Summary

K. Joseph's review of Colleen Hoover's "Verity" praises it as a gripping psychological thriller with well-developed characters and a twisty plot, despite its dark and disturbing themes.

Abstract

In the review, Joseph acknowledges the novel's slow start but emphasizes the gripping nature of the story, which becomes increasingly suspenseful. The book is centered around a complex love triangle involving a writer, her husband, and her ghostwriter, leading to unexpected developments and a shocking conclusion. Joseph was particularly captivated by a pivotal sentence in the book, "Find what you love and let it kill you," which marked a turning point in their engagement with the narrative. The review highlights the vividness of a specific love-making scene that was marred by an unexpected appearance of the protagonist, Verity, and the profound impact of her journal entries, which reveal a disturbing level of obsession and psychosis. Despite the unsettling content, Joseph recommends "Verity" to readers seeking a thriller that will keep them enthralled, cautioning that its dark themes may not be suitable for all audiences.

Opinions

The novel started slowly but became engrossing, with a significant sentence that hooked the reviewer.
The characters are incredibly well-developed, contributing to the suspenseful and twisty plot.
The love-making scene followed by Verity's appearance was particularly impactful, evoking strong emotions in the reviewer.
Verity's obsessive behavior and psychosis, as revealed in her journal entries, were both sickening and captivating.
The reviewer did not anticipate the book's ending and was compelled to keep reading despite the disturbing content.
"Verity" is recommended for those who appreciate a sordid thriller with intense and well-written storytelling.
The reviewer maintains a high opinion of the book, even months after reading it, suggesting that its impact is lasting.

A book review by K. Joseph

Verity: A Novel By Colleen Hoover

This book is Psychological Thriller 101; it will have you second-guess everything and everyone until the end.

Thanks to Christin Hume for making this photo available freely on @unsplash 🎁

I read a lot of books. (Ahem, a lot.) Recommended by my friend Ash, Verity by Colleen Hoover is one I’m eager to discuss. Caution: There will be spoilers in this review. I’ve warned you!

New York Times Bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with a unique love triangle between a writer, her husband, and her ghostwriter. This book is Psychological Thriller 101; it will have you second-guess everything and everyone until the end.

What did I think of this book?

I read this book while on a mini-sabbatical in Toronto earlier this summer. At the start, the novel was very slow for me. I felt like I was reading just to get through it to find out what had happened between Verity and Jeremy. Then while I was venturing through the city on the day of my twelve-hour walk, I got hooked! The sentence that did it:

“Find what you love and let it kill you.”

Oh my Lord, the writing!!!!! That did it. From that sentence, the rest of the novel moved much quicker and was full of suspense. I could not stop reading, well, listening (I’m an avid Audible-reader). I didn’t see the end coming until it was upon me, and even then, I didn’t want to believe it. The characters in this book are incredibly well-developed, and the plot is twisty and suspenseful.

Which scene has stuck with me the most?

As I expected, the ghostwriter and the husband gave in to the growing sexual tension between them. However, that Jeremy allowed it to go all the way surprised me, and I wondered if it was something he wanted Loren from the start, despite the impression that he was so devoted to his sick wife.

This love-making scene stuck with me because I felt Loren’s horror she looked up and saw Verity! I winced loudly and sucked in my breath! I felt a few things. First, I could not even imagine Verity’s sense of betrayal and anger. Second, I experienced the fear and shocked surprise that Loren felt seeing Verity looming large at the top of the stairs and clenched her fists at her side! Hoover did an excellent job bringing this scene to life.

What will I remember in a few months or years?

I felt utterly nauseated by Verity’s obsession with Jeremy. The way she wrote about being jealous of her unborn children to the point of doing herself and the babies physical harm was sickening.

“I wanted him to panic, to worry, to feel bad for me, to cry for me. To cry for me.”

I’ll never forget all the “So Be It” journal entries by Verity’s alter-ego. They have been burned into my mind. To me, the level of psychosis was extreme. She was right, though. I could not look away!

“What you read will taste so bad at times, you’ll want to spit it out, but you’ll swallow these words, and they will become part of you, part of your gut, and you will hurt because of them.”

It was the portrayal of Verity in her autobiography that had me rooting for Loren and Jeremy the whole time! Even in the end, when Loren kept Verity’s letter from Jeremy, I still could not think any less of Verity.

My Rating: Read or Skip

Read Colleen Hoover’s Verity if you’re looking for an elegantly sordid thriller with twists and turns. Overall, I thought Verity was a great read, intense and well-written. It kept me utterly enthralled, I recommend it. Just be warned that it’s not for everyone because of its dark and disturbing subject matter.

🙏🏾 Thanks for reading.

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