Super Adjacent by Crystal Cestari

Dec 08, 2019 Cece (ProblemsOfaBookNerd) marked it as to-read

Shelves: anticipated-of-2020, my-books, owned-to-read, lgbtqia

Don't mind me, just making room in my heart for another adorable f/f superhero book because those are my everything. ...more

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Apr 06, 2020 hali rated it it was ok

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. let me just start this review off by saying i’m BEGRUDGINGLY giving it 2 stars instead of the 1 star it deserves, because i admittedly enjoyed bridgette and matt’s tragic romance.

however, let’s get into why i’m giving this book 2 stars. just a mere five pages in, i realized that this book was not marketed towards anyone above the age of 16, but that’s fine. her royal highness by rachel hawkins is clearly directed towards a younger audience, and i still adored that book. although, i find myself w let me just start this review off by saying i’m BEGRUDGINGLY giving it 2 stars instead of the 1 star it deserves, because i admittedly enjoyed bridgette and matt’s tragic romance.

however, let’s get into why i’m giving this book 2 stars. just a mere five pages in, i realized that this book was not marketed towards anyone above the age of 16, but that’s fine. her royal highness by rachel hawkins is clearly directed towards a younger audience, and i still adored that book. although, i find myself wondering why the author thinks that blatant misogyny from the main character is suitable content for a young, presumably lgbt audience. with lines like “...i immediately decide this girl embodies all the flawless, annoying popular people at school who float through life without ever having to face the problems us mortals do every day,” and, “she’s one of those disgusting miss perfect types who gets away with murder just because she’s blonde and pretty,” the main character is nearly unbearable to read, and an extremely hatable protagonist. and these comments are never addressed as being harmful at all! what kind of message are we sending to children by normalizing sexism and misogyny in our literature?

i had decided to read this book since it’s marketed as a fantasy book that has a female/female couple. what else could a gal want? to answer that question, literally anything else but this book. please do not waste your time. the f/f romance is shared with a m/f romance, which i wouldn’t mind at all, however it was obvious that more time, effort, and any semblance of complex thought was put towards the m/f couple’s tragic breakup, and consequent heartache. the f/f couple was reduced to nothing but crying, blushing and making out in supply closets. there was absolutely no depth to their relationship, and reading their scenes together honestly just made cringe. they don’t even really end up together in the conclusion, so it was just a disappointment ‘til the bitter end.

if you’re looking specifically for a young adult book about superheroes, i recommend the renegades trilogy by marissa meyer, and if you’re looking specifically for a fantasy female/female couple, i recommend crier’s war by nina varela. just save yourself the time and energy and find another book that isn’t this absolute trainwreck. ...more

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Sep 15, 2020 ari rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020, young-adult, cover-love, four-stars, sci-fi, contemporary, wlw, lgbtq, must-add-to-hoard, funky-fresh

Ahem. I would like to make the very important and official announcement that it has finally happened. We finally have a woman superhero fall in love with another woman, and one of them’s a main character. IT’S FINALLY HAPPENED. TAKE TO THE STREETS, MY GAY CHILDREN, BECAUSE WE HAVE RIGHTS.

Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic. But come on! It’s every little sapphic girl’s dream to kiss superwoman. To see a girl kiss superwoman. And, for the first time I’m aware of at the very least, the lady super Ahem. I would like to make the very important and official announcement that it has finally happened. We finally have a woman superhero fall in love with another woman, and one of them’s a main character. IT’S FINALLY HAPPENED. TAKE TO THE STREETS, MY GAY CHILDREN, BECAUSE WE HAVE RIGHTS.

Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic. But come on! It’s every little sapphic girl’s dream to kiss superwoman. To see a girl kiss superwoman. And, for the first time I’m aware of at the very least, the lady superhero falls in love with another girl and, I repeat, one of them’s the main character!!! Be still, my gay heart.

On that note, the rep in this book is fantastic. You know why? Because no one talks about it. No one says “haha, isn’t it weird that our newest superhero likes girls?” No one says “why’s this girl wrapped up in all the drama with the superheroes’ significant others?” No one even bats an eyelash. Hell, when Bridgette and Claire meet for the first time, Bridgette automatically assumes she’s Joy’s girlfriend- even though she isn’t yet and Bridgette has no reason other than, uh, them both being kidnapped to think that. Which, granted, is a kind of big reason, but she totally could have come up with some other heteronormative-fueled bullshit. It’s just two girls loving each other, it’s fucking adorable, and no one says otherwise. *sigh* we’ve really made it with this one, guys.

Unfortunately, Super Adjacent missed the mark in almost every other way. The plot is way too slow up until about 60% through, and it’s kind of cartoonish and predictable. However, that cheesy element, the drama, the action of superhero novels is what I always look for- it would be out of place without it. So, to me, that was a nonissue. And I didn’t mind the first 60% either, because I quite enjoyed Cestari’s writing and characters. The world was very interesting, the characters well-written. But let’s be honest: it’s sapphic superheroes. I would have enjoyed it even if all of that was shit.

The main issue I had- the one that made me consider a 3 star rating instead- is the utter lack of poc rep. There’s one poc that I’m sure of here, Matt. And his descriptions annoyed me to no end. Can we, uh, stop comparing poc’s appearances to food?? When will it end! However, I understand that this is definitely not the point of the book and it can be hard for white authors to write accurate poc characters in the first place. Thus: four stars.

Perhaps this isn’t the greatest of novels. But ultimately, it’s entertaining, cute, and delivers with plot, character development, and sapphic representation. Which apparently I can’t mention enough in this review.

Recommended to any wlws out there! This one’s for us. As a treat 😉

Now repeat after me: no one has “caramel skin” or “mocha hair”! No one has “caramel skin” or “mocha hair!” ...more

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Oct 25, 2019 mahana rated it really liked it

Shelves: sapphic, arcs, poc

— review on my blog ✧

"I'm pretty sure I was too busy realising a lifelong dream to be distracted by a girl, no matter how cute."

I like to start ARC reviews by informing you whether you’d like the book or not so you can consider if it’s suitable for you, and you’re not misled by false advertising. Therefore, I’m going to be thorough for this book since quite a few people added it because of me (and I literally hate when people do that then come to me saying they didn’t like it because they ex ...more

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Mar 14, 2020 Anandi Puritipati rated it liked it

Lowkey want to give it a 2.5, but I liked it a bit too, I guess??? Idk????
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EDIT (16/03/2020):

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from The Fantastic Flying Book Club for a blog tour. All the following opinions are my own.

Rating- 2.5-3 stars

I really loved the premise of this book- I mean, come on! A story about superheroes where we follow the sidekicks instead? And then we watch them save the day!!? IT WAS SO COOL to even think about! But, I think, this Lowkey want to give it a 2.5, but I liked it a bit too, I guess??? Idk????
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EDIT (16/03/2020):

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from The Fantastic Flying Book Club for a blog tour. All the following opinions are my own.

Rating- 2.5-3 stars

I really loved the premise of this book- I mean, come on! A story about superheroes where we follow the sidekicks instead? And then we watch them save the day!!? IT WAS SO COOL to even think about! But, I think, this led to me having really high expectations and I was let down by what the book ended up delivering.

We mainly follow two characters in this story- Claire, who is a young girl super obsessed with Warrior Nation which is basically like S.H.I.E.L.D. in this world, and Bridgette, who is a superhero's girlfriend and is sorta fed up with everything related to Warrior Nation. They were both fun characters in that cute-contemporaries-with-no-stakes kind of way, but also, they seemed to have really similar voices and that bugged me a bit. They are basically the two narrators of this story so the similarity in the voice of them both just confused the hell out of me! It didn't feel like having both perspectives was necessary throughout the story, too. It was all just a bit off, tbh.

Another thing that bugged me was the pacing of the novel. Through the first 64% of the book, NOTHING HAPPENS! The plot only starts taking off in the last quarter, and i don't even feel like anything important happened in the first three-quarters of the book. This would really be totally justifiable if the character work was intricate, but it was pretty average for the most part, if not worse. People changed too easily, things either got conflicted or resolved too quickly. The villain, despite attempts at making him seem otherwise, did feel really cartoon-y to me. Also, you could totally predict the twist from the first moment the possibility of it was introduced (remember Megamind?), and it was extremely cheesy, too, lol. It was all a bit too television soap opera-y for my taste.

And then there was the overwriting. There were just so many unnecessary similes, metaphors that weren't needed, descriptions that didn't need to be there! It really took me out of the story a lot, slowed me down and hindered my reading experience. Some of the descriptions were repeated way too often; Matt, for instance, was always described as having "mocha hair", "chocolate eyes" and "caramel skin". And it got tiring really quickly. Like, these descriptions showed up, like, three times in the SAME chapter. I wasn't mad at anything per se, in the book, mostly because everything was kind of funny, except this. xD THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO DESCRIBE BROWN, PEOPLE! JEEZ!

Anyway, all that aside, I still kinda enjoyed reading the book? A few parts were funny, the book was definitely really light and easy to read, and didn't seem to take itself too seriously, which was great. There was a cute queer relationship thrown in there which was actually cute, if a bit rushed at the beginning. It was overall not the worst. And I think it can be a really fun escape-read if you're willing to just shut your brain off for a while and not worry about anything and sorta coast through the book. What I'm saying is, I think this can be a great book for someone out there, for sure, but it just wasn't the best for me, is all! ...more

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May 12, 2020 Meaghan rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020

This was a surprisingly good superhero AND queer book. I have to admit the execution is far from flawless, but it handles the morals of capitalisitic superhero administrations so well? The themes of individual safety vs. group safety, of who should be the heroes and who decides that, and superheroes as not just caped crusaders, but brands to profit off of, are all at play here, and they were executed flawlessly.

If someone presented this story to me as an outline, I'd say there's literally no way This was a surprisingly good superhero AND queer book. I have to admit the execution is far from flawless, but it handles the morals of capitalisitic superhero administrations so well? The themes of individual safety vs. group safety, of who should be the heroes and who decides that, and superheroes as not just caped crusaders, but brands to profit off of, are all at play here, and they were executed flawlessly.

If someone presented this story to me as an outline, I'd say there's literally no way this story can disappoint me. And honestly? It totally didn't. This perfectly scratched my superhero itch (though it still lingers), while also touching on a ton of related societal issues without coming off as high-handed or cliche. A large part of this comes from how well the book ended, keeping in mind how the effects of the story would actually impact the characters involved, and showing the variety of ways one can engage with the world of superheroes without being one (this be a large focus due to the title, super 'adjacent'). It also did a great job of showing the flawed and human side of heroes, the lens of the heroes' adjacent loved ones showcasing that well. We got to see the individual side of heroes, both on the saved and the forgotten.

A lot of hero novels show the picture we all want to see, of cheering crowds and heroes saving masses of people at once. This book narrows that focus. We see what happens to those that are saved, how that impacts their life. We get to see the girlfriend of a hero, how the constant hate brings her down and how her boyfriend's dream to save everyone leaves her in the sidelines, forgotten. We see what happens when a hero is no longer wanted, no longer 'profitable'. We get to see heroes become so with a variety of motivations, that not everyone sets out wanting to save the entire world. It gives a much more nuanced view of the superhero world as a whole, from the heroes that save the world and the individuals who save the heroes.

Now I say above the execution wasn't always great. It wasn't. The writing wasn't impeccable, and it felt more like something I had to get through to understand the story. I also found Claire annoying at first til she gained more and more depth, but that's mainly due to how her character is constructed. It's extremely realistic because she just actually is kind of annoying in her obsession. Additionally, I can't fault the writing too much because at the same time, the two POVs were extremely distinct. You could tell who you were reading at all times, even if you went and removed all the names.

All in all, I did really enjoy this even though I can't say the book is the best book ever. The superhero aspect of the novel is just done SO well, and to be honest, that's the most important part. ...more

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Feb 03, 2020 Renata rated it liked it

Shelves: arc, fiction, lgbtq, sci-fi, ya

This was a cute, light read. I was intrigued by the "real world" corporatized superheros--the concept sort of takes a backseat to the romances, which is OK. It's nice to see a cute fluffy f/f story, even if the characters also weren't super developed? Sometimes it is enough to read about one superhumanly strong girl kissing one girl of regular strength. ...more

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May 02, 2020 Lindsay rated it really liked it

Shelves: lgbt, romance, superhero

In a world of superheroes, Claire is obsessed with Warrior Nation, the main superhero organization that also has a chapter in her hometown of Chicago. She's trying to land a coveted internship to help support her favorite superheroes when she comes across Chicago's newest superhero, the super-strong Joy. There's plenty of chemistry between them and a tentative relationship starts between them.

In a world of superheroes, Bridgette, the long-term girlfriend of a Chicago superhero, is pretty much si ...more

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Jun 28, 2020 iz rated it liked it

Shelves: 3-stars, lgbt, girls-like-girls

right up until the ending, this was going to be a 4 star rating for me. the writing style is a little juvenile, but it makes up for it completely with great characters and a compelling universe. i loved how warrior nation was similar to well known superhero worlds such as the marvel universe, but put its own spin on it too, setting up superheroes as a national thing and touching on how they dealt with fame and social media. the descriptions of the secret passages and underground setting made me right up until the ending, this was going to be a 4 star rating for me. the writing style is a little juvenile, but it makes up for it completely with great characters and a compelling universe. i loved how warrior nation was similar to well known superhero worlds such as the marvel universe, but put its own spin on it too, setting up superheroes as a national thing and touching on how they dealt with fame and social media. the descriptions of the secret passages and underground setting made me feel like i was watching an action movie.

i loved the characters too, especially claire, bridgette, and joy. the contrast of claire being a super loving but kind of mindlessly devoted fan and bridgette being pretty disillusioned with warrior nation was very interesting and funny. joy was super interesting and i almost wish there had been a pov from her too? it seemed like she had a really complex backstory and i would have loved to be in her head.

the only character i really disliked reading about was demi, claire's best friend and rival. she seemed like a complete jerk who didn't care about claire's feelings or their friendship at all, and i was happy that she wasn't in the book very much.

overall, though, i had been loving this book almost the whole time, right up until the end, which honestly killed a lot of my enjoyment.

(view spoiler)

overall, i wouldn't recommend this book. it was all set up to be a new favorite with lovable characters and compelling worldbuilding, but the ending ruined that all for me. ...more

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Jun 24, 2020 Julia Benassi rated it it was ok

Shelves: q-stand-alone, r-lgbt, c-bookstagram-challenge, 2020, f-e-book, l-english

There’s something about creating before the world is awake. To sketch, to explore, to turn paper into new and interesting shapes. In the quiet stillness of sunrise, I only have to answer to myself.
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Estaba SUPER entusiasmada con leer este libro e incluso entré con expectativas relativamente bajas porque había leído reseñas que comentaban que Super Adjacent era todo menos una oda a los superhéroes. Y arrancó re bien, me gustaban mucho Claire y Bridgette, me copaba el mundo (aunque no fuera la ...more

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Feb 13, 2020 K. rated it it was amazing

I read an ARC of this book.

My review: I loved it! The writing was fresh, and I loved the superhero world-building - it was clever, fun, and made sense! The characters were fantastic as well. Claire was a perfect fangirl with perfect fangirl reactions and thoughts, and I really enjoyed Bridgette's perspective as the girlfriend of a superhero. Both POVs were distinct and interesting, and their friendship - as well as their personal journeys of discovery - were extremely satisfying. The plot was fu ...more

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Jan 20, 2021 Holly (sweetteaandgoodreads) rated it it was amazing

I did NOT see that twist coming. I really thought I knew who the bad guy was. This book was AMAZING! I definitely recommend it!

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Mar 08, 2020 Mireille Chartier rated it it was amazing

I first was intrigued by the cover when I saw this book. I'm a fan of superhero stories. I love reading comics and watching the big blockbuster movies that are inspired by them. Seeing that this book was all about superheroes just not the ones with the superpowers was what caught my eye. When we think about superheroes we usually think about the heroic part of their lives not what happens when they get home to their partner. Super Adjacent is all about the other half of the dynamic duos and what I first was intrigued by the cover when I saw this book. I'm a fan of superhero stories. I love reading comics and watching the big blockbuster movies that are inspired by them. Seeing that this book was all about superheroes just not the ones with the superpowers was what caught my eye. When we think about superheroes we usually think about the heroic part of their lives not what happens when they get home to their partner. Super Adjacent is all about the other half of the dynamic duos and what they deal with on a day today. Can you imagine in the age of Twitter and Instagram what type of comments Lois Lane or Mary Jane Watson would get? I really loved that Crystal Cestari focused on the characters of Claire and Bridgette instead of their superhero partners. The book is told from the girls' perspectives. It showed us an aspect that not a lot of comic book stories looked at yet. I could see this being done in comics too. They are at two very different places in their lives. Claire at the start of an internship at Warrior Nation and a relationship with the new warrior Girl Power. She is still in her honeymoon stage with it all but she'll learn soon that everything is not just the hero saves the day. As for Brigette, she has been in a long-lasting relationship with Warrior Nation's hero of the hour Vaporizer. She knows too well how it all goes, she'll always come in second. I thought they were both were very strong characters and so interesting to follow along on their journey. There's usually a voice I prefer in books with multiple points of views but I have to say in this one I enjoyed both equally. I was really invested in both their stories. Super Adjacent was such a fun book. It had geeky references which you know I always love and had a ton of banter too. I really loved Crystal's writing style and now want to go back and read more of her books. The pacing of the story was just right very similar to a comic book in terms of action. I don't think I would change anything at all. This book was such a surprise and I am so happy I got a chance to read it. If you like books like Geekerella and The Princess and the Fangirl, I think you would love this one as well.
 Thank you to Disney-Hyperion, Netgalley and Fantastic Flying Book Club for providing an eArc in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Jul 07, 2020 Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* rated it really liked it

Shelves: advisable, high-school

Super Adjacent by Crystal Cestari, 368 pages. Disney, 2020. $19.

Language: PG-13 (42 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (superhero violence)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS -ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Claire has been trying almost her entire life to become a part of the Warrior Nation – the group that supports Chicago’s superheroes as they fight crime. On the same day she reaches her goal, she also meets and is very intrigued by the newest Superhero – Joy, who is about to become Girl Power. ...more

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Apr 01, 2020 Kali Cole rated it it was amazing

This book was so well-developed! I loved the main characters and the premise of this story. I kind of related this to Batwoman on the CW because of the whole superhero life/ normal life even though it’s not normal at all. I loved the representation, but I wish there was a lot more of Joy and Claire’s romance. This was such a fun and adventurous read!

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Apr 03, 2020 Jennifer rated it really liked it

This book was pretty fun and something different to read. It a good feel read while so much bad stuff happening around us.

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May 29, 2020 CapesandCovers rated it liked it

Shelves: 2020-releases, lgbtqiap, read-instead-of-sleeping, reviewed, superheroes, arc, bad-ass-ladies, best-parents, read-in-2020

I had just finished watching She-Ra & the Princess of Power (which is FAB and literally the best thing ever) and then DNFing my previously current read, when I decided to pick Super Adjacent up. It had been sitting on my shelf for a few months now, and I decided now was finally the time to read it. Not only did Joy remind me of Adora, helping me to cope with not having a 6th season of She-Ra, but the story itself was a unique take on superheroes.

Super Adjacent is told through alternating POV cha I had just finished watching She-Ra & the Princess of Power (which is FAB and literally the best thing ever) and then DNFing my previously current read, when I decided to pick Super Adjacent up. It had been sitting on my shelf for a few months now, and I decided now was finally the time to read it. Not only did Joy remind me of Adora, helping me to cope with not having a 6th season of She-Ra, but the story itself was a unique take on superheroes.

Super Adjacent is told through alternating POV chapters from Claire and Bridgette's perspectives. Claire is a superhero fangirl, who becomes an intern for Warrior Nation, the corporation responsible for running designated superhero teams across the United States. She ends up meeting Chicago's newest hero, Joy, and developing a crush. Then we have Bridgette, who's been dating her superhero celebrity boyfriend for years, but can't handle the lifestyle anymore and wants to break up. Claire and Bridgette eventually meet and the story goes on from there.

I really enjoyed the way Cestari used the dual POVs to give a broader picture of what it's like to be an average person whose lives intersect with superheroes' so often. If it weren't for the alternating points, Super Adjacent wouldn't have been nearly as impactful, and I feel like the reader would have gotten annoyed with each girl's mindset. Claire's enthusiasm and love for the heroes was contagious, she made each hero have their own spotlight in a way, and it was nice to read about someone who knew what they wanted from life. At first I wasn't sure how the fangirl aspect was going to work once she met the heroes, but it was actually pretty handy and worked well. Bridgette was jaded of her hero infused lifestyle, and I can't say I blame her. It was fun to see the world of superheroes through the eyes of someone experienced with living in constant danger because of it, and how she handled things. Her more realistic outlook kept things going in the right direction and I loved her relationship with Matt. I also really loved Claire's relationship with her mom. It was nice to see a close parent-child relationship, and I think this is one of the best one's I've seen in teen media since the 2011 Teen Wolf.

Super Adjacent is definitely written for a younger YA audience, so if that's not really your thing this book may not be for you. It's got some cheesy superhero moments (though honestly if you love sillier 80s superhero comics you'll probably enjoy it), the romance between Joy and Claire is closer to an instacrush and in general, it just uses some younger high school tropes. The book did surprise me with who the villain turned out to be, but I hadn't really spent time guessing, since the writing really pulled you along the story. I was sort of disappointed with the ending though, for two reasons. The first, was because it felt a little rushed, if we had just gotten another page or two to elaborate on Claire's ending I think it would have flowed better. The second, (view spoiler)

If you're looking for a superhero book for younger YA readers, or just YA readers who love superheroes, definitely check Super Adjacent out! I've seen a few people say it can't compare to the Renegades Trilogy, but considering it's aimed at a younger audience and has a much smaller word count, it's a pretty solid story. It's a tale of superheroes with a side of romance, friendship and a really cute cover. ...more

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Jul 24, 2020 Jaye Berry added it

Shelves: fantasy, 2020, contemporary

This book is literally just the Spongebob Squarepants episode with The International Justice League of Super Acquaintances.

Super Adjacent is about a girl named Claire who has always wanted to work for the superheroes of Warrior Nation, after one of them saved her life when she was younger. When she lands an internship with them, she jumps at the chance to prove that she belongs- super or not. A cute new superhero named Joy complicates things though. Bridgette is dating one of the superheroes nam This book is literally just the Spongebob Squarepants episode with The International Justice League of Super Acquaintances.

Super Adjacent is about a girl named Claire who has always wanted to work for the superheroes of Warrior Nation, after one of them saved her life when she was younger. When she lands an internship with them, she jumps at the chance to prove that she belongs- super or not. A cute new superhero named Joy complicates things though. Bridgette is dating one of the superheroes named Matt but wants out of Warnat and all the social media hate she gets. She's tired of not being put first and always being the one needing to be saved. When a new supervillain shows up on the scene, Bridgette and Claire end up being the ones who have to save the heroes.

I have no idea what it is with superheroes but any superheroes that aren't mainstream Marvel / DC heroes that I already know about (I mean those are cheesy as fuck too but they never bother me??) always feel so cheesy and they make me irrationally angry. All the superheroes in here with their names and powers just, ugh gag me. It was so cringy. I feel like any books that make up their own superheroes are such a joke because they are just copy well known heroes and give them a different name.

Are there only a certain number of powers and superhero names left because damn that girl who was only useful in water was literally named Aqua Maiden and the Superman / Captain America rip off guy was named Blue Streak? That's the best you can do? Then there was a dude who just... disappeared and that was his power? And then a girl who just had super strength. Where is the flavor??

There are apparently so many people with super powers in this world (that never explains why they have powers but who cares am I right) and they only pick four (4) heroes for each city and they went out of their way to pick the lamest and most useless people? Sure the book explains why they only pick four but it was so dumb pls.

Claire was AWFUL. She rants so much about how she hates pretty girls, making snap judgements about people just doesn't even know and for what? Her POV was so bad and the way it was written was obnoxious. Bridgette's was so much better and honestly all around a better character. There is a f/f romance with Claire and Joy but... their relationship was nothing. It never had development and never went anywhere besides swooning at each other and making out in supply closets. Meanwhile Bridgette and her failed relationship with Matt was much more fleshed out and actually interesting and I'm just mad the m/f got all the weight while the f/f was nothing.

The villain was a joke too but I didn't expect anything else. This book was cheesy, lowkey awful, and obviously written for a younger crowd but it was still somewhat entertaining. Would not recommend at all though, just go watch that Spongebob episode instead. ...more

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Jun 03, 2020 Rajasree Jayaram rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, romance, has-queer-characters

This book had a really interesting premise, where youth who manifested superpowers were recruited for their city's chapter of Warrior Nation, the worldwide superhero organization. Recently, superheroes are being portrayed in a negative light as the crime rate increases and the bad guy always seems to be one step ahead. This situation follows the retirement of Chicago's most well-known and respected superheroes. We follow two protagonists - Claire, who is a Warrior Nation fanatic and has gone to ...more

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Mar 10, 2020 Brie rated it really liked it

Shelves: review-books, 2020-reading-list

We all fight our own battles, even if we're not wearing capes.

This book was such a treat to read! It was thoroughly entertaining while also doing a fantastic job portraying many impactful messages. I found the story easy to get immediately sucked into. With fantasy elements (I mean there are super heroes), but being set in modern day Chicago I felt like I didn't need a ton of world building to visualize the setting.

"Weakness is strength that's yet to be tested."

Claire is 17 and trying to We all fight our own battles, even if we're not wearing capes.

This book was such a treat to read! It was thoroughly entertaining while also doing a fantastic job portraying many impactful messages. I found the story easy to get immediately sucked into. With fantasy elements (I mean there are super heroes), but being set in modern day Chicago I felt like I didn't need a ton of world building to visualize the setting.

"Weakness is strength that's yet to be tested."

Claire is 17 and trying to land an internship with Warrior Nation before her senior year in high school. When it finally happens, she's almost too starstruck to to function. Then there's Joy, the newest Warrior and Claire's accidental acquaintance. She's spent her entire life preparing for this moment. It's everything she's ever dreamed of. Until it isn't.... could he life dream go down in flames?

I wanted to change the world for the better, not see my existing world fall apart.

Bridgette is only known as the girlfriend of the city's most eligible super hero, Matt. She's constantly fighting to be her own woman only to have Matt's fame get in the way... again. She's finally had enough and calls it quits with Matt and Warrior Nation. But it seems that life has other plans for her. Bridgette and Claire find themselves as unlikely alliance (and friends), when all the Chicago chapter Warriors suddenly disappear.

I know all too well there is no calm unless you face the storm.

SUPER ADJACENT it told through two female POVs, which can often be confusing, but I didn't find myself getting lost in who's voice I was reading. There were enough references to keep it straight. I felt like Crystal Cestari touched on so many current issues and I found the way she addressed them to be very meaningful. Parts of this story felt a little rushed or maybe even a little juvenile if that makes sense? Almost verging on a Middle Grade novel. With both queer and straight romance, lots of action scenes (because superheroes... DUH), and a good moral, everyone can find something to like about this story. Overall I enjoyed this read and definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and quick read.

I once thought my days had to be larger than life for me to amount to something. But as it turns out, following your heart can be an equally epic adventure. ...more

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Feb 04, 2021 Janna rated it liked it

3/5🌟: technically, this would have been a 5 star read for me. i love supero hero stories (there are not enough!!), there was a sapphic pairing, an entertaining writing style and an intriguing plot. i really enjoyed nearly every second of reading this novel and i finished it in the span of a few hours.

however, i can't ignore the fact that there's a bit of an issue with the representation. while i (mostly) found every character likeable, claire says some pretty misogynistic stuff about her soon-to ...more

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Mar 18, 2020 Lauren R. rated it liked it

Shelves: own-kindle, arc-kindle, genre-contemporary, 2020-read, young-adult, genre-paranormal

3.5 stars. This is super reminiscent of her Windy City series, which I appreciated! Somewhat young-sounding MC and very Disney-level of sweetness and innocence. The concept of superheroes working for an organization in collaboration with law enforcement/the government was really neat. I liked both of the lead characters, Claire and Bridgette, but didn't feel super connected to anyone. The ending surprised me - I was caught up in a red herring for sure - and I appreciated that. I also think the w ...more

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Mar 31, 2020 Cassandra Alvarez rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, 2020

Okay so like it was original and super cute but it wasn’t like...life changing? Definitely an easy, cozy read to round out my March list. But also it’s queer (!!!)

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May 17, 2020 Owen Brennen rated it it was amazing

It was a great book! Once I started reading it, I couldn't stop. ...more

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Apr 27, 2020 cameron rated it it was ok

I’m not the biggest fan of superhero stories, but I do love fluffy sapphic romances, and that’s what I expected from this book. Sadly I missed the part of the synopsis that said this book also features a m/f couple. The issue with this is that the m/f took more than half the story and was treated with more care, while the sapphic pairing was nothing more than a blob of sugary cringe.

Claire has always wanted to work with superheroes, and now that she’s landed an internship with Warrior Nation, C ...more

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Dec 31, 2019 Brittney rated it liked it

3.25 / 5 stars

*Thank you Disney Book Group for providing me with this eARC through Netgalley.

Imagine dating a superhero. You finally get to meet and date a beloved hero. You are living everyone’s fantasy. You would also always be protected… right?

Bridgette knows what it’s like to date a superhero. It is isn’t all fun and games. Bridgette understands the reality of coming second to the danger in the world. Bridgette craves some normality in her relationship.

Claire is a superhero fangirl. Claire ...more

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Jun 23, 2020 Ana rated it really liked it

This book you guys, this book!! The whole idea of the story is so different and unique for what we are used to for superhero stories.

We always get the story of the superhero, the one who always saves the day and gets the love interest in the end. But Super Adjacent is all about the people behind the superheroes and I freaking love it!

I loved that we had two different points of view, we have Claire and Bridgette. It's not only two different girls, but it's also two different stages of relationshi ...more

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Jan 30, 2021 Rowan rated it really liked it

This was such a fun read!

I bought this book because I know Jamie Alloy, who designed the incredible dust jacket. (Hi, Jamie!) But I've also always loved superheroes, and when I read the synopsis and saw that this was a story with an F/F relationship, I was even more excited to read it.

This was super charming, super cute, and just really fun. Crystal Cestari perfectly encapsulates what the modern world would be like if we had superheroes - basically, millennial heroes who work under an organizat This was such a fun read!

I bought this book because I know Jamie Alloy, who designed the incredible dust jacket. (Hi, Jamie!) But I've also always loved superheroes, and when I read the synopsis and saw that this was a story with an F/F relationship, I was even more excited to read it.

This was super charming, super cute, and just really fun. Crystal Cestari perfectly encapsulates what the modern world would be like if we had superheroes - basically, millennial heroes who work under an organization that's more focused on marketing and capitalism than any actual heroism. I think it really hits the nail on the head with that. The author also does a really great job of describing fandom, and how obsessive and sometimes toxic that world can be, viewed through the short vignettes between chapters that show posts from fan websites and comments from fans. In that way, it actually felt realistic in how it portrayed fandom.

I really loved that this book had two narrators of different ages, one high-school aged at 17 and the other college-aged in her early twenties. That felt atypical of the YA genre, and I loved both the narrators, Claire and Bridgette. I related to Claire, because I also know what it's like to be so caught up in your passion and love for something that it becomes your whole life, and I felt so strongly for Bridgette, who is tired of the repercussions that come with dating a hero. I was cheering for Bridgette from her first page. From the beginning, the characters were instantly likable, and both of their journeys were a blast to read.

The F/F romance between Claire and Joy (the hero Girl Power) was very cute, though I wish it would've been a larger focus in the story. The novel is really more about the friendship that forms between Claire and Bridgette after they meet and realize how different their experiences with heroes have been. But I loved Joy, and I loved how Cestari wrote these young heroes. Most of the hero names are pretty cheesy, and this is a simple novel that doesn't require you to work too hard while reading it, but it was funny, and I really didn't know who the villain was until it was revealed.

I also felt a kinship for it because it's set in Chicago, which is where I was born so I've always felt very connected to it, and I've used it as a setting in my own stories several times. It's clear that Cestari knows the city well in the way she writes the details of the setting.

I really liked this a lot, and I love that it casually blends superheroes with LGBTQ+ representation. It was an entertaining read that I would definitely pick up again. ...more

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Mar 04, 2020 Nannette Demmler rated it liked it

ARC provided by Disney-Hyperion via NetGalley for an honest review.

There was much to like about this book, but there were also a few things that I really didn’t like. It was a fun and pretty fast read, with a lot of heart and two main characters that most people will be able to relate too.

What I Liked
The juxtaposition of the two narrator’s story lines. Claire is just beginning her relationship with a superhero and Bridgette is four years in and wondering if it is all worth it.
The budding romance ARC provided by Disney-Hyperion via NetGalley for an honest review.

There was much to like about this book, but there were also a few things that I really didn’t like. It was a fun and pretty fast read, with a lot of heart and two main characters that most people will be able to relate too.

What I Liked
The juxtaposition of the two narrator’s story lines. Claire is just beginning her relationship with a superhero and Bridgette is four years in and wondering if it is all worth it.
The budding romance between Claire and Joy. They were really sweet together and I was pulling for them to get together.
The fact that the story is told by two people who do not have super powers, but are affected by that world on a daily basis.
There were some pretty funny bits, like when they first reveal Joy’s superhero costume and Claire points out that she can’t actually fight in it. Or like when Bridgette talks about how she has lost count of the number of times she has been kidnapped.
The emotional toll of always being in the public’s eye through news and social media. I like that we got to see it from a super fan’s point of view (Claire) and through someone who constantly lives with the hate (Bridgette)
I also really liked the realistic nature of Bridgette’s and Matt’s relationship and that it didn’t get wrapped up with a happy ending, but rather a hopeful one.
What I didn’t like
The whole mystery of who was behind the kidnappings and other evil things that were happening in the background, just didn’t work for me. I knew who it was almost instantly even with all of the red herrings that kept getting tossed at the reader along the way.
I really did not like Joy’s super hero name: Girl Power. Really?! Anything else would have been better than that!
It wasn’t super important to the story, but it might have helped the plot a little bit if we had been given a bit more history on Warrior Nation, how the superheroes get their powers and how they get selected to be in Warrior Nations. It might have helped explain the villain’s motive a bit better.
Final Thoughts
This was a fun and light read. It is a more character driven story with the emphasis on what it was like being in a relationship with someone who is in the public eye almost constantly. The emphasis on friendship and family was also nice to see along with the romance and a little bit of adventure thrown in.
https://elnadesbookchat.com ...more

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Jan 20, 2021 Avery Schuyler rated it liked it

At first, I was debating on giving it a four star review, but after some consideration, I decided that three stars seemed more appropriate.

As a young gay female myself, I'm constantly on the lookout for books like this. Books that aren't about being gay, it's just a part of the protagonist and it's not treated as anything. There's no big "coming out" speech. There's no people hating her because she's gay. She's just gay and has the same relationship, characterization, and storyline as any other At first, I was debating on giving it a four star review, but after some consideration, I decided that three stars seemed more appropriate.

As a young gay female myself, I'm constantly on the lookout for books like this. Books that aren't about being gay, it's just a part of the protagonist and it's not treated as anything. There's no big "coming out" speech. There's no people hating her because she's gay. She's just gay and has the same relationship, characterization, and storyline as any other straight character would. In that aspect, I think the author did a fantastic job.

I loved Bridgette and Matt's romance. I think they both were charming and it sucked a little to see them at the end. I understand the apprehension, but it really felt that there was no "happy ending" for Bridgette other than being able to do art and gaining a friend.

Some things that I did not like, however, were the writing style. Particularly how Claire (the younger of the two) was written. All her internal dialogue was very stereotypical teenage girl: squealing, shrieking, obsession, etc. Despite being in love with the romance she had, I really did not like how she was written. Additionally, it bothered me how complex and well-written the relationship between Matt and Bridgette was, while you could have blinked and missed Claire and Joy getting together. Their entire relationship had no commitment, little emotion, and nothing more than a few scenes of them making out in closets. Although I did like that Joy was never questioned for being gay, it bothered me that their relationship was treated so poorly. Also, Joy barely had any personality other than making fun of Claire. I really wish we could've seen her be better and have more personality because her character development seemed incredibly rushed just for the purpose of them getting together.

All in all, it was a good book and had me happy-stimming many times throughout because it's such a breath of fresh air to see a woman loving a woman in a fantasy novel without the entire novel being about being gay. I wish they had been better written and that the plot wasn't so cheesy, but I didn't see the twist coming which was nice. It's a good book and I would recommend it, but anyone looking for solid, well-written LGBTQ+ representation should look elsewhere, unless you just want a few cute moments and nothing more. ...more

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