Slammed (Slammed #1) by Colleen Hoover REVIEW

 Which bestselling book features slam poetry, The Avett Brothers lyrics and the best characters in YA that I’ve read all year?

If you’ve been awake in 2012 at all, you’ll know the answer is SLAMMED by Colleen Hoover. http://www.amazon.com/Slammed-ebook/dp/B006RUJST6

Slammed (Slammed #1)

by Colleen Hoover (Goodreads Author)

ebook, 314 pages

Published January 5th 2012 by Colleen Hoover

Plot:

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.

 

My Thoughts:

I emailed Colleen after I read SLAMMED to tell her that she had just surpassed John Green on my author idol list. She emailed back to tell me he was her idol too—and you can tell. If you’re a fan of John Green’s fully-realized characters, you’ll adore Colleen’s main characters, Layken and Will. But, you’ll also love the supporting characters just as much!

Colleen doesn’t write books, she creates people and populates worlds—alternate realities you’re certain you could find if you plugged Layken’s address into your Garmin. They’re out there, Layken and Will, living across the street from each other with their little brothers.

SLAMMED made me laugh and cry. It made me want to be a better writer, a better daughter, a better mother, a better sister, because you just don’t know how long you’ll have the ones you love. And just when I thought the roller coaster ride of emotions had ended, there was POINT OF RETREAT, the sequel.

http://www.amazon.com/Point-Retreat-Slammed-Series-ebook/dp/B007D90ALU/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

"Layken and Will's relationship persevered through hardships, heartache and a cruel twist of fate, further solidifying the fact that they belong together.  What they don't expect is that the things that brought them together may ultimately be the very things that tear them apart.

 Layken is left questioning the very foundation on which their relationship was built. 

Will is left questioning how to prove his love for a girl who can't seem to stop "carving pumpkins."

Once they find answers, the couple faces an even greater challenge.  One that could change not only their lives, but the lives of everyone who depend on them."  

I had about 500 (butterflying*) heart attacks reading POINT OF RETREAT. Layken and Will’s relationship gets pushed to the brink and back. You know they’re strong enough to survive the turmoil and stay together, but does Layken know? Can she face the issues head-on and hand-in-hand with Will?

*if you’re not sure what butterflying means, go read POINT OF RETREAT, but only after you read SLAMMED and watch a few videos of The Avett Brothers on YouTube—start here:

http://youtu.be/qqZZlL0l5Uk

Trailer:

http://youtu.be/VLHwPX-p5cU

This is an author to put on your I’ll Read Everything She Writes list. She’s definitely on mine!

~~~Jamie~~~