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Open Minds: (Mindjack Series Book 1) Paperback – October 3, 2011
Purchase options and add-ons
Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can't read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can't be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf's mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she's dragged deep into a hidden underworld of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.
MINDJACK: KIRA
Open Minds (Book 1)
Closed Hearts (Book 2)
Free Souls (Book 3)
Mindjack Short Story Collection (Book 4)
MINDJACK: ZEPH:
Locked Tight (Book 1)
Cracked Open (Book 2)
Broken Wide (Book 3)
The Locksmith (Book 4)
FORMATS AND TRANSLATIONS
Mindjack available in ebook, print, audiobook, French and German
LIVE ACTION TRAILER
Voted Best Trailer at the 2014 Illinois International Film Festival and one of 50 Most Cinematic Trailers Ever Made – check it out at Susan's website.
- Print length300 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateOctober 3, 2011
- Grade level10 - 12
- Dimensions5.25 x 0.75 x 8 inches
- ISBN-101466354267
- ISBN-13978-1466354265
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Open Minds boils with action, adventure, and surprises. I was fully invested in this inventive world and the protagonist. A story that had me imagining what if, long after I finished it." -- Terry Lynn Johnson, author of Dogsled Dreams
"I'm not entirely sure Susan Kaye Quinn didn't jack into my mind herself to make me fall in love with this book! This book is full of awesome." - Jade Hanke's Review
"Wow - just when I was getting a little bored of YA a book like this comes along and just wows me back! ... I was holding my breath right up until the last page." - Mel's Random Reviews
From the Author
SINGULARITY
The Legacy Human (Book 1)
The Duality Bridge (Book 2)
The Illusory Prophet (Book 3)
The Last Mystic (Book 4)
STORIES OF SINGULARITY
Restore
Containment
Augment
Awakening
Harvest
Defiance
Resistance
MINDJACK
MINDJACK: KIRA
Open Minds (Book 1)
Closed Hearts (Book 2)
Free Souls (Book 3)
Mind Games (Book 4) - novella
The Handler (Book 5) - novella
The Scribe (Book 6) - novella
Keeper (Book 7) - novella
MINDJACK: ZEPH
Locked Tight (Book 1)
Cracked Open (Book 2)
Broken Wide (Book 3)
The Locksmith (Book 4) - novella
THE ROYALS OF DHARIA
Third Daughter (Book 1)
Second Daughter (Book 2)
First Daughter (Book 3)
DEBT COLLECTOR
LIRIUM: Season One
WRAITH: Season Two
Sue's website: SusanKayeQuinn.com
From the Back Cover
About the Author
Susan Kaye Quinn is a rocket scientist turned speculative fiction author who now uses her PhD to invent cool stuff in books. Her works range from gritty Future-Noir to philosophical HopePunk, with side trips into royal steampunk romance and middle grade fantasy. Her bestselling novels and short stories have been optioned for Virtual Reality, translated into German and French, and featured in several anthologies.
She writes full-time from Chicago, inventing mind powers and dreaming of the Singularity.
Visit her website: SusanKayeQuinn.com
Product details
- Publisher : CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (October 3, 2011)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 300 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1466354267
- ISBN-13 : 978-1466354265
- Grade level : 10 - 12
- Item Weight : 14.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 5.25 x 0.75 x 8 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #474,067 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,348 in Cyberpunk Science Fiction (Books)
- #1,473 in Genetic Engineering Science Fiction (Books)
- #3,748 in Dystopian Fiction (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Susan Kaye Quinn is a PhD Environmental Engineer turned speculative fiction author and the host of Bright Green Futures, a podcast that lifts up stories about a more sustainable and just world. Sue writes hopeful climate fiction, futuristic spec fic, cyberpunk, and steampunk romance. Her novels have been optioned for Virtual Reality and translated into German and French, while her short stories have been published by Grist, Little Blue Marble, Reckoning and more. Sue believes being gentle and healing is radical and disruptive. She writes full-time, trying to build a better world by imagining it first.
Closet Full of time, a collection of cyberpunk short stories
Halfway to Better, a collection of short solarpunk stories.
NOTHING IS PROMISED (hopeful climate fiction)
• When You Had Power (Book 1)
• You Knew the Price (Book 2)
• Of Kindness and Kilowatts (Book 3)
• Yet You Cry When It Hurts (Book 4)
SINGULARITY
• The Legacy Human (Book 1)
• The Duality Bridge (Book 2)
• The Illusory Prophet (Book 3)
• The Last Mystic (Book 4)
STORIES OF SINGULARITY (novellas)
• Restore
• Containment
• Augment
• Awakening
• Harvest
• Defiance
• Résistance
MINDJACK
• Open Minds (Book 1)
• Closed Hearts (Book 2)
• Free Souls (Book 3)
• Locked Tight (Book 4)
• Cracked Open (Book 5)
• Broken Wide (Book 6)
Mindjack Short Story Collection (Novella Box Set)
THE ROYALS OF DHARIA
• Third Daughter (Book 1)
• Second Daughter (Book 2)
• First Daughter (Book 3)
DEBT COLLECTOR
• LIRIUM (Season One)
• WRAITH (Season Two)
MIDDLE GRADE FANTASY
• Faery Swap
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book engaging and entertaining. They praise the intriguing storyline and unique premise. The plot is fast-paced and addictive, with twists and turns. Readers appreciate the clear writing quality and compelling characters. The story is thought-provoking and an exciting start to a new series.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it interesting, well-written, and enjoyable for adults as well. The premise is intriguing and the Mindjack world is engaging.
"...But all in all, Open Minds is a fast-paced and interesting book. It's also very well written and formatted...." Read more
"...It’s good. Really good. I’m going to start book two now." Read more
"...All in all, I was entertained throughout the entire book, was very impressed with Kira, and cannot wait to read the second book in this trilogy!..." Read more
"...Other than that, I really liked the book. The story was very interesting. And my favorite thing? It's priced reasonably!..." Read more
Customers find the storyline intriguing and engaging. They appreciate the unique premise, fast-paced action, and clear prose. The plot is well-crafted, and readers are captivated by the world Susan Kaye Quinn has created. The concept of mindjacking adds drama to the story.
"...I must admit that the worldbuilding in this book is impressive, and the consequences of common mindreading are well-thought of...." Read more
".../sci-fi book with a fast pace, a strong female lead, and an intriguing storyline, I recommend Open Minds: Mindjacker Saga Book One. It’s good...." Read more
"...Overall Story The plot itself was done beautifully, and I love that the settings didn't just consist of some combination of home, school, and..." Read more
"...Very interesting story and I liked the concept. I liked the technology in the story and I thought the main character was excellently written...." Read more
Customers find the pacing of the book engaging. They describe it as a well-told dystopian tale with twists and turns. The plot is fast-paced and addictive, making the characters seem real. Readers appreciate the author's engaging writing style and the well-imagined future world.
"...But all in all, Open Minds is a fast-paced and interesting book. It's also very well written and formatted...." Read more
"...If you’re looking for a futuristic cyberpunk/sci-fi book with a fast pace, a strong female lead, and an intriguing storyline, I recommend Open Minds..." Read more
"...Kira is a strong character, very willed, and for the most part, honest (you'll see what I mean)...." Read more
"...Pretty realistic and all that. Teen angst is heavily prevalent, but it's a teenage book, so it really works here...." Read more
Customers find the writing quality engaging and well-written. They appreciate the believable characters and plot twist. The book is written in first-person, but the author's internal thoughts are never overreacted. Readers praise the logical storytelling and deftly woven details that make perfect sense without explanation.
"...It's also very well written and formatted. I would never have guessed it was self-published...." Read more
"...and a host of other things. All of these details are woven in with a deft hand...." Read more
"...This book was written in the first person, but never did I feel like the internal dialogue was annoying, incessantly ranty, or irrelevant...." Read more
"...This is not your usual young adult story. This is a complexly plotted and well thought out set of books that takes you on an adventure that will not..." Read more
Customers enjoy the believable and strong characters. They find them well-crafted with flaws, heartaches, fears, and stupidity. Readers appreciate that they can concentrate on the story without being compelled to do so. The villain is described as fearful and fierce.
"...Kira is a strong character, very willed, and for the most part, honest (you'll see what I mean)...." Read more
"...I liked the technology in the story and I thought the main character was excellently written. Pretty realistic and all that...." Read more
"...These are well-crafted, living, breathing characters with flaws, heartaches, fears and stupid mistakes in a world that seems all too real...." Read more
"...I can so see this feisty character and story as a blockbuster movie. Katness better watch her butt as Kira is the new kickass kid on the block." Read more
Customers enjoy the thought-provoking book. They find the world-building interesting and compelling, with a neat premise of humanity evolving into mindreaders. The characters are well-developed, and the technology is focused on the mind. The book makes you question things and is relatable.
"...Susan Kaye Quinn created an interesting and compelling world where reading other people's minds is considered the norm, and where people who can't..." Read more
"...that appeals to me as a reader: the technological advances, the simple mind magic (a word I’m using lightly), the consistent forward movement of the..." Read more
"...Very interesting story and I liked the concept. I liked the technology in the story and I thought the main character was excellently written...." Read more
"...I loved the world building in this book which is second only to the wonderful characterizations by Quinn. The story is very well paced and..." Read more
Customers enjoy the plot. They find the story engaging with two potential love interests and a satisfying conclusion. The book contains unexpected twists and multiple young adult romances. Readers appreciate the consistent forward movement of the plot and the fun sci-fi/speculative premise.
"...the simple mind magic (a word I’m using lightly), the consistent forward movement of the plot. I also was intrigued by the historical subplot...." Read more
"...There was a real sense of movement to this book... things were really HAPPENING...." Read more
"...Open Minds is also a book about young romance, the innocent kind. It is the first blush of spring...." Read more
"...This is a well told dystopian tale, with twists and turns and sizzling first kisses...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the teen content. Some find it tender and sympathetic, with well-handled issues and emotions. They describe the story as riveting and fast-paced. Others feel the main character has too much teen angst and lacks emotional depth to make them like him. The premise of the story is terrifying and melodramatic, with some finding it intrusive.
"...I also was intrigued by the historical subplot. It wasn’t subtle...." Read more
"...Pretty realistic and all that. Teen angst is heavily prevalent, but it's a teenage book, so it really works here...." Read more
"...These are well-crafted, living, breathing characters with flaws, heartaches, fears and stupid mistakes in a world that seems all too real...." Read more
"...Somewhat relatable, sympathetic, or at least understandable. Not too special, but that's alright. Raf and Seamus seem to be uni-dimensional...." Read more
Reviews with images
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Definitely worth reading
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2014I don't usually read YA. Well, scratch that. There are very few YA books that I actually like. Harry Potter, the Hunger Games, or the Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix come to mind. So I should rephrase this to : I read YA, but the book needs to be exceptional for me to like it. Fortunately, Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn is one such book.
This is the first book in a trilogy and it's perma-free on Amazon, so I admit that I was rather reticent about downloading and reading it. I've been less than impressed with the quality of some free books on amazon in the past.
But the moment I opened this book, I was hooked! I kept turning the pages and I couldn't put it down. Susan Kaye Quinn created an interesting and compelling world where reading other people's minds is considered the norm, and where people who can't mind-read, or zeros, are outcasts, relegated to the most menial jobs. Because you wouldn't trust someone whose mind you can't read. And they wouldn't be able to operate most of the machinery anyway, since everything, from phones to cars and kitchen appliances, runs on mindware. I must admit that the worldbuilding in this book is impressive, and the consequences of common mindreading are well-thought of.
Kira is not a typical teenage protagonist either. Sure, she dreams of fitting in and having friends again, and agonizes about the fact that the boy she likes will never go out with a zero. She has the normal hopes and dreams of a teenage girl. And when she discovers that she can not only read minds, but also control them, her first reaction is to pretend that it never happened, to try and hide it, to pass for a normal reader and just fit in. That's what Kira wants most of all, to fit in. But that option proves impossible, and she discovers that there are a lot more jackers than she thought. She also discovers that the harsh reality for a jacker is either to live your life in hiding, work for the FBI, or be sent to a concentration camp.
I liked the fact that when the s*** hits the fan, Kira doesn't lose time mopping around and waiting for a knight in shining armor to rescue her. She takes the matters in her own hands instead. She does what she thinks is right, even if that means risking her life to free other jackers from a secure FBI facility, or exposing the existence of the jackers and the horrible way they are treated by the government to the media.
I am very interested to see how she deals with the fallout from that bombshell in the next book, Closed Hearts, btw.
My only gripe with this book would be how quickly Kira changes from being scared of her powers and reticent to use them to using them left and right without remorse. But you can argue that she is placed in a situation where her survival depends on those powers.
I would also have liked to see a bit more of a learning curve, because it seems like Kira went from a zero to a super-jacker in the space of a couple months and without any particular efforts.
But all in all, Open Minds is a fast-paced and interesting book. It's also very well written and formatted. I would never have guessed it was self-published. So if you want to pick up a though provoking and intelligent book for your teen (or for yourself) to read, head over to Amazon and download the free copy.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2016I am an avid reader. I devour books the way most people would gorge on sweets. Lately I’ve been reading a slew of new and up-and-coming authors. A subscriber to BookBub, I receive daily deals. Back in April I received a deal on Open Minds: Mindjack Saga. It was recommended because of my ratings on dystopian and science fiction books. The teaser bit sounded interesting, so I picked it up and plopped it into the “to-be-read” folder on my Kindle. This past Monday, it showed up on my BookBub ratings request. I hadn’t read it, but I was in the mood for a dystopian/sci-fi book so I read the sample chapter. This turned out to be a brilliant move. In fact I was so entertained by Open Minds that I bought the second and third books in the series before I’d even finished it!
From the back of the book: When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep. Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can't read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can't be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf's mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she's dragged deep into a hidden underworld of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.
At the start of the book you are presented with a future world. The use of beneficial chemicals (pesticides, water treatment purifiers, animal antibiotics, etc.) have caused a genetic evolution in humans. This evolutionary jump resulted in an entire population of people who communicate mind to mind, Readers. There is no lying mind to mind, very few secrets (hard to keep when you hear/broadcast every thought), and precious little privacy. Even with this evolutionary jump, there are occasional throwbacks who don’t go through the change at puberty. Society views them as Zeros, fit only for menial jobs in society. When you can’t be read, you can’t be trusted. You become zero.
The main character, Kira, is a girl who is past the common change age and has resigned herself to being a zero. The book starts on Kira’s first day of school after summer break. As a known zero, going through classes is a struggle. After all, why should the teachers talk out loud when they can “hear” exactly how much you are comprehending and absorbing from the mental lessons? Frustrated and struggling Kira turns to her only friend, Raf. He is also a normal reader, a Puerto Rican hottie, a high school soccer god, and the boy Kira has a crush on. He doesn’t mind Kira’s disability and seems to like her, but it’s tough when Kira knows that she could never date him or be seen as more than a friend.
Being a zero sucks, but it was about to get a lot worse for Kira. One particularly frustrating afternoon while studying with Raf, he tries to kiss Kira. In her nervousness, she accidentally knocks out him out and nearly kills him, all with her mind. She is suddenly very aware that what she did was not normal. It wasn’t something any reader could do. Scared and alone, not knowing how to control her abilities, Kira starts lying to everyone. Pretending to be a zero. Until another student, Simon, reveals that he knows she’s a jacker. If being a zero was miserable, being a jacker is worse. It’s downright dangerous. Especially for the normal readers in her life.
Simon, who is not a reader but passes for one every day at school, agrees to teach Kira how to control her abilities. It’s not long before you see that Simon might not be the gallant hero in this story. Kira is generally a good person, but with Simon pushing and her unease about abusing her abilities, it seems as if she’s making all the wrong choices. Open Minds brought home a simple truth. Teenagers do not always make good choices. They just don’t have the life experiences to see things from multiple angles. This could sometimes make Kira seem less intelligent. It didn’t bother me. I figured, Kira is barely legal to learn to drive a car, I can’t expect her to suddenly know rocket science! Nor do I expect her to always make the right choice (though she tries...). The real action of the book starts when she’s introduced to a ragtag clan of criminal jackers. Kira knows she’s in trouble. Can she get out of the situation? Can she protect her family and friends? Can she survive?
All of this is set against a futuristic society full of techno/magical advances. Some of the things I liked most about this book weren’t grand. They were little (tiny) details woven through the story. For example, when Kira is in a shady part of town, she thinks about the building codes, how the buildings must be built a certain distance apart to help “quiet the mind” and protect readers in their sleep. Electronics are used by linking your mind with mindware installed in the devices. The same goes for machines, cars (autopilot!), and a host of other things. All of these details are woven in with a deft hand.
There are so many things about this book that appeals to me as a reader: the technological advances, the simple mind magic (a word I’m using lightly), the consistent forward movement of the plot. I also was intrigued by the historical subplot. It wasn’t subtle. Susan Kay Quinn builds in a strong correlation between the looming threat of being sent to a nebulous jacker prison and the real-life historical internment camps. The subplot ultimately force Kira into a moral dilemma and the biggest choice of her life.
If you’re looking for a futuristic cyberpunk/sci-fi book with a fast pace, a strong female lead, and an intriguing storyline, I recommend Open Minds: Mindjacker Saga Book One. It’s good. Really good. I’m going to start book two now.
Top reviews from other countries
- AlanReviewed in the United Kingdom on February 1, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book - grabs you from the start to the end
One of those great authors that makes you engage with the characters and the story. It made me want to read more of this series, and more of this incredible authors work.
a riveting read
- Rosemary HughesReviewed in Australia on March 26, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars The world has evolved, but human bigotry hasn't
The human population has evolved, due to water contamination, the ability to speak mind to mind, is now the norm. Our heroine, off course, is the oddity. She believed she was one of those scorned, because she hadn't developed the mindspeak skill.
However, she was in a group of people who have a more powerful mind access ability and hers is stronger than most. This group is being targeted by the Government, just as all people who have been different, have been targeted over the generations. This is the story of her fight for justice for her kind.
It is a spellbinding and compelling tale. I enjoyed the audio rendition immensely.
- Rachel.WReviewed in Spain on October 11, 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting all the way through
This was a good book, well written, kept me interested all the way through. Looking forward to reading the next in the series!
- Faye FordReviewed in Mexico on May 15, 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars What a way to spend the day.
Good read I HAVE ENJOYED THIS SERIES SO MUCH. HATE TO READ
THE LAST BOOK. MISS QUINN IS A TRUE ARTIST.
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in Canada on July 2, 2015
5.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable read.
I found this to be an excellent story. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I really enjoyed the plot and It had a lot of action and unexpected twists.