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Jess Jordan #3
Girl, Going on 17: Pants on Fire
Jess et son petit ami Fred ont passé un été formidable. Après leurs retrouvailles à St-Ives chez le père de Jess, ils ont passé la fin des vacances à pique-niquer dans le parc en imaginant des sketches qu'ils joueraient au spectacle de Noe͏̈l. Mais la veille de la rentrée des classes, alors que Jess brûle d'annoncer sa relation amoureuse à tout le lycée, Fred lui confie qu'il préfère rester discret.
233 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
September 20, 2017
Hilarious situations, friendship, stalking your ex, and much more. There is never a dull day in Jess her life!
When I bought this one at Boekenfestijn, I didn't really know this was the 3rd book in the series. If anything I thought it was the second (and only because of the blurb).
Thankfully you don't need to have read the other books. Sure, it was a bit confusing at times, but mostly I could make sense of what was happening, and also understand what happened before the events of this book.
I instantly took a liking to Jess. She was hilarious, relatable (well in a way at least), and she reminded me of Georgia Nicolson (with how she acted, though she was way less weird when it came to romance). In fact the whole book reminded me of Louise Rennison's books. It had the same vibe, the same feeling. I am really happy with that, as I love her books, and I am always looking around for similar books.
Back to Jess. I did wish she would lie a bit less, or try to make everything into something funny. Thankfully, Jess knows she is lying, and that it is bad. In fact throughout the book she is talking about how she hopes God will forgive her for lying so much. :P
I also worry a bit about her schoolwork, but it seems she is pretty dedicated to it, even though we often get the impression she never makes it.
Her stalking Fred? It was a bit annoying, but I can imagine she is curious, worried, and wants to reconcile with him. And yes, I did agree with her that it should be Fred to come to her and say sorry. After all he was the one who said that horrible thing at the beginning of the book.
And unlike so many other books about friendship and romance, she was very sweet towards her friend, Flora. She could have easily just talked all the time about Fred, but instead she also let her best friend rave about her new crush. I loved that! She was really supportive, even though you could see that she at times had a hard time with it (she just wanted to talk about Fred).
Then there is Ben, who is just a friend to Jess, though it seems he used to be more. He brings in some trouble, as Jess is hanging out with him a lot (and even borrowing his clothes when a mud-emergency arises). You can imagine that when Fred sees those two together, he isn't that happy.
Miss Thorn, what a terrible, terrible teacher. How to put kids off from studying entirely. She was just horrendous. I did kind of agree with her on some parts (like that Jess kept running late), but in regards to the play and what she did to Flora? No. Just no. That was just a crap move. She definitely deserved what Jess did during her play, and I hope it will also make her see how she is acting around her pupils.
I also didn't like Mackenzie. What a self-absorbed, pompous guy. :|
The comedy piece they did during lunchtime was just absolutely brilliant. I would have paid dear money to see that show. I just laughed so hard while reading it. Every part was brilliant, from Jess and her impression of Miss Thorne (Susie Sunbeam) to the Olympics. It was fab!
I also really liked Jess and her family. Well, at least her grandma was cool. A bit eccentric, but really sweet and caring. The mom on the other hand? Well, at times I really liked her (those parts with the Japanese student were fun and sweet), but I did think she was quite a bit irresponsible about quite a few parenting things.
All in all, I was just laughing so much while reading this. There were also some more serious parts, but mostly this book will make your tummy ache because of the hilarity of Jess her life (like who thinks it is a brilliant idea to go outside without underwear while wearing a mini-skirt :P).
And I was rooting for Fred and Jess to get back together the whole book. From the short while I saw them together they did make a cute couple. :)
I just need the other books in my life, so I will be slowly buying them over the next few months. I hope they are all as good as this one.
I would recommend this book to everyone who loved Louise Rennison, and to those who need some hilarity in their life.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
When I bought this one at Boekenfestijn, I didn't really know this was the 3rd book in the series. If anything I thought it was the second (and only because of the blurb).
Thankfully you don't need to have read the other books. Sure, it was a bit confusing at times, but mostly I could make sense of what was happening, and also understand what happened before the events of this book.
I instantly took a liking to Jess. She was hilarious, relatable (well in a way at least), and she reminded me of Georgia Nicolson (with how she acted, though she was way less weird when it came to romance). In fact the whole book reminded me of Louise Rennison's books. It had the same vibe, the same feeling. I am really happy with that, as I love her books, and I am always looking around for similar books.
Back to Jess. I did wish she would lie a bit less, or try to make everything into something funny. Thankfully, Jess knows she is lying, and that it is bad. In fact throughout the book she is talking about how she hopes God will forgive her for lying so much. :P
I also worry a bit about her schoolwork, but it seems she is pretty dedicated to it, even though we often get the impression she never makes it.
Her stalking Fred? It was a bit annoying, but I can imagine she is curious, worried, and wants to reconcile with him. And yes, I did agree with her that it should be Fred to come to her and say sorry. After all he was the one who said that horrible thing at the beginning of the book.
And unlike so many other books about friendship and romance, she was very sweet towards her friend, Flora. She could have easily just talked all the time about Fred, but instead she also let her best friend rave about her new crush. I loved that! She was really supportive, even though you could see that she at times had a hard time with it (she just wanted to talk about Fred).
Then there is Ben, who is just a friend to Jess, though it seems he used to be more. He brings in some trouble, as Jess is hanging out with him a lot (and even borrowing his clothes when a mud-emergency arises). You can imagine that when Fred sees those two together, he isn't that happy.
Miss Thorn, what a terrible, terrible teacher. How to put kids off from studying entirely. She was just horrendous. I did kind of agree with her on some parts (like that Jess kept running late), but in regards to the play and what she did to Flora? No. Just no. That was just a crap move. She definitely deserved what Jess did during her play, and I hope it will also make her see how she is acting around her pupils.
I also didn't like Mackenzie. What a self-absorbed, pompous guy. :|
The comedy piece they did during lunchtime was just absolutely brilliant. I would have paid dear money to see that show. I just laughed so hard while reading it. Every part was brilliant, from Jess and her impression of Miss Thorne (Susie Sunbeam) to the Olympics. It was fab!
I also really liked Jess and her family. Well, at least her grandma was cool. A bit eccentric, but really sweet and caring. The mom on the other hand? Well, at times I really liked her (those parts with the Japanese student were fun and sweet), but I did think she was quite a bit irresponsible about quite a few parenting things.
All in all, I was just laughing so much while reading this. There were also some more serious parts, but mostly this book will make your tummy ache because of the hilarity of Jess her life (like who thinks it is a brilliant idea to go outside without underwear while wearing a mini-skirt :P).
And I was rooting for Fred and Jess to get back together the whole book. From the short while I saw them together they did make a cute couple. :)
I just need the other books in my life, so I will be slowly buying them over the next few months. I hope they are all as good as this one.
I would recommend this book to everyone who loved Louise Rennison, and to those who need some hilarity in their life.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
May 14, 2013
Jess and her boyfriend, Fred, get into a huge fight and break up. The school year then starts again after a long summer. Jess and Fred continue to ignore each other and try to make each other jealous by talking to other people. School starts to be a big struggle for Jess.Her English teacher tries to change her attitude, but she continues to make the same mistakes. A lot of things have changed within six months, the good and the bad all made quite an interesting end to this novel. I recommend this book to any girl in her late teens, because its a love story with some humor. I don't recommend this to adults, because it's quite childish.The story line is more fitting for a high school reader.
June 25, 2012
Ugh, used the word "retarded" as a slang for "foolish" within the first few pages. I know teenagers use that word, but seeing it used in this book is like confirmation that it is OK. Authors, it's not ok - EVER.
Wouldn't even give it away. Charity bin for this one.
Wouldn't even give it away. Charity bin for this one.
July 26, 2015
Better than the last. Funny. LOL
January 2, 2023
Jess Jordan lies a lot in this book, hence the title....Pants on Fire. Lies get her into all sorts of trouble. But first she and her boyfriend Fred get into a fight. They aren't talking to each other and it's driving her crazy. She goes from being sad to mad constantly. Then everything goes wrong from the first day back at school. She's in trouble with the teacher replacing her favorite teacher. She finds out there isn't going to be a variety Christmas show this year.....when Fred and her spent the summer writing scripts for it. This story shows how lie's can compound, how you can't keep them straight after a while and how much more trouble they cause. Jess has an active imagination and it comes out in her lies making some of them unbelievable and most of them just crazy over the top.
April 10, 2018
I found this book among my teenage sister's collection. The name and cover of the book is very catchy and the summary on the back intrigued me. I finished it in an hour and I did not feel that my time was wasted at all. Sometimes all we need is a breath of fresh air and this book is just that. A whirlwind of teenage drama and hormones flying about. Overall I had fun reading this one.
May 20, 2019
Really good teen read, enjoyed it.
March 3, 2025
finalmente dopo anni sono giunta al termine delle stravaganti e tragicomiche disavventure di Jess Jordan, mi dispiace solo aver recuperato gli ultimi due volumi così tardi.
June 30, 2023
Such an amusing and entertaining reread. I was in a reading slump so this light and funny book was perfect to pass the time.
Yet another reread! A perfect summer read.
Yet another reread! A perfect summer read.
December 22, 2008
The adventures (or, rather, misadventures) of Jess Jordan continue in this sequel to Girl, Nearly 16: Absolute Torture. Fred and Jess are going back to school, and Fred is a bit concerned about how other people will view their relationship. He says something regrettable to Jess about it, who is hurt, and both end up confused and barely speaking. Jess gets in trouble almost right away with her new teacher – Miss Thorn – who doesn’t think much of Jess’ sense of humor. She winds up with restricted leisure time (LOL – loss of leisure) and must spend her breaks in her head of year’s office every day for several weeks. Meanwhile, Ben, Jess’ crush from a couple years back, is suddenly expressing an interest in her, and Jess can’t even entertain the thought as she’s completely heartbroken over Fred. Things come to a head when Jess’ best friend Flora is thrown out of the play, and Fred and Jess reconnect over the production of their own show (a variety of comedy sketches written, produced, and acted by them and their friends – a huge success).
These Jess Jordan tales are reliably funny and entertaining, but after this run of chick lit, I’m really ready to try something else. The thing that bothers me about most romance novels (and about Jess and Fred’s relationship) is how poorly people communicate. If they’d just manage to get together and talk things out, the tension would evaporate (the plot would disappear), and things would get better. I have limited patience for people defeating themselves over and over again through the same mechanisms. While this kind of behavior is probably true to life, it’s not the kind of stress that bears too much thinking about – Act. Do. Talk it out. Do it Now. I don’t see why Fred and Jess can’t be together and work through some other kind of plot development. For homework: make a list of other things that could be going on that are not relationship-related. Nevertheless, if you liked the others in this series, chances are you will enjoy the continuing story.
These Jess Jordan tales are reliably funny and entertaining, but after this run of chick lit, I’m really ready to try something else. The thing that bothers me about most romance novels (and about Jess and Fred’s relationship) is how poorly people communicate. If they’d just manage to get together and talk things out, the tension would evaporate (the plot would disappear), and things would get better. I have limited patience for people defeating themselves over and over again through the same mechanisms. While this kind of behavior is probably true to life, it’s not the kind of stress that bears too much thinking about – Act. Do. Talk it out. Do it Now. I don’t see why Fred and Jess can’t be together and work through some other kind of plot development. For homework: make a list of other things that could be going on that are not relationship-related. Nevertheless, if you liked the others in this series, chances are you will enjoy the continuing story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2009
Sue Limb`s novel, suggestively entitled "Pants on Fire", was recommended to me as the best thing to fill my boring afternoons with. Although in the beginning I was a bit weary of reading something I would normally classify as "cheasy teenage drama", little did I know that I was about to discover a book which was so funny and "as comforting as a hot chocolate".
The book tells the story of a girl named Jordan, for whom every day of life as a teenager is a challenge. She starts the new school year under the bad auspices of a terrible row with her boyfriend, Fred, and, to add insult to injury, not only does she develop a mutual animosity with her new English teacher, Miss Thorn, but also finds out that the annual stand-up comedy show has been cancelled. As the plot evolves, Jordan tries to improve her relationship with Fred, as well as solve her problems at school, and all this despite being constantly followed by bad luck.
What I find striking about this novel is the main character`s credibility. Jordan perfectly fits the profile of an average 16-year-old girl, embarrassed by her looks and lack of popularity, but at the same time gifted with a rich imagination and a talent for acting. In fact, I would say that the success of the book is due mainly to the fact that teenagers find many similarities between the protagonist and themselves, which increases their interest for the story.
Another thing you cannot fail to notice while reading it is the author`s unique style and impressive sense of humour. Combining hilarious dialogues with passages of compelling prose, Sue Limb manages to provide her readers with a light, entertaining lecture, one that will certainly put a smile on their faces.
I would recommend this book to anyone, especially to those parents who would like to understand their children better and have an insight into the ups and downs of being a teenager.
The book tells the story of a girl named Jordan, for whom every day of life as a teenager is a challenge. She starts the new school year under the bad auspices of a terrible row with her boyfriend, Fred, and, to add insult to injury, not only does she develop a mutual animosity with her new English teacher, Miss Thorn, but also finds out that the annual stand-up comedy show has been cancelled. As the plot evolves, Jordan tries to improve her relationship with Fred, as well as solve her problems at school, and all this despite being constantly followed by bad luck.
What I find striking about this novel is the main character`s credibility. Jordan perfectly fits the profile of an average 16-year-old girl, embarrassed by her looks and lack of popularity, but at the same time gifted with a rich imagination and a talent for acting. In fact, I would say that the success of the book is due mainly to the fact that teenagers find many similarities between the protagonist and themselves, which increases their interest for the story.
Another thing you cannot fail to notice while reading it is the author`s unique style and impressive sense of humour. Combining hilarious dialogues with passages of compelling prose, Sue Limb manages to provide her readers with a light, entertaining lecture, one that will certainly put a smile on their faces.
I would recommend this book to anyone, especially to those parents who would like to understand their children better and have an insight into the ups and downs of being a teenager.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2024
The comic timing seems broken in the first half; the chapter headers seem random, gags go on too long, misunderstandings compound for no good reason.
The second half is better, but rushed. Several months are compressed, with no glimpses into the work behind putting the show together, or the dynamics between the actors.
The 'wrap-up' with Jess' looking at her 'recent 6 months' is jarring, as it details aspects of Jess' story that aren't even referenced in this tale. Which makes it seems like the author has lost touch with the story line, and leaves the reader feeling confused rather than satisfied.
The second half is better, but rushed. Several months are compressed, with no glimpses into the work behind putting the show together, or the dynamics between the actors.
The 'wrap-up' with Jess' looking at her 'recent 6 months' is jarring, as it details aspects of Jess' story that aren't even referenced in this tale. Which makes it seems like the author has lost touch with the story line, and leaves the reader feeling confused rather than satisfied.
March 2, 2016
Girl, Going on 17: Pants on Fire by Sue Limb, continues the story of the beloved Jess Jordan. Things had been going great during the summer, her visiting her dad and his significant other, her relationship with Fred, and Granny throwing the ashes of Grandpa out to sea. But her bliss doesn't last long once the summer comes to a close. A huge fight with Fred, her moms Japanese pupil learning English, and the new language arts teacher, Miss Thorn. With Jess being on the LOL List, loss of leisure, the whole first semester is a disaster. Lies, lies, and a little bit of truth get Jess into more trouble than she could've imagined, especially with Miss Thorn being the permanent substitute until Mr. Fothergrill is able to return from a horrible car accident in Portugal. "Twelfth Night," is the school play run by Miss Thorn, instead of the usual Winter Show before the holidays. Jess and the gang (Fred and Flora) with a few additional members (Ben Jones and Mackenzie, a guy to be clear) are determined to put on a Comedy Show the lunch period of the day school lets out for the holidays. Impersonations, sketches, and a cross-dressing "girl"-band, is this enough to patch up her relationship with Fred and get through the rest of the semester with promising results? There's only one way to find out; Girl, Going on 17: Pants on Fire. I rated this book 5 stars because of the hilarious, embarrassing, and suspenseful page turners Sue Limb includes in every chapter. This book is a realistic fiction because takes place in England and includes fake characters.
February 13, 2012
Une série à laquelle je suis très attachée.
Cette fois Jess apparaît vulnérable, par la faute de son petit copain qui lui joue un vilain tour la veille de la rentrée. Elle qui flottait sur un petit nuage connaît la chute libre, de plus son prof d'anglais est en arrêt maladie et remplacé par Miss Epine, alias Tyranosaure. Ajoutez que sa meilleure amie Flora décroche le rôle que Jess convoitait, plus ce garçon très sexy, qu'elle adorait l'année d'avant, ne cesse de la coller, ce qui voudrait dire qu'elle lui plaît ?! Drôle de casse-tête.
Pour la première fois, Jess manque de ressources et constate que son humour légendaire ne peut lui venir en aide, et même sa propre mère passe tout son temps avec un Japonais qui comprend tout de travers.
Dans le fond, ce tome est un tout petit peu moins pétillant que le précédent, mais quel plaisir de suivre Jess et sa clique. C'est une série anglaise qui manie bien les ficelles du genre ! Je suis fan.
Cette fois Jess apparaît vulnérable, par la faute de son petit copain qui lui joue un vilain tour la veille de la rentrée. Elle qui flottait sur un petit nuage connaît la chute libre, de plus son prof d'anglais est en arrêt maladie et remplacé par Miss Epine, alias Tyranosaure. Ajoutez que sa meilleure amie Flora décroche le rôle que Jess convoitait, plus ce garçon très sexy, qu'elle adorait l'année d'avant, ne cesse de la coller, ce qui voudrait dire qu'elle lui plaît ?! Drôle de casse-tête.
Pour la première fois, Jess manque de ressources et constate que son humour légendaire ne peut lui venir en aide, et même sa propre mère passe tout son temps avec un Japonais qui comprend tout de travers.
Dans le fond, ce tome est un tout petit peu moins pétillant que le précédent, mais quel plaisir de suivre Jess et sa clique. C'est une série anglaise qui manie bien les ficelles du genre ! Je suis fan.
August 1, 2016
I started reading this series when I was 15, I think, and I remember the first book was hilarious, the second one not so much, and this one is just... no. In the first book Jess was in love with Ben Jones, only the most popular guy and the hottest guy in her school. She spent half of her time imagining scenarios about her crush and thinking about how small her breasts were (which she named Bonnie and Clyde! I mean really, Jess is out of her mind.)
The second one is about Jess going on a road trip with her Mom, it was of course less funny because she was too busy freaking out about having a new boyfriend. And then in this one she's too busy freaking out about NOT having a boyfriend because they had a fight and stopped talking to each other like a couple of eight years old. Seriously, this book is basically just about Jess whining about her boyfriend-less state and how much detention she got from the new english teacher, it's not very fun to read.
The second one is about Jess going on a road trip with her Mom, it was of course less funny because she was too busy freaking out about having a new boyfriend. And then in this one she's too busy freaking out about NOT having a boyfriend because they had a fight and stopped talking to each other like a couple of eight years old. Seriously, this book is basically just about Jess whining about her boyfriend-less state and how much detention she got from the new english teacher, it's not very fun to read.
September 9, 2007
When Jess' boyfriend, Fred, jokes that he wants to keep their relationship a secret at school this year, Jess isn't so sure it's a joke! Suddenly they are at war... and as usual, Jess' topsy-turvy life makes the entire thing funnier than anyone would have guessed.
This book was my least favorite of the trilogy. It attempted to rehash old ground from the first and the second books, without any new illumination and with few new characters. Fans of the trilogy will enjoy it, but browsing readers will think it ho-hum.
This book was my least favorite of the trilogy. It attempted to rehash old ground from the first and the second books, without any new illumination and with few new characters. Fans of the trilogy will enjoy it, but browsing readers will think it ho-hum.
March 24, 2011
Having listened to the first two books in this series, I was actually pretty excited to read this one. They don't have it available on audio but that was okay because by this point I was pretty into the characters, especially Jess and Fred. I was a little bit surprised by how they break up in the beginning but I thought the whole book was well written and very engaging. Jess is a likable protagonist and even though she keeps screwing up, you can't help but root for her. I liked the story lines that the supporting characters had in this book. It was a cute way to end the series.
July 11, 2013
First of all you have to read the previous books to get the full jitz of this book because I'm seeing reviews that they havnt heard of the Jess Jordan Series yet before they picked this book up to read so read Girl 15 Insane and Girl going on 16 Torture (not the full titles just some key words)
Anyway this was hilarious. Jess' life is so complicated you wanna laugh yet cry for her at the same time. Her imperfections can also relate to many other girls. I recommend this if you're a fun person who's humble and likes chick-lit with a lot of comedy.
Anyway this was hilarious. Jess' life is so complicated you wanna laugh yet cry for her at the same time. Her imperfections can also relate to many other girls. I recommend this if you're a fun person who's humble and likes chick-lit with a lot of comedy.
October 8, 2009
What a fun, funny book. Jess Jordan is a British teen, a little overweight, but with a huge sense of humor. Unfortunately, she gets into so much trouble on the very first day of the new school term, that it looks as if her life is doomed. Jess deals with her problems the way she knows best, by being outrageously funny. A good read for 7-8th graders. They will need to know a few British words, like loo and knickers.
April 14, 2011
So funny! Summer's over and school is starting again, but Fred and Jess have a major row, and then there is the horrid new English teacher, who want's to eat Jess for lunch, and her Mom is dating someone young enough to be her son....how will Jess ever cope?
Watching Jess deal with all the traumas in her life and creating many of her own, is a delight. These books make me laugh so hard. I love British humor.
Watching Jess deal with all the traumas in her life and creating many of her own, is a delight. These books make me laugh so hard. I love British humor.
July 1, 2012
I really enjoyed this book.It had some realy funny parts, and I always laughed when Jess got into a scrape. I would recommend this book to everybody with a sense of humor.
One thing that bugged me about this book was Fred. I thought that after Jess knowing Fred for so long, she would know his personality better. For example Jess should know when Fred is mad and when he isn't, because twice in the series they have had misunderstandings.
One thing that bugged me about this book was Fred. I thought that after Jess knowing Fred for so long, she would know his personality better. For example Jess should know when Fred is mad and when he isn't, because twice in the series they have had misunderstandings.
May 26, 2012
Sue Limb is Queen of Hilarity. She is just awesome! Every book i have read from her, (so far it stands at three books) has a part in it when i have to laugh out loud. Unfortunatly, i was reading Pants on Fire yesterday...in a shop. Bad idea. I laughed so explosivly that the book fell out of my hands. Not cool.
Vee xD
Vee xD
January 12, 2010
As it is with most books I didn't find Sue Limb's 3rd book about Jess as intriguing as the first. It was still very entertaining though. I had to stop reading several times to avoid having the book taken by a teacher.
Currently reading
February 19, 2010Im almost done with the book and sad there is no more to the series, because this book is so good i wish it was made into a movie. Anyone that enjoys a good laugh and a sob story should more then likely read this book.
June 29, 2015
This was as far as I got with the series - I guess I grew out of it and lost interest before the author finished writing! If I remember correctly, this was my least favourite of the bunch, but, again, another easy teen read and a great one for fans of British humour.
July 10, 2007
LOVED it. so funny and clever.
August 24, 2007
Very funny at times.
September 23, 2007
This book, unfortunately, was not as successful as the other two. It is still worth reading, especially if you want to complete the series, but I do feel the 1st book was much better!
November 26, 2007
Third book in the "Girl 15" Series
February 22, 2008
This one was definitely more engaging than the first two in the series. I still wouldn't recommend it, though.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews