The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
Published by Disney Hyperion on December 18, 2012
The Darkest Minds #1

Summary: "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."  -From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I really liked this book!  I'm not usually a fan of dystopian novels, but I really liked the X-Men twist that the author brought to it.  Ruby slowly came into her own throughout the novel's progression.  She became less afraid of herself and more of a leader, which is what the group needed.  I also appreciated how the other kids had backstories as well (Liam, Chubs, Zu, Clancy).  Overall, I really enjoyed this twist on the normal dystopian novel, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Disclosure: I purchased my own copy.

The Darkest Minds Series

The Darkest Minds

Never Fade

In the Afterlight