Just like with the first book in The Extraordinaries series, Nick’s perspective and voice written by Klune drew me in immediately. I particularly like his writing style. I was also pleased that the biggest moment of second-hand embarrassment came within the first 5% of the book, so I was mentally prepared for other awkward teenage moments thought the rest of the story.
Seth and Nick’s relationship evolution was great, same with Jazz and Gibby’s.
All of the things I assumed would happen or be discovered in this book did happen, but it all occurred within the first half of the book, and there were still new characters and secrets for me to discover, which kept me intrigued.
This was a very plot-driven installment, in comparison to the first where it was more character-driven to introduce the reader to everyone. That said, I wish there had been a little more Jazz and Gibby, but everything we got was gold. The new extraordinaries were fun to meet. I appreciated the introduction of Gibby and Jazz’s parents, but would have appreciated either more or less. Though, because of reasons stated below, I know their presence was necessary.
I would be remiss if I ignored the positive outlook on law enforcement in the first book, but Klune, from my limited white perspective, did a good job bringing it up early on in the book with Gibby’s parents confronting Nick’s dad, and holding all characters (including Nick) accountable for their thoughts and actions in glamorizing the police. By the end of the book, it felt much more realistic to me and was glad for the major change. However, my white opinion means very little on this subject.
Simon Burke has truly shown his cards as a villain. Though we do not have the full explanation regarding why he does the things he does, I didn’t feel it was necessary for this book to include that, though I will want it in the last installment.
The, what I like to call it, “after-credits scene” had me pacing and using exclamatory terms. It was a great hook for the next installment and am very intrigued to see how it all shakes out in book three!

Y’ALL THIS BOOK! I am unashamedly a superhero lover. Give me all the movies and shows with someone fighting for vengeance or justice. And then I stumbled upon The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune and that world merged into my literary life. I am so incredibly thankful for this e-ARC of Flash Fire because waiting for this sequel had been hard!

In this sequel we are back with Nick and Seth and all the navigation of living in a world with people of extraordinary abilities (aka the extraordinaries), trying to survive high school with the help of your best friends, and family conflict. I don’t want to give too much away in case you haven’t read the first book - and in case you need more nudging, this is it: go read it ASAP! But this was a wonderful sequel that picked up from where the story left off and built up to the last book in the trilogy. And I will be anxiously awaiting the final installment of this series.

This book will make you laugh out loud and then want to hug the characters as they pull on your heart strings. Not to mention be swiping pages frantically during all the action. I also really liked the way that Klune addressed current issues in the story. Not to mention all the twists that he did masterfully! Klune also never fails with his representation of the LGBTQ+ community. There is a certain new character that I really enjoyed. It’s all just so good!

Also, can we please slow clap for how safe sex was addressed here?!? It’s so important! Even more so in YA lit.

I could keep gushing but just know you need to read this. And I will be sitting with a whole lot of feelings until book 3 comes around!

Please take in mind it’s my opinion, and everyone is allowed to have one.

This book was such a cute, funny one. I’ve laughed so much, and swooned. It also was kinda predictable, but that honestly didn’t stop me from reading it. I was so into this whole book, I loved the story, it was well written.

I absolutely loved how we got to see how Nicky developed as a person, I am glad we got to see more of that. Still loved the other characters, they are so fun and cute.

Honestly what was that CLIFFHANGER BECAUSE IM IN SHOCK, where as everything else was predictable for me the ending was not. I truly can’t wait for book 3.

review to be posted closer to publication date on my blog: https://wp.me/paKz1h-2Nm

Flash Fire is book two in TJ's Extraordinaries series. This is a YA series, but I would argue that anyone would enjoy this series regardless of age. Klune's writing is unique. The overwhelming themes in this series continue in "Flash Fire": be yourself, found family, hilarity.

Nick is back in the second installment of The Extraordinaries. He has a boyfriend…an extraordinary boyfriend named Seth. He has great friends: Gibby and Jazz who help fill out Team Pyro Storm He still has ADHD which is both challenging and hilarious. And he still has enemies to face.

Nick is a lovely character. It is an absolute joy to read a character living with ADHD. Nick's voice (both inside and out) is so amazing… funny, challenging, and authentic. Nick is very much an "Own voices" character and he's Klune's favorite.

My fave is Nick because he's an obsessive boy with ADHD, like me. I never got to see neurodivergent queer kids in books when I was growing up, so I wanted to give a voice to people like me so they can point to a character and say, "Hey, finally someone like me." - TJ Klune on Twitter.

Nick's struggle is real! He can't always say the things he wants to and sometimes he says things he shouldn't say out loud. He's sweet and fierce and often finds himself in tricky situations. There's no one more devoted as a friend/boyfriend and family member than nick and all of his relationships are challenged in book two.

No spoilers here! (Never spoilers for a Klune novel!) But things are definitely more complex in Book two. Nick and Seth and their cohorts are faced with more than just their arch enemy, Simon Burke who runs the evil drug company. There are other extraordinaries on the horizon… and some may be "good", some may be "bad", but Nick and Seth are on it.

My favorite relationship in this book is between Nick and his father. They have the most hilarious, loving bond. There is a scene involving dental dams that made me laugh so hard that I cried. But… there is trouble brewing. Even though Nick and his father love each other without question, that doesn't mean that they can't make mistakes. Sometimes, when we love someone, we make the wrong choices and then are faced with having to deal with the consequences. Klune handles this family relationship with great care… it's funny, loving, and challenging.

Nick and Seth are a great representation of a young queer relationship. They are friends first and the way that Seth embraces who Nick is - makes my heart melt. I love their friendship, their flirting, the way they fiercely defend one another, and the slow burn of their relationship. It's fun, real, and heart-warming while still keeping that signature Klune hilarity and realness.

There are some wonderful reveals in this book that you won't see coming… some will leave you guessing, and some will make you want to get the next book immediately! But, if you're familiar with TJ Klune's writing then you know a couple of things: There are always cliff-hangers… TJ always resolves those dangling plot threads. I can quite honestly say that I have never been disappointed in anything that Klune has penned.

Klune is an award-winning author who has written a lot of wonderful books. This series is special in that the main character is neurodiverse and queer. There are kids out there who need to read a book like this and thanks to Klune… they have it. I am definitely looking forward to book three in this series.

I've been a TJ Klune fan since the moment I opened Wolfsong over a year ago. (I know, late to the game right?) I adored The Extraordinaries, the first book in this particular series. As TJ Klune's first YA book it's incredible and really embodies what it means to be a teenager, especially a queer one. Flash Fire was much of the same. Nick is coming into his own as a member of the Team Pyro Storm and coming into his own when it comes to being a boyfriend to Seth. I loved reading about their dynamics together and within their friend group because wow, it really feels like being in the middle of a group of high schoolers as they grapple with their schooling and the world that's hurtling towards them.

With the recent developments of Black Lives Matter, I appreciate the ways that TJ Klune took to show his own feelings on police involvement in the book. Some of it though, felt a little performative to me though, like he had written the several scenes where police brutality comes up a different way before recent developments in our world and then went back to rewrite them. I definitely agree, F the Police, but I do think there was a better way to go about it that didn't feel like a white man speaking on it by using his black characters. (Honestly though, I don't think there's any way that is "right" and it's a topic that's hard to travel as a white author but I do appreciate that he tried his best).

Overall, an excellent sequel and as per usual, I was thrown by the ending in the best of ways! I can't wait for the next book in the series because TJ is an incredible writer and I will continue to read any and everything he puts out!

Flash Fire is the sequel to The Extraordinaries, and while it’s not as laugh out loud funny, the beginning was a little slower, and it’s not as focused on the fanfiction (it’s there but not one of the main focuses anymore) I think this was a decent sequel. Nick is still funny, Seth is still adorable in his little bow ties, Jazz and Gibby are still badass, and I felt like this book is more aware of current events and doesn’t shy away from them (though I did feel like some of the dialogue felt a little awkward? I’m not sure if that’s the way to describe it, but I understand where the author was going. The conversations need to happen in real life and in books.) As the characters grow up they are being faced with real life issues along with the super hero ones. The group’s friendship is strong and wonderful as they navigate their present and future situations. Nick and Seth’s relationship is so cute, but the superhero aspect really takes the front seat in this one, and in a more realistic way, without some of the whimsy from the first one. It has a Spider-Man vibe to it this time, with great power comes great responsibility 🙂, but it makes it more believable. There’s an accountability in recent comic book movies and I think it’s important that’s touched on here as well. The final third of the book was intense and fast paced and I GASPED a few times like there were some really great scenes and team ups. Overall, I think this was a strong sequel. Different from the first one, but not in a bad way. I’m excited for the third!

I really enjoyed this follow-up to The Extraordinaries! I received a copy through NetGalley because of my role as a speech language pathology assistant in education. (Accurately describing my job is a mouthful.) I love this series so far and don’t want to spoil anything from either book so here are some reasons you should read them: LGBTQIA superheroes, positive ADHD rep, laughing out loud while reading, and really intense cliffhanger endings. I appreciated the more accurate depiction of police in this follow-up and that it was addressed in a way that made sense to the story. Also: that the main character insisted in pointing out that another character was bi, not gay, was really wonderful to read. No bi-erasure here. It’s rare for me to love an action packed book so much but it’s balanced with a really wonderful cast of characters and a lot of heart!

A winning queer YA superheroes novel, all the more pleasing for its predictability AND the few times it jukes to surprise the reader. I didn't read the first book in the series (I'm reading this for work and honestly didn't realize it was a sequel for a minute) but a) the book holds up on its own more than well enough (I never felt like I'd missed any major plot stuff b/c of how well it was summarized without feeling like a summary dump) and b) I'd like to now, which is maybe the best sign of success.

I was also intrigued to see that the first book garnered some negative attention for the way Klune depicted the cop father of the main character -- and really impressed by the way Klune then handled that and addressed it over the course of this book. Nice to see an author listening to their readers, to their community, and responding thoughtfully!

A complimentary copy was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Oh boy, I knew this was going to be a good story simply because of how book 1 left off. How much can I say about this book without giving anything away? I suppose "I loved it" isn't enough.

We know the truth about Seth, Owen, and Simon Burke, and of course suspicions about Nick. You get answers to all the questions from book 1, and are left with a cliffhanger raising MORE questions! Once again I had my suspicions about the character in the finale, but I told myself I couldn't be right, it would just be too much. Enough said about that.

Flash Fire is filled with action - it's really amazing Nick has lived as long as he has - and new villains. I did NOT want to put the book down and cannot wait to get this in audio! All Nick wants is to live his life with his boo, finish school, and save the world. Is that too much to ask? When Nick finds out the truth about his mother, and the secrets his father has kept all these years, compounded by the lies he's told, Nick is messed up emotionally and eh-hem, things happen. I can't go into detail because that will give away the story. Just know these things were hilarious, and also disturbing because I wasn't sure exactly how it would end.

And now to the school prom (yep, I left stuff out for your own good). Nick wears a dead magicians tux, it's as amazing as it sounds, and Nick, Seth, Gibby and Jazz all are enjoying prom, with the torture of having their parents chaperon! Fun is being had by all, but then, the bad guys appear, of course, and Nick's nemesis, Rebecca Firestone is there to get it all on tape. I was worried how the battle would end and it goes on forever! One side gets the upper hand, then the other. I didn't mention that Seth has found new Extraordinaries who also happen to show up and help. What was the intended goal of this confrontation? We all know who is behind it but what did he hope to gain by sending his people after Nick and Seth?

As I said, old questions are answered but new ones come up and I am very excited to read the next book to see how it goes. I left out some details about Owen, and he doesn't make an appearance, though his presence is very much part of the story. Is Owen a permanent bad guy? Can he be saved? And is Burke really going to use his new found "medicine" on just those who want it, or force people to take it? Cryptic I know. I know what I think and they need to stop Burke before he does any serious damage.

Speaking of damage, what is the cliffhanger ending going to do to this group? It isn't going to stay secret for long, and I have to say, I don't understand it. Why did TJ write it this way? He clearly has a goal writing it the way he did I just wish I had all the answers now.

I highly recommend this and am excited to read the next book. I can so see this as a tv show, assuming it's made exactly like the book says. 5 stars (even with the ending). :)

*Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for an early look at this book in exchange for an honest review**
This is the follow up to The Extraordinaries and picks up after the battle of the bridge. It was just as endearing and charming as the first book, and full of humor, character growth, and teen angst. Nick is still my favorite character, retaining many of his flaws but slowly maturing. The author addresses criticism regarding pro-police propaganda in the previous book. It seemed awkwardly inserted at times and I'm not qualified to know if he addressed the issue enough. It was fascinating to see the teens dealing with what it really means to be extraordinary, and what is required of you. The cliffhanger was amazing, and I'm looking forward to the next book! Publishes on July 13,2021.

If you liked The Extraordinaries, you will want to read the sequel! Nick is back; and just as hilarious, awkward, and impulsive as always, except this time him and Seth are a couple. After many embarrassing moments with his father (dental dams?!), they are settling into their relationship. Things get strained when they realize there may be more Extraordinaries out there. I really loved how Klune addresses Nick’s father’s career as a police officer and how his actions have affected others. I love the representation, which we can come to expect in a Klune book. Nick is exploring his identity as a queer teen and it feels so real. Above all, the humor and overall realness of the characters is incredible again.

“Maybe Nick’s superpower all along had been his ability to make Seth laugh like nothing else mattered. Not a bad power to have, in the long run. And one most people didn’t possess.”

“Nick was still stunned that this was something they did now. They weren’t just two bros anymore. They were bros who kissed. The best kind of bros.”

Flash Fire comes out 7/13

I'm pretty sure I just royally screwed myself over reading Flash Fire now because I'll have to wait HOW LONG for the next book? These cliffhanger epilogues are killing me. I am unwell. I had already pre-ordered this book (tell me there's a pin and I can't resist) so am 1000% already planning on re-reading both books come July knowing all I know now.

Right off the bat, the first chapter had me HOWLING with laughter. I was trying to be subtle and read on my phone because I have no self-control and decided I wanted to start this in the middle of watching a movie. However, I should have known better as "subtle" has never been an emotion I've experienced while reading a TJ Klune book and I was instantly hooked (again). That first leading into the second chapter is pure writing GOLD. And then last night I hit the 80% mark and my emotions were so haywire I laid in bed contemplating "if I DNF this now, nothing bad will happen and I won't go through the emotional meat-grinder I am sensing is waiting for me" (needless to say I woke up this morning and immediately finished it before I even got up for coffee, so, self-control, again).

Besides being a rollercoaster of emotions, what this book (and this series) really excels at is the representation and messaging. I am really happy this is YA and that these characters are BIPOC, queer, trans, nonbinary, neurodiverse and I don't feel like that is represented nearly enough in books and especially books for younger readers. And that they are acknowledged and talked about throughout the book and not just thrown in as an "oh and..." addition. I wish a book like this was out (or that I was aware of it) as a teenager. Also, I was especially curious how this book would handle the police plotline (and reading one of TJ's blogs a while back about this) and appreciate that it was acknowledged. I think some sections were a bit heavy-handed but also needed to be said and I enjoyed the depth it added to Aaron's character and the direction he and Cap are going with this book.

I haven't shied away from proclaiming TJ as one of my favorite authors and, like Cerulean Sea and Green Creek, am pushing the Extraorderaries series on anyone who will listen to me and this book is no different. I can't wait to see where Nick goes in book 3

4.5 stars
I loved this book! The only reason for not giving it 5 stars is that there were parts that felt clunky, specifically the parts that discussed police brutality and racism within policing. I know that there was criticism around the portrayal of the police in the first book in the series (it was quite pro-police), and I know that TJ Klune said he would do better with this book, and I think he did. But there were parts that felt like they had been added after the fact, and it didn’t quite feel natural, it felt clunky.
But other than that this book was great. I love the characters so much, I would read countless books about Nick and Seth, they are too freaking adorable, as are Jazz and Gibby. I can’t wait for the third book (it’s going to be such a long wait, as this one isn’t even out yet!).

Book two of T J Klunes teen superhero trilogy ? Is an absolute cracking read.
It’s refreshing to read a book where the teenagers actually are teenagers.
They talk/think about sex .......a lot !
This is a book that seems infused with joy.
You can tell that Klune loves writing these people they literally buzz on the page. I loved the first book , this book is better, having set the characters up on book one, book two is a delightful surprise.There is a playfulness and freedom That as a reader I found infectious. And the cliff hanger ending left my jaw on the floor.
Stunning!!

I have to admit, I wasn't a fan of the Extraordinaires, however I decided to give the series a second chance since I really enjoyed House in the Cerulean Sea by the same author. however, this book was just as bad to me as the first one is. I think these books are really bad for escapism. In an urban fantasy world the characters won't stop acting cartoonish, with a portrayal of what seems to be a millennial/gen X-er thinking they know how gen Z-ers act and failing miserably. Its all very... cringey.

I also think the criticism of the police in this book is interesting. The way Klune treats issues surrounding race and police is certainly refreshing... if not very confusing and out of character. I fully agree with the sentiment of defunding the police, and I'm even doing a capstone thesis currently on prison and police abolitionment. Whats interesting to me about the portrayal of police in this book is how different it is to what I've come to associate with TJ Klune. Propaganda glorifying police littered the entirety of the previous book in this series, as well as a thoughtless police brutality joke that I frankly have no idea got past sensitivity readers. Klune has also been criticized for past racial micro aggressions for the way he made the only character of color in House in the Cerulean Sea turn into a dog for his magical power.

All in all I just don't think this book is good. Authors often tend to infantilize and cartoonify young adult characters, which this book does a lot of, and it just makes the book not at all enjoyable to me.

Reading TJ Klune books you can never predict what is coming it is always keeping it on your toes. I loved everything about this book I laughed from the beginning of the book.

Omg!! This book!!!
The ending of this book....TJ is pure evil!!! I can’t wait another year!!!!!

I absolutely love Nick and Seth’s relationship in this book.

We get a few new extrordinaries.

The one issue I had with this book...and it’s totally my opinion...was all the talk about police issues. I know why TJ added it, and get that there are major issues in real life but I read to escape real life. While these did bug me and caused me to put the book down I would immediately go back because I just had to know what was happening next!

I enjoyed the first installment of this series, so I was super (hah) excited to read the sequel. With the same frenetic energy of narration, humor, and heart, it didn't disappoint! It also captures the horrifying ordeal of being a teenager pretty well, in my opinion, and approaches the heavier topics with the gravitas they deserve, though I felt the police subplot could've been woven into the narrative a little more smoothly in the beginning (by the end it meshes well with the narrative, also, ACAB).

Overall, this is a fun, hilarious, sometimes secondhand-embarrassment-inducing book with a sweet love story at its center, and I'm eager for the next installment!

I didn't think that Nick could get any more awkward than he was in The Extraordinaries. And yet, here we are - and I am loving every single second of it.

The last book already hinted at Nick potentially being an Extraordinary as well and seeing him trying to navigate these new found powers was a complete joy. I also highly enjoyed the new Extraordinaries popping up and in good old Klune fashion - What a plot twist at the end!

Absolutely loved this book just as much as the first book. I did notice one thing though. While book one is very police focused (as Superhero books/series usually are), this book contains a more questioning picture of the police. Doubtless in regards to the Black Lives Matter Movement. And I am all for it. I think the points in this book raised are more than valid and I welcome an author adressing these issues instead of just powering on. It just became a lot and eventually took me a little away from the story surrounding Nick and Seth. I felt like this book tried desperately to erase that police positive image from book one and instead of that being a side plot, it felt very big to me. As already mentioned, I absolutely welcome and enjoy the discourse we got and I am not at all saying that I thought this was negative. It was just very noticable. Depending on whether or not that was the intention, I'd say it was achieved!

All in all, I cannot wait to hold this book in my hands physically soon. Thank you for the opportunity to read this early.

T.J. Klune's Flash Fire warms the soul as it navigates queer identity, super powers, and adolescence. Nick Bell is back trying to save Nova City with his best friends and super-boyfriend, Seth Gray. His self-insert bakery fanfic is going strong, his boyfriend is amazing, and the city appears to be doing well. Everything's looking up and nothing could possibly go wrong. But when the villains of Nova City begin to cause a ruckus, it's up to the team to respond. Fan's of Klune's extensive catalog will be bathed in the warmth of sincerity, enthusiasm, and hope once more.
Now, the second book in the Extrodinaries shows a sincere appreciation for character, worldbuilding, and genre. every character introduced in the second book is a fully formed human being who I want to know more about. Nick is a wonderful protagonist whose thought patterns feel deeply familiar. As a person with ADHD, Nick often has an internal thought process where he thinks through an entire conversation and communicates the result of his internal monologue. The series works through finding the balance between managing neurodivergence without drifting into the cure territory. I adored the character growth in the novel and the changes brought on by new challenges, life changes, and various revelations. I would consider Klune a character-driven writer if not for his clever attention to plot and detail. He tends to drop seemingly obvious foreshadowing that misdirects the reader's attention. Instead, you end up being shocked by the plot twists and end up a bit emotionally ruined.
Of course, Klune's plot is supported by his subtle worldbuilding. Having a book about superheroes is not inherently unique, however, the execution is wonderful. I love the extraordinary fanfiction because of course if superheroes were real people there would be people writing fanfic about them. It shows an understanding of modern fanfiction and the community that writes and reads fan content from the tags to the comments. Then you have the media represented by a cis-straight newswoman who mischaracterizes situations. And a breath of queer identity is everywhere. I love it all.
Klune understands genre fiction. He knows how to deploy science fiction tropes without creating a tired story. He enthusiastically employs ridiculous things with the kind sincerity that makes you care about it all. I cannot count the number of my audible squeals, giggles, and laughs. Flash Fire was a brilliant sequel and I cannot recommend it more.
I would like to say once more the book is also emotionally devastating, but you won't really care when all is said and done. If you liked anything by T.J. Klune you have to pick up Flash Fire, due to release on July 13, 2021.
Thank you, Macmillan-Tor and Forge via NetGalley for providing the eARC of Flash Fire by T.J. Klune in exchange for my honest review.