Review: Slammed by Colleen Hoover♥

Slammed by Colleen Hoover
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Format: Paperback, 317 pages
Publisher: Atria Books
Series: Slammed #1
Source: Library

Description from Goodreads:
Falling in love can feel like poetry. Or it can feel like a slam to the heart.

Colleen Hoover’s romantic, emotion-packed debut novel unforgettably captures all the magic and confusion of first love, as two young people forge an unlikely bond before discovering that fate has other plans for them.

Following the unexpected death of her father, eighteen-year-old Layken becomes the rock for both her mother and younger brother. She appears resilient and tenacious, but inside, she's losing hope. Then she meets her new neighbor Will, a handsome twenty-one-year-old whose mere presence leaves her flustered and whose passion for poetry slams thrills her.

Not long after a heart-stopping first date during which each recognizes something profound and familiar in the other, they are slammed to the core when a shocking discovery brings their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together and the forces that tear them apart. Only through the poetry they share are they able to speak the truth that is in their hearts and imagine a future where love is cause for celebration, not regret.

"Sometimes life gets in your way.

It gets all up in your damn way."

 

THAT QUOTE. It is my favorite thing I've seen in a book in a while. Great enough to quote at the beginning of this review. And you know what, it is perfect for this book, too. Because that's what this book IS. Two people, trying to be happy as they live their lives, but life keeps getting in the way. Goodness gracious, this book.

 

I'm just going to declare it here and now: Colleen Hoover is the Queen of Feels.

 

Honestly, I will never know how she does it, but she writes the most beautiful stories. And you wanna know the kicker? I should have HATED this book. I should have despised how quickly Will and Lake's relationship grew, and I should have been bored as heck during all the times Will wasn't around. But you know what? Colleen Hoover rock this beach. (Imagine the curse word that would fit there...that's what I WANTED to say.)

 

Layken. Well, hmm. She wasn't perfect. But she WAS responsible and I liked that. I'm not going to say she never got on my nerves, because she definitely did, but it wasn't to the point that made me hate her. I didn't just tolerate her in this book. I think I kind of liked her. WHOA.

 

And then there is Will. Who I should have not liked. If he were to be in almost any other book, I'd be so bored with him. But Colleen Hoover...she wrote him right. He's responsible, but not a saint, either. But he is still a gentleman. He's nice, but not exactly a goody-goody. Wonderful balance going on with this character, and I adore him.

 

I can't think of a better author to have written this book. Aside from the I-should-have-hated-it thing, the POETRY in this book. It plays a big part, and Colleen Hoover...dang, y'all. She rocked it. So beautiful, but it didn't feel TOO fancy, either. I loved the poetry. And a lot of the time, the poetry in stories doesn't fly with me. It just doesn't work. But here.... It made the story better. It was well-written, but not to the point of seeming pretentious. It simply FIT into this story.

 

**Oh, and Lake's poem, "Schooled"? Yeah, well. It may or may not have made me cry. A little. Just saying.**

 

The awesome thing about this book is that it wasn't too surprising in plot, but I still devoured this thing as fast as I could in my free time. Which brings me back--again--to Colleen's writing. She has serious skill. I can't even describe it to you; it's something you have to experience yourself. But let me tell you THIS now: it is gorgeous.

 

Overall, this is another book by Colleen Hoover I ended up loving. She's turning into one of those authors I doubt has the ability to write a bad book. Seriously. She has SKILLS, people. You should check them out.

 

♥Jessica(: