The Rise of Renegade X

Title: The Rise of Renegade X

Author:  Chelsea Campbell

Publisher:  Egmont USA

Release Date:  May 11, 2010

Received From:  Publisher via Teen {Book} Scene

Sixteen-year-old Damien Locke has a plan: major in messing with people at the local supervillain university and become a professional evil genius, just like his supervillain mom. But when he discovers the shameful secret she's been hiding all these years, that the one-night stand that spawned him was actually with a superhero, everything gets messed up. His father's too moral for his own good, so when he finds out Damien exists, he actually wants him to come live with him and his goody-goody superhero family. Damien gets shipped off to stay with them in their suburban hellhole, and he has only six weeks to prove he's not a hero in any way, or else he's stuck living with them for the rest of his life, or until he turns eighteen, whichever comes first.

To get out of this mess, Damien has to survive his dad's "flying lessons" that involve throwing him off the tallest building in the city--despite his nearly debilitating fear of heights--thwarting the eccentric teen scientist who insists she's his sidekick, and keeping his supervillain girlfriend from finding out the truth. But when Damien uncovers a dastardly plot to turn all the superheroes into mindless zombie slaves, a plan hatched by his own mom, he discovers he cares about his new family more than he thought. Now he has to choose: go back to his life of villainy and let his family become zombies, or stand up to his mom and become a real hero.

Super books are awesome! There are so many different ways you could go, and Campbell has chosen a really cool way to present the struggle between good and evil.

First off, Damien is a kick a** main character. He has his way and unless you follow it, you will be in a world of pain and or embarrassment. He was funny, sarcastic (something I like) and overall hilarious. Reading his dialogue made me want to know his even if at times he acted like a jerk. The internal struggle he faces in this book is illustrated by his schemes, but also his willingness to help those in need. I don't read many books with male main characters but Damian makes me want to read more! He seems hard and rugged on the outside but he does actually care what others think of him. He also sounds really hot!

Campbell does not illusion you into thinking that Damian wants anything to do with being a superhero, or with even being a non-arrogant human being. I mean the book starts with him selling tickets to his 16th birthday party, where his fate of being either a villain or a hero is sealed.

PROS
* Damian
*The premise
*The secondary characters
*The dialogue
*Open ended ending
*Hilarious

CONS
*Wordy at times 
*Slightly confusing at times
*Open ended ending

  Definitely check out this book. I recommend it especially for reluctant older guy readers!

Be sure to check out my guest post with Chelsea as well as a giveaway tomorrow!