Customer Reviews

Kissing Kate

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

While I adore YA novels about queer kids, this one left me a little underwhelmed. I was just never convinced that Lissa and Kate were real people --- the character development was nil. I also didn't believe that they actually felt something for one another --- it was kind of like a romantic comedy with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, where all of the ingredients for a romantic comedy are there, but there's just no chemistry; it's not convincing. For a really good read, rely on the old classic Annie On My Mind --- a book which I still practically keep under my pillow, and which convinced my mom (!) that maybe, maybe this lesbian thing was OK.

As an over sixty father of six grown children, I had to be cajoled by my youngest daughter to read Ms Myracle's first novel. For starters the book was not written for my age group, and it was not a subject matter that seemed relevant to me now. But the story-telling was so engaging, the revelation of a young girl's search for self so clear and convincing, and the treatment of the theme so even-handed, I loved the book. Any parent (or grandparent) of adolescents should consider "Kissing Kate" required reading.

As a retired educator and an avid reader I was most impressed with this book. Lauren Myracle has written an engrossing story about the sexual feelings of a teenage girl, Lissa, and how she and the important others in her life react to them. Complicating things is the fact that she has these feelings towards her best friend Kate who after arousing desires in Lissa with a kiss now ignores her. Lissa's parents were killed in a car wreck when she and her younger sister were very young and they live with their Uncle Jerry. Entering the picture is Ariel, an interesting and ultimately critically important character in helping Lissa come to terms with her dilemma.
Myracle develops her story in a way that will appeal to teenagers with similar feelings but more that that she tells it in an engrossing manner that keeps the reader interested from beginning to end. This book is an important one for teenagers, parents, counselors, therapists, and anyone who wants to understand and help teenagers, even adults, with similar conflicting feelings.

This is one of the most authentically written YA novels I have ever read. While I believe Nancy Garden has done more than any writer to include homosexual characters in YA lit, her novels always seem like they are written by someone trying to get in the mind of a teenager. Myracle manages to write a compelling story while really reflecting the attitudes of teens. The use of flashback is great. Unlike many authors, Myracle manages to write a gay character who is not guilt-ridden. She is filled with doubt and must come to terms with her sexuality, and what it has done to her friendship, but she never worries that she is mentally ill or otherwise disturbed. This was a great read!

Kissing Kate was a book I could relate to. In fact, the only reason that I gave it so many stars (2) is due to the fact that I had the same experiences in my own life that the main character is this book has. The problems with this book are from cover to cover. The writing is amateur when it's at its very best. The two girls in the story need much more character development in order for their friendship to be believable and validated, which is probably the books biggest flaw. The author of the story, Lauren Myracle, did not convince me that these two girls were important to each other, although she does make a weak attempt to do just that. I found myself feeling apathetic toward the girls in this story and their inner conflicts. The final disappointment in this book came at the end, where half of my questions were left unanswered. Sometimes things are better left to one's imagination, but not EVERYTHING. Kissing Kate is a depressing book that leaves the reader feeling frusterated. Anyone who wishes to enlighten me with their review of my review may do so. Anyone else who is looking for a great story in this same genre will find one in the pages of Keeping You a Secret by Julie Ann Peters. As for Miss Myracle and her book, she should be thrown in jail for writing it, not paid. Myracle fails, miserably.

I loved parts of this novel, especially Lissa's characterization which seemed very authentic. I also loved Ariel, but I felt I understood Ariel much better than I understood Kate, and I would have loved a more in-depth characterization of Kate who didn't come across as a real person for me. As a "first novel," however, I think Ms. Myracle did a good job, and I look forward to reading her subsequent novels.

Kissing Kate
Kissing Kate was a book about a girl who fell in love with her best friend and they kissed one night. Later on in the book they got into a fight and stopped being friends, when they would talk it were more like arguing. This girl could not just get over her friend, she really liked her.
I believe that society can relate to this. Because I know a lot of girls experiment with girls to experiment and that's what happened with them. It just happened that one of the girls liked the other.
I would recommend this book to a lot of people because it shows you a different view on everything. After reading this I didn't care if someone was lesbian or gay it changed my whole perspective and I realized that if they love someone than go for it, you know? I think I grasped a lot of why people experiment through this book also.

Well written; good insight into the "Scheme Team" and their ridiculous assertions.

ONE QUESTION STANDS OUT: If Mumia Abu-Jamal is innocent, why didn't he take the stand? This articulate, brilliant man could have swayed the jury if he was innocent.

To the author (David Williams; one of Abu-Jamal's attorneys for a number of years; anti-death penalty activist), it seems that Mumia Abu-Jamal's conviction is perhaps the largest "frame-up" in American history. Perhaps Abu-Jamal doesn't share this view, because he fired Williams and his "Scheme Team" after this book was published.

To Mumia Abu-Jamal, it appears his conviction was due to a massive conspiracy in which a hitman was hired by some Philly police from the "mob" to kill Faulkner. (This is patently laughable.)

To the jury and various judges who heard appeals, it appears that Abu-Jamal is a cold-blooded cop killer.

Whether one is for the death penalty of against it, this book will stimulate thought on the subject.

Laruen Myracle is a writer to watch. Her depiction of sixteen-year old Lissa, brave enough to question everything she once took as truth, will delight readers of all ages. Gay or straight, anyone who has ever grown apart from a childhood friend will feel a connection to Lissa. Myracle captures the pathos, and the humor, of growing up. I can't wait to read more stuff by Myracle!

Lauren is one of my favorite authors. I've read most of her books. This book I really liked, and maybe the best one yet. I could not put this book down. Many people say It's bad becauase there is "lesbians", but honestly thats not what the story is all about. Yeah its not a book for 10 year olds, but its very detailed, and I just like it very much!