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A review by areadinggem
Without Merit by Colleen Hoover
4.0
“Not every mistake deserves a consequence. Sometimes the only thing it deserves is forgiveness.”
I've heard bad reviews about this book but it never stopped me from reading it because I personally love [a:Colleen Hoover|5430144|Colleen Hoover|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1464032240p2/5430144.jpg] and know she would never disappoint.
I started [b:Without Merit|33280872|Without Merit|Colleen Hoover|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1506608833l/33280872._SY75_.jpg|54004492] not quite knowing what to expect, but that always is the case when reading a CoHo book. She always manages to come up with plots where nothing truly is as it seems. The book revolves around the Voss family of seven, where each individual has a secret of his or her own. Then we have Merit, the keeper of all secrets in this house. Unless there's a secret involved, Merit is quite invisible to everyone but Sagan, a boy who managed to see what she was made of from day one. As the story goes on, Merit starts uncovering more and more secrets than she can handle, soon making her want to disappear from her family's life. When her efforts to do so fail and all the secrets are finally out in the open, will Merit be able to finally fix her family or will that night be what ruins them most?
“It annoys me when people try to convince other people that their anger or stress isn’t warranted if someone else in the world is worse off than them. It’s bullshit. Your emotions and reactions are valid, Merit. Don’t let anyone tell you any different. You’re the only one who feels them.”
The book sheds the light on several important issues along the way such as depression, anxiety, family problems... Even though there wasn't much romance involved like most CoHo books, it still taught me a few lessons that I will sum up as bullet points below:
• Everyone has a story to tell filled with dark secrets, imperfections, scars...
• No family is perfect. Every family has its own share of problems and difficulties to face.
• It's okay to take the first step in the right direction or to make the initiative, no matter how hard that may seem.
• Needing help is not a weakness. No matter how strong we think we are, having another shoulder to cry on is still necessary. People need people.
• Communication is key. Any problem can be fixed if we just sit down and talk about it, sincerely.
• It's important to see things from different perspectives so we do not end up jumping into unnecessary conclusions and overthinking or stressing about it.
• Take care of your mental health. Accept the help. Do not allow yourself to live in a state of denial.
I think this perfectly sums up my thoughts on the book. I finished it in one sitting and I still enjoyed the way everything tied together. The ending was great for it showed how there always is light at the end of the tunnel. I definitely recommend [b:Without Merit|33280872|Without Merit|Colleen Hoover|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1506608833l/33280872._SY75_.jpg|54004492] if you want a quick read to enjoy.
I've heard bad reviews about this book but it never stopped me from reading it because I personally love [a:Colleen Hoover|5430144|Colleen Hoover|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1464032240p2/5430144.jpg] and know she would never disappoint.
I started [b:Without Merit|33280872|Without Merit|Colleen Hoover|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1506608833l/33280872._SY75_.jpg|54004492] not quite knowing what to expect, but that always is the case when reading a CoHo book. She always manages to come up with plots where nothing truly is as it seems. The book revolves around the Voss family of seven, where each individual has a secret of his or her own. Then we have Merit, the keeper of all secrets in this house. Unless there's a secret involved, Merit is quite invisible to everyone but Sagan, a boy who managed to see what she was made of from day one. As the story goes on, Merit starts uncovering more and more secrets than she can handle, soon making her want to disappear from her family's life. When her efforts to do so fail and all the secrets are finally out in the open, will Merit be able to finally fix her family or will that night be what ruins them most?
“It annoys me when people try to convince other people that their anger or stress isn’t warranted if someone else in the world is worse off than them. It’s bullshit. Your emotions and reactions are valid, Merit. Don’t let anyone tell you any different. You’re the only one who feels them.”
The book sheds the light on several important issues along the way such as depression, anxiety, family problems... Even though there wasn't much romance involved like most CoHo books, it still taught me a few lessons that I will sum up as bullet points below:
• Everyone has a story to tell filled with dark secrets, imperfections, scars...
• No family is perfect. Every family has its own share of problems and difficulties to face.
• It's okay to take the first step in the right direction or to make the initiative, no matter how hard that may seem.
• Needing help is not a weakness. No matter how strong we think we are, having another shoulder to cry on is still necessary. People need people.
• Communication is key. Any problem can be fixed if we just sit down and talk about it, sincerely.
• It's important to see things from different perspectives so we do not end up jumping into unnecessary conclusions and overthinking or stressing about it.
• Take care of your mental health. Accept the help. Do not allow yourself to live in a state of denial.
I think this perfectly sums up my thoughts on the book. I finished it in one sitting and I still enjoyed the way everything tied together. The ending was great for it showed how there always is light at the end of the tunnel. I definitely recommend [b:Without Merit|33280872|Without Merit|Colleen Hoover|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1506608833l/33280872._SY75_.jpg|54004492] if you want a quick read to enjoy.