Verity by Colleen Hoover
Stacey • July 29, 2019
Release Date: December 10, 2018
The best nail biter of the year, has struggler writer Lowen accepting a job she doesn’t really want but desperately needs. A self confessed recluse and verging on bankruptcy, she has nowhere else to go. After a harrowing trip to her publishers leaves her with no alternative to take what’s being dangled in front of her, she travels to the impressive abode of the one and only Verity Crawford.
Verity is a highly successful and starlet of an author. Her book series, a hot commodity to her publishers has them reeling when Verity now unable to complete the last books in the series, leading them to do whatever it takes to see their hard work bought to fruition. After an accident leaves her without the ability to finish the last 3 novels in her series, it falls to Lowen to decipher her notes and ghostwrite in her stead…
With the gentle nudging from Verity’s husband Jeremy, Lowen starts the process of organizing the thoughts of a woman who scribbles everything down on any median she can find. The unexpected discovery of a self-written biography has Lowen gripped, appalled and unable to leave it alone, putting herself into a situation she can’t understand or seem to get out of. The heart-racing and deeply penetrating look into Verity’s very psyche and soul has Lowen questioning Verity’s own character while the eerie goings on in the Crawford household has her questioning her own sanity.
Will she reveal what she has discovered and take Verity’s husband, as well as her career or will she succumb and crumble under the weight of the confessions she did not expect to find….
Will the truth set any of them free? Or will it lead to something much more sinister??
Lowen is a struggling author and self confessed hermit, locked in her apartment, taking care of her ailing mother, who fears and loathes her only child. Putting herself into ruin to take care of her sick mother, with death came the release she needed. That is until she finds out that her mother lied about leaving her a nest egg after having Lowen spend all her money on taking care of her. Evicted from her apartment, now has Lowen accepting a job she doesn’t want. She not only feels she can’t fill the shoes of the author she will be ghostwriting for but also feels uncomfortable being around the handsome and charismatic Jeremy Crawford, Verity husband.
Verity is the exact opposite of Lowen. She loves the parties and the glitz that comes with the book tours and having her name in print. Lowen avoids any interactions with the public, which is essentially the reason why she doesn’t make the kind of money Verity makes from her own work. After being offered the kind of money she can’t refuse, she goes to the Crawford home to organize and find the inspiration to write the books the publishers are so desperate to have.
Lowen feels unsettled and fearful being in the house with the woman who’s life she has virtually invaded. Verity is basically brain-dead and has a room in the home set up as a hospital room. She has a nurse taking care of her, feed her and bathe her. She doesn’t move, or react to sounds or notice anything around her…. Or does she? Lowen has this feeling like Verity is watching her. Assessing her and making her feel like she is losing her mind. You can literally feel the intensity of the paranoia comes across loud and clear. It had me, a few times, turn around and check no one was behind me. Finding the biography penned in Verity’s own hand had me curious and fearful for Lowen on so many occasions. I never did feel like Lowen wasn’t reading the situation correctly so I always had a feeling what was happening really the truth.
Lowen’s feelings of inadequacy and jealousy ring authentically throughout the whole novel. The pace is well set and my jaw dropped so many times from the twists even I didn’t see coming!
My biggest grievances? There is never any real explanations about Jeremy. I have a million questions and this book has left me with nowhere to go for answers. This was the one pitfall for me, unless there is going to be a second book, which from my understanding, there will not be. I have an underlying feeling that he isn’t who he pretends to be but I also don’t think he’s the person that Verity wrote about either. They both lost 2 children, twin girls, it’s apparent he has a lot of suppressed angry and sadness that he has yet to deal with, especially after Verity’s accident. I felt his character could have had more built in. I really would have like to know if my theories on him were correct. The whole crux of the story, seems to hinge on what happened to their daughter at the lake. Having been presented with two scenarios and no actual conclusion, seems to invite more questions than it answered.
Lowen really had me sympathizing with her and rooting her until pretty much the very end. I felt she was well written and I felt certain camaraderie with her! She was relatable, quirky and not your usual protagonist. The ending was where I started to question who she was! She seemed content, armed with the new information she got, to just ignore the revelations in black and white and go on her merry way! That does not jibe with the woman, I felt I had gotten to know through the entire book. I didn’t feel she had any misgivings after her discovery and any woman, in her right mind, would have some.
Verity was a very interesting piece of a very complex pie for me. I thirsted to know more and yet, wouldn’t want to be left in a room alone with her. I began to fear her. Irrational fears too! Which version was the truth? That was the biggest crux for me and I’m guessing that is exactly what the author wanted but it left me feeling a little short changed. I get the concept of leaving it to the readers interpretation to decipher what was true and what wasn’t, as a place to get people discussing the book but it actually angered me a little. Clever trick by the author or an oversight? I don’t feel lead in any direction as each scenario is plausible but also neither can be the complete truth in my opinion.
If you enjoy thrillers with romance, deceit and jaw dropping twists then I highly recommend Verity. My heart still palpitates when I see the cover of the book and while I loathed the open ended conclusion, I still give this book a star rating of 5/5.
Sincerely, The Lioness
I just finished Sophie was here by Kathryn Croft and here are my thoughts. When Emmy’s boyfriend Charlie’s Parents want to give the family home to the couple, they move to the country which is something they both needed but what Emmy doesn’t expect to find is a mystery. Of what happened to Charlie’s girlfriend when he was a teen. When Emmy asks him about it, he turns cold… That’s not even the worst part.. When she goes down into the spooky basement.. There’s a message.. Sophie was here…. I love twisty turny psychological thrillers and this one was epic. Just when I thought I knew what was going on… BOOM! I was on a new path. It was great. I didn’t like any of the characters, they were a tad unlikable and Emmy was dramatic but I think that helped me to be more concerned about what happened to Sophie than the danger Emmy might have been in. I loved it. The audiobook was absolutely atmospheric! Pacing could have been a bit better but dang.. I was hooked from page one! 4.5 stars Thank you @netgalley and @bookouture for my gifted copy You can find your copy here https://amzn.to/4mGy6GD You can find all my reviews at thelionessofliteracy.com And my podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/5kKN96RNPNh4uNDZzpIE1A My store is bookaloriandesigns.com and no tariffs!!! #bookish #sophiewashere #netgalley #audiobookstagram #audiobooklover #bookalorian #booksbooksbooks #bookouture #alc #arcbooks #arcreader #arcreview #literaryinfluencer
I just finished Don’t Watch Alone by Elisa Daniels and here are my thoughts. What would you do if someone you don’t know tells you not to go to the movies with your friends… Stalks you… You take their power away and go anyway.. That was Blaize’s first mistake… Now she and her friends are in danger, trapped inside the mall after watching a horror movie. Trapped in their own version of a slasher movie not everyone is going to make it to the end.. Not sticking together was the 2nd… I have a real love for the 80s and slasher movies are my bread and butter so finding this book was so very exciting for me. Let’s start with Blaize. She was the epitome of a young adult living the life back then. She was realistic and raw and I loved that! I thought the lead up to them being trapped in the mall was a tad slow and each POV was Blaize’s and was like why do we need to keep being told who’s POV it was…. Well it made sense when we got to the carnage. I like the banter between all the friends and that made me nostalgic for the 80s, so much so I went on an 80s movie bender. I am so glad the book wrapped up and tied off all the loose ends at the end. The one thing I did wonder about is Andy mentioned he tried to warn Mary about the danger… Why would he warn her if she wasn’t the target? It was about the only plot hole I found because I didn’t feel satisfied by that whole part. All in all the writing was pretty good! Definitely would be interested to see what else this author has coming out in the future. 4 stars Thank you @mysterythrillerbookselisa and @booksirens for my gifted ARC copy! You can find a copy of the book here https://amzn.to/3WbCC58 You can find all mty book merch here - Bookaloriandesigns.com bookaloriandesigns.etsy.com You can find all my reviews at www.thelionessofliteracy.com You can find my podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/5kKN96RNPNh4uNDZzpIE1A #dontwatchalone #elisaddaniels #horror #slasher #thriller #80sbook #bookalorian #bookishpodcast #bookish #readervlog #reading #readstagram #bookinfluencer #literaryinfluencer #booksirens
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I just finished The 13 Power Moves of Dark Psychology by Lena Sisco and here are my thoughts! Have you ever been the victim of gaslighting? Manipulation? Deception? This book will give you the tools you need to recognize when dark psychology is being used on you and strategies to help you navigate your way through without falling prey to people looking to fool you. Protect yourself from narcissists, scammers, users and more. As someone who was married to a narcissist.. I wish I had had this book back then. It would have given me the map to being able to protect myself sooner. I love that the author has a background in intelligence and the whole book was really well laid out and was easy to follow. I felt empowered by it. I grabbed a copy to keep on my shelf but the audio book was absolutely phenomenal. Everyone deserves to be treated properly but not everyone is a good person so having the strategies you need to protect your peace! Awesome book 5 stars Thank you to @netgalley and @brilliancepublishing for my gifted ALC! You can find all my reviews at thelionessofliteracy.com And my podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/5kKN96RNPNh4uNDZzpIE1A Grab your copy here https://amzn.to/4n1pZpc #13powermovesofdarkpsychology #lenasisco #darkpsychology #bookish #bookalorian #litdulterous #bookishpodcast #bookworm #booksofinsta #bookstagramfeature #bookcommunity #bookreviews #bookblog #booksbooksbooks #readervlog
I just finished Procession by Katherena Vermette and here are my musings. I don’t read a lot of poetry books but there was something about the cover that just sucked me right in. I am really picky when it comes to poetry, I prefer having poetry read to me than reading it myself. I feel that poetry requires the author’s voice rather than mine but these poems.. They were so unique I felt I was hearing their voices if that makes sense. The poems follow what feels like a past to future unlived chronological order and it was really intriguing to say the least. They felt almost witchy in nature and I loved the tone and how it changed as the poems progressed. I loved the poems about photographs the most. They touched my soul. “faces echo familiarity names lost” This resonated with me so hard. It’s happened to me before. I found a box of photos and I remembered the faces but not the names. A fuzzy memory. The poem really hit home for me. I like the writing style and her voice is distinctive and warm. I read a few out loud to my kids and they actually listened so that was also a win. I find that poetry is personal to the reader and the writer spends their time finding commonality between them and us… It’s a rare treasure when you find a poem that sings to your soul and this one did for me. 4 stars Thank you Katherena Vermette @houseofanansi for my gifted copy of this beautiful work of poetry. You can find all my reviews at thelionessofliteracy.com And my podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/5kKN96RNPNh4uNDZzpIE1A You can find all my book merch at Bookaloriandesigns.com and bookaloriandesigns.etsy.com https://amzn.to/48wE7lE grab a copy here #procession #katherenavermette #poetry #poetrybook #booksbooksbooks #bookalorian #bookish #readersofig
I just finished The Shattered King by Charlie N Holmberg and here are my musings. Nym is a healer and the main breadwinner of her family but when the royal family brings her to the castle to heal Prince Renn, she worries about her siblings who are now left to fend for themselves. Getting home as quickly as possible is the ultimate goal but whatever is wrong with the prince is something she has never seen before but somehow she manages to do more than anyone else before her. Going home can only be achieved by fully healing the Prince but the truth of his illness is something she cannot begin to comprehend. This book does the fantasy thing a little differently… The world building isn’t the focus… I KNOW! SHOCK!!!! It’s a risky play but did it work? Well, you can’t go wrong with a story based in a castle. Pretty much the whole book is within the walls of the castle where Nym is basically a captive. It works and it works purely because the characters are well defined and interesting. I love Nym. She is a wonderful MC and her longing to go home to her family is heartfelt through the pages. Her magic is absolutely exciting and I was really drawn into the magical aspects of the book. Renn grew on me. He was just ok for me at first but I think I fell in love with him when Nym did. It was really artfully crafted because I am not a fan of slow burn romance but this hit the mark for me. The most action happened at the end of the book and I am really excited to see what happens in the next installment. The writing was quite lovely and I was lucky enough to have a hardcover and the audio version so I could immersion read and connect fully with the story. It was charming and I am a fan! 4 stars Thank you to @angelabookspr and @cnholmberg for inviting me to read this gifted book. Thank you @brilliancepublishing and @netgalley for my gifted ALC! Grab your copy here. https://amzn.to/3VbpVqA #theshatteredking #charlienholmberg #fantasy #fantasyreads #fantasybook #fantasybooklover #fantasyseries #bookalorian #bookreview #netgalley #bookcommunity #bookinfluencer #bookpodcast #bookblog
I just finished Milena and Margarete: A Love Story in Ravensbrück by Gwen Strauss and here are my thoughts. Can you imagine finding love in Ravensbruck? A concentration camp for women? During the worst world war we have ever seen? That’s what happened to Milena and Margarete. Milena was arrested by the Nazis for her part in the resistance activities in Prague and Margarete was traded to the Germans from the Russian because of her political views. They fell in love when they were held together. Loving each other could have meant the end of their lives but that didn’t stop them and this book gives you a fascinating glimpse of 2 incredible women during a time of serious unrest and danger. I really got sucked into this book. It was truly wonderful to read about two awe inspiring women and their ability to endure horrific circumstances while loving each other so passionately was moving in the most beautiful way. It was well researched. I love books that weave a real story in a really entertaining way. The writing was amazing and I am so glad I was introduced to these women! 4 stars Thank you @stmartinspress for my gifted copy Grab your copy here https://amzn.to/46dO5pp #booktok #booktube #bookalorian #bookish #booklover #bookishpodcast #bookstagram #reading #litdulterous #milenaandmargarete #nonfiction #bookreview #bookrec
I just finished Total Dreamboat by Katelyn Doyle and here are my musings Hope has hit rock bottom. When her best friend invites her on an all expenses paid cruise… There she meets Felix… a grumpy chef. Things start to bloom on the boat but when Felix sees the posts Hope’s friend added to social media… He is furious. What they don’t expect is to be stranded off the boat with no passports and stuck together… I do not like the miscommunication trope, it’s my least favorite ever…. I like that this one made sense as to why things blew up but still…. It annoys me but even with that.. I did enjoy this audio. The saving grace… The characters! I loved the development alone and together. It was really well done and the best part for me is when they are stranded and how they have to work together to get home. I thought the narration was well done and I actually thought the plot was clever… Plus the title… COME ON! That was enough to make me grab this one. 4 stars Thank you @netgalley and Macmillan Audio for my gifted copy You can find all my reviews at thelionessofliteracy.com And my podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/5kKN96RNPNh4uNDZzpIE1A Grab your copy here. https://amzn.to/3I2yroV #totaldreamboat #katelyndoyle #romanceread #romancereader #audiobook #audiobookreader #bookinfluencer #bookreviewer #booklover #bookalorian #litdulterous #lionessofliteracy #bookpodcast #bookishpodcast #bookishbusiness
I just finished Deadly Vision by T.D Severin and here are my musings. What do you do when you invent a medical breakthrough so advanced that people are willing to kill to prevent it ever coming to light? Dr Taylor Abrahms is a gifted researcher and he has created a virtual reality AI microsurgery that will change the face of surgery. When medicine becomes political, the technology is being used to scapegoat as the health system is on the verge of bankruptcy. Dr Abrahms is now under attack and the research team he works with are being killed off one by one. Can we just take a moment to appreciate how excellent the writing is in this book? ………. Wow! I was not expecting this level of scientific excellence.. I don’t know if this tech is even a real thing but this author… Made me think it might just be! It felt so real it was actually a little intimidating! The plot is really intricate and you would think with all the things going on that there would be a plot hole or two.. If there was, I didn’t find it. I am still reeling from how nerve wracking the twists were. Imagine creating something so fantastical and now you are in bloody danger… No thanks haha. It was gripping… The pace was excellent and the whole thing was tight and tidy. It was absolutely mindblowing. It was a solid thriller and I am not one who enjoys medical thrillers… Or political thrillers for that matter but if they are all written like this one… I may be eating my words. 4.5 stars and it only lost half a star for making me feel like a dumbass haha Thank you to @tdseverin for my gifted copy.. What you got coming up next? Grab your copy here https://amzn.to/46gOozI #tdseverin #deadlyvision #medicalthriller #thriller #thrillerreader #bookreview #bookreviewsofinstagram #bookreviewblog #literacyinfluencer #bookinfluencer #bookalicious #bookalorian #litdulterous
I just finished Voidwalker by S.A Maclean and here are my thoughts. Fionamara is a smuggler… She uses her powers to smuggle contraband between planes and it keeps her town afloat but when she gets caught up in a political Coup d’état, she joins forces with Antal who rules over the territory to get her city back. A revolution has begun. I am going to say one thing first.. The world building was absolutely top notch! We have the usual enemies to lovers with the MMC being an immortal who eats humans… Yeah you read that right and a FMC with powers of her own and a vicious need to protect her home. I actually thought the romance was really well done considering I am not a lover of the trope. One thing you will find in spades… Really witty and classy banter. It was epic. My biggest beef was how long it was. I felt some sections could have been trimmed down to make the book more streamline. The author repeated phrases a lot but all in all I thought the plot was really clever, even if it didn’t feel as exciting as it really could have been and I enjoyed the heck out of it. I know you might be thinking.. It’s a monster romance…Yeah I get it but it really does work here. It was pretty dark but honestly I think it is worth a go. 4 stars Thank you @orbitbooks_us @hachetteus for my gifted copy Grab your copy here!! https://amzn.to/46ft5ie #voidwalker #samaclean #romantasy #fantasy #romantasyreader #bookreview #hatchettbooks #orbitbooks #bookinfluencer #readersofig #bookalorian 1w
