Reviews

Paper Hearts by Ali Novak

makennakjacobs's review against another edition

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3.5

I didn't know this was a sequel when I picked it up because I started watching the TV show based on Novak's other popular book, but it was very easy to understand. I can see why it was popular on Wattpad. There were a lot of plot and character elements you just had to accept and not think about too much, but it was a decently fun time if you were able to do that.

fai_aka's review against another edition

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2.0

This book has two things that I really hate in relationship: jumping to conclusion and miscommunication. Granted some miscommunication are acceptable since it does make a story more believable(?) but there's wayyy too much of jumping-to-conclusion and miscommunications in this story that really annoyed me.

enne_deali's review against another edition

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2.0

okay here goes something!!
so fyi i read this book like a long time ago, it was one of the first novels i read, and it was also the first romance i read. DUDE THIS BOOK TRAUMATIZED ME! it was like the first book where there was kissing (like PASSIONATE kissing) and my tiny little girl brain could not handle it and was so shocked lol
anyway, no i did not read the first book in the series but i dont think it mattered.
anyway the plot of this book was just so whatever. just meh. idk read it if you're looking for a normal romance book for like 12 year old girls.
ok there's my review. it's not pretty but i tried lol

ameliabiblio's review against another edition

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3.0

It is exactly what it promises: a cute read with some unnecessary drama thrown in to make it that much sweeter when the couple finally gets together in the end.

nitzanschwarz's review

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4.0

The second installment in the Heartbreakers Chronicles follows a similar pattern to the first - it's a cute, fun, sweet, short read following a member of the popular boy band "The Heartbreakers", who falls in love with a girl who is "normal".

Which is, again, one of my favorite tropes.

It helps that our hero is my favorite member of said boy band; Alec. Let's just say, his reign as my favorite boy shall continue onward. I simply love his intuitive silence, imploring gazes and sweet, quiet nature. This boy doesn't have a mean, disloyal bone in his body, and you can always trust him to be the voice of reason and everyone's confidant. That's just... who he is.

Novak does a good job convincing you that he has met his match in Felicity. What I loved the most about her is that she felt like a real girl, and she even occasionally freaked out about the fact she was with Alec Williams. THE Alec Williams. It was adorable. She was adorable, and sweet, and well-meaning... even as her entire world (as she knew it) was falling apart. Actually, one of the things I wanted more of this book was the repercussions of that, especially with her mother, since it didn't really feel properly resolved.

But really, even though these books give you some darker themes, those are not what the novels are about. The novel is, quite frankly, about the romance that blooms between Alec and Felicity. And yes, that love blooms quite quickly. It was more noticeable in Paper Hearts since the setting is a week-long road trip, but at the same time the novel kind of makes you forget this small detail.

I think part of the reason this works better in Novak's books than in some others I've read is that the characters don't rush to define their relationship in big absolutes like "love". Instead, she lets the reader draw their own conclusion on the status of their feelings through their actions and words. Which works far better for me than being told.

I'm really curious to see which band member will get the next novel - Xander or JJ. I am far more interested in JJ's story (he's my second fave), but I also feel like, for the sake of the flow of these novels, he should be the last to find love, both considering his personality and his role in the group. 

booksofkings's review against another edition

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lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

sparksofember's review

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2.0

It was better than the first book in the series but definitely reads like teenage fanfiction. The characters go road-tripping all over the Pacific coast without parental permission which, I don't think would have bothered me as a teen but reading as an adult I was a bit skeptical. Especially when they stayed overnight at the mansion - how old are these singers compared to the other characters? But I enjoyed the romance - Alec is one of the two Heartbreakers I thought was likeable so...

kamelleruano's review against another edition

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2.0

Genuinely I wanted this to be better than the first book, but this gave needed context to Alec and his father that I missed in the first book. The pacing of this felt a little like a roller coaster ride where the first part builds to your apex, in this case, Felicity meeting Aaron and then getting some publicity around their dynamic. My only wish for this would have been to allow Rose's character to have time with Felicity in reunion. Like anything would have been better than trying to only focus onto what was happening around Alex and Violet's business at the same time.

alidy's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

lindsaystenico8821's review

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5.0

Paper Hearts is the continuation of Ali Novak's series, The Heartbreakers Chronicles. It tells the story Felicity who leaves home with her two best friends and Alec, bass player for The Heartbreakers, in an attempt to find her sister who has been missing for the last four years.

Now, having followed Ali on Wattpad, I had read her Wattpad version of Paper Hearts first. Now that I've read the published version, I can honestly say that they are two completely different stories and that I am grateful that the Wattpad version wasn't the one that had been published. This version makes the characters relatable and has a plot that makes you want to continue reading until the very end. Whereas the one on Wattpad had me rolling my eyes at various points.