Hopeless: a book review
This wind down Wednesday is brought to you by another Colleen Hoover classic and some Sutter Home Pink Moscato. As mentioned in my last review, I am on a Colleen Hoover kick. I promise by the end of September, I will be obsessed with a new series/author/book. But as for now, I am content with my thrilling romance novels full of twists, turns and shocking surprises. Hopeless is the latest one I've indulged in and I assure you, it will not disappoint. Again, this review is spoiler-free because what would the fun be if I ruined all the good parts? And let me tell you, there are SO MANY good parts. This book took a totally different direction than expected. But I really can't give too much away, so let's start, shall we?
Warning: do not start this book as a bedtime read. The prologue alone will have you fishing out your flashlight preparing for a long night ahead. No, the book isn't scary, it's simply too good to put down. Our two main characters Sky and Holder are merely mentioned in the heart-stopping and gripping prologue. You would never expect how emotionally attached you will become to each of the main characters within the first six pages. The scene, in Sky's point of view, is rushed and raw, and the reader is forced to use their imagination to try and figure out exactly what is going to happen. Then the first chapter jumps backward two months. Each chapter is dated, working its way back up to where the intense prologue began.
17-year-old Sky is our main character. She has lived a very sheltered life, and is restricted from TV, phones, Internet, pretty much anything that would give her a social life. Thankfully, she lives right next door to her best friend, Six, whose window aligns across from hers. Growing up, Six and Sky would sneak out of each other's window to have sleepovers and movie nights. But as they get older, they outgrew ice cream and rom coms and moved onto sneaking boys into their windows. Six is adventurous, experienced and likes living a simple life. She thinks Sky needs to have more fun and encourages her make-outs with boys. Sky does a lot of kissing, not because she enjoys it, but because it makes her feel numb. She has never been able to feel any real feelings toward men, that is until she meets Dean Holder.
Sky is reeling with the discovery that Six will be studying abroad all semester long. Sky, who grew up homeschooled has finally gotten approval from her adoptive mom to start attending public school, and now has to do so alone. Sky must wrestle with making new friends, preparing for college and facing the reputation of a "slut" due to her frequent encounters with boys climbing into her window. After her first day of public school, which due to bullying was pretty awful, she goes to get her daily caffeine fix (another thing her mother discourages) at a grocery store. There, she meets Holder who is beautiful, terrifying and seems to be able to switch his emotions at the snap of your fingers.
“My stomach is tied up in so many knots, it could make a boy scout envious”
Sky instantly gets butterflies, and having never felt anything toward a boy, her instinct is to run in the other direction. Fast. But fate has another plan for her and Holder. After several encounters, Sky starts to realize bad boy Holder isn't exactly who everyone else claims him to be.
“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.”
Holder makes her feel, Holder makes her legs turn into jelly and Holder is irresitable even if he pisses her off countless times. He changes her life. But, he is keeping some secrets, secrets that are so damaging that when they are revealed Sky's life will never be the same.
“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.”
As a reader, you will be dying to learn more about Dean Holder and what he is hiding. He is overly protective, charming, but also has a bit of a stalkerish vibe to him. He is mysterious and so unlike the boys that Sky typically makes out with. In fact, Holder and Sky's first kiss will be the most intense first kiss you have ever read in a book before. Trust me.
“I live you, I live you so damn much”
Holder makes it obvious that he is there for Sky and doesn't want to ever leave her side, whether she likes it or not. This book is about love, survival, life and death and healing from secrecy. No one could possibly anticipate the suspense and twist that this book offers. You truly just have to read it for yourself to understand. (I will warn that some of the content is this book is for mature audiences and can be sensitive.) As always, Hoover makes you feel each and every emotion her characters experience. One moment you will be laughing at the witty humor of Brecklin, Sky's newest friend and the next you will be throwing your book across the room at the actions Holder takes.
If you are looking for a dark, intense mind-gripping novel, Hopeless may be just what you are looking for. From beginning to end, you will be rooting for all the characters in the book who make you laugh, cry and scream. You can buy the book for here or check to see if your local library carries it. Either way, it is a must-read for the summer!