Graphic Novel Review: Heartstopper V5 by Alice Oseman

Author: Alice Oseman

Title: Heartstopper

Series: Heartstopper #5

Genre: LGBT, YA, Romance, Graphic Novel

Format: ebook

Pages: 336

Published: December 7, 2023

Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. The bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel about life, love, and everything that happens in between: this is the fifth volume of the much-loved HEARTSTOPPER series.

Nick and Charlie are very much in love. They've finally said those three little words, and Charlie has almost persuaded his mum to let him sleep over at Nick's house ... But with Nick going off to university next year, is everything about to change?

Review:

Book 5!!!! Weeeee!

We continue on Nick's and Charlie's journey of love and awkward teen years. Nick is a year older and is going off to university next year. What university? How far? Will their love be able to make it? At the same time of Nick deciding where he wants to go, Charlie is still battling his demons. 

Now that I have this finished....I'll have to wait for the next one. UGH wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen????? The ending left me needing to know what is going to happen. I guess I have the show I can finish (gah. I only did season 1...so behind).

I hope they can stay together, but it is hard being school sweethearts and then college...especially if the go far away for college. I do worry about them and what the future holds. 

Seeing Charlie blossom is amazing. He's had a journey and I'm so happy to see him finally loving himself. 

We got to see some other subplots and character development with our sides. It didn't take away from our mains. Beautifully done!

The art is cute and perfect. 

My only issue is that it felt....slow. Lots of repetition. Enjoyable overall, but my eye did twitch a little bit. Yes, I get we are seeing their inner monologue, but it did get....old. 

I can't wait for the next one. I believe the next one might be the finale....or close to the finale. 

4 stars from me. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Amusing

Reading Challenges: 

- Library Love #35

Graphic Novel Review: Heartstopper V4 by Alice Osema

Author & Illustrator: Alice Osema
Title: Heartstopper

Series: Heartstopper Volume 4
Genre: Graphic Novel, LGBT, YA, Contemporary, Romance
Format: ebook

Pages: 320
Published: May 6, 2021
Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

Charlie didn't think Nick could ever like him back, but now they're officially boyfriends. Charlie's beginning to feel ready to say those three little words: I love you.

Review: 

I'm loving this series SO much. It's so dang sweet and....real. 

We continue following Charlie and Nick on their journey of young love. Things get a little heavier in this one. 

Not only do they want to scream "I LOVE YOU" to each other, but both are so scared and unsure.....we also get to glimpse at some of their demons. They both don't have the perfect family life. Charlie's mom is having a hard time trusting him. Nick's brother is a monster and his dad is absent. He's a 1 time a year father. 

We also dive into Charlie's mental health issues and eating issues. I'm sure a lot of it stems from that whole year he was bullied to the point the police should've been involved. Poor kid....Charlie is so sweet and didn't deserve that at all. :( 

Don't get it twisted...even with the heavier plotline here it is still light and YA. It just made their world seem more real....and it makes you adore them even more. You want them to be happy and have the perfect life. We all know life isn't like that though......

But yes. This is still really good and I want more! MORE PLEASE!

5 stars. I loved that it went a little darker and we get to see more behind each character. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Beautiful

Challenge(s):

-  Library Love #22

Graphic Novel: Heartstopper V3 by Alice Osema

Author & Illustrator: Alice Osema
Title: Heartstopper

Series: Heartstopper Volume 3
Genre: Graphic Novel, LGBT, YA, Contemporary
Format: ebook

Pages: 320
Published: January 1, 2018
Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

Charlie didn't think Nick could ever like him back, but now they're officially boyfriends. Nick has even found the courage to come out to his mom.

But coming out isn't something that happens just once, and Nick and Charlie try to figure out when to tell their friends that they're dating. Not being out to their classmates gets even harder during a school trip to Paris. As Nick and Charlie's feelings get more serious, they'll need each other more than ever.

Review: 

This series is just so cute so far! I still need to watch the next season of the show. But full steam aheaddddddddd!

Nick and Charlie are finding their groove as a couple. However, coming out isn't easy and isn't something that just happens once. They will struggle to figure out when to tell their friends and family (who don't already know). It gets harder when the school takes a trip to Paris. The city of Love. 

What I love about this is that we do get a couple of side stories, but the main focus is Nick and Charlie. They are adorable and sweet and they deserve each other. 

There is some worry about Charlie by the end of this. Does Charlie have an eating disorder thanks to the year before when he was bullied relentlessly? Ugh poor kid. I do worry that this may throw in unnecessary drama. But we shall see. 

We get to see a little bit of Nick's relationship with some more of his family. F his brother and F that father of his. GRRR. Nick is a gosh dang angel. 

So very sweet and so very easy to read. I'm trying not to devour the series. 

The animation is adorable. 

All-in-all, this series is great. It is so very YA, but not cringey which is a huge bonus. Just a sweet tale of love. 4 stars for this one. 

 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Sweet

Challenge(s):

-  Library Love #19

Graphic Novel Review: Heartstopper, Volume 2

Author & Illustrator: Alice Osema
Title: Heartstopper

Series: Heartstopper Volume 2
Genre: Graphic Novel, LGBT, YA, Contemporary
Format: ebook

Pages: 320
Published: January 1, 2018
Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

Nick and Charlie are best friends. Nick knows Charlie's gay, and Charlie is sure that Nick isn't.

But love works in surprising ways, and Nick is discovering all kinds of things about his friends, his family ... and himself.

Review: 

Awwww! I have to read more of these. The story and the art is so adorable!

We continue were we left off in V1. I guess a spoiler...but Nick and Charlie are best friends. We left off when they kissed and Nick took off. Charlie has been openly gay for a long time and Nick thought he knew himself...but after meeting Charlie...is there more to himself? 

BE WARNED! Some spoilers are ahead!!

I simply adore Charlie. He is so sweet and kind and really helped Nick. He didn't hold it against Nick for needing sometime to figure out himself. No pressure to make Nick come out. I really loved this. 

We get to see Nick try to figure out himself and his mates. He has some not nice friends (dang popular boys) to deal with. And telling his mom? He is scared. I loved how the scene with his mom was dealt with. It broke a tear to my eye. So sweet. I love his mom! I loved that WHOLE scene. 

The ending was simply adorable! I can't wait to read V3!!!

The art is adorable and fits the vibes very well. 

I'm loving this series so much. The characters are very sweet. We have a couple meanie weanies that Nick used to be slight friends with. Hopefully they can grow up. 

Giving this a 5 because I can and I will. 

 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Sweet

Challenge(s):

-  Library Love #16

Graphic Novel Review: Heartstopper Volume 1

Author & Illustrator: Alice Osema
Title: Heartstopper

Series: Heartstopper Volume 1
Genre: Graphic Novel, LGBT, YA, Contemporary
Format: ebook

Pages: 288
Published: January 1, 2018
Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

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. 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.

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...

Review: 

I watched the TV show a couple years back (I still need to watch season 2 - whoops) and I've been meaning to read the original works. 

Here we follow Charlie and Nick. Charlie is high-strung and an over-thinker. He's been openly gay at his school. Nick is a kind boy who plays rugby. They meet when they are partnered up and a friendship quickly blooms. However....could there be more? 

The story is beautiful and I love these two together. Charlie is adorable and Nick is so dang sweet. 

I also really love the illustrations. So beautiful and impactful. 

Charlie and Nick really need each other and deserve each other. Charlie had a terrible year after coming out and then BEN showed up. Grrrr. Ben is shit. 

This is just so sweet and adorable. 100% recommend. 

5 stars. 

ONE WORD SUMMARY: Adorable

Challenge(s):

-  Library Love #15

Not-Quite-So-Saturday Joint Review: Heartstopper (s1)

This month we decided to review season 1 of Heartstopper!

Blodeuedd is in red and I am in purple.

Title:  Heartstopper

Genre: Drama, Romance

Released: 2022
Season: 1
Rating: TV-14


Teens Charlie and Nick discover their unlikely friendship might be something more as they navigate school and young love in this coming-of-age series.

Click here for the trailer. 

DISCUSSION:

We decided to watch a TV series this time. Heartstopper on Netflix. I had heard amazing things

Yes! I love a good shake up. Plus this looked SO good. 

I was confused at first, I did not realised it was set in the UK. And it does bring such a different feel than a US show ;) I really liked that. Everyone felt so normal you know. 

Esp with the little graphics that would pop up. Like the little hearts. It was so cute and I loved the feel of the show. It felt like normal life. Not overly dramatic, but real. 

Yes, so real, so funny with the little hearts and things. So cute, and I was so rooting for them.

I literally had all the emotions. I loved how they had a lot of representation. That was touching! I want a 2nd season. I feel like there is so much more story to tell. Esp with Tao and Elle. 

Did I check or not? I am sure a 2nd is coming, it must be. This was a hit

I didn’t check. I would think season 2 would be a thing eventually. This was a hit! I just hope they leave Charlie and his boy alone. I want them to have as little drama as possible. LOL They melted my heart. Oooooo that scene with Nick and his mum!!!! OMG I was crying and clapping. 

They always do it though. Silly drama. Another love interest, some conflict. I just want them to be happy!!!!!!!

Sammeeee. I can handle a tiny bit of drama. Maybe Ben tries to win Charlie back? But I hope they focus more on Tao and Elle. Or even Tara and her girlfriend. Maybe Imogen can get a small storyline. I liked her. She was so sweet. 

I’d like that Tao and Elle, and what about Charlie’s sister? She was just kind of in the background. She could have a story too

Trueeeeee Charlie’s sister needs a spotlight. I would like to learn more about her and her world. I think she is graduated? See? I don’t even remember. 

She had a school uniform? We never really saw her. Oh well, there are at least more stories to tell

Yes indeed! There is a lot of stories to tell. But I did love watching Charlie and Nick fall in love. I loved watching Nick find his true self. This gave me all the feels. 

It really was one for the feels, I am happy we chose it.

I am too! It only has 8 episodes and they are not very long so it was a quick watch. I am thinking of rewatching it. 

I do like a good binge! And that is what you do it was a good binge series. Really good. Can't say anything bad. The end?

Zero issues! Loved every minute. Def worth the watch!

Yes, the end!