I was lucky enough to win an advance copy of TJ Klune's HEAT WAVE in a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thanks for the early look, and have a safe and happy weekend!

It’s honestly not possible to review this without giving all of the spoilers, but what I can say is that this was the absolute perfect ending to this series. Nicky, yes times a million. I loved every part, I couldn’t put it down, the new characters were perfect, incredible storyline and absolutely incredible ending. 1000/10 recommend reading this whole series. Thank you, TJ book daddy for promptly ruining all other books for me, as you always do.

I cannot even begin to explain how much I loved this book. The whole trilogy, actually. It has everything my heart could ever desire and it was everything I wanted and so much more. The writing that can make me cry one moment, swoon the next, followed by laughing so hard my stomach hurts. The characters that all felt so very real that I just wanted to jump into the pages and be part of them. The story that is so epic and amazing that it makes me just shriek incoherently if I even try to describe how good it is. Every single part of this series is amazing but at the center of it all is Nick. My precious, sweet, disastrous, chaotic, hilarious Nick. He's one of my favorite main characters of all time and I love him so much it actually hurts.

Heat Wave is the perfect, epic conclusion of a perfect, epic trilogy and while I very much enjoyed the ending everyone got, I'm also sad because it's over. I would gladly read a million more books about these characters. It is bittersweet to have it end, but I'm so, so grateful for this series and for T.J. Klune, the mastermind behind it all. You have given me a series that is perfect for me in every single way and for that I will be forever grateful and the biggest fan of any words you write.

If for some insane reason you haven't started this trilogy yet (WHY?), then you absolutely should, because it's the very best and my heart is enormously full right now.

What else can I say without spoiling every detail of this book while I melt into a puddle of joyous tears? I can only think of one thing.

Nicky, hell fucking yes.

A fantastically funny story that continues its theme of portraying realistic ADHD in its protagonist. More mature than earlier books, the supportive elements surrounding Nick make this a brilliantly positive and entertaining read while feeling like a safe-space for anybody who needs to also learn about coming-of-age decisions and sexual-health information (in between saving their superhero boyfriend!). I really enjoyed this series and will be upselling the Extraordinaries series after vaunting the entire trilogy.

I absolutely adore TJ Klune and there is something so distinct about his humour and his voice. In saying that, I found the humour in Heat Wave a little repetitive to my liking, and I think this was largely due to the slower plot. For a superhero novel, this storyline was rather predictable, and you spend much of the story alongside the characters already knowing what's coming up, but just waiting for them to figure it out themselves. I am also here largely for Nick and Seth as a pairing as their dynamic is one of my all-time favourites - but I found that the focus wasn't on their relationship, but more so on the events happening in Supernova City. And once again, as this plot was rather slow, it made the rest of the novel a bit draggy. At the end of the novel, there is a 10 year time jump which felt a little too sappy and unbelievable - but it was a nice wrap-up to the series.

However like every TJ Klune book, there are some hilarious scenes that cannot be missed, and Nick's inner monologue is pure entertainment in itself. I also appreciate the sex positivity that is very explicitly present in this book - something that is very much needed in the YA genre. I know this book will be dearly loved by many, and that makes me very happy.

TJ Klune is probably my all time favorite author. I fully admit that I was a little put out with the previous book in the series, Flash Fire. I didn’t like how much of the “real world” issues he put in there, like the police stuff in regards to Aaron Bell. I felt like it changed the tone of the book, but after rereading it in preparation of reading Heat Wave, I grew to appreciate it.
I really enjoyed Heat Wave. I liked seeing Nick struggle with becoming one with Guardian. Of course seeing the whole Lighthouse gang grow was great too. I’m hoping TJ will release more YA books because I think his writing will be greatly appreciated by that audience!

With The Extraordinaries being threatened and old heroes reappearing, Team Lighthouse is back and ready to protect Nova City.

It's so hard to properly review this one without spoilers, but I'm going to do my best. There's just going to be a lot you won't truly understand without reading for yourself.

These characters are just the sweetest, most fun, quirky, and lovable characters around. Every single one of them!

This book wouldn't be part of The Extraordinaires series without awkward sex talk scenes between Nick and his dad. This one did not disappoint. I literally had tears streaming down my face at times. I die of secondhand embarrassment for Nick and Seth, but it's also so darn funny!

Two words: DAD SQUAD!!!! That's all I'm going to say about that. :)

Burrito Jerry is the most unnecessary, but absolutely greatest addition to this series. When you think things couldn't possibly get any crazier Klune throws this guy at us. I'm so here for it!

This really was a perfect ending for these imperfect and fabulous characters.

*Thank you to Tor Teen and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

I don't even know where to start. I feel like this review is going to be more of a love letter than a review. T.J. Klune's books always manage to be unapologetically funny, unapologetically queer, and unapologetically earnest. There's a kindness and a sensitivity to his stories I haven't found anywhere else. There's a vein of joy that runs through every page even when the subject matter is anything but light (such as police brutality or homophobia).

Reading his books always feels like a warm hug after a long day and I cannot think of any other author who has managed to make me so soft for their stories over such a span of years and books (from the early days of my Wolfsong-obsessed youth to the 2020 oasis of The House in the Cerulean Sea to my college years binging The Extraordinaries).

So, with the raving passion of Nick Bell and the certainty of Seth Grey, I can truly say I am in awe and cannot wait for the next book/series, whatever it may be.

TJ Klune is a master chameleon of a writer. His style beautifully changes with whatever topic he is tackling, whether it’s a young adult superhero story or the love and acceptance of an epic tale in far off islands. He lulls the reader in with poetic writing and accessible stories that make the reader want to crawl into the book and become besties with the entire cast of characters, sometimes even the villains. Heat Wave is no exception and lives up to the established TJ Klune mantle of work.
The third book in the adventures of Nova City sees our characters in the last summer of their youths before embarking on the next big step into adulthood, whether that is their senior year of high or first year of college. As we enter the story, our favorite excitedly endearing and unflinchingly ADHD narrator, Nick Bell, is continuing on his path to superhero-dom with all the trials and tribulations that follow him around. Klune does a stellar job of keeping one questioning the first half of the book, then on the edge of the seat for the second half. He manipulates the reader into having to go back and re-read portions with squinted eyes as they try to figure out what they are missing. Many times, I had to step back and go “wait… that’s not… hold on.” It’s an awesome roller coaster ride that has you fiending to sit in the front seat to get the best view. When the action gets grooving, it doesn’t stop, so you better take some deep soothing breaths before everything goes off the tracks.
Besides the main attraction, Klune offers some interesting commentary on various aspects of society, including overarching concepts of inclusivity, diversity acceptance, and corruption. As a middle school teacher (generally students between the ages of 11-14), this book would be more impactful for my older students, but even they might be too young to fully appreciate some of the nuanced undertones. High schoolers, especially ones intrigued with social justice, would eat this book up. It’s a marvelous conversation starter for questions they might have in relation to some political stances, the idea of over-extended authority figures, and standing up for what is fair and just. Klune doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects, instead leans in and pushes the reader to think beyond their own beliefs and consider other people’s viewpoints. Reading this novel, I couldn’t help but think of the variety of topics my students would love to debate.
Outside of social justice, of course, there is the open, honest, and perfectly welcomed LGTBQ+ relationships within the book. The relationships presented are completely normalized, as opposed to being spotlighted and agonized over. There are plenty of lighthearted, giggle-inducing moments that reflect the ideas of budding awkward relationships, some cringe-worthy parent-child “talks”, and safe, exploratory self-discovery occasions that most of us have gone through in our lives, for better or worse. A couple of times, I had to face-palm myself while reading because “Oh Em Gee… Teenagers!” while at the same time reminiscing fondly of experiencing those speed-bumps as well.
Before wrapping this up, I have to mention how much I ADORE the idea of fan-fiction being present throughout all three of these books. I will freely admit to reading an excessive amount of fanfics in my life. In fact, not to humble brag here, but in 4 days, my first fanfic account on one of the major fic hubs will turn 21 and be of legal drinking age. Yes, that’s how long I’ve been reading fan-fiction. To have the narrator not only write fic in the book, but the formatting and “comments section” had me rolling on the floor laughing. It was perfection. Nailed it. You could tell Klune must have read at least a couple fics in his lifetime.

The TL;DR, if you enjoyed the first two books, this is a great fun-filled adventure to cap off the trilogy. Make it a high priority on your reading list.

I am having difficulty finding all of the words to express my love for this series and this group of characters.

I’m so incredibly happy these characters exist and it’s been a fun and wild ride going on this journey with them 🥺 This book is hilarious, has some kick-butt action, quality times with our favorite characters, and the precious dads (we're talking "dad squad" with bedazzled shirts 😭), and the resolve one can hope for when finishing a series. I have said it so many times and will continue to say it, no one writes found-family like Tj Klune. Each character shines in their own light and is compulsively loveable. While this book is super fun and mega hilarious, it also depicts navigating through tougher topics such as grief. It shows what positive and healthy relationships can look like. Romantically between Nick and Seth, platonically with their best pals Jazz and Gibby. As well as supportive parent/child relationships ( scenes with Nick and his dad, in particular, are my favorite). This book shows unconditional love and wholehearted acceptance. It shows a neurodivergent main character unequivocally and unapologetically being his best, most extra self and everyone loving him for it not despite it. My neurodiversity is my superpower and it has been so validating and a joy to see a series embrace that narrative. Nick will always be my favorite ADHD chaos goblin.

Klune’s books never fail to feel like the biggest embrace, an exhale of relief, and like coming home. P.s make sure to have tissues ready for the epilogue. Spoiler alert: you will cry happy tears.

Bittersweet to get an ending to Nicky's story but Oh! What an ending it was!
Wonderful conclusion to an amazing trilogy.

This series. This book. Amazing. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC for unbiased review.

Let me start with a love note for the previous two books in this trilogy. I laughed out loud, I teared up, and I smiled the entire time while I listened to the audiobooks. I’ve been telling everyone who will listen to immediately read these books (or even better, listen because seriously the audiobooks are some of the best I’ve ever heard). There are so many relevant and timely topics discussed like LGBTQIA rights, police brutality, grief, trauma, neurodiversity, and self-acceptance. This book is no exception and is a perfect way to wrap up the story.

The author is gifted when it comes to world building and creating characters
that are real and relatable. They are flawed and acknowledge it and work on it. This story continues on that theme and focuses more on family and what makes a family. To keep it short and sweet- read this book, you won’t regret a moment.

We will be stocking this, hopefully for it's release date! An excellent end to the trilogy and left my little queer heart so full ❤

Heat Wave, the final installment in Klune's Extraordinaries trilogy, offered a wonderful conclusion to the story and Nicholas Bell and his family and friends. I had to go back and reread the end of the second book (Flash Fire) to remind myself of the ending, and still felt a bit confused by the plot initially. (But then it all makes sense and woah.) I did find myself a little disappointed after Flash Fire by the fairly superficial way Klune addressed all the pro-police content from the first book, but I did feel like Heat Wave made up for this. There's also a lot of very positive and beautiful queer recognition that I loved to see. The plot was exciting and terrifying while also remaining very true to the awkward and embarrassing (and so endearing) situations Nicky finds himself in. The ending was a joy.

I wish I hadn't requested this ARC. It was a mistake. I read the entire series in two days to get it over with.

The sad thing is TJ Klune is a great author, always has been. I actually prefer his earlier work. This, though, I don't know what this is. It's not a good superhero story because there is barely any plot. It's not a good romance, because there's no ebb and flow. The worldbuilding is far from original, and executed poorly, which is a shock considering his past books. Nothing works here, not for me.

<spoiler>"Trey and Nick’s father had a somewhat complicated relationship, what with Dad having done things while carrying a badge that he never should have." - Why is Trey, a tertiary character and one of three named Black people in the book, singled out to have a "complicated relationship" with a former cop who beat a white person in custody? Putting the burden on your Black characters to be your mouthpiece was a mistake in the last book that shouldn't have been dragged into this one. Furthermore, Nick's father, and the former police chief, chose to resign and pursue their own interests instead of helping repair the broken system they were part of. What kind of message does this send? More importantly, none of this is actually important in the story. It's lip service.

I've read all of, or most of, TJ Klune's books. Dude's good at the interpersonal and individual stuff. The social commentary needs to go, it's not working. It's superficial, tone deaf, and tailored to a largely white audience.

Despite what I just said, I find every single character to be incredibly tedious.

This series borrows, intentionally or not, from Steven Universe in many ways. A kid who has no boundaries getting involved in everything, unable to keep a secret, putting people in danger due to his incompetence. And specific scenes/plot points such as <spoiler>finding old tapes of his dead mom which reveal a secret, someone masquerading as his dead mom.</spoiler>

The first part of the book is so annoying because you know it's all fake. It's the same problem the previous two books have: the readers know what's going on long before the characters do, and given how goddamn clever they are all the time they ought to figure shit out sooner. This goes on for half of the book, and they don't even figure it out. Someone tells them. Great job, heroes.

There's a calico cat that's referred to as "it". Calicos are like 99% female, you don't have to refer to her as an "it". This isn't a big deal obviously, it just seemed off to me.

More sex stuff. I just don't understand why it's included. It isn't funny, it's not very informative, and any gay kid reading it already knows this information because it's 2022 and we all have internet access. As an adult I don't wish to read about a teenager who wants to be better at bottoming. If I were a teeanger reading this I'd be bored and wondering why they are still virgins in book 3. Just get it over with already. <spoiler> And when something finally happened I skipped over it lol. I don't need to read a detailed scene about a teenager's first time. Their "special moment" gets killed by their friends showing up. Seriously, fuck all of these people.</spoiler>

The dad is still super invasive. It isn't funny, it's fucking creepy. Let your kids have privacy. I hate it so much. There is a very drawn out chapter where the dad, who has purchased an enema kit, proceeds to explain how to use it to Nick. Who is this for? Like, if this is a joke, you can just have him leave a "My First Enema" kit on Nick's bed, no explanation required. Dragging it out for so long is awful. It doesn't need to be an entire fucking chapter. For the record, enemas aren't necessary and in fact can increase dryness and risk of transmitting STIs. It's a common misconception that has led to overuse. If you're going to do a chapter on enemas, include the risks.

Gibby designed and programmed a complex tracking apparatus, can hack into CCTVs, but struggles to run a search on a website or use Boolean search functions. Sure…

During Burke's whole anti-superhero thing the MCs do nothing to mitigate the damage. They don't help campaign against him, they don't post on social media, they don't do interviews.They don't even continue their normal hero activities. They do nothing except let it happen and whine about it to each other. Things are always happening to them, they are not making things happen. This was an issue with the second book as well.

There is a lot of humor. The problem is everyone has the same exact sense of humor. You could switch around the lines and it would make no difference to the story.

When we finally get to some action, 75% into the book, it begins with "The plan was this," followed by a page of who is riding in which car. I don't really understand their plan. Burke holds some mayoral rally, which people are way too into, and Nick smuggles in his costume and gets changed in the middle of a crowd. Why not put his costume on first, with regular clothes over it?

All the action involves men. This author focuses on (often complex) relationships between men, which is one reason I like him, but it's very odd that the only (living) characters with superpowers are men <spoiler>except for Owen's stepmom, who is a villain</spoiler>, only men are physically present during the final action scene, only men are in positions of authority. When you have characters say shit like "girls can do things boys can do" and other quasi-feminist stuff you need to support it with actual events in the book. Having girls act physically abusive towards others during low stakes interactions ain't it. <spoiler>Nick and others reserving "bitch" for the female characters doesn't help. At one point a character specifically calls a man "bastard" and a woman "bitch," really driving home how gendered those terms are.</spoiler>

Burke orders someone to shoot Nick's dad if Nick mouths off again. Nick continuously mouths off for the rest of the scene, and this threat is never followed through which is a shame since we need some kneecappings in this to keep things interesting. However, Gibby's dad gets hit "upside the head". Just needed some colorful AAVE to describe the battery of the lone Black character in the scene I guess. There could have been some commentary on how Black culture passes through drag culture and into gay culture, but the social commentary is simply a veneer in this series and not something the author truly explores.

Burke's motivation is<spoiler> to make cops more powerful. I'm sorry, what? You took some criticism of how you handled police brutality in the first book and turned it into the prevailing motivation for the main villains? What? It's so lame. </spoiler> Even Nick points out how one-dimensional Burke is, which doesn't make it better.

At the end <spoiler>they all take magic superpills, get superpowers, and collectively beat up an abused teenager who subsequently dematerializes. Owen is told there is "always a price to pay" by Nick's dad, an adult who assaulted a man in his custody and faced no real consequences. This is such a dark and horrible ending. Owen needed legitimate help. Their concerns are not for this teenager who <i>vanished from existence</i>, but that Seth got expelled and Gibby wasn't valedictorian.</spoiler> What. The. Fuck. <spoiler>Owen</spoiler> was the most complex, interesting, and sympathetic character in the entire series and he was tossed aside like a used enema bulb.

And at the very end <spoiler> there is a ten year time skip to a wedding</spoiler>. I'm so done.
</spoiler>

It's so repetitive, I don't know how he got through writing these three books.

If you liked the characters and their relationships, if that's what kept you reading the other books, you'll love this one. I personally couldn't stand any of them.

This was a great conclusion to the trilogy. I was definitely confused at first, given how the big reveal at the end of book 2 was handled, but it turned out great. The ending was a bit drawn out, but overall, this third book did not disappoint in terms of action.

TJ Klune once again delivers a cute and hilarious installment in his fun and unique YA series about teen superheroes. There are twisty mind games, laugh-out-loud "talks" with parental figures, and an adorable romance to keep readers on their toes.

At the end of book two, Flash Fire, Nick and co. were in a somewhat stable place. Yes, the bad guy was still out there doing bad guy things, and yeah, his traumatic past was still coming back to mess with him in more ways than one, but all four characters—Nick, Seth, Jazz, and Gibby—were working together to figure it out. Now, they're trying to figure it all out while also attempting to make the most of their last high school summer together.

And boy do those plans get derailed. There is a huge twist in the plot development from book two to book three that I did not see coming. I thought Klune had gone with a very familiar, overdone trope at the end of book two, and instead, he shook it up and made it something completely different. I give major kudos to that. I'm not going to go into any details for fear of spoilers, but just know that everything is not as it appears...

As for our main cast of characters, Nick is still an adorable and awkward disaster. Seth is a solid and reliable guy. And Gibby and Jazz are a great support system for their hero companion and Nick's antics in general. I will say that I'm a little sad we didn't get more Seth and Nick fluffy, domestic scenes. They are a very cute couple, and they only get a few on-page moments together. Though the ones they did get were awwwww-worthy. Also, the plot wrapped up really nicely with this final book. There weren't any open endings or confusing climaxes. Though, I do think some of the political elements, while not overbearing or wrong to include, did take me out of the moment sometimes. Nothing major, but it did happen once or twice.

Overall, The Extraordinaries trilogy is a perfect read for young readers—queer, straight, unsure, or questioning—to not only possibly see themselves in a superhero story, but to see a loving and caring family dynamic fight crime together versus one vigilante taking on the world. Everyone needs help now and then, and the parents in The Extraordinaries make sure their kids know they have their backs! I think every junior and high school library should have this series on their shelves.

3.5 stars

*Note: I received a NetGalley ARC of this book to review from the publisher. This in no way affected my opinion/review.

I will follow TJ Klune to the ends of the earth, and I LOVE this series, but HEAT WAVE was by far my least favorite of the three Extraordinaries books.

It felt slooooooow to get to any action and the plot felt stretched and a bit unbelievable (even in a series about superheroes). It wasn't really the fast-paced and explosive conclusion I was hoping for.

A thank you to Tor Teen and NetGalley for the early review copy in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

T J Klune writes cute/awkward, like nobody else. Moving and funny in equal measure. A young adult book that doesn’t forget the “adult” part and a wonderful finale to a trilogy that hopefully doesn’t end here . I adored this trilogy !

I loved reading this! A fitting conclusion to the trilogy and Nick’s mission to become an Extraordinary. I absolutely adored seeing Seth and Nick’s relationship develop, as well seeing how their friendship with Gibby and Jazz becomes even stronger.

I love reading T. J. Klune’s writing. It’s amazing how he can make you laugh in one paragraph and then bring you close to tears in the next… a rare gift!

I can’t wait for more people to read it! I am now going to continue to work my way through Klune’s previous books.