Just as good as the first book was
I really enjoyed the first book in this series "Also known as" and even though I was a little worried when I saw that sequel was coming, I eagerly dived in. For the most part the book did not disappoint me. As blurb tells you a year passed since the events of the first book and basically Collective now gone corrupted and Maggie has to actively handle a case in order to try and restore her parents' reputations. Of course the events quickly going out of control and soon all of them have to run for their lives and try to restore whatever order was possible if any.
I really loved that going back to active spy duty so to speak means that Maggie has to do a juggling act of deciding how to keep secrets from her nearest and dearest and understanding that her nearest and dearest may not like her keeping secrets from them and what was more important for her to try to keep her loved ones safe or have a good relationships with them.
This was the main conflict which kind of showed up in her relationship with Maggie and Jesse and even with her parents.
The book kept me glued to the pages, I really liked the writing and I swallowed some pretty outrageous stuff happening and just went along with it. However at some point I wondered whether the book tried to do a little too much - I wondered whether her relationship with Roux and Jesse changed significantly under strain and then I decided that the main conflict of the book was for Maggie and no matter how much she has to deal with it, it is her journey and I decided I was satisfied enough with how she was with her best friend and boyfriend.
Not that I would have minded if the writer would go in more depth in the relationship department, but the book was also very action packed, so I understand the need to keep the balance even if sometimes the balance could suffer. I actually thought the development of Maggie's relationship with her parents was handled the best. Of course she still loves them a lot, but what seventeen year old would not go through a phase of asserting her independence and I thought it was very appropriate that this story dealt with it in the spying business territory.
I think I would not mind a third book at all.