Everyone is allowed to indulge in their personal interests but I've seen a media flood of obsession over her writing and I can't seem to understand why. The writing format and plots remind me of smut-heavy Wattpad books (granted I've read two of her novels and they were pretty different genres, but I still didn't enjoy either of them). Am I missing something?
by nabnooba1
35 Comments
I hated Verity. I kept seeing it everywhere so was looking forward to reading it, even though it’s not my preferred type of book. At the end I was like wtf, is this it???
They’re not good. They’re terribly written, there is almost no character development, the names are ridiculous and the “romances” are so flat that it’s astounding. I’m honestly surprised that the books weren’t Fanfiction before because they sound like it.
Don’t even get me started on the quotes. Like good god, some of the lines are so cheesy that I physically cringed at how bad they were.
The author got popular purely because of social media marketing.
You’re right, booktok has made colleen hoover an overnight star but her books really suck, I’ve read 3 and all of them are terribly written, feels like a 14 year old writing for school project, the plot is even worse, and it can only appeal to people who like shitty romance. You’re not tripping, they are just not good
I just assume that the ppl who like her books are drawn in by the fact they’re wattpad books lol like they don’t actually think they’re well written or anything … right?
I only read Verity, gave the thing a fair shot for the first half but after that just skimmed. It was plain unoriginal, everything felt flat. Ending was very dumb…
I thought to try another novel, but then I saw online a bit she wrote about two characters being amazed at the size of their newborn son’s “big balls” and decided to keep my distance.
I read Reminders Of Him just last week and I’ve been ranting about it ever since. Glad to know I don’t have to waste time reading any more if her books.
Quick, easy, fluff reads. That’s all they are. Good? No. Entertaining? Maybe.
I’ve only read Verity. I kept expecting it to get suspenseful or tap into some thriller elements and it never did. The twist is pretty well telegraphed to go one of two ways and it does go one of those ways. It almost felt like it was written by an AI and just cleaned up a little bit. I had kind of forgotten about it until I saw this post and it came back. Not a good book. Definitely bad, but not in the entertaining and fun way. I don’t know why I finished it.
While I’m with you on this, I used to have a different opinion. I think you and I are not in the intended audience: she seems to be a re-introduction into reading for people who don’t read or consider themselves readers or teens (considering that’s who I usually see around her displays in bookstores). I took a break from reading when I started college, and her writing helped me ease back into it. Upon a new read of hers after experiencing much stronger books, I can say she is no longer for me.
Her writing is not literary, but light and easy to follow along. She is a writer to show that books can be entertaining and “twisty” in a soap opera way, compared to the more traditional reading curriculum young readers seem to have forced upon them. Are there good themes/symbolism/prose? No. Not every book is going to be remembered forever. I’m okay with that. I’m just glad some of my friends are getting reacquainted with reading, rather than writing it off completely.
I’ve noticed that the more widestream attention a book gets, the more mediocre it’s going to be, because the average reader isn’t an English major and doesn’t really know what good writing is.
I haven’t read any of her books although they’re very popular. Most people on booktok who like her books are young..very early 20s-early 30s. That made me think they’re written for that age group. I’m in my 50s. I don’t think I’d like it 🤣
Her books romanticize really toxic relationships. Horrified when I worked at a bookstore and saw how many sold to literal middle schoolers. I am all about schlock, but that schlock should be no one’s formative schlock.
The worst was the one where a guy burns down the protagonist’s house and disfigures her face only to stalk her years later without revealing he did it and she finds out and ends up with him anyhow.
Like…what is romantic about that level of manipulation and abuse?
What the living hell.
I haven’t read any of her books, so my opinion is in no way backed up or reliable, but I don’t even want to read them because I have a strong feeling I’m not gonna like it and then I would just waste money and time to prove myself something I already knew.
I watched a review of her book “Ugly Love” a while ago on a channel called Caleb Joseph, and he read out some bits of the book (so I have a bit of evidence) and after that review I was like “wtf is this?”. I forgot about this, until recently EVERYONE on BookTube, BookTok and Bookstagram became obsessed with Colleen Hoover. I was like “huh, I’ve heard that name before”.
When I saw people say “Ugly Love” is their favourite book I was like “what is wrong with you?”. I mean, everyone can have their own opinion and they are allowed to like whatever, but that book was SO PROBLEMATIC. Omg, if that’s what people find “romantic” – that’s a big red flag for me. That’s not what a healthy relationship looks like, and before anyone says “but that’s the point of the book, it’s called Ugly Love, not Beautiful Love, or Healthy Love” – man, then why do you read about it?? Why do you, ENJOY, problematic, toxic, abusive relationships?? You need to get yourself out of that situation if you’re in a such relationship. And if Colleen Hoover had acknowledged that, then I could understand the point of that book, but it appears she doesn’t. Instead, she romanticised that!
Also, I can’t speak for any of her other books, but it seems all of her romances are problematic from what I’ve heard.
I read Reminders of Him a few weeks back. There are some weaker points about the book but still an enjoyable read.
I read it ends with us and i don’t remember much of the plot but i just remember it made me really mad. I feel like she romanticise really toxic relationship and people act like she is bringing awareness to these topics.
Also her character names are terrible
It’s the type of book I tend to have on my kindle rather than buy a physical copy of.
I think she’s able to make a story that some people will find engaging and get invested in (me, I’m some people). But on a technical level? She’s not a skilled writer and her voice is extremely clunky. I read a bunch during a recent injury recovery, which they were perfect for, but now that I’m back on my feet I will probably not read another one.
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I’m reading It Ends With Us and I cannot hate a book more. Naked truth: this book is awful.
My wife loves them. (at least, the ones she’s read so far.)
‘it ends with us’ is her favorite.
They are the equivalent of candy. Something fun to ready in moderation.
I only read “It Ends with Us” but I freaking hated it. I’m not someone who is usually opposed to difficult content, but that book was just a big fat no from
me. I had to palate cleansers for like 10 weeks afterwards by only reading light fluffy romance or super dry nonfiction. I’m still reeling if you can’t tell. I will never pick up another CoHo.
I read “It Ends With Us” and hated it. Decided to give her a second chance and tried “November 9.” Couldn’t make it past 15%. I truly don’t understand the hype. I could feel myself physically cringing as I read them.
No. They’re terrible. And everyone on social media can’t stop raving about them.
My book club read Verity and most of us hated it. It just wasn’t GOOD. I don’t expect to always find a book enjoyable or comfortable, especially if the character is going through something, but USE that emotion sparked in your reader to drive the plot.
Potential spoiler: >!The book starts with her watching someone violently die before a meeting. Like first 2 pages. It has nothing to do with the rest of the story. Didn’t bring it back, nothing. MAYBE trying to show her state of mind, if we’re feeling generous?!<
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I’m in the minority here but I didn’t hate verity. I haven’t read any of her other books. It was a quick read for me and the ending could have been better but I also liked the idea of leaving it upto the reader to either believe in the best or the worst of people.
I got into her a few years ago, I was in a reading slump and with it being a pretty easy read, it got me back into it. But then I was obsessed for a minute there lol So I read a lot of her early work and more recent work. Some is a little too blah for me and I don’t love every plot. But some I have really enjoyed! Although I haven’t read anything of hers in the last year or more, so I’m not sure how much I would enjoy it now. Verity was the one I read first and it got me out of my three year slump. More recently I have purchased reminders of him but I have not started it yet.
The only one of hers I read was Verity, because people were freaking out over it. It was a suspenseful page-turner, but the sex scenes were soooooo cringey. And there’s just something about the writing that feels cheap, not sure how to otherwise describe it. I’m no book snob, I don’t mind formulaic murder mysteries, but I still don’t think I’ll pick up another title from her.
I compared it to twilight, like I enjoyed a majority of the story but also found it super cringy and fan-fiction like. It’s good, but not like in a literature way 😂 if that makes sense.
I mean its about the type of books you read and like right? Some people like this form of romance and drama. Its fictional. Teens parents are responsible for the media they consume, not the author. If you’re looking for a literary masterpiece of the grandest scale. No Colleen Hoover is not for you. If you enjoy her brand of story then yes she is. Ive seen far worse toxic relationships in other stories. The story It Ends With Us and Confess were amazing books that I loved. Atlas from It Ends With Us is a great book boyfriend. Shes not for everyone, but doesnt that go for many authors?
Her books are just that..books. I don’t hate them, but they’re definitely not quality.
So intrigued to see this thread because she is EVERYWHERE but I always presumed from the titles and ‘look’ of the books that they were romance in a 50 shades vein so I avoided. From reading this it seems I’m sort of right but that she’s somehow wangling her way into top sellers?
I assumed it was popular trash in the same way 50 shades was. I know some are saying ‘at least people are reading more’ but I found it terribly depressing seeing so many reading such terrible writing.