Love to binge CoHo books? This guide to the Colleen Hoover Slammed series of modern Young Adult romance fiction books tells you everything you need to know before you dive in and/or read your next novel in the forbidden romance debut series by the #1 New York Times bestselling author.
Get answers to frequently asked questions about the series Slammed by Colleen Hoover, preceded by a quick summary and review of the storyline and characters in each of the three books in the series (by my long-time friend and part-time freelance writer, who read the full series and wrote the first draft of this post) and characters in each of the three books in the trilogy). Lastly, get a printable PDF of all Colleen Hoover books so you can track your reading.
But first, here’s an unofficial (fan-made) book trailer to give you a more visual idea of what the book is about:
(If you’re shopping for a present, this book series is a great gift for fans of Colleen Hoover.)
Colleen Hoover Slammed Series Order
What order does the Slammed series go in?
These three books comprise the Colleen Hoover Slammed series in order:
- Slammed (2012)
- Point of Retreat (2012)
- This Girl (2013)
The age rating for the Slammed series is Young Adults aged 14 and over.
Colleen Hoover Slammed Series Details
Below are quick summaries and reviews of each book in the Slammed series, keeping everything as spoiler-free as possible. (However, please note, that with series that follow a chronological storyline, there are always necessarily some spoilers. This is especially true for the summary and review of the third book, since it concludes the series.)
Slammed (Slammed Series Book 1 of 3)
“I got schooled this year
by
a
boy.
A boy that I’m seriously, deeply, madly, incredibly, and undeniably in love with.
And he taught me the most important thing of all…
To put the emphasis
On life .”
- Trigger Warnings: terminal illness, death from terminal illness
- Tropes: forbidden romance
- Spice Level: 0.5 out of 5
Plot Summary
Slammed is the first of three books in the Slammed series by Colleen Hoover, as well as her debut novel.
It follows Layken Cohen, an 18-year-old high school senior whose life is uprooted when her father unexpectedly passes away and her mother moves her and her younger brother Kel, from Texas to Michigan.
Layken meets her new neighbor Will Cooper, a handsome boy slightly older than she, raising his younger brother Caulter, and the two have a whirlwind spontaneous first date to a poetry slam. They immediately have a connection and are both a bit stunned by their sudden intense feelings for one another.
What seems to be too good to be true indeed is. When Layken walks into school on her first day, her poetry elective teacher is none other than Will, who teaches students about his passion for poetry slams.
The questions are what will become of their now forbidden love and how to cope with difficult situations in life through the art of slam poetry.
Book Review
Slammed was a fantastic debut novel by Colleen Hoover and one that I was not expecting to be as good as it was. I finished this in two days and hung on every word!
While Hoover could have described the character’s physical appearances better, the character development overall was beautiful from the two main characters down to the supporting characters. Hoover consistently does an exquisite job describing their personalities, thoughts, and feelings. The reader can really feel these people’s struggles.
There was a particular scene where Will pulled his car over because he was angry. I felt that scene and I felt his feelings right through me.
Further, the raw emotion that accompanies the heartfelt discussions surrounding the terminal illness and death at the forefront of this novel is beautiful and palpable. Hoover truly has a gift for feeling something and passing that feeling right along to the reader.
I also liked that this book discussed and included poetry — it was fascinating! Through the art of poetry and slam performances described throughout the book, the reader learns about love, loss, passion, and perseverance even when life presents the most difficult of situations.
Overall, Slammed is a great read and a book I would recommend for any reader wanting to delve into the world of Colleen Hoover. Why not begin with the book she herself began with?!
Point of Retreat (Slammed Series Book 2 of 3)
“If I were a carpenter, I would build you a window to my soul. But I would leave that window shut and locked, so that every time you tried to look through it all you would see is your own reflection. You would see that my soul is a reflection of you.”
- Trigger Warnings: pregnancy, automobile accident
- Spice Level: 0.5 out of 5
Point of Retreat is the second installment in the Slammed trilogy, picking up one year later, as the story of Layken and Will continues.
A series of events leaves Layken responsible for her brother Kel. Meanwhile, Layken and Will are now in college and have classes on opposing days, rendering their potential romance unforbidden again.
On Will’s first day of class, however, he is met with a bit of a surprise when his ex-girlfriend, Vaughn, is in his class. What’s more is that she makes her romantic intentions clear, instigating a bit of a love triangle.
As the tension heats up in Layken’s and Will’s potential relationship, secrets are revealed which will make them question everything. This is the story of young love, but in a mature setting, as the characters have responsibilities and decision-making far beyond their years.
Do Layken and Will have what it takes to face their past and all of its trauma in order to save their future together?
Book Review
Point of Retreat was a fantastic book, as well as a quick, easy read. It was the perfect follow-up to Slammed and introduced some new and interesting characters.
Hoover’s character development of Layken and Will, and even the supporting characters, vastly deepened in this novel.
Readers will love that there is a twist near the end of this book that even I, a Hoover superfan who has read nearly her entire catalog, did not see coming.
And as someone with a medical background myself, I want to also note that Hoover accurately portrayed certain medical scenes in this novel, which can be seldom in print and television. Kudos!
Point of Retreat is well worth the read for fans of Colleen Hoover, as it gives a great glimpse into young love and its struggles as well as handling life’s unexpected surprises.
This Girl (Slammed Series Book 3 of 3)
“She deserves to be kissed by someone who loves her. Someone who spends every waking moment trying to do everything right by her. Someone who would rather die than see her hurt. She doesn’t deserve to be kissed by anyone other than me.”
- Trigger Warnings: none
- Spice Level: 1 out of 5
Plot Summary
This Girl concludes the Slammed series. It’s an alternative point of view to Slammed, told in flashbacks, but it should still be read third in the series because, otherwise, plot points from Point of Retreat will be spoiled.
Layken and Will have two nights in a hotel for their honeymoon and, after consummating their marriage, they spend two lazy days in the hotel talking about their long and bumpy, but worthwhile, road to one another.
The story is narrated by Will, and each chapter features both a flashback and a present-day vignette. The flashbacks are accounts of Laykin’s and Will’s prior interactions throughout their relationship. The latter part of each chapter then brings the reader back to the present day, when Layken reacts to Will’s recollections.
This Girl essentially re-tells the most meaningful interactions between these two young lovers, starting at the beginning of their relationship and ending at the current time.
Book Review
This Girl made it nice to see more of the gang and to delve into their personalities and reactions to the stories that Will told. It was also interesting to hear Will’s account of things as sometimes things were revealed that the reader was previously unaware of since Slammed was narrated by Layken.
That being said, I also felt this book was not necessary to complete the story. It essentially just retold the story of Slammed, which was a great story, but it became repetitive. Additionally, the reader already knows what’s coming, and, for me, that made it less of a classic Hoover page-turner.
Although enlightening to read, this fell a little short for me, as I felt Layken and Will are a young couple and have their entire lives ahead of them. Perhaps looking a little further into their future would have been a bit more fulfilling to close out their story.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to frequently asked the Colleen Hoover Slammed series.
Slammed is a Young Adult romance novel by Colleen Hoover about teen love bonded by a passion for slam poetry and a shocking discovery that challenges them.
No. Slammed by Colleen Hoover is the first of three books in a series. The second book is Point of Retreat and the third book is This Girl.
There are three books in the Colleen Hoover Slammed series: (1) Slammed; (2) Point of Retreat; and (3) This Girl.
Yes. There are three books in the Colleen Hoover Slammed series: (1) Slammed; (2) Point of Retreat; and (3) This Girl.
After Slammed by Colleen Hoover comes the sequel Point of Retreat, and then the final book in the trilogy, This Girl.
Yes. The three books in the Slammed series by Colleen Hoover follow a chronological plot with the same characters and so, it should be read in order to avoid spoilers.
The age rating for Slammed by Colleen Hoover is Young Adults aged 14 and over. There is some kissing but no graphic sexual content. Trigger warnings include terminal illness and death from terminal illness.
Conclusion
That’s everything you need to know about the Colleen Hoover Slammed series.
Bonus: Get your printable PDF of the list of Colleen Hoover books in order below to track your CoHo reads.
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