The Happy Librarian
Super Heroes:
A genre of speculative fiction examining the adventures, personalities, and ethics of costumed crime fighters known as superheroes, who often possess superhuman powers and battle similarly powered criminals known as supervillains
The Apex Cycle Series
by M. T. Zimny
Summary: Samantha Havardson is not an Apex. Seriously. She’s completely ordinary with a totally normal family that just happens to be moving to the Apex epicenter of the world- the manmade island city of New Delos. Although she thinks her lack of super Apex abilities will keep her out of the limelight, it quickly becomes apparent that the city has different plans, sweeping Samantha up in a world of secret identities and superpowers where anyone, even those closest to her, might be an Apex.
Plagued by missing students, secret Apex teams, and a mysterious man named Adrestus, Samantha searches for answers, unraveling secrets about her classmates, her family, and herself that drag her deeper into the secret world of the Apex.
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Beta is the first in a 3 part series.
Review:
Beta is a great introduction to this three-part series. The storyline and plot don't feel overcrowded with exposition, and the cast of characters provides plenty of relatable stories for readers to connect with.
Samantha is a stand-out lead who is both strong of will and curiosity. Naomi is a fierce friend any reader would love and Wesley may seem like a write-off, nerdy friend, but don't underestimate his importance to the story.
Zimny uses elements of mythology and Viking lore to tell the story of a family divided by superpowers, a teen determined to prove herself, and a long-lost legend coming back to life.
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Key Elements:
Family dynamics, Friendships, Superpowers, Supervillians and Heroes, Mythology, Viking Lore
Genres:
Fantasy, Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Dystopia, Superheroes, Adventure
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The Renegades Trilogy
by Marissa Meyer
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Summary: The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies — humans with extraordinary abilities — who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone... except the villains they once overthrew.
Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice — and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both
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Renegades is the first in a 3 part series.
Review:
Renegades takes the typical bad guy versus good guy story and changes the perspective. As a reader, you feel pulled to each side, you want to support the Anarchachists, despite their reputation, and you also question the Renegade's power and their moral compass. Nova is equal parts relatable and frustrating and she tries to navigate a world she's sworn to hate and finds herself torn between what she's always been told, and what she's actually seeing as a Renegade. Adrian has a dark past that haunts him, making him question his authority, his family, and even his own history. Hell-bent on proving himself, Adrian seems to be the vigilant we expect from a superhero story, only to show us his true hand in the end.
Meyer creates a whole new world for readers full of the political struggles present in every community, only amplified by the presence of superpowers and super stakes. Readers will enjoy learning about Nova, Adrian, and the power-hungry good guys versus the beaten down and questionably motivated bad guys all fighting for their voice in society.
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Key Elements:
Family dynamics, Friendships, Superpowers, Supervillians and Heroes, Politics, Good Vs. Evil, Found Family
Genres:
Fantasy, Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Dystopia, Superheroes, Adventure
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Summary: Faith Herbert is a pretty regular teen. When she's not hanging out with her two best friends, Matt and Ches, she's volunteering at the local animal shelter or obsessing over the long-running teen drama The Grove.
So far, her senior year has been spent trying to sort out her feelings for her maybe-crush Johnny and making plans to stay close to Grandma Lou after graduation. Of course, there's also that small matter of recently discovering she can fly….
When the fictional world of The Grove crashes into Faith's reality as the show relocates to her town, she can't believe it when TV heroine Dakota Ash takes a romantic interest in her.
But her fandom-fueled daydreams aren't enough to distract Faith from the fact that first animals, then people, have begun to vanish from the town. Only Faith seems able to connect the dots to a new designer drug infiltrating her high school.
But when her investigation puts the people she loves in danger, she will have to confront her hidden past and use her newfound gifts—risking everything to save her friends and beloved town.
Faith
by Julie Murphy
Review:
Such a fun and inspiring story. I'm a huge animal lover, so I connected to the main protagonist right away with her time at the animal shelter. Murphy shares an incredible heroine with the world, and one we don't see represented enough. Faith isn't just bold and brave and beautiful, she's funny and captivating and unwilling to settle for anything less than everything she deserves. The way Murphy represents grief and loss is nothing short of accurate, heartbreaking, and gut-wrenching, but very accurate and genuine. Faith's story teaches readers that even when we feel at our worst, we still have the ability to fly!
This is the first book in a series.
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Key Elements:
Family dynamics, Friendships, Superpowers, Superheroes, Found Family, Family Dynamics, Greif,
Genres:
Fantasy, Young Adult, LGBTQ, Superheroes, Adventure