"Never Fade" by Alexandra Bracken (G1)

Oh My God

Never Fade

By Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds series, Book 2

# Pgs: 512

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Overview:

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?

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Review:

Oh my God.

I think that's pretty much all I'm capable of saying at the moment.

I just finished reading book two in Alexandra Bracken's The Darkest Minds series, and wow.

There was this little caution that crossed my path warning me that since the first book in the series was so good, the second book was going to be crap. I was worried that Bracken wouldn't be able to hold a candle to it, but boy did she hold a candle. More than a candle--a giant ball of raging lightning fire that pretty much just blew up my mind--if that makes any sense.

Let me get down to what was particularly so good about it. The whole series is an original idea. Sure, there have been telekinesis books before, mind reading stories, books about kids that could control the natural element, and yes--there have been books that basically had all that. The whole originality aspect of it came from the way she wrote it, the plot line and the characters. There's nothing magical about it; it's completely scientific and political in the way these "powers" come to be. There's a developed history in this world, a depth to it, each character has their own personality, and Bracken has a gift of drawing the reader in to this world. It's a struggle for survival for the reader as well as the characters.

Never Fade kept my curiosity reeling and my concentration singularly addicted to reading the pages, to living the story. You like action? There's action. Plenty of action. In fact, it was like "Bam, here's some action for you! Didn't have enough? Bam! There's some more!" And when you think that it's going to be all smooth sailing from here, you get hit with a barrage of even more mind blowing action. Of course there's romance and tragedy; the pacing set just right for these factions of the novel to keep me constantly on my toes and guessing.

To be honest, I'm completely flabbergasted by some authors' ability to get the reader completely hooked to a series; not every author can do it. It's amazing and terrible at the same time because I know that at some point I'm going to be bawling my eyes out that the series is over. This is a fine example of two of my problems with a book series; it's been only five minutes, and I'm already dreading the day this series will end. It's been only five minutes, and I'm already impatient for more.

Gah! When's the next book coming out?!

I need to read more!