Tag: Clean Romance

Books

Book 1,027: Heartstopper, Vol. 5 (Hearstopper #5) – Alice Oseman

Geoff W

Book cover of "Heartstopper, Vol. 5" with Amazon Affiliate link.Where do I even start with this series. I’ve read the first four volumes multiple times. With each new release I hold my breath and cross my fingers that Oseman doesn’t somehow pull the rug out from under us. She definitely didn’t this time, it’s just more unadulterated queer joy and I am here for it.

In Volume 5, Nick and Charlie have to come to terms with the fact that Nick is wrapping up secondary school and has to start thinking about his future. And that future includes university options all over the country. What that means for their relationship has yet to be seen.

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Books

Book 918: Prejudice Meets Pride (Meet Your Match #1) – Rachael Anderson

Geoff W

I am NOT happy with this book. I purchased it back in July 2015 and assumed, like many others on Goodreads, that this was a modern retelling of Jane Austen.

Like everyone else who read it with this assumption, this can be blamed on us not reading the blurb—nowhere does it say that it’s a retelling. HOWEVER, to take such an iconic title from such an iconic work of fiction and repurpose it without even mentioning Austen or her works in what you’re writing is either incredibly naïve/ridiculous or incredibly underhanded and manipulative.

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Books

Book 905: Heartstopper, Vol. 4 (Heartstopper #4) – Alice Oseman

Geoff W

Book cover of "Heartstopper, Vol 4" with Amazon Affiliate linkI’m not sure I was ready for this one. I’d guessed it would overlap with what happened in Solitaire, but wasn’t 100% sure it would. I wasn’t sure how Oseman would handle it graphically, I think there were a couple of images in Solitaire, and she sort of glossed the particular scene probably because of this.

I really appreciated having Nick’s outside perspective on the situation as we know he’s been worried about Charlie for two books now and when it came to the point right when Charlie was going to tell Nick he loved him, Nick asks about the eating disorder and it throws both of them into confusion which was just so real.

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Books

Book 904: Heartstopper, Vol. 3 (Heartstopper #3) – Alice Oseman

Geoff W

Book cover of "Heartstopper, Volume 3" with Amazon Affiliate linkWow, just wow. I honestly don’t know how I haven’t re-read this one before now.

Re-reading this a second time showed me how much Oseman packs into these books. Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 both had their powerful moments, but Vol. 3 takes it to a new level between Charlie and Nick, but also with their friends and even their teachers! And the fact Oseman does it with so little dialogue and just a shift in perspective shading in her artwork is fantastic.

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Books

Book 903: Heartstopper, Vol. 2 (Heartstopper #2) – Alice Oseman

Geoff W

Book cover of "Hearstopper, Vol. 2" with Amazon Affiliate linkAs soon as I finished Vol. 1, I immediately dove into Vol. 2! How could I not with a cliffhanger like that!? And I even knew what happened, but I couldn’t just leave it at that.

Seriously though, when Nick shows up in the pouring rain and Charlie just starts apologizing profusely because he thinks it’s his fault and it’s not and then . . . O . . . M . . . G . . . ALL THE FEELS.

I like that this book gives us a lot more of Nick’s thoughts and perspective. Vol. 1, really is Charlie’s book and his getting to know Nick and finding a friend who likes him for who he is and is willing to sacrifice things to be his friends. And Vol. 2 we see something similar where Charlie and Nick both have to start navigating the minefield that is their friendship and budding relationship.

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