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"The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken

Reading Hammock’s Rating:	5 out of 5
Category:	Fiction
Fiction Genre:	Dystopian
Title:	The Darkest Minds
Author:	Alexandra Bracken (@alexbracken)
Author Website:
ISBN-10:	1423157370
ISBN-13:	978-1423157373
Publication Date:	December 18, 2012
Publisher:	Hyperion
Format:	Hardback| Paperback | Digital | Audio
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
IndieBound

Synopsis

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

After finishing the book at three in the morning, I wanted to throw it across the room.  “The Darkest Minds” has one of the best endings because it is the worst kind of ending-- a cliffhanger.  The pace of the book is very fast and I knew that I was not savoring enough of the pages I was reading because the plot was just too exciting. Adding to this are characters with quirky personalities that you really care about which makes it even harder to put down the book.

Also, the storyline includes the perfect amount of an imaginative dystopian world.  Many dystopian books try to make the reader become accustomed to too many confusing words and details they have created for their imagined world.  Instead, Bracken incorporates both the world as we know it as well as the creation of her own dystopian reality, which allows the reader to dive into the plot.  Bracken maintains interest in the storyline because readers only know as much as the characters do, creating a bond between the readers and characters.

If you liked other dystopian stories (such as “Divergent” by Veronica Roth and “Legend” by Marie Lu) then I would definitely suggest reading “The Darkest Minds.”  Bracken’s approach to the dystopian genre is a breath of fresh air and I think that even those who do not typically enjoy these types of books would still be engaged by “The Darkest Minds.”

"The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

Reading Hammock’s Rating:	5 out of 5
Category:	Fiction
Title:	The Fault in Our Stars
Author:	John Green (@realjohngreen)
Author Website:
ISBN-10:	0525478817
ISBN-13:	978-0525478812
Publication Date:	January 10, 2012
Publisher:	Dutton Juvenile
Format:	Hardback| Paperback | Digital | Audio
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
IndieBound

Synopsis:

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

My Review: 

The storyline reminded me of squeezing honey out of a bottle -- its drips slowly and is very sticky but sweet to the tongue.  “The Fault in Our Stars” is definitely a read for anyone. Even though the main characters in the novel have cancer, it is not only about the struggle of cancer because the personalities of the characters are a large part of the book. I was able to immediately become engrossed with the storyline and connect with the main characters because of their likable and relatable traits.  John Green has a specific style of writing unique to any other author that he expresses through witty one-liners and events that make you desire to be there to witness the story.  Even faced with imminent death, characters act with dignity and their noble efforts become implanted inside your heart.  I would recommend this book because it will stay with you even after you finish it for its beautiful story and interesting characters.  

As a side note:  

I have recently been introduced to the Green family that consists of book enthusiasts as well as scientifically knowledgeable people. As a matter of fact, I recently learned that, throughout this entire year, the Biology videos I have watched in concurrence with my class in school are created by John Green’s brother, Hank Green (If you would like to see them, go to:  http://www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse).  As well, Hank is the executive producer of the Lizzie Bennet diaries on YouTube, which is a tribute to Pride and Prejudice that recently completed making video episodes for the entire novel (http://www.youtube.com/user/LizzieBennet?feature=watch). The two brothers also have their own blogging channel on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/vlogbrothers).  

Now that I have successfully began your procrastination into the world of the Green family, I might as well leave you with a few gifs (see below) of John Green that I thought were priceless.

If this has not convinced you to read “The Fault in Our Stars” I have no idea what will.