Incognita

October 1, 2016

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 it-her 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

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 15, 2016
In this sequel to Tabula Rasa (2014), Lippert-Martin returns to her tale of a girl who's lost her memory but gained some extraordinary powers and the young hacker who fought a corrupt hospital establishment by her side.Angel thought she'd be able to leave the past behind and start a new life, free from threat, in her beloved New York City with her boyfriend, Thomas. Only hours into their first date, their world is turned upside down again. Thomas is kidnapped, and someone tries to murder Angel, right under the noses of their protection detail, who do nothing to help. If it weren't for a strange kid named Mikey, Angel would have died and there would be no clues to follow to track Thomas. But whoever is after Thomas...and perhaps Angel...seems to have plans for Mikey as well. As this unlikely trio races from one clue to the next, one threat to the next, Angel knows she's going to need every bit of help her enhanced brain and elusive memories can provide if she's going to keep everyone alive. While the action is nonstop, these characters are paper-thin and the plot so convoluted that readers new to the series will have difficulty understanding intercharacter relationships or motivations. Angel narrates in an undistinguished present tense that makes even action scenes feel ponderous. She, Thomas, and Mikey are all white. This may make readers yearn for a do-over with a truly blank slate. (Thriller. 12-18)

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