The Brightest Blaze (Vector City Supers Book 3)

I have loved the journey that Sadie, our “norm” café owner and bad-ass business owner, and Joan, our villain turned superhero, from the first page of book 1. Watching Sadie fall for Joan, while Joan initially resisted, was great. Watching them grow and move in together was beautiful. And now, seeing what they went through in book three? Our girls deserve a little bit of a break. There is a group in this book (Citizens for Human Power) that hits a little close to home in the US, but Sadie does something I'm sure a lot of us wish we could do to a certain someone. The chemistry between Sadie and Joan has always been explosive (pun intended 😅🔥), and I highly doubt Sadie will ever see her office the same way again. Honestly, this book was a fun ride, even with the lower feeling moments. If you like quirky, fun, gripping stories with characters who are like family, please snag all three Vector City Supers books. You'll be so glad that you did.

This was easily my favourite book in the series. I’ve grown to love Joan and Sadie more with each book, but this one really felt like it dug deeper into who they are. The character work felt more layered and intentional compared to the earlier books. I loved that the conflict wasn’t some obvious villain with flashy powers. Instead, it was a group of people trying to control others’ rights, which honestly felt a bit too real. It also handled that shift between heroes and villains really well. Watching some characters fall while others came full circle into genuinely accepted heroes was one of the most interesting parts for me. I also really loved how Sadie’s self-doubt was handled. Instead of just magically overcoming it, she builds a genuinely strong support network around her, and that’s what helps her step into her identity with confidence. It felt grounded and really rewarding to watch. Joan’s growth was also really interesting to me. We do get growth from her, but it’s not linear and not all of it happens on page, which honestly feels more realistic. The moments we do see, especially in how she communicates with Sadie, show that she is doing the work, even if it’s messy and incomplete. I would still have loved to see more of it directly, but I also appreciate that her progress isn’t packaged neatly. I adore Mark, even though there were definitely moments where I wanted to bash him over the head a bit. His growth stood out to me, especially in how he and Joan start to…

This series was pure joy! I highly recommended for anyone looking for fun, spice, and lots of heart.

The final book in the Vector City Supers series ends on a serious note. Kelly Farmer still has our heroes dealing with prejudice, insecurity, identity, and finding love and family. The Brightest Blaze takes it to a city-wide scale and then one very zealous human tries to take it nationally. It is a story that reflects our times as many superhero stories do. If you live in the United States or in any place with marginalized people, then you will recognize the tactics used. There is also a great conversation about how we help and contribute to the world. There is one superhero who decides to veer off their scheduled course to address environmental concerns. The question becomes how do you really get people to listen and want to get involved. This is also a story about what happens when the newness fades, whether it be in a relationship or in work. The changing dynamics of growing as a person and what that means for the people around you. Spark and Ice becoming superheroes changes how heroes are viewed even within the team. Like I said, this has a serious tone to it and misses some of the fun and steam that were in the previous two books. There is some steam, but the concentration is on the relationship and communication. I enjoyed The Brightest Blaze. Farmer says in their acknowledgments that they will be back in this world again exploring other superheroes' lives and that should be fun. This is a diverse cast which I love. There are action sequences and snarky moments. I…

The Brightest Blaze is the third book in the Vector City Supers series. If you haven't read the first two books - Secret Spark and Fanning the Flames - you really should. The series builds on itself, and it's better when read in order. I loved this series finale! It does a great job of wrapping up the characters' storylines, while also leaving room for more stories from this world. Farmer is a master at juggling a large cast of characters, making them each distinct and relatable and interesting in their own ways, creating strong found-family links between them, and closing the circle on each of their stories in a satisfying way. This book feels both real and hopeful, which is no easy feat in our current political and literal climate. I really enjoyed seeing Sadie come into her own power, and Joan learn to roll with the changes in her life. I highly recommend this whole series.