Renegades

I am absolutely in love with the book and wish that I didn't have to wait another year to find out what happens. Unlike Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series, I feel that Renegades is not a series that is as universal a read. The Lunar Chronicles effortlessly blends science fiction with a fairytale retelling and I feel can draw people in even if they don't normally read either of those two. Renegades on the other hand is definitely a superhero story, with fantastic characters and an intriguing plot - but, if you're not a fan of superheroes then you're not as likely to fall in love with this book.

I personally love superheroes, I read comics and can completely see the similarities to the X-Men in this novel. The gifted in this novel are called prodigies and have such amazing (and unique) powers. My personal favourite was Adrian, who had the ability to draw and make his art come to life. Even if you're not super familiar with powers in comics, you'll not be surprised by invincibility or flight. That's why Adrian's ability was so fascinating to me. It was wholly different from the powers I've grown to know and infinitely more surprising because of how versatile it is.

I also really enjoyed that the book wasn't black and white, good and evil, right and wrong. Meyer did a brilliant job illustrating the nuances so that as a reader you could see both sides of the coin. Neither was completely the one that you wanted to root for, as they were all real, flawed people. Even Nova, who I didn't completely connect with at the beginning of the book, grew over time and learned to think more openly. I ended up liking her a lot more, and love reading the struggle she went through throughout the entire book as it helped her develop as a character.

The main characters in this story definitely felt more real than the supporting ones, but I still feel that everyone was fleshed out. I never had those moments when I couldn't remember who was who, which can happen with a large cast of characters (especially when they have both real names and aliases). Meyer allowed people to form a connection with almost all of her characters, no matter how many pages she dedicated to them. I think that is definitely where this book shone.

I've always loved Marissa Meyer's ability to build a believable world that populates in your head as you read, and this is no exception. It could see Gatlon City with its heroes and villains, ordinary people, towering base of command, filthy subway tunnels and abandoned theme park buildings. I was so intrigued by the characters and the world that the storyline took more of a backseat for me. It was still fantastic, and even though the pacing of some scenes wasn't perfect, it was a really enjoyable book.

I would highly recommend this book, especially if you like reading about superheroes (or supervillains, I won't judge). I definitely think you'll enjoy the book otherwise, but it might just not end up being your favourite. Who knows? You may discover that you actually love superheroes because of this book. Trust me, it's pretty great.

I had a lot of trouble rating this book on account of the fact that I, to a very high and likely personal degree, feel like Marissa Meyer deserves so much more than a three star book. She's an incredible writer and has always managed to we've impressive and addicting stories in the past.

I felt it with The Lunar Chronicles. I felt it with Heartless.

I did not feel it with Renegades.

Meyer's writing is powerful, I'll give her that. She's got a great many strengths when it comes to her capabilities as a writer and I've always been thrilled to read her work. Her characters in so many ways have been so well developed and beautiful. She's one of those writers who captures the strength that female characters can have and deserve and I have always loved her for that.

I still love her for it.

Nova is a very well written and developed character. The opening of this book and Nova's introduction (or backstory) was bold and heart-wrenching. I was broken up about it, but also so thoroughly impressed. But after the first few chapters, somewhere it all started to fall. It didn't have the same addicting quality to it that has prompted me to finish all of her other books the day I got them. I didn't fall in love with the characters. I wasn't even concerned about whether or not one would die.

It felt...stale in a way I'd never have expected from Meyer.

I didn't hate anyone, really...but rather fell into a position where I had no feelings whatsoever. Usually when I read one of Meyer's books, I'm sat with a pencil eagerly underlining every single passage that really speaks to me, the parts of the story that are just so gorgeous they deserve special recognition for anyone whom I lend the book to as well as for me when I return to read it. I didn't have that need once through the whole book. I didn't LOVE the characters and in some cases didn't even feel enough to like them. They almost felt like placeholders, as though they didn't even matter in the first place.

I found myself at times reading passages and having to go back on account of the fact that I had forgotten everything I'd read. And unfortunately, I saw the ending coming a mile away. I'm not quite sure when exactly I decided that the plot twist was the most likely thing, but I know it was early on, culminating in certainty when Nova went alone to the top floor of the Renegade building. I don't think it's bad that I saw it coming, exactly, but I can say I was a little sad to realize that I was right.

There were some other things I didn't particularly care for (mild spoiler hint ahead in this paragraph only) and I found the business with Ingrid lacking in a number of ways, particularly because it felt somewhat out of character for her with the way she'd been set up in the beginning? As it stands, when I do reread this book (likely next year) I will be looking for signs that I may have missed to change my mind on this matter as one can never be too sure. I was more confused about everything surrounding her character than I was shocked and betrayed, which is the sense I believe Meyer was going for.

And I think, ultimately, for an author who has been so good at making me FEEL in the past, who has always left me reeling with emotion and overwhelmed at how in love and amazed I was when I've finished the book, to have that missing from one of her works was thoroughly disappointing.

Meyer is still a wonderful writer. And I will read every book she puts out in the future, but this one was hard for me.

Review first posted at Girl Who Reads. A free copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

The Renegades are a group of powered individuals that had helped bring the city out of chaos from the Age of Anarchy. They're hailed as heroes and are working to rebuild everything that had been destroyed in the riots and loss of administration and government. Nova has as much reason to hate them as the other villains they had conquered, but they have no idea who she is. As a result, an elaborate scheme is hatched to discover the best way to take the Renegades out from the inside, if she can follow through with it.

This book takes place in an alternate world where there are people who can develop superpowers of various types. These prodigies were once hunted down and killed out of fear. That all changed with the Age of Anarchy, and we get a very vivid look into the lives of the villains that the Renegades keep watch over. They're a little bit off of center but also humanized for the reader before we get to see the Renegades themselves. There's a large cast of characters, most with multiple names and identities as a result of most of them being a superhero. At the same time, we see a lot of the behind the scenes work that goes into superhero recruiting, training, outfitting and the rivalries between heroes. It's always fun to peek behind the curtain, so to speak, but here it takes on a bit more of a sinister undertone because of Nova's mission.

I really liked Nova and the different feelings and loyalties that she held throughout the course of the story. Adrian was fun to get to know, as well as the rest of the team that Nova had initially fought. It doubled back in places and ended in such a surprising way, I hope this is the start to a series! I have questions regarding the ending and how it really changes the way you see the rest of the plot. If this is the start of a series, I eagerly await the next ones!

Marissa Meyers’ RENEGADES is action-packed, thrilling, elaborate, exciting, and absolutely riveting. The world-building is incredible. The characters are interesting, so well-developed, have fascinating abilities, and are adorable, likable, lovable, detestable, despicable, or just plain creepy. The story offers much to think about. And deciding on who are the heroes and who are the villains isn’t always so easy.

Nova had one goal in life and that was to end the Renegades. With their parades, their trials, and their bureaucracy, she couldn’t stand to see them in power. Their promises were lies. Their sense of justice was skewed. And she would do whatever it took to ensure their destruction.

Adrian was tired of helping out the Renegades from behind the scenes. He wasn’t just a Renegade by virtue of his birth or because of his family. With his ability he could do so much to help take down the Anarchists. He just needed to prove himself by uncovering the real identity of the villain called Nightmare.

The Renegades appeared to have the advantage with their superior numbers, their seemingly endless resources, the support of the people. But their overconfidence, smugness, and self-righteousness, all but guaranteed that their enemies would work that much harder and be more clever, ruthless, and relentless.

Author Marissa Meyer took her superheroes and villains story beyond that next level. She didn’t skimp on detail. Her characters had pasts as well as presents. She challenged definitions of good and evil. She teased secrets. Her battles were complex and explosive and electrifying. Her society was extensive and captivating. She delivered twists and turns and surprises. And she made what some might consider a lengthy novel a lightning-fast read.

The story transitions smoothly between Nova’s and Adrian’s point of view. It allows readers to get to know both of these unique characters very well and to see the good and the bad within both the Renegades and the Anarchists. And it expands the world.

RENEGADES is not your ordinary superhero versus villains tale - things are not so cut and dry. The stereotypes do not align with expectations. It is as thought-provoking as it is enthralling. It has weight to it but does not feel heavy. And with so many secrets to keep readers intrigued, it promises to be unputdownable.

This book is cute. It is all about super heroes and super villains. It switches between the perspective of Adrian and Nova, both respective super heroes/villains. Neither is quite sure how they fit into the world that is divided into good and bad. Nova has been raised by villains and believes herself to be a villain, but when she joins the Renegades to become a spy for the Anarchists, she starts to grapple with her own philosophies. Adrian, who is son of Captain Chromium and the Dread Warden has always known he has been a super hero, but he also gets an inside look into the Council. The Council was created after the defeat of Ace Anarchy, who took control of the city to stand up for prodigious. Prodigies have been around for a long time before Ace Anarchy, but Ace Anarchy was the one who finally wanted to put a stop to the discrimination and fear that many people felt towards the prodigies. But as a result of his overthrow villain gangs rose to power and took control of the city. The Council overthrew all the villains and are trying to piece the city back together. Nova and Adrian were born in the middle of all of this and they don't know anything different than what their respective parents have told them. Throughout this book Nova and Adrian must struggle with their beliefs and world views. This book does a great job of showing the nuances of politics and political systems, how one side can be idolized while the other demonized, and how it all happens so fast. I liked the way that this book did such a good job supporting both sides that even as a reader I wasn't sure who I was rooting for. I really liked Nova as a character as she was so nuanced, she came into the story with unrelenting beliefs, but she would also listen to other people's opinions, she stuck to her own beliefs and was able to have real conversations about topics that were difficult for her. I think she could be a good example for all of us on how to talk about politics in the real world. The writing and dialogue itself was cheesy, but it fit with the feeling and the world that was created. It bothered me at times, but overall I felt that it did a good job adding to the overall affect of the world building. The ending was amazing, it came out of no where and now I must read the next book to see what happens next. This is an excellent YA book that is not realistic fiction but still does a great job of being relevant to the world that we live in now.

**Possible Spoilers** Renegades by Marissa Meyer is an action packed novel full of superheroes, villains and intrigue.

I really enjoyed Renegades! The story is interesting, the characters are engaging, and the overall pace of the novel is good. While it definitely had the feel of X-Men at times, this was a unique story and fun to read from start to finish.

I like that the book hooks you from the very beginning. You follow the evolution of Nova as a villain to Nova as a Renegade. It’s an intriguing storyline that you can’t help but be sucked into. I found myself at odds while reading the book: am I team Renegade, or team Villain?

I appreciated that in this world, not everything is black and white. The villains have legitimate views that are not all evil. They want freedom for prodigies—that’s a hard thing to fault. On the flip side, not all Renegades are sunshine, rainbows, and ethically sound. You have Renegade thieves and those who bend the rules to suit their purposes. In our world, there is no black or white either, so this is a timely reminder in today’s rocky political climate.

Nova is an awesome villain. Is she good? Is she bad? It’s hard to tell which way she’s going to swing, but I think the more time she spends with the Renegades, the more she realizes they’re not as bad as the villains paint them to be. I hope she stays on the side of “good,” and uses her influence to pave a new era between prodigies and common people.

Adrian is an equally awesome Renegade with the coolest superhero power. Of the prodigies, I’d probably like to have Sketch’s the most. After all, he can be whatever he wants to be, right? I really enjoyed reading the interactions between him and Nova. The romance there is very sweet and innocent, which is a nice contrast to the violent jobs prodigies typically have.

Out of all the characters, I’m most intrigued by the Bandit. What’s the end game? We find out in the end of the novel what the Renegades are using the Bandit for, but how is this going to play out in future books? How will this sway Nova’s mission?

The book ends with more questions than answers, but that’s to be expected in a series. I’m hooked, and I’m already eagerly anticipating the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the Kindle version of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't think a 17-18 hour audiobook would be that long, but I was very, very wrong. It wouldn't have been too bad on its own, but the audiobook I listened to before this one was equally as daunting. (It was Cress by Marissa Meyer, so maybe this author just likes to write big books!) I'll start spacing out the lengthy audiobooks from now on so my brain/ears don't feel so overwhelmed. It didn't help that I borrowed this from my library and wasn't able to finish it before it expired. I had to go back on the Wait List for a few weeks.

I am a huge fan of Marissa Meyer and all of her other books! However, Renegades was a tiny step down for me. While I enjoyed the story and the world-building, I never felt really connected to the characters. I thought they were interesting with unique powers, but there wasn't a connection on a personal level. It doesn't take away from the story at all, and wanting to feel tied to the characters is a personal preference.

Renegades is told from varying POVs, though I do think we see more from Nova's perspective. I love that we're sort of rooting for both the villains and the superheroes in this story, and Meyer does a wonderful job of showing how there can be good and bad on both sides. Not all of the Renegades are kind and want to help people, but instead enjoy showing off their powers and bullying others into doing what they want them to. The same can be said for the villains. The Age of Anarchy was started with the best of intentions, but other villain gangs came to power and started doing villainous things. It's hard to see everything as black and white, because a person's intentions should matter.

I will say that there are a lot of surprises throughout Renegades. Meyer kept me on my toes and threw some really crazy stuff at me when I wasn't expecting it. I hate that it ended when it did, or where it did, because I'm left with a ton of questions that I know won't be answered until the next book. A switch seems to have clicked in Nova, and I'm curious what this means for her going forward. Everyone has secrets, and it's only a matter of time before they're all exposed.

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on June 25, 2018.

*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

We get the story from Nova's point of view and Adrian's. When we see through Nova's eyes, Rebecca voices the story and all characters. Dan narrates the story in the chapters through Adrian's eyes. I love how Rebecca voices the characters! We hear her as a young Nova in the Prologue. She's soft and then scared. But in Chapter 1, wow. Rebecca grows bold with Nova being ten years older and we hear the attitude and innuendos that are spoken when mocking something. Great! It feels real! Dan fit the male view of Adrian's story. He adds character to all characters he voices, just like Rebecca does in her chapters. I found there was no deterrence from the characters with two narrators. They brought the characters to life with similar feels. It's also blanketed with a feel of how Adrian sees others.

Melissa is talented at giving the details and drawing the moment to a tunnel, drawing me in as we narrow closer and closer to the big moment. It's just long enough to make me stop and focus on what will happen.

When you have several different super powers fighting, things aren't always easy or cut and dry to get away. Melissa uses this to keep the fights interesting, interjecting events and items that fit the characters present yet something to keep our attention. But she also knows the fights aren't quick and easy. This makes the battles more difficult and unyielding until you truly get away. Yes! Awesome.

In the beginning, I saw so many potential connections. And what our two main characters want. There is so much hinted at in the beginning, I couldn't help but want to know how it would all come together and what we would learn.

I love that there's a parallel between what Nova wants and what Adrian wants. They both see things in a similar way when it comes to people and superheroes. They just don't realize it. And they go about it in different manners, as that's how they were raised. But Nova, being in the position she takes to help the Anarchists, sees things aren't as she suspected with the Renegades. At least with what they are trying to do and Adrian's kindness. Unfortunately, the Anarchists aren't loyal to each other or an ultimate plan and she knows that as well.

I enjoy how Nova finds something in the Renegades that she didn't expect to find there. She starts to find friends and people who care. I love how Nova and Adrian find each other and there is a growth between them. It's gentle and easy, but they do find an attraction there. It's lovely and fun to watch. With being audio, there are moments where you can hear the question or awkwardness in their voices as they aren't sure if they are saying or doing things right. It's adorable.

This story brings out many possibilities in the world and lives of the Renegades and Anarchists. I enjoyed the story thoroughly, yet in the end I know this book is an opening for what's to come. So many possibilities and beliefs in the characters. Now, I'm expecting action to take place with the ground work put in place. I look forward to the next novel(s) to come for all this to come to fruit.

I could see some similarities to the Marvel superheroes and villains, but these characters have their own stories to tell and live. But, if you enjoy the Marvel characters, I think you'll enjoy this book.

Unsatisfied with the way society pushed prodigies (those with super powers) aside or even abused them, Ace Anarchy started a revolution that toppled society as we know it. The powers that crushed prodigies were torn down, but then the Age of Anarchy began in the void of societal structures. Into that void stepped a handful of prodigies who called themselves the Renegades. The Renegades started to restore order, but also made enemies of Ace and his Anarchists in the process.
Nova was born in the Age of Anarchy. She was told as a child that the Renegades would save her family from the bad guys, but they never showed and the assassin did, and only her power saved her from joining the rest of her family in death. Orphaned Nova was taken in by her Uncle Ace, and ever since then she and the rest of the Anarchists are plotting ways to take down the Renegades who failed her and seem to be leading society right back to where things were before the Age of Anarchy. At first they believe assassination of the Renegade Council is the way to go, but then they come up with a better plan. Nova will be their spy on the inside by joining the Renegades.
Adrian was taken in as a child by Captain Chromium and Dread Warden, leaders of the Renegades, when his mother, another member of the Renegade Council was killed. Adrian has been obsessed with finding out the true identity of the Anarchist Nightmare ever since he heard her say a phrase that was left on his mother's body. He's also got a big secret. He's been experimenting with his power to draw things into being on his own skin and giving himself more powers, moonlighting as a vigilante, the Sentinel.
When Nova joins Adrian's team on the Renegades, she has to walk a fine line to protect her secrets while digging for weaknesses. And she learns along the way that everything isn't as black and white as her Uncle Ace always painted it. Because there are two sides to every story.

Meyer has done it again. She's created a fascinating world with some tricky politics and social issues, and loaded it with fascinating characters I can't pull myself away from. And it doesn't really feel like the Lunar Chronicles or Heartless at all. This lady has a great imagination to draw from and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next...but only after she finishes this story. Because...gah!!! That ending! Must have sequel soon! I like that this cover is more gender neutral because I think guys and girls will devour the story. It's got all the fun superhero things many love, but it's own unique twists and world. It's also got some interesting philosophical and social questions that the main characters are wrestling with, from whether the Renegades or the Anarchists are the true heroes to human rights issues to the way prejudice can take many forms. Some great discussion and debate topics mixed in with the fun in here. Lots of parallels with many periods from real history following revolutions too. Hand this to teens who love the Marvel movies and dystopias, and they may end up accidentally thinking about some of the bigger issues of the world along the way.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Some shooting, explosions, and battles that result in injuries and fatalities. Some blood described, nothing super gory, but psychological terror of hearing family members murdered is conveyed strongly.

No spoilers in this rapid review of Renegades. I give it 3 stars. I had high expectations for this book. Meyer worked her magic with her previous book, Heartless, and it now resides on my favorites list. And The Lunar Chronicles was a fun, original series in which the finale was the best book of them all. I felt like Meyer was on fire and couldn’t miss. I was wrong. And I don’t think Renegades suffered from my high expectations. I’ve looked at it objectively and truly feel like it’s just average.

Renegades tells the story of two opposing troupes of superheroes: the Renegades and the Anarchists. Nova (aka Nightmare and Insomnia) is an Anarchist. Rebels killed her family when she was young, and the Renegades didn’t come to save her. Her uncle raised her in the Anarchist clan, which is bent on taking away the Renegades’ authority and taking over as the ruling class. Adrian (aka Sketch and the Sentinel) is a Renegade. His parents are on the Council, the governing body of the superheroes. He knows the Renegades do much good but is beginning to see some faults in their rules and decisions.

The Anarchists ask Nova to infiltrate enemy ranks by participating in the Trials, a test of superhero skill to choose new Renegade members. Adrian conscripts Nova to be part of his team after hearing how she doesn’t require sleep and witnessing her skills in the ring at the Trial. (He may also be remembering her from a chance meeting in their recent past in which she intrigued him.) ? As a part of Adrian’s team, will Nova be able to discover some of the Renegades’ secrets and begin to plot their demise? Will she gain empathy for the friends she makes along the way? Where will her true loyalties lie when all is said and done?

This sounds like a great set-up, right? I enjoyed parts of the book, especially when Nova teamed up with Adrian’s group and new friendships began to develop. Adrian was my favorite character, followed closely by Max, a mysterious little boy who lives at Renegades headquarters. In my opinion, these two had the coolest, most useful superhero skill sets, too.

I also liked the inner conflict both Nova and Adrian experienced. They were raised in cultures with absolutes, namely their clan of superheroes is absolutely right and the opposing clan is absolutely wrong. But as they start to think for themselves, they grapple with what their own truth is. As readers, we face the ambiguity of who the good guys and who the bad guys truly are, which is probably the book’s greatest strength. And Meyer’s crisp writing style is always pleasing.

But overall, I was hoping for more. The pacing dissatisfied me from the beginning. The book opens with a fun scene at a parade organized by the Renegades. The Anarchists are hidden along the parade route to attack. But Meyer threw a barrage of information at us as she guided us along the route. She introduced us to so many superheroes and provided us with so much background information that I was overwhelmed. I ended up mentally tallying and recording all of the characters’ names and alter-egos in an effort to keep them straight instead of enjoying their fun, unique powers. The middle of the book moved at a moderate pace at best. And that surprise ending I’d heard alluded to before I even started Renegades? I guessed the surprise from the beginning, and I’m not someone who routinely guesses plot twists.

I’m bummed I didn’t love Meyer’s latest work! Nevertheless, I recommend Renegades to Meyer fans. As I’m sure many YA readers would agree, Meyer is an auto-read author for me after establishing herself so well in her earlier works. Thus I will read book 2 in this series to see if some of my outstanding questions about these heroes are answered. Hopefully Meyer will reward me for the time I invested in these characters with quicker pacing, more action, and a bigger payoff. If you haven’t read any of her books, I recommend shelving Renegades for now and starting with either The Lunar Chronicles series or Heartless instead.

Search for 'Book Series Recaps' to read our other reviews as well as our full book recaps.

I really, really wanted to like this book! I love comic books and am a fan of all things super hero. I think my biggest issue was that Marissa Meyer had too deft a touch at making Nova sympathetic. She tried to balance her internal struggle of her parents death and blaming the Renegades for it with her dislike of the actions of some of the other Arnachists. Her hatred always won over her softer feelings. In contract you have the golden child Adrian who is a Renegade by day, and yet wants his mothers killer to come to justice so bad that he’s willing to break the rules a bit to find them. I believed his character more than hers, and because of this his developing feelings for her felt too faked. If I couldn’t like her, how could he?

There were elements in this novel that I loved. The world building was phenomenal. The super powers were pretty cool and I liked the characters, with the exception of Nova. I’ll clarify that statement by saing that I didn’t hate her, I just didn’t care what happened to her. Apathy for your main character is just not a good thing for a reader. If not for the big twist at the end of the book I wouldn’t even think of reading Archenemies (Renegades #2) when it comes out in November. That ending made me curious so I’m on the fence, but my feelings for this first novel are pretty black and white. Meh.

I normally don't write lengthy reviews, but considering Marissa Meyer is one of my favorite authors, I feel I must. I recently read the first volume of her spin-off graphic novel series, Wires & Nerve, that I felt was near perfect despite not having the length of a traditional Lunar Chronicles novel. Now, Renegades I gave 4/5 stars. Which is a good rating, but disappointing considering it's Marissa Meyer, and every book prior has been on point.

Her writing was fluid and descriptive like always, that's not an issue for me. Let's be honest...the book was just way too long. I have no problem with hefty books if every page has purpose and serves the plot in some way. I went into this book very excited, I found the intro chapter or two to be very engaging. But, guess what? This book took me since December to read! It wasn't until roughly page 215 or so that I was hooked on the story. Sure, there were parts of it that I really felt engaged with the characters, but too many of the pages felt like filler. I admit, towards the latter half of the book, there were some pages I skimmed, because it didn't seem to matter, honestly. You know how in a trilogy, often times the second book suffers from too much filler? That's what this felt like during parts of it--as if she tried to make this book bigger than it needed to be since the series is just a duology but it wasn't meant to be plot-wise. I will say, however, that I feel the next book in the series will be really good.

I would like to know more about the side characters. We got to know a decent portion about Nightmare/Nova and Sketch/Adrian, but most of the others either had no back story at all or just the basics. I especially am curious about the other members of the Renegades--Frostbite and her other team members. Why are they not buddies with Adrian's crew? Why is Frostbite so frigid emotionally? I also want to know more about Nightmare's crew as well. Without giving away spoilers, some of the characters from that crew acted in ways that I didn't quite understand, or wanted to know more behind their motives. I'd also like to know more about the world. Why did the Renegades vs Anarchists come to be? How did they get their names? There's so much more than meets the eye in the story; the last page alone reveals this.

I do give kudos though for Meyer doing something different in a world already saturated with superhero movies. I think the next book has the potential to be truly phenomenal, if she she can keep the plot flowing coherently and continuing character development.

Despite my reservations, I am looking forward to the conclusion of Renegades!

I have to be honest: I 100% picked up Renegades because of its cover. That muted blue and gray color palette, the minimalist character drawings, the unrecognizable cityscape… I just had to know more. The plot - which is your standard good vs. evil revenge tale featuring super-powered individuals - feels like it’s been done before, but in Marissa Meyer’s hands, the characters jump off the page and creep into your subconscious and you find yourself reading late into the night because you need answers. Some of the twists were softball throws, detected chapters in advance, but then others were a fastpitch to the stomach, leaving me capslocks-rage-tweeting an hour after I should have been in bed. (It was so good, y’all; I gobbled down 500+ pages in under a week.) Perhaps if I had known that Renegades was merely the first in a planned trilogy, I wouldn’t have read the book so soon after it was published, but now I have not one but TWO sequels to look forward to. (The second book, Archenemies , drops in November.) Meyer is perhaps best known for her young-adult cyborg series the Lunar Chronicles, but even if you’ve never heard of that, Renegades deserves to be read on its own merits.

The story is about Nova, a girl bent on revenge, or so it seems. After losing her family to a murderous gang, she joins her uncle in a band of Anarchists, bent against the system that now rules the world. They believe in freedom and rights and independence. But a group that fears freedom untamed is highly unpredictable and threatening wants to prevent that. The Renegades want to restore order, bring rules and control the calamity. But who's right? Who's trying to run the world? And who's going to pay for what happened to Nova's family all those years ago?

The story takes you thorugh the lives of super heroes. And with the life of a hero, there are lines that are constantly being raised, daring to be crossed. Nova is there, 100% of the time and she really hates it. You're led to believe that, anyway; I enjoyed the comic book vibe it gave, and I have a feeling I already know what's going to happen, so that makes me wonder if I want to read the next book or not.

Renegades is fun. It's adventurous and a pretty cool read, but it just didn't hit me the way LC did. But that's okay- every book isn't a humongous winner. She stepped into a genre that will need lots of information. And maybe some illustrations- graphic novel lovers love illustrations! I don't know. It was cool, but as far as reading the follow-up... it may not happen.

*Full review at www dot areneehunt dot com
Check out Renegades by Marissa Meyer, while I move on to the next read!
Cheers!

Renegades
Marissa Meyer
Published by Feiwel and Friends, Nov. 2017
Narrated by Rebecca Solar and Dan Bittner
Audio time: 16 H 57 M
Book pages: 576
Teen/Science Fiction/Fantasy/Super Heroes

This was incredibly enjoyable and I especially think fans of Brandon Sanderson’s Reckoners trilogy will love it! The book had some great characters, a fun concept, intrigue, and a few good plot twists that we’ve enjoyed so much in Marissa Meyer’s other books! I really enjoyed this book from start to finish and as always, I regret that I didn’t have longer strings of uninterrupted time to read this so I wasn’t as distracted, but I did my best!

One thing Marissa Meyer always does a great job with is setting up a new world. Gatlon City easily came alive in my mind, as did the various locations within it, how everything looked, and all the details down to the Renegades uniforms. I’m always able to get such a clear picture in my mind and I love being able to be IN the story like that. I would have loved to get a little more info about prodigies and how they came to be. I’m pretty much always feeling like I need to know the reasons WHY worlds are the way they are in a lot of books lately, leading me to feel like I’m missing a tiny something and I definitely wanted more history of how this current world came to be, but there’s also a second book in which we can get a lot more backstory! It’s always hard with the first book in a series because I never know what’s been held back because of future twists or spoilers!

I LOVED reading from the perspective of an Anarchist (Nova) and a Renegade (Adrian) and seeing how their two worlds collided. It’s always so much fun to read the “villain” POV because you know I love villains with a soft heart or those morally grey areas, so I really enjoyed getting to know Nova in that respect! She deals with a lot of questions about herself and her life and I liked being able to see why she was on the side of the Anarchists and why her mission had meaning. I always like villains with a purpose and not just characters who are evil for the sake of being evil, so that was something I really enjoyed about all of the Anarchists. They all had their reasons for choosing that side and it was interesting to be able to see their human side!
The perspective of the Renegades through Adrian’s eyes was also incredibly interesting! He’s the son of the two “head honchos” of the Renegades council and so his part in missions becomes in more complicated. People wonder if he’s favored or given special treatment because of this and he also is “forced” (he chooses) to do things out of the public’s eye so he can do something anonymous for once. He aligns with the Renegades, of course, and has a special investment with his fathers being the leaders but like any typical teenager, he also veers off-course and tries to find himself, what’s important to him, and essentially rebels just a little bit when he feels he’s being left in the dark for no reason.

The forbidden romance aspect is always a favorite of mine and I loved the interactions between Nova and Adrian! I did wish for a bit more banter and for Nova to give him a bit more acid because I adore banter and it’s the best, end of story. But it was also something I loved so much about The Lunar Chronicles. Also, with so many different groups — Renegades, Anarchists, squads, teams, patrols, etc — I was kind of hoping for some more #squadgoals to appear in this book and the friendships fell just a little flat for me. They were enjoyable but I would have loved to see more interaction, with everyone really, to feel more of a tug at that forbidden romance and really pull at my emotions for Nova and Adrian, and to see more BFFs and squads who have each others back. These elements were surely there but I didn’t QUITE feel it at the level I was hoping for and have enjoyed so much in the past.

There were some really great twists here, some I saw coming and some I didn’t at all, and I loved all of them, big or small. This book was well thought out and executed and I had fun following this story throughout the first book! I can’t wait to see what else is in store for the series to come and I already really look forward to re-reading this on audio before book two comes out! I think my re-read will be even more enjoyable when I’m able to listen at a much more consistent pace than I was able to read my ARC. Always a big fan!

I love the whole concept! I always enjoyed superhero-movies - not that I really am the biggest fan, but I like them - so a book with superheroes and villains? Sign me up! The way Meyer portrays them is brilliant. The division between Anarchists and Renegades is brilliant. I can easily see people torn over which side to chose. In the end they both make sense and it really messed with my brain sometimes.

As for the writing. I didn't expect anything less of Meyer and she delivered! Even though the story was slow at times, it still read so fluently because I simply adore the way she writes. I can't help but read fast whenever I pick up one of her books.

Nova, oh boy. There's the sassy female I love to love. Villain, superhero, antihero. Who cares anymore? The way she fights, sacrifices herself and tries to do the right thing is beautiful. The internal struggles she deals with are also amazing to see and feel. You know she's struggling, you know she's trying to figure out her place in the world and I cannot wait to find out where it'll be!

OH AND THE ENDING. I thought it would end like it did but only briefly. By the time it actually happened I was a mess of "Ooooh! No! Nonono!" Guess who's ready to preorder the sequel? And knowing it's a duology...

There's pretty much one major thing that irked me the wrong way, really. This book is supposed to be full of superheroes, villains - or better said, prodigies. For me that equals hearing someone say "it's filled with action!" Guess what. It's not.
The action only starts when you're about two thirds in the book and knowing this monster has over 500 pages, that's really late?

4 / 5!

Kathy

Rating: 5/5

Genre: YA Fantasy/Dystopian

Pages: 553

the store

Author

This book was a present from me to me, no disclaimer needed.

Secret Identities.
Extraordinary Powers.
She wants vengeance. He wants justice.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies―humans with extraordinary abilities―who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone...except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice―and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to the villains who have the power to end them both. - the store.com

If you've not read a Marissa Meyer book then what are you waiting for?? This book was absolutely beautiful! Set after the victory of the Renegades from the "evil" Anarchists, you can't help but be on the side of the Renegades... but what if you're not getting the whole story? Told in duel narrative, you see both sides of the conflict, one from Nova who is our Anarchist nicknamed Nightmare with the ability to put people to sleep and not have to sleep herself, and our Renegade Adrian, nicknamed Sketch who can draw things to life and might have another secret he's not even sharing with his superhero parents. The thing that is usually done in superhero novels is that they have a clear evil villian and a clear superhero. While this book has some of those, you can't help but be conflicted on who's side you need to be on by the end of the novel. The best things about this book are that the characters not only have imaginative and creative abilities and superpowers, but even the least "on-screen" character has enough personality to carry a scene and not be the wallflower of the book. The plot is very well done as well and while it is a bit cliche it doesn't have that cliche feel and even feels fresh and new. The pacing is also very well done. It's fast paced, but the author does not skimp on the world building or sacrifice the story at any point to move along to the next scene. And to top it all off I think Meyer's writing is some of the best I've read this year. Her writing keeps your engaged and focused throughout the novel and it leaves you wanting more when you put the book down. Meyer also does really well in writing the romance in the book. There is no insta-love in the book and I think that's sadly a minority in today's YA world.

The only issue I really had with the book is that I think the book focused too much on the superheroes and those with abilities. I would have liked some narrative from humans who tried to join the Renegades or the Anarchists or regular humans, because Meyer does make it a point to show that the regular humans have become lazy and depend on the Renegades for everything. I would like to see why from the perspective of a regular human. I would also like to say that because this is the first book in a new series there will be some slower moments in order for there to be adequate world building and character development. I think it was handled well and it didn't drag for me, but others might not see it like I do.

Verdict: If you're a fan of superhero novels, especially Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson, then you might enjoy this book. It definitely will make you question about morality and what is truly right and truly wrong and it is, in my opinion, the perfect read for someone who is transistioning from comic books to novels.

4.5 stars Sweet mother of Prodigies! Marissa Meyer is a genius and Renegades is as awesome as her other stories. After waiting for an eternity to read Renegades, I was gifted an advance copy in exchange of a review and I was so gratefully excited. I was so stocked to start and it certainly did not disappoint. So if you're a fan of comics, superheroes, and/or villains, this one is a must.

The story begins with a very traumatizing event. Poor Nova, one of the main characters, is a witness to this event and is forever engraved with the horrific act that occurred. Now, that she is grown, Nova wants vengeance. How exciting? As the story continues, we learn that in Gatlon city is divided by two camps, the Superheroes known as Renegades and Villians known as the Anarchists. What makes this story special is the dual POV's between Nova, a secret Anarchist known as Nightmare and Adrian, a group leader of the Renegades. It's fun to read their world collide and how intense these characters can get. Seriously, they are so much fun to get to know.

Renegades provides you more of the world-building and how everything operates in Gatlon City, so it is slowly paced. So it does have its highs and lows. You'll be introduced to characters within each sector and will learn more about their abilities. But once you past the introductions, you'll be hooked. Also the ending is so shocking and the plot twist... Yes, THAT plot twist will definitely have you start a new countdown to the release of book 2. So if you're doubting whether to read this book or not, just give in and read Renegades. Be sure to get your hands on it on November 7th. You won't be disappointed.

Book Review:
Pre-reading Thoughts:

I have to be honest, I have heard a mix of everything about this book. Some people love it and others think it is was okay compared to the Lunar Chronicles. Whilst I loved the first book. Cinder, I ended up not really loving Heartless. But I am really excited to see how this book plays out. I am so happy that Pan Macmillan South Africa sent me an advanced reader's copy if this book!

Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan South Africa for providing me with a copy of this book! Just a small disclaimer for those reading this review. I have received this book in exchange for an honest review. Please note that this does not affect my opinion in any way. All thoughts are my own.

Writing Thoughts:

I love Marissa Meyer's writing. I don't know what it is exactly, but I just like reading it. It isn't extremely difficult, but it is easy to imagine the worlds that she creates. The inner dialogue and normal dialogue are just fantastic. It is natural and entertaining. I loved reading the conversations. Whilst I did love the writing, it just didn't pull me deep enough into the story. The pacing was somewhat slow.

Plot Thoughts:

I really loved this plot, but, similar to the writing, it was slow paced. I loved this world. I loved how everything unfolded, but it took a while for events to unfold. I am probably one of the biggest fans of superhero stories. They always get me. I loved how this book played with the typical approach with superheroes. I loved the alternative look that we got. I have the biggest sympathies for the Anarchists. I also liked how there was a romance, but it wasn't overpowering, it developed quite naturally.

Character Thoughts:

I love Nova. She is so kickass and steadfast in what she wants, but she isn't like a rock that believes that it is unchangeable. Instead, she doesn't fight the change she experiences. I love how Meyer showed how kickass Nova is. I cannot wait to read more about her. I adore Adrian he is such a good-hearted character. Honestly, I liked his chapters because he added a rounded view. He gave us the Renegades side whilst Nova gave us the Anarchists view.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I really liked this book. I loved the superhero element in this book. I have been craving a book like this. It was slow burning but the plot was well developed and the writing was really good. I cannot wait for the next book. I loved a lot about this book: I loved the characters and wide spectrum of personalities and characters, I loved the plot that was interesting and took some unexpected turns, I loved the dialogue which natural and witty. I really liked this book and cannot wait to read the next in the series. Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan South Africa for sending me an ARC of this book!

Yours in Reading,

Melleny

(4.5 stars)

I received an early copy from Macmillan in exchange for this honest review.

This is one of my most anticipated releases of 2017 and I was so excited to find out that I would have a place in the blog tour! My favorite thing was probably the fact that this book is LONG! I love my long books, you guys.

Marissa’s new novel starts out with a young Nova. She is fully aware of her power - putting people to sleep with a single touch. When she helps put her baby sister to sleep, she takes a nap herself. She wakes up to the sounds of her parents being shot and, when she goes to hide, her little sister ends up getting shot. Only person saves her from death: her uncle AKA Ace Anarchy.
Ten years later, Nova is now an Anarchist going under the alias Nightmare. She is quick, good with weapons, and doesn’t take any shit from anyone. She absolutely hates the Renegades, considering they never came to save her family. Her only intent in life right now is to eliminate every single Renegade.
To do that, she must infiltrate the Renegades as a poser herself.

I really enjoyed Nova’s character. She is a total bad-ass and I know I tend to say that a lot about some female characters. For real though, Marissa crafted Nova into this woman that doesn’t fall in love automatically in the first novel of a series. Yes, there is some spark between her and another Renegade. However, Marissa did the smart thing and didn’t make it all about the “romance”. She made this book all about Nova and it’s not just centered on revenge. Nova, while posing as a Renegade prodigy, continuously struggles with what she thought she knew about these superheroes while also learning things that seem to cause her mind about them to split. She struggles with her identity when it comes to being a villain and being a superhero. There are moments in this novel where she saves people and it kind of throws her off balance. By the end of the novel, she’s clearly in that same split. However, all she has known in her life is how to be a villain and the need for revenge regarding the death of her family. It’ll definitely be interesting to see how her story progresses in the next novel, especially when a MAJOR SECRET is revealed that SHE KNEW ABOUT THIS WHOLE TIME! (if I’m correct because I gathered no sense of surprise from Nova when this SECRET was revealed).
So, Adrian is that Renegade that Nova has a spark with. He is the adoptive son of Captain Chromium and Dread Nation, both male superheroes. Points for rep! His mother was killed by a villain and Adrian has always wanted to find out the truth. Who killed her? It especially gets complicated when Nightmare quotes a line to him that was found on a card next to his mother’s body. Because of this, he is dead set on finding Nightmare, uncovering her secrets, and potentially killing her. He tries to do this while acting as his own alias, The Sentinel. He can create different powers with tattoos on his body while also making his drawings come to life. Nobody knows that he is The Sentinel, so he is forced to keep his identity a secret until he finds Nightmare. It doesn't help when the Renegades continuously drag The Sentinel for barging into crime scenes with the “R” on his chest. Adrian clearly wants to be a Renegade and this known fact is what shapes his character. He is talented with his marker, but he wants to be more. He wants to be a superhero like his fathers and like his mother was. However, because of his encounter with Nightmare, he is forced (by himself) to hide his secret for a longer period of time until he can prove himself. He thinks, by capturing Nightmare, it would be the perfect opportunity to reveal himself.
Surprisingly, considering Nova hides her secret and Adrian hides his, it’s still a secret...kind of. There are little tiny bits and pieces where Adrian gets a whiff of Nova’s trail and vice versa with Nova on Adrian’s trail. However, we might definitely have to wait for that major blow up to be revealed in the second book.
Marissa definitely pieced this story together perfectly. I think it can be difficult to create such a long story and not have it drag. However, she gave us so much insight into Nova’s and Adrian’s thought process that it helps the reader to connect and learn and grow with the character. I hope she will keep that style in the second book because, obviously, there is a lot more growth to go with these characters. I’m eager to see where she takes them.
Going on that note, I want to mention that there are more details than dialogue. I know some people might find this as dragging the story. But like I said above, Marissa fit everything together perfectly. I was never bored, never disinterested. It gave me a stronger connection with the story, the characters and what was going on. It gave me a clear understanding that, though the city sees the Renegades as idols, there is something else underlying in the headquarters and in their lives than the citizens know about. There are secrets and struggles and feuds. I do hope that Marissa expands on that, as well.

Overall, this story was definitely everything I expected and wanted it to be. Marissa has never disappointed me before and she still hasn’t to this day.
Who know the life of a superhero could be so complicated?

I have no idea why it took me so long to read this book. Marissa Meyer is one of my favorite Young Adult writers but while I loved the Lunar Chronicles, this book is definitely a complete change for her. Whereas the other series had a fairy tale vibe to it, this one has more of a hardcore Sci Fi and Dystopian aspect to it.

Meyer opens the book with a bit of backstory, delving readers straight into this newly altered world. To be honest, the world isn’t something we haven’t seen before, but I did find it interesting. Meyer’s writing always captures my attention and I found the story to be quite gripping with some memorable heart-stopping moments.

The only complaint that I really have about this is the fact that the book has more violent scenes than I expected. Within the first couple of chapters, the heroine’s parents and baby sister are murdered. And although it is told through a door, I feel like the violence is used to create sympathy. I don’t know. I guess it just didn’t sit well with me given the recent events of real life that are happening with violence targeting children these days. I know it’s fiction and this probably wouldn’t have bothered me so much at some other time, but if I had a young kid, I don’t know that I would let them read it until they are a bit more mature. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to seeing what else this series will bring.

I have been dying for Renegades ever since I first heard the news that it was being written. Marissa Meyer is one of my favourite authors, and she did not disappoint in her latest work. The book tells the story of heroes vs. villains, but has a focus on the villains’ side. The main character is likeable, even though she is a villain, and the writing is so suspenseful. Renegades is so entertaining to read, and I can’t wait to get my hands on book two!

This is not your typical superhero book. It tells the story of two sides: the Renegades (the heroes) and the Anarchists (the villains). The main character of the book, Nova, is an anarchist, and poses as a Renegade to gain inside information so that she can get her revenge against them. I loved how not only Nova leads a double life, but Adrian, who is a Renegade, has a secret of his own. Renegades is incredibly complex, and I can’t begin to tell you how much I loved it. There is spying, suspense, and plenty of action in this book, making it a unique take on the good vs. evil trope.

I adored the main character in Renegades. Nova is a villain, which I don’t see very much of in books, and for once, I was actually rooting for the villainous side. What I really enjoyed about Nova is the fact that she genuinely believes that her plan to overthrow the Renegades is the right thing to do, and she has valid reasons for hating them. Nova is also intelligent and sneaky, which makes her the perfect villain.

As always in Marissa Meyer’s books, the writing is phenomenal. The fight scenes are all so well-written, and she really knows how to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. I enjoyed how the world and the powers are all logical, and everything is so developed. My only complaint is that I would have liked to see more badass powers, but the characters’ abilities are still interesting.

Renegades is an original book about a villain posing as a hero. The main character is clever, and she has a complex backstory. I loved the writing, as always with Marissa Meyer, and I would definitely recommend this book to everyone—superhero fan or not.

A little over a year ago, I picked up Cinder, and was quickly swept into the universe of The Lunar Chronicles. I poured through each book in the series, and enjoyed it very much. About a week after its release, I picked up Heartless (audio version narrated by the insanely talented Rebecca Soler!) and couldn't put it down. I've always loved fairy-tale retellings, especially when they are very loosely inspired by the story, but have a complete storyline of their own. Suffice it to say, I am a huge fan of Ms. Meyers' writing, and was looking forward to the release of her newest YA Fantasy/Sci-Fi book. I bought it the day it was released and started listening to the audiobook immediately!

Right off the bat, Renegades cover is styled differently than any of the other "pretty" YA books I have seen. It's futuristic, the illustration and graphics are sleek, and it is a great representation of the story you're about to dive in to. It has a very comic-book, classic superhero vibe to it. The very beginning of the book draws you in, and we are intimately acquainted with the tragic backstory of the main character, Nova. Some time after that, we are treated to a very vividly detailed battle scene. I started to lose interest at this point, honestly, because it's not really my thing. I skip over most battle scenes when I'm watching movies and shows, and this was drawn out to the point where I thought.... oh no, am I reading a comic book? They're really, truly not my favorite types of scenes to read about, especially in such great detail. After talking with another friend who was reading at the same time and pace as me seemed to feel the same way... well I have to encourage you to KEEP READING if you are feeling the same way! It's wonderfully written, but the other dynamics I so appreciate, like the character development, relationship-building, adding detailed backstories for the people involved, and basically creating an appreciation for their position in that specific world.... well I'm very happy to report that all of those things are still there! And it gets so, so good.

Soon, I was finding that I couldn't enjoy the brilliantly narrated audiobook, because I wanted to devour the story faster than it was possible to listen to. I switched to Kindle and flew through the story, wanting to find out what happened next!

Overall I would definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy action-packed YA adventure books, especially if you have an affinity for heroes gifted with unique (and I mean VERY unique) super abilities. Heads up- the book does bring up many more questions than it answers, and it ends on a kind of spoilery note. BUT it feels like the ending of any great superhero drama: sating your desire for adventure and conflict, and leaving you wanting more, unsure of whether the "bad guy" or the "good guy" really won that round or not.

Renegades is a very good and fast paced superhero book, which is very well written, as I have come to expect from Meyer. I liked that the morals in this book were not simple, as the good guys are nowhere near perfect and you could really understand the motives of the baddies. I also liked the developing star-crossed romance between Adrian and Nova. However, this book felt like it was just an introduction to the world rather than a normal book with a beginning, middle and end.

Nova is distant, emotionally scarred, and not surprisingly jaded, but she is also astute and perceptive. Adrian is brave, idealistic and compassionate but is also gullible and too trusting. While they are not as fleshed out as Nova and Adrian, I really liked the secondary characters from Honey and Ingrid to Max, Ruby and Oscar.

I really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading the next book, Archenemies. I would recommend Renegades to fans of Marissa Meyer or those who enjoy reading Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson.

It's not weird or anything that I can't wait till I reread this book, right?!
I love Marissa Meyer and I was pretty sure that I would love Renegades.
Yup, I did. I loved it.

When I walked into Barnes and Noble with my boyfriend - he had no idea that he would end up buying me this book (plus a lot more). Yeah, never take me to a book store and say "get whatever you want" you will regret it.

Anyways, I loved Marissa's take on superheros - it was a super fun read that I just couldn't put down. It's a pretty big book, with lots and lots of amazingness between them. Now we have the anarchists vs. the renegades. Then there's Nova, who I loved so freaking much it's actually insane. I mean, HOW THE HELL WOULD YOU FEEL IF THE PEOPLE YOU IDOLIZED NEVER SHOWED UP TO SAVE THE DAY??! I'd be super freaking pissed - like NOVA.

Then there's the whole Nova and Adrian and I'm like.. YASSSSS. I wanted more of them. They were my whole world (in this book). I guess the only thing I didn't like was the ending because it was a cliff hanger and cliff hangers will somehow be the death of me. I HATE THEM because they leave me wanting more and I hate the whole waiting game.

GOD, I need more. I want more. And this is why I will probably reread this book in 2018 because it was amazing and I will love it forever and ever.

3-1/2 stars

What fun! I enjoyed the characters and the world of Renegades. I like a story with action and forward motion and this one had it. In Renegades, the reader is uncertain who the real bad guys are because everyone has a little bad and a little good. Arguments are made for both sides and, as happens in real life, children learn from their parents' mistakes. I like the kindness of the "families" and the way those families gain their understanding of the world from different points of view. It makes for an interesting read. I also really enjoyed all the superpowers described even if a crime-fighting organization of superheroes seems a bit cliché. I especially like Adrian's superpower of making drawings become real objects (and the tattoos!) and the fact that Nova's superpowers are not flashy yet she is still brave and heroic.

The huge gaping flaw in this novel is the big clue that was given to Nova which she did not recognize. Now, I have to wait for the next book to verify my interpretation of that clue and see how things pan out whenever Nova finally figures it out. Smaller flaws in the novel revolve around situations where Nova did not sufficiently cover her tracks yet they were not explored by the Renegades (or the author) and a couple overly-convenient situations. These flaws are why I'm stopping at 3-1/2 stars for this one.

Marissa Meyer is a wonderful author. I've enjoyed all of her novels! These characters have a lot of heart and I'll definitely be reading the sequel.

Ugh, I thought this was standalone! Now I have to wait forever for the next one to come out! But I don't mind, because that means more Adrian and Nova. There are soooo many questions left unanswered at the end of this book, I want more! Now!

This book starts out with Little Nova, and how her family died and she became an anarchist. She prayed for the Renegades to come and to save her family. Renegades are the superheros of the world supposed to protect the ones needing help, like Nova family. But they didn't, they let her down and in her eyes that is all they are now let downs, and fakes.

10 years later Nova is fighting against the Renegades as Nightmare. But the Anarchist are not getting anywhere and are losing the fight. So Nova decides to sign up to be a Renegade to fight them within. But she finds out it isn't what she thought it was like.

Overall I really like the characters. Marissa Meyer has a way to get the characters pulling on your heart strings. You really feel for the characters. I feel so bad for Nova. I really enjoy reading about all the characters they are all so different and so unique. There really isn't any dull moments in this book and I was constantly wanting to read it.

The beginning of this YA superhero novel creaks under the weight of so much exposition, and when author Marissa Meyer does manage to show and not tell, the results generally feel more like standard comic book cliches than anything particularly original. Remembering how I hadn't cared much for Meyer's earlier novel Cinder, I came very close to simply quitting this one.

Luckily after the first quarter or so, the book settles into itself and starts living up to its potential. I adore stories about conflicted infiltrators, and the plotline of a villain going undercover as a new recruit in the superhero peacekeeping force, only to grow close to her assigned team and start having second thoughts about her mission, is a great example of the trope done well. The worldbuilding could have been stronger, especially to better ground certain characters' motivations, but the majority of the novel flows better than I ever thought it would in the early chapters. Unlike Cinder, I'll actually read the sequels to this book.

Marissa Meyer makes me so mad. Mostly because a little ways from the end, I thought, "I ship it." Just...how dare she?

Anyway, this has a slow start (and could probably be two or three books, honestly), but I have to say that I appreciate the general premise of the book, and I love that both of the main characters are right in their way. I especially appreciate that Nova is so very wrong about so very much but also so very right about so very much. I just wish I could show her all the ways she's wrong, though, so she can get out of her own way. And, like I said, I ship it so I just want these two crazy kids to work it out.

Adrian is just a delight. That kid, I swear.

Anyway, the back matter of the book tells me this is a duology, so only one more book to go until the conclusion and it comes out later this year, so whew. Because I don't know if I have it in me to wait much longer than that to find out what's going to happen to Adrian and Nova (together and separately).

First of all, disclosure: I am not a professional book blogger, but I felt obligated to share my thoughts on this book due to being gifted with this ARC before the book's actual release. All statements here are my own honest thoughts and opinions regarding the book.

I recently received an ARC copy of this book through a giveaway and was super excited to read it. I have read most of Meyer's Lunar series and love her stories. I found this book to have a huge X-Men and DC feel to it, and Meyer personally references X-Men in her acknowledgments.

Before I read the book I was concerned that it would be another superhero repeat due to its good guys vs bad guys theme, but I really found myself enjoying the entire story. This story takes place after a revolutionary change has occurred in society where prodigies (gifted individuals) no longer live in hiding. These individuals either have chosen to be renegades (good guys) or anarchists (bad guys). The renegades are in charge and the anarchists do not agree with how things are run. The main characters of the book, Nova (Anarchist) and Adrian (Renegade) are of course love interests, but I really liked the way Meyer built their relationship. It was done slowly, which helped it feel more real and natural, and did not feel forced or rushed within the story. Nova struggles internally most of the book with her beliefs regarding the renegades as well as her feelings toward Adrian.

While reading this book I had assumptions about how the story might turn out and was happy when I was proven wrong (I don't tend to enjoy stories where the story line is obvious or easily predictable). I also really enjoyed the way Meyer does not give you all the story building information at once, she slowly pieces the storyline and a characters' backstory together a little at a time. Which really allowed me to gain insight into the depths of each characters beliefs and internal drives. Yes, there was some periods of time where a characters decisions felt extreme or over emotionally driven, but I have to remind myself that this is a YA book and it's characters are teenagers, so impulsive and irrational decisions are going to be made from time to time; part of growing up is self-discovery, making mistakes, and learning to deal with things differently (but hey, maybe my therapist side is showing and I'm reading way to much into this and it isn't as good as I think it is. But that just goes to show how much I liked this book, so read it for yourself and make your own decision). Finally, no surprise here, the book ends in a cliff hanger with many unanswered questions that have left me hooked and hungry for the next installment of the series.

I loved the Lunar Chronicles, so I wanted to give Meyer’s newest novel a chance. It was ok. I found the main protagonist, Nova, too flat. She’s all about revenge and hating the Renegades and superheroes, and that doesn’t change at all in this novel. It got tiring to me. Even when she joins the Renegades, her relationships with her team do nothing to sway her from her juvenile and relentless hatred. I liked Adrian, but this story just didn’t pull me in. I kept waiting for it to get exciting and it never really did. Not sure if I will read the next one or not. I was bored for most of this one, and I don’t find Nova interesting or sympathetic or likeable so I don’t feel invested in her story or want to know what happens next.

I went into this book with a bit of a narrowed mind as i had some reviews on it that painted in an ugly light.  Instead i got a wild amazing story about superheros and villians that made me realize those reviews were very narrow minded and they really did not read the book. 

We have get secret identities, superpowers galore and vengeance with a tiny tiny bit of possible romance brewing.  We have a crumbling society that is filled with people who are not superheros with powers but yearn to maybe be heroes like the old days.  You got those who are on the good side which are Renegades and those painted as being on the bad side the Anarchists. 

Then you have characters like Nova who want to be on the good side but have been wronged by those who are suppose to be on the side of the law.  Her family was wiped out when she was very young and those who should of come to save her did not come in time.  So she been brewing an appetite for revenge her whole life.  

This story is so much more then i expected it to be and i can not wait for book two.  It was a great lesson in not always believing what others say about books. 

At first I didn't think I would care about another super hero book, but Renegades is so well done, I am very glad I stuck with it. The character of Nova is very well developed and its just so amazingly entertaining to follow her as a spy and to see her resolve and loyalties constantly tested. Despite being labeled a villain in the story, she is actually a great protagonist and often doing more good than the actual good guys. I'm giving it a 5 because I can't really think of anything I didn't like about this story, and for the audiobook, the narrators were great. I think this is the start of a great new series.

NOTE: I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

In this story, we follow two main characters. Adrian is a Renegade, and Nova is an anarchist. Both set out to prove things to themselves and their families, but in a world saturated with prodigies, things are bound to go wrong.
This book started out slow for me. I enjoyed the overall plot line and the characters that we were introduced to, but there were a lot of lulls in the story. There were also so many characters being introduced, it was hard for me to keep them straight, because they all had their regular name, but then they also had a prodigy name, and I was getting confused. Around halfway through the book, things picked up and the second half was much more enjoyable than the beginning. There were also a lot of smaller plot lines throughout the story, but by the end of this book, NONE of them were wrapped up. I know there will be a sequel, but I feel like at least one of the story arcs should have come to a close. The ending of this book had a reveal as well, but if you pay attention throughout, it was pretty predictable. I will still read the sequel because I am interested to know what happens next

I love superheroes stories and I've heard great things about Marissa Meyer's books, so I knew I had to give this one a shot. And I am so, SO glad I did. Not only has this been one of the best written books I've read all year. Even with it's head-spinning final page (still reeling) that will have me in knots until next year, I can honestly say this is one of the most fun reads I've had in a long time. The world-building is absolutely terrific. The story was exciting, tense, and compelling. The action was vivid and heart-stopping. The romance was tender and sweet. The powers are truly creative/rare for the superhero genre. The characters are absolutely wonderful and layered. Most attention is focused on Nova, who is a fantastic, complex lead character, and Adrian, who has a lot of depth to him, and who is so freaking adorable I just want to squish him. Superheroes are all the rage right now, and honestly, this book could not have been released at a better time. It stands out on its own in the YA genre. I've read superhero stories before, but never anything like this. I want more more more more more!! Honestly, do not miss out on this one. Pick it up now. Seriously, why are you still reading this review? Read RENEGADES!!!

This book was fascinating. I can see why people would not enjoy it because there were some moments that I would have predicted but there were also some moments that I was surprised by entertained by. If you enjoy the super hero graphic novels you may certainly enjoy this as well. One thing though that I was a tad annoyed with was a lot of dumbing things down..... yes this is a young adult novel that is geared for people younger than me however compared to the lunar chronicles that I have read it seems to me that renegades was simpler and more dumbed down rather than the lunar chronicles which is more complex and intriguing. I loved the characters I enjoyed the story I am definitely going to read the sequel when it comes out in November and buy it. However because of these points I have to give this book a 3.5-4 stars.

I really liked Meyer’s sci-fi series, The Lunar Chronicles, but felt that my enjoyment dropped off a bit in the final volume as things got more epic, and less character focused. This is probably why I put off reading Renegades until now. And wile it may have taken me some time to get to it, I’m so glad that I did. By having Renegades take place in a post apocalyptic sci-fi world, Meyer ends up doing a wonderful job of putting her own unique spin on the superhero genre. The book is centered around a romance between a hero and a villain (a trope very close to my heart), and I felt like she did a good job exploring both of their perspectives. The book also plays some fun tricks with secret identities that goes beyond your typical superhero fare. It’s clear that I won’t be waiting quite as long to pick up the sequel (especially after that cliffhanger!), which is set to come out this November.

So, that was awesome. This Marvel/DC fanboy is elated. I get the feeling Marissa Meyer and I would be pretty good friends if we ever hung out, with mutual interests in fairy tale retellings and SUPERHEROES!

I love the powers she created, and Sketch inspires me to take art lessons one day. It was fun to see this mix of abilities interact and the levels of conflict they creates, as well as what's going on inside these characters' heads. In any superhero story, I am most fascinated by the vulnerability and everything that makes the heroes imperfect. There's plenty of that here, and some moral drama that kept me wondering how it would all resolve itself in the end. It ends pretty abruptly, so now I'm on the edge of my seat for the sequel. HURRY UP, NOVEMBER!

My one critique is one I rarely bring up: This book could've been about 100 pages shorter. There's a lot of internal monologue that sometimes feels repetitive and slow, and it's not always necessary because the scenes and interactions provide almost all the context we need. However, the book is absolutely worth the ride, and I loved my time in Gatlon City with these unique heroes and villains!

After reading most of the Lunar Chronicles, I felt like giving the rest of Marissa Meyer’s sagas a chance.
I didn’t expect to be disappointed, and I wasn’t.
This book begins the story of the Renegades and the Anarchists, seen through the eyes of Nova and Adrian. Adrian is the son of two prominent and famous superheroes who has his own special powers, but rolls around Gatlin City part-time as himself and part-time as the Sentinel. Nova is Nightmare, a young girl also with superpowers who was taken in by her uncle - head of the Anarchists - after her family is brutally slain.

Meyers, as per usual, does a great job in pulling you in to her story and to feel compassion and empathy for her lead characters. And ... what a plot twist at the end!!! You think it is going one way, and it goes where you may not expect. Can’t wait for the sequel!

She's a girl who doesn't sleep, but her touch sends others to dreamland. He's a boy whose drawings become real, but he wants to be more.

She's a villain, fighting for vengeance. He's a superhero, fighting for justice.

She's out to destroy everything he loves. He doesn't know what's coming.

I love superhero books. And I loved The Lunar Chronicles. So my excitement for this book was at a level where my expectations could never meet reality. BUT THIS BOOK DID. It's fantastic, and yes, it is typical YA angst with typical YA romantically feelings, but where Adrian is typical sappy YA love-interest, Nova is a complicated and conniving badass with an incredibly justifiable reason to hate the Renegades and become set on a course for revenge. I loved her and cannot wait for book 2 (there MUST be a book 2)!

I really love Marissa Meyer as an author, and I enjoyed her take on the superhero story. I love the world she has built and the characters are all so different and their powers so interesting I found myself falling in love with it. Nova as a sort of anti-hero is a fantastic POV to read from. I loved reading her take on the superheroes who were meant to save people and how she refused to not be one of them while slowly becoming one in the process. The ending is a fantastic plot twist, and I can't wait to read the sequel later this year!

I had a luke warm reaction to the story. It had pluses, but also some negatives too. On the plus side, (i) the writing is generally excellent, and (ii) the characters are engaging and mostly well developed. On the minus side, (1) the world building felt underdeveloped and I had trouble buying into it as a result, (2) the plot was little too flat and only mildly intriguing, and (3) the last part of the book/the ending was underwhelming. There was an effort to toss in a surprise twist at the very end, but it seemed too little, too late, and too eye rolly.

Marissa did it again with this amazing story about heroes and villains with super powers. It was written in such a way that I wasn't sure who I was routing for and sometimes it was for both. I could see the point of both sides and realized that both had beliefs that were true and things that they did that were wrong. The possible relationship between Nightmare(Insomnia) and Sketch was interesting to watch and I found myself hoping that it would happen. I'm still not sure if it will but I have hope. As to who will win. I'm hoping for a happy medium that will be better for everyone and not just those with all the power. Marissa hasn't let me down yet. I can't wait until November when the next book comes out.

I loved the twists and turns in this book. Yes, as negative or neutral reviewers have said (here and on Goodreads), this plot has been done before...guess what though? They all have! This journey was worth it and kept me reading. I'm not typically a superhero kind of fan. I enjoy some of the movies but I never was in to the comics or anything. This book was great though! It ends on a major cliffhanger with lots of questions unanswered so I am VERY impatiently waiting for book 2. I feel that the character Nova was very quickly deepened near the end and the book stopped without any resolution. That was tough but the entire journey of the book was certainly worth it for me. The world building helped me feel like I was right there. Awesome pacing and descriptions. Loved it!

I love the concept of this book. Nova is a member of the anarchists who have been vilified by the world while the superhero group the Renegades, is glorified. She infiltrates the renegades to gather information and discovers that they might not be as horrible as she's always believed. There's action and complex characters. Something just fell a little flat for me. It took me awhile to get through because it wasn't capturing my attention. That said, the ending was great and now I really want to read the next book. I feel like this book was mainly setting up for the rest of the series, and I have high hopes for book two.

This book was so much fun and I loved it. But the end left me with way more questions than I could ever imagine so can I have the next one please? This was one of those stories where I would think I understood what was happening but then it would just shock me with something else. I definitely got Sky High vibes from this story. But I adored seeing from both sides of the anarchist and renegades. I really love Nova's character and honestly can't wait to see what she does next and Adrian... I want to put him in my pocket he is so adorable & he wears glasses! I love seeing main characters with glasses especially if they still kick butt. If you love anything about heroes or villains definitely check this out.

I would rate this 3.5/5 stars. The narrative voice was excellent, and made up for a handful of shortcomings. It's slow to start, but I appreciate both the glimpse into the lives of "villains" and the effort to show that not all heroes are actually heroic.
The story was slow. The first several chapters were good, but the middle became long and arduous. 500+ pages isn't a huge ask if you've got the story to push you thru, but here it was somewhat lacking - at least up until the last 1/3 of the book. There it finally started to pick up again.
Having read this author before, I was expecting the end to set up for a sequel, and she did not disappoint. I'll be looking for it when it comes out.
Final word - it could have been better, but it also could have been much worse. I'll read the sequel.

When I heard that there was a new book by Marissa Meyer I got so excited and know I just had to get my hands on it asap.And then I saw the cover and it is so beautiful and I wanted to read the book even more. And then, finally, there it was... Renegades. I started reading right away and was thrown into a story filled with villains and superheroes. A little bit of romance too. Did I like it. YES I DID! IS there something I didn’t like? Well, it was a little bit slow at times. Aside from that, no complains and now I can’t wait for the next book. I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan!

Renegades was so hard to put down. It didn’t feel as long as it was – almost 500 pages! – because once I started reading it, I couldn’t stop. It was a little predictable but I think that was kind of hard to avoid because it was a superhero novel. The narrative that ran through the book about what it means to be a hero seems overdone, but the book did have a bit of a unique twist on it. I think part of that was from Nova’s voice, and also the really cool superpowers that the characters had and the way they utilized them.

The whole ending sequence was so wild. I usually zone out and start skimming during battle scenes but Marissa Meyer writes them with so many twists and turns that I can’t look away, in this book especially. However, the actual ending itself left me more confused than shocked. It was definitely a plot twist, but there weren’t really any clues leading up to it besides Nova being a bit vague at times. Despite this, I still absolutely loved this book! I really don’t know how I’m going to last the wait for book 2!

I love Marissa Meyer from the Lunar Chronicles, however, was quite disappointment with this book. That's not to say this book didn't have it's highlights. Some character interactions provided excellent foreshadowing that kept stringing me along. I was disappointment however that this book did not really give any answers. It raised a lot of questions that presumably will be answered in a later book. Unfortunately, I am a busy college student and do not have time to continue reading later books if some questions aren't answered in the first one.

Another main issue I had with this book was the actions of the main characters (both villains and renegades alike). I feel the main characters were given a lot of responsibilities and freedom to move around that I don't think they would have realistically been given. Furthermore, I feel the villains were at times cheesy and fake. I'm sure many younger kids will love this book, but by the end of the book, I felt I had wasted my time.

I love how complicated this was. How there isn’t just a good hero and evil villain. It went deeper into that. I really like both Nova and Adrian. There were a lot of names that confused me at first but luckily I was able to remember all the names and who they went with. I hope the second book comes out soon.

I'm starting to think that there's no such thing as a "good superhero novel." Goodness knows I keep trying, but all the ones I pick up are either bland and forgettable (such as "Powerless") or flat-out awful (such as "The Ables"). Even the best of the lot I've read so far ("Soon I Will Be Invincible") was still problematic. Is there something about a superhero plot that just plays out better in a visual medium such as a comic book or movie? Or am I just striking out?

I had hoped "Renegades" would prove to be the exception -- it certainly seemed exciting enough. I wasn't terribly fond of the author's "Heartless" and never got past the first book of her "Lunar Chronicles," but I still had faith in her ability to spin a fun and entertaining superhero novel.

Welp... I only made it about four or five chapters before throwing in the towel. The most entertaining thing about this novel is the superhero abilities -- characterization and convincing worldbuilding are obviously not a priority in this novel.

My biggest problem with the book is that all the fascinating stuff seems to be crammed into the prologue -- a world turned upside-down by the insurgence of superheroes. THAT sounds like an epic read, and something that would be terrifying yet amazing to explore. Instead all that is breezed over in the prologue so we can skip right to generic superhero fights.

(Also, the prologue states that millions, if not billions, of people were massacred by the renegade superheroes and that entire governments and nations were toppled... but everything seems to be back to normal by the time the book proper starts. No. You don't get to hit the magic reset button and pretend everything got magically fixed after a massive apocalyptic event like that. There has to be SOME kind of change to society besides superheroes being prominent -- even after a few decades there ought to be lingering aftereffects of such a cataclysm.)

I could forgive the above and keep reading if the characters were at all interesting... but I cannot bring myself to like or feel sorry for Nova. Her backstory is utterly generic, her personality is nil, and her motivation could have been made interesting but ends up feeling petty. Adrian's character arc is more interesting, but again, little personality. Make us care about these main characters, people...

I've regrettably decided not to finish this novel, as from what I can see from Goodreads and the store reviews it's not going to get a whole lot better and I don't feel like slogging through 600 pages of what's essentially going to be a prologue to the rest of the story. Even the first part of a series should stand well on its own, I feel, and if this book has no sort of resolution or climax, why should I be compelled to finish it?

I'm not giving up on superhero novels completely, however. There are still a few I'd like to read before I give up on the genre entirely -- "Superfolks," "Hero," "The Rules of Supervillainy," and "Sidekicked," to name a few. Surely there's a decent superhero novel out there somewhere...

Okay, but like...I really loved that ending.

So this book was definitely slow. It seemed like it took a LOT of pages to accomplish one thing. There was a lot of communication between characters instead of action, misleading speeches and all that, so I can see why some things were hard to get through. But the storyline itself was REALLY good. I really liked most of the characters. And you know what, usually I’m not a huge fan of books with a million characters to remember, but with them being superheroes with special powers, it helped a lot and I didn’t feel so overwhelmed. Definitely looking forward to the second one!

Originally posted at <a href="http://bengalinomad1102.blogspot.com/2017/12/book-review-renegades-by-marissa-meyer.html">The Bengali Nomad</a>
<b>**Quotes taken from an ARC and therefore might vary from the final copy.**</b>

Despite all the attention that <i>The Lunar Chronicles</i> has garnered, I was one of those people who gave up on the series halfway through. This, along with the fact that the book seemed reasonably thick, made me put off <i>Renegades</i> for a while. <i>Renegades</i> certainly is a well written novel, but like Marissa Meyer's Cinder, it takes a while to pick up its pace.

Regardless, the story does get better once you push through the first few, much slower chapters. What motivated me in particular was the sheer curiosity of seeing more of Marissa Meyer's brilliant character development. Even the supporting characters were created well. Nova in particular, starting from her past to the buildup of her resentment towards the Renegade cause, was very intricately portrayed.

<i>"I fell asleep - the very last time I ever slept. And when I woke up, there was a man with a gun. He killed them both. He killed my sister. He tried to kill me. And the Renegades didn't come."</i> -Nova

Meyer also does an excellent portrayal of Adrian and his strong sense of justice. Adrian's sense of justice is so unwavering that it's something that transcends beyond his beloved Renegade protocol. While he shows absolute loyalty to the Renegades and the Council, he sees and acknowledges the flaws in the system. Adrian adheres to his own ideal of what a hero should truly be, and this particular mindset of his is unfolded during several instances throughout the book.

<i>"They were supposed to encourage every prodigy... no, every human to be as heroic as possible. How was publicly rejecting anyone going to further that goal?"</i> -Adrian

<i>"Heroism wasn't about what you could do, it was about what you did. It was about who you saved when they needed saving."</i> -Adrian

My only real complaint about <i>Renegades</i> is the slow start, and how that eventually leads to a frustrating cliffhanger, like the post-credit scene of a Marvel movie. The story starts off with combat, and there are quite a few other combat scenes that occur throughout the book. But the author's love of superheroes really shines through this novel. Definitely looking forward to the next installment in the series, even though I am a tad bit salty about the Marvel post-credit scene style cliffhanger.

All right guys, I read this in five days because I wanted to know everything that was going on when I went to hear Marissa Meyer at Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh, NC. It did start off a little slower than I was expecting after how quickly I went through The Lunar Chronicles and Heartless, but damn, the last 70-100 pages sucked me in hard.
Because I'm not really an in-depth reviewer, I'm just going to go through some bullet points of what I loved and what I less-than-loved:
-loved Adrian because he is the OPPOSITE of your typical agro male super-lead; he's awkward and nice and a very realistic, believable character
-loved Nova and how she would NOT be swayed by her feelings even as she completely didn't repress them
-I was able to put the pieces together for one character death, but the clue was really small (at least I thought it was small) so good luck finding it
-GAY DADS AND GAY CAPTAIN AMERICA PARALLEL--need I say more?!
-TWO POC MCs--need I say more?!
-the reveal about Renegades' big plan at the end was kind of expected but engaging nonetheless and will definitely build up well to next year's book
-there are definitely your superhero tropes, but Meyer did a GREAT job of both inverting them and also not letting them choke out the rest of the story
-and I was so glad that it did turn out different from the many drafts it went through to become the book we have (not gonna lie, I would not have been thrilled that it was set at "yet another super/secret school")
That's about it for my review itself, but I am going to post a sort of summary/response to Meyer's awesome talk at QRB over on my blog, which you can hopefully find below. All in all, I highly recommend this book just like all of Meyer's previous books. #jointherenegades

Well crafted story by Meyer. I have not read the Lunar chronicles, except for Heartless, and I have to say, I commend her originality and thorough detail to a story.
BUT I really debated giving this 3 stars because as much as I liked the characters and the action paced plot, it was just too drawn out. I feel this could have been less than 400 pages instead of over 500. It took quite a while to get going with the story and she expounded on EVERYTHING.
But I enjoyed it and will be looking forward to the conclusion.
Also, definitely for older teens.

I thought the book started out well up until something absolutely horrendous and unspeakable happens at the end of the prologue, something that went way overboard and was completely unnecessary to try and develop a backstory for the main character. Nevertheless, I managed to get past it and continue reading, and it is an interesting take on superheroes and villains. Has some decent action, subtle romance, and great character development.

The main girl, Nova, had a believable and a likeable personality, mostly. The main guy, Adrian, I thought was more interesting because he actually had a deeper conflict and a drive to pursue his antagonist. He also had an interesting pull for a backstory that gets resolved later on. His power was quite unique and not st all what I thought it would be. What I liked most about him was his fear and how it drove him to try and become a better hero, something I think a number of quite struggle with as well.

There's nothing particularly amazing or terrible about this book. The author is good at keeping you interested; although, I could've done without some of the tediously long descriptions of some locations and settings. Too many wasted paragraphs I think. It's got some darkness and grittiness to it while also keeping it light and somewhat childishly innocent, something I've noticed the author does quite well.

If you can get past the sickening prologue and read the story for what it is, or simply skip it all together (you have been warned), you'll find a good story here with a lot of potential for a sequel.

Wow! This book was interesting and timely as the world has so many shades of grey, and how you view the world determines who are your heroes and villains. Nova is a fantastic main character, complex and strong. There are so many twists and turns that this story keeps you engaged every chapter. I don't rate many books five stars, but it is rare that I come to the end and don't know for whom to root. I can't wait to read the conclusion because other than Nova and Adrian, the heroes and villains keep switching in my mind. Excellent read!

I was compelled to write this review the second I finished Renegades. Like Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles, Renegades is absolutely brilliant. A page turner from beginning to end. When I first picked up the novel I was assuming it was a cross between Marie Lu's Young Elites and a Superhero version of Romeo and Juliet which already seemed like a pretty good premise but Meyer's storytelling makes it infinitely better. Unlike some of the disappointment I've felt with other best selling authors upon reading their second series, Meyer's goes above and beyond to give me fresh and compelling characters that jump off the page.

Nova, the MC, is an exceptionally complex character who I was happy to sympathize with throughout the novel. In addition, Adrian, our other MC, is equally addictive being both slightly awkward and adorable but with mysteries of his own. I also love how rich the world and backstory are with this novel. Every character has a past that they pull into the story with them but without bogging down the narrative with unnecessary details.

I have already started counting the days until the final novel comes out in November!

This book.......... if you do not read this magical, sucks you in, epic, thrilling and wow book you are a fool. I am a huge fan for the superhero world and this world, just wow. The characters are so well developed. I cannot say much without giving away a few things. Just know, if you do not read this book, your life will feel empty.

I am a HUGE Percy Jackson and Harry Potter fan. These are the types of books I like to read. I had this 554 page book and read it in 2.5 days. could not put down.

Okay, you may see the three crowns at the top of this review, but I promise, it's okay. No, really, it's okay, because Meyer is still queen and my favorite author and a total genius. I'm okay, this book is okay, and everything is okay?? But I mean, I think that's the problem - everything was okay? And I kind of wanted it to be more, but no, really, I'm totally not freaking out that this was my most anticipated book of 2017 by the queen and I wasn't fully in love-forever fangirl mode with five billion crowns and a full princess train and met my new Cresswell ship. But it's okay, really. I'm handling it. Know what's not okay? My overuse of that word and "really" so I'm going to stop.

Don't get me wrong - Meyer is still queen. Her writing will never stop being amazing. Her voice, her ease, her flow. Everything about her writing is superb, and this book is no different. If you have never read any of her previous books, trust me, you're always going to get amazing writing, which this was. I love the wit she infuses in it, too. There were a few times that I actually laughed out loud because of little side comments she added in. The only thing I noticed that was different than her previous book with her writing in this one was the pacing.

The pacing was so slow, and it kind of drove me insane. This book is big. I mean, it's really big. 540+ pages. That's a lot for anyone to read, but when the pacing is really focused a lot on character development, it just seems to drag on and on. There is a lot of necessary information for the characters and the plot happening, but to me, I just wanted it to go a lot faster. Maybe I was just too eager to devour all of Meyer's work whole and it caused me that issue? I will admit I began skimming at parts, which killed me, but I couldn't deal.

The characters were interesting. In previous books, Meyer pays so much attention to her characters and developing them. Nova was easily my favorite. I really enjoyed her. She was funny, witty, and I loved how she was a villain. She definitely had some complex motivations, but I understood her so easily. She was the one I most sympathized with, and I will admit I kind of just wanted to skip Adrian's parts sometimes because I wanted to bask in Nova's storyline and her head. She was fun, and I can't wait to go back to her story and characterization.

The rest of the characters were just kind of...eh to me? I mean, I liked a few, but I never really fell in love. There were a lotttttttttt of characters - superheroes and villains - and I really got lost on all of the superheroes. I'm still not sure who is who with Adrian's dads. There were just so many characters, and truthfully, I was far more partial to the villains. I loveddddd the villains. They were complex and fun and just so unapologetic. I was dying to see more of them, and truthfully, had this book featured more of them, it would have a lot higher rating for me, because this is where Meyer shone for me. Gosh, they were brilliant.

The plot was interesting as well. I feel like it really, really picked up at the end. I loved the beginning and middle parts, but I did kind of die out in the middle. Again, it paid so much attention to the characters and the slower pacing, I kind of got a little bored. I will say that I do believe the second one is going to be a lot more interesting especially with the big things that happened at the end. Yes, it might have felt a bit cliche at parts, but I think Meyer did well with an overused plot. It still felt quite fresh and new.

The last part I loved was the worldddddddddddddddddddddd. Omigosh, Meyer knows how to build a world, and she does it well. I never got confused or bored or wondered what the hell was supposed to be going on. She simplified a world that was bursting with life and complexity and made it so interesting. Meyer knows how to create a wonderful world, and this book had one, for sure.

So, yes, I'm disappointed with how it turned out because of the slow pacing and no real love of the characters, but honestly, I really am okay with it. This was a solid beginning to Meyer's series, and I mean, I didn't hate it. It still had some totally amazing parts, and I am quite eager to get back to this world and the plot. Was it Meyer's greatest work? No, not at all, but it was still a good read. I think I'm at that final stage of acceptance?? 3 crowns and a Belle rating!

Renegade was an awesome roller coaster of emotions, filled with action,p lenty of twists and turns, and wonderful story telling. We see different sides to each story and everything is not simply black and white. I loved being able to delve into both Adrian and Nova's thought processes with theirbalternating POVs as each of them fight their inner and outer demons. If you like X-Men and superhero stories, this is the book for you! Cannot wait for the conclusion in the next book!

Even a sugary romance subplot couldn’t spoil the brilliance of Renegades, a book dead-set on ripping apart the black and white sentimentalities of villains and heroes, the Supermen and the Magnetos. Even in a world of supers, no one is truly safe.

Secrets aren’t free, and there are those who’ll pay dearly to keep them safe. Trust is cheap, for often the greatest threats are those closest to us.

Our deepest fears consume us, dominating our every dream, yet goading on the most daring of deeds. Let us not forget- he who is without fear cannot be brave.

Definite homages to the Brotherhood of Mutants and to the Justice Lords of America.

Also, the Joker. And, of course, Robin.

So. Much. Robin.

I really enjoyed reading this. The beginning started off a little flat for me, especially with the characterization and the somewhat awkward tone it struck towards the superhero world building (which does indeed sound tricky.) But eventually, it seemed to finds its way and got VERY engrossing. The two main characters, who I weren't initially enthralled by, started to become alive and I understood the appeal. Marissa Meyer is an excellent writer.

Great take on the superhero genre. The characters were likeable and the story was fun. I am a fan of the author's writing style and I enjoyed this book. Will definitely read the next book in the series.

I spent hours reading this book and LOVED IT!!!! I was really surprised to find out that is was not a standalone. the book left me with a lot of mysteries but also a sense of satisfaction. Very good book I would reccomend to anyone who likes superheroes.

(p.s SPOILERS who do you think killed aridans mom? I think it was phobia)

I would reccomend this book to practically anyone who enjoys YA...or...just a great book! I was unable to put it down! The cliffhanger was brilliant (no spoilers), the characters were delightfully complex, the plot had a sturdy foundation and I am left highly anticipating the second installment in the trilogy. What's in store for Nova and Adrian? What will happen to Max? Will secret identities be revealed?! Lives forever changed?!! I hope so! Thank you Marissa Meyer! This book was right on target in every way...everything I could want in a fun, fresh new novel that leaves you hungry for more!

What if everything you ever believed was not exactly as it is? Nova's family has been murdered, she is taken in by her uncle Ace Anarchy and raised to believe the Renegades are unworthy of leading. She joins the Renegades in order to destroy them. What will she learn about herself and the Renegades in the process. Is she an anarchist or a hero?

Really enjoyed the story, and characters are varied and interesting. Several unanswered questions and a cliffhanger ending have me looking forward to the 2nd book of this duology, to be released in Nov 2018.

I downloaded this on a whim because I wanted something to listen to it and sounded good. Very pleasantly surprised. The story got me from the start and the fact that there were two narrators for the two view points made it easy to track when the perspective changed. I do not want to spoil anything but cannot wait for the follow up. Highly recommend!!

I loved this book! The characters were amazing, and it's not what you'd expect from a book about superheros but rather, it shows that there is always more than one side to a story. I can't wait for the next book!

This book was amazing. It's definitely one of my favorite reads of the year. I also listened to the audiobook and that was amazing to a whole new level. The book is huge and gorgeous so it's a long read but totally worth it.

It started out a bit slow. But I was hooked halfway through!

My only complaint is I wish the Renegades trials and Gatlon City were a bit more engaging, like in the Hunger Games and Harry Potter. But I'll definitely be reading the sequel when it comes out!

I was really excited for this book as I love TLC TO but unfortunately I couldn't get into it at all. I applaud the creative powers she created but I didnt engage with any of the characters and thought the plot was slow as molasses. I ended up skimming one of the PoVS to get through it. :(

Review by Marian A. Jacobs

This book was a bit disappointing. The structure was all over the place and the ending was jarring--not in a good way. It also felt like she rushed the editing process. There were many unruly sentences and some other small editing errors that could have been fixed with a bit more patience. That said, there were also a number of characters that I loved and would like to know more about. Plus Sketch's superpower was so cool, it made reading this book totally worth it. The only downside to the "magic system" was that it had zero limits and always seemed to be saying, "I can do this just because I can!"

loved the book so much I'm a book worm and can usually tell what is going to happen next with this book I was wrong at every turn and I loved the fact that it was not only was it a nice change for me but I liked the books outcome than the one I predicted. DEFINITE BUY.

One the most anticipated books for me this year was Renegades. When I could get my paws on the earc I was so happy, but sadly, it was not as amazing as I expected to be.

I was expecting a book about cool villains or at least SMART villains, I mean, they almost win if it wasn’t for the variable they didn’t count on, but through all the book they act without thinking on the big picture, they were… silly.

Then we have Nova. I like her character, what I don’t like is how little motivation she shows, I mean, you expect of her a little more passion on her mission, she already got the brains and the muscle.

Renegades wasn’t the epic tale of villains versus heroes I expected, although Marissa Meyer does a great work narrative speaking.

This book is violently disgusting and I simply can’t and won’t finish it. You cannot tell Who the heros are. You have no sense of anything more than violence for its own sake.

What happened to the Meyer of the Lunar Chronicles?