“”Superhero team-up,” Nick breathed. “It’s like this is a sequel! Oh my god. Yes. Yes.”” I’ve been waiting (not very patiently, mind you) for this sequel for so long! The Extraordinaries was the queer superhero book I didn’t realise I needed until I began reading it. If you haven’t read it yet, please rectify that immediately. Nick, our main character, has ADHD, panic attacks and an extraordinarily high adorability/cluelessness quotient. I fell in love with him as soon as I met him. His best friend and now boyfriend, Seth, is just as adorable but not clueless, although he does have a lot of abs. Their friends, Jazz and Gibby, round out the bunch and I can’t think of a group of friends I want to claim as my own any more than these four. I could read an entire book where Team Pyro Storm just sit around chatting. With the timing of the first book’s publication and the subsequent feedback the author received at the time, I’d been expecting police brutality and corruption to be explored in more depth in this sequel. At times it felt like it was left to Gibby and her parents to explain things to the white characters. However, Nick showed maturity in the way that he reassessed what he had grown up believing about the police, still loving his father but trying to come to terms with his actions and those of other members of the police force. Nick’s father must also reevaluate his past behaviour and figure out what being accountable looks like. “You’ve seemed to have done an about-face with the whole cop thing.” Police brutality and corruption were addressed throughout the book and I’m glad that they were, although it definitely changed the tone of the book. The smile that you couldn’t wipe off my face during the first book and the first few chapters of the sequel (so many embarrassing sexual conversations), where everything felt light and playful, turned into a heaviness that weighed on me for most of the rest of the book. Thank goodness for Nick, who remains adorable. I love the way his brain works. I love that he’s open to new ideas. I love how fiercely protective he is of the people he loves. I even love the “conversational whiplash”; I may love that about him most of all. The banter between Nick, Seth, Jazz and Gibby is everything and each time they are together I melt a little bit. My romantiphobia fades away whenever Nick and Seth or Jazz and Gibby get all lovey-dovey. The friendship dynamics of Team Pyro Storm is pretty much everything you need in your life. ““We stand together,” Nick reminded him, “so we don’t have to struggle apart. You’re not alone in this, okay?”” Because this is a sequel, we have to discuss the need for superhero costume upgrades, but needles are very pointy and it’s all a lot of effort. We’re reminded that if you don’t shout the name of the move you’re doing, then you’re not fighting right. “Backflip of Chaos!” We’re introduced to new Extraordinaries! We’re not entirely sure if they’re on our side or not. “”What the hell,” Nick muttered. “What’s trying to kill us now? You think it’s some new Extraordinary villain bent on—”” I particularly loved Miss Conduct but need to spend much more time with them. I need their entire backstory ASAP. There are secrets (so many secrets) and with secrets come their unravelling. The reveal at the end of the first book is explored in a way that I loved. Even though it took Nick a lot longer than I’d hope to figure it all out, I really appreciated that it wasn’t a success only journey for him. There’s also a reveal at the end of this book but I’m not entirely sure I’m on board with this development, even though I’m definitely intrigued; I’ll wait until I read the third book to decide. Bring on some more Extraordinaries! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Teen for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 4.5 stars.

ARGHHHHH! This book was AMAZING! I read The Extraordinaries by TJ Klune (book one in this series) in a book club last year and it was fantastic. Ever since finishing it and processing that cliffhanger of an ending, I've been desperate to get back to Nick and his friends and to find out what would happen next. If you haven't read book one yet, please note that there are spoilers for book one below. Flash Fire completely pulled me out of my recent reading slump, plunging me back into Nova City and the world of The Extraordinaries. I hadn't realised how much I'd missed these characters, but instantly fell back under TJ Klune's spell from page one as we're reunited with loveable, relatable Nick who's still coming to terms with the fact that his boyfriend is a famous superhero who can create fire, while also dealing with new revelations about his dad. TJ addresses a lot of big issues in this book, centring mainly around Nick's dad, a police officer demoted for violence, and how police brutality is affecting his perception of his dad and how he can reconcile that with the man who raised him and who he loves. It's a continuing theme and a deeply explored message throughout the entire book as Nick deals with how other people react to his dad, and what his dad has done. As always, I love the inherent queerness of this book, and all of TJ's books. Acceptance just shines throughout and makes the story more powerful. I love the action in this book, which feels a bit more intense than in book one, as the danger and tension build around Nick and his friends. While Nick deals with things in his unique, often hilarious, way we have a fantastic, realistic portrayal of what it might be like to date someone with superpowers. We're also introduced to new characters in the book, and for those familiar with Klune's adult series', you might find a certain new character familiar. Honestly, though, as great as the plot and pacing and world-building of this story is, it'd be nothing without Nicky. He's such a refreshing, honest, sex-positive character who you can really root for and is so real he practically jumps from the pages. Prepare yourself for some epic reveals in this book, some things I saw coming, some I didn't, homages and Easter eggs to Klune's other works, edge of your seat, heart in your throat, tears in your eyes moments, and another GD cliffhanger that has me itching to read the next instalment!! A very close to perfect read for me, so I'm going to leave you with my favourite quote: "It wasn't perfect, but then, Nick thought beautiful things didn't always have to be."

4.5* TJ, no. Ok, I guess that's not an acceptable review, although I'd really like to leave it at that! The cliffhanger at the end of The Extraordinaries had me impatient for this book, and let me tell you, T.J. Klune did not disappoint. Not in the least. Flash Fire was all that and a bag of Skwinkles Salsagheti. (I still need to track some down to try.) And talk about cliffhanger- if I thought it was tough waiting for today to get here, how the h e double hockey sticks am I supposed to survive until 2022??? You evil genius TJ! Oh how I adore Nick Bell. Like completely and utterly adore and would do anything to protect him from this cold, cruel, ugly world. But as adorably clueless as he still is, Nick really comes into his own in Flash Fire and I don't think he'd actually need my protection. No, scratch that, he still needs protecting, if only from himself. There is a lot packed into FF- action, suspense, silliness, love and friendship, surprises, so many surprises. This book gave me so much more than I ever anticipated, and I loved it so very much. It's laugh out loud hilarious at times- see chapters 1 & 2 for reference. It's so endearing, thanks to the sweetest romance between Nick and Seth, I can hardly contain my heart. The friendships between Nick, Seth, Jazz, and Gibby are still the best, I love how they always have each others backs, no matter what. Like The Extraordinaries, it's full of feels, especially when it comes to Nick and his dad. They have such a wonderful relationship, even when things between them get tough, and they definitely do in this book. I know there were quite a few people upset with how certain things were handled in book one, when it came to Aaron Bell and the way the police force was portrayed. I think most people will be satisfied with the way TJ addressed that in this book, although I'm sure there'll still be those who won't think it's enough. I appreciate that he took the feedback to heart and made some changes-still giving us that heartwarming father/son relationship which is so pivotal to these books, while at the same time having Nick realize that his father isn't infallible. With this series TJ Klune has created a world I know I'll never want to leave, I will always want more. Hopefully 2021 will continue to fly by because I cannot wait to see what it's in store for Nick, Seth, Gibby, and Jazz. If that cliffhanger is any indication, it's sure to be explosive!

“”Superhero team-up,” Nick breathed. “It’s like this is a sequel! Oh my god. Yes. Yes.”” I’ve been waiting (not very patiently, mind you) for this sequel for so long! The Extraordinaries was the queer superhero book I didn’t realise I needed until I began reading it. If you haven’t read it yet, please rectify that immediately. Nick, our main character, has ADHD, panic attacks and an extraordinarily high adorability/cluelessness quotient. I fell in love with him as soon as I met him. His best friend and now boyfriend, Seth, is just as adorable but not clueless, although he does have a lot of abs. Their friends, Jazz and Gibby, round out the bunch and I can’t think of a group of friends I want to claim as my own any more than these four. I could read an entire book where Team Pyro Storm just sit around chatting. With the timing of the first book’s publication and the subsequent feedback the author received at the time, I’d been expecting police brutality and corruption to be explored in more depth in this sequel. At times it felt like it was left to Gibby and her parents to explain things to the white characters. However, Nick showed maturity in the way that he reassessed what he had grown up believing about the police, still loving his father but trying to come to terms with his actions and those of other members of the police force. Nick’s father must also reevaluate his past behaviour and figure out what being accountable looks like. “You’ve seemed to have done an about-face with the whole cop thing.” Police brutality and corruption were addressed throughout the book and I’m glad that they were, although it definitely changed the tone of the book. The smile that you couldn’t wipe off my face during the first book and the first few chapters of the sequel (so many embarrassing sexual conversations), where everything felt light and playful, turned into a heaviness that weighed on me for most of the rest of the book. Thank goodness for Nick, who remains adorable. I love the way his brain works. I love that he’s open to new ideas. I love how fiercely protective he is of the people he loves. I even love the “conversational whiplash”; I may love that about him most of all. The banter between Nick, Seth, Jazz and Gibby is everything and each time they are together I melt a little bit. My romantiphobia fades away whenever Nick and Seth or Jazz and Gibby get all lovey-dovey. The friendship dynamics of Team Pyro Storm is pretty much everything you need in your life. ““We stand together,” Nick reminded him, “so we don’t have to struggle apart. You’re not alone in this, okay?”” Because this is a sequel, we have to discuss the need for superhero costume upgrades, but needles are very pointy and it’s all a lot of effort. We’re reminded that if you don’t shout the name of the move you’re doing, then you’re not fighting right. “Backflip of Chaos!” We’re introduced to new Extraordinaries! We’re not entirely sure if they’re on our side or not. “”What the hell,” Nick muttered. “What’s trying to kill us now? You think it’s some new Extraordinary villain bent on—”” I particularly loved Miss Conduct but need to spend much more time with them. I need their entire backstory ASAP. There are secrets (so many secrets) and with secrets come their unravelling. The reveal at the end of the first book is explored in a way that I loved. Even though it took Nick a lot longer than I’d hope to figure it all out, I really appreciated that it wasn’t a success only journey for him. There’s also a reveal at the end of this book but I’m not entirely sure I’m on board with this development, even though I’m definitely intrigued; I’ll wait until I read the third book to decide. Bring on some more Extraordinaries! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Teen for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 4.5 stars.

'Flash Fire' by TJ Klune is book two in The Extraordinaries, a series about everyday teens with not-so-everyday abilities. Though I missed out on the debut book, I definitely intend to go back and catch up.. because this one was delightful. I laughed so much in the opening pages and didn't want to put it down, even briefly and had to keep explaining to the people around me why I was laughing at all. Nick Bell is the central figure, a charming boy with ADHD, enough enthusiasm for multiple people, and a hot superhero boyfriend. When he isn't busy helping out via his place on 'Team PyroStorm' or even better.. making out with the Extraordinary himself, he spends his time writing fanfics about his favorite hero and trying to deal with the fact he doesn't have any special powers of his own. As new Extraordinaries come to light, like a pair of twins who can manipulate smoke and ice, a telekinetic enigma, and a drag queen with the best name and possibly the best catchphrases ever heard, Team PyroStorm has to figure out who's a threat to Nova City and who they can count on to help. Old secrets start to bubble up in the midst of everything else, making Nick question who he can trust and what he really knows about those he's come to idealize. There are spots of dialogue throughout the book that are brilliantly funny and remind me of people I know. Most of the brightest dialogue is front-loaded and while I feel the topics handled later are very important, the way they are addressed often feels a little less natural in the moment. I can't say the reveals weren't predictable to me, but they might not be for others. Likewise, instead of feeling disappointed that I already knew where things were going, I was pleased.. even excited.. to see them come to fruition. Nick and Seth are so lovely together, I just adore them. And Gibby and Jazz are a very close second to that. I really enjoyed how genuine and warm these relationships were in a genre where stories seem to thrive largely on conflict between couples. It's a very 'us against the world' theme at times and it made my investment in the outcome much stronger. These are people who love completely and are there for one another first and foremost. It's also nice to see some pretty healthy parent-kid relationships, where they can interact with each other respectfully and it's not all one-sided demands for obedience. Though that's obviously not every scenario, it is present here.. and something I can relate to personally. The story itself is really fun, lots of action scenes and excitement, plus we seem to be set-up for another book while avoiding the dreaded cliffhanger. I can happily recommend this to fans of stories about superheroes, coming of age stories, and teen camaraderie at its best. (I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)