Product Description
Presents a selection of recipes for attractive holiday treats, including marionette cookies with arms and legs that move, a marzipan and chocolate-covered pine cone wreath, and a pumpkin pie covered with chocolate leaves. 35,000 first printing. $35,000 ad/promo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Colette's Christmas, Colette Peters
She is an amazingly creative cake craftsperson.
Her instructions are good. The pictures are beautiful and do inspire!
It's nice to have decorating info that may not be available elsewhere.
I'm inspired and Christmas is nearing, so I am trying some not so involved but beautiful ideas!

A Christmas to Remember!
Colette Peters is a true artist.Her cakes, which I've seen in person, are remarkable.Her books are very thorough and concise.I am no artist, but I have made several of her cakes and they all turned out great!She is able to explain the cake-making process so that even I can understand how to do it.I have all her books and love them all! ... Read more

Product Description
Born in 1812, free woman of color Henriette Delille resisted her family's efforts to steer her toward a traditional life as the mistress of a white man. Instead she pursued a calling to care for slaves, the sick, and the poor, and established a religious community for women of color. As a result of her work, she is the first African-American candidate for canonization. This middle-reader historical novel offers a fascinating glimpse into her life and into the history and unique culture of the free people of color in New Orleans. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Had promise but didn't follow through
A woman, known as Keisha Walker finds herself on a stage in a smoky bar stripping for customers. But something isn't right. She doesn't feel like her name is Keisha and she definitely doesn't feel like she is a stripper. As a matter of fact, the more she thinks about it, the more wrong everything feels. And even worse, when she tries to remember who she is and what she really should be doing, she only gets a blank. What she does learn very quickly is that she is exceptionally strong, has a extremely sensitive nose (she can smell even the most infinitesimal scent) and she knows how to hurt people -- bad.

Following a primal instinct that tells her to get out and get out fast, "Keisha" manages to bust her way out of what is a small, nowhere town in the Midwest and get herself to Boston. Even as she travels east following some instinct that only her buried psyche knows, her memory starts to come back in frustrating fits. She learns her real name, Alexa but wonders why there are goons hot on her trail, intent on following her and bringing her back? What is so important about her that bodies seem to be falling in her wake?

Once in Boston some of the gaps begin to fill, she meets an erstwhile lover Matt who, as it happens, is a werewolf. While Alexa herself is half-werewolf and apparently a very lethal assassin. Alexa and Matt team up to find out why one of Boston's most elite businessmen is hell bent on keeping Alexa under control and completely unaware of who she is.

When I began reading this book, I was immediately sucked in. Alexa's confusion and her circumstances were presented with just the right amount of uncertainty (the book is told in first person) to get the mystery really revved up. And as she got herself out of her first precarious situation and met up with Matt, I thought I'd be in for a real treat she the two team up to get to the bottom of what the heck is going on. But curiously, the book fell flat in the middle. There was a lot of action, more people still showing up to get at her, but it felt like a lot of the time, she and Matt ran around in circles, being accosted without actually learning much of anything.

The story also felt a bit muddled. I didn't get a great feel for her paranormal universe. There are werewolves, vampires, witches etc. but they seem more like wallpaper than a fully realized alterna universe. And while Alexa had been missing for quite a bit of time, the reactions of the people when she returned seemed a bit subdued. The book felts a bit crowded with a somewhat unnecessary murder/lawyer/therapist sub-plot. Also I felt taken aback to learn in the last 10% of the book that Alexa has an entire family. I wondered where they were and why they hadn't show up earlier?

The book picks back up again in the last 20% of the book (can you tell I read this on my Kindle? heh). Things finally begin to move, and Alexa (finally) begins to take control of her fate. But even so I was still a bit disappointed. For such a bad-a$$ lethal assassin, she can off as still somewhat ineffectual. Matt also. I wanted more kick-assery from them and did not get it. I wanted that 'Hells yeah!' moment when they did something completely awesome and didn't get that either.

The villain is of a villain type I despise. Powerful and evil just because. No other motivation. He's just evil and wants more power. Yawn. This is the big bad they've been running from the entire book and when you finally meet him you're like...that's it?

The epilogue leaves open a door for a sequel. But I doubt if I will be looking it up, unless Alexa and Matt become more forceful than they were in this book. It is a shame because I think this author writes really, really well. But I was not compelled to stay in her world.

Also important to note: this is not a paranormal romance. While Alexa and Matt are acknowledged lovers and end up together, the romance portion of the book is almost nil. This is pure UF

Interesting premise, boring execution
It seemed like an interesting twist - a stripper heroine with amnesia.Unfortunately the concept is the only interesting part of this novel.The writing is cliched and awkward as are the characters.The plot is trite.I was not impressed.

A really good and entertaining novel!
I absolutely agree with the other person that gave this novel also five stars. The plot as well as the heroine, Lex, are really good. It is an awesome paranormal thriller full of action, werewolves, witches and humans. In other words, a must read for all those of us that love the paranormal genre!

Got it for $4.40 and wanted a refund after reading the first chapter
I read the summary and saw the price and thought it would be a good entertaining read for a good price.I was wrong.I found the writing style completely clunky and jarring.I couldn't even get past the 3rd chapter I found it so bad.The heroine is totally unlikeable, at least to me.Her reaction to people offering help is to threaten them and her so called boyfriend didn't seem to be much help either once they finally meet up.I rarely return books and when I do, it's because I find them completely terrible.This is one of the few books that I've requested to be returned.

Riveting, terrific story!
This was my favorite work of fiction for the year! I had a lot of work to do at the time that I purchased it, but I COULD NOT put this book down! It was a very welcome, pleasantly-surprising story with rich characters whom I immediately bonded with. Great work by Ms. Colette. I want more. ... Read more

Product Description
This Book Is In French. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Cherie by Colette, used edition
The book was never sent-I waited 3 weeks+ was never notified that it was not mailed.Noticed refund credit on my credit card only. Had to buy it locally.

Oh love
Considered one of Colette's best novels, "Chéri" is the story of a love affair between a young man and an older woman. Fred, known affectionately as Chéri, has been the lover of Léa (a friend of his mother's) for a number of years. Chéri is a pampered and narcissistic young man and is more than willing to let Léa care for his every whim. Neither is willing to admit the depth of their feelings, but after Chéri marries a girl his age, the two find themselves awkwardly getting through their lives. Almost a year after their parting, the pair meet again and the only future possible becomes clear. "Chéri" eloquently shows the love between the pair, without shying away from the nuances of their reality (the differences in age, the tight and complex social circles). "Chéri" is #39 of the 100 Best Gay and Lesbian Novels.

Very classic, richly layered, and readable.
Cheri is a novel about a young Frenchman whose mistress, an older woman,indulges him and instructs him in the arts of love and life until hemarries.Cheri is remarkably child-like right up to the eve of hismarriage and beyond.After the marriage to a suitably aged young woman, helongs for his old mistress's pampering, her familiar apartments, and thelife they shared there.

I found the book a wonderful story and a rich,redolent escape from the realities of our modern world.It takes thereader back to a time just before WWI, when life moved a bit slower.Theway Colette writes, slips the reader into a place easily imaginable;comfortable as one's own sofa. ... Read more

Product Description
Colette herself considered The Pure and the Impure her best book, “the nearest I shall ever come to writing an autobiography.” This guided tour of the erotic netherworld with which Colette was so intimately acquainted begins in the darkness and languor of a fashionable opium den. It continues as a series of unforgettable encounters with men and, especially, women whose lives have been improbably and yet permanently transfigured by the strange power of desire. At once lucid and lyrical, The Pure and the Impure stands out as one of modern literature’s subtlest reckonings not only with the varieties of sexual experience, but with the always unlikely nature of love. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Short, well-written... not sure why you should read it...
The Pure and the Impure is an odd book, and not what I was expecting.The term "autobiography"--applied in several descriptions I've seen of this book--is a misnomer.There is very little of Colette here.She exists just as an observer, with a relationship to her subjects more like a reporter than a participant.In fact, this book could probably well be compared to a collection of journalistic pieces.(There are interviews, and she recounts at the beginning of the book a man criticizing her appearance at an opium den as an attempt to get material for a new book.)It is a series of vignettes describing variety within human sexual experience.

Another misnomer is "lesbian."Over half her vignettes deal with straight or homosexual male subjects.And her lesbians run a gamut from a slight, young, feminine "kept girl" to a community of androgynous women who dress in men's clothes. If there is any theme, it seems to be an exploration of people who have broken away from social norms and experienced both pleasure and unhappiness in their freedom.It could be considered a "lesbian" book only in the sense that the single instance of an apparently happy and lasting pairing are two quasi-famous Welsh women who ran away from home as girls and lived together into old age.However, this vignette goes against theme as it does not explore fleshly pleasures and seems to be written from a review of diaries rather than personal interactions.

The book is well-written, and the translation is transparent and transmits a clear and refined prose style, although how close it is to the original, I couldn't say.Also, I can't vouch for this edition, as I read a different one that I can't find on Amazon, and I'm not sure this is the same translator.When I discovered that the book was not really autobiographical, I sort of lost interest, but it is well-enough written that I felt compelled to keep reading.

The appeal to the contemporary reader must be (a) literary, (b) literary-historical, or (c) sociological-historical.I'm not sure the observations here would relate that much to our lives.I read this concurrently with a recent book that also deals with non-normative relationships, but the difference in sensibility and outlook is clear.Well, anyhow it's a short read and I don't really regret having read it, although I can't think of a compelling reason to recommend it.

Colette's mid-to-later years reflection...
Colette wrote this book in her mid to later years and her writing style and verbage reflects such in The Pure & The Impure.It's basically her experiences with homosexuality, with her own and, in this book, with her speaking with others regarding their particular experiences. It's not "graphic"; however, Colette's writing style always "gets the point and picture across", although the verbage in this book is strongly "literary" in general, and you feel you have to "work" to read the book. For me, when I read for enjoyment, I don't want to have to work so hard at it (which I hadn't done in reading her other books, of which I've read almost all). Also, if you're not interested in homosexuality, there's really not much point to reading this particular book, unless you enjoy reading for reading's sake, coupled with the sort of challenge of having to "paint the mental picture" whilst reading it. Depends on how much you enjoy doing that sort of thing. I've wanted to put the book down on and off all the way through, but, because I like Colette in general, I have continued to read it to the end (even though I'm not gay, nor have ever really wanted to be, even though I've considered it, just for the sake of "exploring" my mind). I obviously am NOT homo-phobic and I am a woman, so as Colette writes about both men and women's homosexuality in this book, it's more about the psychological/mental/emotional aspects of such, as opposed to her focusing on the physical/sexual part of being homosexual, as she writes about the perspectives of men and women she knew, either personally or in literary circles, or through others. It's not extremely "interesting", but it does have it's points. I am the type of person who looks to find and/or appreciate the reason/purpose as to why the author wrote the book in the first place. I think "The Pure & The Impure" was a book Colette wrote because she had herself experienced homosexuality and she also had known this type of life/lifestyle throughout certain periods of her life from others in and around her life, so she obviously decided to write a book on this subject, based upon her experiences.

Autobiographical insights
The Pure and the Impure by Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette with introduction by Judith Thurman (Literature/Gay Studies). Recommended.

Colette believed The Pure and the Impure was her best work. I can't judge, not having read anything of hers but a few short stories, but this collection of her observations about human attitudes toward relationships and sexuality is insightful and timeless. It is also difficult and obscure at times, perhaps because of the translation and because there is no real structure to such a collection.

Thanks to her milieu, her position in it, and her willingness to seek the story, Colette could draw upon the most interesting people of her time-the givers and the takers. From the older woman who publicly fakes an orgasm while self-pleasuring in an opium house to gladden the heart of her young, sickly lover to the roué who exclaims of women, "They allow us to be their master in the sex act, but never their equal. That is what I cannot forgive them" to the circle of prominent women who learn the ways of sex from servants, dress as men, and love horses (she calls the most notable of these women "La Chevalière) to the "happy," alcoholic, lesbian poet Renée Vivien to the gay men with whom she seems most comfortable, Colette covers a spectrum of sexuality and combinations-including those men and women who play their heterosexual and homosexual relations against one another.

"I'm devoted to that boy, with all my heart," the older woman tells Colette, a stranger to her. "But what is the heart, madame? It's worth less than people think. It's quite accommodating. It accepts anything. You give it whatever you have, it's not very particular. But the body . . . Ha! That's something else, again." Thurman believes this sums up Colette's view precisely, the heart as a slave to the body.

Although Colette apparently wanted to remain an impartial observer, she cannot mask her own feelings and biases. One senses that she could not quite see a woman-woman partnership as "whole," as passionate, as capable of being the source of tragedy in the same way as other types of relationships. (Anaïs Nin will also hint at something similar in her diaries, at the "incompleteness" of female/female love.) "What woman would not blush to seek out her amie only for sensual pleasure? In no way is it passion that fosters the devotion of two women, but rather a feeling of kinship." She is fascinated by the story of Lady Eleanor Butler and Miss Sarah Ponsonby, the "Ladies of Llangollen," who elope and spend several decades living together. During this time, Butler will keep an extensive journal about her life with "My Beloved," while, to Colette's consternation and fascination, Ponsonby remains a silent partner. Colette so romanticizes the Ladies that she says they run off together as "young girls," when in fact Butler was 39 and Ponsonby in her 20s. While there is all kind of detail about their living arrangements, from gardening, sewing, hosting an array of distinguished visitors, and sharing a bedroom and bed, there is nothing known of their emotional or sexual intimacies other than their obvious devotion to one another. They remain a happy, content enigma to Colette and to the present day.

The book concludes on a more personal note-about jealousy, "the only suffering that we endure without ever becoming used to it." She maintains that "a man never belongs to us" and hints at the unique and not unfriendly relationship two female rivals may have-even rivals who wish to kill one another. When one rival tells Colette all the things that had prevented her from killing Colette in Rambouillet (missed train, stalled car, etc.), Colette says, "I was not in Rambouillet." The relationship between her and her rival becomes more interesting, more revealing, more important, and more affectionate than with the man over whom they duel.

Colette suffered what many turn-of-the-century female intellectuals must have-a society's fear of "masculine" women who are too intelligent, too outspoken, too knowing. When she offers to travel with the roué (apparently as a friend), he says in seriousness, "I only like to travel with women," which, a moment later, is softened by, "You, a woman? Why, try as you will . . ." Even today, there are women who have experienced this.

"This is a sad book," Colette said. "It doesn't warm itself at the fire of love, because the flesh doesn't cheer up its ardent servants." Thurman adds, "This great ode to emptiness was written by a woman who felt full."

The Pure and the Impure is a must read for anyone who enjoys Colette's other writings; it is the most autobiographical of her works. Recommended.

Diane L. Schirf, 1 January 2002.

Anthropologist of the Sensual
Colette, perhaps best known to Americans as the author of "Gigi" (1945) was a prolific French novelist, critic, playwright, and performer.She also wrote the four "Claudine" novels (1900-1903), and became celebratedfor "Cheri" (1920; followed by "The Last of Cheri" in 1926).

She regarded "The Pure and the Impure" as her best work; a mostly autobiographical treatise on Eros and love, particularly Sapphic love.She mixes a reporter's objectivity with deeply felt analysis psychological and philosophical observations.Sometimes she takesa dispassionate, almost distant look at passion; other times her emotional attachments toher subjects--primarily lesbianaristocrats and artistes--are candidly exposed.

She is an exquisite writer without being precious.Colette bends words and phrases perfectly, and one is struck by her vivid yet subtle prose, as evocative as Woolf but perhaps even more sensual. "The Pure and the Impure" contains memorable passages of keen observation and wit, and one feelsdrawn to her observations:

"...I delighted in the...empty gaiety of the chatter and the diverting and challenging exchange of glances, the cryptic reference to certain treasons, comprehended at once, and the sudden outbursts of ferocity. I reveled...in their half-spoken language, the exchange of threats, of promises, as if, once the slow-thinking male had been banished, every message from woman to woman became clear and overwhelming, restricted to a small but infallible number of signs..."

This is not to deny, however, that reading the bookis sometimes difficult.Whether due to the translation, the era, or Colette'sparticular style, her writing can be challenging, particularly her last chapter, a very subjective, personal description of jealousy.

This is a beautifully written book about the erotic, about men and women, and about the natural history of love. I urge you to introduce yourself to her writings.Highly recommended. ... Read more

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Product Description
Widely considered the author's best work, this story of a love affair between Lea, a still-beautiful 49-year-old ex-courtesan, and Cheri, a handsome but selfish young man 30 years her junior, is a superb study of age and sexuality. While the theme of a young man who deserts his older mistress is a familiar one, in this novel, Colette makes it her own. Introduction, Notes, and new English translation by Stanley Appelbaum.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

An interesting read
Interesting love story between Lea and Cheri who is 29 years her junior.Vocabulary challenging but engaging and useful for the French learner.

Useful dual-language format but a pedestrian translation
I am of two minds about this dual language edition of Colette's masterpiece "Cheri." The translation is almost literal in many places, making it easy to follow the French, on the left page and the translation in English on the right. But Appelbaum's translation unaccountably drifts from the literal into some vagaries that cause the wonderful humor to be lost; example:

When Madame Peloux and her cronies are meeting for tea and cards, the underaged and definitely stupid Prince Ceste discusses his family's anger at his affair with the seventy-year old Lili. He states "My family wants to shut me up in a convent (couvent)" Couvent is convent, and Ceste is plainly a bit mixed up, but Appelbaum changes the sentences indicate a monastery and explain "Like shutting up a girl in a convent." The humor of Prince Ceste's mistake is lost. The beauty of the language, with its subtle jokes is lost time and again--another example, where Lea wonders who fathered Cheri. In French, she wonders where Madame Peloux fished, to bring up such a magnificent specimen, but the English is completely dull and boring, missing the fishing metaphor entirely.

If you want a lovely translation, look for the one by Antonia White. If you want a side by side French/English version in ADDITION to White's amusing English version, I can recommend this edition. However, if you've never read "Cheri" in English, I'd suggest starting with White. And is it worth to read "Cheri"? Definitely. Why this hasn't been filmed, I'll never know. It reads like a screenplay and it is set in the last of Paris just after fin de siecle and pre-WWI, when Europe changed forever. It's charming, and a wonderful novel. ... Read more

Product Description
A story of burgeoning womanhood and blossoming love, Colette's masterpiece reveals the author's grasp of the politics of relationships. With music, drama, and the charm of French-inflected English, this unabridged novella follows Gigi's training as a courtesan. Leslie Caron, the star of the best-loved film based on Gigi brings to life the Paris of 1899 in all its sensuous detail. 2 cassettes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

An original take on the story
This is the actual story "Gigi" not the film version and it is charming.It is a novella (a short story/book) and takes about 2 -3 hours to read.Just about everyone knows the story so I won't go there.Collette's characters are sympathetic, especially Gigi, and well written and her imagery is really in top form. This was her only "comedy".It's a small book that literally fits in your pants pocket so you can read it on the train going to work.It's a good investment at a good price.

Wry, witty and delightful Colette novella
Fifteen year old Gilberte (Gigi), born into a family of Parisian courtesans, is being raised to follow in the footsteps of her older female relatives. Well-educated at a girls' day school, and drilled in matters of etiquette, dress, and jewelry connoisseurship by her formidable Aunt Alicia (once one of the great ladies of the demimonde), she is the one hope for a family of women with no current income. When an old acquaintance, the wealthy but jaded Gaston Lachaille--thirtyish, bored with Paris high society and his extravagant mistress--begins to think of Gigi as something other than a child, her aunt and grandmother are delighted. However--surprise, surprise! The girl does not want to be mistress to the rich and famous, but prefers the idea of an ordinary life. This entertaining tale, rich with detail and amusing dialogue, is one of Colette's less "serious" stories, as well as one of her best known works (having been made into a movie musical starring Leslie Caron, Louis Jourdain, and Maurice Chevalier, lo! so many years ago).

First Love
Gigi was the first novel I read in French, and at the time that I read it, probably it was the raciest book I ever read, I was a mere lad of I don't know, eleven or so.I couldn't figure out exactly who was who.I tried reading GONE WITH THE WIND in French but that was too long.Gigi was perfect.She was, after all, a young girl, though from a different world than mine.She had several aunts who wanted to train her into the high level world of the Courtesan.A good parallel would be the recent novel MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA by Arthur Golden.

What distinguishes Colette from Golden is that the French writer built a legend around herself in terms of the beauty and poetry of her language.Not only did she possess a stern and acute mind from which no nuance of regret or longing escaped her gaze, but she wielded a pen like an angel.She was incapable of writing a phony sentence, and like the American modernist poet William Carlos Williams she found beauty in the ordinary and the commonplace.A swatch of wildflowers growing in the graveyard where Gigi's mother lies becomes the palette of an artist with the dappled colors suggesting possibility.Gigi's hopes, dreams and fantasies lie mingled, like sooty water, with the harsh realities of her existence.Basically she must find a rich man to cling to, or lose all her status.

For a young boy reading her story, and trying to puzzle through the evocative French, I found myself stumbling at times, but at the end I became convinced that I knew this girl, and I took pleasure in her small triumphs and her enemies became mine.

Today many of Colette's works have been translated but she is still very much caviare to the general.Another couple of books I can recommend to you are CHERI and its sequel, THE LAST OF CHERI.(Cheri's a guy despite his name which to me seemed feminine before I got the drift of things.)

People this is a BOOK, not a DVD
I just need to point out, given that all of the reviews on this BOOK are about the MOVIE, that this item is the novel, Gigi, not the movie.

And it's in French.

Read what you are reviewing before you review it please.

Thank you! ... Read more

Product Description

A spellbinding saga of a remarkable american family . . .

Customer Reviews (10)

Second book doesn't disappoint
The family drama continues in this second book of the Colette trilogy. Loved the first one, A Silent Ocean Away: Colette's Dominion and this continues with Charmaine struggling with feelings for both Paul and John.Touches of humor in various passages keep the tone from becoming too heavy as tragedy unfolds in this continuing story.

A wonderful read providing a nice dose of historical facts and island settings that don't impede a fascinating storyline. Highly recommended - see my review for book 1 A Silent Ocean Away and Book 3 Forever Waiting.

A real page turner!
I fell in love with this trilogy from the moment I started reading the first book. All of the characters came to life for me and became part of my world! I am thrilled with the ending of this trilogy and was so very eager to get to see how it would all unfold. I am sad it is over and wish the story could go on forever!

Better than the first
The saga continues in this second book of the Colette trilogy.Loved the first one, A Silent Ocean Away: Colette's Dominion and this continues with Charmaine struggling with feelings for both Paul and John.This book was my favorite of the three, as Charmaine struggles with emotions for both Paul and John.Touches of humor in various passages keep the tone from becoming too heavy as tragedy unfolds in this continuing story.

A wonderful read providing a nice dose of historical facts and island settings that don't impede a fascinating storyline. Highly recommended - see my review for A Silent Ocean Away.

Great series!
I loved all three of these books, and re-read the first two again in preparation for the last one to debut in November. Historical romance fiction is a favorite, but stopped reading this genre when the "romance details" overtook the storyline in so many of these types of books....This is not the case here. There is romance, and sexual tension but the very interesting saga leads, rather than the bedroom.
I also had a personal interest in reading these books since I know the "De" author as the mother of a former student of mine and I have been cheering on the progress of these books for sometime!
You will not be disappointed in these. I gave the trilogy to my mom for Christmas and she also gives them an enthusiastic "thumbs up"! Now I hope for a new trilogy for the "next generation" of characters. How about it, Deb?!!

Spellbinding Adventure
This is not only a sexy read (with only simple kisses believe it or not) but a really well-written work. The story of the Duvoisin men and Charmaine becomes more intertwined in this second installment and find out so much more. Things get heated up in terms of tension and relationships and hardship. Overall, an enganging installment and many kudos to Deb and Val Gantt who know how to write with purpose. I'm sick of all the 'teen' vampire novels out there. Sure, I've read most of them but they haven't left me craving more. This novel is truly full of substance and heart. ... Read more

Product Description
One of the world's most beloved stories as it has never been told before, Unmasqued is a novel of breathtaking historical erotica.

His exquisite obsession...Christine DaaŽ heard rumors of the hideous Phantom said to haunt the great Opera House in 19th-century Paris. But its youngest and brightest star knows something no one else does-the truth. For in the darkness she thrills to the deep velvet timbre of his arousing voice, and quivers to the soft strokes of his leather-gloved fingers. He is real. Her inspiration. Her Musique d'Ange. Her liberator.

Her erotic awakening...Condemned to the catacombs below, Erik has desired his obsession from the shadows, careful to keep his identity, and his secret, in the dark. Only he understands Christine's extraordinary talents and her beauty. Only he can pleasure her like no man has before. But his sensual power comes with a price-and a risk to everyone who stands between them. For Christine too is succumbing to her most forbidden and dangerous desires-and to the Phantom who's making them all come true. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (65)

Erotic Novel? OH YES!
I have read almost every single version of "The Phantom of the Opera" books. When I found this one I had to read it. YES THIS BOOK IS EXTREMLY SEXUAL. Every other chapter there is someone having sexual relations. If you are into Historical Romance Novels you should read this book. The plot is about the same as the other books, but there is a twist. I mean without the sex this book would probably be about 100 pages long... maybe 75 pages long. So Most of the book is sex and It's finest and kinkiest. So if you like that kind of stuff you should read it.

Enjoyable
I enjoyed the erotic story of the Phatom of the Opera.I was a bit disappointed in how the eroticism slowed down the story of Christine and the Phantom.Some of the characters seemed to not be consistent throughout the novel.

Over all, Unmasqued was entertaining and very, very erotic... however, not shockingly so (maybe I've just read more shocking novels!)

One star was a kindness so generous, it probably earned me a spot in Heaven.
Let me begin by imploring you: if you like ANYTHING AT ALL about the story "The Phantom of the Opera" DO NOT READ THIS BOOK.

I knew it was probably going to be bad. It isn't bad because it's erotica--I don't personally have a problem with sex. Sex just for the sake of sex with every random character in the world that I don't care about... not so much, but I got by with skimming through a lot of the sex scenes.

The problem is, the characters are not the characters of POTO. I've never been madly in love with Christine's character in any of the versions I've read, but I never thought I would come across a version of her where she is just such a blatant whore. Seriously. There is not one modicum of likeability in her character--or ANY character, really. I liked Erik a few pages here and there, but Christine drags the story down to the point where I begin to hate him just for his attachment to this dump little slut. Another thing that ticked me off--if you want to make a character a slut (i.e. MME Giry) go for it, but don't proceed to litter the text with praise about how "innocent" and "moralistic" she is. In MY generation the Christine in this book is a tramp, but in HER day, she was an absolute two-bit whore.

The previously remarked on everyone-has-sex-with-everyone-and-there's-no-apparent-reason is vaguely annoying; as I said, I skimmed many pages of rough sex. I have no problem with reading rough sex, but I don't particularly care to read about characters that don't even matter having sex. Why would I? I don't even care about the characters I'm SUPPOSED to care about.

I struggled to try to defend this book until the end of chapter 11, by which point there was no redemption. The last half of this book could have had the cure to cancer, a feasible solution to world hunger, and the winning lottery numbers for the next two years, and I STILL would not have been glad that I bought this book--AND I only bought it because it was in the $1 clearance bin. That said, I would have preferred to flush my dollar down the toilet or burn it, because then I would not own this awful, awful book.

Dispels any romantic illusions about this story.
Yes, Phans could have enjoyed a spiced-up version of the story but for heaven's sake, this is not what I expected.The writing is ok but the characters are a uniformly degenerate bunch who don't inspire any sympathy.On the contrary, they deserve each other with their enjoyment of degrading each other.The virginal Christine is no such thing in this telling and enjoys being sadistically exploited. Even poor Raoul comes off (there's a LOT of that!) as a pervert and I had to laugh at the transformation of Mme. Giry and Carlotta into sex addicts.

Take out the graphic sex scenes and what's left isn't at all satisfying.

I'll bet sailors around the world are blushing, I for one learned a few new names for my body parts.

A better title would be "OHHHH! CHRISTINE!"

If you love him...
If you are obsessed with and love the phantom, this is the book for you.A little explicit at times, but still a great read.Love it! ... Read more

Product Description
In this book the authors offer a practical lifeline to sufferers with advice on diets for:boosting fertility, preventing diabetes, and heart disease, breaking out of the cycle of emotional eating, and nutritional supplements and herbal remedies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Fast shipping from England!
I am enjoying the book so far. It's definately helping me understand the way this thing works with diet. I'm glad I bought it! The shipper was in England and I received this book with lightening speed. Great buy!

PCOS Diet
This is a good book when you are looking for answeres that no one seems to answer.It makes you realize that you are not the only one with PCOS.Assists with different ways to deal with it. there is a diet that I am going to start next week for 10 days and compare this past diet.Hope this diet works better.

Great book and excellent advice
I don't know why any one would think this book is terrible it's the only book I have encountered that has actual solutions for PCOS and success stories. As for finding things in the book in the US that really isn't a reason to knock this book and to shy away from buying it. And it's mainly for some recipes and the recipes are easy to change.It has alot of alternative suggestions to medications and it is just very logical read. Buy this book if you have PCOS, I think I have highlighted 90% of this book.

PCOS Diet Book Review
For those that have this disorder, this book is a MUST! I have found it very very helpful in helping me lose weight and get my condition under control. I love this book!

this book absolutley works
i read this book, a couple of times. i didn't follow the diets listed religiously, but i did follow the nutritional guidelines, and changed my lifestyle and eating habits.about a year later, i had lost 40 pounds, and found out that i was pregnant!a miracle i thought i would never experience.i recomend this book to anyone with pcos, who is having trouble losing weight, and/or concieving. ... Read more

Product Description
Reminiscent of Lapierre's THE CITY OF JOY, this searing, eye-opening memoir is by an extraordinary woman who served for eleven years as a nun in Mother Teresa's order, working with the world's poor. Ultimately, it is also the story of her journey into disillusionment with the order and her crisis of faith.Enormously compassionate and unflinchingly honest, Colette Livermore recounts the horrors she saw and tried to remedy in her work with the sisters of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in some of the poorest places in the East - the sprawling, fetid garbage dump of Manila and the crowded slums of urban India. The sheer numbers of desperate people Livermore encountered and helped was huge and humbling, their circumstances devastating; yet these interactions with other souls were not unbearable to her - rather, she drew strength and courage from them, knowing that it was her calling to help all who presented themselves, and to be with them in their suffering.Untimately, though, she could not bear the rigid administrative culture of the order, and its insistence on unquestioning obedience, which was harmful to the young sisters mentally, emotionally and spiritually, while limiting the good they could do. Beyond her inner struggle to find her right path amid suffering many illnesses herself as a result of her service, Livermore also had to resist pressure from Mother Teresa and other superiors who tried many arguments to keep her from leaving. But leave she did, and went on to become a general practioner and an atheist, while continuing her life's work helping the disadvantaged, building a new life of humanitarian service.An inspiring story of an incredible woman, HOPE ENDURES is also a critique that asks readers to question blind faith and obedience and discover their own true path to practising goodness in life. ... Read more

Product Description
Colette Peterss extraordinary Christmas confections have adorned the White House and Tiffanys windows. With Colettes Christmas, bakers at all levels can create Colettes magnificent holiday desserts and edible decorations, including: Christmas cookiesfrom easy drop cookies to marionette cookies, with arms and legs that move, to life-size stocking cookies that hang from the mantel, A Swiss chalet gingerbread house, a chocolate pumpkin pie wreath, and a raspberry-and-lime no-bake Christmas cheesecake, Gorgeous centerpieces like chocolate-and-almond pine cones, a greenhouse made of piped icing, a mosaic candy tree, chocolate ornaments in a chocolate bowl. Her specialty: beautiful and delicious cakesfrom a single-layer Stained-Glass Poinsettia Cake to a multitier Victorian Holiday Cake, the recipes in Colettes Christmas enable home as well as professional bakers to create Christmas magic in their own kitchens. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

wonderful photos
Great photos, amazing decorations. Not for beginners though, most things described require quite a bit of time and skill.

beautiful but
when will i have the time to make these cakes.some look so outdated.duh i should have known.but i love Collete Peters and am glad to have one of her books.

WOW!!!This is an AWESOME book to add to your collection!!!
I'd definately give this book six stars if they had the option!!!The descriptions on each item are incredibly detailed making it so ANYONE can follow the directions and have it turn out as nice as the pictures.The book takes what looks INCREDIBLY complicated and makes it so even the novice could recreate it.Definately a must have in any Christmas or baker's collection!!

Christmas Feast
If you're a Christmas junkie like me you'll *love* this book. The author manages to make breathtaking edibles that capture the season and will have you trying them out regardless of the time of year. Truly inspirational!!

Sumptuous photographs, great ideas, clear directions
I treated myself to "Colette's Christmas" by baker extraordinaire Colette Peters while on vacation.It seemed a strange thing to read while at the beach, but I was absolutely captivated.What a fevered imagination Ms. Peters has!The showstoppingly gorgeous desserts and projects she shows within include a layer cake covered with fondant that has been pieced and quilted to resemble and antique quilt (and it surely does); a chocolate bowl filled to overflowing with spectacular chocolate spheres (the cover photograph); hinged, jointed cookies which really move and make splendid Christmas ornaments (all in human forms, like Santa, Raggedy Ann, and so on); gift boxes made entirely of decorated cookie dough; a shimmering "stained glass" cake; and a three-dimensional Christmas gazebo constructed around a towering decorated Christmas tree made of piped icing.

Even if the projects herein appear way too complicated or time-consuming for most people--as they do for me, I'll admit--Ms. Peters gives splendidly clear, concise directions in a conversational tone that make starting your own gingerbread house seem, somehow, not as daunting as it really should be. ... Read more

Product Description
One of the best of Colette's celebrated `Claudine' novels. It was the first to be written under her own name, without the influence of her husband from whom she had recently separated. A tale of the sexual and emotional machinations of three upper-class youths in a remote farmhouse, Retreat From Love shows the work of a newly mature Colette. In an isolated farmhouse in the Jura, Claudine awaits her husband Renaud's return from a Swiss sanatorium. She distracts herself by encouraging her young friend Annie to recount salacious episodes from her love life. When Renaud's homosexual son Marcel arrives Claudine sets about matchmaking, a fiasco she bitterly regrets. With Renaud's death, Claudine's ennui is transmuted into resigned suffering. But she gradually allows the rhythm and beauty of the natural world to reawaken her desire to live. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Final book of the Claudine Novels. . . .
I was so happy to find this book after thinking that 'Claudine and Annie' of the four Claudine books was the last we could read of her.In this book, Colette expands upon the friendship between Claudine and Annie, andshows what becomes of the latter's timid personality and what stepsonMarcel has developed into.But Claudine is the same delightful Claudine,who writes of pain, of friendship, of personal relationships, of nature, ofanimals freely now, uninhibited by society.For how flowing and relaxingthe book reads, there are some major changes to the plot, most noticably inthe end.A lovely book for anyone who wants to keep up with Claudine, orwho enjoys the later works of Colette. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The truest fiction ever written on emerging womanhood.
Charming, audacious Claudine is the heroine of Colette's finest stories. From the time she is matching wits with her schoolmistress through to taking in Paris as a young bride she amazes and delights with her precocious perceptions. Colette makes you care passionately what becomes of Claudine and her friends. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Entertaining women's fiction
When I first started reading this novel, I thought it was going to just another ho-hum "chick lit" type book.The small Dublin office where the majority of the action is set features characters who didn't seem all that appealing on first blush:Douglas, the womanizing self-made man; Pamela, his beautiful-yet-cold wife; Gina, the 20-something who can't seem to get her love life together; Jack, the office jokester; and Mal, the meek subservient to his domineering wife.Happily, author Caddle does a nice job of making each of these individuals more multi-dimensional, partially through allowing them all to have the story's narration told from their point of view.Adding another character to the mix, Susie, serves to add further interest and complexity to the plotline.What seemed initially to be fairly predictable fare turns out to be an extremely engaging novel which rises above the chick lit genre to the level of other bestselling British/Irish authors such as Maeve Binchy or Marian Keyes.Although the title doesn't quite do justice to the story, I would definitely recommend this book and will be looking to read more of Caddle's work in the future. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Get Claudine at School, skip the others
These books have been accused of being frivolous.That might be true to an extent, but in Claudine at School this frivolity is transcendant.Colette's style has been described as the treasure of France, and Claudine as a teenager is delightful - imperious, arrogant, sensitive, hedonistic, fearless, aggressive, intelligent.Any frivolity in this novel is necessary, because youth is a frivolous time, and Colette captures the emotions and attitudes of youth beautifully.However... the other novels are very disappointing.I never like my youthful, brave heroines to age, especially when their lives and lifestyles seem to contradict their youthful ideals.Colette settles down to Parisian society, and even though she disregards good manners and is still mouthy and free-spirited, it seems somewhat hollow - after all, she is still just going to tea parties all day long, gossipping and going to the spas with other socialites, so does it matter if she sometimes shocks them?

Claudine at School is a brilliant, funny, and brave book, but the other three are tame in comparison, and yes, I might even go so far as to agree with other reviewers that they are "beach reads".Give me Claudine in the countryside any day, legendary among her classmates for the trouble she causes, sadistically tormenting love-struck classmates, seducing tutors, and enraging teachers.

Classic?
I would give this 2.5 stars, were this an option.

First, I should say that this book was an incredibly breezy read; in spite of its over 500 pages, I read it in three days. It's brainless, easy, and more of a "beach read" than a classic.

Admittedly, I am not a fan of "beach reads."

Frankly, I don't understand how this book came to be a classic. I can only figure that Colette's later books, combined with her acting career and essays, made her a classic historical figure, which, in turn, made this book a "classic." On its own, the book is a silly lark. The characters and situations are completely unrealistic, their relationships seem forced, and the hand of Colette's husband, who pushed her to write these books and published them under his name, is painfully evident. Scenes of homosexuality are strained and feel slotted in to drive up the "raciness" of the text, and therefore it's saleability.

I'm glad I read this, if only to know more about the author and to say that I know her work. Would I recommend it? No. Was it a painful read? No. It just wasn't of classic or even literary caliber.

What an unpleasant surprise ...
Yes the concept of the book, a Victorian novel of a young girl married to a much older man, an unscrupulous publisher no less, led me to dish out the big bucks and buy this book ....

If they said this book was steamy, it certainly was, but, the steam came from me in having to read this mush. I think they should have announced this book as ANTI VICTORIAN literature since sensuality is hinted at but never touched. Thats why I rate this book with one star since you can't have serious relationships and marriage between people that are decades appart in age without some sort of spice. The fact that the man in the book is a scumbucketis even more reason to delvelop this as a reality...

Well yes theres the word .. reality .. which is what this book does not have.

"Experiences of a young girl growing to maturity" is what the covers says ... what it should say is that this is so boring and meant for readers that think watching grass grow is exciting!

Claudine the Great
For novels a century old, the first thing that will take the reader by surprise is just how modern the narrator's voice is. Yes, the setting is in stuffy late Victoriana, with trips to Bayreuth and carriages and endless dinner parties, but sweet Claudine, who tells three of the four tales in this compliation, is aware, hilarious, darling and fiercely, fiercely intelligent.

The first novel is perhaps the best -- Claudine a l'ecole -- while the latter ones occasionally lag, esp. the rather dull "Claudine en menage." "Claudine s'en va" (Claudine and Annie) is a strange experiment, with the narrator we've grown to love over three novels suddenly turned into supporting character, but it's quick and entertaining.

And these books are wonderfully decadent. Let the conservatives wail about how debased our times have become, and then read these products of 1900-1903, with their frank journeys into lesbian sex, adultery, drug use -- and view the rather jaundiced way the characters approach such sacred cows as religion and marriage.

Also, this compliation is not complete, as it is missing "La retraite sentimentale", the final Claudine installment.

Collette would get even better, but this is a fine starting point.

A quirky French classic
These novels came about in almost an accidental way; Colette was married to a much older, very unsuitable man who owned a publishing house. His method of putting out books was unscrupulous to say the least. Willy Villiers would gather a group of inpecunious writers and re-label their works as his own and then publish them. One day, he suggested to his young wife that she write a few "juicy tales" of her school days. Colette complied, but the work didn't suit Willy. He threw the manuscript in a drawer and forgot all about it. A few years later, he ran across it, read it, and exclaimed that he must have been a complete dolt. The book was published (under his name) and took Paris by storm.

Colette's somewhat (for those times) racy tale of schoolgirls in a provincial town was followed by the story of Colette's move to Paris and her marriage to a much older man. The books not only capture the flavor of the times but also create a very quirky French character, Claudine, who at all times remains true to herself and opinion be damned. ... Read more

Product Description
A mother receives an undeniable message of love from her deceased sonA series of meaningful coincidences appear to save a lifeA conversation overheard between strangers delivers a life-altering personal message to a bystanderA dream warns a woman of a wounded animal miles awayA reading of oracle cards prepares a daughter for an impending tragedyExtraordinary? Unusual? It's not! Messages from Spirit are received every day by ordinary people in a multitude of ways. We are made of, and surrounded by, an all-knowing Divine field of intelligence that is just waiting to guide us and give us help whenever we ask for it. We just need to learn how to enter the conversation and understand the dialogue. So how do we ask? How do we receive and interpret the answers?By exploring ancient methods in a modern context of connecting to the Divine, renowned intuitive counselor and best-selling author Colette Baron-Reid shows you magical, fun, and practical methods that will enable you to delve into your own dialogue with Spirit. She'll take you on a mysterious and enlightening journey that will shake up your perspective, stir your curiosity, and prepare you for a Divine conversation that will forever change your understanding of the world around you. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

REFERENCE BOOK!
I loved this book. Especially the part with all of the signs and omens in the back that tells you the meanings of them all. I find myself contantly looking up things that come across my path on a daily basis.It never sees my book shelf as I can never put it away that long! Do yourself a favor and get this book. You will find it highly enlightening!

Messages all around
Colette shares her vision of ancient times from the spiritual side of life.Her history lesson is full of interesting facts about how our ancestors dealt with spiritual issues and spiritual communication.When we understand how many of our forbearer's thought about God and spirits, we can better understand our own spirituality.

We come across messages, signposts, inklings but most of us ignore them because we may not know what they are, or don't believe in messages from spirit.When our awareness is heightened and when we are listening and watching, we can then benefit from these communications.Look for the messages in all events and you may just find them!

underwhelmed
I was very excited to read this book, because I loved Colette's first book,"Remembering the Future".However, I was disappointed in this book for several reasons.First, much of the book is her telling stories and examples of seeing signs in her own life.I believe she has, but she's really psychic, so I expect that.I was hoping to read more how regular folks like me might understand how to see these things.Second, there was some redundancy from her first book.But the biggest problem seemed to be that she really didn't have enough ideas & material to make a strong second book, but published one anyway.So many times in this genre, someone writes a great first book, but then they come out with a whole string of other books, and they're never as good as the first.At times it seemed she was really grasping for anything to fill the pages.There's some good material in it, but you have to wade through the filler.

Spiritual Tools
Very good book to aid in opening ones awareness to the subtle messages from our guide/s, angel/s Mother & Father God, as well as loved ones from the other side.

A Must-Read!
This book is truly a must-read bible for you're trying to understand the significance of signs and omens in your life. Colette gives you the tools you need to understand the hidden messages that surround you and partner with Spirit on your path. While she discusses everything from messages numbers to animals to soup, this book is ultimately a source of inspiration to help you stay connected to the Divine.

I especially enjoyed Colette's insight into how each of us has a map for our lives with certain events preplanned, particular lessons to learn, and repeating themes. She encourages you to see the valuable lesson in your painful circumstances. How many times have you wanted to bang your head against a wall or change your circumstances? Can you think of how past painful experiences have turned into some of your most important lessons and even made you who you are today? Colette explains the importance of choice points in your life--those times when you know you could change direction by choosing a different path--and how to take full advantage of those moments of opportunity by forming a partnership with Spirit. I highly recommend doing the journaling exercise at the end of this chapter.

I also loved the personal stories and examples that were weaved into the greater message of the book. And, the discussion on 11:11...So many other experts have glossed over the meaning of repeating numbers. They give you a little tidbit that only makes half sense. In this book, Colette gives you much-needed in-depth insight into the 11:11 phenomenon and other recurring numbers.

Even if you don't think the world is communicating with you, pick this up and you'll start to see. I highly recommend it!
... Read more