“Not everyone gets a happily ever after. Life is real and sometimes it's ugly and you just have to learn how to cope.” -Hopeless by Colleen Hoover. From the moment I saw Hopeless on the library’s bookshelf, I was immediately attracted to the book. Towards the end of it I realized how good it really was, I realized that I wanted to protect it and keep it for myself. I just couldn't get enough of it the entire time I was reading it. Hopeless is one of the most memorable books that I have ever read. This book became so memorable to me because it was addictive, it had all of the characteristics of a good book, it was very complex, and it was a romance turned into a mystery. 

The first thing about Hopeless that made it memorable was it being addictive. I'm not a fast reader, but I read this book in 3 days, which for me is saying something. I don't often read books that fast, but the fact that I read Hopeless in 3 days makes it a book to remember. It's interesting most of the way through. The writing itself has a way of pulling the reader in to keep turning pages and to continue reading; it might be the way that Hopeless makes the reader guess by the way that it leaves them on the edge of their seat. Whenever I wasn't reading, all I wanted to do was read more. One of the things that makes Hopeless addictive, and the next best thing about it, is the “good book characteristics” it has.

To me, the characteristics of a good book are plot, theme, conflict, and point of view. I thought the characters in this book were very well-developed. They all had personality and they all added a piece of something to the book. The plot of Hopeless was amazing. From beginning to end, nearly every detail meant something toward the end of the story. I don't know much about themes and have a hard time identifying them; however, the theme was very well put together. The conflict in the book was very well put together as well. Whether that was character vs character or character vs self, the conflict was evident and good in the book. Hopeless is written entirely from Sky's point of view, but some scenes are written as flashbacks or dreams from her past. The times that were written from her past were really important towards the end of the book. It's especially important when trying to understand the complexion of the book itself.

The next thing about Hopeless that made it memorable was that it was sort of hard to understand. Initially first reading over certain parts, I might not have thought anything of it. As the book progressed, things that were initially in the first part of the book became deeper and more complex. When reading Hopeless, I had to go back and reread some pages of the book because I didn't understand what was going on. Specifically, I thought the parts written as flashbacks were very confusing; they were especially confusing because they weren't always one-hundred percent clear. As I kept reading, I started to understand more, but during that time, I thought there were a lot of missing pieces. Though all of the missing pieces are put together in the end. Parts of the book leave me to believe that Hopeless is a mystery as well as a romance. Part of that thought is because of how complex and hard to understand it was. 

At the beginning of the book, it was set up like any other romance. As the plot builds the mystery also builds. It couldn't have been labeled as a mystery because the majority of it was romance. However, the common themes of Hopeless are the impacts of sexual abuse, the destructive effects of secrets and lies, and the powerful dynamics first love; therefore, the book includes both romance and mystery. Hopeless begins like any usual romance would; for example, a girl meets a boy she has never met, he annoys her, they meet more than once, and so on. Though, as the book goes on, some of those statements become proved wrong. Sky starts learning things about her past that she didn't before, she remembers things that were blocked from her memory before. I personally thought that those things made the book seem mysterious.

I will probably remember Hopeless by Colleen Hoover forever, and I want other readers to feel the same. Hopeless could make any reader addicted, it had all of the characteristics of a good book, it was very complex, and it was a romance with a bit of mystery. Initially, I felt a connection to Hopeless that never faltered during or even after I read the book. Personally, the complexity of the plot alone made me love it even more. The trauma and suffering along with the pleasant things that occurred added to the memorable feeling towards the book as well. The book itself says “Not everyone gets a happily ever after. Life is real and sometimes it's ugly and you just have to learn how to cope.” I believe that quote alone summarizes the entire book and the reasons why other people should read it.