Book Review: Slammed

Slammed (Slammed #1)
by Colleen Hoover
ebook, 314 pages
Published January 5th 2012 by Colleen Hoover
Source: Stolen Borrowed from my mom. Thanks, ma! :)
Buy the book: Amazon | Apple iBookstore | Barnes & Noble

Summary:

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.

Review:

Ever heard of slam poetry? If not, I suggest that you take a look at this video first. The poem the guy is performing is called "The Lake" which was written by one of the characters in this book.

So, are you done watching it yet? I came across that video on Colleen's website while checking out Slammed. I'd never heard of slam poetry before this book and while I thought poetry was cute, I couldn't help thinking "ultra gaaaay" when boys wrote love poems (sexist, much? Sorry boys! At least you're all cute! <3 ) but then I watched the video and then I couldn't think about "ultra gaaay" anymore. All I could think about was "ULTRA HOOOT!" I wanted to marry that guy! Or Will, the character who wrote the poem. Or Colleen since she wrote the book. But most especially Will Cooper. Yes, definitely Will Cooper. After watching the vid, I immediately stole grabbed my mom's kindle and read Slammed to my heart's content.

Slammed is filled with interesting characters that are so easy to love. I didn’t know what to make of Lake at first because she sounded so bored of her life. Her boredom sort of leaked onto me and the tone she used to speak with her mom, I didn't like, so I immediately found her a bit uninteresting. Then she did something really cute for her little brother, Kel, and my disinterest was suddenly replaced by a warm approval of her character. Lake is a relatable character who is quick to connect with. Her family moved to Ypsilanti after selling their house in Texas due to debts left by her father's sudden death several months ago.

Across their new house lived Will Cooper, a 21-year-old guy whom Lake became fast friends with. I should warn you that there is an insta-love here. Gods know how much I dislike instant romance, but strangely enough, it didn't bother me at all in this book. If anything, I really adored Lake and Will's relationship though there were also times that I found their romance tedious especially when they go all "hey, you're sad, let's hug each other so you can feel my sexiness but sorry, we still can't be together" or something along the lines. But at the same time, it wasn't hard to sympathize with both characters especially as the story progressed and the plot is slowly uncovered. I didn't know what I was expecting when I read Slammed, only that it had some awesome poems that I'd love. Other than that, I thought it was going to be a light read but no, because as the story moved on we find out the real reason why Lake's family moved to Ypsilanti and we'd experience all the heart breaks that followed.

I loved how Lake dealt with her problems and I loved that Will and her friends were always there for her. Eddie, Lake's best friend has a backstory that will surely tug at your heartstrings. She's a happy spontaneous character. You wouldn't think she'd been through all those hardships once you meet her. Will is a very responsible older brother to Caulder. All the sacrifices he made for his younger brother will move you as well. Kel and Caulder are smart and perceptive younger brothers with dry sense of humor. All in all, Slammed is a well-written, heart-warming novel that delves deeply into love and family; of making the right choices at the right time; and of accepting and making the most out of what's left to us.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars!