Review: Collateral by Ellen Hopkins

Collateral by Ellen Hopkins

Publisher:  Atria Books

Pages: 512

Format: eARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon  

Goodreads:  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 military wife. One night she meets a handsome soldier named Cole. He doesn’t match the stereotype of the aggressive military man. He’s passionate and romantic. He even writes poetry. Their relationship evolves into a sexually charged love affair that goes on for five years and survives four deployments. Cole wants Ashley to marry him, but when she meets another man, a professor with similar pursuits and values, she begins to see what life might be like outside the shadow of war.


Kritters Thoughts:  My second Ellen Hopkins book and this one was just as good as the last, if not even better.  Centered around the war abroad, this book takes you into a relationship between a young woman and a new Marine as they try to live through deployments and very minimal time together.  The book unravels with many details that affect her relationship from his commitment level to past experiences her parents have had with the military - I never realized how many outside factors can affect a relationship beyond the two who are involved.

One of my favorite things about this book, was the poems came from both of the main characters, I loved being able to see the story progress through their eyes beyond the poems provided by the author.  It made me feel like Cole, our main male character had the ability to share his thoughts and his side of the story.  

I may have said this about my last Ellen Hopkins read, but even though the story is told through verse, I don't feel like I am missing any details to the story.  I am not much of a poem person, but Ellen Hopkins can surely tell a full story with a set of poems!

Rating: definitely a good read but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2012 Challenge: 71 out of 25