Tori's Review: Head Rush by Carolyn Crane

Released: December 6, 2011
Ebook: N/A
Price: $5.50
Publisher: Samhain
Source: Bought (the ebook--AGAIN, GASP!)
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: The Disillusionists Trilogy 
Buy: Amazon




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JUSTINE JONES FACES HER ULTIMATE ENEMY: HERSELF!

In an attempt to put her unhappy past behind her, Justine Jones throws herself into nursing school and planning her wedding to Otto Sanchez, the man of her dreams. But something is off. Random details aren’t adding up, and is it her imagination, or are her friends and fiancé keeping secrets from her? And what’s with this strange sense of unease, and her odd new headaches?

Justine tries to stay upbeat as Midcity cowers under martial law, sleepwalking cannibals, and a mysterious rash of paranormal copycat violence, but her search for answers leads her into the most dangerous mindgame yet.

With the help of unlikely allies, including her paranoid dad and best frenemy Simon, Justine fights her ultimate foe…and unravels the most startling mystery of all.

My Rating:

My Opinion:
Did you ever have a bad experience with a publisher (probably because of an editor, or because of a couple of authors) that ultimately left you with a rotten taste in your mouth? I'm sure we've all gotten burnt at one point, and likewise, I'm sure there are some publishers and/or authors whom we refuse to support due to that very experience.

I start off with that question because I have been burnt, which is why it was somewhat difficult for me to (initially, like, before I finished MIND GAMES) justify purchasing HEAD RUSH. I don't want drama by stating this, because honestly, it's quite simple for me to refrain from purchasing e-books from this publisher (not that I really buy e-books that often, anyway); however, I wanted to briefly mention my... aversion--if you will--to prove how utterly amazing Carolyn Crane's Disillusionists Trilogy is. I do not buy books, and my frantic rush to not only buy, but to also finish reading DOUBLE CROSS and HEAD RUSH attests to how this series is pretty much the best urban fantasy I've read in a LONG time.

The last book that had my heart pounding and my stomach churning was ENCLAVE by Ann Aguirre. HEAD RUSH's final showdown elicited an even stronger reaction.

I felt this huge discomfort while reading, and I found myself spamming Karen with texts as I freaked out about scene after scene. She stated it perfectly well when she said how this book made her squirm. I squirmed. A lot.

There is tension. Oh boy, you could cut the tension with a knife because it got progressively more and more... tense.

Packard is a sexy beast, that is all.

One thing that annoyed me, once again, though not as much as the other two books, was Justine's sense of defending those who are being blamed for something. Sometimes, I wish she would just open her eyes, instead of deluding herself. But hey, if she did that, then there would be less tension!

Secondary characters have all squirmed their way into my heart. I love them all, and wish I knew them.

I can't say much more about this book/trilogy without spoiling some important things, so I will end my review with this: MIND GAMES, DOUBLE CROSS, and HEAD RUSH are all huge mind fucks. Expect the unexpected while reading this UF series, and enjoy every single page while you can... because once you finish, those refreshingly magical surprises that you don't find in any regular UF won't be such a brand-new-slap-in-the-face surprise anymore.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED series. Read it, like, now!


Series Order:
1. Mind Games (Tori's Review)
2. Double Cross (Tori's Review)
3. Head Rush
3.5 Devil's Luck