# Paperback Vol. 2 — A novel deck-building game > Deck-building word game with novel themes and cooperative/AI modes. (iPhone/iPad app by Fowers Games Inc..) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paperback-vol-2/id1621816877 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Fowers Games Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1131388980) - Category: Games, Card, Word - Price: $4.99 - Rating: 3.50/5 from 47 App Store ratings · 53 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.0 · 146 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2022-05-25 - Data updated: 2026-08-31 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paperback-vol-2/id1621816877/reviews.md ## What is Paperback Vol. 2? Paperback the game is back! Paige Turner has been cranking out novels of all genres and has a new set of tricks. Follow her journey to become a bestselling author! Paperback, the deckbuilding word game fuses smart wordsmithing with clever combos. Based on the bestselling card game, it returns with Vol 2! Try out the new cards, new modes and new art. The advanced computer players can challenge the best players or work alongside you in cooperative mode. Cooperative mode - play with friends even play alongside the AI New massive card set - as you play, you’ll unlock new cards and abilities. Advanced AI - can find the best words faster and challenge the best players. New Art and interface New mini-expansions - spacebar, dyslexic and alternate starting wilds. New kitchy novels to finish! ## Key features - Deck-building word game mechanics - New cards and abilities - Cooperative mode with friends or AI - Advanced AI opponents - New art and interface - Mini-expansions ## Chart rankings - #121 in Top Paid · Card (US App Store) - #45 in Top Paid · Word (US App Store) ## What do users think of Paperback Vol. 2? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 👍 Great game concept - 👍 Fun deckbuilding twist - 👍 Enjoyable solo play - 👍 Good for passing time - 👍 Well-done adaptation - 👍 Great time waster - 👍 Brilliant concept - 👍 Fun and challenging **Cons** - 🐛 Buggy app - 🐛 Frequent crashes - 🐛 Game freezes often - 🐛 Unplayable after updates - 🐛 Inconsistent dictionary - 🐛 Poor AI word choices - 🐛 Unreadable graphics - 🐛 Awkward GUI layout - 🐛 Broken logins - 🐛 Animations too slow - 🐛 Multiplayer dull **Commonly reported bugs** - App is buggy - Cards not working as expected - Points miscalculated - Words not in dictionary - AI uses invalid words - App icon shows false notifications - Double value card bug - Green Look at 3 cards dialog bug - App freezes after scoring - Cannot buy cards after scoring - Game freezes during AI turn - Push notifications not working - Card effects not always working - Triple-letter score bug - Account not verified error - Cannot start new PvP games - Online not working - Game won't deal second hand - Animations move at snail's pace - Computer players lock up - Computer players make suboptimal choices - Double score adjacency bonus not working - Confirmation email not received **Most requested features** - Option to use original fonts/graphics - Full rules explanation - Card collection feature - Option to have all cards available ## Recent user reviews (10 of 53) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paperback-vol-2/id1621816877/reviews.md ### 3/5 — Buggy *2026-04-15, version 2.2.43* It’s a fun game, but unfortunately the app is just buggy. A lot of cards do not work as they are supposed to, points are sometimes miscalculated, and words that should absolutely be in the dictionary, are not. ### 4/5 — Near Perfect *2026-04-09, version 2.2.43* I have been playing this game for over a year now, and I absolutely love it! It's especially good when you can get into a game with human opponents. I have only two complaints. The first is that the dictionaries are sometimes a bit, shall I say, "counterintuitive". By that, I mean that the AI's will sometimes get points for words that I am quite sure are not words. I will give them the benefit of the doubt, but on the other side, I often cannot submit words that I know for a fact to be words, such as "ammunition". The other complaint is a very small one, that probably affects only me. Currently the app icon currently displays a notification flag even when I have no notifications. That means, that I repeatedly open the app to check whether I actually need to make a move. And this is a bit annoying, since the app does not open all that fast. ### 5/5 — Great game but still some card bugs *2026-02-02, version 2.2.31* Updated from previous review Still a great game! Cards that double adjacent card value: doesn’t double card value if previous card in word is selected. Works fine if selecting the card after the double card. Green Look at 3 cards: If the AI uses this card and no cards remain in the draw deck, the confirm dialog remains open requiring the app to be closed and reopened. ### 5/5 — Great game *2025-12-02* Updated from previous review Still a great game! Cards that double adjacent card value: doesn’t double card value if previous card in word is selected. I don’t normally use these cards anyway but the AI does so it’s actually a beneficial bug for me. The AI doesn’t really use the F and Z cards that reduce novel values to their fullest extent. Which again benefits me. The AI leaves a wild in it’s hand when it could use it as an “s” and capture the common vowel. ### 5/5 — Great Deckbuilding twist *2025-11-16, version 2.2.33* I just discovered this game, so I’m still getting used to it, but I really like it. I was looking for another deck builder in addition to Dominion and Ascension that wasn’t about combat. Like the other two games, this is all about building up the deck to purchase victory points (which in this are novels), but instead of just playing cards, it’s all about making words.

There are lots of options which change the difficulty and bring in elements that add variety, and in addition to online and local play, I love the fact that I can play a game all by myself - great practice for learning how the game works.

I want to emphasize that I’m really happy the vendor made this game work with the Mac - that’s what I actually bought it on, though of course that means I also have it for my iPhone and iPad. This is not a common thing for vendors to do, and it should be commended and encouraged.

So overall, a great game if you like deckbuilding and scrabble! ### 5/5 — Great game *2025-10-29* Updated from previous review Blue “Y”: will draw 5 if double letter card with vowel is used in word. If the AI gets this card and has any double letter cards containing a vowel, might as well concede. Green “L”: doesn’t always double card value if previous card is selected. ### 3/5 — Word Validity *2025-10-02, version 2.2.30* The game’s vocabulary filter needs some tweaking. While it invalidates a lot of legitimate, non-offensive words, it permits a host of offensive terms related to racial and ethnic groups (e.g., the verb “jew,” and the nouns “yid,” “honkeys,” and “orientals”). ### 5/5 — Great game *2025-09-16* Updated from previous review This is my go to game for downtime. Bugs, but nothing fatal: Blue “Y”: will draw 5 if double letter card with vowel is used in word. Green “L”: doesn’t always double card value if previous card is selected. Still some inconsistencies with card descriptions and graphics regarding +1 draw vs +1 value for # of cards remaining in hand. Where did the cards go that added points based on specific letters in your deck, # of trashed cards, etc? ### 5/5 — Fixed and playable again *2025-07-23* Thanks for fixing the graphics back to non-4 year old mode. The blue D 6$ card that says +1$ for each card left in hand is really +1 draw. Graphic doesn’t match action but it’s not a big deal. Update: There are actually several high cost cards that say +1$ but are really +1 draw. Just a graphic wrong on the card so some cards won’t do what you expect - more $ this hand vs more draws in the next hand. Overall still a great game for passing the time. ### 4/5 — New fonts *2025-06-26, version 2.2.29* The balloon fonts have made this game unplayable. Some don’t even fit in the card. The option ‘vol 1 font’ controls this? But can’t turn it off. Update; I contacted support about the font and not long after he made a change and the font issue was fixed. It’s back to being playable and I’ve changed my rating to reflect. ## Frequently asked questions about Paperback Vol. 2 ### What kind of game is Paperback Vol. 2? Paperback Vol. 2 is a deck-building word game that combines word creation with strategic card combos. Players aim to become bestselling authors by crafting words and unlocking new cards and abilities as they play. ### What are the new features in Vol. 2? Volume 2 introduces a massive new card set with unlockable abilities, advanced AI for challenging gameplay, new art and interface, and mini-expansions like spacebar, dyslexic, and alternate starting wilds. ### Can I play with friends? Yes, the game features a cooperative mode that allows you to play with friends. You can also play alongside the AI in this mode. ### Is this game free to play? Based on the provided information, this application is a paid game. There are no mentions of in-app purchases or advertisements. ### Who is the target audience for this game? This game is designed for individuals who enjoy word games, deck-building mechanics, and strategic card-based gameplay. It appeals to those looking for a challenging and engaging single-player or cooperative experience. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.2.44 — 2026-07-28 -Fixed Minor Issue with Dyslexic -Fixed bug on bug online games not saving turns ### 2.2.43 — 2026-04-05 Patch Notes: Better Bots & Smarter Words This update focuses on making the AI more reliable, fixing dictionary bugs, and making special card searches much more accurate. AI Improvements Fixed AI Freezing: Bots will no longer get stuck "thinking" indefinitely. If they can't find a word, they will now correctly discard and move on. Difficulty Balance: We’ve synced the AI’s brain with their difficulty level. Easy bots stay in the easy dictionary, while Hard bots now properly use the full range of complex words. Word & Dictionary Fixes Dictionary Cleanup: We’ve organized our word lists so that harder dictionaries now include all the words from the easier ones. Better Multi-Word Logic: Fixed a bug where the AI would get confused and switch dictionaries in the middle of looking for multiple words. Card Mechanic Updates Smarter Wildcards: Wildcard cards are now much more efficient. Instead of guessing randomly, they now specifically look for letters that actually complete words in the dictionary. Flexible Bigrams: Bigram cards (like TH) are now more versatile. The AI will now check both the standard order and the reversed "dyslexic" order (HT) to find the best possible play. Technical Tweaks Performance Boost: Added a "search cap" to prevent the game from slowing down during high-level calculations. Stability: Fixed a rare crash that could happen when the game was first loading its word data. ### 2.2.42 — 2026-03-24 Hello Wordsmiths! This update introduces a highly requested quality-of-life feature: Planned Turns. You no longer have to wait for your opponents to finish to start cooking up your next big word. We’ve also gone through the library with a fine-toothed comb to fix several card-specific bugs. New Feature: Planning Mode Draw Early: You can now enter a "Planning Mode" from the Waiting for Player screen. This allows you to see your next hand and stage a word while your opponent finishes their turn. Seamless Transitions: Your staged word will now correctly save and carry over when it officially becomes your turn. Lobby Flow: Improved the UI to make returning to the lobby and checking game status smoother while in planning mode. Card & Power Fixes The "J" Card: Fixed a bug where the J (Double Word Score) would disappear from staging but fail to trash itself, staying in your deck indefinitely. The "T" Card: Patched the 3x adjacent bonus card to ensure the "trash after use" effect triggers properly. Look/Discard Powers: Fixed a logic flip where selecting cards to discard was accidentally keeping them instead. Auto-Reshuffle: The "Look" power now automatically triggers a reshuffle if your deck is empty, ensuring you always see the correct number of cards. Visual Polish: Fixed an issue where cards in hand would occasionally highlight incorrectly. Trash & Economy Fixes Fixed a major bug where the Trash stack wasn't clearing between different games. You will no longer see "stale" cards from previous sessions in your current trash pile! Trash for Cash: Fixed several instances where trashing cards (specifically the "Trash 2" power) failed to award the $1 or $3 bonus. Stacking Effects: Resolved logic conflicts that occurred when trying to trigger multiple different trash effects in a single turn. UI Clarity: Corrected a labeling error where the Discard pile was incorrectly showing a "TRASH" header during certain card-gain effects. Multiplayer & Co-op Co-op Fame: Fixed a bug in online Co-op mode where Fame cards were failing to appear. ### 2.2.41 — 2026-03-21 Hello Wordsmiths! This update introduces a highly requested quality-of-life feature: Planned Turns. You no longer have to wait for your opponents to finish to start cooking up your next big word. We’ve also gone through the library with a fine-toothed comb to fix several card-specific bugs. New Feature: Planning Mode Draw Early: You can now enter a "Planning Mode" from the Waiting for Player screen. This allows you to see your next hand and stage a word while your opponent finishes their turn. Seamless Transitions: Your staged word will now correctly save and carry over when it officially becomes your turn. Lobby Flow: Improved the UI to make returning to the lobby and checking game status smoother while in planning mode. Card & Power Fixes The "J" Card: Fixed a bug where the J (Double Word Score) would disappear from staging but fail to trash itself, staying in your deck indefinitely. The "T" Card: Patched the 3x adjacent bonus card to ensure the "trash after use" effect triggers properly. Look/Discard Powers: Fixed a logic flip where selecting cards to discard was accidentally keeping them instead. Auto-Reshuffle: The "Look" power now automatically triggers a reshuffle if your deck is empty, ensuring you always see the correct number of cards. Visual Polish: Fixed an issue where cards in hand would occasionally highlight incorrectly. Trash & Economy Fixes Fixed a major bug where the Trash stack wasn't clearing between different games. You will no longer see "stale" cards from previous sessions in your current trash pile! Trash for Cash: Fixed several instances where trashing cards (specifically the "Trash 2" power) failed to award the $1 or $3 bonus. Stacking Effects: Resolved logic conflicts that occurred when trying to trigger multiple different trash effects in a single turn. UI Clarity: Corrected a labeling error where the Discard pile was incorrectly showing a "TRASH" header during certain card-gain effects. Multiplayer & Co-op Co-op Fame: Fixed a bug in online Co-op mode where Fame cards were failing to appear. ### 2.2.40 — 2026-01-12 Card Adjustments ## Apps similar to Paperback Vol. 2 | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Aeon's End](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aeons-end/id1476090287) | 4.2 (44) | $12.99 | Games | | [Cartographers](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cartographers/id1515991485) | 3.3 (113) | $3.99 | Games | | [Fantasy Realms by WizKids](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fantasy-realms-by-wizkids/id1616457596) | 2.8 (13) | $4.99 | Games | | [Clank!](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clank/id1580629864) | 4.8 (1,394) | $10.99 | Games | | [Phone Dice Roller](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phone-dice-roller/id1663657275) | 4.3 (214) | Free | Games | | [Trickster's Table](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tricksters-table/id1668506875) | 5.0 (20) | Free | Games | ## More apps by Fowers Games Inc. - [Fugitive Notepad](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fugitive-notepad/id1135595567) - [- Turning -](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/turning/id1201497179) - [Burgle Bros](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/burgle-bros/id1244169929) - [Word Domination: Going Solo](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-domination-going-solo/id1256052881) - [HardBack](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardback/id1377791842) - [Sabotage: Villains](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sabotage-villains/id1478455579) All apps by Fowers Games Inc.: https://appshunter.io/developer/1131388980 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-31.*