The Extraordinaries is T.J. Klune’s first venture into the YA world and what an (ad)venture it was! I’ve been following this author for a while now and not one of his many books I have read have ever not exceeded my expectations. In case you’re wondering, The Extraordinaries was no exception.

I think that I can honestly say that no one writes “awkward” better than this particular author. And what’s more awkward than a teenage boy? (or girl? – to be fair.) How about a gay, ADHD, totally clueless teenage boy who is obsessed with a local super hero to the point of distraction? He is Shadow Star’s #1 fan and fan fiction writer. Nick is the epitome of awkward, but he’s not alone. He has a loving, well-meaning dad, a crew of friends who are loyal to a fault and support him through all of his super awkward moments.

Oh, how I could gush and ramble over this book, but I don’t want to give anything away. There are some twists and turns in The Extraordinaries that I thought I saw coming… turns out, I didn’t have a clue. I’d hate to spoil that for anyone else. Just know that nothing is what it seems on the surface – except for the obvious, which everyone got, except for Nick. 😉 And of course, there were the trademark tear-inducing moments of laughter and heartbreak that readers have come to expect from this author.

The story is far from over by the end of The Extraordinaries and I can’t wait for it to continue. You may or may not want to read the little tease at the end that follows the epilogue. It gives readers a glimpse into the next book and it actually raised more questions than it answered… #EvilAuthor

Klune’s first foray into YA fiction is a bold exuberant celebration of all things queer and geeky. There is a big nod to lots of fun pop cultural elements: fan fiction and superheroes; but as well there is an intense emotional arc that, while swerving a little too close to sentimental, also reflects a strong sense of questioning identity for young people—am I good enough the way I am?

Nick is on a bunch of spectrums. He’s ADHD, a total geek boy, a totally gay geek boy, and the grief from his mother’s death hangs over him like a heavy cloud. His very supportive father is an adorable inclusion into the narrative as a person who tries hard to protect Nick, while giving him freedom, but also demanding more. Because Nick’s inability to filter himself, his reckless, impulsive side is sometimes a bit scary. It’s not that he’s thoughtless. His brain is just wired to ignore consequences and sometimes makes dangerous decisions that should scare most people.

Luckily, Nick is surrounded by loyal and straight-talking friends. Couple Jazz and Gibby tell him when he is taking things too far and follow him down erratic pathways. His best friend Seth has been missing in action over the summer, and now back at school, Nick is struggling to reconnect with this boy who has long been his secret crush (not helped by Nick writing a lot of slightly smutty fan fic about an Extraordinary called Shadow Star). Klune throws us straight into the middle of this complex relationship without giving all the backstory. He also includes Nick’s ex-boyfriend Owen, who is full of himself and incredibly hostile towards Seth. This dynamic is clearly more than what’s happening on page, and unfortunately for us, Nick’s oblivious narrative voice means we are constantly seeking out clues (which admittedly are dropped often), while he remains ignorant of what’s really going on with this pair of frenemies.

Nick puts himself at the centre of everything. This becomes tiresome, but since he is also very self-aware, he is able to keep readers on side, and our sympathy for him usually comes out ahead of our irritation at his antics and selfishness. But this is Klune very cleverly manipulating us and teasing us by incorporating the superhero elements of the story.

Look, I know I am a bit confusing. But that actually is the structure of the book. We are initially baffled by Nick’s obsession with Shadow Star. We can see Seth is right in front of Nick, and yet Nick lives in the clouds looking through a lens that is idealized and somewhat tainted. We keep reading because basically Klune is a very funny, geeky dude who constantly surprises with the jokes and the humanity and the affection he has for his characters.

And then everything starts to click, and the tension ramps up, and suddenly we are in the middle of a very suspenseful scenario and people could die people! So, we read on, worried for everyone, but especially our earnest, impulsive ordinary guy who without powers, takes on a hero’s journey because he must save those he loves, and he does it all with wit and intelligence, and a tiny spark of what the #$*? It’s extraordinary (gah, she had to go there). The resolution is nicely wrapped up, most mysteries are explained, and of course there's a HEA...

Then, because this is book one, Klune shoves one more twisty dark secret at us, and leaves us with our mouths open, eyes twitching, hearts racing, and our minds ticking. *Shakes fist at the sky* Damn you Klune and your cliff-hangers. But this might just be me. Ha.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tor Teen for advancing this to me oh so long ago before #coronavirus, and through a delay of publication. I hope it all goes well for this book. Recommended for teens who love their protagonists awkward and flawed, but who is all heart. The intense moments are powerful and authentic, and the story dances around a number of genres. It’s a celebration of life and love, and it looks like there will be more. The Extraordinaries finally comes out tomorrow.

I'll be honest, I pre-ordered this before I even requested the ARC. TJ Klune is one of my favorite authors. Despite all that, this is one of my favorite reads of the year, and it's moving to the top of my recommendations for other people. Queer superhero fiction is so so fun, and I'm glad that it's starting to become more common, although we still need more! I love TJ's writing voice, and this had be cracking up laughing so many times.

ShadowStar is Nova City’s superhero, PyroStorm’s archnemesis, and Nick Bell’s crush (and object of desire). We know this because of the vast fanfiction collection Nick has authored, in which ShadowStar always comes to rescue Nate Belen (Nick’s alter ego) and where they also fall for each other.

Nick’s dream comes to life when one afternoon after school, ShdowStar saves Nick and his friend Gibby from three muggers. Once the superhero is done with the bad guys, he agrees to take a picture with them, and he also gives Nick his autograph along with a personalized and very intriguing note that includes Nick’s surname. But the thing is, Nick didn’t gave ShadowStar his surname at all. So, how does he know it?

Once more T. J Klune makes us fall in love with another story, and with the characters portrayed in it. Most of the time you will feel that you are reading a fanfic, clichés and all. And that is exactly the point. Klune has written this book in such a way that even though some things are predictable, you don’t feel upset or annoyed or disappointed; on the contrary, you just cannot help fall in love with all of this craziness and sweetness. I cannot find any more words to describe what it was for me to read this book, so let me tell you how I felt. Joyful, happy, desperate, amazed, surprised. One moment I was sadly crying, the next one I was laughing out loud (sometimes while also crying).

why, oh why has it taken me this long to read a TJ Klune book?

I have spent 16 years of my life without knowing the pure joy his books can bring, and suddenly within one week I have read two of his books and cannot wait to pick up everything else he has.

The Extraordinaries somehow made me love a book about superheroes- which in itself is a masterful achievement. I typically find superhero books take themselves too seriously and become eye roll inducing, but this one was really self aware and instead leaned into the melodramatic and cheesiness, making it a really fun time.

This book was so funny, and Nick Bell was the perfect narrator for the story. Nick is a gay teen with ADHD, and a propensity for saying whatever is on his mind. Once I was acclimatised with the writing style and campiness of the story, I couldn't take the smile off my face. All the characters were so loveable and endearing to me (although I can appreciate not everyone will connect with them, as they are, inevitably, flawed). I loved the diversity in this story, representing everything from neurodiversities to sexualities (many of which are own voices as well!)

The plot was definitely the weaker element for me. Don't go in to this book expecting a fast paced, high action superhero book because you will be disappointed. The Extraordinaries is told from the perspective of an ordinary teen with an obsession with an Extraordinary named Shadow Star. Therefore, we only hear about most of the action from news reports rather than right in the thick of it. Also, I found this book quite predictable. I guessed a good portion of what was going to happen pretty early on, but it didn't detract from my experience too much, since getting there was so enjoyable.

It was all slightly ridiculous and over the top, so I would recommend going into it with those expectations otherwise you will probably be annoyed at the characters for their absolute cluelessness. You also may or may not feel some second hand embarrassment for these characters, but again, it was very self aware.

Something I think would be remiss to not mention is the very prevalent focus on the police. I don't believe it was intended to be harmful, but wasn't addressed with the amount of care that it ought to have been particularly in today's climate. I read an ARC, so there is a possibility that these things may be changed in the final copy, but I just wanted to mention it.
Finally, THAT EPILOGUE. I admit, I kind of called it but it still managed to shock me. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series ahhhhhhh!


<i>Thank you to Tor Teen for this ARC</i>

<b>Release Date:</b> 5 March 2020 (Pushed back to 14 July 2020)

The Extraordinaries has a rather unusual take on the super-hero story and I wasn’t totally sure whether we were meant to see this as genuine fantasy, fan-fiction comedy, or some weird hybrid. Elements of this were very funny, the hints of what’s to come in the bigger picture are definitely interesting but there’s a few elements that I feel will make this problematic.
Our main character is Nick Bell, son of a local cop. Nick has ADHD and is struggling since the killing of his mother. He has a close group of friends that he claims are the school outcasts, though their bond is close enough they don’t seem to take much notice of this. His ex, Owen, still hangs around and pushes his buttons - but seems very keen to see how Nick’s best friend Seth reacts. Nick keeps himself occupied by writing fan fiction about his crush on the superhero Shadow Star.
From the outset we see how important the superhero is to Nick. He ends up rescued by him, but then there’s the small matter of Power Storm, his nemesis. We don’t know quite what’s going on (although it doesn’t take long to figure some parts out) but the rapidly escalating violence between these two starts to cause problems.
The focus on Nick means we are, naturally, kept a little in the dark about some aspects of the world-building and events taking place. As Nick learns, so do we. Watching him bounce round causing chaos was funny, but not particularly helpful at times. However, once we get further details of the role certain characters play it certainly offered more interest- don’t want to give anything away, but the revelations about Nick’s mum right at the end certainly imply there’s more to this than we’ve got here.
Unfortunately, the humour and general lighthearted focus was marred by some of the details given and the characters’ reactions. As the son of a cop, Nick gets away with a lot. In light of current affairs and concern about police behaviour, to have him joking about such affairs seems in bad taste. We find out his dad was demoted after punching someone involved in a case. Few details are given, but it adds nothing to this story and seemed a poor decision to feature when so much is being talked about with regard to the behaviour of those in charge of maintaining law and order. I’ve seen a couple of reviews where this feature was picked up on and vociferously decried, so it’ll be interesting to see whether attention is paid to these advance reviews and whether any changes are made prior to publication.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this in exchange for my thoughts.

This was a fun read. I always enjoy YA books with queer friend groups. The addition of Nick with ADHD is much appreciated and a demonstration that not having a typical brain does not mean that you are useless. As what I'm assuming is a first in the series, I felt like there was an appropriate amount of build up and background necessary to have these superheroes continue to help out Nova city. I really appreciated that the high schoolers did not appear to be written as older than their age or as preaching about things. It's definitely worth a reread as well.

This book does not take itself seriously at all. Which means it’s a chaotic mess of feel good laughs, second hand embarrassment, assorted danger, tons of mishaps, and endearing love.

At its core, The Extraordinaries is a study in growth. Growth in love after hardship, growth in friendship after heartbreak. And the growth of one boy into someone soon to be extraordinary.

As the story evolves around Nick, a headstrong good hearted teenager coping with ADHD (and an insatiable crush on a superhero), T.J Klune takes readers along on the dizzying thought patterns that Nick goes through without ever making it confusing or excessive. Further enhancing Nick’s charm and lovability as he just blurts out the first and most often least appropriate thing on his mind. And while those situations are funny and great for the comic relief, the author also respectably works in the duality of ADHD as Nick faces struggles in school and gathering social cues.

This chaotic energy lending well to the plot twists even if some were foreseeable. And yet, what I enjoyed most about that very aspect is that the characters themselves know it as well. Time and time again poking fun at the coming of age and superhero/ super villain origin story cliches and at themselves as the event unravel around them.

So while I didn’t quite love everything in the reading, like Gibby and Jazz coming off as one unit dependent on each other in order to be interesting, and also what felt like an unneeded amount some questionable jokes – I can honestly say that I was never once bored.

I love TJ Klune. He's the bro equivalent to VE Schwab to me, in that I've never read something from him that I don't like.

Including The Extraordinaries.

Here's the thing about this book: it's YA. No, really. This is not YA where the characters are 16 but they act like they're 25 and make really great responsible decisions about love and life. Nah. These characters are 16 and they're disaster gays and fanfic writers and make horrible choices because kids, amirite?

Nick Bell is a 16 year old obsessed with the Extraordinaries in Nova City where he lives. Well, he's obsessed with Shadow Star. We get a look at Nick's self insert fanfic and as a fanfic writer, it was the most realistic part of the entire book. So funny and honestly, better than half the fanfiction I've read. You go Nick Bell. Nick decides he wants to be extraordinary after meeting his hero, and proceeds to go on a journey to try and get what he wants to help the people he loves, including his best friend who he may or may not love for real. He's not sure. But SUPERHEROES.

I just want to say that I LOVE the ADHD rep in this book. There's a part where Nick sees a hotdog on the ceiling in the train station and a few pages later he's still randomly thinking about the WHY of that hotdog, and if that's not the fixation of ADHD, I don't know what is.

The characters are all very likeable, and I hope we see more of his friends in the books to come! Jazz and Gibby are his adorable lesbian besties, and though they were fun, I wish there was a bit more depth there. Seth was probably my favorite and the most lovable, because who doesn't love a boy in penny loafers and bow ties? The relationship between Nick and his Dad was so sweet, and I can't see where it goes with the way the book ended.

Nick is clueless and oblivious and makes really stupid, irrational decisions. But you know what? You're a gem Nick Bell. I'm here for kids having room to mess up and redeem themselves, especially when they're nuerodiverse and struggle with impulsivity.

I've always been a fan of TJ's humor, and this book did not disappoint. I laughed through the entire thing (when I wasn't crying) and it left me feeling warm. It's a sweet slow burn romantic comedy that I'll definitely visit again!

T.J. Klune’s YA debut, The Extraordinaries, is one of the most laugh-out loud funny books I’ve read in a long time. A cross between Marissa Meyers’ Renegades and Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl, The Extraordinaries follows Nick, a gay teen and popular fanfiction writer who writes stories for the Extraordinaries superhero fandom. Nick’s fanfiction centers around Shadow Star, the Extraordinary he has a major crush on. Nick dreams of meeting Shadow Star and winning his affections, and Nick’s dream only increases when against all odds, he has a chance meeting with Shadow Star, that leaves him utterly awestruck and formulating a hilarious yet slightly unrealistic plan as to how he too can become a superhero so he and Shadow Star can be a real team and live happily ever after.

Nick and his “adorkableness” are really what made me love this book. His nerdy crush on Shadow Star is just adorable, as is his passion for his fanfiction. I think Nick is going to be a character that a lot of readers relate to as well. Nick has an amazing queer friend group that supports his crush and yet has fun mocking him relentlessly over it. He’s also got an ex-boyfriend that just won’t go away, which makes life interesting yet awkward for everyone. On a more serious note, Nick has ADHD that he takes medication for to help him stay focused, and he’s also dealing with the loss of his mom, who was killed during a robbery. One of my favorite parts of the novel is actually Nick’s relationship with his ultra-supportive Dad as they try to navigate their new normal without Nick’s mom in their lives. As much as I was sitting there giggling right along with Nick’s friends as they gently poke fun at his crush, I also had moments where I just wanted to grab him and give him a big hug because he just needs one every now and then.

I don’t want to say much more because with superheroes, secret identities and even a bit of a mystery thrown in the mix, it’s just way too easy to run into spoilers, but I will say if you’re looking for a read that is as heartwarming as it is funny, The Extraordinaries should be on your must-read list. I highly recommend it to anyone who loved Renegades and Fangirl and to anyone who enjoys a good friends-to-lovers romance. The Extraordinaries has something for everyone!

Oh man this is just friggin' delicious with a generous helping of physically painful hilarious teenage angst and a pinch or ten of cheesy-goodness. I can't tell you how many times I literally laughed out loud while reading this lol.
I love that TJ Klune wrote this book. The world needs more LGBTQ+ content, especially YA content, and especially especially content with queer characters doing things besides coming out or dealing with bullying. Where it's just normal to be queer. Because it is .

I really, really wanted to love this book. The inclusion of so many LGBTQ characters was a huge plus and the story sounded tremendously entertaining: real life superheroes and teen awkwardness sound like a fantastic combination. The plot was wonderful, without a doubt, but the writing felt like the author was working a bit too hard to be entertaining. The characters didn't feel real enough to me. Reading the book felt too much like watching a movie. Everything seemed surface level.

This book was entertaining. It is one that I would recommend to someone who needs a laugh. But if you are looking for deep characters who feel like real people, this wouldn't be my first choice.

“But that doesn't mean that you still can't be a good person, right? Just because you did something wrong doesn't mean that's who you are.”

In Nick Bell’s world, heroes and villains alike with superpowers are called Extraordinaries—and Nova City has two of them: a hero named Shadow Star and a villain named Pyro Storm. Nick is an awkward sixteen-year-old boy with ADHD and a massive Shadow Star obsession. After Shadow Star saves Nick and his friend from imminent danger, he’s determined to transform himself into an Extraordinary, too.

The Extraordinaries is an extraordinarily fun read full of superheroes, queer romance, and coming-of-age themes. Nick is a very relatable character, even if you aren’t personally a neurodivergent teenage boy, and especially if you’ve ever been a part of any kind of fandom-space. Though not as focused on fandom as the synopsis initially had me believe, I found that this was one of the most accurate portrayals of “fan life” that I’ve ever read—down to the formatting of the excerpts of Nick’s fanfic. Beyond that, Nick’s rambling and inner-monologues offer plenty of secondhand embarrassment and adolescent relatability that will have you simultaneously laughing and cringing. For the first installment in a series, there’s just the right amount of exposition and worldbuilding. And though somewhat predictable in plot, it’s easily overlooked considering the formulaic nature of superhero stories.

Overall, The Extraordinaries is an enjoyable summer read, but I would be remiss if I ignored the portrayal of police in the novel. Given the recent attention given to America’s long-standing police brutality problem in the name of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many other Black Americans, it’s unsettling to read a YA novel that glosses over the racism so deeply imbedded in our criminal justice system. Consider Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give and the role that the police play in that novel as opposed to the valorization of the police in The Extraordinaries, which is written by a white man. Thomas’s novel is balanced, offering different perspectives and subsequently allowing readers to see the layers and complexities of an unjust police system.

Understandably, the narration from Nick’s point of view is not going to cast the police in a negative light since his father is a cop, but I wonder what the novel could have been like had Klune ventured to explore the nature of police in our world in conversation with a coming-of-age superhero story. Given the slow nature of publishing, Klune’s book was probably written long before the events of 2020, but police brutality has always been a prevailing issue whether or not it’s in the news cycle. While it’s not every author’s job to address social issues in their work, these decisions potentially contribute to perpetuating ideology, nonetheless.

PRR Writer, Caroline Ross

I love this one so much! TJ Klune has quickly jumped to the top of my favorite author list and this one might be one of my favorites of the year, if not all time. It had fantastic ADHD rep. It is so rare to see authors work to create characters like this on a page and make it about more than just "oooo squirrel" moments. ADHD is so much more than that and it was incredible to be able to read a book and be able to see myself on the page (yes, I realize that I am an almost 30 year old female talking about the pov of a male teen, not talking about THAT) in the little things that make up the main character, the little actions or fixations or attitudes towards certain things. There was a conversation that read exactly like countless ones I have had with my husband. I don't know if I have ever seen the way my brain works be put on paper like this and it was refreshing to see. There was so much in this that was true and relatable that brought the story down to earth even though its literally chock full of superheroes (The Extraordinaries). I love this book so much. And that ending... there has to be more. Please tell me there is more coming, because I don't know if I can deal with that being the end. I strongly recommend reading this one. I think it has a little bit of something for everyone and am so very grateful that I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun ride. Nick Bell is a great protagonist. Owen Burke says what I am thinking: Nick is "adorably clueless". There are some riotously funny moments. Renegades meets Perks of Being a Wallflower with so much queer, teen angst. Loved it.

Omg is the first time that read about this author and I really love it, I can’t stop thinking about this so cute funny story, omg I want read wolfsong.
Thank you so much for this ARC.

The Extraordinaries follows Nick, an avid fanfiction writer who has the biggest crush on his city's superhero, Shadow Star. Nick not only loves Shadow Star but also loves the idea of being extraordinary like him. This love leads him down a path with many exciting, and some morally questionable, twists and turns.

The Extraordinaries was such a delight to read! TJ Klune’s writing is amazing and he truthfully writes the best characters and relationships. The main character, Nick, is great BUT it’s the side characters who make this book so great. Nick’s best friend, Seth, is the ideal best friend! He is incredibly sweet and he cares about Nick so much it is endearing. Nick’s other friends, Jazz and Gibby, are outstanding! They bring the story to a whole different level and add a bunch of humor and banter between the characters. There are many other characters who you will fall in love with once you pick up this book as well!

An issue I have with many young adult books is that they don’t capture actual teenage attitudes or personalities, but I feel that Klune was able to do this perfectly in The Extraordinaries. We get to see these great angsty teen traits through Nick as he is dealing with crushes and finding his way through the world.

I will say that I did see the twist coming, but that did not make it any less impactful. Overall this was a great young adult book with wonderful LGBTQ+ representation and I highly recommend picking it up!

Nick Bell is a 16 year old out-gay boy who has a fierce group of queer friends. There's Seth, who is likely gay but never dated anyone. He's Nick's oldest and dearest friend--Nick expects to spend a lifetime of friendship with Seth. Then, there's Gibby, a take no crap baby butch black girl in her senior year. Gibby is in a committed relationship with Jazz, head cheerleader of their high school. And, Nick is sort-of friends with Owen, his rich and popular ex who relishes needling Seth.

Nick's world is a little richer by virtue of true superheroes, dubbed "the Extraordinaries," who save people with their superpowers. Nova City, where Nick lives, is home to Shadow Star, a superhero that can pull shadows to do his bidding, as well as his arch nemesis, Pyro Storm, who uses fire to wreak havoc. Nick is unabashedly crushing on Shadow Star, and has written literally hundreds of thousands of words in fanfic celebration of a possible love between Shadow Star and everyday boy "Nate Belen". This mission and crush has helped lift Nick from the depression he suffered when his mother was tragically killed two years ago.

Nick's dad is a cop and his only remaining family. They have a good relationship, but Nick struggles to connect with people in general due to his ADHD and neurodiverse situation. This is likely why he cannot see that Seth is actively pining for Nick--and it's soon clear that Nick is missing the biggest secret in Nova City: he's actually friends with the Extraordinaries that he idolizes.

Nick's mission is to be normal at school, allaying his father's fears for his future, but also to join the ranks of Extraordinaries, so he can:
1. get Shadow Star to fall in love with him, and
2. protect his dad from harm.
Much of the story is Nick strategizing hare-brained plans to unlock his Extraordinary potential. His awkwardness and complete obliviousness to reality is shake your head funny, but Nick isn't the butt of jokes. His sincerity and desperation bring a gravitas to him, even when it's clear that most everyone can see the bigger picture while Nick's trapped in minutia.

Nick's anxiety, depression and ADHD are a huge part of his character's personality, and I really enjoyed the mental rollercoaster that Nick lived in. I felt how deeply it encompassed his worldview, and how frustrating it was to struggle with these hurdles minute-by-minute and pill by pill. Nick's impulsive nature is further rattled when his dad gets injured while protecting people from the increasingly more dangerous battles between Shadow Star and Pyro Storm.

This is the first story in a series, and I seriously could not stop turning the pages. I was charmed and intrigued throughout, only slightly discombobulated by the fanfic opening. I adored Nick, and his narration is a masterstroke of YA voice. His one-sdied love afair with Shadow Star morphs into something much greater, and more satisfactory as he gains both knowledge and perspective. Expect some boys kissing!

We get some solid leads on the direction of the next story by well-placed clues about previous Extraordinaries that have disappeared, and the startling occurrences that shield Nick when Shadow Star and Pyro Storm are involved in battle. It's a coming of age story, in many ways, but it's also a coming to terms story, with Nick being a (lovable) petulant teen, confused why his dad now insists that Nick "leave the door open" when Seth visits his room. He clearly doesn't get that they are only best pals! He's also mortified by his dad's "protection" demos involving items like bananas and vague threats of talks with his service pistol handy. There is so much awesomeness packed in this story, I can't believe my iPad didn't explode with cape-wearing kittens and chocolates filled with rainbow ganache.

I'd honestly read this story over and over, and highly recommend it to YA readers, and fans of superhero or LGBTQ stories. Like every Klune book I've ever read, I'm anxiously awaiting the sequel.

I love TJ Klune’s books, so when I saw that he was publishing his first YA novel I requested it immediately! A series about a gay fanfiction writing superhero nerd and other super-powered individuals? Sounds like a dream come true! Unfortunately, I ended up being a little bit disappointed with this book.

One thing I love about TJ Klune is how different his writing style seems to be in each of his books that I've read. The House in the Cerulean Sea is totally different from Wolfsong, which is completely different from the Tales from Verania series. With The Extraordinaries though, I felt like I was reading a PG version of The Tales of Verania.

Nick, the main character in The Extraordinaries, is incredibly similar to Sam from The Tales from Verania. Not in any plot or backstory related way, but character and personality-wise, it was like I was reading about the same person. Their mannerisms to run their mouths and say everything on their minds was the same, and they even had similar turns of phrases, which I understand is to be expected when the same author writes both characters, but the similarities were too striking for me to ignore.

Also, much like Sam, Nick is the densest, most oblivious character in existence. I don’t know if it’s supposed to be endearing or not, but it’s just so cringey how everything goes over Nick's head no matter what’s happening. It’s especially ironic that Nick isn’t able to figure out the most obvious of things being that he wants to be a detective when he graduates high school.

Now I know that it seems like I didn’t enjoy this book at all, but that’s not the case. For the first 50% of the book, I wasn’t really enjoying myself. The plotline was obvious, the characters were cringey and awkward, and I felt like there was nothing really special about the book. I also have a personal pet peeve for when books reference pop culture, and there were lots of superhero references in this, so it was really not going well.

However, towards the end, I started enjoying it a lot more mostly because the book recognized its “issues”. One criticism I had was the stark comparison that could be drawn between Nick and his friend/ex Owen, and the infamous Harry Osborne from the Spiderman comics, but this was brought up and addressed! I enjoyed the ending because it didn’t take itself too seriously, and what I thought was super obvious from the beginning ended up being less obvious.

A few other things I enjoyed about the book were Nick's relationship with his dad and with his friends. His father is super supportive, and it's clear that he really cares about Nick no matter what happens. I also loved his friends, Jazz and Gibby, mostly because they have honest conversations about issues they have with each other in order to solve conflict, which I find is pretty rare in YA books.

Overall, I don’t think this is the most creative of books, and I’m personally not a fan of oblivious characters, but I think that it was okay. The ending was nice, and the epilogue got me excited for the next book! (Even though the “twist” in the epilogue was incredibly obvious from chapter 1, but oh well).

I ended up giving this book 3.5 stars. I can tell that a lot of people will end up loving it, but it just wasn’t for me.

The Extraordinaries had me from the first sentence which sent me screaming back into feeling like a high schooler writing fanfiction for the first time. Let me sum it up for you in one word: angst. The subject of Nick Bell’s fanfiction is Extraordinaries, people with powers, in particular archenemies Shadow Star and Pyro Storm. Nick isn’t an Extraordinary, unless you count his powers of fanfiction writing and going on tangents! Luckily, he has a pretty awesome friend group that loves and supports him. But when Nick decides that he wants to become an Extraordinary, everything changes.

With strongly held beliefs about heroes and villains, Nick is convinced that he has what it takes. However, Nick’s earnest efforts to become an Extraordinary will force him to make choices about friendship and protecting his family. There are some very loveable characters here and I can’t wait to read more about them in book two! Seth Gray, Nick’s best friend, is one of my personal favorites! The excellent representation in terms of race, sexuality, and neurodiversity made this story an absolute delight to read. At the same time, this is a book about the love of superheros and is very silly and fun.

True friendship is portrayed beautifully, with friends who understand how to help Nick in moments of crisis and how to tease him mercilessly when his latest idea is ridiculous. While Nick pursues his dreams, he also provides insight into what it's like to have ADHD. I found the sarcasm and sass in Nick’s train-of-thought tangents hilarious. I really appreciated the portrayal of the imperfect, but loving relationship between Nick and his dad. The sincere bond between them was so heartwarming to see!

The Extraordinaries laughs at itself, by making fun of and then effectively utilizing hero/villain superhero tropes in the same breath. This is a story that will make you laugh incredibly hard, wince at the angst, and tear up, all in the same chapter. I can’t wait to see how Nick’s adventures continue. Special thanks to T.J. Klune for that epilogue because WHY!? If you love people with superpowers, heroes and villains, and clueless golden-hearted heroes trying their best, then you need to read The Extraordinaries. The Extraordinaries releases July 14, 2020. Thank you so much to T.J. Klune, Tor Teen, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.