Oh my gosh I think this might be my most favourite of the Ladybirds!!! I love Pearl so much and seeing just why she acts the way she does just made me want to give her a ladybird wave!!
I was kindly sent a copy of Star Struck by Bloomsbury Publishing in exchange for a review.
Pearl in the previous books has always been a bit of a bully and has targeted Bea and Betty however she’s been friendly with Kat. Now throughout the previous three books you learn that all four used to be best friends but fell out one day. Gradually they all become friends again and in the last book you learn that they hang out again.
In this book the school show/musical is Romeo and Juliet and Pearl wants the role of Juliet. As a drama fan I am a total Pearl here. Always want the lead (getting the lead) so I was obviously routing for her until Hoshi appears and just her description sent waves of my K-Pop love back into my head. Hoshi auditions for Juliet and gets it which sends Pearl into nightmare city and she starts off trying to be mean to Hoshi. But after tricking her onto the wrong train home in London and having to get her off it, the pair miss their train home and end up with a few hours together in London.
This helps Pearl realise just how nice and sweet Hoshi is and a fortnight later they’re friends with no hostility between the two.
But back at Pearls home her brother, Alfie who is the main reason of why Pearl is horrid at school. Hits her with a controller and kills Oy, her fish. She tells her mother but she fails to believe her, insisting that Pearl caused it. But all is not lost, Hoshi becomes her saviour and one night before the opening night and after Pearl stands up to her brother in defence of Hoshi, THEY KISS.
TOTAL SHOCKER AND TOTAL OMFG!!
Absolutely loved this bit. So so loved it!
Anyway, Pearl goes home to tell her mum just how bad her brother is when she finds her fish tank and the remaining fish, destroyed. Killed by Alfie’s golf club.
This helps Pearl to convince her mum how bad Alfie is and he is sent to stay with her dad for Christmas. Pearl then falls asleep in her mums bed only to wake up to an emergency text from her friends.
Something is about to ruin the school show.
Pearl then rushes to the school thinking that Hoshi has abandoned her and gone back to Japan only to find that the leading male can no longer play Romeo and as Pearl knows all of Romeos moves/words/actions the play is transformed and so is Pearl.
I absolutely loved this book. Read it in one sitting and completely love love love love love it. I want more. I’d love for Jenny’s next book to maybe be about Hoshi and her point of view of this book. But either way I need more Pearl and Hoshi!
To sum it up in one quote;
Now this doesn’t happen in High School Musical
