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Real Mermaids #4
Real Mermaids Don't Sell Seashells
Sun, surf, and tropical breezes―too bad this mermaid's perfect vacation is about to turn into a menacing mystery! A tropical vacation sounds like the perfect way to spend fall break―even for an aqua-phobic mer-girl like Jade. She can't wait to enjoy the warm sunshine and all-you-can-eat buffet with her best friend Cori and boyfriend Luke. (That's right. Boyfriend. It's official.) But when a body splashes into the water as a cruise ship enters the harbor, Jade realizes there might be trouble in paradise. And the mysterious boy selling conch shells in the market definitely knows more than he's letting on. Jade promised No mer drama on vacation! But it couldn't hurt to check things out...right? Praise for Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings : "Bravo to Hélène Boudreau for hitting the bull's-eye with a fresh, affectionate, eatery twist on the classic coming-of-age-story."― New York Journal of Books "The author keeps suspense high...while tapping straight into young teens' angst about friends, enemies, and boys."― Kirkus Reviews
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
33 people are currently reading
1267 people want to read
About the author
Helene Boudreau
22 books252 followersHélène Boudreau writes fiction and non-fiction for children and young adults. She is also a compulsive walker, a chicklet wrangler and a lover of cheese and cheap chocolate.
Her tween novel REAL MERMAIDS DON'T WEAR TOE RINGS is a 2011 Crystal Kite Member Choice Award Finalist.
Her tween novel REAL MERMAIDS DON'T WEAR TOE RINGS is a 2011 Crystal Kite Member Choice Award Finalist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
April 14, 2016
This book was a real disappointment...since the whole family goes on vacation all the side characters we grew to love in the first 3 books are thrown to the wayside and we get introduced to new ones. We spend a lot of the book running around trying to solve a 'murder' mystery that's all in all not very interesting. Everyone loves a good whodunit, but it's hard to care about the lives of characters we just met...like literally met them that morning. The worst part? There's hardly any mermaid-ing at all in this installment, which in my opinion is the best part of this series.
Not to say the book was all bad. Jade is still the sassy, out of shape teen that we know and love. She's the only reason I even finished the book. It's just sad that this was the way the author chose to end the series.
Not to say the book was all bad. Jade is still the sassy, out of shape teen that we know and love. She's the only reason I even finished the book. It's just sad that this was the way the author chose to end the series.
June 3, 2018
I had a great time with this series and I just wish there was more to the writing.
December 3, 2018
2.5/5
And here we come to the final book in the Real Mermaids series.
This was my least favorite. It felt the most disconnected from everything else. The first three books were centered around their home town and the mermaid tribe. It was a fun mix of young adult drama and mermaid adventures. All of the adventures blended in to the next - discovering the mermaid secret in the first, learning about her mom and the freshies - then that led to finding the Mermish Council in the second and learning about how the transformation works - and finally to dealing with the threat of the Mermish Council and wrapping up most of the side plots in the third.
The third felt like it was the end of the series. This one is more of an epilogue I suppose. Jade and her family, along with Cori, are traveling to the Bahamas so that her parents can finally get legally married, now that they have passports due to Lainey's dad helping them out. Luke and Trey and various others plan to join them later. The idea is to relax and plan for the wedding without having to worry about any of the drama that they had to deal with back home. Of course, things don't go quite as planned. Their reservation at the hotel doesn't work out, and Jade gets drawn into a plot involving several characters in the island. She meets Rayelle and Dillon, and she and Dillon think that they witness a body being dumped from a ship into the water. When they report it, no one really believes Dillon.
A lot of what I enjoyed about the previous three books just wasn't present for this one. For one, my favorite character, Serena, never makes an appearance. One of my other favorites, Gran, only makes a brief appearance, and over a video chat, since she wasn't healthy enough to travel. It's also more removed from the typical teen drama stuff. It's more about having fun on the vacation and exploring the Bahamas, while also dealing with relationship stuff. There really isn't much to do with the mermaid drama back home, and that's kind of disappointing, considering that it would've been nice to see how things were going following the aftermath of the previous book. Luke's family, which was introduced in the previous book, also never make an appearance, so we never get to know them any better.
It was well written, and I still enjoyed the characters.
The last book felt cramped and a bit rushed towards the end. This one, on the other hand, feels like it meanders a bit too much. It slows down a lot in the middle part of the book, picking up again towards the end. The main plot of the story wasn't bad, it just...wasn't as interesting as everything else that was going on back home. I missed the side characters from the previous books, I missed the balance of the story that it had, and I missed the world that had been established.
As a whole, I really enjoyed the series. Jade was a fun character. The mermish society was a lot of fun and had some unique takes on the lore of mermaids. I liked how the transformations worked and why Jade was different. Serena was a huge bright spot in the story, and a lot of the side characters and revelations were fun. As a whole, I would recommend the series for sure. But when I reread the series, I'll probably skip this one. The wedding is sweet, but it feels mostly like filler.
A few spoiler thoughts for the whole series.
And here we come to the final book in the Real Mermaids series.
This was my least favorite. It felt the most disconnected from everything else. The first three books were centered around their home town and the mermaid tribe. It was a fun mix of young adult drama and mermaid adventures. All of the adventures blended in to the next - discovering the mermaid secret in the first, learning about her mom and the freshies - then that led to finding the Mermish Council in the second and learning about how the transformation works - and finally to dealing with the threat of the Mermish Council and wrapping up most of the side plots in the third.
The third felt like it was the end of the series. This one is more of an epilogue I suppose. Jade and her family, along with Cori, are traveling to the Bahamas so that her parents can finally get legally married, now that they have passports due to Lainey's dad helping them out. Luke and Trey and various others plan to join them later. The idea is to relax and plan for the wedding without having to worry about any of the drama that they had to deal with back home. Of course, things don't go quite as planned. Their reservation at the hotel doesn't work out, and Jade gets drawn into a plot involving several characters in the island. She meets Rayelle and Dillon, and she and Dillon think that they witness a body being dumped from a ship into the water. When they report it, no one really believes Dillon.
A lot of what I enjoyed about the previous three books just wasn't present for this one. For one, my favorite character, Serena, never makes an appearance. One of my other favorites, Gran, only makes a brief appearance, and over a video chat, since she wasn't healthy enough to travel. It's also more removed from the typical teen drama stuff. It's more about having fun on the vacation and exploring the Bahamas, while also dealing with relationship stuff. There really isn't much to do with the mermaid drama back home, and that's kind of disappointing, considering that it would've been nice to see how things were going following the aftermath of the previous book. Luke's family, which was introduced in the previous book, also never make an appearance, so we never get to know them any better.
It was well written, and I still enjoyed the characters.
The last book felt cramped and a bit rushed towards the end. This one, on the other hand, feels like it meanders a bit too much. It slows down a lot in the middle part of the book, picking up again towards the end. The main plot of the story wasn't bad, it just...wasn't as interesting as everything else that was going on back home. I missed the side characters from the previous books, I missed the balance of the story that it had, and I missed the world that had been established.
As a whole, I really enjoyed the series. Jade was a fun character. The mermish society was a lot of fun and had some unique takes on the lore of mermaids. I liked how the transformations worked and why Jade was different. Serena was a huge bright spot in the story, and a lot of the side characters and revelations were fun. As a whole, I would recommend the series for sure. But when I reread the series, I'll probably skip this one. The wedding is sweet, but it feels mostly like filler.
A few spoiler thoughts for the whole series.
October 7, 2025
Today we’re here to talk about Real Mermaids Don’t Wear High Heels by Helene Boudreau, in which Jade the teen mermaid goes to the Bahamas for a tropical vacation and a maybe-murder-mystery.
Genre and Target Demographic?
• YA Contemporary Fantasy
• Younger end of YA, 12-14
Part of a Series?
• Yes, fourth and final novel in the “Real Mermaids” series
Is it a Little Mermaid Retelling?
• No
Mermaid Type and Presence?
• Traditional mermaid, can shift depending on what they’re breathing
• Moderate
◦ Main character is a mermaid, but little time is spent in mermaid form
~*~
Content Warnings?
• Ableism
◦ Three straight chapters worth of jokes at the expense of Jade’s Dad’s temporary deafness
• Kidnapping
• Vomiting
~*~
You Should Read This Book If You Enjoy:
• The first three books
• Slow paced vacation stories or “beach episodes”
• Stories about plus-size characters
You Should Avoid This Book If You Dislike:
• The first three books
• Poor Pacing
• Poor Communication
~*~
Did I Enjoy It?
No. TL;DR, too much nothing happened, and when something did finally happen, it was too little too late, ending this series on a whimper rather than a bang.
Honestly, I stopped being enamored with this series and its characters in the third book, and while this one isn’t as infuriating as that one, it is significantly more boring.
It took three chapters and 29 pages for the slightest semblance of a plot hook to appear, and twelve chapters and 108 pages for Jade to start thinking about acting on that plot hook. This kind of bland, too-relaxed pacing is a common yet glaring flaw of far too many “vacation episode” or “beach episode” entries in media, with the most recent example that comes to mind being the disastrously mind numbing Dawntrail expansion for Final Fantasy 14.
The pacing is not at all helped by the excessive overwriting, over explaining, and overly repeated or slightly rewritten phrases. I honestly had to start skimming at the halfway point just for the hope of ANYTHING to happen.
Jade herself thankfully is not as deeply unlikable as she was in Book 3, though she never becomes as endearing as she was in Book 2. At least this time once the plot gets going she wants to help, instead of insisting that everything wasn’t her problem, even though this time it literally wasn’t her problem.
~*~
THAT SAID…
If you are a die hard fan of this series, you may still find something to love in these pages. Or if you’re just looking for something to relax and not think too hard about while you go on your own slow-paced vacation, it might fit the vibe. And though they show up a bit late, at least we finally get a halfway decent villain. Otherwise there’s not much reason to tread through these pages.
~*~
Happy reading for those who dare to delve into these pages, and swift sailing for those still searching for their perfect mermaid tale!
Genre and Target Demographic?
• YA Contemporary Fantasy
• Younger end of YA, 12-14
Part of a Series?
• Yes, fourth and final novel in the “Real Mermaids” series
Is it a Little Mermaid Retelling?
• No
Mermaid Type and Presence?
• Traditional mermaid, can shift depending on what they’re breathing
• Moderate
◦ Main character is a mermaid, but little time is spent in mermaid form
~*~
Content Warnings?
• Ableism
◦ Three straight chapters worth of jokes at the expense of Jade’s Dad’s temporary deafness
• Kidnapping
• Vomiting
~*~
You Should Read This Book If You Enjoy:
• The first three books
• Slow paced vacation stories or “beach episodes”
• Stories about plus-size characters
You Should Avoid This Book If You Dislike:
• The first three books
• Poor Pacing
• Poor Communication
~*~
Did I Enjoy It?
No. TL;DR, too much nothing happened, and when something did finally happen, it was too little too late, ending this series on a whimper rather than a bang.
Honestly, I stopped being enamored with this series and its characters in the third book, and while this one isn’t as infuriating as that one, it is significantly more boring.
It took three chapters and 29 pages for the slightest semblance of a plot hook to appear, and twelve chapters and 108 pages for Jade to start thinking about acting on that plot hook. This kind of bland, too-relaxed pacing is a common yet glaring flaw of far too many “vacation episode” or “beach episode” entries in media, with the most recent example that comes to mind being the disastrously mind numbing Dawntrail expansion for Final Fantasy 14.
The pacing is not at all helped by the excessive overwriting, over explaining, and overly repeated or slightly rewritten phrases. I honestly had to start skimming at the halfway point just for the hope of ANYTHING to happen.
Jade herself thankfully is not as deeply unlikable as she was in Book 3, though she never becomes as endearing as she was in Book 2. At least this time once the plot gets going she wants to help, instead of insisting that everything wasn’t her problem, even though this time it literally wasn’t her problem.
~*~
THAT SAID…
If you are a die hard fan of this series, you may still find something to love in these pages. Or if you’re just looking for something to relax and not think too hard about while you go on your own slow-paced vacation, it might fit the vibe. And though they show up a bit late, at least we finally get a halfway decent villain. Otherwise there’s not much reason to tread through these pages.
~*~
Happy reading for those who dare to delve into these pages, and swift sailing for those still searching for their perfect mermaid tale!
May 15, 2017
Jade has had a very..."exciting" summer. First she finds that she is a mermaid, her mother is alive, and her crush is also a mer. Then, she has to face "villains" Finalin and Medora. And finally, she has to go up against the Mermish Council. So yeah, busy and exciting pretty much sum it up.
In this last book to a nice series, Jade sees a body dumped off a boat add the only other person that could back her up has gone missing. And even if he wasn't missing, he's a huge trouble maker and nobody would believe anything that comes from him. How come it's always Jade who ends up in these big messes? At least her parents will get married...right?
I had a minor obsession with The Little Mermaid when I was little(Disney, of course; The real tale would have crushed little me.) Perhaps that love for mermaids is what caused me to pick this series up. I was instantly in love. This series was very cute, I definitely give it at least a 3.5 in total.
A little sad I'm seeing it go, but glad it ended on such a happy note. Happy reading everybody!!!
In this last book to a nice series, Jade sees a body dumped off a boat add the only other person that could back her up has gone missing. And even if he wasn't missing, he's a huge trouble maker and nobody would believe anything that comes from him. How come it's always Jade who ends up in these big messes? At least her parents will get married...right?
I had a minor obsession with The Little Mermaid when I was little(Disney, of course; The real tale would have crushed little me.) Perhaps that love for mermaids is what caused me to pick this series up. I was instantly in love. This series was very cute, I definitely give it at least a 3.5 in total.
A little sad I'm seeing it go, but glad it ended on such a happy note. Happy reading everybody!!!
June 25, 2018
I have always loved this series. It had taken me a while to get my hands on this book but I’m glad I did. I can say I have outgrown somethings in this book, like her cheesy lines and her over-explaining but there were somethings I did enjoy very much.
The plot wasn’t rushed and it didn’t seem like they were lucky in everything like in some books, the ending exceeded my expectations and it created a nice conclusion.
I liked it overall, it had funny parts, romantic parts, mysterious parts and filler parts that didn’t feel like fillers. I would definitely recommend not just this book but the whole series.
The plot wasn’t rushed and it didn’t seem like they were lucky in everything like in some books, the ending exceeded my expectations and it created a nice conclusion.
I liked it overall, it had funny parts, romantic parts, mysterious parts and filler parts that didn’t feel like fillers. I would definitely recommend not just this book but the whole series.
August 2, 2021
Everyone is finally safe from the local Mermish Council (though they are a lot more land-living Mer’s than Jade thought). And now she and Cori are on the way to the tropical wedding of her parents. But troubles are waiting there for them when their reservations are lost and Jade becomes a witness in a possible murder.
Feels like there should be another book.
Footnote: 1) There's another cool recipe at the end: Trey's Gummy Worm Sushi.
Fave scenes: Dillon & the conch shells at the Straw Market, Cori’s conversation to Jade in the elevator, Jade taking to the dolphins and the shark & the dolphins.
Feels like there should be another book.
Footnote: 1) There's another cool recipe at the end: Trey's Gummy Worm Sushi.
Fave scenes: Dillon & the conch shells at the Straw Market, Cori’s conversation to Jade in the elevator, Jade taking to the dolphins and the shark & the dolphins.
June 6, 2025
I’m really not trying to shit all over a kid’s book rn but this book, the fourth and final installment of the Real Mermaids series, was just not it. I felt it was a tad boring, for a story that takes place in one of the most beautiful locations in the world! I also HATED the relationship issues Trey and Cori were having, it was truly the most annoying part. Glad they broke up at the end tbh 😭 Plus the mystery was not super compelling to me. Idk I really wanted to like it but it fell flat for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2020
I am FINALLY finished with this series! It took a while, and I cannot tell if it was life, my waning interest in the story and characters, or if the author just didn't connect the books well enough. Either way, it's finished now. I enjoyed the story, but it never really connected with the previous three books.
February 5, 2023
I tried reading this one but couldn't get into it at all, maybe because I'm not a teenager or hadn't read the first three books. I ended up skimming it looking for any interesting parts, but there weren't many. Overall the book was boring and didn't have very much mermaiding in it. It was mostly about some fishy dealings at the resort they were visiting.
October 31, 2022
I love Jade, but wow I realised I don't like the typical no communication trope. Ugh, it is so unnecessary. However, the rest of the book was fun, I mean it had a lot of really interesting world building ideas.
June 14, 2019
I liked the story of this book the best of the series. Another fun adventure filled summer read.
September 23, 2019
Cute quick book
May 24, 2020
I wish it had more stories with this series I was hoping they might make some more.
June 10, 2020
This might be the best ending book for a series, ever!
August 27, 2020
A great ending to the series!
The only thing I could ask for is a side story from the perspective of Luke, my favorite character, about his experience up till he met Jade in the first book.
The only thing I could ask for is a side story from the perspective of Luke, my favorite character, about his experience up till he met Jade in the first book.
March 27, 2014
Sun, surf and tropical breezes are no ‘day at the beach’ because being a teenage mermaid never takes a vacation.
With all the mers in Jade’s life now safe, happy and legit (with passports to prove it) and the underwater mer-world off the coast of Port Toulouse on the road to democracy, it’s time to relax and plan for the future. Jade can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with a tropical wedding in the Bahamas with Mom and Dad to finally make their family ‘official’.
Soon, Jade is enjoying the tropical sunshine, all-you-can-eat buffet, and island day trips. But when Jade gets lost in the island’s famous waterfront Straw Market, something doesn’t feel quite right. A body splashes into the water as a cruise ship enters the harbor and a teen boy selling conches from his boat behind the market knows more than he’s willing to admit.
With no body, no leads, and no other witnesses, though, the local police don’t seem too concerned. Maybe Jade’s imagination has been acting up on her, just like Cori said, considering everything she’s been through in the past few months.
But with Mom and Dad off on a honeymoon excursion it wouldn’t hurt to check things out, would it? Little do Jade and Cori realize, they are about to uncover more secrets about the splashing body, dangerous cruise ship cargo, and more questions than answers lurking in the nearby Caribbean waters. And let us not forget about the dolphins....
My Thoughts...
This is a book I won from Laura at "Library of Clean Reads". Thank you, Laura.
First off let me say... this is a book for tweens, and I am just a young-at-heart great-gramma who found this book had a cute storyline and was a cozy fantasy mystery, but nevertheless a fun book to read. I don't often read 'juvenile fiction' but I must say I rather liked this change of pace style of reading.
Since I am from the older generation, it kind of reminded me of the "Nancy Drew" mysteries, I read as a youngster. The suspense was there, while it contains a bit of teens' angst about friends, enemies and boys. All-in-all it was a delightful read, and I liked it enough to award it 4 starfish stars.
July 18, 2014
AUTHOR: Boudreau, Helene
TITLE: Real Mermaids Don't Sell Seashells
DATE READ: 07/17/14
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS YA/2014/Sourcebooks/215 pgs
SERIES/STAND-ALONE: #4 in Real Mermaids Series
TIME/PLACE: Present/Bahamas
CHARACTERS: Jade/teen mer-girl
FIRST LINES: " I never realized I was afraid of flying until I was hurtling through space at a kajillion miles an hour on my way to my mom & dad's beachside tropical wedding."
COMMENTS: I won this book on goodreads and even tho' it is #4 in the series it reads fine as a stand-alone. However, I would like to read the earlier books to find out more about her life as a mer-girl. I have always been attracted to the stories of mermaid and selkies so I looked forward to reading this one and it was a very nice read … even for an adult. Jade and her family and some friends are in the Bahamas to celebrate her parents wedding (apparently they are married but an earlier book goes into the story of the mother now posing as her sister, and this would be a new marriage). Nevertheless, nothing to be dragged down in and the story nicely proceeds. Jade is a curious girl and uber aware of her surroundings. She and a young local seashell seller witness a body being dropped from a porthole on a cruise ship. The local seashell seller, Dillon, doesn't have a stellar reputation so his story is suspect. Jade tries to not dwell on it thinking maybe she didn't actually see a body and it was something else but when Dillon disappears & his boat is found near the cruise ship… A nice little mystery, set in a tropical island and filled w/ characters that are not only likeable but some have unique "mer" qualities. I will be looking for the other books.
TITLE: Real Mermaids Don't Sell Seashells
DATE READ: 07/17/14
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/PUBLISHER/# OF PGS YA/2014/Sourcebooks/215 pgs
SERIES/STAND-ALONE: #4 in Real Mermaids Series
TIME/PLACE: Present/Bahamas
CHARACTERS: Jade/teen mer-girl
FIRST LINES: " I never realized I was afraid of flying until I was hurtling through space at a kajillion miles an hour on my way to my mom & dad's beachside tropical wedding."
COMMENTS: I won this book on goodreads and even tho' it is #4 in the series it reads fine as a stand-alone. However, I would like to read the earlier books to find out more about her life as a mer-girl. I have always been attracted to the stories of mermaid and selkies so I looked forward to reading this one and it was a very nice read … even for an adult. Jade and her family and some friends are in the Bahamas to celebrate her parents wedding (apparently they are married but an earlier book goes into the story of the mother now posing as her sister, and this would be a new marriage). Nevertheless, nothing to be dragged down in and the story nicely proceeds. Jade is a curious girl and uber aware of her surroundings. She and a young local seashell seller witness a body being dropped from a porthole on a cruise ship. The local seashell seller, Dillon, doesn't have a stellar reputation so his story is suspect. Jade tries to not dwell on it thinking maybe she didn't actually see a body and it was something else but when Dillon disappears & his boat is found near the cruise ship… A nice little mystery, set in a tropical island and filled w/ characters that are not only likeable but some have unique "mer" qualities. I will be looking for the other books.
February 14, 2014
It's time for a little fun in the sun. Now that Jade's mom has an official passport, the family is off to the Bahamas where Jade's parents will officially tie the knot. All of Jade's friends are coming, including best friend Cori.
Things go wrong from the get go. Jade's family is bumped from their fancy hotel and all their wedding preparations are ruined. They end up in a small hotel down the shore filled with frat boys. In an effort to help out her parents, Jade heads to the Straw Market to buy decorations. While there she witnesses someone throw something out the porthole of a cruise ship. Something that looks like a body!
Even though she reports the incident to the police, something about the situation bugs Jade, and when the only other eye witness turns up missing, well, the hunt is on. Danger is lurking in the Caribbean Seas.
My Thoughts-
I've enjoyed this entire series. The books are fun and adventurous. This fourth book takes us away from Port Toulouse and into the Bahamas. I was a little disappointed that Jade didn't swim around as a mermaid and take in the sights, plus I was hoping for another Mer-pod.
The story itself focuses mostly on the wedding plans and the unknown body. It is a quick read, and the reader will enjoy the mystery. When we discover what's in the bag, it was a bit of a let down. I was expecting something big and bold.
The problem of being a book critic is that there is usually something I might do differently, but perhaps it is not what the author wanted. Overall, the story is solid, the mystery grows in tension and the teenage angsts of dating and boyfriends rings true. I think teens will enjoy this read. 4 Stars!
Things go wrong from the get go. Jade's family is bumped from their fancy hotel and all their wedding preparations are ruined. They end up in a small hotel down the shore filled with frat boys. In an effort to help out her parents, Jade heads to the Straw Market to buy decorations. While there she witnesses someone throw something out the porthole of a cruise ship. Something that looks like a body!
Even though she reports the incident to the police, something about the situation bugs Jade, and when the only other eye witness turns up missing, well, the hunt is on. Danger is lurking in the Caribbean Seas.
My Thoughts-
I've enjoyed this entire series. The books are fun and adventurous. This fourth book takes us away from Port Toulouse and into the Bahamas. I was a little disappointed that Jade didn't swim around as a mermaid and take in the sights, plus I was hoping for another Mer-pod.
The story itself focuses mostly on the wedding plans and the unknown body. It is a quick read, and the reader will enjoy the mystery. When we discover what's in the bag, it was a bit of a let down. I was expecting something big and bold.
The problem of being a book critic is that there is usually something I might do differently, but perhaps it is not what the author wanted. Overall, the story is solid, the mystery grows in tension and the teenage angsts of dating and boyfriends rings true. I think teens will enjoy this read. 4 Stars!
August 27, 2016
Review written by my 10 year old daughter, Peyton.
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*
A tropical island vacation sounds like the perfect way to spend fall break, even for an aqua phobic mer-girl like Jade. She can’t wait to enjoy the warm sunshine and all-you-can-eat buffet with her best friend Cori and boyfriend Luke. But when a body splashes into the water as a cruise ship enters the harbor, Jade realizes there might be trouble in paradise. The mysterious boy selling conch shells on the beach definitely knows more than he’s letting on. Jade promised herself no mer drama on vacation! But it couldn’t hurt to check things out, right?
I absolutely loved Real Mermaids Don’t Sell Seashells! It was a hilarious book and it gave a modern twist to mermaids. Jade is an excellent role model for girls who like adventure and mystery. Now I really want to go back and read the other books in the series as well as any upcoming books! I loved how it was mystery and fantasy mixed together. I would recommend this book for girls who like mystery, fantasy, and mermaids. I think Helene Boudreau is a wonderful author and I feel like this book deserves 5 stars.
*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*
A tropical island vacation sounds like the perfect way to spend fall break, even for an aqua phobic mer-girl like Jade. She can’t wait to enjoy the warm sunshine and all-you-can-eat buffet with her best friend Cori and boyfriend Luke. But when a body splashes into the water as a cruise ship enters the harbor, Jade realizes there might be trouble in paradise. The mysterious boy selling conch shells on the beach definitely knows more than he’s letting on. Jade promised herself no mer drama on vacation! But it couldn’t hurt to check things out, right?
I absolutely loved Real Mermaids Don’t Sell Seashells! It was a hilarious book and it gave a modern twist to mermaids. Jade is an excellent role model for girls who like adventure and mystery. Now I really want to go back and read the other books in the series as well as any upcoming books! I loved how it was mystery and fantasy mixed together. I would recommend this book for girls who like mystery, fantasy, and mermaids. I think Helene Boudreau is a wonderful author and I feel like this book deserves 5 stars.
February 14, 2016
The whole family is out for a fun time, now that everyone has their passports, mom and dad can finally marry! And they do so in style, sadly when they get there things don't go according to the plan. :(
This was a really fun book, though I expected more fun and calmness and less action. This book was once again filled with a lot of unthinkable things happening. Smuggling, talking dolphins, new mermaids and more. I felt it was a bit too much.
I do loved the new scenery though, finally away from the same thing, and now into a new part with palm trees and dolphins. We also have new friends, who I hope will have visits in the next books as well.
We also got some drama, between Cori and her boyfriend.
Jade was wonderful again, she tried so much to help everyone. Her parents, Cori, her new friends, the dolphins.
In overall, it was another lovely book, and I can't wait for a new book to come out.
This was a really fun book, though I expected more fun and calmness and less action. This book was once again filled with a lot of unthinkable things happening. Smuggling, talking dolphins, new mermaids and more. I felt it was a bit too much.
I do loved the new scenery though, finally away from the same thing, and now into a new part with palm trees and dolphins. We also have new friends, who I hope will have visits in the next books as well.
We also got some drama, between Cori and her boyfriend.
Jade was wonderful again, she tried so much to help everyone. Her parents, Cori, her new friends, the dolphins.
In overall, it was another lovely book, and I can't wait for a new book to come out.
March 31, 2014
OK, so mermaids are one of my weaknesses and yes I read this whole series. I liked it and they are fun takes on mermaid stories.
Jade's parents are finally making their family official and getting married, at least that is the plan. But when they arrive on the Bahamas, things just keep going wrong. Their hotel reservation gets bumped and they end up in a less nice hotel. The wedding venue is not available and Jade feels she needs to fix this before her parent's plans are ruined. When Jade and Cori visit to Straw Market to search for decorations and try to locate someone to officiate, she notices some things are not as they should be. Jade can't help but start looking into what is going wrong.
This is a fun series of mermaid books and I have enjoyed them but admit they are a bit of a guilty pleasure as they are certainly not high literature. Still someone looking for a mystery who also is facinated by mermaids will enjoy the romp.
Jade's parents are finally making their family official and getting married, at least that is the plan. But when they arrive on the Bahamas, things just keep going wrong. Their hotel reservation gets bumped and they end up in a less nice hotel. The wedding venue is not available and Jade feels she needs to fix this before her parent's plans are ruined. When Jade and Cori visit to Straw Market to search for decorations and try to locate someone to officiate, she notices some things are not as they should be. Jade can't help but start looking into what is going wrong.
This is a fun series of mermaid books and I have enjoyed them but admit they are a bit of a guilty pleasure as they are certainly not high literature. Still someone looking for a mystery who also is facinated by mermaids will enjoy the romp.
May 4, 2016
The fourth book in the Real Mermaids series following teenager Jade, her family, and her best friend Cori on an ocean side adventure in the Bahamas.
Jade's parents are finally getting the wedding they deserve...or are they? From the moment they step off the plane, things do not go according to plan. Along with cancelled hotel and wedding reservations, and the possibility of a murder cover up, there is definitely something fishy happening in Nassau, Bahamas.
While I loved the books that came before, Real Mermaids Don't Sell Seashells felt a little flat for me. There were the frequent repetition of things that were somewhat obvious and easy to remember and didn't have much of the mermaid action that the other books had. While this is a Tween book and has all the tween drama and angst, it's split focus on the adult wedding was a little unfocused. However it is a nice quick easy read, that does have a satisfying plot nonetheless.
Jade's parents are finally getting the wedding they deserve...or are they? From the moment they step off the plane, things do not go according to plan. Along with cancelled hotel and wedding reservations, and the possibility of a murder cover up, there is definitely something fishy happening in Nassau, Bahamas.
While I loved the books that came before, Real Mermaids Don't Sell Seashells felt a little flat for me. There were the frequent repetition of things that were somewhat obvious and easy to remember and didn't have much of the mermaid action that the other books had. While this is a Tween book and has all the tween drama and angst, it's split focus on the adult wedding was a little unfocused. However it is a nice quick easy read, that does have a satisfying plot nonetheless.
February 11, 2014
Real Mermaids Don’t Sell Seashells is the fourth book in the series. Just as before Helene Boudreau provides a fun story involving the underwater world.
Having reunited, Jade’s family is off to the Bahamas so her parents can “officially” marry. Only, as usual, it doesn’t go according to plan.
Apart from needing to re-plan the wedding from scratch Jade also witness a crime – or thinks she does, her best friend has relationship problems. Everyone wants a relaxing holiday after the previous year’s events so Jade tries to keep her suspicions to herself.
I’ve read all of the Real Mermaids series quickly, the books are short and entertaining. An excellent way to escape for a little while.
Real Mermaids Don’t Sell Seashells was just as good as the others and I know I’ll be reading the next in the series.
Having reunited, Jade’s family is off to the Bahamas so her parents can “officially” marry. Only, as usual, it doesn’t go according to plan.
Apart from needing to re-plan the wedding from scratch Jade also witness a crime – or thinks she does, her best friend has relationship problems. Everyone wants a relaxing holiday after the previous year’s events so Jade tries to keep her suspicions to herself.
I’ve read all of the Real Mermaids series quickly, the books are short and entertaining. An excellent way to escape for a little while.
Real Mermaids Don’t Sell Seashells was just as good as the others and I know I’ll be reading the next in the series.
July 13, 2016
Fin-tastic!
This book was absolutely AMAZING!!! In the final book of the Real Mermaids series, Jade goes to the Bahamas for her parents wedding and things get really crazy - MER crazy! If you like humor and fiction, as well as mermaids, you'll love this book! (But if you haven't read the the first three books of this saga yet, I highly suggest you do! They are also awesome reads!) Five stars for sure!
This book was absolutely AMAZING!!! In the final book of the Real Mermaids series, Jade goes to the Bahamas for her parents wedding and things get really crazy - MER crazy! If you like humor and fiction, as well as mermaids, you'll love this book! (But if you haven't read the the first three books of this saga yet, I highly suggest you do! They are also awesome reads!) Five stars for sure!
February 19, 2014
I just received this book yesterday and I couldn't put it down until I was done!! I can't wait to read the rest of her books in the series. Hopefully when i grow up I can be a mermaid too! This story was suspenseful and energetic with just enough humour to keep it light.
I received this book for free for review.
I received this book for free for review.
January 17, 2015
I liked the change of scenery although I felt there is another book in the pipeline. The ending didnt have a finality. Maybe its just me hoping for another book.
The plot itself was as varied as can be from the previous 3 books with the addition of new friends. I like that. All in all a good read.
The plot itself was as varied as can be from the previous 3 books with the addition of new friends. I like that. All in all a good read.
June 4, 2014
My teenage daughter and I both read this series. Neither of us liked this book much. The heroine and her friend are alternately selfish and stupid. There are also continuity errors and contradictions. My thirteen year old daughter felt she was too old for this so perhaps elementary age might enjoy this book. I give it 2-3 stars but don't recommend it for teens or adults.
April 3, 2016
Love it
Full version of a woman that I could get you in the door is ever going to be in the top of the ninth and and I don't know what you doing today and projects that are not allowed to the top of the page about a month ago but I don't know what you doing today and and the top of my head is pounding to get a chance for the top job and a half hour before I leave for a while
Full version of a woman that I could get you in the door is ever going to be in the top of the ninth and and I don't know what you doing today and projects that are not allowed to the top of the page about a month ago but I don't know what you doing today and and the top of my head is pounding to get a chance for the top job and a half hour before I leave for a while
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