Dull Boy by Sarah Cross

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Avery has superpowers. He can fly and is crazy strong. There may be other powers but he needs to keep a lid on his abilities because if the wrong people find out, he could end up being dissected by guys in white lab coats. Avery has some trouble controlling his powers, which leads to property damage and parent drama. He even has to quit the wrestling team because he can’t control his strength. As soon as he switches schools things really start to change for him. He meets some other people with abilities. Are they good guys, bad guys, really hot girls with evil plots to rule the world?


I liked the book. It was a fun read, and gave a more realistic look to what might happen if you really did have special abilities. I would recommend it to guys that are looking for something fast and exciting to read. The internal conflict is a little reminiscent of the Smallville T.V. series Superman. I’m hoping for a sequel. You can check out the author’s blog for more info and some cool extras about the characters.

Hero by Mike Lupica

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Zach is a regular 8th grader living in New York City. He has to face pop quizzes, basketball practice, and the school bully. His dad is a save the day, work for the government, secret assignment, real life hero. Together with his mom and dad, Zach is happy. But when his dad is on a special assignment for the president, his plane crashes and changes Zach’s world forever. Now that his father is gone, Zach starts to develop certain special skills, and people all around him want to use those skills. Will Zach be able to tell the good guys from the bad? Who should he trust when everything is changing and it seems that everyone wants something from him?


This book is well written; Lupica puts the reader in the mind of a fourteen year old guy. He includes sports references that many male readers will enjoy. There are also strong and intelligent female characters for the girls who read the book. I liked the way the ending answers some, but not all of the questions and it leaves the story open for sequels without making the reader feel cheated of an ending. I would recommend this book to teen guys and girls. It’s a clean read with no bad language, romance, and only limited violence. It’s a look at the making of a hero (superhero maybe even). Most superheroes start out as adults. We read about their adult lives, with just bare glimpses of how they became who they are. This is the story of a hero from the ground up. A must read!

The Rise of Renegade X by Chelsea M Campbell

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          Damien is the son of a supervillian.  When he turns 16 he should see a V on his thumb confirming that he will be a supervillain too.  He should be going to high school for villainy and dating a supervillian girl.  Things don’t go as planned and Damien might have some superhero blood in his family tree.  With his destiny not as clear as he thought Damien finds himself torn between the way he was raised and doing what’s right.  

          This was an interesting book.  With the action, talk about girls, and guy humor this is definitely a guys book.  A lot of guys will relate to Damien, because even though he wants to be a supervillian, he is just a regular guy.  He is scared of heights, loves his ex-girlfriend who cheated on him, and he is not great at school.  I enjoyed reading the book and some parts were incredibly funny.  Even with the superheroes it is a realistic read.  I give this book a 3 out of 5.  It was worth reading but if you are interested in a superhero teen book I would read Dull Boy by Sarah Cross or Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor.

Thirteen Days to Midnight by Patrick Carman

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     If you could have only one superpower what would it be?  Think about it because it's very important.  This is Jakes question to the reader.  He has a secret; he has a power.  When his friends Ophelia and Milo accidentally discover his gift they start on a deadly adventure.
     What seems like a regular superhero story is actually a well written look at the way people deal with death.  The characters are all well formed and the plot is realistic.  How would a person with a special gift really act?  What would life really be like if you had a superpower?
     This book is amazing.  I loved it from start to finish.  Patrick Carman is a genius!  Think about what you would really do or or what your life would be like if you were indestructible.  This book is a must read for anyone who loves comics and superheroes.  If you never really understood what Uncle Ben meant when he said, "With great power comes great responsibility."  you will understand by the time you get to the end of this book.