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freesien's review against another edition
4.0
Immer noch süß und lustig, hat aber auch mehr ernstere Stellen, was ein schöner Ausgleich ist.
sammy234's review against another edition
2.0
Though this sequel to Also Known As was sometimes just as funny as the first book , either my tastes have changed or this whole series turned very sitcom-ish.
Honestly , all the exclamation points and quips used were enough to drive me mad. It got to the point where Maggie and her crew all sounded like one collective ( no pun intended) snarky person instead of individual characters.
This was NOT a terrible book , really. It was just so...safe? The drama was laughable and the end scene face-off with the bad guy had me yawning. Even my love of Roo couldn't save this.
It also seems that the more books I read the less romantic I become , because Maggie and Jesse were the WORST PART OF THE WHOLE BOOK. They were NAUSEATING. Omigosh.
I couldn't handle them and their stupid love declarations and their lame jokes and their manufactured drama and the way they have no personalities but constantly declare their love to one another. I cannot remember them being this insufferable in the first one.
I DID give this three stars though , and I stand by that rating because this book made me laugh and Angelo is super freaking cool.( though he also has no depth , but whatever)
If you liked Also Known As , read the first couple of chapters of this one so you can see if this is something that you will enjoy. I know now that kitschy , slap stick humor is not really to my taste once the novelty wears off.
Content : One s- word
kissing
Honestly , all the exclamation points and quips used were enough to drive me mad. It got to the point where Maggie and her crew all sounded like one collective ( no pun intended) snarky person instead of individual characters.
This was NOT a terrible book , really. It was just so...safe? The drama was laughable and the end scene face-off with the bad guy had me yawning. Even my love of Roo couldn't save this.
It also seems that the more books I read the less romantic I become , because Maggie and Jesse were the WORST PART OF THE WHOLE BOOK. They were NAUSEATING. Omigosh.
I couldn't handle them and their stupid love declarations and their lame jokes and their manufactured drama and the way they have no personalities but constantly declare their love to one another. I cannot remember them being this insufferable in the first one.
I DID give this three stars though , and I stand by that rating because this book made me laugh and Angelo is super freaking cool.( though he also has no depth , but whatever)
If you liked Also Known As , read the first couple of chapters of this one so you can see if this is something that you will enjoy. I know now that kitschy , slap stick humor is not really to my taste once the novelty wears off.
Content : One s- word
kissing
aftab_khan's review against another edition
5.0
This book was even better than the first book !!!! The characters are just amazing!
kristy_k's review against another edition
3.0
A fun read. I love the side characters, especially Angelo.
charmaineac's review against another edition
3.0
There were several problems with this sequel, which is a shame since I enjoyed the first one:
-Stretching the story unnecessarily
-Overemphasis on "love" (aka puppy love/unrealistic infatuation-at-first-sight)
-Overused trope of something good suddenly seeming bad
-Stealing from others who stole something doesn't make you less of a thief
-Likewise, using stolen profits to "benefit the arts" or whatever doesn't make the action any more noble than the "corrupt" people
-Too much distinction between good and bad -- in real life, most people are a healthy medium
-PARIS, WHAT? That escalated quickly.
-Shallow character development (if there was any new development at all)
I was really disappointed.
-Stretching the story unnecessarily
-Overemphasis on "love" (aka puppy love/unrealistic infatuation-at-first-sight)
-Overused trope of something good suddenly seeming bad
-Stealing from others who stole something doesn't make you less of a thief
-Likewise, using stolen profits to "benefit the arts" or whatever doesn't make the action any more noble than the "corrupt" people
-Too much distinction between good and bad -- in real life, most people are a healthy medium
-PARIS, WHAT? That escalated quickly.
-Shallow character development (if there was any new development at all)
I was really disappointed.
liralen's review against another edition
3.0
The short version: Very cute.
The ever-so-slightly-longer version: Very cute, and I desperately want those grey tights on the cover.
The okay-I-can-do-better-than-that version: It's (surprise!) a cute read. Somewhat reminiscent of [b:Heist Society|6574102|Heist Society (Heist Society, #1)|Ally Carter|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1359254479s/6574102.jpg|6767235] -- more so than [b:Also Known As|13132661|Also Known As (Also Known As, #1)|Robin Benway|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1354665105s/13132661.jpg|18309079] -- but fluffier. I liked this more than AKA, actually (although...I don't remember the first book all that well...so I'm not sure it's much of comparison).
Going Rogue has some of the same plausibility problems that plagued Also Known As, but if you're willing to suspend your disbelief and just go with it (and you really have to, with a cover like that, and yes, dammit, I want those tights), it's fun.
The Boy (what's his name? Jesse?) really doesn't do much for the story -- possibly because he and Maggie are already together and we don't learn much about him, so if *cough* you can't remember anything from the previous book, he's largely just Generic Cute Sweet Boy #5. (In the interest of fairness, I will note that YA love interests have to work pretty hard to impress me, so even if Jesse had tried he would have found it difficult.) Meanwhile, Roux is kind of exhausting...although, honestly, it would have been interesting to see her get what she wanted near the end (trying not to give anything away here!) and then have the next book set from her perspective as she dealt with that whole set of things.
One thing that nags: The climax bits from the previous book (chase, helicopter, punch) were repeated so many times that I was left wondering if Maggie's history really includes anything else by way of adventures. Not that she needs to have an extensive list of pre-book escapades and near-misses and so on, but yeesh, I got tired of hearing how awesome Roux had been when she threw that punch, or how dramatic the chase was. It was helpful the first time or two, but after that enough was enough.
But hey, I will read a third book, should the author write one. I will even pack my own toothpaste in case it's too much cotton candy for my brain to handle.
The ever-so-slightly-longer version: Very cute, and I desperately want those grey tights on the cover.
The okay-I-can-do-better-than-that version: It's (surprise!) a cute read. Somewhat reminiscent of [b:Heist Society|6574102|Heist Society (Heist Society, #1)|Ally Carter|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1359254479s/6574102.jpg|6767235] -- more so than [b:Also Known As|13132661|Also Known As (Also Known As, #1)|Robin Benway|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1354665105s/13132661.jpg|18309079] -- but fluffier. I liked this more than AKA, actually (although...I don't remember the first book all that well...so I'm not sure it's much of comparison).
Going Rogue has some of the same plausibility problems that plagued Also Known As, but if you're willing to suspend your disbelief and just go with it (and you really have to, with a cover like that, and yes, dammit, I want those tights), it's fun.
The Boy (what's his name? Jesse?) really doesn't do much for the story -- possibly because he and Maggie are already together and we don't learn much about him, so if *cough* you can't remember anything from the previous book, he's largely just Generic Cute Sweet Boy #5. (In the interest of fairness, I will note that YA love interests have to work pretty hard to impress me, so even if Jesse had tried he would have found it difficult.) Meanwhile, Roux is kind of exhausting...although, honestly, it would have been interesting to see her get what she wanted near the end (trying not to give anything away here!) and then have the next book set from her perspective as she dealt with that whole set of things.
One thing that nags: The climax bits from the previous book (chase, helicopter, punch) were repeated so many times that I was left wondering if Maggie's history really includes anything else by way of adventures. Not that she needs to have an extensive list of pre-book escapades and near-misses and so on, but yeesh, I got tired of hearing how awesome Roux had been when she threw that punch, or how dramatic the chase was. It was helpful the first time or two, but after that enough was enough.
But hey, I will read a third book, should the author write one. I will even pack my own toothpaste in case it's too much cotton candy for my brain to handle.
pwbalto's review against another edition
3.0
Well, not everybody bats 1000. I still love the characters, and Robin Benway's hilarious understated dialogue, but this one takes so long to ramp up, I kind of had to ditch.
pagesplotsandpints's review against another edition
5.0
ARC received from Bloomsbury
So cute. So enjoyable. Absolutely adorable and exciting and fun. Full review to come.
Full review originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide: I know that Robin Benway hadn’t always planned on writing a sequel to ALSO KNOWN AS but boy am I glad she did! Going Rogue was just a perfect sequel in every way: I got more of the characters I love, more action, more adventure, and thicker plots.
One thing I always fear about sequels is that if it’s been a while since I’ve read book one, I tend to forget some of what happened and even some of the characters, but Robin Benway did such a fantastic job with ALSO KNOWN AS that it was so easy to jump back into the lives of these characters right where we left off. These characters have made a lasting impression on me and reading even more about them in GOING ROGUE just further solidified their place in my heart. I love Maggie, of course, but Robin Benway does such a great job with her supporting characters and we even get a little bit more backstory about Maggie’s parents as well! The characters just feel so real and it made me that much more invested in the story!
GOING ROGUE really stepped it up from ALSO KNOWN AS. I was already in love with AKA, but we see a lot more action and heist and spy terms, we get a little bit more Jason Bourne to go with the already established Ocean’s 11. Spying is a dangerous job and we see a lot more of the perilous side in GOING ROGUE which may have led to some gasping and screaming on my side. Aside from my fear and concerns for the characters, I was so excited to see the level of action that occurs in GOING ROGUE and I’m glad we got to see totally different situations than we had in book one! I really wasn’t expecting it, but in a good way! I was surprised by how different this book was and it definitely keeps up the witty dialogue of ALSO KNOWN AS with an added bonus of more thrills!
I know I’ve already talked about the characters but seriously. Maggie. Roux. Jesse. ANGELO. How much did my love for Angelo grow in this book!? (Spoiler: A lot.) I know everyone loves Roux (and I do too) but Angelo has always been my favorite. I was also really excited to learn more about Maggie’s parents as we dig deeper into the Collective! We get a lot more backstory for both the characters themselves and how that ties into their history with the Collective and the new characters we meet are just as delightful!
Fans of ALSO KNOWN AS will not be disappointed with its sequel. It had made for a wonderful stand alone but I’m so happy its sequel came into existence (Thank you, Robin Benway!!!) and I’m hoping there will be more books in this series because I could honestly gobble them up forever! I guess that means I’ll just have to start onto Robin’s other books (Right? How have I not already??) to hold me over until then!
So cute. So enjoyable. Absolutely adorable and exciting and fun. Full review to come.
Full review originally posted HERE on The Book Addict's Guide: I know that Robin Benway hadn’t always planned on writing a sequel to ALSO KNOWN AS but boy am I glad she did! Going Rogue was just a perfect sequel in every way: I got more of the characters I love, more action, more adventure, and thicker plots.
One thing I always fear about sequels is that if it’s been a while since I’ve read book one, I tend to forget some of what happened and even some of the characters, but Robin Benway did such a fantastic job with ALSO KNOWN AS that it was so easy to jump back into the lives of these characters right where we left off. These characters have made a lasting impression on me and reading even more about them in GOING ROGUE just further solidified their place in my heart. I love Maggie, of course, but Robin Benway does such a great job with her supporting characters and we even get a little bit more backstory about Maggie’s parents as well! The characters just feel so real and it made me that much more invested in the story!
GOING ROGUE really stepped it up from ALSO KNOWN AS. I was already in love with AKA, but we see a lot more action and heist and spy terms, we get a little bit more Jason Bourne to go with the already established Ocean’s 11. Spying is a dangerous job and we see a lot more of the perilous side in GOING ROGUE which may have led to some gasping and screaming on my side. Aside from my fear and concerns for the characters, I was so excited to see the level of action that occurs in GOING ROGUE and I’m glad we got to see totally different situations than we had in book one! I really wasn’t expecting it, but in a good way! I was surprised by how different this book was and it definitely keeps up the witty dialogue of ALSO KNOWN AS with an added bonus of more thrills!
I know I’ve already talked about the characters but seriously. Maggie. Roux. Jesse. ANGELO. How much did my love for Angelo grow in this book!? (Spoiler: A lot.) I know everyone loves Roux (and I do too) but Angelo has always been my favorite. I was also really excited to learn more about Maggie’s parents as we dig deeper into the Collective! We get a lot more backstory for both the characters themselves and how that ties into their history with the Collective and the new characters we meet are just as delightful!
Fans of ALSO KNOWN AS will not be disappointed with its sequel. It had made for a wonderful stand alone but I’m so happy its sequel came into existence (Thank you, Robin Benway!!!) and I’m hoping there will be more books in this series because I could honestly gobble them up forever! I guess that means I’ll just have to start onto Robin’s other books (Right? How have I not already??) to hold me over until then!
quinn_0611's review against another edition
3.0
Review originally posted on Quinn's Book Nook
Also Known As was the first Robin Benway book I ever read, and it was such a fun book. So obviously I was super excited about the sequel to AKA, Going Rogue. I couldn’t wait to read more about Maggie, Jesse, Roux and Angelo. As is often the case, I didn’t love Going Rogue as much as the first book. Even though I wasn’t as madly in love, Going Rogue was still a thoroughly enjoyable story.
I think the best thing about Robin Benway’s books are the interesting and likable (but not perfect) characters she creates. I absolutely loved Maggie, the main character of the Also Known As series. She’s a spy, as are both her parents. But after the events of the first book in the series, Maggie is taking some time to be a normal teenager. She has a best friend, Roux, and a boyfriend, Jesse. She goes to high school now, and is studying up for the SATs. When her parents are accused of doing bad things for the spy agency they work for (The Collective) Maggie desides to dip her fingers back in the spy business to save them.
Maggie is just as likable in Going Rogue as she was in Also Known As. But as much as I liked her, I also found Maggie a bit frustrating. I didn’t really learn anything new about Maggie in this book, and I really wanted to. As for Maggie’s boyfriend, Jesse, I felt very apathetic about him. I wanted Jesse and Maggie to stay together because I loved seeing them GET together in AKA. Jesse is still sweet and adorable, but otherwise, I was very meh about Jesse.
Roux, Maggie’s BFF, was my favorite character in AKA, and she was my favorite character in Going Rogue. There’s something so realistic about Roux. She’s made some bad choices, and she’s more than paid for it. But she’s also learned her lesson, and is such a nice person now. Roux is incredibly funny, and as Maggie often says, even though Roux puts on a tough exterior, she’s all gooey inside. Benway shows more of Roux’s thoughts and feelings in Going Rogue, and I loved that.
So, some of the logistics didn’t really work for me in Going Rogue. I couldn’t quite understand why Maggie did what she did to help her parents. And I couldn’t understand the bad guy’s motives, either. And the big finale left me wanting a lot more. There was a lot of running around the museum, but what was really frustrating about all the running, was that that was their BIG plan. Not exactly what I think of as a plan formulated by spies. However, because I like the characters so much, I’m very willing to overlook plot issues. And, after all, this is supposed to be a lighter book.
If you like YA fast-paced, light spy stories then the Also Known As series if for you. And even though I didn’t like Going Rogue as much as I loved Also Known As, it was still a fun read, and Robin Benway is still a favorite author of mine.
I received an eARC. This is no way affected my review.
Also Known As was the first Robin Benway book I ever read, and it was such a fun book. So obviously I was super excited about the sequel to AKA, Going Rogue. I couldn’t wait to read more about Maggie, Jesse, Roux and Angelo. As is often the case, I didn’t love Going Rogue as much as the first book. Even though I wasn’t as madly in love, Going Rogue was still a thoroughly enjoyable story.
I think the best thing about Robin Benway’s books are the interesting and likable (but not perfect) characters she creates. I absolutely loved Maggie, the main character of the Also Known As series. She’s a spy, as are both her parents. But after the events of the first book in the series, Maggie is taking some time to be a normal teenager. She has a best friend, Roux, and a boyfriend, Jesse. She goes to high school now, and is studying up for the SATs. When her parents are accused of doing bad things for the spy agency they work for (The Collective) Maggie desides to dip her fingers back in the spy business to save them.
Maggie is just as likable in Going Rogue as she was in Also Known As. But as much as I liked her, I also found Maggie a bit frustrating. I didn’t really learn anything new about Maggie in this book, and I really wanted to. As for Maggie’s boyfriend, Jesse, I felt very apathetic about him. I wanted Jesse and Maggie to stay together because I loved seeing them GET together in AKA. Jesse is still sweet and adorable, but otherwise, I was very meh about Jesse.
Roux, Maggie’s BFF, was my favorite character in AKA, and she was my favorite character in Going Rogue. There’s something so realistic about Roux. She’s made some bad choices, and she’s more than paid for it. But she’s also learned her lesson, and is such a nice person now. Roux is incredibly funny, and as Maggie often says, even though Roux puts on a tough exterior, she’s all gooey inside. Benway shows more of Roux’s thoughts and feelings in Going Rogue, and I loved that.
So, some of the logistics didn’t really work for me in Going Rogue. I couldn’t quite understand why Maggie did what she did to help her parents. And I couldn’t understand the bad guy’s motives, either. And the big finale left me wanting a lot more. There was a lot of running around the museum, but what was really frustrating about all the running, was that that was their BIG plan. Not exactly what I think of as a plan formulated by spies. However, because I like the characters so much, I’m very willing to overlook plot issues. And, after all, this is supposed to be a lighter book.
If you like YA fast-paced, light spy stories then the Also Known As series if for you. And even though I didn’t like Going Rogue as much as I loved Also Known As, it was still a fun read, and Robin Benway is still a favorite author of mine.
I received an eARC. This is no way affected my review.
rikkia's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Cursing