Hey all, Dani here.
It’s Friday! My blogging is still going well…but I can say that my cat has been glued to my side since we got back from our little getaway. It’s safe to say that he did not like us being gone for four nights in a row. It was the first time we had gone away for more than two nights since we got him back at Christmas. Diablo is definitely a Mama’s Boy and he is a precious little devil child.
Anyway, I am back with yet another book review, and I’m happy to say that it’s another book that I’m excited to talk about…and one where I should also hopefully be talking about the sequel fairly soon as well. Okay, let’s just jump into the review already.
An Indie Bestseller!
An Indie Next Pick!
A Gold Nautilus Book Award Winner!
Some people are extraordinary. Some are just extra. New York Times and USA Todaybestselling author TJ Klune’s YA debut, The Extraordinaries, is a queer coming-of-age story about a fanboy with ADHD and the heroes he loves.
Nick Bell? Not extraordinary. But being the most popular fanfiction writer in the Extraordinaries fandom is a superpower, right?
After a chance encounter with Shadow Star, Nova City’s mightiest hero (and Nick’s biggest crush), Nick sets out to make himself extraordinary. And he’ll do it with or without the reluctant help of Seth Gray, Nick’s best friend (and maybe the love of his life).
Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl meets Marissa Meyer’s Renegades in TJ Klune’s YA debut.
My Thoughts:
Rating: 5 stars
Do I have yet another geeky/fandom/writing related book to talk about? Why yes I do. Actually get ready because I know that I have a few more geeky book reviews coming this month (because yes, I already have the whole month’s reviews planned out, provided that I can keep up with my blogging schedule. I’m actually already starting on planning out September’s posts. This may be the most organized I have been with the blog).
Anyway, this is a superhero story, set in Nova City, a fictional city that still manages to feel quite real. Nick Bell is a fanfic writer, a delightful and quirky geek boy, and a main character you can’t help but root for. I enjoyed getting to read bits and pieces from Nick’s fanfiction story, and see what sort of ridiculous and cheese and entertaining plot bits he was coming up with for his superhero romance story. It was a fun time.
Now, I will say that there were a couple plot points I figured out a good chunk of the book before they were revealed, but it didn’t interfere with my enjoyment of this story.
This is T.J. Klune’s YA debut, but I have read and loved his previous adult release, The House on the Cerulean Sea (which I somehow didn’t review last year, oops), and I can say that this one still has those moments of sweet and adorable happy feelings. I’m beginning to think that Klune is an author to pick up when you just want a dose of serotonin.
It was interesting to me to watch interact with both Shadow Star and Pyro Storm, as well as to see Nick talking with his father and with Seth. Each of the interactions highlights or reveals different facets of Nick or the other character. It was especially interesting when Nick’s encounters with Shadow Star and Pyro Storm began to sort of mirror events he had written in his fanfiction, and he has to realize that perhaps the heroes have read his work.
Now, I will say that this is a fictional story, set in a fictional city, but it needs to be highlighted that Nick’s dad is a cop in Nova City, and Nick knows a lot of cops and spends time around them…but in case police issues, particularly police brutality, are triggering, I should call out the fact that while the cops in this city are well-meaning and well-intentioned, they do cross certain boundaries…such as punching witnesses and other things. Considering the state of the US and the world when it comes to violent behavior from police basically being brushed aside, I feel I should mention this. I’m actually a bit sad to admit that this issue didn’t come to mind while I was obsessively reading this book; it was only upon reflection after finishing the book and browsing through some other reviews to see how other people felt about this book that I realized that this does happen in the book and it is an issue.
Oh, and if you haven’t read this book yet, but plan to…much like most superhero movies out there, keep reading once you reach the acknowledgments at the end…there is a bonus scene at the end, basically an “end credit scene” that hints towards possibilities for the sequel.
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All right, well that is all from me for today. Thanks for stopping by and I will be back soon with more geeky content.
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