Thirteen Pearls

Girlfriend Fiction #18

by Melaina Faranda

Edie Sparks has grand plans. She's building a boat to sail solo around the world, but she needs cash, and fast. So when her uncle offers her good money to work on his island pearl farm for six weeks she jumps at the chance. All she has to do is baby-sit her little cousin and help with the cooking and cleaning - how hard could it be?
But soon Edie is wrangling a monster-brat, struggling to find exciting new ways to cook fish, arguing with her uncle and being wooed by two handsome boys. The work is hard and thankless and an isolated island off the coast of Far North Queensland turns out to be not as idyllic as it sound - especially when she has no control over the powerful forces of nature.

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

192 pages

First published April 1, 2010

About the author

Years ago, Melaina Faranda washed up on Thursday Island penniless and soaking, with a single change of clothes, only to be loaned an entire new wardrobe and given three jobs on the first day, including working at the local bakery. Someone gave her a house to live in, people took her out fishing and told stories, and a wonderful old islander gave her the same precious gift Edie receives before returning to Cairns.

Melaina has since traveled across Australia and around the world, with many elements of these journeys finding their way into her novels, including The Circle series and Big Sky, but she has yet to discover a place where there is more generosity and open-heartedness than that shown by the Thursday Islanders.

Reviews

[hollyishere · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of Edie wanting to sail around the world solo is just that - only a premise so don't expect a boring novel of a lonely boat ride. Instead her passion for boating is what fuels her agreement to babysit her nephew on a private isle just off Thursday Island for $4000 cash the exact amount she needs to complete building her boat.

She encounters a few problems, mainly her uncle is not the nicest of people and having to share the island with two teenager boys hired to work at her uncle's pearl farm bring upon it's own problems. Also the fact that Edie has never actually had any childcare experience makes it difficult for her to conquer the four year old.

Every book in the GIrlfriend Fiction series seems to be a fun, light read but is always missing some sort of depth or real meaning in any case it still keeps me coming back and I'm aiming to complete the set myself.

[Bani · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has got to be one of my favourites if not my favourite of the series! Such a beautiful story!!
So this girl wants to build a boat
She needs money and her uncle offers her a job on an island
She helps out at the island taking care of the uncle's son and the house
Meets two guys, one a bit relaxed and Japanese I think, the other is just a normal guy from what I remember
She goes out with the Japanese one first
Goes through all this stuff
Falls in love with the other guy
Goes back home
Goes for a walk one day and sees the other guy there and HAPPY EVER AFTER!! :D

[Da vueltas · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh. t'was okay. hate the ending. total confusement

[Jessi · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! This is in my top 10 faves! I absolutely loed it and can't wait to read it again :)

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing!!!

The ending was the best and Aran was adorable.

[Fiorela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I totally love it!