Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #310288 in Books
• Published on: 2005-07-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Synopsis
Four girls - Mary, Bea, Meena and Atlanta - are thrown together when they are picked for very different reasons by their teacher, to form a book review club. Their discussions and reviews will be heard on radio, chaired and presented by the incredibly cool Jazz. As the girls gradually relax and talk more and more animatedly about what they think about the different books, they find they are learning from, as well as about, each other. And so they become friends Until one day Mary does the unforgivable and, having flirted outrageously with Bea's new boyfriend, makes an all-out play for him. The tender new friendship of the foursome is fractured as a result of what Mary has done. Narrated by the different characters in turn, this is fresh, contemporary and compulsive writing that every teenager will identify with, charting the insecurities and the tests of friendship that are part of growing up the world over.

About the Author
Rhian Tracey is author of the best selling 'When Isla meets Luke meets Isla' and 'Isla and Luke Make or Break?' chosen by The Telegraph as one of the best books of 2003, chosen by Zoe Ball as her favourite teen book and read by her on Capital Disney.
The Bad Girls Club is her new and exciting novel which is sure to be another success.

Excerpted from The Bookclub by Rhian Tracey. Copyright © 2005. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Mary:
It was my idea, the whole thing. I masterminded it and no-one knows, not even mum. Of course it’s wasn’t like some big bank robbery or anything like that but it was still my plan and even if I do say so myself it worked really well, until it all went wrong.

Customer Reviews

a layered, thoughtful and interesting read
This is a really good book that reminded me of the fact that pop songs which mention the radio usually get played more. And surely a book about book groups will be chosen to be read by book groups? I wish I'd thought of that!

It's written from the points of view of four seemingly very different Year 10 girls, Atlanta the new American girl, Bea, the loner, Mary the bossy good girl and Meena the bad girl on the verge of suspension, who are put together to form a book review club. Some of them don't even like reading and all the girls are so much more than what they seem on the surface. It's a layered, thoughtful and interesting read that manages to come with it's own reading list. I thought the way the characters change and grow and manage to see each others' lives from different perspectives was great. My one and only quibble was the reading list. I would have chosen a Kevin Brooks, or maybe Bloodtide. Noughts and Crosses perhaps? But that is one thing this book will do, start discussions about other books and hopefully get girls reading more.

Catherine Johnson

a perfect teenage read
Fresh, contemporary writing ensures a perfect teenage read - the author is a teacher and so has an ear for teenage concerns and issues Age-range: 14+ Centering round a book club makes the novel an ideal choice for schools as it demonstrates the power of books in an understated yet effective manner

Girls with Attitude!
The Bad Girls' Club - Rhian Tracey
Take four 'bad' girls and start by forcing them to read. One is desperate to see it happen, one hates her family and does everything to annoy them, one is new to Britain and one has had to resort to stealing tampons!
Throw in boys and a pseudo cool DJ and you have the basis for this story. Dishonesty seems to be a key skill. However, this is a truly great read.