There is absolutely no denying that Flash Fire, the second installment in Tj Klune's Young Adult trilogy about queer superheroes, is just as explosive, captivating, and enjoyable as the first book.

Set in a world where superpowers, superheroes, and supervillains exist, the book follows the story of Nicholas Bell, a gay, 16 year old boy with ADHD. After learning that his best friend - and recently turned boyfriend - is a super powered vigilante named Pyro Storm, Nick finds his world flipped upside down. In this second installment of The Extraordinaries, the reader follows Nicks journey as he and his group of unapologetically queer best friends navigate the struggles of high school, aggravating news reporters, corrupt old men, a handful of new Extraordinaries (both good and bad), and inevitable discussions about the future of their friendship/team. The story also focuses on Nicks personal struggles in regards to his father, Aaron Bell. While Nick loves his father dearly, Nick finds himself questioning his fathers occupation as a cop, as well as Aaron's problematic past actions, made while in uniform. Not to mention the sea of secrets that Nick discovers his father had been hiding from him for years.

Filled with humor, action, queer joy, found family, and even some slight heartbreak, Klune once again brings these extraordinary characters to life while offering realistic representation of queerness and neurodiversity, as well as much needed discussions of racial discrimination, privilege, oppression, and the systemic imbalance of power in today's society.

As a trans non-binary, queer, adult reader with ADHD, I can say with upmost certainty that the representation in regards to queerness and neurodiversity is among the best I've come across within a young adult novel. To have read something like this when I was young would have been so incredibly powerful and encouraging!

All in all, this book is a lovely follow up to the first book in The Extraordinaries trilogy, and I highly recommend that anyone who is a fan of LGBTQ+ stories, superheroes, and/or Tj Klunes unique humor to pick up this book! 5/5 stars!

This was the sequel my heart needed. The characters are so wonderful and I loved seeing their relationship develop even more. This was such a good read i read it in less than a day, because I simply couldn’t put it down.

all the charm and fun that I loved in Book 1 felt over-saturated and annoying in this one. It may be that it fell victim to the second-in-the-series slump but I just felt a lot of the plot was pointless and I skim-read most of it.

Let's start with what I loved: Nick is hilarious and a Mess, the superhero plot lines while cliche still rung sweet in the story, and the eventual Big Reveal was done nicely.

BUT:

While I loved that the writing style is erratic to coincide with Nick's ADHD, this time around it all seemed too jumbled. All the "life lessons" and social justice comments felt contrived and didn't flow neatly within the story, taking me out of the story every single time. Same with the the pro-cop propaganda fix-up. There's definitely not any of that in this one at all -- which is good that they attempted to try -- but even the explanation & character discussions regarding the topic felt forced.

Maybe it was just me, maybe I just didn't vibe with it this time around. I do hope y'all like this continuation of the Extraordinaries series when it comes out this summer. :)

And I hope Book 3 is better and wraps up the trilogy nicely!

I made it 30% into this book and just couldn’t finish it. I don’t think I could say there was one specific thing I didn’t like about it. I really liked the first books in the series and it feels like the heart of that book was lost in this one. I think there are some great conversations in Flash Fire, but I just didn’t care literally at all about anything that was happening.

The Extraordinaries is author TJ Klune's latest Young Adult Fantasy novel set to be released in July 2021. I first encountered Klune's writing when I read The House in the Cerulean Sea and I immediately fell in love with his work.

The Extraordinaries is the story of Nick Bell, a queer teen who is obsessed with Extraordinaries, people, in this particular world, who have super powers. He is particularly obsessed with one Extraordinary, Shadow Star. Nick's obsession has made him famous as an online author, writing fanfic about Shadow Star. His life changes drastically after a chance encounter with his hero.

TJ Klune is a wonderful storyteller. He writes with a familiar voice. In this book the protagonist is a teenage boy who is very proud of his queerness and the writing embodies it perfectly. You really get to know the characters through the mind of a teenager.

As a lifelong comic book reader, the book had some aspects that were very familiar. the author made reference to and took his inspiration for characters from classic superheroes, which I loved. Nick was obsessed with extraordinaries and gushed about them the same way my friends and I talked about Batman or Spider-man. I could relate so much to Nick in that way.

LGBTQIA+ issues is a huge part of this book and I loved how the author presented it. The book is intended for a young adult audience but I didn't feel like the issues were "dumbed down" for a younger audience. They were presented in a way that teens and young adults could relate. Klune presented the themes and issues that are important to the community as a whole (homophobia, media perception etc.) as well as what is relevent to queer teens (exploring sexuality safely, feeling marginalized etc). This was the first time I personally encountered this in a novel, especially YA and I thought it was wonderful.

The Extraordinaries had a strong X-men vibe to it. In the early 1960's Stan Lee created the X-men as a metaphor for the Civil Rights Movement. Many believe that Professor Xavier and Magneto represented Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. I feel like this book modernized that with Klune using The Extraordinaries as a stand in for the LGBTQIA+ community. I appreciated this subtle nod to comic book history.

The novel also deals with mental health issues brilliantly. Nick has ADHD and Klune portrays those aspects of Nick's personality delicately and, I believe accurately. Many times throughout the book we are shown how the mind of someone with ADHD works. It is not portrayed in a sympathetic way or in a mocking way, but in a sweet and real way.

While I prefer TJ Klune's adult novels, I throughly enjoyed The Extraordinaries and would definitely recommend it to any fans of young adult fantasy or comic books/super hero stories.

I really loved The Extraordinaries when I read it last year (you can find my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3434259720.), so obviously Flash Fire was at the top of my TBR for this year.

What I liked:
- Nick. OH NICK! He is loud, funny, clueless and adorable as always.
- Seth is so sweet and I really love Gibby and Jazz as well. Their friendship is so heartwarming to read.
- Representation and positive message about so many of the LGBTQ+ communities.
- the neurodiversity rep.

What I really LOVED:
- This book is so SO QUEER! The author had mentioned that The Extraordinaries was his love letter to the queer community and I can see that in this book as well.

The actual story and the superheroes part was a bit too cheesy and clichéd for my taste ( YA is not my jam anymore, but that's just me) but I'm really happy that the next generation of YA readers have books like these to read with good diversity and representation instead of books with just cis white characters that I grew up with.
Would I recommend this? Hell yes! Just make sure to read The Extraordinaries first.

A note regarding police brutality and this series:
The Extraordinaries had come under scrutiny for glorifying the police force and rightly so. The author released a statement which you can find here: http://www.tjklunebooks.com/new-blog/2020/7/29/a-message-about-the-extraordinaries.
True to his statement, Flash Fire took a positive turn and talked about police brutality, defunding the police and how the police abuse their power against minorities. While I'm not in the position to judge whether this is enough, I appreciated that the author handled it in this book.

This book is an amazing sequel! I'm just in awe of how fast I got sucked in again. Truly I love this group of misfits. I absolutely loved this book. Unputdownable. 😂 😂 I cannot wait to see what happens next. ♥ ♥

*I received an advanced readers copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
THIS BOOK! I absolutely LOVED The Extraordinaries, and knew that I had to get my hands on the next one immediately, especially with the cliffhanger the first book ended on. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Tor Teen for letting me read it early :). I was not disappointed. I'm occasionally scared to read sequels to amazing books because I'm worried that I'm going to be disappointed. But, if you're like me, don't stress about this book being a let-down. It's amazing. Here's a list of (some of) the reasons why.
1. THE SATIRE 😂(this book series contains the hands down most hilarious books I have ever read)
2. Nick 🙃(everything about him, but specifically his affinity for catchphrases)
3. Seth ♥️
4. Jazz (and her willingness to stab people with her heels)
5. GIBBY
6. All of the incredible female role models who are awesome in battle say things like, "'Are you serious? No wonder the patriarchy failed. You always underestimate what women are capable of. Sucks to be you.'"
7. Skwinkles Salsagheti 💖
8. Nick+Seth (and their ship name ideas, which I will not reveal so I don't spoil anything...)
9. The inclusion of real world problems that MUST be discussed (such as police brutality)
10. The fact that it made me cry (which books NEVER do)
11. The outfit Nick wears to prom
12. The author's ability to write science fiction but make it the most realistic/relatable thing ever

I pretty much love everything about this book. And I need you to read it almost as much as I need to read the next book. Please read it as soon as it comes out!

My second-hand embarrassment meter is pretty high, but TJ Klune knows how to write uncomfortably, hilariously awkward in a way that I cannot put down. I love the dynamic between Nicky and his dad, and how proud Nicky is of his friends.

I thought I knew where the book was going—and sometimes you just need to read about teenage superheroes who want to ignore their responsibilities for one night so they can go to prom—but TJ still found ways to delight and surprise me.

A fun, romantic and adventurous sequel. Tj Klune does it again with wildly likeable characters and story.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Starting off, I absolutely ADORED this book so much. You all know I’m an avid TJ fan and this book did not disappoint !! There were times throughout the series that I was either laughing at what Nick Bell said or worried about the future events that would transpire. (and let’s be real, crying at some moments too). The characters warm my heart immensely and I loved getting the chance to see them grow throughout the school year. I’m always a sucker for how TJ can portray a certain group of characters. Along with this, TJ did a rly good job at sprinkling in tiny details and foreshadowing what would occur later on in the book; however there was still a surprise throughout! (Nick Bell is just a -little- slow in picking up what’s going to happen, ok? 🤚🏻😂). I seriously cannot recommend this book enough! Along with the first book, Flash Fire has great adhd, and lgtbq+ rep throughout. Plus who doesn’t love a great book with superheroes?😌

Also in full disclosure, the little extra chapter after the acknowledgments killed me 😩😩 TJ WHY DO U HAVE TO DO THIS ANDBFBDBSBA 🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️

A great sequel! I was kind of apprehension at first because I wasn't a big fan of the first, but this one actually held my attention. I loved that it picked up a few months after the last and the story just kept moving! New characters were added which is always great and we got to read about some of our old friends. I can't wait for the third one! This one, like the first ends on another AMAZING cliffhanger.

The cover art is stunning. I loved the first book and thought it was nearly impossible to write an even better second but here we are. I really enjoyed this book from the writing style to the charters it was all a win for me. I can't wait to get my first edition to get a reversible dust jacket.

I have never been disappointed by a TJ Klune book, and this one was no different. Reading this book was like reuniting with my old friends I haven't seen in awhile. Please be warned that this review will contain spoilers from The Extraordinaries. In Flash Fire, we are back with Gibby, Jazz, Seth, and Nick. After the events that occured on McManus Bridge at the end of Book 1, Seth must decide if he wants to be the savior of Nova City or hang up his suit for good. Nick is discovering new things about his past and his abilities. New superheroes are arriving in Nova City, and Seth and Nick might not have a choice but to get more involved than they ever were.

I can't tell you how many times I laughed out loud during this book. Nick is absolutely hilarious, and I love that the people in his life love him for exactly who he is. Seth is Nick's rock, they are incredibly adorable together. Jazz and Gibby got a lot more page time in Flash Fire, and I fell in love with them as individuals and together. The new characters introduced were well fleshed out and the villain just got more evil, even if we don't fully know what his motives are yet. The stakes are so much higher in this book and I need the third book! That ending was completely unexpected for me even though Klune's foreshadowing is sometimes so obvious in Flash Fire (on purpose and in a good way!)

Klune addressed police brutality in this book, as Nick's father assaulted someone in custody in the past and barely received any punishment for it. There was an obvious lack of lack of acknowledgement of police brutality and racism within the police in The Extraordinaries. As a white woman, I can't say if what Klune included in this book was an adequate representation, but I am glad that it was addressed.

Overall, I fell more in love with Nick and his crew in Flash Fire, and I am impatiently awaiting the third book already! Thanks to Netgalley and Tor Teen for an advance copy of Flash Fire.

Omg!! I was so excited when I got this ARC and I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed.. and I was right! TJ did it again.. talk about serious matters with love, humour and .. he just did it ok! Lol I’m gonna be honest Nick was a bit annoying (I get the ADHD thing and all but I had headache myself sometimes with his ideas lol) in the first book in my opinion BUT he grew a lot and I loved him in this one. Anyways I love him —all of him and Seth..(might’ve a lil crush for his bow ties and cravats lol) what to say about the girls! I love that we get to have more time with her. Especially Jazz, she is awesome well Gibby too.. and the end I was so mad and then WTF (I had doubts and then I was like ok no and boom!) now I have to wait for the next one and this one isn’t even released! Unfair 😂 this is my honest review : unfair I don’t want to wait lol
Thanks to netgalley for another book of one of my fav author.

Honestly, is there anyone who doesn’t love these books? They’re just too hilarious and Nick is simply one of the best book characters who ever got invented. You just cannot NOT love them!
Me and Nick? We think alike. He has the dirty mind of a 16 year old boy and so have I. I laughed my ass of reading this. The conversations are top notch, the humour is amazing. *chefs kiss*
Nicks fanfic is so cringey, I experienced a lot of secondhand embarrassment. I loved it, I cry-laughed already at the beginning of the book.

I love that TJ Klune actually listens to his readers and takes critique seriously. This series is about Extraordinaries, humans with superpowers, but also includes the police. Nicks father is a cop, and of course Nick loves and idolises his dad. But addressing the issues and problems, especially after the Black Lives Matter movement last year, is super important and I think TJ Klune did a great job in this book. It isn’t just addresses as an afterthought, there are proper and lengthy discussions. It gets mentioned over and over again. The POC characters in this book get a lot of space and screen time, are listened to and taken seriously.

I also love the ADHD rep in this. Having a hero with ADHD? Yes, we need that! I need that! Representation matters. The way Nicks friends and his dad talk about it is amazing too.

Also can we please appreciate TJ Klune not using stupid and expected drama? Just when you think “oh my god, now THIS is going to happen..”, it just doesn’t? Because these people actually talk? My mind was blown.

It was gripping, it was cute, it was hilarious.
I loved the new characters that were introduced and I fell in love even harder with the ones from the last book.
For me it felt a little like a typical second-book-in-a-trilogy (aka not a lot of action until the very end, more like a bridge between book 1 and 3), but I didn’t really mind that much.
What else is there to say, I loved it just as much as the first book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tor Teen for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Flash Fire by T.J. Klune is a fun and energetic second entry into The Extraordinaries series. While this book is full of all of the embarrassing and awkward moments readers would expect from our main character Nick, there is also a definite maturity to this book, both in tone and content, that I really enjoyed. Klune did an excellent job of progressing the plot while also addressing the issues with the first book.

One of the major highlights of this book for me was Seth and Nick's relationship, which I feel was so well written. Beyond the general excitement of them finally being together, I was frequently moved by the genuine love and trust they had for each other. YA books love to supply angst in the form of the dreaded miscommunication trope, but Klune handily flipped that narrative on its head. This was a breath of fresh air in the genre, and made the boys a couple you genuinely want to root for.

Another exciting element was the new characters introduced: Miss Conduct, a Puerto Rican drag queen who can conduct electricity, and TK, a powerful telekinetic with an identity shrouded in mystery. I was a big fan of both of these characters, and the dynamic they brought to the story. There was a pretty stunning plot twist surrounding one of them that has me hooked for book three!

A lot of conversation surrounding the first book was on the topic of police brutality, and its use in the story. In a statement he made last year, Klune promised to address those issues in Flash Fire, and stated: "If Nick were living in our world over the past few months, he would have a lot to say about police brutality and he would be on the right side of history." Klune definitely stuck to his word; the topic of police brutality was discussed frequently and at length in this book.

Generally, I was happy with the content of these discussions. At times it felt like Gibby and her parents were doing the majority of the emotional labor by representing the black voice of the conversation, but the alternative of having Nick be a white savior trope would have been infinitely worse, so perhaps there isn't a perfect solution on that front. I think the topic was approached with sensitivity, and I appreciate the hard stance that was taken against the police force in a way that was still digestible for YA readers.

Overall, I really enjoyed Flash Fires, and think it was an exciting sequel to a solid first book! I look forward to following the future of the series, and seeing what trouble Nick stirs up next.

ok first of all wow! loved it!
I did not expect the second book to be this good, while I loved The Extraordinaries I had some slight problems with it, like how some subjects were kind of glossed over, Nick's reactions to Seth being an extraordinarie and how he was angry his friends already had figured it out before him, so reading Nick's progress was really satisfying.
I don't know how much I can't tell without spoiling the book but I do love TJ Klune's way of showing friends and families values with a cringing sense of humor, I nearly threw away my kindle during a really awkward scene which you'll know when you read it!
amazing queer representation as always and so looking forward to the next book because I'm dying with that cliffhanger!

“Maul?” Nick said, outraged. “I didn’t maul anyone. It was a loving kiss that I placed . . . upon myself because I . . . deserved it?”

Flash fire is just as funny and a joy to read as the first book.
There were so many times I found myself laughing out loud.
Nick's dad is honestly the best! The way he can make a scene so awkward that you can't help but burst out laughing. The shit he puts Nick through (in a good way)

Watching Nick and Seth be all awkward with each other is adorable and everything you could ask for.

You get to see more extraordinaries showing up and what they can do.
And find out more about Nick's backstory which I loved.

There are more twist and turns and the ending!!!I need the next book.

I was given the a copy of the Arc from NetGalley for an honest review.
I feel like this review was pretty all over the joint but I just don't know how to put it in actual words how much fun this series is to read.

Thank you Netgalley and Tor books for provided ARC.

My rating: 3 / 5

This book was simply not my cup of tea. But I'm sure that those who like a good Queer book, with all those details and special events of communities, will love it!