Reviews with content warning for Car accident - Weil ich Layken liebe

I can't explain how much this books gets me. It's still the best and a good way to start a CH book. I was 18 years old when I first read this and I'll be 28 years old in 5 months time. Been 10 years since I read this but it still made me ugly cry. My heart is broken. I love Julia. It made me want to cherish my own mother and be grateful for her. My life wouldn't be what it is right now if it wasn't for her.

Will and Lake is the type of relationship I aspire to be. Through ups and downs, they're fated for each other. Loving someone so hard you had to let her go so she can focus on her priorities. Too much love it's overflowing and can't contain itself. It's not even the student-teacher relationship that's important here. It's the emotional rollercoaster that you felt throughout reading the book. One second you focus on the happy date between the couple then get crashed by that student-teacher realization then when you thought it's the main plot, it's not. It's the

cancer

. I knew it was coming but that didn't stop me from still feeling the pain.

This book taught me so much. Everything Julia wrote in her letter is not only for Layken and Kel but it was for all of us. Thank you, Colleen Hoover. It's everything.

Content Warnings

missrosymaplemoth's review against another edition

Go to review page

1.5

I wish this book was 200 pages shorter and ended with Layken transferring out of Will’s class. The “heavy themes” in this book were largely about navigating the taboo (read: illegal) relationship. So gross. It’s illegal for a reason; I don’t care that the age difference is “only” 3 years.

Some points that stood out to me:

The slam poetry was confusing and cringeworthy.
The narration was juvenile (even for YA) and long-winded at times (do we really need a play-by-play of Layken’s morning routine?).
I didn’t enjoy how the only person of color’s storyline was
assaulting Layken,
which in itself was just a plot device to get Will and Layken back together.
My jaw dropped when I read about the younger boys’ Halloween costumes.
Not to be uptight like that principal, but my mom had cancer twice and I was surprised at Julia’s reaction. What nine-year-old says they want to be their mother’s cancerous lung(s)? The whole thing was just very odd and inorganic to me.
I’ll give the book one thing: the note from
Layken’s now-deceased mom
at the very end was nice.

I don’t understand why I read this, or how the author has the following she does. I will not be reading the sequels (which I’m disappointed to say do exist). This book served as a lesson and a reminder to never read a book by this author again.

Content Warnings

elyhaumor's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional inspiring sad medium-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

2.0

Content Warnings

lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional lighthearted sad tense fast-paced

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

3.0

I have been slowly making my way through Colleen Hoover's backlist, and I was very excited to pick up "Slammed" on my journey.
This story follows Layken, a newly 18-year-old who just moved to a new city with her mom and little brother following the unexpected death of her father. She is devastated to complete her senior year of high school across the country from her friends, but she quickly discovers that this new town might not entirely suck. Will lives across the street from Layken with his little brother and Layken and Will strike up a romance like they have never experienced before. Everything seems to be going perfectly, until they discover that Will is a teacher and Layken is his student. Will they be able to be together, or are they destined to be driven apart?
I can definitely tell this book is one of Colleen Hoover's earlier works. It is very fun to be able to look back and see how far she has come with her writing style and character development. Overall, I did enjoy this story, and I was rooting for Layken and Will, but I found Layken's character to be too erratic to enjoy. Although I do think teenage girls can be a little erratic with their emotions, Layken comes across as entirely immature and self-absorbed at times, but these were not reactions I felt were her true self. She does not seem to grasp how much Will's career could be ruined before it even begins if they pursue a relationship, nor does she empathize with how much it is killing him to have to walk away.
In true Colleen Hoover fashion, there is a devastating plot twist that breaks your heart (hasn't Layken been through enough?). I was left very satisfied, and I kind of do not want to pick up the sequel because I do not want to see what happens with Layken and Will, but I probably will someday!

Content Warnings

emmasbookishself's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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

3.5

It took me quite a while to get into this book but once I did I was hooked.

The supporting characters of this book deserves all the stars from Eddie, and Kel and to Julia and Caulder.

It’s messy and complicated but that’s life, which is a big message in this book.

Content Warnings