I loved this book. Immediately started looking for others by the author, and am even going to read into the adult category since this was his YA debut. Great story, great characters. Super fun.

When I first heard of this book, I had a feeling it would be on brand for me. Queer, magical realism, with superheroes and a kid who writes fanfic? SOLD. The cover is also gorgeous, which helped. But I just had a feeling this book was meant for me, and I was so right.

So, you can imagine that when I got approved for this e-ARC on Netgalley, I collectively lost my mind. And picked it up as soon as I finished my current Netgalley read. And then didn't read ANYTHING ELSE until this was done. I read this on my lunch break, at work, walking home when I really should have been paying attention to where I was going. This book has me OBSESSED, and I'm going to tell you all the reasons why.

The Extraordinaries is about Nick Bell, a teen with a core group of amazing, queer friends (Seth, Gibby, and Jazz), starting a new year of high school with a new ADHD medicine and fresh anxiety to match. We meet Nick through his fanfic first, a self-insert M/M pairing involving a OC character that is definitely-NOT-Nick-Bell and Shadow Star, his favorite superhero and probably the love of his life, if Nick has his way. Nick spends his time on Tumblr when he's not writing his fanfic, reblogging Shadow Star content and poring over the Extraordinaries (our friendly neighborhood powered individuals!) Meanwhile, Nick's dad, a police officer who is not a fan of the Extraordinaries getting in the way of his work, wants this school year to be better than the last, and they're both still struggling with the loss of Nick's mom while they try to find the balance of their new normal.
But things get complicated when Nick crosses paths with Shadow Star. And, eventually, Nick decides he wants to be an Extraordinary, too.

And then everything falls apart.

Or so it seems! No spoilers on what happens next, but you'll want to be along for the ride. This book definitely feels like it's going to be a new YA hit with the right marketing, and TJ Klune - who's already a pretty established adult author - has a perfect voice for our teen characters. The writing of this book is so phenomenal; it hooks you and keeps you hooked in. The dialogue especially reminds me of some of my other favorite books, like Sarah Rees Brennan's In Other Lands and Rainbow Rowell's Carry On series. The wit in this friend group is sharp, and hilarious, and as smart as it is realistic. I also think Klune does a fantastic job of presenting Nick's perspective as a teen with ADHD; the writing of the paragraphs where he's in his own head have quicker pacing than others, and it gives you the feeling of what it might be like to have ADHD.

There are two elements of this story that I liked the most: the characters and the twist!

The characters - especially our core four - are absolutely wonderful. Everyone has that bit of wit and humor that the core four demonstrate, but it really shines when Nick, Seth, Gibby, and Jazz all get together and are in the same conversation. Gibby and Jazz are my favorite characters maybe EVER - they were so exasperated because of Seth and Nick (I don't want to be too spoiler heavy, but I can very honestly say they are CLUELESS and I think you'll know what I mean!). Also, we do get a bit of a love triangle, but it's more of an expired one, so if love triangles aren't your thing, it shouldn't detract from your enjoyment of the story!

But the twist - that's the best moment. That was the moment that had me making my WTF, going-back-in-time-to-figure-this-out face at work in plain sight of my coworkers. I'm really restraining myself from saying anything more because I hope someone else has the same experience I did (where I thought I knew what I didn't actually know), or - even better - is completely shocked! Without spoiling that twist, it's apparent that Klune is a skilled writer in the way his entire story is almost a frame narrative of sorts, and how he uses every single element to shift the pattern and plot of this story. It's phenomenal, really; I couldn't be more amazed.

I'm so glad this is a series, because it DOES END ON A CLIFFHANGER! YOU WERE WARNED! But the cliffhanger is so tantalizing that I'm already dreading waiting however long it is until the next book.

I can't wait to buy this book in May. I can already tell it's going to be one of my favorites! If you like honest, queer stories and great representation, superheroes, fantastic writing, funny dialogue and characters, or just want to feel seen as a teen who once read or wrote fanfic (or as the adult who still does), this is definitely the book for you. And I hope you find it as amazing as I did!

A little formulaic and saccharine for my personal taste, but I'm sure this has an audience somewhere. I'm sure my library will purchase this and I'll be able to advertise it to readers.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.


Some people are Extraordinaries. Some are just extra.



Nicholas Bell lives in a world where Extraordinaries (people with superpowers) exist and he has a huge crush on Nova City's Extraordinary, Shadow Star. He's also very popular in The Extraordinaries' fandom, with his long fanfiction. After an encounter with Shadow Star, Nick decided to do anything in his power to become an Extraordinary like him, dragging his best friends in his convoluted (and often a bit insane) plans. But becoming an hero isn't easy, above all when Nick has to deal with his feelings for Seth, his best friend who, recently, is acting very strangely.

Told by Nick's POV, The Extraordinaries is a coming of age story, with an amazing main character. He's smart, cute, funny and sarcastic. His being a fanboy, crushing hard on Shadow Star, his being awkward when nervous was so amazing to read.
His being so unaware of things that are right in front of him it's almost endearing. And very, very annoying, but in a cute exasperated way. He has ADHD, his brain works in a different way from others', he knows he can obsess on things and people, overthink and talk a mile a minute, school isn't easy, but he's surrounded by people who get and love him.
His relationship with his father and friends is strong, intense, full of banter, jokes, convoluted plans and understanding. I love how they all support and love one other. Nick, Seth, Gabby and Jazz are so precious and I love their friendship. I adore how they support Nick when he decides to try to be an Extraordinary, bantering with him, laughing and supporting him all the time, following his plans and ideas.

One of the thing I loved the most are Nick and Seth, that know one other since they were six and went through a lot together, always having each other back, both of them scarred by loss and big changes. They are always there for one other. They are unbelievably cute and supportive and so great.
Seth is fantastic, brilliant and so nerdy and stylish I was immediately in love with him. His relationship with Nick is one of the best in this book. He loves him so fiercely and he's ready to do anything for him, and his love and friendship, his promise and desire to Nick and himself he would do anything to keep him safe, his desire to protect him are so intense and pure.
Nick and Seth are great, they are so cute and awkward around one other. I laughed so much when they were both jealous, but unable to confess their feelings for each other. Above all when Nick realizes his feelings.
Seth's love for Nick was one of the most beautiful part of this book and I absolutely love their relationship, their supporting, loving and understanding each other. They are perfect for one other. Cute, funny and sweet.

Jazz and Gabby are a beautiful, funny and smart couple, I love them together, they are so nice and loyal and could absolutely relate with their comments and innuendos, because they were like bystanders who knew everything and were exasperated by the lack of clearly expressed feelings between Nick and Seth.
Gabby and Jazz are very different from one other. Jazz is rich, sweet and a cheerleader, while Gabby is butch, a bit aggressive and they are absolutely perfect for one other. I liked reading Jazz's insecurities and thoughts about growing up and loving someone, Gabby's fierce aggressiveness when someone annoyed his friends or girlfriend and how loyal and great they are.

Owen is another interesting character, seemingly the spoiled rich kid, but complex and with hidden agendas and secrets. His flirting with Nick and provoking him and Seth was both annoying and funny to read, since for a long time it seemed like everyone knew about their feelings but Nick.

Absolutely fantastic are the other characters, the side ones. Aaron, Nick's dad, Cap, Seth's aunt and uncle. The reader get to read more about Nick's dad and their relationship is really intense, full of love, loss and worry. They would do anything to protect one other, they are trying to be and do better after their terrible loss and they are a lot of fun when they negotiate and banter.

I laughed so hard reading this book. Laughed, "facepalmed" and squeaked. A lot.
It's full of twists and mysteries, secrets, love, friendship and I can't wait to know more about Nick and Seth, Nick's fanctions, their love, their friendship and what will happen next.

The Extraordinaries is a coming of age story, written skillfully with amazing and intense characters that will stay with you for a very long time. Klune wrote characters that are brimming with life, breathing, loving and kicking, reading to jump from the pages.
They are complex, full of insecurieties and doubts, they love and protect one other with a beautiful and scorching intensity and they are so realistic. I think Klune did an amazing job describing Nick and his ADHD, his thoughts, how his brain works, how he think and overthink, how he feels about it, how it means being a teenager with ADHD and having to deal with first love, superheroes and friends.
I loved so much the message, that being different, having a disorder is not a bad thing, that being extraordinary isn't related to having powers, that anyone can be an hero and protect the people he/she loves.

The extraordinaries is one of my most anticipated releases and I can't wait to have this beautiful precious novel in my hands! Nick and Seth have already my whole heart.

It took me a bit to move past the fanfiction writing at the beginning (which is, realistically, written more immaturely than the book itself), but once the action started, I was hooked.

I was very pleased to be able to read The Extraordinaries in advance of its publication thanks to NetGalley. This was an anticipated treat for me as I'm a fan of a good superhero yarn with a creative spin. I believe this is the author's debut YA novel, and it did not disappoint!

T.J. Klune has a particular talent for character creation. These characters are well fleshed out; while quirky, they feel like they could inhabit actual lives, and you want to root for them. I particularly appreciate that his side characters are every bit as interesting and detailed as his MC's. The reader feels as though they might follow any character through the course of a day and be thoroughly entertained. Additionally, I need to give the author credit for creating a diverse cast and for crafting adult characters that don't come across as idiotic, absent, or overly aggressive. Klune proves that you can allow teen characters interact with smart, caring adults and still have awesome adventures. That's refreshing.

I found the writing style of The Extraordinaries to be appealing, although I admit to being biased. I felt the author did a solid job capturing the POV and voice of someone with ADHD, but clearly the results may vary reader to reader based on one's own experiences. The plot rollicks along like the charming brainchild of a Marvel movie and and 80's John Hughes film. Adults and particularly genre-savvy teens may see a plot twist coming here or there, but many will not, and even those that do will not feel cheated by their predictions coming true. I hope to see more YA offerings from this author in the future.

My review will be posted on my blog on April 5, 2020
-=-=-=-

T.J.Klune has done it again; he's written yet another book that has found an immediate place on my "shelf of absolute favorites."

This novel is about teenagers being teenagers; the only difference being they live in a world in which superheroes are a real thing. Nick Bell is a writer of fanfiction that involves superheroes. He's pretty good at it and has a lot of fans online. His best friend, Seth Grey (bf since they met on the swings) betas the fanfiction for him. Nick's other besties are a lesbian couple... one butch and defiant, the other sweet and quirky. The characters, as usual, are a cornucopia of diversity and originality. There are no stereotypes in this book.

Nick is still putting the pieces of his life back together at the beginning of this story. His mother was killed in a bank robbery and he and his cop-father have been struggling to work out how they fit together.

Things are complicated for Nick by the fact that he deals with ADHD. Klune does a fantastic job of capturing the thought patterns of someone with disordered thinking. Also, Klune does a wonderful job of ensuring that the characters in the novel pass on the message that a "disorder" is not a bad thing... and can, in fact, be a superpower.

There are a couple of stories going on in the Extraordinaries, There's a great suspense/ mystery playing out between two superheroes. One is considered to be the hero - the one that Nick is obsessed with: Shadow Star. There's also an arch-villain named Pyro Storm. But really? Is that how these heroes are categorized or is there more going on behind the scenes?

The secondary story (the main one in my heart) is the fact that Nick is oblivious to the feelings he and his best friend seem to have for one another. It is adorable and infuriating and so realistic it made my brain hurt. Nick and Seth have been best friends for so long that they can't see to see past that to a place at which they might be able to be "more" to each other.

As always, the characters are everything in this novel. Klune has written some of my very favorite characters in his books. This book is no exception.

Nick's mind is a beautiful place to be. I loved his POV in this story. His thoughts are chaotic... but it was such a pleasure to read a book that had a character who thought like me. I always feel so "seen" when I read books by T.J. Klune.

I absolutely adored the relationship between Nick and his father. They are both struggling with their relationship. After the loss of Nick's mother, their family has to become something new. Father and son battle, push and pull, make mistakes and giver each other grief. It's a moving and authentic relationship and I loved it.

This book is part mystery, part fumbling love story, and all full of a beautiful message to be who you are. Embrace your differences because they are what makes you extraordinary.

Thank you T.J. Klune.

This was a really sweet and fun book. Set in the fictional Nova City in a world where the occasional real-life superhero -- or "Extraordinary" -- exists alongside regular folks, this book tells the story of the delightfully awkward, lovable high school junior, Nick, and his band of queer friends Seth, Gibby, and Lola, as they navigate daily life as things escalate between Extraordinary archnemeses Shadow Star (Nick's celeb crush, about whom he writes fan fiction) and Pyro Storm, who wreak havoc on Nova City. Nick's ADHD means he has a tendency to get himself into awkward situations by blurting things out before he's thought about it, but his friends love him for (not despite) this.

There were aspects of the plot that felt somewhat predictable, but there was also a lot I loved about this book: the sincerity of the friends' love for and commitment to each other, the relationship between Nick and his father, Aaron, as they try to figure out how to navigate their lives two years after the death of their mother/wife, Jenny, and the delightful budding romance between best friends Seth and Nick, which was basically the cutest thing ever. It took me a few chapters to really get into the book, but once I did, I was hooked, and I really hope there is a sequel, which the book sets itself up for perfectly.

I was intrigued by the premise of this novel - superheroes are real, and this kid wants in on the action.

The problem lies in the kid himself. For me, Nick was a difficult character to get behind. He seems oblivious to the issues his friends might be having, and is hyper-focused on becoming a superhero, using some of the dumbest possible methods. He makes life more difficult for everyone around him at all times. While Klune does a fine job of laying groundwork for a bigger story, much of which has yet to be revealed, with Nick at the center, it's frustrating to see richer, more likable characters surrounding this selfish dolt.

With that said, I enjoyed how Klune uses superhero tropes to center the reader's expectations, as well as to subvert them. His supporting characters, as I said earlier, are fleshed out and fun to spend time with. Klune is building to a larger, overarching story, and with changes that may come to Nick's story as a result of the events of this novel, I might give it a second chance.

3.5 stars

High school student Nick Bell is not extraordinary - but he's definitely extra. When not hanging out with his besties - BFF turned suspiciously buff Seth and adorable couple Gibby and Jazz - he spends his free time writing fanfic about his town's Extraordinaries, the super-powered beings that fight crime and wreak havoc. The writing helps Nick deal with his ADHD, and calm his ever-present worries about the safety of his Dad, a police officer who ends up cleaning up the mess the Extraordinaries leave after their battles.

This was adorable, and I wanted to like it much more than I did. The main characters - an LGBTQ foursome - are wonderful, and the descriptions of father-son relationships really caught me. But *so* much of the plot was telegraphed that I grew impatient waiting for the (extremely unsurprising) reveals. I feel like with some tighter editing this could have been great? Fingers crossed for the sequel.

Sometimes I just need to smile, and this book exists to give me that in spades. I was initially attracted to it because the tagline is "Some people are extraordinary. Some people are just extra." I <i>love</i> people who are extra. And yes, this is another YA contemporary superhero story. But with extra.

The extra-ness comes from Nick Bell, a gay, hyperactive high school boy who spends his time writing nearly a quarter of a million words of fanfic about Shadow Star, Nova City's finest superhero. (And what a treat it is to read the pitch-perfect Mary Sue voice of teen fanfic, a perfect peek into Nick's brain.) Nick has a complicated relationship with his loving dad, a best friend who is obviously in love with him, a tight-knit queer friend group, and a Ferrari brain with the brakes of a bicycle that he tries to control with medication.

Of course, the truth of what's happening around him is more complicated than Nick is aware of (adorably, being aware of things is not his forte). I am really looking forward to seeing where the story goes in the next book.

Received a review copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Tor and TJ Klune for the arc of EXTRAORDINARIES. What a hilarious and heartfelt book about a boy with ADHD, who write fanfic about his favorite Extraordinary, and his inability to see his best friend for what he is-- the love of his life.

THIS BOOK IS GREAT.

I laughed every single chapter, I cried several times, and I cannot wait for the second book.

TJ's ability to give us a look at what it's like to live with ADHD is so heartfelt and wonderful.

A+++ would read again.

This book was so freaking good. If you’re a fan of TJ’s older stuff this is for you. It’s such a TJ book. Characters were great. Story was fairly predictable but no less fun. I cannot wait for the next one!

5 stars...at least

This WORKED for me, and I am dying for the next one!

Nick is a fantastic m.c. His fan fic is hysterical and charming, and readers learn this at the start of the novel when we get the first example of his work and his following. As charming as his online persona and work are, they're nothing compared to his IRL self; he is consistently awkward, nerdy, impulsive, and loving, and it is - in spite of his overt faults - impossible not to adore him.

The supporting cast also helps to make this novel excellent. Readers learn early on that Nick and his father are dealing with the death of Nick's mother, and Nick's relationship with his mother, whose photograph serves as her proxy throughout the novel, is so sweet. I love the relationship between Nick and his dad, a cop who is struggling with his own grief and anger over the loss of his wife as well as the difficulty of raising a son who is neurodiverse, spunky, and atypically mischievous. Gibby and Jazz are essential; I need WAY more of them - I thought especially Gibby, but now I realize Jazz, too - in the upcoming installments. They are snarky, unwavering friends who not only support the m.c. but who also have fun story lines of their own. Truly, every character - from the named folks to the various members of the supporting cast - is a gem.

The LGBTQ+ rep, the consistently hysterical language/quips/allusions/situations, the ever evolving relationships, and the un/expected ways in which the plot evolves are just a few of the aspects that make this a unique and stellar contribution to one of my favorite genres.

I CANNOT WAIT for all future installments!

Very good YA debut from TJ! Even though I could tell from fairly early on what the twists were going to be it was still really enjoyable.
There were also a handful of punctuation errors and typos. Some of which were Nick being referred to as "Nate" (example: while he was picking at his comforter and talking to his dad about trust).

This book was a DELIGHT. Full of heart and queerness, The Extraordinaries features a fanfic writing kid with ADHD who's figuring out his relationships with both family and friends, and of course, with the real live superheroes and villains in his city. I literally laughed AND cried, and stayed up into the wee hours of the night to finish it in one swoop. TJ Klune, you are a delight.