Maximum Ride, Vol. 2 by NaRae Lee

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🕊️ Maximum Ride Vol. 2 by NaRae Lee

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 out of 5 stars | Genre: YA Sci-Fi / Action Manga | Wings, whispers, and weird sewer science

Welcome back to the high-flying chaos of Maximum Ride, where genetically engineered bird kids are still trying to survive, discover their pasts, and occasionally get chased by murderous wolf-men with identity issues.

If you missed Volume 1, check out my review there first. And don't forget to read Volume 3 next—because things only get weirder (and better).

✈️ Still on the Run... Still Sprouting Feathers

Our flock of six winged teens—Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel—are still on the run from The School, the nightmarish lab that created them. Their goal? Figure out where they came from, what was done to them, and why their "parents" abandoned them.

Not too much to ask, right?

The group starts hearing about something called “The Institute for Higher Living”, which sounds like either a shady research center or a Gwyneth Paltrow side project. Either way, they suspect it’s tied to their origins.

🧠 Voices in Max’s Head & Angel's Creepy New Trick

Meanwhile, Max starts hearing voices in her head. Like, actual disembodied voices that may or may not be steering her toward answers. Totally not concerning. 🤷‍♀️

And Angel, the youngest of the group, discovers she can manipulate people with her mind. So yeah, she’s basically an adorable, telepathic chaos engine. The group doesn’t quite know what to make of this—are they evolving? Mutating more? Breaking down?

🐺 The Erasers Are Back (Ugh, Again)

The Erasers (those wolfish mutants working for The School) are still showing up constantly, and Max suspects it might have something to do with the chip embedded in her arm. Which… yeah. That might do it.

Amid all this running and hiding, Fang and Max finally share a kiss. But true to the emotionally-repressed-teenager handbook, they just never talk about it. Nope. Not at all. We're pretending it didn't happen. Nothing to see here!

🧬 The Institute: Secrets in the Sewers

Eventually, the kids manage to locate the mysterious Institute. Spoiler alert: it’s hidden behind a sketchy passageway in a New York City sewer system. Nothing says cutting-edge biotech like literal rats.

Inside, they find a computer file containing everything they’ve been looking for: their names, photos, home addresses, even their parents’ information. It’s a lot. But that’s not all.

They also find mutant children locked in cages, along with some very distressed animal hybrids. Because apparently The School doesn’t just experiment on humans—they’re equal-opportunity genetic meddlers. Naturally, the flock sets them free. (Heroes, much?)

🥊 Ari vs. Max: Family Drama Gets Violent

Of course, no mission ends without drama. Ari, the half-human Eraser with a vendetta, shows up for a final showdown. But unlike the rest of the flock, Ari wasn't born a mutant—he was altered later in life, making his transformation more disturbing and unstable.

In the heat of battle, Max kills Ari. Victory, right? Maybe not.

Jeb, the creepy scientist who raised Max like a daughter and then betrayed her, appears and drops a bombshell: “You just killed your brother.”

Max is shook. The volume ends on this emotional sucker-punch—because of course it does.

🧠 Final Thoughts:

  • What I loved: Fast pacing, strong visuals, darker emotional tones, and more worldbuilding.

  • What I wanted more of: Fang and Max actually processing anything, a little more clarity on The Institute, and a breather between constant attacks.

Still, Volume 2 is a great ride—plenty of high-stakes action and juicy reveals, with some ethical sci-fi questions thrown in for flavor.

🛒 Buy the Book:

📚 If You Like This, Try:

  • Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – for creepy experiments and teens with strange abilities

  • Tokyo ESP – a manga with a similar tone and government conspiracy vibes

  • Skyward by Brandon Sanderson – for a more space-age twist on a rebellious teen with flying powers

Up Next:

Volume 3 Review ➜
Let’s just say things get even weirder with jealous crushes, mirror monsters, and maybe a little murder...


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