letters from Betty's mother and the little life lessons, from accepting girlfriends to your father, to having your heart broken, to finding what love is like, and how it fills you up and feels like home, even how you can be your own person, it really was a really enjoyable read, despite my issues with it. It's not just for the younger generation, the writing is simple and highly enjoyable, and the humour and snark involved is enough to make anyone at least smile - I love reading more laid back and innocent novels, and this is exactly one of them. McLachlan, you've got yourself one dedicated fan.
May 13, 2018
Pretty entertaining Louise Rennison-esque book.
July 13, 2023
Picked this up by mistake last minute for a holiday read, didn’t realise it was for young adults and I’m anything but. However I LOVED it. Perfect nostalgia for an old dear took me right back my teenage years and the angst that goes with it. At the same time as a mum of 4 grown up children could so sympathise with the love the mother felt when writing her letters. I howled at each and everyone. I’m definitely saving this for my lovely granddaughter who’s just about to start secondary school think it has a powerful message that I wish I’d learnt earlier.
March 6, 2015
- - - -
4.5 out of 5 stars
Have you read the first book, Flirty Dancing? Read my review before you continue onto Love Bomb!
The Ladybirds are back, and this time we get to follow the unique Betty Plum as she navigates high school, boys and her dad's new girlfriend. Flirty Dancing gave us a glimpse into Betty's world and I absolutely loved it. Love Bomb - if you can believe it - was even better. There was a deeper sense of emotional depth in this book as Betty finally comes to terms with the loss of her mother in her life, especially during the period in high school where a girl needs her mother most.
Betty's mother passed away from cancer when Betty was two, but has written a birthday letter for her every year. As she turns fifteen, she finds out that that is the last birthday letter she'll ever receive - BUT there are some secret ones hidden away in the attic reserved for the momentous times in Betty's life when she needs them the most. These letters are beautiful and personal, making Betty's mum come alive through the page. I am not ashamed to say that I bawled my eyes out because of how moving they were. What can I say, I'm a sap.
The relationships in this book are beautifully written and Betty is just another normal teenage girl with teenage problems. She's a brat when her dad brings home a new girlfriend, and she chooses to perform in the school talent show with the new hottie instead of her best friend. McLachlan deals with teenage relationship in a very realistic way, and I was glad to see that these character were not overly dramatic with their actions.
I really enjoyed reading the romance, and if you have read my discussion on 'players', then you'll know why I adored it so much in this book. Betty's crush was by no means a 'player' but he was also not exactly the role model boyfriend that teenage girls should look up to. I don't want to spoil anything, but I will say that I wholeheartedly approve of her final boyfriend choice.
Love Bomb does tend to read a little young (I felt like it's more targeted towards 10-13 year olds) but the overall messages can be enjoyed by everyone. I absolutely loved it and if you're a crier like me...then have the tissues ready. I hope you all fall in love with Betty's story as much as I did!
Thank you Bloomsbury Australia for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
If you purchase books through my link, I receive a small commission that will go towards running the blog AND gives me a chance to host more giveaways. Help a sista out! ;)
March 19, 2015
My Rating:
I haven't read Flirty Dancing and in all honesty, you didn't have to when reading this one. This book follows one of the best friends of the main character from Flirty Dancing - Betty and her love life.
This book was kind of frustrating for me. I expected this to be a light, flirty, happy read like Anna and the French Kiss. I dismissed the cheesy title and cover and convinced myself to give this book a try as I do end up loving the books I doubt. Everyone had been talking about how great this series was coming along and I shrugged and gave it a try. This wasn't really the case with this one. I didn't really thoroughly enjoy this read.
Betty is a very immature character. Not when it comes to joking or stuff (like me) but more about how she carries herself. She over-analyses everything and convinces herself that she has fallen in love with the new boy, Toby just because he's hot and she gets the 'shivers' when he touches her. *gag* In reality, Toby doesn't give a shit about her and is just really using her. She thinks this is love when all he does is call her his B-Cakes which I found strange and not cute, at all. And then at the end of the book when not all goes to plan, she suddenly has this huge realization which came as a huge shock to me because there was no hint of this at all. Where I normally do enjoys plot twists, this just felt like something just thrown in to make Betty and the reader feel better.
What I did enjoy in this book was Betty's mum's letters. They were cute and down-to-earth and HILARIOUS and towards the end, they did make me tear up. While this idea of letters from a dead mother is a very cliche thing we see a lot, I loved that we didn't get that sombre, melancholic tone from these letters. They were light and exactly how a care-hearted mother would to her daughter. I loved how the letters seemed like conversations and the amount of character, I saw in Betty's mum. Without these letters, I think Betty would've been completely lost.
In conclusion, definitely a light and easy read. There are times when you want to slam Betty on the head but the letters make everything better. Betty's character development is quite substantial where she goes from a stupid teenager to a less stupid teenager. Though I will have to defy everyone else's opinion and say I did not LOVE this book.
January 29, 2015
Last year I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of a mega cute book called
Flirty Dancing
. Both my daughter and I absolutely loved it, so we were mega excited when we received the ARC for the second book in the Ladybirds series. And just like the first book, I read it in a day!
Betty Plum has just turned fifteen. She might be running late like usual, but she's still having a great day with her friends. When she meets the new kid in school, she sets her sights on this hottie. Toby is tall, cool, the right kind of boy she wants. So she makes it her mission to get his attention, which she has no trouble doing. Before she realises what's happening, she's caught up in a Toby whirlwind that has her fronting his band, hanging out with him outside of school, and doing all types of non-Betty things just to be around him.
This is one of those times when she wishes she still had her mother around. Sure, Betty and her father have a great, quirky life together and do all sorts of awesome, unusual things but she could use some advice about boys and falling in love. And that's where her mother's letters come in. Since her mother died when Betty was very small, her father's passed on a birthday letter every year. This one happens to be the last one, so she puts it off for a while. But when she eventually decides to open it, this final letter leads to a cache of secret letters.
As Toby pays more attention to her, she starts losing touch with her best friend Bill. A boy she's known all of her life and is still there when she really needs him. But she's also letting down her friends Kat and Bea. And she's starting to not get along with her father because for the first time in her life, he might have met someone that threatens their cool family routine. Not to mention the worst thing of all--that she's starting to stifle a bit of her awesome self. So Toby doesn't think she's stupid, she starts taming down some of her more odd tastes.
This story is just as good as the first one. It's fun and quirky, featuring a headstrong heroine who is hilarious but slowly starts to lose herself because she's convinced she's in love with a 'cool' boy. It's also an emotional ride about one young girl trying to use her dead mother's letters as a way of guiding her through romance and love. And what happens is her experiences, though different, end up being parallel to her mother's letters.
Love Bomb is another super cute, fun story about a very unique girl who loses sight of what's important on her quest to finding love. It's a coming-of-age story about a teenager who doesn't want her family life to change. A story about understanding that love is sometimes right in front of you. And just like Flirty Dancing, it'll hook you in from the beginning. This time, instead of cheering along, you'll probably want to hug Betty. Behind this hilarious, nice girl hides a sadness that leaps off the pages and touches your heart.
I loved this book, and I'm really enjoying this series. Thanks Bloomsbury Australia!
Betty Plum has just turned fifteen. She might be running late like usual, but she's still having a great day with her friends. When she meets the new kid in school, she sets her sights on this hottie. Toby is tall, cool, the right kind of boy she wants. So she makes it her mission to get his attention, which she has no trouble doing. Before she realises what's happening, she's caught up in a Toby whirlwind that has her fronting his band, hanging out with him outside of school, and doing all types of non-Betty things just to be around him.
This is one of those times when she wishes she still had her mother around. Sure, Betty and her father have a great, quirky life together and do all sorts of awesome, unusual things but she could use some advice about boys and falling in love. And that's where her mother's letters come in. Since her mother died when Betty was very small, her father's passed on a birthday letter every year. This one happens to be the last one, so she puts it off for a while. But when she eventually decides to open it, this final letter leads to a cache of secret letters.
As Toby pays more attention to her, she starts losing touch with her best friend Bill. A boy she's known all of her life and is still there when she really needs him. But she's also letting down her friends Kat and Bea. And she's starting to not get along with her father because for the first time in her life, he might have met someone that threatens their cool family routine. Not to mention the worst thing of all--that she's starting to stifle a bit of her awesome self. So Toby doesn't think she's stupid, she starts taming down some of her more odd tastes.
This story is just as good as the first one. It's fun and quirky, featuring a headstrong heroine who is hilarious but slowly starts to lose herself because she's convinced she's in love with a 'cool' boy. It's also an emotional ride about one young girl trying to use her dead mother's letters as a way of guiding her through romance and love. And what happens is her experiences, though different, end up being parallel to her mother's letters.
Love Bomb is another super cute, fun story about a very unique girl who loses sight of what's important on her quest to finding love. It's a coming-of-age story about a teenager who doesn't want her family life to change. A story about understanding that love is sometimes right in front of you. And just like Flirty Dancing, it'll hook you in from the beginning. This time, instead of cheering along, you'll probably want to hug Betty. Behind this hilarious, nice girl hides a sadness that leaps off the pages and touches your heart.
I loved this book, and I'm really enjoying this series. Thanks Bloomsbury Australia!
April 15, 2015
*This review also appears on my blog Genie In A Book*
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
In this second book from 'The Ladybirds' series, you'll find the same lighthearted vibe for the most part, with some teenage drama relating to friendship, boys and family. While this book may seem superficial at first with the seemingly immature choices of the characters, there was a deeper message which I really appreciated.
Betty's mother passed away when she was only two years old, but wrote her birthday letters before she died that her daughter could read each year. This was a really sweet element of the story, and reading these letters and the love which her mum wrote about, and of her own experiences was truly touching. Some of them brought tears to my eyes, especially when it came down to the fact that this inextricable mother-daughter connection could still be maintained in that way.
One of my qualms though was the character voices and how they sounded so much younger than fifteen. Sure, hormones are raging, though when it comes to the point of going through all this infatuation and literally picking out a 'kissing outfit', it does seem a bit excessive. I suppose that's what contributes to this probably being suited to a younger YA audience if that sort of thing would annoy you.
Yes, some of Betty's actions annoyed me - but when you're young and 'in love', everything else could fall by the wayside. Combined with facing the fact that her dad may be moving on with someone new, it's no wonder that it was hard to navigate the line between seeing someone as they really were and trying to conjure up a reality where the 'hot guy' really was perfect. With that in mind, there were some realistic issues explored here, with the ups and downs, misinterpretations and finally an awakening to what's important in what a girl deserves in her life - someone who appreciates her for who she is.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Though the first book is still my favourite, Love Bomb still has its merits. Beneath the facade of melodrama lies a genuine story with a message that anyone could appreciate: Realising that you are worth something, and that true love will come naturally if you search for it in the right places.
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
In this second book from 'The Ladybirds' series, you'll find the same lighthearted vibe for the most part, with some teenage drama relating to friendship, boys and family. While this book may seem superficial at first with the seemingly immature choices of the characters, there was a deeper message which I really appreciated.
Betty's mother passed away when she was only two years old, but wrote her birthday letters before she died that her daughter could read each year. This was a really sweet element of the story, and reading these letters and the love which her mum wrote about, and of her own experiences was truly touching. Some of them brought tears to my eyes, especially when it came down to the fact that this inextricable mother-daughter connection could still be maintained in that way.
One of my qualms though was the character voices and how they sounded so much younger than fifteen. Sure, hormones are raging, though when it comes to the point of going through all this infatuation and literally picking out a 'kissing outfit', it does seem a bit excessive. I suppose that's what contributes to this probably being suited to a younger YA audience if that sort of thing would annoy you.
Yes, some of Betty's actions annoyed me - but when you're young and 'in love', everything else could fall by the wayside. Combined with facing the fact that her dad may be moving on with someone new, it's no wonder that it was hard to navigate the line between seeing someone as they really were and trying to conjure up a reality where the 'hot guy' really was perfect. With that in mind, there were some realistic issues explored here, with the ups and downs, misinterpretations and finally an awakening to what's important in what a girl deserves in her life - someone who appreciates her for who she is.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Though the first book is still my favourite, Love Bomb still has its merits. Beneath the facade of melodrama lies a genuine story with a message that anyone could appreciate: Realising that you are worth something, and that true love will come naturally if you search for it in the right places.
September 24, 2017
Also posted on Eva Lucias blog
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Hjertestarter er anden del i Ladybirds-serien af Jenny McLachlan. Jeg var vild med Flirty Dancing og jeg gav den glædeligt 4 stjerner. Det er tit, at 2’eren i en serie ikke kan toppe den første, men Hjertestarter kunne bare det hele. Den var endnu bedre end 1’eren, så 5 stjerner er fuld fortjent.
Først og fremmest, så er Betty verdens skønneste karakter. Hvorfor er hun ikke min veninde rigtigt? Hun er stærk og usikker på en og samme tid. Hun tør at skille sig ud og tror alligevel på sig selv. Hun har fået gode veninder i skolen, men har stadig noget at slås med. særligt tabet af hendes mor. Selvom det er længe siden, så sidder sorgen stadig indeni. Desuden skal Betty også forholde sig til faderens nye kæreste, hvilket (pænt sagt) er svært for hende.
På Bettys 15 års fødselsdag finder hun en kasse med breve skrevet af moderen. Og disse breve skubber plottet fint fremad. Brevene fungerer godt i sammenligning med resten af historien. Der er plads til brevenes indhold, samtidig med at det også handler om en almindelig udviklingsrejse og at finde sig selv på godt og ondt i teenageårene. Brevene er skrevet så godt, men også uden at det bliver for sørgerligt. Som læser behøver man ikke at græde, man behøver ikke at lide, man er ikke tvunget til at sidde med kleenex ved sin side. Man kan tværtimod mærke en ægte frustration og hvordan et tab kan indfange én som bølgerne på et hav. Det sætter tankerne i gang på en rigtig smuk og på en måde underspillet måde.
Jenny McLachlan har skabt en stærk 2’er, som får én til at længes efter næste udgivelse, som først udkommer i 2018. Sproget, karaktererne og oprigtigheden gør, at man kan se sig selv i det hele, selvom man måske ikke har oplevet alt, som Betty oplever. Døden, savnet, sorgen, venskaber og kærligheden – særlig, den er så svær. Kan man forelske sig flere gange på kort tid? Kan en, som man kender godt blive til én, som man holder ekstra meget af? Hvordan skal kærligheden egentlig udspille sig?
Denne roman minder én om, at det er muligt at se tilbage og indse, at nogle gange er det som man allerhelst vil have, lige foran én. Man skal bare først indse det. Havde den 16-årige Eva læst denne roman, så havde jeg fundet mere ro i sindet. Ingen tvivl om det. For som for Betty, så skal det hele nok gå, selvom det er svært.
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Tak til Gyldendal for anmeldereksemplaret!
Hjertestarter er anden del i Ladybirds-serien af Jenny McLachlan. Jeg var vild med Flirty Dancing og jeg gav den glædeligt 4 stjerner. Det er tit, at 2’eren i en serie ikke kan toppe den første, men Hjertestarter kunne bare det hele. Den var endnu bedre end 1’eren, så 5 stjerner er fuld fortjent.
Først og fremmest, så er Betty verdens skønneste karakter. Hvorfor er hun ikke min veninde rigtigt? Hun er stærk og usikker på en og samme tid. Hun tør at skille sig ud og tror alligevel på sig selv. Hun har fået gode veninder i skolen, men har stadig noget at slås med. særligt tabet af hendes mor. Selvom det er længe siden, så sidder sorgen stadig indeni. Desuden skal Betty også forholde sig til faderens nye kæreste, hvilket (pænt sagt) er svært for hende.
På Bettys 15 års fødselsdag finder hun en kasse med breve skrevet af moderen. Og disse breve skubber plottet fint fremad. Brevene fungerer godt i sammenligning med resten af historien. Der er plads til brevenes indhold, samtidig med at det også handler om en almindelig udviklingsrejse og at finde sig selv på godt og ondt i teenageårene. Brevene er skrevet så godt, men også uden at det bliver for sørgerligt. Som læser behøver man ikke at græde, man behøver ikke at lide, man er ikke tvunget til at sidde med kleenex ved sin side. Man kan tværtimod mærke en ægte frustration og hvordan et tab kan indfange én som bølgerne på et hav. Det sætter tankerne i gang på en rigtig smuk og på en måde underspillet måde.
Jenny McLachlan har skabt en stærk 2’er, som får én til at længes efter næste udgivelse, som først udkommer i 2018. Sproget, karaktererne og oprigtigheden gør, at man kan se sig selv i det hele, selvom man måske ikke har oplevet alt, som Betty oplever. Døden, savnet, sorgen, venskaber og kærligheden – særlig, den er så svær. Kan man forelske sig flere gange på kort tid? Kan en, som man kender godt blive til én, som man holder ekstra meget af? Hvordan skal kærligheden egentlig udspille sig?
Denne roman minder én om, at det er muligt at se tilbage og indse, at nogle gange er det som man allerhelst vil have, lige foran én. Man skal bare først indse det. Havde den 16-årige Eva læst denne roman, så havde jeg fundet mere ro i sindet. Ingen tvivl om det. For som for Betty, så skal det hele nok gå, selvom det er svært.
Blog ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Youtube ~ Spotify
Læs interview med Linette Harpsøe her
June 24, 2015
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!
Love Bomb is the second book in the Ladybugs series by Jenny McLachlan and this time follows quirky and unique Betty in yet another smile inducing and enjoyable tale.
Betty Plum is turning fifteen, an important day in any teenage girl’s life. Not only that but she’s just caught the eye of the new boy at her school Toby and finally finds herself liking a boy. With her mum having died when Betty was a baby, Betty has become used to it being only her dad and her great friends, but suddenly Betty finds herself missing the woman she never knew more than ever. Luckily for Betty, her mum left her a series of letters about important stages in a girl’s life that she reads over the course of the book, getting to know her mother like never before and discovering just who is really important and the person she should really be giving her heart to.
I don't think I loved Love Bomb quite as much as I did the first novel, but I still enjoyed it immensely. Jenny McLachlan continues to write in her easy to read and follow style, and incorporates all the friendship, character development and humour I loved in Flirty Dancing. This series is just great wholesome fun.
Betty was quite the quirky young lady and actually quite crazy at times. I really liked that she wasn’t afraid to be outside the box and takes chances. Some of Betty’s decisions weren’t the best, but I’m striking that up to age and inexperience. People are meant to make mistakes and bad choices---it’s the growth in Betty that make everything she does worth it.
Betty plods through a lot of substantial moments in her life during this book. Her first crush, her first kiss……seeing her dad date someone for the first time etc., and it was really quite sweet to see Jenny McLachlan assist Betty through these moments with the help of her late mother. Through a series of adorable letters, Betty manages to really get to know her mum, and her mum helps her through so much. It was wonderful to read about and a great way to add something different to Betty’s story.
Sweet and easy to fall into, Betty’s story is another great instalment in this series. Love Bomb couldn’t have ended any better and leaves me endlessly happy with where Betty and her friends and family are now their story has been told. I’m very excited to read Kat and Pearl’s stories in the future and look forward to seeing what Jenny McLachlan has in store for these four gals next!
Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!
Love Bomb is the second book in the Ladybugs series by Jenny McLachlan and this time follows quirky and unique Betty in yet another smile inducing and enjoyable tale.
Betty Plum is turning fifteen, an important day in any teenage girl’s life. Not only that but she’s just caught the eye of the new boy at her school Toby and finally finds herself liking a boy. With her mum having died when Betty was a baby, Betty has become used to it being only her dad and her great friends, but suddenly Betty finds herself missing the woman she never knew more than ever. Luckily for Betty, her mum left her a series of letters about important stages in a girl’s life that she reads over the course of the book, getting to know her mother like never before and discovering just who is really important and the person she should really be giving her heart to.
I don't think I loved Love Bomb quite as much as I did the first novel, but I still enjoyed it immensely. Jenny McLachlan continues to write in her easy to read and follow style, and incorporates all the friendship, character development and humour I loved in Flirty Dancing. This series is just great wholesome fun.
Betty was quite the quirky young lady and actually quite crazy at times. I really liked that she wasn’t afraid to be outside the box and takes chances. Some of Betty’s decisions weren’t the best, but I’m striking that up to age and inexperience. People are meant to make mistakes and bad choices---it’s the growth in Betty that make everything she does worth it.
Betty plods through a lot of substantial moments in her life during this book. Her first crush, her first kiss……seeing her dad date someone for the first time etc., and it was really quite sweet to see Jenny McLachlan assist Betty through these moments with the help of her late mother. Through a series of adorable letters, Betty manages to really get to know her mum, and her mum helps her through so much. It was wonderful to read about and a great way to add something different to Betty’s story.
Sweet and easy to fall into, Betty’s story is another great instalment in this series. Love Bomb couldn’t have ended any better and leaves me endlessly happy with where Betty and her friends and family are now their story has been told. I’m very excited to read Kat and Pearl’s stories in the future and look forward to seeing what Jenny McLachlan has in store for these four gals next!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2015
Again, the book begun on a event of some sorts, rather than a dancing audition, this time is was a Autumn show, where Betty would bring out her personality by singing with either Kat her best friend, or the new kid Toby! I knew from the start that something wasn't right here. Although it was Betty's love is feeling getting in the mix she really couldn't tell and to be honest, it was after all her first time falling for someone. But it seemed that is someone closer to home that she had fallen for all along.
As you all know by now, I adore novels that add some more texture to the novels with letters, extracts, notes that sort of thing. Rather than just text and dialogue it's another way to communicate with one another especially that between Betty and her mum. Her mum was her rock but she never got the chance to really know her that well. So her mum wrote a letter for every birthday up to the age of 16 trying to keep herself alive in memory in some way for Betty. But then her mum create four very important letter, a lesson, a moment in your life that you need your mum around in this form. Each letter was heart-breaking, she had cancer and each growing letter she was deteriorating, but it showed just how much she loved Betty.
As far as a sequel goes in this series, I wasn't as good as the first novel. But that has nothing to do with the plot more to do with Betty as a character. For the life of me I couldn't quite connect with her as much as I did Bea. I think her lack of maturity, but that is her character, she is a little bonkers in places and I did see that, which made me laugh out loud. But if I'm honest it was the fun and laugh factor that made me love these books. Short, sweet, and colourful, I mean look at the covers, aren't they gorgeous and I think that is what pulled me to these books. And that fact the Betty on this cover sort of looks like me but younger. Lol. If you want someone light and fluffy then your in the right place.
Rating - 3
As you all know by now, I adore novels that add some more texture to the novels with letters, extracts, notes that sort of thing. Rather than just text and dialogue it's another way to communicate with one another especially that between Betty and her mum. Her mum was her rock but she never got the chance to really know her that well. So her mum wrote a letter for every birthday up to the age of 16 trying to keep herself alive in memory in some way for Betty. But then her mum create four very important letter, a lesson, a moment in your life that you need your mum around in this form. Each letter was heart-breaking, she had cancer and each growing letter she was deteriorating, but it showed just how much she loved Betty.
As far as a sequel goes in this series, I wasn't as good as the first novel. But that has nothing to do with the plot more to do with Betty as a character. For the life of me I couldn't quite connect with her as much as I did Bea. I think her lack of maturity, but that is her character, she is a little bonkers in places and I did see that, which made me laugh out loud. But if I'm honest it was the fun and laugh factor that made me love these books. Short, sweet, and colourful, I mean look at the covers, aren't they gorgeous and I think that is what pulled me to these books. And that fact the Betty on this cover sort of looks like me but younger. Lol. If you want someone light and fluffy then your in the right place.
Rating - 3
August 20, 2015
Love Bomb is book two in the delightful Ladybirds series, with each novel following one of the girls from the childhood group, so far chronicling their adventures in young love. Book one, Flirty Dancing, was an absolute pleasure to read.
Love Bomb tells the story of Betty, who falls deeply and suddenly for the new boy in school. The best thing about this book is the way that McLachlan managed to perfectly encapsulate how easy it is, as a teenaged girl, to be infatuated by a total dropkick (particularly ones who look like pale vampires wearing skinny jeans). Many of us have been there, and so it was so easy to relate to Betty, even though she came across as a bit over the top at times. I loved the distinct ‘Englishness’ of this book; so much slang and turns of phrase you wouldn’t find anywhere else that really flavoured my reading experience.
The overall theme of Love Bomb was love, unsurprising yet charming, pulled off in such a way my eyes welled up on a few letter readings. Suffice to say when the real romance came about I was reminded of that teenage giddiness feeling, which makes people act a bit over the top sometimes. It’s unsurprising to know that McLachlan was a school teacher.
What was unexpected and completely blew me away was my newfound desire to read about Pearl. I really would love to read her perspective from an older and darker angle than the other books. It will be interesting to see how McLachlan manages this as there are already a few underlying themes that are a bit older than the current books. Either way I can’t wait to see where the series goes. These books are perfect for a younger teen.
December 31, 2021
I loved the first book, 'Flirty Dancing' and I think Jenny is a fantastic author. I am very excited that soon her third book will be coming out soon. Me and my mum both loved 'Flirty Dancing' and I recommend this amazing book to ages 10+.
June 2, 2018
Maybe 2.5 stars... little to juvenile for me
May 27, 2018
Betty falls for new boy Toby at her school whilst her dad seems to have a girlfriend, the first since her mum died of cancer when she was two. Upset, she discovers in her final birthday letter from her mum, that there's more envelopes for her to discover only her dad didnt know about them and so Betty reads them alone all about her mum's first teenage experiences from kisses, crushes to dating.
Abandoned by her friends, Bea and Kat and Betty resume their old Ladybirds childhood friendship though without their old friend Pearl, still a mean girl in school unfortunately.
As Betty ditches her friends in their performing at school for helping Toby by being in his band instead as she has a crush on him, she begins to miss out on things she would've loved to do with them. From a trip to Brighton and a house party she begins to see just how much she might not actually like Toby after certain acts of behaviour...
She also has to face up to facts that become clearer to her as the book wraps up about her true heartfelt feelings she's known all along once she faces them...
This book had a typical fall for the bad boy edge but then she does come to terms with her proper feelings which filled me with joy and I was so glad she didn't stay with Toby just because she found him hit to look at. Deciding to ditch her friends for Toby too also shows how swayed you can be by a crush but I'm glad she realises just how much he was wrong for her. A truly entertaining read about crushes and love as well as also touching on the losing a parent to cancer topic as well so some really serious issues get touched on in this one!
Abandoned by her friends, Bea and Kat and Betty resume their old Ladybirds childhood friendship though without their old friend Pearl, still a mean girl in school unfortunately.
As Betty ditches her friends in their performing at school for helping Toby by being in his band instead as she has a crush on him, she begins to miss out on things she would've loved to do with them. From a trip to Brighton and a house party she begins to see just how much she might not actually like Toby after certain acts of behaviour...
She also has to face up to facts that become clearer to her as the book wraps up about her true heartfelt feelings she's known all along once she faces them...
This book had a typical fall for the bad boy edge but then she does come to terms with her proper feelings which filled me with joy and I was so glad she didn't stay with Toby just because she found him hit to look at. Deciding to ditch her friends for Toby too also shows how swayed you can be by a crush but I'm glad she realises just how much he was wrong for her. A truly entertaining read about crushes and love as well as also touching on the losing a parent to cancer topic as well so some really serious issues get touched on in this one!
January 26, 2018
Previously posted on The Young Girl Who Loved Books
"Betty Plum has never been in love. She's never even kissed a boy. But when Toby starts school it's like Betty has been hit with a thousand of Cupid's arrows. A bomb has exploded-a love bomb." She has never been in love because they are still young, in high school, and she still has years to go.
I honestly think I missed something with all these 5-star reviews of this book. Or perhaps my reading tastes have changed, and this isn't the kind of book that I like anymore. It was too cheesy and instant-lovey for my tastes. This is in no way a badly written book and it if you liked it then that is great.
In Love Bomb, the Ladybirds are back. I can't believe I decided to continue on with this series. This installment follows Betty Plum's adventures through high school. We also get to see her go boy crazy and more of her annoying unique personality come out. We also get to see her dad's new girlfriend which I found interesting.
I did enjoy seeing Betty have to confront emotional pain from the loss of her mother. That part was so well done. That gave the book a deeper emotional connection with me. Having to cope with the loss of her mother, during her high school years made her so much stronger. This was the only redeeming quality in the book in my opinion.
For a book targeted for high schoolers I felt this was a bit immature, it read for like 10-13-year-olds but I am not even sure I would have read this at that age. I felt like the romance was forced, awkward, puppy love and I really didn't enjoy reading it. I disliked how she made the choices to blow off her best friend for the school hottie, I wouldn't have done that even at 1o. I just disliked how forced everything felt.
I picked this up at the library, and I am so glad I didn't spend money on it.
"Betty Plum has never been in love. She's never even kissed a boy. But when Toby starts school it's like Betty has been hit with a thousand of Cupid's arrows. A bomb has exploded-a love bomb." She has never been in love because they are still young, in high school, and she still has years to go.
I honestly think I missed something with all these 5-star reviews of this book. Or perhaps my reading tastes have changed, and this isn't the kind of book that I like anymore. It was too cheesy and instant-lovey for my tastes. This is in no way a badly written book and it if you liked it then that is great.
In Love Bomb, the Ladybirds are back. I can't believe I decided to continue on with this series. This installment follows Betty Plum's adventures through high school. We also get to see her go boy crazy and more of her annoying unique personality come out. We also get to see her dad's new girlfriend which I found interesting.
I did enjoy seeing Betty have to confront emotional pain from the loss of her mother. That part was so well done. That gave the book a deeper emotional connection with me. Having to cope with the loss of her mother, during her high school years made her so much stronger. This was the only redeeming quality in the book in my opinion.
For a book targeted for high schoolers I felt this was a bit immature, it read for like 10-13-year-olds but I am not even sure I would have read this at that age. I felt like the romance was forced, awkward, puppy love and I really didn't enjoy reading it. I disliked how she made the choices to blow off her best friend for the school hottie, I wouldn't have done that even at 1o. I just disliked how forced everything felt.
I picked this up at the library, and I am so glad I didn't spend money on it.
July 26, 2019
Overview: Betty’s mother had died when she was an infant, but never more did teenager, Betty, long for the kind of guiding hand and the voice of reason that only a mother’s love can offer. And when it comes to her playing the dating game and dealing with life's mini dramas, well, who is there to turn to for support? Her father isn't much help, and she, at times, finds him plain embarrassing anyway, and her relationship with him is strained as he has a new girlfriend. But in an old Quality Street tin Betty finds some letters to 'Dear Plumface' written especially for her, by her late mother (Mumface) to help her deal with the kind of angst she is now experiencing. Her mother's words are insightful, funny, not overly sentimental, and a great help for a girl longing to experience her first true love
Comment and Guide: We have a mother who is, spiritually, 'getting down with her kid' The author has been deliberate in not making the mother's words in the letters linger on the kind of poignancy attached when a dying mother is wising up to the fact she'll not be there for a daughter as she grows up. This is a sensible approach on the author's part, so humour is light, characterization and the daft style of humour is amusing in a stereotypical way. There are lots of modern culture references. The tone is sparky, and the author's writing flows well. This is a fun teenage read and is the second in a series of four about a group of four friends.
Comment and Guide: We have a mother who is, spiritually, 'getting down with her kid' The author has been deliberate in not making the mother's words in the letters linger on the kind of poignancy attached when a dying mother is wising up to the fact she'll not be there for a daughter as she grows up. This is a sensible approach on the author's part, so humour is light, characterization and the daft style of humour is amusing in a stereotypical way. There are lots of modern culture references. The tone is sparky, and the author's writing flows well. This is a fun teenage read and is the second in a series of four about a group of four friends.
April 1, 2021
This novel was the second book int the Ladybirds series but I didn't enjoy it as much as Flirty Dancing. I found Betty's obsession with Toby irritating, especially as it was obvious from the start that he was an obnoxious jerk. On the other hand, Bill, her best friend, was a delight. Also, I often found Betty immature with the annoying habit of over-thinking everything.
For me, the highlight of this novel were the letters that Betty's mother wrote to her before she died. They were wise, humorous and moving. Without them, Betty would have been totally lost.
Love Bomb was an okay read but not very exciting.
For me, the highlight of this novel were the letters that Betty's mother wrote to her before she died. They were wise, humorous and moving. Without them, Betty would have been totally lost.
Love Bomb was an okay read but not very exciting.
November 16, 2024
I LOVE BETTY!!!!!!
so super cute she is just so real and epic. mid-10s teenage humour makes me wince a bit but she's having fun, good for her bitch!!
glad the "oops i'm in two bands" conflict didn't last, kat has improved herself and soon she will meet LEO WHOOPEEEE
toby can kick rocks! bill is a sweetheart we need more men who will not mind at all when you say "hey uhh im scared of kissing" she is me and i am her!!!!
YEAH!!!!!!!! also the pearl redemption train is leaving the station CHOO CHOO we are off to queer city! i love you pearl
i think i like ollie a tiny bit more than bill but do i? who cares!!
3.5/5💫
so super cute she is just so real and epic. mid-10s teenage humour makes me wince a bit but she's having fun, good for her bitch!!
glad the "oops i'm in two bands" conflict didn't last, kat has improved herself and soon she will meet LEO WHOOPEEEE
toby can kick rocks! bill is a sweetheart we need more men who will not mind at all when you say "hey uhh im scared of kissing" she is me and i am her!!!!
YEAH!!!!!!!! also the pearl redemption train is leaving the station CHOO CHOO we are off to queer city! i love you pearl
i think i like ollie a tiny bit more than bill but do i? who cares!!
3.5/5💫
May 31, 2018
This book was lovely! The letters and message surrounding Betty's mother was beautiful and something I could, in many ways, connect with. I would have loved it if we could have had spent more time with the couple, and some parts of this felt rushed at the end. However, I would definitely recommend this series if you are looking for a quick dose of cute fun~
October 23, 2021
A really feel-good book. There are no scenes that are disturbing / innapropriate, which is always good. The characters have their own personalities, though the author didn't really showcase a lot of them. The plot can be quite cheesy at times, but I'd definitely recommend this book to any 11 - 16 year old. 3.75.
April 19, 2018
“Love is like a child that longs for every thing that he can come by.”
This is another cute book right here! Very relatable. Bill and his quotes <3
This is another cute book right here! Very relatable. Bill and his quotes <3
April 29, 2018
Love Bomb is
June 20, 2018
Predictable yet touching and heart-achingly sweet.
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