A review by mollyb13
Verity by Colleen Hoover

dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I have many thoughts about this one... This was my first Colleen Hoover book and maybe I should have started with one of her romance novels, but I'm a thriller girlie so of course I was going to start with Verity. If you are going to read this one, DO NOT READ REVIEWS BEFOREHAND. Though if you have any triggers/if there are topics you don't like to read please please do check the content warnings!

Overall, I'm glad I got my curiosity around this book out of the way, but to me the book did not live up to the hype surrounding it. I will likely try one of Colleen Hoover's romance novels in the future.

Pros:
  1. I was too creeped out to read this in bed at night - a daytime book for me. Which is how I like my thrillers to be!
  2. I read it really quickly and didn't want to put it down
  3. There was some completely bone-chilling moments
    VERITY STANDING AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS OMG. Verity telling Crew to hold his breath before she tipped the canoe!?

Cons:
Unfortunately the cons far outweigh the pros for me. Here are just a few things I couldn't get over:
  1. I feel like I was meant to root for Lowen but she helped Jeremy kill Verity at the end!? It wasn't even self defense! Just turn her in! Also she seemed to not care that Jeremy tried killing Verity previously?
  2. This whole team manuscript/team letter could likely be pretty well solved by just talking to that agent who Verity said gave her the journaling idea in the first place... If the agent says she never suggested anything like that then likely the manuscript is true
  3. I purposefully avoid reading reviews of thrillers because I like to be surprised, but had seen enough praise for this book and people saying
    'the twist was shocking!' that the twist actually fell flat for me. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but everyone had hyped it up so much that I guess I expected to be completely mind blown. I had actually wondered if Jeremy wrote the manuscript earlier on in the book and Verity was being held captive so I was not correct but close enough to not be completely surprised. 
  4. The bonus chapter, which I did not read, but read recaps of, was sus and I don't understand the point of it.
    It sounded like Colleen Hoover was maybe trying to push readers towards team letter? Also Jeremy killed a woman because she recognized them at the beach?!?! This chapter sounded like it was unnecessary. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings