Book Review: Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

Title: Never Fade Series: The Darkest Minds Book #2 Author: Alexandra Bracken (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis:  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?

This is the second book in the Darkest Minds trilogy and after that book I was left emotionally scarred and in a desperate need of reading this book to find out what happened. This review may contain spoilers for this book and that one (I tried so hard to make it spoiler free). While this is a wonderful book and thoroughly entertaining I didn't quite enjoy it as much as The Darkest Minds.

The best thing about this series is the characters. I'm a huge fan of Ruby. In the first book she was a reluctant hero who is terrified about using her powers but in this book she is using them all the time and is becoming a huge badass because of it. In this book it's more of Ruby learning the consequences of her powers. She's terrified that the more she takes over people's brains the more she will lose herself. We also get to meet some fantastic new characters at the Children's League. My two favorites are Jude and Vida. Jude is the most adorable and naive character. He's a lot like Zu, even going so far as being a yellow. But my favorite new character is Vida. She is very Johanna Mason. She's snarky, tough, and abrasive but she has a good heart and is totally Team Ruby. We also get to spend more time with some other favorite characters from the previous books. For a lot of the beginning of the book I was more curious about what happened to Chubs and Liam and we get to find out in Never Fade. 

I also loved the continued exploration of the good versus evil that this series does so well. As I already said there is the personal idea if whether we are good and evil and whether power corrupts. Ruby has so many examples of how power can turn a person into a coldhearted selfish jerk but in this book we get see more people who use their power to help people, you know they use it for good insead of evil. But that being said, there are so many villainous people and organizations in this book that it's hard to say who is the real villain of this story is. We get to spend more time with the odious Children's League in this book and it confuses things even more. There's also some further exploration of the two shady government entities operating in the United States and President Gray. Nothing and nobody in this book is purely good or evil.

As far as the plot there is just as much action and surprising twists in this book it's a very different kind of story. I was much more anxious and nervous in this book despite the fact that it is not as much of an escaping for your life kind of adventure. There are those elements but what Never Fade does is explore more of the world and the disease that is affecting these children.  Because we get to explore more of the disease my confusion and lack of clarity on the powers (particularly greens) is gone. There is more than one crazy twist at the end of the book that really turns everything that you think about IAAN and Psi powers on their head. 

But despite the fact that there was so much good about this book I didn't enjoy it as much as The Darkest Minds. It wasn't quite so emotional. In the first book Alexandra Bracken ripped my heart and left me emotionally damaged. Maybe it was because I was hardened by the previous book or maybe it was just not as sad. Of course I cried, I'm not a monster, but it was a different kind of sadness. Everything about this book was slightly different and less excitingly unique. I think that I finally understand what people mean when they complain about second book syndrome. Things took a different turn and I'm not sure how I feel about where the series is going. I cannot wait to see where this will end in the final book of the series. I'm both excited and nervous to see how it will all end. I fear that we will get an Allegiant type ending, but only time will tell.

BOOK 3 HAS A NAME! DID YOU KNOW? 

Check out these two videos from BookTuber Christine aka polandbananaBOOKS where she reveals the cover and chats about the third book.

Title Reveal

Book Chat about Book 3

I give Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken an 8.5 out of 10

Have you read Never Fade? What are your thoughts? Leave me a comment. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!