Noah Can't Even

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As this was supposed to be the book about 'will they or won't they', it was barely about that. I thought I was going to get some awkward first intimate experiences, but instead there were just a couple of those scenes (though well written, I must say). But Noah's nothing if not a bit clueless, like how maybe he should've guessed he wasn't quite straight when the school mean girl threw herself at him sexually and he couldn't escape her fast enough. “I’m hot for you, Noah!” she purred, like a bad porn actress. My one and only complain is that we don't get to see much of Noah and Harry and their developing new relationship. Instead, most of the first half of the book they barely get any scenes together, which was very disappointing. In the second half of the book there's finally more Harry in it, and we see more of their relationship.

But I hugely enjoyed reading this. I read it in just under a week - that's fast for me. I enjoyed the humour in it and I enjoyed Noah trying to come to terms with everything (which, most of the time, was terrible and I wanted to shake him!). I hugely enjoyed a new character called Mike or, when "I got me hair on", Bambi Sugapops, and I hope that if there is a third book, Noah gets more of a relationship with Mike and Bambi. As if questioning his sexuality and his friendship with Harry wasn't enough, throw in a Dad who has gone AWOL, a loud, foul mouthed Mum who moonlights as a Beyoncé tribute, an 80s-music-loving Gran with dementia who is plotting an escape from her care home, and a plethora of school related trouble - and Noah just CAN'T EVEN. His relationships get challenged and his personal insecurities get put to the test, but through all the silly, often downright hilarious antics, Noah comes out personally stronger for it, and hopefully he and sweetheart Harry do too. I also feel like I'm not sure why Harry likes Noah, because Harry doesn't say much until the end. I wish we got more of his mind. He says he likes Noah being weird and crazy (I don't remember the exact quote), but we don't get to see why, we don't get to see scenes where they are doing weird, crazy things together, and enjoying it. I'd urge everyone to take a chance on it - especially if you're someone who would never consider a Young Adult novel as a potential read. One of my favourites of the year so far (definitely my favourite YA of the year) and I will be heartbroken if we never hear from Noah again.No, Noah, it’s not,” she said, pushing him into his bedroom. “They just say that to make the weird kids feel better." Add to this, Noah is increasingly worried about his dear nan’s declining health and for some strange reason Noah is certain he’s being followed by some shadowy adults in and around his small British town of Little Fobbing. I'm leaning towards 3.5*. It was my hugely anticipated sequel and, to some extend, it disappointed me, but not too badly. I'll explain :) This might be London, and it might all be very hip, but they’d forgotten about the one thing that was always en vogue: good grammar. Noah Can't Even is the story of a clueless teen finding his way in an ever complicated and ridiculous world.

I feel like the first book was better thought out, had longer scenes that were more grounded in the moment. The sequel flew by and we barely stopped at the more important and serious scenes, just touching up on them. I felt like more focus was placed on the crazy/weird stuff happening around Noah and Noah being completely off the charts.

Sorry, ale który żyjący w 21 wieku 15-16-latek nie wypowiada słowa "seks", używając zamiast tego "tenteges"? No błagam *przewraca oczami* Noah Can't Even is silly and over-the-top in all the right ways, making the laugh-out-loud moments an absolute joy to read. As for me? I'm going to wait for the sequel, hoping that it will settle down and magnify 'Hoah' a little more, and develop Noah a lot better. Cutest characters you will ever meet. Honestly. How do people get through life without reading about Noah and Harry. Noah and Harry have been boyfriends for two months; they’ve been kissing like crazy, but Noah is scared to take things to a sexier level. He thinks there is something wrong with him because he is a teenager, so he should be thinking about sex at all times, and he isn’t. He is just too worried about what this means, about what that can changed the perception Harry has of himself. He doesn’t think he is enough for Harry; he is not manly enough, he hasn’t got abs, he worries about the most random things, and his life has so much going on that it’s a miracle Harry found Noah interesting in the first place.

Dziewczyny są puszczalskie, oprócz oczywiście tej jednej jedynej przyjaciółki Noah, która nie jest i która od razu wie, że Noah jest gejem, mimo że on sam twierdzi, że nie jest i absolutnie temu zaprzecza. Another thing I didn't warm to was the pyramid scheme storyline. Ok, I get it. I understand why it's here - it feeds into two/three other storylines - but whenever it cropped up, I just wanted to skim it. But seeing why Noah got involved and the fallout was really interesting, but I never warmed to this plot. I thought the quality of the writing improved over the course of the book. The initial tone was stridently, aggressively humorous, to the point of being farcical. Indignities and humiliations were heaped non-stop onto 15-year old Noah. But the kid was suffering through too much hell for me to find his situation funny.A sequel is never easy, and despite loving Noah for all his awkward, socially inept, self deprecation, and Harry for his devoted nature, this fell short due to predictable cliches. I liked the book, it was funny, had madcap moments like the insanity that happened in the first one, and there were some scenes between Harry and Noah I wished there were more of. Noah as the kid on the spectrum navigating dating, love, and strained family dynamics is touching, and even sweet at times. At others I slap my forehead thinking, “Noah, what are you doing?”

Noah’s imagination is a bit out there. He sees drama and mystery in everything. And although sometimes he is right, a lot of the time he is far off base. I love his do good personality and I love that Harry loves him for it. Tak, tak, wiem, Noah jest szkolnym nerdem, ale wiecie, w przeciwieństwie do Polski, oni tam mają w Wielkiej Brytanii w szkole taki przedmiot jak edukacja seksualna. I nieśmiałość nie ma z tym nic wspólnego. Harry's characterization was... Weird. Inconsistent. The Harry we first meet, with his jolly, good-natured enthusiasm for Noah's crush on Sophie, has no connection with the Harry who's supposedly been in love with Noah all along. As YA stories go, Noah came across as much more naive and young than what I'm used to, but I thoroughly enjoyed his story, nonetheless, so I'd rate this book at around 4.25 stars. I meant what I said. Let’s not be interested in the rest of the world when we’re each other’s worlds.”

Noah is probably on the autism spectrum, having massive social skill issues, obsessions with the way things need to be and with mystery detectives, a point that makes his unraveling the details of his predicament insanely funny. It has that Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime feel. He says things out loud that most say in their head. It could just be social skill issues as well. He is massively smart and is a good person, scared and confused. Noah’s mother is a mess. As far as he sees it, she is neglectful and indifferent. There is a good deal of evidence to support his opinion, but the author also puts in the book several moments that suggest otherwise. Clearly, Noah’s mother, Lisa, makes many bad choices, not the least of which is her Beyoncé tribute act under the nom de theatre of Ruby Devine. But Noah also has Harry, his best friend and fellow geek since forever. And then there’s his grandmother, Millie, who taught him genteel ways and worldly wisdom. Sadly, gran is in a care home (and not a nice one), as dementia steals her away from him bit by bit. This was one of the most convoluted stories that I have read in a while... and trust me, I read a lot! ;D Noah and Harry are now dating. And now only is Noah trying to find his footing with what this could mean, a French exchange is happening and it includes the sexy and very gay Pierre Victoire, who might be having his eye on Harry, and Eva, a girl who dislikes Noah. And there are strangers beginning to follow Noah. Noah has no idea why - expect it could be his dad and half-brother doing something dodgy with his gran's fake diamonds OR that a drag queen is staying at his house due to a drag feud OR Noah maybe getting involved in a pyramid scheme linked to protein powder?