Tabula Rasa

"Lippert-Martin's debut finds life in the oft-seen trope of lost memory--and even a somewhat plausible mechanism for bringing about the amnesia. Plausibility isn't always the name of the game (the government rarely uses world-class architects for medical torture labs), but this is a very entertaining game for thriller fans. Sarah Ramos, 16, is undergoing focused memory-elimination treatments when her surgery is interrupted by a power outage, followed by an invasion of explosives-wielding commandos who are looking for her. Calling on street smarts she didn't know she possessed, Sarah eludes capture long enough to stumble into a boy who calls himself Pierce and says he's a hacker for hire. Sarah doesn't know what side he's on, but trusting him looks like her best option--and he seems to know who she is. He's cocky but kind; she's paranoid but open to change. Both Sarah and Pierce are layered and appealing characters who don't get too caught up in their own drama--the mayhem around them is excitement enough." --Publishers Weekly

"In a state-of-the-art hospital tucked into a remote mountain range, a handful of young patients live in isolation while doctors surgically remove their memories. Perhaps Sarah once knew why she needed such a radical procedure, but so many of her memories are lost that she cannot remember much of her previous life. But before her final treatment can be completed, chaos erupts. After Sarah has taken a covertly delivered pill that may release her damaged memories, soldiers attack the hospital, killing patients and doctors alike. Sarah taps into a forgotten cache of strength, agility, and tactical instinct to evade the intruders, but to escape the hospital she must ally herself with Thomas, a friendly but cagey young hacker with unknown motives. Mysteries stack upon mysteries in this gripping, multifaceted thriller, but readers who can keep up with the lightning-fast pace will be rewarded when the puzzle pieces begin to click together. Sarah's memories return through artful flashbacks that add an intriguing political context to an otherwise action-heavy story, but even without a personal history, Sarah is an impressively fierce heroine with personality to spare. A page-turning adventure that will leave readers hoping for a sequel." --starred, The Horn Book Magazine

"This book is a fast-paced action-adventure read with a touch of scary sci-fi added. Sarah is in the hospital undergoing a procedure that will erase who she was before and help her become a better person. As she begins the final procedure that will clear all of her previous memories, the electricity goes out and the hospital is attacked by soldiers. Someone has also left Sarah clothes and mysterious pills that she is urged to take, so she escapes the hospital and the mercenaries who are trying to kill her. She meets Thomas, who helps her to discover what is happening and who is out to harm her. The story had many twists and turns that made it unpredictable, and one that was difficult to put down. This will appeal to all readers as there is also a romantic connection between Sarah and Thomas. Recommended." --Library Media Connection

"She doesn't know what to call herself: Sarah or Angel. In the facility where she is a test rat, she is Sarah, and the nurses keep a watchful eye on her, wondering if her memories--and her abilities--will come flooding back. Before her memories were extracted, she was known as Angel. Now, a mysterious corporation is hunting her for reasons she can't--and may not want to--remember, and she must find her way through the facility's bland halls to figure out why she is there, what she has done to deserve the pursuit of armed mercenaries, and, ultimately, how to survive. This never skips a beat of action or suspense, and while it is highly reminiscent of both the Hunger Games and Graceling books in its central conflict of a heroine versus a corrupt institution, it still pulses with vivid, original details, engrossing readers and leaving them begging for a sequel." --Booklist

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"In a remote hospital facility, Sarah Ramos waits for the final stage of brain surgery to cure Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Soon, all her memories will be wiped clean and she will have a fresh start. When a power failure postpones her procedure, a mysterious packet is shoved into Sarah's hand as she sits in the darkened operating room. After she is hustled back upstairs, she finds three pills and a note in the packet, instructing her to take the pills twenty-four hours apart to restore her memory. She pops a pill, feels dizzy, and falls. After calling for help, she drags herself to the nurses' station. Staff is sparse because of a blizzard, and the facility is nearly deserted, but the monitor shows a black helicopter landing outside. That is when the bombs start going off. When men with machine guns storm the hospital, Sarah runs for her life. Teaming up with Thomas, a young computer hacker, Sarah fights an enemy intent on killing her and everyone else in the hospital.

Non-stop action makes this a tempting, fast read for teens. A mixture of James Bond and Alex Rider, the bad guys are truly despicable and all the plot elements conveniently intertwine to tie up neatly at the end. Sarah and Thomas make a memorable and endearing couple, finding romance in the midst of destruction and death. The other patients, who are the result of failed memory wipes, are both frightening and tragic as they sometimes aid Sarah and then try to kill her. With a plot that reads like a movie script, even reluctant readers will be sucked in. This is a great thriller." --VOYA