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!

12 comments:

  1. Wow! Such a great review!!!

    I've had Slammed for awhile, but still haven't read it. I keep hearing about how beautiful the story is and how much I'll love Will. You've made me want to read it even more!

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    1. Thank you. I hope you want it enough to read it. :)

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  2. Awesome review! I've heard so much about this book yet I've still been a little hesitant about requesting it. The poetry slam aspect does sound really interesting and new though. I might give it a go soon. ;) I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)

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    1. It's available on NetGalley. You should request it now and decide later. :)

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  3. Glowing review, Chel!

    I remember when you linked that poem to me! At the time, I didn't know Lake was a person so I thought it was all metaphorical. Now that I know that's not completely the case, I love the double meaning to it. And I have the same prejudice you had. I can't imagine a guy my age writing a poem but if it's as good as Neruda's, consider me ensnared. :D

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    1. Ohhh I guess I forgot to mention that bit about Lake then, but I hope this perked up your interest even more. ;)

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  4. Not my kind of read but I have like creative poetry.

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    1. This doesn't sound like my kind of read too, but strangely enough, I fell in love with it.

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  5. Ha ha, I love your review of this one. Your reaction to guys writing love poems sounds exactly like mine :) I know you loved this one but like Sam, I don't know if this one would work for me. With all the characters struggling with something, it sounds like there might be too many issues in this one, you know? I may change my mind though ...

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    1. Z, it's available on NetGalley, so I suggest you request it now and decide later whether you'll read it or not. :]

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  6. Nice review! I'm a little nervous about Slammed and can't decide if I want to read it. I was a little unsure about the whole slam poetry thing. I actually have been to a slam poetry reading, and it was pretty cool, but poetry + romance usually isn't my thing. And now the idea of insta-love in the book kind of scares me!

    But on the pro side, I am SO IN LOVE with this genre right now.

    I guess I'll request it on NetGalley and let the fates decide.. And in this case "fates" = Simon & Schuster :D

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    1. Aww, I hope you get on to reading it some time. I know the idea of insta-love is quite scary and I hope it doesn't bother you a lot as it didn't to me.

      And oh, may the fates be on your favor. Lol.

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