The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, & June

What I Liked:
THE CUTE. That is what this book is. So freaking adorable. I’ve read one Robin Benway book before this, but I tried the audio, and I feel like the adorbs did not translate quite as well to the audiobook format. Anyway, I totally understand why people want Benway books with their cuteness. Also, I totally will use the words cute and adorable until they cease having any meaning throughout the course of this review, so deal with it. Honestly, it’s Robin Benway’s fault, because all I can say is CUTE CUTE CUTE.

Okay, so I actually read an oddly similar book a couple weeks ago. Don’t Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski has a similar silly contemporary with a paranormal twist plot. I don’t say this to diminish either, because, even almost back to back, I really enjoyed both of them. Basically, my point is that if you enjoyed one of these, you should read the other, because they are awesome quick reads full of humor. The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May & June is definitely cuter though. Also, I’m writing the rest of this review in such a way as to never have to type that long-ass title again. I think my fingers need a drink after that.

Anyway, these three sisters, creatively names April, May and June for the months in which they were born, one day discover they have powers. The eldest, April, can see the future. May, the middle girl, can turn invisible, clothes and all, luckily for her. The youngest, June, can read minds. There are some hints at an explanation, but mostly this is just how things are. Accept it and laugh your way through, or it’s probably not the book for you. The world building is so not the point here.

Not gonna lie, but this book was totally borrowing some of my LBD feels. Though they’re not really the same in any way otherwise, the three sisters and the way they didn’t really understand each other was very much like Lizzie, Mary, and Lydia. May is sooo not a Jane, so I’m borrowing cousin Mary to be a sister again. As sisters, they are constantly sniping, but then they really love one another and are trying to help each other. June is so completely Lydia Bennet from LBD that I can’t even.

Each sister is very disparate from the others. April’s driven, focused on academic. A stereotypical oldest child, she’s controlling and over-protective. She doesn’t really have friends, but mostly because she thinks studying is more fun. No, for real. May, on the other hand, doesn’t care about school and is a lone wolf by choice. Also she’s the daughter taking their parents’ divorce the hardest because of how close she used to be with their dad. June, however, wants to be popular and have the whole high school movie sort of experience with parties and cute clothes and all of that.

There are also two super adorable romances which I totally ship. I mean, both of them are hate to love on the girls’ sides, which immediately put my shippy heart into drive. Also, I’m really happy that there are only two ships and that there is not “omg we are in love after three days” nonsense. It’s good, believable high school romance. The other sister doesn’t have a romance, but she makes a friend, and that is all totally okay. Props for Robin Benway for not pairing everyone off with a romance.

The Final Verdict:
Anyway, this post is overdue, so I think I’ll end there. In case you missed it the three hundred other times I said so, this book is freaking adorable and funny and cute. If that’s your thing, read it.

April, May and June are just normal sisters, that is until their parents get divorced and they are forced to move with their mom to a new city. Now the girls have to survive the wrath of high school in a new town, in a new home, with their dad living in a different state. As if that weren’t enough, the girls unexpectedly learn that they have superpowers! Smart and responsible April can see the future; troubled May can disappear; and June can now read minds. Trouble is, these superpowers aren’t the usual ones everyone would wish for to help make their lives easier, and they often get the girls in trouble. Although June can read minds, she can’t always control whose mind she reads, and when she starts using her newfound ability to become friends with the popular kids, the false friendships become dangerous. As awesome as disappearing is, May can’t always control where or when she vanishes, causing some unexpected, unwanted disappearances. And even though April can see the future, she keeps having undesirable visions, and not all of them are completely clear. When she sees trouble ahead for June, the girls decide they must do everything in their power to prevent the vision from coming true. If only they could figure out what the vision means!

I absolutely loved this book! The plot was refreshing and like nothing I had read before. The characters were all distinctly different, amusing and relatable. Each chapter is told from a different sister’s point of view. Reading the three girls argue was so realistic, I felt like I knew each one of them.

Don’t be fooled. When I saw that this book was about sisters with superpowers, I thought that it would be silly and unrealistic but this book surprised me. I definitely recommend it for anyone who wants a good read!