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Starfish Sisters #1
Starfish Sisters
Georgie, Kia, Micki, and Ace are thrown together at an elite girls’ surfing camp. At first they are not friends, as jealousy, insecurity, secrets, and lies abound. Yet they soon realize that their friendship brings out the best in each of them. But will it be too late to make the grade at the camp?
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
8 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
J.C. Burke
11 books62 followershttp:/www.facebook.com/pages/JC-Burke/20821...
.J.C Burke was born in Sydney in 1965, the fourth of five sisters. With writers for parents, she grew up in a world of noise, drama and books, but she decided to become a nurse after her mother lost a long battle with cancer. Since Burke started writing in 1999, she has published a number of acclaimed books for teenagers and young adults, including Children's Book Council Notable Books WHITE LIES and THE RED CARDIGAN, Aurealis Awards finalist NINE LETTERS LONG, THE STORY OF TOM BRENNAN, FAKING SWEET, STARFISH SISTERS and OCEAN PEARL. THE STORY OF TOM BRENNAN won the 2006 CBC Book of the Year - Older Readers and the 2006 Australian Family Therapists Award for Children's Literature. It is currently on the NSW HSC syllabus list.PIG BOY is Jane's newest title and was released in May 2011.
Jane lives on Sydney.
http:/www.facebook.com/pages/JC-Burke/20821...
.J.C Burke was born in Sydney in 1965, the fourth of five sisters. With writers for parents, she grew up in a world of noise, drama and books, but she decided to become a nurse after her mother lost a long battle with cancer. Since Burke started writing in 1999, she has published a number of acclaimed books for teenagers and young adults, including Children's Book Council Notable Books WHITE LIES and THE RED CARDIGAN, Aurealis Awards finalist NINE LETTERS LONG, THE STORY OF TOM BRENNAN, FAKING SWEET, STARFISH SISTERS and OCEAN PEARL. THE STORY OF TOM BRENNAN won the 2006 CBC Book of the Year - Older Readers and the 2006 Australian Family Therapists Award for Children's Literature. It is currently on the NSW HSC syllabus list.PIG BOY is Jane's newest title and was released in May 2011.
Jane lives on Sydney.
http:/www.facebook.com/pages/JC-Burke/20821...
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 17, 2018
Um, so, Starfish Sisters, was not great, but I still kind of liked it?
The (only) two things I liked: the Australian setting (I'm allowed to be patriotic) and the surfing plot. I really don't know anything about surfing but it interests me and I did enjoy reading about the girls and their surfing.
However, the editing was so bad. So bad. For a while I thought Starfish Sisters was self-published because of the editing (surprise: it wasn't). The novel was weirdly heavy on colloquial wording and it just completely missed the mark. It disrupted the reading and didn't fit. I mean, sure, I know what "D & M" means, but not everyone does and the stylisation of it was awful.
And the plot? I hated Kia's self-harm arc. It is so awful to present like it is okay to find out a friend is self-harming and not do anything about it because they promise not to do it again, even when you acknowledge they will. Especially given that this novel is for younger teens. Self-harm should never be presented in such a damaging light. And the "romantic" subplots! Awful! I wanted to scream! Disgusting! Illegal! Gross! Girls should not be taught to look up to this! And then there's the ending. I cannot truly believe I had to read something so blatantly unfeasible. Like just because it is YA doesn't mean everything has to end nicely? There are consequences for your actions.
The characters themselves were no better. It was ridiculous how often Georgie's figure was brought up; Kia had no storyline outside of her self-harm; Micki had no storyline outside of her dad's drug addiction; and Ace was the most horrifically archetypal character I have ever had the misfortune to read about. I just can't help but imagining younger girls reading this book and all the harmful things they may take from it.
It's not the worst book I've read (see the Starfish Sisters sequel Ocean Pearl) and it had some good points, but it floats amongst so much bad.
The (only) two things I liked: the Australian setting (I'm allowed to be patriotic) and the surfing plot. I really don't know anything about surfing but it interests me and I did enjoy reading about the girls and their surfing.
However, the editing was so bad. So bad. For a while I thought Starfish Sisters was self-published because of the editing (surprise: it wasn't). The novel was weirdly heavy on colloquial wording and it just completely missed the mark. It disrupted the reading and didn't fit. I mean, sure, I know what "D & M" means, but not everyone does and the stylisation of it was awful.
And the plot? I hated Kia's self-harm arc. It is so awful to present like it is okay to find out a friend is self-harming and not do anything about it because they promise not to do it again, even when you acknowledge they will. Especially given that this novel is for younger teens. Self-harm should never be presented in such a damaging light. And the "romantic" subplots! Awful! I wanted to scream! Disgusting! Illegal! Gross! Girls should not be taught to look up to this! And then there's the ending. I cannot truly believe I had to read something so blatantly unfeasible. Like just because it is YA doesn't mean everything has to end nicely? There are consequences for your actions.
The characters themselves were no better. It was ridiculous how often Georgie's figure was brought up; Kia had no storyline outside of her self-harm; Micki had no storyline outside of her dad's drug addiction; and Ace was the most horrifically archetypal character I have ever had the misfortune to read about. I just can't help but imagining younger girls reading this book and all the harmful things they may take from it.
It's not the worst book I've read (see the Starfish Sisters sequel Ocean Pearl) and it had some good points, but it floats amongst so much bad.
April 18, 2011
At First Sight: Three weeks at surfing camp are about the change the lives of four very different girls.
First there is Georgie, a natural surfer who's starting to feel the pressure of being great at something. Georgie's best friend Kia most of the time hears only the bad and lets it get to her. Micki is another natural talent who can't wait to see if she's good enough to break away from the things that are tying her down. And lastly, there is Ace, the girl who seems to have everything together but really doesn't.
They get stuck together in the Starfish Cabin and form an uneasy bond as they get to know each other and start to show the cracks in the lives, the ones that let you see what's really going on inside.
As the days go by, they start to connect and let the preconceptions of each other fall away, they laugh and they bicker and are there for each other and fight like sisters do, because that's what the become, in the end.
Second Glance: I loved Starfish Sisters. There is some seriously real heart and soul to this story because for me Georgie, Ace, Micki and Kia felt so real from the moment I started to read their story. What's more, I felt like I had been each one of the girls at one point or another and it felt so powerful to me.
The story is told by the four girls in alternating chapters - going from Georgie to Kia to Micki to Ace, over and over - and I think that was genius as I really got to know each of them and I could see how everything intertwined. I loved Georgie and Micki right off the bat, but Ace and Kia took a little more warming to.
Also, I loved how the camp - those three weeks- became such a pivotal moment in these four girls' lives. The camp wasn't the catalyst, they didn't get there and everything changed, it was more of a meeting point where the four of them collided in such a way that made all the problems they were carrying around come to head at that particular time, both because of each other and because it just was time - J.C. Burke did a great job of summarizing what had taken the girls to where they were at the beginning of camp in just the first chapter (or two) that each of the girls narrated.
Another thing I love, is that I so got the story even though I know nothing about surfing - other than what I've picked up watching Blue Crush and Baywatch - because it was written in such a way that it could have been any sport or competitive situation, though I admit I loved the descriptions of the waves and the sea and surf, even if half the time I had no clue what the surf moves were.
Bottom Line: Starfish Sisters is a book that left me aching but happy, it's another of those books that linger and I can't wait to read the sequel, Ocean Pearl. Can't recommend it enough, and it's definitely going into my favorite reads of the year list.
Favorite Quote: "I loved the ocean. I loved how every day it was different. And in a strange way, I loved the fact you couldn't control it, that made it seem like real magic." - Georgie
starstarstarstarstarPersonal Favorite
First there is Georgie, a natural surfer who's starting to feel the pressure of being great at something. Georgie's best friend Kia most of the time hears only the bad and lets it get to her. Micki is another natural talent who can't wait to see if she's good enough to break away from the things that are tying her down. And lastly, there is Ace, the girl who seems to have everything together but really doesn't.
They get stuck together in the Starfish Cabin and form an uneasy bond as they get to know each other and start to show the cracks in the lives, the ones that let you see what's really going on inside.
As the days go by, they start to connect and let the preconceptions of each other fall away, they laugh and they bicker and are there for each other and fight like sisters do, because that's what the become, in the end.
Second Glance: I loved Starfish Sisters. There is some seriously real heart and soul to this story because for me Georgie, Ace, Micki and Kia felt so real from the moment I started to read their story. What's more, I felt like I had been each one of the girls at one point or another and it felt so powerful to me.
The story is told by the four girls in alternating chapters - going from Georgie to Kia to Micki to Ace, over and over - and I think that was genius as I really got to know each of them and I could see how everything intertwined. I loved Georgie and Micki right off the bat, but Ace and Kia took a little more warming to.
Also, I loved how the camp - those three weeks- became such a pivotal moment in these four girls' lives. The camp wasn't the catalyst, they didn't get there and everything changed, it was more of a meeting point where the four of them collided in such a way that made all the problems they were carrying around come to head at that particular time, both because of each other and because it just was time - J.C. Burke did a great job of summarizing what had taken the girls to where they were at the beginning of camp in just the first chapter (or two) that each of the girls narrated.
Another thing I love, is that I so got the story even though I know nothing about surfing - other than what I've picked up watching Blue Crush and Baywatch - because it was written in such a way that it could have been any sport or competitive situation, though I admit I loved the descriptions of the waves and the sea and surf, even if half the time I had no clue what the surf moves were.
Bottom Line: Starfish Sisters is a book that left me aching but happy, it's another of those books that linger and I can't wait to read the sequel, Ocean Pearl. Can't recommend it enough, and it's definitely going into my favorite reads of the year list.
Favorite Quote: "I loved the ocean. I loved how every day it was different. And in a strange way, I loved the fact you couldn't control it, that made it seem like real magic." - Georgie
starstarstarstarstarPersonal Favorite
November 16, 2017
Starfish sisters is my favourite book this year! Following the lives of these four girls who are thrown together for the chance to be in the Australian Junior Surfing team, the only thing that links them all is their passion for surfing. This book is truly inspiring and tackles real life issues that teenage girls everywhere can relate to xxxx
August 20, 2024
Definitely young adult almost middle grade. It wasn’t bad but it was catered to a younger audience so didn’t relate to me as much. However it was a cute story about surfing camp and friendship.
Trigger Warning: self harm (cutting) and drug addiction is briefly touched on
Trigger Warning: self harm (cutting) and drug addiction is briefly touched on
February 21, 2021
This book literally changed my life when I read it as a teen. I recommend it strongly.
August 5, 2011
Great teen novel about 4 teenage girls who bond at a surf camp. Each of the girls has issues of some kind, but together, they support each other to emerge stronger in spite of their problems. Good use of current teen language too.
August 12, 2014
Great novel about four girls that are about to try to achieve their surfing dreams. This follows the teenaged through their struggles and triumphs. It is a really relatable story for teenagers about achieving your dreams.
May 25, 2014
Really enjoyed the surfing action, lingo and terminology. Girls were real and believable, with great dialogue. Good to see the teen issue of self harm addressed. All-in-all a great read! Recommend it for all ages.
November 5, 2008
I loved this book. It's a story about 4 extremely different girls who share a room at the elite surfers camp but its not just about surfing
Want to Read
September 3, 2009i am currently reading Ocean pearl but want to read this one
January 29, 2011
An interesting title about teenage self harm and the reasons behind it. Written from the viewpoint of 4 different girls - which got a bit confusing at times. overall, a great read.
March 3, 2011
Would also give this 4 stars. Strong storyline with believable young characters facing all the traumas of competition, boys, jealousy, body issues and families. Perfect read for teen girls.
February 16, 2015
I read this years ago and i Loved it!! It's a great teens book and would recommend it to most young teens! i hopefully will read this again in the future!!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews