Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway- Modern Monsters by Kelley York

Modern Monsters

by Kelley York

Release Date: 06/02/15

Entangled Teen

Summary from Goodreads:

Vic Howard never wanted to go to the party. He’s the Invisible Guy at school, a special kind of hell for quiet, nice guys. But because his best friend is as popular as Vic is ignored, he went…

And wished he hadn’t.

Because something happened to a girl that night. Something terrible, unimaginable, and Callie Wheeler’s life will never be the same. Plus, now Callie has told the police that Vic is responsible. Suddenly, Invisible Vic is painfully visible, on trial both literally, with the police, and figuratively, with the angry kids at school. As the whispers and violence escalate, he becomes determined to clear his name, even if it means an uneasy alliance with Callie's best friend, the beautiful but aloof Autumn Dixon.

But as Autumn and Vic slowly peel back the layers of what happened at the party, they realize that while the truth can set Vic free, it can also shatter everything he thought he knew about his life…

Add to Goodreads

Buy Links: Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books│iBooks

REVIEW:

*NOTE: We (The Readdicts) received a copy of Modern Monsters by Kelley York from Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review. We thank them for the book!

Sheer excitement started running through me when I got to know that Kelley York was writing a new book. An auto-read author for me, Kelley York is one of my most favourite and preferred contemporary writers of our time. So when I got the opportunity to read and review an e-arc of Modern Monsters, I was elated. Obviously, I had expectations from the book, and even though they weren't necessarily met to the absolute last point, the book did exactly what is necessary for me to appreciate a book. 

Vic Howard, the protagonist of Modern Monsters, from whose point of view the book goes, was very easy to relate to and I could connect with him so well. He was the reserved wallflower who had no problem being alone, and who has always been a shadow of his close friend, Brett. When accused of raping his school mate Callie at a famous lake house party, he suddenly becomes the centre of attention. While the whole mystery surrounding the rape was very intriguing and interesting, at some point, I knew who the culprit would be and I was right. This obviousness didn't disappoint me, because it only showed me how engaged and involved I was in the story that I instantly felt part of it. This is what I want a story to do to me in any case- make me feel belonged, and Modern Monsters did that. 

While Vic was the epitome of a character created by Kelley York, the story wasn't. There was darkness, there was mystery and there was thrill, but not too intense. When Vic and Callie's closest friend Autumn join hands to solve the mystery behind the rape, the story seemed to focus more on boy meets girl and you know what happens, which was really lovely, but had me slightly disappointed. Also, I found it odd how Autumn immediately trusts Vic, but then again, Vic is genuinely a great and strong guy, which is such a rarity that I adored him. So was Autumn. She was just like autumn: fresh and nice. A nice friendship then turned into a gorgeous  slow burn romance, which is again dense in some Young Adult reads, so that was really satisfying to read about. 

At one point, I stopped comparing Modern Monsters to any previous Kelley York book, and that's when I really started appreciating it. It was something very different, fresh and new. As if it isn't already evident, this book has shown me, once again, how talented Kelley York is in telling stories that leave me feeling. What that is and how that happens, I don't know. What matters the most to me is the fact that I felt that I was part of the story, right there with Vic, Autumn, Callie and Brett. Considering it to be a different read, I thought that Modern Monsters was quite a great read that ended perfectly and brought a smile to my face once I shut it, another aspect that I love and respect about such dazzling, emotional and powerful stories. 

RATING:

About the Author:

"I like unicorns and cats and games...and stuff..." - quality author quote by Kelley

Kelley York was born in central California, where she still resides with her lovely wife, step-daughter, and way too many cats, while fantasizing about moving to England or Ireland. (Or, really, anyplace secluded.) She has a fascination with bells and animals and Disney. Her life goal is to find a real unicorn. Or to at least write about them. She occupies her spare time with video games,designing covers, playing on Tumblr, and watching anime.

Kelley is a sucker for dark fiction. She loves writing twisted characters, tragic happenings, and bittersweet endings that leave you wondering and crying. She strives to make character development take center stage in her books because the bounds of a person's character and the workings of their mind are limitless.

Author Links: Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Or, go here.

Book Tour Organized by:

YA Bound Book Tours

Review- Modern Monsters by Kelley York

Goodreads Summary:

Vic Howard never wanted to go to the party. He’s the Invisible Guy at school, a special kind of hell for quiet, nice guys. But because his best friend is as popular as Vic is ignored, he went…

And wished he hadn’t.

Because something happened to a girl that night. Something terrible, unimaginable, and Callie Wheeler’s life will never be the same. Plus, now Callie has told the police that Vic is responsible. Suddenly, Invisible Vic is painfully visible, on trial both literally, with the police, and figuratively, with the angry kids at school. As the whispers and violence escalate, he becomes determined to clear his name, even if it means an uneasy alliance with Callie's best friend, the beautiful but aloof Autumn Dixon.

But as Autumn and Vic slowly peel back the layers of what happened at the party, they realize that while the truth can set Vic free, it can also shatter everything he thought he knew about his life… 

REVIEW:

*NOTE: We (The Readdicts) received a copy of Modern Monsters by Kelley York from Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review. We thank them for the book!

Sheer excitement started running through me when I got to know that Kelley York was writing a new book. An auto-read author for me, Kelley York is one of my most favourite and preferred contemporary writers of our time. So when I got the opportunity to read and review an e-arc of Modern Monsters, I was elated. Obviously, I had expectations from the book, and even though they weren't necessarily met to the absolute last point, the book did exactly what is necessary for me to appreciate a book. 

Vic Howard, the protagonist of Modern Monsters, from whose point of view the book goes, was very easy to relate to and I could connect with him so well. He was the awkward and reserved wallflower who had no problem being alone, and who has always been a shadow of his close friend, Brett. When accused of raping his school mate Callie at a famous lake house party, he suddenly becomes the centre of attention. While the whole mystery surrounding the rape was very intriguing and interesting, at some point, I knew who the culprit would be and I was right. This obviousness didn't disappoint me, because it only showed me how engaged and involved I was in the story that I instantly felt part of it. This is what I want a story to do to me in any case- make me feel belonged, and Modern Monsters did that. 

While Vic was the epitome of a character created by Kelley York, the story wasn't. There was darkness, there was mystery and there was thrill, but not too intense. When Vic and Callie's closest friend Autumn join hands to solve the mystery behind the rape, the story seemed to focus more on boy meets girl and you know what happens, which was really lovely, but had me slightly disappointed and bored. Also, I found it odd how Autumn immediately trusts Vic, but then again, Vic is genuinely a great and strong guy, which is such a rarity that I adored him. So was Autumn. She was just like autumn: fresh and nice. A nice friendship then turned into a gorgeous  slow burn romance, which is again dense in some Young Adult reads, so that was really satisfying and refreshing to read about. 

At one point, I stopped comparing Modern Monsters to any previous Kelley York book, and that's when I really started appreciating it. It was something very different, fresh and new. As if it isn't already evident, this book has shown me, once again, how talented Kelley York is in telling stories that leave me feeling. What that is and how that happens, I don't know. What matters the most to me is the fact that I felt that I was part of the story, right there with Vic, Autumn, Callie and Brett. Considering it to be a different read, I thought that Modern Monsters was quite a great read that ended perfectly and brought a smile to my face once I shut it, another aspect that I love and respect about such dazzling, emotional and powerful stories. 

RATING:

Giveaway (India only)- The Shaadi Brouhaha by Anjlee Shah

Hi, guys! I am excited to present to you another great book and offer you another awesome giveaway, and that is all thanks to the super sweet author Anjlee Shah for her book, The Shaadi Brouhaha. Although staying in London, Anjlee has generously offered to give away one copy of the book to one lucky Indian reader. So without much ado, let's get on to the post we have for you. 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Launching a newbie into the Indian matrimonial scene is like introducing a new iPhone in an already saturated market – has to be sleek, overflowing with catchy features, and better than the already available versions.

So when twenty-five-year-old Nitya Trivedi is forced into it by her ever so enthusiastic mother and pestering relatives, she hardly knows what she has bargained for.

In her journey to find her soul-mate (??!!), she becomes Dollarkumar’s Poundkumari, ends up fasting on party days to make peace with her horror-scope, attends hilarious ‘arranged’ meetings through various matchmaking portals and people – all under the nose of her extremely evil, but deliciously debonair boss Rudra Desai.

With besties tying the knot and cousins ‘stealing’ prospective grooms…wonder how Nitya’s mother will find the perfect match for her only daughter.

But as always, love will find a way in the midst of The Shaadi Brouhaha..

BOOK LINKS:

AMAZON INDIA / FLIPKART / INFIBEAM / CROSSWORD INDIA

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born in U.A.E and brought up in India, Anjlee Shah has completed her MBA in Finance from Cardiff University. Currently she lives in England with her husband and works as an analyst for a private firm. Intrigued by arranged marriages in Indian culture, she decided to write her debut novel. In her spare time, you will find her either reading, writing or traveling. If given a choice, she would select experience over possessions. 

CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR: 

BLOG / FACEBOOK / TWITTER

GIVEAWAY:

As I said earlier, one copy of The Shaadi Brouhaha is up for grabs for one lucky Indian reader. 

Giveaway rules are simple:

*The giveaway is open to residents of India only.

*Enter by filling out the Rafflecopter form below.

*Once a winner is picked, she/ he will have 48 hours to respond or else, we'll be compelled to pick a new winner.

*The book will be sent by the author/ publisher. 

That's all! Go ahead and enter, and may the odds be ever in your favour! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
If the giveaway form doesn't load, go here.

Thank you for stopping by, and happy reading! 

Review- Hold on Tight by Abbi Glines

Summary-

Six years ago, Dewayne Falco's life changed. He lost someone he never expected to lose. Resigned to punish himself for something he felt he could have prevented, he goes through life without getting too close to anyone.

What he didn't expect was for the girl across the street to move back home and remind him of what they both lost: Dewayne's younger brother Dustin. However, when a miniature version of Dustin opens the door to greet him, Dewayne realizes he might not have lost everything after all.

Sienna Roy loved Dustin Falco most of her life. He was the boy next door, the high school basketball star and her best friend. But when his life was cut short, she realized he left a part of himself behind.

Now, she's back in Sea Breeze, thankful to have a home for her and Dustin's son, but not sure if she can ever forgive the people across the street who abandoned her when she needed them the most — The Falcos.

Betrayal, lies, and forbidden attraction might end Dewayne and Sienna's story before it's even begun.

Review-

Dewayne has been my one of my favorite since the beginning of the Sea Breeze series so I was really excited for Hold on Tight. Maybe I had expected too much out of him or what, I don't know but his book was a disappointment for me. It wasn't all bad but it wasn't as good as some of Abbi's previous books.

Six years ago, Dewayne's life changes when his brother Dustin died of a car accident which Dewayne thinks is his fault. Since then he has been drowning in drinks and girls knowing he would never measure up to his brother. Where did the smart ass, witty Dewayne go?! Where?! This Dewayne was an idiot, sending mixed signals. His reasons were really insufficient and I felt there was a severe lack of depth.

Sienna had loved Dustin but she had worshiped Dewayne. Now she's back in town with her son, Micah trying to live a better life for him. I had initially liked Sienna but as the story progressed I found her to be a bit dumb. Her innocence was really unrealistically portrayed and for a single mother she was stupidly naive. 

The romance between Dewayne and Sienna was not even really a romance. He keeps on saying he doesn't to relationships but he keeps coming back to her. Sienna did not have a strong personality. I didn't understand her. Dewayne and Sienna had chemistry but the lack of communication was apparent. The conflict wasn't strong enough for the story.

BUT I did like a few things. Sienna's son, Micah was a sweet heart. He was the cutest kid and seeing that we didn't have any kids in the previous books it made for a refreshing change. I also liked the tiny glimpses of the remaining couples we get to see how they're doing. All in all, Hold on Tight was an okay read.

Waiting on Wednesday #126

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Naked by Stacey Trombley

Publication Date- July 7th 2015

Goodreads Summary:

The best place to hide is in a lie…

I could never fit in to the life my parents demanded. By the time I was thirteen, it was too much. I ran away to New York City…and found a nightmare that lasted three years. A nightmare that began and ended with a pimp named Luis. Now I am Dirty Anna. Broken, like everything inside me has gone bad.

Except that for the first time, I have a chance to start over. Not just with my parents but at school. Still, the rumors follow me everywhere. Down the hall. In classes. And the only hope I can see is in the wide, brightly lit smile of Jackson, the boy next door. So I lie to him. I lie to protect him from my past. I lie so that I don’t have to be The Girl Who Went Bad.

The only problem is that someone in my school knows about New York. 

Someone knows who I really am.

And it’s just a matter of time before the real Anna is exposed…

This one sounds really interesting and I am looking forward to reading it. 

What are you waiting on this Wednesday?

Book Blitz- Modern Monsters by Kelley York

I am so elated to be on the tour for this book, and I am super excited to read the book. Featuring this blitz on our blog is an added bonus! 

Modern Monsters

by Kelley York

Release Date: 06/02/15

Entangled Teen

Summary from Goodreads:

Vic Howard never wanted to go to the party. He’s the Invisible Guy at school, a special kind of hell for quiet, nice guys. But because his best friend is as popular as Vic is ignored, he went…

And wished he hadn’t.

Because something happened to a girl that night. Something terrible, unimaginable, and Callie Wheeler’s life will never be the same. Plus, now Callie has told the police that Vic did it. Suddenly, Invisible Vic is painfully visible, on trial both literally, with the police, and figuratively, with the angry and judgmental kids at school. As the whispers and violence escalate, he becomes determined to clear his name, even if it means an uneasy alliance with Callie’s best friend, the beautiful but aloof Autumn Dixon.

But as Autumn and Vic slowly peel back the layers of what happened that night, they realize that while the truth can set him free, it can also shatter everything he thought he knew about his life…

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo Books│iBooks

EXCERPT:

Knocking?

Oh. The front door.

I pause, listening. Mom’s footsteps. Answering the door and saying worriedly, “Hello? Is everything okay?”

There’s an undercurrent to her voice that draws me from bed to poke my head into the hall. Beyond Mom stand two police officers, a man and a woman, and their eyes immediately move from her to me.

“We’re looking for Victor Howard. Is he home?” the lady asks.

“Victor is…” Mom turns, eyes wide and worried as she looks at me. “He’s right there. What’s going on? What is this about?”

The male responds, “Just have a few questions for him, is all.”

It takes effort to force myself slowly out of my room and down the hall. My chest is tight. “U-um, I’m V-Vic.” Stupidly, I offer my hand out to them, unsure what else to do. They glance at each other. Neither of them takes my hand.

“I’m Detective Sherrigan and this is Detective Carter, Waverly Police Department,” the man says. “We came to ask you about a party you were seen at Friday night.”

My insides are mush and my legs are jelly. I slowly lower my hand, watching Mom from my peripheral. As she steps aside to let the officers in and shut the door, her eyes are so wide that I’m expecting them to fall out of her head. Oh. The explaining I’m going to have to do after this will be amazing.

“Okay,” I say, wringing my hands together. “I-I was th-there.”

Sherrigan writes this down in his notepad. Carter remains poised, hands folded in front of her and expression grim. “Do you know a Callie Wheeler?”

My spine stiffens. “Is she okay?”

“Is that a yes?”

“Y-yes. I know her. S-sort of.”

While Sherrigan is portly and looks like he’d be a nice guy any other day of the week, Carter is the sort of cop you don’t want to mess with. Short. Hair pulled back into a serious bun, ruby-red lipstick that makes her look like she just tore out the throat of her enemies with her teeth. She doesn’t look impressed by me in the least. “Care to tell us what happened with Callie at the party that night?”

“I was at the p-party and she was, was, um, th-throwing up outside.” The words are coming harder, catching in my throat, tripping over my tongue. My hands are cold, clammy, made worse by my inability to get the words out as quickly as I want to. I can picture them in my head, but they’re getting lost somewhere in translation. “S-s-so, I…I…”

“Spit it out, son,” Carter says.

I breathe deeply. Try to start over. One sentence at a time. “I…took her upstairs. B-because, um, she was…drunk. Put h-her to bed and…and…that w-was it.” I look between the two of them, increasingly unsure if honesty is the best response right now. “Is she okay?”

“No, Victor, she’s not okay.” Carter dips her chin and peers over the top of her sunglasses. “She was raped.”

“Raped,” I repeat, because the word doesn’t have any meaning right away. It takes a second to process it, to digest it, comprehend its meaning. Rape. Any act of sexual intercourse that is forced upon a person.

The word flow stops all together. I stare dumbly at the detectives.

I should have stayed with her. I should have—I don’t know. I should have done something more than what I did. I had just thought…she would be safe there in that room.

“I’m afraid I don’t follow.” Mom’s voice is a few octaves higher than usual. It happens when she’s anxious. “Is that all you came to ask him? Obviously he doesn’t know anything about this.”

Sherrigan turns to her, but I don’t think his eyes ever really leave me. “Ma’am, your son is being accused of raping Callie Wheeler.”

About the Author:

"I like unicorns and cats and games...and stuff..." - quality author quote by Kelley

Kelley York was born in central California, where she still resides with her lovely wife, step-daughter, and way too many cats, while fantasizing about moving to England or Ireland. (Or, really, anyplace secluded.) She has a fascination with bells and animals and Disney. Her life goal is to find a real unicorn. Or to at least write about them. She occupies her spare time with video games,designing covers, playing on Tumblr, and watching anime.

Kelley is a sucker for dark fiction. She loves writing twisted characters, tragic happenings, and bittersweet endings that leave you wondering and crying. She strives to make character development take center stage in her books because the bounds of a person's character and the workings of their mind are limitless.

Author Links:

   

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz Organized by:

Kelley York books demand to be read, for me. Thank you for stopping by! 

Review- City of Spies by Sorayya Khan

Goodreads Summary:

‘God was everywhere, but so was the general.’

It is the summer of 1977 and Pakistan swelters in the unrelenting heat. Weeks after her eleventh birthday, Aliya Shah wakes up to the news that there has been a coup d’état, General Zia has taken over the country and Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto is in jail. Although the shadow of the general and his increasingly puritanical edicts threaten to disrupt their comfortable existence, life goes on for Aliya much as before as she attends the American School in Islamabad. However, when a much loved young boy, the son of the family retainer, dies tragically in a hit-and-run accident, her world is turned upside down, especially when she discovers the terrible secret of the murderer’s identity.

City of Spies is coming-of-age story that explores Aliya’s conflicting loyalties and her on-going struggle to make sense of her world. Set in late 1970’s Islamabad and Lahore, City of Spies is a gripping novel that unfolds over thirty months in Pakistan’s tumultuous history.

REVIEW:

*NOTE: We (The Readdicts) recieved a copy of City of Spies by Sorayya Khan from Rupa Publications in exchange for an honest review. We thank the publishing house for the book! 

I honestly have no idea how I'm going to put down this review, and more importantly, I have no idea what I'm going to put down in this review. All I know is that I'm glad I kept my apprehension, boredom and reluctance aside and decided to ask for a copy of City of Spies, which turned to be exactly the kind of book that I like to read. A book that is brutal, fresh, true and raw. Even though it took me days to start the book and even more days to keep going with it, once I was in it, I was in it. There was no looking back and there was no putting the book down. 

City of Spies is the story of one brave, courageous and smart girl whose father is Pakistani and mother is Dutch. Having stayed in Vienna for so long, Aliya and her family consisting of her parents and her older brother and sister, is forced to go to Pakistan for an electricity and water supply project that her father is to guide in his country. All the characters in this book are very well developed and excellently portrayed. Each one stands out and manages to shine even in the presence of others. But the one person who, I feel, is the star of the book, is the servant of the family, Hanif. Now why is that? That's for the reader to find out. 

Aliya was portrayed as a normal girl who finds herself facing an identity crisis. Although she wants to adapt to the lifestyle of her fellow American or Western classmates, she still appreciates and even prefers her Pakistani specialities and everything else that makes the country incredible in her own right. She goes on to become a journalist and the entire book goes from her point of view in first person where she recounts her time spent in Pakistan as a school going girl between the arrival of the General to the burning of the American Embassy. 

What made City of Spies such an epic read for me was the writing. Author Sorayya Khan has written a book wherein words flow like it's in their nature to just blend and form a prose that's so much like poetry. The writing was crisp, meticulous, spot-on and simply jaw-dropping. I adored every chapter, paragraph, line and word. I was amazed and absolutely mind-blown. The author has written a great book that recounts a lovely story, and that is enough to satisfy me. I don't see any reason why this book doesn't deserve to be read. 

RATING: