Colleen Hoover’s bestselling psychological thriller hits theaters October 2, people—which means we officially have less than a month to prepare. And by prepare, I obviously mean: READ THE BOOK.
If you’ve watched the Verity trailer and somehow didn’t get chills, kudos to you. Personally? I’ve already read the book. I KNOW WHAT HAPPENS, and the trailer still freaks me out. Which honestly feels like a very good sign.
Haven’t seen it yet? Watch the official Verity trailer below.
Verity has been on my radar for a while, but once I heard that a book so many readers consider one of Colleen Hoover’s best was becoming a movie, I moved it straight onto my 2026 TBR.
And now I’m fresh off reading it and ready to talk about it. Actually, “fresh off” might be generous because I’ve thought about this book every single day since finishing the epilogue.
Every. Day.
So now I’m ready to answer the important question: Should you read Verity before grabbing your girls, ordering the largest popcorn available, and watching the movie in theaters?
My answer?
YES. Read the Book First.
But with psychological thrillers, that answer gets a little complicated. Because once you know the twists… you know the twists.
So, is Verity worth sacrificing that first-time movie shock? Let’s talk about it.
And don’t worry—this review is spoiler-free. I would never do that to you.
First, What Is Verity About?
Verity follows Lowen Ashleigh, a writer who is hired to finish a bestselling book series after its original author, Verity Crawford, is left unable to complete it following an accident.
Lowen travels to the Crawford family home to sort through Verity’s notes and research, where she discovers an unfinished manuscript containing some deeply disturbing revelations about Verity and her family.
And suddenly, figuring out what’s true, what isn’t, and who can actually be trusted becomes… complicated. Very complicated.
The movie brings a pretty stacked cast along with it: Dakota Johnson as Lowen, Anne Hathaway as Verity, and Josh Hartnett as Verity’s husband, Jeremy Crawford.
And after seeing them in the trailer?
I am seated.
But Should You Read a Psychological Thriller Before Watching It?
This is where Verity gets interesting. When it comes to a romance adaptation, reading the book first doesn’t necessarily take away the biggest surprise. I mean…we can usually make a pretty educated guess about who’s ending up together.
But a psychological thriller? Knowing what happens actually matters. The twists, reveals, and moments where you suddenly start questioning everything you’ve believed for the last 200 pages are a huge part of the experience.
So there is a legitimate argument for watching Verity first. You could walk into the theater completely blind and experience every disturbing moment and major reveal for the first time on the big screen. Let Anne Hathaway terrify you for two hours.
I get it.
In fact, this might be one of those rare adaptations where I understand the Screen-First Girlies more than usual.
But after reading the book? I still vote book first.
My Verdict: YES. Read Verity First.
Simply because this book was that good.
I mean…
Terrifying? Yes.
Disturbing? Also yes.
Did I occasionally feel scared to turn the page while simultaneously being physically incapable of putting the book down? ABSOLUTELY.
But this is probably the best book I’ve read all year. Every single one of my friends who had already read Verity raved about it to me. More than one told me it was Colleen Hoover’s best book.
And now? I get it. This was one of those books where I was simultaneously terrified to find out what happened next and completely incapable of putting it down.
And reading it first hasn’t made me less excited for the movie. It’s done the exact opposite.
Knowing the Twists Hasn’t Ruined the Movie for Me
This was the biggest argument I could think of for waiting to read Verity.
Would knowing what happens take away some of the thrill of watching the movie? Maybe. I’m obviously not going to experience every reveal with the same shock as someone walking into the theater completely blind.
But after watching the trailer? I’m not worried. I know what’s coming, and somehow seeing little glimpses of it actually made the story feel more unsettling.
There are moments from this book that I cannot WAIT to see brought to life on screen. And there are other moments where I’m thinking: Oh God. They’re actually going to show that, aren’t they?
Because Verity has some…
Let’s call them memorable chapters.
If you’ve read it, you know exactly what I mean.
But the more I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve realized something else: The biggest appeal of Verity isn’t simply finding out what happens. It’s figuring out what you believe happened.
And THAT is why I’m so excited about the movie.
What Is the Truth?!
One of the things that makes Verity so good is the constant uncertainty.
What is true? What isn’t? Who do you believe? Can you trust what you’re reading? Did you miss something?
WAIT. WHAT?!
The book constantly makes you read between the lines and question the information you’re being given. And even when you think you’ve figured everything out… have you?
I finished the epilogue and have thought about this book every day since. I’m still thinking about the characters, certain scenes, and—most importantly—what I actually believe.
And that’s why I think Verity could be especially interesting as an adaptation. A book lets us experience the story through words, thoughts, and narration. A movie has an entirely different toolbox. Performances, facial expressions, music, camera angles, and editing can all influence what we believe.
I don’t just want to know whether the adaptation recreates the book’s biggest moments. I want to know whether it changes what I believe about them.
Because if I walk out of the theater questioning everything all over again? Mission accomplished.
And Then There Are Those Scenes…
I promised you a spoiler-free review, so I’m going to behave myself here.
But… this book has some SHOCKING moments.
Not oh wow, I wasn’t expecting that shocking. More like put-the-book-down-and-stare-at-the-wall-for-a-second shocking.
And this is another reason I’m not worried about knowing what happens before seeing the movie. Reading something disturbing is one experience. Seeing it? Hearing it? Watching an actor react to it?
Whole different ballgame.
So even though I know what’s coming, that doesn’t mean I know what the experience of watching Verity will be. Not even close.
How Dark Is Verity?
If your only experience with Colleen Hoover is through some of her more traditional romance novels, there is something you should probably know before picking this one up: This is not a cute little romance.
Yes, there is romance. Yes, there is sexual content. But Verity is first and foremost a dark psychological thriller, and it goes to some genuinely disturbing places.
The entire book has this underlying sense that something is just… wrong. And I mean that as a compliment.
There’s a claustrophobic quality to spending so much of the story inside the Crawford home. The deeper Lowen gets into Verity’s manuscript, the more uncomfortable everything becomes.
If you’re sensitive to darker themes, I’d definitely recommend checking content warnings before reading. You can do that without spoiling the major twists.
But if you’re looking for something unsettling, addictive, romantic, twisted, and incredibly difficult to put down? You’ve found it.
Need Another Reason? It’s Spooky Season. 🎃
In case I haven’t given you enough reasons to pick up Verity before October 2…
Spooky season is officially here. And I cannot think of a better time to read it.
Creepy house? Check. Deeply questionable people? Check. Disturbing secrets? Oh, CHECK.
Romance and sexual tension thrown into the middle of all this chaos? Naturally.
And that constant creeping feeling that something is VERY wrong? Welcome to Verity.
So light the fall candle. Get your blanket. Pour your drink of choice.
Maybe leave a light on.
And start reading.
So, Should You Read Verity Before the Movie?
YES.
Normally, I’d understand wanting to preserve the twists of a psychological thriller for the big screen. But I wouldn’t skip the experience of reading Verity just to walk into the movie blind.
The book is too good!
Reading it first gives you the opportunity to form your own theories, decide who you trust, picture the Crawford house and its characters for yourself, and experience every disturbing revelation exactly as it unfolds on the page.
Then you get to do something I’m especially excited about: See whether the movie changes your mind.
Yes, you’ll sacrifice the surprise of seeing the twists for the first time on screen—but in my opinion, the experience of reading Verity is absolutely worth it.
You’ve got until October 2.
Read the book. Question everything. Spend an unreasonable amount of time thinking about the ending.
Then grab your girls and meet me at the theater. 🍿
I’ll bring the popcorn. You bring your theories.