Title: Never Fade
Series: The Darkest Minds #2
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Publish date: October 15th 2013 by Disney-Hyperion
Source: ARC from BEA
Buy it from: Amazon
Goodreads summary:
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:
I cannot.
I– Okay. Okay. Deep breaths, friends.
I finished Never Fade weeks ago. And it’s been hard trying to properly document the feelings that I have for it. I could probably leave you with keyboard smash here (asdlksufchhcfawgfug) and you’d have a pretty good idea of what the book did to me.
It’s particularly hard because Never Fade takes so many twists and turns. I would never want to spoil anyone because I want you to FEEL ALL THE FEELS the way that I did, and if I TELL you what’s coming, I don’t think it will be REAL for you the way that it was for me.
And friends, it was real to me. Alexandra Bracken is spectacularly talented and, time and time again, it was like she reached into my chest to check the tuning on my heartstrings. I texted many texts full of caps lock to my friend Steph, and inadvertently coined the phrase “emotiobs.”
The characters that we meet in Never Fade, both old and new, never feel less than 110% authentic. And they’re AMAZING. It’s so great to see characters that seem like they’re truly growing or changing. Obviously this goes for our main character, Ruby, but it’s true of many of the other characters as well.
AND THE WORLD. We have to talk about it again, because lordy be it is the ~darkest. In The Darkest Minds (aka book 1), we saw it from one side… which was as dark as hell. But now, in Never Fade, we see another angle of Alexandra Bracken’s world and it’s twisty and messed up and it was TRULY fascinating to have the world expanded in this book.
Bottom line here, folks: if you haven’t already read The Darkest Minds, you should get on that so you get GET PUMPED for Never Fade with me. It deserves eleventy bajillion stars.
Need a second opinion?
None of my Goodreads friends have their OFFICIAL reviews up yet, but they had this to say:
Lindsey from A Storm of Words: 5 stars. “Let’s not discuss this right now because I’ll probably start screaming at you.”
Stephanie from Poetry to Prose: 5 stars. “Rest assured that this is an amazing sequel to The Darkest Minds and that Alexandra Bracken will make you cry. Again.”
Christine from Poland Bananas Books: 5 stars. “Couldn’t put it down! Suspenseful action packed and full of wonderfully lovable characters.”
