Mindwalker by A.J. Steiger

Mindwalker (Mindwalker #1)

by A.J. Steiger

At seventeen, Lain Fisher has already aced the Institute's elite training program for Mindwalkers, therapists who use a direct neural link to erase a patient's traumatic memories. A prodigy and the daughter of a renowned scientist-whose unexplained death left her alone in the world-Lain is driven by the need to save others.

When Steven, a troubled classmate, asks her to wipe a horrific childhood experience from his mind, Lain's superiors warn her to stay away. Steven's scars are too deep, they say; the risk too great. Yet the more time Lain spends with him, the more she begins to question everything about her society. As she defies the warnings and explores Steven's memories, it becomes clear that he's connected to something much bigger…something the Institute doesn't want the world to discover.

Lain never expected to be a rule breaker. She certainly didn't plan on falling in love with a boy she's been forbidden to help. But then, she never expected to stumble into a conspiracy that could ignite a revolution. 

Hardcover, 400 pages

Published June 9th 2015 by Knopf Books for Young Readers   I received a review copy from readingteen.net

Mindwalker was one of the most emotionally engaging books I have read in a long time. One of those stories that completely takes over your thoughts when you have to put it down and then cannot wait to pick up again.

Lain Fisher is a Mindwalker, a seventeen year old psychologist that when hooked up to a machine can go into people's minds. She tracks down the memories that they wish to be forgotten and then re-adjusts them or deletes them. As part of that she also does some counseling with the client for the sessions to work completely. She also attends high school, in a very high tech and controlled world not far into the future. People are labeled with a number given their emotional status and mental stability. Guards constantly running scans to catch those that are declining to pull them in for conditioning before become menaces to society.

When a fellow student, a type four with an identifying color asks Lain to erase his memories she knows everything about it is forbidden. She decides to help him against the wishes of her caretaker and slowly the world they thought they knew crumbles down on both of them.

What I absolutely loved about this story was the writing. There was a constant and perfect timing to the unraveling of the details. Not only do we get a full world building concept, the characters are all well developed. This was a story that had very little down time and a variation of intense emotions, actions and danger. The company of IFEN has taken over the cities and population control. Steven's memories have the clues they need to discover the truth and decide to work with them, or against them.

If you couldn't tell by now I LOVED THIS BOOK! and recommend it. I am highly anticipating the next installment in the series.