I don’t know why, but all of a sudden, really old books get a Dutch translation. This summer, it’s happening to the “Slammed” series by Colleen Hoover. I already came across Slammed earlier, but I wasn’t really interested anymore as I already read numerous of Hoovers newer books. Now in translation however, I finally decided to actually read it. Was this book such an emotional rollercoaster like her other books?

About the book

• Title: Slammed
• Author: Colleen Hoover
• Series: Slammed #1
• Publish date: September 18, 2012
• Publisher: Atria Books
• ISBN: 9781476715902
• Number of pages: 317
• Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover’s romantic, emotion-packed debut novel unforgettably captures all the magic and confusion of first
love, as two young people forge an unlikely bond before discovering that fate has other plans for them.
Following the unexpected death of her father, eighteen-year-old Layken becomes the rock for both her mother and younger brother. She appears resilient
and tenacious, but inside, she’s losing hope. Then she meets her new neighbor Will, a handsome twenty-one-year-old whose mere presence leaves her flustered
and whose passion for poetry slams thrills her. 
Not long after a heart-stopping first date during which each recognizes something profound and familiar in the other, they are slammed to the core when
a shocking discovery brings 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 forces that tear them apart. Only through the poetry they share are they able to speak the truth that is in
their hearts and imagine a future where love is cause for celebration, not regret.

My review

As this is Hoovers debut novel I knew it was different from herllater work. Of course, it is already more than 10 years old. Therefore, I went into this reading experience with no expectations, because it’s unfair to expect the same from an author’s earlier work as you experienced with their latest work. However, I hoped that that emotional spark was already there and that Slammed would be an interesting read. Somehow, I got what I wanted, but I knew I just shouldn’t expect more.

This story is about Layken. After her father’s unexpected death, she and her family move back to her mother’s hometown in Michigan. As soon as the family arrives, Layken’s younger brother finds a new friend and that happens to be their neighbour from across the street. Well, that little boy has an older brother, Will. It’s undeniable that Layken and Will will see eachother a lot. However, i didn’t like Layken’s first reaction to him, it’s kind of instalove. Of course, that was very normal in 2012, but it’s not a current trend anymore – thank God. When putting this book in it’s time, this rope totally fits. However I found that there was nothing much to Layken and Will, I missed their chemistry and also some character development. In that aspect, the author has grown a lot.

From the first page, I could already notice the writing style. Fast-paced stories written in a way that sucks you in immediately is Hoovers signature writing and therefore hher potential was already visible in this book. there’s not much ele to say about the writing style henstly. It wasn’t really spectacular, it’s just okay with a lot of potential already.

When looking into things that are just okay, the plot also belongs to that list. Quite honestly, this plot was really basic. I mean, girl and boy meet, they go on a date, something about one of them is revealed and they have to find a way to navigate around all of this. In my opinion, that’s really basic. I was, against all my resolutions to not have high expectations, expecting a huge revelation. There still was a big revalation there which made me feel a bit of sympathy for one of the characters, but I wasn’t as emitionally invested as I was with for example Reminders of Him. And that’s, despite the fact that this is a debut novel, quite pity.

I have to admit that Slammed is a promising debut novel. However, I still don’t get slam poetry and I probably never will. Unfortunately, I wasn’t as invested in the characters and the plot, but Colleen Hoovers potential as an author is already visible. However, I’m not sure if I am up for reading the rest of the series. If I have to believe reviews, it’s all a repetition off this first book in some ways.