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orionmerlin 's review for:
Verity
by Colleen Hoover
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Characters: 6.5/10
Lowen is one of those characters who stumbles into the role of protagonist like she accidentally opened the wrong door and just kept walking through the plot. She’s timid, passive, and somehow always just confused enough to be useless, but not confused enough to actually leave. Jeremy? A hot houseplant with a tragic backstory. The man could be a serial killer or a saint, and Hoover doesn’t seem to know which, so he’s written somewhere in the purgatory of emotional ambiguity. Verity herself is a fascinating disaster, but we only see her through two filters: comatose ghost-wife and her own deeply psychotic “autobiography,” so she’s more archetype than actual person. The secondary characters, when they appear, mostly serve to throw shade or move furniture. There’s potential in all of them, but Hoover doesn’t quite deliver on the depth.
Lowen is one of those characters who stumbles into the role of protagonist like she accidentally opened the wrong door and just kept walking through the plot. She’s timid, passive, and somehow always just confused enough to be useless, but not confused enough to actually leave. Jeremy? A hot houseplant with a tragic backstory. The man could be a serial killer or a saint, and Hoover doesn’t seem to know which, so he’s written somewhere in the purgatory of emotional ambiguity. Verity herself is a fascinating disaster, but we only see her through two filters: comatose ghost-wife and her own deeply psychotic “autobiography,” so she’s more archetype than actual person. The secondary characters, when they appear, mostly serve to throw shade or move furniture. There’s potential in all of them, but Hoover doesn’t quite deliver on the depth.
Atmosphere/Setting: 7.5/10
If you’ve ever wanted to live inside a live-action episode of Dateline, congratulations—this is the book for you. The setting works hard to carry the tone, and honestly, the house deserves more character development than Jeremy. It’s isolated, eerie, and so tonally consistent that you can practically hear the floorboards creak in your head. The lake adds a nice "probably-someone-died-here" touch. But while the setting is solidly spooky, it never quite transforms—the tension plateaus. It’s creepy, sure, but it’s not exactly immersive once the novelty of “wheelchair-bound wife might be possessed” wears off.
If you’ve ever wanted to live inside a live-action episode of Dateline, congratulations—this is the book for you. The setting works hard to carry the tone, and honestly, the house deserves more character development than Jeremy. It’s isolated, eerie, and so tonally consistent that you can practically hear the floorboards creak in your head. The lake adds a nice "probably-someone-died-here" touch. But while the setting is solidly spooky, it never quite transforms—the tension plateaus. It’s creepy, sure, but it’s not exactly immersive once the novelty of “wheelchair-bound wife might be possessed” wears off.
Writing Style: 5.5/10
Colleen Hoover writes like she’s speedrunning a diary entry, then tossing in a little softcore horror for flavor. It’s readable—easily digestible in a single night of regret-fueled insomnia—but it’s also clunky and indulgent. The internal monologues are repetitive, metaphors are overworked, and Lowen’s inner voice sounds less like a published author and more like someone who’d get lost in a mall. The manuscript-within-a-manuscript structure is a great idea, but Verity’s chapters often feel like Wattpad erotica filtered through a therapy session. Hoover is clearly going for shock and intensity, but the execution is more chaotic than clever.
Colleen Hoover writes like she’s speedrunning a diary entry, then tossing in a little softcore horror for flavor. It’s readable—easily digestible in a single night of regret-fueled insomnia—but it’s also clunky and indulgent. The internal monologues are repetitive, metaphors are overworked, and Lowen’s inner voice sounds less like a published author and more like someone who’d get lost in a mall. The manuscript-within-a-manuscript structure is a great idea, but Verity’s chapters often feel like Wattpad erotica filtered through a therapy session. Hoover is clearly going for shock and intensity, but the execution is more chaotic than clever.
Plot: 6.5/10
Let’s give credit where it’s due—the premise slaps. Struggling writer inherits job from mysteriously incapacitated bestseller and stumbles upon a manuscript that may or may not reveal a murder confession? Yes, please. But the plot unravels as fast as Verity’s morality. Hoover teases twists without really earning them, and the pacing stutters around the middle when Lowen spends an entire chapter staring out the window thinking about Jeremy’s jawline. The ending goes full "maybe it was all a misunderstanding!" and expects us to just nod and move on. It’s messy. Entertaining, but messy.
Let’s give credit where it’s due—the premise slaps. Struggling writer inherits job from mysteriously incapacitated bestseller and stumbles upon a manuscript that may or may not reveal a murder confession? Yes, please. But the plot unravels as fast as Verity’s morality. Hoover teases twists without really earning them, and the pacing stutters around the middle when Lowen spends an entire chapter staring out the window thinking about Jeremy’s jawline. The ending goes full "maybe it was all a misunderstanding!" and expects us to just nod and move on. It’s messy. Entertaining, but messy.
Intrigue: 8.5/10
This book grabs your hand and drags you through its chaos whether you like it or not. Hoover knows how to manipulate tension, even if it’s cheap tension. I wanted to know what was in every drawer, every closet, every chapter of Verity’s unhinged life. I devoured it quickly, out of pure “what-the-hell-is-happening” energy. It’s like reading someone else’s group chat while they go through a breakdown—you feel dirty, but you can’t look away.
This book grabs your hand and drags you through its chaos whether you like it or not. Hoover knows how to manipulate tension, even if it’s cheap tension. I wanted to know what was in every drawer, every closet, every chapter of Verity’s unhinged life. I devoured it quickly, out of pure “what-the-hell-is-happening” energy. It’s like reading someone else’s group chat while they go through a breakdown—you feel dirty, but you can’t look away.
Logic/Relationships: 4.5/10
Lowen makes exactly zero decisions that feel rational. Jeremy invites her to live in his house two minutes after they meet, which makes me wonder if he does this with every woman in a blood-soaked blouse. Verity may or may not be faking her condition, and no one calls Adult Protective Services? The relationship between Lowen and Jeremy develops with the subtlety of a sledgehammer—trauma bonding dressed up as romance. And don’t even get me started on the parenting. Letting a five-year-old roam a house with alleged ghosts and knives? A+ job, everyone.
Lowen makes exactly zero decisions that feel rational. Jeremy invites her to live in his house two minutes after they meet, which makes me wonder if he does this with every woman in a blood-soaked blouse. Verity may or may not be faking her condition, and no one calls Adult Protective Services? The relationship between Lowen and Jeremy develops with the subtlety of a sledgehammer—trauma bonding dressed up as romance. And don’t even get me started on the parenting. Letting a five-year-old roam a house with alleged ghosts and knives? A+ job, everyone.
Enjoyment: 6.5/10
Did I fly through it? Yes. Did I enjoy it? …Kind of? It’s the book equivalent of fast food: addictive, a little greasy, and you feel vaguely ashamed when it’s over. It’s undeniably entertaining, but it doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. There are some genuinely creepy moments, and the manuscript reveals are juicy, but the experience was more about the ride than the destination. And the destination, unfortunately, was a shrug wrapped in a plot twist.
Did I fly through it? Yes. Did I enjoy it? …Kind of? It’s the book equivalent of fast food: addictive, a little greasy, and you feel vaguely ashamed when it’s over. It’s undeniably entertaining, but it doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. There are some genuinely creepy moments, and the manuscript reveals are juicy, but the experience was more about the ride than the destination. And the destination, unfortunately, was a shrug wrapped in a plot twist.
Final Diagnosis:
Verity is a psychological thriller that reads like a fever dream—suspenseful, soapy, and narratively chaotic. It delivers the drama and the dread, but sacrifices believability and depth in the process. Perfect if you want to lose a day spiraling into messy, morally bankrupt domestic secrets—but don’t expect it to hold up to the light.
Verity is a psychological thriller that reads like a fever dream—suspenseful, soapy, and narratively chaotic. It delivers the drama and the dread, but sacrifices believability and depth in the process. Perfect if you want to lose a day spiraling into messy, morally bankrupt domestic secrets—but don’t expect it to hold up to the light.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood
Moderate: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting
Minor: Cancer, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Alcohol
This book leans heavily into psychological horror and disturbing themes. The unreliable narration and ambiguous morality can be deeply unsettling, and the manuscript excerpts include extremely graphic and uncomfortable content. While none of the warnings above are gratuitous, they play a significant role in the novel’s tension and horror. This is not a book for the faint of heart or those sensitive to dark themes.