Becoming a superhero isn't all that it's cracked up to be. Let's be realistic, people don't have super-powers. But if you have enough determination to make it through training, you have a chance to be the modern-day superhero, stopping one criminal at a time...or doing everyone else's job and getting none of the credit.

After Tanser girl comes to terms with her non-celebrity level status in the superhero world, someone else from Level D decides it's their moment to shine, shaking up the entire system, while leaving her to pick up the pieces.

This book was provided for free by the Author and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book!

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As a fan of DC Comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The BackUp Superhero caught my eye as an alternate approach to the superhero genre. In a world where superheroes don’t have actual superpowers, what does that mean for superheroes? My interest was definitely piqued by this review request.

The BackUp Superhero is a novella, and therefore, it’s a quick and easy read. It was an enjoyable and interesting take on the superhero genre, which picks up on some of the inherent flaws of the genre, namely the huge issue of accountability and the destruction of property that superheroes often leave in their wake. In Hicks’ superhero world, superheroes enjoy a celebrity status, with Level A superheroes at the top and Level D at the bottom. To become a superhero, you must go through rigorous training, and if you become injured at any point, you have to start all over again. At the end of the training, if successful, heroes are placed into a Level and each Level “knows their place”.

Level D’s place is to stay out of the way, help out as much as they can, and never ever get in the spotlight. As the title of the book suggests, they are “the backup”. Like all systems, it’s hugely broken, and there’s a lot more happening beneath the surface, which is what the book is about. The plot is interesting, and the protagonist, Tanser girl, is likeable, as is the barkeeper Frank. I couldn’t stand the other level D superhero, Dwighter, who was extremely irritating throughout.

I personally favour novels over novellas, and that certainly did affect how much I enjoyed The BackUp Superhero. While I enjoyed the story, I felt like I was just getting the first part of a novel rather than a complete novella, or even a complete short story. The way the novella ended felt a little incomplete to me, with one event being concluded while the wider story arc was only just beginning. Just as I was getting into the story, it abruptly ended. Despite my preference for novels, this isn’t my first time reading fiction in an episodic format, and in this case, it felt like the end of a chapter rather than the end of a novella.

The BackUp Superhero is an interesting and enjoyable start to The BackUp Superhero series; however, for me personally, the emphasis there is on the start. Thankfully, book two is already available to read, so if you loved book one, you can head straight to book two to continue the story. Both books are available to read on Kindle Unlimited. While The BackUp Superhero had some intriguing world-building, it just didn’t quite get there for me in terms of plot and characters. For readers looking for a fun, quick read, it’s right on track, but for readers who prefer a bit more of a meatier read, like myself, you might find it not quite your thing.

Thanks for reading my review for The BackUp Superhero by Kayla Hicks. Do you like to read novellas, or are you more of a novel reader like me? Let me know in the comments 🙂

Don’t forget to check out the rest of my reviews if you’re looking for some more book recommendations 🙂 You can also now sign up for my newsletter to get an email each month with a list of my new reviews.

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