Book Review: Slammed by Colleen Hoover

 “Don't take life too seriously. Punch it in the face when it needs a good hit. Laugh at it.”

― Colleen Hoover, Slammed

Slammed is a modern romance book. It may be read independently, but it is also the first novel in the Slammed series.  The magical and bewildering first-love experience is perfectly captured in this passionate, emotionally charged debut book, which follows two young people as they form an unexpected friendship before learning that fate has other plans for them.

Synopsis from Goodreads....

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 reaction in this novel...

With incredibly high hopes after reading Heart Bones and enjoying a profoundly romantic narrative, I made the decision to continue with this book. I actually don't know if this book will certainly top what I felt in Heart Bones because the YouTuber that I followed, who adores Colleen Hoover, hasn't read it yet. I'm not sure why I decided to read the Heart Bones first, despite the fact that I think this one ought to be the first because it was the first to be released. In any case, because this is Hoover's debut book, I'll give it to her. I can affirm that she made the book simple to read.

I had such a strong imagination that I truly believed I was present in the scene. This book will make you cry without you even realizing it, which is something I truly appreciate about it. I don't know, maybe it's simply that I read with a lot of feeling. I cried over the relationship between the main heroine and her mother more than the romance in this story. I found myself becoming teary-eyed during the point where her mother offered her a list of advise. I really cherished the scene in which Eddie was surprised by her foster father. It was really brilliant. At that point, I really started to cry. I had high hopes that Colleen Hoover's creative imagination would accommodate Eddie's stand-alone narrative.

Let's move on to the aspects of this book that I dislike after those that I enjoyed. First off, the love story of the main characters did not captivate me. I was unable to experience the love in every poem spoken throughout the slam. I can't feel anything, which could be because I'm not the traditional romantic who likes to read poetry. It seemed undercooked to me. Though I have nothing against age disparities between couples, and given that they just had a 4 year gap, I did not sense genuine love in this story. Despite my belief that love may be so untainted and innocent given the circumstances, I was not very excited by this. The teen anguish was exaggerated. She was occasionally a drama queen who was just interested in herself and had no empathy for other people. Occasionally, though, she acts like a goofy, giddy teenage girl. I didn't find her to be a compelling protagonist, regardless of the case.

Overall, it wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible either. I didn't love it, but it was a passable story that would be appropriate for teens who also appreciate poetry. I also question why a trilogy is required. Is the tale not sufficient, I wonder? It was quite monotonous and sluggish. Will it continue to make the readers bored? I won't know till I read it, albeit not today, so whatever. Maybe if my mind pushes it and I'm completely free.

My Overall Rating: ⭐⭐✨(2.5/5)

“Question everything. Your love, your religion, your passion. If you don't have questions, you'll never find answers.”

We need to consider things as human beings. Having inquiries does not suggest that we are weak, uneducated, or misguided. Admitting that you don't know everything is sometimes a brave step. Sometimes it will make us grounded. It will make us human. It will help us become better versions of ourselves. 

"Never judge others. You both know good and well how unexpected events can change who a person is. Always keep that in mind. You never know what someone else is experiencing within their own life."

This quotation is one of my favorites. Actually, I have a friend who often quotes this line, and I truly believe it—not just because she is a friend of mine but also because, as a person in a good frame of mind who faces many challenges in life, this is incredibly true. In a society where judgemental individuals abound, considering what other people are going through would improve everything. Perhaps there won't be any wars, grief, or suffering. We have no idea what other people's troubles are. It is best to keep silent rather than say hurtful words to them that we would later regret because they might be carrying heavier loads than you do.