Rebel Undercover (The Forgotten Five, Book 3)

What worked:
The main characters are children with some of them possessing supernatural abilities. Some of their parents have talents too that include x-ray vision, invisibility, and reading minds. However, the adults are performing heists for President Fuertes in other countries which creates conflicts for their kids. The children still love their parents but having them be criminals creates complications. The parents’ feelings for their kids range from love to indifference, to disdain which results in further mental/emotional problems. The children aren’t sure how to feel when they discover a parent they’d presumed dead turns out to still be alive. What will happen when the kids are finally forced to fight their mothers and fathers?
The biggest initial change is that Cabot leaves the team to rejoin her parents. This creates complications for her character and her friends. Cabot’s parents are nice enough but she’s strongly opposed to them working with Fuertes. Also, Cabot realizes she’s beginning to manifest a talent and readers will anxiously wait to learn what she can do with it. Cabot’s friends don’t know if she’ll ever come back to them so they aren’t sure if she’s now become an enemy. Later, Lada goes undercover by joining Fuertes’s supers hoping to discover information about their abilities and plans. Having these two characters live among the antagonists is intriguing and adds an element of tension and uncertainty to the plot.
A highlight of the story is the interpersonal relationships between the Forgotten Five and their friends. Birdie acts as team leader when The Librarian’s not around and her little brother Brix is very sensitive and wants to contribute. Seven and Birdie have been best friends for years so they’re always watching out for each other. Tenner is developing feelings for Lada but it’s not clear if she sees him the same way. Lada suffers from cerebral palsy so she’s forced to use a wheelchair or crutches to move around, although she’s started to perfect her ability to transport. The cerebral palsy causes pain in her legs and Tenner volunteers to stretch the muscles and rub out the soreness. The story has many questionable characters with shifting loyalties but Birdie’s team members are forever supportive and loyal.
What didn’t work as well:
There are a lot of characters to remember. Some of them have supernatural powers and some don’t. The parents, other adults, and kids present a large number of characters and it gets hard to quickly recall all of their backstories and the abilities they possess. Most of the adult supers seem to know each other and it’s strange to see “good guys” and “bad guys” interact civilly in public. It’s confusing when Fuertes’s supers talk about The Librarian with Lada when The Librarian is leading the efforts against the president.
The final verdict:
This book continues the series’ drama and controversy concerning the rights of citizens with supernatural abilities. The motivations of many characters are brought into question this time so readers will become engrossed with the unpredictability of their actions. The new powers emerging in several of the children add enjoyment and intrigue. Overall, I recommend you give this book a shot.

In Rebel Undercover the stakes get higher as the Librarian maneuvers her relationships to get Lada a job as one of President Fuerte’s supernatural army he is raising. Cabot is faced with the dilemma of whether to stay with her parents or rejoin her friends and allies. Both girls are undercover with potential enemies to gain information and thwart President Fuerte’s plans.
This book does a nice job of balancing action with character development. Birdie turns her talents of speaking with animals to venomous animals that she can use as weapons. Seven gains newfound confidence in himself which leads to greater abilities in camouflaging. Brix and Lada undercover new side talents after a misfortunate accident. Cabot finally develops a talent that she now must learn to control. Also, Tenner’s abilities are becoming fine-tuned.
Lada gets inside information and forms relationships with other supernaturals that they might be willing to join their side. Tenner’s father Troy is an interesting character. He was angry and abusive to Tenner on the island. Yet, Lada discovers that he is going to therapy, is trying to manage his anger, and has many regrets about how he treated Tenner. His redemption is an interesting possibility the author has given readers.
The ending is explosive and leads to many uncertainties about their future. With one of their own captured and possibly a traitor it is exciting the next book is coming soon. Overall, this is an action-packed series perfect for Middle-Grade readers who like spies, superhuman abilities, good vs. evil, and family themes.