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libscote 's review for:

Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee
3.0

It's so nice to see an out bisexual character in a book. I just love it.

In this story, Jessica Tran is the middle child of two superheroes. Her older sister Claudia has powers and her younger brother Brian is super smart. Jessica is just...average. She has two best friends and is having a mostly normal life in Nevada after an incident created the powered people. To beef up her resume, she applies for an internship at a local tech company. Turns out? The internship is for her parents' arch-rivals. An added bonus(?) is that her crush, Abby, also works there. Can Jess keep the secret of her parents separate from her job? And who is the mysterious M that is her boss?

I also love that this story complicates the hero/villain narrative. In it, there is a society that determines whether or not you are a villain. Basically, if you argue with those in power, you become a villain. Those in power start capturing all the villains and holding them without trial. This is the first in a trilogy, so expect more of this plotline to follow. Another great thing about this book is the diversity. Identities are casually brought up and thought of as normal. It even briefly addresses the way LGBTQ support groups can lean too heavily on the L and G, and be cliquey themselves. A really interesting take on the superhero genre.