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Super
Homework, detention, and saving the world. For the brother of a Super, high school is anything but ordinary.
James Bolt is used to being saved. But when the Supers -- and his brother -- disappear without a trace, the powerless teenager must jump into action and be the hero he’s always wanted to be. As he searches for the secret of the Supers’ disappearance, James finds himself on a globetrotting adventure, chasing mysterious clues and ancient myths. Super is the first book in a YA sci-fi action/adventure series. If you like fast-paced action, globetrotting adventure, and lighthearted humor, you’ll love this first installment in Grant Smits’ page-turning series.
2021 Wishing Shelf Book Award Winner!
James Bolt is used to being saved. But when the Supers -- and his brother -- disappear without a trace, the powerless teenager must jump into action and be the hero he’s always wanted to be. As he searches for the secret of the Supers’ disappearance, James finds himself on a globetrotting adventure, chasing mysterious clues and ancient myths. Super is the first book in a YA sci-fi action/adventure series. If you like fast-paced action, globetrotting adventure, and lighthearted humor, you’ll love this first installment in Grant Smits’ page-turning series.
2021 Wishing Shelf Book Award Winner!
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 19, 2021
20 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
Grant Smits
3 books8 followersGrant Smits is an author who currently resides in Madison, Wisconsin. His debut novel, Super, is the first installment of a young adult series about the brother of a superhero. When he's not writing, he spends his time boxing, listening to music, and going to bed early.
You can follow Grant on Instagram @grantsmits. Want to stay current on the latest news? Check out www.grantsmits.com.
You can follow Grant on Instagram @grantsmits. Want to stay current on the latest news? Check out www.grantsmits.com.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 19, 2024
National Treasure vibes
Though I love everything super hero and powers, this book took some effort. There were so many deus exes and lucky kidnappings to the point our MC was carried along by plot more than skill. There were some fun bits, but I was taken out of the story when a teenager was expected to investigate a clue in Nepal, because how lucky was he to have a huge credit limit at 15, and then to travel even further, just felt so impossible if they weren't constantly kidnapped.
James still had a solid character, the feeling of struggle and resentment came through well which I appreciated and kept me going.
Though I love everything super hero and powers, this book took some effort. There were so many deus exes and lucky kidnappings to the point our MC was carried along by plot more than skill. There were some fun bits, but I was taken out of the story when a teenager was expected to investigate a clue in Nepal, because how lucky was he to have a huge credit limit at 15, and then to travel even further, just felt so impossible if they weren't constantly kidnapped.
James still had a solid character, the feeling of struggle and resentment came through well which I appreciated and kept me going.
July 18, 2022
This book was entered in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:
Title: Super
Author: Grant Smits
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 19
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 10/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 5/5
Of the 19 readers:
19 would read another book by this author.
19 thought the cover was good or excellent.
19 felt it was easy to follow.
19 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 4 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
19 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
19 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“I thought it was clever how the hero of the story wasn´t the character with powers but the brother. This is a thrilling adventure story that´s well-written and fun.” Girl, aged 15
“I loved the adventure and all the globetrotting! Also, it´s good that the author put a little humour in the story. I think the hero is a likeable boy who teenagers will relate to. He´s sort of a boy-next-door kid, but he is caring and brave.” Girl, aged 14
“I think I´d like to be a Super! Read this in class over three days and enjoyed it. It´s not particularly thought provoking, but that´s okay. Teenagers love cool characters and exciting plots. This book has both.” Girl, aged 15
To Sum It Up:
‘A fast-paced adventure teenagers will love. A SILVER MEDAL WINNER and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Title: Super
Author: Grant Smits
Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 19
Stats
Editing: 9/10
Writing Style: 10/10
Content: 10/10
Cover: 5/5
Of the 19 readers:
19 would read another book by this author.
19 thought the cover was good or excellent.
19 felt it was easy to follow.
19 would recommend this book to another reader to try.
Of all the readers, 10 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘plotting a story’.
Of all the readers, 4 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘developing the characters’.
Of all the readers, 5 felt the author’s strongest skill was ‘writing style’.
19 felt the pacing was good or excellent.
19 thought the author understood the readership and what they wanted.
Readers’ Comments
“I thought it was clever how the hero of the story wasn´t the character with powers but the brother. This is a thrilling adventure story that´s well-written and fun.” Girl, aged 15
“I loved the adventure and all the globetrotting! Also, it´s good that the author put a little humour in the story. I think the hero is a likeable boy who teenagers will relate to. He´s sort of a boy-next-door kid, but he is caring and brave.” Girl, aged 14
“I think I´d like to be a Super! Read this in class over three days and enjoyed it. It´s not particularly thought provoking, but that´s okay. Teenagers love cool characters and exciting plots. This book has both.” Girl, aged 15
To Sum It Up:
‘A fast-paced adventure teenagers will love. A SILVER MEDAL WINNER and highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
April 2, 2021
Wow, this was really, really good, and an absolute page-turner.
James Bolt isn’t new to being kidnapped. After all, being the Normal brother of The Bolt, a Super, is bound to get him some unwanted attention. James has grown up with the belief that the Supers were the good guys and this continued to be true… until it wasn’t. When a government building is destroyed, he is shocked to learn that his brother may be one of the ones responsible. Now the Supers have disappeared and James wants to find out where they are and why they’ve left. In a globe-trotting journey, he faces more danger than he could’ve ever imagined, and discovers that being Normal is sometimes just as great as being Super.
Okay, so this book was so much fun. I was hooked right from the beginning and it kept me completely engaged all the way through. I quite enjoyed the cast of characters – I very much appreciated that James wasn’t portrayed as a stereotypical “jealous” sibling, and it showed he and Derek had a strong relationship as brothers. I loved Rocky’s unwavering loyalty to his best friend, and that there wasn’t any forced romance between male and female characters. An absolutely solid fast-paced adventure that keep you reading until the very end.
Thank you Voracious Readers and Grant Smits for my copy!
James Bolt isn’t new to being kidnapped. After all, being the Normal brother of The Bolt, a Super, is bound to get him some unwanted attention. James has grown up with the belief that the Supers were the good guys and this continued to be true… until it wasn’t. When a government building is destroyed, he is shocked to learn that his brother may be one of the ones responsible. Now the Supers have disappeared and James wants to find out where they are and why they’ve left. In a globe-trotting journey, he faces more danger than he could’ve ever imagined, and discovers that being Normal is sometimes just as great as being Super.
Okay, so this book was so much fun. I was hooked right from the beginning and it kept me completely engaged all the way through. I quite enjoyed the cast of characters – I very much appreciated that James wasn’t portrayed as a stereotypical “jealous” sibling, and it showed he and Derek had a strong relationship as brothers. I loved Rocky’s unwavering loyalty to his best friend, and that there wasn’t any forced romance between male and female characters. An absolutely solid fast-paced adventure that keep you reading until the very end.
Thank you Voracious Readers and Grant Smits for my copy!
February 23, 2021
What Makes a Super ?
Humor and adventure are the buzzwords for this story! High School student, James Bolt, knows all about being saved and rescued. But suddenly the Supers, including his brother, have disappeared! James doesn’t have any powers. How will he manage to become the hero he has dreamed he could be? His adventure takes him farther than he could ever imagine as he travels the globe chasing clues and myths to find the Supers! Can he succeed on his own like this?
When he opened his eyes, his entire body in pain and with his one arm managed badly, James looked down and he still clutched the stone in his hand. The Chintamani Stone. The relic so many sought, but stripped of its power now. As Auri said to all of them gathered around, “Having powers doesn’t make you a Super -- being a hero makes you a Super.” And she looked at James. They would have stories to tell later. Grab your copy and catch up on the entirety of their adventures. There are many surprises still to discover here!
Humor and adventure are the buzzwords for this story! High School student, James Bolt, knows all about being saved and rescued. But suddenly the Supers, including his brother, have disappeared! James doesn’t have any powers. How will he manage to become the hero he has dreamed he could be? His adventure takes him farther than he could ever imagine as he travels the globe chasing clues and myths to find the Supers! Can he succeed on his own like this?
When he opened his eyes, his entire body in pain and with his one arm managed badly, James looked down and he still clutched the stone in his hand. The Chintamani Stone. The relic so many sought, but stripped of its power now. As Auri said to all of them gathered around, “Having powers doesn’t make you a Super -- being a hero makes you a Super.” And she looked at James. They would have stories to tell later. Grab your copy and catch up on the entirety of their adventures. There are many surprises still to discover here!
March 30, 2021
James Bolt is the unremarkable younger brother of one of a handful of Supers, The Bolt. One day, his brother Derek and a few other Supers destroy a government building and disappear, so James automatically starts trying to figure out where his brother is and why he has gone rogue. All evidence points towards a magical stone that could give untold powers to the discoverer...but is Derek looking to become more powerful, protecting the stone from mysterious government groups, or is this stone going to solve the mystery of why there are Supers in the first place?
YA, except for a tiny bit of language. Like how PG-13 will allow the occasional F bomb. Fantastic works building, fast-paced action adventure. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.
YA, except for a tiny bit of language. Like how PG-13 will allow the occasional F bomb. Fantastic works building, fast-paced action adventure. I am looking forward to the rest of the series.
May 9, 2021
First of all, I would like to thank the author and Voracious Readers Only for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was very different to what I'm used to reading but I really enjoyed it nonetheless! It was fun, easy to follow and the characters were so likeable!
I expected to see more of the Supers but the story very much follows James and his friends in their quest to find the Supers. I won't lie, I saw a few things coming but it didn't take away from the enjoyment. This seems to be the first of a series which I will gladly continue reading. An all round good book I would definitely recommend :)
This was very different to what I'm used to reading but I really enjoyed it nonetheless! It was fun, easy to follow and the characters were so likeable!
I expected to see more of the Supers but the story very much follows James and his friends in their quest to find the Supers. I won't lie, I saw a few things coming but it didn't take away from the enjoyment. This seems to be the first of a series which I will gladly continue reading. An all round good book I would definitely recommend :)
November 25, 2025
I must be honest that I have never read a book by an Indie author, but I find that I really enjoyed it. The main character, James, is the younger brother of a super-being. He feels all the emotions about his brother, loving him, jealousy of the super-powers, mixed in with a bit of a "death-wish" having his brother save him multiple times. When the Supers become involved in a tragic situation that involves many deaths, they go into hiding. James and his friends then go on a search for the Supers with clues left behind by his brother. A good read.
March 15, 2021
Review through Voracious Readers Only
Thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced adventure. It was fun, loads of action, a touch of mystery and some interesting villains and characters along the way.
A great adventure for young (and old) readers. I loved the ideas of the Supers and personally liked Auri. Rocky, Katie and James are some pretty cool teens! Well worth 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced adventure. It was fun, loads of action, a touch of mystery and some interesting villains and characters along the way.
A great adventure for young (and old) readers. I loved the ideas of the Supers and personally liked Auri. Rocky, Katie and James are some pretty cool teens! Well worth 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
March 21, 2021
Action/adventure is my favorite genre and this novel was pretty good.
I really enjoyed the storyline and it wasn’t at all predictable.
I was able to relate to the main characters and enjoyed getting to know them and follow their journey.
I am definitely looking forward to any sequels that follow.
(received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only)
I really enjoyed the storyline and it wasn’t at all predictable.
I was able to relate to the main characters and enjoyed getting to know them and follow their journey.
I am definitely looking forward to any sequels that follow.
(received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only)
April 4, 2021
I received this from the author through Voracious Readers Only. I am so glad I requested it. Super is an awesome story. I enjoyed the plot and the writing was well done. I believe there will be more stories and I look forward to following these characters. Smits does an amazing job of engaging the reader. His character development is great. Please read this book and tell others about it!
July 17, 2025
i requested this purchase to the library and it is such a great book! i think it depicts modern kids well without being weird about it. its funny but also sweet. i love the relationship between brothers as it was described. Excellent story and hope to see a sequel soon!
EDIT: the IS already a sequel and i will be reading it!
EDIT: the IS already a sequel and i will be reading it!
October 29, 2021
Good read.
Nicely written. Fast paced and quite believable within the framework of Supers..
Look forward to more books by this author.
Good for a younger reader but this old fellow enjoyed it as well.
Nicely written. Fast paced and quite believable within the framework of Supers..
Look forward to more books by this author.
Good for a younger reader but this old fellow enjoyed it as well.
March 25, 2024
A good story I like him becoming more independent in a world of superheroes
April 15, 2024
Super hero YA! What’s not to like! This book was pretty cool, I saw it pop up on instagram and imma sucker for superhero’s, it had a bit of an Indiana jones vibe going on too which I liked!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews