This summer, superheroes are all the rage. If you’re just as stoked as we are about the release of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and The Flash, here are seven absolutely Marvel-ous (pun intended) must-read superhero books to add to your TBR.
Harley Quinn: Reckoning by Rachael Allen
In this fresh, fun and feminist spin on the beloved super-villain Harley Quinn, Harleen Quinzel is an aspiring STEM student who dreams of making a groundbreaking scientific discovery while interning at Gotham University. Eager to earn a full-ride college scholarship and get away from her abusive father for good, she discovers that both the school and her professional field are rife with sexism, and soon becomes entangled in a vigilante girl group called the Reckoning.
Don’t miss the second book in the Harley Quinn series, Harley Quinn: Ravenous!
Fly on the Wall by E. Lockhart
Comic book-obsessed Gretchen Yee is a misfit even at her Manhattan arts high school, spending her lunches sitting alone and drawing pictures of Spider-Man so she won’t have to talk to anyone. One day, she wishes she could be a fly on the wall in the boy’s locker room to learn what they really discuss, and soon gets the chance when she gains the ability to become her alter ego: a fly. Hilarious and sharp, this unique spin on the superhero trope is great for fans of Kafka and Spider-Man alike.
Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken
This high-octane adventure inspired by Arthurian legend is complete with an intricate world-building, unforgettable side characters, and a protagonist born with no magical talent who still manages to be utterly intriguing and impossible not to root for, much like faves Green Arrow and Black Widow.
Starlings by Amanda Linsmeier
In this dark YA fantasy debut, a teen girl is pulled into a dark and ancient bargain. In the wake of her father’s death, Kit discovers family she had no idea existed who live in a strange, too picture-perfect town called Rosemont. It’s like something straight out of a 1950s fever dream, similar to the eerily peaceful town of Pleasant Hill in Avengers: Standoff! that hid disturbing secrets beneath a charming exterior.
In Nightfall by Suzanne Young
After getting arrested for throwing an out-of-control party, siblings Theodora and Marco are sent spend the summer in an Oregon town with a grandmother they’ve never met. Grandma has one main rule: never go out after dark, but they’re determined to explore the town and mingle with its alluring locals. By night, Theo and Marco meet a beautiful, charismatic group of girls their age who are far from what they appear. Monsters lurk beneath a shiny surface in this highly readable mash-up of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Lost Boys.
The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa
In this sweeping fantasy full of revolution and revenge, transmasculine nonbinary teen Mar leads a swashbuckling life as a pirate who tries to conceal their extraordinary ability to control fire and ice. Unfortunately, their magical capabilities fall short of undoing a dreadful agreement struck by their father, resulting in el Diablo’s arrival to claim his due: the souls of Mar’s father and the entire crew aboard their vessel. Lovable Mar is one heck of a pirate superhero in their own right, and must find the courage to learn to work their magic to save those they love.
Actually Super by Adi Alsaid
Set off on a globetrotting adventure to discover real-life supers in this novel! When her faith in humanity has been shaken, high school junior Isabel finds herself drawn to a niche corner of the internet—a forum whose members believe firmly in one thing: that there are indeed people out in the world quietly performing impossible acts of heroism. You might even call them supers. No, not in the comic book sense—these are real people, just like each of us, but who happen to have a power or two. If Isabel can find them, she reasons, she might be able to prove to herself that humanity is more good than bad.
