This was a good story, that was a tad unrealistic, but I don't read romance for it's realism. I really enjoyed this story, as someone suffers from anxiety, this book intrigued me. Lets face it Zoe is a mess. She is a mess mentally and emotionally but she makes beautiful things out of her paper. Jackson the boy brought in to tutor her is such a kind soul. I love his character. Sometimes it was hard to follow Zoe's behavior, but all in all this was a great book. The story is told in dual pov.

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Rogue and BlackKnight have progressed from just playing online chess matches to chatting on a regular basis. They hide behind their usernames, sharing more about themselves than they'd willingly share to friends offline. At the same time, at just seventeen Zoe battles agoraphobia and a panic disorder, leaving her unable to leave her home and incapable of maintaining personal friendships. Her older sister's friend, Jackson, is the one she misses the most. He thinks of the quiet, smart girl often, wondering what has pulled her from school and away from his curious eyes. She presents a welcome distraction to his difficult days outside of school, spent wandering from location to location as he fights to survive on his own away from his addicted father. Tutoring and therapy bring the two together and they discover that the crushes they harbored are not unrequited. Together they work together to get Zoe outdoors, but Jackson continues to keep his secrets quiet, including the one that could change everything about their relationship.

Paper Girl isn't your typical young adult romance; Zoe hides behind the paper planets she obsessives over and Jackson attempts to call his homelessness anything but what it really is. And each relies on their internet personas for honest human connection.The story primarily focuses on the difficulties each teen is facing in their lives and the steps they both take to tackle them and to avoid them. The pacing is slow, but the story is definitely more about their personal development rather than the romance they find in one another. It's funny, sad, heartwarming, and complicated all at once. It's a complex story about the baby steps, the leaps, the setbacks, and the people you need rooting for you along the way.

Paper Girl is one of the most realistic novels I've read in a while. I could picture Zoe's paper projects, her nearly obsessive organization, and feel her terror seeping from the pages as she struggled to take even just a few steps out of her apartment's elevator. Her struggles with anxiety are very accurate and I really appreciated the time Cindy R. Wilson gives to Zoe and her therapist and the dialogue they share. There's a lot of growth in the novel and there's space for Zoe to challenge herself, to set goals and to make them happen. It isn't a novel about fixing the illness, but rather about facing it and fighting for a life that is filled with experiences. Jackson, on the other hand, deals with a situation that I do not personally relate with, but understand is becoming more common than we'd like. At such a young age he must care for himself, left mourning alone as his father chases his demons. He's very mature, but at the same time his family life has shaped him and he doesn't even realize he must tackle those feelings until he walks alongside Zoe as she faces her own.

Is it too much to say I think this is a book that should be required reading for every teenager? Cindy R. Wilson tackles topics that are difficult to discuss and often portrayed incorrectly in media. I do think it could be triggering, but at the same time I think that many youth are unaware of the prevalence of mental health issues and the way it shows itself in individuals. Just as Paper Girl touches on, those who suffer from anxiety and panic disorders are afraid of the judgement, they build it up so much in their mind that they never believe another could be there for them. Paper Girl made me cry, but it also made me feel hope. The story is sweet, funny, and features two characters with so much passion for life that their setbacks can't hold them down. I highly recommend Paper Girl and am so glad I had the opportunity to read it.

ARC provided. ( )

Personal Review: 3 1/2 stars
**Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review***

This book could have been a typical YA contemporary story that gets lost in the mass of other contemporary novels, but the focus on social anxiety makes this story stand out.

I'm going to do this review a little different and break it out into Pros and Cons.

Pros:
-The author's portrayal of Zoe's social anxiety. Contrary to popular belief, this isn't something you can just get over.
-The reveal of why Zoe confined herself to her apartment. It showcased how something so normal can spiral out of control and cause the reaction that it did.
-Pro-therapy message. I loved that this story showcased the benefits of therapy. Oftentimes in stories, therapists are portrayed as clinical robots that are unrelatable. Gina was the type of therapist that took the time to get to know Zoe, opened up about her own life, and gave Zoe the tools she needed to go out and take back her life.
-Zoe decided she was in control of how she lived her life. Gina didn't fix it for her. Mae didn't fix it. And Jackson didn't fix it.
-Zoe's paper room. I definitely need a picture of what this room looked like.
-Jackson's relationship with his dad. It was refreshing to see the growth in their relationship towards the end of the story.

Cons:
-Zoe's relationship with her mom and dad...I felt like Zoe's parents used their hobbies or jobs to ignore the crippling anxiety she was experiencing.
-Jackson....Even though I thought their relationship was cute (if not predictable), I felt like Jackson was rather pushy at times. At certain points throughout the story, it seemed like Jackson thought it was his job to fix Zoe instead of just being with her. That may just be me, but I got that vibe several times while reading the story. ( )