Book Review

Verity by Colleen Hoover

WARNING: Spoilery Content Ahead

Verity is the first book by Colleen Hoover I've read, and I chose it for its mystery/thriller genre, which seemed appealing. From the moment Lowen witnesses a car accident and the death of a man right in front of her, I was hooked.

Lowen, is an author who is hired by Jeremy to complete a book series started by his wife, Verity, who is in a vegetative state following an accident. As Lowen delves into Verity's office to find notes on the series, she stumbles on Verity's disturbing autobiography. TRIGGER WARNING This manuscript reveals terrible confessions, including attempted abortion, attempted murder of her infant, child abuse, emotional abuse, murder, and disdain for her own children.

Reading Verity's autobiography was rough. Some parts, such as Verity attempting to force her infant to choke and her annoyance when the baby vomits on her, are particularly tough to digest. They paint a very chilling picture of Verity's character.

As Lowen spends more time in the house reading Verity's manuscript, she begins to develop feelings for Jeremy. This was very uncomfortable to read, especially as Verity's autobiography includes graphic details of her and Jeremy's intimate relationship. One scene involving Verity biting down on the headboard and leaving teeth marks, which Lowen then attempts to replicate, felt not only ridiculous, but also comical.

I entered this book with high hopes, but unfortunately, the characters were incredibly unlikable, and the ending was deliberately ambiguous. I even read the bonus chapter, and my feelings did not change. I found myself liking the characters even less. I was disappointed that I didn't enjoy Verity as much as I had hoped. I love stories with plenty of twists and turns, but this one just wasn't for me.

Rating: ★★