In this sequel to Tabula Rasa (2014), Angel Ramos is ready for a fresh start. She has a temporary guardian, a therapist, federal agents keeping an eye on her, and a long-awaited reunion with her boyfriend, Thomas. But when Thomas is abducted and an assassination attempt is made on her own life, Angel realizes that she has not escaped her past after all. This story of corporate conspiracy, mind-altering drugs, and government complicity moves at a brisk pace with plenty of action and very little downtime; the events take place during a 24-hour period, but it feels like a lifetime by story's end. Although reference is made to the events of the previous book, it's done casually, avoiding clunky exposition but also making this less compelling for newcomers; without contextual understanding of Angel's motivation, she seems less fully realized than she could be. There is certainly enough going on to make this an entertaining read for newcomers, but it will be best appreciated by previous fans.

Gr 8 Up-In this action-driven but emotionally flat sequel to Tabula Rasa , Angel Ramos is in Manhattan, recovering from her escape from the secret research lab where the Velocius program was erasing her memories and imbuing her with superhuman abilities. With the help of her hacker boyfriend Thomas, she's determined to expose the truth about the research to the world and defeat the person behind ither powerful and wealthy grandfather Erskine Claymore. It won't be easy. Angel has survived an attempted drowning and has been implicated in an attack on the police because her enemies mistakenly think that she and Thomas have valuable Velocius data. Tantalizing memories plague her as she tries to interpret puzzling clues implanted in her head by a sympathetic researcher. Angel, Thomas, and new acquaintance Mikey, a fellow Tabula Rasa victim, race against time to find an antidote to the drug that Mikey and Thomas were injected with before it completely destroys their memories. The narrative is reminiscent of a movie that's heavy on action but full of plot holes. The reason for the creation of Velocius is never satisfactorily explained. After undergoing her memory-altering ordeal, Angel has supposedly redeemed herself and become less selfish and manipulative, but she still seems quite unlikable. VERDICT The mechanical writing and lack of emotional resonance will make it very difficult for readers to care about or identify with the characters. Recommended only for fans of the first book. Sharon Rawlins, New Jersey State Library, Trenton