Eva's Journey Read online

  If this were a fairy-tale, the mum would sit around on a throne, polishing her diamonds and rubies.

  My mum sits around the kitchen a lot, chatting with the neighbours and swapping recipes and gardening tips. They’re thinking of getting together to run an allotment.

  Mum has more friends now than she had when she was living behind the high walls of Castleville.

  Mum and her new friends don’t wear gold-trimmed cloaks, but they laugh a lot.

  So I think it’s plain to see – my life is no fairy-tale any more.

  But who wants to live in a fairy-tale anyway?

  Those golden thrones look awfully uncomfortable.

  Those handsome princes always look a bit skinny to me.

  Those enchanted castles look cold and draughty.

  And without electricity, how would I ever straighten my hair?

  It’s been a very long year.

  I’ve cried a lot and laughed a lot and lived a lot.

  And what have I learned during these last twelve months?

  1. I’m never going to be good at maths.

  2. Turnips are cheap and strawberries aren’t.

  3. Even if you’re not a princess, you can live happily ever after.

  And that’s exactly what I plan to do.

  About the Author

  JUDI CURTIN grew up in Cork and now lives in Limerick where she is married with three children. Judi is the author of the best-selling ‘Alice & Megan’ series; with Roisin Meaney, she is also the author of See If I Care, and she has written three novels, Sorry, Walter, From Claire to Here and Almost Perfect. Her books have been translated into Serbian, Portuguese and German.

  The ‘Alice & Megan’ series

  Alice Next Door

  Alice Again

  Don’t Ask Alice

  Alice in the Middle

  Bonjour Alice

  Alice & Megan Forever

  Alice to the Rescue

  Alice & Megan’s Cookbook

  Other books

  See If I Care (with Roisin Meaney)

  Copyright

  This eBook edition first published 2013 by The O’Brien Press Ltd,

  12 Terenure Road East, Rathgar, Dublin 6, Ireland

  Tel: +353 1 4923333; Fax: +353 1 4922777

  E-mail: [email protected]

  Website: www.obrien.ie

  First published 2010

  eBook ISBN: 978–1–84717–373–7

  Text © copyright Judi Curtin 2010

  Copyright for typesetting, layout, editing, design

  © The O’Brien Press Ltd

  UNAUTHORISED COPYING IS ILLEGAL

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any form or my any means, including electronic, digital, mechanical, visual or audio, or mounted on any network servers, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Carrying out any unauthorised act in relation to a copyright work may result in both a civil claim for damages and criminal prosecution. For permission to copy any part of this publication contact The O’Brien Press Ltd at [email protected].

  A catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library

  Layout and design: The O’Brien Press Ltd

  Cover illustration: Woody Fox

  The O’Brien Press receives assistance from

  Best friends NEED to be together. Don’t they?

  Poor Megan! Not only is she stuck with totally uncool parents, and a little sister who is too cute for words, but now her best friend, Alice, has moved away. Now Megan has to go to school and face the dreaded Melissa all on her own.

  The two friends hatch a risky plot to get back together. But can their secret plan work?

  It’s mid-term break and Megan’s off to visit Alice.

  Megan is hoping for a nice trouble-free few days with her best friend. No such luck! She soon discovers that Alice is once again plotting and scheming.

  It seems that Alice’s mum Veronica has a new boyfriend. The plan is to discover who he is, and to get rid of him!

  Alice and Megan are together again!

  They are both looking forward to their Confirmation, especially as their two families are going out to dinner together to celebrate.

  But not even a meal can be simple when Alice is around as she decides to hatch a plan to get her parents back together …

  Best friends forever?

  Megan can’t wait to go away to Summer Camp with Alice! It will be fantastic – no organic porridge, no school, nothing but fun! But when Alice makes friends with Hazel, Megan begins to feel left out. Hazel’s pretty, sophisticated and popular, and Alice seems to think she’s amazing.

  Is Megan going to lose her very best friend?

  Sunshine & yummy French food – sounds like the perfect holiday!

  Megan’s really looking forward to the summer holidays – her whole family is going to France, and best of all Alice is coming too! But when Alice tries to make friends with a local French boy things begin to get very interesting …

  Alice and Megan are starting secondary school.

  New subjects, new teachers and new friends – it’s going to take a bit of getting used to. And when Megan meets Marcus, the class bad-boy who’s always in trouble, but doesn’t seem to care, things really start to get complicated.

  At least she has Home Ec class with Alice – the worst cook in the school – to look forward to, so school’s not all bad!

  How much should you give up for your best friend?

  Alice has a good chance of winning the school essay competition – and the prize is four months in France!

  Megan loves writing essays, but she’d hate to go away for four months alone! She doesn’t want Alice to go either – why would anyone want to go abroad without her best friend? But Alice seems determined to win…

  Get cooking with Alice & Megan!

  Alice and Megan are writing a cookbook. But Alice is not the world’s the greatest cook, so could it be a recipe for disaster? Well, not with Megan’s help ….

  This fun-filled cookbook is packed with brilliant recipes. Why not wake up to French toast and tropical smoothies? Or go to school with raspberry muffins and pasta salad? Or snack on s’mores and quesadillas? Or impress your friends with homemade burgers followed by ice cream with toffee sauce? All this and more included!

  Brilliant Breakfasts. Lucky Lunchboxes. Super Snacks. Marvellous Main Courses. Delicious Desserts. Cakes & Cookies.