Book Review- Slammed by Colleen Hoover

  Up until this point I have only written reviews for Christian books.  Since I  am writing young adult fiction I am going to start including reviews in that genre as well.  In case anyone is like me and doesn't appreciate excess language, gore or sex I will include my rating of these topics at the end of the review.

   "Slammed" by Colleen Hoover begins with a quote from The Avett Brother's song "Salina"
"I'm as nowhere as I can be, Could you add some somewhere to me?"  This quote sets a perfect tone for the story of eighteen year old Layken, a girl who has just lost her father and is forced to move far away from everything she knows.   When she and her family arrive at their new home they are greeted by a boy that is the same age as her younger brother.  He isn't alone.  His older brother, Will, is close behind.  As one would expect he goes out of his way to make Lake feel at home.  Soon the two are on a first date and Lake finds herself falling for her handsome and sensitive neighbor until circumstances that neither one saw coming force them apart.  The only thread left between them is their mutual love for poetry.
   The basic story line isn't what sets this book apart. Its the characters themselves. I could feel their emotions as their worlds were being torn apart. Lake and Will's love for each other was deeper than just fate or physical attraction.  The devotion each of them had to their younger brothers and their love for words formed a strong bond that added so much depth to the relationship.  Will's passion for slam poetry made the story unique and added yet another way to delve into the emotions of the characters.
     I loved the characters in this book.  They seemed so raw and real.  The dedication that both Will and Lake showed to their families was refreshing.  The plot was a bit predictable but it was strong enough to be compelling.  The usage of poetry added so much emotional impact and lent a dream like quality to the writing.

  I think this book would be classified as New Adult, not Young Adult, but I'm not certain.  I thought it was more appropriate for older teens and up.   It did have a generous sprinkling of language but considering the context it wasn't out of place.  The main characters had a few emotionally charged romantic moments but nothing explicit. 


My friend and fellow blogger, Jocelyn Charette, chose this book to read and review.  Click on her name if you would like to read her review.