Friday 6 March 2015

Lips Touch by Laini Taylor

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.

Hatchling
Six days before Esme's fourteenth birthday, her left eye turns from brown to blue. She little suspects what the change heralds, but her small safe life begins to unravel at once. What does the beautiful, fanged man want with her, and how is her fate connected to a mysterious race of demons?


A collection of stories where old school magic finds its way into the modern world. I really liked them all but my favourite was the first one. Based on the only poem I've ever really liked, The Goblin Market, it tells of a traditional fairytale in middle of nowhere hicksville trying to tempt Kizzy into giving up her soul. But what teenage girl wouldn't give their soul for that perfect boy?

The second story was a little longer, which made for a great in-depth look at the curse and the girl growing up with it. I thought the whole back story of bargaining for souls and using curses was amazing, and realising the implications of using them. I didn't like the third and final story as much. It was fascinating and nicely complex but a little too long, weirdly. 

A great collection of short stories with magic and curses and forbidden kisses, plus Taylor's patented fantastical writing style. 

Published 24th October 2014 by Hodder and Stoughton. 

1 comment:

  1. I love this collection. Goblin Market is one of my favourite poems so I was so glad to see it been done justice.

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