Almost a month ago, I received notification that I had won a signed copy this book from Christina's
Confessions of a Book Addict giveaway. After confirming my entry, she passed along my information to the author so she could mail me a copy directly.
The next day, I had a Facebook Friend confirmation from none other than the author, Kate Kaynak. Upon learning that I have a book-review blog, she was curious if I'd be interested in receiving and reviewing the 2nd book as well. How could I say no?
Of course, while I'm grateful for receiving signed copies of both books, my excitement at receiving them has passed, leaving me with a level mind. Both reviews will be impartial and honest.
And, as always, this review contains no spoilers.
Maddie doesn't know how she did it. She didn't use a gun, a knife, or any weapon at all. All she knows is that one moment the three boys were stripping her clothes off, and the next they were all dead.
After the trauma of her abduction and her attackers' inexplicable deaths, no criminal system could punish her as much as she does herself. However, much to her surprise, instead of facing criminal charges Maddie is recruited into the Ganzfield Training Program.
Located on a remote campus in New Hampshire, Ganzfield is a school for children with very special abilities. There are the charms, those gifted with verbally induced mind-control, who pretty much rule the school; sparks, or pyrokinetics, can control, summon, and extinguish fires; RV's, remote viewers, can find anyone or anything no matter the distance; healers speed up the body's own restoration processes; and minders, or telepaths, can hear people's thoughts and feelings.
Maddie is a minder, one of only four in the school, and she's definitely making a strong first-impression. It's only been a few hours and she's already started to topple the charm-imposed social order. But mixing things up doesn't win many friendships, especially when everyone knows she can hear their thoughts. In a high-school populated by super-powered teens, can Maddie survive alone? Or will she have to?
I know what you're thinking—or, rather Maddie does. You think this is all crazy. There aren't such things as telepathy or fire-starters or mind-control. Well, maybe that's just what they want you to think.
Let me first say that I absolutely loved this story. It took a little while to warm into, but once Maddie found her voice, I couldn't get enough. Read the whole thing in one sitting.
