Review: Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Slammed (Slammed #1)
Colleen Hoover
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: September 18, 2012

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.

I have fell in love with this novel. Slammed was a beautiful novel and unlike anything I've read before. 

Within the first few pages Slammed took a completely different direction than I was expecting. This story is unlike any other. There were several twists in this novel that may have not been completely surprising to me, but still left me in shock. 

Layken is a very feisty character. One minute she would make me want to scream at her and the next I was laughing at her. And could she act crazy sometimes. But she loved wholeheartedly and she was willing to fight for what she wanted. 

I also loved Will. He's not the macho love interest we see a lot of in books, but is just as swoon-worthy as anyone. He's smart and caring and has a lot of fight in him as well. He had been through so much and had to mature very quickly, but that's what made him so lovable. 

The other characters in this novel are also worth mentioning. Both Lake and Will's younger brothers, who were very humorous. And Lake and Will's friends were also entertaining. Heck, even Lake's mother was a great character. 

Slammed can be summed up in one statement: completely original. This novel is not only a story of love, but of loss, grief, family, friendship, and growing up. Colleen Hoover is a talented author. I can't wait to read her much-talked-about novel Hopeless, but I hope that Slammed is not over-looked.