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Port Haven Book #1
Noah's Song
Noah Derwin knows what it’s like to be different. Being a seventeen-year-old kid in high school with blue hair, piercings, a mostly all black wardrobe, and an obsession with zombies and video games, he doesn’t exactly blend in. But he never wanted to. His two dads raised him to always stay true to himself.
Bastian Hunter prefers structure and predictability. Suffering from a rare disease, every day is a challenge for him, and he prepares for the future by excelling academically and denying who he really is. Everything changes when he meets Noah, the unpredictable variable in the equation he’s built his life around, and feelings he's hid for so long begin to surface.
Being gay in high school isn’t exactly rainbows and butterflies, and Noah has definitely faced his fair share of bullies. Moving to Port Haven, Oregon opens up new possibilities for him, and he starts falling for the quiet, brown-eyed boy from his English class. Too bad the attraction is one-sided… or is it?
Bastian Hunter prefers structure and predictability. Suffering from a rare disease, every day is a challenge for him, and he prepares for the future by excelling academically and denying who he really is. Everything changes when he meets Noah, the unpredictable variable in the equation he’s built his life around, and feelings he's hid for so long begin to surface.
Being gay in high school isn’t exactly rainbows and butterflies, and Noah has definitely faced his fair share of bullies. Moving to Port Haven, Oregon opens up new possibilities for him, and he starts falling for the quiet, brown-eyed boy from his English class. Too bad the attraction is one-sided… or is it?
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 28, 2017
83 people are currently reading
467 people want to read
About the author
Jaclyn Osborn
50 books1,774 followersAs an avid reader and coffee addict, Jaclyn Osborn can always be found with either a book in her hand or one being written on her laptop. The men in her stories mean the world to her, and she's thankful for each day she's able to do this as a career.
She writes M/M romance across all genres and worlds, including contemporary, historical, fantasy, and paranormal.
She writes M/M romance across all genres and worlds, including contemporary, historical, fantasy, and paranormal.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
August 30, 2019
Audio...3.5 stars
Story....3.5 stars
Story....3.5 stars
maybe
October 12, 2018Freebie at the zon.com right now: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B...
March 3, 2017
Where do I begin with this story? When I see the title of a book, before I even open it, I wonder what the author is trying to tell us with it. The title is Noah’s Song and this book is as beautiful as you can imagine.
Told completely in Noah’s POV we follow this blue haired wonder as he navigates a new school, in a new town, while dragging around a lot of weight. He suffers from anxiety and severe depression and though you may think he drags ass through the book all emo, you’d be wrong.
Noah finds beauty in a square, art in a foggy day, and love in a deaf, nerdy, drama guy who loves math.
I cried throughout this book. I cried for the power of love it held. I cried for joy and sadness. I cried in frustration for these characters, and cried when I closed the book.
Jaclyn Osborn manages to bring you into Noah’s family. She allows you into his beautiful blue haired boy brain. You’re forced to love zombies because that’s what Noah loves and by the end you’re okay with that. He has his bouts of depression and anxiety but he’s about living in the moment, hoping for forever, and embracing the positive. I loved all those qualities about him.
Bastian is special. He’s brilliant, nerdy hot, driven, and he falls head over heels for Noah. Though his home life is way different than Noah’s, it was interesting seeing the two different lifestyles mingle until they just melded together.
Secondary characters are vital here! From Jase, Noah’s brother, to Evan, Bastian’s best friend. All these characters are like the backup dancers to Noah and Bastian’s kick a** performance.
I want more of these guys. I’d love to see how things go for them after high school and I’m a bit curious about Maverick. That’s a character who needs his own story too!
It’s a terrific book. I very highly recommend it!
Told completely in Noah’s POV we follow this blue haired wonder as he navigates a new school, in a new town, while dragging around a lot of weight. He suffers from anxiety and severe depression and though you may think he drags ass through the book all emo, you’d be wrong.
Noah finds beauty in a square, art in a foggy day, and love in a deaf, nerdy, drama guy who loves math.
I cried throughout this book. I cried for the power of love it held. I cried for joy and sadness. I cried in frustration for these characters, and cried when I closed the book.
Jaclyn Osborn manages to bring you into Noah’s family. She allows you into his beautiful blue haired boy brain. You’re forced to love zombies because that’s what Noah loves and by the end you’re okay with that. He has his bouts of depression and anxiety but he’s about living in the moment, hoping for forever, and embracing the positive. I loved all those qualities about him.
Bastian is special. He’s brilliant, nerdy hot, driven, and he falls head over heels for Noah. Though his home life is way different than Noah’s, it was interesting seeing the two different lifestyles mingle until they just melded together.
Secondary characters are vital here! From Jase, Noah’s brother, to Evan, Bastian’s best friend. All these characters are like the backup dancers to Noah and Bastian’s kick a** performance.
I want more of these guys. I’d love to see how things go for them after high school and I’m a bit curious about Maverick. That’s a character who needs his own story too!
It’s a terrific book. I very highly recommend it!
August 7, 2017
I stumbled across Noah’s Song one day just clicking around goodreads. I needed something new ASAP! And this cute read did the trick.
Noah and Bastian (Bas) have a lot going on in their lives. From loss to medical scares. But with strength, courage, friendship, and love they make it through. The characters were a bit stiff and unrealistic at times. Like the teens didn’t act like teens or the Dads would say or do the most perfect thing ever. Haha…But it was a sweet read that made me smile. Especially Noah’s love of zombies! His zombie love was epic and everlasting! Come see if the blue haired cutie smitten with the math nerd gets his man. :D
A cute read that helped me survive a brutal book slump. I read and rooted for Noah and Bas til the end. Thank you!
July 2, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
March 5, 2017
I want to give Jaclyn a squishy hug. This was such a sweet and beautiful book. I loved it. Noah and Bastian were so sweet. From the Prologue, it pulled me in I knew I was going to enjoy it. I loved Noah's dads they rocked, his brother(It took a quick minute, though, lol) Bastian's best friend and even Noah's friends. Aww, young love(I'm not saying it in a mocking tone either) That first real love that you experience, the sweetness, heartbreak just trying to make it work...Loved seeing these two get to their HEA.
January 30, 2021
This story, the characters, and the dialogue were completely inauthentic. Sometimes I can roll with that, but in this case no. The characters came across as very juvenile for 18 year olds, their dialogue and the language used was nothing like teenage boys would use. The plot was melodramatic and too sweet.
With all that said, even as I was incredibly frustrated by this story, there was something compelling about the characters that made me want to finish the book.
With all that said, even as I was incredibly frustrated by this story, there was something compelling about the characters that made me want to finish the book.
May 31, 2019
Generally sweet NA romance.
Noah is new to town when he befriends a deaf classmate, Bas. They get closer while working on homework and a class project together, and fall in love.
This is a book about acceptance, though both characters go through challenges in order to get there.
While I did like the overall story, there were some things I found unbelievable. I can’t think of any school that is off for 1.5 weeks for Thanksgiving, then breaks for Christmas 2 weeks later (a week before the holiday). Also, not many college freshmen can afford to buy an apartment in NYC.
*ARC provided by LesCourt Services
Noah is new to town when he befriends a deaf classmate, Bas. They get closer while working on homework and a class project together, and fall in love.
This is a book about acceptance, though both characters go through challenges in order to get there.
While I did like the overall story, there were some things I found unbelievable. I can’t think of any school that is off for 1.5 weeks for Thanksgiving, then breaks for Christmas 2 weeks later (a week before the holiday). Also, not many college freshmen can afford to buy an apartment in NYC.
*ARC provided by LesCourt Services
November 4, 2017
This is a really sweet story. Even though the ending is predictable and the story line of two boys coming out is standard for this genre, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Jaclyn Osborn has created interesting 3-dimensional characters in this story that I felt a connection with.
April 2, 2017
Quite enjoyed this one, but the dynamic between Bas and his parents just didn't seem to ring true for me. Yes, I could understand that they thought Bas had enough on his plate with his Meniere's disease and eventual deafness that to add being gay to the mix would make things doubly difficult for him, but their reactions to everything he and Noah did was completely OTT and out of whack at times, especially the mother. There were quite a few typos too unfortunately.
Bas and Noah made a lovely young couple, Noah's dads were great and his friends were awesome. His brother Jace took quite a while to grow on me, and the way he treated his dads sometimes...as if he was ashamed of them, would've resulted in more than grounding from me.
Bas and Noah made a lovely young couple, Noah's dads were great and his friends were awesome. His brother Jace took quite a while to grow on me, and the way he treated his dads sometimes...as if he was ashamed of them, would've resulted in more than grounding from me.
May 28, 2019
3.5*
This was a really sweet read. Noah and Bas were terrific young men, each dealing with their own issues in the best way they could. I liked how Noah owned who he was, even if it wasn't always easy. It helped that he had such great role models in his fathers.
Bas had a tougher time, especially when it came to his parents. They were a bit over protective with him- which was understandable on one hand, but on the other they just needed to let him be and live his life. But I guess as a parent, wanting what it best for your child, that's a little easier said than done.
The major point of contention in this story was resolved just a little too easily for me. From all the build up I expected more of a major confrontation, but I guess it fit with the feel of the story. And I'm glad things worked out the way they did in the end, and that Noah and Bas got their happy.
This was a really sweet read. Noah and Bas were terrific young men, each dealing with their own issues in the best way they could. I liked how Noah owned who he was, even if it wasn't always easy. It helped that he had such great role models in his fathers.
Bas had a tougher time, especially when it came to his parents. They were a bit over protective with him- which was understandable on one hand, but on the other they just needed to let him be and live his life. But I guess as a parent, wanting what it best for your child, that's a little easier said than done.
The major point of contention in this story was resolved just a little too easily for me. From all the build up I expected more of a major confrontation, but I guess it fit with the feel of the story. And I'm glad things worked out the way they did in the end, and that Noah and Bas got their happy.
August 17, 2017
2.5 The first half of this book was better than the second. It was a very slow burn, which was a good thing. The second half though threw out every YA, gay cliches possible. The turn around that Bastian's parents (the mother especially) had was completely unbelievable. I could never really feel their connection and thought many times that it was a struggle for the author to write how teenagers would think or act - many times it was too adult-ish. Overall, it was just too cheesy, sometimes over the top, and long for me to really enjoy.
**please note that it's been a VERY long time since I read a YA book. I didn't realize how extremely YA this book was going to be. This fact may have somewhat skewed my view of it - but I still stand by what I wrote**
**please note that it's been a VERY long time since I read a YA book. I didn't realize how extremely YA this book was going to be. This fact may have somewhat skewed my view of it - but I still stand by what I wrote**
August 18, 2017
4 stars.
This book was quite adorable. It's about two teenagers, both of then dealing with their illness to the best of their ability.
Yes there could have been some changes made to the story just because somethings that were said is something no 17 year old would get caught saying.
I liked the characters and their relationships. And I loved the idea of Noah's two dad's in this book. That was a real nice touch.
This book was quite adorable. It's about two teenagers, both of then dealing with their illness to the best of their ability.
Yes there could have been some changes made to the story just because somethings that were said is something no 17 year old would get caught saying.
I liked the characters and their relationships. And I loved the idea of Noah's two dad's in this book. That was a real nice touch.
April 11, 2017
3.5 stars
This was a very sweet YA novel with one of the MCs having a disability. I wanted to like this more but I didn't feel like Noah or Bas read at all like real 17/18 year olds. Noah's thoughts and actions in particular felt more like how an adult might want someone this age to think and act than how they actually do. I found some of the dialogue a little cheesy too to be honest.
This was a very sweet YA novel with one of the MCs having a disability. I wanted to like this more but I didn't feel like Noah or Bas read at all like real 17/18 year olds. Noah's thoughts and actions in particular felt more like how an adult might want someone this age to think and act than how they actually do. I found some of the dialogue a little cheesy too to be honest.
March 29, 2021
I liked that it was not just a coming-of-age coming-to-terms-with-who-you-are-despite-what-other-people-think romantic story, but also dealt with Bastian having Meniere's disease. Also, Noah's dads are relationship goals!
January 3, 2019
The author needs to thoroughly research a subject before attempting to put it in a book. Disgusted by the misinformation of a disorder that I and many of my relatives live with every day.
May 16, 2019
[I received a digital copy for an honest review]
"Love. Two hearts connected by something words couldn't explain. Irrational and random, but strong."
Noah's Song by Jaclyn Osborn is a YA LGBTQ romance staring two high school seniors who feel like they don't belong for two completely different reasons. It's a story about finding your place and accepting yourself for who you are, flaws and all.
This book is packed with all kinds of emotion. They tackle some heavy issues that a lot of teenagers face like bullying, peer pressure and depression. I feel like teenage me would have been a mess over this book, but in a good way. Adult me appreciated it none the less because there are some great parenting moments to learn from.
"Love isn't something the brain understands, its unpredictable and strong, and all reason gores out the window."
Aside from the serious topics the book deals with, it has so much adorable quirkiness. Noah is his own person and that person just so happens to obsess over horror films, loves zombie, consume way too much caffeine, and express himself through art. Bastian is his opposite in the most obvious ways and would rather spend his down time with his nose in a book. Bastian also has a rare disease that leaves him almost completely deaf and other medical issues. Together they are so stinkin' cute that you can't help but root for them and hope that they can make it work. Noah is kind and considerate in his friendship with Bastian and when they finally move onto the physical part of their relationship they are both so tender and passionate it will make your heart melt. Also, besides our two main characters, I adored Noah's dads whose love was the sweetest, and Noah's bestie Samantha was ridiculous in the best way.
"He was the first guy I'd ever crushed on so hard and was my first kiss. He held a piece of me no one else would ever have."
I almost gave this book 5 stars because I devoured it but I had an issue with the way the conflicts were solved at the end of the book. One of the boys' biggest obstacles was Bastian's parents and it was somehow fixed in the snap of a finger, or a few paragraphs. It was the most unrealistic part of the whole book. The book also tended to be a bit cliche at times, like it was trying to hard.
"And what a diverse group of friends we were, too - the outcast, the theater guy, the beautiful cheerleader, and the brainiac."
Overall, Noah's Song is a wonderful teenage romance with great LGBTQ representation. If you loved the book Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda than I think you will really enjoy this one. I'll definitely be getting a physical copy to add my to shelves :)
"Who would've ever known we'd end up here? The math nerd and the zombie freak."
"Love. Two hearts connected by something words couldn't explain. Irrational and random, but strong."
Noah's Song by Jaclyn Osborn is a YA LGBTQ romance staring two high school seniors who feel like they don't belong for two completely different reasons. It's a story about finding your place and accepting yourself for who you are, flaws and all.
This book is packed with all kinds of emotion. They tackle some heavy issues that a lot of teenagers face like bullying, peer pressure and depression. I feel like teenage me would have been a mess over this book, but in a good way. Adult me appreciated it none the less because there are some great parenting moments to learn from.
"Love isn't something the brain understands, its unpredictable and strong, and all reason gores out the window."
Aside from the serious topics the book deals with, it has so much adorable quirkiness. Noah is his own person and that person just so happens to obsess over horror films, loves zombie, consume way too much caffeine, and express himself through art. Bastian is his opposite in the most obvious ways and would rather spend his down time with his nose in a book. Bastian also has a rare disease that leaves him almost completely deaf and other medical issues. Together they are so stinkin' cute that you can't help but root for them and hope that they can make it work. Noah is kind and considerate in his friendship with Bastian and when they finally move onto the physical part of their relationship they are both so tender and passionate it will make your heart melt. Also, besides our two main characters, I adored Noah's dads whose love was the sweetest, and Noah's bestie Samantha was ridiculous in the best way.
"He was the first guy I'd ever crushed on so hard and was my first kiss. He held a piece of me no one else would ever have."
I almost gave this book 5 stars because I devoured it but I had an issue with the way the conflicts were solved at the end of the book. One of the boys' biggest obstacles was Bastian's parents and it was somehow fixed in the snap of a finger, or a few paragraphs. It was the most unrealistic part of the whole book. The book also tended to be a bit cliche at times, like it was trying to hard.
"And what a diverse group of friends we were, too - the outcast, the theater guy, the beautiful cheerleader, and the brainiac."
Overall, Noah's Song is a wonderful teenage romance with great LGBTQ representation. If you loved the book Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda than I think you will really enjoy this one. I'll definitely be getting a physical copy to add my to shelves :)
"Who would've ever known we'd end up here? The math nerd and the zombie freak."
March 16, 2017
3.5
Эта книга такая сборная солянка! Главный герой – депрессивный талантливый художник и музыкант самоучка в одном флаконе. Его родители – однополая пара, брат – мудаковатый спортсмен, лучшая подруга – чирлидерша, а его возлюбленный – ботаник, страдающий редкой болезнью. Причем все герои, кроме его отцов ужасно непоследовательны и меняют свое мнение и черты характера по три раза за главу. Из-за этого романтической линией я не прониклась, как-то не верится, что они останутся вместе после школы.
Не могу понять нравится мне, как пишет автор или нет. Столько претензий, а книгу проглотила за вечер. Надо почитать у нее что-нибудь еще.
Эта книга такая сборная солянка! Главный герой – депрессивный талантливый художник и музыкант самоучка в одном флаконе. Его родители – однополая пара, брат – мудаковатый спортсмен, лучшая подруга – чирлидерша, а его возлюбленный – ботаник, страдающий редкой болезнью. Причем все герои, кроме его отцов ужасно непоследовательны и меняют свое мнение и черты характера по три раза за главу. Из-за этого романтической линией я не прониклась, как-то не верится, что они останутся вместе после школы.
Не могу понять нравится мне, как пишет автор или нет. Столько претензий, а книгу проглотила за вечер. Надо почитать у нее что-нибудь еще.
May 12, 2017
What a sweet, poignant story. I loved both Noah and Bastian from the start. Their connection was immediate, even though they had obstacles along the way, and I loved their interactions with each other. The side characters had depth and added a lot to the story as well. There were some minor editing issues/typos, but not enough to make me dock a star. I usually love my m/m romance to be full of action and hot sexy times, but sometimes it's nice to read a sweet young adult book that gives me warm fuzzies, and this definitely did that!
March 17, 2017
I was shocked at how much i liked this book!
April 19, 2017
Noah's Song is a great story, very well told. It's the story of two high school senior boys, Noah and Bas, who fall hard for each other and fight hurdles to stay together. Sounds like a story told before, and it is, but this novel is written lyrically and is a joy to read, and the character of Bas is unique. Bas suffers from a rare ear disease that is robbing him of his hearing. He must wear hearing aids and is very shy, and is teased as a result. And Noah is a horror movie nerd, so to speak, with blue hair, and has been bullied. So this isn't your typical popular closeted jock falls for shy nerd tale. And the hearing illness really adds depth to the relationship. The book is a lot of fun, with its share of drama, and I can't recommend it strongly enough. Enjoy this tale.
February 23, 2019
Finding your forever
Touching story about change and believing in yourself. It has the standard difficult parents and bullying. Nice characters and two hearts beating as one. 4.0 for secret places.
Touching story about change and believing in yourself. It has the standard difficult parents and bullying. Nice characters and two hearts beating as one. 4.0 for secret places.
June 17, 2017
3,5 stars
August 23, 2017
Un YA comme je les aime. On rit, on couine, on s'attache aux personnages...
Noah et Bas forment un super couple qu'on a bcp de plaisir à suivre !
Noah et Bas forment un super couple qu'on a bcp de plaisir à suivre !
February 12, 2019
This was a sweet book. I did like the main character Noah and especially the physical disability representation Bas provided. My main issues with this book were that at times, it was sickeningly and unbelievably sweet and that issues tended to be resolved very quickly and in my opinion, an unsatisfying manner. There was also a ton of unnecessary and quite annoying repetition. This was an easy read but ultimately, I found myself wanting more from it.
January 22, 2019
* 3.75/5 *
Ce roman young-adult de Jaclyn Osborn m'a fait passer un très chouette moment !
Entièrement porté par la voix de Noah, on découvre dans ce livre un jeune homme de presque dix-huit ans, en dernière année de lycée, qui fait sa rentrée dans un nouveau bahut, suite à un déménagement.
Noah est un garçon jusqu'ici plutôt solitaire, à fleur de peau, c'est quelqu'un de très sensible qui se réfugie dans ses jeux vidéos de zombie, et sa passion pour le dessin. En arrivant à Port Haven, il va vraiment prendre un nouveau départ, se faire des amis et finalement sortir de sa coquille, mais aussi (et surtout !) tomber amoureux ! Dès le premier jour, un autre garçon de sa classe lui tape dans l’œil, et le hasard va les réunir dans le cadre d'un projet commun attribué par leur prof de littérature. À partir de ce moment-là, les deux garçons vont passer de plus en plus de temps ensemble.
On est vraiment dans un pur YA, avec des personnages qui paraissent plus jeunes que leurs quasi 18 ans. Les réactions de Noah, sa façon de parler donnent l'impression qu'il a plus aux alentours de 15 ans, mais en même temps, sa fragilité psychologique donne une certaine cohérence à ce décalage que j'ai ressenti. On voit les personnages dans leur vie quotidienne au lycée : les cours, les devoirs, la pause méridienne, les moments passés à l'atelier théâtre, mais aussi la vie familiale avec notamment les disputes entre frères (avec un Jace qui se comporte en vrai petit con pendant un moment, d'ailleurs).
Bastian est un personnage touchant, tout aussi fragile que Noah, mais pour des raisons différentes. Son combat au quotidien (et ce qui l'attend par la suite) m'a forcément émue, mais en même temps, c'est un gamin plein de force, curieusement. Avec Noah, il va apprendre à lâcher du lest, et à mettre un peu plus de fun dans sa vie ^^
Les personnages secondaires sont très sympas aussi, notamment Sam & Evan, Mav aussi, qu'on voit pourtant peu (mais j'ai bien envie de lire son tome !), ou encore Matt & Roger, les papa poules de Noah (même si bon, Matt est quand même sacrément sensible, presque autant que son fils ^^).
Noah & Bas sont mignons comme tout, leur romance est adorable et pudique, et dans le fond, Bas & Noah sont deux grands romantiques. ❤
Une jolie petite lecture donc, le genre de petit roman qui vous met du baume au coeur, et qui vous plonge dans une petite bulle de douceur, même s'il n'est pas exempt de défauts.
Ce roman young-adult de Jaclyn Osborn m'a fait passer un très chouette moment !
Entièrement porté par la voix de Noah, on découvre dans ce livre un jeune homme de presque dix-huit ans, en dernière année de lycée, qui fait sa rentrée dans un nouveau bahut, suite à un déménagement.
Noah est un garçon jusqu'ici plutôt solitaire, à fleur de peau, c'est quelqu'un de très sensible qui se réfugie dans ses jeux vidéos de zombie, et sa passion pour le dessin. En arrivant à Port Haven, il va vraiment prendre un nouveau départ, se faire des amis et finalement sortir de sa coquille, mais aussi (et surtout !) tomber amoureux ! Dès le premier jour, un autre garçon de sa classe lui tape dans l’œil, et le hasard va les réunir dans le cadre d'un projet commun attribué par leur prof de littérature. À partir de ce moment-là, les deux garçons vont passer de plus en plus de temps ensemble.
On est vraiment dans un pur YA, avec des personnages qui paraissent plus jeunes que leurs quasi 18 ans. Les réactions de Noah, sa façon de parler donnent l'impression qu'il a plus aux alentours de 15 ans, mais en même temps, sa fragilité psychologique donne une certaine cohérence à ce décalage que j'ai ressenti. On voit les personnages dans leur vie quotidienne au lycée : les cours, les devoirs, la pause méridienne, les moments passés à l'atelier théâtre, mais aussi la vie familiale avec notamment les disputes entre frères (avec un Jace qui se comporte en vrai petit con pendant un moment, d'ailleurs).
Bastian est un personnage touchant, tout aussi fragile que Noah, mais pour des raisons différentes. Son combat au quotidien (et ce qui l'attend par la suite) m'a forcément émue, mais en même temps, c'est un gamin plein de force, curieusement. Avec Noah, il va apprendre à lâcher du lest, et à mettre un peu plus de fun dans sa vie ^^
Les personnages secondaires sont très sympas aussi, notamment Sam & Evan, Mav aussi, qu'on voit pourtant peu (mais j'ai bien envie de lire son tome !), ou encore Matt & Roger, les papa poules de Noah (même si bon, Matt est quand même sacrément sensible, presque autant que son fils ^^).
Noah & Bas sont mignons comme tout, leur romance est adorable et pudique, et dans le fond, Bas & Noah sont deux grands romantiques. ❤
Une jolie petite lecture donc, le genre de petit roman qui vous met du baume au coeur, et qui vous plonge dans une petite bulle de douceur, même s'il n'est pas exempt de défauts.
January 3, 2019
This one was not for me at all, but perhaps I am just too old and too jaded for this kind of juvenile coming-out stories. I really had to force myself to finish the book and it took me ages. I normally finish something of this length within one or two days, but I was in no hurry to get back to it every time I was interrupted - a very bad sign! One of the flaws is that the story is exclusively told from Noah's point of view - Bastians side of things might have spiked it up a little, but unfortunately not by much, as the story was just plain boring, despite the initially promising setting. It started in a dramatic way, but that was about the only drama that did not seem forced. And there WAS a lot of (small and usually dispensible) drama crammed into this book - I would say: far too much! On the other hand, most of said drama was in Noah's head only, and "inside his head" is the very root of the problem: it does not fit the description of the blue-haired, pierced slim emo/goth boy wearing zombie- or band-t-shirts! Noah is almost 18, but mostly reasons and behaves like a 10 year old - and his fathers treat him and his adoptive brother like babies (including bedtime reminders and hair-ruffling!!!!). On the other hand, Noah sometimes talks like a 45-year-old politically correct shrink-apprentice, observing, analysing and (unfortunately) meticulously describing everything he thinks, sees, or hears, even giving the most negligible details of house decoration, food arrangements and dress styles. That's what just makes the story drone on and on and on and on :-( Besides: if I read again about somebody beaming at somebody in the foreseeable future, I may just start hitting my head against a wall (Dad and Pops???): there are a bazillion repetitions and some editing would have been very much appreciated! Listen and repeat: the dads are madly in love and very touchy feely about each other. Dad likes to cook, but his experiments do not always turn out edible. Pops is a shrink and offers Noah to talk with him (every few pages!). They adopted Noah after his parents died. Bas has a rare disease and is slowly losing his hearing. Bas has incredible eyes. Bas is prone to vertigo attacks. Sam giggles (a lot!) and she likes to loop arms (also a lot!). Mav is soooo beautiful (and has a thing for Noah, who only cares about Bas). Bas is cute. Bas has a raspy voice/laugh. Bas looks at Noah shyly. Noah's hair is blue and he has bangs and a lot of piercings. Noah loves zombies (list to be continued) ...
Besides, Jace and Elizabeth are only filler (what is their purpose in this story??), as are almost all secondary characters. This story would not have lost anything if most of them had been omitted (e.g. Mav, Chris, Sarah, Jace, Elizabeth, even Evan, and especially Phantom - who remains a faceless online phantom). In the end, all of Noah's unsurmountable problems dissolve in a heartbeat - glitter and rainbows everywhere! I was actually surprised that these wonderful characters (including Bas' parents) did not join in a pride parade at the end ... Well, none of this author's books for me again, that's for sure!
UPDATE 2018: I have actually stumbled across a few other books by this author (e.g. "Found at Sea" and "Axios") and I love them, so there definitely WILL be more of this author's books on my TBR list! Perhaps I am really just too old to read stories about 18-year-olds - and perhaps the author has matured as well :-)
Besides, Jace and Elizabeth are only filler (what is their purpose in this story??), as are almost all secondary characters. This story would not have lost anything if most of them had been omitted (e.g. Mav, Chris, Sarah, Jace, Elizabeth, even Evan, and especially Phantom - who remains a faceless online phantom). In the end, all of Noah's unsurmountable problems dissolve in a heartbeat - glitter and rainbows everywhere! I was actually surprised that these wonderful characters (including Bas' parents) did not join in a pride parade at the end ... Well, none of this author's books for me again, that's for sure!
UPDATE 2018: I have actually stumbled across a few other books by this author (e.g. "Found at Sea" and "Axios") and I love them, so there definitely WILL be more of this author's books on my TBR list! Perhaps I am really just too old to read stories about 18-year-olds - and perhaps the author has matured as well :-)
March 2, 2020
I really want to give this more stars, but the story has some very serious flaws. This is a gay love story / coming-of-age tale of two high school seniors (Noah and Bastian) as they have their first romance and lose their virginity. There are some very sweet things in their story, but there are some serious problems.
First is that Noah has two exceedingly negligent parents. One of his fathers, Roger, even practices medicine on his son (generally considered medically unethical), including prescribing him psychiatric drugs and giving him CBT (a type of psychotherapy). Both parents allow him to be beaten and bullied, including by his brother. The problem is that the author repeatedly makes it clear that these parents are model, bordering on ideal, parents.
Add to this the fact that characters often have wildly inconsistent behavior that is not accounted for in some plausible way. This is especially the case for Noah's brother and Bastian's mother, though some of the other characters are confusedly portrayed.
I am especially displeased with the author's depiction of mental illness. The author tells us what Noah's mental illness is, and yet neither his speech nor his behaviors are consistent with that illness.
First is that Noah has two exceedingly negligent parents. One of his fathers, Roger, even practices medicine on his son (generally considered medically unethical), including prescribing him psychiatric drugs and giving him CBT (a type of psychotherapy). Both parents allow him to be beaten and bullied, including by his brother. The problem is that the author repeatedly makes it clear that these parents are model, bordering on ideal, parents.
Add to this the fact that characters often have wildly inconsistent behavior that is not accounted for in some plausible way. This is especially the case for Noah's brother and Bastian's mother, though some of the other characters are confusedly portrayed.
I am especially displeased with the author's depiction of mental illness. The author tells us what Noah's mental illness is, and yet neither his speech nor his behaviors are consistent with that illness.
April 17, 2018
If you happen to be looking for a novel that will make or help you believe in love, look no further than Noah's Song. Love conquers all, and given what these two boys face (aside from the occasional bullying), the transformations in this story are pretty damn tangible. So go ahead, become a Believer again (or for the first time ever) with a capital B. Noah and Bas and their satellite of supporters (and detractors) will tear you a new heart in their seaside town that I bet you'll want to revisit. I know I will.
Second time around: This is still one of the best YA love stories out there. Do not miss it.
Second time around: This is still one of the best YA love stories out there. Do not miss it.
May 20, 2018
A Song to Remember...
I really enjoyed this beautifully written story about two young men who are so different yet perfect for each other. I loved how the story was well-constructed and a truly captivating tale from the beginning to the emotionally satisfying ending. It was one of the best books that I have ever read in a long time! Superb!
I really enjoyed this beautifully written story about two young men who are so different yet perfect for each other. I loved how the story was well-constructed and a truly captivating tale from the beginning to the emotionally satisfying ending. It was one of the best books that I have ever read in a long time! Superb!
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