New Release Review: Renegades by Marissa Meyer

Title: Renegades (Renegades #1)

Author: Marissa Meyer
1st Date of Publication: November 7, 2017

ISBN: 9781250044662
# of Pages: 552

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Age Rating: 13+

Buy on Amazon

Book Description:
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 a villain who has the power to end them both.


Setting: Gatlon City in the future
Point of View: 3rd person- Nova "Nightmare/Insomnia" Jean Artino and Adrian "Sketch/Sentinel" Everhart

Goodreads Rating: 4.10

My Rating: 4.50

 

Part of the Book that Caught My Attention: Both

View on the Cover: The cover is beautiful. Both characters seem to be contemplating the cost of their actions and feel the weight of their city on their shoulders. They may be on opposite sides but the feelings are mutual.
View on Title: Who are the Renegades? Are they good or bad?

Pros:

• The alternating female-to-male point of view is very captivating. It gives more of a feel of what both sides feel about the other and why they act and scheme the way they do. It makes the point that there is no true black and white when it comes to justice. Maybe all the fighting is all for nothing if both sides are not willing to try to see the others' perspectives.
• Nova is known as "Nightmare" to the Anarchists, and the Anarchists have raised her after her family's tragic death. She blames the Renegades from not protecting her family and her mission is to annihilate them, so she has closure. Her identity isn't known, so it is only up to her to go incognito as a Renegade under the name "Insomnia" where she tries to find out all their secrets and their weaknesses. She is powerful, resourceful, and could put anyone asleep with a touch. But, will her time with the Renegades show a new light to why they act a certain way?
• Adrian can sketch, which is the reason for his superhero name "Sketch," like no one ever could, and his drawings even come to life if he wants them to. After Nightmare tries to kill his father, he makes it his own personal mission to find out who she is and why she is acting against the Renegades. He creates his own suit, tattoos himself, and goes under the name "Sentinel" as he gives himself more abilities and fighting Nightmare. How far will he go before he is caught?
• There is a romance in this which makes the stakes even higher and even more exciting. But, you only get a glimpse into this installment.
• This novel does explore LBGT as  Adrian is adopting by couple Hugh "Captain Chromium" Everhart and Simon "Dread Warden" Westwood when Adrian's mother "Lady Indomitable" (Unknown Name [Currently]) died in battle when he was very young. You get a good glimpse of their life together with Adrian. But, I am wondering if we will find out Adrian's mother's real identity.
• This novel is extremely action-packed. Even though a couple of the fights are a couple chapters long, you're really kept at the end of your seating waiting for what's to happen next.

Cons:

• The cliff hanger at the end was a little disappointing. The book went from such a high intense point and basically died immediately after ending with a mediocre cliff hanger for the next book to pick up from.

Marissa Meyer's Website:

http://www.marissameyer.com/

Other Recommendations:

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine
Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan