4.50

0

Apr 12, 2013

When I started to read this book there were over 43k ratings and the average was 4.57. I was understandably nervous, because in the past such high ratings usually mean that I’m the one person on the planet who’s going to HATE it. Not only did I hate this book (all 70 pages that I managed to read) and all of its horrible stereotypes and cheesy scenes, but I was really troubled by it.

You see, I’ve been noticing a disturbing trend in YA/NA books lately and this is probably the best example of it When I started to read this book there were over 43k ratings and the average was 4.57. I was understandably nervous, because in the past such high ratings usually mean that I’m the one person on the planet who’s going to HATE it. Not only did I hate this book (all 70 pages that I managed to read) and all of its horrible stereotypes and cheesy scenes, but I was really troubled by it.

You see, I’ve been noticing a disturbing trend in YA/NA books lately and this is probably the best example of it I've come across. What is it you ask? Simply put, it's characters not recognizing and not reacting properly to the dangerous behavior of strangers because they’re “hot”. I'm sure I'll get hate-spam for this, but I think it needs to be pointed out anyway.

Imagine this; you see a guy and he looks like:


He catches your eye and glares at you. You’re understandable unnerved and proceed to leave his presence in a hurry. He then chases you down and demands your name. You’re creeped out, as you should be, and you refuse. But when you try to shut the door of your car to get away from him, he won’t let go of it and demands your name again. Do you call for help? Of course not, it’s broad daylight, what’s he gonna do? Do you mace him? Of course not, that'd be mean. Do you cave and tell him your name? Of course you do! Why? Uh, hello? Who could say no to this face:


He doesn’t believe you when you give him your name. Why? Who cares? So you, smart person that you are, hand over your driver’s license to prove it. You know, that thing with your name, age, DOB, address and a list of your greatest fears on it. He looks at it for a minute and hands it back, saying that he’s sorry, he thought you were someone else. Finally common sense kicks in, and you shut your car door and leave. In your rearview, you see him punch the hood of his car. Don’t worry, sane people do it all the time. Also, he looks like this:


The next time you see him is later in the day, while taking a break during your daily run. You’re bent over trying to catch your breath when he sneaks up behind you and says, "Hello". What? Of course that's not random and totally fucking creepy. He's just trying to be nice! He notices how out of breath you are (see? NICE!) and offers you his water bottle while demanding you drink some. You trust that he didn’t slip some GHB into it because he looks like this:


You start chatting about your run while you try to catch your breath and mention that you have another mile or so to go. He corrects you and says 2.5. Weird, huh? You ask him how he knows this. His response is to rattle off ALL the information from your driver’s license, including your address and the fact that you’re an organ donor. But don’t worry, organ harvesters and serial killers never look like this:


Still, you’re a little unsettled, so you try to leave. He stops you from doing so by grabbing your water bottle and retreating into his house to refill it. Don’t worry, he’s not adding more horse tranquilizers. You contemplate leaving anyway, but when the door opens again and he tells you he’s running back to your house with you, you obviously acquiesce because, I mean, COME ON, the dude looks like this:


Now, replace every one of these:


With this:


Kind of changes your perspective a little, doesn’t it?

It shouldn’t.

Creepy is creepy, ladies. Just because someone has the face of an angel it doesn’t mean they won’t cut you up into little pieces.

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1

Aug 10, 2013

I am conducting what I'm shelving as a "New Adult (NA) Experiment". I'm going to work my way through some of the popular New Adult books and see if I can weed out the crap and hopefully find some surprising gems. Here's hoping!

When I started this experiment with the New Adult genre, I knew I was going to have to face a lot of things that I wouldn't like. This genre has become known, during it's short lifetime, for its sexism, its slut-shaming, its poor writing, its eyeroll worthy characters and
I am conducting what I'm shelving as a "New Adult (NA) Experiment". I'm going to work my way through some of the popular New Adult books and see if I can weed out the crap and hopefully find some surprising gems. Here's hoping!

When I started this experiment with the New Adult genre, I knew I was going to have to face a lot of things that I wouldn't like. This genre has become known, during it's short lifetime, for its sexism, its slut-shaming, its poor writing, its eyeroll worthy characters and its creepy portrayal of young male/female relationships. But I think Hopeless disappointed me a lot more because it started well and it could have been good. Yes, it goes with the usual "girl with issues" plotline and the "reformed bad boy" love interest, but Hoover writes in a way that's engaging, she weaves humour into every conversation to make you warm to the story and characters almost instantly. And then she ruins it.

Let's meet Sky Davis. She has all these issues to tell you about. She's never attracted to guys. Never gets butterflies. Never feels swept off her feet by emotions. She makes out with all these guys because she enjoys the numb feeling she experiences during the makeout sessions.The boys sneak in her window, make out with her, then she kicks them out without feeling a single thing. She doesn't sleep with them, though, because that would validate the rumours that she's a slut. And she is NOT A SLUT.

Please bear with me while I try to care.

There is a confusing mix of messages being sent out here about being a "slut", what that means, and how we're supposed to react to it. I get the feeling that the author wanted to treat us to an atypical protagonist who is somewhat sexually promiscuous, as opposed to the usual blushing virgin (well done! mix it up a bit, I say) but she seems afraid of her reader's inability to like a "slut", so she had to make up for it by getting the heroine to frequently and adamantly state "I am not a slut" and simultaneously drew parallels between a mean personality and revealing clothing on other girls. If the author had just been brave enough to challenge the stereotype, to steer clear of the assumed negative correlation between sexuality and morality, then this could have been a very different and a much better book.

Another thing that bothers me is the shallow obsession with looks in this novel. Everything is excused, every act of violence and stalkery forgotten because the love interest is a glowing ball of hotness. Litchick addressed this issue wonderfully. Dean Holder is a creep. If he looked any different, Sky would have not believed his behaviour to be remotely okay, she would have ran screaming in the opposite direction. He sees her ID for two seconds and then suddenly remembers her full name, home address, date of birth, height and donor status. He knows detailed information about her that she never told him. Sky pauses for all of five seconds to think it's weird that he knows these things, but then she gets distracted by his beautiful eyes or perfect muscles.


No, literally, she faints. She faints because he's so hot.

More than that, Sky is immediately cured of her numb, lack-of-butterflies affliction as soon as she sees Mr Beautiful. I'm calling it instalove, you can call it what you will, but whatever it is... it's fucking weird. She is immune to all guys except Dean Holder, and why? Because he is perfectly beautifully gorgeous. No other reason. He's a violent, creepy stalker but: "He's beautiful. Not too big, not too small. Not too rough, not too perfect." And they are such empty, shallow adjectives that say nothing. He could be a chocolate eclair based on that description.

I'm genuinely worried about what these books are teaching young women about relationships with men. They say everything is okay as long as he has a pretty face. Stalking? Of course. Violence? Perfectly natural. Grabbing your chin the second time you meet him? A small price to pay for that level of hotness on your arm. No. No. And also NO. Who does that? For one, who grabs your face the second time they meet you? For another, who stands there and thinks that's okay? Why are these books telling you to ignore your basic instincts of self-preservation. Like this quote:

"My instinct is telling me to run and scream, but my body wants to wrap itself around his glistening, sweaty arms." Stupid.

And also:

"Normally I wouldn't take water from strangers. I would especially not take water from people I know are bad news, but I'm thirsty." And stupid.

This book tells girls and women to ignore the valuable advice their parents gave them when they were young about what to do if approached by a strange man who offers you a drink and appears to know everything about your life, including where you live. It tells them to ignore all of this because he has a pretty face. Well, I've got two words for you to google: "Ted Bundy". Or "Young Stalin". ...more

5

Nov 17, 2012

Potential casting for Holder by Colleen ^^^

EVERYONE DROP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND READ THIS BOOK!!!!!

Hopeless utterly blew me away. It was the kind of book that makes me want to stand on a rooftop and shout how amazing it is to the whole world! Beautiful, heart-wrenching and uplifting.

5++ stars!! One of best books of 2012!

Colleen Hoover’s writing is absorbing, captivating, and flows so smoothly you barely feel the pages slipping by.

After just reading the prologue, I. Was. Hooked. and I just


Potential casting for Holder by Colleen ^^^

EVERYONE DROP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND READ THIS BOOK!!!!!

Hopeless utterly blew me away. It was the kind of book that makes me want to stand on a rooftop and shout how amazing it is to the whole world! Beautiful, heart-wrenching and uplifting.

5++ stars!! One of best books of 2012!

Colleen Hoover’s writing is absorbing, captivating, and flows so smoothly you barely feel the pages slipping by.

After just reading the prologue, I. Was. Hooked. and I just knew that I had to put my life on hold until I finished it. It gives you a taste of where the story is headed and just grabs at your heart in a way that makes you just NEED to know more.

When Sky meets Holder, her life changes. He is the first guy to make her heart skip a beat. The first guy to really make her FEEL.

“I’ve never been swept off my feet. I don’t get butterflies. In fact the whole idea of being swooned by anyone is foreign to me… Somehow, in the course of sixty seconds, this guy has managed to swoon me, then terrify the hell out of me.”

Dean Holder was absolutely amazing. With just a touch of bad boy, lickable dimples, a crooked smile and a tattoo, this moody, mysterious and endearing hot guy with a temper just utterly stole my heart.

“I saw a guy at the store after school, and holy shit, Six. He was beautiful. Scary, but beautiful….as soon as I looked at him, it was like my entire body melted to the floor. He was… Wow.”

Deeply protective and totally swoony but with a bad rep, he was so contradictory – warm, cold. Sweet, sharp. Just like Sky, I just NEEDED to know more about him. And the more I learned, the more the mystery deepened.

I loved watching them get closer and closer. Their chemistry was undeniable and their dialogue and banter was rapid fire and brilliant and just set my heart a flutter.

What they had was intense, passionate, and oh-so REAL. Every single thing they went though and did was believable and just made you wish you knew them in person.

I loved that the story was serious but little parts made me laugh out, breaking up the more emotionally charged scenes. I swooned, squeed, proclaimed my undying love for the book, and had to take breathers to wipe the tears that sprung up on me more than once.

I felt so in sync with Sky’s emotions and journey. I felt like I went through all her emotions without ever once feeling disconnected. Through her eyes, I fell in love with Holder, I felt her pain and confusion, and I felt her healing. She was a wonderfully strong, brave heroine – the kind you want to look up to and make you feel proud of.

This book has the. most. beautiful. intense. breathtaking. first kiss. EVER. (without actually kissing). Curious? You’ll have to read it and see. But I am not kidding, it was one of the best written kisses I’ve ever read!

I loved that the story was emotionally charged but with absolutely no stupidity. All the characters’ reactions were understandable and just made me more and more sympathetic to them. This isn’t to say that there wasn’t angst and heart-clutching turmoil, because there was. The subject matter and themes are serious, gut wrenching and very mature. This book is definitely 17+ (New Adult).

“Sometimes you have to choose between a bunch of wrong choices and no right ones. You just have to choose which wrong choice feels the least wrong.”

I have to say that I didn’t see the big reveal coming. I had my suspicions about one part of the story, but the other part totally took me by surprise.

All the pieces of the story just build and build, layer upon layer of things you don’t even realize are important until the secrets come out and the cascade of emotions from them just crash into you and take your breath away.

“Life is real and sometimes it’s ugly and you just have to learn how to cope.”

This is a quite simply a beautiful story about love and survival. About hope and healing. About life and death. About coping with tragedy and finding forgiveness and peace. About being strong. About being a victim, but also a survivor.

I honestly do not have one single complaint about this book. I have entire pages of my copy highlighted. Its THAT good.

Every word, every sentence, every scene puts the imagery of the story into your head so vividly that you feel as though you are right there, watching the events unfold.

This book NEEDS to be made into a movie!!

I can't wait to buy this book in paperback. Its going to be going right up on my top favs shelf <3

This is one of those stories that will stay with you forever.

And yes, there is a HEA :)

“Fuck all the firsts, Sky. The only thing that matters to me with you are the forevers.”

PS. Thank you Colleen Hoover for providing me with an ARC to review.





*****

I'm so excited for all of you to read it!!


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4

Dec 18, 2012

Breathless...

Speechless...

Helpless...

Flawless...


........HOPELESS!!

-----------------------------------------------------------

"The sky is always beautiful.Even when it's dark or rainy or cloudy,it's still beautiful to look at....it'll be there no matter what...and I know it'll always be beautiful."

Hello Readers!!

After Slammed and Point of Retreat,Colleen Hoover presents us with Hopeless.And I swear this is something you won't be forgetting anytime soon!!

So meet with Sky---

Want to know what kind
Breathless...

Speechless...

Helpless...

Flawless...


........HOPELESS!!

-----------------------------------------------------------

"The sky is always beautiful.Even when it's dark or rainy or cloudy,it's still beautiful to look at....it'll be there no matter what...and I know it'll always be beautiful."

Hello Readers!!

After Slammed and Point of Retreat,Colleen Hoover presents us with Hopeless.And I swear this is something you won't be forgetting anytime soon!!

So meet with Sky---

Want to know what kind of a girl she is??

She's real.She's lovely.She's sarcastic.She's blunt.She's...different!!

When Sandra Bullock walks away in the end of The Forces of Nature,she is the kind of girl who says...

"It's real.You can't get mad at a real ending.Some of them are ugly.It's the fake happily ever afters that should piss you off."

She's the the type of girl who,when she finds notes called 'Whore' stuck to her locker,thinks...

"Really?Where's the creativity in that?They couldn't back it up with an interesting story?Maybe a few details of my indiscretion?If I have to read this shit every day,the least they could do is make it interesting.If I was going to stoop so low as to leave an unfounded note on someone's locker,I'd atleast have the courtesy of entertaining whoever reads it in the process.I'd write something interesting like,'I saw you in bed with my boyfriend last night.I really don't appretiate you getting massage oil on my cucumbers.Whore.' "

And unfortunately,she is also the type of girl who does not get attracted to boys much,gets bored while making out and never gets butterflies.

But all that changes when she sees him for the first time.

Dean Holder.

As soon as she lays her eyes on him,she immediately notices three things--

1) His amazingly perfect white teeth hidden behind that seductively crooked grin.

2) The dimple that form in crevices between the corner of his lips and cheeks when he smiles.

3)She's pretty sure she's having a hot flash.
Or she has butterflies.
Or maybe she's coming down with a stomach virus.

The feeling is so foreign,she's not sure what it is.

And so their story starts!!



But Readers,this is no ordinary boy-meets-girl-and-they-fall-in-love story!!

I watched...

Breathless,speechless,helpless,....

Something extraordinary rise!!

"He's moody,he's got a temper and...he's just...he's hopeless.I don't know what my type is,but I know I don't want it to be Holder."


"This is lust?
I hate it.I absolutely,positively hate this beautiful,magical feeling."


"His eyes are scrolling over my face and he's smiling just enough that his dimples are showing.
I nod and hope he backs the hell away from me,because I'm about to have an asthma attack and I don't even have ashthma."



Readers,all this do not even begin to cover this story.

There are some terrible secrets.Secrets which,if they ever come out,will crush Sky's world to pieces.

Will their fragile love survive this??

I can not tell you anything else without giving away some major spoilers.And they are called spoilers because they will spoil the story for you.I can't do it!!


---------------------------------------------------------------

"Fuck all firsts,Sky.The only thing that matters to me with you are forevers."


"And I swear I will spend every last breath thanking you for allowing yourself to love me.Thank you so much for loving me....."


Ta-Ta Readers.Enjoy!!










...more

5

Nov 17, 2012

5 ENDLESS STARS!!!!


"The sky is always beautiful. Even when it's dark or rainy or cloudy, it's still beautiful to look at. It's my favourite thing because I know if I ever get lost or lonely or scared, I just have to look up and it'll be there no matter what...and I know it'll always be beautiful."

Hope is what comes in the dark of the night
Hope is what whispers 'It will all be alright.'
Hope can blaze like a fire in the heart
Hope can reach across worlds set apart

Hope when lost can bring a 5 ENDLESS STARS!!!!


"The sky is always beautiful. Even when it's dark or rainy or cloudy, it's still beautiful to look at. It's my favourite thing because I know if I ever get lost or lonely or scared, I just have to look up and it'll be there no matter what...and I know it'll always be beautiful."

Hope is what comes in the dark of the night
Hope is what whispers 'It will all be alright.'
Hope can blaze like a fire in the heart
Hope can reach across worlds set apart

Hope when lost can bring a world to the ground
Hope when forgotten can be silence amongst sound
Hope if not reached for is unlikely to be there
Hope if searched for can be found anywhere.

There isn't a single thing about this book that I didn't love. It was wonderful, mesmerizing, hypnotizing, heartbreaking and breathtaking at the same time. I couldn't for one second put it down while I was reading it (expect when absolutely necessary off course, but even then the story continued to live on inside my head). I loved all the characters, their sense of humor and their way of living; and I loved the amazing writing style of the author Colleen Hoover. I found myself wanting to highlight almost every passage in it because the words were so beautiful and perfectly chosen. Hopeless was absolutely one of the best books I've read in 2012 and it's a book that will stay with me for very, very long time...

Hopeless is the story about a seventeen-year-old girl named Sky




She's the kind of girl that doesn't cry. Ever. Not since she was five anyway.

She's the kind of girl that doens't get upset over an ugly ending, because "It's real. And you can't get mad at a real ending. Some of them are ugly. It's the fake happily ever afters that should piss you off."

She's the kind of girl that loves to read but doesn't know what an e-reader is, because her mother doesn't believe in technology.
"You're kidding right?" He leans toward me. "You don't know what an e-reader is?" I shrug. "It still looks like a tiny TV to me."

She's also the kind of girl that doesn't feel anything, the kind that's never been head-over-heels in love;

"I've never been swept off my feet. I don't get butterflies. In fact, the whole idea of being swooned by anyone is foreign to me. The real reason I enjoy making out with guys is simply because it makes me feel completely and comfortably numb."


But then she meets Dean Holder



They meet and it's explossive, intense and a little scary-

"Somehow, in the course of sixty seconds, this guy has managed to swoon me, then terrify the hell out of me."

But Holder is the first guy that can finally make Sky feel again-

"I've gone so long trying to find ways to feel numb any chance I get, but seeing the enthusiasm behind his eyes right now...it makes me want to feel every single thing about life. The good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly, the pleasure, the pain. I want that. I want to start feeling life the same way he does. And my first step to doing so starts with this hopeless boy in front of me who's pouring his heart out, searching for that perfect word, wanting desperately to help me add feeling back into living."

We read about how they fall in love with each other and about how they give each other hope again. We read about their past and about what brought them together. Going much further into the storyline would be spoiling too much, but let me tell you, it's not like anything you could expect. It's much better and you will be amazed by the intensity and originality of it. I would also like to say that I LOVED the other characters in the book as well. Especially Six and Breckin, Sky's very bestest friends in the whole wide world. They're the kind of friends anyone would want in their life, they're sarcastic and adorable at the same time and they will literally make you laugh out. They make reading the beautiful story of Sky and Holder even better.

"No matter how much I want to scream at him and make him leave, I find myself wishing he could squeeze me just a little bit tighter. I want him to lock his arms around me and throw away the key, because this is where he belongs and I'm scared he'll just let me go again."



"He wraps his pinky around mine as if he doesn't have the strength to hold my entire hand. But it's nice, because we've held hands before, but never pinkies...and I realize that this is another first we've passed. And realizing this doesn't disappoint me, because I know that firsts don't matter with him. He could kiss me for the first time, or the twentieth time, or the millionth time and I wouldn't care if it was the first or not, because I'm pretty sure we just broke the record for the best first kiss in the history of first kisses-without even kissing."



"Fuck all the firsts, Sky. The only thing that mathers to me with you, are forevers."



My advice to everyone who hasn't read this book is: Read it!!! Read it, and get carried away by the beautiful story Colleen Hoover has written and that will capture your heart in the most wonderful way possible...

"Living," I say. The desperation in his eyes eases slightly, and he lets out a short confused laugh. "What?" He shakes his head, trying to understand my response.
"Live. If you mix the letters up in the words like and love, you get live. You can use that word."
He laughs again, but this time it's a laugh of relief. He wraps his arms around me and he kisses me with nothing but a hell of a lot of relief. "I live you, Sky," he says against my lips. "I live you so much."


AND I LIVED THIS BOOK SOOO MUCH!!!!

...more

5

Jan 21, 2015

“Not everyone gets a happily every after. Life is real and sometimes it's ugly and you just have to learn how to cope.”
Before I started reading Hopeless, I thought I was ready for everything. The tissues and the chocolate ice-cream were nearby, and the only thing missing was a steel in case I needed to draw an iratze over my heart. It turns out, I was not ready. I was not ready for a book I hated as much as I loved it.

I hated it because it forced me to witness a pain so raw, so deep that “Not everyone gets a happily every after. Life is real and sometimes it's ugly and you just have to learn how to cope.”
Before I started reading Hopeless, I thought I was ready for everything. The tissues and the chocolate ice-cream were nearby, and the only thing missing was a steel in case I needed to draw an iratze over my heart. It turns out, I was not ready. I was not ready for a book I hated as much as I loved it.

I hated it because it forced me to witness a pain so raw, so deep that felt like I was punched in the stomach. It took effort to turn the pages, to make my brain comprehend and accept that life isn't about fluffy love and happily ever afters. It can be ugly and messy. It can be Hell. I realised I live inside a bubble where tragedies are something that can't touch you. This book took away my wings and my precious pink cloud, it made me sick and angry and sad, so sad that I could taste the saltiness of my tears many times. I hated it for bringing me back to the real world.
“My lack of access to the real world has been replaced completely by books, and it can’t be healthy to live in a land of happily ever afters.”
But at the same time I loved it wholeheartedly. Because it also showed that you can fight your nightmares when you have someone to hold you. That human touch and understanding and unconditional love can heal the most tortured soul. Holder healed me as he healed Sky, he restored the faith I lost. The hopeless boy made me hope.
“Fuck all the firsts, Sky. The only thing that matters to me with you are the forevers.”
Both Sky and Holder were flawed and damaged beyond repair, or so it seemed. A broken boy with anger management issues, an indifferent girl who made out with boys she didn't even like only to help her numb her mind, they didn't get along at first but the connection and the bond that developed between them was something they could not control, a magic thread that united their souls. Holder gathered Sky's pieces and one by one, he put them in their right place. Sky kissed Holder's wounds, bandaged them with love and held them together with her bare hands.
“I want you to keep them open... because I need you to watch me give you the very last piece of my heart.”
But I assure you, it wasn't all about pain and self-discovery. I caught myself smiling many times (and I suspect that the people in the bus who saw that thought that I ran from a mental asylum because my grin was extremely goofy) and I felt lighthearted, even though I did not like Sky. She is not one of my favorite heroines, but she will stay with me whether I like it or not. Holder on the other hand, I welcomed him with open arms in my book boyfriends list. Because he made my heart flutter and my eyes water with his compassion and kindness. And hotness.
“I’ve been looking for you my whole damn life.”
Every time I read a book by Colleen Hoover, I discover something new that makes me appreciate her even more. This time, it was the way she made me feel by describing just a light kiss or a caress. I felt them from my head to my toes, I felt them in my nerves and in my veins, I felt alive and in love in a breath-taking way.
“I live you, Sky," he says against my lips. "I live you so much.”
I live Hopeless. It may not be my favorite CoHo book, but I recommend it to all of you who want to discover a unique love story that rised from the ashes of two tormented hearts. ...more

4

Oct 25, 2013

I LOVED THIS BOOK. the only reason it's not 5 stars is because it made me really sad at parts but it was wonderful <3 I have a booktalk filmed and i'll be posting it eventually =)

4

Jan 19, 2014

What a story!

I’m stunned. Did I really read what I just read? Did the author really create such an impressive plot? While I didn’t know who Colleen Hoover truly was before picking one of her works up (so glad I chose Hopeless!), now I do know; she’s a brilliant contemporary romance author.

This is such a heartbreaking story. Yet, it does contain some beautiful moments of joy, swoony love and real honesty. That’s what I preferred the most actually; how honest the main character was with us. She What a story!

I’m stunned. Did I really read what I just read? Did the author really create such an impressive plot? While I didn’t know who Colleen Hoover truly was before picking one of her works up (so glad I chose Hopeless!), now I do know; she’s a brilliant contemporary romance author.

This is such a heartbreaking story. Yet, it does contain some beautiful moments of joy, swoony love and real honesty. That’s what I preferred the most actually; how honest the main character was with us. She isn't that kind of NA main character that lies to herself all the time and makes us roll our eyes because we obviously know that she loves the guy and, even though she says she doesn’t want him, everyone else knows she does as well.

It was a breath of fresh air. A heavy one though and provoking some many emotions inside of us but it was so incredible.

Sky may have become my favorite contemporary romance heroine of all time. Now I know that I haven’t read that many contemporaries in my life, since my favorite genre is fantasy, but you can believe me when I say that that girl is everything you will look for in a main character; she’s strong, stubborn, kind, brave, loving, caring, a good girl, , beautiful. A very beautiful person.

To be honest, I found the romance a bit too overwhelming by moments, especially right before Sky and Holder became officially a couple and mainly because the secondary characters started to ‘disappear.’ It’s like the author did want to only focus on Sky and Holder’s relationship but it started to, sometimes, feel cheesy and cheesy romance is not of my favorite sorts.

How can a normal human being not like—love, admire, swoon over, sigh when seeing, live—Holder? Because, yeah, even though I stated above that there were cheesy moments (and Holder was the main reason of those), you can’t help but mark that character in your ‘best-book-boyfriends’ list because who wouldn’t want to be loved by someone the way he loves Sky?

I know I do...

The second reason why I dropped a star is that the writing seemed to me a bit simplistic as in many words were repeated and that usually in the same paragraph. Maybe the author was aware of it. Maybe she did it on purpose but word repetitiveness is (and will always be) one of my pet peeves.

Finally, oh guys, you need to read this one. It will surprise, shock, impress, grip and absorb you into its story. And those wonderful characters, how happy I am for having ‘met’ them! They will stick with me for a good while. And so I hope the same thing will happen for you...
...more

5

Aug 25, 2012

5+ stars!


I’m not sure how to put into words how much I loved this book! One of the best I’ve read this year! It was such a beautiful story- once I started this one, there was no hope for sleep... I couldn’t put it down! It had some twists and turns I did not expect! I love all Colleen Hoover’s books, her writing is awesome- but this is by far the best! It is in a class of its own! Incredible!!!

This is Sky and Holder’s story. Sky is awesome. She is funny, brave, and just real. Sky is a 5+ stars!


I’m not sure how to put into words how much I loved this book! One of the best I’ve read this year! It was such a beautiful story- once I started this one, there was no hope for sleep... I couldn’t put it down! It had some twists and turns I did not expect! I love all Colleen Hoover’s books, her writing is awesome- but this is by far the best! It is in a class of its own! Incredible!!!

This is Sky and Holder’s story. Sky is awesome. She is funny, brave, and just real. Sky is a teenage girl with a wacky vegan mom who is anti-technology. She has been home schooled her entire life and decides she wants to go to public school for her senior year of high school with her friend Six. Although she has been home schooled- she is not cut off completley from the world. She and Six have fun together and she has fun with boys. Although making out with her ‘flavor of the week’ is fun- she gets bored. She’s never really felt anything- just numbness. Which is just fine with her. When she starts at the high school (without Six- who ends up doing foreign exchange) She has a bit of a rough start, and develops a bit of a reputation due to some of her flavors of the week that go to school there. One of the best things about Sky is the way she handles this... The girls at school leaving notes on her locker that say ‘Whore’
All it said was “Whore” Really? Where’s the creativity in that? They couldn’t back it up with an interesting story? Maybe a few details of my indiscretion? If I have to read this shit every day, the least they could do is make it interesting.
She does make one friend at school. A super fun and lovable ‘morman’ named Breckin- the kind of friend that after a bad day will say-
“I’m not even going to tell you what I think about what just happened in there. But I know it sucked and I have no idea why you aren’t crying right now, but I know your heart hurts, and maybe even your pride. So fuck school. We’re going for ice cream.”

Now... to the main attraction-
My Holder:



When Sky see’s Holder for the first time, somethings strange happens...
As soon as I lay eyes on him, I Immediately notice three things. 1) His amazingly perfect white teeth hidden behind that seductively crooked grin. 2) The dimples that form in the crevices between the corners of his lips and cheeks when he smiles. 3) I’m pretty sure I’m having a hot flash. Or I have butterflies. Or maybe I’m coming down with a stomach virus.

Thats right- after all this time of not feeling anything, she finally feels. It kind of freaks her out a bit.
Somehow, in the course of sixty seconds, this guy has managed to swoon me, then terrify the hell out of me.

Holder and Sky have some crazy chemistry. They had this unknown connection. Holder is the greatest. Wow. He will make you swoon, make you melt, make you scream, and really just steal your heart.
I could go on and on and on about Holder... about how perfect he is, but instead- I will let him speak for himself.
“Let me inform you of something, the moment my lips touch yours, it will be your first kiss. Because if you’ve never felt anything when someone’s kissed you, then no one’s ever really kissed you. Not the way I plan on kissing you.”

“Live. If you mix the letters up in the words like and love, you get live. You can use that word.”
“I live you, Sky. I live you so much.”

“I’ve been looking for you my whole damn life.”

“Because you are so strong baby. You’re amazing and funny and smart and beautiful and so full of strength and courage. What he did to you doesn’t take away from any of the best parts of you. You survived him once and you’ll survive him again. I know you will.” 

and my most favorite line of his:
“Fuck all the firsts, Sky. The only thing that matters to me with you are the forevers.”

Sky felt so strongly for Holder, and he felt the same way about her. Their relationship was intense.

We have just wholly fallen into each other, heart and soul. I never thought I would ever be able to trust a man enough to share my heart, much less hand it over completely.

I really want to go on and on about their relationship and all the twists and turns and the complexity of this book- but I will not spoil it! You absolutely have to read it yourself. Wow. There was a lot I didn’t see coming.



“Because the sky is always beautiful. Even when it’s dark or rainy or cloudy, its still beautiful to look at. It’s my favorite thing because I know if I ever get lost or lonely or scared, I just have to look up and it’ll be there no matter what... and I know it’ll always be beautiful.”

This book was so amazing- just incredible! I laughed a lot- I cried a lot. It was emotional and intense, it moved me. It was as close to perfection as you can get and a story I will never ever forget.

If you haven’t read this- drop everything and start it! I loved it! One of the best books I have read this year!!!!! ...more

5

Dec 19, 2012

5 HUGE Stars–And My Favorite Read Of The Year



Oh my gosh! This book! This unbelievably heartfelt, emotional, gripping book! I LOVED this book. I mean I REALLY loved this book. Like, I loved EVERY SINGLE THING about this book. I think you get my drift.

It been a long time since I've fallen wholeheartedly in love with a book, its characters, and its love story. I adored this heartbreakingly emotional story. It made me laugh, it made cry, and it made me believe in young love. I loved the heroine, 5 HUGE Stars–And My Favorite Read Of The Year



Oh my gosh! This book! This unbelievably heartfelt, emotional, gripping book! I LOVED this book. I mean I REALLY loved this book. Like, I loved EVERY SINGLE THING about this book. I think you get my drift.

It been a long time since I've fallen wholeheartedly in love with a book, its characters, and its love story. I adored this heartbreakingly emotional story. It made me laugh, it made cry, and it made me believe in young love. I loved the heroine, Sky. She's one of the best female YA/NA leads I've read to date. As for the hero, Holder, he simple stole my heart. I can't begin to tell you how much his wonderfully written character affected me.

I'll be honest, I couldn't fully understand why so many readers gushed about this author's work. Until now, I had only read her last few releases, and while I felt the writing was excellent, I can't say I overly enjoyed the love stories (in fact, I hated Ugly Love). So, after finishing her latest release, I decided to give her earlier books a try to see what all the fuss was about. Oh my goodness, to say I'm glad I did is an understatement! I NOW get! I NOW understand why so many of my friends love this author. Her Slammed series is excellent and this book...well, it blew me away!

Hopeless is a book that will forever live in my heart. The way it made me feel, from the first page to the last, is why I read romance. It's by far my favorite read this year. I can't praise it enough. ...more

5

Nov 17, 2012

Hopeless - Having no hope, bleak, despairing....isn't that what it means to be hopeless??...But I learnt a different meaning of Hopeless recently....that sometimes being hopeless can mean so much more....



Someone told me I was hopeless....
That I would never go anywhere in my life
That I would have to struggle to survive
That people would point their fingers at me and whisper behind my back
Someone told me I was hopeless....
And I just smiled and nodded and told her that I hoped that's how it always Hopeless - Having no hope, bleak, despairing....isn't that what it means to be hopeless??...But I learnt a different meaning of Hopeless recently....that sometimes being hopeless can mean so much more....



Someone told me I was hopeless....
That I would never go anywhere in my life
That I would have to struggle to survive
That people would point their fingers at me and whisper behind my back
Someone told me I was hopeless....
And I just smiled and nodded and told her that I hoped that's how it always will be....Me living Hopelessly....

[image error]

I read something called Hopeless...
I wondered what it was all about
I wasn't prepared for the hurricane of emotions that it would bring around...





It's a story about a girl who lives in a technology free world
It's a story about how she meets a guy who is the only one to make her feel something other than numb (she has hot flashes and butterflies on seeing him... ;) )
It's a story about Sky who finds her stars and butterflies in Holder
It's a story about how when they go on a date innocently playing Dinner Quest unaware that soon they'll embark on a life quest which will change everything...
It's a story about a girl who loses herself in order to find herself
It's a story about a boy who never leaves her side because he's been waiting for her his whole life...
It's a story about devastation
It's a story about loss
It's a story about desolation
It's a story about love
It's a story about life
It's a story about HOPE



And it's a story I fell in love with.....



I fell in love with a woman who had everything of hers torn apart...
She had thought she had escaped it all till a voice, an innocent voice made her look around..
She prepared to battle to save someone she didn't know yet she did, perhaps better than anyone else..
I fell in love with a woman who gave up everything so that she cold bring life into someone's heart...into someone's eyes..



I fell in love with a hopeless boy, man-boy, guy, whatever you call him...who stole my breath away...
I fell in love with a hopeless boy who thought over words too much...
He was searching for something his whole life and had no idea he was so close the entire time....
He was so passionate about life, love and everything else...
I fell in love with with a hopeless boy who made wordless pinky promises and gazed at stars and looked after Sky and was intense about everything and had me in his spell....



I fell in love with a hot pink guy...
He was Mormon and gay....
He was also one of the straightest person I've met and isn't that what we all what in our very bestest friend ever in the whole wide world??..
I fell in love with a guy who wanted to conquer the public school....he had formed a smart alliance and he was nobody's fool... ;)



I fell in love with a girl who loved sugar.....
She was just like me when it came to reading, romance, lol, WTF, OMG, all the lame stuff....
She was as clueless about technology as I had been two years before....(I still am sometimes).. ;)
She had so many things inside her waiting to come out....
So she did everything to make herself numb....
She hadn't prepared herself for someone who would hold her...
She hadn't been prepared for all the stuff that he told her...
She was one of the strongest person I've ever met...
I fell in love with a girl who stood up, dusted herself, and moved on when life pushed her and she fell...



I read something called HOPELESS...
I had no idea I would learn so much...
So, here only few of the many things that I learnt and loved so much...

I learnt that it's alright to feel and to feel as much or anything I want
And so I felt....I felt so damn much...
I felt love when he held her hand
I felt anger when he hurt her so bad...
I felt horror when I knew what was about to come...
I felt sadness at all that he had done
I felt laughter coming out of me when her friends were being lovely and silly and when she sent the wrong text, when she blurted out stuff randomly, and at so many other things...
I felt happiness pouring out of me when she wasn't numb and lonely...
I felt tears running down my cheeks when I cried...you know the type when one tear hasn't even rolled down your cheeks before another one is slipping out of your eyes??...I cried that type of cry when I read everything...
I felt my heart breaking when he cried holding her, when she died a little everytime inside...

[image error]



I learnt that sometimes it's better not to rush and to just do that thing which lies in between like and love in the dictionary...you know that thing which is a combination of like and love??
LIVE....
So, I lived this and did not rush it....because love was inevitable but the journey to love through simply living???...oh it was beautiful...so heartbreakingly beautiful....





I learnt that in life you need and can take chapter breaks too...
When you read a book and don't like something you can skip it, go to the part which you do like or even leave the whole thing unfinished...
Life...life cannot be divided into chapters but what to do when everything overwhelms you....when it seems everything is rushing at you....when you can't seem to catch a breath....????
You take a chapter break, from everything.....from your life...
And then take a deep breath and dive right back in....



I learnt that sometimes when you feel disconnected and numb inside
All you have to do is close your eyes and talk....and say all the right things, all the things inside you that you've kept locked up for so long to that part of you which doesn't feel anymore, which is slipping away....
All you have to do is close your eyes and reach out to yourself, extend your hand and hold that part of yourself tight....so tight that there's nothing left in it except love, sunshine and hope....



I learnt that sometimes the most simple questions are the ones that are most difficult to answer in life....
"What do you want?"
"Will you be okay?"....



I learnt that sometimes in life there are no right choices...
Sometimes you just have to choose between a bunch of wrong choices and pick the one which feels the least wrong...



I learnt that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger
That the pain, the hurdles, the things that knock you down in life are tests...
That when life punches you in the face....you don't cower...
You simply pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and stand taller than before, stronger than before...



I learnt that it isn't the firsts that are so important...
It's the forevers that matter the most..
That one shouldn't look for a happily ever after...
But rather make your today into one...



"Thank you for giving me the courage to always ask the questions, even when I don’t want the answers.  Thank you for loving me like you do.  Thank you for showing me that we don’t always have to be strong to be there for each other—that it’s okay to be weak, so long as we’re there."





I read something called Hopeless...
I loved that it had Hope
I loved that it had Les
I loved that it had Karen and Six/Seven
I loved that it had Breckin
I loved that it had Holder
I loved that it had Holder(because he deserves to be mentioned way more than just once)
I loved that it had Sky...
I loved that it too had butterflies...but in a different way.. :)
I loved that it had no point of retreats...because if it did, then it wouldn't be what it is...
I loved that it had stars....and they just about broke my heart..
I loved that it had the best first kiss in the history of first kisses—without even kissing ;)
I loved that it made me feel...
I loved that it took my breath away...
I love that it made me reel...
I loved that it had live....
I loved that it had star gazing..
I loved that it had pinky holding...
I loved that it had so many other things...



“The sky is always beautiful. Even when it’s dark or rainy or cloudy, it’s still beautiful to look at. It’s my favorite thing because I know if I ever get lost or lonely or scared, I just have to look up and it’ll be there no matter what...and I know it’ll always be beautiful.




Like, live, and love Hopeless
Not because it has life in it (but it does)
Not because it has love in it (but it does)
Not because it has faith in it (but it does)
But because it has something way beyond life
Way beyond love
Way beyond faith
It has something which lives in all of us, no matter what life gives us...
It has HOPE in it.....

“I’ve lost a lot in my long life.
Yes, I’ve seen pain and I’ve seen strife.
But I’ll never give up; I’ll never let go.
Because I’ll always have my ray of hope.”



Someone told me that I would never reach the stars....never touch the sky...
Someone told me that I was hopeless...
And I just smiled and nodded my head because I know that if there's one thing in life you can never have less of....it's HOPE.....
I'm a dreamer...I'm a star gazer...I wish upon the stars every night....
And I hope that's how it'll always be.....
Me living Hope-less(ly).....



Promise that you'll never ever let go.....



To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.



It's a story to which I would give 76 shining stars if I could.....



...more

5

Jul 22, 2012

She had me at, “completely and comfortably numb.”

BOOK TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsmHUt...

I almost don't trust myself to write this review because I'm pretty sure...no, I know it will be impossible for me to put into words the experience of Hopeless.

The title in itself is packed with irony because every single thing about this book is...more. I felt this book before I even finished the first chapter. Yes, the story is dark, but this type of beauty doesn’t need light to be seen. This She had me at, “completely and comfortably numb.”

BOOK TRAILER: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsmHUt...

I almost don't trust myself to write this review because I'm pretty sure...no, I know it will be impossible for me to put into words the experience of Hopeless.

The title in itself is packed with irony because every single thing about this book is...more. I felt this book before I even finished the first chapter. Yes, the story is dark, but this type of beauty doesn’t need light to be seen. This type of beauty is meant to be felt, experienced. Hopeless is beautiful and I felt every single part of it.

Colleen Hoover's attention to detail develops the story and gives it life. I’m not talking about detailed descriptions; I’m talking about those small personalized touches that make a story real. Those little pieces that seem completely random until you finally realize that they all fit together perfectly, flawlessly.

I apologize for being too lazy to look up another word in my thesaurus, but the characters were perfect. I loved Sky's unabashed honesty. I felt everything right along with her...everything. Some of the situations she found herself in were hilarious! I was uncomfortable. I was embarrassed. I was heartbroken. I was hearthealed. I was emotionally connected to everything that was happening in the story.

Holder. He was...I--I don't have the words. Holder...I just can't. He was...he was simply amazing. Everything about him, perfect. Every single thing that came out of his mouth was dripping with so many different emotions that I'm...I melted every single time he spoke. Every. Time.

The physical connection between Holder and Sky made it difficult to breathe; the moments of intense passion, emotion, feeling. I needed the descriptive nature of those scenes (not because I’m a pervert), but because I needed to feel the emotion. I needed to feel...everything. I felt everything. It brought a level of intimacy that left me speechless.

I love how you think you have it all figured out...until you don’t. We're easily let to figure out some things, but then slammed with something we didn’t see coming. It’s emotionally charged from beginning to end. Don’t be scared of the dark issues. There are emotions that without pain are impossible to experience. They are beautiful emotions because they come from healing. They come from a heart that has been broken, damaged. A heart that has been put back together. Colleen Sky and Holder broke me, but then they put me back together. These emotions are the most beautiful and intense emotions that you can feel. This book allows us to experience that; to feel everything. It is something to be thankful for and I am truly thankful for every part of it.

I don't care if you're a fan of erotica, contemporary, romance, fantasy, YA, or fairy porn. This book will deliver something for EVERYONE! Hopeless took a part of me with it, but it gave me a piece of it in return. A piece I will keep forever and ever. READ ON!


...more

5

Aug 15, 2017

i have been in a massive mood for rereads recently. there is a great comfort in knowing that you are already going to like a book when you pick it up. but there is also opportunity for growth and new experiences. i dont think ive ever walked away from a reread and not found something new about the story.

with this, my first time around i was so enamoured by the whole ‘boy next door’ and the romance of loving someone since you were a child. it still makes my heart melt. but wow. i forgot, or maybe i have been in a massive mood for rereads recently. there is a great comfort in knowing that you are already going to like a book when you pick it up. but there is also opportunity for growth and new experiences. i dont think ive ever walked away from a reread and not found something new about the story.

with this, my first time around i was so enamoured by the whole ‘boy next door’ and the romance of loving someone since you were a child. it still makes my heart melt. but wow. i forgot, or maybe didnt really understand, just how heavy this story is. there is so much seriousness in this, but queen CoHo has such an amazing talent for instilling hope in a story that appears to be hopeless. i seriously cant get over her or her books.

___________________________________

every time i read a colleen hoover novel, i lay awake at night, desperately wishing i grew up with a boy next door who i could have loved and who would have cared for me. but sadly, there was only wesley down the street and he liked to kick cats. thus, my childhood romance was never meant to be. sigh. but books like this give me life and hope and all the right feelings in all the right places.

↠ 5 stars ...more

1

Dec 23, 2012

Ok, don't kill me but for me, Hopeless was mostly an over the top book.

To be honest, after reading the first chapter I was afraid that it would be a 1 star book, but then luckily things got better unfortunately not that better.

What prevented me from really enjoying Hopeless is not so much the YA genre or the predictability of the story, that the over use of tragic/traumatic events.

Seriously? How many of those an author can use in one single book? (view spoiler)[The heroine's mother dies when
Ok, don't kill me but for me, Hopeless was mostly an over the top book.

To be honest, after reading the first chapter I was afraid that it would be a 1 star book, but then luckily things got better unfortunately not that better.

What prevented me from really enjoying Hopeless is not so much the YA genre or the predictability of the story, that the over use of tragic/traumatic events.

Seriously? How many of those an author can use in one single book? (view spoiler)[The heroine's mother dies when she is 3 or 4, then she is being raped by her father, then kidnapped at 5. But it's not enough: the hero's twin commit suicide, then we learn that she too was being raped when she was a kid by the heroine's father. But still that's not enough: we have a hero who carries all the guilt of the universe on his shoulders, witness the kidnapping of the heroine, learn about the rape of the heroin and his twin. But still, it's not enough: the aunt of the heroine is also a rape victim of the h's father. Still it is NOT enough: the heroine's father shoots himself in the head in front of the h and H and they somehow take it all in stride. (hide spoiler)]

If this isn't over use of tragic/traumatic events I don't know how to call it.

I'm sad to say that I had much more pleasure reading some of the beautiful reviews written about it than reading the book itself. ...more

5

Jun 24, 2012

SPECIAL SALE! 6-20-13 Audible audio edition of Hopeless is on sale for $1.99 LINK: http://www.amazon.com/Hopeless/dp/B00...
SPOILER FREE REVIEW
5+++ STARS out of 5
Genre: New Adult Romance

Colleen never disappoints!



I LOVED IT!




"Promise me that you will never lose Hope.” She nods her head as I wipe her tears away with my thumbs.
“I promise,” she says.



High Expectations
I have to be completely honest when I first started this I was not all that impressed. I had very high expectations from the SPECIAL SALE! 6-20-13 Audible audio edition of Hopeless is on sale for $1.99 LINK: http://www.amazon.com/Hopeless/dp/B00...
SPOILER FREE REVIEW
5+++ STARS out of 5
Genre: New Adult Romance

Colleen never disappoints!



I LOVED IT!




"Promise me that you will never lose Hope.” She nods her head as I wipe her tears away with my thumbs.
“I promise,” she says.



High Expectations
I have to be completely honest when I first started this I was not all that impressed. I had very high expectations from the raving reviews. But I should have known it would not be long before I was held in a vise grip needing to know what would happen next.

High School Blues
Seventeen year old Sky has been home-schooled her entire life but not this year. This year she wants to attend regular school like a normal teenager with her best friend Six. After begging her mom to attend a public high school she finally agrees. Then much to her dismay Sky finds out her best friend Six will be spending senior year abroad in Italy in a foreign exchange student program. This does not deter her plans though, she pushes forward and is met with a not so friendly welcome by the 'mean girls' in school.

Sticky Notes on my locker? Bitch please... Be more Original
Before stepping foot in school Sky has already developed a rep for sleeping around with different guys. In reality she's a virgin who likes to sneak guys in her room to make out sessions. Unfortunately her reputation proceeds her and the female population at school decide to play pranks on her. All of which involve her locker with sticky notes, name calling on said notes, and the use of dollar bills. She befriends a guy named Breckin, and they both take to each other quickly as the new kids and outsiders at school.



You give me Butterflies
After a rough first day of school Sky hits the market up for sweets and that is when she sees him. The girl ringing her up takes interest with guy over in the next check out line. Sky can't resist taking a glance to see what has the girl salivating. And when she turns to look...BOOM. It happens. She begins to feel something in the pit of her stomach. A feeling she can't place.
Want.
Desire.
Lust.
When they lock eyes she can't stop looking and neither can he, but for very different reasons...



Running...
Once Sky learns the identity to the guy she finally feels something for 'Dean Holder' she's told he's nothing but trouble and to stay away. But Holder does not make it easy on her... She soon finds herself running to him because the boy she deemed HOPELESS is her only way out. And the secrets that he holds will bring her unimaginable answers to questions she never knew she had.



If words could break souls, my words just broke his in two. His face drops and tears fill his eyes. I know what I’m asking him to do and I hate that I’m asking him for this, but I need it. I need to do whatever I can to minimize the pain and the hatred in me. ~inner monologue of Sky

Thoughts
Colleen Hoover has done it again! I consider this book is A MUST READ! It has a great plot and characters that will stick to you long after you have finished reading it.

Dear readers,
My advice is that you keep a box of Kleenex handy because this is a tear jerker. The romance is on point, the steam is on point and the story will leave you SPEECHLESS. READ IT!


My Ratings
Characters- Lovable
Writing Style- Excellent
Plot/Storyline- Highly Emotional
Steam Factor- High/Very Steamy
Overall- I absolutely loved it! A MUST READ!!

Now go forth and read. Then come tell us about it on Goodreads!

For more reviews go to http://realitybites-letsgetlost.blogs...







...more

5

Oct 19, 2012

5 Gorgeous, shining stars! And a couple glow in the dark ceiling ones too...



Seems ironic that a book entitled Hopeless would lead me to become so incredibly and utterly hopeful. There are many reasons why I love to read, but ultimately, I read to become inspired. And, after finishing this phenomenal book, I'm pretty sure I've never wanted to hug an author so badly in my life. Colleen Hoover—the vivid characters you create deserve to be humanized, and the touching stories you write never fail 5 Gorgeous, shining stars! And a couple glow in the dark ceiling ones too...



Seems ironic that a book entitled Hopeless would lead me to become so incredibly and utterly hopeful. There are many reasons why I love to read, but ultimately, I read to become inspired. And, after finishing this phenomenal book, I'm pretty sure I've never wanted to hug an author so badly in my life. Colleen Hoover—the vivid characters you create deserve to be humanized, and the touching stories you write never fail to take up residence in my heart!

You can't get mad at a real ending. Some of them are ugly. It's the fake happily ever afters that should piss you off.
If I had to sum up this book in one word, it would be POWERFUL. This story kicks off in the midst of an emotionally charged moment of despair— setting the stage for the chilling mysteries that lie ahead. But as the pages turned, I realized that this level of intensity wasn't limited to the intriguing introduction—and that every single piece of this story was in fact JUST. AS. POWERFUL.

I won't touch on any important plot details because keeping the mystery alive is important to how this book will affect its reader. I honestly love when a story can pull the rug out from underneath me, and Hopeless presents quite a few victorious rug tugs! When this book wasn't busy lovingly breaking my heart, it got its kicks from wowing me with some of the most clever and adorable scenarios imaginable.

Sky Davis has been living a sheltered life and seeks false comfort in remaining emotionally numb. She's broken and lost and sadly believes she's incapable of truly feeling...until Holder steps in to challenge those beliefs...

Every fiber of my being knows he's not a good person, but my body doesn't seem to give a shit at all.
Dean Holder has branded himself Hopeless. He's intimidating and intense, but equally filled with passion and life. He seems to have many sides, and Sky is initially set on keeping her distance. Or so she tells herself...

I don't understand why anytime he steps within a foot of my personal space, it sucks the breath out of me. I especially don't understand why I like that feeling.
I simply adored the initial back and forth, playful banter between these two characters, and the way Sky was intent on remaining immune to Holder's charm. As broken as Sky appeared, she was quite an inspiring heroine--funny, witty, and unconcerned about what others thought of her. Her quiet strength amazed me. Holder was utter hero perfection--protective, sexy, sensitive, with a very deep and unique way of thinking. His love for Sky knew no bounds, and his nobility was humbling. My heart shattered for what these two endured and rejoiced in all redemption they received.

The way this story is mapped out and how it gradually unfolds is incredibly creative. Every word used is carefully selected and holds an importance that will eventually be revealed. Even the subtleties will ultimately tie into the final grand picture. This is obviously no easy feat for a writer, but I must admit that it came across as graceful and entirely effortless. One of my favorite aspects of this story was the ease of the dialogue and how truly natural and real it all felt.

The beauty, heartache, and inspiration created within these pages took my breath away. I was not simply reading or observing this story--I was swallowed up by it and honestly lived it.



A few of my favorite Hopeless things
'Lol' misinterpretations
Ego-shattering text messages
Non-kisses
Braving the post-it notes
Heaps of sarcasm
The ice cream cure
Dinner quest
The very bestest ever in the whole wide world ;)

Book Stats:
â–ª Genre/Category: Romance/New Adult
â–ª Steam Caliber: Moderate steam. Very sexy scenes.
â–ª Romance: Slow-building, angsty, sexual tension.
â–ª Characters: Broken and damaged. Completely lovable.
â–ª Plot: Intensly emotional with a mysterious storyline.
â–ª Writing: Gorgeous, witty, and truly thought-provoking.
â–ª POV: First person: Heroine
â–ª Cliffhanger: None
â–ª Next Installment: Story retold in hero's perspective.
â–ª HEA? (view spoiler)[ Yes (hide spoiler)]



...more

2

May 18, 2014

11/5/15: i just stumbled across this book in my "read" shelf and saw I gave it 4 stars, which I immediately changed because now, several months later, all I can think about is how badly this book was written instead of the actual good parts.

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honestly i was expecting so much more out of colleen hoover. i didn't get teary once reading this book. holder was so intense and edward cullen-ish for the first half of this book that i didnt trust him for the rest of the last half. the relationship 11/5/15: i just stumbled across this book in my "read" shelf and saw I gave it 4 stars, which I immediately changed because now, several months later, all I can think about is how badly this book was written instead of the actual good parts.

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honestly i was expecting so much more out of colleen hoover. i didn't get teary once reading this book. holder was so intense and edward cullen-ish for the first half of this book that i didnt trust him for the rest of the last half. the relationship was so inconveniently timed and felt gross because of all the trauma that was happening around it. the writing was unimpressive, even though i'd heard so much about how great it was. the only reason this isnt a 2 or 3 star book is because i loved how the love story was so gradual and it was so gripping that i read it in one night. i cant bring myself to rate it lower because it did surprise me and those smutty scenes were pretty hot ngl ...more

5

Oct 14, 2012

“I’ve lost a lot in my long life.
Yes, I’ve seen pain and I’ve seen strife.
But I’ll never give up; I’ll never let go.
Because I’ll always have my ray of hope.”


Linden Sky's life lacks color. Together with her friend, Six, she lives her life. She was branded school slut because she makes out with different boys, but the only reason she's doing that is because she doesn't feel anything with those guys. Just numbness... And she likes not feeling anything at all. Up until she met Holder...



Dean “I’ve lost a lot in my long life.
Yes, I’ve seen pain and I’ve seen strife.
But I’ll never give up; I’ll never let go.
Because I’ll always have my ray of hope.”


Linden Sky's life lacks color. Together with her friend, Six, she lives her life. She was branded school slut because she makes out with different boys, but the only reason she's doing that is because she doesn't feel anything with those guys. Just numbness... And she likes not feeling anything at all. Up until she met Holder...



Dean Holder... “Messy brown hair? Smoldering blue eyes? A temper straight out of Fight Club?”

Everything about him, from his tousled dark
hair, to his stark blue eyes, to that…dimple,
to his thick arms that I just want to reach out
and touch.

He's got a reputation. Not a good one. Sky knows he is nothing but trouble, but her body doesn't give a shit at all. She's so damn intrigued about him. And, as she gets to know him, she realized that not all rumors about him are true. He's got a hot and cold attitude going on. He's passionate, yet intense. But there's something different about him...and soon, Sky feels...and falls...

And so, their story continues...



They became a couple...and fell in LIVE with each other...

“Live. If you mix the letters up in the words like and love, you get live. You can use that word.”

He laughs again, but this time it’s a laugh of relief. He wraps his arms around me and he kisses me with nothing but a hell of a lot of relief. “I live you, Sky,” he says against my lips. “I live you so much.”



But darkness strikes and all good things must come to an end.
When deceptions are discovered and lies are revealed, Will it keep them together or break them apart?

And here's where I'll stop. (As to avoid giving everything away)

But, I will leave you with this:

(view spoiler)[ HOPE + LESSLIE (LESS) = HOPELESS

Wait what?! Who is HOPE? And who the hell is Lesslie? (hide spoiler)]

Curious? READ IT.

Mind blowing. Intense. PERFECTION.
What I love about this book? FREAKIN' EVERYTHING!!! YES YES, I DO. I LIVED IT. I LOVED IT. So beautiful! It has the perfect mixture of romance, comedy, angst, and mystery. You will fall in love with Sky. She's smart, strong, sarcastic but funny, AAHHHH! I just admire her. You'll fall in love with Holder. OMGOMGOMG!!! New book boyfriend! This book will make you laugh, make you cry, tug at your heartstrings, crush your heart, but will make you fall in love about everything. I felt so emotional while reading this. You will find yourself constantly saying the words What the fuck? OMG! and WOW! while reading it. Another favorite ;)

Random stuff I also love in this book:
*Six's letter and texts.
*The ego-deflating texts.
*Dinner Quest.
*Their flea market trip.
*Sky and Holder's convos. My fave: --> (view spoiler)[ “I know it
doesn’t make sense, and no, I’m not a lesbian. I’ve just never been attracted to anyone before you and I don’t know why.”

I feel the bed shift and he encompasses my wrist with his hand and removes my arm from over my eyes. I reluctantly open them
and he’s propped up on his hand, smiling at me. “You’re attracted to me?”
“Oh, God,” I groan. “That’s the last thing you need for your ego.”
“That’s probably true,” he laughs. “Better hurry up and insult me before my ego gets as big as yours.”
“You need a hair cut,” I blurt out. “Really bad. It gets in your eyes and you squint and you’re constantly moving it out of the way like you’re Justin Bieber and it’s really distracting.” (hide spoiler)]

But, at the end, there's a blue sky and the sun is waiting, and they do get their happy ever after.

“And once again in my world full of heartaches and lies,
this HOPELESS boy finds a way to make me smile.”



When do stars fade their light?
Does the moon and the sun make it right
For you the world maybe
Like an endless storm chasing a mystery

Is there hate in your heart?
Does your body drop and tell you to stop
Loving you or loving me
When it all falls down you just sing with me

Coz there’s a blue sky waiting tomorrow
Waiting tomorrow shining and shimmering
A blue sky waiting tomorrow
Waiting tomorrow
Maybe it’s all we need

Oh don’t you wash away that smile
You just look out the window and see the light
It’s beautiful to be alive
It’s wonderful to live a life

The sun is sure to shine
For you and me for everyone
So don’t be sad it’s just the start
Of a new beginning in your life

Rain will keep on pouring
Some things you can’t control
And while the sun seems far and hard to hold
It will unfold

There will always be a blue sky
A blue sky waiting tomorrow full of hope

So, I suggest, you go grab this book and READ IT.

READ IT NOW!!!

Also, check out this AWESOME fanmade book trailer --> HOPELESS BOOK TRAILER

INFINITE STARS!!! ...more

5

Aug 15, 2013

If there was such a thing as a perfect book Hopeless would be it. The story doesn't just suck you in, it transforms you. You're still the same person after it's through but there's a little something extra that's been added to your life. The characters were unique and real with their own personalities and quirks like the way Sky just blurts out things that she is thinking or the way she normally doesn't let situations embarrass or bother her and then there's Holder who always pauses a bit before If there was such a thing as a perfect book Hopeless would be it. The story doesn't just suck you in, it transforms you. You're still the same person after it's through but there's a little something extra that's been added to your life. The characters were unique and real with their own personalities and quirks like the way Sky just blurts out things that she is thinking or the way she normally doesn't let situations embarrass or bother her and then there's Holder who always pauses a bit before answering a question. Not because he wants to come up with the perfect answer but because he's analyzing the question from so many different angles and giving it the though it deserves so that when he does answer his response is the absolute perfect thing to say at the exact perfect time. I became so immersed in their story that I felt like I had known them for most of my life, they were like my friends and family. With every triumph I cheered and with every heartbreak I cried. I have never wanted so much to give two different people hugs as I did with Sky and Holder and I have never and I mean NEVER hated someone so much as I did a character in this book.

I've been reading a lot of books with similar themes in them lately and pretty much thought I'd seen and read it all but I was so wrong. This book had several twists and curves and while I saw one of them coming a different on totally caught me off guard and I never even thought of it even though it was hiding right in plain sight the whole time. It completely sucked the oxygen out of my lungs and hit me right in the chest. My world actually spun when it happened.

I so love Sky. She is beautiful, strong and was someone I wish I had the pleasure of knowing in real life. And Holder, good lord Holder. I actually feel kinda sorry for any boyfriends of the girls who read this. I just can't help feeling that all of us guys will compared to him and found wanting. He was just so perfect, flaws and all.

"I'm pretty sure we just broke the record for the best first kiss in the history of first kisses- without even kissing."

I have to say that first non-kiss kiss was probably one of the hottest kisses I've ever read about. Their whole relationship was just intense and I can only hope that one day I'll meet a woman and be able to pour all of the love and desire I feel into my eyes and gaze at her with the same type of intensity that Holder does with Sky. Everything he says and does is perfect but not because he's perfect even though he is. I know it doesn't make much sense but you'll have to read to understand. I was lost in their relationship. I cried when they did, I laughed along beside them and felt horror when bad things happened and bad things do happen. There are some very dark subjects in this book but the way Colleen Hoover handled them was just nothing short of amazing. I've seen several other reviewers mention how Hopeless took their breath away and I have to agree. I have never had a book steal my breath before nor have I ever found myself forgetting to breath while reading a book. Only after becoming dizzy every so often did I finally manage to remind myself to breath. So many emotions poured out of this book into me, then through me before exiting in the form of my tears and smiles. This is just one of those books that remind you why you love to read so much. If I had one word to describe Hopeless it would be PerfectlyIntenselyHeartbreakinglyBeautiful. Yeah I know I cheated but it's impossible to describe this book with one word.

Hopeless ended so beautifully, in fact the last chapter was probably one of the best endings I've ever read. It left me with both joy for what is and sorrow for what was and tugged at my heart so hard that I was afraid that the story might actually steal it and only once the book was closed was my heart my own once more but my mind still hasn't been able to stop thinking about everything and I have a feeling that the characters and their story will be forever etched into my memory. ...more

2

Nov 08, 2015

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover is great but somehow it didn't work out for me , i didn't like many things, The characters were very young and stupid, Sky is 18 years old, a freak with very limited social life,Holder is just an asshole, 20 years old stalker with a bad temper. the first half was good but i got bored quickly. There's a Lots of gossip and rumors and i couldn't bring myself to keep listening to the audiobook. i was suprised by how CoHo can write about all these tragic events *Drama queen Hopeless by Colleen Hoover is great but somehow it didn't work out for me , i didn't like many things, The characters were very young and stupid, Sky is 18 years old, a freak with very limited social life,Holder is just an asshole, 20 years old stalker with a bad temper. the first half was good but i got bored quickly. There's a Lots of gossip and rumors and i couldn't bring myself to keep listening to the audiobook. i was suprised by how CoHo can write about all these tragic events *Drama queen alert* and how the characters can just let go of their past without needing any professional help and go back to live a normal life, don't get me wrong i love CoHo but reading about high school adventures then Child sexual abuse is just not my cup of tea =))

...more

5

Nov 19, 2012

Audio book on sale for $1.99 -> http://amzn.to/1HLB1rw
3/26/2015

I reread this one via an audio book. I LOVED IT! Even though it's been 3 years since I've read this story - it still brought back all the same feels from the first time.
8/24/2015

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!

Holder was an amazing boyfriend!!! As most everyone on GR knows I hate Will Cooper from Slammed. But Colleen Hoover has given me hope in her male characters!!



This book touched in me so many ways! I bawled my eyes out!

I spent so Audio book on sale for $1.99 -> http://amzn.to/1HLB1rw
3/26/2015

I reread this one via an audio book. I LOVED IT! Even though it's been 3 years since I've read this story - it still brought back all the same feels from the first time.
8/24/2015

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!

Holder was an amazing boyfriend!!! As most everyone on GR knows I hate Will Cooper from Slammed. But Colleen Hoover has given me hope in her male characters!!



This book touched in me so many ways! I bawled my eyes out!

I spent so much time highlighting this book that I realized it was turning into one big highlight.

I loved that book had The Sea of Tranquility reference.

2 songs for Holder & Sky
I'm Yours
Lucky

SERIES:

Each book is one character's POV of the same story.

Novellas:

(#2.5) {FREE: http://amzn.to/1LfH1bH}
CoHo->"This novella is a companion novel to the Hopeless series, but can be read as a standalone."


...more

5

Dec 20, 2012

This isn't a book for weak hearted people.
I'm warning you!!!!!
You will difinately cry.



Sky


I loved her a lot! She was proved to be one of the strongest characters of the book . Her past was heartbreaking and as the story flew we were discovering with her , pieces of her past.

“I want you to keep them open...because I need you to watch me give you the very last piece of my heart.”

Holder



He was also fucked-up. (view spoiler)[His sister's loss ruined him. (hide spoiler)]
When he met Sky he did

This isn't a book for weak hearted people.
I'm warning you!!!!!
You will difinately cry.



Sky


I loved her a lot! She was proved to be one of the strongest characters of the book . Her past was heartbreaking and as the story flew we were discovering with her , pieces of her past.

“I want you to keep them open...because I need you to watch me give you the very last piece of my heart.”

Holder



He was also fucked-up. (view spoiler)[His sister's loss ruined him. (hide spoiler)]
When he met Sky he did everything so she will truly love him and help him recover but he never thought that he would find out what really happened to his sister and to the girl who used to live next door.

This story caused me an emotional rollercoaster.


The first half of the book was SO sweet and cute! It was so nice and romantic the way they fell for each other.



Well I have to admit that I almost run out of patience because he woulndn't kiss her.(view spoiler)[He wouldnt kiss her because , he wanted their first kiss to be real and unforgettable. (hide spoiler)]



On the other hand , the second half of the book left me speechless!!


I had No idea that the story would turn out like this!!

So many secrets of the past.

They needed each other....



Both of them learned the harsh truth....




“The sky is always beautiful.Even when it's dark or rainy or cloudy,it's still beautiful to look at....it'll be there no matter what...and I know it'll always be beautiful.”

...more

5

Sep 28, 2012

6 Stars!

I butterflying lived&hated this book!

Sky, Holder and Collen Hoover! :D


After crossing the 60% mark of this book.. All I could tell myself during many events and scenes was...
Breathe... Breathe... Breathe...

Breathe just a little more.. let the oxygen spread to your lungs and brains!
Because what you are reading..
It just cannot be whats actually written

Hehe, Stayed awake till 8am finishing this book... Pulled an all nighter and oh boy was it worth ever single minute!

"The sky is 6 Stars! ★☆☽☾

I butterflying lived&hated this book!

Sky, Holder and Collen Hoover! :D


After crossing the 60% mark of this book.. All I could tell myself during many events and scenes was...
Breathe... Breathe... Breathe...

Breathe just a little more.. let the oxygen spread to your lungs and brains!
Because what you are reading..
It just cannot be whats actually written

Hehe, Stayed awake till 8am finishing this book... Pulled an all nighter and oh boy was it worth ever single minute!

"The sky is always beautiful.Even when it's dark or rainy or cloudy,it's still beautiful to look at....it'll be there no matter what...and I know it'll always be beautiful."


SKY -

I’d write something interesting like, “I saw you in bed with my boyfriend last night. I really don’t appreciate you getting massage oil on my cucumbers. Whore.”
Yes, Meet Sky.. Pretty blunt, very straight forward, no drama, no bullshit, just a genuine mad ass girl with a weird sense of humor who thinks LOL means lots of love and sends her boyfriend texts instead of her best friend about sealing the deal with him.. hehehe!

I nod and hope he backs the hell away from me, because I’m about to have an asthma attack and I don’t even have asthma.

Hahahahahahahah! Seriously I lovedddddddd Sky's and Holder's weird sense of humor! Totally EPIC!
“You wanted to lick my face the first time you saw me? Is that usually what you do when you’re attracted to guys?”

Dean Holder -
Sex.on.legs.with.a.hot.hot.hot.temper.
He was like hot and cold, yes and no.. in and out.. up and down.. LOL
I loved him.. He was SO bloody good to be true.. too bloody sweet, amazing, hot, sexy, funny, mean, an ass and just fucking perfect! and was hopeless

For real.. I laughed.. blushed.. cried.. got frustrated and freaked out during this book.. and obviously fell in love with the characters.
But I won't be able to write a review as such for this book without giving stuff away!
and as I don't want to spoil such an amazing book for you people..
So hence I won't write much..
and NO RANT too,
because this book, IT WAS BLOODY PERFECT!!!!

This book has secrets, pieces.. pieces of glass/mirror.. which hurt.. which make a person cut open, bleed, hurt and then in the end HEAL.

We begin to run toward each other until our fists collide against the glass, smashing the mirror. I watch as she falls into a million shiny pieces onto the carpet.

After giving us Slammed and Point of Retreat..Colleen Hoover has giving us something as good as her first two books.. Hopeless. I am hopelessly in love with the book and you Author.
Thank you for such amazing books which will always be an all time favorite.

“Fuck all the firsts, Sky. The only thing that matters to me with you are the forevers.”




I Liked
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Lived

Loved

this book! ...more

3

Nov 16, 2015

Another gut-puncher novel written by the one and only Colleen Hoover.

This was a very difficult book to rate for me. I enjoyed Colleen Hoover's books-- mainly Confess which until these days, remains my favorite. After reading Hopeless, I was torn whether I should rate it 3 or 4 stars. In the end though, I chose the former because I have more issues with this book than I've ever thought.

But first, let me give you the good traits about this book. I found this book outstanding because:

* Colleen Another gut-puncher novel written by the one and only Colleen Hoover.

This was a very difficult book to rate for me. I enjoyed Colleen Hoover's books-- mainly Confess which until these days, remains my favorite. After reading Hopeless, I was torn whether I should rate it 3 or 4 stars. In the end though, I chose the former because I have more issues with this book than I've ever thought.

But first, let me give you the good traits about this book. I found this book outstanding because:

* Colleen Hoover writes beautifully. She always has a way with words that will leave you feeling awed. And just when you think it can’t get anymore emotional and heartbreaking, her writing goes and outdoes itself.

* The ending is heartbreakingly spectacular. So much that it can either make you smile or cry or both, like Confess' ending. And only Colleen Hoover can make such a brilliant conclusion like that.

However, this book, for me, has some flaws which include:

*The slow pacing. Almost half of the book, in my opinion, was a waste since nothing really happened. It picked up during the second half when finally, some revelation came and that was the time when I felt so relieved and was able to breathe because... the book was really slow-paced. It dragged on and on and on.

*The predictable plot. At some point, I felt a bit frustrated because I already had an idea what's about to come. I already visualized what happened to Sky because the idea was instantly introduced during her earlier flashback nightmare. And because of this, I found the book quite lacking when it comes to the plot twist. There were actually lots of twists in this book. Unfortunately, I already saw them coming.

*The romance seemed off. Maybe it's just me or something, but I could not find myself fully invested with the characters' romantic involvement. It was a little too instant. I couldn't even understand why their relationship progressed into a whole new level after their first meeting. There was instant attraction and the way they immediately connected was kind of unbelievable.

It's my first time rating CoHo's books 3 stars and it seriously breaks my heart. I badly wanted to rate it at least 4 but I've got issues with this book that I can't overlook. But despite these issues, I can assure that this one is a beautiful novel. CoHo's way of writing is gripping and extraordinary. No surprise there.

Overall, I would describe Hopeless as one heavy, intense, and emotionally-driven book with an extraordinary level of angst. It's a bit painful to read but it's remarkable in a way because it tackles sensitive subject matters that actually happen in a real, non-fictional world. This book may not be my personal favorite among CoHo's books, but I enjoyed the emotional aspect of it.

Rating:

...more

5

Nov 17, 2012

Incredible...

"The sky is always beautiful. Even when it’s dark or rainy or cloudy, it’s still beautiful to look at"


"he slides his fingers down my arm until he finds my pinky, then wraps his around it. It’s an extremely small gesture, but he couldn’t have done anything more perfect to fill me with the sense of security that I need from him right now"


I can't even begin to express how much I loved this book. Simply, heartbreakingly beautiful and I loved every single word written.

Thank-you, Incredible...

"The sky is always beautiful. Even when it’s dark or rainy or cloudy, it’s still beautiful to look at"


"he slides his fingers down my arm until he finds my pinky, then wraps his around it. It’s an extremely small gesture, but he couldn’t have done anything more perfect to fill me with the sense of security that I need from him right now"


I can't even begin to express how much I loved this book. Simply, heartbreakingly beautiful and I loved every single word written.

Thank-you, Ms. Hoover for creating another amazing story!

Oh and I really dug how you mentioned another one of my favorite books:
"I’m not a sucker for happily ever afters, but if these two characters don’t get theirs I might climb inside this e-reader and lock them both inside that damn garage forever."


I miss them already...
...more