Slammed by Colleen Hoover

I received this novel from Netgalley, and stayed up past midnight on a work night to finish it! Layken, recently bereaved of her dad, moves from Texas to Michigan with her mother and brother right before her senior year. She's understandably not happy about the move, but things look brighter after she meets her new (slightly older) neighbor, Will. They feel an immediate connection, which is strengthened when literary Will introduces Layken to the world of slam poetry. But just as their relationship begins to bloom, they're forced apart by unforeseen circumstances. Yet, mainly because of their little brothers' close friendship, they're also forced to keep seeing each other. When more tragedy strikes, Layken needs Will more than ever. CAN THEY OVERCOME??

I've heard lots of buzz about this book, and at first I didn't buy into it. In fact, the beginning seemed vaguely Twilightish (and I say that as someone who's read and enjoyed Twilight). But once the first plot twist hit, I was hooked! Something about the writing struck me as a little amateurish, but it doesn't matter because this book has a LOT of heart. It's an interesting and unusual story with very likable characters (especially Layken's instant best friend Eddie) and a good message. The romance is pretty swoon-worthy, as is Will himself. Time to read the sequel!