Title: Point of Retreat (Slammed #2)
Author: Colleen Hoover
First published: 2012
Recommended for: teens/young adults, tragedy + romance fans, poetry fans
Date Read: 1st November 2012
Rating: 4.5/5
Of course I loved this book (like I did the first one)! I love seeing the characters grow so much in this book. I love the relationships that develop between Lake and Calder and Will and Kel. I love the love that Lake and Will not only share with each other, but their brothers. They are a family. I love how this book doe explore what a family is and even though Will and Lake’s situation is unlikely, I think this questions us to think about the modern make-up of couples in today’s society. We see how people don’t agree on many views in regards to families today, especially at the dad’s breakfast when Will goes for not only Caulder (his brother), but Kel and Kiersten. I really did like how more depth was added by subtly discovering the issue of bullying. I love how Kel and Caulder stand up for Kiersten and it shows how hard it is to stand up to bullies for young kids today.
I just love the characters, and the addition of new characters, Kiersten and Sherrie was a breath of fresh air. I loved Sherrie’s ‘weirdnes’ and Kiersten’s funny and insightful little speeches. Kel, Caulder, Eddie and Gavin were also great secondary characters bringing lots more laughs and tears into the books. I also loved seeing stronger relationships develop between Eddie and Lake, Gavin and Will and Kel, Caulder and Kiersten. It was also nice to see Sherrie looking out for everyone, assuming a motherly role.
Again the novel was very well written. It’s simple, but keeps you captivated. I also like how we got to read from Will’s perspective, unlike how the first novel was from Lake’s perspective. I think this helped us understand and know more about Will and just really love him, and his sweetness!
The storyline is again fantastic. It’s realistic. The feelings of love, trust issues, exes and the like. It was of course filled with unexpected twists, only figuring them out just before it actually happens. I did find some of the storyline a bit predictable and ‘common’. (SPOILER ALERT) How one of Will’s exes is in his class, he doesn’t tell Lake, she finds out gets mad, we all know the story including the ending (SPOILER OVER). I know this is obviously just to keep the story going and keep you engaged but these characters cannot have any more bad luck! Their parents have all passed away by the end of the last book and now they nearly die? What I did think was real was the emotions they experienced and their thoughts. Not only did that seem real, but you felt something too. You felt what they were feeling, which is something Hoover has retained from the previous novel. And no, it wasn’t all sad there is actually quite a lot of humour, thanks to the supporting characters, especially Kiersten.
I really did love this book and can’t wait for the third (and hopefull 4th) novel. I love Will and Lake’s story, and all the characters and emotions really make this a pretty much perfect novel!
between the covers 