Sloth is an excellent reading adventure that everyone needs to take. Before I continue I want to reiterate the author’s comment. Don’t start this book if you are not in the frame of mind to be crushed emotionally. Trust me you will go down a steep hill right into the pits of despair. That said it is worth the ride if you can handle suspense, romance, angst, tears, and joy.
First let me take a minute to thank Ms. James for not going with her initial idea of releasing this story as a series. I don’t think my heart or my head could handle the wait between each installment.
Now onto my comments about the story. The story is divided into three parts. Part I starts with a quote from Edgar Allen Poe “I was never insane except upon occasions when my heart was touched.” Then continues with a series of letters between “A” (Sloth) and “R”. R initiates the letters with a thank you note for a gift. At this point we don’t know the connection between Sloth and “R” but the letters are important to the story.
Sloth and R send a series of letters, well notes really, back and forth from October 2011 through August 2014. They remain intermittent pen pals while the reader gets to know a little about each other. (As an aside, I read on my phone using the Kindle app. If you aren’t using a Kindle device download the app to your PC or tablet. I had to use a magnifying glass as they are actual hand written notes scanned into the book. The phone app doesn’t have the enlarge capabilities that the actual Kindle has so reading some of the letters is little frustrating.)
After the letters we jump into the life of Cleo Whatley. She is a young college girl from the poor side of the tracks. She is smart, attending a private college on a scholarship, however she doesn’t have any spending money. Cleo needs spending money because she likes to buy designer clothes and the nice things she never had. Most jobs available to her don’t give her the cash she need so, to reach her goals, she becomes a successful marijuana dealer.
Enter Kellan Walsh the student government president. He is an anti-drugs rich kid who makes a point of writing editorials against drug use and illegal sales. He has the ability to make Cleo’s life hell and can get her expelled. Kellan comes up with a proposition for Cleo to continue to earn money and work with him.
Cleo is skeptical but doesn’t see any way out. She needs to stay in school and she needs to help her family at home. As Cleo and Kellan spend more time together they connect with one another. Cleo is falling for her former adversary and she knows they both have secrets that they aren’t sharing.
I fell in love with Cleo from the start. She is the type of woman that I can call my friend. She is strong and doesn’t let her past and misfortune stand in her way. Kellan, on the other hand, I didn’t like at first. He was creepy and entitled but oh does he grow on you.
“You’re almost just like me, Cleo. But you’re the good version. You’re the version people want to take home, and to bed.”
Part II is the coming together of the main characters. Here Sloth unravels their secrets one by one and during the process the reader is held hostage to a wide array of emotions in a way that I can only liken to an emotional kaleidoscope. With each turn of the page my emotions formed a new pattern that settled in my heart, stomach, head or combinations of all these.
“he cuts the lights and turns toward me and grips my face so hard his fingers maybe bruise me and he whispers: “It was always you.”
Part III is the best of the worse of the story. It is emotionally draining to the point that I didn’t think I could make it to the end. At one point I know I cried like a baby for at least fifteen minutes. The journey that this couple travel is amazing and heart wrenching. It is a very realistic look at people who are faced with their life and decisions that we all need to make.
“His hand rubs over my hair as his voice rumbles near my ear. “Not stupid. Tell me why you’re crying.” “It makes me sad that you were lonely.”
The epilogue is perfect. It incorporates all the feels from the entire book and then some into this little chapter. I know what I write here is sketchy and vague but I don’t think it is fair to deny the next reader the discovery of events of Cleo and Kellan on your own.
I thoroughly enjoyed this reading experience regardless of how many times I cried and recovered. Isn’t that exactly what a good writer can do for a reader create a story that puts the reader right in the middle of the action so beautifully and completely that you live with the characters stay with you even for a time after you read The End? Ella James is a great writer and I can still feel this story a week after reading it. And, as soon as I can handle all the ups and downs again I’m going back to the beginning and reading Sloth again.
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There are 3 books in this series.
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About the author
Like a Sneaker Wave
This book landed me on my knees. I had no idea what was coming and it broke me to pieces.I didnt read any reviews about this book. Maybe it would have prepared me. I didnt realize I was in for a blubbering messy cry. Heart wrenching and so beautiful. Ella James has a new fan.I think I need a nice easy read next. Which is what I thought I was doing.And maybe then I can put the tissues away.
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2015
- Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2015
Top reviews from other countries
- asya özlüReviewed in Germany on January 4, 2020
This book is going to break your heart in the best way!!!
- KaReviewed in France on December 30, 2019
What an amazing book ! I cried like a baby...
- ReneeReviewed in Canada on June 15, 2016
Somebody call 911 my heart is on the floor
- Terri T.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 21, 2015
Wow, totally fantastic !!!!!!!!!!!
- Lover❤️All Books📚 RomanceReviewed in Australia on October 8, 2015
In my Top 3 Books and I have read 300+ since January 2015
