Confess (Colleen Hoover)

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Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…


Once again, I read this one this month because Cátia @The Girl Who Read Too Much kind of pushed me to :P. Eheh. She knew I’ve been meaning to read it for a long time, so I finally did it.

Much like most of the books I’ve read from CoHo, this one’s writing is amazingly beautiful and also full of color, and that is not entirely related to the fact that this book is about art. It’s just gorgeous! The book is told in dual POV and I usually don’t like when the narrator keeps something from the reader, but here in this book, it happens, but it doesn’t feel like misdirection, you know? You are aware that you don’t have the full story yet, but there is no lie or big omission on their POVs, it’s just that their thoughts are never focused to that. Very well achieved.

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Once again, CoHo takes it out of the park on the character department… neither main character is perfect. Auburn is a great girl, but I have to admit that while I understood her actions during the book, I didn’t approve of some of them, and they made me somewhat mad. I wanted her to be more selfish… I wanted her to follow her heart, though I understood why she couldn’t quite do that. Owen, I loved! Again, I wish he had made some different choices, but I did understand his motivations… I really liked how he was with Auburn though, because I felt like he supported her, and she sure needed that in her life.

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The romance was good, though it went too fast and not at all. Cryptic, right? I thought they were amazing together, sweet, romantic, cute, but I wanted them to move along, and then, really, not much time had passed, so maybe it was a bit too fast? 😛

The story made this book for me, because it was really good and heartfelt. It made my heart tight. CoHo always gives me the biggest feels.

I do think that some secrets should have been shared at some point, and it made me sad that they weren’t…

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The awesomeness of this book doesn’t quite reach Ugly Love and November 9 status for me, but it was still pretty amazing. And the art is unreal! I loved the concept of how Owen created his art, and I could have used with a lot more confessions throughout the book.

Have you read Confess? Tell me your thoughts!

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Slammed (Colleen Hoover)

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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.


I finally – FINALLY – read Slammed and because it’s CoHo, I cried my eyes out. By this time, I’ve read a few of her novels, Hopeless, Finding Cinderella, Ugly Love, Maybe Someday and November 9, and I have to say that Slammed was probably my least favorite of all, though I still really really liked it.

My first thought when I started reading this book was how much it was clear that this was Colleen Hoover’s first novel. There’s a polish and an emotional depth in all of her other works that I’ve read, that is somewhat missing here. Don’t get me wrong, the writing is still good, but it’s still not AMAZING like it is now. With this said, the book still made me bawl my eyes out, especially towards the end, because CoHo has that amazing gift of always putting  a spin to things.

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Generally I liked all characters, but I have to admit that Layken got on my nerves. She actually acted her age, but she’s the most immature of CoHo leading ladies, and there were some situations that she acted like a petulant child and I wanted to slap the hell out of her. I did understand her and I seriously felt for her. And I do admit, she grew on me, because she grows up a lot throughout the book.

I really really liked Will. I loved how fiercely he loved his brother and was willing to do anything necessary for him. I thought he was overall a good and nice guy.

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Now, the romance has a bit of a twist, and I know that a lot of people won’t like it. I honestly didn’t exactly mind, because I thought that they truly tried their best – most of the time. What I did mind a tiny tiny bit was the instalove… yeah, it was strong on this one.

I really liked the sense of family and friendship in this story, and how those things trumped the romance, because, yes the romance was important, but FAMILY was the most important thing here. That’s amazing and I really enjoyed it.

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The element of the slam poetry was pretty cool, and it made the book more dynamic, while presenting the thoughts and feelings very clearly. Well done!

So, even though it’s not my favorite CoHo book, it’s still a pretty good one. I’m curious about the sequels, even though I’ve been told they’re not really good… I’m still curious and I’ll check them out because I need a little more Lake and Will :).

Book Traveling Thursdays: A Book That Made Me Emotional

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Hello, welcome back to another Book Traveling 168709Thursdays, which a weekly meme created by Cátia @The Girl Who Read Too Much and Danielle @Danielle’s Book Blog. The goal is to share the covers of a book related to that week’s theme, which you can see at the Goodreads group, indicating the original cover, the one of your country, your favorite and least favorite.

This week’s theme is “Some books make us cry… Choose a book that made you emotional!“. I won’t go far, and I’ll choose Slammed by Colleen Hoover for today. I’ve finished it just a few days ago, and while it was the least emotional of CoHo’s books that I’ve read, it still made me shed some tears towards the end.


Original COver:

I really dislike the original cover, but hey, at least the book is good.

COVER FROM MY COUNTRY (PORTUGAL) & COVER FROM THE COUNTRY I LIVE IN (SPAIN):

No cover for Portugal, but the Spanish cover is kind of cute?! It doesn’t really make me think of the story, but it’s really not bad.

Favorite COVER(s):

      

My favorites are the New US edition, the German – and I really love the title, the Indonesian – so clean and powerful, and the Romanian, because it represents the book so well.

LEAST FAVORITE COVER(s):

       

I really dislike the French cover, I don’t know… it just doesn’t work for me, and the Turkish, Polish and Russian covers, with all those people… no… I mean, who is that on the Russian cover? It sure as hell isn’t Lake and Will, right?

December TBR

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Again, I managed to read 20 books last month, and from my original 14 books on my TBR, I read 11 and started the 12th, so… not bad! I’m gonna aim for 14 books again, and see how that goes.

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  1. Slammed (Slammed #1) by Colleen Hoover (I’m halfway through already)
  2. Aimee and the Heartthrob (Backstage Pass #1) by Ophelia London
  3. Wrong (Wrong #1) by Jana Aston (I’m almost done)
  4. The Matchmaker’s Replacement (Wingmen Inc. #2) by Rachel Van Dyken
  5. Being Brooke by Emma Hart
  6. Wallbanger (Cocktail #1) by Alice Clayton (Re-read!)
  7. Hard Hitter (Brooklyn Bruisers #2) by Sarina Bowen
  8. Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley
  9. Stripped (Travesty #2) by Piper Lawson
  10. Night Owls by Jenn Bennett
  11. How Not to Let Go (The Belhaven Series) by Emily Foster
  12. The Romantics by Leah Konen
  13. Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits #1) by Katie McGarry
  14. The Girl Who Fell by Shannon M. Parker

November TBR

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I did awesome with my TBR from last month. From the 15 books I’d said I’d read, I read 12 of them (and then I read 8 more). So I’m pointing for 14 books this month that I really need to read, mostly because they’re ARCs. Also… WOW! Half of my TBR is YA… o_O

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  1. Stroked Hard (Stroked #3) by Meghan Quinn (which I already finished and it’s so GOOD!)
  2.  The Homecoming by Stacie Ramey
  3. The Romantics by Leah Konen
  4. Decidedly Off Limits by Stina Lindenblatt
  5. Ten Things Sloane Hates About Tru(Creative HeArts #1) by Tera Lynn Childs
  6. Crazy Pucking Love (Taking Shots #3) by Cindi Madsen
  7. My Unscripted Life by Lauren Morrill
  8. The Bad Boy Bargain by Kendra C. Highley
  9. Slammed (Slammed #1) by Colleen Hoover
  10. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
  11. Falling for the Girl Next Door (Creative HeArts #5) by Tera Lynn Childs
  12. The Keeper by Jillian Liota
  13. On the Fence by Kasie West
  14. Did I Mention I Miss You? (The DIMILY Trilogy #3) by Estelle Maskame

Book Traveling Thursdays: A Book by a Favorite Author

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Hello, welcome back to another Book Traveling 168709Thursdays, which a weekly meme created by Cátia @The Girl Who Read Too Much and Danielle @Danielle’s Book Blog. The goal is to share the covers of a book related to that week’s theme, which you can see at the Goodreads group, indicating the original cover, the one of your country, your favorite and least favorite.

This week’s theme is “National Author’s Day was a couple of days ago… choose a book written by one of your favorite authors“. Today I’m going with Colleen Hoover and the last book I read from hers, November 9. I loved it so much. So so much. And CoHo has definitly made my list of favorite authors.


Original & FAVORITE COver:

I love the original US edition. LOVE IT!!!

COVER FROM MY COUNTRY (PORTUGAL) & COVER FROM THE COUNTRY I LIVE IN (SPAIN):

Somehow this book is out in Portugal, but not in Spain… go figure! I really don’t like the cover though.

LEAST FAVORITE COVER(s):

                 

I really dislike the UK edition for this book. And then, of course, the Portuguese one… bad! And finally, somehow there’s an illustrated edition?! I mean, WTF? I don’t like it!

November 9 (Colleen Hoover)

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Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.


People… I am IN LOVE with this book! Seriously, I’M IN LOVE WITH NOVEMBER 9! By the way, I listened to it mostly in audiobook, but I had a borrowed paperback to follow it on, and that’s thanks to  Cátia @The Girl Who Read Too Much, who lent me her book awhile back… THANK YOU! Also, thank you for “forcing” to give this one a chance, because I absolutely loved it. It’s up there with Ugly Love for favorite book by CoHo.

I don’t really know how to review this book without spoiling the hell out of it, but I’ll start by saying that Colleen’s writing is, as usually, super on point. It’s lovely, emotional, funny and so damn strong. I’m still in awe with CoHo’s writing. It’s just superb.

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Both characters were amazing, it’s incredible how I was able to connect with them and fall in love with them since the first few pages they were in. They are just so imperfectly perfect, and I can’t help but love them. I loved that the character growth throughout all those years was very palpable and real.

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The romance was gorgeous, and painful and hopeful, and painful, and amazing. Did I mention painful? Yeah… pretty painful, especially not good for when you’re listening to a particular hard scene in the middle of a lot of people… damn you CoHo and that awful November 9! I loved to see how much impact Ben and Fallon had on each other’s lives, even though they never saw each other. They were better people because they had each other in some way, and wow, isn’t that beautiful?

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The plot is so twisted and so well done. I have to admit, I did know EVERYTHING that was going to happen, because when Cátia read this one a few months ago, she spoiled it for me – at my request. Still, my knowledge before hand did not take away any of my love and enjoyment for this plot. It was amazing that a story only told in one day a year, packed so much information, feelings and pain.

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I honestly don’t know what to say more, I just want to beg you to read this one, because it’s so beautiful, and while I loved Ugly Love, I do know that that particular book isn’t for everyone. This one, though, it is.

So go read November 9.(or listen to it, the audiobook is amazing!)

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Have you read this one? What are your thoughts on it? Did you cry like a baby too?!

Musical Mondays: November 9 by Griffin Peterson

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So… I just finished November 9 by Colleen Hoover… I’m wrecked!! I cried so damn much! So, this one is fitting. If you have not read the book, and you don’t want ANY spoilers, then don’t listen to this one, ok? But read the book… it’s so beautiful!

You’ve got scars, so do I
If I could, I’d take them all and make them mine
But for now, I’ll play the part
And let you in just far enough for this to start
For this to start

I remember everything when the fire of your heart began to sting
I couldn’t tell you all my sins
Much too scared of what the truth might bring

I’ve been lying from the start
You know it’s tearing me apart
Would really want the whole truth?
When I finally tell it all, will it be a wrecking ball
Or a bitter taste you try to hide as smooth
I know I took it all away
So let me give it all back to you, you, you, you
Give it all, give it all back to you

You read the truth
I tell no lies
Every page outlined for you ends with goodbyes
I’m losing sleep
‘Cause I write all night
Always end up with the words November nine

I’ve been lying from the start
You know it’s tearing me apart
Would really want the whole truth?
When I finally tell it all, will it be a wrecking ball
Or a bitter taste you try to hide as smooth
I know I took it all away
So let me give it all back to you, you, you, you
Give it all, give it all back to you

You, you, you, you
Give it all back to you

Your heart is on fire and my soul’s aflame
But the damage left behind us is not the same
So let me give it all back to you, you, you, you
Give it all, give it all back to you

You, you, you, you

October TBR

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These last months haven’t been the best for reading, but I’m finally home, which means I have some more time to do my reading, so I’m going to point for 15 books this month, mostly ARCs, because I need to get to them soon – and I mean SOON!

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  1. The Goal (Off-Campus #4) by Elle Kennedy
  2. The Movie Version by Emma Wunsch
  3. Just One Moment (Black Alcove #4) by Jami Wagner
  4. Watch me Rise by Tara R.
  5. November 9 by Colleen Hoover
  6. All Laced Up (Breakaway #1) by Erin Fletcher
  7. My Unscripted Life by Lauren Morrill
  8. All The Ways You Saved Me (Love Unplugged #1) by Jamie Howard
  9. Three Simple Words (Kingston Ale House #3) by A.J. Pine
  10. Lessons in Gravity by Megan Westfield
  11. Top Shelf (Aces Hockey #3) by Kelly Jamieson
  12. The Homecoming by Stacie Ramey
  13. The Romantics by Leah Konen
  14. Unsportsmanlike Conduct (Pilots Hockey #4) by Sophia Henry
  15. The Best Possible Answer by E. Katherine Kottaras