Mind Games (Disillusionist #1)
Carolyn Crane
Published: March 2010 (Spectra)
Purchase at: Book Depository or Amazon
Rating (out of 5): 4 stars
Carolyn Crane is incredibly clever or she’s neurotic. Either way, the result is a creative urban fantasy landscape and the surprisingly purposeful supernatural talent of disillusionment. The disillusionists are overwhelmed by fears — social collapse, self-esteem and disease. With guidance from a highcap, one of many humans with extra mental skills, these people are able to channel their crippling, irrational fears into others. Targeting murderers and the like, the disillusionist team turns the bad guys into hollow shells to be rebuilt as remorseful souls.
They do it under the umbrella of the greater good. OK, they’re really vigilantes. And that’s Justine’s issue with the whole thing. She doesn’t want to be a vigilante. She wants the Midcity crime wave to stop, but she has faith in the police chief.
Justine is a hypocondriac, focused on a vein condition that has her believing she’s on the verge of death constantly. Her boyfriend endures it, but the frequent trips to the ER for nothing are wearing on him. So, when Justine discovers how great she can feel after zinging her fears into another, it’s hard to not join Packard’s team of disillusionists. The fact he’s easy on the eyes doesn’t hurt either. The more she thinks on it, and the more she gets to feel normal, the easier it is to rationalize the idea of taking out those the police can’t stop. It’s like helping.
Without giving away details of the story, Mind Games is a suspenseful page-turner. Justine is easy to like and easier to relate to — even when she’s trying to lie to herself, it’s easy to see a piece of yourself in her. She’s empathetic, but strong-willed. The romantic elements of the novel are attention-grabbers, but this book is more about finding out what’s real and understanding others’ motivations. I loved the mystery element to the story, and have to admit I really loved Packard — who is kind of a bastard.
If you’re up for an intense urban fantasy that’s part crime solver, part character development, you need to start Mind Games. Just be aware, it’s one of those addictive books and the trilogy is sure to be the same. I’ve already bought it’s recently-released sequel Double Cross
I have been absolutely LOVING this series. I love Justine and her… Well, now that would be a spoiler.
But the secondary characters are even amazing too. I truly loved the whole idea with the powers and such. Very original and creative. 
I would strongly suggest getting into this story to anyone. 
Great review!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Elizabeth Kolodziej, Vampire Book Club. Vampire Book Club said: Review: Mind Games by @CarolynCrane http://ow.ly/3167M — Incredibly clever @DelReySpectra [...]
Review: Mind Games by Carolyn Crane | Vampire Book Club…
Here at World Spinner we are debating the same thing……
Most series books are far, far into many sequels that I am too intimidated to start and catch up. I’m glad this one is the first so that I can get into a series, much like The Strain that I am currently reading.
[...] Yes, yes, we know Otto might be the obvious choice from this first Disillusionists Trilogy book. But we love the bastards. Packard is that. He thinks he knows better than others, and thinks he should make decisions to protect them. But the chemistry between him and Justine is palpable. One would expect smoke to begin pouring from the pages whenever they have scenes alone from the sheer amount of sexual tension. (Review of Mind Games) [...]
[...] awesome Carolyn Crane. If you haven't started her Disillusionists Trilogy, the first book is Mind Games. Start now. The third novel just released yesterday, and we convinced her to draw pictures for our [...]