This Girl by Colleen Hoover

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Atria Books

Pages: 304pgs

The Story

There are two sides to every love story. Now hear Will’s.

Layken and Will’s love has managed to withstand the toughest of circumstances and the young lovers, now married, are beginning to feel safe and secure in their union. As much as Layken relishes their new life together, she finds herself wanting to know everything there is to know about her husband, even though Will makes it clear he prefers to keep the painful memories of the past where they belong. Still, he can’t resist his wife’s pleas and so he begins to untangle his side of the story, revealing for the first time his most intimate feelings and thoughts, retelling both the good and bad moments, and sharing a few shocking confessions of his own from the time when they first met.

In This Girl, Will tells the story of their complicated relationship from his point of view. Their future rests on how well they deal with the past in this final installment of the beloved Slammed series.

The Review

A big thanks to the publisher for sending me a review copy of this book!

Like most of us readers, I'm a really huge fan of Colleen Hoover and her Slammed series. If you read her books you will know why I love her so much as author because she writes up some pretty great characters and has some great romantic stories to tell. So, like any other fan of hers, when I heard she was going to write a third book in her Slammed series, I couldn't help myself to read it because it means more of Layken and Will which is fine by me.

All in all, I thought THIS GIRL was a great read, especially for those readers like myself that have loved Colleen Hoover's series from the get-go. But in saying that, while getting to see more from Layken and Will was awesome because they are now a (mostly) happy married couple and getting Will's point-of-view was another added bonus, but compared to the other two books in the series, I thought this book was only an average read for me and that's because there were way too many flashbacks for my liking and that the character dialogue was way too cheesy for my taste, even though I love Layken and Will to death as characters. But when you add too much cheese, I'm not going to bite. It's just . . . too much for me. But regardless of what I thought, it was still a nice little continuation of the story and gave us some insight to what Will and Layken were up to as a married couple and what happens to happily ever after.

Overall, despite the cheesy dialogue, THIS GIRL is a must read for all Colleen Hoover fans and should not be missed out if you love Will and Layken as much as I do despite their up-and-down dramas.

The Rating

3/5 stars

Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Atria

Pages: 336pgs

The Story

In the follow-up to Colleen Hoover’s #1 New York Times bestseller Hopeless, the charming and irresistible Dean Holder tells the passionate story that has melted thousands of hearts.

In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.

The Review

A big thanks to the publisher on netGalley for accepting my request in reading this book early!

If you were blown away (majorly) like I was with Colleen Hoover's Hopeless and had pretty much adored Sky and Holder's romance in that particular book, then you'll definitely going to love this one without a doubt.

In LOSING HOPE, while the events of the story are exactly the same as Hopeless, however this time round the story is told through the perspective of Holder's character, which I'm sure will please many of Hoover's readers because honestly . . . we all love Holder. So while the story is basically the same as Hopeless's story, but we also get to see and learn plenty of other new things as well, especially about Holder as a person and what happened in the events before Hopeless's story had begun.

So on a whole, while I still preferred the first book to this one (mostly because Holder wasn't as hot as I thought he was or maybe it was his voice that was the problem here . . . I still don't know) but what I liked about this book apart from having Holder's perspective and everything else, was that we gain a much better and deeper insight and understanding with how Holder dealt with his current situation of his sister dying and not to mention with his and Sky's dark, messy and very complicated pasts. For those who have read the first book, Hopeless, you will know what I mean with that particular comment right there.

Overall, LOSING HOPE is yet again another great book coming from Colleen Hoover and she really cannot do any wrong with any of her books since I've loved every single one of them so far. So if you loved Hopeless then you're going to love this book just as much, especially if you're a major fan of Holder's character even if he's not entirely perfect in this book.

The Rating

4/5 stars

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Kindle Edition

Pages: 391pgs

The Story

Sometimes discovering the truth can 

leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

The Review

I've been wanting to read this book for AGES especially since I've been a big fan of this author and of her Slammed series (which are EPIC books mind you), however her next book was only available on kindle so I was a bit 'Oh, how sad . . .' since I don't own a kindle . But, fortunately enough, I was still able to read this book as I bought myself an iPad mini just before Christmas so I was really lucky in that respect and considering the price I bought the eBook for . . . it was SO worth the money!

HOPELESS was just - to put it simply - an awesome and awe-inspiring book! Both emotionally-challenged, achingly beautiful and well-written in all aspects, the story was brilliant because of how the story was actually written and how it was completely driven by its characters and the events passing between them - the good and the bad kind So with everything coming together - the secrets and the romance, it was just yet another book gem coming from a very talented author, Colleen Hoover. She, in all honesty, has become one of my favourite contemporary authors of today and remains so with this new book of hers!

The two main characters, Sky and Holder, may not be perfect and DO have their faults, but all in all I thought they were amazing together. Even as individuals. So while these mentioned 'faults' of theirs and the causes for them are not entirely revealed until the very end of the book, but it in no way did it affect my love for them. Even when Sky became confused in her own feelings and even when Holder became aggressive and began calling Sky 'Baby' and 'Babe' most of the time, which, as you know in all of my boy characters who end up saying those nicknames end up really getting on my nerves. But as for Sky's character, I loved her a lot (despite her leading guys on in the beginning of the book) and her voice was just so . . . engaging, poignant, and so real to me which I guess made me love her even more. And as for Holder, Sky's main love interest, despite his usual guy moods and confusing feelings, he ended up becoming a really great love interest. A really supportive one at that. He was just always there for our Sky and there was this great chemistry too sizzling between them, and really, what more can you ask for than great chemistry from a guy? Yup, he was a total sweetheart and a really protective one too.

Overall, HOPELESS offered more than I originally bargained for and the twists in it alone will make you desperately gasp for breath. So be prepared for a real shocker reveal for the main characters because it's quite heavy to even comprehend. All in all, if you love Colleen Hoover's books already or are looking for another great and emotionally-driven contemporary read with great characters with great chemistry, then I would highly recommend this book to you all! It was an absolute standout for me!

The Rating

4 1/2 / 5 stars

Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 320pgs

The Story

Layken and Will have managed to overcome the obstacles that threatened to destroy their love, proving that they are destined for one another. What they are about to learn, however, is that the things that have brought them together may be the very things that ruin their connection forever . . .

Layken is left second-guessing the relationship whilst Will is jumping over hurdles to prove his love for her. What the young lovers discover about themselves along this journey may change their entire world and the lives of those who depend upon them the most . . .

The Review

Why . . . WHY do books such as these ones have to come to an end? I seriously have no clue really. Now after having read and LOVED Colleen Hoover's debut book Slammed (like I really fell hard for that book) it was so great to have finally come across a sequel that was just as good as the first - if not better than it. But unlike the first book that all was in Layken's perspective, this time round we get to hear what is going on inside the head of Will as he leads yet another great installment of the series and he is the perfect person to do so because he will definitely make girls swoon and frustrate over him! Layken . . . I am  so jealous and so envious of you right now for having someone like him in your life!

POINT OF RETREAT finally let's us see Layken and Will together as an official couple. But like in all relationships - friendships or not - there will always be trouble in paradise one day too soon. And trouble in paradise was totally there. There enters Will's ex-girlfriend. His long-time ex-girlfriend and boy did I really hate her! I truly hated her. Argh. But what I truly did love was the fact that the ex-girlfriend in question had caused great tension in the book and damn it was so addictive too not to mention a perfect way to complicate things.

I mean, not only did Layken and Will get to test out their relationship on a whole new level and see the problems that were always there for them both, it was still great to see them trying to overcome those issues and have everything in the open this time without them hiding it anymore, so I actually thought it was good for them to have those obstacles (even frustrating ones) and it was also something that just needed to be done, you know? But the chemistry between these two main characters . . . *fans oneself* Phew! I have to say the chemistry is what makes this sequel just as brilliant as the first book . . . it's off the charts I tell you! Damn! I want my own Will now!

Overall, POINT OF RETREAT was such a delightful book to read and Colleen Hoover has definitely become one of my favourite contemporary authors out there in the New Adult genre. Both heavily addictive, frustrating, and testing you beyond belief with many relationship woes in your wake, this book will leave you wanting more from these characters and I can't wait to read the author's third book in the series which is said to be another version of Slammed only in Will's perspective, so again I can't wait to read that!

The Rating

5/5 stars

Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Release Date: Out now!

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 352pgs

The Story

Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope.

Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.

Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces 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 secret that keeps them apart. 

The Review

A big thanks to Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy of this book!

I'll be honest with you here and say I haven't even heard of this book before . . . that is until I won a copy of it from the publisher. So despite it's not-so-standout-ish cover and not hearing too much about it, I was still compelled to read this book, even though I wasn't exactly sure what it was about nor was I sure about what to expect from a book such as this one. But since I have a slight fondness for 'some' kinds poetry and of the New Adult genre craze that is taking the book world by storm, I have to say I'm so glad to have come across the opportunity to read such a brilliant book like SLAMMED because that is exactly what it was . . . BRILLIANT!

SLAMMED is about a young eighteen-year-old girl named Layken (a very cool and unique name mind you) who moves to Michigan with her mother and her much younger brother as her father had just died. But upon moving to a new town, a new house and an entirely new school, across the street from her she then meets a very young and attractive young man and a charming neighbour, Will, who catches her eye within a moment of meeting him. So when both of their younger brothers - Layken and Will's younger brothers - become instant best friends and whom happen to live across the street from each other, it almost seems too good to be true for these two younger teens and indeed it is: Will, even after taking Layken out on a 'small date', happens to be Layken's . . . well I will let you find out more about what this small and shocking 'secret' but let's just say it becomes really complicated for the two of them and it's such a delight to read about.

Honestly this book and I are meant for each other. I just loved everything it had to offer to me, from Layken's love for her brother to her love and struggle over Will, it all was beyond brilliant and delivered in the best way an author knows how to! I mean just when you think everything is going smoothly and great for everyone, the authors literally 'slams' you with another shocking revelation after another until the point of 'I can't handle this anymore...' comes your way! And when you add some interesting poetry into the mix of it all, it was needless to say something I couldn't stop praising about, so please go read it now!

Overall, SLAMMED was a very surprising read and deserves every single bit of praise it has been receiving lately. Both addictive, compelling and simply lovable in this New Adult contemporary read, I have to say this book is so original and it never lacked in anything, so I would highly recommend this book to you all as it's something that is not meant to be missed out on!

The Rating

5/5 stars