This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our library collection and will recommend it to students.

This was cute! It reminded me of a Disney Channel movie from back in the day. I loved the characters (Iron Phantom in particular), and I enjoyed the banter. Very fun, for people who liked Renegades but wishes it was more romance focused.

This one was alright, but I felt like the characters were a bit flat an and the plot wasn't fully formed enough for me to recommend it.

This book was a fun read - not the best book ever, but a fast, cheesy, cute read. I enjoyed it. If you like these sorts of novels its a good one.

A very fun superhero read. A great book for anyone who loves a good superhero and villain story. Very cute and well written characters make this story a highly recommended read.

This is pure frothy fun if you’re into that kind of thing: Abby knows all about the superhero/secret identity thing because her brother is the Red Comet, but she’s not prepared to start crushing on the town’s new vigilante supervillain, even though he does (literally) swoop in and save her from a dire situation. A lot of the twists are a bit predictable (sometimes the bad guys are really the good guys!), but there’s also a lot of good stuff going on, especially Abby’s developing realization that literal superpowers aren’t the only way to be a hero. If this sounds like the kind of thing you’d enjoy, it probably is — and it’s probably a little smarter and funnier than you expected, which is always a nice plus.

I'm honestly still debating on what I thought of this one.

On one hand, THE SUPERVILLAIN AND ME is pretty adorable. On the other hand? It isn't without its problems -- and, unfortunately, those problems are mainly within the second half of the book.

Look, if you give me heroes? Chances are I'm already sold on your book. If you introduce those heroes through the eyes of a rather apathetic teenager? It's safe to say I'm curious and will want to see your take on the topic. Abigail is a great character -- at first. She's funny, witty, and genuinely tries to take care of herself, despite living in a place where crime is as normal as taking a shower. It's when she meets a certain hero, or well, villain, that she changes into the usual helpless heroine we see a lot in Young Adult fiction. (This is *not* a knock against YA; I love YA, and sometimes, those heroines absolutely work and/or make sense depending upon the story.) The change in Abigail, though, is far too drastic and rather than continuing to be witty and eager to protect herself, she begins making stupid choices and seemingly continues to get herself into messes that only the heroes around her can help get her out of. That can be a bit frustrating.

.... Especially when you consider the many (unannounced) visits by a certain love interest throughout the book. Seriously, I liked Abigail and *spoiler* together, they were great. What I didn't like? His need to pop into her room with ease everytime he needed to see her/talk to her.

I know it sounds like I hated this book, but I didn't. I did actually like it. THE SUPERVILLAIN AND ME is a different kind of tale; one that tackles the ever-popular superhero genre. Does it 100% succeed? No, but even its stumbles are notable.

I think my biggest problem with the book, sadly, was the ending. It was rushed -- as in, everything was fixed in less than a chapter -- and a certain character's actions just didn't make sense. At all. Had the ending been different? I definitely would have given the book four stars.

This was a quick fun read. It was a cross between the Incredibles and a typical YA book. Nothing spectacular but it was entertaining and different.
I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Heroes don't destroy things. They help. I want to help people."
~THE SUPERVILLAIN AND ME

Even if you aren't a big fan of superhero books, you're going to enjoy THE SUPERVILLAIN AND ME. The setting is super contemporary and the book is more about school and family and relationships and life with a side of heroes. It's very palatable if you aren't a fan of the genre. And if you are a fan? It's just as much fun!

Abby isn't a superhero and she has no desire to be one. Her brother is secretly Red Comet, the most dashing, swoonworthy hero out there. Her best friend is obsessed with Red Comet, which is kind of weird since, you know, he's her brother. Abby just rolls her eyes when it comes to the superheroes of Morriston and isn't as impressed as everyone else. She'd rather spend her time nabbing the lead in this year's school musical, Hall of Horrors. When she gets into a bad situation on the way home from school, a masked, nameless vigilante saves her. The next day, he helps a homeless man. Is there a new superhero in town? But wait...did he just burn down city hall!? Is he actually a villain? Abby isn't sure. The media names him Iron Phantom, and he starts popping up more and more in Abby's life. He swears he isn't a villain and that he's being framed. But can Abby believe it? She feels a connection to him and enjoys their conversations, but if she believes him, it may mean her dad, the Morriston Mayor, is involved in something dastardly.

This book was just so much fun. Every time I had to put it down, I was sad and wanted to get back to it. I really loved all the scenes where Abby and Iron Phantom were together. Their banter was fantastic and you could feel a real connection between them. Abby convinces herself that Iron Phantom must be someone she knows in real life, and settles on her co-star in the school musical Hall of Horrors because they have the same hair, same eyes, and same build. It makes her trust Iron Phantom even more, even when the rest of the world is calling him a villain. In and out of the mask, Abby and Iron Phantom always had the best scenes, and I love how their time together was ramped up in the back half of the book.

There was also a great emphasis on family I wasn't expecting in the novel. Abby's brother is a superhero, but he's also just this ordinary, everyday dorky, lazy teenage boy. She loves him, but it's crazy to think he could be this swoonworthy superhero. Her dad is pretty involved in her life as well, which I love seeing in a YA novel. The fact that he is the mayor and something big is going down at City Hall adds an interesting twist to the mix.

Also, how did I not know that a large chunk of this novel centered around a school musical? I LOVE books featuring musicals, especially original in-world shows. When we meet Abby, she is excited to be auditioning for Hall of Horrors, and a lot of the novel takes place at rehearsal. I love this contemporary spin brought to the world of heroes, and how knowing someone in real life may add to feelings elsewhere. Plus, a musical setting!!! Much like with ROOMIES, a recent adult novel from Christina Lauren, I wanted to know more about the in-book musical. Christina Lauren kindly sat down to do a guest post exposing their show for me to run on BroadwayWorld, and I wish I could read something like that for Hall of Heroes as well.

The book wrapped up well and had no cliffhangers, yet I wish we could keep going forever. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Abby and Iron Phantom. I thought the way the finale played out was interesting and the stakes were higher than I expected them to be, yet I appreciated the way not everyone came out unscathed, unlike many other books with battles, be they comic or otherwise. I was excited to see Goodreads state this is the first book in a series, though no information is released about future books. Are they companion novels featuring other superheroes where Abby and Iron Phantom make cameos? Are they further journeys involving the duo? I want to know!

This book was a lot of fun, but the story itself wasn't great. This reminded me a lot of The Incredibles, mixed with a little Big Hero Six and Spiderman mashed up together. You've got the main character, Abby, who is living in a world where her older brother, Conner, is a famous superhero and her father is the mayor. Her best friend is arguably the number one fan of Red Comet (Conner), but doesn't know he is the same guy who burps in her face and acts like the obnoxious and geeky older brother that he actually is. Abby has to keep his identity a secret. She just wants something for herself. When she lands the lead in the school musical, she thinks she is finally getting what she wants. When she has a run in with a new hero, her life is thrown into chaos. The whole town, including her father and brother, think Iron Phantom is a villain. She has to decide which is true. Is he really as bad as everyone thinks, or is he being set up to take the fall? This book has all sorts of adventure. I enjoyed being along side Abby as she tries to figure out the real-life identity of Iron Phantom. This was cute and fun, but not great.

I LOVE THE PLOT FOR THIS BOOK AND IT WAS SO GOOD. I love everything about this book. It was sooo good. I would highly recommend it if you are into YA. Everything I wanted out of this book was delivered. Go pick it up.

Supervillain and Me makes me a Ms. Banas fan for sure. It was such a fun read -- especially when compared to other similar teen books (where superheros are the norm). Abby Hamilton's father is the mayor of a Gotham-like city, rampant with crime and her brother is the most famous (and desirable) superhero. Abby is a great character who deals with her situations as best as possible all the while trying to survive high school and all of its drama. Encountering a new (dreamy) supervillain, Abby gives him the benefit of the doubt (thankfully, since my heart was all a flutter at his description), and mystery ensues. It's a fun, easy, and quick read that awoke the tiny nerd I swallowed years ago.

This was a fun book to read! I love the subgenre of normal people in a superhero world. In this YA book, our protagonist, Abby, is the younger sister of local hero Red Comet. Her life is saved by a Iron Phantom, a new hero on the scene... or is he a hero? Soon thereafter, Iron Phantom is evidently responsible for a series of horrific crimes in town, though Abby doesn't believe it's him.

This book does a good job of showing the hero/villain aspects of life, along with the ordinary (school musical). I felt that it was really strong until the last quarter of the book or so; some of the motivations didn't make sense. Still, it was an enjoyable adventure overall, with a good amount of romance and family drama, too. I would definitely recommend this book for those who liked Heroine Complex or The Rest of Us Just Live Here.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for providing an ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

Superheroes have been having an amazing decade. With Marvel delivering incredible movie after movie, and DC entertaining me every week with shows like Arrow and The Flash, nerds really are having their moment. (I won't talk about DC movies. Blegh.) So why not have more superhero movies? I'm definitely down for it, which is why I was excited to get a copy of The Supervillain and Me, Danielle Banas' debut novel.

I really liked the idea of superheroes being fairly common and with better and worse abilities. (Lol at Fish Boy.) Seeing them be normal people as well, with families and everyday responsibilities, gave it a bit of a The Incredibles feel. I particularly loved that Danielle didn't focus on one of the supers for her main character, but the very ordinary sister of a super, having to deal with life on the sidelines. But this gave her the opportunity to be her own hero! And get a bit of super love on the side. ;)

Though a bit predictable, The Supervillain and Me was a light, fun read for your summer break!

this book....is dumb

it reads like fanfiction with the names filed off and then just so lazily replaced?? why would anyone read this instead of just reading fanfiction about like, actual superheroes

(actual like established, I know there aren't real life superheroes)
(except for the Fab 5 on Queer Eye)

anyway for real this was too dumb to be enjoyable on any level, like I know it's from Swoon Reads so it's meant to be a light romance but I don't care about these characters and their relationship at all? Like I could conceivably forgive just glossing completely over the superhero/villain shit if underneath it I cared about these characters and their relationship? (Which was kind of the case with Marissa Meyer's Renegades tbh) But...I don't.

I am not into superhero movies or stories. I’m into cute and swoony books - which is exactly what this was! I loved that it was a YA contemporary romance with a superhero theme - that made it fun and unique. Some of the twists in the book surprised me too! So adorable!

Okay, so, minor disclosure . . . I’ve actually never really been into superheroes. Sure, I will occasionally listen to my eleven-year-old brother drone on and on about them, but honestly, I think I’ve always been more of a Disney princess kind of girl. Which is why I was pleasantly surprised to find that I actually enjoyed this book!

The plot revolves around Abby, a high schooler living in a fairly similar world to our own. Well, except for the minor fact that, surprise! There are actual superheroes roaming the streets! Unfortunately for her, her brother not only got all the powers, but is also one of the most popular supers of all of Morrison. The story turns, however, when Abby finds herself rescued by an unknown hero after being mugged and left on the street. Long story short, guy asks for her help in solving a mystery, but she isn’t sure she can trust him, especially after he’s given the name Iron Phantom labeled Morrison’s first-ever super villain.

You guys can probably guess what my number-one love about this book was—the super-high swoon and romance levels!! I especially enjoyed all the quiet moments between Abby and Iron Phantom, and how she still found a way to fall in love with him without knowing or judging his true appearance (Beauty and the Beast much?). It was so unbelievably cute, and by the end I wanted an Iron Phantom all of my own <3

However, I did have a couple of minor annoyances with this story. First (and I know this one is going to sound really stupid) I had a fairy big issue with Abby doing her brother’s homework for him. Like, okay, I *get* that he’s a superhero and all, but really? First of all, doing anyone’s homework, no matter who they are, is completely and 100% wrong. Not only is it plagiarism (and could get both people suspended or expelled from school) it also prevents the student from learning what they should be learning. Also, this might be a tad random, but how the heck is Abby even able to do it? Like I can maybe see English or history, but she actually mentions doing his college-level calculus homework (I repeat: college-level calculus homework) which, unless she’s like insanely smart and gifted, should be utterly *impossible* for her!

My other minor annoyance was predictability. And okay, occasionally I do enjoy reading predictable stories, but maybe I was just expecting a little more from this? I pretty quickly caught on to who I thought Iron Phantom was, so I was a little disappointed when it turned out exactly like I predicted. 

Overall, I think this was a fairly pleasant read. I’m going to give it a solid 3.75 stars, and I would easily recommend for geeky and romantic fans alike! Total swoon <3

A great young adult story about a young girl trying to live a normal life while keeping her family secret.

I absolutely loved THE SUPERVILLAIN AND ME! What a great twist on the teenage superhero genre. Seventeen-year-old Abby is the daughter of the town mayor and sister of Morriston’s superstar superhero, Red Comet. Still reeling from the death of her mother three years ago, she struggles with life in general, but also keeping her brother’s secret and accepting that her father has withdrawn himself over the death of his wife. Morriston is a crime-ridden town that even Red Comet can’t clean up. At least not on his own. With the help of Fish Boy, he does what he can. However, a new super has arrived, known as Iron Phantom. He’s captured on video destroying City Hall, and the level of crime only escalates from that point, making him the city’s first supervillain. But everything is not as it seems. After Iron Phantom saves Abby from a mugger, he visits her regularly and the two build a tenuous friendship at first, before sparks ignite. Seeking Abby’s help, he hopes to figure out who is framing him for the crime wave and what those funny little chips are he found in the mayor’s office.

Plot
The plot centers around the mysterious chips, but there’s a strong romance subplot between Abby and the Iron Phantom as well as the real identity of Iron Phantom. All three are incredibly well done. I waffled a lot on Iron Phantom’s alter ego, going back and forth between a couple of characters, before wondering if it was someone else entirely. The romance was cute and I was rooting for these two the entire time. There weren’t any major plot twists and nothing that really made me go, “no way,” but it was a fun story that moves at a solid pace.

The Characters
The characters are the star of this story. Abby is infinitely likeable as is Iron Phantom. Both have solid backstories that bring their characters to life in colorful ways. Connor is the perfect older brother/foil to his sister, and the rest of the cast is a mix that seemed almost stereotypical at first, only to surprise me a little more every time they showed up on the page.

Top Five Things I Loved About THE SUPERVILLAIN AND ME
1. Iron Phantom. He’s witty, charming, and oh yeah, he has super powers!

2. Abby. She’s fiercely loyal, deeply wounded, and brave as hell.

3. Superheroes. What can I say — when you mix super powers with hormones, things are bound to go just about anywhere.

4. SciFi Lite. I love the use of science fiction throughout the book without it consuming the story. I was able to appreciate the technology and science without leaving Earth.

5. Humor. While there were no laugh-out-loud moments, humor was woven throughout the story, which kept what could have been a dark tale, much lighter.

Bottom Line
A wonderful debut by Danielle Banas! I’ll be reading more by this author.

Disclaimer
I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A cute book! It wasn't really my cup of tea, but that's not to say I couldn't see others adoring it. I just couldn't get into it for some reason???