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Monsters
Monsters: A Love Story | Liz Kay
22 posts | 17 read | 60 to read
A cracklingly funny and poignant debut novel about the ways we love, even when we're not at our best. Stacey Lane feels like a monster. Tommy DeMarco is one. Since her husband died eight months ago, Stacey's been a certified mess--a poet who can't write anymore, a good mother who feels like she's failing her kids. She's been trying to redefine herself, to find new boundaries. Tommy has no respect for boundaries. A surprisingly well-read, A-list Hollywood star, Tommy's fallen in love with Stacey's novel-in-verse--a feminist reimagining of Frankenstein, no less. His passion for the book, and eventually its author, will set their lives on a collision course. They'll make a movie, make each other crazy, and make love--but only in secret. And all with a vodka--or wine, or scotch--in hand. As Stacey travels between her humdrum life in the suburbs of Omaha and the glamorous but fleeting escape Tommy provides, what begins as a distracting affair starts to pick up weight. It's a weight that unbalances Stacey's already unsteady life but offers new depth to Tommy's. About desire, love, grief, parenthood, sexual politics, and gender, Monsters: A Love Story is a witty portrait of a relationship gone off the rails, and two people that are made for each other--even if they're not so sure they see it that way.
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Kar2b
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Pickpick

This book was well written and fast, but there were parts I didn‘t like: 1) the characters swear and say Jesus or Christ about every other sentence, to the point of distraction for me, 2) the sex wasn‘t loving, but raw and often not consensual (although it‘s not graphic or detailed), and 3) the main character is very judging of others eating habits and lives, although she herself makes strange choices. That said, I was entertained throughout.

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FeastingOnFiction
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The title is seasonally appropriate; that‘s enough reason to pick a book right? 🤷🏿‍♀️ 🎃 👻 🧟‍♀️

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mariaku21
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Bailedbailed

This is a PSA, I got suckered in by a pretty pop of color and good use of type to pick this up and wish I had left behind at the library.

The main two characters are hateful, vicious and narcissistic train wrecks that I can't believe I actually read as far into this as I did about because all they did was fight, drink and have sex but even that came across as hateful.

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Clwojick
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I am so in love with these colours. #LibraryWishlist

Have any of my fellow Littens read this book? Would you recommend? Please let me know. ☺️

mcipher No, but I agree on the colors! 7y
56 likes1 comment
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JPeterson
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Bailedbailed

I picked this up, in hopes of something easy to read after the frustrating week I had.
On the first page, it just didn't seem to be the book for me. But I wanted to give it a fair chance. However, when the two main "romantic" characters start making out on page 23, without even knowing each other, I just couldn't. ?
Maybe it does get better, and the characters have some redeeming qualities, but I don't have the patience to find out.

Riveted_Reader_Melissa Sounds like you're having the same kind of week I'm having. 🙄 Fingers crossed it gets better for you too! 7y
MrBook Nice review! (edited) 7y
JPeterson @Riveted_Reader_Melissa I hope your weekend turns out better! I'm so happy it's finally Friday! 😊 7y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @JPeterson Me Too! Hopefully your weekend is nice and relaxing! 7y
59 likes4 comments
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MrBook
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#TBRtemptation post 3! Stacey feels like a monster, since her husband died she's a poet who's clamped up and a mom who feels she's failing her kids. Tommy, an A-list bibliophile actor falls for her writing--a feminist take on Frankenstein--and her. They'll make a movie and make love. Her Omaha life gets unbalanced while his Hollywood one gains the depth he needs. Called funny and witty. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎

51 likes7 stack adds
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SilversReviews
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Giveaway - stop by and enter. USA ONLY. 🇺🇸 Go here: https://silversolara.blogspot.com/2017/08/giveaway-and-spotlight-of-monsters-lov...

dariazeoli Thanks! 7y
23 likes1 comment
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Purrfectpages
Bailedbailed

Ugh. First book of August was a bust. I got 22% in before I decided to throw in the towel. I didn't like the main character, the plot didn't seem to be going anywhere, and all they did was drink their way through each chapter. No thanks.

melbeautyandbooks Life is too short to spend time reading stuff you aren't enjoying. 7y
CouronneDhiver I agree! Onward and upward 7y
Purrfectpages @melbeautyandbooks @CouronneDhiver these are my thoughts exactly! (edited) 7y
32 likes3 comments
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Purrfectpages
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I'm starting this one after 11pm on July 31st, but it's still technically my first August read, right?

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MMFinck

I found this book on a search for a comp for another one. I immediately jumped over to Litsy to add to my list. Not only do I see that Lisa Kay is conversant here but Amy Stewart (Girl Waits With Gun) is too!! I'm MM Finck from Women Writers, Women's Books, audience 60k+, and I'd love to lend you our support. Truly. Not bc a publicist or editor asked me, for once, but bc I am moved by your work. I hope to hear from you. :)

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rachellayown
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Pickpick

I zipped through this literary romance novel this weekend. It's the story of a troubled affair between a widowed Nebraskan poetess and an arrogant promiscuous Hollywood actor. It's twisted and addictive and was a fun distraction.

rachellayown I realized I should've tagged @LizKay on this review so she knows how much I enjoyed it! 8y
LizKay Oh yay! I'm so glad to hear it! 8y
51 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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lisaschulte
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Came across this on Facebook yesterday and thought it was relevant to #bookmarks day of #booktober. Made me laugh.

Linsy 😂 8y
LEGolasa There's a monster living in my house. He can't be rehabilitated 😒 8y
19 likes2 comments
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AE_Stueve
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Pickpick

This is such a pick, you guys, so fantastic in all it's subversive goodness. Check out my full review here: http://eabpublishing.tumblr.com/tagged/reviews

4 likes1 stack add
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AmyStewart
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Says Naomi at Great Good Place for Books: "This is our favorite trashy summer read." But don't worry @LizKay : She means that in the best possible way! This beautiful little bookstore has sold 100 copies since it came out in June – just shows you what an enthusiastic bookseller can do! Of course she sold a copy to me. #getindie

LizKay Hooray! I LOVE A Great Good Place For Books! Such a fantastic store with great booksellers! 8y
AmyStewart She also said, "the author is a poet and it really shows. The language is beautiful." 8y
KimSG Naomi is awesome and I love A Great Good Place For Books! They just hosted Ransom Riggs. 8y
LizKay Wow, @AmyStewart! What a great compliment! Thanks so much for telling me! 8y
77 likes10 stack adds4 comments
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LizKay
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So my novel is coming out in Sweden this fall and I'm so in love with the cover I can't even tell you.

Cinfhen Congrats! How exciting 8y
MysticCat Congratulations! 8y
Haweller Totally agree. Congrats! 8y
See All 6 Comments
LeahBergen Congratulations. That's a great cover! 8y
Anneblythe Congratulations! I love the cover. 8y
KVanRead Wow. Love the cover and what a great title too. Congrats! 8y
55 likes2 stack adds6 comments
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Sfox414
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Pickpick

I was surprised by how much I liked this one--I had a hard time putting it down to go to bed last night. It's a little repetitive in the middle and it felt like it took a while to wrap up, but I was so invested in Stacey and Tommy I didn't even mind. And that's something, since Stacey and Tommy are both a little on the awful side (the book lives up to its title). But they're so readable! I think it was the dialogue--the dialogue is really good.

14 likes2 stack adds
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AE_Stueve
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'Bout to read this, yo.

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bay-leaf
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Mehso-so

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I hope the main relationship was written to be intentionally problematic, because hoo boy. It might be sexy when a man takes control, but it's another thing entirely when someone says "No, I really don't want to," and the other person laughs and says, "Yes, you do," and carries on with what they were doing. This was not a steamy romance, but another look into the fucked up reality we put ourselves in.

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OneMorePageBooks
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Pickpick

Lelia loves this book by @LizKay - poetry, art, Hollywood, alcohol, and terrible life choices equal a perfect summer read!

12 likes3 stack adds
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Fantaghiro23
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Pickpick

I loved it. I did. And I attest to the un-put-downability. Slept at 5AM with roughly 100 pages left, then finished it during an email lull this afternoon. I don't necessarily like the main characters, but I love them together. And it's a fairy tale! I think I needed a fairy tale about now.

11 likes5 stack adds
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Fantaghiro23
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Piled them all up, because I couldn't decide which one to read next. The nice thing about galleys, though, is that they have the pub dates on the spine, so I picked the nearest one. It's on to MONSTERS: A LOVE STORY by Liz Kay. It's said to be a cross between Jojo Moyes and Entourage, so let's see.

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Lupita.Reads
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Teaming up with Putnam Books on Instagram to giveaway this lovely book! Come find me on Instagram and enter the giveaway 😍😍❤️📚

Lupita.Reads Instagram handle Lupita.Reads 8y
Book_Gobbler Entered the giveaway! ☺️📚👍🏻 8y
35 likes6 stack adds2 comments