Review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken.

Title – The Darkest Minds
Series – The Darkest Minds #1
Author – Alexandra Bracken
How I Got It – From the publishers
Pages – 576 pages
Publication Date – April 23rd 2018 by HarperCollins
ISBN – 9781460755594
My Rating – ★★★/5

On Ruby’s tenth birthday, she woke up changed. Something happened that made her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that got her sent to a brutal government “rehabilitation camp” called Thurmond. Ruby may have survived this mysterious disease that killed most of America’s children but the survivors have abilities they can’t control.

Ruby is now sixteen and one of the dangerous ones. When the truth about Ruby’s abilities comes out, she barely gets out of Thurmond alive. While on the run, she joins some other kids – Zu, Chubs and Liam – as they travel to find the last safe haven for kids with abilities. They’ll need to outrun the people tracking them. But before Ruby has a chance to live a life she’s only dreamed of, she’ll be faced with a horrible choice.

I received a copy of The Darkest Minds from HarperCollins New Zealand to review. This is the third book I’ve read by Alexandra Bracken. 

I’ve seen The Darkest Minds trilogy a lot online and I’ve been meaning to read it for a while. And I really wanted to pick it up before the movie comes out.

I want to say that this book started out kind of slow for me. I did end up liking the story but it took me a while to get into. I’m hoping the next two books will have more action or hook me faster.

I thought the story was really interesting and I’m hoping that there will be an explanation about the abilities – like why most kids don’t live past their tenth birthday and where they even came from. I also have some questions about Chubbs but won’t put them here because spoilers. I have so many questions.

I really liked Ruby, Zu and Liam. Chubbs took a while for me to like but I did by the end of the book. He was kind of annoying in the beginning. I could not stand Clancy.

I thought it was obvious what was happening between Ruby and Clancy right from the start and the longer it dragged on with out Ruby figuring it out the more she frustrated me. I was so glad when it eventually came out.

What Ruby did at the end of the book was kind of unfair but I can see why she did it. I’m looking forward to reading the next book, Never Fade, soon. I really want to know what’s next for Ruby.

*Thank you HarperCollins New Zealand for sending me a copy to review*

– Aimee.