The Academy For Young Supervillains

by Taylor A. Jenkins

WELCOME TO THE ACADEMY FOR YOUNG SUPERVILLAINS.



Sixteen-year-old Theo Palmer always believed he was destined for greatness-just not the kind that lands him in handcuffs. When a late-night convenience store robbery forces him to reveal his powers, Theo finds himself on the wrong side of the law and labeled as a potential threat. Right when he thinks his life is ruined, he's given a rare to enroll in the prestigious Academy for Young Superheroes. However, in an underhanded scheme, he is stuck in the school's notorious counterpart-the Academy for Young Supervillains.

Determined to prove he belongs among the heroes, Theo enters a world where power is everything, secrets lurk in every shadow, and the line between hero and villain is razor thin. As he struggles to control his abilities-and his dark instincts-Theo must navigate rivalries, dangerous alliances, and a school that isn't what it seems.

Because at the academy, everyone has a past. Everyone has an agenda. And if Theo isn't careful, he may discover that being a villain runs in his blood.



For fans of Renegades and My Hero Academia, this thrilling coming-of-age story will keep you guessing until the very last page.

397 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 21, 2025

About the author

Taylor A. Jenkins has been writing for over twelve years. What started as simple school assignments quickly blossomed into a lifelong passion after a teacher’s encouragement set her on this path. From that moment on, she devoured every book she could get her hands on until, eventually, she wrote her own.
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After earning a degree in English and Creative Writing from Weber State University, she dedicated herself to crafting the worlds she longs to escape into. She now lives in Utah with her wonderful family and a lively assortment of noisy animals.

Reviews

[Payton Balog]

One night, while Theo Palmer is hanging out with his sister, Tara, at the convenience store where she works, two criminals try to rob them. Unfortunately, for them, Theo isn't your typical teenage boy. He has superpowers.

His powers allow him to do all kinds of cool things. Mostly, manipulate shadows and darkness.

After he uses his powers to save Tara and stop the criminals, certain events transpire, and soon, Theo is offered a spot in The Academy For Young Superheroes. But when he gets to the school, he's told that he's actually been enrolled in The Academy for Young Supervillains.

Sucky twist. Theo is not happy about it. He's determined to prove that he's a hero.

But this school has a lot of secrets. It's impossible to know who Theo can trust. Sometimes, he can't even trust his own mind and thoughts.
And with the dangers piling up alongside the pressure Theo puts on himself, how long will it be before he crumbles?

I really enjoyed this book.

Theo is an excellent main character. His powers are intriguing. There's still so much to learn about them. And his journey is far from over.
He cares deeply about people and the world. He loves his family and his friends with his whole heart, especially Penny.

Penny is Theo's crush. She's a fantastic character. Super sweet and selfless. Her strength and confidence really seem to sharpen throughout the story.
I really loved her POV chapters.

I also really love Dion. Theo's best friend. Dion's powers are really cool. And he's a good person. He cares about Theo a lot, which Theo needs.

Peter is another character I want to mention. He seems to be the only student in the entire school that knows what's really going on, or at least bits and pieces. He also makes for great comedic relief. His comments made me smile.

The whole book felt sort of like an origin story, especially after reading the end of it. It has set the stage for what I imagine will be an amazing adventure for Theo and his friends.

I can't wait to see what happens next.

[Aerozel Soul]

I headcanon that Theo looks like an emo Deku from My Hero. Needed something to read after my favorite anime finished. Its got percy jackson vibes

[Marion Norindale]

Disclaimer: I might be too old for this book.

The plot definitely had potential. And the writing was pretty good too. Jenkins clearly has a good grasp of the building blocks—scene-setting, crafting characters, and writing description.

But maybe it’s because I’m too old to care about school hijinks, I’m not a fan of romantic complications, and I’ve read too many books not to see particular twists coming—but I found the pacing to be pretty slow. I got about a third of the way through before I began to skim-read, skipping past pages of villain-hero rivalry shenanigans, school drama, and romantic entanglements.

I saw the twists coming pretty early. I’m not always mad about that, if the story’s good. But in this case, it kind of hindered my experience, because the story acted as if the answers to our questions would be dramatic reveals, therefore unintentionally dragging out the resolution for me.

The plot made sense, and it would definitely appeal to a particular audience. But, at least for me, it just took way too long to happen.

Like I said, it might just be because I’ve consumed a lot of media at this point in my life, and I’m well past the age where high school hijinks and romantic complications are appealing to me.

But if you don’t mind any of that, then you’ll probably find something to enjoy within this book.

[Tess Miller]

This book was honestly so good. It reminded me so much of nostalgic dystopian like Michael Vey and Percy Jackson. I loved the storyline and all of the characters. It brought out so many emotions I was hoping it would and I can’t wait to read the next book.

[Jill J]

I am not a big reader, but this book reawakened my love for reading. I couldn't put it down! It was a page-turner from beginning to end. The characters are relatable, the action is exciting, and I'm able to read this with my daughter. It's a great book for anyone looking for an amazing adventure!

[Sheri Condie]

Such a great book, and a talented new Author! Well-written and compelling! I’m excited to read more of Taylor’s books!