TBH, whenever I need a good book recommendation, I can always count on Heartstopper for some ideas. Isaac (Tobie Donovan) is known for always having his nose in a book, and this fall, I strive to be just like him and cozy up with a good book any chance I get. With only a few months left in 2024, I’ve been focused on hitting my yearly reading goal, but am still a couple of books away from completing it.
With Heartstopper Season 3 dropping on Oct. 3, I now have some books to add to my TBR list, and it’s all thanks to Isaac. Since he is the king of reading, I’m always curious about what books Isaac chooses to pick up each season. This time, he had some pretty good ones, reading books from authors like Emily Henry and Madeline Miller. I trust Isaac’s book recs more than BookTok at this point. Here’s (almost) every book Isaac reads in Heartstopper Season 3. There are a couple of book titles I couldn’t spot, but the dedicated readers and stans surely will, and I’ll thank them for it later. Spoiler Warning: Spoilers for Heartstopper Season 3 follow.
Episode 1: “Love”
1. Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe
Isaac spent time in Seasons 2 and 3 exploring his sexual orientation. This book is a perfect read for him, as it tells the story of the author’s journey as a non-binary person. It’s also a graphic novel, just like the book series this show is based on.
Episode 2: “Home”
1. You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry
Even though Nick (Kit Connor) is the one on vacation in episode 2, Isaac is reading about it. You and Me on Vacation is a rom-com about two friends who may want to be more than just friends, taking yearly summer vacations together. It makes sense Isaac reads this, with him watching many of his friends have a summer of romance.
Episode 3: “Talk”
1. This is How You Lose Her by Junot Díaz
This Is How You Lose Her is a collection of short stories about being in love, which are all connected to the protagonist, Yunior. Heartstopper Season 3 Episode 3 is pretty heavy, so it makes sense they paired that dialogue with such a raw story.
Episode 4: “Journey”
1. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
If you’re on the BookTok side of TikTok, then you’ve probably seen people talking about this book, and for good reason. The Song of Achilles retells the Trojan War with a heartbreaking love story. “I read The Song of Achilles like you suggested,” Isaac tells Charlie (Joe Locke) in Season 3, Episode 4. “And I know you said it was gonna have a sad ending, but um, I wasn’t prepared and cried for about four hours, so thank you for that, really appreciate it.” Same Isaac, same.
Episode 5: “Winter”
1. Christmas Days: 12 Stories and 12 Feasts for 12 Days by Jeanette Winterson
We love a good holiday read. This book has stories and recipes that are perfect to read leading up to and on Christmas day. You can even make some yummy dishes for your family for the holidays using this book.
2. Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
This magical story by Susanna Clarke features journal entries of an enslaved man, Piranesi, who is stuck in an alternate universe. He fights to retain his memory as an innocent man in the underworld.
Episode 7: “Together”
1. The Ethical Slut by Dossie Easton and Janet Hard
Since sex is a big topic in Heartstopper Season 3, it makes sense for Isaac to choose to read about it after not learning much about this topic at school. Of course, episode 7 has that funny sex ed scene. The Ethical Slut is about polyamory and sex positivity.
Episode 8: “Apart”
1. I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
I’ll Give You the Sun follows twins Jude and Noah as they struggle to find their independence, fall in love, and ultimately begin to grow apart. This reflects the storylines of Charlie and Nick in the finale, with them learning to stand on their own as Nick prepares to go off to university.
There are books on this list that are for everyone, and I’m excited to read them all.