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callmecat's review against another edition
2.0
ugh, I wasnt sure I wanted to finish reading these and then there is a cliffhanger. I feel so cheated, since I only continued reading to find out what happens. oh wellllll.
nicolemhewitt's review against another edition
5.0
This review and many others can be found on my blog - Feed Your Fiction Addiction
When I read the first book in this series, MILA 2.0, I enjoyed it, but I honestly wasn't blown away. Still, I was definitely interested enough to pick up the second book in the series, hoping it would impress me more than the first.
Well, this is one of those cases where, at least for me, the second book in the series far outshone the first. I easily read this book in a day because I was so enthralled with the story!
The synopsis tells pretty much all you need to know (any more would be spoiling), so I'll get right to my review.
The negatives:
Not a lot of action in the first half.
If you were a huge fan of all the action scenes in the first book, you might find the first half (or so) of this book lacking somewhat. Honestly, for me this wasn't really a negative at all - the first half of the book focused more on the budding relationship between Hunter and Mila, on her grappling with how to tell him the truth, and on her search for the man she believes might be able to help her finally learn more about herself. I really enjoyed this part of the book and felt a much stronger connection to both Hunter and Mila than I remember feeling in the first book. But, like I said, if you're looking for action-packed android battles, you'll be disappointed (at least at the beginning!).
What I LOVED:
Hunter and Mila.
Like I said above, I found myself much more invested in both Hunter and Mila in this book. I loved that Hunter basically threw all caution to the wind and just went to Mila when she needed him. Their romance is sweet and doesn't move too fast - and we got to learn a lot more about Hunter, which I appreciated. Mila's struggle with whether or not to tell him the truth about herself felt realistic to me. And I also really loved her internal struggle with being an android - she still feels like a person, and can't quite come to terms with what it actually means that she might not be. I just genuinely liked both Hunter and Mila in this book - and when things started to possibly go wrong with them, I was on the edge of my seat, wondering how it would all play out.
The twists.
Once again, Driza has written a book with many twists and turns. I was never quite sure who was trustworthy and who wasn't or where the story was going to go next. I found myself constantly surprised, which I absolutely loved!!
The ending.
Those of you who hate cliffhangers won't be happy with this ending, but I loved it! Driza put Mila into a horribly impossible situation (in more than one way) and I can't wait to see how she gets her out of it!
I can't really say more without spoilers, so I think I'm going to stop there. For me, this book was just the right mixture of romance, Mila's inner journey, action and surprises. If you loved MILA 2.0, definitely pick up this book. If you were somewhat on the fence about the first book, I'd encourage you to give Renegade a try. This is one series that seems to just be getting better! 5/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own***
When I read the first book in this series, MILA 2.0, I enjoyed it, but I honestly wasn't blown away. Still, I was definitely interested enough to pick up the second book in the series, hoping it would impress me more than the first.
Well, this is one of those cases where, at least for me, the second book in the series far outshone the first. I easily read this book in a day because I was so enthralled with the story!
The synopsis tells pretty much all you need to know (any more would be spoiling), so I'll get right to my review.
The negatives:
Not a lot of action in the first half.
If you were a huge fan of all the action scenes in the first book, you might find the first half (or so) of this book lacking somewhat. Honestly, for me this wasn't really a negative at all - the first half of the book focused more on the budding relationship between Hunter and Mila, on her grappling with how to tell him the truth, and on her search for the man she believes might be able to help her finally learn more about herself. I really enjoyed this part of the book and felt a much stronger connection to both Hunter and Mila than I remember feeling in the first book. But, like I said, if you're looking for action-packed android battles, you'll be disappointed (at least at the beginning!).
What I LOVED:
Hunter and Mila.
Like I said above, I found myself much more invested in both Hunter and Mila in this book. I loved that Hunter basically threw all caution to the wind and just went to Mila when she needed him. Their romance is sweet and doesn't move too fast - and we got to learn a lot more about Hunter, which I appreciated. Mila's struggle with whether or not to tell him the truth about herself felt realistic to me. And I also really loved her internal struggle with being an android - she still feels like a person, and can't quite come to terms with what it actually means that she might not be. I just genuinely liked both Hunter and Mila in this book - and when things started to possibly go wrong with them, I was on the edge of my seat, wondering how it would all play out.
The twists.
Once again, Driza has written a book with many twists and turns. I was never quite sure who was trustworthy and who wasn't or where the story was going to go next. I found myself constantly surprised, which I absolutely loved!!
The ending.
Those of you who hate cliffhangers won't be happy with this ending, but I loved it! Driza put Mila into a horribly impossible situation (in more than one way) and I can't wait to see how she gets her out of it!
I can't really say more without spoilers, so I think I'm going to stop there. For me, this book was just the right mixture of romance, Mila's inner journey, action and surprises. If you loved MILA 2.0, definitely pick up this book. If you were somewhat on the fence about the first book, I'd encourage you to give Renegade a try. This is one series that seems to just be getting better! 5/5 stars.
***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given. All opinions are my own***
michalice's review against another edition
5.0
I am really disappointed that it took me so long to get to reading Renegade. While I did struggle trying to remember who was with which side, as soon as I had it all figured out I flew through the pages. Renegade was just as good as Mila 2.0 was, and once again I was left to wonder who was really on Mila's side, and who was trying to capture her.
Mila is resilient, tough, and a fighter, and each new thing she learns about herself we learn along with her, and she has some amazing new abilities that I really wouldn't mind myself, as long as I wasn't an android. I love her critical thinking, her determination to see things through and to keep fighting to the very end. Her growing feelings towards Hunter added a little extra human qualities to her, and made you root for her that extra bit more (if you weren't already rooting for her) As the story progressed my thoughts about Hunter went up and down, one minute I liked him, but then something suspicious would happen and I would doubt my feelings once again.
Some things were revealed in Renegade that had been left unanswered in Mila 2.0, and some of these answers were a shock. But we are also left with some more questions left unanswered, and I really need to know the answers to these, especially after the ending. One thing that really surprised me was the revelation of who Hunter's parents are, that was one I never thought of at all, but it was also a shock to Hunter, and up to that point I really had no idea who's side he was on.
Renegade was another unputdownable read from Debra, from one chapter to another I never knew what to expect, or what Debra would throw into the mix, and just when you think you have it all figured out BAM!!!! everything is blown away and you have to rethink everything you thought you knew. Debra has managed to weave a spell of mystery, suspense, and romance and leave you wanting more. The countdown is on for the next book.
Mila is resilient, tough, and a fighter, and each new thing she learns about herself we learn along with her, and she has some amazing new abilities that I really wouldn't mind myself, as long as I wasn't an android. I love her critical thinking, her determination to see things through and to keep fighting to the very end. Her growing feelings towards Hunter added a little extra human qualities to her, and made you root for her that extra bit more (if you weren't already rooting for her) As the story progressed my thoughts about Hunter went up and down, one minute I liked him, but then something suspicious would happen and I would doubt my feelings once again.
Some things were revealed in Renegade that had been left unanswered in Mila 2.0, and some of these answers were a shock. But we are also left with some more questions left unanswered, and I really need to know the answers to these, especially after the ending. One thing that really surprised me was the revelation of who Hunter's parents are, that was one I never thought of at all, but it was also a shock to Hunter, and up to that point I really had no idea who's side he was on.
Renegade was another unputdownable read from Debra, from one chapter to another I never knew what to expect, or what Debra would throw into the mix, and just when you think you have it all figured out BAM!!!! everything is blown away and you have to rethink everything you thought you knew. Debra has managed to weave a spell of mystery, suspense, and romance and leave you wanting more. The countdown is on for the next book.
beccajoek's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. much better than the first book, however, it was very predictable. I felt it took too long to get to the story arch that you probably figured out 100 or more pages prior.
glorious_talk's review against another edition
3.0
Not a fan of the writing style and the romance turned stale about halfway through the book. A little too much back and forth with the plot, but the premise was still very interesting and I am quite interested to see how the series will end. The next book certainly has the potential to be the best in the whole series
izumisano's review against another edition
2.0
This book was:
20% reminiscing about the first book
50% awkward romance
20% Mila being an idiot
10% high-octane android action
Mila was so completely stupid in this book. I don't remember being this frustrated in the first book, but it is possible I let it slide since she just found out that she's really a robot. She's an android. A top secret military weapon. Apparently they didn't download any common sense in her, because much of her logic through this book was completely out there. For example, the police suspect her in the death of her mother. Her first thought was, "Oh the hobo got a better look at me than I thought." Or the secret government organization that is chasing you released the information. "Holland wouldn't have done that because he can't let people know about his activities." He is a general in a top military organization, he released the information for your capture.
Later when she finds a tracer on Hunter's car (more about him later), naturally she assumes that he is apart of the Vita Obscura group that is also chasing her. As amazing as that would be to the plot line, maybe you should calm down a bit and assume that the V.O. added the bug to his car while you guys were away. They're not exactly being all incognito and shit. But no, she assumes and verbally assaults Hunter, which hurts his feelings even more (to add onto all the weird shit he's been having to deal with). So much for Spy Training 101.
She is also completely lost on how to deal with dogs. I mean come on. Her robot self doesn't have some kind of defense program that tells her how to handle that situation? They had to suspect that she would bump into that type of security problem. I figured she'd be a Matrix type situation where they'd download all relevant files and it comes out naturally when she needs them, but I guess not. She's no better than an idiot, sheltered teenager with unnatural strength.
Then there's the whole fact that Hunter is there with her on this manhunt, as she tries to find out more about herself. He drives across country for her, and then she's constantly putting him in danger and telling him really bad lies. Like she didn't even think her cover story through when it took him, I dunno, 2 days to drive there for her. His whole purpose was to show the reader that Mila is a normal human being on the emotional level. But his presence is completely unnecessary to the story. The book would also be a needed 100 pages shorter because you wouldn't have all their drama gumming up the plot. Yes Hunter is dreamy with his amazing crooked smile. But just send the kid a postcard.
20% reminiscing about the first book
50% awkward romance
20% Mila being an idiot
10% high-octane android action
Mila was so completely stupid in this book. I don't remember being this frustrated in the first book, but it is possible I let it slide since she just found out that she's really a robot. She's an android. A top secret military weapon. Apparently they didn't download any common sense in her, because much of her logic through this book was completely out there. For example, the police suspect her in the death of her mother. Her first thought was, "Oh the hobo got a better look at me than I thought." Or the secret government organization that is chasing you released the information. "Holland wouldn't have done that because he can't let people know about his activities." He is a general in a top military organization, he released the information for your capture.
Later when she finds a tracer on Hunter's car (more about him later), naturally she assumes that he is apart of the Vita Obscura group that is also chasing her. As amazing as that would be to the plot line, maybe you should calm down a bit and assume that the V.O. added the bug to his car while you guys were away. They're not exactly being all incognito and shit. But no, she assumes and verbally assaults Hunter, which hurts his feelings even more (to add onto all the weird shit he's been having to deal with). So much for Spy Training 101.
She is also completely lost on how to deal with dogs. I mean come on. Her robot self doesn't have some kind of defense program that tells her how to handle that situation? They had to suspect that she would bump into that type of security problem. I figured she'd be a Matrix type situation where they'd download all relevant files and it comes out naturally when she needs them, but I guess not. She's no better than an idiot, sheltered teenager with unnatural strength.
Then there's the whole fact that Hunter is there with her on this manhunt, as she tries to find out more about herself. He drives across country for her, and then she's constantly putting him in danger and telling him really bad lies. Like she didn't even think her cover story through when it took him, I dunno, 2 days to drive there for her. His whole purpose was to show the reader that Mila is a normal human being on the emotional level. But his presence is completely unnecessary to the story. The book would also be a needed 100 pages shorter because you wouldn't have all their drama gumming up the plot. Yes Hunter is dreamy with his amazing crooked smile. But just send the kid a postcard.
ylshelflove's review against another edition
4.0
While the beginning part of the book reeked of cheesy romantic awkwardness, the tone was quickly shifted as Mila's attitudes and mindsets developed and changed. It was definitely more of a coming-of-age than the first book, which makes sense. Mila has had more time to stop and think and reflect on the new information that she has, rather than constantly trying to run and comprehend at the same time.
Some faults that I saw in this book actually turned into highlights for me. There were some instances where Mila's thoughts and suspicions and worries are overdone. However, that intensity of emotion and conviction carry on for so long that the reader starts to believe it themselves. Right after we are brainwashed that way, one of the many many plot twists falls in our lap and it starts all over again.
All in all, an exciting, twisting book filled with nuggets of teenager angst, laced with adrenaline, and bound with adventure.
Some faults that I saw in this book actually turned into highlights for me. There were some instances where Mila's thoughts and suspicions and worries are overdone. However, that intensity of emotion and conviction carry on for so long that the reader starts to believe it themselves. Right after we are brainwashed that way, one of the many many plot twists falls in our lap and it starts all over again.
All in all, an exciting, twisting book filled with nuggets of teenager angst, laced with adrenaline, and bound with adventure.
amber04's review against another edition
5.0
What an adventure!!! I love books that keep me on my toes. Review to come!
awall14's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
poorashleu's review against another edition
4.0
Originally posted here
While I loved MILA 2.0 I never had a chance to properly review it as I was finishing up grad school and to busy trying to worry about sleep. I am however thrilled I’ve had proper time to review Renegade. I was lucky enough to meet Katherine Tegen at ALAMW2014 and her love of books makes me love these books (or want to love the books). This helped rekindle my love of Driza and Mila.
Renegade picks up right where MILA 2.0 left off. She is on the run with Hunter, the boy she knows little to nothing about and quickly he is calling her his girlfriend. The romance throughout the novel was a tad weak for me. It was fairly instalove in the sense that I just didn’t get it. I didn’t see how they fell in love with each other so quickly. Do not get me wrong, I enjoy Hunter and what he brings to the story but he knows nothing about Mila and she knows nothing about her besides the fact she asked him to go on the run and he said yes.
Mila, and Hunter, are on the search for clues that Mila’s mom (keeper?!) left before she met her untimely death. Of course obstacles occur and nothing is easy for Mila (or Hunter) who begin to fight for their lives through Renegade. Including Hunter finding more out about Mila. Where he is kind of freaked out by the secrets she has been keeping! (SHOCKED! I KNOW!) Between people chasing them and a lack of communication from Mila, Renegade is a quick paced novel that I could not put down. Between finding more out about Mila’s backstory and seeing her “droid” side breakdown and how when she lets her guard down people get in and is that a good thing?
Never once while reading this did I feel that Renegade suffered from the dreaded middle book syndrome and as soon as I finished I became quite excited to see where the trilogy will end.
While I loved MILA 2.0 I never had a chance to properly review it as I was finishing up grad school and to busy trying to worry about sleep. I am however thrilled I’ve had proper time to review Renegade. I was lucky enough to meet Katherine Tegen at ALAMW2014 and her love of books makes me love these books (or want to love the books). This helped rekindle my love of Driza and Mila.
Renegade picks up right where MILA 2.0 left off. She is on the run with Hunter, the boy she knows little to nothing about and quickly he is calling her his girlfriend. The romance throughout the novel was a tad weak for me. It was fairly instalove in the sense that I just didn’t get it. I didn’t see how they fell in love with each other so quickly. Do not get me wrong, I enjoy Hunter and what he brings to the story but he knows nothing about Mila and she knows nothing about her besides the fact she asked him to go on the run and he said yes.
Mila, and Hunter, are on the search for clues that Mila’s mom (keeper?!) left before she met her untimely death. Of course obstacles occur and nothing is easy for Mila (or Hunter) who begin to fight for their lives through Renegade. Including Hunter finding more out about Mila. Where he is kind of freaked out by the secrets she has been keeping! (SHOCKED! I KNOW!) Between people chasing them and a lack of communication from Mila, Renegade is a quick paced novel that I could not put down. Between finding more out about Mila’s backstory and seeing her “droid” side breakdown and how when she lets her guard down people get in and is that a good thing?
Never once while reading this did I feel that Renegade suffered from the dreaded middle book syndrome and as soon as I finished I became quite excited to see where the trilogy will end.