Title: Slammed
Author: Colleen Hoover
Series: Slammed (Book #1)
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: September 18th 2012 (first published January 4th 2012)
Source: I receive an e-copy on a read-to-review basis from NetGalley
Blurb 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.
Thoughts in general: This is the first book of the Slammed series, which continues with Point of Retreat. It's a young adult love story so beautiful and complicated, full of lessons and messages about what's really important on life. I loved this book. I almost failed an exam because I couldn't put it down to study instead, but I don't really mind, because this story was worth it. I was caught in it since the very first page. This is a book with a great pace and well-built characters and overall it is a really captivating story so full with emotion, the bright and the dark side altogether. Death is the theme that drives the whole story, and it shows us how the loss of a parent can change our lives.
Plot: Layken has just lost his father and she and her family have to move to Michigan from Texas, because her mother doesn't make enough money in her current job to support the whole family by herself. Luckily a friend has offered her a better position in this new town. Layken isn't happy with the moving but on her first day at their new house, she meets her new neighbor, Will, who is super hot and intellectual, and she feels attracted to him instantly. They go on a very special first date, which I really loved, because it was different and really romantic.
Will and Lake love story is just beginning and they have a lot of things in common, you would say this relationship is meant to be... But then there's a huge obstacle on their way and they will have to learn to love each other as friends, because they just can't afford anything else. The reason behind all this is no one's fault but you can't help but thinking of solutions that either of them could have put in practice to end this mess, and you suddenly feel like screaming at them for not fighting harder because it's so clear that they're meant to be together.
On top of that, Layken's mom has been acting really weird and Lake hopes with all her heart for her suspicions to be unfounded.
The story deals with strong topics, such as the loss of a parent, the loneliness and the struggle of a forbidden love. But when everything else fails to express the real feelings of the young couple, there are always music and poetry to fill the holes of the unspoken words.
Characters:
Layken, is a eighteen-year-old girl, who has been the rock for his family since her father died. She tries to put a good face and hide the pain that she's feeling because she knows she has to keep it all together or everything will fall apart. She's a strong girl but fate seems to be screwing with her all the time and there's just so much that a person can take in and she's certainly filling her fee.
Will, is a young men who has been forced to grow up very fast and to take care of his little brother after their parents died in an accident. He's attractive and really smart -most of the time- and even when the circumstances had made him tough, he still has a soft side and he's obviously in a lot of pain.
Julia is Layken's mom. She's a wise woman who would do anything for her kids. I loved this character because she's like the mom everyone would love to have -not that I don't like my own mom. She always have some great piece of advise to give and even when she's suffering she manages to take care of her kids the best she can.
Eddie, is an out-going girl, funny and caring, who becomes Layken's best friend. I loved this character because she brings some light to all the darkness that's surrounding Layken's life.
Kel and Caulder are Lake's and Will's little brothers, respectively. They adds a lot of innocence at the story and they are so much fun to read about.
Writing: This story is narrated in first person, from Layken's point of view. The writting is amazing, it is so captivating and fast-paced that you can't put the book down. Layken is so relatable, that you can feel her pain and her joy through her words and I felt connected to her from the first line.
The characters are really well built, and everything seems to has its place in this book, even music and poetry, and there is a lot of that! I love who poetry plays a main role in the story, because it becomes the way the character can express what they really feel. And music, well... the author is a huge fan of the Avett Brothers and every chapter stars with a piece of lyrics of their songs, and they are like the soundtrack of the story.
I would recommend it for: YA readers, lovers of love stories. Overall, everyone.
Quotes:
“There are three questions every woman should be able to answer yes to before they commit to a man. If you answer no to any of the three questions, run like hell."
[...]
"Does he treat you with respect at all times? That's the first question. The second question is, if he is the exact same person twenty years from now that he is today, would you still want to marry him? And finally, does he inspire to be a better person? You find someone you can answer yes to all three, then you've found a good man.”
“Don't take life too seriously. Punch it in the face when it needs a good hit. Laugh at it.”
“So you keep your ocean, I'll take the Lake.”
About the author (from her Goodreads page):
Oh, man. Profiles suck! But,here we go. I'm addicted to and seriously floored by the talent of The Avett Brothers band, which is obvious in both of my books. They are 99% of my playlist. The other 1% being Eminem and Jason Mraz.
I love lindor truffles (the white ones with the chips inside) and have an unhealthy addiction to diet pepsi. A serious addiction.
I get stoked whenever I get a message from goodreads saying I have a new friend request...so request me, dangit!
If you want to know when I have new books out or just want to be inundated by daily, pointless blog posts, follow me at www.colleenhoover.com
Avoid my Twitter at all cost. It's propaganda.
