Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Never Fade
Never Fade
Never Fade
Audiobook15 hours

Never Fade

Written by Alexandra Bracken

Narrated by Amy McFadden

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

()

About this audiobook

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 saved in only one place: a flash drive 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?

LanguageEnglish
Release dateOct 15, 2013
ISBN9781469291604
Never Fade
Author

Alexandra Bracken

ALEXANDRA BRACKEN is the New York Times bestselling author of the Darkest Minds series. Born and raised in Arizona, she moved east to study history and English at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. After working in publishing for several years, Alex now writes full-time and can be found hard at work on her next novel in a charming little apartment that’s perpetually overflowing with books. Visit her online at www.alexandrabracken.com and on Twitter @alexbracken.

More audiobooks from Alexandra Bracken

Related to Never Fade

Titles in the series (3)

View More

Related audiobooks

YA Action & Adventure For You

View More

Related articles

Related categories

Reviews for Never Fade

Rating: 4.3364054470046085 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

651 ratings35 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    didn't think that this one would be as good as the first book but surprisingly it was so much better, makes me excited to find out what is in store for ruby and the others next.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book is really good from the beginning to the end. Can wait for the third book. Vida for life.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I enjoyed this story but if you don't want to hear the F word a few hundred times don't listen to this book.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I hate to admit, this book was probably better than the first. I feel as if the ending shocked me. Like it made me feel as helpless and heartbroken as ever. If I had to re-read The Darkest Minds or Never Fade, I would honestly pick this book. The ending devastated me.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is the best book I have ever listened to

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I still enjoyed the second darkest minds installment. But there are a few things I didn't. The band of different kids traveling together at odds with the world I felt was the best part of the book. This book they were all broken up and broken against each other, which took some of the magic away. Also, they killed off one of my favs! 4/5
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Fast paced, good story, some annoying dialogue, but not too much.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    It was a good continuation book. Had way more swearing than I would have liked.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Love the narrator. The first book was decent. The second book gets a little more exciting. The one thing I DID NOT like about this book was the usage of the GD word. It wasn’t used in the first book, but it was used very often in the second. I will give the third book a try, but If God’s name is taken in vain in that book like it is in this one, I’ll find something else to listen to. Otherwise, it’s a decent read/listen.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Inhaltsangabe:Bereits seit einem halben Jahr ist Ruby schon bei der Childrens League. Sie erhält eine fundierte Ausbildung und muss im Gegenzug Gefangene „verhören“, indem sie in deren Verstand eindringt. Ruby erfüllt nur ihre Pflicht und hofft, das sie die League bald verlassen kann.Doch dann wird alles anders: Es wird gemunkelt, das unter den Agenten ein Aufstand geplant ist und alle Kinder ermordet werden sollen. Und dann gibt es da noch Cole, den Bruder ihres Geliebten Liam. Cole ist ebenfalls Agent und gerade aus der Gefangenschaft befreit worden. Den USB-Stick mit vielen nützlichen und hochbrisanten Daten hat jedoch versehentlich Liam eingesteckt.So ergibt es sich zwangsläufig, das sich Ruby zusammen mit ihrem kleinen Freund Jude auf die Suche nach Liam machen, ehe sie bei einem Einsatz ebenfalls ermordet werden könnten. Und auf der Suche nach Liam treffen sie auf einen alten Freund: Chubs. Chubs hat sich als Skiptracer – Kopfgeldjäger – eintragen lassen. Und sie erfahren, wo Liam sich aufhalten könnte. In der Nähe von Nashville. Dort geraten sie allerdings in Gefangenschaft …Mein Fazit:Oh wow, was für ein Buch. Der zweite Band ist noch heftiger als der erste, wie ich finde.Doch von Anfang an: Ruby ist in der League ein wenig zur Ruhe gekommen und hat auch ihre Ausbildung zur Soldatin der Childrens League erhalten. Nebenbei muss sie für Alban, dem Leiter der Organisation, die Gefangenen verhören. Für sie jedes Mal ein notwendiges Übel, wenn sie ihr Ziel erreichen will. Sie glaubt, ihrer Vorgesetzten Cate in irgendeiner Weise in der Schuld zu stehen und fühlt sich für ihre Gruppe durchaus verantwortlich. Vor allen Dingen für den zarten Jude, der noch ein richtig kleiner Junge ist und über keinerlei Kampferfahrung verfügt. Im weiteren Verlauf der Geschichte zeigt sich, das Ruby sich weiter entwickelt hat. Sie hat ihre Kräfte besser unter Kontrolle und konnte sie sogar verfeinern. Sie kann inzwischen sogar ohne körperlichen Kontakt in die Psyche der Menschen eindringen. Aber noch etwas entdeckt sie: Sie empfindet Freude daran, die Menschen zu quälen, die ihr und ihrer Gruppe nur Böses wollten. Sie quält sich mit Gewissensbisse und Schuldgefühlen, und doch ist sie immer wieder bereit, das Leben derjenigen zu verteidigen, die ihr wichtig sind.Die anderen Figuren aus der Gruppe sind weiter entwickelt worden oder es sind neue hinzugekommen. Die illustre Gruppe bildet ein eingeschweißtes Gespann, obwohl sie sich nicht immer untereinander grün sind. Doch die Treue und der Rückhalt geben Ruby immer wieder Kraft, weiterzumachen. Und sie muss mehr kämpfen als im ersten Band. Sie kommt oft an ihre Leistungsgrenze, wird auch schwer verletzt und gefangen genommen. Gleichzeitig hat sie Liam nie vergessen, empfindet noch immer starke Gefühle für ihn.Die Geschichte um Ruby zu lesen ist wie eine Achterbahn-Fahrt ohne vorhersehbares Ziel. Wohin das alles führt, ist nie genau klar. Die Verstrickung der einzelnen Agenten in den Aufstand ist genauso undurchsichtig wie die Rolle des Clancy Gray, dem Flüchtling aus dem ersten Band. Die Welt ist härter geworden und mir als Leserin erweckte sich der Eindruck, als wäre Ruby nur am Kämpfen. Immer wieder unvorhergesehene Dinge geschehen, wenn man denkt, sie hat es geschafft, jetzt kann sie endlich ein bißchen ausruhen. Nein, es folgte gleich die nächste Situation und am Ende war ich froh, das Buch geschafft zu haben. Es war hoch spannend, aber die vielen brutalen Übergriffe jeglicher Art haben mich auch geschlaucht.Die Nebenhandlung, nämlich die Aktivitäten des Präsidenten Gray, sind geschickt eingefädelt worden, so das am Ende eine logische Konsequenz entstand. Und das lässt vermuten, das es im dritten Teil richtig zur Sache gehen wird. Es ist noch ein paar Monate hin, so das ich mich von diesem Band ein wenig erholen kann. Aber ich freue mich schon sehr darauf.Wegen dem immerfortwährenden Kampf gibt es einen halben Stern Abzug, daher nur viereinhalb Sterne. Ansonsten, wer Dystopie liebt, wird auch diese Reihe lieben, es ist jedoch ratsam, die Bücher in der Reihenfolge zu lesen, da der zweite Band zumindest ziemlich nahtlos an dem ersten anschließt.Anmerkung: Ich habe es als eBook gelesen.Veröffentlicht am 09.08.15!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I’m probably going to have PTSD from reading this series ? it’s so intense and heartbreaking
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book is the second book in the Darkest Minds trilogy. While I enjoyed this book, it does suffer from second-book-syndrome, meaning that it only has a blurry beginning and a blurry ending, since it's connecting two other books. That's not to say that this isn't a good book, but it does drag in a few place. Still, a solid middle book that continues the story well.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    In which our heroine learns that erasing people's memories is a bad idea, even when done for the best of reasons. Surprising! (Not really.) But the characters continue to be strong and not too whiny and the story continues to develop well. Looking forward to the 3rd one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I. Love. It.I could not put this book down! I had to force myself to stop reading and go to bed or I would have stayed up all night to finish it, because I needed to know what happened next.My only regret is not having the next book on hand and needing to wait for it to be back in stock at the library.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Oh
    My
    Gosh
    This is an excellent follow up to the first in the series (The Darkest Minds). The style of writing is consistent (and amazing), the characters experience growth and AHHHHHHH I'm so excited for the next book!

    I like the new characters, as well. They're different than the characters we've already met, but they have their own endearing quirks and I really liked them overall. Just fantastic writing, again. I'm so ready to finish the series! I can't wait fir my hold to come in at the library.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Rant/Review *unrevised*


    The reason why I'm not writing any proper review on this series is because I'm reading the first book after watching the movie, not that I didn't like the movie or the first book, it just wasn't "mind blown" by it,unfazed...

    the only reason I picked the second was because I'm a sucker for memory lost and those separated star struck lovers's reunion

    (my curiosity won over *shoulder shrug*)

    anyway the second book is amazing, draggy at some parts, but mostly a solid sequel. I'm not devestated by the end nor that amazed. years of reading YA prepared me for that typical ending that's why I'm giving this one a solid 4 STARS
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I didn’t think it was possible for this book to be as amazing as the first one, but it is! It’s the perfect blend of world ending action, love, and fighting for everything they believe in. I can’t wait to read In the Afterlight to see what happens from here!?
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Sometimes the middle book of a trilogy isn't that great. They move the story along but sometimes there isn't any meat to the book. This book is different. Yes, it carries the story along, but there is action, death, fighting, humor, sadness, revelations. This has been a really good trilogy and I can't wait to finish it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    wow
    i need the next one
    now
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Where to start? Let’s start with Ruby.As I have said in my Review of the first book, I like Ruby. Everything she does is totally understandable and her evolution is realistic. Her personality gets harder – at least she tries to in order to survive – but she’s no adult. The world she is living in is a dangerous one and she is no killer. So she doubts herself. So she breaks sometimes a little.Another thing I really like (more like love) is how her world doesn’t revolve around Liam. Of course she misses him and she does think of him but only sometimes. I was prepared for her whole days to be like “Liam, Liam, Liam”, you know? Luckily I prepaired in vain.I am a sucker for a happy ending but I want it to be realistic. The characters have to work through the drama, no magical solutions and two minutes later everything is fine. Alexandra Bracken doesn’t go the easy way, her characters have to suffer and I love it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Really a great follow up to The Darkest Minds. The new characters were great - they really ran the gamut from clumsy, weak & whiny to strong, independent & kick ass. I love the return of Liam and the way that situation plays out (no spoilers!) My only complaint is that there was perhaps too much action and not enough explanation, in that you cannot have a major fight every few scenes and maintain that pace for 500 pages - it's too much - you need a little more down time,and it would have been nice if that down time was used to explain more about the research being done, or the relationship/back story between Alban, Mrs. Gray & Clancy, for example. Over all tho - Alexandra Bracken is a great YA author and she doesn't disappoint in this book - on to book 3!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I enjoyed Never Fade, however in a similar way to the first book in the series I felt overwhelmed with information at times and got confused as to what was going on. Also like the first book, this story ends on a cliffhanger leaving you wanting to read the final book to find out how it all ends.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    It took me months to get through this book, but I finally finished it, damn it.I'm not going to say that this book suffers from "middle book in a trilogy" syndrome, because it really doesn't. There's a lot going on here - too much, I think. And that was my main problem with this book, because I just couldn't get into it. There were too many new characters, too much info dumping, too much angst on Ruby's part, just too much of everything. Except Liam. And interactions between Vida and Chubs, because they are hilarious.Ruby's really up on the cross for this book, so much so that I wanted to shake her and tell her that someone else needs the wood. Although I like angst, there was just too much here for my tastes. I liked Ruby in the first book, but I think she's significantly weaker as a character here. There's not a lot of Liam, which is a bummer, although he does eventually show up (as we knew that he would). And I do like that he's conflicted about Ruby. He later reveals that he has overwhelming love feelings for her, even though Ruby had wiped most of his memories of her out of his head at the end of The Darkest Minds. He's pretty creeped out by this, which is understandable, and Ruby discovers that her powers may not be exactly as she thought they were.Honestly, my favorite character in the whole book was Vida, who is a kickass girl of colour with a badass attitude and knows just how to annoy the hell out of Chubs at every turn. She was perfect, and I loved her interactions with Chubs, because she drove him up a wall regularly. I'm looking forward to reading the last book in the series, because I want to see how all of this ends up and settles out. I just hope it's more like the first book than this one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    To be honest, I wasn't a big fan of the first book in the trilogy. I guess it was because I've heard many good things about it and that raised my expectations. It disappointed me a little. We were left with a cliffhanger at the end of the first book, and that cliffhanger was what caused me to pick up the second book. In my opinion, [book:Never Fade|16150830] started off a little slowly but started picking up in the middle of the book. It raised my standards of the trilogy.1. Ruby. Ruby's character development was freaking awesome! She gets things done, doesn't take shit from anyone, and is so focused! I love Ruby's whole 'the-only-person-I-need-is-myself' attitude. This is the peak of her character development arc!“When you have people relying on you, you can’t put on anything other than a brave, determined face, otherwise you chip away at their confidence, too.” -Ruby2. Characters. We're introduced to new characters. It took me a while to warm up to them, but when I did, I saw how funny and adorable and awesome they are! Vida is hilarious and definitely one of my favorite characters. Jude is so sweet and I love how he calls Ruby "Roo". Chubs and Ruby's friendship is as sweet as ever, too. I'd love them to be my best friends! “If either of you breathe a word—one goddamn word—about Cate, I will come down on you so hard, they’ll be naming hurricanes after me for a fucking century.” -Vida3. Plot. So. Much. Action. Seriously, sometimes the action exhausted me and I'm not even the one fighting! Whenever something good happens, a bad event gets shoved down your throat; it was tiring. This book took the turmoil from TMD and cranked it up! The story confused me. There were too many side plots going on at the same time and it was really hard keeping up. I do think the Children's League is cool though, they're so kickass. All those fighting lessons and cool commands they use on OPs... Sometimes it made me wish I was in the Children's League.4. Writing. Woah! Alexandra Bracken's writing style made my jaw drop with all these one-liner deep quotes and accurate analogies. At times, I had to shut the book and think about the what she says. It's that deep!“Ghosts don’t haunt people—their memories do.” (This is staying with my for the rest of my life)“I didn’t want to give him the false hope that these people were anything other than lone candle flames in a sea of never-ending black.” (That analogy though)“Sometimes you’re the one speeding along in a panic, doing too much, not paying attention, wrecking things you don’t mean to. And sometimes life just happens to you, and you can’t dodge it. It crashes into you because it wants to see what you’re made of.” (That was such a smooth analogy!)“I felt his eyes fix on me the way you feel a beam of sunlight cut through a window. Warm. Focused.”OVERALL: Marvelous action-packed story with a sublime writing style and unique characters. I couldn't put it down. I'd recommend this to everyone who likes well-written stories.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Thanks to Netgalley.com and Disney Book Group for allowing me access to this title.

    I thought this was a decent continuation of the series. I am always leary of book 2 - sometimes they are wonderful, but I've found most to just be so-so. This was good in that it kept the same characters, added others, and kept the storyline moving forward. There is a lot that happens in this book. I think anyone who liked the first book will enjoy this one as well.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    4.5/5 stars

    Woah. Woah . Woah. I loved The Darkest Minds with all my heart and fortunately, Never Fade didn't freaking disappoint!

    The story picked up six months after the last book ended. Ruby has been with the League and has been involved with different Ops. She had planned to escape from the start but many things happened at once.

    Ruby became a trained individual. She learned to care about Jude and Vida(members of her team) even though she didn't want to. I loved Vida and Jude! Vida is absolutely funny and I always laughed at her funny threats even though I knew that she could do them. Jude is a sweet little thing and I'm quite amazed that the world they live in hadn't break him yet. (Oh, if I only knew...)

    Ruby came across an Op, a special task. One that has the key to stop the things that are being done to children with abilities. It's too much of a risk but she was willing to do it because she had enough of everything.And grab the chance to see Liam again of course.

    She and the others was brought to the "Skip Kid" and the most heartbreaking encounter in the history of books happened there. She saw Liam, pretty much weak and sick.

    Liam. I knew it! I was so shocked when I think about how those memories were erased but the feelings weren't. It must be really frightening and overwhelming on his part. I asked myself in the first pages of the book, "Is it possible for Ruby to make other people remember the memories taken from them?"

    I get frustrated at first and I kept thinking, "Come on, tell Liam what you have done Ruby. He deserved to know!" I hate that fact that she focuses too much on the wrong things that she did and not see the bright side of it. I admire her for her braveness. I admire her and that includes the fact that sometimes, she had to make stupid decisions. The people around us would always do things that seems so wrong to us but sometimes, it's the only way that works in their eyes.

    Jude. Oh my god! I didn't see that coming. I loved him to bits. I loved his eagerness to do things even if sometimes he doesn't see the risks. I loved his innocence despite the fact that he lives in a very broken world. HE DIED AND I'M NOT OKAY I'M NOT OKAY!

    The ending. What can I say? It made me pretty much wait on edge with anticipation for the the next book. I would recommend this mind-blowing series to everyone!

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I adore this series. And although I loved Darkest Minds, this sequel is even better. The writing is lovely, and Alexandra Bracken does characterization with an economical style that manages to squeeze change into every character--some for the better, and some for chilling worse--in a way that feels absolutely true to their circumstances. It's only when I was done galloping through the pages that I stopped to consider how fabulously she handled the terrible choices that each of these characters faced when pushed to their limits by love and the need for survival. The third book can't come fast enough. It simply can't!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Plot: 3 1/2 stars
    Characters: 4 stars
    Style: 4 stars
    Pace: 3 1/2 stars

    I really like Ruby. She's complex and manages to have a wide range of feelings without giving the reader whiplash (Which is pretty rare in YA). Love the grittiness of the world, but OMFG this one character drove me INSANE. Boo this, boo that, I wanted to strangle the kid! If that kid weren't there, this book would have been a solid 5. I suppose it was meant to emphasize how young he was, but all it did was make this book almost hit the wall repeatedly.I cheered when he died.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The second book in the trilogy starts a few months after The Darkest Minds left off with Ruby the head of a team of kids in the Children's League. One of their missions frees a young man named Cole, who just happens to be the older brother of Liam, who Ruby and been on the run with but whose memories of her she has removed. But Cole has information that may compromise Liam's safety, and she's determined to protect him at all costs - even if he doesn't remember her.This book was supremely frustrating, but it's essentially because this is only the middle of the story. The first book was satisfying but ended with you knowing the narrative was headed in a totally different direction. This one starts in that new direction, with new characters to meet and new obstacles for Ruby to face, which isn't all bad but was confusing at first because I had other questions I wanted addressed... and they never quite were. And then to cap it off, there was quite the cliffhanger ending living me incredibly annoyed that I have to wait until October to find out what happens. On the other hand, it was an adrenaline ride reading and I really enjoyed meeting characters new and old to cheer for.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Six months after the conclusion of "The Darkest Minds", Ruby is with the Children’s League, trying to take down the PSF facilities that are still housing kids affected by IAAN, but not having much luck. When she realizes that Liam—her one-time boyfriend whose memories of her were erased by Ruby in order to protect him—is in possession of dangerous information that might finally explain the cause of IAAN, she sets out on a mission to find him before he or the information falls into the wrong hands. In spite of its length, "Never Fade" is a book that I had to read in one sitting—the nonstop suspense kept me up late into the night. I’m going to have a hard time patiently waiting for the conclusion!