City of Fandoms: [R] Never Fade, by: Alexandra Bracken

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

★★★★★

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?

Well, well, well… after a week trying to finish this book, I’m finally done. It was such an amazing journey, new badass characters, attitude, powers and every single thing I love in a book, except there was not too many romance, but oh well. Still, I love the book and I cannot compare it to any other. If The Darkest Minds was a pretty awesome book, this one was much better.

“And I think no one can ever really know another person unless you really pay attention.”

After the tarrying ending of The Darkest Minds, we begin Never Fade with Ruby’s new life being part of the Children’s League. We don’t know anything about Liam in the first chapters, but we are introduce to new characters: Vida, Jude, Nico and some others that appears just a few times like Cole, Rob and Alban. No one here knows her secrets neither from where she comes or anything, just Cate and it’s just a few things.

“I don’t want to see someone’s face; I want to know his shadow, too.”

Sweet Jude. One thing I didn’t like about this book is that the author creates such a sweet and lovely character out of Jude and she just kill it. I mean, why give it so many importance if you will just kill him? He was something alike, nothing alike, kind of Zu’s counterpart. A yellow boy, scared of death, sometimes shy, but whenever he is need there he is with the water up his head. At the end when Ruby couldn’t find him, I freaked out and I was serious. Then when Liam comes and says that he found the compass and his dead body… I lost it.

“Sometimes you’re the one speeding along in panic, doing too much, not paying attention, wrecking things you don’t mean to. And sometimes life just happens to you, and you can’t dodge it. It crashes into you because it wants to see what you’re made of.”

Wise words, Grams. We have never known this character and I love her, I hope to Ruby find her grandma and be united. Anyway, what you’re made of, Ruby? Are you the tough orange girl that no one can break her curtains or the girl who almost lost it after Liam told you he loved you no matter his memories? We know the answer of that question is both, but not quite at the same time. First, we see Ruby very tough and careless about others. She just want one thing: help escape all those kids from camps and erase the camps too. But then, Jude and Vida begin to tangle in her and Ruby breaks a little. After finding Chubs, her mission changed to find and protect Liam. When they finally found him, he is almost death, which Ruby lost sight of everything. Her mind was saving Liam. Which was good for me.

Okay. Chapters later, Liam is fine, but he doesn’t really remember at all. He knows some things, remember the dream between them and… yeah, after one day he remembers everything thanks to Ruby. That scene was the most heartbreaking and awww<3 I have never read.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” he breathed out. “I feel like…I feel like I’m losing my mind, like your face has been carved into my heart, and I don’t remember when, and I don’t understand why, but the scar is there, and I can’t get it to heal. It won’t go. I can’t make it fade. And you won’t even look at me.”

These lines were so covered in feels… GOD! I wish I could insert my hand in the book and strangle her like “why you did this to him?” Ruby has brain damage or something, because damn girl! And about Liam telling her that the scar won’t heal and can’t make it fade… DUDE! It can’t fade, it can’t NEVER FADE. See what the author did there? Applause for Alexandra Bracken.

“Life isn’t fair,” I said. “It’s taken me awhile to get that. It’s always going to disappoint you in some way or another. You’ll make plans, and it’ll push you in another direction. You will love people, and they’ll be taken away no matter how hard you fight to keep them. You’ll try for something and won’t get it. You don’t have to find meaning in it; you don’t have to try to change things. You just have to accept the things that are out of your hands and try to take care of yourself. That’s your job.”

Okay… Okay, Ruby. Are you explaining this to Jude or to yourself? Because it seems that you are describing your life as you know it. Ruby, things would be better if you trust Liam and love him all. I know it sounds cursi, but hello! What would had happened if you didn’t erase Liam’s memories? Maybe your life would have been much better! You stupid kid.

About everything overall… I’m lost about all the Clancy, his mom and the president thing. Because there is a CURE. A CURE! Hell, thinking about it… I would love to keep my abilities, but that would make me Clancy. If everyone is cured, then the whole IAAN thing will be gone and life can be like before. I don’t know how this will end, for real. I LOVE THE BOOK!