macymcbeth's review against another edition
2.0
11/5 Re-read: 1.5-2 stars
Buckle up, friends; we are about to do some roasting. I'll start with this: How did the same author who wrote the twisty turns of Verity and the heart-wrenching prose of Ugly Love, also write this dumpster fire?
The characters are not likable in any way and they are so young and foolish. Auburn's pov feels childish and naive, and don't even get me started on the Insta-love... girl, what happened to stranger danger?? How have you survived for this long if you are willing to go into random empty buildings with someone you've never met?
Owen isn't much better. He's possessive and sometimes his pov sounded like the narration of Joe from that creepy show You. His issues with his dad were all over the place. Do you hate him, Owen? Or are you just disappointed in the choices he's been making? PICK ONE.
On that note, Colleen used a bunch of different tropes and it was chaos. It felt like she couldn't decide on which conflict to use for these characters so she just used ALL OF THEM. BAD. Because of this, the book lacked in depth and each side character and circumstance felt like a plot device.
As for the structure of the book, dangling prepositions galore! Extra, unnecessary expository! I'm not really sure why there was both time stamps at some of the chapters (i.e. 5 years earlier) AND a part I/II for this book. Pick one or the other? But why both?
The one good thing about this book was the concept of the confessions and their tie to the art. Very creative premise.
In summary, this book is a big yikes. It's a chaotic read and very very very difficult to root for either of the main characters. We aren't given a lot of the simple details— that would probably help us root for said characters— and many of the conflicts seem forced. If you're on the fence about reading this one, my advice, skip this one.
Started: March 11, 2015
Finished: March 12, 2015
Stars: 3/5
I'm usually clutching her books after I finished them and my heart is warm and happy, but I feel almost indifferent with this one and it's upsetting me a little.
Which is not to say that I didn't like it. I did like it once I had finished it. I just felt that her other books are stronger and better reads.
The problem I found with this one was that it seemed very rushed. I felt like the plot was fast pace where the characters were trying to catch up in their development. I felt like two parts of my brain were at two different speeds: one focusing on the characters and the other keeping up with the action between the two. I got the impression that she was just tired of writing it and just decided to end it where she did, leaving so much out of the book.
[possible spoilers ahead]
I also thought that Colleen left out important information about the characters. Like where were Auburn's parents and siblings? They were really only mentioned twice and then quickly pushed aside. I wanted more of Owen's history and relationship with his father and brother and even his mom. I wanted more of Auburn's past with AJ and more information about AJ! What kind of kid was he? Was he difficult to raise? What were her feelings about AJ through the whole process? And what the hell do the initials AJ mean???? That really bothered me. Also why Adam was in the hospital in the first place, but whatever.
I wanted to know what happened when Owen and Auburn finally were able to be together. I wanted to know how the dynamic of Auburn, AJ and Owen worked, and the reaction of Lydia to the whole situation. I get it that ambiguous endings are cool too, but too much was left ambiguous! I just felt like hardly any of the minor details in this book were resolved, I'm still left wondering what the hell was going on in that book. (It may have been because I was reading it so quickly and was soooo interested in the plot and the mysteries of the characters.)
I didn't intend for this review to be super negative because I did enjoy this book. I sped through it. It was pretty easy to read and the action of the book and the mystery of the characters keeps you invested in the book. But it was just not up to the expectations I had going into reading it. I guess, in retrospect, Ugly Love was a tough act to follow.
Also, in my world of authors, Colleen Hoover and John Green would get along great. They both have the ability to pull at the heartstrings, just at two different age groups. Both authors write exceptionally diverse characters in each book and have great imagery and setting development.
Confess was a good book, don't read this the wrong way. I'm mostly upset that I didn't get enough of the book. If you want a summary of my four paragraphs.
read more at: http://earthtomacy.blogspot.com/
Buckle up, friends; we are about to do some roasting. I'll start with this: How did the same author who wrote the twisty turns of Verity and the heart-wrenching prose of Ugly Love, also write this dumpster fire?
The characters are not likable in any way and they are so young and foolish. Auburn's pov feels childish and naive, and don't even get me started on the Insta-love... girl, what happened to stranger danger?? How have you survived for this long if you are willing to go into random empty buildings with someone you've never met?
Owen isn't much better. He's possessive and sometimes his pov sounded like the narration of Joe from that creepy show You. His issues with his dad were all over the place. Do you hate him, Owen? Or are you just disappointed in the choices he's been making? PICK ONE.
On that note, Colleen used a bunch of different tropes and it was chaos. It felt like she couldn't decide on which conflict to use for these characters so she just used ALL OF THEM. BAD. Because of this, the book lacked in depth and each side character and circumstance felt like a plot device.
As for the structure of the book, dangling prepositions galore! Extra, unnecessary expository! I'm not really sure why there was both time stamps at some of the chapters (i.e. 5 years earlier) AND a part I/II for this book. Pick one or the other? But why both?
The one good thing about this book was the concept of the confessions and their tie to the art. Very creative premise.
In summary, this book is a big yikes. It's a chaotic read and very very very difficult to root for either of the main characters. We aren't given a lot of the simple details— that would probably help us root for said characters— and many of the conflicts seem forced. If you're on the fence about reading this one, my advice, skip this one.
Started: March 11, 2015
Finished: March 12, 2015
Stars: 3/5
I'm usually clutching her books after I finished them and my heart is warm and happy, but I feel almost indifferent with this one and it's upsetting me a little.
Which is not to say that I didn't like it. I did like it once I had finished it. I just felt that her other books are stronger and better reads.
The problem I found with this one was that it seemed very rushed. I felt like the plot was fast pace where the characters were trying to catch up in their development. I felt like two parts of my brain were at two different speeds: one focusing on the characters and the other keeping up with the action between the two. I got the impression that she was just tired of writing it and just decided to end it where she did, leaving so much out of the book.
[possible spoilers ahead]
I also thought that Colleen left out important information about the characters. Like where were Auburn's parents and siblings? They were really only mentioned twice and then quickly pushed aside. I wanted more of Owen's history and relationship with his father and brother and even his mom. I wanted more of Auburn's past with AJ and more information about AJ! What kind of kid was he? Was he difficult to raise? What were her feelings about AJ through the whole process? And what the hell do the initials AJ mean???? That really bothered me. Also why Adam was in the hospital in the first place, but whatever.
I wanted to know what happened when Owen and Auburn finally were able to be together. I wanted to know how the dynamic of Auburn, AJ and Owen worked, and the reaction of Lydia to the whole situation. I get it that ambiguous endings are cool too, but too much was left ambiguous! I just felt like hardly any of the minor details in this book were resolved, I'm still left wondering what the hell was going on in that book. (It may have been because I was reading it so quickly and was soooo interested in the plot and the mysteries of the characters.)
I didn't intend for this review to be super negative because I did enjoy this book. I sped through it. It was pretty easy to read and the action of the book and the mystery of the characters keeps you invested in the book. But it was just not up to the expectations I had going into reading it. I guess, in retrospect, Ugly Love was a tough act to follow.
Also, in my world of authors, Colleen Hoover and John Green would get along great. They both have the ability to pull at the heartstrings, just at two different age groups. Both authors write exceptionally diverse characters in each book and have great imagery and setting development.
Confess was a good book, don't read this the wrong way. I'm mostly upset that I didn't get enough of the book. If you want a summary of my four paragraphs.
read more at: http://earthtomacy.blogspot.com/
universalbookworm's review against another edition
3.0
I'm quite torn about this one. Although there were some very unique plot points to enjoy here, I felt they were nearly outnumbered by the tropes and cliches. Yet, at the same time Hoover writes in a way that was engaging and made me overlook the obviousness of some aspects because I was enjoying the read so much.
It's an interesting read at any rate. With lots of drama and intrigue, and a satisfying if not completely realistic ending. I would suggest this for those who like contemporaries with teeth. But perhaps, not for those who like realism and cohesiveness as well.
It's an interesting read at any rate. With lots of drama and intrigue, and a satisfying if not completely realistic ending. I would suggest this for those who like contemporaries with teeth. But perhaps, not for those who like realism and cohesiveness as well.
julia0000's review against another edition
3.0
Quick and easy summer read. Definitely heavy on the young adult romantic aspect but there was more too that kept my intrigued and rooting for the happy ending... Thankfully there is more to defining happy than just a couple in 'love'
samw0327's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Drug use, Police brutality, Addiction, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Car accident and Cancer
shelbybrinley's review against another edition
5.0
I love Colleen Hoover’s books so much! This was the second time I’ve read this one and I just can’t stop reading and rereading her books. I loved the characters and the twists. She’s a phenomenal writer.
vanessa_issa's review against another edition
4.0
Quando tinha 15 anos, Auburn viveu um grande amor. Logo no Prólogo, vemos que infelizmente esse garoto, Adam, enfrentava problemas de saúde e veio a falecer. Por serem tão jovens, suas famílias não davam o menor crédito para o amor deles, mas os dois nunca desistiram de lutar contra. Apesar de toda a tristeza, ela teve que seguir em frente.
Nos dias atuais, ela tem 21 anos e está precisando muito de um segundo emprego. A princípio, ela não revela todos os seus segredos. Apenas diz que precisa de mais dinheiro, insiste em ter uma conduta impecável e ser uma boa pessoa.
Nisso, ela conhece Owen, um artista que pinta confissões anônimas. Ele buscava por uma ajudante para sua exposição e estava disposto a pagar muito bem. Na mesma hora, ela se prontifica fazer o serviço. Aos poucos, eles se tornam amigos e se apaixonam. Porém, existem muitos segredos sobre ambos que precisam de mais tempo para ser revelados, e não são nada simples.
Não vou dizer mais do que isso para não estragar as surpresas. Gostei bastante do livro! Não foi o meu favorito dessa autora, mas também não é o pior. Perde o ritmo em alguns momentos, mas depois volta com mais surpresas. O final poderia ter sido melhor, talvez indo um pouco mais além para dar mais respostas, mas ainda assim é satisfatório.
Nos dias atuais, ela tem 21 anos e está precisando muito de um segundo emprego. A princípio, ela não revela todos os seus segredos. Apenas diz que precisa de mais dinheiro, insiste em ter uma conduta impecável e ser uma boa pessoa.
Nisso, ela conhece Owen, um artista que pinta confissões anônimas. Ele buscava por uma ajudante para sua exposição e estava disposto a pagar muito bem. Na mesma hora, ela se prontifica fazer o serviço. Aos poucos, eles se tornam amigos e se apaixonam. Porém, existem muitos segredos sobre ambos que precisam de mais tempo para ser revelados, e não são nada simples.
Não vou dizer mais do que isso para não estragar as surpresas. Gostei bastante do livro! Não foi o meu favorito dessa autora, mas também não é o pior. Perde o ritmo em alguns momentos, mas depois volta com mais surpresas. O final poderia ter sido melhor, talvez indo um pouco mais além para dar mais respostas, mas ainda assim é satisfatório.
maswal's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly this was an ok book. Kept me a little confused so i kept wanting to read to figure out what was going on but it was a good easy read. I feel some pars were rushed and others could have shortened I hate Trey and lydia.
3.5/10
3.5/10
kylie0506's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0