Goodreads Blurb:
“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.”
Review:
I literally had one problem with this book – it was just like all the other post-apocalyptic/dystopian worlds out there. It had remarkable similarities and was based on basically the same idea as the Shatter Me trilogy (the whole energy/powers thing). It was like the author just tweaked it a bit and called it good. Otherwise, everything was amazing!
Yes it wasn’t an original idea but it did have excellent execution. It wasn’t cheesy or boring or anything else. It was exciting and definitely a non-boring read.
SPOILERS – highlight to see – I’m pretty proud of myself that I never trusted Clancy. It just seemed to coincidental and the similarities between the two camps was uncanny. I absolutely loved that element of the story. It added to the whole idea that you can’t really trust anyone anymore.
Overall, the author did an excellent job of world-building. You know what the problem is, what different groups are involved, and how the scenery plays into all the scenes.
I also loved the reality of Ruby’s attitude as well as the idea of White Noise. I felt like the White Noise really enforced the idea to the readers that these people are cruel but also terribly afraid of the unknown. It’s a real human reaction which made this all the more real.
The Final Verdict:
A wonderfully written book that was actually quite close to reality and had amazing world-building. However, it did remind me of several other post-apocalyptic/dystopian worlds mainly the Shatter Me trilogy.
4 stars
Quotes:
“Did you know…you make me so happy that sometimes I actually forget to breath? I’ll be looking at you, and my chest will get so tight…and it’s like, the only thought in my head is how much I want to reach over and kiss you.”
“He’s so busy looking inside people to find the good that he misses the knife they’re holding in their hand.”
“Never, never, never. I am never going to forget you.”
“It feels like we should do something,” he said. “Like, send her off on a barge out to sea and set her on fire. Let her go out in a blaze of glory.”
Chubs raised an eyebrow. “It’s a minivan, not a Viking.”
“That was not like riding a bike, you asshole!”
“Don’t be scared. Don’t let them see.”
“They were never scared of the kids who might die, or the empty spaces they would leave behind. They were afraid of us-the ones who lived.”
“…crackers…” a voice breathed out nehind us, “yesss…”
Both of us turned, watching as Chubs twisted around in his seat and settled back down, still fast asleep.
I pressed a hand over my mouth to keep from laughing. Liam rolled his eyes, smiling.
“He dreams about food,” he said. “A lot.”
“Because, my weird has been able to cancel out your weird, Lady Cross-Stitch.”
“The Darkest Minds tend to hide behind the most unlikely faces.”
I also loved the reality of Ruby’s attitude as well as the idea of White Noise. I felt like the White Noise really enforced the idea to the readers that these people are cruel but also terribly afraid of the unknown. It’s a real human reaction which made this all the more real.
The Final Verdict:
A wonderfully written book that was actually quite close to reality and had amazing world-building. However, it did remind me of several other post-apocalyptic/dystopian worlds mainly the Shatter Me trilogy.
4 stars
Quotes:
“Did you know…you make me so happy that sometimes I actually forget to breath? I’ll be looking at you, and my chest will get so tight…and it’s like, the only thought in my head is how much I want to reach over and kiss you.”
“He’s so busy looking inside people to find the good that he misses the knife they’re holding in their hand.”
“Never, never, never. I am never going to forget you.”
“It feels like we should do something,” he said. “Like, send her off on a barge out to sea and set her on fire. Let her go out in a blaze of glory.”
Chubs raised an eyebrow. “It’s a minivan, not a Viking.”
“That was not like riding a bike, you asshole!”
“Don’t be scared. Don’t let them see.”
“They were never scared of the kids who might die, or the empty spaces they would leave behind. They were afraid of us-the ones who lived.”
“…crackers…” a voice breathed out nehind us, “yesss…”
Both of us turned, watching as Chubs twisted around in his seat and settled back down, still fast asleep.
I pressed a hand over my mouth to keep from laughing. Liam rolled his eyes, smiling.
“He dreams about food,” he said. “A lot.”
“Because, my weird has been able to cancel out your weird, Lady Cross-Stitch.”
“The Darkest Minds tend to hide behind the most unlikely faces.”
Blue Eye Books 