Quote of the Day

The idea of me is better than the reality of me. - Verity

Friday, September 2, 2022

Is it or is it not? A Verity Book Review


Warning: Before you attempt reading Verity, please make sure that you don’t have anything that needed to be done immediately. If you have a deadline to meet, finish it first. If you need to do chores, do it first. If you need a good night sleep, just read it in the morning. Because once you start, you want to finish it as soon as possible.

I have never finished a book for a long time - like a long time. I can’t even remember the last book I’ve finished. Hindi sa tamad ako. Okay, medyo tamad nga akong magbasa these days. But truth is, I’m afraid that if I start reading, I’d lose focus in my writing.

But that’s exactly what happened when I started reading Verity. And that’s why I hate the book. But I love it. To the core.

I write romance but I don’t read romance these days. Because when I’m currently working on a manuscript, reading romance books tend to affect my writing style so I steer clear of the genre as much as possible. Isa pa, kapag masyadong maganda ang nabasa kong libro, dinadapuan ako ng self-doubt. Feeling ko, wala talaga akong talent sa pagsusulat, pinipilit ko lang.

A confession - never pa akong nakabasa kahit isa sa mga isinulat ni Colleen Hoover. I am familiar with the name, (who isn’t?) and I know that she’s exceptional. ‘Yun lang. I’ve planned to read her a long time ago but I just didn’t have the time. But when I saw a post about Verity, it made me curious especially when the review said that it was entirely different from the other novels she had written as it isn’t pure romance.

And so I took the plunge, without any expectations. I’m not familiar with her writing style and I was a bit hesitant at first, thinking that I might not like her, that her style might be too much for me or that she’d intimidate me. Gano’n kasi ako minsan. There are writers and books that intimidate me and that’s the reason why I don’t read them. But then, I gave Verity a shot. Pikit-mata.

And I glad I did. Basta huwag na lang nating pag-usapan ‘yung fact na medyo natigil nga ang pagsusulat ko dahil sa pagbabasa ng Verity.

I have always been a slow reader as I wanted to absorb every word but with Verity, I felt the need to read fast. I need to know what happened in the next chapter. Natapos ko ang book in a day. That’s how I got hooked. And I rarely get hooked on a book.

I’m just giving a little background about the book as to not spoil it for you. Verity is about Lowen Ashleigh, a struggling writer who gets an offer to continue bestselling author Verity Crawford’s series because of health reasons. She has to live with the writer’s husband while working on the book and throughout her stay, she discovers the family’s past and their secrets, things that she’d rather not know. Lowen finds the writer’s unfinished autobiography which has chilling contents including Verity’s confessions that could destroy her husband’s love for her.

It’s an easy read. Easy, meaning the flow is good, the rhythm. The contents? Not easy. It’s heavy. Disturbing. Creepy. There are parts that will make you angry. There are be moments when you’ll find yourself pausing, staring out of the window, thinking what did you just have read? You might even question your own sanity. 

If after reading the book, you need someone to talk to, I'm here! I want to hear your thoughts as well, especially the ending! Hanggang ngayon, iniisip ko pa rin kung ano ba talaga haha! 

Colleen Hoover deserves to be a best-selling writer. I am so happy that I get to read her.

Now, if you have been in a reading slump for a long time, I highly recommend this book.

Rating: 10/10

  

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