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Heartstopper by Alice Oseman


Charlie, a highly-strung, openly gay over-thinker, and Nick, a cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player, meet at a British all-boys grammar school. Friendship blooms quickly, but could there be something more...?

Charlie Spring is in Year 10 at Truham Grammar School for Boys. The past year hasn't been too great, but at least he's not being bullied anymore, and he's sort of got a boyfriend, even if he's kind of mean and only wants to meet up in secret.

Nick Nelson is in Year 11 and on the school rugby team. He's heard a little about Charlie - the kid who was outed last year and bullied for a few months - but he's never had the opportunity to talk to him. That is, until the start of January, in which Nick and Charlie are placed in the same form group and made to sit together.

They quickly become friends, and soon Charlie is falling hard for Nick, even though he doesn't think he has a chance. But love works in surprising ways, and sometimes good things are waiting just around the corner...


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This is less a review and more me just signposting this wonderful book to those of you who haven't discovered it yet.

I bought heartstopper via Alice's kickstarter a while back. I hadn't see the comic in its online format and I hadn't made the connection between the characters in this novel and the characters in one of previous novels and purely bought it because I love her stuff as a rule. 

 Goodness me I am so glad I did. It is truly wonderful as a graphic novel and a YA love story. I found myself utterly absorbed in their story and rooting from them from the first page. I cannot wait for the second volume.

If you didn't get involved in the kickstarter or this is the first time you've heard about just get it preordered when it publishes in the new year. It is absolutely the best thing I've read in a long time.

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