Heroine Worship Review: Kicking All the Demons
Sometimes even a superhero’s greatest nemesis is themself.
Last year in Heroine Complex we got to see Evie Tanaka’s inner journey as she struggled with expressing herself and a hidden super power. Now in Heroine Worship it’s Evie’s best friend and former boss, Aveda Jupiter’s turn to take a hard look at herself.
Author Sarah Kuhn returns with another heartfelt story set among a supernatural urban mystery fantasy… and a wedding. When post-victory stir-craziness sets in San Francisco’s telekinetic demon-kicker Aveda (aka Annie Chang) is ready and determined to take on any challenge that comes her way – be it the shifting dynamics of partnership, teamwork, and friendship; fighting something she can’t see; or being the best Maid of Honor in the history of weddings.
While it’s Evie and science whiz Nate’s wedding in question, Heroine Worship’s romance plot line belongs to Aveda and spellcaster/fellow team member Scott. Props to Kuhn for making it both sweet and hot. The only downside to the new focus is that after connecting with Evie and Nate so much in the last book, having them mostly relegated to the background of this one made them feel so distant. And while it’s interesting to see how they sound to others, their role in this book is more tell than show. Luckily the rest of the team is back too and it’s nice to see them moving forward in their lives.
Once more the demons being fought are both external and internal. The lessons Annie/Aveda needs to learn are fairly obvious but the emotional connection is what pulls the story through. Kuhn’s portrayal of a perfectionist is not always likable but what really got to me was the dive into discovering why Aveda acts the way she does. As a recovering overachiever, I can relate. Perceived inadequacy can be a strange motivator. So can overcoming the stories you’ve told yourself over and over about your past.
Heroine Worship is an enjoyable addition to the Heroine Complex series, providing another story of a fully-realized Asian-American hero finding her way through all the relationships in her life – including the one with herself.
The publisher provided FANgirl Blog a digital ARC of this book for review.
Kay is FANgirl's resident geek fashion expert and co-host of the Hyperspace Theories podcast. She reviews books and movies for the site with a heart for storytelling and a mind that likes to analyze. Kay's been a guest on various podcasts sharing her love and knowledge of storytelling, film-making, fashion, and of course, Star Wars.
Most days are filled with her work as a creative services professional - designing websites & branding, photographing, voice acting, editing, and more. Kay spends the little bit of free time she has reading, costuming, and, of course, making pew pew noises. She would pick up more jobs and hobbies if she was a Time Lord.
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