Ziva Moore knows her anger is dangerous, but not why. Haunted by violent psychic powers, she’s hunted by Curtis Millicent, a corrupt man obsessed with the abilities she inherited from the father she never knew. To save her family, Ziva must embrace her deadly legacy before she becomes his next victim.
Ziva Moore is the kind of character who grabs your attention right away—she’s angry, powerful, and constantly on edge, and honestly, you can’t blame her. Between being singled out at school and dealing with abilities she can’t fully control, her life feels like it’s always about to spiral. I enjoyed how the story mixes everyday teen struggles with something much bigger lurking underneath. The tension keeps building as Ziva starts realizing that someone out there knows exactly what she is—and wants it. It’s fast-paced, a little intense at times, and definitely the kind of book where you keep saying “just one more chapter.”
I liked this story with one caveat. Based on content, explained below, this is an adult fantasy story with a very definite teenage/story character feel. It has a ‘Wednesday’ arriving at school vibe. Although its plot is very very different.
Ziva, very bright loner, has by normal teenage standards some unusual powers, a more usual anger and response to school bullies, and most of all a wish to make sure her family are safe. Well except possibly her step dad who she doesn’t get on with, in fact with reason.
Ziva tries to control her use of her mental powers. But does put them to use when a deranged evil man from her family’s past enters the scene.
As I have already said adult read with teenage vibe. I dropped a star because there are issues of serious and sexual abuse to side characters, and Ziva herself, which should be dealt with by the Police. But the perpetrators are just left to walk away after Ziva has used her powers on them. As though they are changed people who now will live perfect lives.
In context of the setting of the story it’s fine Ziva dealing with these people. I get that. But they should never be let off with JUST her mental or physical response. Just to allow Ziva to sort of hide in the background to keep her powers from investigation.
She could have used her mental powers to make them walk into a Police station and confess their wrongs. With that change this book could have been opened up to a younger readership.
This is the start of a series. Not entirely sure where Ziva is headed. Nor if the group she ends up with are good or bad. Future books will tell all I’m sure.
Thank you to C.M. Willowcraft and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.
Mind of Moore: The Chadwick Legacy by C. M. Willowcraft follows Ziva Moore, a teen girl just trying to survive high school while hiding the fact that she can read minds and shatter glass with her thoughts. When a disturbing flash of the future makes her leave her boarding school, she returns to a home that feels more like a target. She soon discovers that her mother has been hiding the truth about her father’s involvement in a shadowy group led by a man named Curtis Millicent. While her family tries to pretend everything is normal, Ziva finds evidence that she is being actively tracked and that her own stepfather might be making deals behind her back. Surrounded by secrets and a creeping chill of certainty, will she be able to protect herself and her loved ones from a birthright she barely even understands?
Mind of Moore by C. M. Willowcraft blends urban fantasy and a psychological thriller in a way that feels starkly realistic. The author skips the typical "gifted girl" narrative traps. Instead, Willowcraft shows us how Ziva’s abilities make her life a lonely, high-stakes whirlwind. I found the use of the 1970s diary entries to be a really brilliant narrative bridge for world-building, as it slowly revealed the scale of the conspiracy without a massive info dump. The setting feels authentic and well-written. The prose is lean and evocative, shining brightest during the story's very intense and violent encounters. I think the book excels because it highlights the burden of being powerful, while having few allies to rely on. It's a must-read for fans of fantasy fiction with a raw, street-level punch.