Another week another Colleen Hoover novel! I hope ya’ll aren’t tired of these because i’m not even close to done going down my list of her books to review. As the novel that boosted her into a media spotlight, “It Ends With Us” is another that will put you through the seven stages of grief, and end leaving you wanting nothing more than an immediate sequel and conversation with Hoover regarding just how she manages to come up with these plots.

Synopsis- The novel opens following Lily Bloom, a 23-year-old, red-headed woman living in Boston with a dream of simplifying her life and getting out of the corporate world, who meets neurosurgeon Ryle one night on the roof of a high rise, and has an immediate attraction/spark.

Around him constantly due to befriending his sister, Lily can’t seem to get Ryle out of her head, and he is crazy about her, even through his “no dating” rule. After continuous flirting and sneaking around, the two begin dating and sparks fly immediately. At first, their relationship seems stronger than ever, already moving in with each other soon after they begun dating. The honeymoon was going fine, to say the least, that is until Lily runs into her first teenage love.

Through the story, Lily reads her old journals filled diary entries, where she talks about meeting and falling in love with Atlas, a homeless boy who was living in the abandoned house behind her own home. She provided him with food, water, clean

n clothes, and a place to shower and keep warm while her parents were gone. Though she was the one providing him with all these things, Atlas was her savior from her father, who physically abused her mother. The two fell in love and shared countless memories together, all documented in Lily’s journal, as she recounts her first love while falling in love with Ryle. Unfortunately, the couple didn’t get their happy ending, and separated when Atlas moved to Boston to live with his uncle, but they vowed to reconnect someday.

After running into Atlas while on a date with Ryle, Lily begins to question the relationship she has so quickly built with Ryle, and ponders her remaining feelings for Atlas and the relationship they left behind. Ryle notices this shift in Lily’s feelings, letting his anger take over. As her relationship with Atlas begins to rekindle, Lily’s relationship with Ryle begins a downward spiral.. Throughout the novel, the relationship only continues to go downhill, with Lily forgiving some horrible things done by Ryle all in the name of love. Such a contrast from the kind, humorous character introduced at the beginning on the novel, Ryle’s shift in behavior brings a shock to Lily, leaving her helpless, just like she was watching her father abuse her mother as a child.

The novel closes with an extremely unexpected plot twist to end off the already whirlwind of a novel, one that leaves Lily with the ultimate question of whether to stay or leave, prompting her to forever leave behind the chapter of teenage love that she never fully shut. The book highlights abusive relationships Lily experienced and witnessed in both her past and present life, and pushes the theme that the people that love us the most can be the ones who hurt us the most.

First Line- “As I sit here with one foot on either side of the ledge, looking down from twelve stories above the streets of Boston, I can’t help but think about suicide.”

Last Line- “It stops here. With me and you. It ends with us.”

My Favorite Quote- (apologies in advance for the multiple, there’s just too many good ones)

“In the future… if by some miracle you ever find yourself in the position to fall in love again… fall in love with me.”

“There is no such thing as bad people. We’re all just people who sometimes do bad things.”

“Just because someone hurts you doesn’t mean you can simply stop loving them. It’s not a person’s actions that hurt the most. It’s the love. If there was no love attached to the action, the pain would be a little easier to bear.”

Rating- 9/10 As the first Colleen Hoover book I read, this one will always have a special place in my heart! The raw emotions Hoover was able to portray through her writing made the story extremely powerful, sad and painfully truthful. However, after reading many more of her novels, I can say that there are countless others that deserve the same level of popularity and attention this one has receive. Don’t get me wrong, the story is beautifully written, and by absolutely no means even close to bad, I just feel that of all Hoover’s novels, it’s not the one that should be front and center above the rest. With that being said, it is absolutely a must read and does have countless plot twists that’ll have you wanting to throw the book. Hoover will leave you torn between being team Ryle or team Atlas, and has a way of leaving readers pity even the most undesirable characters.

Happy Tuesday everyone! On this weeks installment of my book blogs we are once again switching up genres to another one of my favorites, true mystery. While we dabbled in it last week with “We Were Liars”,  “All the Missing Girls” is a book that is all mystery, as opposed to the bit of multiple genres as we saw in the last blog. This is one that I only read recently, but can definitely say it’s up there with many of my favorites, and I hope you guys will agree.

Synopsis- When Nic Farrell returns to her home town to help take care of her ill father, nothing can prepare her to confront the memories she worked so hard pushed behind herself when she left 10 years prior. After the death of her mother, teenage Nic was already struggling, her entire life destabilized, mourning with her father and brother. The disappearance of her best friend Corinne pushed her over the edge, and led her to leaving town for good. Corinne was never found, and eventually the search was given up for good, her book closed for good.

Almost immediately after Nic arrives back in town for the first time in 10 years, another girl goes missing, this one just a few years younger than her. The books timeline moves uniquely, opening at 2 weeks into the investigation, and traveling backwards all the way to the day Nic arrives back in town. As we follow her working her way to the beginning, readers watch as Nic slowly unravels secret upon secret, things kept from the police, kept from friends, and even kept within her own family.

When Nic unveils the special interest that Annaleise (second missing girl) had in her friend group, and the way that she held evidence crucial to Corrines case, which she had been using as blackmail for years to bleed Nic’s father of all his money, a chain reaction occurs. Soon after she is confronted by Nic, Nics brother, and her childhood friend who completed the trio with Corinne and Nic, Annaleise disappears into the forest.

As the story progresses, going backwards to the beginning of her investigation, Nic also begins to reveal the circumstances of Corinne’s death. Her revelations are shocking, and leave her tied to the town she spent so long trying to forget. As she allows the ghosts of her past to reappear, coexisting with her present, Nic pushes the line of just how far you can truly go to protect the ones you love, and at what point protecting them puts you in danger as well. After all, there’s no life without fear, and no fear without life.

First Line- “It started with a phone call, deceptively simple and easy to ignore.”

Last Line- “That I survive. It’s only one thing. But it’s also everything. Pick yourself up. Start over again.”

My Favorite Quote- “People were like Russian nesting dolls – versions stacked inside the latest edition. But they all still lived inside, unchanged, just out of sight.”

“There is nothing more dangerous, nothing more powerful, nothing more necessary and essential for survival than the lies we tell ourselves.”

(these were both too good to decide between!)

Rating- 10/10 I can genuinely say that this is one of the best mystery novels I have ever read. The unique way of telling the story backwards leaves readers unable to put the book down, as the end of each and every chapter leaves a major cliff hanger. The story starts a two weeks into the investigation, and then circles back to the beginning for the ultimate plot twist reveal. Not only is the overall structuring of the story good, but the contents themselves as well. It’s one of those mysteries that is just creepy enough to leave you slightly scared, but not too much to the point where you don’t want to keep reading until every little secret is revealed in the end.

**Image found on GoodReads- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23212667-all-the-missing-girls

Welcome back! After our week long mini-hiatus I have returned ready to give you yet another book review, this time we’re taking a break from our queen Colleen Hoover and diving into what was one of the most viral books on Tik Tok a few years ago, “We Were Liars” by E. Lockhart. Keeping in stride with most of the others i’ve reviewed, this one’s a whirlwind, so buckle your seatbelts. **I should give a fair warning that while I try not to spoil it, there are some things that are unavoidable reveals to actually make the synopsis longer than 5 words, but your big plot twists will still remain, so don’t worry!

Synopsis- When Cadence Sinclair, eldest granddaughter of the wealthy and attractive Sinclair family, arrives at her families private island for the summer after two years of not attending, she hardly recalls the last time she was there, and is determined to figure out what happened. What she thought to be a swimming accident left her with migraines and a spotty memory. Cadence arrived to Beechwood Island upset with her little group of cousins and a family friend (who she had been in love with the previous summers) (all nicknamed “the liars”), who didn’t respond to any of her emails or letters the past summer when she went out of the country with her dad.

The book follows Cadence as she switches between a present day narration (referred to as summer17), and a narration of the previous summer (summer15), slowly recalling the events of it. As she watches the tension between her mother, aunts, and grandfather build present day, she begins to remember more and more about summer15, and the way that her family was fighting over the inheritances and assets that were to be left by her grandfather, including not only his 4 million dollar property in Boston, but all of Beechwood as well. As the chapters progress, Cadence begins to remember just how frustrated the liars had become with the materialistic nature of their family. Additionally, Cadence starts questioning the renovations of her grandfathers home on the island, which included none of her deceased grandmothers personal possessions, and the way her family tip-toes around the events of summer15, when she supposedly just had a swimming accident. She tries asking her cousins about it but is ignored and told she will remember with time.

Eventually, Cadence has a series of memories that leave her in shock. Amidst the fights over family fortune during summer15, the children began to get dragged into the disputes, used as pawns in their grandfathers game of pitting his own daughters against each other. Realizing the role they were being forced to play, the liars decided to do something big about it. An action that they thought would bring their family back together, and ruin the one thing keeping them apart, they vowed to ruin the symbolism of their families wealth. Realizing what she had done, Cadence fights to continue remembering more, and endures the pain of facing just what they had done.

However, this isn’t even close to the worst part, and only opens up a floodgate of memories for Cadence, which lead to her eventual realization of just what happened during summer15. The reason for the home renovations and lack of personal items, the mysterious death of her grandfathers dogs, the reason the other liars didn’t want to do anything involving being with the rest of the family (or so she thought they simply “didn’t want to), and the way everyone in her family seemed to have a somber cloud around them when with Cadence. As she pieces together the events of summer15, and the way that one decision changed her entire family forever, Cadence begins to realize that some puzzles just aren’t meant to be solved.

First Line- “WELCOME TO THE beautiful Sinclair family.
No one is a criminal.
No one is an addict.
No one is a failure.
The Sinclairs are athletic, tall, and handsome. We are old-money Democrats. Our smiles are wide, our chins square, and our tennis serves aggressive.”

Last Line- “My full name is Cadence Sinclair Eastman. I suffer migraines. I do not suffer fools. I like a twist of meaning. I endure.”

My Favorite Quote- “We are liars. We are beautiful and privileged. We are cracked and broken.”

Rating- 7/10 I know I know not a 10 how crazy. This is a really really good book, It keeps you on your toes the entire time, and doesn’t reveal the biggest of the many plot twists until the very end. However, the things that make it so great are also what take off a few points in my opinion. It was so incredibly hyped up online when it became popular that I expected it to be the best book I had ever read, and it just isn’t. In my opinion it seemed to drag on a little bit, and while it was all leading up to the grand reveal, some of the detail seemed unnecessary and a bit repetitive. Additionally, I tend to be a person that loves re-reading books, and this is one that I feel like I wouldn’t be able to, because the entire foundation of the book lays on the big secret that comes out at the end, so once y0u know what happens, it’s not really the same level of enjoyment. However, with all that being said, the plot twist in itself is something worth reading it for, and I promise you will be thinking back to the entire book once you find out and feel so dumb for not putting together the pieces sooner. This book really has it all, there’s mystery, romance, plot twists, and an emotional pull. Even if you don’t want to read it, at least look up an in depth summary, because it truly is an ending that will have you questioning how the author managed to pull it off so well.

Surprise surprise, on this weeks installment of Daniella’s book blogs, we’ve got another Colleen Hoover novel! Buckle your seatbelts, because this book is the only one to ever make me cry in all my 18 years, and by the end of this blog, it’ll be “Colleen” your name too. -bad pun I know i’m sorry-

Synopsis- On November 9th, the anniversary of an accident that left half of her body scarred, and just a day before she moves across the country to pursue her theatre dreams, Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist. While initial attraction leads them to spend the 24 hours before Fallon’s departure by each others sides, well on their way to falling in love by the looks of it, they ultimately make the decision to cut contact when she leaves, agreeing to reconnect once a year on November 9th. Promising to meet at the same place and time they saw each other for the first time on that November day, or at least what Fallon thought was the first time.

The novel chapters jump from year to year, as Fallon and Ben rekindle their feelings for each other, seeming to be right on track for the perfect storybook love. However, in typical Colleen Hoover fashion, this is not the case, and their relationship takes multiple sharp declines throughout.

From a family death to pregnant sister-in-law turned girlfriendish -I know I know that one weirded me out too-, Fallon and Ben’s relationship is far from the romance novels she assigns him to read as homework between their meetings.

Just when you think it can’t get any more heart-wrenching, a manuscript written by Ben makes it’s way to Fallons home, and all the sudden puzzle pieces she didn’t even know existed start to fall together. A shocking reveal leaves Fallon heartbroken, and Ben risking not only losing Fallon forever, but arrest as well. But at the end of the day, what’s a little risk when you’re playing the long game at love? And is it even considered a love story if it ends in heartbreak?

First Line- “I wonder what kind of sound it would make if I were to smash this glass against the side of his head.”

Last Line- “And then I kiss her. And it’s a twelve. Not the end. Far from it.”

My Favorite Quote- “It took four years for me to fall in love with him. It only took four pages to stop.”

Rating- 10/10 Big surprise on this one another perfect 10, but I promise it’s a very validated rating. I know that the synopsis does little to reveal the true masterpiece that is this book, but unfortunately that comes with the territory of not spoiling Colleen Hoover books. They are so full of twists and turns that it’s hard to give a good description without leaving much to the imagination. However with all that being said, I would like the reiterate the fact that I had never in my life cried because of a book up until reading this one, and this was not just a couple tears either. This book will manage to have you on both characters sides, frustrated that you can’t jump into the pages yourself and talk to each to clear the air. It’s more than just a romance, and provides a unique spin on the typical one-week love-stories, showing the growth and increasing maturity of both characters every year they reconnect. I couldn’t recommend this one more!

After last weeks overview on a classic, we’re switching it up a bit this week. Author Colleen Hoover has been making waves across social media (especially Tik Tok) for her gripping opening lines and plot twists that leave you not knowing if you want to throw your book at a wall or never put it down. Her novel Verity is no exception.

Synopsis- The novel follows Lowen Ashleigh, a writer struggling to make ends meet when she stumbles upon the opportunity of a lifetime, completing the unfinished books in a very popular series for an author who has become injured and unable to complete them herself. Lowen is hired by author Verity Crawford’s husband Jeremy; he claims Verity was a big fan of the works of Lowen and felt they had similar writing styles.

When Lowen arrived to the Crawford mansion, she was ready to sort through the notes and outlines of Verity, planning to do a deep dive into the mind of the famous author and do the remainder of her novels justice. What Lowen didn’t expect was to uncover an unfinished autobiography, unintended to ever be found by Verity. We follow Lowen as she reads page after page of the bone-chilling autobiography, illustrating unthinkable things, such as Verity’s recollection of what really happened the day her daughter mysteriously drowned, and the reason one of her twins came out of the womb with a scar across her face.

Upon discovery of the autobiography, a horrified Lowen decides to keep it a secret from Jeremy, as she knows the contents would absolutely devastate him, and taint his view on the woman he loves, who is non-responsive and basically a living corpse in her bedroom. However, as she sits on the autobiography, Lowen begins developing stronger feelings for Jermey, and in turn begins to realize all the ways Verity’s autobiography confessions could benefit her if Jeremy reads them. After all, no matter how strong ones love is for their spouse, some truths are just so horrifying they prevent anyone from ever looking at their lover the same again.

First Line- “I hear the crack of his skull before the spattering of blood reaches me”

Last Line- “No matter which way I look at it, it’s clear that Verity was a master at manipulating the truth. The only question that remains is: Which truth was she manipulating?

My Favorite Quote- “The things lurking around inside the mind can be just as dangerous as tangible threats.”

Rating- 10/10 I can genuinely say that never in my life have I read a book that 1-had me permanently slack-jawed from being so shook for pretty much the entire thing and 2- had me needing to put it down at night before bed because it was kinda scaring me a little bit. This book is an interesting one to start with in terms of Colleen Hoover reviews because it is truly so different from any of her other novels, but genuinely one of the best in my opinion. Every single character will make you hate them in one way or another (even the kid), and you’ll finish the book angry, questioning your sanity, and looking up other peoples opinions on the ending just to make sure you all read the same thing because of how much of a whirlwind it is, but it’s really in the best way possible. I could not recommend this novel more if I tried.

Welcome to the first post of my fall ’22 book passion blog! I read a book forever ago whose main character would read the first line of the first page, and last line of the last page of a book before she decided to read it, so i’m doing the same for you guys! The first line of books almost always grab attention , and the last usually leave you speechless, so by including these in my posts, i’ll hopefully leave you wanting to read the book, looking forward to find out what happens between the two scenes.

With that said, I present my first official review, on none other than the classic of all classics (in my humble opinion), “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins. (fun fact, I had a brain fart during my AP Lit exam and couldn’t think of a single book to write about other than this one, so I feel it’s only fitting it starts us off)

Synopsis– Set in the future post-apocalyptic dystopian nation of Panem, ‘The Hunger Games’ opens with the narration of 16 year old Katniss Everdeen, living in one of the 12 “districts”, all  kept desperately poor in order for The Capital, home to wealthy citizens and the president, to maintain control.

Part of this control comes in the form of The Capitol’s production of a yearly “Hunger Games”, a lottery that chooses one male and one female ages 12-18 from each of the 12 districts to compete to the death as a form of entertainment, with the winner earning a lifetime of fame and riches.

When her 12 year old sister Prim gets chosen for the Hunger Games on reaping day, Katniss volunteers to go in her place, and thus ends up competing to the death with fellow district 12 resident Peeta. Unaware of it at the start, he ends up transforming into one of the best assets she could have asked for in the arena, and ultimately becomes the person who saves her in more ways than one.

We follow the growth of Katniss as she navigates the games as an underdog, who has not adopted the ruthless nature like many other tributes, but instead kills regretfully in order to survive.

This story displays the way violence destroys, and how Katniss’ humanity gets put to the test, and in the end, she does so much more than simply survive.

First Line– “When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.”

Last Line–  “I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go.”

My Favorite Quote- “You don’t forget the face of the person who was your last hope.”

Rating– 10/10 This book touches on so much more than just one genre. It has a depth that i’m not quite sure I appreciated at first, written in such a way that grabs onto both the younger readers that maybe don’t quite understand the layers to it but can appreciate the story, and more experienced readers that can analyze it on a deeper level. Suzanne Collins creates a narration that transports readers to Panem, and leaves us wondering how far off this society she has created truly differs from America’s future.

When brainstorming ideas for my passion blog, the first that came to my head is the social justice system. While my major is psychology, my ultimate interest is law, and criminal defense. I know I know when you think of criminal defense you think about basically handing out get out of jail free cards to people that might not quite deserve them. However, my interest in this field goes deeper than that. Every year there are countless people falsely imprisoned, and even more forgotten by the system and left in prison way over their sentencing. With this blog, I would choose a new past or present case to research and post about, bringing awareness to the flaws in the system and digging deeper into reasons this may be occurring, whether it is the crime that was committed, state, etc…

Taking a complete 180 from this rather serious topic, is good ole book reviews. I like to consider myself a pretty avid reader, and would love to incorporate this into my blog. While I know it has to be deeper than i simple 1-5 star review, i’m thinking that a good spin could be each post building upon the previous, starting with a base book and finding connections within books i’ve read/reviewed or will read. I would go into extreme detail and analyze not only the books themselves, but the way a series may connect and the authors thought process behind their writing.