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baronessekat's review against another edition
4.0
This book grabbed my attention because of the title. It sounded fun. And, hands down, it was.
13 year old, Penelope's parents are Superheroes. The two smartest ones known. And Penelope's been waiting for her powers to start manifesting so she can join the ranks of LA's Superhero community.
But when her powers do start to manifest, she's told by her parents that it's going to take a few years for them to fully form. But what she doesn't tell them is that the powers are growing faster than expected. And what those powers prove to make her into... a mad scientist. So Penny, along with her best friends Claire and Ray, who both also develop powers, team up.
They start proving themselves to the Superhero/Supervillain communities, hoping to be taken seriously. And while everyone labels them to be villains, Penny hopes to one day still be part of the Hero side.
But until then, what's a 13 year old Mad Scientist to do but have fun and show up the Grown-ups.
I completely enjoyed this book, found myself smiling throughout it and am looking forward to the next one. Highly recommend.
13 year old, Penelope's parents are Superheroes. The two smartest ones known. And Penelope's been waiting for her powers to start manifesting so she can join the ranks of LA's Superhero community.
But when her powers do start to manifest, she's told by her parents that it's going to take a few years for them to fully form. But what she doesn't tell them is that the powers are growing faster than expected. And what those powers prove to make her into... a mad scientist. So Penny, along with her best friends Claire and Ray, who both also develop powers, team up.
They start proving themselves to the Superhero/Supervillain communities, hoping to be taken seriously. And while everyone labels them to be villains, Penny hopes to one day still be part of the Hero side.
But until then, what's a 13 year old Mad Scientist to do but have fun and show up the Grown-ups.
I completely enjoyed this book, found myself smiling throughout it and am looking forward to the next one. Highly recommend.
claudia_marcela's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
iceman76's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
jhbandcats's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
If I view this as a cute, fun story for kids 10-14, then it’s fine. If, however, I compare it to the Harry Potter books and the His Dark Materials trilogy, it pales in comparison. Those two series were complex and detailed tales with strong plot and characterization. I was emotionally invested in what was happening.
By contrast, the Supervillain book was kids playing with their new superpowers and having big, messy, not-too-scary fights. The plot was just that - kids, new powers, fights. There’s clearly something serious going on with Ray’s home life but it’s never explored. This had potential to be a good coming of age novel but that didn’t happen.
That said, I really liked the final section that takes place in the library. Stories - both fiction and nonfiction - have come to life throughout the library such as Lincoln’s assassination, horror stories, and Raymond Chandleresque detective stories. I wanted to be there and experience that.
Overall, it’s a funny book but nothing I could take seriously. And even kids’ books should be taken seriously, whether or not their story is serious.
By contrast, the Supervillain book was kids playing with their new superpowers and having big, messy, not-too-scary fights. The plot was just that - kids, new powers, fights. There’s clearly something serious going on with Ray’s home life but it’s never explored. This had potential to be a good coming of age novel but that didn’t happen.
That said, I really liked the final section that takes place in the library. Stories - both fiction and nonfiction - have come to life throughout the library such as Lincoln’s assassination, horror stories, and Raymond Chandleresque detective stories. I wanted to be there and experience that.
Overall, it’s a funny book but nothing I could take seriously. And even kids’ books should be taken seriously, whether or not their story is serious.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
kaqueershi's review
5.0
Some of the most fun I've had reading in.... probably years. This book had no right to be as good as it was. A complete joy to experience. Wonderful characters that you root for and a silly plot that will make you laugh in all the right and best ways. I wouldn't mind if this ended up as a series. Definitely recommend if you're looking for a light read and a smile.
chukg's review
3.0
This book almost reads like good fan fiction. There's something about it that feels a little amateur. That said, it was compelling read if you are a fan of superhero fiction (which I am), some neat powers, interesting characters, and good action scenes. I will probably read the sequel.
cursed_sapphire's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
This was the most fun I've had with a book in a while! Listened to the audiobook, and I never wanted to stop. Great characters and fun action scenes in an exciting world of heroes and villains, great for anyone wanting a light-hearted adventure.
mzlawren's review
challenging
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
mollymortensen's review
4.0
Penny, the daughter of two superheroes, can't wait to come into her powers. When she learns that she probably has four more years until they fully emerge, she's heartbroken.
Her mad scientist like powers don't take that long, only a couple of weeks, and she decides to keep them a secret from her parents to surprise them.
However in the meantime she and her two best friends accidentally become supervillains.
Most of the book was learning their powers and committing Supervillainy. (Or trying and failing to be superheroes.) The only 'bad guy' didn't come in until like 75%.
The Good:
The best part of this book is the author's imagination when it comes to Penny's creations! From giant jacks to a soda powered wand, (and those aren't even the best ones!) they were fun and always unique.
Great super powered battles! For a book full of fighting, I was never bored.
All of the characters were colorful (if slightly crazy) and the main friendship between the three was great! (The crush was cute too.)
This book had it all superpowers, magic, (though not according to Penny's Dad) a ghost, a gigantic spider, aliens, and possibly Lucifer herself. I never knew what was coming next!
The Bad:
Not really bad, because I enjoyed it all, but this book felt long. Some of the every day stuff and video game battles, though not boring, could've been cut.
For being genius' Penny's parents were rather dense. (Let's see, a new Supervillain the same age as our daughter with the same powers as our daughter, who could it be?)
Point of View: First Person (Penny)
Predictability: 2 out of 5 (Where 1 is totally unpredictable and 5 is I knew what was going to happen way ahead of time.)
Mood: 4 out of 5 (pretty light and fun)
Source: Freebie
Errors: low (32 that I highlighted on my Kindle)
Her mad scientist like powers don't take that long, only a couple of weeks, and she decides to keep them a secret from her parents to surprise them.
However in the meantime she and her two best friends accidentally become supervillains.
Most of the book was learning their powers and committing Supervillainy. (Or trying and failing to be superheroes.) The only 'bad guy' didn't come in until like 75%.
The Good:
The best part of this book is the author's imagination when it comes to Penny's creations! From giant jacks to a soda powered wand, (and those aren't even the best ones!) they were fun and always unique.
Great super powered battles! For a book full of fighting, I was never bored.
All of the characters were colorful (if slightly crazy) and the main friendship between the three was great! (The crush was cute too.)
This book had it all superpowers, magic, (though not according to Penny's Dad) a ghost, a gigantic spider, aliens, and possibly Lucifer herself. I never knew what was coming next!
The Bad:
Not really bad, because I enjoyed it all, but this book felt long. Some of the every day stuff and video game battles, though not boring, could've been cut.
For being genius' Penny's parents were rather dense. (Let's see, a new Supervillain the same age as our daughter with the same powers as our daughter, who could it be?)
Point of View: First Person (Penny)
Predictability: 2 out of 5 (Where 1 is totally unpredictable and 5 is I knew what was going to happen way ahead of time.)
Mood: 4 out of 5 (pretty light and fun)
Source: Freebie
Errors: low (32 that I highlighted on my Kindle)
brjedi26's review
4.0
The book is good. Very good. It starts out a little slow, and for the first part, I wasn't sure I would like it. Once things pick up, and the supervillainy actually starts, it becomes fantastic.
I read the paperback and, I don't know if this is true of all of the versions, there are a LOT of typos. More editing should have been done before this book went to print. There's a missing period here, an extra one there, wrong word over here. I certainly hope a new edition fixes these annoying errors.
I also dislike that Penny doesn't understand the things she builds with her power and can't control it. That, however, seems to be diminishing as the book goes on, and I hope it continues to diminish into the second and third installments, which I'll definitely be reading.
I read the paperback and, I don't know if this is true of all of the versions, there are a LOT of typos. More editing should have been done before this book went to print. There's a missing period here, an extra one there, wrong word over here. I certainly hope a new edition fixes these annoying errors.
I also dislike that Penny doesn't understand the things she builds with her power and can't control it. That, however, seems to be diminishing as the book goes on, and I hope it continues to diminish into the second and third installments, which I'll definitely be reading.