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daumari's review
4.0
This was pretty adorable. Set in somewhat-near future (22nd century, at least 100 years out from current time and post-WWIII which has apparently left much of the world irradiated and after meta-human abilities have manifested in a "metagene"), Jess Tran struggles with an evergreen problem: finding a paid internship to boost college applications. Her parents are supers, but she doesn't appear to have inherited any of their powers (and if they did exist, they should've manifested by the time she turns 17, which is next week). She finds an internship at a prestigious robotics company but! It's actually an internship with the local villains AND her crush Abby Jones also works there!
Not Your Sidekick is definitely on the lighter side of YA reading (TEENAGERS and their FEELINGS make it hard for them to notice some very obvious friends-can't-be-in-two-places-at-once things) but the world building intrigues me in a plausible future way- the governments make metahumans register, and yet they get to be designated villains or heroes? tell me more plz. Jess is a very relatable protagonist- middle child both literally and figuratively re: power/ability, just wants to get an internship before she figures out what to do with the rest of her life, etc. She is also bisexual (no erasure here!) and bicultural, child of Chinese and Vietnamese immigrants. It informs the way she views the world and how the world reacts to her (she stops by a banh mi shop and the clerk assumes she doesn't know what's in them and blinks when Jess tries to order in Vietnamese, and late in the novel, an adult consistently calls her sister by the wrong names)
Very excited to see the next/companion book follows Jess's friend Bells, because he's a cool dude and also we need more stories with trans POC.
The only thing that felt a little odd to me was how it's almost entirely written in present tense- as if this was a first person, but then search & replaced into third person. It's a neat perspective as everything feels of the moment, for example rather than "Jess sighed and tucked her hair behind her ear" it's like "Jess sighs and tucks her hair behind her ear". I wonder if it was deliberate to get that reading-comics-and-seeing-story-as-it-happens feel?
Would recommend for:
- people who love superhero stories
- LGBTQ+ teens
-YA readers who love a fluffy romance with shy girls
Not Your Sidekick is definitely on the lighter side of YA reading (TEENAGERS and their FEELINGS make it hard for them to notice some very obvious friends-can't-be-in-two-places-at-once things) but the world building intrigues me in a plausible future way- the governments make metahumans register, and yet they get to be designated villains or heroes? tell me more plz. Jess is a very relatable protagonist- middle child both literally and figuratively re: power/ability, just wants to get an internship before she figures out what to do with the rest of her life, etc. She is also bisexual (no erasure here!) and bicultural, child of Chinese and Vietnamese immigrants. It informs the way she views the world and how the world reacts to her (she stops by a banh mi shop and the clerk assumes she doesn't know what's in them and blinks when Jess tries to order in Vietnamese, and late in the novel, an adult consistently calls her sister by the wrong names)
Very excited to see the next/companion book follows Jess's friend Bells, because he's a cool dude and also we need more stories with trans POC.
The only thing that felt a little odd to me was how it's almost entirely written in present tense- as if this was a first person, but then search & replaced into third person. It's a neat perspective as everything feels of the moment, for example rather than "Jess sighed and tucked her hair behind her ear" it's like "Jess sighs and tucks her hair behind her ear". I wonder if it was deliberate to get that reading-comics-and-seeing-story-as-it-happens feel?
Would recommend for:
- people who love superhero stories
- LGBTQ+ teens
-YA readers who love a fluffy romance with shy girls
ingo_lembcke's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars rounded up to 4, may read the next books.
Light, fluffy YA, dystopian setting, a lot of romance (LGBTQIA+), no sex, no blood, no killing, no triggers. Clean, as far as I remember no swearing (or in languages I do not speak).
Worldbuilding is well done, with the MC learning about the past.
Nice idea for a change with superheroes and villains.
Reasonably read, just the right length, could have been a bit more suspenseful, or have sex or whatever. Nice twists with the big ones in Chapter 9, more than 50% in the story. The first twist I saw coming, the second not, so thats good. Others I did not think about too much, so I was surprised.
Good well rounded show of friendship, trust and values vs. false information. With a good dose of changing history and paranoia thrown in.
Would love to this filmed 1:1, but fear too much might be changed.
Recommended. Will certainly read the next books sometime.
Light, fluffy YA, dystopian setting, a lot of romance (LGBTQIA+), no sex, no blood, no killing, no triggers. Clean, as far as I remember no swearing (or in languages I do not speak).
Worldbuilding is well done, with the MC learning about the past.
Nice idea for a change with superheroes and villains.
Reasonably read, just the right length, could have been a bit more suspenseful, or have sex or whatever. Nice twists with the big ones in Chapter 9, more than 50% in the story. The first twist I saw coming, the second not, so thats good. Others I did not think about too much, so I was surprised.
Good well rounded show of friendship, trust and values vs. false information. With a good dose of changing history and paranoia thrown in.
Would love to this filmed 1:1, but fear too much might be changed.
Recommended. Will certainly read the next books sometime.
eefitzmaurice's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
sugarpop's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
cinderthemoon25's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
roannasylver's review against another edition
5.0
“It’s a secret identity thing, isn’t it?”
“You could say that.”
* * *
I love superheroes. I especially love superhero books where the writing is lively and engaging, and the marginalized rep is easy, inclusive and positive. I love Jess' drive to find herself and come into her own as a hero instead of standing in her sister's (and parents, to an extent) shadow. I love her resourcefulness and tenacity in the face of opposition and conspiracy from adults, and I love her and Abby's interactions and chemistry. (I also really love Bells, which is good news for me and everyone else!)
This story also has enough twists to keep readers guessing. I admit that I did see pretty much all of them coming, but not because the writing is predicable or slow - it's just that every reveal is *exactly what I would have written, and specifically wanted to see!* Always fun when a writer seems to be right inside your brain. It's not boring; it's satisfying in the best way.
Without spoiling, I will say that the situation - heroes versus villains - is not what it seems, leading to some surprisingly relevant commentary, from celebrity culture, political PR stunts, and the revision of history in the media and even school textbooks. Anyone paying attention to the state of the world today will find their concerns and suspicions reflected here - and because this is a superhero novel, these sometimes-insidious evils will actually be addressed.
I'm so very much looking forward to the sequel, NOT YOUR VILLAIN, which will center Bells. Can't wait to read more about him; again without spoiling, the first book sets him up very well for more adventures. I'm hoping for the same mix of real-world commentary and pointed optimism. The future seems bright!
“You could say that.”
* * *
I love superheroes. I especially love superhero books where the writing is lively and engaging, and the marginalized rep is easy, inclusive and positive. I love Jess' drive to find herself and come into her own as a hero instead of standing in her sister's (and parents, to an extent) shadow. I love her resourcefulness and tenacity in the face of opposition and conspiracy from adults, and I love her and Abby's interactions and chemistry. (I also really love Bells, which is good news for me and everyone else!)
This story also has enough twists to keep readers guessing. I admit that I did see pretty much all of them coming, but not because the writing is predicable or slow - it's just that every reveal is *exactly what I would have written, and specifically wanted to see!* Always fun when a writer seems to be right inside your brain. It's not boring; it's satisfying in the best way.
Without spoiling, I will say that the situation - heroes versus villains - is not what it seems, leading to some surprisingly relevant commentary, from celebrity culture, political PR stunts, and the revision of history in the media and even school textbooks. Anyone paying attention to the state of the world today will find their concerns and suspicions reflected here - and because this is a superhero novel, these sometimes-insidious evils will actually be addressed.
I'm so very much looking forward to the sequel, NOT YOUR VILLAIN, which will center Bells. Can't wait to read more about him; again without spoiling, the first book sets him up very well for more adventures. I'm hoping for the same mix of real-world commentary and pointed optimism. The future seems bright!
ren_the_hobbit's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
A little bit of a slow start because of some necessary set up but so so worth it for the story! Really great and now need to go out and get the second one!
_m0's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
A light, quick read -- as I'm outside the YA/middle grade target demographic, this was a little simple, (for example, the "reveal" about M was very obvious and I guessed there was something up with Bells as well from the very beginning). The plot felt a little choppy towards the last third of the book and the end seemed very abrupt, but it's still a great story for the representation of a bi, Asian American protagonist with some diverse side characters. Might have to pick up the sequel!
excritos's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
tishywishy's review
4.0
Took a while to get into this book because of the character development but I was happy I stuck it out. It was great to read a superhero ya fantasy with lgbtq characters and the author does it in a style that really reflects some of the experiences of trans and bisexual persons (although in a much more perfected environment; hey we've reached the age of superheros and self driving cars, why not proper pronouns and all sexualities being simply the norm).