The Girls He Adored : A Novel

Book Description

For ten years, the charmingly disheveled veteran FBI Special Agent E.L. Pender has been investigating the apparently random disappearances of a dozen women across the country. The only detail the cases have in common is the strawberry blond color of the victims' hair, and the presence of a mystery man with whom they were last seen.

Then, in Monterey, California, a routine traffic stop erupts into a scene of horrific violence. The local police are stunned by a disemboweled strawberry blond victim and an ingenious killer with multiple alternating personalities. Pender is convinced he has found his man, but before he can prove it, the suspect stages a cunning jailbreak and abducts his court-appointed psychiatrist, Irene Cogan.

In a house on a secluded ridge in Oregon, Irene must navigate through the minefield of her captor's various egos -- male and female, brilliant and nave, murderous and passive -- all of whom are dominated by Max, a seductive killer who views her as both his prisoner and his salvation. Irene knows that to survive she must play along with Max's game of sexual perversion. Only then will she be able to strip back the layers to discover a chilling story of a shattered young boy -- and all the girls he adored.

A sexually charged thriller of extraordinary originality and page-turning suspense, The Girls He Adored moves furiously from the inner recesses of the psyche to its final, startling climax. Jonathan Nasaw brilliantly portrays two equally intense characters -- a deviant killer and the expert who can unlock his darkest secrets -- and introduces one of the most likable sleuths in recent fiction.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful!.......2003-02-21

This is a great work of fiction. It is well written and masterful. It keeps you hanging on, wondering what will come next. It is a brilliant look inside the mind of a serial killer. It's a definate must!

Average customer rating:

Best Book i've read in a long time
Sick...in a good way!
Fascinating!
Not Bad
One of my favorite Top 10 all time books!

The Girls He Adored
Jonathan Nasaw
Manufacturer: Pocket Star
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0671787454

Amazon.com

Of all the rules a serial killer might choose to ignore, the costliest may be rolling through a red light within sight of a vigilant sheriff's deputy. But in Jonathan Nasaw's latest thriller, The Girls He Adored, that's exactly what he does. As the deputy tells it: "But when I look in, I see this blond girl, couldn't have been more than eighteen, she's sitting straight up holding her stomach with both hands. She's wearing a white sweater that looks like it's dyed in overlapping bands of red at the bottom, and she has the strangest expression on her face. Just, you know, puzzled--I'll never forget that expression. I ask her if she's okay, she lifts up her sweater with both hands, and her guts spill out on her lap."

A number of strawberry blondes have disappeared over the past 11 years. If rumpled FBI Special Agent E.L. Pender's correct, the unfortunate woman above is number 13. The good news is that "Casey" (after the gent with a passion for strawberry blondes from the song "And the Band Played On") is in custody, undergoing evaluation by court-appointed psychologist Irene Cogan.

The bad news is that before Pender can prove that Casey--or, given his dissociative identity disorder, Max, Christopher, Kinch, Lyssy, Alicia, et al-- is his man, the suspect breaks jail, gives Pender the slip, and takes Dr. Cogan on a hellish ride of psychosexual perversion. It ends on a nightmarish farm that could scare the pants off Dante.

How much Nasaw owes to Thomas Harris and his friend Hannibal Lecter is beside the point. In Casey/Max, Nasaw's crafted a true monstrosity; in Irene, a masterful adversary; in E.L. Pender, a cop as fine and likable as any you've met in some time. And he's wrapped them in a story like none you've lately read. --Michael Hudson

Book Description

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A twisted and sexually charged thriller of extraordinary originality and page-turning suspense, THE GIRLS HE ADORED moves furiously from the inner recesses of the psyche to its startling climax. Jonathan Nasaw brilliantly portrays two equally intense characters -- a deviant killer and the expert who can unlock his darkest secrets -- and introduces one of the most likable sleuths in recent fiction. For ten years, the charmingly disheveled veteran FBI Special Agent E.L. Pender has been investigating the apparently random disappearances of a dozen women across the country. The only detail the cases have in common is the strawberry blonde color of the victims' hair, and the presence of a mystery man with whom they were last seen. Then, in Monterey, California, a routine traffic stop erupts into a scene of horrific violence. The local police are stunned by a disemboweled strawberry blonde victim and an ingenious killer with multiple alternating personalities. Pender is convinced he has found his man, but before he can prove it, the suspect stages a cunning jailbreak and abducts his court-appointed psychiatrist, Irene Cogan. In a house of horrors on a secluded ridge in Oregon, Irene must navigate through the minefield of her captor's various egos -- male and female, brilliant and naive, murderous and passive -- all of whom are dominated by Max, a seductive killer who views her as both his prisoner and his salvation. Irene knows that to survive she must play along with Max's game of sexual perversion. Only then will she be able to strip back the layers to discover a chilling story of a shattered young boy -- and all the girls he adored.

Customer Reviews:

Best Book i've read in a long time.......2007-08-01

This book is masterfully written, if you like thrillers without a lot of romance and fluff. But full of beleivable scenerios then you want this book.

Sick...in a good way!.......2007-01-30

The Girls He Adored is a great novel! It has you turning pages almost faster than you can read! I could not put this book down; move over Hannibal, Max has come to town! I loved this bad guy...I mean guys...I mean guy. Max is a whole bunch of bad guys all rolled up into one. Max, Christopher, Mose, Useless, and Kinch Oh My! I wasn't even finished with this book when I got online and bought every other book the author has written. If you like nail biting suspense, with a little gore, and a really complex bad guy thrown in you'll love this book!

Fascinating!.......2005-10-21

I very much enjoyed this book. I was bored the first 1/3 of the way through(hence the loss of a star), but after that it get's interesting. So if you decide to read this one, just hang in there, okay.

Max was absolutely fascinating. I loved the way his charachter was developed. And the writer explains the details about the disorder (DID/MPD) in such a way as to be interesting rather than boring and over my head. This book was without a double one of the better thrillers I've read in recent months. I CAN"T WAIT for the sequel.

Not Bad.......2005-03-30

The beginning of this book was extremely boring! I was glad that I hung in there because there was a drastic improvement. It ended up being a page turner about half way through.

One of my favorite Top 10 all time books!.......2004-03-16

Wowwwww is the best way to describe this book!
Mr. Nasaw sure knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat with this one! I agree with another poster that it SHOULD be made into a movie. What a ride! I very much recommend this book. It was extreemly thrilling, emotional, heartbreaking and a great ending! Even though there are many many *people* in this book, I was able to see and feel for each one and felt I was right there while it was all happening. I have already ordered more of his books. *Fear Itself* was also a great read that I have recommended to many people. PLEASE keep them coming Mr. Nasaw! You have a true gift.
I don't usually re-read novels, but this one I'm sure I will!
Thank you for a book I will never forget!
Will you continue this book???????

Average customer rating:

Almost Great
Jackie Collins she is not!!!
Great read from beginning to end
Kama Sutra By The Numbers
***ADORED***BRILLIANT***

Adored
Tilly Bagshawe
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0446617539
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Book Description

Siena McMahon inherited much more from her grandfather than his smoldering good looks. Like the famous Duke McMahon, she has a rapacious appetite for the opposite sex, a love of high-living and adventure, and one all-consuming desire: to be the most sought-after and dazzling star of her generation. This is the mesmerizing tale of Siena's journey to fame--her meteoric success as a high fashion model, her struggle to earn respect as an actress, and her legendary affairs with all the wrong men. It is also the story of her larger-than-life family, peopled with characters who give new meaning to the words "ruthless," "romantic," "powerful," and "glamorous." This is a story that brings back a beloved genre of storytelling--the big, sexy, larger-than-life blockbuster.

Customer Reviews:

Almost Great.......2007-09-13

Barbara Rosenblat always does an outstanding job of bringing books to life on tape. This book is so close to being great that it breaks my heart to see the fundamental rules of fiction ignored: if a gun appears in scene 3, experienced readers expect that this is foreshadowing that will come into play at a later point in the book. When Siena comes under the total influence of the controlling, brutal, exploitive movie mogul, Stein, he forces her to perform pornographic sex acts, which he records on home movies. That's the smoking gun. Any alert reader expects these pornographic movies will be used as blackmail to further control her. Well, guess what? One never hears about them again. This is poor editing. In addition there are several scenes suggestive of the imminence of a heart attack. It never happens. I found this to be an irritating flaw in a book that has enormous potential. Many of the characters are superbly drawn. The story moves quickly and keeps one's interest. I particularly enjoyed the episode of Siena's mother coming to her daughter's rescue.

Tilly Bagshawe is a very fine writer in need of a better editor. I find it a rather sad statement about the amount of explicit sex scenes Americans have come to expect. I got so sick of listening to them that i started fast-forwarding through most of them. I wouldn't be so annoyed if I didn't think this book had such great potential. I hope that Tilly Bagshawe will realize that I would never have taken so much time to critique her book if I didn't enjoy most of it so much. Good luck in the future.

Betty Jaffee

Jackie Collins she is not!!!.......2007-02-18

I thought this book would follow in the tradition of a Jackie Collins novel....NOT. I found that I hated most of the characters in this book so I did not care what happened to them. I forced myself to read the entire book to see if it got better but it did not.

Great read from beginning to end.......2007-01-11

I loved this book...the first Tilly Bagshawe novel I'd ever read. Her characters captured me and led me on a wonderful journey to the very end. It was hard to put down! After reading this novel by Bagshawe, I couldn't wait to read "Showdown" written by her as well. Boy, "Showdown" wasn't close to meeting my expectations!

Kama Sutra By The Numbers.......2006-10-06

Despite what Ms. Bagshawe's agent thinks, Tilly is not the next Nora Roberts. Her sex scenes are more like "Kama Sutra By The Numbers" than they are sensuous; her emotional descriptions leave the reader flat ("Siena was scared sh**less") and her physical descriptions are more hygienic than descriptive.

Even so, I read it from page 1 to page 500-something and was enthralled wondering what evil, selfish and nasty things the characters were up to. It was always "what comes next?".

In some prurient way, I quite enjoyed it...but I will not run out to buy Ms. Bagshawe's next effort.

***ADORED***BRILLIANT***.......2006-08-09

IF YOU LIKE JACKIE COLLINS, YOU WILL LOVE TILLY BAGSHAWE SHE IS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR :)

I absolutley loved this book, I have read it 3 times & it only gets better. I can't believe the negative feedback some poeple have left.

This book has all the ingredients, Sex, Power & Greed.

Duke McMahan & his graddaughter Sienna McMahan give us a ride through their Hollywood lives with all the highs & lows in the fast lane. It's full of all the juicy stuff like gossip, hot sex, greed, the disfunctionial family & their trials through life. It's fast pace keeps you well & truly hooked.

I strongly recommend this book.

Average customer rating:

Hardly a scholarly work
Aliens? Don't think so!

Aliens Adored: Rael's UFO Religion
Susan J., Palmer
Manufacturer: Rutgers University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Cults & Demonism | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

UFOs | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Sociology | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0813534763

Book Description

Aliens Adored is the first full length, in-depth look at the Raelian movement, a fascinating new religion founded in the 1970s by the charismatic prophet, Rael. Born in France as Claude Vorilhon, the former race-car driver founded the religion after he experienced a visitation from the aliens (the "elohim") who, in his cosmology, created humans by cloning themselves. The millenarian movement awaits the return of the alien creators, and in the meantime seeks to develop the potential of its adherents through free love, sexual experimentation, opposition to nuclear proliferation and war, and the development of the science of cloning. Sociologist Susan J. Palmer has studied the Raelian movement for more than a decade, observing meetings and rituals and enjoying unprecedented access to the group's leaders as well as to its rank-and-file members. In this pioneering study she provides a thorough analysis of the movement, focusing on issues of sexuality, millenarianism, and the impact of the scientific worldview on religion and the environment. Rael's radical sexual ethics, his gnostic anthropocentrism, and shallow ecotheology offer us a mirror through which we see how our worldview has been shaped by the forces of globalization, postmodernism, and secular humanism. Susan J. Palmer teaches religious studies at Dawson College in Montreal, Quebec. She is the author of Moon Sisters, Krishna Mothers, Rajneesh Lovers: Women's Roles in New Religions and coeditor of Children in New Religions (Rutgers University Press).

Customer Reviews:

Hardly a scholarly work.......2007-05-09

Researchers of alternative religion who would welcome a well-documented study of Claude Vorilhon and his Raelian religion will be disappointed by this book, which is flawed in content and methodology. For example, Ms.Palmer implies that I "concocted" a particular incident, known as the "Teesdale Inheritance," because supposedly I was motivated by a desire to discredit Vorilhon. She makes this accusation which amounts to defamation of character - essentially attributing to me the behavior of a fabricator and liar - based on innuendoes from another ufologist that she never bothered to check.
I have a full research file on the Teesdale Inheritance, complete with first-hand testimony from people who could shed light on this episode and its relationship to Raël's career, yet I was never even contacted by this supposedly "scholarly" author - or by any fact-checker from Rutgers University. If the author is so careless in this one episode, where she does not hesitate to cast doubts on the ethics and integrity of a fellow researcher, can we trust anything else in her book?
Dr. Jacques F. Vallee, Ph.D.

Aliens? Don't think so!.......2005-09-17

I obtained this book to understand the Raelian Movement a little better, as they've had so much bad publiciity from people who are not broad-minded enough to be able to understand that "everyone of us is different". And what a great book it was - it didn't "bad-mouth" the Movement & didn't support it either. It was written in impartial terms, for which I commend its author.

An interesting read for people who've only heard the negative press reports about this group. Go on, BUY IT & cast your own impartial opinions!!

The Real Presence Through the Ages: Jesus Adored in the Sacrament of the Altar

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The Real Presence Through the Ages: Jesus Adored in the Sacrament of the Altar

Manufacturer: Alba House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0818906626

Adored by God Devotional: A Celebration of God's Love in Your Life (By God) (By God)

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Adored by God Devotional: A Celebration of God's Love in Your Life (By God) (By God)
Harrison House
Manufacturer: Harrison House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Devotionals | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1577948025

Product Description

: In a world that is oftentimes unkind and unloving, the good news is that a loving God has chosen us to be His own. Discover in this beautiful devotional gift book that God not only loves you, but that He is thinking of you and desires to help and bless you. Each reading starts with a poignant Scripture followed by a uniquely beautiful and powerful declaration of faith. On the opposite page is an inspiring devotion giving insight into just how much God loves and cares for you.

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Adored
Tilly Bagshawe
Manufacturer: ORION PAPERBACKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0446616664

Average customer rating:

Adored (Unabridged CDs)

Manufacturer: Recorded Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000IG7PVS

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Adored to Death
Dallari Landry
Manufacturer: Eakin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1571687971

Book Description

Defense attorney Micki Lane tackles the most challenging case of her career-the chilling murder of a young woman kidnaped before her husband's eyes on a crowded street. After a former forensic colleague enlists her help with the investigation, she finds herself torn between her duty to a client and her need to know the truth.

Bell's New Pantheon; or, Historical Dictionary of the Gods, Demi-Gods, Heroes, and Fabulous Personages of Antiquity: also, of the Images and Idols Adored in the Pagan World; Together with Their Temples, Priests, Altars, Oracles, Fasts, Festivals, Games, &c. As well as Descriptions of Their Figures, Representations, and Symbols, Collected from Statues, Pictures, Coins, and Other Remains of the Ancients.

Average customer rating:

Bell's New Pantheon; or, Historical Dictionary of the Gods, Demi-Gods, Heroes, and Fabulous Personages of Antiquity: also, of the Images and Idols Adored in the Pagan World; Together with Their Temples, Priests, Altars, Oracles, Fasts, Festivals, Games, &c. As well as Descriptions of Their Figures, Representations, and Symbols, Collected from Statues, Pictures, Coins, and Other Remains of the Ancients.
John Bell
Manufacturer: Bell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JVJ5FQ

Customer Reviews:

Flatter than the ocean on a calm day.......2006-05-21

I have to say it: this book was a yawnfest! The story bored me. The characters in it didn't really have depths or layers...they were flat and dull. And none of them had a sense of humour. I felt no empathy for any of them, so whenever they were in peril I just didn't care if they made it through or not. (Of course they always did survive...the hero always saved the heroine in a predictable manner just in time.) Hexy, the heroine, was as dreary as a rainy day, and Ruairidh, the hero, might have come from the ocean, but he didn't rock my boat at all, if you know what I mean. And the passion between them was barely lukewarm at best. The love scenes were about as exciting as watching toast burn, but with much less heat. And worse, those scenes were obscure to the point where I sometimes wondered if they were love scenes at all. Actually, if you're the kind of prude who doesn't like rude words or anotomical descriptions in love scenes then this book is for you. The most provocative word used in it is probably 'skin'. This is so tame, it could almost be made into a Disney family movie.

There were a lot of flaws with the continuity of the story too. The author had problems with consistency. For instance, her Scottish characters slipped in and out of their Scottish brogue like I would slip shoes on and off in a shoestore...one minute they'd be using Scottish words like hae, maun, or tae, then the next they'd be using the English versions: have, must and to, only to slip back to the Scottish words a moment after that. It was totally annoying. And there's another bit, towards the end of the book, that's flawed, where the heroine complains that selkies don't seem to know the meaning of the word 'love'. Yet her selkie lover had talked about love before that...he mentions it twice just on page 149, in fact. Another problem is when the 'sin eater' tells Hexy she is carrying twins. But then, shortly after that, he says "before the babe sickens" as if Hexy is carrying only one child. Is he senile or something? Or is the author? There are a lot more continuity errors, but I won't bore you by going through them all here. Needless to say, the author should have paid more attention and taken more care.

I will say, too, that I got annoyed with the way the author seemed to be showing off by using big words. It is all very well to portray yourself as the type of person who eats dictionaries for breakfast, but it's really stupid throwing lots of big words that most readers won't understand into fast moving parts of the story line. It impedes the flow of the story, and ruins the reader's rollercoaster ride if they suddenly have to stop completely and try to work out what sentences like 'then the sepulchral threnody subsided' actually mean! (For the record, 'sepulchral threnody' means a song of lamentation that sounds as if it comes from the grave...like this author, I like to show off the big words too. But I do think there's a time and a place for them, and if you don't know when the best time is to use them then don't use them at all.)

This could have been a magical story, but the way it was written sucked most of the magic out of it, and just left a hollow, empty void where a good story could have been. Even the front cover was wrong. Oh, don't get me wrong, it's a gorgeous cover, and whoever the girl on it is, she's a stunner. But the heroine of the story has red hair, which makes me wonder who the hell the brunette covergirl is.

I definitely agree with R. Kelley's negative review of this book...R. Kelley, if you're reading this, you're not the odd one out for not liking it any more. And I'm sure there are others of discernment and taste who would agree with our judgement.

There are plenty more fish in the sea, and plenty more books on the shelves...read them instead of this one, and you'll be much happier.

Purty dern good........2005-06-06

"While the technology of the war to end all wars had changed the face of Europe, some things stayed the same; the tempestuous Scottish coast and the surrounding sea remained a place of unquenchable magix and mystery. Sequestered at fintry Castle by the whim of her mistress, Hexy Garrow spared seven tears for her past- all of which were swallowed by the waves.

By joining the water, those tears completed a ritual, and that ritual summoned a prince. He came for Hexy- and for something she didn't know she had stolen. He was a mand of myth whose eyes held the dark secrets of the sea, and whose silken touch was the caress of the tide. His very nature went against all hexy had wver believed, but his love was everything she'd ever desired. And he'd come not to collect her for the insatiable ocean, but for himself."--from the back cover.

I would have given this book a 3&1/2 stars.
Feel free to let me know of any of your paranormal recomendations. Also, you can check out my listamania for my recomendation.

A New Take on Mythical Sea Creatures.......2005-02-19

THE SELKIE by Melanie Jackson is not your everyday romance. First, it is set in 1920s Scotland, featuring a heroine who actually works for a living. Second, her hero is a selkie, a gorgeous man who lives in the ocean and can transform into a seal with the aid of a magical pelt. Third, the heroine not only accidentally calls the mythical hero into her life to be her lover, but she ends up being much more than he anticipates - she is, in fact, the means to help the dwindling selkie population survive.

I rather enjoyed the mythical aspects of THE SELKIE. I had no idea what a selkie was until I read this book, which also features fairies who can't cry and evil mermaids. Plus, Jackson easily incorporates the myths into the story, making you accept that a "modern girl" like Hexy doesn't need too much convincing to believe in magic and other-worldly creatures (or monsters).

There were two things, however, that I had issues with. One, Jackson uses bizarre "big" words throughout the story, which were jarring (did she have to choose the hardest-to-pronounce words from a thesaurus to add variety to her prose?). Second, I couldn't help but wonder how much Hexy and Ruairidh really loved each other. From what I understood, he had a special aphrodisiac on his skin that made Hexy all hot and bothered (she actually becomes obsessed with him), whereas Hexy became vital to the selkies for her special breeding capabilities, and not because they liked her personality or anything. These two factors combined made me wonder: if Ruairidh wasn't a walking sex drug and if Hexy were a normal human girl, would their attraction have gone anywhere?

Regardless of these issues, I still enjoyed THE SELKIE. It is well written and reads almost like a fairy tale, yet the heroine is pretty modern. The world that Jackson creates is fascinating, whether it is human or selkie or mermaid (and finman), and the story doesn't drag. In fact, I was so interested I read it in one afternoon. Plus, the selkie, Ruairidh, is a unique hero in a story that stands alone among myth-themed romances.

For those interested in other romances featuring mythical sea creatures, I recommend THE LAST MERMAID by Shane Abe (four beautiful stories) or GODDESS OF THE SEA by P.C. Cast (a fun mermaid switch-a-roo).

Didn't Like it..........2005-01-29

I love fantasy/romance/adventure type novels and I was excited to find a book about the mythical creatures called Selkies, who are a race of beings who (when wearing there special skins) become seals. This book was slow. I felt like I was struggling through the whole novel to find something I liked. The characters all felt like dead weights to me. They were boring and I couldn't form any emotional connections to any of them. When I had about 75 pages left I ended up skimming to the end to see what happened to the characters. I don't know why, but this book just didn't do it for me. I couldn't get into it at all. I am a big fan of romance/fantasy type novels too so I thought this book would be great. I'm not sure what type of person this book will appeal to, but most of the other reviews are positive so it seems I am the odd one out here! :) Anyways, I wouldn't reccomend it, but if you want, go get a copy at your local library.

one of Jackson's best works!.......2004-09-24

Since my great great great...well you get the idea...grandda was said to be a Selkie, I am rather touchy when writers create stories on the lore. Most of the time, I sort of cringe fearing the writers will not show the Selkies proper justice they deserve. When Melanie Jackson said she was doing a book about one, the reaction was different - joy, for I knew Melanie - and her heritage (I have it on good insider info from the Wee People and some odd charater named Malek that she is one of the Fae!!) and her love for All Things Scottish would do right by the Selkies.

Melanie has written a utterly charming tale of a Selkie accidentally called from the Sea...and OH DOES IT STEAL THE HEART!! I applaud Melanie's setting the book in 1929 - seems the romance market considered anything after the Turn of the Century too modern day and not worthy of writing about. So in 1929, Hexy Garrow is maid/companion to widowed, blonde bimbo, who pulls a blonde moment and leaves and her expensive sable coat on the beach of the Scottish Coast. Hexy is sent to fetch it because her mistress is leaving for Italy and cannot leave without her coat.

Hexy's take a few moments for herself at the beach, two shed a few tears - 7 to be exact - for the loss of her brother who drowned, for her failed romance, for the loose morals of today's (1929) young women -- and because her nose is red from allergies. She has no notion the 7 tears shed into the sea summons the Selkie -- in this case one Ruairidh O'Uruisg -- or that the seal coat she mistakes for her mistress' is really Ruairidh's Selkie skin!

For those not familiar with Scottish Lore, the Selkies were/are magickal seals that came ashore, shed the skin and take human mates. They were so beautiful that no one could resist them, but they were only permitted to live on shore for a year and a day before they had to return to the sea. So you can imagine Hexy, a very practical modern-day girl has a wee bit of difficulty dealing with Ruairidh, when he comes to reclaim his seal skin coat. He asserts he has no time to be her lover, maybe later-- when the time is right for such things. He is horrified to to learn HIS coat is on way to Italy via Wales. It is vital he gets it back.

It is a charming romance, whimsical, light, and so true to the ancient lore of Scotland. Melanie's Hexy and Ruairidh are so wonderful, bright and will absolutely steal your heart.

So if you love Scotland, and wish to have a wee grand adventure, I cannot help but recommend Melanie's best book to date. She is simply magickal with a k...but then what else would one of the Fae be???

I have truly loved many of Melanie's works - those pesky Goblins included, but this is by far her best!!

Average customer rating:

Strange things may happen here

The loss, the finding of the authentic self.

wonderfully poignant ending!
Selkie Girl, The
Cooper
Manufacturer: Margaret K. McElderry
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0689503903

Customer Reviews:

Strange things may happen here.......2005-03-21

Mermaids get all the good press. Heck, you can't throw a dart in a crowded library without hitting five or six children's books all dedicated to those fishy sea ladies. But what about selkie women? When do they get their due? Few books about selkies actually make them out to be women, as it happens. The men get, "A Stranger Came Ashore" and "Island of the Aunts", for example. Female selkies appear in "Daughter of the Sea", but not much else. So it was with great joy that I located not only a selkie book starring a woman, but a picture book at that. "The Selkie Girl" is your classic tale of abduction, male dominance, and naked women. Everything a picture book could aspire to. It is written by children's literature demi-god Susan Cooper (known best for her "The Dark Is Rising" stories), and illustrated by fellow Brit Warwick Hutton. It is a lovely little work.

Donallan lives alone by the sea with his cat and his dog and his sheep. It's a lonely life and Donallan longs for some company. One day, while scrounging for seaweed, he is enchanted by the song of three lovely naked women singing on a nearby rock. When he tries to investigate, however, they dive into the waves and become seals or selkies. An elderly man living near Donallan tells the young man how to catch one of the women as his bride. He must come on the same day one year from now and before the woman can grab it, steal her seal skin. Then she'll be bound to follow Donallan home. He does, she does, and they have five kids. Until, one day, their youngest son catches his father removing a lovely long sealskin from a mysterious brick behind their house...

Cooper, quite frankly, should do more picture books. This particular one contains all her lovely turns of phrase and particular lilts. Says the first sentence in the book, "The island rise green out of the sea, where the waves foam over the grey rocks, and strange things may happen there". The fact that Cooper has remained faithful to the whole naked chick part of the tale is also impressive. Other authors might have shied away or said the ladies were wearing seaweed garments or some such thing. The tale is a classic one, one told for centuries and not to be tampered with. So yes, this is a book about a man basically forcing someone to be his wife. Therefore, when she escapes back to the sea at the end, you're not particularly sad about it. Some kids reading the book may be a bit perturbed, but picture books should engage children as much as possible.

It is a bit of a pity that Warwick Hutton's illustrations don't convey the mystery of the story particularly well. His watercolors are lovely and majestic, but not particularly detailed. I cannot help but think that the book's editor could have located a more appropriate illustrator somewhere. Ah well. In the end it's the story that matters, and this one is truly lovely. Barbaric, perhaps. But lovely. For a great Irish tale that doesn't necessarily involve leprechauns, try "The Selkie Girl" on for size.

The loss, the finding of the authentic self........2002-02-04

This book was amazing to me the first time I read it and continues to touch me deeply....so much so that I just spent $90. for an old used copy so that I could own it and return to it again and again. It is the story of all women, women who are taken from their true selves to serve others, in places that are foreign to their souls. And, of course, the story of her return. A children's book, but one that speaks to all ages. Magical. Timeless. I have heard that this story has been told in many languages for many hundreds of years. I would welcome any information that anyone has about this.

wonderfully poignant ending!.......1998-02-20

This story has a gripping plot with a wonderfully poignant ending. Children will empathise with the dilemma facing the mother and her children in this tale.

Average customer rating:

From Back Cover
Very good book...
This book should be a movie!
One of the few books I've read several times
Mr Sheffield has written better in his sleep

The Selkie (Signet)
Charles Sheffield , and David Bischoff
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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The Selkie

ASIN: 0451122437

Customer Reviews:

From Back Cover.......2005-05-27

Mary Willis comes from America to Scotland to join her husband, who is working on an engineering project in a rugged coastal village. It is here that she meets Jamie McPherson and is swept up in a love beyond imagination.

She knows little about him but she does not care, for he is the most spellbinding lover she has ever had - a seducer of erotic mystery and exquisute sexual genius.

Mary is sure she has known him through the depths of time, feels he is intoxicating her senses, commanding her will, consuming her body and soul. And she is always ready for him, this stranger cloaked in a beauty that is more than human... until, little by little, she uncovers the namture of his dark and terrible secret...

Very good book..........2004-05-22

I stumbled across this book in a used book store. The title is what caught me. I found it in the same section that Peter Benchley's JAWS is located, and I don't normally have an interest in these kinds of books.
Well, I finished it in about 3 days - and I have a toddler! :D
This book was very well written and like others have mentioned, I was torn between not liking Jamie, and then wanting a Selkie of my own! It would have been a nice twist to see him actually fall in love with Mary, however, the reality is that he was just using her and the other women for one purpose.
Again, very good book.

This book should be a movie!.......2003-10-22

I have to agree with that lady above in Florida;) I first read this book when I was 17, and appreciate it even more now that I'm in my 30s. I related to Mary's charachter since I'm a writer myself, and an artist. Jamie filled me with conflict, since his loyalty to the Elders came before everything else, even innocent human lives. In some ways I really liked him, but his uncaring murders of the women he used and pretended to love ruined what good he had in him. Petherton's endurance amazed me, and I feel sorriest for the poor pastor Walter Campbell, who was only trying to protect the people of Laxford. Only one complaint I have...Selkies and Blue Men of the Minch are two different species. Besides, if Jamie was a Selkie, then Mary could have stolen his seal skin and had control over HIM;) I'd like to see a sequel to this book very much...I might even write one myself. I'm not a MacVeagh, but I am a Stewart who has ancestral ties to Scotland...hence part of my interest. A few pictures of the charachters are in order too, especially Jamie;) If anybody wants to contact me regarding this interest in the book, please email me at: KClark5167@aol.com

One of the few books I've read several times.......2002-02-03

It's hard to believe it's been 20 years since this book first came out. I've since read it several more times since 1982, something I rarely do with a book. I don't usually read fantasy either but "The Selkie" is a fantastic book. Some of its high points: very unique and unusual subject matter, sexy, good character development (even the minor characters from the pub are interesting), and excellent descriptive passages of the remote Scottish hinterlands. I recommend this book, it's an entertaining read. Like all good fiction, it puts you into its own little world. They've even included a map inside the front page! Now if only they would have included a sample of Mary's strange Lochinver perfume...

Mr Sheffield has written better in his sleep.......1998-08-27

I found this book an enormous disappointment. I generally love Sheffield (Bischoff is also appreciated). However I must say this was one of the few books I refused to finish.

Average customer rating:

Shove Off Cinderella, Here Comes Self-Actualized Moira
A Lovely Story
Interwoven Irish folklore and romance.

For Moira's Sake:: A Selkie Tale
Cynthia Murphy Andrews
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1424164672
Release Date: 2007-03-05

Book Description

We meet Moira Donovan in the late 1800s, a quiet young woman with a quiet life. Has she just found the love of her life? Bren just might be the one, the love she has dreamt of but never hoped would be hers. But who Bren is might change things. Moira's old friend Sean Murphy begins to have romantic feelings for her. One thing prevents him from telling Moira his feelings—her relationship with a mysterious man. Sean feels compelled to reveal the truth about her lover, for his own sake as well as Moira's. She discovers a family secret which sends ripples that will change Moira's life. Everyone around her will feel these ripples of change. The line between Irish myth and reality begins to blur as Moira confronts the ghosts of her past.

Customer Reviews:

Shove Off Cinderella, Here Comes Self-Actualized Moira.......2007-05-17

I must confess when I was handed this book I was a bit apprehensive, fearing it might be little more than a schmaltzy fantasy romance. But oh, was I ever pleasantly surprised. Every time Andrews seemed to be foreshadowing a cliché or sap-filled moment, she turned the tables and gave a more believable story. It is a book filled with romance, where selkie legends are real. But it is also a book about family, being ones own person, and honoring others while honoring self. It deals with the wounds caused by good intentions. The book contains no villains, only real people doing their best to make good decisions. The six main characters all are deep and multi-dimensional, even the selkie. There is a realness to this fantasy author. There is also a wonderful wit. Unfortunately, the text could have used one more editing. Usually small mistakes, like quotation marks aimed the wrong way or an `l' where an `e' was meant. But occasionally tense wanders about. However, I only noticed these errors at the beginning. Either the later chapters are better edited or I was soon too sucked in to notice. I have and will continue recommending this book to friends. Not just for adult reading, but as a great book for teenage daughters too. It's an excellent replacement for Cinderella fantasies. And though it does not end with a neat bow and a `happy ever after" sign, it concludes in a refreshing hope. Definitely worth reading. Fun to talk about with others. Inspiring and strength building with good messages you'll want to share. I heard rumor the author sees this as part of a series. I do hope she comes out with the next one soon. Several of us joyously await.

A Lovely Story.......2007-05-15

The story is a timeless one of innocence and love. It exposes the human need to be loved and have someone to care for. I enjoyed the book, it was a very easy book to read and understand. I recommend it for all out there who still believe in love and magic.

Interwoven Irish folklore and romance........2007-05-02

This delightful romance, set in long-ago Ireland, is a quick and absorbing read. It takes a passionate romance into the realm of old Irish folklore, and has enough plot twists to keep it interesting up to the end. Although it has plenty of passionate romantic content, it is written with a gentility that avoids being graphic or offensive and instead allows the reader's imagination to travel that last bit after the "stage is set". I appreciated being respected as a reader by the lack of gratuitous physical descriptions that some romantic fiction uses to make up for its lack of imaginative writing. This isn't just a straight romance novel, however, this will appeal to people who are interested in Irish folk stories and people who like to entertain the possibility of a little bit of magic in life and in love. Into the West The Secret of Roan Inish The Nature of Water and Air

Average customer rating:

AP Call of the Selkie Is (Action Pack)
Rigby
Manufacturer: Rigby
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1572577363

Call of the Selkie (Literacy Links Chapter Books)

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Call of the Selkie (Literacy Links Chapter Books)

Manufacturer: Shortland Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Readers | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1572577371

Average customer rating:

Final Cut
B Selkie
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000R0HALU

Product Description

Autopsy No. 1, c 1995, mass-market size paperback, reprinted in May 1995, 111 pages, Autopsy is a new Australian publisher dedicated to putting crime fiction back in the gutter, where it belongs., FICTION CRIME FICTION

Oxford Reading Tree: Stage 10: Snapdragons: The Selkie Child

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Oxford Reading Tree: Stage 10: Snapdragons: The Selkie Child
Gill Howell
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Readers | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0198455801

Book Description

The Selkie Child - John the fisherman and his wife Kate discover the seal people who bring them happiness. A Scottish folktale. BLBookbanded for easy classroom management. BLReading notes for parents/carers on the inside covers. Guided reading cards and teaching notes also available

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Selkie
Laurie B. Gollobin
Manufacturer: Anchorage Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0876023537

Average customer rating:

Empathy

Selkie

Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0374367094

Book Description

Peter is curious about the legend of the selkie, a seal who can turn into a girl. When his curiosity gets the better of him, he discovers that the selkie is more than just a legend-she is a friend.

Customer Reviews:

Empathy.......2002-03-05

This is short sweet picture book with the beautiful blues and greens of the sea in its charming illustrations. It tells the tale of a boy who makes friends with a young selkie, ( a shape-shifter who can transform from a seal to a girl by taking her sealskin off.) Their friendship helps him appreciate her uniqueness and also the subtle and mysterious "language of the sea." Unlike the greedy oysterman who captures the selkie and imprisons her so that he can force the language of the sea from her to make himself rich, the boy appreciates her and befriends her and in the end receives a gift freely given and so, all the more precious. I gave this book 4 stars because I really like it but it is not a masterpiece. Never the less, it is a good story contrasting greed with kindness and is deserving of its 4 stars in more ways than one.

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