Flash Fire (The Extraordinaries, #2)

FLASH FIRE is a humorous and sweet LGBT YA superhero fantasy read. Nick is a teenage boy with ADHD, whose father works for the NCPD as an extraordinary liaison. Extraordinaries are superheroes with magical gifts that (hopefully) fight to protect the city. Since their appearance, there have certainly been mixed reactions, but Nick is fully in love with extraordinaries, and one in particular - his boyfriend Seth aka Pyro Storm.

The city tide seems to be turning against extraordinaries, and particularly Pyro Storm, as Simon Burke, the head of Burke Pharmaceuticals whose son turned out to be the villain and is now serving time, is trying to create a registry of extraordinaries and hunt down Pyro Storm. While Nick and his friends deal with that trouble and the people hunting Seth, they are also worrying about prom and other high school things - and Nick's popular extraordinary fanfic.

What I loved: This was an intriguing blend of normal teenager and teenage superhero drama that make it a really fun read. The book is full of humor and light-hearted conversations, particularly led by Nick, who is comical, sweet, and genuinely has a good heart. He is a compelling character who aspires to greatness, and though he sometimes falls short, he also knows how to make amends and has his heart in the right place. He is a really genuine character, and his rep with having ADHD is really valuable for readers who may also have or know people with ADHD.

The romantic relationship is really sweet, and Seth balances Nick in a lot of great ways. They are not always perfect, but they are there for each other and talk about their issues in (mostly) mature ways. Their LGBT rep is also complimented by other characters, including the swoony couple of Jazz and Gibby, their best friends who seem to have it all together. There are some new side characters introduced in this book that are really fantastic, particularly Miss Conduct but also the mysterious TK.

A theme from the first book around police is really thoughtfully considered in this sequel, and more of the concerns/conflicts with the police force are fleshed out with issues on the page, through some key discussions. Other themes around family, betrayal, nature vs nurture, the power of money, and secrets/lies added to the story in interesting ways. There are some great family dynamics with Nick and his father, who have a strong relationship, but are finding issues and talking them through. A teenage superhero where the parents are somewhat involved is interesting - though there are some things the kids leave their parents in the dark about, there're a lot of important things that parents are involved with and/or for which they seek an active role.

What left me wanting more: As a small thing, the book slows down quite a bit in the middle and seems to get off track in a few places, making it a bit of a slower read. There is a lot happening, including some huge new discoveries, but they are spaced out in a way that makes it feel like it meanders sometimes. It's ultimately a small thing and the overall plot of the series advances quite a bit in this book.

Final verdict: FLASH FIRE is a charming and humorous YA superhero fantasy featuring compelling characters and an entertaining plot. Recommend for fans of THE RECKONERS and THE TEMPERATURE OF ME AND YOU.