The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken, is fast paced exciting, and although it is in the syfy genre, there is mystery threaded throughout. Alexandra Bracken does an amazing job of having a love story, but keeping the action alive the characters are always on their feet and never staying in one place too long, and never getting too attached to



















someone or something.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have powers? To be able to slip into someone elses mind, control electricity, make objects float, make someone do something they don’t know they are doing, just by saying one simple word to them. Wouldn't it amazing to be able to do any of these things, have control over so much? In the world of the darkest minds, they don't have to wonder. They know. They know what it is like to be able to do these things, but they can't control it. They can slip into peoples’ minds, but then can't control not erasing them. The plague has hit the nation and many children are dead, But they aren't afraid of the ones who are already gone, they are afraid of the ones who are still alive. The ones with these abilities. And because these children can’t control what they are doing, the rest of the world is scared. They lock them up in camps, and if they escape, a bounty is set for them. Taking place in west virginia, in the head of Ruby, she escapes her camp, and finds out all of the horrible secrets of the world that have happened in the past 6 years at the camp. She is confused and has nowhere to go and no one to belong to. she joins with a group of 3 misfits, Liam, Zu, and Chubs (who is a skinny as a stick) all with special abilities of their own. What happens when she finds out like all others who have escaped that she has a bounty set by the government, and how can she learn control her powers with no guidance.

I really enjoyed this book, because there was always something happening, and unsolved mystery, more you need to know, and want to find out. I recommend this book to anyone 5th grade or older, because of some intense, violent scenes. This book had a theme throughout, of trust. Not just Ruby learning to trust others, but also learning to trust herself, and have faith in herself. She needs to trust others, not to let her down, and she needs to have faith in herself, that she can control her powers if she tries.