Review: Collateral by Ellen Hopkins

 
Collateral by Ellen Hopkins

The gripping story of a woman torn between love for her boyfriend, a dedicated Marine deployed to Afghanistan, and the resentment she has for the war that is tearing their lives apart.
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.
Collateral captures the hearts of the soldiers on the battlefield and the minds of the friends, family, and lovers they leave behind. Those who remain at home may be far away from the relentless, sand-choked skies of the Middle East and the crosshairs of a sniper rifle, but just the same, all of them will sacrifice a part of themselves for their country and all will eventually ask themselves if the collateral damage caused by war is worth the fight.

Publishes in US: Nov 6th 2012
Source: Atria via. Edelweiss
Series? No
Discoved from Annette at Annette's Book Spot

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     Holy wow. This was my first Hopkins book and let me just say that I was blown away. This is a story that packs quite a punch and left me reeling. She totally surprised me with the ending but yet I was happy and broken hearted all at the same time.
    Collateral is def a book for mature teens and if it is not classified as.new adult I think it is a perfect candidate. There is more steamy scenes than I am used to with traditional ya but I think it was still in good taste and fit with the tone of the story. There is also drinking and sinew pretty disturbing scenes but I think it use one of the most realistic stories I have read about soldiers. I think that it was said best though that you can't really understand unless you are a soldier or the emotional toll that it takes on a family or loves one that the soldier leaves behind.
      Ashley the main character took me on quite a journey with her and it was an emotional one. I really felt for her and understood the places her mind took her. She was brave for the decisions she made and I appreciate the emotional cost of the decisions she made and the growth that I saw in her how she loves Cole, finds herself and ultimately makes the best choices for herself no matter how.

    Bottom line: Hard hitting, emotional story about a soldier at war and the woman he leaves behind. 

My question to you, my lovely readers:
Is men (or women whatever way you swing) in uniform your type?