Friday, January 18, 2013

The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds #1) by Alexandra Bracken




Book Summery (Via Goodreads): When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had 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.

Book Review:
There are some stories that stick in your head. The Darkest Minds is one of those stories. I polished this off a few days ago and woke up today thinking about it. Bracken takes the reader on journey through the eyes of Ruby. Ruby has an ability that is both amazing, yet terrifying. Descriptions of the "youth camps" set my teeth on edge. They reminded me of the concentration camps from world war II. The journey that Ruby takes is a daunting one. There are twists, and turns, and obstacles aplenty. Living in a world where you could never be sure of who to trust is downright terrifying. Some of the people that Ruby meet along the way are decent, kind, and compassionate; while others are deceptive, lying, and just plain horrible people. The ending just left me unsettled. I am happy to discover that this is the first book in a series. I'm curious as to what will happen next. I found pacing to be an issue. There were times that I tore through the pages, and others took a lot of effort to get through. Despite some of the minor issues I had, I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series.

Favorite Quote:
"Liam reached over and put the parking break on. 'You did a good job,' he began. his voice was quieter than I expected. 

Unfortunately, it did nothing to calm the pissed off snake that was coiled tight around my stomach. I reached over and puchned him in the arm. Hard.

'Ow!' he cried, pulling away from me with wide eyes. 'What was that for?' 

'That was not like riding a bike you asshole!'"

Cover Art Commentary:
I really like this cover. However, I am nervous that the subsequent covers in the series will get changed, as covers that don't feature characters do. I really hope they stick with the original theme!

Rating:

6 comments:

  1. I loved this book and your right it does stick with you...including the ending :)

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    1. This book haunted my thoughts and dreams for several days after I finished it.

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  2. Lol! I loved that quote as well. It was so funny! I enjoyed The Darkest Minds too, though maybe not quite as much as you. Still, I'm excited for the sequel!

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    1. This book had highs and lows, for sure. It was darker than I anticipated.

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  3. I need to finish this. Not sure why but I didn't feel as compelled by it as I was with Alexandra's first book, so I had to take a break. I am glad that you liked it though ;)

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    1. It's a dark book. You definitely have to be in the right mindset.

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