Mindstormer

Mindwalker #2

by A.J. Steiger

When Lain Fisher wakes up in a hospital bed she can't remember anything of the last few months. As a mindwalker herself she knows about erasing peoples memories. She just never thought it would happen to her. Before she can get any answers to her questions she is rescued by two young men. Ian she remembers, but Steven is a complete stranger. Through accessing her memories, Lain relaizes that IFEN isn't at all what she believed and that before her memories were erased she had fallen violently in love with Steven.

Soon the battle for survival is personal. Lain and Steven join a group of rebel fighters to take on IFEN. But does she love or mistrust Steven? And are the rebel group as bad as IFEN? A twisting, intelligent, enthralling adventure about a future world that might just be on our own horizon.

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Fiction, Science Fiction, Young Adult Science Fiction

432 pages, Paperback

First published November 7, 2017

About the author

A. J. Steiger graduated from Columbia College in Chicago, where she majored in fiction writing. She has lived her whole life in the Chicago suburbs, though she enjoys regular visits to other galaxies and dimensions in her mind. She's a freelance writer and transcriptionist with an enthusiasm for anime and pancake houses.

Mindwalker is her first book for young adults.

Reviews

[Always Pouting · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the 200+ books I still haven't read that I requested from netgalley. I thought I'd try to begin to make a dent in that number. I actually didn't even realize this was a sequel which is probably a plus for this book. Usually when I accidentally pick up a book that's partway through a series I can tell and the whole time I'm reading I feel annoyed and frustrated because I'm missing parts of the story line. In hindsight it makes sense that this was a sequel and I was wondering while reading why the author would choose the point they did to pick up the story but yeah the point is this stands alone pretty well. The book itself was pretty good though the pacing felt really fast to me, especially towards the end. As things built up and after Lain recovered her memories I just felt like things moved a little too quickly. Also found it hard to believe that the war would just end in two years time. I also felt frustrated by Lain a lot of the time and her hesitation, even though I actually really empathized with where it was coming from. Maybe that was just reflecting of some other personal things I have going on around organizing and what is justified in trying to bring about change one feels is crucial. Also reading about mental illness in general puts me on edge because of my own issues so there was that. Regardless of how I felt about the things covered in the book through a lens of personal experience I do think it covered a lot of things with nuance and did a pretty good job of it. I was going to rate it four stars but I think once again the ending of a book really just didn't do it for me so I'm going to say this was 3.5 stars for me. Just wish the pacing of the ending had been a little bit more staggered out and that things had had more time to build up.

[Rosina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Find my full review here

I received this book from Rock the Boat through a GoodReads giveaway in return for an honest review.

So Mindstormer is the sequel to Mindwalker, a book that came out around two years ago now. It continues the story of Lain Fisher as she fights against the IFEN and the type system.

What I Liked

-The action.
-That it was mostly set in Toronto.
-Aaron
-Rhee
-The use of technology
-Lain and Ian's friendship.

What I Didn't Like

-A little slow to get into
-You don't get some of the motives
-How quickly the final battle section seemed to be

Mental Illness in this book

Usually, I stick to two sections of my review but mental illness is both so important to this series and in general so I felt the need to address this. With the type system and Somnazol, mental illness is a really important aspect of the book but in this novel, I was torn about what to think. Whilst why and how they suffer is realistic, it does seem to be pushing the idea that these people are crazy. Even Lain herself sees herself this way later on and though she knows she can get better and needs time, it is a little uncomfortable. I know that people suffering sometimes deem themselves crazy but, I don't know, it just seemed a little more negative in this book.

I wouldn't say the mental illness is problematic as it is mostly handled well but it toes the line in places.

Also, I do have to warn about a cutting scene used as a distraction near the end. It's not truly to self-harm but it's a little gross so I thought a warning wouldn't hurt.

However, this book gets a very acceptable three stars from me.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through Rock The Boat in order to review it. When I first picked up Mindstormer, I thought it would be like any other young adult dystopian story which seem to be quite popular at the moment. It took me a while to get fully into the book as it has a slow start, however once the story picked up, I found it hard to put the book back down. Mindstormer contains a range of interesting characters, even though I would have liked for some to be developed a bit more.

Things I liked:

Steven
Zebra
Rhee
The Mindstormer
Holomasks


Things that could have been improved:

More action at the start
Further character development (e.g. Burke)

Overall this was a lovely read (4/5stars)

PS: It took me longer than anticipated to finish this book due to university exams and moving house, however this had nothing to do with the story itself.

PPS: As I am currently traveling, I left my copy at the Book Swap in Helsinki Airport. (Just in case somebody happens to pass through there ;) )

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as part of Library Thing's Early Reviewer's program.

This book is the second book in a series, that is apparently only available in the UK, so I went into this story slightly annoyed that I would not be able to read the first book in the series. However, the book does a fairly good job of standing alone. Although I had no prior knowledge of the events in the first book, I had no problems following the story line, and at no point was I confused by what was taking place - I'm sure reading the first book would have added insight, but it was unnecessary to enjoy the sequel.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was able to polish it off in just a couple of sittings, it was captivating and entertaining. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed Divergent or the Hunger Games.

[Rachel (The Rest Is Still Unwritten) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Find this review and more on my blog The Rest Is Still Unwritten!

Mindstormer is the second novel in A.J. Steiger’s Mindwalker duology and brings the series to a climactic close.

When Mindwalker Lain Fisher wakes up in a hospital bed, she has no memory of the last few months. Told she was tricked into aiding and abetting known terrorists, Lain is shocked to learn of her recent actions, although something simmers at the back of her mind, telling her that not everything is as it seems. Then she is rescued by two young men; Ian who she knows and Steven, a perfect stranger. Steven seems devastated by Lain’s lack of memories and as he and Ian find a way to restore her memories, Lain quickly discovers that IFEN are not the organization they proclaim themselves to be and she was deeply in love with Steven before having her memories altered. Fighting back against IFEN seems like the only course of action, but when doing so means bloodshed across the board, will Lain find the strength to do what needs to be done or will IFEN manage to bring the rebels to their feet once again.

I have to say I’ve really enjoyed this duology; a lot more than I anticipated I would heading into it and am sad to see it come to an end. Mindstormer was a well written follow up to its predecessor, although I must admit I didn’t enjoy it as much as I did Mindwalker. That being said, it was still a great book and allowed me to join Lain and Steven once again.

Introducing readers to a new aspects of the series in the form of the Blackcoats and the underground rebellion being waged against IFEN, Mindstromer is told in three parts; the first with Lain having no memories of the events that have recent;y occurred, the second where Lain is “reliving” her memories and we get to experience what has happened in the past and the third where Lain’s memories have been completely restored and she, Steven and Ian are looking to reunite with their allies against IFEN.

Though I understood the reasoning’s behind their actions, I wasn’t a fan of the Blackcoats all too much. They were violent and tyrannical in many of their ways. Their terrorist actions did have an impact and though I applaud them for wanting to change the system, I very much thought Lain’s ideas where better placed overall. As was A.J. Steiger’s plan I guess.

Overall the Mindwalker duology was an enjoyable read, although I think the ending felt a bit rushed and perhaps the series would have benefited from a third installment as things could have progressed slower. That being said, Minstormer explores a bit more of Steiger’s world before bringing it to a close in high stakes fashion!

[Kat(ja) · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I was provided with an eARC by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!*

While I wasn’t the biggest fan of the predecessor of Mindstormer, I was pleasantly surprised by the beginning of this one. It really switched things up and kept you wondering what had happened. Lain having lost her memory sort of resets all her relationships back to when book one started, but since you know how she is “supposed to feel” towards certain characters, it really creates an interesting dynamic.

Unfortunately that was only the first part and then there is an entire flashback to the three months we missed. That’s when things sort of turned generic for me again and constantly kept reminding me of things I had read or seen before. I was also very frustrated with Lain and Steven’s behaviour during that time. I seriously started to think that Ian would become a valid option, simply because Lain and Steven didn’t interact with each other whatsoever. People change when they are thrown into extreme circumstances and it would not have been far fetched for me if they had simply grown apart, but apparently that wasn’t the master plan behind it. I just got so annoyed with their very opposite beliefs clashing, both of them being stubbornly idealistic in their own ways.

Something about this series just rubs me the wrong way. I am not sure I can really put a finger on it, but the portrayal of the countries and their relationship was odd to me (Like, can you imagine Canada building a wall to the US and then becoming one of the countries with the harshest internment camps on the planet?). In addition to that, I could not really agree with either form of suggested government and whenever Lain proposed a less violent approach, not even she could come up with concrete ideas on what they were actually supposed to do.

In the end, I was glad that the characters didn’t come out of this unscathed. Events like the ones they went through leave a mark and they’ll have to live with their actions forever. Ultimately, I liked it better than the first book, but it will never become one of my favourite series.

Fazit: 3/5 stars!

[Carina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2 1/2 stars

I recieved this book through the LibraryThing early reviewers program and upon recieving it decided (as im sure any fellow bookworm would) to add it to both my LibraryThing and Goodreads reading list. And as i did this I came to realize that this was in fact the second book in the series. *facepalm* so naturally i had to pick up the first book at my local library before reading this one.

Im am sad to say that my opinion on this book is the same as for the first one. As in the first book I still found the main character, Lain , to be quite annoying. The romance (still) didn't feel authentic and it was frustrating to see the story development from the point of view of someone who was in denial and filled with bad decisions. The one thing that kept me reading was my need to fill in the gap of what happened between the ending of the first book and the beginning of this one.
To be fair there were two things i did like about this book, one being a character and the other being the ending. Rhee was the only character I really liked. I loved how strong of a character she was (physically, mentally, and emotionally) but still showed a level of sympathy and even fear at the precise moments in the story. It showed that despite her strong (almost cold) behavior she still was quite capable of experiencing very human feelings. As to the end of the book, it wasn't anything extraordinary but it was something different than I expected. It wasn't exactly a happy ending but it also wasn't a sad or bad ending. The only way i can describe it (without having spoilers) would be as something very real and justified. As i said before its nothing that will shock you but i feel that if this were left as a duology I would be content with the ending.

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I just want to gloat over the fact that the very first page of this paperback copy of Mindstormer features a quote from MY REVIEW of Mindwalker.
"This book was surprisingly awesome. I enjoyed every minute of it.' Haley on Goodreads.
Sure, I wasn't told my review would be quoted, but I forgive them! It's too awesome, I'm not even a popular book blogger.
Gloating aside....

Mindstormer was a great sequel-finale. I think it's good that this was a duology because I really didn't want to have to wait for another book. This series has been too awesome. There are lots of YA dystopian series out there, but this one is focused on mental health issues, similar to The Program series by Suzanne Young, but unlike that book there's more advanced technology, so I'm guessing Mindwalker takes place about 40 years in the future, give or take a decade. I'm sure most of you are going to think the whole "revolution/rebellion" thing is super cliche', used in Red Queen, the Hunger Games, ect. Even so, it still feels fresh. The story starts out with Lain not remembering the last few months, and then we get "Three Months Earlier" and see everything that happen between the first book and this point, and then once the story catches up to that point in time, we get close to the climax. It's an interesting way to tell a story.
Also don't forget the romance! I like Steven. I hate that Lain and him went through a separation time, which is definitely cliche for so many 2nd book. Relationships have drama, I get it. They are in a stressful situation and Lain's very much against violence and Steven hates IFEN so much for what he had to go though. Everything works out though.

Try this series, especially if you're in a dystopian mood.

[Snehal Dalvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the second book in the “Mindwalker” Series by A J Steiger, but can be read as a standalone novel as well.
The book starts with Lain Fisher, who is a young Mindwalker waking up in hospital bed in IFEN, without remembering any events of the past few months. Lain is confused and suspicious of her surrounding finding herself in the IFEN center with no answers from Dr. Swan, her mentor who also happens to be her Guardian. Then all of a sudden she is kidnapped from IFEN by Steven and other Blackcoats who terrorize the IFEN building. With no memories of the past few months she is unable to understand the situations around her and when she Finds Ian, her best friend she is relieved and is notified that this is in fact her rescue mission. When she lands in Canada and tries to regain her memories, she discovers her true identity and thus begins the actual journey of freedom and her mission to help make the United Republic of America an equal country for all individuals with no type.
Loved the concept and the take on Type system of differentiating people from one another. The book is based in a very developed technological era and the concepts of mind walking and memory erasing are mind-blowing. The technology described in the book had me hooked and Ian and Lain’s friendship and dedication to change the world facing all odds is like a ray of hope when someday in the real world someone like Lain would demolish the discrimination of caste and class and type.

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first started this book I was extremely confused. Its does not pick up where the first one ended. I kept stopping and wondering what I had missed. I really didn't like that but it did make sense to do that because it really pulls you into the book. Lain is in the same boat as you she wakes up and has no idea what is going on or what happened, so it was fun to find out with the character! There were a few things I didn't like about this book. I didn't like the love triangle. It wasn't a major deal in this one but I just think its been overdone and wish authors would move away from it. I also really didn't like the way Steven treated Lain for the majority of the book. There was no reason for it and didn't make sense to me why Lain continued wanting to be with him. I guess if there had been more of an explanation for his actions that might have made it better. I also, at first, did not like the way it ended. Its a little depressing to me but the more I thought about it, the more I liked it and understood why Lain's story needed to end that way. Overall enjoyable book that I would recommend to anyone who loves dystopian YA!
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Rock the Boat Books!

[Julia Van Dyke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel, like its predecessor, was stereotypical YA. I enjoyed the plot line, certainly, but it had its flaws. Just like the last novel, parts of it felt like they didn’t add up. It was also quite repetitive in the way that characters reacted from paragraph to paragraph. There were grammatical errors at times as well.

Altogether, though, I liked this novel and I liked this series. I was invested in the storyline and didn’t like putting the book down. I also really liked how the author chose to modify the main character’s reactions and thought processes in between chapters to reflect whatever level of memory she had at that time, even though the audience already knew what happened.

This series was dark, but interesting. Overall, I’d give this novel and the series itself 4 stars, just due to some of its more tangible flaws and its stereotypical nature. Would recommend!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t realize that Mindstormer was the second in a series until I had finished the book, so I don’t think it’s necessary to read the first to understand this one. I enjoyed it, but it felt familiar, like there were pieces of other young adult dystopian novels I’ve read mixed in. I loved Rhee and would have liked to have known more about her. I received an Early Reviewers copy of this book from LibraryThing.

[Kaylee P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok so i’m not actually done with the book but i wanted to say that i was reading the beginning with enchanted by taylor swift stuck in my head and i realized how perfectly they matched.
“please don’t be in love with someone else. please don’t have somebody waiting for you”
like i can just imagine steven saying this and he sees ian with lain. the pain this man must be going through

[J.A. McLachlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series, and I did not find the first, so I am at a disadvantage in assessing it. I found the characters interesting and well-drawn, the story well-paced and with sufficient surprises and twist to hold my attention, and the world-building to be complex and believeable (within the scope of SF/F)

[Olivia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, could’ve done without reading this second book, I was perfectly satisfied with only the first one, even if it was left on a cliffhanger. This second book just didn’t really live up to the first and it was really really really drawn out and in the end, not a very satisfying read.

[Samantha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lain and Steven have such a toxic relationship.

[Safiya · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this book so much, genuinely could not put it down. would highly recommend to anyone who loves an action/dystopian book. love it!

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mind Stormer

One of the key themes of Mind Stormer is freedom. This is because in Mind Stormer there is a society where people are ranked from one to four (when they are very young) in their likely hood to become violent people. If you are ranked a four you will have a type of wiring in your body that means that when ever you are about to do anything somewhat violent you would be made unconscious. This can even include trying to defend yourself if you are being attacked. There are also laws to make sure that if you are a four you will live in poverty and have almost no way to become a type three or two and lead a better life. Another way the idea of freedom is used is that in Mind Stormer there is drug called Somnazol that is designed to make suicide as pain free as possible, the problem is that it makes the idea of suicide so easy to many of the class 'four' population to kill themselves when they could have gotten through their depression. The problem is that people are almost pressured to take them by their Doctors and it's argued throughout the book that the existence of Somnazol is almost against people's free will.