Blaze: Reputation Up In Flames

Blaze (or Love in the Time of Supervillains) by Laurie Boyle Crompton

Why did I read it?

I knew it was going to be chick lit (which I try to read every once in a while because its not what I normally read), but I figured I'd read this particular chick lit novel because it featured some geeky comic book stuff as well =D

What happened?

Blaze has been sacrificing her normal teenage life of going to the mall and having boyfriends since her Dad left her Mom, and she's ready for a change. Especially if that change came in the form of the nearly perfect, beautiful, and popular Mark (her younger brother's soccer coach), taking an interest in her. She might even consider changing her Super Virgin status...

And to Blaze's own turd-brown van driving, comic-book drawing self's amazement, Mark actually does go out with her. But, it isn't the happily-ever-after she imagined it would be. When  circumstances in and out of her control go completely sideways, Blaze finds her life turned completely upside-down, out of control, and her reputation smashed to smithereens.

Maybe what Blaze needs is a hero...or maybe she needs a chance to rise like a phoenix from the ashes...or maybe she just needs a chance to settle things with her Dad once and for all...or maybe she could just erase everything that happened (if only life was more like a comic book)...

What did I like or not like?

I was expecting chick lit, but I wasn't expecting to like the characters as much as I wound up liking them. Things do keep going from bad to worse, but Blaze is able to mostly keep her wits about her, and learns some interesting things along the way.

I also appreciated all the geeky, nerdy comic-book and fan-fiction references and conversations. Blaze has to deal with some intense stuff, but her juxtaposition of comic characters' problems and issues makes the novel lighter and easier to relate to.

P.S. This one has some cussing and sexual content.