Erased by Jennifer Rush

So in book two of the Altered series by Jennifer Rush, we pick up pretty close to where book one left off. Anna is still on the run from The Branch with the boys and tension is at an all time high among everyone. Anna still is in lurve with Sam, Cas is still hot and fun, Nick is still angsty hot, and Trev is still a traitor and working for The Branch.

As the book goes on, we learn a LOT more about each of their pasts, especially Nick. I'll admit I was not on Nick's team at all in the first book. I thought his attitude was over the top and he needed to turn down several notches. After what happens with him in book two, and the friendship that he develops with Anna... I'm all about Nick now. Through his flash backs and some other things, you are able to figure out a lot about him and why he acts the way that he does. By the end, I was SO #teamNick and I wanted Anna to dump Sam and be with Nick instead (don't worry, this doesn't happen to my dismay so it's not a spoiler). Nick is just sooooooo hot with his tortured soul and wrong side of the tracks background. Don't get me wrong, Sam sounds handsome, but he just sounds so boring compared to Nick. What would be really awesome is if Maya Banks or some other scandy writer got ahold of these characters, if you know what I mean. #notweird

ANYWAY.. I didn't see some of the big twists coming and my jaw was left hanging open on THE FLOOR. We find out the truth about the night Anna's parents die, Anna's connection with The Branch, more about sister Dani, what's going on with Trev, and all kinds of crazy stuff. We get to meet tons of new characters who really do a good job of adding to the story.

I thought the ending was pretty perfect. All the loose ends are tied up (my favorite) and I really think it could have been the end of the series. I'm actually pretty confused about what is going to happen in book three that just came out a few weeks ago because literally everything is good and happy and fulfilled at the end of book two. I will say I liked this book a lot more than the first. Altered was good, but it wasn't my favorite. Erased is much better as far as pace, character development, ending, and just overall likability. I think this series is super underrated series, so I think if you are a fan of The Bourne Identity series, The Raven Boys series, and even Shatter Me then you will like the Altered series.

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5/5 stars

Altered by Jennifer Rush

Altered is definitely one of those books that I definitely judged by its cover. I mean, it has a hot dude on the front, but it looks completely cheesy. Even the synopsis on the back sounded cheese, so this was just never a book I planned on picking up. Angela included in our bookswap bag, so I decided that if she thought I would like it, I may as well give it a shot. I was actually pretty surprised at how much I enjoyed this book! Yes, it is a little cheese, but it is a fast, fun read.

Anna lives out in the country in a farmhouse with her dad who is a scientist for a government supported program called The Branch. In her basement there are four guys who are living in little rooms and being experimented on, basically. They all have amnesia and have no idea anything about their past lives or why they are there. Her dad runs tests on them and reports the results back to The Branch, but the why's are all top secret. Anna has know that the boys being there for five years, so she has developed a relationship with each one of them as the years have gone. Trev is the nerdy poetic type who is her best friend that she tells all her secrets to. Cas is the clown of the group but has the big bro/little sis relationship with Anna. Nick, well she doesn't have much of a relationship other than mutual dislike so they pretty much steer clear of each other unless absolutely necessary. Sam is the one she is in love with, and she spends as much time as she can talking with him and even sneaking down in the middle of the night to play games of chess with him. Everything is good as normal until the director and his possee show up at their doorstep one day, and the boys launch into escape mode with a plan they have been plotting for a long time. One second the boys are safely in their little rooms, the next all of them plus Anna are on the run from The Branch. The book follows their story as they are on the run and trying to figure out who they are and why The Branch has them.

Pictured right to left: Anna and Sam (Top)
Nick and Cas (Middle)

 Trev (Bottom)

What really surprised me the most about the book is a twist that comes closer to the end when things start falling into place about all of their backgrounds. I didn't see this twist coming, and I really liked what it added to the story. Nothing is what it seems and pretty much everyone has been living a lie. 

I definitely want to read book two to see what happens, since the first book got super intense right before it ended. I think I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fast paced action stories that also have a little bit of romance. Overall, I am really glad I gave this book a chance.

4/5 stars