A Bookish Escape: Hopeless

Hosted by YA Bound

The Rules of Swoon Thursday:

"From the book you are currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering. Try to make the Swoon 140 characters so you can tweet it. Add the #YABOUND hashtag when you tweet."

Gr's Summary

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

That’s what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder. A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she’s never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to keep him at a distance knowing he’s nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds that Holder isn’t at all who he’s been claiming to be. When the secrets he’s been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky’s life will change forever.

How Holder made me Swoon
He places his palm over my heart, then pulls my hand to his chest over his own heart. He lowers his eyes to my level, ensuring I’m here with him, giving him my complete attention. “Fu** all the firsts, Sky. The only thing that matters to me with you are the forevers.”

I kiss him. Holy sh*t, do I kiss him. I kiss him with every ounce of emotion that’s coursing through me. He cradles my head with his hand and lowers me back to the bed, climbing on top of me. “I love you,” he says. “Ive loved you for so long but I just couldn’t tell you. It didn’t feel right letting you love me back when I was keeping so much from you.”

Tears are streaming down my cheeks again, and even though they’re the exact same tears that come from the exact same eyes, they’re completely new to me. They aren’t tears from heartache or anger...they’re tears from the incredible feeling overcoming me right now, hearing him say how much he loves me.

“I don’t think you could have picked a better time to tell me you loved me than tonight. So I’m happy you waited.”
He smiles, looking down at me with fascination. He dips his head and kisses me, infusing my mouth with the taste of him. He kisses me softly and gently, delicately sliding his mouth over mine as he unties my robe. I gasp when his hand eases inside, stroking my stomach with his fingertips. The feel of his touch on me right now is a completely different sensation than just fifteen minutes ago. It’s a sensation I want to feel.

“God, I love you, “ he says, moving his hand from my stomach and across my waist. (Nook pg. 192)

This made me "Swoon," and cry, and fill with joy all at once. What did you swoon over this week?

Hopeless

Colleen Hoover
Nook Edition, 246 pages
Published: December 26, 2012
Source: Purchased
Mature Content: 17 and Up
Disturbing Content

Goodreads Summary:

Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies…

Lindy's Thoughts:

I just finished Hopeless, by Colleen Hoover a short while ago. This book exceeded my already high expectations. After reading Colleen's other two books, Slammed and Point of Retreat, I knew that this author had a rare and beautiful talent for writing.

Her books are never easy to read, in the sense that they are never light fluffy reads. Yet, they are full of substance, life lessons, and teaching us that no matter our circumstances in life, it is important to gather strength, and courage.

Hopeless, was no different. At the beginning of the story, we learn that Sky was adopted when she was five years old, and has a very close relationship with her adopted mother Karen. We also learn about her best friend and the fact that both girls like to sneak boys into their room at night which has earned them a negative reputation. When Sky is making out with a boy, or should I say when he is making out with her, she feels nothing. She becomes numb and counts the stars on the ceiling in her bedroom.

Sky's life changes when she meets Dean Holder or just Holder as he goes by. He sparks intense feelings inside her. As the two get to know one another, they get extremely close and fall hard for each other. Little by little, Sky starts having nightmares, and remembering long forgotten/repressed memories from her childhood. Holder helps her unravel the mystery of her past, as well as cope with what she finds out. She in turn, teaches him about love, hope, strength, and new begininngs.

What I love about Colleen Hoover's writing the most, is her ability to make a story come alive in your imagination. I could picture the characters, their voices, and events that took place with great clarity. I also love how I am able to grow such deep attachments to the characters through her writing. I don't feel like I'm reading a story. I feel like I am experiencing someone else's life through their eyes. Sky and Holder became so real to me that when I experienced the depth of their pain, I had to keep saying to myself, "This is just a story, it's not real." However, the painful events made me feel so bad inside for the people that have gone through, or are currently going through, some of the events that happened to Sky and Holder.

Hopeless blew me away. It is a story that will stay with me forever. I recommend Hopeless to everyone who loves to read and appreciates a good story! I give Hopeless 5 Heart Aching Stars!

Escape in a book,

Ro's Thoughts:

My heart is torn in so many directions right now. I think everyone can relate in one way or another with Colleen Hoover's books. This one is no different. Sky and Holder are two phenomenal characters filled with angst, torment, guilt, and anger. Sky and Holder meet randomly at a grocery store. Sky notices this gorgeous looking guy with big dimples when he smiles, and she wants to melt. She is in quite a state of intrigue, wondering how she has any kind of reaction to this guy at all. She doesn't understand since she's never had any feelings towards any boys she's ever been with. Sky and her friend Six, another girl who goes against the grain, act as if they are two of a kind. In actuality, though they have bedroom windows across from each other, and share the deed of letting boys in and out of their windows at night, Six actually follows through with the acts she is damned for, while Sky does not. Sky can't reach her inner self. She can't show emotion, she doesn't feel, she won't allow herself any attachments, and she never really knows why she is the way she is.

Holder sees Sky in the grocery store and thinks he recognizes her. He approaches her, and becomes very upset when he realizes she isn't who he thinks she is. Holder has his own emotional baggage, and guilt for things that he has had no control over, but can't come to terms with in his own life. Together these two lock horns over and over again, while they are falling in love with each other without realizing what is happening.

Hopeless poses a lot of moral questions, with a lot of twists and turns. This book will have you smiling one minute, laughing another minute, and sobbing with the heart wrenching content. By the time you finish this story, you will feel like you lived this life through these two characters. Ms. Hoover will show you the horrifying time line of events, through the characters eyes, and you will be completely devastated for these two young adults, and never forget them.

I absolutely loved this book, and it left an ache in my heart. I give this book 5 heart wrenching stars.

Come Along For The Ride...

Ria's Thoughts:

Butterflying amazing.

Wow.

Just.

Wow.

Okay, so, my life has been hectic lately, and because of that I haven’t had a chance to read this amazing book... Secretly, I’ve been saving it, because I wanted to be one of the lasts to enjoy many firsts with this book. I’m not gonna beat around the bush here, Ms. Hoover is a genius. Straight.Up. GENIUS. I’m not sure how, and when it happens, but I will go from laughing out loud, seriously scaring my bf, to a slop bucket of tears, scaring my bf even more. Lol, I might be a little crazy, but I don’t care. I’m crazy about Hopeless! The story touches on an awfully dark subject. It will tear down your walls, break you down, and build you back up with hope. This book is seriously un-put-a-down-able, it will have you begging and fighting with your conscience to stay up for another chapter, until sometime between 4-5am, and then to wake with a start at 7am to continue. I love all of the characters... Even the ones that are a memory. Breckin and Six are stunning. Sky mentions karma, and boy is she ever spot on! I’m not sure how Ms. Hoover does this, maybe it's magic, or maybe its because she’s a ninja, but boy can she tug at your heart strings... This book was so “real” everything, from the angst to the sarcasm, the coping, the searching, the running, the pain, the love, the acceptance, and the forevers. All I could feel for every character was a surge of admiration, because each and every single one of them had their demons. Like i said...Real. Another thing that is real... This book will forever have a piece of my heart and soul! I’m serious, this Story.Is.That.Butterflying.Amazing.

My Fav’s

(This is where I pick 2 Characters that I love the most... Hands down Holder and Sky, but I want to take this opportunity to give honorable mention to other characters that touched me and why.)

Leslie-because without knowing it was a forever. Her love and friendship could never be forgotten.

Karen-because she proves to us what unconditional love truly is, she was there always and forever.

Six-because she knows all of the reasons why Sky is so special, even though Sky may not see them.

Breckin- because he is the best butterflying “mormon,” and exactly what Sky needs.

Jack- because he gives Karen his heart, and with that there comes hope.

(Thank you so much for all these wonderful people.)

Sky

When we first meet her, it is love at first sight. Sky is an incredible person with something wrong; when we find out what, it's heart breaking. Two things that are obviously amazing about her are her strength and capacity for love. She knows what she wants, and how she will achieve it. I never see her back down. She never judges, she listens, and she’s honest. We know right away how special she is, and it is such a gift to watch her face her demons, and destroy them. She shows us just how strong she truly is.

Holder

Hopeless... but he's so much more than meets the eye. Holder has endured so much loss and self-inflicted blame for so many years. He's blamed himself for so many things, all of which he had zero control over. The way that he inserts himself in Sky’s life, and never leaves her side is amazing! Even when he was gone from her life, he truly wasn’t. Holder was there for her, and he was never walking away again, ever. Holder mentions the word fate...wow, you can say that again. The way he looks at Sky, down to the way he touches her is beautiful. That is a bond that can only be created by fate/destiny (crying again). Without ‘knowing’ right away these two “know” they belong together. Through all of the forevers.

My Rating

5.Million Zillion Trillion, Hope~Less, Pinky holding, Stargazing, Eye watering, Beautiful Skies, 5 mile run, Trade days, Funnel cake, Filled Stars...A.MUST.READ.NOW.

RIGHT.

NOW.

GO!