Kiss the Girls

Book Description

"We begin with Alex Cross, the detective introduced in ALONG CAME A SPIDER. He's back, and this time it's personal. Alex's favorite niece, Naomi, a beautiful young woman, disappears from school at Duke University. The trail of evidence points to Wylie, a serial killer who takes sexual perversion to new heights.Wylie works in the Chapel Hill and Durham area of the South; his partner in depravity, Rudolph, finds his women in and around southern California. They are both serial freaks who have learned that there's strength in numbers. KISS THE GIRLS is about a secret sexual obsession of many men, and the nightmare of every woman in America. It is about a killer who takes women off the streets, who possesses them, subjugates them, keeps them captive, and murders many of them for ""disobedience.""Alex Cross encounters in the new South the most horrifying serial criminal in history. Eventually, it is believed that hundreds of women disappeared over a ten-year period. KISS THE GIRLS -- it's a roller-coaster, so hang on!"

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"We begin with Alex Cross, the detective introduced in ALONG CAME A SPIDER. He's back, and this time it's personal. Alex's favorite niece, Naomi, a beautiful young woman, disappears from school at Duke University. The trail of evidence points to Wylie, a serial killer who takes sexual perversion to new heights. Wylie works in the Chapel Hill and Durham area of the South; his partner in depravity, Rudolph, finds his women in and around southern California. They are both serial freaks who have learned that there's strength in numbers. KISS THE GIRLS is about a secret sexual obsession of many men, and the nightmare of every woman in America. It is about a killer who takes women off the streets, who possesses them, subjugates them, keeps them captive, and murders many of them for ""disobedience."" Alex Cross encounters in the new South the most horrifying serial criminal in history. Eventually, it is believed that hundreds of women disappeared over a ten-year period. KISS THE GIRLS -- it's a roller-coaster, so hang on!"

Customer Reviews:

Over the top.......2007-08-08

As is the case in nearly all James Patterson's novels, the villains are over the top here--geniuses, handsome devils, phi beta kappas--and the crimes they commit over years are well beyond belief. There are no crimes in real life to compare with those in this book or in other Alex Cross novels. Not even Jeffrey Dahmer or Jack the Ripper could compete with Casanova and his sidekick, The Gentleman Caller.

And Alex Cross, the psychologist police detective, is perhaps just a little too good in places and a bit naive, even blind, in others. Coupled with his character flaws are more serious plot flaws. Casanova has captured a good many women and is holding them in a cellar at a remote rural area. He parks his car some distance away and visits regularly to have his way with them. But when Cross goes looking there, he finds no path, and there surely must have been one with all the foot traffic in and out. Another flaw: Casanova gets some nasty karate kicks when he captures one victim, bone crushing kicks to the face, as they are characterized. Would there not have been clear signs of his injuries next day when he resumes his public persona? Didn't anyone notice that his nose was purple and bent sideways? It seems to me that the laws of physics apply in fiction, the same as in real life. There are other flaws as well, but two will suffice here. Certainly there are many readers who like crime fiction that goes far beyond reality, but for me it just gets funny, rather than scary, when the laws of nature are abrogated.

I have to add one observation with respect to this book and other Alex Cross novels: it is very dangerous for any woman to become closely involved with our hero. Such women get shot, raped, cut, traumatized for life, kidnapped, tortured, electrocuted, etc. Cross's love affairs are not to be envied, despite the fact that he keeps meeting gorgeous and willing females. Perhaps he should consider celibacy for the sake of society.

great book!.......2007-07-30

Maybe the best of the alex cross books! Women may not want to read this one, most that I know are too afraid to read this one. It is very good, far better than the movie. I saw the movie first and still loved the book. If you want to get into James Patterson books, start here (although along came a spider comes before this book)

An outstanding Read.......2007-07-04

Kiss the Girls is a roller coaster ride of twists and turns. Considered by most to be the best Alex Cross novel, Kiss the Girls is definetly worthy of that title.

Alex Cross is sent to North Carolina to investigate the kidnapping of his niece, Naomi Cross. Severel women have been kidnapped by the psychopath Casanova. One of them, soon-to-be docter Kate McTiernien, escapes from Casanova's hideout. Kate and Alex track Casanova down, and the revealation on who Casanova will shook you.

Mystery.......2007-07-03

Alex Cross the Great read. You should read the books in order of when they were written. They are always fun and fast moving reads with Alex Cross the supper cop or what ever he is or detective psychoanalyst. If you like a good mystery don't miss the Alex Cross books. This is an early book

A good read. Ignore the critics' nit-picks........2007-05-18

I enjoyed this book immensely. It is true that there are some very graphic descriptions of violent acts involving female victims. Graphic descriptions of violent acts are not rare in books of this genre, and I don't see the complaints if the victims are men. So, if you have a serious problem with violence against women this book is probably not for you.

The real hero (heroine) of the book is, in my opinion, Kate McTiernan. She is a tough, smart, determined woman who insists on pursuing, along with detective Alex Cross, the killer who had tormented and almost killed her. Of course it is unrealistic (as some reviewers complain) to suggest that a slim young woman, even one who is highly trained as a fighter, can get the better of a big young man who is also a well-trained fighter. But, it is possible and I have learned that, no matter how unlikely, most things that are possible do happen sometimes.

Other reviewers describe the story line, perhaps in more detail than is desirable, so I will not, other than to say it is a complex mystery story of kidnapping and murder.

Here, I would like to comment on some of the sarcastically phrased criticisms I have read on these pages. As I read them, I had to wonder if the critics were very young or just don't observe the real world very closely. For example, one critic stated that the ductwork in a house (a fifteen-room house in this case) would not accommodate a tall, slim man. No one, the critic states, has a two-foot air duct opening in a bedroom. Well, I don't have a fifteen-room house, but I do have a 40-inch wide by one-foot high air duct opening in my bedroom. That provides an opening area that is just slightly less than a 2-foot square opening. Fifteen-room homes have some very large ducts. There are comments about cops not doing "obvious" things, like shooting out tires or getting dogs to sniff out the killer. But, these things don't always work in the real world. There have, also, been real-world cases of abductors who have kept several young women captive (creating, in effect, a harem) for extended periods of time.

I agree that the ending is weak, but the story is good enough to overcome that defect.

As for the movie: I don't know why they even try to make movies from books like this - or most of the books by such authors as Dean Koontz, Michael Crichton, and Stephen King. There are scenes humans can create very well in their minds (assuming TV has not destroyed their imaginations) that don't translate well to visual imagery. Obviously, the scenes of violence (against women) have to be reduced or deleted entirely. Like them or not, those scenes are an integral part of the story. And Morgan Freeman is not the right actor for the role of Alex Cross. Don't waste your time with the movie.

Kiss and Run: The Single, Picky, and Indecisive Girl's Guide to Overcoming Fear of Commitment

Average customer rating:

really helpful book!
Great Resource
Great One

Kiss and Run: The Single, Picky, and Indecisive Girl's Guide to Overcoming Fear of Commitment
Elina Furman
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Love & Romance | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0743285131

Book Description

You May Be Commitment-Phobic If:

You have a mile-long list of requirements for your ideal mate

You go from one short-lived relationship to the next

You have a habit of dating "unavailable" men

You think many of your married friends have settled for less

You are constantly blowing "hot" and "cold" in your relationships

For years, it was the men who had the monopoly on commitment-phobia. Today, single women are the fastest-growing segment of the population, with over forty-seven million single women in this country and twenty-two million of them between the ages of twenty-five and forty-four. Whatever the reasons -- fear of divorce, increased financial independence, delayed motherhood -- more women than ever no longer feel the urgency, or the ability, to settle down. Lucky for this growing group of women, author and former commitment-phobe Elina Furman has written Kiss and Run, the first-ever book about female commitment anxiety.

Filled with fun quizzes, first-person testimonials, and step-by-step action plans, Kiss and Run includes the top-five panic buttons, advice for curbing overanalysis, and tips for fixing negative commitment scripts. You'll also find the seven types of commitment-phobes, including the Nitpicker, the Serial Dater, and the Long-Distance Runner.

Based on the stories of more than one hundred women, this straight-talking guide helps single women conquer commitment anxiety and say yes to love.

Customer Reviews:

really helpful book!.......2007-08-21

As an older "singleton" who is now contemplating settling down with my serious other, I have been lately struck by intense anxiety and inability to make a decision about the future. I ran, not walked, to get this book when I heard about it. I found it very well-written and even ocassionally funny. It is really helpful to know that I am not alone in finding it hard to make a commitment, no matter how great my guy is and I thought the practical suggestions in the last chapter were very useful. I definitely recommend this book!

Great Resource.......2007-02-16

The information is very applicable to young people searching for answers regarding thier love life. I would recommend this book to many of my friends.

Great One.......2007-02-15

This is a great one Elina, it hit the nail on the head in many areas for me. Being able to put into words what I was feeling, I never thought that it was possible, I always thought it was the man who had committment phobia, who would've guessed it could be the woman. That was never discussed before Thanks a lot for your help!!!! Keep up the good work

Sealed with a Kiss (Diary of a Crush, Book 3)

Average customer rating:

Great!!!!
THE BEST BOOKS IN THE WORLD!!
the best book out of the whole series!
I laughed, I cried....
awsome books

Sealed with a Kiss (Diary of a Crush, Book 3)
Sarra Manning
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142406481

Book Description

Edie and Dylan are finally a real couple, and to celebrate they're off on an amazing road trip across America. But nine weeks on the road in a foreign country is a long time—and a real test of their feelings for each other. Will it bring them even closer together, or break them apart forever?

Customer Reviews:

Great!!!!.......2007-03-07

I hated the ending I want to know more!! I want to know what happens next with Dylan and Edde. It was sad, but I love this book!!!

THE BEST BOOKS IN THE WORLD!!.......2006-11-11

No, im NOT crazy, but i AM crazy for these books!! I read 90% of the book and cried, laughed, screamed, and had an aboslute breakdown, but when i got to the other 10% of it, i could't make myself finish it because i felt like i was going to loose eddie and dylan forever, because i truely fell in love with eddie and dylan. I finally finished it, and cried for about an hour. I physically made 3 of my other friends that LOVE to read read it too, and they LOVED it just as much as i love it to. Everytime we talk about books, which is alot, because we all have read about every young adult book out there, we just look at eachother with sad eyes and begin to cry and laugh, and to this day, we say how much we love eddie and dylan. It was like we were living their lives. I know that sounds pretty pathetic, but you have NO idea until you read these books how absolutely FANTASTIC they are. If i could, i would make you physically read this series, but since i cant, all i CAN do, is promise you that you will not be upset at all. Well other then when the book is over! So go out and buy all 3 of the diary crush series(get all 3, so you wont have to wait to get the other one, otherwise your gonna go crazy!!) read all of them in one day, then cry, laugh, yell, scream, cry some more, and fall in love with eddie and dylan as me and my friends did, then make your friends read it. I promise you!!! I SWEARRRR!! That you will love these books your whole life, and never ever EVER forget them.

the best book out of the whole series!.......2006-07-27

I loved this book! It's my favorite out of the whole series and that's just because Dylan & Edie are finally together & you can finally sense that Edie has matured and that their relationship is on a whole different level than before.

It's not a crush anymore, it's love. At first, Edie has to deal with her parents getting used to the idea of her being with Dylan and she still has to think about what she's going to do with her life. Dylan then has an idea for them to take a roadtrip to America and they do go. But Dylan has a different agenda when they get there. And he's keeping secrets from Edie which is pulling them apart again.

Edie has to decide whether she really wants to stay with Dylan or not and it's not an easy decision. Read the first 2 books before you read this! Although I love this book, I have to agree with the other reviews that the ending wasn't great as I imagined. It just seems like there should be a sequel but the author, Sarra Manning, refuses to do a 4th one. And I agree since she said that they are now adults and she doesn't want to take the novel out of the YA genre. But overall, all the books in the series are fantastic. I can't wait to read the next novel she has coming out, Let's Get Lost! I am now addicted to Manning's writing but her books are so great! I recommend Guitar Girl & the DOAC novels.

I laughed, I cried...........2006-06-24

Book number three of the series was by far my favorite. (You have to read them in order or they won't make sense). Our lovebirds Dylan and Edie embark on an American adventure and let the fun and arguing begin. I laughed and I cried with this book. This book I will read again and again.

awsome books.......2006-06-23

if you have not read these diary of a crush books you should. first there are three books but doac 3 is about dylan and edie going on a roadtrip to america. I read this book in one day it's that good and funny. but you have to read them in order or it won't be as good.

Average customer rating:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
Pucker up for a summer romance that will leave you breathless
Cute for all ages

First Kisses 1: Trust Me (First Kisses)
Rachel Hawthorne
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0061143081
Release Date: 2006-12-26

Book Description

Oh. No. This can't be happening. Me and Sean Reed? "Trust Partners" for the entire counselors–in–training program? Sean may have deep blue eyes that make my heart flutter whenever he looks at me, but he's always been a troublemaker. Being thrown together all summer? That is so not going to work. Even if he does have a really, really nice smile.

Trust me on this.

Customer Reviews:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-02-13

Jess had an amazing summer all lined up. She's finally old enough to be a counselor with all her friends at summer camp. Now, she's just found out that her partner for training week is Sean, her nemesis. Every time she thinks that he's nice, he does something drastic to change her opinion of him. This summer, she won't let herself trust him, no matter how cute he's gotten.

With all the other counselors pairing off, Jess and Sean must find a way to work together. When the group goes out into the forest for a trust walk, each pair has to make their way back to camp by themselves, with one partner blindfolded. Will they make it out of the forest as friends or foes?

TRUST ME is the first book in a new series dealing with first kisses, friendship, and drama. These fun reads are stand alone titles and are perfect for middle school girls. I recommend this series to girls looking for a little romance.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel

Pucker up for a summer romance that will leave you breathless.......2007-01-18

Fourteen-year-old Jessica "Jess" Kane, and her best friend, Elizabeth "Liz" Stewart have spent the last four years at Camp Lone Star as lowly campers. But this year, the two pals want to be seen as more mature and responsible - and be noticed by some of the adorable older camp counselors. So they decide to attend Camp Lone Star as something slightly different...counselors. Sure, it won't be all fun and games, because the two will be watching over their charges, and trying to arrange different activities to keep them entertained, but they'll have the opportunity to kick-start their love lives, in preparation for their freshman year at Memorial High. However, when Jess realizes that her arch-nemesis for the past four years, Sean Reed, has also been chosen as a counselor this summer, she's furious. Sure, he has a killer smile, and eyes so blue you could drown in them, but he's also one of the biggest troublemakers she's ever encountered, having placed a snake in her bed in the past, and cheated during the end-of-summer Capture the Flag game last year. Jess can't stand to even look at his smug face. But she'll be doing a lot more than just looking at him, when she's stuck as his partner for a week of Counselor-In-Training (CIT) program, to prepare the incoming counselors for their new duties. Okay, so Jess may have to be paired up with the little snake, but she doesn't have to like it. However, when Jess realizes that the two partners will have to take part in a series of trust games, Jess feels like calling it quits, packing up her stuff, and heading home instantly. There's no way that she can trust Sean. Especially when just a glimpse of him makes her heart flutter, and every time they touch she feels an electric charge that is both exciting and scary. But Jess isn't about failure. And if she wants to make it through this week, and the next month, she'll have to suck up her pride and make the most of her situation: no matter how much it hurts.

The moment I learned about the FIRST KISSES series, I was ecstatic. It seems that tween girls have very little to choose from in terms of novels, as many releases are geared towards teens (with more mature storylines), or younger readers. FIRST KISSES isn't like that. This series is proof that the tween genre is becoming a hot commodity, as it focuses on girls teetering in limbo between childhood and teenagedom. Rachel Hawthorne has done a marvelous job with the introductory novel TRUST ME. Her characters are realistic, and likable; while her storylines present extremely relatable situations that will help readers identify with Jess, Liz, Sean, and the rest of the counselors-in-training. While Jess can oft-times be slightly over-dramatic, her determination to make it through an extremely harsh week is admirable; while her ability to stick it out with someone she appears to loathe so much is refreshing. The setting is also noteworthy, as it puts the characters in a situation where they are in charge, without the interference of parents. I can only say that if the rest of the FIRST KISSES novels are even half as enjoyable as TRUST ME, they will be worth reading. Pucker up for a summer romance that will leave you breathless.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Cute for all ages.......2007-01-01

As soon as I saw the First Kisses series available for pre-order on Amazon I knew I had to have them! I just recently bought the first two and thought they were great. What I love about this series is that they're good for pre-teens as well as teens. The main characters in these books are around the age of 14, and the common thread is that they have never been kissed before.

Trust Me is about a girl named Jess. She and her best friend Liz have been going to the same summer camp for 4 years straight, but this year it's different, they're counselors now instead of campers. Jess thinks this summer will be the best one yet, until she is shocked to find out her "trust partner" for the counselor training week is Sean Reed. A boy she hates and definitely can't trust.
At first I was annoyed at Jess for being so immature, (she didn't trust Sean because of some pranks he pulled on her in the past years at camp), but she grew up by the end, and found out alot of things she never would have guessed about Sean.

Trust Me definitely kick-started this series, it's fastpaced, cute, and as you read you see how the main character grows and matures. I definitely recommend it to all girls above 10.

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Kiss the Girls
James Patterson
Manufacturer: Little, Brown & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0002241277

Kiss and Make Up (Diary of a Crush, Book 2)

Average customer rating:

Good!
Loved it
Read this book in a day, thats how good it is!

Kiss and Make Up (Diary of a Crush, Book 2)
Sarra Manning
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Love & Romance | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0142406422

Book Description

It's sizzling summertime, and Edie can't wait for the partying to start. Trying to forget about the dastardly Dylan, Edie's taking her new squeeze Carter to the Glastonbury music festival to have some fun. But guess who's there already, looking totally gorgeous? That's right . . .

Customer Reviews:

Good!.......2007-03-07

It is the continuing story of Dylan and Edde. They are constantly fighting and then making up. I am glad with what happens in the end. I am excited for this story to continue.

Loved it.......2006-07-27

I've read all 3 books in the Diary of a Crush series. With number 1 & 3 being my favorite ones. This is the second one and I still love it even though it's my least favorite in the series. (WARNING: Don't read this part if you haven't read the first book in the series: French Kiss)

Even though everything seems ok at the end of the 1st book, things don't stay that way. Edie and Dylan are having major relationship problems and then it comes down to the point where something major happens and Dylan & Edie break up.

But that is just only the beginning. Later, when she returns from a summer apart from Dylan, she finds out that everything had changed. Dylan is now dating the queen of evil Veronique, Shona gets closer to Veronique and stops hanging out w/ Edie,and Edie is trying to get through life. Even though Dylan is with someone else, he still wants Edie as a friend and Edie accepts but of course it can't be that easy! More conflict occurs.

I'm not giving the whole thing away so go read it!! I have to admit that I really did like this one but it's just not as strong as the 1 & 2 of the DOAC series.

Read this book in a day, thats how good it is!.......2006-06-23

After reading the first book (French Kiss) I ran right out and bought this book. I read this whole book in one day because I couldn't put it down. The romance of Edie and Dylan just sucks you in and you have to know which direction they are going to go in next.

No More Frogs to Kiss: 99 Ways to Give Economic Power to Girls

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No More Frogs to Kiss: 99 ways to Give Economic Power to
Now teenage girls can learn about making money

No More Frogs to Kiss: 99 Ways to Give Economic Power to Girls
Joline Godfrey
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Motivation & Self-Improvement | Business Life | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Vocational Guidance | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Introduction | Investing | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Personal Finance | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Money Management for Women | Personal Finance | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Entrepreneurship | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0887306594

Book Description

A practical and inspirational guide for helping the girls of today become the economically empowered women of tomorrow -- featuring a foreword by Gloria Steinem.

For Parents, teachers and anyone eager to help girls avoid the traditional paths that lead to economic dependence on men, Joline Godfrey has created No More Frogs to Kiss, the essential handbook for arming the next generation of women with the knowledge and experience they need to ensure their economic independence.

The guide contains 99 entertaining "action plans" to teach girls how to become financially empowered. They will learn to find deals in the marketplace, use business vocabulary intelligently, start a small home business more profitable (and fun) than baby-sitting and develop the habit of saving for the future. Accompanying each activity are provocative statistics about women and money, as well as stories of girls and women who have succeeded in their own business ventures. Also included is a resource section that provides suggestions for further reading, a directory of organizations and a glossary of business terms.

"At last! A book of practical, simple and enjoyable activities that will give the girls and young women in your life the opportunity to learn that business is both fun and profitable." -- Alice Ball, President, Girls Incorporated

Customer Reviews:

No More Frogs to Kiss: 99 ways to Give Economic Power to.......2000-02-05

This book is an easy and quick read and has some excellent suggestions that you can start implementing right away. My daughter had just returned from a concert and we sat down and talked about all the ways the concert helped the local community, ranging from people flying in to attend the concert, staying at a hotel as well as restaurants. Gives allot of good ideas to start implementing right away with your child.

Now teenage girls can learn about making money.......1998-06-16

Growing out of her studies of women entrepreneurs, Ms. Godfrey formed the group An Income of Her Own. The educational foundation is designed to level the playing field, by providing teenage girls with the same opportunities that teenage boys traditionally enjoy: namely, to learn at a young age how money is made. This book is full of hands-on ideas for educating girls in business on a local level. END

Kiss Me Goodnight: Stories And Poems By Women Who Were Girls When Their Mothers Died

Average customer rating:

Powerful words, powerful book!
We Need More Beautiful Places to Grieve
a ver y healing book
All will be touched by these stories
Moving, Eloquent and Accessible

Kiss Me Goodnight: Stories And Poems By Women Who Were Girls When Their Mothers Died

Manufacturer: Syren Book Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Death & Grief | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Grief & Bereavement | Death & Grief | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Child Care | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:

ASIN: 0929636333
Release Date: 2005-02-01

Product Description

Losing your mother when very young is a devastating experience. The authors featured in Kiss Me Goodnight recall the lost moments they shared with their mothers, exploring their feelings, longings, and how they have learned to cope with loss through their adult lives. Unlike other books on motherlessness, KMG reveals the experience through stories, poems, and essays giving an intimate and highly personal view of mother loss. These women are courageous. They write vivid and haunting descriptions of the cancer, suicide, alcoholism, accidents, Nazis, and other agents of death that killed their mothers. They also capture the sweet memories of their mothers -- the color and smell of their clothes, the taste of the food they prepared, the light on their faces, the texture of their hair, and the memory of their kisses. Kiss Me Goodnight includes a collection of 25 short stories and essays and 72 poems written by 52 authors. Their work was chosen by a panel of reviewers who read hundreds of submissions from all over the United States - submissions that came from one tiny ad in a national poetry magazine.The majority of these women, who range in age from 15 to 80-plus, are published poets and short story writers. The works are presented in alphabetical order by last name of author and are interspersed with photographic images of some of the authors with their mothers.

Customer Reviews:

Powerful words, powerful book!.......2005-10-27

Get out a new hanky or get the tissue box ready. You'll need it!

In Kiss Me Good Night the editors compiled stories from 47 women who recall their mother's death (if they remember) or how they feel now.

The women, through prose or poetry, tell about their mothers and how certain sounds, smells, tastes and things like seeing a purse (like their mother had) trigger strong emotions of loss and longing--and remembrance.

This unique sisterhood opened their hearts and souls to us, and make us appreciate our mom more--if she's alive, or relieved we were not a young child when she left this earth.

Many women are from an era when people did not talk about death or dying to children, and that left them confused. Many times when the mother died, young children were dispersed to relatives, raised apart, because the father could not work and cope with raising children alone.

Who do you talk to? How do you understand?

Missing their mothers as mom and role model and feeling the loss of her nurturing, these women found that talking to others, even all these years later, was therapeutic. And writing allowed them to help many others.

My most lasting word image is one woman looking through a photo album of a mom she vaguely remembers and seeing a "Kodachrome vitality." Maybe that's a reminder to us to keep family pictures updated to capture our own vitality.

Armchair Interviews says: Powerful, powerful words and the emotions they bring. Kiss Me Goodnight is for those women who have already lost their mother--and those who cannot even bear to think about that happening to them.

We Need More Beautiful Places to Grieve.......2005-09-27

I have vastly enjoyed this book of writings and poems by those who have
lost their mother. It moved me to tears and then to an urgent sense that
I must share this book. We need more beautiful places to grieve our
losses. Becoming whole is a life's work, and grieving fully and sharing
stories that break the spell is part of the process. "Kiss Me Goodnight"
gives one a haven to do so and serves this sacred process."
Marilyn Zimmerman, Associate Professor, Dept. of Art and Art History,
Wayne State University, photography/installation/performance artist
and curator

a ver y healing book.......2005-07-01

For anyone who has experienced the loss of their mother at a young age -- a very important reminder that grief is not always a bad thing...

All will be touched by these stories.......2005-06-29

This book is a touching collection of poetry and personal stories that will move any reader. Through these women's specific stories, we get to our own personal feelings; the feelings are universal. Although my mother lived till she was 96, I can relate to the depth of emotion expressed by the writers, the poignancy of their observations, the sweetness or anger or loneliness of their images. A non-Catholic, I am deeply moved by Ann Murphy O'Fallon's essay, "Lilacs." She tells how it was when she was nine and the priest came to give her mother Extreme Unction, and they had to dress up for him. Her 13-year-old sister tells her, "It's because she is dying, don't you know anything?" Joanne Kelley ends her poem, "Missing," with the lines, "Imagine a winter so hard that no birds survive and nothing moves in the ice." Cindy Washabaugh writes in her poem, "For Pam, Who Can't Remember," "Grandma stood at the stove crying in the same small voice she laughed in, making Campbell's soup for everyone at 8:45 in the morning because, she said, soup makes you feel better."

Moving, Eloquent and Accessible.......2005-06-20

Such a brave and often amazing collection--in these never sentimental, always eloquent poems and essays, daughters tell it like it is to have lost the most important person in your young life. And I'm grateful that before each writer speaks, the editors tell me in what way and how old the daughter was when her mother died. In a perfect world, a mother should live long enough to be a comfort and then a vexation and ultimately the wise (or unwise) woman she always was. These women had to make that journey all by themselves. It is a privilege to hear how they did it.

First Kisses 2: The Boyfriend Trick (First Kisses)

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Courtesy of Teens Read Too
A rebellious ride through the ups and downs of first love!

First Kisses 2: The Boyfriend Trick (First Kisses)
Stephie Davis
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 006114309X
Release Date: 2006-12-26

Book Description

Naturally, I don't want to attend the semiformal with a pity date, which is why I told my friends I have a boyfriend: this really cute drummer, Rafe. (I wish!) What's the big deal? Well, Rafe already has a girlfriend, plus now he thinks I have a boyfriend. So I have two imaginary boyfriends, and still no date for the dance. What was I even thinking?

Would a guy like Rafe ever date a nobody like me?

Customer Reviews:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-02-13

Lily loves music, or at least she used to. Now playing the piano is her life and she's missing out on all the normal stuff. When her friends come back from spring break, each with hair highlights and talking about boys, Lily knows something's changed within their group. She feels like an outcast and she rebels against her teacher and her parents.

They come up with a solution where Lily will play keyboard in her piano teacher's nephew's band for a month to regain her passion for music. The catch? She's crushing over Rafe, the nephew, and mentioned to her friends that they're dating. Now her friends want to meet him and all kinds of lies are flying out of her mouth. How can she balance everything in her life and show off her coolness?

The BOYFRIEND TRICK offers an outlook on passion, being different while fitting in, and the crazy world of boys.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Rummel

A rebellious ride through the ups and downs of first love!.......2007-01-20

Fourteen-year-old Lily Gardner wants normality in her life. She wants stability. But instead she's forced to contend with child prodigy ratings regarding her piano playing talent. But she's had it. While all of her friends were off tanning, buying more-adult bras at Victoria's Secret, and chasing the sophomore lacrosse players at Inverness during their Spring Break vacations, Lily was on a two-week tour of Massachusetts with the Mueller-Fordham School of Music, playing for senior citizens homes, and banquets. Sure there were boys her own age on tour, as well, but they were beyond geeky, and actually appeared to enjoy what they were doing. Which is something that Lily can't relate to. There was a time, once, when Lily relished the time she played the piano, but that time has long passed. No more does she get goosebumps while tickling the ivories. She has simply lost her passion. That is, until she meets her strict piano instructor, Miss Jespersen's, aka Crusty, totally hot, and uber talented nephew, Rafe. Rafe is the drummer for a hip band called Mass Attack. A band that is in dire need of a keyboard player who doesn't struggle with the material. Lily thinks that she would be perfect for the job, but Rafe's current girlfriend, Paige, is Mass Attack's keyboard player, and she's not digging the way Lily drools all over Rafe. When Miss Jespersen comes up with the idea to allow Lily to forgo classical music lessons for a month, and replace them with being Mass Attack's new keyboard player, Lily is ecstatic. Unfortunately, she's also caught in the middle of a mess. After all, she's the victim of a big mouth, and has managed to make Rafe think that she's dating a hottie from Inverness, while her friends think that she's dating Rafe. Now, Lily has to either keep her pals away from Rafe, or fess up to her lies before the truth comes out, and mortifies her even more than those cheesy corduroy get-ups she's expected to wear to recitals.

I didn't think it was possible, considering the FIRST KISSES novels are all penned by different authors, but, I have to admit that THE BOYFRIEND TRICK was just as enjoyable as the first installment by Rachel Hawthorne, TRUST ME. While the storyline is slightly more mature at times, THE BOYFRIEND TRICK still manages to stay light and funny, and completely age-appropriate for tweens, as well as their older sisters. Stephie Davis has done a remarkable job of taking some extremely complicated issues - such as pressure from parents, first kisses, lying, and rebellion - and put a fun spin on them, making sure that a point gets across, yet not by talking down to the reader. Lily is a fun character, whose rebellious nature is intoxicating. Her willingness to be herself, even if she is slightly nerdy, is enjoyable; while her ability to speak up, and stand up against her parents, music teacher, and even some of the guys she's chilling with shows that she's mature. While Davis' BOYS series was flashy, and unique, THE BOYFRIEND TRICK is even more exciting, for it combines the worlds of classical and modern rock music, while at the same time throwing in a slew of fun characters who know how to shake it! A rebellious ride through the ups and downs of first love!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Kiss the Girls and Make Them Spy: An Original Jane Bond Parody

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Couldn't put it down? No, more like I couldn't finish it.
Wonderfully surprising
A definate "Must Read"
Not at all what I expected, but still fun.
Disappointing - Bond fans beware

Kiss the Girls and Make Them Spy: An Original Jane Bond Parody
Mabel Maney
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0380803100
Release Date: 2001-07-03

Amazon.com

Ian Fleming's bestselling thrillers relied for their appeal on the attractions of danger, especially in the sexual allure of their handsome, fearless, hardhearted hero, James Bond. Although the Bond of the movies is as devoted a womanizer as the character in the books, his sadistic tendencies are played down, as is his mental instability. In the most recent films, even the ubiquitous Bond cigarette is gone. Is nothing sacred?

Now Mabel Maney's giddy and outrageous spoof of the Bond books ousts the main character himself. As her story opens, James has been locked away in a Swiss sanitarium, having at last "lost his nerve." The British Secret Service plots to recruit his bookish, unambitious lesbian twin sister, Jane, hoping that in disguise, she will be a convincing stand-in for the world-famous agent.

Although thrilled by the tailored suit the government provides, Jane is a reluctant spy. What she doesn't know is that her new girlfriend, Bridget, ostensibly a cosmetic sales girl, is in fact a feminist counterspy struggling to foil a fascist scheme to put the aging Duke and Duchess of Windsor on the throne. Will Bridget misplace her top-secret cipher panties in a moment of passion? Can Jane avoid being killed for England? Can she keep the suit? With her usual flair for period detail, Maney (The Case of the Good-for-Nothing Girlfriend) paints a vivid, irreverent picture of the Bond era and spoofs Fleming's lingering romance with Empire. --Regina Marler

Book Description

Sometimes the Best Bond for a Job is a Jane ... Jane Bond.
"What's the story on Bond?"
"Your man is a homicidal depressive paranoiac," the doctor reported.
"I know that. I want to know what's wrong with him!
And be straight with me, man. No medical mumbo jumbo."
"He's lost his nerve."

N. had suspected as much. After a long while spent staring at the jagged skyline of London, N. came to a decision. He had no other choice but to go through with Pumpernickel's ridiculous plan.

Enter Bond, Jane Bond, James's lesbian twin sister and haoless bookstore employee, who steps in to masquerade as her brother at an awards ceremony with the queen. But when the dastardly Sons of Britain (S.O.B.s), a nefarious fraternity plotting to bring the Duke and Duchess of Windsor back to power, show up, it's up to some unexpected heros to save the day. The Powder Puff Girls -- makeup salespersons by day, secret agents by night -- step in to secure the future of Britain while Jane keeps her brother's reputation intact...both in and out of the bedroom!

Customer Reviews:

Couldn't put it down? No, more like I couldn't finish it. .......2006-03-28

Mabel Maney has a weird take on lesbian erotica. She writes lesbian fiction alright, but without any hint of erotica! I mean, I have always dearly loved the thought of a female James Bond out there, making it with those beautiful "Bond women" we've seen on the big screen, and so I purchased this book with incredibly high expectations! That was my mistake. I wanted a fantasy, but ended up with Mabel's non-erotic sense of humor writing style. Don't get me wrong - she's a wonderful author! Just don't expect any kind of an erotic fantasy element in this one and you'll be just fine.

Wonderfully surprising.......2005-06-30

I heard about Mabel Maney through an online book group when asking for names of interesting gay and lesbian authors and decided on "Kiss the Girls" as my first foray into her world. I'm very glad I did.

Never having read the James Bonds books or actively watched the movies, I knew very little of the style to be expected beyond the basic phrases and visual clues of "typical Bond," but this proved to matter very little as the book's story line was well crafted and easy to follow (not to mention hysterical) that the book required no prior knowledge of the world renowned spy.

The character Jane Bond and her love interest Bridget St. Claire had marvelous dialogue that surpassed expectation as I am used to the tripe most mystery novels pass as how people actually speak. Their interactions were always quite flirtatious and funny leaving me giggling and anxious for more. Their romance was also handled in a very sophisticated manner, without going too much into detail but still mentioning enough every now and then (maybe five times throughout the whole book) to keep us stimulated and remind us that their relationship is more than just subtle touches and coy dialogue.

The prose as well had subtle nuances that made the read very enjoyable. Even the simplest of sentences made me laugh. Such as the end of a particular passage when Jane is trying to show her suavest side when exiting the bar with her newest conquest: "Jane got up, slung her jacket over her shoulder, and tossed down Bridget's martini. There was no sense in letting good liquor go to waste. Except for the part where she choked on the olive, Jane thought it was a rather smooth exit" (58).

The spy, Agent Pumperknickle, accompanying Bond was also quite humorous with little quirks that made him laughable but endearing.

The entire book was such an enjoyable read that I managed to read half of it in one sitting. I plan on purchasing more of her novels in the future and look forward to more of her work.

A definate "Must Read".......2004-01-08

This was the first of Mabel Maneys books I read, and I have to say that I fell in love with it right from the start. It is unlike any other book I have read. It is extremely witty and I couln't stop reading it! I felt like I was riding the story with Jane and when it ended, I sat for a moment expecting another page or two to turn up out of nowhere. Bring on a sequel!

Just remember, this is a spoof. It's a parody of James Bond. In fact, Jane Bond is James Bonds twin and she has to step in for him on "awfully important" official business for the queen whilst her brother is indisposed...

This book has everything we love about James Bond movies; girls, unbelievable inventions, girls, twists and turns, girls, disguises, girls, intrigue, girls, sex and have I mentioned girls? BUT in this James/Jane Bond story, instead of Pierce Brosnan, Sean Connery or Roger Moore, the hero is in fact a herione who does not dissapoint.

I read this book again and again and each time I found some clue that I missed in the previous readings. It is pure genius the way she sets this out. WELL DONE!!!

Read it before you read any other Mabel Maney books (The Case of the Good for Nothing Girlfriend, Hardly Boys, etc).

Not at all what I expected, but still fun........2003-09-14

What I expected out of this book was "In this book, the part of James Bond will be played by a tall, dark, handsome lesbian."

What I got was "In this book, the part of the normal person pressed into service trying to impersonate James Bond will be played by a tall, dark, handsome lesbian."

A good concept, but I'd rather have seen the other. Still, I must say that this book does a marvellous job of parodying the James Bond novels, something that's hard to do considering that the originals are so close to self-parody. How often can one claim, in all honesty, that the characters in a parody are better-developed and less cardboard than those in the original? One can here; granted, the peripheral characters, like Agents Pumpernickel and 008 and Chief "N" are two-dimensional, but not really any more so than typical characters in a James Bond novel, while Jane and her friend Simon are significantly better-rounded than anyone likely to appear in those books. And while names like "Pumpernickel" and "Tupenny" seem like sufficiently silly names to qualify for parody, are they really any sillier than "Moneypenny"? (To say nothing of names from the movies, like "Pussy Galore"; I don't know whether that one made it into the book, since I've never read the book version of "Goldfinger".) Still, the plot was silly enough to be clearly a parody, and I suppose that that is why the book succeeds.

Disappointing - Bond fans beware.......2002-10-12

After enjoying Mabel Maney's previous books (Nancy Clue, Hardly Boys), I was excited to see a spy parody novel and looked forward to my weekend alone with the book. Unfortunately, the book didn't live up to my expectations. Partly this is because I love spy movies, and so while I wanted humor and parody, I also wanted Jane Bond to be at least somewhat competent and interesting (she was not). I wanted some cleverness to the storyline. I wanted the characters to speak with different voices, not all sound like an aspect of the same person. It comes off as rather smug humor after a while. I sort of felt as though Maney was doing her imitation of Armistead Maupin (author of Tales of the City).

Check out the Nancy Clue books before picking up Kiss the Girls and Make Them Spy -- because I want you to see that Maney does have a fun sense of humor. I just don't find it in this book.

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