Slammed (Slammed, #1)

by Colleen Hoover

[violetpeanut]

This book was fantastic! I don't give out 5 stars easily or often and when I do it's only to those books that really make me feel something and have something original to offer. Slammed does both of those things.

First, a comment on the cover. I was not blown away by it. I admit it. I'm a little bit of a cover whore. If it's pretty, I'm drawn to it. This cover just did not scream "Read me!" Now however, after reading it, I understand it and think it's fitting. So, if you're like me and are a little bit hesitant because of the cover, don't be!

As for the content of the book, this was one of my favorites so far this year. The blurb was a little bit vague and I also don't want to give anything away so I'll try hard to avoid spoilers here. Our main character, Layken, is an 18 year old high school senior who recently lost her father to an unexpected heart attack. As a result, she moves with her mother and brother back to her mom's hometown. Her little brother makes friends with the boy across the street and she meets his older brother, Will. They feel an immediate connection.

Ok, let me stop there. Yes, there is some insta-love going on here. This was the one aspect of this story that I didn't really care for. There is almost no progression of relationship here. They meet, they immediately fall madly in love. Normally, this is a huge no-no for me. This just does not happen in real life. Maybe I'm a little bit jaded but I do not believe in love at first sight. Lust at first sight, maybe, but not love at first sight. I think relationships can start off hot and heavy but for there to be any real depth of feeling there needs to be some growth between the characters. I almost took away a star because of this.

The saving grace was Ms. Hoovers writing. It was exceptional and was so good that this book deserves all 5 stars despite the instant attraction between Layken and Will. She did a fantastic job of showing emotion through the characters and illustrating those emotions through actions and scenes rather than just telling the reader about them. There were quite a few scenes that made me just ache for the characters and still others that had me outright crying.

There is also poetry in this book. Don't be intimidated or turn away because of it. I myself am not a huge fan of poetry and don't always find it easy to read or relateable. Here, though, the poetry only enhances the story and, in fact, adds to the plot by giving us insight into each of the characters. It is readable and easy to understand while still being powerful and poignant.

This was a fantastic book and I will be trying to get my hands on the next book as soon as I can. I cannot wait to read Point of Retreat.