I got schooled by a book. I learned to "Push your boundaries, that's what they're there for." I learned that the points are not the point. The point is poetry." That Death is the only thing inevitable in life, but to put the emphasis on life. "To respect the hand I was dealt. And to be grateful I was even dealt a hand." 
 Slammed follows the story of Layken Cohen, a strong-willed, resilient 18 year old, who moves to Michigan from Texas with her mom, Julia, and brother, Kel, after losing her dad. She's angry. She hates that she had to leave her only home, her friends and her school. She's devastated over losing her dad, but she's trying to keep it together for her mom and for Caulder, but she's losing hope. She meets and quickly falls for her neighbor, Will Cooper, your typical boy next door. Except he isn't. He is a 21 year old raising his 10 year old brother, Caulder, after losing their parents in a car accident. Kel and Caulder quickly become best friends. She confides to Will that she just lost her dad to a heart attack and he shares, through spoken word poetry, that he lost both of his parents two years prior and they forge an unbreakable bond. They go out on a date and quickly hit it off, but find out something that slams everything to a halt. Sometimes, Life gets in the way. It gets all up in your damn way. 
 This is a book that is unlike anything I have ever read and I know no other author will duplicate. This is not your ordinary coming of age story. Yes, there is insta-love, but this is so much more than a love story. This book covers loss, love, betrayal, friendship, the pain of finding the other half of your soul at the wrong time and, of course, growing up. 
 For me this story was beautiful but heartbreaking. I kept wondering what would break Lake. Life kept handing her lemons and most people wouldn't have survived through all of it. 
 "Don't take life too seriously. Punch it in the face when it needs a good hit. Laugh at it." 
 I love Will and Lake. They are definitely one of my favorite literary couples. Life is not kind to either of them. They go through more in a year than most couples experience together in a lifetime. 
 Let's talk about the best parts of this book, the poetry and the Avett brothers. I love how every single chapter had lyrics from an Avett brothers song. CoHo managed to find every single song that applied perfectly to the situations. 
 When Will takes Layken out on their first date and its to a poetry slam. Amazing!!! You meet this sweet, super hot neighbor and he slams poems in his free time? Perfection. I loved how Will chose to use his poem to explain to Lake what his life is like, how his parents passed and he is left raising Caulder by himself while going to college so he can't be a typical 21 year old. It shows how mature and responsible he is for his age, which only makes Lake fall harder. Though their lives are surrounded by loss, Will teaches Layken to put the emphasis on life. He also helps her understand the importance of looking at a situation and facing it head on, instead of compartmentalizing it and dealing with it later. I love how they called it "carving pumpkins." 
 Gavin's Prepoposal slam to Eddie. Eddie's slam, Pink Balloon, telling her story of the one gift her mom gave to her. 
 "So? So what if the heartache you wrote last year isn't what you're feeling today. It may be exactly what the person in the front row is feeling. What you're feeling now, and the person you reach with your words five years from now-that's why you write poetry." 
 When the truth came out, I definitely went through the five stages of grief right along with Lake I thought maybe they'd give in and sneak around, butWill isn't just taking care of himself, he has Caulder to worry about. Will even explains that he had Caulder's needs, and work and school so he cannot even think to put her first or second in his life, but third. You can also tell that because of Will's relationship with Vaughn, he is very wary about letting someone in. 
 I love how in her own subtle way, Julia played a big part in Lake and Will's love story. She definitely took Will and Caulder in and made them a part of the family. Julia gives us the best advice throughout the whole book. 
 "There are three questions every woman should be able to answer yes to before she commits to a man. Does he treat you with respect at all times? If he is the same exact person twenty years from now that he is today, would you still want to marry him? Does he inspire you to be a better person?" 
 "Never judge others. You know good and well how unexpected events can change who a person is. Always keep that in mind. You never know what someone else is experiencing within their own life." 
 "Laugh a lot. Never go a day without laughing at least once." 
 Finally. 
 "Question everything. Your love, your religion, your passions. If you don't have questions, you'll never have answers."