The Mind Readers Review

The Mind Readers by LORI BRIGHTON



Cameron Winters is a freak. Fortunately, no one but her family knows the truth... that Cameron can read minds. For years Cameron has hidden behind a facade of normalcy, warned that there are those who would do her harm. When gorgeous and mysterious Lewis Douglas arrives he destroys everything Cameron has ever believed and tempts her with possibilities of freedom. Determined to embrace her hidden talents, Cameron heads to a secret haven with Lewis; a place where she meets others like her, Mind Readers.

But as Cameron soon finds out some things are too good to be true. When the Mind Readers realize the extent of Cameron’s abilities, they want to use her powers for their own needs. Cameron suddenly finds herself involved in a war in which her idea of what is right and wrong is greatly tested. In the end she’ll be forced to make a choice that will not only threaten her relationship with Lewis, but her very life (goodreads).

 1/2
Review: 

Lori Brighton's young adult novel opens up a world of mind reading, murder, and betrayal. With such a seemingly attention-packed plot, I felt that the delivery fell flat. 

Cameron Winters lives with her grandmother and has only one rule to abide to: don't let anyone know that she can read minds. This becomes difficult when a classmate turns up dead and she can hear the voice of the killer, but cannot place who the voice is coming from. Enter Lewis Douglas, a new transfer who seems to know her little secret and talks her into joining a school designed for people like her, others who can read minds and make a difference in the world. 

This book had all the fixings for a great novel, except it didn't live up for the various plot points that it set up for itself. The book opens up with Cameron using her mind reading capabilities to please her best friend who expects only envy and worship from her. It quickly jumps to the discovery of a dead classmate and the appearance of a new transfer student. The murder is wrapped up within 30 pages and Cameron finds her self headed to a school a la Professor X's School for Gifted Children. From here Cameron learns about her parents and has to decide who she can trust and who is holding something from her. The book had my attention for the first 50 pages or so until Cameron was shipped off to the mutant school. It seemed like some parts rushed just to do nothing, the latter half of the book is the constant jump between 'Can I trust you?' and 'are you SURE I can trust you??' I felt that it dragged until the last twenty pages. 

The secondary characters are almost non-existent. They appear sporadically when a plot development is needed but besides that they are barely seen. For a school for mind readers it's odd that Cameron only has conversations 3 people, not including the love interest Lewis. In my opinion, the most interesting characters were Cameron's classmates at her high school before she ran away to the X-Men-y school. 

The writing style is well polished, it is just the plot and overall organization that needs tweaking. Because The Mind Readers is told from the first person perspective, the audience experiences the unwanted mind reading and Cameron's constant confusion regarding who is looking out for her best interest and who is using her for her special skill. Lori does an excellent job tapping into Cameron's vulnerability and her insecurities. 

The Mind Readers takes readers on a roller coaster ride that will make the audience question the characters and their intentions. As interesting as the summary makes the novel seem, this novel was not for me. 

Recommended: I recommend this for readers who like schools for gifted children with multiple plot twists. 

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