Erased: Review

Synopsis:

They thought they had escaped. They were wrong.

After fleeing the Branch with Sam, Cas, and Nick, Anna is trying to make sense of the memories resurfacing from her old life. At the same time, she's learning how to survive in hiding, following Sam's rules: Don't draw attention to yourself. Always carry a weapon. Know your surroundings. Watch your back.

Then a figure from Anna's childhood reappears. Is it a Branch setup, or could it be the reunion Anna has hoped for? Uncertain of where her loyalties lie, Anna must fight to learn the truth -- before she is betrayed again. Ultimately, the answers hinge on one question: What was the real reason her memories were erased?

Jennifer Rush delivers a thrilling sequel to Altered in a novel packed with mysteries, lies, and surprises that are sure to keep readers guessing until the last page is turned.

***

This is even better than Altered. No kidding. It's gotta be one of the best sequels I've ever read. Figures from the past emerges. Someone close to you in the past may just be your mortal enemy. The puzzle is getting harder and harder to solve. Secrets are revealed, and they might just break you or get you killed. 

There are so many good parts about this book. First is Anna and Sam's relationship. It has solidified, which is more than great. Because I really hate to see one side hiding something from the other, even if it's just for protection. Despite their distance (well, relatively), they've been through so much together, which kinda makes up for it. 

And then another really surprisingly good part is Nick. Yes you heard me right. Nick, the douche bag and angst-ridden teen you met in Altered. As Anna and Nick getting flashbacks from their past, they realized they're more connected than they've ever imagined. You will see a side of Nick that's never been seen before. And oh man, it's very sweet. My bad opinions towards him have completely vanished. Glad to see Nick finally opens himself up, if just a little bit.

There's the twists. Can't miss them. Not that they're not completely unpredictable. In fact a logical part of me knows that some of my theories might very well be the outcome. But for some reason I just can't imagine my theories actually happening. Some of them are a little heart-breaking (particularly involving a certain someone's sister). Speaking of a certain someone's sister, the logical part of me will say that she's perfectly hate-able. But the more emotional part of me understands her motives. Back to those twists. I can't reveal anymore, because that will be spoilers. But let's just say the real reason that Anna's memories are wiped is a little unfathomable.

But then there's one part that left me confused. That's the ending. Well... it ends as expected, but I just don't understand how the story can continue when the threat is just a little too small to carry on. The closure in Erased is pretty nice, so I can't understand how there's a third book. The whole situation reminds me of Of Triton. Because Of Triton ends really well, and I have a hard time understanding how there's a sequel behind it. I just hope that the sequel after Erased will be as good as this book.

Yes, I really like Altered series. And I just can't understand how I took so long to discover it. So give it a try, guys. This might actually be one of your favorite series. (Altered might not be a favorite of mine, but I really like it.)

Rating: 8.5/10