Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken
Published by Disney Hyperion on October 15, 2013
The Darkest Minds #2

Summary: "Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader”, but she knows what she really is: a monster.

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?" --From Goodreads

My Thoughts: 

This book was pretty good for the second in a series.  Ruby grows into her powers even more in this novel.  Chubs, Liam, and Clancy have grown and changed as well, and it's interesting to see how everyone had changed in the time since the first book.  The situation has changed, and now it is about finding the cure to the disease that caused all of this in the first place.  I really liked how this book was less about fighting "the man" and more about the discord in the Children's League.  I can't wait to wrap up this series!

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy from my library.

The Darkest Minds Series

The Darkest Minds

Never Fade

In the Afterlight

Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Killer Instinct by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Published by Disney Hyperion on November 4, 2014 
The Naturals #2

Summary: "Seventeen-year-old Cassie Hobbes has a gift for profiling people. Her talent has landed her a spot in an elite FBI program for teens with innate crime-solving abilities, and into some harrowing situations. After barely escaping a confrontation with an unbalanced killer obsessed with her mother’s murder, Cassie hopes she and the rest of the team can stick to solving cold cases from a distance.

But when victims of a brutal new serial killer start turning up, the Naturals are pulled into an active case that strikes too close to home: the killer is a perfect copycat of Dean’s incarcerated father—a man he’d do anything to forget. Forced deeper into a murderer’s psyche than ever before, will the Naturals be able to outsmart the enigmatic killer’s brutal mind games before this copycat twists them into his web for good?" --From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

I love books about serial killers! I love the way Jennifer Lynn Barnes alternates between the mind of the serial killer and then focuses on the main characters. The multiple viewpoints give a sneak peek into how the story is going to progress. I also loved the ending of this book- it sounds like there's going to be more books released in the series! YES!

Disclosure: I received a digital galley of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Naturals Series

The Naturals

Killer Instinct

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Published by Disney-Hyperion on November 5, 2013
The Naturals #1

Summary: "Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.

Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive." --From Goodreads

My Thoughts:

The first thing that drew me to this book was the name of the main character: Cassie.  Cassie has a knack of reading people.  The FBI invites her into a program designed to crack cold cases with other teenagers with other similar abilities.  Not all of the characters have been fleshed out, but it is the first book in the series.  Of course Cassie gets tingles from both Michael and Dean, so it will be interesting to see which one she ends up with.

This is a unique premise for a book, because these teens are talented but they do not have superpowers.  They are just using their skills of observation; interpreting body language to read people.

The Naturals Series

The Naturals

Killer Instinct

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want to Re-Read

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.  This week's theme is the ten books I want to reread.  Here we go!

The Giver by Lois Lowry

In honor of the movie coming out later in November, I want to reread this classic!

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

One of my favorite Christmas picture books.  It's a must-read for me during this time of the year.

The Mitten by Jan Brett

This book is another must-read for me.  I love the intricate details that Jan Brett puts into her pictures.

The Villa by Nora Roberts

I'm not sure why I like this Nora Roberts' book so much.  Maybe it's the fact they own a vineyard and I love wine?  

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

It's no secret that I love this series. I want to read the series over again before Fairest is released in January!

Burn for Burn by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian. 

I recently bought all of the novels in this series. I've read the first one, but not the next two. I need to reread this to remember what happened!

Better Homes and Garden's Baking

With the holiday season finally upon us, I've decided to expand my cookie knowledge. 

Christmas on 4th Street by Susan Mallery

I love Fool's Gold. I read this story last year, but when I saw the new release included another Christmas short story, I had to snatch it up! 

What are your top rereads?  Leave a list or link in the comments!

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