I am a sucker for young adult espionage books and You Won’t Know I’m Gone does not disappoint. Great writing and was excited to get book 2 after the cliffhanger in the last book.

This is the second book in this fantastic series. The book starts after the amazing cliffhanger of the first book. It focuses on a young spy Reagan’s time at training camp. This fast-paced book and the amazing main character is why I would recommend this book to anyone

Ever since finishing You Don’t Know My Name, I’ve been dying to dive back into the world of the Black Angels. That ending!

I was grateful to pick up nearly right after the events of book one. Reagan wants revenge for the death of her mother. Basically the only way to get that—become a Black Angel herself. Following her training and missions was exciting in itself. It becomes a struggle between following the rules and doing what she believes is right.

Luke comes back into the picture, and at times, I couldn’t help but be annoyed with him. However, I was annoyed with Reagan and her actions/mentality too. I know part was grief, but I still think she could’ve used that to grow as a character. And I actually think that’s the course we are heading. Her anguish and mental health are a huge part of this book. And I’m hoping in book 3 we will get to see the true Reagan.

There’s just as much intrigue and mystery as in book one. The pacing is just as perfect as book one, also. I love the idea of revenge, especially at the hands of a bad ass female teenager.

Once again, the last 15-20% are action-packed and fantastic. I don’t want to reveal too much of the plot since it’s still ongoing from the first book. But Torres is still at large. Still taunting Reagan. And she has new friends (and Luke) who want to help her.

A great continuation to an already good story, I cannot wait to see what Kristen has in store for book three!

Luke is so frustratingly loyal and it always bites him in the ass. Raegan wonders whether or not she is selfish (she is), and Luke is unflinching in his devotion/friendship/love for her no matter the cost to himself. I honestly don't think she deserves even half of him. After what happened in Columbia, and once Luke saw how consumed she was with vengeance, he should have started doing more for himself. There was no going back, but he could have done things differently going forward. He could've been her friend and loved her from a distance.

I don't know what I would have done in Raegan's situation, but I can see how her thoughts and actions affected the people she cared about. She started to really lose herself in this book. She didn't know who she was, what she really wanted, or how to go forward. It was like she was stuck in a loop.

(spoiler) I don't think Torres is working alone. I think someone within the Black Angels is helping him and feeding him information. It's the only thing that explains how he knew so much about things before they happened. I also think that's why Raegan going rogue allowed her to literally catch him with his pants down. (end spoiler)

I really enjoyed the setting for this book. We also meet a few of the other trainees, which are mostly Legacies (children of Black Angel operatives), and I wish they had been expanded on a little more. They had childhoods very similar to Raegan, so I'm sure they had interesting stories to tell.

You Won't Know I'm Gone picks up right where the first book left off with the aftermath of the Colombia mission that resulted in the death of Reagan's mother at the hands of Santino Torres. Reagan's automatic entry into the training academy to become a Black Angel is revoked because her actions on the mission and instead she must attend the Qualifiers to prove she still has what it takes to be a Black Angel. Passing the Qualifiers is Reagan's only chance to track down and kill Torres in order to avenge her mother's death. Qualifiers become even more interesting when Luke is selected, causing Reagan to confront her feelings about him while battling with not only grief but also the hunger for revenge against Torres.

While you definitely get a closer look into the inner-workings of the Black Angels as Reagan and her friends make their way through the Qualifiers, Reagan's mental state and how she deals with the array of emotions that she experiences since witnessing her mother being killed is a huge part of this book. There are times when things get super emotional as Reagan feels it is her fault her mother is dead because of her actions. It also takes a bit of a dark turn as we read Reagan's ever-growing need to kill Torres and how once that is done things will be better. Reagan was such a strong character in the first book but the aftermath of Colombia has left her in pieces, struggling to stay some version of sane to those around her.

Luckily, Reagan has friends at her side to help her overcome the loss she has experienced and regain the strength she once had during Qualifiers. The introduction of Anusha and Cam were wonderful additions as they remained loyal and supportive to Reagan the entire time. They may have all been competing for spots to get into training academy but from the very beginning Anusha and Cam made it clear that they weren't there purely as competition. Anusha has such a fierce loyalty towards Reagan, standing up for her during the Qualifiers against other competitors and Cam is an adorable geek with some serious hacking skills that come in handy. On top of that, they are both characters of color which made me super happy to see some diversity being represented in this book.

Besides Anusha and Cam, there is another person that plays a very important role in Regan's life, even if she thought she would never see him again after Colombia. Ah, Luke. Luke. Luke. Luke. Reagan's relationship with Luke was one of my favorite parts of the first book so I was itching to see what would happen to them in this one. They are no longer in the comfort of their lives in New Albany. They have lived through a tragedy together and Reagan, in particular, now has a hard time focusing on her goal and need for revenge because Luke has come into her world of the Black Angels. There were some sweet moments between these two as well as some emotional and angsty ones. The ending left things up in the air on where their relationship stands so I am interested to see what happens next between them.

As this is the sequel, and I honestly believe you will enjoy this series much more going in as blind as you can, it is hard to talk about the plot without spoiling anything. Yes, Torres is still at large and lurking in the shadows but that is really all you need to to know. What I will tell you is, just like the first book, the last 50 pages of this book are full of action and left me once again on the edge of my seat. I honestly can't wait to see how the next book will continue with this story

If you read the first book and you enjoyed it, I highly recommend you continue on with the sequel. It has the same amount of intrigue and action as the first, leaving you wondering and waiting for the next book in the series.

I had been wanting to read the first book, You Don’t Know My Name, since I heard about it prior to release last year. So when I saw the announcement for this tour, I figured I’d try to participate so I could have “an excuse” to begin the series. This YA spy thriller series hasn’t gotten quite as much exposure as others, for some reason, so I admit I was blown away at just how good the first book was. You don’t usually get to feel so many emotions when reading a thriller, but boy, mine ran the gamut: from laughter to nail-biting anticipation to flat-out sobbing. Yes, that’s right, Ms. Orlando holds absolutely nothing back! I mean, the way the first book ended… I was bawling, I really was. You Don’t Know My Name was an easy book to rate for me, definitely a 5-star read. I couldn’t put it down, but it was much more than “just” a thriller, if that makes sense.

So, why did I rate You Won’t Know I’m Gone four stars instead of five? Well, the only reason is that it is - as is typical with the second in a trilogy - very much a bridge book. I mean, a lot happened and I still ran the gamut of emotions, but probably 90% of the book takes place in one site. It’s not a huge deal, it’s just not quite as exciting as the frenetic pace and site-hopping of book one. However, there’s still a lot of action and excitement, so never fear! I have to say, I really appreciated that Reagan actually suffered consequences for the things she does. As with the ability to kill off main characters, the author doesn’t hold back on having Reagan actually have to pay, one way or another, for her impetuosity. This is not one of those books where the MC breaks pretty much every rule there is yet always gets away with it and gets ahead! That doesn’t mean that Reagan follows all the rules in the second book, though, no sir! But the author really uses her actions as teaching moments, as part of growing up and pushing the boundaries. I applaud Ms. Orlando for giving Reagan a strong personality and having her pay for the consequences of her actions.

The thing that I connected with so much in this book, though, is Reagan’s struggle with grief. I don’t have any idea if the author has suffered through the loss of someone dear to her or not, but if she hasn’t, then she is an absolute master at making me believe she has. I could relate to everything that Reagan felt in the aftermath of her mother’s death. At the risk of getting too heavy in this review, I wanted to make sure that I convey to Ms. Orlando that her handling of this topic is truly masterful. I happened to be reading this book just prior to the 10th anniversary of my sister’s death, and it’s possible that the struggle Reagan goes through connected more closely because of that; maybe it won’t be quite so impactful for others. But it was authentic and raw and felt absolutely real to me. I lost my sister to domestic violence, so it was a similar kind of death as we saw with Reagan’s mother - violent, traumatic, and completely unexpected. And everything she talks about feeling was something that I have felt, both in the immediate aftermath of my sister’s death and in the 10 years since. Even though this is not an “issues” book or a heavy contemporary, the characters go through some real life sh*t and respond in ways that are true to my own experiences. Ms. Orlando skillfully handles what Reagan faces with honesty and truth. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel, and I can’t wait to read the third book! I feel so close to these characters now, and even though I don’t agree with everything Reagan does (not by a long shot!), I really respect the way Ms. Orlando has told the story. It’s thrilling and nail-biting, but also emotional and real. Brava!

Rating: 4 stars!

**Disclosure: I received an e-ARC of this book for purposes of taking part in this blog tour. This voluntary review reflects my honest reactions to the book.

You Won’t Know I’m Gone is the sequel to You Don’t Know My Name and the second book in the Black Angel Chronicles. I’m a HUGE fan of spy stories, so I was beyond excited for this addition to the Swoon Reads line. Beware, there are spoilers to the first book below.

You Won’t Know I’m Gone begins six months after the end of the first novel. Reagan is about to face a trial for her actions in Colombia (recap: she defied direct orders, brought Luke with her to Colombia, stole the back-up team’s transportation, tried to rescue her kidnapped parents, and witnessed her mother die) and has been living by herself in a safe house since the failed mission. Reagan is a shell of the girl she used to be. She hasn’t trained in months as she has been mourning her mother and feeling guilty and at fault for her death. However, Reagan needs to earn her spot back at the Academy and become an official Black Angel or she will never be able to face her mother’s killer and exact revenge.

Reagan has changed due to her mother’s death, and I loved seeing that portrayed in her character. Her sole focus is to get back to the shape she used to be in so she can make it back into the Academy. She works hard and improves greatly, but she’s still actively dealing with her tendencies to be a “rule breaker” and follow her gut before orders. When Luke shows up at training, Reagan is surprised but still not deterred from her end goal. She lashes out at him several times throughout the novel, which I appreciated seeing because she is hurting and everything is not perfect between the two. Even though they cannot be in a dating relationship while training, they still try to maintain their friendship. Luke literally tries so hard and sacrifices so much for Reagan, and it is the sweetest thing.

One highlight in the novel is the new minor characters that are added! I really liked how involved Cam and Anusha were in the story, especially since Harper (Reagan’s best friend) is no longer in the picture and wasn’t really around in the first book. This book is way more focused on the spy aspect and we gain more insight about CORE and the Black Angels. Almost a year passes by throughout the novel during all the training. The ending really speeds up with real missions appearing quickly.

Overall, You Won’t Know I’m Gone is a fantastic follow-up to You Don’t Know My Name. I really hope there is a third book because I have so many questions and look forward to reading more about Reagan’s story. I highly recommend this for fans of Ally Carter’s I’d Tell You I Love You But Then I’d Have to Kill You.

You Won’t Know I’m Gone, by Kristen Orlando, opens six months after the first book in this series ends. Reagan has now dedicated herself completely to becoming a Black Angel. She’s determined to seek revenge on Torres after he shot and killed her mother right in front of her. Reagan has to work extra hard to attend qualifying training because she’s lost weight and practice since her mother has been gone. During qualifying, Reagan realizes many things about herself as she matures and can actually be her true self, since she doesn’t have to keep her identity hidden. For the first time in her life she’s not keeping secrets from her friends, at least the friends she has in training. Reagan struggles with her all-out focus on revenge for her mother’s death. She sees how it’s hurting the people she cares about and possibly her chances of becoming a Black Angel, but she can’t seem to help curb her desire for revenge. Action-packed, adventurous and worth 5 stars!

The story starts off from where it was left. After the unfortunate ending of the first book, Reagan is no longer holding the ticket for a direct entry to the Black Angels and is now in line with 23 other aspirants in the run for the admission to the elite training academy. Along the ride, and as a consequence of the past events, Reagan is no longer the person she used to be. Shattered in a million pieces, her mind is clouded with only and only revenge for the serial killer, Torres. [Being the super awesome person I am, oh and modest too, I'm even avoiding spoilers for the first book in the series. You're welcome!]

The plot is driven by the previous set up so it won't be something I would go in detail, but I would certainly praise the plotting that was more vivid than the first one. The story, though still focusing on Reagan as an individual, isn't confined to only her teenage conflicts but also adds the thrill and action I was missing in You Don't Know Me. Majority of the story takes place in the training area and includes practical drills to train and test the wannabe Black Angels. This resulted in a number of sitting-by-the-edge-in-anticipation moments when I felt something's going to go probably wrong.

Speaking of the thriller aspect, I think the pacing and writing was equally responsible for the great delivery. Not even once, in the span of almost 300 pages, did I feel uninterested—and that says a lot since fast-pacing is almost always my issue with most stories. The descriptive writing that felt frustratingly repetitive to me in the first book, was a bliss this time around; everything was laid out in a clean but detailed manner that drew me in. The way Reagan feels, torn and grieved, is beautifully sad to read with frequent self-accusations and angry retorts she would fire. The second book isn't all unicorns—far from it—and the writing perfectly blends with the cold aura that's set up.

The characters were something that didn't excite me much in the first part, but again, the sequel won my heart in this respect too. Everyone that's featured in the length of the novel plays a role, directly or indirectly, linked to Reagan and leaves their mark discreetly. Anusha (brownie points for an Indian name, yay!) and Cam take their own spotlights for the Black Angel aspirants they were. While they have their own stories, they support Reagan through her tough times when she's low in all ways. They're those humanized characters who don't worry about the competition and instead bother about genuine friendships, and I love them for that.

This time, though, I won't just give an honorable mention to Luke because he was a well-developed love interest that doesn't just kiss Reagan (though I loved the teeny tiny bit of kissing they did) or flaunt his dimples all the time. He makes sacrifices, uses his mind, listens to his heart, tries to convince Reagan about what's right or wrong, and even when she doesn't listen to him, he stands beside her for all the support he can give. Now, this right here is a book-boyfriend I'll be gushing about from now on. His relationship with Reagan is another thing that made me so happy, because they're evidently not in a relationship, but a label—or the absence of it—doesn't stop one from helping the other. However, a few times, Reagan was a bit annoying with the way she refused to try understanding Luke or hear his perspective. I discern her sorrow but come on, is it bad to expect a tad bit more from a story (and character) you otherwise loved?

The thrill, aye! Toward the end, there wasn't even a single second wasted or one that didn't anchor the building climax. Things were unfolding quickly, giving me the furrowed eyebrows. There were villainous dialogues—the lack of which I was appreciating in the first book—but surprisingly, they were a pleasure here. While they do add a tinge of drama, I wasn't flipping it off because there was an equal chance of a good and a bad wrap-up, and this intrigued me all the more. Speaking of the ending, can I have book 3 already? The way this one is suddenly, though satisfyingly, ended I don't know what to expect from the next one because my expectations would be high if I had them.

Overall, I loved this one for the amazing sequel it was to a fine first installment, and would recommend this series to all those looking for a good conflict-driven YA thriller that would play with your emotions, leaving you wanting more.

I have been dying for You Won’t Know I’m Gone since the massive cliffhanger at the end of You Don’t Know My Name. Since I am a sucker for anything spies/secret agents related, I adore this series. This book is action-packed, and the main character is so courageous. I can safely say that this sequel measures up to the first book, which is a pretty rare occurrence.

This book immediately follows You Don’t Know My Name and follows Reagan’s days at training camp. After the events of the first book, she no longer has the right to an automatic entry into the Black Angels, so she must prove herself like a regular trainee. There is nonstop action as Reagan works to become the agent she once was and uncovers a sinister plot against her and the other Black Angels. I love the concept of this series and how we get to learn more about the Black Angels in this instalment. As a sequel, You Won’t Know I’m Gone is incredible, and I daresay I enjoyed it even more than the first.

Reagan’s character is as spunky as always, and I enjoyed her strong desire to defend her friends and family. What I love about Reagan is that she is not the perfect agent and has her flaws. Because of her family history, there are such high expectations for her, and while she is great at certain skills, there are some she doesn’t excel in. This book really focuses on Reagan’s development, and it is refreshing to see her figure her life out and make some new friends.

You Won’t Know I’m Gone is the thrilling sequel to You Don’t Know My Name. I loved the fast paced plot and the badass main character. I would definitely recommend this series, especially to fans of the thriller genre.

"The pretender was my shield, my security blanket. Without her, I'm just Reagan Hillis. And I have no idea who the hell that girl is."

You Won't Know I'm Gone starts off a few months after the first book You Don't Know My Name ended.

Reagan goes through a lot during this book (dealing with grief, having a target on her back, being alone most of the time, and feeling like she's to blame for what happened) all tough stuff and she has to deal with this stuff without her dad or Sam to really help her out. All she has is the new friends she makes during training (Anusha and Cam) and a few people that we saw from the first book.

Reagan is set on revenge and that's what not only helped her make her decision to become a Black Angel but how she gets through the tough training and basically becomes kind of robotic at times so she doesn't have to feel.

"I must get stronger, better, faster. Because average, even among the very best, might as well be dead last."

Of course, there are also a few mean girls who have it set to make sure that Reagan won't make it through the training without a fight. But with her new friends, Reagan gets back into the shape she used to be in before everything happened and is able to help out the other students at times as well.

"I know I've changed. I know I've hardened. But I don't know how else to be. I don't know how to go back."

Overall I loved this book just as much as the first one. A majority of the characters in this book are all dealing with what happened in the first one along with Reagan. They don't have her level of guilt or loneliness for the most part but they understand what she's feeling. But they also know if she wants to be an Angel she's going to have to toughen up and put all that behind her.

Oh how I wish Reagan had learned certain things from what happened in the first book, but it's part of what makes me like her so much. She goes with her instincts instead of always doing what she's supposed to and while it gets her in trouble, it also has some good qualities with it that help out her team.

That ending though... Wow. I don't know how she's going to be able to make a comeback from this one, she might have just put herself into a situation worse than the first one and she has more people to be responsible for as well.

"What have you done, Reagan? What will you do?"

I need to know what happens next! We're getting more books right? Please more books in this series!

This is the second book in The Black Angel Chronicles. I did not read the first one before diving into this one, and although I was able to fall into the world and characters fairly well, I would not recommend reading these out of order. Much of what happens as well of the relationships builds on the first book, and I wished the entire way through that I had hit that one first.

The story reminded me a little bit of Nakita—in a broad sense. It definitely held tons of edge-of-the-seat fight scenes and kept the tension high the whole way through.

After breaking the rules and perhaps being one of the causes of her mother's death, Reagan not only has to fight her depression but has lost her automatic advancement into the Black Angels. Luckily, she's given a second chance and must now prove her worth in the Training Academy. She might have been an elite, but mourning the death of her mother for several months has not only scarred her psychologically but has left her physically below the rest of the trainees. Only a few will be chosen, and she has to be among this group if she ever wants to take revenge on the person who really caused her mother's death.

Reagan is a wonderful character, full of determination and rough edges. She has to overcome as may inner battles as ones in the Training Academy. Her attitude is harsh at times, but if fits the situation very well and makes her believable. Those around her don't have quite the same amount of depth, but the help the plot keep a quick pace, although this book mainly concentrates on Reagan simply getting through the training year.

The action scenes mostly take place in the academy as she fights to regain her earlier strength and respect. I would have loved to see more than this, but it fits the series flow well. Although the real villain stays an arm's length away, his general presence keeps up the tension the whole way through. The ending happened much too fast and would have greatly benefited from a few more chapters. So, it felt sudden and that, with a cliff-hanger too.

It's a great spy read with lots of thrills and action, and promises to hold much more excitement in the upcoming book.

Reagan is a shell of the girl she use to be, letting herself waste away with despair after the death of her mom during a mission that Reagan was involved in. Reagan as well as some of the other Black Angels blame her for her mother's death, and it has cost Reagan her coveted place on the special OPs team. But revenge motivates Reagan now, and that means that she needs to work hard and get herself a spot with the Black Angels, no matter how difficult it seems. But some things you can never move on from...

Side note- this is the second in a continuous series and can't be read as a standalone!
This is a very interesting book and super important to the direction of the plot as well as character development of Reagan's personality and decisions, but I found this to be a hard read. Most of the book deals with the depression, loneliness and determination Reagan feels, at times an internal debate of who and what she has become, full of darkness that was so palpable at times. I devoured Black Angel Chronicles book 1, You Don't Know My Name, within hours, completely caught up in the mission, action and excitement of Reagan's life. But I found myself needing to take a break at times while reading this part of Reagan's journey, I became so wrapped up in her grief that I just needed to stop. That being said, I found this story to be incredibly important to the overall mission Reagan is on and Kristen's writing made the characters come to life. Without a doubt, I am completely certain that I know and understand Reagan- and while I don't agree with all her choices, I know why she does what she does.

Reagan is a very strong person, much stronger than she gives herself credit for. Instead of calling it quits and taking the easy exit she was given to an easy life, she pushes herself to once again become the weapon that her parents trained her to be. To be honest, the girl is a motivated machine. She worked so hard to be deserving of a position, so much more than anyone gave her credit for and I rooted her on every step of the way. I wanted her to be more than she thought she could be, to take her rightful place with the Black Angels. The cast of side characters she acquired was such a positive influence on her attitude and strength, making her part of an effective team and an emotional safe place.

Well that was a shocking, stressful ride and I have no idea what will come next! This chapter of the story ended with no resolution just more heartache, making it a hard read but ever so important. I can guarantee at least one more book in the series (maybe more!) and I will be waiting as patiently as possible (which is so hard for someone with no patience!) until I can read more. This series is perfect for those looking for an action packed, spy-esque teen adventure.

I received this title for reviewing purposes.

You Won't Know I'm Gone starts off right after book one ends.  Reagan is in trouble for going rogue and now has to try out to become a Black Angel.  She is no longer guaranteed entry.  The majority of the book takes place at her training camp where she makes some new friends.  Luke also ends up there after Reagan gave up hope of ever seeing him again.  But he became a target to Torres, so he decided to try out and see if the Black Angels would be a good fit for him.  He also wanted to be with Reagan.



Reagan is out of shape and angry about everything that happened.  Losing her mom made her sad, but it mostly made her want revenge.  She is determined to kill Torres, even if it means going rogue again.



Reagan's new friends, Cam & Anusha end up helping Reagan try to keep an eye on what is happening with Torres.  Especially when she finds out that he wants her and is targeting anyone around her.  



The pacing was just as good as book one.  Reagan's attitude was annoying at times, but everyone grieves differently.  I was hoping she would grow more as a person and stop thinking about herself first all the time.  But maybe in book three?



I gave this one 4 stars.  It wasn't without it faults, but it was a fun, fast paced read.



I received a copy from netgalley (wish for it) for review.