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The Forgotten Five #7
Forever Rogue
X-Men meets Spy Kids in the seventh and final installment of The Forgotten Five middle-grade fantasy/adventure series by the New York Times bestselling author of The Unwanteds.
Estero is in an uproar following corrupt President Fuerte's most brazen move yet in his quest to stay in power: his election night ploy, with the help of his superpowered henchman Hector, to hypnotize the country into believing that he—and not Magdalia Palacio, the rightful winner—received more votes. Luckily, Cabot escapes Hector's trance and uses her own mind-controlling ability to help her team of supers see the truth about the stolen election; together they begin the process of slowly un-brainwashing the citizenry.
When the president and Hector launch another attack, it becomes clear they won't go away quietly. With the inauguration looming, the Forgotten Five and their allies will need to undertake a daring raid on the presidential palace that requires all of their smarts and supernatural abilities to execute, and go face to face with a super more dangerous than any they've fought before. Can they knock Hector and Fuerte out of commission, ensure Magdalia takes power, and make Estero safe for its supernatural citizens, once and for all?
Estero is in an uproar following corrupt President Fuerte's most brazen move yet in his quest to stay in power: his election night ploy, with the help of his superpowered henchman Hector, to hypnotize the country into believing that he—and not Magdalia Palacio, the rightful winner—received more votes. Luckily, Cabot escapes Hector's trance and uses her own mind-controlling ability to help her team of supers see the truth about the stolen election; together they begin the process of slowly un-brainwashing the citizenry.
When the president and Hector launch another attack, it becomes clear they won't go away quietly. With the inauguration looming, the Forgotten Five and their allies will need to undertake a daring raid on the presidential palace that requires all of their smarts and supernatural abilities to execute, and go face to face with a super more dangerous than any they've fought before. Can they knock Hector and Fuerte out of commission, ensure Magdalia takes power, and make Estero safe for its supernatural citizens, once and for all?
- GenresFantasyMiddle Grade
320 pages, Hardcover
Published February 10, 2026
About the author
Lisa McMann
69 books7,050 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.
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 17, 2026
I was gonna give this book 4⭐️ cause it was cute and it was a great ending to the series. But then, Troy made me freaking cry 😭 when Tenner has to say goodbye to Lada and is all sad walking back to the mansion, Troy’s waiting for him to give him a hug 😭😭😭 And then Troy tells Seven that if he ever needs a dad, that he’s there for him 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Troy’s redemption arc is one of the GREATEST character developments that i have ever read! I was in tears by the end of it 🥲
As for the actual plot however, I LOVED the heightened stakes; I mean, Brix was actually DEAD for a minute!!! 😱😱😱 I did feel that it was maybe a little rushed when I started reading but Im extremely happy with how the final book wrapped everything up. Overall, 5⭐️!!
Troy’s redemption arc is one of the GREATEST character developments that i have ever read! I was in tears by the end of it 🥲
As for the actual plot however, I LOVED the heightened stakes; I mean, Brix was actually DEAD for a minute!!! 😱😱😱 I did feel that it was maybe a little rushed when I started reading but Im extremely happy with how the final book wrapped everything up. Overall, 5⭐️!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2026
And so it ends.
Not the worst book in the series, but certainly not the best either. This book was a bit boring for me because at this point almost everyone's arc has concluded, and since there are too many characters most of them end up getting sidelined. I would probably have liked this series better if I had waited and binged it.
My favorite thing about this series is the parents' arcs and how their relationships with their kids are handled. There's a very diverse range and it's incredibly interesting. I still maintain that Troy's redemption arc is one of this series' best plotlines.
8/10
Not the worst book in the series, but certainly not the best either. This book was a bit boring for me because at this point almost everyone's arc has concluded, and since there are too many characters most of them end up getting sidelined. I would probably have liked this series better if I had waited and binged it.
My favorite thing about this series is the parents' arcs and how their relationships with their kids are handled. There's a very diverse range and it's incredibly interesting. I still maintain that Troy's redemption arc is one of this series' best plotlines.
8/10
August 25, 2026
Finally the last book of the series. The beginning was quite boring, and the part where Fuerte and Hector died felt a bit anticlimactic. Not to mention that the fight scene was so unintentionally funny because they just standing there with their weapons out when they knew that Fuerte can use telekinesis to steal them away. And they don’t even seem to try to protect themselves more or dodge when he starts throwing daggers and stuff at them. I did like the ending though, and everything was wrapped up nicely.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2026
I'm just glad the series is over.
Nice ending, but it took a really long time to get there, both in this one book and the whole series.
Nice ending, but it took a really long time to get there, both in this one book and the whole series.
August 15, 2026
Low four stars. This series is impressively consistent in quality!
Lisa McMann's style remains the same simplistic, easy-to-bingeread writing it has been throughout the series. While I quite like her writing, I still want to point out that it does make it difficult to get any meaningful character development or anything beyond surface-level arcs. This has been true for the entire series, though, and if you go in knowing this, I think the more basic writing and way of addressing characters works plenty well. The only difference in this book from its predecessors is that the part separation from book 1 randomly returns. It still irks me a bit that this was dropped for the entire middle section of the series, but oh well. That's a pretty minor critique overall.
As for the plot, this one was really cool! We start with Cabot for the first chunk of the story, since she's the only one who isn't mind-wiped, but after everyone is brought back to normal, we transition to the usual brief glimpses into everyone that the series typically sports. The final fight scene was long and dynamic, with tons of characters getting their moments to shine. And I love how much time was spent on the aftermath and returning to the hideout. So many books skip the post-final-battle scenes and timeskip to happily-ever-after, which is always feels like a missed opportunity to me. I really appreciate that this book took the time to show us the conclusion of everyone's character arcs and then give us a true ending. Not only does the pacing feel more natural for it, but the story feels far more complete.
There are, once again, way too many characters to try and discuss each one individually, so I'll summarize my general thoughts. First off, the characters that got some actual focus were great! Cabot's mixed feelings towards her parents, Troy and Seven's adoptive father/son dynamic, and Tenner and Lada's relationship at the end were all very wholesome and realistic to read about. It felt good getting closure to these relationships that we've seen develop throughout seven books. My only real complaint is that everyone who didn't get focused on specifically got sidelined, hard. Characters like E-Kat were completely forgotten, mentioned only once or twice in the big fight scene at the end. And E-Kat in particular is kind of important, being Lada's mom and all. I understand that with a cast this big, it's hard to give everyone a moment to shine. But I do think in that regard, the short length of these books works against them. I wish we'd been able to have at least a concluding sentence to the CHARACTERS of people like Cami or Magdalia, for instance, instead of just their stories summarized at the end.
My other issue was the Stones. Jack and Greta get busted out of prison at the start because Cabot thinks they will be useful against Hector and Fuerte, but they barely do anything in the fight against Fuerte. They end up being important (or at least Greta does) to the plan to return to the hideout, but that had nothing to do with why Cabot released them, so they ended up feeling kind of awkwardly placed and useless.
As for the villains, I was less underwhelmed than I thought I'd be, which is good. Fuerte and Hector may have ended up being pathetic fighters, but Hector was never presented as anything other than a mental threat, and the palace raid scene ended up being a good chunk of the book, so to final confrontation felt earned and difficult to reach without Fuerte needing to be a terrifying fighter. While I wish they'd gotten their justice in jail, it's probably for the best that they died, since Hector would have been a security risk no matter what.
Overall, while not the best book, or series, ever, this was a fun ride all around, and a wonderful conclusion to a super fun series. I would highly recommend this series to anyone within the age range, or anyone who likes a good superhero/vigilante gang story!
SERIES RATINGS:
Map of Flames: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Invisible Spy: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rebel Undercover: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dangerous Allies: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Operation Chaos: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Masters of Disguise: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Forever Rogue: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lisa McMann's style remains the same simplistic, easy-to-bingeread writing it has been throughout the series. While I quite like her writing, I still want to point out that it does make it difficult to get any meaningful character development or anything beyond surface-level arcs. This has been true for the entire series, though, and if you go in knowing this, I think the more basic writing and way of addressing characters works plenty well. The only difference in this book from its predecessors is that the part separation from book 1 randomly returns. It still irks me a bit that this was dropped for the entire middle section of the series, but oh well. That's a pretty minor critique overall.
As for the plot, this one was really cool! We start with Cabot for the first chunk of the story, since she's the only one who isn't mind-wiped, but after everyone is brought back to normal, we transition to the usual brief glimpses into everyone that the series typically sports. The final fight scene was long and dynamic, with tons of characters getting their moments to shine. And I love how much time was spent on the aftermath and returning to the hideout. So many books skip the post-final-battle scenes and timeskip to happily-ever-after, which is always feels like a missed opportunity to me. I really appreciate that this book took the time to show us the conclusion of everyone's character arcs and then give us a true ending. Not only does the pacing feel more natural for it, but the story feels far more complete.
There are, once again, way too many characters to try and discuss each one individually, so I'll summarize my general thoughts. First off, the characters that got some actual focus were great! Cabot's mixed feelings towards her parents, Troy and Seven's adoptive father/son dynamic, and Tenner and Lada's relationship at the end were all very wholesome and realistic to read about. It felt good getting closure to these relationships that we've seen develop throughout seven books. My only real complaint is that everyone who didn't get focused on specifically got sidelined, hard. Characters like E-Kat were completely forgotten, mentioned only once or twice in the big fight scene at the end. And E-Kat in particular is kind of important, being Lada's mom and all. I understand that with a cast this big, it's hard to give everyone a moment to shine. But I do think in that regard, the short length of these books works against them. I wish we'd been able to have at least a concluding sentence to the CHARACTERS of people like Cami or Magdalia, for instance, instead of just their stories summarized at the end.
My other issue was the Stones. Jack and Greta get busted out of prison at the start because Cabot thinks they will be useful against Hector and Fuerte, but they barely do anything in the fight against Fuerte. They end up being important (or at least Greta does) to the plan to return to the hideout, but that had nothing to do with why Cabot released them, so they ended up feeling kind of awkwardly placed and useless.
As for the villains, I was less underwhelmed than I thought I'd be, which is good. Fuerte and Hector may have ended up being pathetic fighters, but Hector was never presented as anything other than a mental threat, and the palace raid scene ended up being a good chunk of the book, so to final confrontation felt earned and difficult to reach without Fuerte needing to be a terrifying fighter. While I wish they'd gotten their justice in jail, it's probably for the best that they died, since Hector would have been a security risk no matter what.
Overall, while not the best book, or series, ever, this was a fun ride all around, and a wonderful conclusion to a super fun series. I would highly recommend this series to anyone within the age range, or anyone who likes a good superhero/vigilante gang story!
SERIES RATINGS:
Map of Flames: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Invisible Spy: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rebel Undercover: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dangerous Allies: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Operation Chaos: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Masters of Disguise: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Forever Rogue: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2026
Wow. I can’t believe it’s the end. I’m so sad but also it’s bittersweet.
This series was a wonderful ride, and I’m so glad Lisa wrote another 7 book series. Although I am very sad that this is possibly her last book, I’m not going to lie about that. Lisa’s books made me fall back in love with reading when no other books could.
I think about where I was and who I was when the first book came out, and I have come a long way. Just like the characters in this book have.
The ending had me in tears, and I didn’t realize how much I loved them all until it was the end. It was like I was waiting for the next book. Only the next book isn’t coming anymore.
I could talk about the plot in my review, but the last book in a series is really the final send off. Everything came full circle, all the things I wanted to see were in this book, and I really was left with no unanswered questions. I just have to give the last book 5 stars because of that. What an incredible journey.
Lisa, congratulations on finishing another series. I really hope this isn’t the last book we see from you, but if it is, thank you for inspiring me as a person and as a bookseller. I’ve put your books in the hands of so many kids over the years because you truly are inspirational.
Lowkey crying right now but it’s fineeee! If you didn’t read this series, get FOMO and pick this series up immediately lol
This series was a wonderful ride, and I’m so glad Lisa wrote another 7 book series. Although I am very sad that this is possibly her last book, I’m not going to lie about that. Lisa’s books made me fall back in love with reading when no other books could.
I think about where I was and who I was when the first book came out, and I have come a long way. Just like the characters in this book have.
The ending had me in tears, and I didn’t realize how much I loved them all until it was the end. It was like I was waiting for the next book. Only the next book isn’t coming anymore.
I could talk about the plot in my review, but the last book in a series is really the final send off. Everything came full circle, all the things I wanted to see were in this book, and I really was left with no unanswered questions. I just have to give the last book 5 stars because of that. What an incredible journey.
Lisa, congratulations on finishing another series. I really hope this isn’t the last book we see from you, but if it is, thank you for inspiring me as a person and as a bookseller. I’ve put your books in the hands of so many kids over the years because you truly are inspirational.
Lowkey crying right now but it’s fineeee! If you didn’t read this series, get FOMO and pick this series up immediately lol
March 29, 2026
4.75 stars
A very fast-paced book, and it was very action-packed.
I loved the huge group that they had at the end of series and working together. It was fun to see the adults learn their place and that they aren't in charge, but the kids actually are. Also the comparisons the Forgotten Five had when it came to their friendship with one another compared to their parents' friendship.
I don't like that the Fuerte is "dead." I wished we could have seen him getting justice and facing the consequences for all the terrible things that he did.
One thing that bothers me is that I understand why they needed to get the Stones out of prison, but like it also didn't make sense to me. Cabot said they would help with the chaos, but they didn't do anything when they went back to the mansion. Cabot and Sasha handled it themselves.
The ending was a tear-jerker for me. Lada saying bye to Tenner and just the goodbyes in general. I'm glad that they were able to go back home to the hideout, but it's crazy that they did all the work and fighting and they're not going to live in Estero. At least, now the hideout isn't a hideout, but just home and they're able to go back to Estero and vice versa.
Also...maybe I'm remembering incorrectly, but why is Birdie's powers so different from her parents'? Isn't the "magic system" that the child's powers are influenced by their parents?
A very fast-paced book, and it was very action-packed.
I loved the huge group that they had at the end of series and working together. It was fun to see the adults learn their place and that they aren't in charge, but the kids actually are. Also the comparisons the Forgotten Five had when it came to their friendship with one another compared to their parents' friendship.
I don't like that the Fuerte is "dead." I wished we could have seen him getting justice and facing the consequences for all the terrible things that he did.
One thing that bothers me is that I understand why they needed to get the Stones out of prison, but like it also didn't make sense to me. Cabot said they would help with the chaos, but they didn't do anything when they went back to the mansion. Cabot and Sasha handled it themselves.
The ending was a tear-jerker for me. Lada saying bye to Tenner and just the goodbyes in general. I'm glad that they were able to go back home to the hideout, but it's crazy that they did all the work and fighting and they're not going to live in Estero. At least, now the hideout isn't a hideout, but just home and they're able to go back to Estero and vice versa.
Also...maybe I'm remembering incorrectly, but why is Birdie's powers so different from her parents'? Isn't the "magic system" that the child's powers are influenced by their parents?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2026
Wow... just WOW!
Many series-ending books really don't live up to the rest of the series, mainly because it is really hard to tie in all the loose ends, especially with long series. I was afraid that this book wouldn't live up to my expectations in this way... I couldn't have been more wrong. IT WAS SO GOOD!! I read it in one sitting at my library while "watching" my little brother :)
SPOILER ALERT!!!!
I was fully expecting Fuerte (at least) to die, so that didn't come as a surprise to me, but I definitely was surprised when Brix didn't die when he healed Sabine.
I thought we were going to find out The Librarian's real name, but when we didn't, I kinda realized that it would be really weird referring to her as anything but The Librarian, so that was probably for the best.
I definitely did NOT expect them all to go back to the hideout (especially not Lada), and I would have preferred it if they had all stayed in Estero, but I'm not complaining; the ending was really well written.
I also appreciate that there was a Part Two to tie up loose ends, even if the climax with Fuerte was a little anticlimactic.
All in all, it was a REALLY good book and did not disappoint. I'll be recommending this to my friends!
Many series-ending books really don't live up to the rest of the series, mainly because it is really hard to tie in all the loose ends, especially with long series. I was afraid that this book wouldn't live up to my expectations in this way... I couldn't have been more wrong. IT WAS SO GOOD!! I read it in one sitting at my library while "watching" my little brother :)
SPOILER ALERT!!!!
I was fully expecting Fuerte (at least) to die, so that didn't come as a surprise to me, but I definitely was surprised when Brix didn't die when he healed Sabine.
I thought we were going to find out The Librarian's real name, but when we didn't, I kinda realized that it would be really weird referring to her as anything but The Librarian, so that was probably for the best.
I definitely did NOT expect them all to go back to the hideout (especially not Lada), and I would have preferred it if they had all stayed in Estero, but I'm not complaining; the ending was really well written.
I also appreciate that there was a Part Two to tie up loose ends, even if the climax with Fuerte was a little anticlimactic.
All in all, it was a REALLY good book and did not disappoint. I'll be recommending this to my friends!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2026
Lada smiled and pushed up her glasses. “And they will never be forgotten again.”
What a journey it has been to follow these five from the depths of their parents criminal history being left on an island to fend for themselves to figuring out how the heck normal society works to even fighting now ex-president, Fuerte to achieve freedom and equality for supers alike.
I can’t believe it’s actually over now though, seeing Troy get his redemption arc, I absolutely loved his character by the end of these seven books but the only thing I really dislike about this book is the sheer amount of characters that are piled onto the resistance side that just didn’t get like any book-time because there was too much to cover. Viviana’s family besides Sasha are almost under utilized along with E-Kat, which I get she was with Magdalia but they don’t really talk much about Magdalia’s role in this book either.
But besides that, I loved it. Definitely a series I would re-read.
(Also all my other reviews for this series are like a sentence long, so be happy)
What a journey it has been to follow these five from the depths of their parents criminal history being left on an island to fend for themselves to figuring out how the heck normal society works to even fighting now ex-president, Fuerte to achieve freedom and equality for supers alike.
I can’t believe it’s actually over now though, seeing Troy get his redemption arc, I absolutely loved his character by the end of these seven books but the only thing I really dislike about this book is the sheer amount of characters that are piled onto the resistance side that just didn’t get like any book-time because there was too much to cover. Viviana’s family besides Sasha are almost under utilized along with E-Kat, which I get she was with Magdalia but they don’t really talk much about Magdalia’s role in this book either.
But besides that, I loved it. Definitely a series I would re-read.
(Also all my other reviews for this series are like a sentence long, so be happy)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2026
It’s been a while since I read the other Forgotten Five books, so I had to remind myself who all the characters were. (I had forgotten that there were so many characters!) I truly enjoy Lisa McMann’s writing style. She has good character development and it’s fun to see the characters grow and change. She uses a lot of description in her writing and good visualization. This last book is wrapping everything up in a nice little package. The ending was exactly what the reader wanted to happen.
Recommend for grades 4-7, for fans for fantasy or superheroes.
Recommend for grades 4-7, for fans for fantasy or superheroes.
February 14, 2026
The thrilling conclusion to an amazing series. I loved finally seeing the end goal being set in action and building up to this bittersweet ending. I always adore a Lisa McMann book as it is, the writing style really brings out the traits in the characters that many stories just fail to capture. Everyone having separate and distinct personalities really helps a story along and McMann never disappoints.
July 14, 2026
This was one of the best book series I’ve ever read! I loved the whole series, except for one part in the 4th book where Cabot says that she “doesnt want to be called a girl or a boy” for a moment which is not
good. :( But overall, this was very enjoyable!
good. :( But overall, this was very enjoyable!
February 13, 2026
It was a phenomenal read and beautifully written. I highly recommend it if you enjoyed City Spies or the Unwanted’s series. This series is going in my top ten💖
February 22, 2026
Will miss these Forgotten Five
I love this series and best of all the great Forgotten Five. Theses characters were amazing. Will miss reading about them. Thanks for a great series!
I love this series and best of all the great Forgotten Five. Theses characters were amazing. Will miss reading about them. Thanks for a great series!
February 24, 2026
I can’t believe that this series is over. I will confidently say this is one of the best series i have ever read. This series will forever stay in my heart and mind. Phenomenal and satisfying end.❤️
March 14, 2026
I loved this book so much! I’m so sad that the series is over!
March 16, 2026
I kind of just wish there was an epilogue
April 6, 2026
A satisfying conclusion!!
April 26, 2026
This was a pretty great end to this series tenner is by far my favorite. I also like Lada.
April 30, 2026
Soooo good! I miss them all already!💜💜
June 4, 2026
Great series
June 23, 2026
So exciting and cute! Such a good finale for this amazing series! All the couples are so cute together! I feel that we need a sequel series like Lisa made the Unwanteds series!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2026
This book was defiantly one of the better ones in the series, but it wasn’t the best. Climax concluded in the middle of the book and so the exposition was dragged out over a hundred pages.
August 13, 2026
It wasn’t bad I just forgot who did what and the previous books
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews