I hadn’t even gotten through half of the book when I ordered the second and third in the series. That’s how much I enjoyed this book.
Not Your Sidekick by C.B. Lee
Welcome to Andover… where superpowers are common, but internships are complicated. Just ask high school nobody, Jessica Tran. Despite her heroic lineage, Jess is resigned to a life without superpowers and is merely looking to beef-up her college applications when she stumbles upon the perfect (paid!) internship—only it turns out to be for the town’s most heinous supervillain. On the upside, she gets to work with her longtime secret crush, Abby, who Jess thinks may have a secret of her own. Then there’s the budding attraction to her fellow intern, the mysterious “M,” who never seems to be in the same place as Abby. But what starts as a fun way to spite her superhero parents takes a sudden and dangerous turn when she uncovers a plot larger than heroes and villains altogether.
Review: 5 butterflies
As a bisexual mixed-race person who has struggled to live up to her parents’ expectations, I heavily related with this book. While my cultural background is different to the author’s and character’s, many of the same themes and ideas remained the same. I also didn’t feel like I belonged in the LGBTQ+ world or the straight world; I also didn’t feel like I belonged in either of the cultures I was raised in.
But this book doesn’t just focus on that—there’re superheroes and magic and adventure. There’s a conspiracy—things aren’t always as they seem. And that’s what drew me to this book. I like how it doesn’t make coming out or being multicultural the focus; it just adds to the character and plot like how it does in real life. Being multicultural and bisexual isn’t all that Jess is, though it is an important part. I loved that. I loved that this wasn’t a coming out story. I loved that the plot was about superheroes and supervillains and a teenage girl trying to navigate in that world.
And boy, is it a world. Lee has fleshed out a wonderful world full of mystery and magic. I love that she decides to work for the “enemy” as a form of rebellion against her parents, but it ends up teaching her things as well. I’m super glad that the book makes an effort to point out that things aren’t black and white—there’s a lot of nuance and sides to wade through. And I loved the romance.
Abby. Oh, Abby. She is exactly the kind of girl I crushed on—and still do—when I was a teenager. A girl who is perfect on the outside but has a hidden depth to her. A girl who is self-sufficient but still yearns for human connection. Oh boy, I love her.
I’m so glad that Emma and Bells get their own book! Super thrilled to get to explore their own lives and perspectives in this world.
I don’t know if we’ll get to know more about Jess’s family, but I have a feeling her sister will play a big part in the future books. My heart ached a little bit with that whole situation, but it’s very realistic with sibling relationships and rivalries.
I relate a lot to Jess. While I may be an adult now, Jess is very similar to who I was as a teenager, and this book is the one I wished I had back then. Maybe I’d have been more open with who I was, or at least comforted by the fact that I wasn’t alone. I’m glad that this book exists to provide the next generation with the comforts and adventure that I didn’t get. And I’m also glad that I got it now.
I very much recommend this book to people who love fantasy, cute somewhat-innocent romance, mystery, and beautifully 3D LGBTQ+ characters.
P.S. One tiny, tiny gripe that I had with this is they called a tamal, “tamale,” which is incorrect grammar. But that’s just my Mexican part coming out 😉
Book links: Goodreads * Amazon * B&N * Book Depository * Indiebound
Books, Lines, and Sinkers 