Reviews with content warning for Panic attacks/disorders - Verity

This book was crazy and I do understand why people love it. I'm not used to reading thrillers (I don't even know if Verity classifies as one?) but this was horrible to read. I was so disgusted and horrified by the things Verity described in her biography.

I do know, that I'm very sensitive and that books, that are as graphic as this, probably just aren't for me. Also I absolutely hate cheating in books. This book would have been so much better if there hadn't been a romance in there. I do understand though how it made the experience in the house more intense for the protagonist and how it made the ending more intense.

I don't particularily like Lowen. She was terrified even when nothing has happened yet and I feel like it was kind of unrealistic that she chose to stay in that house after reading the manuscript. I would have read the whole thing in one sitting, grabbed all my stuff and then left.
I belive she even says that the only reason she didn't was because of Jeremy. I have to admit that I kind of liked him in the beginning. He was nice to her and even in the biography he seemed like a fun and genuine person. After the ending though it kind of feels like he orchestrated the whole thing.

The romance was just weird. I feel like it wasn't at all a problem for him to cheat on his wife. Like I guess he says he feels guilty but we get to see none of it. I felt like he was flirting with her ever since he met her. (He even kind of admits that when saying he felt a connection to Lowen that was stronger than the connection to his wife had ever been in the bathroom! Like that was 5 min. after they met and coincidentally right when he sees her in just her bra? - I don't actually think that is the reason, still.) Lowen also did not feel like someone still grieving the death of her mother. The romance just felt like it was so disconnected to the rest of the story and didn't make any sense in the context.

I did think it was quite interesting to read the autobiography though. I generally really like different POVs / that every other chapter showed the past. It was disturbing but it was still interesting to see her thoughts. It's unlike anything I've ever read for sure.

I have been spoiled for the plottwists in this book but I don't think it took away too much. I think I would have expected it anyways. Also the letter in the end was a truly great ending. I do not like Lowen and the way she acted throughout the book but especially the end was just weird.

Some of the book reminded me of a modern Jane Eyre. I mean he's rich and has a child to take care of, he hires her and she lives with him, there is his wife (locked up) in the 'attic'... I do not particularily like Mr. Rochester either so I guess my feelings towards the two books are similar. (Jane Eyre is better though)

I did read it all in one sitting though so I guess it couldn't have been that bad. I was completely captivated. I sometimes didn't want to continue and get it over with but sometimes I was genuinly intruiged. I have way more thought on this book than that but I don't really want to think about this book anymore. I don't think it's written badly and I liked the format. The story was alright and I don't like the 'romance'. I get why people like this book but if you're sensitive when reading about neglected children and abuse be careful when reading this. I would definitely tell anyone thinking about reading this to check out the trigger warnings first.

Content Warnings

tchadwell04's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Great book, will leave you with more questions than answers.

Content Warnings

marcomoon's review against another edition

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dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Amazing book, could barely put it down. As I had to know what was next.
Which is what I love about Colleen Hoover books, they are both easy to read and have compelling stories making want read it in one setting. I also never tried reading thrillers before and found this book a good way to get into the genre.

However as much as I loved this book. I wouldn't give it more the 3.5 stars. As there was a lot of stuff in the book, I found it pauseable. I didn't like how the character acted. And disagreed on how they handled the situation.

Now I have a lot to say about this book and will write some spoilers from now on.

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual content

The none trust in Law enforcement. Of course, if the police were called on from the beginning, there would be no story. This kind of annoyed me in some ways, because it was not because they believed the police wouldn't believe them. They had the evidence. It also it would have resolved a lot. Which kind of annoyed me, I don't like situations where the answer is so clear but the character won't do it. And instead makes the situation 10 times worse. In this book 100 times worse. One the thing I found pauseable was Lowen had taken 2 weeks to finish the manuscript, but read books from a series and only took 1 to 2 days. Now since the manuscript was autobiography and she didn't want to intrude on Verity life. She technically did have permission to read and look through everything in the office and technically she came there to help Verity publish her work. An autobiography would be something the publishing company would have been excited about. And who are we kidding, that was hell of an Autobiography I would have read in one day. But of course, again there would be no book if Lowen didn't take her sweet time. But then how would Lowen get to know Jermey if not under this special circumstances. I also found it pauseable for her not to share the informasjon she found. Now the ending. It was shocking. Making me question everything. Someone we believe to be a awful person might be an innocent victim of what became a deadly misunderstanding. Or did she get to have enough time to create the most perfect excuse of all time. One that would get her scotch free for the alleged crime she committed. Honestly, I would have believed the letter if it was not for one key character. The son, Crew. The way he behaved and his actions. Kids are after all influenced by their parents. The question is how much, and how bad? First of when he "played" with a knife in his mother room and accidentally "cut himself" with. Did that really happen or did Verity hurt him? She did after all "allegedly" kill her daughter. But explained in letter she says didn`t kill her daughter, and stayed in the house because of her son. Wanting to run away with him. But another thing she explained in the letter was how her action made Lowen paranoid. But yet never talked about the knife. The knife her son accidentally "cut himself" with. Because Lowen saw the knife, but could not find Verity room afterward. A pretty god reason to be paranoid about, yet not important enough to be mention? The second thing was when Lowen started asking Crew questions. At one point he started to get nervous, and told Lowen his mother told him not to talk to her about that. When Lowen continued to ask questions, a 5-year-old boy went as far as cutting himself in the mouth to the point of bleeding, with the knife he was licking peanut butter from. And instead of crying or panicking, there was fear in his eyes. A 5-year-old, getting that scared to answer questions. This is what makes it very hard for me to belive Verity letter. And the knife accident being a simple accident. Up to this point I have colored Verity as villain, like the book did. And I might be very much wrong. There are many good explanations in the letter Verity wrote, and a statement that she loved her children. Not wishing to hurt or kill them. I also relate to Verity creativity prosess. I have also written done book ideas, scenes and characters that even make me question my mind sanity. Yet I can't stop being wary of Verity. As when her own parents heard about their grandsdaughters death and their daughter car crash. There response was evil people gets what they deserve. I have a hard time believing it they saying that simple because they did not approve of her writing thrillers. As for Lowen and Jermey. I did not like how Lowen handled things. And the action done in the name of love for Jermey was disturbing, by both Verity and Lowen. That man needs to mourn, therapy and a new start. He lost his twins daughters for god's sake, on top of that finding out his wife might have killed one of them. Al though I can understand Lowen and Jermey falling in love with each other. As he needed comfort, and Lowen who has her own struggles meets a man that way too good to be true. I could not agree with them by choice created another child within 2 weeks of getting to know each other. While his wife was right upstairs. It just became so wrong, and found this a relationship I did not ship. As for the bonus chapter that came out this year. I was shocked and it definitely made me once again question everything. Many say this bonus chapter confirms that the letter was true. But for me it was more the aftermath, the psychological trauma of the events that happened in the book caused, rather than a direct confirmation of the letter being true. What the bonus chapter did confirm however, Jermey was definitely too good to be true

half_bloodreader's review against another edition

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dark fast-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.0

BILINGUAL REVIEW/ CRÍTICA BILINGUE (🇵🇹 & 🇬🇧)

🇵🇹 Escrito na 1ª pessoa, presente
Narração entrelaça com entradas de manuscrito autobiográfico
Thriller Suspense
Definitivamente +18 (tem muito sexo. Não tinha fim)
Leitura macabra
Narrador não confiável
Final sombrio
Personagens desagradáveis/intragáveis
Suspensão de descrença necessária em grandes quantidades
Gravidez surpresa

Devorei este.

Sem aquele final, o livro teria sido muito previsível para mim, a Sinopse basicamente dizia tudo.

Eu queria que eles chegassem a "ela está ou não está", mas não estava necessariamente a torcer por Lowen ou Jeremy. Apenas pela segurança de Crew, na verdade.
Não importa o que Lowen pense de Verity, ela mesma não é material materno. Aquela cena com a manteiga de amendoim poderia ter sido evitada se ela tivesse sido maternal, ou, sabem, tivesse bom senso!

🇬🇧 Written in 1st person, present tense
Narration entertwines with entries of autobiographical manuscript
Thriller Suspense
Definitely +18 (has a lot of sex. It just kept coming)
Dark read
Unreliable narrator
Dark ending
Unlikeable characters
Suspension of disbelief needed in high amounts
Surprise pregnancy

I devoured this.

Without that ending the book would've been too predictable to me, the blurb told us pretty much everything.

I wanted them to get to the "is she or isn't she", but I wasn't necessarily cheering for Lowen or Jeremy. Just for Crew's safety, really.
No matter what Lowen thinks of Verity, she herself is no mother material. That scene with the peanut butter could've been avoided if she had mothered, or, you know, common sense!

Content Warnings