During middle and high school, I used to have these phases where I’d just cry for no reason I’d start up fights with mom and sisters without having any significant excuse. I just love how I related to everything in this book. And then eventually, it felt like the world was on top of me.” Then one day, I noticed that it felt like I was no longer on top of the world. I used to feel like I was on top of the world. “A lot of people who suffer from depression don’t even know they have it. I think that this will truly help teenagers to see life beyond the realities that they create in their own minds to, unknowingly, feed their depression. I just loved how Colleen Hoover addressed depression in this book. It would’ve been like covering an issue with another. I would’ve been very disappointed if Merit found solutions to her issues in the form of a love story. Even though I love romance novels, the issues and topics the author tried to bring awareness to deserved all the attention in this book. The story doesn’t revolve around the romance only. I loved how he was willing to help Merit even though she did nothing to deserve that. But at the same time, he has his own secrets and past experiences that aren’t all flowers and sunshine. He’s cheerful and funny and carefree that it was such a delight to read about him. He’s the kind of characters that I’d like to have as a friend in real life. I even think he’s my favorite character in the book.

Reading this made me realize, to my dismay, that I was doing it as well. I have to admit that I also related to how she was a bit judgmental of first her own self and also of everyone around her. Even though Merit is a teenager, I still related to everything she was going through, from her feeling that her siblings are neglecting her to her resenting her family (her dad especially) and how everyone’s behaving towards one another. The story is the kind of peaceful, quiet read that is built slowly and gradually, but it grips you right from the first few pages. “Without Merit” was my first taste of the CoHo magic, and I have to admit, it was beyond magical and beautiful. All my friends were practically raving about Colleen Hoover’s books, and I finally see why!

Without merit about