Review: Mind Games by Carolyn Crane

I read several other reviews before I read this book, and they all said something like "Wow, I loved this book. It's such a unique twist!" and I thought, Hmmm...what could be so unique? Well, I hate to sound like a broken record, but it really is different. It's an incredible read with an unusual premise. And I don't quite know how to review it without giving it all away, but I'm going to do my bestest.

Justine Jones is at a good place in her life, if you don't count the fact that she's dying. Or at least, she thinks she is. You see, she's a hypochondriac. She imagines she can feel the symptoms, becomes convinced she's dying, seeks medical care until she's reassured she's not dying, and then she imagines she's having the symptoms again. She knows it's a cycle, and yet she can't break it. While having dinner at Mongolian Delights, she meets the mysterious Packard, who sees what she is and offers a way to escape the cycle...by ''zinging" her fears into criminals, rendering them unable to function normally due to the debilitating worries of hypochondria.

I loved this book! Justine and her fellow disillusionists were all imperfect people trying to make the world a better place. Using their various neruoses to fight crime was a brilliant and unexpected take on traditional vigilante crime-fighting. I enjoyed the camaraderie between Justine and her new friends, Justine and the criminals (surprisingly), and the many layered relationship between Justine and Packard. Packard's situation was...interesting. The bigger story behind it kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what Justine would do.

Several times I wanted to shake the book and yell "No, Justine, No!!!" ,"Be careful!!" and "OMG!!!" The end of the book, while not a cliffhanger per se, definitely left me wanting more. I can't wait for the next book in the trilogy, Double Cross, which comes out September 28.

I give Mind Games 5 out of 5 stars; this one's going onto the keeper shelf!

Carolyn Crane's Trapped In A Restaurant Meme Game

That post title sounds like Carolyn Crane is trapped in a restaurant. She's not. What she is doing is running a fun meme/contest to celebrate the upcoming release of her book, Mind Games:

1. In MIND GAMES, hypochondriac heroine Justine Jones can’t figure out why tortured mastermind Sterling Packard never sets foot outside the Mongolian Delites restaurant. What if you were somehow trapped in a restaurant, what sort of restaurant would you prefer?

-Middle Eastern (I wouldn't have to cook, would I?)

2. What if you won the fancy $100 dinner to a restaurant of your choice, and you could dine with any character from any book, movie, or history. Who would you choose?

-I know this is where I'm supposed to say Abraham Lincoln, Ghandi, or John F. Kennedy, but really, I'd spend the whole meal thinking "Holy cow, I'm sitting here with Abraham Lincoln, Ghandi, or JFK!!" and not remember a damn thing. For a fun evening out, I'd probably pick my girlcrush, Tina Fey. I think she'd be a good conversationalist and would try to put me at ease and it would be a fun dinner.

3. Choose three characters to dine with for a lively dinner party (you can define lively however you want).

-I would pick all women because I want to have fun and don't want to worry about whether or not I have spinach in my teeth or worry if my bra strap is showing or have to act all ladylike during the meal. I'd pick Jane Jameson from Molly Harper's Nice Girls trilogy because I think she'd be a blast to hang out with. I'd also pick Cat from Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress Series because she seems like fun, (plus maybe Bones would come by at the end of the meal to pick her up *wink*). Lastly, I'd pick Sookie Stackhouse from Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire series because Sookie seems like she'd be a good friend and would be comfortable with the other two guests, both of whom are vampires. Do I think this would be a lively dinner party? Heck yeah - each of these three ladies has trouble follow them wherever they go....add some alcohol and something crazy is bound to happen!

Play and send your meme game link by April 8 to meme@authorcarolyncrane.com to enter. Anyone can play. Details here.