Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

Verity by Colleen Hoover

194 reviews

orionmerlin's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Characters: 7.5/10

The characters were interesting, but let’s not pretend they were groundbreaking. Lowen was the embodiment of passive protagonist syndrome, letting everything happen to her instead of actually doing anything. Jeremy? A walking enigma whose personality shifts depending on what the plot demands. And Verity? Absolutely terrifying—but more of a concept than a fully developed character. Crew, their son, had serious "creepy kid in a horror movie" energy, but his role in the story felt like an afterthought. Were they compelling? Sure. Were they consistently well-written? Not really.

Atmosphere: 9/10

This book practically drenched itself in tension. The gothic, isolated mansion? Creepy as hell. The eerie silences and slow-burning dread? Expertly done. Hoover nailed the unsettling vibes, making even mundane moments feel loaded with unease. It’s a masterclass in "something-is-very-wrong-here" energy. That said, it did lean into haunted house clichés a little too often—ominous noises, flickering lights, the works. But hey, it worked.

Writing Style: 7/10

Hoover’s writing is fast, accessible, and sharp, but not particularly deep. It’s the kind of writing that sucks you in and keeps you turning pages, even if it occasionally lacks finesse. The manuscript sections? Disturbing, sure, but they often felt more like shock value for shock value’s sake rather than a meaningful exploration of Verity’s psyche. Dialogue was serviceable, but there were moments where it felt stilted, especially between Lowen and Jeremy. Overall, easy to read but not exactly literary brilliance.

Plot: 8/10

Look, Verity is a wild ride, and that’s why the plot works. The pacing is fantastic, the suspense is gripping, and the twists are absolutely unhinged. But when you take a step back? Some of it is... kind of ridiculous. The manuscript twist was a brilliant concept but so over-the-top that it was hard to take seriously. And the ending? A prime example of “let’s throw in one last twist just because.” It’s fun, but it doesn’t always make sense.

Intrigue: 9.5/10

Was I hooked? Absolutely. This book grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. Even when I rolled my eyes at some of the more dramatic moments, I still had to know what happened next. If nothing else, Hoover knows how to write a story that demands to be read in one sitting. The only reason this isn’t a 10? The payoff didn’t quite match the buildup.

Logic: 6/10

Oh boy. If you’re the type to nitpick plot holes, Verity is going to drive you insane. Jeremy’s behavior? All over the place. Lowen and Jeremy’s relationship? Unrealistically fast and kind of inappropriate given, you know, the circumstances. The big twist? Raises way more questions than it answers. And let’s not even get started on the inconsistencies with Verity’s condition. Just don’t think too hard about it and you’ll have a great time.

Enjoyment: 8/10

Did I have fun? Hell yes. Was it a flawless masterpiece? Hell no. Verity is the book equivalent of a trashy psychological thriller movie—you know it’s a little ridiculous, but you’re having too much fun to care. It’s messy, addictive, and full of wild moments that will either leave you gasping or rolling your eyes (sometimes both). If you go in expecting a logic-tight, deeply layered psychological thriller, you might be disappointed. But if you just want a fast, disturbing, utterly gripping read? You’ll love it.

Final Verdict: 8/10

Verity is unhinged, addictive, and unsettling in all the best ways—but it’s also full of contrived twists and questionable logic. Think of it as popcorn thriller fiction: wildly entertaining, occasionally ridiculous, but impossible to put down. If you’re here for deep, thought-provoking psychological horror, this isn’t it. But if you want a book that will grab you and refuse to let go? Buckle up. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Gore, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Blood

Moderate: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Car accident, Murder, and Gaslighting

Minor: Cancer, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, and 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.

cai23ro's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Death, Car accident, Abortion, and Death of parent

albinyxell's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This book is fucked up. 
Yes the ending was one hell of a plot twist but I don't know what I think of it. 

At least this book made me understand trigger warnings..

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

_spookybooks_'s review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Grief, Abortion, and Death of parent

timwilkinson96's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, and Abortion

Moderate: Cursing, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Cancer, Drug use, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Suicide attempt

jpullin1415's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, and Murder

Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Infidelity, and Blood

adamantly_andrea's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, and Murder

Moderate: Infidelity, Sexual content, Vomit, and Pregnancy

Minor: Cancer, Miscarriage, Car accident, Abortion, and Death of parent

katlinstirling_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Well.. this book consumed me to the point I physically couldn’t put it down. Dark, sinister, twisty, suspenseful, captivating, thought-provoking, addictive, completely jaw-dropping, breathtaking.. the list could go on. Verity had to say the least some pretty fucked up chapters where I literally through the book away from me I was so disgusted. I wanted to claw my eyes out with what I was reading, yet it had me going back for more. It is incredibly well-written but I felt the ending was a bit rushed. I haven’t read anything like Verity before and I have read a few CoHo books but this is definitely different to anything else she has written. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

amachonis's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

1.0

Hot garbage I read for book club

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

shahaf's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Murder

Moderate: Medical trauma and Death of parent

Minor: Cancer, Blood, Vomit, and Suicide attempt