Sweet Summer Giveaway (India only)- What a Boy Wants and What a Boy Needs by Nyrae Dawn

Hi, everyone! A few years ago, Janhvi and I read author Nyrae Dawn's What a Boy Wants and What a Boy Needs, and instantly feel in love with the sweet characters, cute stories and awesome writing. These are Young Adult books that are simply great, so when we were lucky enough to stumble upon them in our local Landmark, that too on sale, we couldn't resist buying both the books for our dear Indian readers. So here we are with our very own Sweet Summer giveaway for the same for you guys. Also, because we couldn't have a giveaway up last month (sincere apologies), we are giving away both books to one lucky Indian reader in this month long Sweet Summer giveaway. Let's get on to it then.

What a Boy Wants on Goodreads | What a Boy Needs on Goodreads

Giveaway rules are simple:

*The giveaway is open for residents of India only.

*To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter from below.

*If the form doesn't load, go here. 

*Following The Readdicts is mandatory.

*All other entries are optional.

*Once winners are picked, they will have 48 hours to respond, or else, we'll be compelled to pick  new winners. 

*If you have any questions, shoot it. We'll help you, or try to at least. 

That's all. Get, set, go! May the odds be ever in your favour! 

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Thank you for stopping by, and happy reading! 

Review- Rush by Nyrae Dawn

Goodreads Summary:

This heartbreaking, powerful New Adult male/male romance will be loved by fans of Jamie McGuire, Jessica Sorensen and Abbi Glines, as well as by all fans of Nyrae Dawn's The Games trilogy... 

What if you fell in love with your best friend? But no one could ever know... Brandon Chase has always defined himself by one thing: football. He's the star of the team, an idol to his teammates and surrounded by the hottest girls. But Brandon has a secret - how he really feels about his friend Alec Andrews. Rather than confront the truth, Brandon pushes Alec away. But when Brandon is seriously injured in a car crash, the only person who can get through to him is Alec. Against all odds, Alec helps Brandon train his way back to fitness and prepare for the NFL draft. As they spend the summer together, the two can't deny their attraction - the rush they feel when they're together is impossible to deny and neither wants to walk away. Will Brandon be brave enough to face the consequences of following his heart? No matter what the cost?

REVIEW:

I loved Nyrae Dawn's What A Boy Wants, What A Boy Needs and Measuring Up. Those are books I read when I was completely into Young Adult and I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of them. I, however, no matter how big a fan of Nyrae's I became after that, didn't read any other books by the author. But once I got to know that her latest book, Rush, was a male/ male romance, I just knew I had to read it. And while I realised I missed out on Nyrae's simple and sweet writing, I didn't really enjoy the story as much as I was looking forward to enjoying it. 

Rush is the story of Alec and Brandon, who have been gay for as long as they know and they've been friends for a long time. When they first meet, sparks fly, but it's never a bed of roses. They know how difficult it is to survive in a world where anything outside of "normal" is taken as something that's bad, horrible and disgusting. They know how disappointed in them their respective families will be and how much Brandon, the football star's career will be affected by coming out of the closet. 

What I did like about Rush was the relationship between our two heroes. Alec and Brandon made for a very sweet and sensible couple, who cared deeply for each other and were at their best only when they were together. The chemistry between them was nice and hot. The few aspects that didn't sit quite well with me were the time Brandon took to accept that it's guys he likes. At the beginning, it frustrated me to no end when he kept pushing Alec aside. But to balance that out, Alec was a determined and practical person, who put Brandon first no matter what and who was the reason why the two came together. The huge difference between both their families gives two points of views on the breaking of the big news. While Brandon's side of the story was very sweet, Alec's side seemed more real and impacting. 

Overall, Rush wasn't a bad read at all. It was really good, in fact. It's just that I've read a lot of LGBT books and they've blown me away. In a way, I expected Rush to do the same. But now that I think of it, the whole theme on which Rush is based is different and taking into consideration that context, it was a very cute and compelling read that was good in its own way. Nyrae Dawn writes really well, although the typos could have seen better editing. Anyway, the author has written a nice, contemporary M/M romance that takes up the good and the bad side of things and in this day and age, we need more books like this. 

RATING:

Review- Masquerade by Nyrae Dawn

Summary-

A biker. A tattoo artist. A love to last a lifetime.Maddox Cross has always had to be tough. When his father went to jail for murder, the teenager took care of his sister and mother. Now on his own and working security at a night club, Maddox wants to become a tattoo artist-a dream that comes closer to reality when he falls for the hottest, most tatted woman he's ever seen. She's wild and beautiful, and Maddox will do anything to be with her.

Bee Malone came to town to open up her new tattoo parlor, Masquerade. Since being kidnapped as a young girl, Bee has had trouble getting close to anyone. But when she meets Maddox, she sees that under his hard biker's body is the sensitive soul of an artist. What starts out as a sizzling one-night stand soon becomes so much more.

Bee wants Maddox to join her tattoo business, but letting him into her life means revealing all her most intimate secrets. And as the past begins to intertwine with her present, Bee fears their love may not be as permanent as their ink . . . 

Review-

Masquerade by Nyrae Dawn is the third book in Nyrae Dawn's Games series. I had really enjoyed the first book Charade and the second book Facade was okay for me. Masquerade falls somewhere in between. It was better than Facade but not as good as Charade. I liked Masquerade.

We'd met Maddox as Laney's brother in the previous book. Maddox has a really horrible past and he has been taking care of his sister and mother since his father went to jail. I'm not sure what to feel about Maddox. He was quiet and aloof most of the times not willing to show what he feels. I understood what happened by the end of the book but I can't say I loved him.

Then there's Bee. Bee has come to town to open up her tattoo parlor. She has an equally horrible past which has left her feeling unsure of who she really is. Now, Bee I really liked. She said what was on her mind even if it came off as bitchy. She was stubborn yet strong and determined. It was good to see her push herself and Maddox.

Bee and Maddox's relationship starts off as a completely physical one. They are attracted to each other but they do get on each other's nerves as well. I liked how both Maddox and Bee were slow to trust each other. They understand each other better than they think they do. I liked that.

We also get to see a lot of Adrian, Laney, Colt and Cheyenne. Those were the best parts for me. After seeing them struggle so much it was good to see them being strong for each other. There were times when I felt Maddox and Bee got  a bit too philosophical with life as it did not go with the new adult vibe but still it was a good book. Overall, I liked Masquerade.

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by the author/publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

Review- Dizzy by Nyrae Dawn and Jolene Perry

Summary-

Dylan doesn’t do relationships. He and his older brother watched their dad go through hell and back, so they made a pact years ago—no girl would come between the Gibson boys. But his brother sells out. He's getting married anyway. To the sister of a chick Dylan met at a party, who's probably the angriest girl he's ever met. Unfortunately, she happens to be hot, too.

Ziah’s life is upside down—her safe boyfriend turns out to be not-so-safe, and now her sister is getting married before college is over to the older brother of a spoiled, party boy who drives her crazy. And also makes her heart beat too fast.

There’s no denying the attraction, but there's also no denying how much they irritate each other. When they’re thrown together as forced wedding planners, they find an ally in each other--neither wants this wedding to happen.

But instead of putting a stop to the crazy nuptials they find themselves at fittings and cake testing. And maybe even…a few dates?
Dizzy is a novel about what happens when two people who are determined not to fall in love, maybe do anyway. Maybe.

Review-

Dizzy was a very fun and cute Young Adult book which definitely got a smile to my face. It had just the right amount of angst and drama to make it believable without making me frustrated with any of the characters or any situation whatsoever in the book.

Dizzy starts off with Dylan and Ziah meeting at a party. They are both attracted to each other and can feel the connection but each have their own set of circumstances which makes them reluctant to do anything about it. Dylan think Ziah is the angriest girl he's ever met and Ziah thinks Dylan is a spoiled, rich, party boy who just drives her crazy.

Both of them are unprepared when they find out that their older siblings have fallen in love with each other and are getting married. Here Dylan and Ziah are forced to help in the wedding planning which brings them together so many times. So as they begin to really get to know each other they can't help the sparks that fly off whenever they are in each other's company.

I loved Dylan and Ziah's banter.It was cute and fun and natural all at the same time. You can see how Ziah is hesitant to put herself out there after her boyfriend's betrayal and you can see how Dylan has yet to get over his mother's abandonment. They are complete opposites on the outside but inside they are exactly the same just looking for somebody to love them for who they are.

I loved Nyrae Dawn's writing from before but I'd read Jolene Perry for the first time and she was just as good. Dylan's pov is written by Nyrae and Ziah's pov is written by Jolene. This was a light read with a sweet romance and a great set of characters. If you're looking for a nice contemporary young adult read Dizzy is definitely the book for you.

 X 4

Janhvi

Review- Charade by Nyrae Dawn

Summary-

Nineteen-year-old Cheyenne tries to portray the perfect life to mask the memories of her past. Walking in on her boyfriend with another woman her freshman year in college threatens that picture of perfection. 

Twenty-one-year-old Colt never wanted college and never expected to amount to anything, but when his mom's dying wish is for him to get his degree, he has no choice but to pretend it's what he wants too. 

Cheyenne needs a fake boyfriend to get back at her ex and Colt needs cash to take care of his mom, so they strike a deal that helps them both. But what if Cheyenne’s past isn’t what she thought? Soon they’re trading one charade for another—losing themselves in each other to forget about their pain. The more they play their game, the more it becomes the only thing they have that feels real.

Both Cheyenne and Colt know life is never easy, but neither of them expect the tragedy that threatens to end their charade and rip them apart forever.

Review-

I had been eagerly awaiting the release of Charade since a long time. I had been following, cough *stalking* cough, Nyrae's updates on her progress of Charade. I was super excited to know more about Colt and Cheyenne and I was certainly not disappointed.

The book starts off with Cheyenne catching her boyfriend Gregory cheating on her. She is devastated and all the insecurities she carries within herself come crashing down on her. Cheyenne's past was well described. She tries to put on a perfect face for everyone to hide her pain and the abandonment she has been through. But Colt always manages to see right through her.

Colt pretends to be her fake boyfriend to get back at her ex. Colt had his own set of problems. His mother has cancer and he needs all the cash he can get. So they strike a deal to play the game of charades. Colt was a typical guy, cocky and confident in his own skin. He doesn't want to get pulled in by Cheyenne but she's the only one who can help him forget his pain.

Nyrae writes some of the best book boys and Colt is definitely one of my favorites. Colt and Cheyenne had chemistry and you could see how they needed each other though they would never admit it till the end. This book was New Adult so there were was no holding back on the cursing or the steamy scenes. I also loved Bev, Cheyenne's roommate Andy and Adrian.

Nyrae announced on her blog that there will be a second book starring Adrian in The Games Series called Facade. I am super excited for it. Charade was a much darker and depressing book as compared to her other books like What a Boy Wants and What a Boy Needs. It is not exactly a light fluffy read. This book is heart wrenching and you can feel the characters' pain and desperation but it is brilliant nonetheless. I definitely recommend reading Charade.

  X 4

Janhvi

Review- Measuring Up by Nyrae Dawn

Goodreads Summary-

Seventeen-year-old Annabel Conway is tired of the Hillcrest High School elite making her life miserable because she’s not a size two. This summer, she's hiring a personal trainer to help her lose weight. 

Annabel doesn’t expect her trainer to be a gorgeous guy around her age. Boys like Tegan are jerks. They pretend to like girls like her so they can make an idiot out of them. Been there, done that. Totally not going there again. She kind of hates him on principal. Blond. Muscular. Funny. It doesn’t help that he knows her measurements!

Soon, Tegan's so much more than that. He’s the boy who teaches her to box when she has a bad day. Who jogs with her and lets her set the pace. Who kisses her until she melts. He makes her feel beautiful regardless of what the scale says. Unlike her mom, he doesn’t expect perfection, and he doesn't try to shield her from the world like her dad and best friend. Tegan likes her the way she is.

But what happens when he’s not there? He can’t always be there… 

Will Annabel be able to stand on her own and learn that she already measures up? That her worth doesn’t lie in what the world thinks, the scale says, or even what Tegan tells her—but in herself?

Review-

This wasn't the first book by Nyrae Dawn that I've read. I loved What A Boy Wants and What A Boy Needs by her and so my expectations of Measuring Up were high. Surely, Nyrae Dawn does not disappoint.

Measuring Up is the story of Annabel who has weight issues. Its her struggle to overcome her insecurities and the other problems which she's facing. This is the first time I've read a book  written from the girl's POV from Nyrae and she has nailed it perfectly. Annabel is sweet yet strong and determined. You want her to succeed and I was cheering for her all along in the book. It was easy to connect with her. I'm sure all of us at some point in our lives have been unsure of our self and  that makes Annabel so easy to relate to.

Then there's Tegan. He balances out Annabel perfectly. He has his own battles to overcome but he cares deeply for Annabel. Together,  Annabel and Tegan's romance was endearing and sweet. They had chemistry. I enjoyed their banter and hoped they got through every obstacle life threw at them. Annabel's best friend, Emily and Tegan's brother, Tim and mom, Dana made for wonderful characters as well.

If you're looking for a YA contemporary romance which will make you feel good this is the book  you're looking for. Oh and the dedication in the book was just beautiful. That was worth mentioning. I am definitely looking forward to reading more books by Nyrae Dawn.

Measuring Up by Nyrae Dawn

 X 4

        Janhvi