In her thouroughly entertaining book “Book People”, Paige Nick explores the messy world of online reviews, cancel culture and book lovers (and authors) behaving badly, all with heart and humour.
South Africa (08 October 2025) – So here is a cliche: every book reviewer that has shared their thoughts on this book has started with “I was scared to write this review”. The cliche is that I, too, want to say that. Paige Nick penned a funny fictional novel inspired by her very real Facebook Group called the Good Book Appreciation Society; however, the book highlights the story of fictional Harry Shields, a self-promoting author who uses the fictional version of the group to drum up sales for his second book so his third will have a better chance at being picked up. When a bad review is shared, all hell breaks loose.
Cue the popping of the popcorn because the book then follows the life of group admin Norma, a South African expat living in the UK, who, too, has her life come unravelled, all the while trying to manage Harry Shields and his not-so-elegant social media downfall.
The book gives insights into each character’s personal lives as well as their engagement online and all the nasty comments and chaos that follows.
It is basically a social diary of all the ways that commenters feel emboldened by their anonymity and how we as humans sometimes fail to get it right because hey, Facebook didn’t come with a user manual and rules have really been made up on the spot. Paige shared the satire to highlight online media and cancel culture.
Being in the online space, we know all too well the crazy bully culture that comes with it. Even in the world of Good Things, people go a bit far. Paige’s book highlights how we often just feed off of each other, and before long, comment sections can get a little outrageous.
This book was an easy read. I read the whole thing on a rainy weekend. I didn’t really want to put it down because reading about Harry Shields’ downfall and Norma’s life taking some crazy turns became addictive. I truly felt bad for both characters, but also couldn’t look away. I wonder if that’s an indicator of something… Let’s not unpack that!
While the book is set in the UK, it is very much a South African gem. Paige Nick is a South African novelist, columnist and copywriter. She has immersed herself in the book culture of South Africa, not only founding The Good Book Appreciation Society, but also hosting a book radio show called Book Choice on Fine Music radio.
I loved the chance to review a local work of fiction and was so glad that it was enjoyable. I feel quite relieved that I don’t have any criticisms. I am also now wildly curious about the group that inspired this novel and may just go lurk in the background to see just how a group of Book People interact.
Love and Light 🌈🌺
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Back of the Book
Norma Jacobs is your average accountant, running a book club on Facebook and living quietly with her gamer boyfriend in London. Except for the part where she’s being threatened by a deranged author and questioned by the police about attempted murder. All just as she’s started a new job as the only forty-two-year-old intern in the history of publishing.
Harry Shields is a crime writer desperate to hit the big time when a negative review of his latest book on Norma’s page results in him having a spectacular public meltdown. He gets cancelled, his events get cancelled, and before you can say ‘author behaving badly’, he’s plotting revenge and stalking his nemesis.
By the time Harry’s gone viral, and Norma’s given up trying to stop him, the online book club has over a hundred thousand rowdy members, and the comments section is a (literal) riot. Entertaining until one member ends up in a coma.
If you would like to learn more about this book, visit its website here. It is also available at all major literary retailers and online.
Interested in more proudly South African books? You can find more of our book reviews here.
Sources: Book Supplied for Review
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