Verity (June 2022) Buddy Read Discussion - Melissa & Edith, Melanie

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Welcome to the Verity Buddy Read Discussion thread! This thread officially opens on June 8th and anyone can join at any time. Please keep in mind that spoilers are allowed in this thread but only up to the group's current reading place. Do not spoil the book if you've read further than the group. Any extra days can be used to catch up!

Each day we will be reading by chapters or page numbers. Page numbers are an approximation based on the hardcover or paperback that is the default on Goodreads. The suggested Buddy Read discussion schedule is as follows:

Week of 06/06
June 8: Chapters 1-3
June 9: Chapters 4-6
June 10: Chapters 7-10
June 11: Chapters 11-13
June 12: Chapters 14-17

Week of 06/13
June 13: Chapters 18-21
June 14: Chapters 22-25

PARTICIPANTS
~ Melisa
~ Edith
~ Melanie

[Allyson]

I would also like to join this one!

[Edith, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Yes, the more the merrier! Can’t wait!

[Melissa]

wow, chapters 1-3 flew by!! what did you all think of them? I am already creeped out lol

[Edith, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Agreed, it was a fast read for me as well! (I literally just finished before you commented lol)
Okay so, my thoughts: is it weird that I’m a little disappointed with how slow the beginning is? I know the story is just setting up, but even for something that shocking to happen within the first few pages, I didn’t feel immediately engrossed into the story…unpopular opinion maybe…? Not sure if it’s Hoover’s writing style or if it’s just because I’m excited to get into the bulk of the story lol
And two: I don’t know what it is, but Jeremy in particular creeps me out. Maybe it’s because he’s as awkward as Lowen? That bathroom scene just threw me off honestly

[Melissa]

yeah, that was really weird for sure. now she's gonna go to his house? doesn't even know the guy, and his whole sad story, is there more to it? does he have anything to do with the accidents?

[Melanie]

Hi everyone. I am playing catch-up today. Just finished the first three chapters. I've only ever read one other title by Colleen Hoover, It Ends With Us, which has a totally different vibe. My niece gave Verity a 5-star rating, so I can't wait to see what she responded so favorably to.

I'm already wondering when EXACTLY Jeremy first knew who Lowen was. I mean was he following her? Was it his bad luck that caused the man to get squashed in the first place? For sure when she says her name is Lowen in the men's room -- why didn't he introduce himself then? And he seriously had time to run back to his hotel room, change his shirt, and then still ride up the elevator with her? I'm suspending my naturally suspicious mind because I just want this to be a fun page-turner. But I agree the bathroom scene was Weird and Awkward.

Now on to complete today's reading.

[Melanie]

Oh my. The last page of Chapter 3 of So Be It left me pretty stunned. I mean literally stunned at the narcissism and I’m a little nervous now about what’s coming next.

[Edith, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I just finished tonight's reading and wow. There's so much to unpack in those last 3 chapters. Melanie you were right, there's some disturbing stuff in the next part of So Be It. I couldn't stop reading it. Each page just kept getting creepier.
I remember highlighting the sentence "I had no idea what I was getting into" in my kindle because that definitely seemed fitting to Lowen' situation.

[Melissa]

oh my gosh!! that autobiography though! all the confessions. what the? wow

[Melissa]

also, the knife scene with the boy, what was that? the curtain moving? hmm

[Edith, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Melissa wrote: "also, the knife scene with the boy, what was that? the curtain moving? hmm"

Oh my gosh yes!! The whole curtain moving scene is when I started doubting if Verity really was injured. Especially because the nurse said she had turned on the tv for her but it clearly wasn’t. If I were Lowen I would run out of there at the first possible opportunity

[Melissa]

yes totally! Run far away! especially since Verity keeps doing the staring thing. obvs she is not too happy with Lowen being there

[Melanie]

I’m having anxiety reading this book. I hate that there is a little boy who obviously loves his mother enough to defend her and hang out with her all day - and I’m starting to think his mother is willing to harm him.

Is this all just a ruse so she can be doted on by her husband? Uggh!

[Edith, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Verity is psychotic. I still can't believe how much her "love"/obsession for Jeremy transcends even the most basic mother-child bonds. I feel sorry for Jeremy at this stage in the story. Here he is worrying about his children and Verity can't so much as muster empathy from any angle of her body. Chastin's scratch is more than enough proof of that :(
On a different note though, it looks like things between Lowen and Jeremy seem to be moving towards something!

[Melissa]

oh my gosh! the locks on the doors? craziness! also, why hasn't her money come in yet? soo many questions!

[Edith, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

So I finished the book today, (Could. Not. Put. It. Down.) and let me just say it was definitely an experience to go through. I’m really glad that was my first Hoover book, it was pretty great. She really had me gasping out loud at times and I was not expecting the ending to say the least.

[Melissa]

okay, I almost finished the whole thing as well today lol. now I won't feel so bad if I read ahead. I promise I won't spoil it lol. right now I'm suspicious of Jeremy, the locks though?

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I wasn't planning to read this, but seeing you guys comment about it... I'm intrigued. I only read one Colleen Hoover book and wasn't that impressed, so let's see how this goes.

Managed to read 4 chapters + the first chapter of So be it.. and, I'm intrigued by the autobiography. The chapters following Lowen aren't that interesting to me and the writing is...eh, I don't know, it's easy and fast to read, but there's something that I don't like about it. I don't know if I'm getting creep vibes from Jeremy because I already read some of your comments before starting the book or because he is giving a creep vibe.

[Edith, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

mina wrote: "I wasn't planning to read this, but seeing you guys comment about it... I'm intrigued. I only read one Colleen Hoover book and wasn't that impressed, so let's see how this goes.

Managed to read 4..."

Glad to see someone else joined! I’m on the same page as you--I wasn’t impressed with her writing either, even after finishing the book. It’s an easy read though and I agree about Lowen as well. She seems super bland to me throughout the story. Overall though I think the plot is decent enough to propel you through the book.

[Melissa]

yeah, the plot was well thought out I feel. gave me anxiety reading it lol. but so worth it imo

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I have more thougths that I'll write down when I get homw from work but... Just finished the 3rd chapter of the biography and 🤯 Verity's character is... fascinating. I can say I'm more hooked than I was last night.

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

So random bits that caught my eye to have something to say about them.

"The more time I spend in Jeremy’s presence, the more eager I am to dive back into that manuscript and get to know him even better."
yeah, that's the best way to get to know someone.. by reading about them from someone else's pov.

So getting to know Verity from the point of her autobiography is quite interesting. She's SO obsessed with him, it's not healthy, it is scary. Also the way she wrote him, because I'm not sure she's telling how things are or pulling an Amy with this autobiography, how he was the one that was charmed by the fame she'll get.. and also how he proposed to her? 😅 Makes him sound like he proposed only because he saw how famous she would be with her writing.

Now back to Lowen.. I'm feeling paranoia and I'm scared because I have no idea if Verity is faking it all or if Lowen is so unstable to let her imagination play. So even thought the writing is somehow simplistic I really appreciate how it sets a creepy atmosphere.

Her thing with Jeremy is... I'm semi cringing on one part and on the other I'm laughing how stupid it is. It's like he's some magical being for her too to be obsessed or at least starting to be obsessed with him. I get she finds him hot but the dude is married, and they are all under the same roof... although it's not like he's not doing some touching that he shouldn't. I'm referring to the part where she woke up in Verity's bed and later he consoled her.

😂 He wants to lock her, and took 1 second to say yes, thank you. These are the kinds of things that make me laugh while I read this book, the absurdity that's happening.

I planned on reading around 60-ish % of the book today, and leave the rest for tomorrow.. however, things are getting more and more interesting so I'll probably finish it today.

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I'm just cringing at all the sex happening/being mentioned. Even through I'm close to the end I still get surprised when explicit scenes appear, in my head it just doesn't go with the mystery or whatever this book is.

🤣🤣 Oh, yeah sure the door is stuck.

So, I finished it and I don't know how to feel. The first twist was honestly a bit eh, we knew it was going in that direction so it wasn't a big surprise.. however, the letter changed things and that was a good 😯 moment. That still doesn't make things clear for me where I stand with the book. The autobiography was well done. Lowen and Jeremy? A big meh.

[Melissa]

yeah I finished it as well and my favorite part is the very last paragraph. I like how she left it so that it is still a mystery. although with the son and the knife scene and a few other things I think I still side on the original storyline if that makes sense without spoilers?

[Edith, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

I also like to think that Verity was just as crazy as her autobiography talked about. In my eyes, the letter is just something else she's using to cover her actions. In all honesty though she was my favorite character of the book. Sure she's got a twisted mind, but my girl literally did the most in this series without physically doing anything at all! How dope is that?!

Also, what did you guys think of the railing incident with young Lowen? I'm in disbelief that Hoover couldn't come up with something better for her childhood trauma...she's a 32 year old woman who is unbelievably paranoid about not having locks on her door. The fear over it just doesn't equate in my mind...or is that just me lol?

[Melissa]

yeah, I didn't get that whole door lock fear thing either. I also think the letter was just a huge cover up. all the events don't really make sense if the letter were true imo.

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Verity's autobiography and even the letter were the best part of the book. Those parts are the only things that made sense from the start till the end, even though the letter may or may not shed light on the autobiography it fit in better than the story we were reading about Lowen. The letter was a mind-blowing part for me and while I was reading it I was oh shit, oh shit, everything is a lie.

But when I think of the Lowen-Jeremy story... wow, what a mess! And it's a mess from the beginning, it was trying to be something more and 😂 I mostly laughed from the absurdity. First, her meeting him in the beginning of the book as a coincidence feels like everything BUT. If we had discovered that he stalked her I would've been more likely to believe it, after all he was the one that read her stuff and suggested her to continue Verity's books. Also, why was there a need to continue Verity's books? V didn't ask for that, so that makes me think Jeremy wanted the money.. and Lowen.

I agree that Lowen's whole sleepwalking and lock on the door was so exaggerated and made us think something sinister happened in her past..and then we have one case of her jumping of the railing. If she had hurt someone else I would've understood her paranoia, and her mother's fear from her but otherwise it's just an unpaved and poorly used road by the author.

One other thing that... irked me, was, of course, in the Lowen chapters..and that was how Verity ended up. We get her psycho side from the autobiography and how she's not just going to sit and do nothing, and Jeremy just... you know.. and even though she faked her illness for whatever reason be it, that happening didn't fit.

I may be interested to read something else by her just to see if her storytelling improves.

[Melissa]

yeah I was surprised at the only thing that "traumatized" Lowen was her jumping off a railing. I still think Verity wrote that letter to try to cover everything up, and I just honestly skimmed over the sex scenes. way too many and I found it took away from the story. I am reading It ends with us, but just started it so dunno, although the main character's name is Lily Blossom Bloom. that's kinda weird and annoying to me lol

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

It's interesting how everyone has a different version they like. For me, I think that the letter was real, because that makes the story more shocking for me. That way Jeremy, who was shown as a poor guy with so many tragedies in his life, is not such a poor guy.

I read the sex scenes and although I don't mind them generally here... i honestly felt uncomfortable with it. it just doesn't fit in the story for me.

Yeah, I've noticed she likes "unique" names 😅

[Melanie]

Okay. I had some unexpected life things come up, so just finished -- a few days late, but at least I was able to get back to it finally. I think by the time it happened, Jeremy killing Verity was not too big of a stretch -- but I still didn't understand why he bothered. After reading the letter -- then I was just pissed. If he truly believed the autobiography, then he would know that the most punishing thing he could have done is not to kill her -- but to exile, her from him. He could have just had her prosecuted.

I think the fact that he had all that time to think about how to best seek revenge, and the only thing he could come up with is killing her -- means he wasn't even after retribution -- he was after her money and the freedom that would bring.

Plus, do we think the book he was reading at the dinner table with Verity and her agent was Lowen's book?

I really enjoyed reading this book with you. Sorry I got behind.

[mina, Group/Buddy Reads Procrastinator]

Omg, I didn't think about that.. but yeah, he could've been reading Lowen's book. Nice catch.