Ahhh I loved this so much. I was supposed to read this over the course of 7 days with my reading buddy, but instead we read it in 3 because neither of us can stop (we seriously read 7% the first day, 25% the second, and then just finished the book on day 3 because we were enjoying it so much). And to be honest, when I started this book I was definitely drained of superheroes (read a lot of that genre book in a row the past few months), but instead of draining me further, this book just made me want to read more all over again.

First off, the narrator's voice and the writing style in this book were fantastic. It definitely won't be for everyone because it's fairly 'relatable' and is emulating the voice of a teenager, but unlike some books that are just constant references to pop culture and Harry Potter, this book creates an authentic teenage voice without leaning on (soon to be) dated cultural references. Sure, there's some slang that will definitely sound dated in a few years, but even this is spread thinly enough throughout the story that even if it becomes cringy in a year, it won't really hurt the reading experience too much. I just seriously loved the MC and his voice so much.

I loved the MCs voice for other reasons than relatability and authenticity as well. Nick has ADHD and it was so well done in this book (in my opinion, of course), and it's not treated as some pity issue that comes up every now and again. It's a full-fledged part of Nick, and it impacts how he thinks, how he interacts with others, and how the plot moves as a whole. I also saw so much of myself in Nick that it hurt to read sometimes. From how my trains of thought works (seemingly random to everyone else to the extent that new conversation topics or comments seem to come out of nowhere), to how easily Nick was distracted, he felt so real (and so like me). It was a whole new experience, feeling so seen in a book.

I also absolutely loved the side characters in this one. The love interest was seriously adorable (and the romance! the pining!!! I'd rate the book 5 stars on this alone), and I loved how supportive he constantly was of Nick (never judgemental, only critical when it was deserved, and always there for him). The other half of the friend group, an f/f couple, was also utterly fantastic and made for such a well-rounded cast that the book was a genuine joy to read just for their banter. I found myself constantly laughing at their quips at each other, and I had a lot of fun seeing how their friend group adapted so well to change. I can't wait to see them again in the rest of the series.

The plot was also good enough that it didn't become a reason to dislike the book. It was definitely predictable at points and it took a while for the book to really have a 'purpose,' but the characters were strong enough that the book didn't feel slow or that it dragged on. Additionally, I still was invested enough in the plot to still pay attention to the plot heavy chapters, and I can't wait to see where the series goes next. A lot of twists were revealed in this book, and I can already see a few set up for later books. I also really enjoyed the 'final credits' esque scene, and I loved that Klune tried to take that feature of superhero films into novels.

Overall, I loved this, and I can't wait to continue the series!