Sequel Spotlight #1: Gone Rogue

There are just so many incredible sequels coming out in 2018! After a lot of flailing with Kristin of Super Space Chick over the many upcoming sequels we're excited for, we decided it could be fun to start a monthly feature where we got to spotlight the ones we're most excited about. And that's how Sequel Spotlight was born! Each month, we're going to be talking about a newly released sequel, and letting you know either why we're excited about it or why we loved it (if we're already gotten the chance to read it). Without further ado, let's dive right in to this month's featured sequel - Gone Rogue (Wires and Nerve #2) by Marissa Meyer, illustrated by Doug Holgate.

The first volume of this Lunar Chronicles spin-off series, Wires and Nerve, narrates Iko's story as she heads up the initiative to round up the remaining Lunar wolf-hybrid soldiers on Earth before they can further threaten the delicate peace between Earth and Luna. She and the rest of the crew of the Rampion soon discover that the soldiers have a hidden agenda of their own, and it'll be up to them to stop anything terrible from happening. I loved this spin-off, mostly because I got to be reunited with the crew of the Rampion (who I adore) and because it fit in perfectly with the rest of the series. The second volume, Gone Rogue, continues on after the events of the first, and Iko, along with the others, must figure out how to deal with the ever-growing threat of the hybrid wolf soldiers.

Why was I excited for Gone Rogue? Easy! I just wanted to be around the crew of the Rampion (and a couple of newer characters as well) all over again, because I adore each and every single one of them. The original nine certainly feel like family to me (which is a rarity in the novels I've been reading lately), and the promise of spending more time with them was the main reason I was excited. I also just really wanted to find out how the rest of the story would play out!

What did I think of Gone Rogue? I. Loved. This. Sequel. It was action-packed, it was funny, it was emotional, and it was also just a damn good story. Marissa did a really great job fleshing out the rest of this two-part tale, and I actually quite like the direction it went in overall. But the real reason this sequel was amazing was because of all the little moments spent with the Rampion crew, whether they were doing something fun or facing off against their enemies. It was such a treat to have them banter, or be sweet, or be awkward, and the best part was seeing their relationships with one another - friendships and romance and family. These characters are still just as vividly written as they were in all the previous stories, and the adorable illustrations from Doug Holgate (which I'd enjoyed in the first book as well) just brought them to life in a totally new way.  It was wonderful, and even though it ends on such a satisfying note, I still wouldn't mind having more stories set in this world or with this crew.



Gone Rogue by Marissa Meyer (illustrated by Doug Holgate) | Series: Wires and Nerve #2 | Previous Book in Series: Wires and Nerve | Publisher: Feiwel & Friends | Publication Date: January 30, 2018 | Source: Hardcover received from the publisher (Thank you!)