Reviewed by Bella

Renegades book coverSummary:

    Renegades is an action-packed novel about superheroes and villains. The story takes place in a world where many people have supernatural abilities, and these people are better known as prodigies. A few of these prodigies form a group called the Renegades, the superhero group that ultimately saves the world from evil and brings peace to an already crumbling society….. Or not, depending  on who you ask. Nova Artino is a villain with a past working with the Anarchists,  and she wants nothing more than to take down the Renegades. Meanwhile, Adrian Everhart is legacy Renegade and wants to be a person that people look up to, maybe not just as a prodigy superhero. Everything changes when Nova gets the opportunity to infiltrate the Renegades and learn their secrets. Along the way, she meets Adrian and they both learn that everything that they were taught might not be as black and white as they thought.

My Thoughts (SPOILER FREE):
    Can I just say….. I really, really loved this book! I thought it had so much going for it and there were definitely some plot twists I was not expecting. What I found really interesting about this book in particular, was the concept. I have read countless fantasies about people with extraordinary powers that have to save the world, but this was the first time I have ever read a story where the plot has to do with actual superheroes, villains, and a modern society. It felt like I was reading about a Marvel or DC superhero world. Additionally, I appreciated the fact that this wasn’t a typical superhero story. One of the main protagonists, Nova Artino, is a villain and it was interesting to see her motives and point of view vs. Adrian’s. Because of the opposite pov’s, the story definitely goes into politics and there are plenty of debates about how society has been doing since the Renegades took over, which I found captivating to read. Lastly, I will say that the end definitely surprised me and I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here on out.

Personally, I’ve also thought that characters are the most important part of a good story. The main characters Adrian and Nova, are complex and well written. I especially loved Adrian’s lively character and how it contrasted to more Nova’s sly character. I do hope we get to see more of Nova’s personality in the future because through this book her thoughts and actions were primarily  focused on the matters at hand. I will say it was heartbreaking to learn about her past and I understand how it became her motive for being a villain. In turn, I admired  Adrian’s motives for trying to be a hero in his own way and just how he is going about it (pretty ingenious if you ask me). Surprisingly, I liked the little bit of romance in here and how things turned out in the end considering all that they have to deal with, but I also can’t wait to see where it will be heading in the second and third book.  Along with the main characters,  I enjoyed reading about the side characters as well such as Ruby, Max, and Oscar. Their powers are all so unique and unlike any I had ever read about. All of the characters brought so much life to the story and I can’t help but love them all.

Of course, the main point of this kind of story is the plot. I felt as if the first half of the book was a little bit slow but I understand that it was dedicated to creating the exposition and introducing the Renegade world itself. This is the type of book where the state of society is what causes all of the conflict, so making sure to build up the world itself is extremely important. I thought that Marissa Meyer did a pretty good job of explaining the history as well as the current Renegade society. The second half of the book, on the other hand, was faster paced and the action definitely picked up. I couldn’t stop reading until I had finished. The ending is a big cliffhanger and it brings up so many questions as to where the plot is going to go from here. I’m not sure how the rest of the series will turn out now, but I know it’s going to be amazing.

Rating and Final Conclusion:

Overall, I would give this book a 4.5/5. Everything was up my alley and I really enjoyed reading this book. As I already mentioned, I loved the characters, the plot, and the concept as someone who is a big fan of superheroes. For those planning to read it, the beginning might seem to start off slow but I promise it picks up later. I would absolutely recommend this to someone who enjoys reading about superheroes/villains, saving a crumbling society, and fun, loveable characters. 

ABOUT THE REVIEWER:
Bella is an avid book reader who loves all genres and enjoys recommending her recent reads (or favorites) to just about anyone and everyone. She also loves to write, bake, and play music. Bella attends high school in Cy-Fair ISD.