Fractured

Gr 7 Up—This middle book in the trilogy does not stand alone. The action picks up where Slated (Penguin, 2013) ended as Kayla learns more about the world she's been dropped into tabula rasa, and the role she is slated to play in the revolution. She wants to find out what happened to her boyfriend after he removed his nervous system-governing wristband-this is supposed to cause instant death but Kayla isn't so sure. There's also the appearance of a charismatic substitute teacher who holds information about her past and truths about her adoptive mother. This installment is consistent with the first book, using clear, direct prose, sustained action, and interesting twists. Kayla is not the most engaging of heroines (understandably, since the novel's main gimmick is that her entire memory and personality have been erased), but the dystopian government is a worthy villain (though its ideologies are not fleshed out). There are some interesting descriptions of dissociative identity disorder and the ways in which it can be used as a strategy, and the ending keeps readers on the hook for the final volume.—Kyle Lukoff, Corlears School, New York City