Smashbomb

The Extraordinaries is about Nick Bell and his love for his city's Extraordinary, Shadow Star. So much love that he writes he's an online popular fanfiction writer for the Shadow Star fandom. After events occur Nick decides he must change himself into an Extraordinary with the help of his best friends Gibby, Jazz, and his friend who looks super cute in bowties and ascots, Seth.

This is the first book of TJ Klune that I read, and if I remember correctly, this is his first YA release - he did a good job! The Extraordinaries has a little bit of everything. LGBTQ characters, including a badass lesbian couple, we have superheroes, ADHD representation, and well rounded, unique characters.

I loved the friend dynamic of Nick, Seth, Gibby, and Jazz. They're all there to support each other no matter the topic. Which is great, because some of the things that Nick did in the book annoyed me so much. Here his friends are doing everything they can to support him and he'd be very self-centered about it... even doing something that, in all honesty, I don't see anyone doing older than ten, much less sixteen, because of how stupid it was. He remained frustratingly oblivious on a lot of things and it goes from being realistic to just plain stupidity.

The reveal is hinted nearly all the way through the book and I guessed it for the most part, which is what I think Klune was trying to do. There are quite a few twists that I wasn't expecting so that made the novel exciting.

Overall, it was a good YA debut novel. I've already got the sequel on my lists to look out for.

*Thank you BookishFirst and Tor Teen for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

Kudos

Sketches of Brunswick East by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

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Album Watch

Just when you think you have King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard sussed they throw a curveball - in the...

jazz pop

Sarah (7799 KP) rated Artemis in Books

Dec 22, 2017

Artemis

Andy Weir | 2017 | Science Fiction/Fantasy

7.7

(34 Ratings)

Book Rating

Enjoyable but forgettable

Sadly for Artemis, it isn’t a patch on The Martian but I suppose it did have very big shoes to fill.

Despite not living up to expectations, it’s still a very fun and enjoyable read. Jazz is a loveable scoundrel as the main character, and the rest of the supporting characters are endearing too. To the point where there doesn’t appear to be a main antagonist, at least not one that appears in the flesh. The city of Artemis is well thought out and well written and it’s a great setting for a story. The main problem is with the heist itself, it’s just not a strong enough storyline and I feel like a much better concept and plot could’ve been spun from the first city on the moon.

It’s definitely an entertaining read, but sadly not one id tell people to rush out and read, and is mostly forgettable.

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Goldenarrow74 (10 KP) rated Ritual de lo Habitual by Jane's Addiction in Music

Feb 24, 2018

Variety. Crossover appeal. Beautiful melodies. (0 more)

Important album at an important time

Fusing elements from several different musical styles including rock, jazz, funk and soul this came out at a refreshing time for music.
Grunge had yet to happen and the turgid, hair metal rock scene needed something to revitalise alternative music.
The alt-rock scene that also included FNM, NIN, RHCP etc refused to be pigeonholed into just one genre.
Perry Farrell was not only a great songwriter but also a tremendous showman - Electric onstage and difficult to take your eyes off.
From the instantly accessible, MTV-friendly Been Caught Stealing’ to the slowburning ‘Three Days’ which continues to sound better with every listen, this album is a must-have for anyone into guitar music.

While it never strays into noisy guitar for
the sake of it, it rocks when it needs to but it’s during the more melodic moments that showcases Jane’s sheer magnificence.