Never Fade (The Darkest Minds #2)

[SarahKat, Buddy Reads]

This thread is to discuss Never Fade, the second book in the The Darkest Minds Series by Alexandra Bracken.


Pages: 507 pages


Length: 1 Month (August)


Participants: Eirelyn, Michelle


Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!


Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.


Happy Buddy Reading!

[Eirelyn]

Thanks, SarahKat! :D

[Michelle]

Thank you! Can't believe we're on to the third book already ;).

[Eirelyn]

I am about to finish another book, and I'll be starting this one next! Maybe later today or tomorrow. :D

[Michelle]

Yay! I started this already, am on chapter eight (about 30% in) And so far it's not that great in my opinion. (view spoiler)[ I miss Liam and the other kids that fought together. I feel like Ruby is working all by herself against the system now. I don't really like that, I like the team effort. (hide spoiler)]

[Michelle]

I'm at chapter 19 now.

(view spoiler)[
I like how the team is back together, with add-ons. We're just missing Zhu. I'm curious what happened with her and what Ruby will do to make sure everyone stays safe. I was so happy when she took over the mind of this horrible person in charge. (hide spoiler)]

[Eirelyn]

Well, I thought my hold was coming through, but it hasn't yet. So as soon as it does, I'll start. XD

[Michelle]

hehe, no problem! I just finished this book. I'm going to sleep now, but will try to write some thoughts on it tomorrow!

[Michelle]

So,

(view spoiler)[
I did get into the book more towards the end when some of the group was together again. I just love how they work together opposed to Ruby just being on her own trying to be the hero. I was surprised by how she suddenly got her abilities under control with the fight at 'slip kid'. I felt it was a bit predictable, as was the end. Or at least much more than the first book. I'm said someone had to die, but I'm glad it's not one of the characters from the first book. I'm curious if they'll ever fine Zhu again, since she was mentioned in the books sometimes. I'm also curious if Cate got away and what is going to happen with the flash drive. Cole and Liam really don't seem to get along well, but I like both. so I'm curious how that will play out as well.
(hide spoiler)]

[Eirelyn]

I finally started today! XD I've only finished Ch. 1 so far, but (view spoiler)[it's so different than the 1st book! It's all action-action-action at the start & very military-esque. (hide spoiler)] I'm not sure how I feel about it yet.

[Michelle]

I know the struggle ;)

[Eirelyn]

I'm in Ch. 5 now, and I like that (view spoiler)[Liam's brother, Cole, is involved. I think it's a bit more interesting now that Ruby has a sort-of confidante & a link to the outside world & one of her friends. (hide spoiler)]

Also, I think it has gotten more intriguing now that Ruby & a couple of the others know for sure that (view spoiler)[a lot of the people involved in the Children's League are actually baddies. Maybe now they will start making a plan to do something about this. But...it does feel a little bit like the beginning of book 1 all over again, with Ruby in Thurmond & then trying to escape. (hide spoiler)]

I'm already ready for the group to be (view spoiler)[back together! (hide spoiler)] lol

[Michelle]

I agree with you that [spoiler] it does feel a bit like the beginning of book one. However, I felt like it was mysterious then and now I personally sometimes felt a bit bored by it. The bad people come into play a lot in this book, so keep tuned for that! I also was very ready for the group to be back together. This was also what I mentioned in my first book comment :) [/spoiler]

[Eirelyn]

I just finished Ch. 8, and Ruby has just found (view spoiler)[Chubs again. :D I'm glad at least part of the old crew is back together! It was feeling a little...lonesome at the start. I did start to like it better once Ruby & Jude took off from their mission & hit the road together. I felt like the book started to pick up at that point. So, now, hopefully, things will continue to get better. (hide spoiler)]

[Michelle]

I do think the book gets better with time. I didn't really like the beginning, but started to like it more towards the end :).

[Eirelyn]

Oh, good! :D I was a little worried when you originally said it wasn't that great. But I am just now passing that part, so I'm glad to know it should be getting better from here on. :D

[Eirelyn]

EDIT: Nevermind. Looks like we're on for books 3 & 4. It's all been sorted now! haha

Hey, Michelle. I know we discussed continuing/confirming for book 3 in last month's thread, but it looks like it still needs to be confirmed in the Buddy Reads thread. Are you still good for reading book 3 next month? And if so, would you mind confirming that in the Buddy Reads thread before the cutoff on the 25th? :D

[Michelle]

Glad that's sorted! I do really want to continue book 3 :)

[Eirelyn]

I just finished! I'll have to gather my thoughts & post some more about it later. XD But at the moment, I'm just so (view spoiler)[sad that Jude is dead! I just keep hoping that, since Clancy made it after all that... and that Liam & Chubs didn't find Jude's body, that maybe he'll end up being alive too. :( (hide spoiler)]

[Michelle]

I had to gather my thoughts after finishing too. Take your time :). I'll hope with you, but I don't think so.

[Eirelyn]

All right, I wrote my review. :D

(view spoiler)[This book felt scattered to me. I wasn't a fan of all of the mains being separated for a big portion of this novel. And a lot of the time, Ruby seemed like a completely different character than she was in the 1st book.

This one started out very military-esque, going on their missions & such, and it kind of had that feeling throughout the rest of the novel as well, despite Ruby getting away from the League facility. The scenes kind of jumped from place to place, with a thin plot line (basically just getting the flash drive back from Liam), before they ended up right back where they started -- the League facility.

I always expected to see Clancy again, so that was no surprise when he turned up. But I was really disappointed that Jude got killed! (Or supposedly killed anyway. If Clancy survived all that, maybe Jude did too. I can hope anyway. Because I was really upset about losing him after everything they'd been through!)

Overall, this book was entertaining enough. It kept me wanting to know more, but it felt like it strayed significantly from the 1st book. It didn't have that full-fledged "transition novel" feel, which is good, but it did seem a bit disjointed and like the plot line was a bit scattered most of the time. I am glad the group is (mostly) back together now, though, and I hope it stays that way for the remainder of the series. (hide spoiler)]

[Eirelyn]

And yeah, I agree with you. I don't really think it'll happen, but... I hope so. :(