Book Description 

Through bravery, charm, and an alarming amount of enthusiasm, Nick landed himself the superhero boyfriend of his dreams. Now instead of just writing stories about him, Nick actually gets to kiss him. On the mouth. A lot. But having a superhero boyfriend isn’t everything Nick thought it would be—he’s still struggling to make peace with his own lack of extraordinary powers.

When new Extraordinaries begin arriving in Nova City—siblings who can manipulate smoke and ice, a mysterious hero who can move objects with their mind, and a drag queen superhero with the best name and the most-sequined costume anyone has ever had—it’s up to Nick and his friends Seth, Gibby, and Jazz to determine who is virtuous and who is villainous.

And new Extraordinaries aren’t the only things coming to light. Long-held secrets and neglected truths are surfacing that challenge everything Nick knows about justice, family, and being extraordinary. Which is a lot to handle when Nick really just wants to finish his self-insert bakery AU fanfic.

Will it all come together in the end or will it all go down in flames?

My Review 

This is the second book in the series, and readers need to start at the beginning in order to appreciate the full story arc experience. While I won’t include any spoilers for this book, it’s hard to discuss this book without bringing up events from the first book. 

Nick is such a great YA protagonist. He’s passionate about the things that are important to him like justice and the safety of his friends. He is especially passionate about the latest development regarding his own arc and wants nothing more than to explore everything that entails. Okay, I’m trying to be vague, but I realize that it sounds like I’m alluding to a sexual awakening. I’m not. I’m talking about his superpowers. Nick pushing the envelope while he tries to unlock his powers had me smiling and shaking my head at my Kindle. 

The book is fast-paced and very funny. There are tons of quips and asides, which strengthens the “bang pow zip” nature of this comic book superhero world in which Nick and his friends live. As the description mentions, there are new villains and new friends with superpowers. But on top of all the superhero stuff, Nick must still contend with all the regular American teen stuff like school and friendships and a best friend turned boyfriend.

Also, Nick has ADHD. Just about everyone in my family has ADHD, including me. I work at a middle school with children who are neurodivergent— including but not limited to ADHD. Klune’s portrayal of ADHD is highly accurate. No notes.  

I would absolutely recommend Flash Fire. I enjoyed this book a lot, but I think I prefer some of Klune’s adult books. Don’t get me wrong– this book was great, but it is with a dawning sense of horror that I am beginning to realize that I am no longer the target audience for the YA market. That being said, I think this book checks all the boxes for readers looking for a mild queer romance with superhero themes.  

I received a digital ARC of this book from Tor/NetGalley.