Scan barcode
keyka's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
hawkrose18's review
5.0
Overall series rating: 4.83/5 stars
The Darkest Minds 4.9/5 stars
I watched the movie opening night and if you want to read my review of that you can read it here: my link text
I'm going to talk about the characters now.
We have four main characters, two important side characters and then a few other characters thrown in there.
The Black Betty Crew:
Ruby Daly is our main character. The story is told from her point of view. I really love Ruby, I can see a little bit of myself in her with how she will do whatever she can to protect her friends and the ones that she loves. Ruby is an orange and has been disguising herself as a green for six years and when she finally gets out of that camp that shes been kept in, she ends up running into the rest of the Black Betty crew--Liam, Zu and Chubs. I really love Ruby, she is definitely one of my favorite heroines.
Liam Stewart is a sweet southern boy that I wish was real because I want one. Liam is just precious and so nice and caring. There is a line in the book about Liam that say: "He's so busy looking inside people to find the good that he misses the knife they are holding in their hand." He is the love interest and he is just so amazing and I really really want one. He calls Ruby, "darlin'" and is just so sweet and amazing and can I please have a Liam, someone please find me a Liam.
Chubs is not chubby like the name suggests. He is a sarcastic and lovable character that I need to be my best friend. He is super smart and he is kind of the sane one in the Black Betty Crew that is a little like a Momma Bear that tries to make sure that they don't get themselves killed. He is the voice of reason that will say when an idea is super crazy.His friendship with Ruby is something I live for and the scene at East River where they we holding onto each other under the dock when the camp gets attacked as well as when they are finding out the code to find East River is just something I adore.
Zu is just so sweet and adorable and young. She is terrified of her powers and she is mute and she is just precious. She's bee through a lot and just adorable. She is so strong and I love her.I love when Ruby and Zu have that bonding moment in that Walmart and she gets her pink gloves.
Important Side Characters:
Cate is actually a good person which I found surprising. I liked Cate, I did. there were things that made me question things about her, but I did overall enjoy her character.
Clancy Gray is a horrible person. He is just terrible. He is an orange, like Ruby, but he is like the oranges that give oranges a bad reputation.We find out that Clancy is the Slip Kid that runs East River. He turns out to be really evil--like really evil, and he kind of assaults Ruby. He is just a very bad person.
Other Characters:
There is Rob who is horrible/ Hina who is Zu's cousin and is pretty cool from what we get to see of her. Olivia, who is pretty cool and she plays an important role in the later books. Jack who is actually alive in the book, but still important to the story. Lady Jane who is British and a skip tracer (think bounty hunter) and has been after the Black Betty Crew for years. I think that's all. Sam who we didn't get to see much of, but was still important to the story.
Favorite Scenes:
There were so many scenes that I loved. There are probably more that I can't remember off the top of my head.
-Zu and Ruby's bonding shopping experience at Walmart
-Ruby figuring out the EDO code for the location of East River and telling Chubs and their whole bonding scene.
-When Liam and Chubs are discussing ditching Black Betty and Ruby wakes up and overhears and thinks they are talking about her, but they aren't and just yes.
-When they are at the hotel and Liam is giving Ruby a pair of socks.
-When Liam is comforting Zu after a nightmare.
-The scene at the campfire at East River where they are eating and Liam moves to sit right behind Ruby and the tree.
-When Liam and Ruby are sing "Wouldn't it be Nice" by The Beach Boys
-The Story of Us scene at the end of the book. It made me cry it's so sad and so lovely.
-When Ruby and Chubs are holding each other under the dock after East River is attacked.
Some favorite quotes:
-"Let's carpe the hell out of this diem."
-"The Darkest Minds tend to hide behind the most unlikely faces."
-"We'll just have to try and make better mistakes tomorrow."
-"He's so busy looking inside of people to find the good that he misses the knife they're holding in their hand."
-"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."
-"Oh, I'm sorry," Chubs said, 'apparently the middle of my sentence interrupted the beginning of yours. Do continue."
-"When a girl cries, few things are more worthless than a boy."
-"Never, never, never. I am never going to forget you."
-"Cause, frankly, the way I see it, you and me? Inevitable."
-“Ruby, give me one reason why we can’t be together, and I’ll give you a hundred why we can. We can go anywhere you want. I’m not your parents. I’m not going to abandon you or send you away, not ever.”
-“That was not like riding a bike, you asshole!”
-“If there was one good thing that came out of all this, it was that I got to meet you. I would go through it all again - I would, as long as it meant I'd met you.”
-“This is a place we don't have to lie.”
-"In any case, it quickly became clear that I needed him in my life more than he needed me."
Never Fade 4.8/5 stars
Main Characters:
Ruby was so closed off with the Children's League, but she let Jude grow on her and became super protective and cared for him so much. I wished she made different decisions that what she did, but at the same time, I didn't mind.
Jude is a precious person. I loved him, so much and he's too good for the world. He was always talking because he couldn't stand the silence nor the dark.When he died, my heart cried and when Ruby was talking about it it just made my heart cry even more. and just ahh, I might start crying if I don't stop.
Vida is amazing, I love her so much. She is so sarcastic and kind of rude, but she is just great and I love her. Her banter with Chubs is what I love for.
Chubs has a special place in my heart. He had to do things that he wasn't proud ofbecome a Skip Tracer because he has to protect and find his friends and when he was reunited with Ruby, I was so happy because she wasn't sure if he lived. I was shipping him with Vida the entire time.
Liam we didn't get to see much of until about the middle or so of the book, but what we did see made me happy and broke my heart.It turns out that even though Ruby erased his memories of her, he still remembered her and his feelings about her and just ahh.
Other kind of important characters:
Cole is great, I love him. I prefer his brother, but I love him still.And he's a red? Yes please. He's too old to be Psi, but he is still Psi, and I'm here for this.
Clancy is still a terrible, terrible person.
Other Characters Nico is too precious and deserved better. Cate is still cool. Rob is a horrible person that deserved what he got. Knox was horrible. Olivia came back and she was great.
Favorite Scenes:
There are definitely more that I can't remember.
-When Liam and Ruby are in the convenience story and Liam says 'I love you' and she brings back his memory of her.
-When Ruby and Chubs reunite at Liam's old house.
-When Jude tells Ruby about his past and his fear of the dark.
-Chubs and Vida's bickering
Favorite Quotes:
-“I feel like I'm losing my damn 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.”
-“Oh, I'm sorry," Chubs said, 'apparently the middle of my sentence interrupted the beginning of yours. Do continue.”
-“Ghosts don't haunt people--their memories do.”
-“I think I'm losing it—I don't know what's happening, what happened, but I look at you, I look at you, and I love you so much. Not because of anything you've said, or done, or anything at all. I look at you, and I just love you, and it terrifies me. It terrifies me what I would do for you.”
-"And people like you are the reason we have middle fingers."
-"Give 'em hell, darlin'"
-“Sometimes you're the one speeding along in a 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.”
-“I don't want to just see someone's face; I want to know his shadow, too."
-“I look at you, and I just love you, and it terrifies me.”
-“The only thing worse than being without you would have been watching them break you day after day, until you weren’t yourself anymore.”
In The Afterlight 4.85/5 stars
Main Characters
Ruby is still a favorite heroine of mine and I love her so much. She grew so much and has ben through so much and I feel for her.
Liam is my number one book boyfriend. I want one so bad and he has ruined my expectations. And he can ride a motorcycle too, just ugh. I wish people listened to him more often. He's not stupid guys.
Chubs is still the voice of reason for the group and he is just so great.
Cole is such a strong person and he deserved better.He didn't deserve to die.
Vida I still love her, she is one of my all time favorites now.I'm so happy that she ended up with Chubs. I wanted it to happen since the beginning.
Zu is still as lovable as she was in the first book.SHE SPOKE and I'm crying I love it so much. SHE SPOKE!
Clancy is a monster and deserved what he got.
Important Side Characters
Nico didn't deserve what he had to go through. I'm so glad that Ruby forgave him in the end.
Dr. Gray is not a great person, but not terrible like her son either.
Alice was important to the story and essential to exposing the truth.
Senator Cruz is pretty cool. Not cure what else to really say.
Favorite Scenes:
-When Liam and Ruby stumbled upon Vida and Chubs in the kitchen.
-When Zu spoke.
-When Liam and Ruby made up.
-When Liam got Ruby out of Thurmond.
-When Ruby and Nico bonded and she forgave him.
-When Zu and Vida are dying Vida's hair.
-When they find Zu again.
-The end. Just the entire last chapter.
-Ruby and Vida bonding.
Favorite Quotes:
-"Black is the color that has no color at all."
-“The thing is...what they don’t tell you about forgiveness is this—you don’t give it for the other person’s sake, but your own.”
-“What I’m trying to get at is, as bad as everything seems, I think, at its heart, life is good. It doesn’t throw anything at us that it knows we can’t handle—and, even if it takes its time, it turns everything right side up again.”
-“I love you. With my whole heart. My whole life, however long I'm lucky enough to get, nothing will change for me.”
-“Darlin', if it were a choice between you and a hundred of Gray's finest, I'd pick you every time.”
-“You gotta stand up and walk, Gem...You have to walk out of here. Not just for them, but for yourself. Come on. You have to walk out of here on your own two feet.”
-“This whole time, from the moment we met, he’d been waiting for me to realize he’d known me all along, and he had never once wanted me to change.”
This book series will probably always hod a special place in my heart and I really hope that I can come back and reread it eventually. This book series is officially one of my favorites and has so many of my new favorite characters. Thank you, Alex, for this amazing story.
I think that's it, I think I'm done. That was really long, I'm sorry.
The Darkest Minds 4.9/5 stars
The Darkest Minds was my favorite in the series. I'm not sure if that is really a surprise since the first book is typically the best--not always, but occasionally, and in this case, yes. I adore the characters--Ruby, Liam, Chubs, and Zu--they are just amazing. I'll get to more about them in a little bit. Alexandra Bracken's writing is just phenomenal and this series has become a new favorite of mine, if not my all time favorite. I just loved the idea of the story: adults are terrified of a whole generation of kids? It's just fascinating. This first book had so many sweet moments that just moved me and made my heart cry happy tears. There were also sad moments that made my heart hurt and almost made me cry.
I watched the movie opening night and if you want to read my review of that you can read it here: my link text
I'm going to talk about the characters now.
We have four main characters, two important side characters and then a few other characters thrown in there.
The Black Betty Crew:
Ruby Daly is our main character. The story is told from her point of view. I really love Ruby, I can see a little bit of myself in her with how she will do whatever she can to protect her friends and the ones that she loves. Ruby is an orange and has been disguising herself as a green for six years and when she finally gets out of that camp that shes been kept in, she ends up running into the rest of the Black Betty crew--Liam, Zu and Chubs. I really love Ruby, she is definitely one of my favorite heroines.
Liam Stewart is a sweet southern boy that I wish was real because I want one. Liam is just precious and so nice and caring. There is a line in the book about Liam that say: "He's so busy looking inside people to find the good that he misses the knife they are holding in their hand." He is the love interest and he is just so amazing and I really really want one. He calls Ruby, "darlin'" and is just so sweet and amazing and can I please have a Liam, someone please find me a Liam.
Chubs is not chubby like the name suggests. He is a sarcastic and lovable character that I need to be my best friend. He is super smart and he is kind of the sane one in the Black Betty Crew that is a little like a Momma Bear that tries to make sure that they don't get themselves killed. He is the voice of reason that will say when an idea is super crazy.
Zu is just so sweet and adorable and young. She is terrified of her powers and she is mute and she is just precious. She's bee through a lot and just adorable. She is so strong and I love her.
Important Side Characters:
Cate is actually a good person which I found surprising. I liked Cate, I did. there were things that made me question things about her, but I did overall enjoy her character.
Clancy Gray is a horrible person. He is just terrible. He is an orange, like Ruby, but he is like the oranges that give oranges a bad reputation.
Other Characters:
There is Rob who is horrible/ Hina
Favorite Scenes:
There were so many scenes that I loved. There are probably more that I can't remember off the top of my head.
-Ruby figuring out the EDO code for the location of East River and telling Chubs and their whole bonding scene.
-When Liam and Chubs are discussing ditching Black Betty and Ruby wakes up and overhears and thinks they are talking about her, but they aren't and just yes.
-When they are at the hotel and Liam is giving Ruby a pair of socks.
-When Liam is comforting Zu after a nightmare.
-The scene at the campfire at East River where they are eating and Liam moves to sit right behind Ruby and the tree.
-When Liam and Ruby are sing "Wouldn't it be Nice" by The Beach Boys
-The Story of Us scene at the end of the book. It made me cry it's so sad and so lovely.
-When Ruby and Chubs are holding each other under the dock after East River is attacked.
Some favorite quotes:
-"The Darkest Minds tend to hide behind the most unlikely faces."
-"We'll just have to try and make better mistakes tomorrow."
-"He's so busy looking inside of people to find the good that he misses the knife they're holding in their hand."
-"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."
-"Oh, I'm sorry," Chubs said, 'apparently the middle of my sentence interrupted the beginning of yours. Do continue."
-"When a girl cries, few things are more worthless than a boy."
-"Never, never, never. I am never going to forget you."
-"Cause, frankly, the way I see it, you and me? Inevitable."
-“Ruby, give me one reason why we can’t be together, and I’ll give you a hundred why we can. We can go anywhere you want. I’m not your parents. I’m not going to abandon you or send you away, not ever.”
-“That was not like riding a bike, you asshole!”
-“If there was one good thing that came out of all this, it was that I got to meet you. I would go through it all again - I would, as long as it meant I'd met you.”
-“This is a place we don't have to lie.”
-"In any case, it quickly became clear that I needed him in my life more than he needed me."
Never Fade 4.8/5 stars
Never Fade was emotional. I mean so many sad, but beautiful things happened in this book. I mean Ruby finds Cole--Liam's older brother that looks almost exactly like Liam. And then she goes on a mission to find Liam with Jude, who is a super sweet kid that is part of her group in the Children's League and they are later joined by Vida who is super badass and amazing. They end up running into Chubs and then they all work together to find Liam. Characters grew and things happened and I loved it.
Main Characters:
Ruby was so closed off with the Children's League, but she let Jude grow on her and became super protective and cared for him so much. I wished she made different decisions that what she did, but at the same time, I didn't mind.
Jude is a precious person. I loved him, so much and he's too good for the world. He was always talking because he couldn't stand the silence nor the dark.
Vida is amazing, I love her so much. She is so sarcastic and kind of rude, but she is just great and I love her. Her banter with Chubs is what I love for.
Chubs has a special place in my heart. He had to do things that he wasn't proud of
Liam we didn't get to see much of until about the middle or so of the book, but what we did see made me happy and broke my heart.
Other kind of important characters:
Cole is great, I love him. I prefer his brother, but I love him still.
Clancy is still a terrible, terrible person.
Other Characters Nico is too precious and deserved better. Cate is still cool. Rob is a horrible person that deserved what he got. Knox was horrible. Olivia came back and she was great.
Favorite Scenes:
There are definitely more that I can't remember.
-When Ruby and Chubs reunite at Liam's old house.
-When Jude tells Ruby about his past and his fear of the dark.
-Chubs and Vida's bickering
Favorite Quotes:
-“Oh, I'm sorry," Chubs said, 'apparently the middle of my sentence interrupted the beginning of yours. Do continue.”
-“Ghosts don't haunt people--their memories do.”
-“I think I'm losing it—I don't know what's happening, what happened, but I look at you, I look at you, and I love you so much. Not because of anything you've said, or done, or anything at all. I look at you, and I just love you, and it terrifies me. It terrifies me what I would do for you.”
-"And people like you are the reason we have middle fingers."
-"Give 'em hell, darlin'"
-“Sometimes you're the one speeding along in a 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.”
-“I don't want to just see someone's face; I want to know his shadow, too."
-“I look at you, and I just love you, and it terrifies me.”
-“The only thing worse than being without you would have been watching them break you day after day, until you weren’t yourself anymore.”
In The Afterlight 4.85/5 stars
In the Afterlight was an breathtakingly stunning finale to a phenomenal trilogy that I will reread some day. It was so beautiful and I just loved it so much. It broke my heart every time Liam and Ruby fought and just it ripped my heart how of my chest and I'm just so glad that they ended up together. I find it amazing as to how much can happen in only 533 pages. Just, this book was amazing, and I have no idea what else to say except that I really wish I had more.
Main Characters
Ruby is still a favorite heroine of mine and I love her so much. She grew so much and has ben through so much and I feel for her.
Liam is my number one book boyfriend. I want one so bad and he has ruined my expectations. And he can ride a motorcycle too, just ugh. I wish people listened to him more often. He's not stupid guys.
Chubs is still the voice of reason for the group and he is just so great.
Cole is such a strong person and he deserved better.
Vida I still love her, she is one of my all time favorites now.
Zu is still as lovable as she was in the first book.
Clancy is a monster and deserved what he got.
Important Side Characters
Nico didn't deserve what he had to go through. I'm so glad that Ruby forgave him in the end.
Dr. Gray is not a great person, but not terrible like her son either.
Alice was important to the story and essential to exposing the truth.
Senator Cruz is pretty cool. Not cure what else to really say.
Favorite Scenes:
-When Zu spoke.
-When Liam and Ruby made up.
-When Liam got Ruby out of Thurmond.
-When Ruby and Nico bonded and she forgave him.
-When Zu and Vida are dying Vida's hair.
-When they find Zu again.
-The end. Just the entire last chapter.
-Ruby and Vida bonding.
Favorite Quotes:
-“The thing is...what they don’t tell you about forgiveness is this—you don’t give it for the other person’s sake, but your own.”
-“What I’m trying to get at is, as bad as everything seems, I think, at its heart, life is good. It doesn’t throw anything at us that it knows we can’t handle—and, even if it takes its time, it turns everything right side up again.”
-“I love you. With my whole heart. My whole life, however long I'm lucky enough to get, nothing will change for me.”
-“Darlin', if it were a choice between you and a hundred of Gray's finest, I'd pick you every time.”
-“You gotta stand up and walk, Gem...You have to walk out of here. Not just for them, but for yourself. Come on. You have to walk out of here on your own two feet.”
-“This whole time, from the moment we met, he’d been waiting for me to realize he’d known me all along, and he had never once wanted me to change.”
This book series will probably always hod a special place in my heart and I really hope that I can come back and reread it eventually. This book series is officially one of my favorites and has so many of my new favorite characters. Thank you, Alex, for this amazing story.
I think that's it, I think I'm done. That was really long, I'm sorry.
hawkrose13's review
5.0
Overall series rating: 4.83/5 stars
The Darkest Minds 4.9/5 stars
I watched the movie opening night and if you want to read my review of that you can read it here: my link text
I'm going to talk about the characters now.
We have four main characters, two important side characters and then a few other characters thrown in there.
The Black Betty Crew:
Ruby Daly is our main character. The story is told from her point of view. I really love Ruby, I can see a little bit of myself in her with how she will do whatever she can to protect her friends and the ones that she loves. Ruby is an orange and has been disguising herself as a green for six years and when she finally gets out of that camp that shes been kept in, she ends up running into the rest of the Black Betty crew--Liam, Zu and Chubs. I really love Ruby, she is definitely one of my favorite heroines.
Liam Stewart is a sweet southern boy that I wish was real because I want one. Liam is just precious and so nice and caring. There is a line in the book about Liam that say: "He's so busy looking inside people to find the good that he misses the knife they are holding in their hand." He is the love interest and he is just so amazing and I really really want one. He calls Ruby, "darlin'" and is just so sweet and amazing and can I please have a Liam, someone please find me a Liam.
Chubs is not chubby like the name suggests. He is a sarcastic and lovable character that I need to be my best friend. He is super smart and he is kind of the sane one in the Black Betty Crew that is a little like a Momma Bear that tries to make sure that they don't get themselves killed. He is the voice of reason that will say when an idea is super crazy.His friendship with Ruby is something I live for and the scene at East River where they we holding onto each other under the dock when the camp gets attacked as well as when they are finding out the code to find East River is just something I adore.
Zu is just so sweet and adorable and young. She is terrified of her powers and she is mute and she is just precious. She's bee through a lot and just adorable. She is so strong and I love her.I love when Ruby and Zu have that bonding moment in that Walmart and she gets her pink gloves.
Important Side Characters:
Cate is actually a good person which I found surprising. I liked Cate, I did. there were things that made me question things about her, but I did overall enjoy her character.
Clancy Gray is a horrible person. He is just terrible. He is an orange, like Ruby, but he is like the oranges that give oranges a bad reputation.We find out that Clancy is the Slip Kid that runs East River. He turns out to be really evil--like really evil, and he kind of assaults Ruby. He is just a very bad person.
Other Characters:
There is Rob who is horrible/ Hina who is Zu's cousin and is pretty cool from what we get to see of her. Olivia, who is pretty cool and she plays an important role in the later books. Jack who is actually alive in the book, but still important to the story. Lady Jane who is British and a skip tracer (think bounty hunter) and has been after the Black Betty Crew for years. I think that's all. Sam who we didn't get to see much of, but was still important to the story.
Favorite Scenes:
There were so many scenes that I loved. There are probably more that I can't remember off the top of my head.
-Zu and Ruby's bonding shopping experience at Walmart
-Ruby figuring out the EDO code for the location of East River and telling Chubs and their whole bonding scene.
-When Liam and Chubs are discussing ditching Black Betty and Ruby wakes up and overhears and thinks they are talking about her, but they aren't and just yes.
-When they are at the hotel and Liam is giving Ruby a pair of socks.
-When Liam is comforting Zu after a nightmare.
-The scene at the campfire at East River where they are eating and Liam moves to sit right behind Ruby and the tree.
-When Liam and Ruby are sing "Wouldn't it be Nice" by The Beach Boys
-The Story of Us scene at the end of the book. It made me cry it's so sad and so lovely.
-When Ruby and Chubs are holding each other under the dock after East River is attacked.
Some favorite quotes:
-"Let's carpe the hell out of this diem."
-"The Darkest Minds tend to hide behind the most unlikely faces."
-"We'll just have to try and make better mistakes tomorrow."
-"He's so busy looking inside of people to find the good that he misses the knife they're holding in their hand."
-"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."
-"Oh, I'm sorry," Chubs said, 'apparently the middle of my sentence interrupted the beginning of yours. Do continue."
-"When a girl cries, few things are more worthless than a boy."
-"Never, never, never. I am never going to forget you."
-"Cause, frankly, the way I see it, you and me? Inevitable."
-“Ruby, give me one reason why we can’t be together, and I’ll give you a hundred why we can. We can go anywhere you want. I’m not your parents. I’m not going to abandon you or send you away, not ever.”
-“That was not like riding a bike, you asshole!”
-“If there was one good thing that came out of all this, it was that I got to meet you. I would go through it all again - I would, as long as it meant I'd met you.”
-“This is a place we don't have to lie.”
-"In any case, it quickly became clear that I needed him in my life more than he needed me."
Never Fade 4.8/5 stars
Main Characters:
Ruby was so closed off with the Children's League, but she let Jude grow on her and became super protective and cared for him so much. I wished she made different decisions that what she did, but at the same time, I didn't mind.
Jude is a precious person. I loved him, so much and he's too good for the world. He was always talking because he couldn't stand the silence nor the dark.When he died, my heart cried and when Ruby was talking about it it just made my heart cry even more. and just ahh, I might start crying if I don't stop.
Vida is amazing, I love her so much. She is so sarcastic and kind of rude, but she is just great and I love her. Her banter with Chubs is what I love for.
Chubs has a special place in my heart. He had to do things that he wasn't proud ofbecome a Skip Tracer because he has to protect and find his friends and when he was reunited with Ruby, I was so happy because she wasn't sure if he lived. I was shipping him with Vida the entire time.
Liam we didn't get to see much of until about the middle or so of the book, but what we did see made me happy and broke my heart.It turns out that even though Ruby erased his memories of her, he still remembered her and his feelings about her and just ahh.
Other kind of important characters:
Cole is great, I love him. I prefer his brother, but I love him still.And he's a red? Yes please. He's too old to be Psi, but he is still Psi, and I'm here for this.
Clancy is still a terrible, terrible person.
Other Characters Nico is too precious and deserved better. Cate is still cool. Rob is a horrible person that deserved what he got. Knox was horrible. Olivia came back and she was great.
Favorite Scenes:
There are definitely more that I can't remember.
-When Liam and Ruby are in the convenience story and Liam says 'I love you' and she brings back his memory of her.
-When Ruby and Chubs reunite at Liam's old house.
-When Jude tells Ruby about his past and his fear of the dark.
-Chubs and Vida's bickering
Favorite Quotes:
-“I feel like I'm losing my damn 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.”
-“Oh, I'm sorry," Chubs said, 'apparently the middle of my sentence interrupted the beginning of yours. Do continue.”
-“Ghosts don't haunt people--their memories do.”
-“I think I'm losing it—I don't know what's happening, what happened, but I look at you, I look at you, and I love you so much. Not because of anything you've said, or done, or anything at all. I look at you, and I just love you, and it terrifies me. It terrifies me what I would do for you.”
-"And people like you are the reason we have middle fingers."
-"Give 'em hell, darlin'"
-“Sometimes you're the one speeding along in a 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.”
-“I don't want to just see someone's face; I want to know his shadow, too."
-“I look at you, and I just love you, and it terrifies me.”
-“The only thing worse than being without you would have been watching them break you day after day, until you weren’t yourself anymore.”
In The Afterlight 4.85/5 stars
Main Characters
Ruby is still a favorite heroine of mine and I love her so much. She grew so much and has ben through so much and I feel for her.
Liam is my number one book boyfriend. I want one so bad and he has ruined my expectations. And he can ride a motorcycle too, just ugh. I wish people listened to him more often. He's not stupid guys.
Chubs is still the voice of reason for the group and he is just so great.
Cole is such a strong person and he deserved better.He didn't deserve to die.
Vida I still love her, she is one of my all time favorites now.I'm so happy that she ended up with Chubs. I wanted it to happen since the beginning.
Zu is still as lovable as she was in the first book.SHE SPOKE and I'm crying I love it so much. SHE SPOKE!
Clancy is a monster and deserved what he got.
Important Side Characters
Nico didn't deserve what he had to go through. I'm so glad that Ruby forgave him in the end.
Dr. Gray is not a great person, but not terrible like her son either.
Alice was important to the story and essential to exposing the truth.
Senator Cruz is pretty cool. Not cure what else to really say.
Favorite Scenes:
-When Liam and Ruby stumbled upon Vida and Chubs in the kitchen.
-When Zu spoke.
-When Liam and Ruby made up.
-When Liam got Ruby out of Thurmond.
-When Ruby and Nico bonded and she forgave him.
-When Zu and Vida are dying Vida's hair.
-When they find Zu again.
-The end. Just the entire last chapter.
-Ruby and Vida bonding.
Favorite Quotes:
-"Black is the color that has no color at all."
-“The thing is...what they don’t tell you about forgiveness is this—you don’t give it for the other person’s sake, but your own.”
-“What I’m trying to get at is, as bad as everything seems, I think, at its heart, life is good. It doesn’t throw anything at us that it knows we can’t handle—and, even if it takes its time, it turns everything right side up again.”
-“I love you. With my whole heart. My whole life, however long I'm lucky enough to get, nothing will change for me.”
-“Darlin', if it were a choice between you and a hundred of Gray's finest, I'd pick you every time.”
-“You gotta stand up and walk, Gem...You have to walk out of here. Not just for them, but for yourself. Come on. You have to walk out of here on your own two feet.”
-“This whole time, from the moment we met, he’d been waiting for me to realize he’d known me all along, and he had never once wanted me to change.”
This book series will probably always hod a special place in my heart and I really hope that I can come back and reread it eventually. This book series is officially one of my favorites and has so many of my new favorite characters. Thank you, Alex, for this amazing story.
I think that's it, I think I'm done. That was really long, I'm sorry.
The Darkest Minds 4.9/5 stars
The Darkest Minds was my favorite in the series. I'm not sure if that is really a surprise since the first book is typically the best--not always, but occasionally, and in this case, yes. I adore the characters--Ruby, Liam, Chubs, and Zu--they are just amazing. I'll get to more about them in a little bit. Alexandra Bracken's writing is just phenomenal and this series has become a new favorite of mine, if not my all time favorite. I just loved the idea of the story: adults are terrified of a whole generation of kids? It's just fascinating. This first book had so many sweet moments that just moved me and made my heart cry happy tears. There were also sad moments that made my heart hurt and almost made me cry.
I watched the movie opening night and if you want to read my review of that you can read it here: my link text
I'm going to talk about the characters now.
We have four main characters, two important side characters and then a few other characters thrown in there.
The Black Betty Crew:
Ruby Daly is our main character. The story is told from her point of view. I really love Ruby, I can see a little bit of myself in her with how she will do whatever she can to protect her friends and the ones that she loves. Ruby is an orange and has been disguising herself as a green for six years and when she finally gets out of that camp that shes been kept in, she ends up running into the rest of the Black Betty crew--Liam, Zu and Chubs. I really love Ruby, she is definitely one of my favorite heroines.
Liam Stewart is a sweet southern boy that I wish was real because I want one. Liam is just precious and so nice and caring. There is a line in the book about Liam that say: "He's so busy looking inside people to find the good that he misses the knife they are holding in their hand." He is the love interest and he is just so amazing and I really really want one. He calls Ruby, "darlin'" and is just so sweet and amazing and can I please have a Liam, someone please find me a Liam.
Chubs is not chubby like the name suggests. He is a sarcastic and lovable character that I need to be my best friend. He is super smart and he is kind of the sane one in the Black Betty Crew that is a little like a Momma Bear that tries to make sure that they don't get themselves killed. He is the voice of reason that will say when an idea is super crazy.
Zu is just so sweet and adorable and young. She is terrified of her powers and she is mute and she is just precious. She's bee through a lot and just adorable. She is so strong and I love her.
Important Side Characters:
Cate is actually a good person which I found surprising. I liked Cate, I did. there were things that made me question things about her, but I did overall enjoy her character.
Clancy Gray is a horrible person. He is just terrible. He is an orange, like Ruby, but he is like the oranges that give oranges a bad reputation.
Other Characters:
There is Rob who is horrible/ Hina
Favorite Scenes:
There were so many scenes that I loved. There are probably more that I can't remember off the top of my head.
-Ruby figuring out the EDO code for the location of East River and telling Chubs and their whole bonding scene.
-When Liam and Chubs are discussing ditching Black Betty and Ruby wakes up and overhears and thinks they are talking about her, but they aren't and just yes.
-When they are at the hotel and Liam is giving Ruby a pair of socks.
-When Liam is comforting Zu after a nightmare.
-The scene at the campfire at East River where they are eating and Liam moves to sit right behind Ruby and the tree.
-When Liam and Ruby are sing "Wouldn't it be Nice" by The Beach Boys
-The Story of Us scene at the end of the book. It made me cry it's so sad and so lovely.
-When Ruby and Chubs are holding each other under the dock after East River is attacked.
Some favorite quotes:
-"The Darkest Minds tend to hide behind the most unlikely faces."
-"We'll just have to try and make better mistakes tomorrow."
-"He's so busy looking inside of people to find the good that he misses the knife they're holding in their hand."
-"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."
-"Oh, I'm sorry," Chubs said, 'apparently the middle of my sentence interrupted the beginning of yours. Do continue."
-"When a girl cries, few things are more worthless than a boy."
-"Never, never, never. I am never going to forget you."
-"Cause, frankly, the way I see it, you and me? Inevitable."
-“Ruby, give me one reason why we can’t be together, and I’ll give you a hundred why we can. We can go anywhere you want. I’m not your parents. I’m not going to abandon you or send you away, not ever.”
-“That was not like riding a bike, you asshole!”
-“If there was one good thing that came out of all this, it was that I got to meet you. I would go through it all again - I would, as long as it meant I'd met you.”
-“This is a place we don't have to lie.”
-"In any case, it quickly became clear that I needed him in my life more than he needed me."
Never Fade 4.8/5 stars
Never Fade was emotional. I mean so many sad, but beautiful things happened in this book. I mean Ruby finds Cole--Liam's older brother that looks almost exactly like Liam. And then she goes on a mission to find Liam with Jude, who is a super sweet kid that is part of her group in the Children's League and they are later joined by Vida who is super badass and amazing. They end up running into Chubs and then they all work together to find Liam. Characters grew and things happened and I loved it.
Main Characters:
Ruby was so closed off with the Children's League, but she let Jude grow on her and became super protective and cared for him so much. I wished she made different decisions that what she did, but at the same time, I didn't mind.
Jude is a precious person. I loved him, so much and he's too good for the world. He was always talking because he couldn't stand the silence nor the dark.
Vida is amazing, I love her so much. She is so sarcastic and kind of rude, but she is just great and I love her. Her banter with Chubs is what I love for.
Chubs has a special place in my heart. He had to do things that he wasn't proud of
Liam we didn't get to see much of until about the middle or so of the book, but what we did see made me happy and broke my heart.
Other kind of important characters:
Cole is great, I love him. I prefer his brother, but I love him still.
Clancy is still a terrible, terrible person.
Other Characters Nico is too precious and deserved better. Cate is still cool. Rob is a horrible person that deserved what he got. Knox was horrible. Olivia came back and she was great.
Favorite Scenes:
There are definitely more that I can't remember.
-When Ruby and Chubs reunite at Liam's old house.
-When Jude tells Ruby about his past and his fear of the dark.
-Chubs and Vida's bickering
Favorite Quotes:
-“Oh, I'm sorry," Chubs said, 'apparently the middle of my sentence interrupted the beginning of yours. Do continue.”
-“Ghosts don't haunt people--their memories do.”
-“I think I'm losing it—I don't know what's happening, what happened, but I look at you, I look at you, and I love you so much. Not because of anything you've said, or done, or anything at all. I look at you, and I just love you, and it terrifies me. It terrifies me what I would do for you.”
-"And people like you are the reason we have middle fingers."
-"Give 'em hell, darlin'"
-“Sometimes you're the one speeding along in a 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.”
-“I don't want to just see someone's face; I want to know his shadow, too."
-“I look at you, and I just love you, and it terrifies me.”
-“The only thing worse than being without you would have been watching them break you day after day, until you weren’t yourself anymore.”
In The Afterlight 4.85/5 stars
In the Afterlight was an breathtakingly stunning finale to a phenomenal trilogy that I will reread some day. It was so beautiful and I just loved it so much. It broke my heart every time Liam and Ruby fought and just it ripped my heart how of my chest and I'm just so glad that they ended up together. I find it amazing as to how much can happen in only 533 pages. Just, this book was amazing, and I have no idea what else to say except that I really wish I had more.
Main Characters
Ruby is still a favorite heroine of mine and I love her so much. She grew so much and has ben through so much and I feel for her.
Liam is my number one book boyfriend. I want one so bad and he has ruined my expectations. And he can ride a motorcycle too, just ugh. I wish people listened to him more often. He's not stupid guys.
Chubs is still the voice of reason for the group and he is just so great.
Cole is such a strong person and he deserved better.
Vida I still love her, she is one of my all time favorites now.
Zu is still as lovable as she was in the first book.
Clancy is a monster and deserved what he got.
Important Side Characters
Nico didn't deserve what he had to go through. I'm so glad that Ruby forgave him in the end.
Dr. Gray is not a great person, but not terrible like her son either.
Alice was important to the story and essential to exposing the truth.
Senator Cruz is pretty cool. Not cure what else to really say.
Favorite Scenes:
-When Zu spoke.
-When Liam and Ruby made up.
-When Liam got Ruby out of Thurmond.
-When Ruby and Nico bonded and she forgave him.
-When Zu and Vida are dying Vida's hair.
-When they find Zu again.
-The end. Just the entire last chapter.
-Ruby and Vida bonding.
Favorite Quotes:
-“The thing is...what they don’t tell you about forgiveness is this—you don’t give it for the other person’s sake, but your own.”
-“What I’m trying to get at is, as bad as everything seems, I think, at its heart, life is good. It doesn’t throw anything at us that it knows we can’t handle—and, even if it takes its time, it turns everything right side up again.”
-“I love you. With my whole heart. My whole life, however long I'm lucky enough to get, nothing will change for me.”
-“Darlin', if it were a choice between you and a hundred of Gray's finest, I'd pick you every time.”
-“You gotta stand up and walk, Gem...You have to walk out of here. Not just for them, but for yourself. Come on. You have to walk out of here on your own two feet.”
-“This whole time, from the moment we met, he’d been waiting for me to realize he’d known me all along, and he had never once wanted me to change.”
This book series will probably always hod a special place in my heart and I really hope that I can come back and reread it eventually. This book series is officially one of my favorites and has so many of my new favorite characters. Thank you, Alex, for this amazing story.
I think that's it, I think I'm done. That was really long, I'm sorry.
More...