MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5)

READ IF YOU LIKE:
🫶🏼 Stories of hope + bravery
👀 Multiple POV
✍🏼 Character-heavy plots
🗺️ Books that take you on a journey
💭 Thought-provoking reads
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 SCOTTISH settings/narration

☁️ THOUGHTS:
I was really intrigued by the premise of this book when I saw it on Netgalley. What a clever title! I liked it a lot but I didn’t love it — I have the attention span of a teaspoon and this was a very character-focused, pacing-on-the-slower-side plot, and I think the pacing was a major factor of why I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d expected to.

Having said this, PAPER CUP was still a brilliant book. A raw, disturbing and emotional story of compassion and hope, we follow Kelly’s journey of bravery, as she faces up to her past and confronts her trauma. The plot brings us a collection of loveable characters, and despite the deep and emotional topics covered (a heavy focus ofc on homeless life, as well as addiction and mental health), this was filled with gallows humour (my fave.)

Kelly was a flawed but strong and resilient MC, but Collie was my favourite (naturally 🐾). Caroline Guthrie’s narration was spot on, the Scottish accent perfectly enhancing the experience of this audiobook and I’d definitely recommend listening to this if you want to read it!

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 + 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝘼𝙍𝘾, 𝙞𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙤𝙬𝙣. 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 @𝙧𝙚𝙙𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 (𝙄𝙂).

I really struggled to get into this, I think this was partially due to the narration. It struggled to hold my interest. I'm quite a fast reader and so audio that takes its time is often more challenging in terms of engagement. I think perhaps reading it myself might have captivated me more.

This is a beautifully written, poignant and heart-warming read centring round Kelly, a homeless Glaswegian alcoholic with a disturbing past. Listening to the audio version of the book enhanced the experience for me as a result of the narrator's beautiful Scottish accent which somehow enabled me to picture the Scottish scenery more vividly as the story was told.

Paper Cup draws you in from the very start as Kelly has a chance meeting with a bride to be on her Hen night which leads to her embarking on an epic journey to return a ring that belongs to the bride. Along the way Kelly encounters a host of wonderful characters offering her both challenges and compassion and eventually leads her to face her demons and the family she left behind.

The book covers numerous potent issues and gives a realistic insight into the lives of homeless people. Whilst it is raw and disturbing at times there is plenty of gallows humour and lots of compassion and hope. A truly enjoyable read that will make you laugh, cry and think!

I am grateful to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This one really shines a light on homelessness, mental health and addiction and portrays it very well. Unfortunately I really struggled to get through it and did consider DNFing but I hate unfinished business so I continued. It’s extremely slow paced and just became hard work. There were some aspects that spiked my interest but they were fleeting. I think I’m on my own in my opinion as many have loved it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bolindo Audio for the opportunity to listen to #PaperCup

The story revolves around homeless Kelly who decides to make the long trek back to her hometown from Glasgow when a lost engagement ring prompts her to try and find its owner. Kelly is vividly and sympathetically portrayed by Karen Campbell, and she practically leaps off the page as a character - her personality, her quirks, her struggles all endear her to the reader. We learn Kelly's backstory as we follow her from Glasgow to Dumfries and Galloway, meeting a variety of characters en route.

This is a tough tale of homelessness, addiction, and mental illness but is sensitively written by Campbell. It never feels done for shock factor, or salacious. Despite the sadness and hardship, Paper Cup is actually a very hopeful book, with plenty of wit and funny incidents along the way.

The narrator of the audio was excellent, really getting Kelly's 'voice' across.

Great read with a fantastic narrator. The narrator really feels Kelly and her emotions.

It helped me understand homelessness in a way I have never before. And as a Glaswegian it was great to hear points of interest of Glasgow albeit from a different point of view.

Kelly ends up on a plight of self discovery as fate sends her home on a mission to help someone else in need. Emotional, hard to put down and thoroughly enjoyable.

Amazing book. I highly recommend for everybody. Just great
I read in one seat. I could've put down
Thanks netgalley for sending me a copy

This was a lovely read, very powerful and at times raw. The narrator was absolutely fantastic and only made it more “real”.
Highly recommend it!
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to listen to this advance copy.

This is one book I would’ve benefited from reading vs listening to. The narrated interpretation was done well but the Scottish accent was so thick it was difficult to understand.
I like the idea of the plot (the backstory and experience of a homeless woman), but I just couldn’t get into the book.

Wow ! What a powerful book with a flawed but strong lead character. I had this as an audiobook and feel that this really helped with the atmosphere. As a native Glaswegian, long time left, it was great to hear so many phrases and words which I took for granted living there - but never here in England.
Not always comfortable to listen to, it had a strong ring of authenticity and makes one think again about the stories of the homeless and dispossessed. There was a fair amount of humour amongst the sadness and it will be a book I won’t forget. Highly recommend particularly the audio version.

Forcing the reader to take a walk in someone else's street-living shoes.

4.5 stars

Atticus Finch said, “Never judge a person until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes." Well, with Kelly we are destined to walk a few more than that. And hitchhike. And sleep rough. And tiptoe back into her past at what brought her to living on the streets.

Clearly educated and bright, it's not obvious what's brought the now older homeless woman to be someone accepting pennies on Scotland's streets. But when a drunk bride-to-be accidentally gives Kelly her engagement ring as well as some coins, she determines to return the sparkler to its owner in time for the imminent wedding. In her home town.

While Kelly hitchhikes and walks around Scotland, a journalist is also seeking HER out, following a seeming act of bravery on the part of the Homeless Heroine. We see a very different Kelly from the one the media is portraying though.

Our 'heroine' is of course, human, She's made mistakes, she's got weaknesses, she's also got her own moral code and can exceed expectations. The 'quest' that takes us through not only Scotland and its residents (human and canine) but also through Kelly's past. Which at times is traumatic.

A voyage of self-discovery, the audiobook encapsulates the vulnerable and very human Kelly in a worldly-wise yet still likeable Scottish voice. It's third person but still works as an audiobook you feel connected to. Kelly's is the life we wouldn't want for our children, the one we often try and ignore when we see it, and it's upsetting to see behind the overcoat and dirt to the person underneath. The person.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample audio copy.

I totally loved this audiobook!

I find that I rarely get on with novels in audiobook form compared to nonfiction, but I took a chance with this one as I'd seen the book recommended a lot. And I'm super glad I did. The story is brilliant on its own, but it's elevated even higher by the narrator. I found myself completely immersed, and as heartbreaking as some parts were, I often smiled or chuckled.

The characters felt completely real, while the writing was lyrical and incisive without ever feeling pretentious - paired with the narrator, it sometimes even slipped into feeling like spoken word poetry (the good kind).

There were a few off-keys, mainly in the form of some plot strands that felt too neatly and quickly tied up at the end. But these are minor criticisms.

I was sad to come to the end of the story, and I heartily recommend it to all.

(With thanks to Bolinda Audio and NetGalley for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review)

Paper Cup - Karen Campbell

🎧Audiobook review🎧

Kelly is homeless, alone and sleeping on the streets of Glasgow. A chance encounter leaves her in possession of a diamond engagement ring. Will she sell it for a few quid or try to reunite it with its rightful owner?

First of all, the narration by Caroline Guthrie is exceptional. She captures the highs and lows, the breathless panic and anxiety so well. There are moments of transcendence, with her performance and delivery fusing perfectly with the writing, writing strong in rhythm, rhyme, alliteration and raw dialect.

Secondly, I'm still learning my way in 'feel good'. I'd class this as 'deeper feel good', Kelly goes on a journey and is forced to face up to plenty of demons and bad memories along the route.

How desperate, how isolated can a character's life be and it still be classed as 'feel good'?

Often shocking and raw, always sensitive. It isn't a spoiler to say that alcoholism and addiction are rife amongst the homeless, and Kelly's gradually revealed backstory is heartbreaking. I was frequently close to tears, willing Kelly on while sharing the grief in her mistakes.

Very highly recommended, give the audiobook a try, the performance is simply stunning to complement the excellent and deeply involving storytelling.

This is the third audiobook I've listened to from Bolinda Audio, I have to say they have been consistently excellent, exciting and challenging novels, polished production and superb suitably dramatic narration.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bolinda Audio

Paper Cup was one of my favourite books of 2022 so it was a joy to hear it again on audiobook. It tells the story of Kelly, a homeless woman who finds herself on a sort of pilgrimmage to go back to her childhood home. It really brings life to this character who is someone that many would walk past on the street. The narration is excellent and I can't recommend this audiobook enough.

Set in Scotland. This story follows Kelly who is homeless. She's been accidentally given a ring and wants to reunite it with its owner. She hitches a ride and ends up on a pilgrimage tour with a dog she's rescued. It's quite a bizarre and surreal storyline with dark humour as well as being a gritty, warts and all kind of read. I also found it quite uplifting as Kelly comes across different people who go that extra mile to help her and show her compassion.

The narrator switches seamlessly between characters. I loved her Scottish accent. I would definitely listen to more audiobooks by her

The narration on this was spot on.
I felt for Kelly.
She was an amazingly lively character who didn't always let life get her down.
It brings home the reality of homelessness, and hoe society treats them.
At times so sad, and them moments later, a one liner would have me smiling.
I'll remember Kelly and her journey for a while.

If I could’ve rated this 10 stars I would. I don’t only want to recommend it, I almost feel like I want to force people to read it. This is probably my book of the year and one of the most impactful that I’ve EVER read. I miss Kelly and collie.

When I say this book left me in tatters I really mean it. There has been absolutely no holds barred on the harsh slamming reality of homelessness, addiction, abuse, the benefits system, the prison system, the endless cycle of everything in life that makes you a whole human. It holds a mirror to the stark reality that it really could be any single one of us.

The writing is divine, Karen Campbell doesn’t just write though she orchestrates beautiful music onto paper. The language is powerful. The local dialect precise and perfect. It’s raw, disturbing, distressing, heartbreaking, heartwarming but above all of these things it’s hopeful. And I think while it’s easy to pass as brilliant fiction there is so much truth in those pages that it physically hurts. Of course the fictional story is important. The premise is brilliant, I loved the idea of a pilgrimage to return a thing that isn’t hers is brilliant. The love story between Kelly and that puppy is one of the best of all time.

As a final note I had to google the Caroline Guthrie, the narrator (that’s how good it is) I live in Glasgow and was convinced I knew her.

This won’t leave me for a very long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunities to listen to this audiobook in return for an honest review.

Paper Cup
by Karen Campbell

You just have to take one look at the cover of this book to understand instantly what lies within. Every generation has had it's outsiders, nomads, tramps, displaced, evicted, but what is it about today's generation of homeless people that feels so shameful and unnecessary in this era of social consciousness and welfare accessibility? I saw this audiobook and was punched in the face by it's picture of a little house drawn onto a paper cup and had to pick it up.

I was instantly captured by Kelly's voice. An alcoholic who had spent years living rough on the streets of Glasgow, she is a hard nut to crack. Outwardly she is coarse and spiky, holding the world at arms length, but there are chinks to her armour, little hints of who she was before she was this. Through Kelly we live the daily grind of life as a vulnerable woman and get to view her world from the inside. It is an unflinching reality, filled with eye-opening detail, a very uncomfortable read that turns the spotlight back on the conscience of the reader a bit.

A turn of events sees Kelly take a journey around the rural Galloway area, on The Pilgrim's Way. She connects with all kinds of characters along the way, some are worrying encounters, some are kind. The author uses this pilgrimage to highlight some interesting history and landmarks around the area, and I enjoyed the beautiful writing describing the landscape and the natural elements which offer a contrast to the harsh grittiness of the homeless life. Each mile on Kelly's journey we go deeper into her past, back to where it all went wrong for her.

Before I began listening, I had a concern, a pet peeve of mine, that the author was going to exploit the issues around homelessness as a plot device. I was skeptical that the light-hearted humour and banter might dilute the seriousness and feared that a lovely, happy ending would discount or negate the brutal realities, but it didn't come across that way at all in the reading. I think she handled it in such a sensitive and informed way. I especially like the commentary about saviourism. I also like how Campbell underpins the complexity of homelessness.

This would make an excellent book club pick because of all the issues that are unpacked, alcoholism, addiction, dependency, failures in the welfare system. I will be thinking about this for a long time to come.

Thanks to #netgalley and #@bolindaaudio for the Advance Listening Copy

Thank you to Bolinda Audio and NetGalley for the audio ARC. The views expressed are all mine freely given. My thoughts having listened to the audio version of Paper Cup: Listen to this book because you like a good story. A story of flawed personalities, and others that can overlook the flaws and give encouragement. Characters that you can’t always love, but you also can’t ignore for so many reasons.. Listen to this book because you like the idea of finding stories rooted in Glasgow and Scottish culture and setting. A happenstance story of Kelly’s redemptive pilgrimage to return a lost ring. Listen to this story because the narrator’s presentation is ‘pure, dead, brilliant man!’. Listen to this story and give yourself the chance to reconsider those that you see sitting with a cup in front of them. It has certainly given me lots to think about, and I believe that’s a good thing. Oh, and there is a Collie puppy called Cauli (Cauliflower) that just wants to be loved, not forgotten. I think ultimately that is what Kelly and everyone really wants too. Finally listen to this story with some hankies for drying tears which spring from grief and joy.

I’ve read a lot of Scottish books this year so far and there’s always some connection to the characters that I gel with and it’s great to have this Scottish representation in what I’m reading, but I also think this book was very similar to another Scottish novel I read recently as well which made this slightly less appealing to me. I think this had a lot of potential to be a five star read for me but purely fell short because of the deja vu feeling I got from another book.

The narrator was really key in my enjoyment of this audiobook.