Mind Games by Carolyn Crane

JUSTINE KNOWS SHE’S GOING TO DIE. ANY SECOND NOW.
Justine Jones has a secret. A hardcore hypochondriac, she’s convinced a blood vessel is about to burst in her brain. Then, out of the blue, a startlingly handsome man named Packard peers into Justine’s soul and invites her to join his private crime-fighting team. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime deal. With a little of Packard’s hands-on training, Justine can weaponize her neurosis, turning it outward on Midcity’s worst criminals, and finally get the freedom from fear she’s always craved. End of problem.
Or is it? In Midcity, a dashing police chief is fighting a unique breed of outlaw with more than human powers. And while Justine’s first missions, including one against a nymphomaniac husband-killer, are thrilling successes, there is more to Packard than meets the eye. Soon, while battling her attraction to two very different men, Justine is plunging deeper into a world of wizardry, eroticism, and cosmic secrets. With Packard’s help, Justine has freed herself from her madness—only to discover a reality more frightening than anyone’s worst fears.

In Midcity nothing is what it seems. In a world where some humans, called Highcap, have DNA mutations allowing them to have powerful abilities such has telekinesis, dream invasion and more, Justine is fighting her very down-to-earth hypochondria issues, craving for a normal life. The answer to her madness comes in the package of an handsome and mysterious man offering her some redemption but the price to pay might be higher than Mrs. Jones expected. She finds herself enrolled in a crew of misfits fighting crime in a rather original fashion and her life is now more complicated than it ever was.

I really loved Mind Games and I think it’s unique flavor and originality has a lot to do with that. This book felt like a breath of fresh air in a literature full of vampires, werewolves, angels & demons, not that I don’t like those (Trust me I do!) but it’s always nice to tumble into something so out of the box. Crane built a very special world where one’s neurosis can be turned into a weapon: they are called Disillusionist.

I really appreciated all the characters mostly because they were all multilayered and had very different personalities. Justine is indeed very unique, battling the whole time with her conscience and her desire to be free of her condition. Fighting hard to try and do the right thing, but life isn’t all black and white and her quest won’t be trouble free. She is smart and even though she is stuck between a rock and a hard place, she does her best to stay on top of her game.

I have to confess I found out who “the bad guy” was very early in the story, but the end still took a surprising twist for me. Of all the possibilities, I hadn’t thought of that one and I truly can’t wait to discover the consequence in the second book, Double Cross. And happily for me, it releases in just over 2 weeks, yay!

If you are looking some something new in the Urban Fantasy genre, I strongly suggest you give Mind Games a shot. It’s clever heroine and original set up will win you over!

Read an Excerpt

 

The Disillusionist series:

Mind Games

Double Cross

 

Book Stats:

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages

Publisher: Spectra; Original edition (March 23, 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0553592610

ISBN-13: 978-0553592610

Book Source: Personal Shelf

Posted by Tynga at 16:10

 Carolyn Crane, Review  6 People left their mark

Tynga is a 32 years old mom of two, from Montreal, working as a lab technician in an hospital specialized in heart disease. In her free time, she enjoys reading all things Paranormal and photography.

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