Oh, I do love a good book about books. They make me feel all warm inside and I can relate to absolutely everything that happens... Perks of being a book lover! When I saw this book on Netgalley, I instantly requested it. It's just the type of contemporary that I love reading and I had such high expectations!

Bennett's Bookshop has always been a haven for sixteen-year-old Paige Turner. It's a place where she can escape from her sleepy hometown, hang out with her best friend, Holly, and also earn some money.

But, like so many bookshops, Bennett's has become a 'casualty of the high street' - it's strapped for cash and going to be torn down. Paige is determined to save it but mobilising a small town like Greysworth is no mean feat.

Time is ticking - but that's not the only problem Paige has. How is she going to fend off the attractions of beautiful fellow artist, Blaine? And, more importantly, will his anarchist ways make or break her bookshop campaign?

The premise of this book sound absolutely incredible. I love reading books about books, I mean, who doesn't? And I can 100% relate to the book. I'm so sick of seeing bookstores close down... They're world treasures. 

Wow... This book was so childish... I definitely think that this book is aimed at a younger audience, it doesn't even feel like YA. I think it actually verges on middle-grade. As a 22-year-old, I can happily read from a teenagers perspective, but with Bookshop Girl, I just felt like the language was condescending. Coles used 'words' like "oh em gee", or "ridic". I couldn't hack it. I know what Coles was going for; she wants her audience to connect with the characters, and use the language that young people use. But it just got too much. Who actually enunciates "oh em gee" anymore? Or says that something is "ridic"? I've got so many notes on my Kindle referring to times that I was horrified with the simplistic language that Coles was using. She even referenced BHS (which, for you, U.S readers, is a U.K department store that shut down AAAGGESS ago), and then she called The Chronicle newspaper, "The Chronch". I've never heard it been called that before. 

It's like she was trying to shorten nearly every word she was writing to sound cool (?). I know that sounds really harsh, but it made the reading experience very staggered because it didn't make the book flow. 

However, one of the things that I really enjoyed about this book was when Paige and Holly took part in the art class, and we got to meet the incredible people who also took part in the class - especially Sue! She was amazing, and I love her so much. I also love how Sue and the others got involved in helping Paige save Bennett's. I also love how the romance was completely turned on its head. It was such a surprise and I'm glad that Coles decided to do it.



“Books are more than just a prop to pose around with when you're trying to convince people you've got a bit of substance. Books are an escape route. A refuge. They can be a connection to a stranger, someone you've never met, who writes something that you hadn't considered anyone in the world to have felt but you. When you grow up feeling too big for a place, and you make that kind of connection with a book, it’s like a link; it’s a tunnel to the outside world. A glimmer of something beyond.”

― Chloe Coles, Bookshop Girl



There is actually going to be a second book, which I'm very confused about. The end of Bookshop Girl seemed final, so I don't know what Coles is going to do for the second book. I'm probably not going to read the second one... 

Overall, this book wasn't my favourite. I feel like it could have been a little bit longer by Coles fleshing out the characters and the plot a little bit more, but oh well. It felt too childish for me to fully enjoy, so I do feel like I was too old for this book (which is a first for me!)

Trigger Warning: This book features ableist language, and a joke about wanting to die by suicide after an embarrassing moment.

I have been wanting to read Bookshop Girl by Chloe Coles, ever since Coles first started writing it. Although I was a little nervous to read a book written by my friend - What if I don't like it? What will I say? - I absolutely loved it!

Bennett's Bookshop is not just a place of employment for Paige Turner; she has been coming here for years, and it's full of memories. So when it's announced the shop is going to be closed and knocked down as a result in a fall in profits, Paige and her best friend, Holly, rally to try and save the shop, campaigning to keep the shop open. Distracting her from her campaign is Blaine, the gorgeous arty anarchist who has caught her eye, and keeps popping up wherever she goes. Will Paige manage to focus enough on the campaign to manage to keep the bookshop she loves open?

Bookshop Girl is such a hilarious and fun, and, at 213 pages, a very quick read. It's has a ton of embarrassing and awkward moments - that always occur just when Blaine turns up, poor Paige, - an awesome friendship, wonderful people in life drawing class, and a genuine passion and love for books. In Paige we have a strong-willed girl who is will do all she can, and will be heard. I wasn't sure how Paige's campaign would go. I thought it might involve well-intentioned but half-baked attempts at campaigning that kind of fell flat, and brought some of the comedy, but actually, Paige and Holly do a fantastic job, with a petition, fliers, posters, videos and t-shirts, and more. They get out on the street and they talk to people, and make sure people know what's happening to Bennett's and just why it's so terrible. There is nothing half-baked to Paige once she's put her mind to something, and she's quite inspirational.

While Bookshop Girl is a comedy, it's not a "silly" book. It's actually got quite a lot of important things to say. It shows a teen girl using her voice, standing up and fighting for something she believes in. It shows the importance of books and reading, and the importance of access of books:

'[...] I got completely wrapped up in an iPlayer documentary presented by Reggie Yates. He's in Uganda.
A tatty van with a faded paint job that reads MOBILE LIBRARY pulls up along a dusty road and suddenly hundreds of children run towards it. They smile and skip and dance with books clutched to their hearts. Books with damaged spines and dog-earned corners. They're so excited to borrow these books and to read.
How can we, here in Greysworth, say that we've had enough of bookshops, of libraries, of access to books? That they're outdated and irrelevant. Unimportant. While there are children in parts of this world running towards books, how can we possibly say "Enough. It's time to get rid of bookshops; it's time to clear them from our high streets"?' (p123-124)*

'"Books are more than just a prop to pose around with when you're trying to convince people you've got a bit of substance. Books are an escape route. A refuge. They can be a connection to a stranger, someone you've never met, who writes something that you hadn't considered anyone in the world to have felt but you. When you grow up feeling too big for a place, and you make that kind of connection with a book, it's like a link; it's a tunnel to the outside world. A glimmer of something beyond. If we lose Bennett's, then we block all of those tunnels. We slam all of those doors."' (p204)*

It also has feminist undertones, with showing examples of sexism, and why they're so terrible. Paige and Holly are pretty steadfast and unapologetic in their feminist views, which is so wonderful to see:

'Below a hand-painted chalk board advertising "Fish Fridays", a couple of crusty old blokes with about four teeth between them turn round on their barstools and leer at me and Holly.
I fold my arms across the top half of my body, all to aware that their bloodshot eyes are boring through the artificial fabric of my party dress.
"'Ave a good night there, gels!"
Groan.
People with a higher tolerance to men-saying-whatever-the-hell-they-like might think Hey, y'know, it's just some old guys being nice, what's wrong with that?
I have nothing against people genuinely being nice, but I do have a problem with the fact that they probably wouldn't turn to a group of sixteen-year-old lads and say anything. We're being treated in a certain way, just because we're girls. The best thing to do is to ignore it, right? Avoid making a scene. Don't make them feel uncomfortable, even though the way they look at us is pervy enough to make us squirm.
It's a typical example of male privilege. The assumption that they can say whatever they like to girls. The assumption that women or girls are there for their entertainment.
Funnily enough, when I was doing my hair and squeezing into my outfit, I wasn't doing it for their benefit.' (p79-80)*

So, yes, it's comedy and full of laughs, but it also has some important themes and messages, too.

Paige uses "text speak" - she says things like "oh em gee," "natch", "defo," "obvs." What was so wonderful about the way she speaks is that it's so realistic, because teens do talk like that, but the book also shows that Paige is smart. I think there's a prevalence to equate the way some people talk with a lack of intelligence, but with Bookshop Girl, Coles shows that, that's not the case. Paige is definitely not stupid. As I've said already, she has feminist views and is able to explore and articulate feminist ideas, and she's also organising and spearheading a campaign to save a bookshop. These aren't small things. Paige might talk in "text speak", but she's also whipsmart.

There are a couple of problematic niggles, however. There are three instances where Paige uses the word "lame", which is ableist. There's a moment on page 117 where, after something embarrassing happens, Paige talks about wanting to shoot herself, which might be upsetting for some readers.

But overall, Bookshop Girl is such a fun, quick read that will have it's readers desperate to start their own campaign and shout from the rooftops about the importance of books.

*All quotes have been checked against a finished copy of the book.

Thank you to Hot Key Books via NetGalley for the eProof.

Bookshop Girl was written for teen Stacey. When it's announced that Bennett's Bookshop will close down, Paige Turner is having none of it. It's her place of work; where she goes with her best friend and colleague, Holly, to buy her next favourite book; and a pillar of the Greysworth community. Paige won't go down without a fight, even if there are pretty artistic boys around to distract her.

Whilst this was a very quick read with a decent concept behind it, the writing was poor, the main character was mostly unlikeable, and I found it very hard to really care about any of the characters.

I would probably have given it a three star writing had it not been for the embarrassing and somewhat forced insertion of repeated use of 'young' words such as OH EM GEE and defo on a regular basis. For a young adult novel whose main character is meant to be thinking about university, it felt more like a 12-year old narrating the story.

The plot felt rushed to conclusion and it was extremely clear just a couple of chapters in that the love interest would turn out to be a useless stereotype. I didn't enjoy this as a young adult and I imagine as a teenager I would have simply given up on it.

This was such a cutesy book but there were a fair few things I didn't like about it that stopped my enjoyment of the book whilst I was reading. 

Okay so to start with, I liked the idea of the book. It's about books and a bookshop and the main character is actually called Paige Turner. The actual bookshop was adorable and I would love to work in one just like that myself. 

Paige's best friend, Holly, was also such a sweetheart and I really liked her. I wish that their friendship had been more fleshed out. 

That was the main downfall, I think, of this book - it was so short. Some books are short but just the right length, but this one wasn't. Nothing felt fleshed out - the characters didn't have much scope, some of the scenes felt so slow, and I felt no connection. I also feel like Coles tried to do too much - it should have just been about Paige and the bookshop. For example, the love interest that was introduced for Paige just felt awkward and out of place, and the bookshop and the boy seemed to be fighting for stage time each scene. I wish that Coles had just picked one or the other to really focus on instead of attempted to do 50:50 and not really making it work very well. 

It had its merits of course, although predictably, if you're a well-read reader, you probably know the outcome before going in. Also, I did love that Paige was a 16 year old girl, but the love interest was bad news from the start and it kind of irked me that no one said. Well, Holly did. Hence, Holly is my favourite characterrrr and I love her and the book should've been about her tbh. 

Overall, this was a cutesy, funny read, but I wanted a lot more from it and it just didn't live up to what I hoped it would be.

A really fun young adult read with lots of personality and very likeable characters, Bookshop Girl is a perfect holiday read! I read it in a single sitting very happily and will be passing it onto my sister too. The book is well-written, if a little formulaic (introduce problem & solve it) and is a lovely reminder of how cool young women can be. I will be reading the sequel! 3.5 stars from me.

This book is so much fun, I really looked forward to getting back to it when I wasn't reading it. Paige is such a vivid character, I loved getting drawn into her world.

As a huge fan of books and any book outlet I was really excited by the concept of this story-line although I have a niggling feeling that not too many modern-day teenage readers would be all that bothered about saving a bookshop.
This is one to recommend for younger teenage girls who love a lighter, humorous read but my recurring impression was that the language was too exaggerated and the mishaps occurred too frequently - reminding me of the cringe-worthy efforts of older people to appear young.
A good book to have available for those wanting a quick, light-hearted read.
(Thanks to NetGalley for this book)

BRILLIANT. I absolutely adored this book. It made me laugh out loud time after time without being too silly. Paige is in her final year at school, she is a budding artist and part time book shop girl. I adored her relationship with her bff and her mother, her romantic mishaps and wonderful quick wit. I felt as if Chloe was in my head half the time and it very much resonated with me and my own teen years in the noughties...

Chloe Coles is a modern Louise Nicholson, and the sequel sounds just as promising. I literally don't know what to say apart from: if you have a sense of humour you're gonna love this one. Definitely buying this for the school library.

I was given a galley of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

As a bookseller, I loved all the little references and insider jokes that littered the pages of this book. The tales of regular customers and the little things like The Bookseller magazine and proof copies littering the staffroom. I honestly loved this book so much and didn't actually put it down until I had finished it. It was such a fun and feminist read that I smiled the whole way through it and can't wait to see what Paige and her friends do next.

The cover is very eye catching, it's very simple in its design but the bright colours really do pop, so it definitely stands out in a bookshop.

When I first read the synopsis of this I thought it would be a cute, funny read.

"Bennett's Bookshop has always been a haven for sixteen year old Paige Turner. It's a place where she can escape from her sleepy hometown, hang out with her best friend, Holly, and also earn some money.

But, like so many bookshops, Bennett's has become a "casualty of the high street"- it's strapped for cash and going to be torn down. Paige is determined to save it, but mobilising a small town like Greysworth is no mean feat.

Time is ticking- but that's not the only problem Paige has. How is she going to fend off the attractions of beautiful, fellow artist, Blaine? And, more importantly, will his anarchist ways make or break her bookshop campaign?"

I think this appealed to the book lover in me, I mean any book lover would do whatever they could to save their local bookshop wouldn't they?

Paige Turner (yes there are a couple of comments about her name throughout the novel) is quite a likeable character, for a teenager she shows a lot of dedication and ambition.

The writing is humorous and each character has a distinctive personality- even the bookshop itself becomes a character- you could easily imagine being there yourself.

While Paige is attempting to save Bennett's we also see her join a "life drawing" class with Bestie Holly- a big part of Paige's story is how she wants to be able to move on from Greysworth where nothing really happens, but she knows that the best thing about it is Bennett's- not only does she work there, but it holds so many memories for her and other people.

I adore the characters introduced in the life drawing class. There is such a good dynamic between Paige and the whole group.

I was intrigued as to how Blaine would be involved in "making or breaking the campaign" and I have to say it wasn't what I was thinking at all. It worked really well for the plotline- although I shan't give any spoilers.

The dialogue reminds me quite a lot of "Angus, thongs and perfect snogging" (Yes I have opted for the film title as I've never actually read the book... sorry) so I would say it would appeal more towards a younger teen audience- so maybe not us who are nearing 30- although having said that it is still enjoyable, just be prepared for "OH EM GEE"

So if you liked "Angus, thongs..." then I would recommend this, it is a fun quick read- which I believe will be having a sequel so I may keep an eye out for that.

Bookshop Girl is available in stores now.

"Bennett's Bookshop has always been a haven for sixteen-year-old Paige Turner"





From the colourful fun cover to the blurb on the back you know this is a YA book so if you're a woman over a certain age who may (or may not) live with cats you could be thinking this isn't the book for me! but maybe it is the exact book you should be reading.





It's a short, fun, easy read written in first person following the life of Paige Turner, 16 year old bookshop girl. Bennett's the bookshop she works in is to be closed and demolished and Paige, Holly (her best friend) and her co-workers start a petition to save it. Throw in a love interest and a still life art class (as you do) a teenage feminist vibe, a lot of humour and voila.





This is a great book it's written extremely well and very witty. I did actually "LOL" in places. It took me back to being that age and my outlook on life. I do feel it's aimed at the younger side of YA but don't let that put you off as it's a feel good story with a good positive message of believing in yourself (whether your 16 or 60!)





I'm looking forward to reading and reviewing more from Chloe Coles.





Thank you to Net Galley for the preview copy.

Bennett's book shop is being closed down but Paige Turner has other plans. She is going to fight to save it with her best friend but can they do it?

This was a sweet short read but it's very much on the younger side of YA. The language is more in keeping with the younger generation so would definitely be an idea read for them. The story was good though and I liked the ending. I had figured out Blaine' s role in the story though.

A short light story ideal for young adults.

This book was SUCH FUN to read! I'm turning into a massive fun of Paige Turner (yes, it's her real name) and her antics as she's trying to save her beloved bookshop from closure. This book also features Posers, the life drawing class, some bookshop characters and a real hottie. And it's very funny - it literally made me giggle and snort with laughter. So, if you're a fan of bookshops and like reading YA, this book is perrrfect for you.

This is such a fabulous, funny and engaging read.  Paige Turner (superb name) is such a great protagonist and I was instantly invested in her and her story.

High streets all over the UK are being devastated by large chain stores and it was refreshing to see this explored in a YA novel.  Paige's determination to save the local bookshop was inspiring and she is an incredibly motivated 16 year old.

I adored this debut novel - with chapter titles such as 'Pigeon Tits' what's not to love - and would highly recommend it for fans of Georgia Nicholson, 'Super Awkward' and 'Editing Emma'.  I cannot wait for more from Chloe!

Bookshop Girl is two things for me, one is a inspirational, little fluffy, fun, easy and enjoyable read and the second is a scarily arcuate representation of my town. I worked in a local pet shop that got shut down because rent’s became extortionate, foot fall in town fell and many more people go online or further afield and most of the time sadly independent retailers cannot compete so when the same thing looked to happen to Bennetts bookstore I immediately felt a connection there. It wasn’t just the retail climate that felt familiar either, although I’m a good 14/15 years older than the main character I remembered essentially being her. Sure the slang has changed and technology is vastly more superior but her essence and personality just felt so relatable to my “youth” (now I REALLY feel old). The surroundings and townsfolk seemed eerily accurate too, down the guy who used to try to hide things in his trousers to shop lift and the shops etc, I had to check the authors info page to find out how close she really lived to me because it felt like she could have easily written this about my town and I think that really helped connect me to this book in a way I might not have done otherwise.

Bookshop girl is a super laid back read and is, I think certainly for the younger side of the YA market with a sixteen year old protagonist and fairly light events which were no less meaningful for it. This book is heartwarming and just the right kind of funny, silly and cringe inducing and the couple of days it took to me read it just felt relaxing. The writing feels very arcuate to the age group (insert hello fellow young people meme here) and shows a lovely side of the “younger generation of today” instead of the bad image a lot of young people are unfairly branded with today. Paige Turner is normal, average and I love her for it because it helps hammer home the idea that anyone can help to make a difference if it’s something they care about.

I can see why some people, especially of my age, might find this a little too “young” for them but I throughly enjoyed it and can happily recommend it. I’m so happy books like this are being written, although we need the deep hard-hitting stories I feel like we also need books like Bookshop Girl too which address issues and current situations that I don’t think we see a lot of but that can still effect young people. Thank you so much to Hot Key Books and Net Galley for allowing me to read Paige’s story in time for its release date today!!

A good read - I always like a book set in a bookshop and I loved the feminist and activist themes that were threaded through it to give inspiration to a new generation, and the older female role models.

More in my review on my blog, link below.

This was really, really not the book for me. I'm just not a fan of the cringy teenage girls embarrassing themselves in front of their crush at every turn type of book. I just don't like the second hand embarrassment. It's okay in some books, but I think there is a balance that needs to be achieved. This was way too much. It was like Paige was doing something completely ridiculous and cringe-worthy on every single page.

The plot wasn't that great either. I found it predictable in so many ways, from the total tool that Paige decided to be totally in love with, and embarrass herself in front of every single time that he turns up to the random subplots that had absolutely nothing to do with anything. I mean did we really need the bit with the bath bomb or the dead cat? What even was that?

In short, this was just not my sort of book. I didn't enjoy this sort of thing when I was a teenager and I don't now. It might be better for someone who's more into that kind of thing, but I'm honestly not sure.

I hought this book was ok but found it hard to get into.
The characters didn't particulary grab me and the situation they were in was ok.
I just felt that it was nothing to get excited about.

Bookshop Girl is a lighthearted, funny read, at times reminding me a little of the comedian Miranda Hart (Who I love by the way). The plot is well thought out and the characters realistic written. Most of us readers of a certain age have probably read classic teen books such as the Angus, Thongs series; Bookshop Girl is the up to date feminist teen read that fits right in that bracket. There are numerous laugh out loud moments, and this book will have you ready to fight for what you believe in, right along side Paige.

Paige Turner (What a great name!), the MC, is a passionate, arty and very stubborn bibliophile. I love that she stood her ground and did everything she could to make her voice heard and make a change in the situations she had been thrust into. I also loved how she was willing to stand up for herself and what she believed in when faced with the truth about people that she was previously blind to.

Holly is the lovable best friend and I would have loved to have a friend who loves books as much as these two do. Tony disappointed me a little. Don’t get me wrong, he’s very well written, but being the resident pessimistic, it made me angry see him shrug off Paige’s hard work for most of the book. (You’ll understand what I mean when you read Bookshop Girl yourself.) Blaine was a little 2D. I expected what happened would happen as soon as he showed an interest, but I love that he was clearly a lesson Paige had to learn.

I loved the whole life drawing side of the book too. Both Paige and Holly are a lot braver than I am. I’d have been super embarrassed if I had attempted to go to Life Drawing classes. Something about people’s bodies make me squeamish!

If you’re looking for a short, fun read, Bookshop Girl is definitely a great option. I look forward to seeing what adventures Paige and co. gets up to in the future.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars.