Early Book Review: Outlaws (Royal Academy Rebels) by Jen Calonita

Outlaws is the second book in the Royal Academy Rebels series by Jen Calonita. It is currently scheduled for release on October 1 2019. I do highly recommend having read the first book in the series before this one. It would be good to have read the Fairy Tale Reform School series as well, but that is not quite as important as Misfits.

After being banished to the Hollow Woods following their discovery of Headmistress Olivina's secret villainy, a note from an ally urges Devin and her friends to go in search of Red Riding Hood, who they believe can help them figure out what to do next. Instead, they come across a troupe of fairytale vigilantes, including a former Royal Academy princess, Robin Hood, a pirate named Corden, and more. Alongside their new vigilante friends, Devin and her crew come up with a plan to expose the truth about Olivina to all of Enchantasia, or risk their homeland falling under villainous rule once and for all.

Outlaws is a good follow up to Misfits. Devin and her  band of friends face fresh dangers and discover more about themselves, each other, and the world they live in. The addition of Tara and her friends make things more complicated, but so much more fun and interesting. The skills of the new teens added to the story were very cool, and I liked getting more of the back story of how things reached the point where Devin and gang were banished. I enjoyed seeing the adventures they jump into, and the way they solve things with quick thinking, friendship, and being good people rather than brawn or deceit. I think the dangers and  problems they face were well done, and I liked how they did not always handle themselves perfectly but figured it out as they went, just like most of us do with much more mundane issues. I found the conclusion to be satisfying, while leaving plenty of curiosity for what what might happen next but not dangling on a cliff. I look forward to following this series on to its conclusion.

Outlaws is exactly what I was hoping for and expecting from Calonita. I love the world and character building she does, and I think fans of the Reform School series will love this follow up just as much.