Not Your Villain

This was everything I wanted in a sequel! More political intrigue, action, suspense, and character/relationship development. I'm impatient for the next book! :D

Not Your Villain was everything I wanted and more. When I finished reading it, I wanted more and more. I'm ready for the next story, the next chapter of this superhero story, because it's bigger than each book. I wish this series was a TV show or an animated show because it'd be so awesome, I would watch that ASAP.

I was so happy when I first found out that Bells was going to be the main POV in the next book. And when I finally got around to reading this, Bells became my favorite hands down. He's the coolest, first of all, the presence he has in school, it's just too cool. Then the relationship he has with his friends, Jess and Emma, and let me tell you one of the biggest things in this book is how Bells feels after Jess gets together with Abby and Emma gets a boyfriend, so he feels like a fifth wheel and he misses his friends so badly. So that's a something that happens and it's so wonderful to see that even if he is sad, he wants the best for his two best friends and if they're happy, he is happy.

And then we also got the main arc that is bigger than the whole books, because it's something, it's a plot that comes from the first book so you need to definitely read them in order. The superheroes? aren't that good in the world. The villains might not be evil. It's just superficial, it's just a screen. So you get to find out more about this and all the new adventures Bells and the squad get into. There is so much things going on but it's not like you might be drowning in details and stuff, CB Lee does it in a way that you cannot stop reading and makes you excited for more to come.

In case you didn't know, Not Your Sidekick was my favourite book of 2017, and remains to be one of my favourite books of all time. So, you can imagine how excited and ecstatic I was I was given the privilege to read its sequel, Not Your Villain! I adored Not Your Villain, and I cannot wait to tell you why.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the first part of Not Your Villain overlaps with the events that take place in Not Your Sidekick, but from Bells's perspective. It was a fantastic way to ease into the new developments of the story, and also gave us an opportunity to become acquainted with and understand Bells a little better. We get the opportunity to see Bells attending Meta-Human Training and what it was like to train as a prospective superhero. Moreover, we get to see more of their world; whilst Not Your Sidekick was mostly confined to Andover, Not Your Villain takes us to places such as Aerial City and other exciting places. Not only was it cool to see Lee's vision of a world recovering from an apocalyptic event, but it was also an opportunity to learn history through fictional spaces and geography. It was wonderful to see the worldbuilding developed a little more.

Bells was such a brilliant character, and I adored him. He is kind, sharp, witty, and cares so much for his friends. His perspective was fantastic, and I enjoying seeing the transformation of budding superhero that was eager to please to someone who wants justice despite being framed as a villain, and the effect this had on him and the trajectory of his journey. Although we knew that Bells was a shapeshifter in Not Your Villain, the nature of his powers, though still an enigma, are explored alongside with Bells's personal discovery of his powers and their potential. Furthermore, Bells's trans experience and identity integrates with the story well, even briefly exploring how this interacts with his shapeshifting prowess. Altogether, I loved how Bells's narrative was so... genuine, warm, and vulnerable. I cannot wait for all of you to fall in love with him. He is just such a gem.

What I really loved about Not Your Villain was that we got to see more of the other characters. Though Not Your Sidekick focused a lot on Jess and Abby, we get to see even more of Jess and Abby, but we also get to learn more about Emma, Brandon, and some new characters. For one, we get to meet Bells's parents, and I adored them. I loved how Bells had such a close-knit and supportive family, particularly his close relationship with his father. Moreover, whilst Emma and Bells was strongly hinted at in Not Your Sidekick, the chemistry and relationship between the two of them in this book was sublime. I also loved how they had such a strong friendship, enjoyed (and simultaneously was absolutely distraught) when their friendship and love was tested, and loved seeing them grow together through thick and thin. Seeing such a strong and loving friendship, flaws and hiccups and all, was absolutely wonderful.

The overarching story of the Sidekick Squad starts to get very interesting in Not Your Villain. Slowly, we begin to see who the real antagonist is (and what I'm liking is that it's not an individual, but something much larger than one person), and characters showing their true colours - with some unexpected surprises. Underlying this, however, is a theme that I really love in this series: that even teens who are determined and hold true to justice and goodness can be heroes. Indeed, the concept of heroism and villainism is blurred, and highlights that the media plays a big role in what is portrayed as good versus evil. The messages in this book are refreshing, needed, and empowering, and are delivered with earnest and enthusiasm. My only criticism of Not Your Villain was that parts of the end felt a little rushed and the narrative a little jumpy, but it didn't impede my enjoyment of the book. Rest assured, Not Your Villain is still a fantastic book.

Furthermore, fans of the book will be pleased to know that there's going to be a third installment of the series, and it'll be from Emma's perspective! If you're feeling ambivalent about Emma, just wait until you read Not Your Villain - you'll adore her and you'll be just as excited as I am for Not Your Backup! Brimming with positivity and warmth, Not Your Villain is a solid sequel to Not Your Sidekick and it met my very high expectations. Although I adore Not Your Sidekick a little more - and for personal reasons; it was one of the first books where I felt represented after all, and therefore has a very special place in my heart - I can see Not Your Villain resonating and being a favourite for many. You absolutely need this book.