The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Braken

Series: The Darkest Minds (bk. 1)

Genera(s): Dystopian Sci-fi/Paranormal

Subjects: psychic ability, supernatural, telepathy

Setting: West Virginia and Virginia

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, past tense: Ruby Daly

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 488 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover & Paperback

List Price: $17.99/$9.99

Publisher: Hyperion

Summary/ product description: “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.”

My Review:  I've had this book sitting on my shelf since it came out in 2012. Now I have the whole series and I finally read the first book. The Darkest Minds was a good book. I took it on my camping trip but only got to page 50. I should have known that I never get any reading done when I’m camping. It took me a while to finish this book because I was so busy, but I shouldn’t judge this book for that reason. Yes it’s very long, but the story was interesting. It had some great characters. I just wish I read it sooner.

Ruby was a good narrator. She reminded me a lot of Juliette from Shatter Me. She had an issue with touching people too. Ruby is and Orange, which means she’s telepathic and can control people too. She doesn’t know how to control her power. She’s accidently erased people’s memories before, and this scares her. At her camp she is thought to be a Green with photographic memory abilities. She fooled the people that sorted her. A woman named Cate helps her escape, but then she also escapes Kate and meets Liam, Zu and Chubs.

The most interesting character was Chubs. He was (maybe African-American? Maybe Indian?) a bit of a nerd. Supposedly he used to be fat before going into the camp. He was serious in demeanor but also said some of the most hilarious things. He’s that lovable best friend character. He because friends with Liam in camp. They both are Blues, which means they have telekinesis. Chubs didn’t use his power really.

Liam is a southern gentle man. He makes me think of Tucker from Unearthly, who was a cowboy kind off. Maybe I feel like I love Liam because I just watch the Longest Ride movie (with a hot bull Rider named Luke) and I watch Nashville on ABC. I just love country boys. Liam was also a very good person and sees the best in people. He also drove a van he called Black Betty in the book.

Zu or Suzume is a Yellow. She can control electricity, but hasn’t got a grip on her power. She doesn’t talk, just writes what she wants to say. She also like clothes and the color pink and tries to dress Ruby up in the book. She was such a sweet character. She reminded me of Baby from In The After by Demetria Lunetta.

The world building is pretty interesting. It’s set in the near future, maybe 7 years after a virus called IAAN kill most kids in America and leave the survivors with abilities. The survivors are sent to camps and given a color based on their ability. Pretty soon only the Blues and Greens are left in Ruby’s camp. The camps reminded me of Reboot by Amy Tintera, with was about a virus that made teens come back to life stronger. So if you liked Reboot or Shatter Me, then you may enjoy this book too.

Cover Art Review: Gorgeous use of texture and the Psi symbol.

Unbreakable by Kami Garcia

Series: The Legion (bk. 1)

Genera(s): Paranormal Romance/Horror

Subjects: supernatural, ghosts, ghost hunters, secret societies, demons, demonology, love

Setting: Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia

POV/Tense: 1^st person POV, past tense: Kennedy Waters

Age/Grade Level: Teen

Length: 305 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover and in Paperback

List Price: $18.00/$9.99

Publisher: Hachette: Little, Brown

Summary/ product description: “Supernatural meets The Da Vinci Code in this action-packed paranormal thriller, the first book in a new series from New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia.

I never believed in ghosts. Until one tried to kill me.

When Kennedy Waters finds her mother dead, her world begins to unravel. She doesn’t know that paranormal forces in a much darker world are the ones pulling the strings. Not until identical twins Jared and Lukas Lockhart break into Kennedy’s room and destroy a dangerous spirit sent to kill her. The brothers reveal that her mother was part of an ancient secret society responsible for protecting the world from a vengeful demon — a society whose five members were all murdered on the same night.

Now Kennedy has to take her mother’s place in the Legion if she wants to uncover the truth and stay alive. Along with new Legion members Priest and Alara, the teens race to find the only weapon that might be able to destroy the demon — battling the deadly spirits he controls every step of the way.

Suspense, romance, and the paranormal meet in this chilling urban fantasy, the first book in a new series from Kami Garcia, bestselling coauthor of the Beautiful Creatures novels.”

My Review:  What if the Winchesters from Supernatural were teenage twin brothers and part of a secret society called the Legion and the story was told from the perspective of a teen girl? That’s basically what this book is like. I like the main character. Kennedy has a unique combination of talents. She’s not only a really talented artist, but she also has a photographic memory. After her mother dies, she’s devastated. A few weeks later she plans to go to a boarding school, but plans change when a spirit attacks her in her house and two guys show up and shoot the spirit. Jared and Lukas hunt the paranormal and are part of the Legion.

Kennedy travels with them to meet the other two Legion members, Alara and Priest.  These teens all recently suffered the loss of their mentors, which are a family member, so now the Legion is made up of these teens. Alara is really interesting. He grandma taught her some voodoo spells and portions to ward off evil. She hates the color pink. Priest is goofy and invents weapons to destroy evil spirits. Jared fights and Lukas searches for paranormal activity. They believe Kennedy is the 5^th member of Legion, but she doesn’t believe it.

The plot is mainly about the teens visiting haunted places in search for pieces of a weapon that can supposedly destroy a demon. Some of the spirit they meet along the way a vengeance spirits and evil, while others are innocent and benign. They destroy or help. Some creepy stuff happens, but it’s pretty thrilling and exciting. This book is a perfect Halloween read or dark-and-stormy-night read. It’s not so creepy you’ll get the chills, but creepy enough.

This book and Anna Dressed in Blood are the only YA books I can truly say are similar to my favorite TV show, Supernatural. So what’s with all the bad reviews on Goodreads? This is a good book! I recommend it to those who love YA paranormal and Supernatural. There’s evil spirits and demons and symbols and devil’s traps! Also, recommend it to fans of shows like Ghost Adventures, Ghost Hunters, Constantine, Grimm and other paranormal shows and horror movies. Also if you liked the Ghost Huntress series.

Cover Art Review: The cover is great with the big gothic U and the face and colors, but I’m still kind of jelous of this UK edition with Kennedy on the front:

The End Games by T. Michael Martin

Series: Standalone?

Genera: Post-Apocalyptic Sci-fi Thriller/Dystopian

Subjects: zombies, survival, brothers, West Virginia

Age/Grade Level: Teens 13+

Length: 369 pgs.

HC/PB: Hardcover

List Price: $17.99

Publisher: HarperCollinsChildrens: Balzer & Bray

Summary/ product description: “It happened on Halloween.
The world ended.
And a dangerous Game brought it back to life.
Seventeen-year-old Michael and his five-year-old brother, Patrick, have been battling monsters in The Game for weeks.
In the rural mountains of West Virginia, armed with only their rifle and their love for each other, the brothers follow Instructions from the mysterious Game Master. They spend their days searching for survivors, their nights fighting endless hordes of “Bellows”—creatures that roam the dark, roaring for flesh. And at this Game, Michael and Patrick are very good.
But The Game is changing.
The Bellows are evolving.
The Game Master is leading Michael and Patrick to other survivors—survivors who don’t play by the rules.
And the brothers will never be the same.
T. Michael Martin’s debut novel is a transcendent thriller filled with electrifying action, searing emotional insight, and unexpected romance.”

My Rating: êêê1/2

My Review: This book, despite the strange and confusing writing style, was good. Maybe it’s because the character’s from West Virginia, or maybe because the author just wanted to write different. I just didn’t like the 3^rd person narration that much.

What I did like was the relationship between the characters and the dialogue. And of course the zombies they call Bellows. It made for a fun, action packed story. And in the whole “Game” that Michael made up to keep Patrick from freaking out, you got yourself a really interesting, unique story. Some things could have been done better, but it was okay, good overall.

I really enjoyed the setting. I’ve been to West Virginia, but only the northern parts. This story was set mostly in the capitol, and in some coal mining towns (like District 12 of the Hunger Games). There the Appalachian Mountains out there. It’s beautiful and roughed. I love picturing it.

Much of this book made me think of my brothers. They’re obsessed with video games, Modern Warfare and Call of Duty, and all kinds of 1^st person shooter stuff, X-box live and everything. A lot of what Michael says or think, I hear my brothers say. There was a lot of slang that was over-done, and thankfully not as much swearing as I hear. This book is totally for video gamers and zombie fans. I like zombie movies and book, but I’m not a gamer.

There was a theme of lies and betrayal throughout the books. Being the game master and being manipulated. Michael lied a lot, but he did it to protect Patrick. Other characters lied for power. There’s this character, Jopeck, who lied for his own gain and fan. I did not like that guy. He seemed like a psychopath. And then characters that lied to themselves and others, like the Priest who though sacrifice could bring his son back. Games of deception and betrayal, that’s what this book is about. I’m glad I understood the deeper meaning in the story.

After reading this book, I’m kind of hoping I can get my little brother to read it. He doesn’t like reading, but if he liked reading, he’d like this. So, I recommend this to people who like video games about shooting zombies, or video games and zombies in general. And also if you like Rot & Ruin, the Forest of Hands and Teeth or Enclave by Ann Arguirre.

Cover Art Review: I love the cover. Jon Smith must be an awesome illustrator because it looks very graphic-novel-ish. It reminds me of the Walking Dead, except with 2 brothers. I love the tree with Bellow rising out of them. The red sky it creepy. It’s so cool. And the cover has a rough texture!

 

~Haley G