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The Forgotten Five #4
Dangerous Allies
Following an explosive showdown with President Fuerte and his supernatural henchmen, the Forgotten Five and their allies are feeling lost. Their trusted friend and mentor The Librarian has left the group and declared her loyalty to the corrupt president. Has the Librarian really abandoned them in their quest to take down Fuerte’s regime, or has she been kidnapped?
Then, without warning, Troy Cordoba—Tenner’s dad, who has been working for Fuerte for years—shows up at the five’s safe house wanting to join their cause but accidentally leading the presidential guards right to their doorstep. Troy insists that he has changed for the better, but Tenner isn’t sure he can be trusted.
Meanwhile, Magdalia Palacio’s election campaign is gaining steam. If she’s against the President, does that make her the Five’s ally?
The kids will have to decide who to put their faith in—and fast—before the President uses his supernatural army to crush his opponent and cement his criminal rule over Estero once and for all.
Then, without warning, Troy Cordoba—Tenner’s dad, who has been working for Fuerte for years—shows up at the five’s safe house wanting to join their cause but accidentally leading the presidential guards right to their doorstep. Troy insists that he has changed for the better, but Tenner isn’t sure he can be trusted.
Meanwhile, Magdalia Palacio’s election campaign is gaining steam. If she’s against the President, does that make her the Five’s ally?
The kids will have to decide who to put their faith in—and fast—before the President uses his supernatural army to crush his opponent and cement his criminal rule over Estero once and for all.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published February 13, 2024
59 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
About the author
Lisa McMann
59 books6,981 followersLisa McMann lives and writes in the Phoenix area. Her newest middle grade fantasy series is called The Forgotten Five. Book one, Map of Flames, was an instant NYT bestseller. It's about five supernatural kids, raised in a deserted hideout, who enter civilization for the first time to search for a hidden stash left behind by their missing, criminal parents.
Book two, The Invisible Spy, is on sale now! Book three, Rebel Undercover, is coming summer 2023, and book 4 will be out in spring of 2024.
Also out now: CLARICE THE BRAVE. It's a story of hope against all odds, about sibling mice who get separated in a mutiny and vow to find one another again.
Lisa's other books include the NYT bestselling THE UNWANTEDS and UNWANTEDS QUESTS series, the GOING WILD trilogy, the YA paranormal WAKE trilogy, the VISIONS trilogy, CRYER'S CROSS, DEAD TO YOU, and INFINITY RING: The Trap Door.
See what's new and where Lisa will be at her
LinkTree.
You can find more info at Lisa'a website, lisamcmann.com, interact with her on Facebook or Twitter, or ask questions on her Instagram.
Book two, The Invisible Spy, is on sale now! Book three, Rebel Undercover, is coming summer 2023, and book 4 will be out in spring of 2024.
Also out now: CLARICE THE BRAVE. It's a story of hope against all odds, about sibling mice who get separated in a mutiny and vow to find one another again.
Lisa's other books include the NYT bestselling THE UNWANTEDS and UNWANTEDS QUESTS series, the GOING WILD trilogy, the YA paranormal WAKE trilogy, the VISIONS trilogy, CRYER'S CROSS, DEAD TO YOU, and INFINITY RING: The Trap Door.
See what's new and where Lisa will be at her
LinkTree.
You can find more info at Lisa'a website, lisamcmann.com, interact with her on Facebook or Twitter, or ask questions on her Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
March 12, 2024
Good story but unacceptable that the author is pushing the Trans agenda on children.
December 16, 2023
Birdie, Seven, Tenner, Brix, and Cabot are back and still fighting not only for their lives, but the right of all supernatural people to freely choosing their own paths. Estero City now allows supers to live openly in society but they are still looked upon as freaks and generally shunned by others. The Forgotten Five are living at the monastery and trying to regroup after being abandoned by a beloved ally and to adjust to the fact that one of the most hated of the parents wants to join their cause. Like the first 3, the action is fast-paced and the 5 children are front and center with supporting characters like Lada, The Librarian, and E-Kat becoming more critical in their cause. Relationships are changing, some becoming more romantic in nature, reunions with parents bring mixed results and are increasingly more complex. Readers will find themselves cheering at victories and when villains get what is coming to them but will also experience shock at revelations and the turnabout of key characters. As Seven’s mother, Magdalia, continues to challenge Fuerte’s rule as president, the book culminates in an election rally when all hell breaks loose, more secrets are revealed and one of the five is missing. Climactic ending to what is clearly NOT the end of the series. Outstanding fantasy/action adventure series for grades 4-7 (and maybe even older) that should be read in order due to all the alliance changes and uncovered truths that are interspersed among all the books. Text is free of profanity (with one character using the phrase “Holy expletive” in place of other words), violence is present but is generally bloodless and completely necessary to the plot, and sexual content is absent with only hand holding, hugs, and some musing about like-liking someone indicating that some of the relationships are evolving into something different. Representation: Characters’ races are not specified, but clearly skin tones are from across the color spectrum; over-arching theme is acceptance of all people’s differences; Cabot is choosing to be identified by name and not with pronouns of any gender association.
Thanks for the digital arc, Edelweiss.
Thanks for the digital arc, Edelweiss.
February 12, 2024
Me reading the ending plot twist had me SHOOK!!!
Oh my god this book— THIS BOOK! It’s one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it did not disappoint. There were two points in this book that left me absolutely speechless. I never have been so shook by a Lisa McMann book in my life when it comes to its plot twists. It was done so well!
I am now the leader of the Troy Protection Squad. He is this series’s Liam Healy and my heart HURT a lot in this book for him. I think this installment did an excellent job of showing how it’s hard to forgive a parent who has hurt you. The story with Troy and Lucy had me staring, open mouthed in shock for like five minutes straight. AND THE PLOT TWIST WITH HIM!!! AHHHHHH!!
The ships are developing, the spy work is spying, and I still am a fan of Martim even though he gives me the major ick. He’s an ick man but I love how he’s bad. He was an absolute genius with that plan with Magdalia, even if I hated his guts in all the best ways. He gives Feeling Good vibes by Michael Buble for sure.
Of course the book ends in a cliffhanger!! Here’s me counting down the days until book 5!
Oh my god this book— THIS BOOK! It’s one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it did not disappoint. There were two points in this book that left me absolutely speechless. I never have been so shook by a Lisa McMann book in my life when it comes to its plot twists. It was done so well!
I am now the leader of the Troy Protection Squad. He is this series’s Liam Healy and my heart HURT a lot in this book for him. I think this installment did an excellent job of showing how it’s hard to forgive a parent who has hurt you. The story with Troy and Lucy had me staring, open mouthed in shock for like five minutes straight. AND THE PLOT TWIST WITH HIM!!! AHHHHHH!!
The ships are developing, the spy work is spying, and I still am a fan of Martim even though he gives me the major ick. He’s an ick man but I love how he’s bad. He was an absolute genius with that plan with Magdalia, even if I hated his guts in all the best ways. He gives Feeling Good vibes by Michael Buble for sure.
Of course the book ends in a cliffhanger!! Here’s me counting down the days until book 5!
October 3, 2024
Her cliffhangers are horrible, but that means that she is a good writer.
March 26, 2025
Great Book! I really like this series!
November 18, 2024
Everyone talks like a licensed therapist
July 23, 2025
The writing in this fourth book took a STEEP dive. I was bored out of my mind. It was almost like someone else wrote it. And then there was the part where Cabot, when told her hair looked like a boys and she said to herself, “well sometimes I *feel* like a boy, but mainly I just feel like a person.”
I quit after that.
I quit after that.
August 12, 2024
Good book. I know I’m too old for it but whatever. It is the first McMann book I’ve read with LGBTQ+ characters in it.
April 20, 2025
Love the inclusion of a non-binary character! 🏳️🌈
February 10, 2024
What worked:
The author presents dramatic changes from what’s been happening in the previous three books. The biggest twist occurs when The Librarian sends an email to Lada and the other super kids saying she’s been secretly working with President Fuertes and has now officially switched sides. This announcement leaves a leadership void for the team and they struggle to figure out what they’ll do. Also, E-Kat and Troy leave Fuertes and have now decided to support Lada, Birdie, and the others. E-Kat, a super-strong woman, is an easy addition to the team but Troy comes with complications. He was a horrible father to Tenner growing up so Tenner is strongly against letting Troy in. Lada believes Troy has sincerely changed for the better but that doesn’t affect Tenner’s anger toward his father.
Most of the super team is comprised of tweens and they’re beginning to have unexplored feelings as they enter puberty. Birdie and Seven have been best friends for years but Seven is just now discovering that he like likes her. His invisibility comes in handy since Birdie can’t see him blushing. Tenner began having feelings for Lada in the last book but Troy’s presence has created some friction. Tenner can’t understand why Lada is ignoring his feelings as she chooses to support Troy and say nice things about him. Cabot is now realizing she wants to be thought of as a person, not a boy or a girl. She finally reveals this feeling to others and they readily support her. Gender identity can become an issue for middle-grade readers so Cabot’s character may be relatable to them.
The plot is building to a confrontation between Fuertes and Magadalia Palacio as they’re both running for president of Estero. Magadalia also happens to be Seven’s mother but she abandoned him as a child. That’s more family drama for the plot and the author saves another twist for later in the book. Fuertes has already shown that he’ll stop at nothing to win the election and it’s clear he’s planning something devious. He seems to be building an army of supers who are only in it for the money Fuertes has promised. This makes their loyalty shaky since they don’t believe in what Fuertes is doing. However, the author lets readers wonder throughout the book and won’t reveal Fuertes’s plans to disrupt the election until the plot nears its climax.
What didn’t work as well:
It gets a bit confusing since many of the characters, good and bad, know each other from the past. They’re easily accepted by their former foes and they’re still allowed to freely move about the city. It seems like Fuertes should be more concerned about spies meeting with their former friends which is exactly what happens.
The final verdict:
I recommend you read the previous books in the series to understand the attitudes and emotions of the various characters. This book sets the stage for a contentious election between Fuertes and Magadalia and the author leaves many questions and possibilities for readers to consider. Overall, this book shares an emotional story of supernatural characters and I recommend you give it a shot.
The author presents dramatic changes from what’s been happening in the previous three books. The biggest twist occurs when The Librarian sends an email to Lada and the other super kids saying she’s been secretly working with President Fuertes and has now officially switched sides. This announcement leaves a leadership void for the team and they struggle to figure out what they’ll do. Also, E-Kat and Troy leave Fuertes and have now decided to support Lada, Birdie, and the others. E-Kat, a super-strong woman, is an easy addition to the team but Troy comes with complications. He was a horrible father to Tenner growing up so Tenner is strongly against letting Troy in. Lada believes Troy has sincerely changed for the better but that doesn’t affect Tenner’s anger toward his father.
Most of the super team is comprised of tweens and they’re beginning to have unexplored feelings as they enter puberty. Birdie and Seven have been best friends for years but Seven is just now discovering that he like likes her. His invisibility comes in handy since Birdie can’t see him blushing. Tenner began having feelings for Lada in the last book but Troy’s presence has created some friction. Tenner can’t understand why Lada is ignoring his feelings as she chooses to support Troy and say nice things about him. Cabot is now realizing she wants to be thought of as a person, not a boy or a girl. She finally reveals this feeling to others and they readily support her. Gender identity can become an issue for middle-grade readers so Cabot’s character may be relatable to them.
The plot is building to a confrontation between Fuertes and Magadalia Palacio as they’re both running for president of Estero. Magadalia also happens to be Seven’s mother but she abandoned him as a child. That’s more family drama for the plot and the author saves another twist for later in the book. Fuertes has already shown that he’ll stop at nothing to win the election and it’s clear he’s planning something devious. He seems to be building an army of supers who are only in it for the money Fuertes has promised. This makes their loyalty shaky since they don’t believe in what Fuertes is doing. However, the author lets readers wonder throughout the book and won’t reveal Fuertes’s plans to disrupt the election until the plot nears its climax.
What didn’t work as well:
It gets a bit confusing since many of the characters, good and bad, know each other from the past. They’re easily accepted by their former foes and they’re still allowed to freely move about the city. It seems like Fuertes should be more concerned about spies meeting with their former friends which is exactly what happens.
The final verdict:
I recommend you read the previous books in the series to understand the attitudes and emotions of the various characters. This book sets the stage for a contentious election between Fuertes and Magadalia and the author leaves many questions and possibilities for readers to consider. Overall, this book shares an emotional story of supernatural characters and I recommend you give it a shot.
June 13, 2024
Birdie, Brix, Cabot, Tenner, Seven, Lada, E-kat, and Elena are reeling after the Librarian's departure and Troy's arrival. They can't believe that the Librarian would just abandon them like that, but after a few days they read her email closer and start to wonder if she wrote it under duress and was really kidnapped. And if so, how can they rescue her? Tenner feels like everyone has abandoned him in letting his awful father in without even asking him. E-kat is trying to figure out where she fits in the group, but does not regret leaving the President. The Presidential race between Fuerte and Magdalia is heating up, and they are worried about what Fuerte has planned. They feel so abandoned and broken and tiny, how can they be a help to anyone?
This was not my least favorite book in the series so far. All the kids are having parent issues except Birdie and Brix, but Tenner and Seven are the worst. Tenner is super bitter and unwilling to listen to others for quite a while (I wanted to give him a lecture on how harboring bitterness only hurts you, not the other person). Numerous kids are dealing with puberty and strange new feelings for others (Birdie and Seven, Tenner and Lada), and overall the book felt very moody and angsty. It doesn't help that they are lying low for much of the book and don't have many action sequences to break things up. The end finally saw some action and some positive improvement in attitudes, but whew, was it a long, tough road to get there. I'd give this one a 2.5, but I'll round it up to 3 for GoodReads.
Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: Crushes/beginning romances between Birdie and Seven and Tenner and Lada, just hugs.
Violence: There is a battle at the end with some injuries (nothing bloody). Birdie is dealing with guilt over possibly having killed someone with a wasp sting in the museum heist.
Ethnic diversity: This is a made up world with different cultures, but characters seem to have a variety of skin tones and accents.
LGBTQ+ content: Cabot gets upset at Troy for calling her a girl at one point and says she doesn't feel like a girl or a boy.
Other: As I mentioned, a lot of bitterness and not much true forgiveness going on for quite a while. But there is progress towards the end.
This was not my least favorite book in the series so far. All the kids are having parent issues except Birdie and Brix, but Tenner and Seven are the worst. Tenner is super bitter and unwilling to listen to others for quite a while (I wanted to give him a lecture on how harboring bitterness only hurts you, not the other person). Numerous kids are dealing with puberty and strange new feelings for others (Birdie and Seven, Tenner and Lada), and overall the book felt very moody and angsty. It doesn't help that they are lying low for much of the book and don't have many action sequences to break things up. The end finally saw some action and some positive improvement in attitudes, but whew, was it a long, tough road to get there. I'd give this one a 2.5, but I'll round it up to 3 for GoodReads.
Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: Crushes/beginning romances between Birdie and Seven and Tenner and Lada, just hugs.
Violence: There is a battle at the end with some injuries (nothing bloody). Birdie is dealing with guilt over possibly having killed someone with a wasp sting in the museum heist.
Ethnic diversity: This is a made up world with different cultures, but characters seem to have a variety of skin tones and accents.
LGBTQ+ content: Cabot gets upset at Troy for calling her a girl at one point and says she doesn't feel like a girl or a boy.
Other: As I mentioned, a lot of bitterness and not much true forgiveness going on for quite a while. But there is progress towards the end.
August 26, 2024
Angst!! Im so fond of this series
Is elena finally actually getting a personality or did she just talk more in this book i cant tell (she deserves a personality why is my girl a cardboard cut out)
I AM gonna complain tho
Ms lisa mcmann WHAT did u do to my girl cabot that was SO forced and STUPID sounding
So we know cabot we love cabot she’s awesome she isnt very girly she has a buzz cut its cool
She gets annoyed when a character scoffs at her like "tHats not very girly of you what are you a boy" and shes just like ??? Whddyamean i dont like that
I wanna say the line for cabots responce was something like i dont particularly feel like a girl all the time i feel like a person what does it even mean to feel like a girl
And like
Girl is TWELVES YEARS OLD that is so so valid and tbh relatable like bro
Imagine ur like me 12 years old and some of your peers are alreadt begging their moms for makeup and talking about boys like nah bro hey wanna go climb some rocks
Youre 12 your just a KID what does it mean to "feel like a girl" thats stupid whther u do or you dont it really doesnt matter youre TWELVE
You can just feel like a person and thats OKAY IT DOESNT MAKE YOU ANY LESS OF A GIRL JUST BC U DONT "FEEL" LIKE ONE
And that is such an important message to tell young girls ok
But nOPE
our poor darling cabot has to deliver yhe most stupid fake scripted sounding "hey i actually don't like it when u call me a girl. Just use my name jack@$$"
(jack@$$ was my interpretation but u get the picture)
🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
Goodbye good messege for youngins
If you dont "feel like a girl" youre not a girl hOW STUPID IS THAT
HAVE I MENTIONED CABOT IS 12 SHE’LL GROW OUT OF IT
AND IF NOT IT DOESNT MATTER BC NOT "FEELING" LIKE SHES A GIRL DOENST MEAN SHES NOT A GIRL HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO MAKE MY POINT
Anyways it was really dumb and ticked me off and this review is longer than the scene in question lol but i almost knocked off a star for it but. I have feelings about these books and about these kids theyre so baby and i wanna draw fannart eeeeee kiddos and their parents<333
Is elena finally actually getting a personality or did she just talk more in this book i cant tell (she deserves a personality why is my girl a cardboard cut out)
I AM gonna complain tho
Ms lisa mcmann WHAT did u do to my girl cabot that was SO forced and STUPID sounding
So we know cabot we love cabot she’s awesome she isnt very girly she has a buzz cut its cool
She gets annoyed when a character scoffs at her like "tHats not very girly of you what are you a boy" and shes just like ??? Whddyamean i dont like that
I wanna say the line for cabots responce was something like i dont particularly feel like a girl all the time i feel like a person what does it even mean to feel like a girl
And like
Girl is TWELVES YEARS OLD that is so so valid and tbh relatable like bro
Imagine ur like me 12 years old and some of your peers are alreadt begging their moms for makeup and talking about boys like nah bro hey wanna go climb some rocks
Youre 12 your just a KID what does it mean to "feel like a girl" thats stupid whther u do or you dont it really doesnt matter youre TWELVE
You can just feel like a person and thats OKAY IT DOESNT MAKE YOU ANY LESS OF A GIRL JUST BC U DONT "FEEL" LIKE ONE
And that is such an important message to tell young girls ok
But nOPE
our poor darling cabot has to deliver yhe most stupid fake scripted sounding "hey i actually don't like it when u call me a girl. Just use my name jack@$$"
(jack@$$ was my interpretation but u get the picture)
🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
Goodbye good messege for youngins
If you dont "feel like a girl" youre not a girl hOW STUPID IS THAT
HAVE I MENTIONED CABOT IS 12 SHE’LL GROW OUT OF IT
AND IF NOT IT DOESNT MATTER BC NOT "FEELING" LIKE SHES A GIRL DOENST MEAN SHES NOT A GIRL HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO MAKE MY POINT
Anyways it was really dumb and ticked me off and this review is longer than the scene in question lol but i almost knocked off a star for it but. I have feelings about these books and about these kids theyre so baby and i wanna draw fannart eeeeee kiddos and their parents<333
April 1, 2025
Another action-packed thrilled from Lisa McMann. This book would be just another great addition to the series - with a lot of creativity within their powers which is sometimes hard to find in the superhero genre - and good characters. A solid middle grade read.
The bummer is when the character of Cabot introduces the concept of being nonbinary. I've noticed a trend of authors doing this: they write a series that has 3-5 books, and the first two books are always completely free of romance or LGBTQ. Then the middle books introduce it. Although I can understand the argument that as the characters mature, the plot lines naturally evolve to include more sophisticated topics like romance, this effectively acts as a bait-and-switch for parents who are trying to decide if certain books are appropriate for their children.
We would've appreciated it if this had been left out of a series for middle schoolers.
The bummer is when the character of Cabot introduces the concept of being nonbinary. I've noticed a trend of authors doing this: they write a series that has 3-5 books, and the first two books are always completely free of romance or LGBTQ. Then the middle books introduce it. Although I can understand the argument that as the characters mature, the plot lines naturally evolve to include more sophisticated topics like romance, this effectively acts as a bait-and-switch for parents who are trying to decide if certain books are appropriate for their children.
We would've appreciated it if this had been left out of a series for middle schoolers.
April 24, 2024
Definitely a book for younger audiences but as I always say: you can enjoy something no matter your age (on certain things I suppose) I really like this book and the series. We finally got some Romance going on 🤩 I was just vibing and then suddenly the characters started liking each other and I was like “Yessssssssss” and then the scenes would be over and I was like “noooooo”. The next book comes out in October and I’m really excited! I think the Romance is really going to show in the next book since we took this book’s romance side plots to establish the relationship and not build on it to much and by that I mean that Lisa McMann gave us just enough that we are rooting for the characters but not enough so that we CRAVE more. Overall good book and you should totally read!
February 11, 2025
I love this series. I think it's fun and easy to read and the characters are lovable.
However, I don't appreciate the LGBTQ agenda being adding in this children's book. Cabot says she doesn't feel like a boy or girl, just a person. This introduces young children to the idea that gender is fluid, when it is a biological fact.
It also has themes of relativistic morality. Someone or some action is good or bad based on how you look at the situation not because they or their action was good or bad. I understand there are gray areas, but at this age kids fair better with more black and white good vs. evil.
However, I don't appreciate the LGBTQ agenda being adding in this children's book. Cabot says she doesn't feel like a boy or girl, just a person. This introduces young children to the idea that gender is fluid, when it is a biological fact.
It also has themes of relativistic morality. Someone or some action is good or bad based on how you look at the situation not because they or their action was good or bad. I understand there are gray areas, but at this age kids fair better with more black and white good vs. evil.
March 26, 2024
whyyyyyyyyy???????????!!!!!!!!! this book is so messed up!!! I think that Tenner is to good for Lada he should be with Birdie because they've known each other longer and why is it every time something happens to Tenner all of a sudden Seven is in distress to!!!!! also they can't have a good betrayal without it turning out fine!! I do like E-kat though.........but still!! Also Troy sounds like a baby!!! he was supposed to be fierce!!!!
November 12, 2024
Another consistently good addition to the series! This book was a bit better than most of the others, but there were some boring bits. As always, the book is easy to read and get through, although I didn’t have too much time to read this week. Excited to read the 5th book!
December 24, 2025
This book has some insanely powerful conversations in it BUT I need us to hold Tenner’s dad waaaayyyy more accountable.
Troy, eat dirt and suffer!!
Cabbot, 😩 your conversation was so important to me 💜💜
Seven, you are so me I fear!!
Everyone needs therapy!!
Troy, eat dirt and suffer!!
Cabbot, 😩 your conversation was so important to me 💜💜
Seven, you are so me I fear!!
Everyone needs therapy!!
February 24, 2024
But when will the next one be available?!? 😱😁
February 26, 2024
Absolutely amazing book! totally kid friendly! It was really fun to read and twists I didn't even see coming. My twelve year old and seven year old both loved it! Absolutely worth reading.
April 3, 2024
Soooo good! The character development was ON POINT :) but these cliffhangers are killing me!!!
April 12, 2024
Read with Anna
April 16, 2024
There was some questionable stuff in here. I don't think I will read any of the following books.
April 20, 2024
A very good book. I give it 4 1/2 stars.
July 3, 2024
Love this series. Book five is not available until October. It will the first one on my list when it is available!
December 30, 2024
Some shockers at the end there.
January 19, 2025
holy flip this was a freaking emotional rollercoaster but i loved it all the same
February 5, 2025
Fine book for reading with a middle grades kid
Read
March 16, 2025Character went woke
April 4, 2025
I really liked the scenes during Lada’s birthday party, these kids have come so far in Estero. Also, the ending is insane, like whoa!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews