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Collateral

by Ellen Hopkins (Goodreads Author)

3.85 of 5 stars 3.85 · rating details · 836 ratings · 159 reviews

The gripping story of a woman torn between love for her boyfriend, a dedicated Marine deployed to Afghanistan, and the resentment she has for the war that is tearing their lives apart.

Written in Hopkins’s stunning poetic verse style, Collateral centers on Ashley, an MFA student at San Diego State University. She grew up reading books and never dreamed she would become a mi...more

Hardcover, 512 pages

Published November 6th 2012 by Atria Books

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Oct 01, 2012 Bonnie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, adult, arcs-read, owned-arc, edelweiss-netgalley, arc-via-publisher-or-author, poetry-verse

A review copy of Collateral was kindly provided to me by Atria Books.

'Each returning soldier is an in-the-flesh memoir of war. Their chapters might vary, but similar imagery fills the pages, and the theme of every book is the same - profound change. The big question became, could I live with that kind of change?'

Alternating between the past and present, Collateral tells the story of Ashley and a marine named Cole. How they met. How they fell in love. How Ashley was transformed by Cole's deployme...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Sherry rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was the first Ellen Hopkins book I've read despite constantly ordering and purchasing her YA novels for my students and library. I've always been reluctant to try her YA novels because I perceive them as depressing and sad.

I decided to read Collateral because it was a love story. I'm a sucker for a love story and appreciate a good romance to lose myself in every once and a while.

The verse novel style made for a quick read but didn't lessen my involvement with the characters and story. My he...more

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Jun 07, 2013 Danielle (Bookwhoreblog) Perez rated it 3 of 5 stars

Review Originally Post HERE

I have been a fan of Ellen Hopkins since first reading her free-verse novel Crank. The series about her daughter's drug addiction captured me and still haunts me to this day. I drifted away from Ellen's writing once her novels became mostly about teen issues and jumped back on board as a fan with her first adult novel Triangles. Collateral even though I enjoyed it falls short of her normal gripping heart wrenching tales.

Ellen is a master in tragedy and I always know I...more

Review Originally Post HERE

I have been a fan of Ellen Hopkins since first reading her free-verse novel Crank. The series about her daughter's drug addiction captured me and still haunts me to this day. I drifted away from Ellen's writing once her novels became mostly about teen issues and jumped back on board as a fan with her first adult novel Triangles. Collateral even though I enjoyed it falls short of her normal gripping heart wrenching tales.

Ellen is a master in tragedy and I always know I can shed a few tears during her novels, so when I learned her latest novel was about a young girl and her love for a soldier I could not wait to grab my box of tissue and leap into this story. Unfortunately I just couldn't fall completely in love with this novel, or get completely lost it in either.

Ashley is a people pleasing college student who falls in love with a soldier she meets in a bar. A majority of the relationship these two lovers are in separate countries from one another, and you kind of don't really get to meet Cole accept for in flashback scenes in the book. With each flashback scene I started to hate Cole more and more. You as the reader witness Cole's demise to anger the life of being a soldier has brought him through the "rewind" scenes. Now all of this works for me I get it but where it went wrong for me was the plot, it was pretty much nonexistent.

It is more like just reading the life of this girl who's entire life revolves around the life of her soldier. I get that this is what the story is about but I kept waiting for something to happen. While something does happen it isn't exactly worth the buildup of a 500 page book. This is why this book gets 3 out of 5 from me because while I enjoyed the story it could have been stronger and not so drawn out.

In the story Ashley has a friend named Darian, I felt like Darian's story was far more powerful than Ashley’s story and had the plot this book was lacking. Only problem; Darian is just a side character with a side story. I am keeping my fingers crossed Darian's story will be her next novel.

Now like I said before I did still enjoy the story and I enjoyed Ashley as a character but I just wanted more something. It took me a pretty long time to finish this book and the only reason I made it to the end is because normally Hopkin's has powerful endings, this novel’s ending followed the same pattern as the rest of the book, it just was. You do get a bump but nothing close to the catastrophic endings I am used to as an Ellen Hopkins reader. Normally I finish her books and walk away tearful hungry for more, this time I was just happy for an ending.
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May 09, 2013 Erica Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: addiction-to-fiction

This book was an emotional struggle to read.

Ashley loves Cole. Cole is a Marine- the type Ashley swore she would never go out with. But how can she ignore his golden eyes, sweet poetry and the fact he is the most sensual/sexual person she has ever been with?

Soon, Cole must go off to war in Iraq and Afghanistan and slowly…little by little, a piece of who he is to her chips away. Hopkins does a beautiful job having Ashley’s voice within the pages and Cole’s poetry scattered throughout. In defense...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I commend military wives. Of those in my family or ones I know, I don't think I tell them this enough. I've always admired their strength, but seeing their lives up-close it has also taught me that you don't always choose who you love. I've told myself time and time again that I could never be a military wife, but I'm sure some of those wives said the same thing...at least that is what Ashley always thought until she met Cole.

Ashley and Cole are very dynamic characters. In Collateral you follow...more I commend military wives. Of those in my family or ones I know, I don't think I tell them this enough. I've always admired their strength, but seeing their lives up-close it has also taught me that you don't always choose who you love. I've told myself time and time again that I could never be a military wife, but I'm sure some of those wives said the same thing...at least that is what Ashley always thought until she met Cole.

Ashley and Cole are very dynamic characters. In Collateral you follow bits and pieces of their lives over five years and four deployments. As mush as anyone grows and changes in five years, Ashley and Cole are not the same people; time has changed them, war has changed them. At times I loved both of these characters and at times I couldn't stand either of them. First I really liked Cole. He was sweet, sensitive and swept Ashley off her feet. Who would not fall for a rugged marine who writes poetry...and good poetry at that? But alas as I mentioned before, he changes. This was quite an unexpected surprise for me...and not a good one.

The story is told switching between present day and flash backs of Ashley and Cole's relationship. Since I listened to the audio this tripped me up a couple of times, but I soon got used it and went with the flow. It was interesting to see where their relationship started started and where they are now, but not necessarily in that order. This style of switching between present and past helped explain more about their relationship than I think I would have gotten if it was told chronologically.

As for the audio part of this book, Rebekkah Ross is becoming one of my favorite narrators. She brought the characters to life for me and gave me sympathy for them at times when I didn't think I had any left. The main plot of Collateral is examining Ashley and Cole's relationship; it's success and struggles. I think that by listening to the audio I was kept more engaged than I would have been by reading the book. Hearing Ashley's story made it more personal by connecting a voice to the words and therefore made me more invested.

Collateral is a very captivating read, but one that deals with some serious issues. At times it was very difficult to read, but definitely worth it.
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Dec 28, 2012 Kaci rated it 2 of 5 stars

As someone who has lived a non-fiction version of this story, I can say that the fiction version falls short. This book would be best read by someone with no ties to the military, because those that do have ties will find that the story is incredibly inaccurate – even if it is fiction.

The story revolves around Ashley, a grad student, who falls in love with Cole, an active duty Marine. The book is written from both the viewpoint of Ashley and Cole but overall Cole’s voice is lacking. We mainly se...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Soobee72 rated it 2 of 5 stars

Hopkins apparently always writes in free verse. Collateral is about the relationship between Ashley, a grad student who falls in love with Cole, an active duty Marine serving in Afghanistan.

For me, this book fails on all levels. It's not a terribly good book of poetry (although it's not awful either), and it's not a terribly good novel. It's not that poetry cannot tell a story, and even here the poetry does tell a lot.

The problem for me is that it all felt very shallow to me, largely because the...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Arlene rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, read-2012, verse, military-war

“You can’t patrol unfriendly villages without embracing paranoia. You can’t watch your battle buddies blown to bits without jonesing for revenge. You can’t take a blow to the helmet without learning to duck… Paranoia. Revenge. Bloodlust. These things turn boys into men. But what kind of men?”

As of late, I’ve found myself attracted to books that center on the recent war in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s these themes that seem to remind me about the things I tend to take for granted… our freedom, our...more “You can’t patrol unfriendly villages without embracing paranoia. You can’t watch your battle buddies blown to bits without jonesing for revenge. You can’t take a blow to the helmet without learning to duck… Paranoia. Revenge. Bloodlust. These things turn boys into men. But what kind of men?”

As of late, I’ve found myself attracted to books that center on the recent war in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s these themes that seem to remind me about the things I tend to take for granted… our freedom, our sense of security, and our ability to live our lives with little to no sense of danger, which comes at the sacrifice of our service men and women. When you combine these elements and couple it with the devastating effect war has on our troops, it calls for an emotional and gut punching experience. And that is a small snippet of what Collateral has to offer.

I have to say, I’m excited to see more authors tackling this tender subject. However, to take a bold step in giving us a glimpse into the lives of these soldiers after they come home is a courageous and awe-inspiring move. To deliver an honest portrayal that shares the pain, struggle and damaging results in such a brutal yet realistic manner leaves me breathless and contemplative for quite some time.

Collateral is a story about Ashley Patterson who is attending San Diego State University. The book takes a glimpse into her undergraduate and graduate years, while she struggles to maintain a relationship with her boyfriend Cole Gleason who is serving as a Marine. Through four deployments and countless months and weeks apart, Ashley knows one thing for certain, she loves her Marine and will wait for however long it takes to see him home and start a life with him. However, war has its harsh realities and to delude yourself that these men and women come back unscathed is ignoring a painful possibility. When Ashley slowly yet surely sees how Cole’s deployments change him as a person, she has to face the fact that the person she loved is not the same person returning home from the war.

Overall, I have to say that Ellen Hopkins’s decision to write this story in verse was an absolute brilliant move. It led for a concise, yet powerful portrayal of one girl’s struggle to hold on to the person she fell in love with and try to bring him back in some semblance of who he once was. There were moments in the story that I wanted to send Ashley a distress signal, but as life will dictate, love is blind and war destroys people on both sides of the fence.

Collateral is my first novel by Ellen Hopkins and most definitely not my last. Her ability to tap into my emotional psyche and alter my reality map left me floored with what she’s able to deliver. This book is awesome and I hope people will give it a try. I was hooked from the first passage and it held my attention and heart through the very end. Brilliant piece of work by an author that’s carved her mark on my bookshelf.

“Be smart, be safe, and if those two things fail, I’ve got your back.”(less)

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Nov 17, 2012 Denise rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3.0 out of 5 stars - free verse leaves too many important details from the story for my need as a reader.

This novel, about a college girl who falls in love with a Marine posted to active duty, seemed incomplete without the many details that develop a narrative into a full story that will ring true. As is typical of an EH book, the whole tone is actually quite depressing and the reader can feel another bad ending coming a mile away. A pet peeve of mine is that she alternates points of view and go...more

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Nov 11, 2012 FicTalk Blog rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-in-2012

Reviewed by Heather

Ashley is a graduate student. One night she meets Cole, a marine. He's passionate, caring and a hopeless romantic who writes poetry. Their relationship goes on for five years, lasting through Cole's four deployments.

Cole wants to marry Ashley, only she's never seen herself as a military wife. When Ashley meets a professor at college who shares similar interests with her, she begins to see what life may be like without worrying over war and deployments.

This books is written i...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Annette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Collateral by Ellen Hopkins really makes you think about the emotional damages to those involved in war, as well as their families. Hopkins portrays the challenges with realism and compassion.

Ashley never thought she would end up in love with a soldier, but Cole is different than she ever imagined a soldier could be. He writes poetry, and he's gentle, and kind, and they fall head over heals in love.

The story follows Ashley and Cole, as well as some other military couples as they suffer through d...more Collateral by Ellen Hopkins really makes you think about the emotional damages to those involved in war, as well as their families. Hopkins portrays the challenges with realism and compassion.

Ashley never thought she would end up in love with a soldier, but Cole is different than she ever imagined a soldier could be. He writes poetry, and he's gentle, and kind, and they fall head over heals in love.

The story follows Ashley and Cole, as well as some other military couples as they suffer through deployments and training assignments that keep them apart for months at a time. Of course Ashley wonders what it will be like when they (or if they) are together all the time. Will their love survive being together?

And while they are apart, Ashley must go through week after week of not even hearing a word from Cole. Then, sometimes she will get a quick email, or a short phone call that really doesn't tell her anything. She is attracted to another man, and wonders if all the waiting is worth it. When she and Cole do get to be together for a few days, it seems like it's mostly about the sex.

Collateral really stuck with me. I felt the frustrations of the characters. I even had a dream my husband was cheating on me while I was reading this book -- and I know it was because of the book! The emotions are real and will take your breath away.

Since I read the eARC, I'm not sure of the formatting. To me, it seemed like this book was prose with poems that were written by the characters inserted after some of the chapters. But Hopkins usually writes the entire book in verse, so I'm interested to see the final copy. Either way, her language, as usual, is lyrical and beautiful. I also had difficulty with the jumping back and forth in time -- present, future, -- all these labels -- I really had difficulty discerning the order in which things happened.

I found Collateral to be depressing. I think a lot of Hopkins' books are -- and that's kind of what you sign up for when you read one of her novels. Collateral was also kind of "Bam!!! -- ending!" Wow. I suspected something like the ending might happen, but it was so sudden, and ended abruptly after with not much tie up.

Collateral is definitely a New Adult novel. The characters are college aged. There is some descriptive sex that would make Collateral appropriate for only the most mature teens. I would recommend Collateral to fans of realistic, heartbreaking romances. Fans of Hopkins, novels in verse, and New Adult Fiction will not want to skip Collateral.(less)

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Oct 28, 2012 Kelly Hager rated it 5 of 5 stars

As with all of Ellen Hopkins' books, Collateral is a novel in verse. It's about Ashley, a young student at San Diego University. Her life is going along about like she expected until she meets Cole, who's in the Marines. They immediately hit it off (and have seriously intense sex) and manage to stay together through four deployments. Now Cole wants to get married and Ashley loves him but she also has met this other guy, someone with a similar background and could give her a life outside of the m...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Paula Phillips rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I saw Collateral was available for review, I knew I just had to grab it as I have read all of Ellen Hopkins Teenage books and have her latest two books Triangles and Tilt sitting on my Ipad to read, along with her earlier books which I purchased as I just love her work. I first fell in love with Ellen Hopkins books about three or four years ago when I picked up Impulse to read. I loved the way she used poetry to tell a story and the way Ellen targeted those edgy topics which as the years ha...more When I saw Collateral was available for review, I knew I just had to grab it as I have read all of Ellen Hopkins Teenage books and have her latest two books Triangles and Tilt sitting on my Ipad to read, along with her earlier books which I purchased as I just love her work. I first fell in love with Ellen Hopkins books about three or four years ago when I picked up Impulse to read. I loved the way she used poetry to tell a story and the way Ellen targeted those edgy topics which as the years have passed by , I have come to love reading about. One thing that I have to say to readers is do not be discouraged by the size of her books as once you get started on them, you won't be able to put down as Collateral was over 500pgs long.
Over the past few years, Ellen has decided to move from writing Teen fiction and into adult books as it shows through her newest release Collateral.
Ever wondered what life is like for those who are Army/Marine Wives ? What happens when you only see your boyfriend every once in a while ? What is life really like for those ? Would you have chosen a life like this, if you had to re-do it ?
Collateral tells the story of two best friends Ashley and Darian , one night whilst out on the town the pair of them meet a pair of Marines. The pairs click and soon Ashley and Darian are living the life of a Marine girlfriend/wife. Darian ended up married to Spence and living on the base whereas Ashley remained Cole's girlfriend. The book details over five years from the time the pairs meet their boyfriends to the final points of their relationships and the next steps.
Five years on , Darian is married to Spence and it seems she has been having numerous affairs. Now she has fallen head over heels with a fellow Army Husband whose wife is in the AirForce part. Is Darian ready to leave her husband for Kenny ? What will happen when Spence is in a terrible accident , will Darian decide to stay or will she leave in the end ? Find out what happens when you are faced with a decision that would ultimately change your life ?
Ashley , has been dating Cole and now five years later he has proposed . But, as time goes by is Ashley ready to commit to Cole and be a Marine wife ? Is Cole , really the man she wants to be with for the rest of her life and will Cole ever choose her over his career in the marines ? What will happen when Ashley is given the choice and attention of a civilian by the name of Jonah ? Will she find peace, love and happiness with Jonah or will she realise that her heart will always belong to Cole , no matter where in the world he is ?
Collateral , completely told in poetry form is an amazing and touching tale of what life can be like for the Marine/Army etc wives and what being in War can do to both parties and how it can affect lives for the better and for the worst.
A story that if you have read Nicholas Spark's The Lucky One or any of Ellen Hopkins previous books you will definitely enjoy and appreciate her wonderful writings(less)

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Dec 31, 2012 Lydia Presley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, chick-stuff, contemporary, fiction

Collateral is the first book I've read by Ellen Hopkins and I approached it with hopeful optimism - mostly because I had heard that it was written in free verse style and, after having immersed myself in poetry this year, I thought it would be fun to try something like this.

At first the story really worked for me. It was the same story told a hundred times over - girl meets boy, boy is charming/cute/wonderful/strong/respectful/perfect, boy is in the military and is taken away from girl, etc... A...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Carol Wilcox rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction

I want to read more YA this year, so I am more prepared to recommend books to our seventh and eighth graders. I picked up COLLATERAL in the "Featured" section at the library, thinking that it would be YA, because that's what Ellen Hopkins usually writes. It's actually considered an adult novel, although I think the true audience would be young women from 16 up.

COLLATERAL, a novel in verse, is told by Ashley, a college student who falls in love with a soldier. The novel traces their lives over t...more

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Sep 10, 2012 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, swapped

I really liked Ellen Hopkins' novel in verse Triangles (I stayed up all night reading it), so I was eager to read her latest work, Collateral. However, this story didn't grab hold of me like the story in Triangles.

Told in alternating past and present time, Collateral is the story of the relationship between Ashley, a grad student at San Diego State, and Cole, a United States Marine. Theirs is a passionate relationship, but also a volatile one. The story spans 5 years, with Cole being deployed to...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Tina Rae rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Ellen Hopkins fans

Recommended to Tina Rae by: Elizabeth

Well, I actually had mixed feelings about this book so I think I'll review it in two parts. Part one being the overall military history and part two being the actual plot revolving around Ashley.

Okay, part one:

I LOVED learning about military history and things like that. I loved Ellen's little intro explaining how much research she'd done and how much of it was real. I loved that. It was well written and well researched and just all around amazing.

Finishing the novel, I feel like I've really had...more Well, I actually had mixed feelings about this book so I think I'll review it in two parts. Part one being the overall military history and part two being the actual plot revolving around Ashley.

Okay, part one:

I LOVED learning about military history and things like that. I loved Ellen's little intro explaining how much research she'd done and how much of it was real. I loved that. It was well written and well researched and just all around amazing.

Finishing the novel, I feel like I've really had a glimpse into that world --- one that I might not have had otherwise. No one in my family is in the military. I know a few friends but we lost contact after high school so I really have no experience with that world. Learning about it through this novel was phenominal. I really, really appeciate books like this that do all for the learning of those who might never have the same kind of experiences as told my those in this novel.

But as for part two:

I really am not entirely sure just how I feel about the actual plotline. The whole Ashley/Cole/Jonah triangle, well, I don't know. Let me back up. I honestly really didn't like Cole from the beginning. To inaccurately quote Taylor Swift, he seemed like trouble the moment he walked in the door. And I really was never all that fond of him or their relationship. To me, they never really seemed like they fit.

On the other hand, I LOVED Jonah the moment he first appeared in the book. (And I honestly feel like the flap on the book HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS STORY WHATSOEVER. Because rereading it now, well, it doesn't seem like it actually fits with the book. I thought she just met A professor, not HER POETRY PROFESSOR. So, uh, needed information there, haha.) And I loved her relationship with Jonah but I felt like it was slow moving. If, according to the book flap, that was a huge part of the story, why did it take so long to get into?

(view spoiler)

Overall, though, I really did enjoy this book. At least, the military parts. And Darian/Spence things. I wasn't too wild about the main characters or their stories. But I will say this is definitely up there on the list of my favorite Ellen books. And I LOVED the poetry scattered throughout. So beautiful. (less)

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Sep 27, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's not fair to compare a writer's own works against her previous ones. Without knowing the author's previous work, I would still give this one 4 stars. It is Hopkins's staple gritty difficult life scenarios and written in verse. Although I read the ARC form so final copy may change, the poetry was not as aesthetically pleasing as previous books.

The story is about Ashley and her ling relationship with a boy turned soldier. Told in alternating time periods that work toward one another, we are g...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: library

Well, this was the last book I needed to read before I was finished with all of Ellen's books. Ellen Hopkins has been my favorite author since I was about 13, because I love a good, juicy story. Anything that has to do with drugs, sex, alcohol, etc. I love a juicy story. But this one took a different turn, but it was still SO Ellen.

I felt like this book was even more poetic than usual. Usually, Ellen writes in verse. But in Collateral, she wrote in verse and had poems scattered throughout. It wa...more Well, this was the last book I needed to read before I was finished with all of Ellen's books. Ellen Hopkins has been my favorite author since I was about 13, because I love a good, juicy story. Anything that has to do with drugs, sex, alcohol, etc. I love a juicy story. But this one took a different turn, but it was still SO Ellen.

I felt like this book was even more poetic than usual. Usually, Ellen writes in verse. But in Collateral, she wrote in verse and had poems scattered throughout. It was really quite beautiful. And the book was so unlike something I would think Ellen would write. The book deals with being the wife/girlfriend of someone in the military. Yes, there was all of her classic graphic sex scenes, cuss words throughout, and Ellen's description of smells that she always has. (I know that sounds weird, but every single one of her books, she describes gross smells - breath that smells, dying bodies that smell, meth sweat, etc.) This time instead of going back in forth between characters, she keeps one main character and goes back and forth between present and past, and I LOVED this. Because you got to keep up with the story going on, but also got a background on how Cole and Ashley met and how their love developed.

Usually, I feel like Ellen's book are love at first sight. Someone will see someone and decide they love them which slightly gets on my nerves, but I love love so I'm okay with it. In Collateral, she really let the love between Ashley and Cole develop, and I really liked that. She didn't hop in bed with him right away, and I felt that was a different, positive change for Hopkins. (But don't get me wrong, I love the juice in what she usually does :])

I felt Ellen really did her research for Collateral. I learned a lot about the war while reading this. It gave facts about things and really showed what being in the military can do to somebody. It was a heartbreaking story really, but not necessarily the heartbreaking story by her that I'm used to, and it was a good thing. Although this story had some truth to some families, I kind of felt that it would give people the idea that this is how all military families are. And I know some military families that go through hardships but are for the most part very, very happy. (view spoiler)

The book was VERY good and overall a fantastic, unforgettable read. I really recommend it to any Ellen Hopkins' fans, military families who want a take on how other families are dealing, and anybody just looking for a well written, beautifully poetic, and fast paced read.(less)

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Jan 21, 2013 Teresa Marie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, adult-fiction, contemporary

Collateral is the second adult novel by Ellen Hopkins. It's written in verse, just like her other novels. This is the second novel I've read of hers. The first one I read was Triangles. This story was so good. It's about being in a relationship with Marines and what you go through while your spouse is away. The main character Ashley has to deal with this when she meets a marine named Cole. They fall in love and this story deals with the struggles that they go through to keep their relationship g...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, abusive-relationship, edelweiss

Collateral was about a woman in a relationship with a soldier. It is told in Ellen Hopkins signature verse style. It was the first adult book I've read by her and I had mixed feelings.

On one hand, I can't exactly fault her writing style. It is effective and I love how you are exposed to all the feelings of the main character. On the other hand, I found myself slightly annoyed by the verse style at times. I just felt like there wasn't enough actual style to it. I don't mind when poems don't rhyme...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Danie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 100-in-2012, arc, contemporary, family-drama, own-paperback, own, signed

Ellen Hopkins hosted a contest a while back for photos of military families. I sent one in of Mike and I, just for the heck of it. I didn't think I'd be one of the winners, but when she contacted me via email, I was so excited. I love Ellen Hopkins. I've read every one of her books, with the exception of Triangles. I'm a huge fan of her writing style.

Collateral is the story of Ashley, a 20-something year old woman who meets a Marine named Cole and falls in love with him. She is a bit apprehensi...more Ellen Hopkins hosted a contest a while back for photos of military families. I sent one in of Mike and I, just for the heck of it. I didn't think I'd be one of the winners, but when she contacted me via email, I was so excited. I love Ellen Hopkins. I've read every one of her books, with the exception of Triangles. I'm a huge fan of her writing style.

Collateral is the story of Ashley, a 20-something year old woman who meets a Marine named Cole and falls in love with him. She is a bit apprehensive at first, but eventually falls head over heels in love with him. She sticks by his side through everything, including multiple deployments. Eventually though, she starts to re-evaluate her relationship with Cole when she realizes just how hard being a military wife/girlfriend can be.

Have you seen those memes that say "NAILED IT!" on them? There needs to be one of those for Collateral. It was so bizarre reading the words that I've been saying since Mike joined the military. I remember when he first left, and not hearing from him for weeks at a time. It was scary, it was upsetting, and it was so hard to explain the rollercoaster of emotions to people who hadn't personally dealt with it. I always said that unless you've lived the military lifestyle, you can't even begin to understand how hard it is. Ellen Hopkins proved me wrong with Collateral.

Ashley and Cole's story is filled with ups and downs, just like any real relationship. On top of the normal struggles of being young and in love, they're dealing with long-distance. On top of that, they're dealing with the military.

The characters in Collateral were all supremely realistic. I know women like Ashley's friends, who assume that because they're husband/boyfriend is gone, they can flirt with other men. I was furious at the way Derian treated Spencer, but I know it happens.

And Cole. Cole, Cole, Cole. My heart broke along with Ashley's by the end of the book. What an ass.

It was so great to read a book that recognized the struggle that those left behind by military members face. I can't compare what I've gone through to those overseas, and I'm not going to try. But I loved that for once there was a character in Ashley that I could identify with. Someone who I could say "YES! I know exactly how that feels!"

Ellen Hopkins created an amazing novel with Collateral. I think this has been one of my favorite books written by her to date.

More reviews can be found on my blog, Booktacular (less)

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Feb 03, 2013 Taylor Hardesty rated it 5 of 5 stars

Collateral is about a young girl named Ashley that graduated from San Diego State University. She never imagined life being a military wife. She ended up meeting a good looking Marine named Cole. He was a very romantic person. Their relationship at first was very questionable but then it evolved into a deeply felt, sexually charged love affair. Cole wants to marry Ashley but she has different ideas. At first she was head over heels for Cole even though she knew life was going to be difficult wi...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Sherri-dawn rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am an avid fan of Ellen's books, and so I entered her photo contest to possibly get a copy of this, entering photos of my brother-in-law. I've only seen a glimpse of the military spouse lifestyle, while staying with my sister.

From page 1, I was hooked to this book. Ashley flip flops us between the present and various events of the past, with other poems sandwiched between. The emotions flow across the pages as she experiences the life of a military lover. Ashley's POV was beautifully told, eve...more

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May 27, 2013 Chasity rated it 5 of 5 stars

‘Collateral’ was Ellen Hopkins second book in her adult series and oh my goodness was it fantastic.
Cole is a marine and Ashley is a college student who wants to be a social worker. They are in love but can their love survive the war?
‘Collateral’ was a bombshell of a novel. It was a hard hitting, dramatic, tear down your heart strings, action packed, page turner.
I loved this book, I have many members of my family who have served this country in the military so this book really hit home for me.
Th...more ‘Collateral’ was Ellen Hopkins second book in her adult series and oh my goodness was it fantastic.
Cole is a marine and Ashley is a college student who wants to be a social worker. They are in love but can their love survive the war?
‘Collateral’ was a bombshell of a novel. It was a hard hitting, dramatic, tear down your heart strings, action packed, page turner.
I loved this book, I have many members of my family who have served this country in the military so this book really hit home for me.
This book discusses what these soldiers really go through. Nightmares, post-traumatic stress disorder, paranoia, substance abuse, you name it, soldiers suffer from it, they come back and they have nothing. They don’t have the jobs they were promised or the homes they had when they left.
Denial is a wide spread disease in this country, war is real, everyone realizes this fact but not many people realize the fact of what war really is and what it does to the soldiers.
Ironically the day after I finished ‘Collateral’ a marine showed up on my doorstep. He was doing a program for wounded soldiers. His story broke my heart, 23 years old, he was shot, lost his hearing in one ear, and had lost all of his memories from his junior year in high school back do to a blast that sent him flying, leaving a piece of remnant in his head. He also suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. The horrible things he went through to serve his country and now the government won’t even pay for their tuition to go to school. It just breaks my heart.

Every time you see a soldier you should always give him or her, your thanks. A simple ‘Thank you for your service,’ will not cost you anything but it may have cost them more than you can ever understand so please just do this one simple thing, it is your civilian duty as far as I am concerned.

Everyone should really read this book, it is a big eye opener for many and it is beautifully written. I highly, highly recommend it.

This book really captured it. It was a truly amazing book, written brilliantly.
Ashley and Cole’s story was a really tragic one and sadly it happens around the world every day. A soldier returns home broken beyond repair.
A soldier sent back to his wife and children and a coffin never getting to say goodbye,
A mother getting nothing but her daughter’s dog tags, always wondering if there is a possibility that she somehow survived, when there were no remains.
A soldier losing her limbs before she is even 25 and can truly even begin her life.

That is war. War is ugly. War is real. War is and always will be Satan’s favorite form of entertainment,
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Nov 27, 2012 Jessica Price added it

I just have to jump right in and say OH MY GOD. The ending of Collateral was absolutely insane. Totally unexpected; I felt like I had been hit by a train. And I'm so glad that it happened! I was already disappointed thinking to myself about the way I thought it was going to end. Well Ellen Hopkins, you got me again! This is why we, your fans, love you.
I didn't know how I was going to react to this book at first because I knew it revolved around the military and marine subject matter. But of cour...more

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Jun 11, 2013 Alicia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 25-books-in-2013

I was so excited when I stumbled across this book in the library and it wasn't a young adult book...I had no idea Hopkins wrote adult books. I read it through almost in one sitting. I loved the story line and was on the edge of my seat throughout the last 150 pages. What was going to happen to Ashley and Cole?!

Well...the ending was a good one, but the climax...lasted for about half a page. Not to mention it was during the last 4 pages of the book. Hopkins really could've cut out some of the mid...more

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Dec 27, 2012 The Sweet Bookshelf rated it 3 of 5 stars

This isn't something I normally read but I wanted to try something new and see what I thought. This is what I imagine life of a military spouse is actually like. It is heart breaking. I don't think I could do it. Not ever. Not even in the name of love.

The narrator felt real. I felt like Ashley was actually talking to me and telling me her story. And I hated it. I wanted so much for things to work out. I wanted so much for things to not be so hard. I wanted her to move on and make something of he...more

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Nov 30, 2012 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Not my favorite book, not my favorite by Hopkins but I still really enjoyed reading this. the emotions were strong, as I have come to notice with this author's work. I loved the twists and the foreshadowing, but the ending wasn't what I hoped yet at the same time it was. A very touching story that opened my eyes to some things and even brought back a time in my life I wish I could forget because of similarities between what my life used to be like and the characters in this book. I think part of...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Michael rated it 1 of 5 stars

Doing a novel once in free verse was inspired (read Triangles). Doing it twice is just lazy. It just gives the illusion of a thick book with very little insights and a lot of empty spaces. The author claims it is not a "romance novel" but the cover shows a woman and a soldier and the blurb reads "about a young woman torn between passionate first love and the gripping realities of war". I am sorry. Raw tuna may be sashimi but it was still fish. Easy read for the facebook/twitter generation but sh...more

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About Ellen Hopkins

Ellen Hopkins is the New York Times bestselling author of Crank, Burned, Impulse, Glass, Identical, Tricks, Fallout, Perfect, Triangles, Tilt, and Collateral. She lives in Carson City, Nevada, with her husband and son. Hopkin's Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest pages get thousands of hits from teens who claim Hopkins is the "only one who understands me", and she can be visited at ellenhopkin...more

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“Think long and hard before offering your heart to someone who can only accept it part-time” — 5 people liked it

“Love without trust is nothing more than infatuation.” — 5 people liked it

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