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Mind Sweeper #1
Mind Sweeper
An angel, a demon and a vampire walk into a bar. Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but it's just another day in the life of Kyle McKinley.
Kyle was born with the ability to erase memories, and the inability to keep her opinions to herself. She and her teammates – a vampire who looks like a sexy pirate with fangs, and a Shamat demon with a penchant for Italian pastries – provide supernatural damage control when humans see too much. Today’s problem? A sword-wielding angel and a demon had a supernatural smackdown during happy hour in a Cleveland bar, leaving behind a headless vampire and a dozen human witnesses.
This latest supernatural slip-up is attracting all kinds of attention. So much attention that the police step in, and Kyle has to deal with Joe Dalton, a know-it-all human with the sexiest turquoise eyes she has ever seen. Kyle has no room in her life for yet another human who will treat her like a freak. However, Dalton definitely makes her naughty parts sit up and take notice, and it’s more than mutual. But before they can act on their attraction, they must join forces to solve a dangerous puzzle. And when they uncover the truth, the apocalyptic ripple effect forces Kyle to make a choice. Learn to trust again, or risk losing everyone she cares about, including Dalton.
Kyle was born with the ability to erase memories, and the inability to keep her opinions to herself. She and her teammates – a vampire who looks like a sexy pirate with fangs, and a Shamat demon with a penchant for Italian pastries – provide supernatural damage control when humans see too much. Today’s problem? A sword-wielding angel and a demon had a supernatural smackdown during happy hour in a Cleveland bar, leaving behind a headless vampire and a dozen human witnesses.
This latest supernatural slip-up is attracting all kinds of attention. So much attention that the police step in, and Kyle has to deal with Joe Dalton, a know-it-all human with the sexiest turquoise eyes she has ever seen. Kyle has no room in her life for yet another human who will treat her like a freak. However, Dalton definitely makes her naughty parts sit up and take notice, and it’s more than mutual. But before they can act on their attraction, they must join forces to solve a dangerous puzzle. And when they uncover the truth, the apocalyptic ripple effect forces Kyle to make a choice. Learn to trust again, or risk losing everyone she cares about, including Dalton.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2014
1336 people are currently reading
1618 people want to read
About the author
A.E. Jones
24 books104 followersGrowing up a TV junkie, award winning author AE Jones oftentimes rewrote endings of episodes in her head when she didn’t like the outcome. She immersed herself in sci-fi and soap operas. But when Buffy hit the little screen she knew her true love was paranormal. Now she spends her nights weaving stories about all variation of supernatural—their angst and their humor. After all life is about both…whether you sport fangs or not.
AE won RWA’s Golden Heart® Award for her paranormal manuscript, Mind Sweeper, which also was a RWA RITA® finalist for both First Book and Paranormal Romance. AE was also a recipient of the Booksellers Best Award for her book, Sentinel Lost.
AE lives in Ohio surrounded by her eclectic family and friends who in no way resemble any characters in her books. Honest. Now her two cats are another story altogether.
AE won RWA’s Golden Heart® Award for her paranormal manuscript, Mind Sweeper, which also was a RWA RITA® finalist for both First Book and Paranormal Romance. AE was also a recipient of the Booksellers Best Award for her book, Sentinel Lost.
AE lives in Ohio surrounded by her eclectic family and friends who in no way resemble any characters in her books. Honest. Now her two cats are another story altogether.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
May 13, 2018
Buddy read with the best Dysfunctional Family ever and stuff.
DNF at 63%. It's a bloody miracle I made it that far.
Me: So. A.E. Jones. Your secret is out.
A.E. Jones: I'm sorry but you didn't ask a question.
Me: Question? What question? What are you talking about?
A.E. Jones: This is a Q & A. It's obvious you're a non-native English speaker and are not familiar with the abbreviations we use.
Me: Don't test me woman.
A.E. Jones: Excuse me?
Me: I just wasted two days of my life reading your crap. Don't make it worse or I'll give you a few choice abbreviations of my own.
A.E. Jones: (shuddering) I'm so very sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. Please stop looking at me like that, you're scaring me.
Me: Yeah, I tend to have that effect on people. Hey, come to think of it this should be a pretty inspiring moment for you!
A.E. Jones: What do you mean?
Me: Well, considering you came up with the lamest awe-inspiring characters ever, next time you write a book, try and remember that look on my face. I'm pretty sure your characters will end up being a lot more convincing.
A.E. Jones: Oh. Okay. Thank you so much.
Me: No problem. Can we just get on with this now? I have better things to do with my life.
A.E. Jones: Of course. So sorry.
Me: You better be. So. As I was saying before you interrupted me, your secret is out.
A.E. Jones: I don't have a secret, I'm an open book.
Me: See, you're so ashamed of this you won't even admit it. Just say it once and for all, you'll feel much better afterwards.
A.E. Jones: I sincerely have no idea what you are talking about.
Me: I'm talking about you secretly wanting to be a YA author, you silly. And a PNR author. And a romance author. Anything but UF. UF is obviously not your thing. At all.
A.E. Jones: But. But. But. I love UF. I'm really good at it. Just look at the average rating for this book!
Me: Yeah well, the average rating for Who's Holding the Freaking Baby? is 3.93. What does that tell you about GR users?
A.E. Jones: that they have great taste in books?
Me: (starts banging head on desk) Okay. I get it. This conversation is going nowhere. Let's forget about the Q&A. Time to give you some friendly advice.
Lesson #1: thou shalt consider taking a Creative Writing 101 class.
Because saying the writing in this book is simplistic doesn't even begin to cover it. Duly noted? Good. Moving on.
Lesson #2: thou shalt come up with a few non-gorgeous characters for your story.
Now that would really be refreshing. This is supposed to be Urban Fantasy, not Barbie Land Everyone is Biotiful Fantasy. So much SHEER GORGEOUSNESS radiated from your story I ended up thinking I wasn't good looking enough to be allowed to read it. Besides, there was so much dazzling beauty to be had here that my eyes started hurting while I was reading and I had to put sunglasses on.
Jean Luc the vamp is BEAUTIFUL, Nicholas the boss is RIDICULOUSLY HANDSOME, Dolly the receptionist is GORGEOUS, TALL, BLONDE, and SLEEK. Doc is a GORGEOUS SCANDINAVIAN BARBIE, Joe has GORGEOUS BLUE EYES. And a GORGEOUS, SEXY, DEEP VOICE. And an AMAZING BODY. Our dear heroine herself is SO HOT she elicits catcalls from road crews even when dressed appropriately
GORGEOUS. GORGEOUS. GORGEOUS. GORGEOUS. GORGEOUS. GORGEOUS. Arrrrgggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
Lesson #3: thou shalt not write stories featuring one-dimensional characters who act like teenagers.
It appears our heroine is supposed to be in her early 30s And here I was thinking she was in her early 20s. Silly little me. Then again it might have been an attempt at humour on your part. It wasn't? Why am I not surprised? Anyway, back to our lame, one-dimensional characters: a HOT heroine and a HOT cop who are supposed to be in their 30s + a HOT vamp and a HOT demon who are supposed to be hundreds of years old . And yet this story is a total high school drama fest! The members of your Brainless Bunch here all act like immature, dumb as bricks 15-year-olds! Yay! Congratulations E.A. Jones! You make the characters in Obsidian come across as older and wiser than Yoda!
Lesson #4: thou shalt hold off the instalove and cheese.
The air in this book is so saturated with stupid mush that I began to suffocate as I was reading and had to resort to wearing a gas mask.
➻ Five seconds after our dear we're-acting-like-stupid-teenagers-protagonists meet:
“Don’t worry, Kyle. I’m not going to rush you. But, trust me, this is going to happen at some point. I’ve known since the day we met, when we argued, that we would end up together.”
➻ Instalove taken care of. Wait for five minutes. Have sex! This is it! We'll live happily ever after! Because, you know, we just had sex! Everyone rejoice!
“We both jumped when Misha walked into the room. He smiled and grabbed me, somehow avoiding spilling my coffee. He then kissed me on both cheeks. “I am so happy for you both.” So Misha was going to play my gushing grandmother in this scenario. Dalton let out a relieved sigh, until Misha grabbed him, too, and planted kisses on both his cheeks.”
“I am pleased for you both. I did not want to embarrass you in front of Dalton by talking about it, but I have never seen you look happier.”
*Checks book cover* No, it doesn't say "STUPID ROMANCE BRING ON THE CHEESE" anywhere *checks what genre the book has been marketed as* No, it doesn't say "FREAKING ROMANCE SUGAR SHOCK INDUCED COMA ON THE WAY" *checks GR bookshelves* Bahahahahahaha, I'm so funny sometimes! Since when do GR users have a clue when it comes to shelving books, anyway?! Bahahahahahaha! .
► Lesson #5: thou shalt read the entry for "badass" in the dictionary.
Our supposedly kick-butt heroine has to be rescued by a protective, strong male every 5 seconds. But she's a badass. She has to be rescued *and* taken to safety every 5 seconds. But she's a badass. She has to be carried up the stairs in strong, manly arms every 5 minutes. But she's a badass. Wait. I think I know what the problem is. As A.E. Jones kindly pointed out earlier I am nothing but a non-native English speaker. I'm the one who obviously got the meaning of "badass" wrong. It clearly means "weak, lame, pathetic, male-dependent female" in English.
► Lesson #6: thou shalt not bore your readers to death.
Driving your readers to complete lethargy and utter disinterest is not usually considered a good idea. Need I say more? Didn't think so.
►► At this point you might think that I'm over-exaggerating and that this book can't possibly be as bad as I make it sound. Well I'll have you know that:
① I never over-exaggerate. Nope nope nope. Not me.
+
② I don't think anyone I was buddy reading this book with actually made it to the last page.
=
DNF at 63%. It's a bloody miracle I made it that far.
Me: So. A.E. Jones. Your secret is out.
A.E. Jones: I'm sorry but you didn't ask a question.
Me: Question? What question? What are you talking about?
A.E. Jones: This is a Q & A. It's obvious you're a non-native English speaker and are not familiar with the abbreviations we use.
Me: Don't test me woman.
A.E. Jones: Excuse me?
Me: I just wasted two days of my life reading your crap. Don't make it worse or I'll give you a few choice abbreviations of my own.
A.E. Jones: (shuddering) I'm so very sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. Please stop looking at me like that, you're scaring me.
Me: Yeah, I tend to have that effect on people. Hey, come to think of it this should be a pretty inspiring moment for you!
A.E. Jones: What do you mean?
Me: Well, considering you came up with the lamest awe-inspiring characters ever, next time you write a book, try and remember that look on my face. I'm pretty sure your characters will end up being a lot more convincing.
A.E. Jones: Oh. Okay. Thank you so much.
Me: No problem. Can we just get on with this now? I have better things to do with my life.
A.E. Jones: Of course. So sorry.
Me: You better be. So. As I was saying before you interrupted me, your secret is out.
A.E. Jones: I don't have a secret, I'm an open book.
Me: See, you're so ashamed of this you won't even admit it. Just say it once and for all, you'll feel much better afterwards.
A.E. Jones: I sincerely have no idea what you are talking about.
Me: I'm talking about you secretly wanting to be a YA author, you silly. And a PNR author. And a romance author. Anything but UF. UF is obviously not your thing. At all.
A.E. Jones: But. But. But. I love UF. I'm really good at it. Just look at the average rating for this book!
Me: Yeah well, the average rating for Who's Holding the Freaking Baby? is 3.93. What does that tell you about GR users?
A.E. Jones: that they have great taste in books?
Me: (starts banging head on desk) Okay. I get it. This conversation is going nowhere. Let's forget about the Q&A. Time to give you some friendly advice.
Lesson #1: thou shalt consider taking a Creative Writing 101 class.
Because saying the writing in this book is simplistic doesn't even begin to cover it. Duly noted? Good. Moving on.
Lesson #2: thou shalt come up with a few non-gorgeous characters for your story.
Now that would really be refreshing. This is supposed to be Urban Fantasy, not Barbie Land Everyone is Biotiful Fantasy. So much SHEER GORGEOUSNESS radiated from your story I ended up thinking I wasn't good looking enough to be allowed to read it. Besides, there was so much dazzling beauty to be had here that my eyes started hurting while I was reading and I had to put sunglasses on.
Jean Luc the vamp is BEAUTIFUL, Nicholas the boss is RIDICULOUSLY HANDSOME, Dolly the receptionist is GORGEOUS, TALL, BLONDE, and SLEEK. Doc is a GORGEOUS SCANDINAVIAN BARBIE, Joe has GORGEOUS BLUE EYES. And a GORGEOUS, SEXY, DEEP VOICE. And an AMAZING BODY. Our dear heroine herself is SO HOT she elicits catcalls from road crews even when dressed appropriately
GORGEOUS. GORGEOUS. GORGEOUS. GORGEOUS. GORGEOUS. GORGEOUS. Arrrrgggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
Lesson #3: thou shalt not write stories featuring one-dimensional characters who act like teenagers.
It appears our heroine is supposed to be in her early 30s And here I was thinking she was in her early 20s. Silly little me. Then again it might have been an attempt at humour on your part. It wasn't? Why am I not surprised? Anyway, back to our lame, one-dimensional characters: a HOT heroine and a HOT cop who are supposed to be in their 30s + a HOT vamp and a HOT demon who are supposed to be hundreds of years old . And yet this story is a total high school drama fest! The members of your Brainless Bunch here all act like immature, dumb as bricks 15-year-olds! Yay! Congratulations E.A. Jones! You make the characters in Obsidian come across as older and wiser than Yoda!
Lesson #4: thou shalt hold off the instalove and cheese.
The air in this book is so saturated with stupid mush that I began to suffocate as I was reading and had to resort to wearing a gas mask.
➻ Five seconds after our dear we're-acting-like-stupid-teenagers-protagonists meet:
“Don’t worry, Kyle. I’m not going to rush you. But, trust me, this is going to happen at some point. I’ve known since the day we met, when we argued, that we would end up together.”
➻ Instalove taken care of. Wait for five minutes. Have sex! This is it! We'll live happily ever after! Because, you know, we just had sex! Everyone rejoice!
“We both jumped when Misha walked into the room. He smiled and grabbed me, somehow avoiding spilling my coffee. He then kissed me on both cheeks. “I am so happy for you both.” So Misha was going to play my gushing grandmother in this scenario. Dalton let out a relieved sigh, until Misha grabbed him, too, and planted kisses on both his cheeks.”
“I am pleased for you both. I did not want to embarrass you in front of Dalton by talking about it, but I have never seen you look happier.”
*Checks book cover* No, it doesn't say "STUPID ROMANCE BRING ON THE CHEESE" anywhere *checks what genre the book has been marketed as* No, it doesn't say "FREAKING ROMANCE SUGAR SHOCK INDUCED COMA ON THE WAY" *checks GR bookshelves* Bahahahahahaha, I'm so funny sometimes! Since when do GR users have a clue when it comes to shelving books, anyway?! Bahahahahahaha! .
► Lesson #5: thou shalt read the entry for "badass" in the dictionary.
Our supposedly kick-butt heroine has to be rescued by a protective, strong male every 5 seconds. But she's a badass. She has to be rescued *and* taken to safety every 5 seconds. But she's a badass. She has to be carried up the stairs in strong, manly arms every 5 minutes. But she's a badass. Wait. I think I know what the problem is. As A.E. Jones kindly pointed out earlier I am nothing but a non-native English speaker. I'm the one who obviously got the meaning of "badass" wrong. It clearly means "weak, lame, pathetic, male-dependent female" in English.
► Lesson #6: thou shalt not bore your readers to death.
Driving your readers to complete lethargy and utter disinterest is not usually considered a good idea. Need I say more? Didn't think so.
►► At this point you might think that I'm over-exaggerating and that this book can't possibly be as bad as I make it sound. Well I'll have you know that:
① I never over-exaggerate. Nope nope nope. Not me.
+
② I don't think anyone I was buddy reading this book with actually made it to the last page.
=
books-i-gave-up-on
June 11, 2015DNF @ 50%
This book is B-O-R-I-N-G. I just don't care what happens anymore. So disappointing...
This book is B-O-R-I-N-G. I just don't care what happens anymore. So disappointing...
June 10, 2015
DNF @ 30%
Buddy read with the MacHalo group.
I tried...I really tried. I did not want to dnf again, but I just couldn't take it anymore. My last dnf I didn't rate because I just really wasn't in the mood for it. I rated this one because I really didn't like this one. The blurb sounded so good and I was very hopeful. Unfortunately it was not executed well at all. My biggest problem was that the female lead was TSTL in my opinion. I could not stand her! I believe Kate Daniels may have set the bar too high.
Buddy read with the MacHalo group.
I tried...I really tried. I did not want to dnf again, but I just couldn't take it anymore. My last dnf I didn't rate because I just really wasn't in the mood for it. I rated this one because I really didn't like this one. The blurb sounded so good and I was very hopeful. Unfortunately it was not executed well at all. My biggest problem was that the female lead was TSTL in my opinion. I could not stand her! I believe Kate Daniels may have set the bar too high.
dnf
June 8, 2015DNF 77%
BR with The MacHalos - and whilst I didn't think it was AS bad as most of the ladies, I'm giving up on it. Too many other books and I can't say I care enough about the outcome.
And I don't like how the Vampire went from (what I saw as) a potential love interest to a big brother figure encouraging Kyle to get it on with the cop. That pissed me off. Especially since said cop (can't remember his name) was boring as fuck anyways.
BR with The MacHalos - and whilst I didn't think it was AS bad as most of the ladies, I'm giving up on it. Too many other books and I can't say I care enough about the outcome.
And I don't like how the Vampire went from (what I saw as) a potential love interest to a big brother figure encouraging Kyle to get it on with the cop. That pissed me off. Especially since said cop (can't remember his name) was boring as fuck anyways.
July 28, 2014
A. E. Jones has done it. She's pulled me to the dark side. I never picked up a paranormal book (unless you include Jayne Anne Krentz) until I found A. E. This debut novel features Kyle, a smart-ass woman with a quick wit and a chip on her shoulder. Leave it to a hunky policeman to knock that chip off--but not without a battle. I adore Miss Jones' funny bone, which is predominant throughout. If you want a good laugh while dealing with vampires, demons and shape shifters, not to mention some feisty humans, pick up this book. You won't be sorry.
June 12, 2015
What you need to know about this book, and how you'll feel about it:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facepalm
September 15, 2014
I love trying debut authors and when I heard this was the 2013 Golden Heart RWA winner (a contest judging authors who have yet to be published), I really wanted to try it. I'm glad I did, as I enjoyed the heroine quite a bit in this one. There were parts of this book that were slow, and the romance could have been much more....romancy, but overall it's a nice start to a paranormal series.
Kyle McKinley was born with the ability to erase memories from people. Not all people are susceptible to her powers, but most are. She lives in a world filled with supernaturals that try hard to keep them secret from the humans. She works for the bureau of Supernatural Relations, investigating supernatural crimes for the most part. When a vampire gets beheaded in a local bar by an angel, Kyle knows she is going to have a big case on her hands. Angels rarely show themselves on Earth, and when no one can find the vampire's head, and she learns a demon was involved, well...her cozy, sleep-filled nights are long forgotten. Along with her team, Jean Luc a vampire, and Misha a demon, they start to organize a strategy to figure out who, why and what was happening. Before they can begin though, her boss assigns a human to their team. A Cleveland police officer who is the department's media liaison, Kyle's boss thinks he would be good to have on the case for publicity purposes. Dalton is all charm and striking blue eyes that Kyle can't help but stare at. But Kyle, being a pretty professional bad ass, sweeps away those lusty thoughts and gets to work.
Kyle comments that along with Misha and Jean Luc, and a boss they only ever talk to on the telephone, that they are like the supernatural version of Charlie's Angels. It's a cute set-up - Kyle, Misha and Jean Luc are like family, siblings almost. Misha and Jean-Luc are very protective of Kyle, with a brotherly love rather than a romantic interest. Misha is obsessed with television and often spends his days quoting show after show. Jean Luc is French and can be a sly charmer. It's easy to see that when Dalton gets thrown in this group, it's hard for him to believe Kyle hasn't dated Misha or Jean Luc yet. Kyle isn't one to just throw herself at a hot guy, even though she knows Dalton has definite interest in her, she makes him work for it. Dalton himself is a likable hero, mild-mannered and professional. This core group of people are all very likable and nice - which is something you don't always get in romance books. Nice is sometimes forgotten so this is a refreshing change.
The author sets-up quite the murder mystery, with a lot of players, and a lot of twists and turns. I think the middle of the story gets quite bogged down by events and investigations and lots of people coming in going within the storyline. It got a bit dry - I was antsy to have a little humor or time away from slime-throwing demons to get back to the friendly banter or personal life with Kyle. I think overall, it's a well done mystery, but it's heavy-handed at times too.
The romance is not a huge focus of this book. There is a HEA, but there is not a dirty path to it. I actually felt the physical romance scenes, while brief were kind of awkward and not really that sexy. The descriptions used and the way it's presented just didn't come across smooth. Had the romance been stronger with better developed chemistry and much more sexier scenes, this book would have worked quite well.
If you are looking for a lighter (but still violent) paranormal world, with the emphasis on a big, complex mystery, I would recommend this one. If you like the darker, more intense worlds, I'm not sure this would work. Either way, Jean-Luc's story is next and I'm interested to learn more about him.
Rating: C+
Kyle McKinley was born with the ability to erase memories from people. Not all people are susceptible to her powers, but most are. She lives in a world filled with supernaturals that try hard to keep them secret from the humans. She works for the bureau of Supernatural Relations, investigating supernatural crimes for the most part. When a vampire gets beheaded in a local bar by an angel, Kyle knows she is going to have a big case on her hands. Angels rarely show themselves on Earth, and when no one can find the vampire's head, and she learns a demon was involved, well...her cozy, sleep-filled nights are long forgotten. Along with her team, Jean Luc a vampire, and Misha a demon, they start to organize a strategy to figure out who, why and what was happening. Before they can begin though, her boss assigns a human to their team. A Cleveland police officer who is the department's media liaison, Kyle's boss thinks he would be good to have on the case for publicity purposes. Dalton is all charm and striking blue eyes that Kyle can't help but stare at. But Kyle, being a pretty professional bad ass, sweeps away those lusty thoughts and gets to work.
Kyle comments that along with Misha and Jean Luc, and a boss they only ever talk to on the telephone, that they are like the supernatural version of Charlie's Angels. It's a cute set-up - Kyle, Misha and Jean Luc are like family, siblings almost. Misha and Jean-Luc are very protective of Kyle, with a brotherly love rather than a romantic interest. Misha is obsessed with television and often spends his days quoting show after show. Jean Luc is French and can be a sly charmer. It's easy to see that when Dalton gets thrown in this group, it's hard for him to believe Kyle hasn't dated Misha or Jean Luc yet. Kyle isn't one to just throw herself at a hot guy, even though she knows Dalton has definite interest in her, she makes him work for it. Dalton himself is a likable hero, mild-mannered and professional. This core group of people are all very likable and nice - which is something you don't always get in romance books. Nice is sometimes forgotten so this is a refreshing change.
The author sets-up quite the murder mystery, with a lot of players, and a lot of twists and turns. I think the middle of the story gets quite bogged down by events and investigations and lots of people coming in going within the storyline. It got a bit dry - I was antsy to have a little humor or time away from slime-throwing demons to get back to the friendly banter or personal life with Kyle. I think overall, it's a well done mystery, but it's heavy-handed at times too.
The romance is not a huge focus of this book. There is a HEA, but there is not a dirty path to it. I actually felt the physical romance scenes, while brief were kind of awkward and not really that sexy. The descriptions used and the way it's presented just didn't come across smooth. Had the romance been stronger with better developed chemistry and much more sexier scenes, this book would have worked quite well.
If you are looking for a lighter (but still violent) paranormal world, with the emphasis on a big, complex mystery, I would recommend this one. If you like the darker, more intense worlds, I'm not sure this would work. Either way, Jean-Luc's story is next and I'm interested to learn more about him.
Rating: C+
January 13, 2022
I've shelved this a paranormal romance, but it's really romantic urban fantasy with all the action/adventure/mystery components associated with urban fantasy. The world building is first rate, and the characters excellent. The plot line drifts off on tangents at times, but from the revelations in the final chapters it is likely those tangents are major plot points for later books.
October 10, 2014
I won this book via Goodreads' First Reads program (and I'm so happy I did! Thank you for the goodies, too, A.E. :D)
4.5 stars.
This book has everything that I like in a paranormal read; action, romance, investigations... I really, really, really liked it!
"Happy Reading"? It definitely was for me!
I literally read every word of this, which I don't always do as it is generally just filler/too much information for my liking, but I felt like I would miss something if I missed any one word of this. And still managed to finish it within three days
The case took up all the book and I have to admit that I had no idea who was behind it all but I loved how the author had linked everything together.
The romance was slow growing; it wasn't insta-love and I really felt it happening which was great. I love Kyle and Joe as a couple. I'd love to read more of them (nudge, nudge ;-))
I'm definitely looking forward to reading more books by the author if there is more along this line coming. Great book for a debut!
4.5 stars.
This book has everything that I like in a paranormal read; action, romance, investigations... I really, really, really liked it!
"Happy Reading"? It definitely was for me!
I literally read every word of this, which I don't always do as it is generally just filler/too much information for my liking, but I felt like I would miss something if I missed any one word of this. And still managed to finish it within three days
The case took up all the book and I have to admit that I had no idea who was behind it all but I loved how the author had linked everything together.
The romance was slow growing; it wasn't insta-love and I really felt it happening which was great. I love Kyle and Joe as a couple. I'd love to read more of them (nudge, nudge ;-))
I'm definitely looking forward to reading more books by the author if there is more along this line coming. Great book for a debut!
December 4, 2025
Great start. Looking forward to the next. Full RTC
August 11, 2014
I received this book from the author and from Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock.
Mind Sweeper is the first book in the paranormal series Mind Sweeper.
Kyle is born with the ability to erase memories. She is a human living in a supernatural world. She was recruited to work for a paranormal investigation team where her job is to provide damage control. She wipes peoples minds and that allows the supernaturals to remain undetected by the humans. She works with Jean Luc a vampire and Misha a Shamat demon. When a sword-wielding angel, a demon and vampire have a fight in a bar there are a dozen human witnesses and Kyle and her team are called in. The incident causes all kinds of trouble and she has to work with Joe Dalton, a human who is there to regulate media and help with the investigation. Kyle dislikes humans even though she is one. Most humans look at her as a freak and she doesn't want to deal with that. Not to mention he is very attractive. She has to decide if she is willing to open her heart and life to the risk of a relationship or not. As the investigation heats up so does their chemistry. Lives and hearts are at stake in this fun paranormal investigation.
A good paranormal read. I loved the characters. Kyle is a fun independent woman. Her interactions with the other characters are interesting and entertaining. Joe is a sexy lieutenant and human. He jumps right into the supernatural world and works well with with the team. Jean Luc is a vampire. He's cool, confident and protective. I loved Misha's character as well. He is a demon who is funny and caring. A sexy demon. Jean Luc and Misha are protective of Kyle and want the best for her. I enjoyed they're little quirks that made them who they were.
The story concept was interesting. I enjoyed investigating and figuring out what was going on as the characters did. I was a little disappointed in how everything wrapped up with the investigation. I was hoping for a little more action but it was still entertaining to read.
A great book for fans who enjoy a paranormal mystery. There is a romance in there and fun supporting characters.
I would rate this book 4 fangs.
Mind Sweeper is the first book in the paranormal series Mind Sweeper.
Kyle is born with the ability to erase memories. She is a human living in a supernatural world. She was recruited to work for a paranormal investigation team where her job is to provide damage control. She wipes peoples minds and that allows the supernaturals to remain undetected by the humans. She works with Jean Luc a vampire and Misha a Shamat demon. When a sword-wielding angel, a demon and vampire have a fight in a bar there are a dozen human witnesses and Kyle and her team are called in. The incident causes all kinds of trouble and she has to work with Joe Dalton, a human who is there to regulate media and help with the investigation. Kyle dislikes humans even though she is one. Most humans look at her as a freak and she doesn't want to deal with that. Not to mention he is very attractive. She has to decide if she is willing to open her heart and life to the risk of a relationship or not. As the investigation heats up so does their chemistry. Lives and hearts are at stake in this fun paranormal investigation.
A good paranormal read. I loved the characters. Kyle is a fun independent woman. Her interactions with the other characters are interesting and entertaining. Joe is a sexy lieutenant and human. He jumps right into the supernatural world and works well with with the team. Jean Luc is a vampire. He's cool, confident and protective. I loved Misha's character as well. He is a demon who is funny and caring. A sexy demon. Jean Luc and Misha are protective of Kyle and want the best for her. I enjoyed they're little quirks that made them who they were.
The story concept was interesting. I enjoyed investigating and figuring out what was going on as the characters did. I was a little disappointed in how everything wrapped up with the investigation. I was hoping for a little more action but it was still entertaining to read.
A great book for fans who enjoy a paranormal mystery. There is a romance in there and fun supporting characters.
I would rate this book 4 fangs.
Want to read
March 21, 2022🎁 FREE on Amazon & on Apple iBooks today (3/21/2022)! 🎁
November 13, 2014
Kyle McKinley is human but she has supernatural power. She was born with the ability to erase people’s memories and replace them with others. This sometimes works with supernatural beings as well. Depends on the being. She works with a team that includes a vampire and a Shamat demon. Jean Luc is the sexy vampire and Misha is the demon with an extreme sweet tooth. Together they work for Nicholas who is always heard but never seen (picture Charlie’s Angels).
We meet the team as they are starting a new case. They walk into a bar to find a headless vampire, a missing demon, and an angel who has vanished but seems responsible for the headless vampire. Nicholas decides to add another human to the team. Joe Dalton is a police officer with no supernatural power except to cause havoc on Kyle’s emotions, nerves, and well, her lady bits! Joe and Kyle are definitely attracted to one another but business comes first. Kyle tried hard to get rid of Joe from the team with no progress at all. The interactions between them are extremely tense and exciting. Will they ever get to act on their base desires? Hmmm….
While Joe and Kyle are fighting their attraction, the team works hard at solving the puzzle of the case. I truly enjoyed the adventure in this story. There were lots of twists and turns. Misha, I LOVE HIM! He’s funny, loyal, brave, and very determined. Not that Joe or Jean Luc were not as lovable; they are but Misha was by far my favorite. AE Jones puts her characters through many tests. Hard decisions are being made and loyalties are threatened. If you love paranormal adventures like I do, I highly recommend this book. A novella for Jean Luc is coming out soon and I must read it!
We meet the team as they are starting a new case. They walk into a bar to find a headless vampire, a missing demon, and an angel who has vanished but seems responsible for the headless vampire. Nicholas decides to add another human to the team. Joe Dalton is a police officer with no supernatural power except to cause havoc on Kyle’s emotions, nerves, and well, her lady bits! Joe and Kyle are definitely attracted to one another but business comes first. Kyle tried hard to get rid of Joe from the team with no progress at all. The interactions between them are extremely tense and exciting. Will they ever get to act on their base desires? Hmmm….
While Joe and Kyle are fighting their attraction, the team works hard at solving the puzzle of the case. I truly enjoyed the adventure in this story. There were lots of twists and turns. Misha, I LOVE HIM! He’s funny, loyal, brave, and very determined. Not that Joe or Jean Luc were not as lovable; they are but Misha was by far my favorite. AE Jones puts her characters through many tests. Hard decisions are being made and loyalties are threatened. If you love paranormal adventures like I do, I highly recommend this book. A novella for Jean Luc is coming out soon and I must read it!
didn-t-finish
June 6, 2015Buddy read with the MacHalo Freaks!
I'm impressed by the almost complete failure we as a group managed for Mind Sweeper. I think there might have been one person who finished it. That's really, really sad. Here's why:
The Good: The voice. Kyle's voice is amazing and it sucked me right in. I really thought when I first started it that this book might be a favorite for me.
The Bad: I'm not going to get too into this because it makes me sound bitter. So short Nd sweet is that the romance took over the plot and them managed to be completely uninteresting. There were huge inconsistencies in the plot that made no sense. The awesome B characters were used as set dressing until they became bland. By 31% I had no desire to continue unless if there was a major change and with others reading ahead of me I knew there wasn't. Luckily we're trying Fluency as a second chance read so hopefully that will work better.
I'm impressed by the almost complete failure we as a group managed for Mind Sweeper. I think there might have been one person who finished it. That's really, really sad. Here's why:
The Good: The voice. Kyle's voice is amazing and it sucked me right in. I really thought when I first started it that this book might be a favorite for me.
The Bad: I'm not going to get too into this because it makes me sound bitter. So short Nd sweet is that the romance took over the plot and them managed to be completely uninteresting. There were huge inconsistencies in the plot that made no sense. The awesome B characters were used as set dressing until they became bland. By 31% I had no desire to continue unless if there was a major change and with others reading ahead of me I knew there wasn't. Luckily we're trying Fluency as a second chance read so hopefully that will work better.
September 8, 2014
I loved this book! AE Jones’ Mindsweeper is a gem! It’s clear why this book is RWA’s Paranormal Romance Golden Heart Winner of 2013. It’s laugh-out-loud funny but also heartwarming and sexy. Kyle, the heroine, is a kick-butt but thoroughly endearing heroine who will live on with you long after the book is through. She and her supernatural team of crimesolvers will have you laughing and crying to the end.
Unique characters, a great romance with a tough-to-fall heroine, and an intriguing storyline—not to mention a wonderful showcase of Cleveland, Ohio—will keep you turning the pages and wishing for more. You won’t be disappointed…more is coming soon from this talented debut author.
Unique characters, a great romance with a tough-to-fall heroine, and an intriguing storyline—not to mention a wonderful showcase of Cleveland, Ohio—will keep you turning the pages and wishing for more. You won’t be disappointed…more is coming soon from this talented debut author.
June 18, 2020
Entertaining.
November 19, 2014
A new series for the Keeper Shelf! An angel, a demon and a vampire walk into a bar.
OK, now tell me. Who wouldn’t want to read a story that starts with that line? You see, an angel, a demon and a vampire did walk into the Erie Bar. And wreaked havoc and destruction, totally ignoring the ‘don’t let normals know you exist’ rules. So, Kyle McKinley and her partners, a Vampire and a Shamat demon, have to come in and clean up the mess. And if that wasn’t enough, poor Kyle has now been saddled with a human partner of all things. And her cop partner is not only handsome as all get-out, he is also a pushy, overbearing MAN to top it all off! As if she didn’t have enough on her plate …
This is a really wonderful first entry in the Mind Sweeper Series. The story is one of those I am always looking for – it is out of the typical for the genre. Though there are vamps, shifters and demons, they are put together in a much more interesting method than the usual found in urban fantasy. The main character, Kyle McKinley - (yes, at first I thought it was “Ky-lee” but no, it is really Ki-al” the male pronunciation – which is interesting in and of itself) but anyway, where was I? Oh, yes! Kyle is human, but not your common and garden sort. Kyle can change memories. Which is a good talent to have when the supernatural world is trying to hide in a world where cell phone cameras and security cameras are the norm rather than the exception. With her partners, Jean Luc the vampire and Misha the Russian demon, she works to keep supernatural secrets. She has worked for ten years with her best friends, and is not really happy at all when yet another human is assigned to the team. Well, you can’t blame her when the last one tried to stake Jean Luc. Idiot. (Insert big sigh here)
Soooo. . . it isn’t just the way-too-handsome Dalton being added to the group that is the problem. It seems that the vampire mixed into the vampire/angel/demon fight in the Erie lost his head – literally. And the darn head is just gone. Poof! And now there are more dead bodies lying around. And why in the world are angels going around cutting off heads with swords? Hum?
The vampire leader Sebastian is up to no good – but what exactly is it he is up to? And what is the Pavel demon leader hiding? Then of course, as much as the angels claim to be holding themselves outside of the fray, well, chopping off a vampire’s head with a big ol’ sword in a bar in front of humans is not exactly standing on the sidelines!
I had spoken to AE Jones about possibly reviewing her third novel in the series, Shifter Wars. Instead, I wheedled a copy of Mind Sweeper out of her, and I am so glad I did. Starting a good series at the first volume is always for the best (to my mind) and I was in no way disappointed. Put this on your list of series that will remain on your “keeper shelf”!
I received Mind Sweeper from the author in exchange for a realistic review. I can hardly wait to start the next in the series, The Fledgling: A Novella. Recommended!
OK, now tell me. Who wouldn’t want to read a story that starts with that line? You see, an angel, a demon and a vampire did walk into the Erie Bar. And wreaked havoc and destruction, totally ignoring the ‘don’t let normals know you exist’ rules. So, Kyle McKinley and her partners, a Vampire and a Shamat demon, have to come in and clean up the mess. And if that wasn’t enough, poor Kyle has now been saddled with a human partner of all things. And her cop partner is not only handsome as all get-out, he is also a pushy, overbearing MAN to top it all off! As if she didn’t have enough on her plate …
This is a really wonderful first entry in the Mind Sweeper Series. The story is one of those I am always looking for – it is out of the typical for the genre. Though there are vamps, shifters and demons, they are put together in a much more interesting method than the usual found in urban fantasy. The main character, Kyle McKinley - (yes, at first I thought it was “Ky-lee” but no, it is really Ki-al” the male pronunciation – which is interesting in and of itself) but anyway, where was I? Oh, yes! Kyle is human, but not your common and garden sort. Kyle can change memories. Which is a good talent to have when the supernatural world is trying to hide in a world where cell phone cameras and security cameras are the norm rather than the exception. With her partners, Jean Luc the vampire and Misha the Russian demon, she works to keep supernatural secrets. She has worked for ten years with her best friends, and is not really happy at all when yet another human is assigned to the team. Well, you can’t blame her when the last one tried to stake Jean Luc. Idiot. (Insert big sigh here)
Soooo. . . it isn’t just the way-too-handsome Dalton being added to the group that is the problem. It seems that the vampire mixed into the vampire/angel/demon fight in the Erie lost his head – literally. And the darn head is just gone. Poof! And now there are more dead bodies lying around. And why in the world are angels going around cutting off heads with swords? Hum?
The vampire leader Sebastian is up to no good – but what exactly is it he is up to? And what is the Pavel demon leader hiding? Then of course, as much as the angels claim to be holding themselves outside of the fray, well, chopping off a vampire’s head with a big ol’ sword in a bar in front of humans is not exactly standing on the sidelines!
I had spoken to AE Jones about possibly reviewing her third novel in the series, Shifter Wars. Instead, I wheedled a copy of Mind Sweeper out of her, and I am so glad I did. Starting a good series at the first volume is always for the best (to my mind) and I was in no way disappointed. Put this on your list of series that will remain on your “keeper shelf”!
I received Mind Sweeper from the author in exchange for a realistic review. I can hardly wait to start the next in the series, The Fledgling: A Novella. Recommended!
October 11, 2014
After spending her early years alone, Kyle has finally found a place to fit in. Working under cover for the Bureau of Supernatural Relations, her team is as close as family. Already challenged by a supernatural case of unexpected magnitude, Kyle isn't about to let the token human assigned to their unit change the dynamic of their team. But Joe Dalton doesn't seem to understand her message to quit while he's ahead, and a lot of that has to do with Kyle's own mixed signals!
Watching A.E. Jones post one teaser after another on her website had me excitedly waiting for this stories release. MIND SWEEPER looked to be an exciting romantic adventure filled with humor, and the reality of this story exceeded my expectations!
Setting the bar of excellence high, you would never guess that MIND SWEEPER is Jones' first publishing endeavor. Her characters are dynamic, with a perfect balance of emotional depth and engaging humor. Well written with a fast paced story line, the action, adventure, and suspense are interwoven with heart-wrenching dialog, laugh out loud humor and smoking hot chemistry.
I loved this story and would recommend it to anyone looking for a paranormal series that's fresh and engaging.
My OFFICIAL REVIEW written for Carly's Book Reviews
Watching A.E. Jones post one teaser after another on her website had me excitedly waiting for this stories release. MIND SWEEPER looked to be an exciting romantic adventure filled with humor, and the reality of this story exceeded my expectations!
Setting the bar of excellence high, you would never guess that MIND SWEEPER is Jones' first publishing endeavor. Her characters are dynamic, with a perfect balance of emotional depth and engaging humor. Well written with a fast paced story line, the action, adventure, and suspense are interwoven with heart-wrenching dialog, laugh out loud humor and smoking hot chemistry.
I loved this story and would recommend it to anyone looking for a paranormal series that's fresh and engaging.
My OFFICIAL REVIEW written for Carly's Book Reviews
September 20, 2014
This was a good start to a new author and new series. Kyle McKinley is a strong female lead character – with special supernatural abilities – who takes no crap from any male on her team. I love seeing the interaction between Kyle and her teammates – Jean Luc, the vampire and Misha the demon. *sigh*…oh Misha. Oh sorry, back to the team. They are a well-oiled machine, and then a human by the name of Joe Dalton enters the mix and shakes things up. He immediately stands strong as a lead male character and is assertive with this group of supernatural beings. I really liked that about him. He didn’t let anyone intimidate him; he kept an open mind and worked well with an already established team. He fit in perfectly. Seeing him and Kyle dance around one another was both comical and intense. I love them together. I also loved all of the supporting characters of this story. I’m very excited to see more of them and how their stories unfold. This new series has it all, action, comedy, suspense and great characterization. I would recommend this book to my friends and am happy I got a chance to enjoy it!
April 12, 2015
I enjoyed the idea behind this one. A team of supernaturals keeping other supernaturals from royally screwing up their lives blending in with humans. The characters' personalities in themselves are fresh, I feel like each one is really alive. The biggest issue I had with this book was the fact that Kyle constantly had to keep bringing up her womanhood being threatened. (This was probably more annoying because of another novel I just finished where the female character did the same thing, but times 100.) I think that it wasn't hard to imagine Kyle's authority and team-worth being threatened as well as her womanhood being threatened and used against her because she was the only female on the actual team. That being said, I didn't need to be reminded of it a lot. Overall, it was still a great opening for a series and I think it's very possible the author is only going to grow in her writing. Looking forward to the next installment!
April 1, 2018
I'm not quite sure what to say about this one. I absolutely loved the premise and the beginning. However about 30% of the way through I was bored and almost gave up. I'm not at all sure what the team dynamic was and Misha and Jean Luc, as much as I enjoyed their characters, just didn't ring true. I did however power though and it did get better again, enough to feel satisfied that I made it to the end. Kyle was likeable enough, although the reader suffered from that whole world building set up you often do in a first of series and I was often left wondering how much I believed in it all. If Kyle was such a rarity in the supernatural world, how did the rest of the country, indeed the world, cover up the presence of the supernatural? There were many gaps I just didn't buy. Not sure if I will try the next in series.
September 23, 2014
This was an interesting story. Overall, I really liked it. I will say, though, at times I found the heroine a bit much to take. Her immaturity during certain situations really took me out of the scene and made me wonder why the hero panted after her so much. I also kept wondering why the 400 yr old vampire or the princely demon would not be the ones in charge of the team. They have more experience (and more maturity) to lead the squad. But those two questions/concerns were secondary to a very unique story. :)
January 3, 2015
I really liked this book. It was a good read. I only did 4 stars because I didn't feel the end was a good transition to the next book. It appears there are 5. Book 2 and 4 are novellas (which I personally don't really like to read) but will probably skip. I didn't decide yet if I will buy book 3. I want to see what happens next but am not really compelled to check out the next book. The cliff hanger at the end to make me want to read to the next in the series kind of fell flat. Overall, I really liked this one but the ending could use something more.
February 28, 2015
won this in a goodreads giveaway. i loved this book. i have found my new favorite writer and cast of characters! angels demons and shifters all written with humor and and great story. who could ask for more
October 10, 2014
loved this! can't wait for next book in series.
January 10, 2026
Fantastic new series!
September 2, 2025
I was really excited about this book until I got to the end, which ruined the entire series for me. It's melodrama straight out of an afternoon soap opera. So dumb.
October 16, 2024
I didn't completely disliked the book. I found the world interesting, and the paranormal agency, the friendships and her talent.
Unfortunately, it was marred by too many things.
The main character acts like a 16-year old that loves being the centre of attention, while woe-is-me. Everyone just swoons around her. Even the evil just loves being in her presence, it seems.
She solves everything on her own, but can't get herself out of any trouble. That's what her team (and even cat) are for. Her harem to the rescue. Each and every time. I think she saw the doctor about 5x in the first 5 days of the book, and each time one of her team members had to take care of her. Rescue her and watch over her. Save and protect, because she's just so completely useless and helpless. Literally.
Most of the events and characters read like it was just thought up on the moment, and written with no planning or direction. One moment she didn't know the doctor. Next moment she does and they explained... oh, we decided to pretend we didn't know each other. HUH?!?! Good heavens, just go back and edit the scene if you've changed your mind whether they knew each other or not!
Oh, and don't let me start on how the characters all looked. Absolutely, stunningly, drop-dead-gorgeous. They're almost all supermodels.
The book is a romance all throughout (or rather, an insta-love), but right at the end, it smacks you over the head with the most idiotic contrived situation to put a stop to that silly notion. I couldn't believe my eyes. Where did that come from? And why?
I'm done with this mess of a series.
Unfortunately, it was marred by too many things.
The main character acts like a 16-year old that loves being the centre of attention, while woe-is-me. Everyone just swoons around her. Even the evil just loves being in her presence, it seems.
She solves everything on her own, but can't get herself out of any trouble. That's what her team (and even cat) are for. Her harem to the rescue. Each and every time. I think she saw the doctor about 5x in the first 5 days of the book, and each time one of her team members had to take care of her. Rescue her and watch over her. Save and protect, because she's just so completely useless and helpless. Literally.
Most of the events and characters read like it was just thought up on the moment, and written with no planning or direction. One moment she didn't know the doctor. Next moment she does and they explained... oh, we decided to pretend we didn't know each other. HUH?!?! Good heavens, just go back and edit the scene if you've changed your mind whether they knew each other or not!
Oh, and don't let me start on how the characters all looked. Absolutely, stunningly, drop-dead-gorgeous. They're almost all supermodels.
The book is a romance all throughout (or rather, an insta-love), but right at the end, it smacks you over the head with the most idiotic contrived situation to put a stop to that silly notion. I couldn't believe my eyes. Where did that come from? And why?
I'm done with this mess of a series.
January 9, 2020
Internal debate on how to rate this one. Parts of it were really good and parts were just meh.
Kyle is a human that has the ability to erase memories by planting new memories in humans minds (and some supernaturals). She's part of a supernatural team tasked with ensuring that humans don't discover the existence of supes. As part of one investigation, the team is saddled with Joe, a human cop. Kyle dislikes him on principle, however, she can't fight/hide her attraction to him. Naturally they dance around each other for awhile and end up in a relationship.
Good parts: world building good with different types of demons, vamps, shifters. The mystery / case is intriguing enough and moves at a good pace. Several different storylines to add to the overall plot work.
Meh parts: Kyle is a little one-dimensional. She's got her issues and lots of times acts like a brat. Joe is pretty good, however, his character just didn't jump out at me so hard to connect. The chemistry between the two wasn't consistent and didn't come across all that well to me.
The book is good enough to want to read the next in the series.
Kyle is a human that has the ability to erase memories by planting new memories in humans minds (and some supernaturals). She's part of a supernatural team tasked with ensuring that humans don't discover the existence of supes. As part of one investigation, the team is saddled with Joe, a human cop. Kyle dislikes him on principle, however, she can't fight/hide her attraction to him. Naturally they dance around each other for awhile and end up in a relationship.
Good parts: world building good with different types of demons, vamps, shifters. The mystery / case is intriguing enough and moves at a good pace. Several different storylines to add to the overall plot work.
Meh parts: Kyle is a little one-dimensional. She's got her issues and lots of times acts like a brat. Joe is pretty good, however, his character just didn't jump out at me so hard to connect. The chemistry between the two wasn't consistent and didn't come across all that well to me.
The book is good enough to want to read the next in the series.
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