Hello everybody. I just decided that it would be amazing to write about my reading experience something that would make my space not too tense or technical similarly, just like how my friends and I share our emotions when we get to share the books that we've read so without a do further dive in and I'll show you.
Last year up until now, Colleen Hover's books specifically "It Ends with Us captures people's attention and was certainly hype in social media especially Tiktok (BookTok sensation). So, of course your home girl decided to include it in my TBR lists but since I've watched a lot of videos and read comments about it, I already had an idea how it would end. I was not yet ready for it so I decided to check other works of the said author. As much as I can I don't want to scan story's summary or even the back- cover blurb, I wanted to be completely clueless of the book because it would be exciting. At that point, I am also curious to the genre of which the author could offer as a result I just visited her site (colleenhover.com) and clicked the about me tab. Colleen Hover is famous in writing young adult, adult romance novels and she also has some entries that includes psychological thriller.
FIRST BOOK
For the first day, I picked the book entitled "Confess" because mainly I am intrigued by the title itself like what would be the confession that this book or characters will reveal. If ever I would picked favorite points in the story it would be the following:
The idea of making art from people's confession
The male lead character (Owen) is a young talented artist, and I just love the idea that he created paintings from people's deepest, sometimes darkest confession. Its like day by day you'll be suprise what's inside the confession box and try to think as to how make an art out of it. I find it genius. Maybe I might be a little bias because I love art and I also draw.
It shows that sometimes people are not as pretty as they seem
When the female lead (Auburn) lost her boyfriend at the age of 15 she never thought that she'll also become a mother pretty soon. Because she was still a minor the mother of her late boyfriend asked for the custody of her grandchild. As years passed by, she became so manipulative to the point that she'll lie just to not let his grandson see her, plus, the fact that the brother (Trey) of her boyfriend have a hidden agenda and is obssess to her, these elements really put her in a rough position. This is so sad that she was able to deal with this kind of situation at a very young age and the worst case is that these people still consider her as weak and naive but more likely a puppet even if she already became an adult. She was torn between chosing a convenient path which is to be with Trey so that it would be easy for her to be with her son or follow what her heart says and be with the man whom she truly loves. When I was reading this chapter, I am really ready to slap and punch their faces for putting her in such situation. Maybe because I despise being manipulated, who wants to be manipulated in the first place right?
Before you continue, there is is a massive spoiler ahead so please read at your own risk.
How the death of our love ones affect us
As for Auburn, she lost her first love and the father of her child, some might consider it to be puppy love but in the first part of books it clearly exemplify how strong and genuine their feelings towards each other from supporting each other up until being by their side expecially when Owen is dying. When someone told her that she can just get over it and her feelings might not be real infuriates me.
As for Owen, he also lost his mother and brother in an vehicular accident. He maybe doing well but his father was greatly affected for he became alcoholic and doing drugs. People have different ways in dealing with grief, some people can still function well and move forwards while some just can't and are completely stuck. It will break them to the point that it will lead them to make anything just to ease the pain.
The twist
Owen already know Auburn through Adam (Auburn's late boyfriend). Owen's father was in the same hospital as Adam. He also had the art materials which the mother of Adam (Lydia) decided to throw and used to create his first ever painting. He went to Adam and gave it to him but Adam told him to send it to Auburn's address instead. For a long time, she believed the artwork she keeps was by Adam, although it is actually by Owen. Owen then revealed that he had no intention of informing Auburn because the confession isn't his to make, but Adam's. At this moment, I just went "noooooo" because I think it would be better if Auburn know since she have been keeping that painting for a very long time. How about you, what do you think?
FINAL THOUGHTS
If there are things which I really love in this book there are also points which are not really my style. Again, not my style and so this might not be applicable to you. There are several story cliché (which I consider) along the way plus I am already 100% sure when both of them met that they'll be the endgame I know some of you guys might ask what do you want to happen then? Every time I try to read romance novels I will always guess which could be the couple at the end. I am just so fed up of a story which has a concept of love at first sight or like instalove. So, when both of the characters met they already felt this connection and as a reader myself I was like its already predictable but then the twist surprise me very much. Moreover, I like how it touches and talks about hope, survival, love and more. If ever my 17-ish self read this then she'll probably give 4.5/5 or even a perfect score but now, I would give this around 3.8 out 5. I clearly have a love and hate relationship with this book but it could be the best book to some. Ciao, book lovers.
Note: Every part of this mini series will be about on different novels by Colleen Hoover
MILLION THANKS FOR REACHING THIS FAR
Hello once again! Heads up hivers! Jenny Mauring here who lives in Mandaue, Cebu City Philippines, I am a self taught artist. I am a friend to some and strangers to many. I am a lady with light in her eyes, love in her bones and a sucker of artsy and creatives. Come and visit my blog @jmauring to check out my content. You can also connect with me through my Instagram account, that's @jmauring, Jenny Mauring in Facebook and YouTube Channel as well. Stay happy, healthy and crazy.