Going Rogue

by Robin Benway
Book 2 of Also Known As

I read the first book in this short series nearly four years ago, I think, and absolutely loved it.  Why I didn't continue on with the second book, I'm not entirely sure.  Could just be that I'd started growing out of YA books and didn't care enough.  And so it took some time for me to recall events from the previous book enough not to feel confused at certain references to the previous book, but our author, quite excellently, offers up some explanations for anything I might have forgotten since our last encounter with these characters.

Going Rogue was just as fun and delightful as the previous book, with a fast-paced espionage plot, a little bit of romance, and some fun, bantering humor between all the characters.

Of course, my main complaint about this book might have been the fact that we maybe went a little overboard with the joke-y behavior.  There were several conversations that I had trouble taking seriously--which needed to be taken seriously--because Maggie and Roux and Jesse were making light of the whole situation by throwing jokes out left and right.  I mean, I love characters with a great sense of humor, and I loved some of the one-liners that were presented.  But at some point, maybe less is more, and jokes strewn about in moderation might have had a better impact on the story's overall presentation.

And then there were maybe some moments at the end of the book that felt a little too deliberate in how the conclusion was tied up.  Everything felt almost too convenient, and our main villain was merely a name in the background until the end of the book.  Things felt rushed.

But all-in-all, the book was enjoyable.  The kids were maybe a little over-dramatic in some of their actions and behaviors and dialogue, but they're teenagers, so I'll cut them some slack.

On a side note, I had also acquired the audio book version of both the first and second books, narrated by Robin Benway.  But I decided to nix the idea of listening to the audio book when I remembered that Benway is not exactly the best narrator in the world--no inflections, no voice changes to depict a different character's dialogue--no matter that she's narrating her own book.


***

Booklikes-opoly 2019

Roll #8:
Square: School's Out For Summer | Read a book that appears on any school related "summer reading list," or that is identified as YA or MG.

How it fits:  This book is identified as YA.
Page Count:  321
Cash:  $3

Lots of awesome  books 

July 28-August 1

A contemporary novel about three adopted siblings who find each other at just the right moment.

Being the middle child has its ups and downs.

But for Grace, an only child who was adopted at birth, discovering that she is a middle child is a different ride altogether. After putting her own baby up for adoption, she goes looking for her biological family, including—

Maya, her loudmouthed younger bio sister, who has a lot to say about their newfound family ties. Having grown up the snarky brunette in a house full of chipper redheads, she’s quick to search for traces of herself among these not-quite-strangers. And when her adopted family’s long-buried problems begin to explode to the surface, Maya can’t help but wonder where exactly it is that she belongs.

And Joaquin, their stoic older bio brother, who has no interest in bonding over their shared biological mother. After seventeen years in the foster care system, he’s learned that there are no heroes, and secrets and fears are best kept close to the vest, where they can’t hurt anyone but him. 


Review : I freaking loved this book it was heartbreaking and beautiful about family . This is about 3 siblings who each are adopted except for Joaquin because he's afraid 
who decided to find each other and they get to know each other . Grace she's going through a lot she just gave her baby up for adoption and wants to find her birth mother . Maya who is dealing with her parents always fighting and her mother secretly hiding alcohol. Joaquin who's foster family wants to adopt him but he is afraid to be adopted because of his past . Grace goes back to school and gets bullied by some asshole who plays baby noises and she ends up punching him and goes to cry in the bathroom where she meets a new friend they develop a friendship which I really liked . Maya has a girlfriend who she ends up breaking up with . Maya mom ends up passing out drunk and ends up going to rehab . Joaquin I really felt for his character cause he's been through so much . They all decide to find there birth mother but find out she died by there aunt but she cared for them all she just couldn't keep them . Joaquin finally decides he wants to be adopted I cried a lot in this book.

1 contemporary 

1 re-read

2 fantasy 

Loved all the books I read this month 

Loved this book made me cry