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bookswithzo's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this is book so so much!!! I love the written perspective of Olivias burn out experience and I ADORE that they include different sexuality’s instead of the “normal”!!!! Recommend to ANYONE
melissa_reads19's review against another edition
5.0
Could I love this book anymore?
I preordered this book as soon as possible, but only just managed to write this review after I got my phone repaired! If you haven't read the first one, don't feel as though you are going to find this book difficult- it's written in such a way that you can follow on anyway. Although, I would recommend reading The Paper & Hearts Society, because it's just so good! The characters are so loveable and relatable and very, very shipable (if that's a word??)! You will most definitely come out the end of it with a whole load of books for your TBR, but even if reading isn't really your favourite thing in the world, this series will definitely make you want to run at a bookshop! The plot is so brilliant and I definitely connected to Olivia on an emotional level with the stress she was going through. Plus, the LGBTQ+ representation is perfect in my opinion. If I could give this book anymore stars, I most certainly would!!
I preordered this book as soon as possible, but only just managed to write this review after I got my phone repaired! If you haven't read the first one, don't feel as though you are going to find this book difficult- it's written in such a way that you can follow on anyway. Although, I would recommend reading The Paper & Hearts Society, because it's just so good! The characters are so loveable and relatable and very, very shipable (if that's a word??)! You will most definitely come out the end of it with a whole load of books for your TBR, but even if reading isn't really your favourite thing in the world, this series will definitely make you want to run at a bookshop! The plot is so brilliant and I definitely connected to Olivia on an emotional level with the stress she was going through. Plus, the LGBTQ+ representation is perfect in my opinion. If I could give this book anymore stars, I most certainly would!!
blulady's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
ftlobooks's review against another edition
3.0
*Trigger Warnings – homophobia, mental health, burnout*
Overall opinion of the book:
If I were to describe this book series in one word, it would be wholesome. Powrie is fantastic at writing about very important topics in a way that is completely accessible for a YA and younger teen audience. There are so many things discussed in Read With Pride such as accepting your sexuality, dealing with mental health and the difficult balance between life, firendships and school work.
This second book in The Paper & Hearts Society series follows Olivia instead of Tabby. It’s great that Powrie decided to change the narrator for the second novel. I loved reading more about Olivia’s life and seeing things from her point of view. This is such a great idea and it allows the series to feel more centred around the society, rather than on one single character. Olivia is great and I can see a lot of myself in her when I was at school. She strives to do her best in everything she does and as a result bites off more than she can chew. Instead of taking a step back and reassessing what she could perhaps give less attention to, she goes at everything with full force and causes herself to burn out. Burnout in teenagers is certainly not talked about enough in YA books. Yes, there are many great YA books that discuss mental health, but this is the first I’ve seen that discusses mental and physical burnout. Powrie emphasises to readers that it’s okay to take a step back, say no and take some time out for yourself. It’s a key part of balancing your work, social and personal time.
In Read With Pride we are introduced to a number of different characters who I loved so much. Not only did they bring representation of sexuality and gender, they were brilliant. This book is such an important one for teenage readers. It centres around acceptance and loving yourself completely. As the synopses suggests, all of the LGBTQIAP+ books in the school library have content warning stickers placed on them. To check them out of the library you have to have a permission slip signed by your parents. To some readers this may seem unrealistic, but these kinds of situations still happen in schools. Many parents still aren’t comfortable with their children being educated on all sexualities and gender and will try to stop this from happening. Powrie takes this very delicate situation and discusses it so well in this book. She emphasises that this kind of attitude is archaic and wrong. Olivia stops at nothing to allow fellow students to have access to LGBTQIAP+ books and sets up Read With Pride book club as a result.
I won’t go into the plot too much as I don’t want to spoil it for those who haven’t read it yet, but the new book club she sets up is fantastic. There’s discussion and education about what it means to be transgender, there’s bi, ace and gay and POC rep too. What I love the most about Read With Pride is that it is so inclusive, so many people can pick up this book and feel represented by the characters.
Alongside the new book club, The Paper & Hearts Society is still very much prevalent, so if you enjoyed reading about it in the first book, don’t worry, it still features and you’ll love it just as much in this too! There’s discussions of relationships, difficulties in relationships, new friends and jealousy too. While I did prefer the first book in the series slightly more than this book overall, I still thoroughly enjoyed Read With Pride and would encourage everyone to read it. Yes, it is aimed at a younger teenage audience, but I think everyone, including adults will find this book educational and enjoyable.
There are a lot of pop culture references in Read With Pride which those who have read the books mentioned will likely appreciate and enjoy. For me personally, I’m not overly fond of authors doing this as I think it can hinder a book becoming timeless. If someone picked up this book in 30 years time, would the pop culture mentioned still be relevant or feel outdated? This is just some food for thought and something I think is quite interesting to discuss.
The fight for LGBTQIAP+ rights is so prevalent in this book. The way it discusses characters journeys of accepting their sexualities and who they are is so poignant and powerful. This book is about acceptance and finding a group of people who love and value you for who you are. The friendships in this book are lovely. If I read this as a teenager, I know I would have wanted to be a part of both of these book clubs and friendship groups. The story is easy to follow, it’s wholesome and draws the readers in from the get go. I really hope the next book in the series is written from Ed’s perspective. He’s definitely my favourite character and I can’t wait to find out what the next book will have in store for us!
Final Thoughts:
If you’re looking for a wholesome and inclusive YA book, then this is the one for you. This book is perfect for teenagers, especially those who are questioning their sexuality or want to become more educated on sexuality and gender. It discusses some very important topics well and emphasises that it’s okay to be yourself. The writing style is great and Powrie is fantastic at writing for a teenage audience.
There are a lot of references to pop culture, so if this is something you enjoy, you will definitely appreciate these! I can’t wait to see what the characters get up to in the next book and to see who’s perspective it will be written from.
I received an arc of this book from the publishers Hachette in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by receiving a gifted copy of this book in any way. I would like to thank the publishers Hachette, and the author, Lucy Powrie.
Overall opinion of the book:
If I were to describe this book series in one word, it would be wholesome. Powrie is fantastic at writing about very important topics in a way that is completely accessible for a YA and younger teen audience. There are so many things discussed in Read With Pride such as accepting your sexuality, dealing with mental health and the difficult balance between life, firendships and school work.
This second book in The Paper & Hearts Society series follows Olivia instead of Tabby. It’s great that Powrie decided to change the narrator for the second novel. I loved reading more about Olivia’s life and seeing things from her point of view. This is such a great idea and it allows the series to feel more centred around the society, rather than on one single character. Olivia is great and I can see a lot of myself in her when I was at school. She strives to do her best in everything she does and as a result bites off more than she can chew. Instead of taking a step back and reassessing what she could perhaps give less attention to, she goes at everything with full force and causes herself to burn out. Burnout in teenagers is certainly not talked about enough in YA books. Yes, there are many great YA books that discuss mental health, but this is the first I’ve seen that discusses mental and physical burnout. Powrie emphasises to readers that it’s okay to take a step back, say no and take some time out for yourself. It’s a key part of balancing your work, social and personal time.
In Read With Pride we are introduced to a number of different characters who I loved so much. Not only did they bring representation of sexuality and gender, they were brilliant. This book is such an important one for teenage readers. It centres around acceptance and loving yourself completely. As the synopses suggests, all of the LGBTQIAP+ books in the school library have content warning stickers placed on them. To check them out of the library you have to have a permission slip signed by your parents. To some readers this may seem unrealistic, but these kinds of situations still happen in schools. Many parents still aren’t comfortable with their children being educated on all sexualities and gender and will try to stop this from happening. Powrie takes this very delicate situation and discusses it so well in this book. She emphasises that this kind of attitude is archaic and wrong. Olivia stops at nothing to allow fellow students to have access to LGBTQIAP+ books and sets up Read With Pride book club as a result.
I won’t go into the plot too much as I don’t want to spoil it for those who haven’t read it yet, but the new book club she sets up is fantastic. There’s discussion and education about what it means to be transgender, there’s bi, ace and gay and POC rep too. What I love the most about Read With Pride is that it is so inclusive, so many people can pick up this book and feel represented by the characters.
Alongside the new book club, The Paper & Hearts Society is still very much prevalent, so if you enjoyed reading about it in the first book, don’t worry, it still features and you’ll love it just as much in this too! There’s discussions of relationships, difficulties in relationships, new friends and jealousy too. While I did prefer the first book in the series slightly more than this book overall, I still thoroughly enjoyed Read With Pride and would encourage everyone to read it. Yes, it is aimed at a younger teenage audience, but I think everyone, including adults will find this book educational and enjoyable.
There are a lot of pop culture references in Read With Pride which those who have read the books mentioned will likely appreciate and enjoy. For me personally, I’m not overly fond of authors doing this as I think it can hinder a book becoming timeless. If someone picked up this book in 30 years time, would the pop culture mentioned still be relevant or feel outdated? This is just some food for thought and something I think is quite interesting to discuss.
The fight for LGBTQIAP+ rights is so prevalent in this book. The way it discusses characters journeys of accepting their sexualities and who they are is so poignant and powerful. This book is about acceptance and finding a group of people who love and value you for who you are. The friendships in this book are lovely. If I read this as a teenager, I know I would have wanted to be a part of both of these book clubs and friendship groups. The story is easy to follow, it’s wholesome and draws the readers in from the get go. I really hope the next book in the series is written from Ed’s perspective. He’s definitely my favourite character and I can’t wait to find out what the next book will have in store for us!
Final Thoughts:
If you’re looking for a wholesome and inclusive YA book, then this is the one for you. This book is perfect for teenagers, especially those who are questioning their sexuality or want to become more educated on sexuality and gender. It discusses some very important topics well and emphasises that it’s okay to be yourself. The writing style is great and Powrie is fantastic at writing for a teenage audience.
There are a lot of references to pop culture, so if this is something you enjoy, you will definitely appreciate these! I can’t wait to see what the characters get up to in the next book and to see who’s perspective it will be written from.
I received an arc of this book from the publishers Hachette in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by receiving a gifted copy of this book in any way. I would like to thank the publishers Hachette, and the author, Lucy Powrie.
katrina26's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ella_smith_'s review against another edition
5.0
Where do I even start with this book? It was so amazing and I enjoyed it thoroughly! I was a huge fan of the first book and I think I liked the second book even more! Seeing everything through Olivias perspective and the struggles she was going through provided for great character development. I loved seeing the hard work of the the Read With Pride Club and how hard they thrived to make a difference as well as watching Cassie and Olivia’s relationship grow. One of the best reads of the year!
readbylotte's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this!
The first one in the series was one of my favorite books that I read this year, and this one deserves those 5 stars as well. I would love to be a part of their bookclub and their friendship is amazing.
The wat they all come together for the same cause had me rooting for all of them from the beginning.
The first one in the series was one of my favorite books that I read this year, and this one deserves those 5 stars as well. I would love to be a part of their bookclub and their friendship is amazing.
The wat they all come together for the same cause had me rooting for all of them from the beginning.
_laurenhorsley_'s review against another edition
5.0
Ever since I was a little girl I'd see all these amazing women on TV and admire them so much. I was maadly in love with all these female celebrities and would wish to be a boy just so I could marry them as when I was younger I knew nothing different then a man marrying a women. I've been Brought up as a Christian, believing that I must like boys but that just isn't the case. Over the last year I've been on a journey of discovery who I am. I came out as bi couple of months ago and this book filled me with so much hope and happiness.
I read the first book a couple of months ago when my friend lent it to me, I'd instantly feel in love with the characters and the story. Then a couple of weeks ago I was looking into lgbtq+ books and this came up. I instantly knew I had to read it, not only had I love the characters but now there was a pride addition.
For anyone looking into reading this book I'd strongly recommend reading the first one before you read this as it carries on with the same characters and experiences. In this story the paper and hearts society carries on but Olivia Santos, head of the paper and heads society and a proud demisexual creates a group of other lgbtq+ students at her school to rebel against the ridiculous new library rules.
This book outlines the inequality against people in the lgbtq+ community and shows us that more work needs to be done to make everyone feel excepted and welcomed in society. Reading this book gave me reassurance. Reassurance that people do care about people like me and that I'm not alone, it made me realise that the majority of people are excepting and even if I'm not excepted I shouldn't be made to question myself or feel insecure with who I am. This is a brilliant book for those in the lgbtq+ community who want to read about characters like them or allies of out community who just want to read a good book.
I read the first book a couple of months ago when my friend lent it to me, I'd instantly feel in love with the characters and the story. Then a couple of weeks ago I was looking into lgbtq+ books and this came up. I instantly knew I had to read it, not only had I love the characters but now there was a pride addition.
For anyone looking into reading this book I'd strongly recommend reading the first one before you read this as it carries on with the same characters and experiences. In this story the paper and hearts society carries on but Olivia Santos, head of the paper and heads society and a proud demisexual creates a group of other lgbtq+ students at her school to rebel against the ridiculous new library rules.
This book outlines the inequality against people in the lgbtq+ community and shows us that more work needs to be done to make everyone feel excepted and welcomed in society. Reading this book gave me reassurance. Reassurance that people do care about people like me and that I'm not alone, it made me realise that the majority of people are excepting and even if I'm not excepted I shouldn't be made to question myself or feel insecure with who I am. This is a brilliant book for those in the lgbtq+ community who want to read about characters like them or allies of out community who just want to read a good book.
ianb's review against another edition
challenging
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
meganj0107's review against another edition
4.0
This is the second book in The Paper and Hearts Society series, and it is my favourite so far. It follows Olivia, one of the side characters from book one, as she navigates the stress of GCSEs, maintaining a relationship with her girlfriend, and battling the school's new policy: banning LGBTQ+ books from being taken out of the library without parental consent. It is a light and quick read that deals with some more serious topics, and I really enjoyed it.
The friendships within this book were my favourite part of the novel. I love the way that Lucy Powrie explores friendship dynamics and having multiple friendship groups. There are some wonderful friendships that develop throughout the novel as Olivia meets more people that care about diversity in literature and she realises that she can fit in in more than one group.
I do think it is written for the younger end of YA, so the writing style isn’t my favourite. However, I do like the inclusion of text messages and even Instagram captions that feature throughout the book. And the characters and themes explored in this book more than make up for a writing style I wouldn’t usually love.
I really loved the conversations about sexuality and coming out, as well as some important conversations surrounding anxiety, mental health and burnout. It definitely has a wide range of representation, which is definitely great to see in YA books. I love that this book makes it clear that it is okay for everyone to read with pride. I am looking forward to reading the third book in this series next year.
The friendships within this book were my favourite part of the novel. I love the way that Lucy Powrie explores friendship dynamics and having multiple friendship groups. There are some wonderful friendships that develop throughout the novel as Olivia meets more people that care about diversity in literature and she realises that she can fit in in more than one group.
I do think it is written for the younger end of YA, so the writing style isn’t my favourite. However, I do like the inclusion of text messages and even Instagram captions that feature throughout the book. And the characters and themes explored in this book more than make up for a writing style I wouldn’t usually love.
I really loved the conversations about sexuality and coming out, as well as some important conversations surrounding anxiety, mental health and burnout. It definitely has a wide range of representation, which is definitely great to see in YA books. I love that this book makes it clear that it is okay for everyone to read with pride. I am looking forward to reading the third book in this series next year.