Verity

Title: Verity

Author: Colleen Hoover

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Published: 2021

Obtained: Barnes & Noble

Lowen is a struggling writer who is hired to complete a famous, but incapacitated, author’s novel series. What she signs on for is more than she bargains for, however. She finds herself in a strange house, with a vacant and debilitated Verity, her husband, Jeremy, and their five year old son. As she begins to dive into the task of finishing the series, she discovers something far more sinister. It’s clear to Lowen that Verity never intended for anyone to read her autobiography, but the confessions are unsettling–particularly those about Verity’s children. Lowen must decide if showing the work to Jeremy, who she is falling for, is the right answer–while wondering if Verity is as harmless as she seems.

I had a hard time setting Verity down. I devoured it in 24 hours. I read somewhere that it was a modern day Rebecca and I definitely picked up on that vibe. But, this was far more disturbing. The tension runs rampant from the very first chapter–which was a huge plus in my book (pun intended). I love a novel that leaves you questioning everything right up until the very end, and Hoover accomplished that with Verity. I really enjoyed how she incorporated the written manuscript within the storyline and the way she made the narrator a little skeptical of what she was seeing since the secret autobiography was certainly taking a toll on her. My only complaints on this book are minor.

This book was intense! I love that about Hoover’s writing. The opening chapter sucked me in right away. And I liked that the pace didn’t stall too much; before I knew it, I felt like I was in the meaty part of the novel where Lowen is settled in that big creepy house haunted by a woman who is still alive. I appreciated that I didn’t know at first if Lowen was reliable or not, and I think there were still times throughout the whole book where you sort of question it as a reader. I had a really difficult time digesting the manuscript confessions. As a mother, it was so much more disturbing and upsetting than a lot of things I’ve read lately. I needed a strong drink to wash parts down.

The way the novel was set up was also super creative. I liked how the manuscript was woven into the rest of the story. At times I was annoyed to be going back to a chapter about Lowen when all I wanted to do was find out what this crazy Verity lady did next; but then, Hoover would reveal her next horrific confession and going back to Lowen and Jeremy was a welcomed breath of fresh air. The ending was done just right, in my opinion. It was ambiguous without leaving loose ends flying around. As a reader, I felt like I had all the necessary information, it was just a matter of deciding which version of events was the truth.

I rate this book a 4.5/5. I loved it, truly. The sex in the manuscript was an overkill–I understand that it was there to exemplify how unbalanced Verity was as a person, but I got really tired of reading about all the ways she could get her husband off. I also felt like the sleepwalking bit was underutilized; I understand that it set up an important scene, but it was underwhelming. Otherwise, I have no criticisms of this book. I suggest sipping on Conundrum, a red blend from California. It’s a strong wine at 14.6% ABV to get you through the disturbing thoughts and confessions of Verity. It’s also one of the better red wines I’ve had lately–full of flavor, potent and smooth. I’m really interested to hear opinions on Verity. Whatever you wind up believing in the end, I hope you enjoy the read!