general

• quick summary - in this volume, nick and charlie deal with their wishes to take the next step in their relationship (wink wink) while dealing with the incoming big change next year: nick going to university.
• key themes - love, friendship, sex, personal growth, individuality in relationships, ed recovery.
• fav character - nick <3 his struggles feel a lot more relatable to me, while I admire charlie more for what he has overcome.

interests

• what i found interesting - I liked how the idea of taking a romantic relationship into the sexual realm was portrayed, with all the anxieties and wishes of teenagehood (which I did not experience, unfortunately). I appreciated how the sex was implied and never explicit (minors, hello!) and how awkward but lovely it turned how to be. I really liked seeing nick growing closer to the girls and opening up a little bit more— the friendships in this series are so heartwarming :'). I also really enjoyed the little side plots like tori's own love life and charlie's relationship with his mom.
• what i learned - a little bit of english geography due to their uni tour lol
• fav quote - none in specific, but I like the reflections on charlie's strength.

rating

• 4.5/5 - I cannot rate any heartstopper book lower than this. perhaps this one wasn't higher on my list because its main theme is not directly relatable to my experiences, but many of nick and charlie's struggles (outside of their relationship) still were. I still enjoyed this one more than the last, maybe because the subject wasn't as heavy. this series really shines in its sincerity in sharing what being a lgbt+ teen is like. it's sweet but true to real life, and that is why it is so loved <3