Lips Touch: Three Times

by Laini Taylor, Jim Di Bartolo (Illustrator)

Overview

In the style of Stephenie Meyer, three tales of supernatural love that all hinge on a life-changing kiss.

Three tales of supernatural love, each pivoting on a kiss that is no mere kiss, but an action with profound consequences for the kissers' souls: Goblin Fruit: In Victorian times, goblin men had only to offer young girls sumptuous fruits to tempt them to sell their souls. But what does it take to tempt today's savvy girls? Spicy Little Curses: A demon and the ambassador to Hell tussle over the soul of a beautiful English girl in India. Matters become complicated when she falls in love and decides to test her curse.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545231787
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	11/01/2009
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	980,412
Lexile:	990L (what's this?)
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Jim Di Bartolo is a mixed-media illustrator, painter, and visual storyteller. In his freelance career he has illustrated novels, comic books, and role-playing games. He and his wife, the author Laini Taylor, have collaborated on several books, and their most recent joint effort, Lips Touch: Three Times, was a National Book Award finalist. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and their daughter, and can be found online at jimdibartolo.com. Chances are, he probably could use more sleep.
Laini Taylor is the author of DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE. She is also the creator of the Laini's Ladies line of gifts and stationery. Laini lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and her daughter.

Editorial Reviews

Taylor offers a powerful trio of tales, each founded upon the consequences of a kiss. She explores the potentially awkward conceit in three dramatically different fantasies, each featuring a young female protagonist out of place in the world she inhabits: contemporary Kizzy, who so yearns to be a normal, popular teenager that she forgets the rules of her Old Country upbringing and is seduced by a goblin in disguise; Anamique, living in British colonial India, silenced forever due to a spell cast upon her at birth; and Esmé, who at 14 discovers she is host to another—nonhuman—being. The stories build in complexity and intensity, culminating in the breathtaking “Hatchling,” which opens with a spectacularly gripping prologue (“Esmé swayed on her feet. These weren't her memories. This wasn't her eye”). Each is, in vividly distinctive fashion, a mesmerizing love story that comes to a satisfying but never predictable conclusion. Di Bartolo's illustrations provide tantalizing visual preludes to each tale, which are revealed as the stories unfold. Even nonfantasy lovers will find themselves absorbed by Taylor's masterful, elegant work. Ages 12–up. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Gr 9 Up—Three exquisitely crafted short stories (Arthur A. Levine Books, 2009) by Laini Taylor, National Book Award finalist and author of the Dreamdark books, are brought vividly to life by Cassandra Campbell in this excellent recording. Each of these dark, delicious tales resonates with the incontrovertible longing for connection. In "Goblin Fruit," Kizzy desperately wants to be noticed by a boy and is found, instead, by a goblin. Estella struggles with a demon over the value of souls in "Spicy Little Curses Such as These," and Anamique pays the price. In "The Hatchling," an immortal queen who no longer eats or has use for an innocent touch of lips keeps a human pet for reasons she has long forgotten. Campbell conveys an astonishing depth and complexity of character by employing accents and inflections that showcase these bittersweet supernatural tales.—Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI

School Library Journal

In this illustrated collection of two short stories and one novella, which borrow elements of folklore, Hinduism and Zoroastrianism, a life-altering kiss steers the lives of three teenage girls. Embarrassed by her Old World parents, high-school junior Kizzy knows all the tricks the goblins use to steal girls' souls. But can she resist the charm of handsome new student Jack Husk when she's never been kissed? During the British Empire in India, Anamique, cursed into silence by the Ambassador to Hell, yearns for love-but at what cost? The delectable language of these stories cannot save the sluggish pacing of the final novella, in which Esme wakes to find that one of her dark eyes has turned blue. As she discovers the cause, she also learns her connection to her mother's tortuous past and the forest demons called the Druj. In the midst of these goblins, fiery gods and demons, Taylor reminds readers what makes them human. Holly Black and Melissa Marr fans will find this collection ripe for the tasting. Di Bartolo's illustrations not seen. (author's note) (Supernatural short stories. 13 & up)

Kirkus Reviews

"Taylor offers a powerful trio of tales, each founded upon the consequences of a kiss...Even nonfantasy lovers will find themselves absorbed by Taylor's masterful, elegant work." — Publishers Weekly, starred review"Look beyond the title and cover art: Taylor's three novellas form a triptych of beautiful fantasy writing reminiscent of Charles de Lint and Neil Gaiman...Di Bartolo, Taylor's husband, provides skillfully detailed pen-and-ink illustrations that are a fine match for the lyrical, romantic text." — Booklist, starred review"[D]electable language . . . In the midst of these goblins, fiery gods and demons, Taylor reminds readers what makes them human. Holly Black and Melissa Marr fans will find this collection ripe for the tasting." — Kirkus ReviewsA National Book Award FinalistA Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2009A YALSA Best Book for Young Adults

From the Publisher

Cassandra Campbell breathes life into Taylor’s fantasy collection, nominated for the National Book Award. Her Eastern European accents work beautifully with the rich mythologies in these three darkly romantic tales. A handsomely disguised goblin tempts a despondent girl in “Goblin Fruit,” a vengeful demon curses an innocent babe to wield a deadly voice in “Spicy Little Curses Such as These,” and immortal hunters possess the unaware in “Hatchling.” Each story carefully sets the stage for a perfect and deadly kiss. Campbell’s charismatic narration tempts listeners to enter these dark and seductive worlds. Outstanding fantasy blended with excellent pacing and an eloquent reading deliver a compelling listening experience. J.M. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2011 - AudioFile