Finalist
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Woeppel offers readers an entertaining, fast-moving story of Birdie—a superhero placed on a leave of absence and sent to therapy to improve her rapport with "normal" humans—whose life transforms when she meets Aiden. That shift gives Birdie the path to discovering—and appreciating—her true self, and readers will relish experiencing the ride alongside this forceful lead.
Prose: Polished prose and snippets of humor make this a fun read, and Birdie's sarcasm often steals the spotlight. Woeppel crafts smooth transitions and believable situations, even in the context of this story's unusual main character.
Originality: Birdie's plight is a curious one: an unconventional, flippant superhero who must learn to love herself before she can truly help others. That motivation adds dimension to a plot that is already highly amusing.
Character/Execution: Birdie is an enjoyable character with smarts and flair; she will remind readers of the importance of self-love, all while striking a serious blow in favor of female power. Aiden, and Birdie's newfound friend Evie, allow Birdie to grow naturally, advancing her development throughout the story.
Date Submitted: August 04, 2024
Woeppel debuts with a playful, high-energy romance that finds the incredibly strong Birdie—a female superhero known as the Chicago Bird—put on hold by the mayor, thanks to the slew of complaints pouring in about her foul mouth and bad attitude. Meanwhile, her personal life suffers when a television rumor about “the strength of her vagina” goes viral, making her forced sabbatical all the more debilitating. During her compulsory therapy sessions in a nearby suburban resort town, Birdie learns she must cast her superpowers aside and start dating. That adjustment comes with its own comedy of errors, including a new friendship, a more conventional job, and, of course, unexpected sparks with the resident woodworker, Aiden.Woeppel’s worldbuilding embraces both the silly superhero and summer romance aesthetics in a contemporary setting, with bold characters like Birdie’s sassy gay superhero bestie Jace and new local drama buddy Evie, as well as a collection of hilariously sketched minor characters, many of whom materialize during Birdie’s unsuccessful dates. The banter between Aiden and Birdie shines, both in its initial rudeness and its slow transformation into flirtation, though their actual sexual scenes melt into a more generic desire and lose some of that fizzle. Birdie’s backstory carries weight, but it never dominates, playing out in her memories of her mother’s fear at her daughter’s changes and a sweet 16 romance that foundered amid the discovery of her growing powers.
This is a gentle critique of societal constraints on women’s behavior, and Woeppel’s upbeat message—that accepting yourself, vulnerabilities and all, should be the only goal—broadcasts clearly through Birdie’s ultimate success at finding love while refusing to compromise her own superhuman strength. The transformation she undergoes in her own eyes—and in Chicago’s view—is intense, rendering Aiden’s whispered exhortation to “never let them tame you” a potent reminder of the power that comes with self-discovery.
Takeaway: Playful superhero romance with an undercurrent of feminist empowerment.
Comparable Titles: Alice Winters’s A Villain for Christmas, Laura Thalassa’s Reaping Angels.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
