Review of Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

Release Date: October 15, 2013

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Page Count: 507

Format: Hardcover

Genre: YA 

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?

I bought Never Fade the same day I bought The Darkest Minds (February 2014) and immediately read it once finished with The Darkest Minds. While reading I was once again reminded of The 5th Wave but ultimately I ended up loving it even more than the previous book.

Never Fade is a well-written sequel to The Darkest Minds, it continued the plot of the first book while introducing new events, settings, and characters. The story resumes a few months from where it left off and now Ruby is working for the Children's League. She is eventually given a important mission to find Liam Stewart (the boy Ruby was starting to have a relationship with but then erased the mind of) and treks across the U.S. with two Children's League friends, Vida, and Jude. They experience many things on the journey, most of them not pleasant and the majority horrifying. Along with the settings in The Darkest Minds there are new places described in Never Fade including various states, towns, a military base, and a giant warehouse. Everything is vividly described and I found myself drinking in all the information about the places to paint a picture of it in my mind. One of my favorite new places to read about was the warehouse where Ruby and the others were trapped in for a while. While they had a not so pleasant time there (a bit of an understatement) it was still interesting as well as intriguing. Overall, Alexandra Bracken continues her high level of settings description and even slightly improves upon her previous book, The Darkest Minds.

Never Fade introduced several new characters and continued the previous ones, the writing in terms of characters has developed a fair amount over the previous book and it's obvious once read. The characters themselves are written better and have become more complex and easier to sympathize with. Alexandra Bracken also had some great character  development, especially with Ruby. She has become much stronger, less afraid, and more independent. I have a feeling she'll develop even more in the next book since she already has in the current two books. Liam also developed although to a lesser degree, he eventually does regain his memories although his relationship with Ruby is strained once he realizes it was her that erased them. Vida and Jude were both wonderful additions to the characters and they definitely helped the plot advance as well as provide a bit of comic relief during certain scenes. While the characters of The Darkest Minds were good, the ones of Never Fade are even better and improve upon many areas.

Never Fade (unfortunately) ends in a bit of a cliffhanger so I'm very eager to read the next book (In The Afterlight). If you haven't started this series yet and want to I would recommend that you wait until fall 2014 when the last book comes out and you can binge read the trilogy. Never Fade is perfect for people who like The 5th Wave, world-building, and well-written characters.

5/5 - Really good book