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Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List
Naomi loves Ely.
And she's kinda in love with him.
Ely loves Naomi.
But he prefers to be in love with boys.
Naomi and Ely have been inseparable since childhood - partially because they've grown up across the hall from each other in the same Manhattan apartment building, and also because they're best friends. Soul mates. Or are they? Just to be safe, they've created a NO KISS LIST - their list of people who are absolutely off-kissing-limits for both of them. The NO KISS LIST protects their friendship and ensures that nothing will rock the foundation of Naomi and Ely: the institution.
Until Ely kisses Naomi's boyfriend. And a fateful piece of chewing gum in the wrong place at the wrong time changes everything.
Soon a rift of universal proportions threatens to destroy their friendship, and it remains to be seen whether Naomi and Ely can find their way toward new soul-mate prospects...and back to one another.
Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story about love of all kinds, one that reminds us that any great friendship can be as confusing, treacherous, inspiring, and wonderful as any great romance.
And she's kinda in love with him.
Ely loves Naomi.
But he prefers to be in love with boys.
Naomi and Ely have been inseparable since childhood - partially because they've grown up across the hall from each other in the same Manhattan apartment building, and also because they're best friends. Soul mates. Or are they? Just to be safe, they've created a NO KISS LIST - their list of people who are absolutely off-kissing-limits for both of them. The NO KISS LIST protects their friendship and ensures that nothing will rock the foundation of Naomi and Ely: the institution.
Until Ely kisses Naomi's boyfriend. And a fateful piece of chewing gum in the wrong place at the wrong time changes everything.
Soon a rift of universal proportions threatens to destroy their friendship, and it remains to be seen whether Naomi and Ely can find their way toward new soul-mate prospects...and back to one another.
Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story about love of all kinds, one that reminds us that any great friendship can be as confusing, treacherous, inspiring, and wonderful as any great romance.
230 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
262 people are currently reading
16350 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Cohn
36 books2,275 followersRachel grew up in the D.C. area and graduated from Barnard College with a B.A. in Political Science. She has written many YA novels, including three that she cowrote with her friend and colleague David Levithan. She lives and writes (when she's not reading other people's books, organizing her music library or looking for the best cappuccino) in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,460 reviews
April 5, 2011
Jesus Christ, I hate this book. I want to curse and scream and use caps throughout this review, but I won't. David Leviathan is the worst freaking writer ever. Rachel Cohn isn't much better -- in fact she might be WORSE. This is what happens when two idiots decide to write a book without discussing anything previously, and then mix their idiot juice into the pages by throwing a bunch of annoying random characters into an already convoluted plot.
Ely is a huge jerk, and Naomi is a moron. As for Naomi, she knows he's gay and yet she still has many many fantasies of retarded things like him touching her in inappropriate places or them getting married and having lots of children. He is gay. He doesn't want children, anyway -- and if he did, he wouldn't want them with you! But this isn't all of her fault, because Ely is always crossing the line of their supposed platonic friendship by doing dumb crap, like kissing her for no reason or flirting with her. WTF, dude? I thought you said you were gay?! And then he goes and steals her boyfriend!
And then we're supposed to feel sorry for him when Naomi calls him out on his selfishness. YEAH RIGHT. I was half hoping that she'd kill him, and then it'd turn into a murder mystery. It would have been more entertaining than the tripe that they wrote, anyway.
Robin boy and girl and Bruce the first and second...why? WHY? WHY NAME YOUR CHARACTERS THE SAME THINGS?! It isn't quirky or cute, it's stupid and confusing and it makes methink know the writers are morons.
I can't stand this book.
EDIT*
I forgot about their bad mouths. I don't have a problem with teens who curse a lot. I think it's important in YA because a lot of teens do curse. But I do have a problem when you can see that someone is just cursing to sound cool and hip.
The f-bomb doesn't make your book sound young, it just drives me away. Seriously. God, how I hate this book.
Also, I dislike how they made Ely's revelation clear. Um...so he falls in love with gay people while looking at...what was it? Gay pornography? Riiight. That's not how it works. I'd rather him fall in love with a person, like a real person. And then figure out he was gay.
Geez, is it too much to ask for some intelligence in LGBT YA, that's got a decent level of cleanliness? Please recommend me some.
Ely is a huge jerk, and Naomi is a moron. As for Naomi, she knows he's gay and yet she still has many many fantasies of retarded things like him touching her in inappropriate places or them getting married and having lots of children. He is gay. He doesn't want children, anyway -- and if he did, he wouldn't want them with you! But this isn't all of her fault, because Ely is always crossing the line of their supposed platonic friendship by doing dumb crap, like kissing her for no reason or flirting with her. WTF, dude? I thought you said you were gay?! And then he goes and steals her boyfriend!
And then we're supposed to feel sorry for him when Naomi calls him out on his selfishness. YEAH RIGHT. I was half hoping that she'd kill him, and then it'd turn into a murder mystery. It would have been more entertaining than the tripe that they wrote, anyway.
Robin boy and girl and Bruce the first and second...why? WHY? WHY NAME YOUR CHARACTERS THE SAME THINGS?! It isn't quirky or cute, it's stupid and confusing and it makes me
I can't stand this book.
EDIT*
I forgot about their bad mouths. I don't have a problem with teens who curse a lot. I think it's important in YA because a lot of teens do curse. But I do have a problem when you can see that someone is just cursing to sound cool and hip.
The f-bomb doesn't make your book sound young, it just drives me away. Seriously. God, how I hate this book.
Also, I dislike how they made Ely's revelation clear. Um...so he falls in love with gay people while looking at...what was it? Gay pornography? Riiight. That's not how it works. I'd rather him fall in love with a person, like a real person. And then figure out he was gay.
Geez, is it too much to ask for some intelligence in LGBT YA, that's got a decent level of cleanliness? Please recommend me some.
January 21, 2011
This book is not only worse than Twilight but it might be the worst book I've ever read. None of the characters get any of my sympathy. There is no plot. The POV jumps back and forth to characters that add nothing to the story. The use of profanities is unneeded and makes it seem like a 13 year old on drugs wrote it as a fan fiction assignment.
Usually I can find positive things to say about books but there is nothing positive I can say about this one.
I've read Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and while I wasn't please with it I found somethings in it to be really original and interesting. This however is not.
Save yourself some time and read the summary on Amazon. That pretty much sums up the entire thing right there. There aren't any surprises. None.
Naomi is hopelessly in love with her friend Ely who just happens to be a self centered jerk. Not only does he flirt with her boyfriend but he kisses him too. And guess what, he falls in love with him. Yes Ely falls in love with her boyfriend Bruce the Second.
But it gets worse. There is 200 pages full of angst and BORING garbage about this. Naomi complaining about how her and Ely were supposed to get married. How her and Ely were meant for each other. I would have felt sympathy for her except for the fact that Ely is a huge jerk. It's like the guy ignores the fact that she likes him out of spite even though they're best friends. He might be gay but that's no excuse for ignoring your best friend's feelings.
And the worst part is, he ends up with Bruce the Second anyway! And Naomi seems ok about this. Instead she gets with Gabriel, the doorman. He's very irrelevant to the plot and is really a deus ex machina for Naomi to fall in love with so she gets over Ely.
No one learns anything at all.
I seriously wanted to kill every single character in this book. Their hobbies seemed contrived. I didn't like Rachel Cohn's writing before when she was doing Norah. Her characters seem like what she wants to be instead of their own characters. Her writing is much easier to follow than David Levithans though. I thought he had the potential to be a decent writer before I read this.
I pray that John Green cancels his project with him. The book had no plot. It just rambled on and on until crashing and burning when Naomi has a revelation that she and Ely can't be together because of his selfish reasons. It's one thing to simply not be attracted to some one. It's another thing to flaunt this around, kissing them occasionally, and stealing their boyfriend away.
I have no problem with the idea that the book was trying to sell but I hate the fact that no one in it has any morals. If Cohn and Levithan would just realize that gay does not equal cool, hip, and interesting maybe they'd be able to write something worth my time. It's ok to have a book that's about that subject but when it's only selling because of that and nothing else... It's like Stephen King publishing his laundry list, is it good just because Stephen King wrote it? This book probably only got published because it's got their names on it and it's got controversial material in it.
The two of them need to realize that planning a book and building characters is essential. Not just randomly typing out whatever situation you'd like to be in.
Ely might as well been a girl. At least it would have saved me the time of having to skim over his stereotypical gay antics. Seriously every gay guy probably does not act like the ones that Levithan writes. He's pimping them out much in the same way that cutters and suicide victims and car accident victims have been contrived and used in YA for the past 20 years.
When we realize that good writing does not come from being controversial and typing random garbage to fill 250 pages maybe we'll get back to writing good books.
I see that their problem is that they don't know when to end a book. They kept N&N running for 100 pages to many. It would have been better as a 50 page novelette. This should have been five pages without the profanities. I have nothing wrong with using them except for when the vocabulary becomes so colorful it's like 'look at me mommy! I said a BAAADDD word!" You guys are adults. You don't need to show off your BAAADDD vocabulary to me.
There's so much more to rant about. Just don't read the book. Or if you do, don't buy it. Get it from the library. And read it there, don't even waste your time checking it out and having that on your library card record. Don't waste your time.
If you actually want a good book read The Perks of Being a Wallflower. That covers these themes WAY better.
Usually I can find positive things to say about books but there is nothing positive I can say about this one.
I've read Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and while I wasn't please with it I found somethings in it to be really original and interesting. This however is not.
Save yourself some time and read the summary on Amazon. That pretty much sums up the entire thing right there. There aren't any surprises. None.
Naomi is hopelessly in love with her friend Ely who just happens to be a self centered jerk. Not only does he flirt with her boyfriend but he kisses him too. And guess what, he falls in love with him. Yes Ely falls in love with her boyfriend Bruce the Second.
But it gets worse. There is 200 pages full of angst and BORING garbage about this. Naomi complaining about how her and Ely were supposed to get married. How her and Ely were meant for each other. I would have felt sympathy for her except for the fact that Ely is a huge jerk. It's like the guy ignores the fact that she likes him out of spite even though they're best friends. He might be gay but that's no excuse for ignoring your best friend's feelings.
And the worst part is, he ends up with Bruce the Second anyway! And Naomi seems ok about this. Instead she gets with Gabriel, the doorman. He's very irrelevant to the plot and is really a deus ex machina for Naomi to fall in love with so she gets over Ely.
No one learns anything at all.
I seriously wanted to kill every single character in this book. Their hobbies seemed contrived. I didn't like Rachel Cohn's writing before when she was doing Norah. Her characters seem like what she wants to be instead of their own characters. Her writing is much easier to follow than David Levithans though. I thought he had the potential to be a decent writer before I read this.
I pray that John Green cancels his project with him. The book had no plot. It just rambled on and on until crashing and burning when Naomi has a revelation that she and Ely can't be together because of his selfish reasons. It's one thing to simply not be attracted to some one. It's another thing to flaunt this around, kissing them occasionally, and stealing their boyfriend away.
I have no problem with the idea that the book was trying to sell but I hate the fact that no one in it has any morals. If Cohn and Levithan would just realize that gay does not equal cool, hip, and interesting maybe they'd be able to write something worth my time. It's ok to have a book that's about that subject but when it's only selling because of that and nothing else... It's like Stephen King publishing his laundry list, is it good just because Stephen King wrote it? This book probably only got published because it's got their names on it and it's got controversial material in it.
The two of them need to realize that planning a book and building characters is essential. Not just randomly typing out whatever situation you'd like to be in.
Ely might as well been a girl. At least it would have saved me the time of having to skim over his stereotypical gay antics. Seriously every gay guy probably does not act like the ones that Levithan writes. He's pimping them out much in the same way that cutters and suicide victims and car accident victims have been contrived and used in YA for the past 20 years.
When we realize that good writing does not come from being controversial and typing random garbage to fill 250 pages maybe we'll get back to writing good books.
I see that their problem is that they don't know when to end a book. They kept N&N running for 100 pages to many. It would have been better as a 50 page novelette. This should have been five pages without the profanities. I have nothing wrong with using them except for when the vocabulary becomes so colorful it's like 'look at me mommy! I said a BAAADDD word!" You guys are adults. You don't need to show off your BAAADDD vocabulary to me.
There's so much more to rant about. Just don't read the book. Or if you do, don't buy it. Get it from the library. And read it there, don't even waste your time checking it out and having that on your library card record. Don't waste your time.
If you actually want a good book read The Perks of Being a Wallflower. That covers these themes WAY better.
July 5, 2021
rachel cohn and david levithan need to be ordered to stay away from each other.
for the good of the people.
i won't be elaborating.
part of that infamous-minus-the-famous series where i review books i read a million years ago.
for the good of the people.
i won't be elaborating.
part of that infamous-minus-the-famous series where i review books i read a million years ago.
February 28, 2016
“Life tells you to take the elevator, but love tells you to take the stairs.”
I actually thought this book was going to be good.
I was so damned disappointed. And I felt this way before I finished the book. Not only did I not care about any of the characters and their inflated egos, I also did not care about what happened to them. There were so many things that bothered me about this book. And let me tell you right now that the LGBT themes in this book was not one of them.
So how do I start talking about this shit? Right. Let's first talk about Naomi. Who was...
Try and guess.
Try to guess what Naomi was like. Come on. You know you wanna guess. Okay. Fine. Let me tell you.
"It’s spooky how beautiful she is—it’s like her hazel eyes have gotten deeper and more alluring from all the crying they’ve obviously experienced lately. All eyes are on her beauty as she stands up from our table"
Yes. She's pretty.
Yes. Everyone wanted her.
Yes. Everyone looks at her with desire.
But... She wasn't exactly a nice person.
Actually Naomi's a bitch. A really annoying bitch.
She was a whiny girl who things she could get anything she wanted just because she's beautiful. Wtf. I don't really like girls who think that the whole world is theirs just because they look like Helen of Troy.
Nooo.
Noooo.
Noooooo.
I mean okay, she does have her issues which I like. I love my characters flawed and conflicted. But Naomi wasn't an easy character to like and relate to. She does so many things that just made me roll my eyes. I get flaws and mistakes, but there was something about how she was written which felt so wrong. All I know is that Naomi has got to be one of my most, if not my most, hated character ever. There was very little of her that is redeemable. The way she thinks of getting revenge against Ely is totally... disturbing. To think this girl is a teenager.
Okay, you pussy-teasing faggot, do you know what I’m going to do to you? I am going to take back that boy whose lips you are currently fellating, and I am going to "send" you pictures of him doing things to me that he’d never, ever be able to do to your Every time you step out of the elevator, I’m going to make sure that he and I are jammed together on the other side of the wall, releasing moans that are going to make you scramble to find some porn. I will take him by the and lead him away from you, and I will make you watch every. fucking. moment.
See my problem right there? Naomi. Naomi. Naomi. Why do you have to be that kind of girl?
Ely on the other hand is a different story.
Ely is Naomi's best friend. And she loves him. But... He's gay. He has been very open to Naomi about this from the start. He tells her everything, even the stuff that he does with his boyfriend. And I was okay with it. The way the author wrote him was much more believable and relatable. I loved Ely's confidence and maturity (for the most part). Ely wasn't perfect, but you slowly see what a good head he has on his shoulder.
So what really happened to Ely and Naomi?
They decided they need to have a No Kiss List where they put guys they should not kiss so they don't fight over guys. What set Naomi off was that Ely kissed a guy that wasn't on the Kiss List but was her boyfriend. So technically, he wasn't on the list but was still considered off-limits by Naomi (which I sort of had to agree).
Shit happens.
Things were said.
Things were done.
Their friendship that they worked so hard over the years was destroyed because of a boy.
I just couldn't believe it.
I didn't like this book. But I didn't hate it. There were things here that I liked.
THE WRITING STYLE
The writing style was unique. There were sentences in this book that had pictures instead of words. That was cute. It was witty and entertaining at times. Each characters has their own personality in the way each of their chapters were written. Naomi has her own quirky way of telling her story. And then there's Gabriel and his music inspired one. And yeah, you get my point right?
There were quite a lot of lines in this book that I really, really liked. And I'll include some of them towards the end of this review.
THE NAMES
I think the names authors used were pretty cool. One example is Bruce the First and Bruce the Second. Then then there's Robin (girl) and Robin (boy). Haha It's pretty cute. I could imagine some people not sharing the same thoughts about it though because it could get a bit confusing.
THE BOOK COVER
It looked fun and simple. At least the one that I got.
GABRIEL
I actually ended up liking Gabriel more than anyone in this book. I think it's because of his love for music. I never really connected to anyone else in the book aside from Gabriel.
THE ROMANCE
Let me start with that. I hated the romance in this book. First of all, Naomi's love for Ely was totally ridiculous. I did not feel at all that Naomi loved Ely as much as she said she did. If that is what she calls love then her love must have been pretty shallow.
And as for Ely, why would you do that to your best friend??? Seriously.
Then there's the third party on both sides. How could it have been that easy?
I don't get it. Naomi and Ely, were never a couple. But they were the best of friends and that ought to count for something. Ely should have taken Naomi's feeling into account before he did something. I have no problem that he fell in love with the other guy, but he should really have taken into consideration what it would feel to Naomi. And Naomi and her infatuation with Ely… I don't buy that either. This book has so much relationship problems that I couldn't really focus on any of them. It was a disaster.
And then the person they end up with towards the end???? I did not buy it either.
THE CHARACTERS
Oh man. These characters had no appeal to me whatsoever. I hated them. Okay let me correct myself, most of them. I hated MOST of them. Most especially, Naomi. I could not relate to her character at all. She is, possibily, the whiniest characters I have ever read. She only thinks about herself and not the people around her.
Ely is not exactly too different, but at least he wasn't as whiny as Naomi. And I liked that I got to know him a bit more than just the guy who stole his best friend's boyfriend. He grew on me as I was reading the book.
The minor characters were actually a bit more fun to read about. I liked Bruce the Second's POV. How he is slowly realizing what his preference really is and dealing with his feelings. I liked that.
But overall, I felt the characters were shallow and inconsistent.
ALTERNATING POV
I'm usually a fan of alternating POVs, but this book had so much of that it hurt my head. There were far too many POVs. It's probably because the authors wanted us to see Ely and Naomi's character outside their own heads, but it didn't work that way for me. Like I said earlier, I actually preferred reading the secondary POVs but only if it works. Only if I get to know more about these characters. Only if it draws me closer to them and not away from them.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
Wait there was character development in this book? There was, but it wasn't really too well done. The revelation about Ely and how he figured out he liked boys that girls was a bit unrealistic to me. You don't realize something like that. You realize things through experience and not just a random thing you think of after seeing something. Eeeh… Not going into spoilers here. Sorry.
As for Naomi… I don't think she matured in this book at all. I did not think there was any development in her part. That sour attitude she had towards the beginning of the book radiated until the end of it. When I finished, I was just so glad I finished it. That I didn't have to endure any more of Naomi's complaining and whining and all that crap.
GABRIEL
Okay. Gabriel is one of the characters I liked in this book, but I also felt his character was inappropriately used. I didn't like how he was the reason things got better for Naomi. I don't use this word often, but he was the Deus Ex Machina of this story and I didn't like that at all. A guy, no matter how gorgeous or hot or mouthwatering, shouldn't be the reason why someone gets over someone. No. Just no.
THE PLOT
What plot?!
This book could have been so much better to be honest. I loved David Levithan's The Love Dictionary. I thought it was brilliantly written. I loved the story and the manner on how it was delivered. I saw his writing in this book, but the story itself was really a let down. I didn't think the story was planned out really well. There were a lot of things in this book that could have been cut out and end up not affecting the entire story.
I think Rachel and David also co-wrote Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist which I thought was good. It wasn't my favorite, but it was way better than this one. The characters, the events, the plot development were far more superior than this book which is a shame.
I didn't really have the intention of picking this book up until I saw the movie trailer which I thought looked pretty. I haven't watched the movie because I've always been the type to want to read the book first before watching the movie. But here I am, wishing I haven't read the book because it was a real waste of time.
There were however, some good take-aways from this book that I would like to share.
“We always see our worst selves. Our most vulnerable selves. We need someone else to get close enough to tell us we’re wrong. Someone we trust.”
“Maybe your history just repeats and repeats until it batters you enough to snap the seams that hold you together”
October 15, 2011
I see all the low ratings, and, admittedly, they have a point.
Naomi is far from perfect. Ely is far from perfect. Neither of them are instantly lovable.
But isn't that what makes them human?!
The fact that my paperback copy of this little book has not fallen apart yet is amazing, seeing as I've read it far more times than I can count. It is a quick read, but a fantastic one. Compared to Nick and Norah's, this is far more serious (someone mentioned that it is about the tearing of a relationship as opposed to the building of one - they hit it spot on). Naomi and Ely are forced to face the deconstruction of their happy fantasies, but they survive. This is why I love this book - they survive. It does not end with them skipping into the sunset, or greeting it in Time's Square, like Nick and Norah. They grow a little, learn a lot, and are okay in the end. They are moving on.
I could write paragraphs, essays, sonnets to Cohn and Levithan. They continuously write phenomenal, quirky, little novels that embrace New York, friendship, courtship, and humanity. Their serious thoughts are balanced with funny ones. I fall in love with their characters every time I read them.
To end, the last two lines of this book, which I find completely and utterly true:
It's a total lie to say there's only one person you're going to be with the rest of your life.
If you're lucky - and if you try really hard - there will always be more than one.
Naomi is far from perfect. Ely is far from perfect. Neither of them are instantly lovable.
But isn't that what makes them human?!
The fact that my paperback copy of this little book has not fallen apart yet is amazing, seeing as I've read it far more times than I can count. It is a quick read, but a fantastic one. Compared to Nick and Norah's, this is far more serious (someone mentioned that it is about the tearing of a relationship as opposed to the building of one - they hit it spot on). Naomi and Ely are forced to face the deconstruction of their happy fantasies, but they survive. This is why I love this book - they survive. It does not end with them skipping into the sunset, or greeting it in Time's Square, like Nick and Norah. They grow a little, learn a lot, and are okay in the end. They are moving on.
I could write paragraphs, essays, sonnets to Cohn and Levithan. They continuously write phenomenal, quirky, little novels that embrace New York, friendship, courtship, and humanity. Their serious thoughts are balanced with funny ones. I fall in love with their characters every time I read them.
To end, the last two lines of this book, which I find completely and utterly true:
It's a total lie to say there's only one person you're going to be with the rest of your life.
If you're lucky - and if you try really hard - there will always be more than one.
January 2, 2016
I usually read the book then see the movie. I review the book as one item. I review the movie as another. And then at the same time I like to compare... How things usually go though are: I read the book, then see the movie, compare the two, pick and pry, then and 99% of the time I will either say I loved the book more or I loved the movie more. Because lets be honest... We would all love to say that the book is always better, but the truth is that sometimes they're not. Doesn't mean the books bad, just means the movie did really well... Then there are these other times that I read a book think its okay-then see the movie and think it was okay too... I know I'm rambling but what I'm trying to get at is that sometimes when I watch the movie right after reading the book it actually ends up making me want to rate the book higher. The combination of the two makes both the reading a viewing better.
So again what I'm getting at is that since I saw the movie I appreciate the book more. Thing that I couldn't full grasp in the book I finally got in the movie. A few scenes even made me tear up....
so my original rating of this book would have been a three but with the movie I'm going to bump it up to a very solid four.... None of that probably made any sense.
So again what I'm getting at is that since I saw the movie I appreciate the book more. Thing that I couldn't full grasp in the book I finally got in the movie. A few scenes even made me tear up....
so my original rating of this book would have been a three but with the movie I'm going to bump it up to a very solid four.... None of that probably made any sense.
May 22, 2015
My deal with David Levithan books is even if i'm not really liking it, I still can't help but love them. They're so real. They're so witty. Definitely not my favorite, but lovable characters nevertheless. Wouldn't recommend this though, sorta pointless plot and levithan/cohn have definitely done better.
April 26, 2017
2.5
No lo amé. Aunque le perdoné media estrella gracias a ese final, ese desenlace que estoy bastante seguro que escribió David, porque David es bueno, porque escribe genial y sabe como llegarme.
David y Rachel decidieron unirse de nuevo, pero esta vez no resultaron ser el dúo maravilla que yo esperaba como en "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist". Por el contrario, me dejaron con ganas de más.
Y el libro es básicamente esto:
Ely es gay. Naomi está enamorada de Ely. Naomi sale con Bruce The Second. ¡Bam!, Ely besa a Bruce The Second. ¡Boom!, se enamoran. Naomi se enoja con Ely por enamorarse de su novio y hace un berrinche que dura casi todo el libro —hasta las últimas páginas—. Fin.
*Los demás personajes son de relleno. Excepto Gabriel... él no tanto.
PROS:
1.- Hay algunas cuantas citas que, a mi parecer, salvaron el libro.
2.- A pesar de que la historia estaba destinada a ser un completo cliché, creo que se pudo rescatar un poco.
3.- Ely y Bruce The Second.
CONTRAS:
1.- El bajo uso de la que se suponía que era la premisa: "The No Kiss List".
2.- Naomi. Todo. T-O-D-O sobre Naomi.
3.- La forma en que estaban escritos los capítulos de Naomi.
4.- La excesiva cantidad de narradores.
5.- El relleno que representó la historia de los dos Robins.
Mentiría si no dijera que me siento un poco decepcionado, pero estoy seguro de que todo es culpa de Rachel Cohn... esa bruja.
No lo amé. Aunque le perdoné media estrella gracias a ese final, ese desenlace que estoy bastante seguro que escribió David, porque David es bueno, porque escribe genial y sabe como llegarme.
David y Rachel decidieron unirse de nuevo, pero esta vez no resultaron ser el dúo maravilla que yo esperaba como en "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist". Por el contrario, me dejaron con ganas de más.
Y el libro es básicamente esto:
Ely es gay. Naomi está enamorada de Ely. Naomi sale con Bruce The Second. ¡Bam!, Ely besa a Bruce The Second. ¡Boom!, se enamoran. Naomi se enoja con Ely por enamorarse de su novio y hace un berrinche que dura casi todo el libro —hasta las últimas páginas—. Fin.
*Los demás personajes son de relleno. Excepto Gabriel... él no tanto.
PROS:
1.- Hay algunas cuantas citas que, a mi parecer, salvaron el libro.
2.- A pesar de que la historia estaba destinada a ser un completo cliché, creo que se pudo rescatar un poco.
3.- Ely y Bruce The Second.
CONTRAS:
1.- El bajo uso de la que se suponía que era la premisa: "The No Kiss List".
2.- Naomi. Todo. T-O-D-O sobre Naomi.
3.- La forma en que estaban escritos los capítulos de Naomi.
4.- La excesiva cantidad de narradores.
5.- El relleno que representó la historia de los dos Robins.
Mentiría si no dijera que me siento un poco decepcionado, pero estoy seguro de que todo es culpa de Rachel Cohn... esa bruja.
Want to read
February 22, 2016Dude, it's not my fault.... I blame him:
November 2, 2007
A) I like multiple POVs but GEEZ there are a lot. Don't I make impassioned speeches about the overratedness of Jodi Picoult for such things?
but
B) Wow I like the exploration of sexuality (and how fluid it is) so so so much.
C) A book about 19/20 year olds is very interesting in the way that there are very rarely books about this age in this genre. I think most books I've read about 19 year olds are literary fiction.
D) OH NO YOU DID NOT MAKE ME JUST ALMOST CHOKE UP WITH A SENTENCE ABOUT KIRSTY MacCOLL!
E) Book, you made me feel really old by splitting "before and after" Green Day fans into Dookie v. American Idiot. In my day "before and after" meant Lookout! Records v. Dookie. The times, they are a'changing.
Okay, I'll stop with the pithy list-making and cut to it. My wise friend Meg called Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist a fantasy, and this book is too, albeit in a slightly less fantastical manner. This is one of those books that doesn't get everything right (I never could pull for Naomi as much as I wanted to because I often really hated her) but strikes to the heart of the matter in a wise way that surpassed what the book was actually about and made me reexamine things within my own.
I'm not quite sure how I felt about the Big Revelations happening so closely together. Yes, I get that's how you find a climax within a character-driven multi-POV novel, but it was a little too coincidental for me to buy it completely. That said, the revelations made sense and I could buy them THAT way.
I have yet to read a book that so accurately pins down how messy friendship v. love v. lust can be, no matter what end you end up on. I also really appreciated that it made the point that friendship matters just as much, and in not that different of a way. Books for teens rarely make that point; it's all about finding the perfect guy or girl and having that solve so much. This book generally didn't take the easy way out there. I really relished how complicated everything was.
but
B) Wow I like the exploration of sexuality (and how fluid it is) so so so much.
C) A book about 19/20 year olds is very interesting in the way that there are very rarely books about this age in this genre. I think most books I've read about 19 year olds are literary fiction.
D) OH NO YOU DID NOT MAKE ME JUST ALMOST CHOKE UP WITH A SENTENCE ABOUT KIRSTY MacCOLL!
E) Book, you made me feel really old by splitting "before and after" Green Day fans into Dookie v. American Idiot. In my day "before and after" meant Lookout! Records v. Dookie. The times, they are a'changing.
Okay, I'll stop with the pithy list-making and cut to it. My wise friend Meg called Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist a fantasy, and this book is too, albeit in a slightly less fantastical manner. This is one of those books that doesn't get everything right (I never could pull for Naomi as much as I wanted to because I often really hated her) but strikes to the heart of the matter in a wise way that surpassed what the book was actually about and made me reexamine things within my own.
I'm not quite sure how I felt about the Big Revelations happening so closely together. Yes, I get that's how you find a climax within a character-driven multi-POV novel, but it was a little too coincidental for me to buy it completely. That said, the revelations made sense and I could buy them THAT way.
I have yet to read a book that so accurately pins down how messy friendship v. love v. lust can be, no matter what end you end up on. I also really appreciated that it made the point that friendship matters just as much, and in not that different of a way. Books for teens rarely make that point; it's all about finding the perfect guy or girl and having that solve so much. This book generally didn't take the easy way out there. I really relished how complicated everything was.
June 19, 2018
Two shitty people are absolute jerks to everyone. But, it's OK, they're both super hot, so we know everything will work out for them in the end.
This book was the worst.
This book was the worst.
January 7, 2019
🚺&🚹⛔💋📝
I really don’t know how to rate this. Okay bitches let me give you the story behind this… sooo I watched the movie when it came out and I loved it? so I was like ‘I really wanna buy the book’. The thing is that iii forgot to but kept it on my TBR. I know what you are thinking, why did you buy it now? Look bitch, at this point I had to buy it... so I did... also the bookstore sadly didn’t have the yellow cover that I love and it’s also wayyy smaller than I expected it to be. Whatever I read it in like 4hours.
Where they getting paid by the emoji? 2007, what a weird year. I almost forgot to mention the 50billion POVs this has. Calm down you two.
‘’Gay doesn't mean I shouldn't wait for that one moment when he won't be.’’
‘’Ely-Well, it's a good thing you're gonna fuck you, cuz it ain't gonna be me.’’
‘’My boy.’’
‘‘I thought Ely would be my first...I waited for him. He never waited for me, though.''
Bruuuhh, ugh I just feel really bad for the hags that are in love with their GBF and hope they will date them. I just get second hand embarrassment. Also I watched Object Of My Affection last night and honey nooo. Go out, find a man that wants to fuck you. Leave your gay friend alone.
Last night I bitched about Leah On The Offbeat and pointed out that she was a snarky cunt that was rude because the author thought made her look cool. In this Naomi & Ely are arrogant, self-abort cunts but it makes sense. They were hurt and humiliated by what their parents did. BTW they didn’t attack their parents like some other cunt did *Leah wtf? Why?*. They only have each other and then they lose that too sooo… They are fucking assholes, I like them. Also Naomi really doesn’t give a shit about anyone. I’m jealous.
High School Musical brings people together. Also Strabucks is fucking overrated. And those prices!! Omfg honey no.
''I will take you down if you disrespect Britney.''
Same Naomi, same. Baby I will hit you more than one fucking time if you disrespect the queen.
This is a dumb guilty pleasure. I’m not ashamed to admit I enjoyed it. I bought it and then I figured out that the guy who co-wrote this co-wrote Will Grayson, my favorite book…. I should bitch about it one day *apparently I gave it 2stars and not a garbage review…I need to change that. ASAP*.
I really don’t know how to rate this. Okay bitches let me give you the story behind this… sooo I watched the movie when it came out and I loved it? so I was like ‘I really wanna buy the book’. The thing is that iii forgot to but kept it on my TBR. I know what you are thinking, why did you buy it now? Look bitch, at this point I had to buy it... so I did... also the bookstore sadly didn’t have the yellow cover that I love and it’s also wayyy smaller than I expected it to be. Whatever I read it in like 4hours.
Where they getting paid by the emoji? 2007, what a weird year. I almost forgot to mention the 50billion POVs this has. Calm down you two.
‘’Gay doesn't mean I shouldn't wait for that one moment when he won't be.’’
‘’
‘’My boy.’’
‘‘I thought Ely would be my first...I waited for him. He never waited for me, though.''
Bruuuhh, ugh I just feel really bad for the hags that are in love with their GBF and hope they will date them. I just get second hand embarrassment. Also I watched Object Of My Affection last night and honey nooo. Go out, find a man that wants to fuck you. Leave your gay friend alone.
Last night I bitched about Leah On The Offbeat and pointed out that she was a snarky cunt that was rude because the author thought made her look cool. In this Naomi & Ely are arrogant, self-abort cunts but it makes sense. They were hurt and humiliated by what their parents did. BTW they didn’t attack their parents like some other cunt did *Leah wtf? Why?*. They only have each other and then they lose that too sooo… They are fucking assholes, I like them. Also Naomi really doesn’t give a shit about anyone. I’m jealous.
High School Musical brings people together. Also Strabucks is fucking overrated. And those prices!! Omfg honey no.
''I will take you down if you disrespect Britney.''
Same Naomi, same. Baby I will hit you more than one fucking time if you disrespect the queen.
This is a dumb guilty pleasure. I’m not ashamed to admit I enjoyed it. I bought it and then I figured out that the guy who co-wrote this co-wrote Will Grayson, my favorite book…. I should bitch about it one day *apparently I gave it 2stars and not a garbage review…I need to change that. ASAP*.
February 21, 2017
I didn't hate it but I didn't really like it either.
Right off the bat, we learn of Naomi's obssession on her gay best friend, Ely. She wants to marry him. Or at least let him be her first. There's a big fixation on it I found really annoying. And it only just shows how predictable the story is going to be. And how I guessed the story would flow, really was how it did. And then there's the language and profanity. Just too much.
I was ready to give it a 2-star rating, but I decided to give it an extra star just for the numerous quotable quotes... Here are some...
"The complexity embedded in the different levels of meaning that go along with the words 'I love you' ought to be a whole mindf*ckof a video game, if anyone ever wanted to delop that concept."
"There are all kinds of ways to force yourself to decide. We do it all the time, make decisions. If we actually thought about every decision we made, we'd be paralyzed. Which word to say next. Which way to turn. What to look at. Which number to dial. You have to decide which decisions you're actually going to make, and then you have to let the rest of them go. It's the places where you think you have a choice that can really mess you up."
"I don't think you're boring. I do think there are times you don't allow yourself to be interesting."
"There is something so intimate about saying the truth out loud. Here is something so intimate about hearing the truth said. There is something so intimate about sharing the truth, even if you're nit entirely sure what it means."
"Beauty's not only skin deep. Just because a person is beautiful doesn't mean there's no soul beneath. Doesn't mean that person hasn't suffered like everyone else, doesn't mean they don't hope to still be a good human being in an awful world."
Right off the bat, we learn of Naomi's obssession on her gay best friend, Ely. She wants to marry him. Or at least let him be her first. There's a big fixation on it I found really annoying. And it only just shows how predictable the story is going to be. And how I guessed the story would flow, really was how it did. And then there's the language and profanity. Just too much.
I was ready to give it a 2-star rating, but I decided to give it an extra star just for the numerous quotable quotes... Here are some...
"The complexity embedded in the different levels of meaning that go along with the words 'I love you' ought to be a whole mindf*ckof a video game, if anyone ever wanted to delop that concept."
"There are all kinds of ways to force yourself to decide. We do it all the time, make decisions. If we actually thought about every decision we made, we'd be paralyzed. Which word to say next. Which way to turn. What to look at. Which number to dial. You have to decide which decisions you're actually going to make, and then you have to let the rest of them go. It's the places where you think you have a choice that can really mess you up."
"I don't think you're boring. I do think there are times you don't allow yourself to be interesting."
"There is something so intimate about saying the truth out loud. Here is something so intimate about hearing the truth said. There is something so intimate about sharing the truth, even if you're nit entirely sure what it means."
"Beauty's not only skin deep. Just because a person is beautiful doesn't mean there's no soul beneath. Doesn't mean that person hasn't suffered like everyone else, doesn't mean they don't hope to still be a good human being in an awful world."
July 17, 2016
This book was insta-love for me because I started reading it and I automatically LOVED IT. The ending was PERFECT. I might love Rachel Cohn more than David Levithan in their co-writings. Naomi and I are so alike!
September 25, 2007
I like Rachel Cohn (Gingerbread, Shrimp, and Cupcake). I like the title and description of this young adult novel. But I do not like this book.
Why? I should like it. It's told from different points of view. It's full of young adult angst and conflict. But none of the characters are likable.
Naomi is gorgeous and attached at the hip to Ely, her neighbor and best friend, who also happens to be gay. They've been best friends for as long as they can remember, and Naomi still envisions them getting married, EVEN THOUGH ELY IS GAY. When Ely kisses Naomi's boyfriend, she is shocked and betrayed and decides that their friendship is over.
What is so frustrating is that all of the conflict is based upon Naomi's failure to understand that ELY IS GAY. How stupid. What a silly premise for a book.
9/24/07
Why? I should like it. It's told from different points of view. It's full of young adult angst and conflict. But none of the characters are likable.
Naomi is gorgeous and attached at the hip to Ely, her neighbor and best friend, who also happens to be gay. They've been best friends for as long as they can remember, and Naomi still envisions them getting married, EVEN THOUGH ELY IS GAY. When Ely kisses Naomi's boyfriend, she is shocked and betrayed and decides that their friendship is over.
What is so frustrating is that all of the conflict is based upon Naomi's failure to understand that ELY IS GAY. How stupid. What a silly premise for a book.
9/24/07
March 12, 2017
Amor infinito ❤❤❤
Amé la forma en el la que Rachel y David se complementan, me gustaría ser su mejor amiga y verlos todos los días.
Amé la forma en el la que Rachel y David se complementan, me gustaría ser su mejor amiga y verlos todos los días.
October 26, 2014
These books are like crack. Not that I’ve tried crack, but I’ve been in enough toy stores and seen enough Breaking Bad dolls that I know I would like it. It’s Rachel and David again. My two (unbeknownst to them) BFFs. Finishing this book made me sad. Like when you leave your best friend sad. I hate that.
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares
I don’t recommend reading all three of these books at once. It’s best to spread them out. Like Hal Hartley films or candy corn binges. It’s not good for your health and it might lower your love and expectations because yes, there is definitely a pattern, but what happens within that pattern is bewitching.
I wonder who writes what parts? Does David always write the boy’s POV and Rachel always the girl’s? Did they switch it up? Do they write a chapter at a time and give it to the other and say ‘GO!’? And the other has no idea what the first has written until that moment? I’m sure I could look this up, but I don’t want to. I need to stay in this Rachel/me/David bubble. It gives me my castles in the air.
“How can you spend hours every day trying in small ways to figure out who you are, then have a near-stranger give you a sentence of yourself that says it better than you ever could?”
Yes, Rachid? How? I could never ever ever (one more and I’ve got a Taylor song) hang out with Naomi and Ely. They are too pretty, too witty, too close. I would always feel inferior. It would crush any self worth that’s still dust bunnying up the corners of my soul. I’m more like the side side character, Girl-Robin:
"I am the Velma. I am the girl with the bowl haircut and the sensible sweater-the investigator, not the cause of the investigation. I am not the thinnest, the prettiest, the coolest or the loudest. I blend in easily as should a girl from Schenectady….I don’t bother with dating. There is the problem of no one actually asking me on a date, but I choose not to think of that problem as a problem. It’s a solution. The Velmas of the world do not intern at CNN, hope to be accepted at Columbia J-School after graduating NYU with honors and go on to with Pulitzer Prized by getting bogged down in a relationship drama. That's a problem for the Daphnes of the world. Daphne, you bitch, you can't even drive the damn van."
I don’t even think I have that much going for me. Though I certainly know a lot of Daphnes. But, it makes me smile. What doesn’t make me smile is that I sort of feel like a fool. These books are not written for 40-something moms who need an escape, like Twilight or Outlander. These books are meant for the ones that are young and just beginning and to inspire them to be more than just boring. So, yeah… pie on my face me living in my fool’s paradise.
This is a sad story in the way that most people actually can understand. It's learning that what you thought could happen, just won’t. That things change, people change, that you can’t make plans and live comfortably in them until you are old and gray. Life gets in the way. And when this happens, it breaks you. I know it did me. Like innocence lost, like no santa at christmas, like Charlie before the glass elevator.
It fucking sucks.
“The complexity embedded in the different levels of meaning that go along with the words "I love you" ought to be a whole mindfuck of a video game”
Exactly Dachel. Naomi and Ely. Naomi thinks that they are meant for eachother. Ely thinks that too. But he knows better. And that realization of ‘knowing’… that’s the ball buster. It breaks everything. Your whole conception of ‘being’ is shifted and now you have to think of life without the other person and you’ve never done that before and that’s scary as fuck.
“Maybe your history just repeats and repeats until it batters you enough to snap the seams that hold you together”
It’s not pretty when the seams rip. It’s goddamn awful. A hurt so deep that the thought of just feeling despair is a mood lifter.
“We always see the worst in our selves. Our most vulnerable selves. We need someone to get close enough to tell us that we're wrong. Someone we trust.”
I want to be worthy of these writers. I know that they aren’t like the Hemingways or the Austins, or the Franzens of the world. Which is awesome actually having just finished reading Zadie Smith and not at ALL having this warm fuzzy that Naomi and Ely provided. It shows me that even if my tastes are thought to be par with Hungry Mans, my feelings are still like gelato in Florence.
“Therefore. Ergo. Erg. Argh. Ugh.”
April 11, 2017
Majorly disappointed with this book. My major issue with this book was all the different perspectives, which I really don't think was necessary. Plus I had some problems with Naomi's stereotyping of gay men, and it just really bothered me. I'm gonna watch the movie adaptation as I feel the movie will probably be better than the book.
April 15, 2018
A couple of years ago I watched and loved the movie and now I've read the book, I just love the story and the characters and just the friendship between Naomi and Ely.
November 7, 2020
Okay, so I've seen the movie way before I dove into the book. I know, I know, it's just another book crime that I've committed. Oh well.
I will admit that both book and the movie were okay in my eyes. The friendship between Naomi and Ely did have some cute moments but it also had some frustrating ones. They were pretty inseparable until Ely ended up kissing Naomi's boyfriend - Bruce #2. It also was weird that Naomi had this huge ass crush on Ely even though everyone knew he was gay. For some odd reason, this didn't compute with her brain because she had this dream that they would somehow end up together. Romantically.
Uh, no sweetheart. More like friends.
Eventually these two find a way to being back their friendship but a lot happened before they realized how dumb they were both acting. Again, it was an okay book but I will probably never watch or re-read this again.
I will admit that both book and the movie were okay in my eyes. The friendship between Naomi and Ely did have some cute moments but it also had some frustrating ones. They were pretty inseparable until Ely ended up kissing Naomi's boyfriend - Bruce #2. It also was weird that Naomi had this huge ass crush on Ely even though everyone knew he was gay. For some odd reason, this didn't compute with her brain because she had this dream that they would somehow end up together. Romantically.
Uh, no sweetheart. More like friends.
Eventually these two find a way to being back their friendship but a lot happened before they realized how dumb they were both acting. Again, it was an okay book but I will probably never watch or re-read this again.
February 8, 2017
I did not like it. The only reason I didnt DNF it was because two of my friends really liked this book.
HOW ANNOYING
By the second half of the book, I skipped everyone's pov except for Ely and Bruce.
They were just sp goddamn annoying.
Also, the fact that mainly the people that liked both sexes (bisexual) were the ones that cheated. That bothered me.
Well, Ely and Bruce's relationship was what motivated me to give this book its high rating, otherwise it would've been 1.
HOW ANNOYING
By the second half of the book, I skipped everyone's pov except for Ely and Bruce.
They were just sp goddamn annoying.
Also, the fact that mainly the people that liked both sexes (bisexual) were the ones that cheated. That bothered me.
Well, Ely and Bruce's relationship was what motivated me to give this book its high rating, otherwise it would've been 1.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2017
Este sin duda fue un libro muy entretenido y rápido de leer, lo disfruté mucho, pero los dos protagonistas me cayeron todo lo mal que pudieron y siento que la historia no me dejó nada. Aún así lo pasé bien leyendo, tiene frases muuuuy bonitas y no creo que haya sido una pérdida de tiempo, simplemente es una historia para pasar el rato.
PD: Recreé la playlist de Gabriel en Spotify porque necesitaba escucharla(? jaja
Pronto mi reseña.
PD: Recreé la playlist de Gabriel en Spotify porque necesitaba escucharla(? jaja
Pronto mi reseña.
July 26, 2019
i really, really liked how platonic love was portrayed in this book ; naomi and ely's no kiss list is my read for the seventh prompt of the reading rush - read and watch a book-to-movie adaption.
September 11, 2010
If I had a cheerleading uniform and a pair of pom poms, I’d break them out right now so I could show David Levithan and Rachel Cohn just how much I love their work. I’d cheer, I’d jump, hell I might even attempt some of those crazy backward flip things. I’d definitely concoct a cheesy rhyme that I could shout at the top of my lungs that outlines my enthusiasm and appreciation. Yes, I’d go to THAT much effort.
Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (their first collaborative novel) was so supremely perfect that I didn’t think David and Rachel could do much better than that. I mean, how can you top perfection? You can’t, right? Wrong. Apparently perfection now holds a new name, and it sounds a little something like Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List.
Ely and Naomi have been friends forever. They live in the same apartment block and couldn’t be closer if they tried. They’ve got so much in common that they even like all the same boys. Yes folks, Ely is gay. So in order to protect their friendship against possible crush conflicts, Naomi and Ely devise a No Kiss List – a list of people that are off limits to both of them, under all circumstances. This works very well for them both, and life couldn’t be better.
Until Ely kisses Bruce The Second, Naomi’s supposedly straight boyfriend.
Because it’s the right thing to do, Ely tells Naomi and, not surprisingly, all hell breaks loose. For the first time in the history of The Ely and Naomi Show, the pair finds themselves experiencing some serious trouble in paradise. Things get nasty, they stop speaking and suddenly the No Kiss List no longer applies. All bets are off, every gay boy and straight girl for themselves.
Although the title suggests otherwise, this book is not entirely and exclusively about Naomi and Ely. Each chapter is told through a different character’s perspective, which adds a whole host of different tones and complexities to navigate. But it’s a good thing, and gives the novel depth. For example, through Naomi’s eyes, Bruce the Second is kind of boring and actually presents as a little two-dimensional. However, when Bruce the Second is actually given his own voice, readers step inside his head only to discover that he is adorable, smart, and kinda crazy about Ely. Cue violin music now, please. I found it very easy to forgive him for the terrible way things end between him and Naomi.
And then there’s Gabriel, who through Naomi’s eyes, is pretty much just a piece of eye candy, and through Ely’s eyes, is just the big-eared doorman. But when Gabriel finally gets his chance to narrate, readers learn that he’s deep, poetic and sensitive in a new aged kind of way. And man, does the boy have eclectic taste in music (which he is disappointed to learn, Naomi does not share). There’s also Bruce the First, Kelly, and the Robins.
Switching between characters so frequently means that you’ll never get bored reading this book because each character has a new agenda, a different purpose in the story. The one thing they do share in common, however, is Naomi and Ely, and everybody’s individual journeys are somehow linked to the Great Break Up of Ely and Naomi. Interestingly enough, I also think the constant switching between characters highlights just how limiting first person narration really can be. Naomi and Ely’s perceptions of the other characters are often unfair, or just plain incorrect.
There are some seriously touching AWWWWWW kind of moments in this story, but there are also a whole stack of humorous ones too. In fact, in several places I laughed so hard I had to put my book down, wipe the corner of my eye, and take a deep breath. Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List is pure quality entertainment, in the strongest, most emphatic sense of the word.
Cohn and Levithan write together brilliantly, and their enthusiasm for their work shines on every single page, through every single tiny, insignificant word. Their characters are so real, so alive, that I think I saw Ely at my local Starbucks last night. For the record, Bruce the Second wasn’t with him, but a very loud-mouthed, jaw dropingly gorgeous girl was. Defintely Naomi, for sure.
Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (their first collaborative novel) was so supremely perfect that I didn’t think David and Rachel could do much better than that. I mean, how can you top perfection? You can’t, right? Wrong. Apparently perfection now holds a new name, and it sounds a little something like Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List.
Ely and Naomi have been friends forever. They live in the same apartment block and couldn’t be closer if they tried. They’ve got so much in common that they even like all the same boys. Yes folks, Ely is gay. So in order to protect their friendship against possible crush conflicts, Naomi and Ely devise a No Kiss List – a list of people that are off limits to both of them, under all circumstances. This works very well for them both, and life couldn’t be better.
Until Ely kisses Bruce The Second, Naomi’s supposedly straight boyfriend.
Because it’s the right thing to do, Ely tells Naomi and, not surprisingly, all hell breaks loose. For the first time in the history of The Ely and Naomi Show, the pair finds themselves experiencing some serious trouble in paradise. Things get nasty, they stop speaking and suddenly the No Kiss List no longer applies. All bets are off, every gay boy and straight girl for themselves.
Although the title suggests otherwise, this book is not entirely and exclusively about Naomi and Ely. Each chapter is told through a different character’s perspective, which adds a whole host of different tones and complexities to navigate. But it’s a good thing, and gives the novel depth. For example, through Naomi’s eyes, Bruce the Second is kind of boring and actually presents as a little two-dimensional. However, when Bruce the Second is actually given his own voice, readers step inside his head only to discover that he is adorable, smart, and kinda crazy about Ely. Cue violin music now, please. I found it very easy to forgive him for the terrible way things end between him and Naomi.
And then there’s Gabriel, who through Naomi’s eyes, is pretty much just a piece of eye candy, and through Ely’s eyes, is just the big-eared doorman. But when Gabriel finally gets his chance to narrate, readers learn that he’s deep, poetic and sensitive in a new aged kind of way. And man, does the boy have eclectic taste in music (which he is disappointed to learn, Naomi does not share). There’s also Bruce the First, Kelly, and the Robins.
Switching between characters so frequently means that you’ll never get bored reading this book because each character has a new agenda, a different purpose in the story. The one thing they do share in common, however, is Naomi and Ely, and everybody’s individual journeys are somehow linked to the Great Break Up of Ely and Naomi. Interestingly enough, I also think the constant switching between characters highlights just how limiting first person narration really can be. Naomi and Ely’s perceptions of the other characters are often unfair, or just plain incorrect.
There are some seriously touching AWWWWWW kind of moments in this story, but there are also a whole stack of humorous ones too. In fact, in several places I laughed so hard I had to put my book down, wipe the corner of my eye, and take a deep breath. Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List is pure quality entertainment, in the strongest, most emphatic sense of the word.
Cohn and Levithan write together brilliantly, and their enthusiasm for their work shines on every single page, through every single tiny, insignificant word. Their characters are so real, so alive, that I think I saw Ely at my local Starbucks last night. For the record, Bruce the Second wasn’t with him, but a very loud-mouthed, jaw dropingly gorgeous girl was. Defintely Naomi, for sure.
November 1, 2015
3/5.0 starts
Cute! I just finished reading this book and coincidentally came across the movie poster this morning while browsing online. (Update: Nooo..I saw the movie recently. I was disappointed.)
So, I'd like to say what draws me to this duo(Rachel Cohn and David Levithan) is the way they use music, literature and movie references to tell their own story. I don't rate their books perfect stars but at the same time, I just can't not read them anyway. There's this unmistakable pull I'm just clearly a helpless prey for. Maybe because I see life myself as a big maze of a story filled with twists and turns and a kick-ass soundtrack. So, you got me.
Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List is about two inseparable childhood neighbors and best friends who developed a codependency with each other. They created a 'No Kiss List' which purpose is to preserve their friendship by preventing them to go after the same prospect, but, the fallout inevitably came when Ely kissed Naomi's boyfriend and Naomi could no longer deny the truth underneath all her lies.
For those who enjoyed Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist and Dash & Lily's Book of Dares, this YA romance uses the same formula. Not quite as good as the former though. If you love music as much as you luurve books, this is both in one. Enjoy!
Cute! I just finished reading this book and coincidentally came across the movie poster this morning while browsing online. (Update: Nooo..I saw the movie recently. I was disappointed.)
So, I'd like to say what draws me to this duo(Rachel Cohn and David Levithan) is the way they use music, literature and movie references to tell their own story. I don't rate their books perfect stars but at the same time, I just can't not read them anyway. There's this unmistakable pull I'm just clearly a helpless prey for. Maybe because I see life myself as a big maze of a story filled with twists and turns and a kick-ass soundtrack. So, you got me.
Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List is about two inseparable childhood neighbors and best friends who developed a codependency with each other. They created a 'No Kiss List' which purpose is to preserve their friendship by preventing them to go after the same prospect, but, the fallout inevitably came when Ely kissed Naomi's boyfriend and Naomi could no longer deny the truth underneath all her lies.
For those who enjoyed Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist and Dash & Lily's Book of Dares, this YA romance uses the same formula. Not quite as good as the former though. If you love music as much as you luurve books, this is both in one. Enjoy!
January 20, 2010
Naomi and Ely have known each other since they were little kids. Growing up in the same Manhattan apartment and now both attending NYU, they are practically attached by the hip. They have been best friends since the beginning of time and always know what's on each others mind. The one thing that remains a wall between the two of them is that Naomi is in love with Ely, and unfortunately Ely is gay. One day, Ely kisses Naomi's boyfriend and gets caught with a pack of his gum. This catastrophic event leads to a deeper wedge in their friendship, one that may even be permanent.
To put it frankly, I hated half of this book and loved the other half. Or more specifically, I strong disliked one character's plot and storyline but loved the others. The character that I strongly loathed and has earned themselves a spot in my ten top most annoying characters from all the books I've read is Naomi. She is possibly the most pretentious, rock-headed girl (woman?) I've ever seen. Naomi is nineteen-years-old. Nineteen! How could someone at the age of nineteen not be mature enough to realize that gay is gay? Throughout the entire book she was constantly whining about how in love she was with Ely and how miserable she felt that he kissed her boyfriend (that she didn't like anyway). At one point she pretends to have breast cancer so he'll "examine" it for her. That is just wrong. What's worse is that most of the book conflict in the book is driven by her internal problems and external actions.
However, I really liked Ely and Bruce the Second's romance. During the first 50-100 pages I was definitely going to rate the book one star, but their development individually and together was great and garnered two more stars. Now I'm looking forward to reading David Levithan's Boy Meets Boy.
To put it frankly, I hated half of this book and loved the other half. Or more specifically, I strong disliked one character's plot and storyline but loved the others. The character that I strongly loathed and has earned themselves a spot in my ten top most annoying characters from all the books I've read is Naomi. She is possibly the most pretentious, rock-headed girl (woman?) I've ever seen. Naomi is nineteen-years-old. Nineteen! How could someone at the age of nineteen not be mature enough to realize that gay is gay? Throughout the entire book she was constantly whining about how in love she was with Ely and how miserable she felt that he kissed her boyfriend (that she didn't like anyway). At one point she pretends to have breast cancer so he'll "examine" it for her. That is just wrong. What's worse is that most of the book conflict in the book is driven by her internal problems and external actions.
However, I really liked Ely and Bruce the Second's romance. During the first 50-100 pages I was definitely going to rate the book one star, but their development individually and together was great and garnered two more stars. Now I'm looking forward to reading David Levithan's Boy Meets Boy.
November 1, 2024
Overview:
Niomi and Ely’s No Kiss List is an engaging exploration of friendship, love, and the complexities that arise when boundaries are tested. The narrative centers around the unique bond between Niomi and Ely, whose relationship is defined by a list of “no-kiss” rules to protect their friendship from romantic entanglements.
While the premise holds potential for humor and insight, Niomi’s character can be polarizing. Many readers might find it surprising to have a contrasting view of her compared to the film adaptation, where she may come off more likable and relatable. In the book, her actions and attitudes can often come across as frustrating, which could detract from the overall reading experience.
On the other hand, Ely and Bruce The Second emerge as the real stars of the story. Their relationship is beautifully portrayed, offering depth and sincerity that balances out Niomi’s character shortcomings. Ely’s journey of self-discovery and Bruce’s supportive nature create a heartfelt narrative that stands out amidst the more chaotic elements of the plot.
The pacing is generally good, allowing the story to unfold naturally, but some plot points may feel rushed or underdeveloped. Despite these inconsistencies, the charm of Ely and Bruce’s romance keeps the reader invested.
Ultimately, Niomi and Ely’s No Kiss List offers a blend of humor, angst, and romantic tension, though it may leave some readers divided over the characters. The heartwarming portrayal of Ely and Bruce’s relationship makes it a worthwhile read, particularly for those who appreciate contemporary young adult stories that explore friendship and love in its many forms.
Niomi and Ely’s No Kiss List is an engaging exploration of friendship, love, and the complexities that arise when boundaries are tested. The narrative centers around the unique bond between Niomi and Ely, whose relationship is defined by a list of “no-kiss” rules to protect their friendship from romantic entanglements.
While the premise holds potential for humor and insight, Niomi’s character can be polarizing. Many readers might find it surprising to have a contrasting view of her compared to the film adaptation, where she may come off more likable and relatable. In the book, her actions and attitudes can often come across as frustrating, which could detract from the overall reading experience.
On the other hand, Ely and Bruce The Second emerge as the real stars of the story. Their relationship is beautifully portrayed, offering depth and sincerity that balances out Niomi’s character shortcomings. Ely’s journey of self-discovery and Bruce’s supportive nature create a heartfelt narrative that stands out amidst the more chaotic elements of the plot.
The pacing is generally good, allowing the story to unfold naturally, but some plot points may feel rushed or underdeveloped. Despite these inconsistencies, the charm of Ely and Bruce’s romance keeps the reader invested.
Ultimately, Niomi and Ely’s No Kiss List offers a blend of humor, angst, and romantic tension, though it may leave some readers divided over the characters. The heartwarming portrayal of Ely and Bruce’s relationship makes it a worthwhile read, particularly for those who appreciate contemporary young adult stories that explore friendship and love in its many forms.
November 14, 2015
3.5 Stars
Wow. Okay.
I jumped into this book knowing nothing. I dont know the ratings given to this book. Never heard/read anyone's review on it so my judgement level is absolute zero. I'm surprised that I actually enjoyed it!
The blurb kinda explains what the book is about so go read it yourself to know whats coming your way but theres a LGBT themed inside.
1) Its told in various POVs. Some POVs are fun. Some are pointless. My fav POVs : Ely, Bruce The Second, Gabriel.
2) I dislike Naomi. I hate being in her mind. It sucks because Naomi the movie is played by Victoria Justice and she's gorgeous but i dislike Naomi, still.
3) I LOVE ELY. I LOVE BRUCE THE SECOND. THEIR GAY ROMANCE IS FUCKING CUTE. I THINK THE BEST PART OF THIS BOOK IS ELY & BRUCE. (Why do I love reading gay romance so much???)
4) This is a book about friendship and family and love. Ely & Naomi's friendship is really cool and the whole friendship issue in this book gets me all emotional. The love part : Ely&Bruce, Naomi&Gabriel works great too.
Since this book is written by two authors, I really want to know who writes which part, that sort of thing.
Wow. Okay.
I jumped into this book knowing nothing. I dont know the ratings given to this book. Never heard/read anyone's review on it so my judgement level is absolute zero. I'm surprised that I actually enjoyed it!
The blurb kinda explains what the book is about so go read it yourself to know whats coming your way but theres a LGBT themed inside.
1) Its told in various POVs. Some POVs are fun. Some are pointless. My fav POVs : Ely, Bruce The Second, Gabriel.
2) I dislike Naomi. I hate being in her mind. It sucks because Naomi the movie is played by Victoria Justice and she's gorgeous but i dislike Naomi, still.
3) I LOVE ELY. I LOVE BRUCE THE SECOND. THEIR GAY ROMANCE IS FUCKING CUTE. I THINK THE BEST PART OF THIS BOOK IS ELY & BRUCE. (Why do I love reading gay romance so much???)
4) This is a book about friendship and family and love. Ely & Naomi's friendship is really cool and the whole friendship issue in this book gets me all emotional. The love part : Ely&Bruce, Naomi&Gabriel works great too.
Since this book is written by two authors, I really want to know who writes which part, that sort of thing.
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