Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got an eGalley of this book through NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: For some reason I was under the impression that this was a magical realism type of read...I think in NetGalley it was under sci-fi/fantasy. This was not that type of read at all. This is flat out a contemporary fiction about a neurodivergent young man who has to deal with living on his own after his mother passes away.

The beginning is a bit slow and Joe's mom doesn't pass away until quite a bit into the book. At this point things get much more interesting. I did find this to be an engaging read. The chapters are fairly short, which helped propel me through the story. I didn't want to put this down because I wanted to know what was going to happen.

Fisher does an excellent job writing both Joe's character and the people surrounding him. At its heart this book is about friendship and supporting the people around you, even when they are a bit different.

Joe's mom remains a steadfast presence throughout the book with her constant advice through the notebooks she leaves Joe. These excerpts from her notebooks can get a bit long and preachy feeling, although some of them were cute and humorous too. I couldn't help but think that maybe Joe's mom did him a disservice by making Joe too dependent on her. It's when Joe is really forced to start figuring things out for himself that he really starts to flourish. This is something his mom could have helped him do earlier if she had pushed him outside of his comfort zone more often.

This was a nice, heartwarming read, that was straightforward in the story structure and yet complex in how the characters interact with each other. It was a decent break from all the fantasy I read (even though I totally wasn't expecting this to be what it was).

My Summary (4/5): Overall I liked this, it was a bit slow to start but ended up being very engaging. I would recommend if you are intrigued by watching a neurodivergent person navigate life and if you enjoy stories about unlikely friends banding together to help each other. It is a sweet and heartfelt story and is well written.

Once in a while a special book graces your path and digs so deep in your heart you know you will never forget it. This is that book for me. It's one of the most heart-warming, special books I've ever read. It made me laugh. It made me cry. And it made me cry again.

Joe-Nathan (keep it separate please like dinner and dessert) is a neurodivergent young man who is about to learn some life lessons and inspire others around him to do the same. Joe-Nathan, you are an inspiration and I won't ever forget you.

A beautifully written book, filled with true to heart life lessons and engaging diverse and wonderful characters. I’m still thinking about them and this book days after I’ve finished. I can easily go back and read this again knowing I’ll find even more to love. Everyone should read this book.
Read alikes, When We We’re Vikings, Andrew MacDonald. The Maid, Nita Prose

Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life couldn't be more different from author Helen Fisher's debut time-travel novel, Faye, Faraway, which I read and loved three years ago. But Fisher snagged my interest immediately by portraying Joe, the neurodivergent 23-year-old protagonist, with the same depth and loving care she displayed with her main character in the earlier book.

Joe gets through the day with structure, routine, and the guidance of his beloved mother, along with the blue notebook in which she describes how to do the things he must do in his everyday life. Joe is fortunate to have found a job that suits him perfectly, in a large department store laid out like the points of a compass. He likes nothing better that setting up an attractive, perfectly arranged display of canned food, or perhaps T-shirts, and returning items their rightful places after they have been moved by patrons. He is also happy to clean up spills so long as they are not red liquids such as pizza sauce, since that reminds him of the time his father inadvertently cut off part of his finger while working with Joe in their home workshop. Unsurprisingly, he has to deal with more than one bully at work, but he has a staunch friend and protector in coworker Chloe, who thinks nothing of punching someone in the nose if they are harassing Joe.

As the book progresses and adversity strikes, we see Joe rethink some of his hard-and-fast beliefs and slowly start expanding his experience and the way he looks at the people around him. His literal take on others' words results in some quiet humor, but he lives up to his mother's belief that he doesn't have a mean bone in his body. It's a lovely book, written during a self-professed difficult time by Helen Fisher, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

My thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Joe Nuthin’s Guide to Life by Helen Fisher was an absolute joy to read.

Joe is neurodivergent and his mom has written him a book with solutions to everyday life and a guide for him to follow for when she is not there.

While Joe may be different than most people, he builds a family in his work and community that touched my heart and made me laugh and cry throughout the book.

Joe meets his bully with compassion and tries to help when most of us would walk away.

I cannot wait to be able to share this book with friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. It was a sheer pleasure to read.

Features:
Neurodiverse main character
Character focused story with community at its heart
Challenging at times, but heartwarming and hopeful overall
Focuses on the main character discovering their own strength and place in the world

This beautiful story about empathy, community, and discovering strength through the challenges life throws our way was the warm hug I didn’t know I needed. Fisher treats her characters with such love and respect as they grapple with very difficult challenges. The main character, Joe-Nathan, is one of the most well characterized/represented neurodiverse characters I have seen in a long time. He is bright, kind, and observant, but with a very different perspective of the world and its many challenges. Even when dealing with the darker parts of life and society, it was lovely to see Joe-Nathan learn and grow throughout the story. This book is a must read for anyone looking for a heartwarming and powerful character-focused tale.

Celebrating Difference

Representing a neurodiverse person in literature in a way that feels authentic and respectful can be a huge challenge and Fisher definitely succeeds with Joe-Nathan. The story is told predominantly from Joe-Nathan’s POV through which we see how he thinks about the various things that happen each day. Even as he grows over the course of the story, Joe-Nathan has a strong sense of who he is and who he wants to be. Though it is clear from the snapshots we get from other characters’ POVs that Joe-Nathan might be acting and/or doing something unexpected, the reader still understands him perfectly and fully believes in his ability to overcome the obstacles he faces. Of course, there are some things that Joe-Nathan needs help processing, but it never feels like he is completely lost or helpless. Though tough at times, seeing this character grow into himself was extremely rewarding and empowering.

Positively Balanced Tale

Overall, this book has a positive and hopeful vibe and is told with a lot of heart. That being said, it is so much more than the average cozy novel one might pick up off the shelf. There are times where the stakes are high and plenty of darker themes are explored. However, the proper amount of humor and perspective brought to these themes keeps the story from becoming too heavy. You can feel the emotional moments, but you won’t carry them with you when it is time to move on unless it is being used to grow. This is definitely a serious story, but one with plenty of warmth and love to see you through.

Special thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Wow, I just finished reading Helen Fisher’s latest novel, Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life. As someone who thoroughly enjoyed Fisher’s debut novel, Faye, Faraway, I was excited to dive into her second book - and I was not disappointed. The novel is an absolute gem in every sense of the word. The concept is intriguing, the storyline is captivating, and the characters are simply fantastic - each one unique and unforgettable in their own way.

At the heart of the story is a neurodivergent adult named Joe-Nathan and his aging mother, who are navigating the reality of aging with a child who has disabilities. I was moved by the novel's portrayal of the mother-son relationship and the village it takes to make it— it should be required reading. I cannot praise Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life enough. It is, without a doubt, one of the best books I have read this year. I give it 5++ stars (and I would give more if I could). I am already eagerly anticipating Helen Fisher’s next novel!

I was really looking forward to this author's next book hoping it would pick up where her first book (Faye, Faraway) left off and continue that story. When I saw that this one did not do that, I have to admit I was disappointed. But I loved the first book so much I decided to give this one a try. And I was not disappointed. Joe-Nathan seems to be a young man on the autism spectrum although that isn't stated in the book. He is definitely a special young man who relies heavily on routine and things being in the right place to be able to navigate his world. When his mother dies, he is left with two books she has put together for him of her guidance for basic living and getting along with people. Using these books, Joe-Nathan is able to not only survive but develop a group of friends and even do things outside of his comfort zone. As I was reading this book, it occurred to me that more people should try living by his Guide to Life. This world would be a nicer place.

I thoroughly enjoyed this unique treasure of a novel! Joe-Nathan is one of the most likeable and kind characters I've read in a long time, and in the wake of his mother's death, how he learns to be independent AND a good friend is truly remarkable. The other characters are varied and beautifully drawn. I felt like I knew them all. Joe-Nathan's view of the company bully makes a huge difference in the bully's life and in the lives of Joe-Nathan's co-workers, in the best way possible.

I also loved Janet, Joe-Nathan's mom, who left him a big handwritten notebook of all the guidance/advice she could think of that would help him after she was gone. The guidance, it seems, is applicable not just for Joe-Nathan, but for others in the story as well.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley, for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This book should be on your radar for 2024. This “guide to life” is wholesome and heartbreaking. Written by Joe’s mother for him after he dies, Joe tries to navigate his world without her. You see, he is neurodivergent so he thrived with her reminders and prompts for appropriate behavior.

Quirky and dark, this story has lovable characters, damaged characters, and down right horrid souls. (Consider checking content warnings)

Easily one of the best ARCs I’ve read on netgalley. 4.25 stars!

This is a feel good book about Joe, who is different than other people. This book follows Joe, who loses his mother. She has left him a hand written book of her wisdoms to help him get through life without her. As Joe finds his place in life, he helps his friends along the way. This was an easy read that kept my interest. As I closed the book, I realized I had a big smile on my face. That is not something you can say about every book. I received this book as a digital ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. It earns a strong 4 stars from me.

I read an arc of the author’s previous book, Space Hopper (or, Faye Faraway for the US title), and it’s still one of my top reads today, so I was itching to get my hands on a copy of her next book.

I don’t know what I expected out of this book but I can say that it took a turn I was not prepared for. While at times heartfelt, I had to remind myself to shift from a neurotypical frame of mind when reading.

"Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life" by Helen Fisher is a novel that follows the uplifting journey of Joe-Nathan, a neurodivergent young man. Despite facing challenges and the unkind words of some, Joe is far from nothing. He is a good friend, excels at his job, has a talent for making things, and is adept at following rules. Joe's mother, aware that there are many things he isn't yet prepared for, provides guidance for him in the form of notebooks filled with advice.

As Joe begins to follow his mother's advice, his life takes an unexpected turn. The story explores themes of friendship, self-discovery, and the transformative power of leaving one's comfort zone. Joe-Nathan's journey showcases that remarkable things can happen when you open yourself up to new experiences and that, with the support of friends, even the most challenging things can be overcome.

"Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life" promises to be a heartwarming and inspiring read, celebrating the resilience and potential for growth in individuals who may be considered different by societal standards.