This is an adorable love story (dolled up to look like a superhero drama) with the most clueless and charming protagonist ever.  Nick lives in Nova City with his best friends Seth, Jazz and Gibby.  Nova City is ground-zero for two of the most well-known Extraordinaries: Pyro Storm (the bad guy) and Shadow Star (the good guy).  Extraordinaries are, of course, super-powered.  And Nick has the biggest crush on Shadow Star. He's the world's most persistent fanboy; much to the chagrin of his best friend, Seth, who has a crush on Nick.  Nick even writes the most cringe-worthy fanfic about Shadow Star and his sexual partners.  Again, to the chagrin of Seth since Nick has absolutely no clue how Seth feels.  Everyone else knows…but not Nicky.

Pyro Storm and Shadow Star have always been adversaries; much like Seth and Nick's ex, Owen.  And events are escalating both in the skies above Nova City and in the high school hallways.  It isn't apparent immediately but Nick is at the center of both conflicts.  That's where the story gets really fun.  The author teases us with the smallest clues and tidbits to hint how it will all eventually tie together.

The story focuses pretty tightly on exactly who Nick is; with all his foibles and issues.  Nick is ADHD and closely monitored and medicated by his father.  Both Nick and his father are still reeling from the recent death of Nick's mother.  Nick harbors severe anxiety at the thought of something happening to his father as well; especially worrisome since Nick's father is a street cop.  He's the kind of cop who goes to the scene of the latest mayhem created by the two rival Extraordinaries; the kind of cop who goes into dangerous situations to rescue people.  And he's the one who gets injured being a true hero.

Most of the story is about Nick's and his friends' relationships as they puzzle out what it means to be gay.  So we have Nick who had a brief fling with Owen, Seth who pines for Nick who is clueless, and Jazz and Gibby who are lesbians.  All the adults, miraculously, not only condone but support these relationships.  Obviously, an ideal story not necessarily rooted in reality.  But all of them are so very likable; and since the story has superheroes, the lack of reality is forgiven.  And the relationships are critically important to the plot.  As Nick slowly comes to understand his part in the world and in others' lives, the plot slowly untangles and the reader is led, inescapably, to the…wrong conclusion about halfway through.  Kudos to the sneaky author.

Back to Nick being at the center of conflicts - he'll have to decide for himself what path to follow.  Will he continue to follow his hormones and hide from the terrifying parts of life?  Or will he look at the evidence in front of him and make the harder decisions?  I guarantee the reader will know the conclusion well before Nick does but that only made me root for him harder.  I thoroughly enjoyed all the characters but particularly the clever and wry dialogue.  The author did leave one loose thread; which will probably be addressed in the sequel.  Despite the book being marketed for teens, I wouldn't recommend it to younger readers below the age of consent.  Maybe it's my age showing but I thought the glorification of sex could be galvanizing for younger readers on the fence about "will I or won't I".

Oh, and one more thing:  the dustjacket is reversible as if Nicky had designed it for his own fanfic; totally cute.  ~~  Catherine Book