He's such a refreshing, honest, sex-positive character who you can really root for and is so real he practically jumps from the pages. Honestly, though, as great as the plot and pacing and world-building of this story is, it'd be nothing without Nicky. We're also introduced to new characters in the book, and for those familiar with Klune's adult series', you might find a certain new character familiar. While Nick deals with things in his unique, often hilarious, way we have a fantastic, realistic portrayal of what it might be like to date someone with superpowers. I love the action in this book, which feels a bit more intense than in book one, as the danger and tension builds around Nick and his friends. Acceptance just shines throughout and makes the story more powerful. It's a continuing theme and a deeply explored message throughout the entire book as Nick deals with how other people react to his dad, and what his dad has done.Īs always, I love the inherent queerness of this book, and all of TJ's books.

TJ addresses a lot of big issues in this book, centring mainly around Nick's dad, a police officer demoted for violence, and how police brutality is affecting his perception of his dad and how he can reconcile that with the man who raised him and who he loves. I hadn't realised how much I'd missed these characters, but instantly fell back under TJ Klune's spell from page one as we're reunited with loveable, relatable Nick who's still coming to terms with the fact that his boyfriend is a famous superhero who can create fire, while also dealing with new revelations about his dad. If you haven't read book one yet, please note that there are spoilers for book one below.įlash Fire completely pulled me out of my recent reading slump, plunging me back into Nova City and the world of The Extraordinaries. Ever since finishing it and processing that cliffhanger of an ending, I've been desperate to get back to Nick and his friends and to find out what would happen next. The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune (book one in this series) was one of our Turn The Page book club selections last year and it was fantastic.

Crooked Tree Ranch by R.J. Scott