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. Yes, this book is cringe-worth - I knew that when I went in - but this is still hugely funny (maybe more so than Noah Can't Even, as I knew how Noah would react to certain things) and big hearted.

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 series still very much reminds me of TJ Klune’s funnier toned books and also of the hilarious Netflix show Sex Education, so if you’re partial to either of these you’ll probably have a good laugh here. It's a long review and I think it shows how much I care about the book. The sequel did not live up to the hype I created for myself, but I still enjoyed it, and still love Noah and Harry. I will say that the second half of the book I liked more than the first, but on the whole, it was great to see how the boys got along after they got together, and to know what happens to them. I absolutely loved Mr. Green's writing style and will be looking to see what other gems he has written for me to read! 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.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?” This book is very good. I don’t think it was as funny as the first, but it still had its moments. There is some British humor that I don’t think I quite caught, but that’s my fault as an American.

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. 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. I knew that Noah’s insecurities were going to bring problems to his relationship. I worried so much about their happiness you’ll think they were my best friends. Noah overthinks and by overthinking he makes one mistake after the other. I was on edge all the time; I was on edge even as I was laughing my butt off at the hilarity of the situations Noah finds himself involved. Harry, oh Harry. How I love Harry. I love being in Noah’s head, but I do wish we could get into Harry’s head. I wish we got to see more of Harry and Noah’s relationship in this book, but Noah is so focused on EVERYTHING else that he loses sight of their relationship (which is kinda Harry’s point late in the book). I can't do cringe. I've said this before. I can't watch reality talent contests like Britain's Got Talent or The Voice/X Factor, as I just can't handle the people who think they can sing but can't - I cringe and get embarrassed on that person's behalf. I can't watch certain hidden camera shows due to certain elements. I can't watch certain comedy programmes or films due to the the tone of the humour. I just can't do cringe.Noah, the protagonist, is frustrating and often unlikable, going out of his way to be an absolute asshat to the people around him, boyfriend included. And once he said, "Oh phooey," in total sincerity. This is an unforgivable crime. I think he said it specifically to upset me. Harry, on the other hand, is a total sweetheart. He is guilty of nothing but laying his affections on his selfish, pompous, undeserving best friend. I love you, Harry. Forgive me for trashing your bae. (I know you won't. It's ok.) I really enjoyed the overall theme of this book being self acceptance and getting past what other people think of you. Noah is a self conscious 16 year old boy. He is worried about the way Harry might view his body, he is insecure about why Harry likes him. He’s worried about the new “perfect” French exchange student who is staying with Harry swooping in and stealing Harry. I think he’s still pretty insecure about being gay as well. He’s also dealing with the craziness that is his family life. Poor boy. I feel so bad for his family life. His mom is fairly useless and his dad is a piece of trash. The only family member who seems to really, truly care about him his slowly subsuming to dementia. His half brother is overall scum. And they have no money. This was one of the most convoluted stories that I have read in a while... and trust me, I read a lot! ;D You know what I would do? What I did? Don't try to label it. Don't even think about what it is. Just enjoy the moment. And remember that no moment is for ever. And other moments come along. And sometimes they're even better. Sometimes they're worse. But don't fret about it. People always like to talk, but ask yourself: in the grand scheme of things, in the total insignificance of our tiny lives in this massive universe, who gives a shit?" 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.

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. Noah thinks the best way to become popular is date Sophie, a popular girl. Then his best friend Harry kisses him at a party. That plot is very simple and actually the entirety of the book is pretty standard, sure some unusual plot twists and fun characters make it a little different but it's just a fluffy contemporary in the end. And after Way of Kings it's just what I needed. Well, yes. Yes there is. It just so happens that it comes from Harry. See, even though Harry was incredibly upset and angry at his boyfriend, he went ahead and dug out the *spoiler* from the bin that Noah was so desperately seeking. Even though this very thing represented what Harry was so upset about - one of the main things detracting Noah's attention from their relationship - Harry rooted around through garbage to get it for the one he loves, even though the one he loves was definitely mistreating him. And that says it all, doesn't it?There’s a lot going on in Noah’s life, for which I do not envy him, but thankfully he’s still got always-best-friend and now-new-boyfriend Harry to keep him (mostly) grounded. Noah’s family are still bonkers and his personal neuroses are full on flaring, especially when a drag queen moves into Noah’s house and a student exchange program sees Harry paired with sexy French boy named Pierre for far longer than Noah is personally comfortable with. Add to that, a sexual identity crisis of epic proportions after best-friend Harry kisses him unexpectedly at a party. However, if you're looking for a touching romance, which develops over time and focuses on the MC's spending loads of time together... this is most decidedly *NOT* that story. At least not this first book in the series.

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. Review Taken from The Pewter Wolf& Book was given by UK publisher, Scholastic, in exchange for an honest review. I think we now need the last book where they're together in university and Noah finally gets his shit together, there is less weird stuff happening around him and more of Harry! :) But if it's the end for the boys, the last sentence of the book is all I need to know about their future! :D And then Jess, and then Josh, and Eric and Connor and Kyle and a myriad other characters play their respective roles to stir things up royally for Noah, mixing in a few alarming surprises on the way. As it is a comedy, we know there is a happy ending. For a long time, one wonders what this ending will be, but it is satisfying nonetheless (did I mention the tall, gym-toned (and very sensitive) male nurse?). However, it's a twenty-first century comedy - the last five sentences threaten the new equilibrium disastrously - or (I truly hope!) sets things in motion for the sequel. I'm sure Noah is strong enough for a next little journey through hell! This is a fairly critical review. With that in mind, I would just like to say that I am always happy to see well written YA LGBTQ+ fiction, and that this book, despite its issues, is exactly that. I genuinely think that the writer is talented and that this book will probably make many people happy. Nice.)

This was fun, funny and heartfelt. I like Noah more and more as I read on, even when so much of what he says and does makes me cringe or shake my head in frustration or embarrassment at times. He’s such a fabulously flawed character and I love watching him grow into a wiser, emotionally stronger boy—even if things sometimes seem hopeless. 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 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. If you look at it, this story has a tragic foundation. It is through the genius of Simon James Green’s writing that Noah’s story is not only hilarious, but also uplifting. Unlike Candide, who constantly evokes “the best of all possible worlds” (which was Voltaire being snarky, because he was a total cynic, too), Noah sees his world as the worst possible world, from which he yearns to escape. He lives in a nothing town with an absent father and a negligent mother. He is bullied and ignored, and shelters his soul within elaborate game-playing scenarios with Harry.