Paper and Hearts Society

I knew I’d love this book. It’s the sort of book that has an energy about it before you even jump into the world.
What I wasn’t expecting was to feel so utterly at home with the characters that I wanted to sign up and join the society and mourned the ending more than any book I’ve read this year.
I had to pause part way through due to issues regarding my mental health; these characters dealt so real to me that I pulled away from them in fear that my negativity would infect them.
Tabby is our eyes into this inclusive literary world. She takes a leap despite her reluctance and it gives her a group to call her own. And while she holds back on incidents in her past, she is still that relatable girl who questions her value when it comes to deserving friends.
The plot is a delightful origins story for what I hope is going to be a new series about friendship, belonging and love in various forms. There will be aspects that can lead you to suspect how the plot will unravel, which gives the book a suspenseful tone that the cover totally doesn’t prepare you for.
The book ends with a heartfelt and fulfilling resolution. It ensures the book works as a stand alone, but it’s the characters that will have you begging for more.

Is there anything better than books about books?!

I loved this story of Tabby, a bookish girl who feels like an outsider, connecting with other's who share her passion, and how she's worried about losing them if she's honest about her past.

Lucy Powrie's love of reading shines through every page and the end result is a gorgeous story about a girl who wants to find her tribe.

Roll on book 2!

I have watched the twitter hype surrounding this book and was very keen to dive in. I am so glad that I did. I really loved this YA novel and highly recommend it. It deals with the hugely sensitive issue of bullying and it allows us a glimpse of the permanent scars it can leave.

This book was so much more than I was expecting. Tabby is the main character and she is a normal teenager, suffering from spots, confidence issues and finding her way in a new town. As we learn more about Tabby, we can see she is suffering from a hideous amount of bullying from a former best friend. She suffers from panic attacks and a massive lack of self esteem.

Luckily for her, she finds a notice about a teenage book club in the local library and her lively, fun Gran insists she attend. What I feel is a whirlwind friendship develops between Tabby, Olivia, Ed and Henry. Cassie is also a friend, but she takes longer to warm up to Tabby.

And so the Paper and Hearts Society is born and the group meld together wonderfully until the past begins to catch up with Tabby. She begins to worry about losing her new friends and wishes she could confide in them.

It isn’t until they are on a bookish road trip that everything comes to light. It looks as though the past has ruined the future for Tabby.

This book teaches us about the importance of speaking up and seeking help when being bullied. It teaches us to have perseverance and to be true to yourself. True friends would never treat you in such a hideous way.

A wonderful book and I would love to become an honorary member of The Hearts and Paper Society!

This book is a love letter to book lovers, but it is also so much more than that, it is a book for anyone who feels ostracised, is bullied, or generally feels like they aren’t good enough. It’s YA contemporary at it’s best - friendship, humour and a sprinkling of swoon-worthy romance. It’s a book to be whisked away by for pure pleasure. And let’s be real, don’t we all wish we had teenage adventures that were this cool! In ways it feels like the UK’s answer to Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and I can think of so many students I want to share this with (and look forward to doing so when I buy a copy for our library.) Also, The Paper and Hearts Society may be the coolest bookclub ever and I look forward to stealing some of their ideas for the two book clubs I run.

An extremely enjoyable and relatable YA story about friendship, self-acceptance and finding your space in the world. Lucy deals with the trials and tribulations of the teenage world with skilful ease from exploring sexuality and anxiety to found family and toxic friendships. This book is exactly what I would have wanted when I was younger, struggling to find my people and second-guessing everything about myself. I can't wait to see what Lucy has planned for the rest of the series and I can, without a doubt, see it becoming an iconic cornerstone in YA.
Much like Hogwarts, The Paper and Hearts Society will always be there to welcome any book lover home.