Review: Never Fade (The Darkest Minds #2) by Alexandra Bracken

Never Fade

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Series: The Darkest Minds

Pages: 452

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Amazon

Release date: 15^th October 2013

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster. 

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her. 

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?

Review: 4 out of 5 stars

You can read the first chapter here.

The Darkest Minds ended on a brutal cliff-hanger so I have been more than enthusiastic to read Never Fade by author Alexandra Bracken and right from the onset we are thrust into the dark dystopian world.

Ruby is now a member of the Children’s league, a group of kids with special abilities where she is entrusted with risky tasks to bring down a corrupt government by invading the minds of her enemies.

I admit I didn’t like Ruby in the first book, she came across as woe is me weak but her character was certainly kicked up a notch in this book and I found myself liking her but also feeling sorry for what she has been through, one minute she was kick-butt awesome and the next moment my heart would break at her vulnerability, she has progressed drastically and I really found myself liking her courage.

Ruby is on a mission to locate a missing hard-drive which is now in the hands of the boy she once loved but no longer remembers her - Liam Stewart. There are so many twists and turns in this book my mind is still reeling, it is emotionally intense! We get to learn more about the PSI powers and mind control as well as corrupt government agencies, secrets and missions, there was never a dull moment.

The secondary characters were great with the exception of a few who garnered a lot of suspicion, I adored Jude, Chubs and Vida; her potty mouth had me giggling. We also get to meet a whole new slew of characters who were each likeable but I did at times find it difficult keeping up with who was who with such a large cast. My heart broke for Liam who is still pretty swoony but he remains outspoken and obstinate; the characters all play a pivotal role and each of them has shown strength and determination; you can’t help but like each of them.

The world is dark and gritty and shows the desperation and fears; you are pulled back into the well-crafted story with a plot that continues to strengthen and characters that have changed drastically since the first book which I appreciated. Alexandra Bracken’s writing is engaging and addictive, I was riveted throughout despite feeling the pacing lagged throughout the middle and then we are thrust into full throttle towards the end, the pacing would be my only gripe.

Overall, I enjoyed Never Fade as much as The Darkest Minds but I do still have a number of unanswered questions which I hope will be solved in the next book.

Thank-you kindly to Disney Hyperion for the opportunity to read and review Never Fade.

 

About the author: 

Alexandra Bracken wrote Brightly Woven as a birthday present for a friend, and the story grew and flourished during a year of unpredictable, wild weather. A native of Arizona, she is a recent graduate of the College of William and Mary, where she majored in History and English. She now lives in New York City.

ARC Review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

 

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Series: -

Pages: 488

Genre: YA – Dystopian

Publisher: Harper Collins Australia

Amazon Pre-order: The Darkest Minds

Release Date: 1^st January 2013

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

When Ruby wakes up on her tenth birthday, something about her has changed. Something alarming enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that gets her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government "rehabilitation camp." She might have survived the mysterious disease that's killed most of America's children, but she and the others have emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they cannot control.
Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones.
When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. Now she's on the run, desperate to find the one safe haven left for kids like her--East River. She joins a group of kids who escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can't risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents.
When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at a life worth living.

REVIEW: 3 ½ out of 5 stars

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Harper Collins Australia.

When Ruby turned ten, she came into powers beyond control. With a simple touch, she was able to wipe someone’s memories or alter their thinking, this came at the same time children were dying for unknown reasons but anyone who exhibited the ‘special’ abilities were shipped off to government run rehabilitation camps.

Ruby ended up in a strict facility known as Thurmond but was assisted in an escape by an anti-government group after six years of being held but she didn’t know if what she was getting into was any better or worse than the camp so she escaped their hold and immediately meets up with others who have abilities of their own – Liam, Chubs and Suzume.

We are taken on a whirlwind journey as the group try to evade the bad guys and fight for their survival and freedom but they never seemed to catch a break and I honestly couldn’t see a way out for them; I sympathized with each of the characters.

The concept of this book intrigued me; the government feared these children rather than embraced or used them, they removed them from their families and either killed those with powers they believed were beyond control and segregated the others – their lack of knowledge blinded those in power to what they could have used as a tool.

To be honest, when I first started this book I couldn’t get into it, Ruby as a main character wasn’t likeable to me at all, her hypocrisy and lies didn’t endear me to her and the pacing was oh so slow! Each time I checked the progress on my kindle the bar had barely moved, it just seemed to drag on for me. But once things started happening and the action began, it certainly picked up and became more interesting.

I did enjoy the secondary characters and liked each of their interactions; they were complex and had interesting back stories, it made their actions all the more believable. 

The story Ms Bracken has written is compelling, her writing mesmerizing and the setting was vivid in detail; I also liked the flashback scenes which gave us a better understanding of the way things were.

All in all, despite the few issues I mentioned above, The Darkest Minds was an engrossing read and after the ending we are left with I am certainly eager to read the next book.