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sony08's review
5.0
https://noemptyshelveshere.blogspot.co.uk/
This is my first dip into the world of Pacifica, brain implants, brainloading etc. and what an introduction this is.
Shattered Minds continues in the world of Pacifica where I believe Laura’s novel False Hearts is based, but this is a standalone novel and I had no trouble getting accustomed to this science fiction world or technology that really is quite realistic when we think of the progress we are making in this field.
Fabulous novel that is fast paced with great characters and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end. I couldn’t ask for more.
Three characters I loved the most:
• Carina – messed up, with lots of issues and made to face her past, present and future by going after the company that has altered her mind and therefore set her on a dangerous path of self-destruction.
• Roz – the ruthless neuro-scientist responsible for unethical human trials she uses to reach her goal of altering people’s minds and she is also Carina’s arch-enemy.
• Dax – member of the Trust, a group of hackers fighting for justice and the ultimate fall of Sudice, the company behind the Roz’s trials.
I very much enjoyed the relationships between Carina and Roz, especially as Carina starts accessing her supressed memories and we read the flashbacks into hers and Roz’s past. Dax is the first person in Carina’s life that manages to get close to her and helps her wake up from the nightmare of Zeal addiction she has let herself to enter through a belief that she is an evil, murderous individual.
I’ve said this about most of the books I have read lately, but this is another cracker and I loved it. Different genre for me to try and realise I really enjoy. This book has introduced me to Laura Lam and I will be seeking out her other novels.
Thank you to the author and TBConFB for access to this book in return for this honest review.
This is my first dip into the world of Pacifica, brain implants, brainloading etc. and what an introduction this is.
Shattered Minds continues in the world of Pacifica where I believe Laura’s novel False Hearts is based, but this is a standalone novel and I had no trouble getting accustomed to this science fiction world or technology that really is quite realistic when we think of the progress we are making in this field.
Fabulous novel that is fast paced with great characters and keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end. I couldn’t ask for more.
Three characters I loved the most:
• Carina – messed up, with lots of issues and made to face her past, present and future by going after the company that has altered her mind and therefore set her on a dangerous path of self-destruction.
• Roz – the ruthless neuro-scientist responsible for unethical human trials she uses to reach her goal of altering people’s minds and she is also Carina’s arch-enemy.
• Dax – member of the Trust, a group of hackers fighting for justice and the ultimate fall of Sudice, the company behind the Roz’s trials.
I very much enjoyed the relationships between Carina and Roz, especially as Carina starts accessing her supressed memories and we read the flashbacks into hers and Roz’s past. Dax is the first person in Carina’s life that manages to get close to her and helps her wake up from the nightmare of Zeal addiction she has let herself to enter through a belief that she is an evil, murderous individual.
I’ve said this about most of the books I have read lately, but this is another cracker and I loved it. Different genre for me to try and realise I really enjoy. This book has introduced me to Laura Lam and I will be seeking out her other novels.
Thank you to the author and TBConFB for access to this book in return for this honest review.
calturner's review
4.0
Gripping thriller that had me hooked from the very first page and didn't let go until the final page had been turned. This is my first book by Laura Lam, but it definitely won't be my last! I was left with the feeling that there was still more story to be told, so I'm hoping there will be a sequel to this wonderful book at some time in the very near future.
Unlike anything I've ever read before, with twists and turns throughout, 'Shattered Minds' is a book I would highly recommend. Loved it!
Thank you so much to TBC and the author for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.
Unlike anything I've ever read before, with twists and turns throughout, 'Shattered Minds' is a book I would highly recommend. Loved it!
Thank you so much to TBC and the author for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book.
patchworkbunny's review
4.0
Sudice have the market monopolised when it comes to implants, augmenting lives with extra information and connecting everyone. Carina used to work for them as a neuroprogrammer but now she is a zealot, a zeal addict, who spends as much time in the zealscape as she can. There she can kill in a virtual environment, with no real life guilt. It quells the impulses she fears. She is destroying herself, and society is happy to let it happen.
Zeal was introduced in False Hearts and it is probably easier to fall into this world and accept the story with that background. However Laura neatly gives enough information to fill in a new reader without it seeming too recappy. Zeal is used to prevent violent crime in this society, a drug that is used in combination with something like a VR chair. Supposedly the only people to get addicted are those predisposed to violence, so the authorities are happy to leave them to die.
Of course, Carina wasn't always like this, didn't always feel the urge to kill. That started some time when she was working for Sudice. Her memories subdued, she starts to understand the truth when one of her ex-colleagues sends her a message direct to her head. He's dead, killed by Sudice, and he wants her to bring them down. In order to unlock the information that will implicate them, she must access five memories.
As the memories are unlocked, more is revealed about Carina and how she came to be like she is. They also show how far Sudice have gone, crossing the line in pursuit of progress or just plain greed.
People tend to trust large technology companies with huge amounts of information. We don't read terms and conditions and updates are accepted without a second thought. But what if these companies had direct access to your brain? Would you be happy for someone to reprogram you if it "fixed" your problems and would you still be you?Shattered Minds leaves plenty of food for thought as well as being a technologically advanced mystery, a real page-turner towards the end.
There are a few characters you will recognise from False Hearts but mostly it follows Carina and The Trust, an underground group of hackers determined to undermine Sudice's grasp on the human race. Bonus points for the floating mansions in the Hollywood Hills.
Review copy provided by publisher.
Zeal was introduced in False Hearts and it is probably easier to fall into this world and accept the story with that background. However Laura neatly gives enough information to fill in a new reader without it seeming too recappy. Zeal is used to prevent violent crime in this society, a drug that is used in combination with something like a VR chair. Supposedly the only people to get addicted are those predisposed to violence, so the authorities are happy to leave them to die.
Of course, Carina wasn't always like this, didn't always feel the urge to kill. That started some time when she was working for Sudice. Her memories subdued, she starts to understand the truth when one of her ex-colleagues sends her a message direct to her head. He's dead, killed by Sudice, and he wants her to bring them down. In order to unlock the information that will implicate them, she must access five memories.
As the memories are unlocked, more is revealed about Carina and how she came to be like she is. They also show how far Sudice have gone, crossing the line in pursuit of progress or just plain greed.
People tend to trust large technology companies with huge amounts of information. We don't read terms and conditions and updates are accepted without a second thought. But what if these companies had direct access to your brain? Would you be happy for someone to reprogram you if it "fixed" your problems and would you still be you?Shattered Minds leaves plenty of food for thought as well as being a technologically advanced mystery, a real page-turner towards the end.
There are a few characters you will recognise from False Hearts but mostly it follows Carina and The Trust, an underground group of hackers determined to undermine Sudice's grasp on the human race. Bonus points for the floating mansions in the Hollywood Hills.
Review copy provided by publisher.
tanninsandtales's review
1.0
Really couldn't get into this one and DNF-ed it at 40%. It seems to me that [b:Shattered Minds|31702782|Shattered Minds (Pacifica)|Laura Lam|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480450015s/31702782.jpg|47322535] is aimed at a younger audience.
(Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC).
(Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC).
raven_morgan's review
5.0
Here's where I have to admit something: I didn't love the first book in this series (False Hearts). I liked it a lot, but I didn't love it. I found the world fascinating, but for some reason, I found the characters hard to connect with. I suspect very strongly that this has nothing at all to do with the book itself, but rather my own reader brain and the headspace that I was in when I read it.
Obviously, I was intrigued enough by the world in general in the books to pick up Shattered Minds. And I do not regret it one little bit, because I adored this book. I loved all of the characters, but especially the complex, fascinating (and sometimes slightly horrifying to read) Carina. I fell more in love with the worldbuilding and the technology that Lam imagines. This one hooked me on the first page, and kept me hooked for the whole length of the book.
Obviously, I was intrigued enough by the world in general in the books to pick up Shattered Minds. And I do not regret it one little bit, because I adored this book. I loved all of the characters, but especially the complex, fascinating (and sometimes slightly horrifying to read) Carina. I fell more in love with the worldbuilding and the technology that Lam imagines. This one hooked me on the first page, and kept me hooked for the whole length of the book.
laz92's review
5.0
Laura Lam's ability to structure plot is excellent, and you can really see it improving throughout her works. Carina is such an interesting character, and her emotionless made me more aware of the other characters and everything around her, though it did take some time to get used to. Can't wait to see what happens next in Pacifica!
sunflowerscottie's review
4.0
A small group of rebels trying to take down a large corporation? Yes, please.
After leaving Sudice, a large technology company that deals with biological implants and neurological research, Carina deals with intense violent urges that are quelled only temporarily by Zeal. A drug to which she's also addicted. After one of her previous coworkers gets incriminating information to her posthumously, Carina joins a small group whose goal is to take down the company.
Pacifica, Laura Lam's vision of either an alternate or future former United States, feels very cyberpunk, slightly reminiscent of a Blade Runner-esque world. The imagery is very cool and paints the picture of a country sliding unsteadily into an amoral future. Despite the intriguing world and characters, I did have to take away a star as the pacing dragged at times. Otherwise, a really awesome book.
After leaving Sudice, a large technology company that deals with biological implants and neurological research, Carina deals with intense violent urges that are quelled only temporarily by Zeal. A drug to which she's also addicted. After one of her previous coworkers gets incriminating information to her posthumously, Carina joins a small group whose goal is to take down the company.
Pacifica, Laura Lam's vision of either an alternate or future former United States, feels very cyberpunk, slightly reminiscent of a Blade Runner-esque world. The imagery is very cool and paints the picture of a country sliding unsteadily into an amoral future. Despite the intriguing world and characters, I did have to take away a star as the pacing dragged at times. Otherwise, a really awesome book.
darquedreamer's review against another edition
4.0
Review to come 5-22-17 per publisher ARC request.
leontiy's review
5.0
Shattered Minds is an absolutely stellar installment of the Pacific series, effortlessly blending sci-fi with thriller to deliver an unstoppable story that is every bit as gripping as it is awesome as hell (who doesn’t want to root for hackers against the cold-ass, evil scientists and the corporation they embody?). Absolutely one of my favourite books this year so far. Lam needs to write more of these books.
I received this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review. Full review can be found at Jet Black Ink.
I received this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review. Full review can be found at Jet Black Ink.
writingwwolves's review
5.0
I feel beyond privileged that I was accepted on NetGalley to review a book by one of my top 2 authors & I'm now heartbroken that I've finished it.
I fell totally in love with False Hearts & so I was really excited about Shattered minds. I think I prefer False Hearts (because I loved learning about Mana-Ma & the Hearth) but Shattered Minds was still excellent.
The world building in this series is on another level to other sci-fi books I've read - Laura has put so much thought into how every aspect of this world functions & there's never been a moment where I've thought I've spotted a plot hole.
The characters in Shattered Minds were very different from the first book, but Carina was so, so interesting (especially as I'm a psychology student) & I loved Dax, mainly because he didn't see Carina as someone who needed fixing - he knew she had mental health issues & was always okay with that... so many books have love interests who want to fix the main character & I'm so, so grateful that Laura didn't absolutely destroy this book by going down that path. I also really enjoyed Roz's character, despite how disturbed she is & it would be cool to have a novella or short story explaining why/how Roz came to be how she was.
Admittedly, some of the read was quite disturbing & I think there needs to be a trigger warning on the back of the book & within the first few pages to say that it does contain discussion of suicide & torture. Laura did write these scenes very well though, & I cringed A LOT; there must have been a lot of research done for certain scenes & I commend Laura for her hard work (even if I'm sure I'll have nightmares because of it).
I really want to thank the publishers for letting me review this book before it's release, & I will be writing a more detailed blog post about the book over the next few days. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys futuristic science fiction - as long as they are able to handle some of the more intense writing.
Extended Review: https://wp.me/p8MbIo-26
I fell totally in love with False Hearts & so I was really excited about Shattered minds. I think I prefer False Hearts (because I loved learning about Mana-Ma & the Hearth) but Shattered Minds was still excellent.
The world building in this series is on another level to other sci-fi books I've read - Laura has put so much thought into how every aspect of this world functions & there's never been a moment where I've thought I've spotted a plot hole.
The characters in Shattered Minds were very different from the first book, but Carina was so, so interesting (especially as I'm a psychology student) & I loved Dax, mainly because he didn't see Carina as someone who needed fixing - he knew she had mental health issues & was always okay with that... so many books have love interests who want to fix the main character & I'm so, so grateful that Laura didn't absolutely destroy this book by going down that path. I also really enjoyed Roz's character, despite how disturbed she is & it would be cool to have a novella or short story explaining why/how Roz came to be how she was.
Admittedly, some of the read was quite disturbing & I think there needs to be a trigger warning on the back of the book & within the first few pages to say that it does contain discussion of suicide & torture. Laura did write these scenes very well though, & I cringed A LOT; there must have been a lot of research done for certain scenes & I commend Laura for her hard work (even if I'm sure I'll have nightmares because of it).
I really want to thank the publishers for letting me review this book before it's release, & I will be writing a more detailed blog post about the book over the next few days. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys futuristic science fiction - as long as they are able to handle some of the more intense writing.
Extended Review: https://wp.me/p8MbIo-26