Scan barcode
aprilbooksandwine's review against another edition
4.0
Spies are kind of the best. No, seriously, I love reading books about girl spies. I love it when girls do fun and exciting and daring things in books. Going Rogue by Robin Benway, sequel to Also Known As is all about girls doing daring things and I love it. Benway’s latest book called to me as I was in a fog of WHAT DO I READ NEXT because I was dying to know what was going on with Maggie, Roux, Jesse, and everyone else. Also, I have yet to meet a book by Robin Benway that I don’t like, so, this book was kind of a guaranteed winner for me. And you know, there are just those days where you don’t want to take a risk and instead want to go with a tried and true winner. This was one of those types of reads: a winner of a book.
Read the rest of my review here
Note: Review and post go live May 21, 2014
Read the rest of my review here
Note: Review and post go live May 21, 2014
mavisinspanish's review against another edition
4.0
Love Roux! Love Ames! I can't wait for the next one :D (I hope there's one more)
theartolater's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know what it is about teen spy novels that grab me, but I think I'll probably give anything in the genre a shot.
Going Rogue is the sequel to Also Known As, a book I liked a lot but didn't outright love. In the first book, our heroine is on her first spy adventure, and it ends up being a better Heist Society even though the true espionage-style story was lacking to a point. Going Rogue definitely turns up the energy a bit, with a broader conspiracy and an actual need to use spy skills for self-preservation as opposed to whatever motives might be ascribed to our characters the first time.
The book ultimately works because it works hard to be relevant to the subject matter and doesn't make the same mistakes a number of sequels in this genre do. It's a spectacularly quick read, with few pacing issues, and the romances are believable and not shoehorned in like with so many books in the genre.
I do not know where this can realistically go next, but I know I'll be on board when the next book comes out. If you enjoyed the first book, you should absolutely give the second a shot as well.
Going Rogue is the sequel to Also Known As, a book I liked a lot but didn't outright love. In the first book, our heroine is on her first spy adventure, and it ends up being a better Heist Society even though the true espionage-style story was lacking to a point. Going Rogue definitely turns up the energy a bit, with a broader conspiracy and an actual need to use spy skills for self-preservation as opposed to whatever motives might be ascribed to our characters the first time.
The book ultimately works because it works hard to be relevant to the subject matter and doesn't make the same mistakes a number of sequels in this genre do. It's a spectacularly quick read, with few pacing issues, and the romances are believable and not shoehorned in like with so many books in the genre.
I do not know where this can realistically go next, but I know I'll be on board when the next book comes out. If you enjoyed the first book, you should absolutely give the second a shot as well.
hannahcook33's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars - Going Rogue was even better than the first book! I really loved this sequel. The plot was more tight and action-packed than in Also Known As, and there was such character development, especially in Roux. You see her softer side a lot more, while still getting her awesome sense of humor. Her and Ames are so cute together! And speaking of cute... JESSE! Ok, I loove him. And I love him even more with Maggie. Their relationship is realistic and ADORABLE! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who liked the first book AT ALL, you won't be disappointed!
loveisnotatriangle's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
Going Rogue is the second book in Robin Benway's Also Known As Series. In my review for the first book, I declared it to be a perfect palate cleanser, and I'd say exactly the same for this one. Overall, this book was light, fun, exciting and low on angst.
Maggie and her parents are spies for an organization called The Collective. It used to be that her family traveled constantly and she didn't have a permanent home or friends. That all changed after her last job in New York City. Now Maggie's former mark Jesse is her boyfriend, she has a best friend named Roux, and she's (mostly) turned into a regular high school student, including SAT prep. Then Maggie's parents are falsely accused of stealing priceless gold coins and everything changes again.
In Going Rogue, Maggie realizes the consequences of being a safe cracking spy with friends. Not only is her family in danger, but they are too. This causes a lot of stress for Maggie, and also some tension with Roux and Jesse when she tries to protect them by hiding things from them. But thankfully her mentor/'uncle'/spy master Angelo is always there to set Maggie straight, and she begins to realize that they are better off all together. Thankfully, despite this set back, Going Rogue book is wonderfully low on relationship drama. Maggie and Jesse are young and have to figure out how to navigate through Maggie's very dangerous job. But they are thankfully committed to seeing it through. Plus Roux provides some much needed hilarity.
I particularly liked the moments in this book when Maggie, Jesse and Roux have to work together, and I'm hoping that there are more of these in the next installment (if there is one). My initial hesitation in this story was that I wanted these three to 'go rogue' together and form their own spy group. It doesn't exactly work out that way. Even so, I enjoyed the new characters introduced and the way that Jesse and Roux were included in everything.
I also enjoyed the travel to Paris, though I wanted a bit more international spying. I felt like everything was just coming together - the new characters, intrigue and action - when the book ended. In my head, I keep comparing these books to Ally Carter's Heist Society series, and I like those better, but Benway's books are fun and I'd read another one.
Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Low (I think there's more books to come in this series)
Find this and other reviews on my blog Love is not a triangle
Going Rogue is the second book in Robin Benway's Also Known As Series. In my review for the first book, I declared it to be a perfect palate cleanser, and I'd say exactly the same for this one. Overall, this book was light, fun, exciting and low on angst.
Maggie and her parents are spies for an organization called The Collective. It used to be that her family traveled constantly and she didn't have a permanent home or friends. That all changed after her last job in New York City. Now Maggie's former mark Jesse is her boyfriend, she has a best friend named Roux, and she's (mostly) turned into a regular high school student, including SAT prep. Then Maggie's parents are falsely accused of stealing priceless gold coins and everything changes again.
In Going Rogue, Maggie realizes the consequences of being a safe cracking spy with friends. Not only is her family in danger, but they are too. This causes a lot of stress for Maggie, and also some tension with Roux and Jesse when she tries to protect them by hiding things from them. But thankfully her mentor/'uncle'/spy master Angelo is always there to set Maggie straight, and she begins to realize that they are better off all together. Thankfully, despite this set back, Going Rogue book is wonderfully low on relationship drama. Maggie and Jesse are young and have to figure out how to navigate through Maggie's very dangerous job. But they are thankfully committed to seeing it through. Plus Roux provides some much needed hilarity.
I particularly liked the moments in this book when Maggie, Jesse and Roux have to work together, and I'm hoping that there are more of these in the next installment (if there is one). My initial hesitation in this story was that I wanted these three to 'go rogue' together and form their own spy group. It doesn't exactly work out that way. Even so, I enjoyed the new characters introduced and the way that Jesse and Roux were included in everything.
I also enjoyed the travel to Paris, though I wanted a bit more international spying. I felt like everything was just coming together - the new characters, intrigue and action - when the book ended. In my head, I keep comparing these books to Ally Carter's Heist Society series, and I like those better, but Benway's books are fun and I'd read another one.
Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Low (I think there's more books to come in this series)
Find this and other reviews on my blog Love is not a triangle
brendac8's review against another edition
5.0
This is the second book in the Also known As series and boy did it deliver. I could not put this book down, it just kept getting better and better. This book had everything and I mean everything romance, action, humor and suspense. Not only did it have all the elements for a great story but it also had the right amount of it which to me is really important. Robin Benway is an amazing writer and if you haven't pick up this series you need to, and I promise you will love it.
wistyallgood's review against another edition
5.0
There's nothing miraculous about teenage spies/thieves anymore in Young Adult books, that's for sure. It's pretty common. Yet this book (and Also Known As) are my favorite of any teenage spy books I've ever read! It's not only because there's a great plot and good action, it's the kick-ass characters. Roux, Jesse, Angelo, Ames, Ryo, Elodie, Maggie herself...I could go on. Even the villains are interesting! This series better continue, is all I'm saying.
jaymie_bookdragon's review against another edition
3.0
This is the second and last book of the Also Known As series and I gotta say, I’m kind of disappointed there are not more. Maggie and her friends make me happy. They have the right amount of chemistry between each of them to keep their banter light and witty, while also keeping the “deep” and “emotional” stuff believable. Not that there is much deep and emotional stuff, except maybe Roux’s situation. But overall the subject of family and friends is always one that I can get on board with. I think this is where Benway shines in the series.
In the first book, we are introduced to Maggie’s lifestyle and then we are sort of taken away from it as we follow her journey to become a normal teenager with a normal life. This book gives us a little bit more of the spy stuff, which I think is always fun. We get to meet more people from the spy organization known as “The Collective” and venture over to Paris for all of the action. I enjoyed the new characters a lot. That’s why I am sort of frustrated that this is probably the last book. I want more! I wanted to get an even closer look at The Collective and its other young operatives. Especially young operatives like Elodie, Ryo and Ames, who were recruited and not born into the organization. I think their stories could be quite fascinating. And if anything, I am dying to find out more about Angelo. But, I have to admit, that the secrecy and the mystery of Angelo makes him just as compelling as he would be with more of a background story, I’m sure. I just really enjoyed getting to know Maggie, her family and her friends. Now I want to know more about the organization they all work for and how it was started.
The writing is probably one of my favorite things about the book and the series as a whole. It is simple and to the point, which leaves lots of room for fun back and forth between the characters. Benway doesn’t make a habit of going into pointless details and in a way, even makes you guess at some of the details yourself. I enjoyed that aspect. I also liked, as previously mentioned, that the story revolved around the relationships and the importance of family. The typical teenager wishing for more independence and then realizing that family might be the best thing ever will always have a special place in my heart. Maybe because it hits so close to home.
What I didn’t enjoy about the book was the instalove. I hate instalove. I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone so I won’t explain it, but if you read the book then you will totally understand what I mean. And as previously mentioned, I wish there had been more to the other characters. We only really meet them in the very last portion of the book, but I think introducing them a bit earlier would have made it that much better.
I enjoyed this small series. Emphasis on “small”. Because I want more. I had my hopes up that the ending would leave room for more, which it sort of did, but it cleaned everything up rather nicely so I can’t complain. This is a fun book with fun characters and a fun story. What more could I ask for?
In the first book, we are introduced to Maggie’s lifestyle and then we are sort of taken away from it as we follow her journey to become a normal teenager with a normal life. This book gives us a little bit more of the spy stuff, which I think is always fun. We get to meet more people from the spy organization known as “The Collective” and venture over to Paris for all of the action. I enjoyed the new characters a lot. That’s why I am sort of frustrated that this is probably the last book. I want more! I wanted to get an even closer look at The Collective and its other young operatives. Especially young operatives like Elodie, Ryo and Ames, who were recruited and not born into the organization. I think their stories could be quite fascinating. And if anything, I am dying to find out more about Angelo. But, I have to admit, that the secrecy and the mystery of Angelo makes him just as compelling as he would be with more of a background story, I’m sure. I just really enjoyed getting to know Maggie, her family and her friends. Now I want to know more about the organization they all work for and how it was started.
The writing is probably one of my favorite things about the book and the series as a whole. It is simple and to the point, which leaves lots of room for fun back and forth between the characters. Benway doesn’t make a habit of going into pointless details and in a way, even makes you guess at some of the details yourself. I enjoyed that aspect. I also liked, as previously mentioned, that the story revolved around the relationships and the importance of family. The typical teenager wishing for more independence and then realizing that family might be the best thing ever will always have a special place in my heart. Maybe because it hits so close to home.
What I didn’t enjoy about the book was the instalove. I hate instalove. I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone so I won’t explain it, but if you read the book then you will totally understand what I mean. And as previously mentioned, I wish there had been more to the other characters. We only really meet them in the very last portion of the book, but I think introducing them a bit earlier would have made it that much better.
I enjoyed this small series. Emphasis on “small”. Because I want more. I had my hopes up that the ending would leave room for more, which it sort of did, but it cleaned everything up rather nicely so I can’t complain. This is a fun book with fun characters and a fun story. What more could I ask for?