Are you a fan of the young adult genre, and love to read stories that do not only talk about love but the many other intricacies that it comes with? If yes, then you should give Colleen Hoover a chance.
I have not been a CoHo fan until recently. I have always leaned towards historical fiction and rarely do I pick up the young adult genre but a few weeks back, I had a sudden craving for light stories, yet impactful, and something that will hook me from the first page itself, and that is when I picked up a Colleen Hoover book, and it has been one of the best decisions that I did this year.
Here are the five books that I would recommend. So, grab a cuppa and ready yourself for a brief ride into the world of Colleen Hoover.
1. It Ends With Us
This is a story about Lily Blossom Bloom and her relationship with two very different men during different periods of her life. Well, I guess you would be thinking a love triangle is set to pop up, but even though it does seem like there is a love triangle but it is not your usual one. It is unique, and one that will certainly make you want more even when there are no more pages left for you to turn.
Well, back to what the book is about. This book by Colleen Hoover portrays that love is not only about sunshine, and rainbows but it also has an ugly side. And it also talks about one important aspect of love, something that is not usually talked about, and that is the abuse that comes in the form of love. And when we witness these cases, in reality, we tend to ask why the women won’t just get up and leave, but we never question why the men are abusive. But the author tells us that the answer is simple because it is not a person’s actions that hurt the most, but it’s the love. If there was no love attached to the action, the pain would be a little easier to bear.
When it comes to making decisions, we tend to let our hearts decide, and forget about the knowledge that is in our minds. Lily Bloom teaches us to let the mind decide but also not forget about the heart in the process. This is such a beautiful read and one that comes with life lessons. Make sure to add it to your reading list. It will certainly not disappoint.
2. Verity
This book has a very strong opening. Only in rare cases does a book open up, and immediately hits you head-on with death. Being someone who dislikes reading too much about cliché love stories, this book is a great companion to me, I can certainly say this because the story is too good to put down, and I completed it in less than 24 hours.
While the book is a kind of a love story though with a twist of suspense and mystery, I also love the fact that it highlights mother-daughter relationships. Society has deemed motherhood the most reputable position that a woman can hold, but they did realize that not all women want to be mothers. Some believe that they need to achieve their dreams first, and think about being a mother later while others will sacrifice everything if it means becoming a mother. There are diverse aspects of motherhood that this book dives into, and while I can carry on talking about it, it will not do justice to the rest of the story because believe me, this book has a lot more, and certainly, it is not only about a mother, and her unusual relationship with her children.
To be honest, the story of the book creeps me out. There is suspense and mystery that lingers in the air, and I can assure you that you will feel the chills running down your body over certain episodes in the book.
The main protagonist is Verity, as the title suggests, and through her, the author portrays different things that are terrifying, and horrible to even read. I do not understand how the author can put it on paper. In between the novel, I asked myself if I still want to continue reading because the thoughts that were sputtered all across the book unhinged me. How can Verity act like that? How can a woman, who is carrying a baby, harbor such thoughts inside her? But, for all the gruesomeness that the book has, it is too good to put down halfway. There is still so much to learn, so many secrets to uncover, and a lot of truths that have to be revealed.
For everything that the book is, the ending is the showstopper. Though the entire story creeps me out, the ending is worth it, and it is for this that I urge you to read this book. It is mind-blowing, to say the least. You will be shaken after this, trust me.
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3. Ugly Love
It looks like a cliché kind of a read, and I was quite hesitant to dive in because I believe I have read so many of these kinds of stories – best friend’s sister, stepmom’s daughter – in Wattpad, and I will not be able to enjoy this genre another time again, but for some reason, call it curiosity if I may, I continue reading it even though I have a strong sense that my predictions will come true.
This book reminds me so much of my old self – the 16-year-old girl whose nose is always buried in a Wattpad book reading about high school love, enemies to lovers, slow-burn romance, intense physical attraction, the secrets within us, and many more. As a 22-year-old, I have completely fallen in love with a new genre – historical fiction, and have mostly stuck to books of that kind, but sticking to one genre is kind of boring, so I thought why not try getting back into my previous favorite genre, and here we are halfway into the book completely in love with the story, and with the characters. With its fast-paced plot, a lot of things happened at the same time but from different timelines. I believe this technique keeps the readers engaged, but the suspense after each chapter is too much to bear.
Also, the aura of mysteriousness around Miles is too much to handle. He is this handsome tall pilot with muscles that will melt you if they don’t crush you. But for all of his physical glory, he comes with a lot of baggage and burdens from the past. His present seems too dull while his past is too dark. Let’s leave it to Tate to unravel him layer by layer.
One specialty that this novel has is that it makes you feel like you are reading two books simultaneously. They are so different yet so familiar. We get to see a young Miles, in love and so full of life but now, at present, all we get is a stone-cold hard exterior.
The chapters in this book slip in between timelines, and while it does hold the suspense, the wait is irritating because I cannot seem to be able to read fast enough to know mysterious muscled-minded Miles. Do pick this one up. It is certainly engaging and full of twists.
4. All Your Perfects
This book will make you feel so many things at once, and at times you cannot think straight because of the emotions that are crowding your mind. Also, one technique that Colleen Hoover likes to use is the shift between past, and present showing us what happened in the past, so that we can understand the couple’s present fragile state a lot better, and also have sympathy and empathy towards them.
Colleen Hoover likes to dive into important, and sensitive topics in her books, and this one deals with infertility. While I may not understand the sensitivity of the word to the highest extent, I certainly can understand a little bit of what a couple goes through when they know they cannot conceive, and how it affects each other, and those around them. Oh, and let’s not forget the shame that comes with this word. It is hurtful to read, and so emotional. Please read this book, and educate yourself on the topic of infertility because it is a must.
5. Reminders of Him
Have you ever read a book, and had to close it in the middle of reading because the emotions that you feel are too much to handle? This is that book for you.
The pain that Kenna had to go through is extremely heartbreaking but beautifully written. At times, I forgot she is a fictional character because I feel and gravitate so much toward her. I love reading her progress, and I believe this is how character development works. Such a great portrayal.
While reading the blurb, one might think it is just another simple story, but no, it is not. It will break you but mind you, the ending will make it worth it, and you will finally be able to cry tears of joy and not tears of pain. Wouldn’t you call that a success, and one that only a great book can do to you? While one can have their interpretations of Kenna’s story, it is impossible to avoid the pain.
Colleen Hoover is known for being one with a great hand when it comes to writing an emotional story. She will make you feel things that you never thought you could do so. And it is for this very reason that I recommend this book to you as well. Don’t cry too much reading this one.
These are the five books that I urge my fellow readers to read. I hope you had a great time with them, and maybe learn a thing or two from them because I certainly did. Colleen Hoover is one great writer and one you will not want to miss out on.
Thank you!
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