Reviews of Aversion (Book One of The Mentalist Series)

(I was given a free ebook version of this story by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are mine and not influenced by any outside source.)

Aversion by Kenechi Udogu is the first novella in The Mentalist series. The series follows Gemma Green, a female born Averter. As an Averter her job seems pretty simple: connect with the target, push the new thought into their mind, disappear. Only let’s be real, is any supernatural job ever simple? Gemma gets a tingle when she passes by a potential target and then of bad choices and actions flash before her eyes. It’s Gemma’s job to make sure that the target doesn’t follow through on their original plan. Cue in Russ: Gemma’s first assignment. She’s been trained all her life on how to do this. She knows all the rules and all the proceedures, so this first encounter should be no problem. With her Dad in tow, Gemma performs her first aversion on Russ. Everything seems to go alright, but the next day something bad happens. Russ begins to talk to her when he never had before. Now Gemma must figure out what went wrong and why Russ seems so interested in her. Breaking the rules, figuring things out and dealing with new problems (including her Dad), Gemma embarks on an adventure a lot grander than the regular life of an Averter.

The whole premise of the story is what really drew me in. The idea of an Averter and the abilities they possess is such a refreshing idea compared to most paranormal and supernatural stories in the book world right now. I really wanted to delve into this world Udogu created.


With that said, I do have to be honest and say the beginning of the novella was a struggle to get through. I’m not sure if it was because the story is told in first person and I haven’t read that POV in a while or if I just wasn’t connecting with Gemma. The editor in me began to subconsciously draw circles around all the “I’s” that appeared on one page. However, by the second half of the story things took a turn for the better. Once the action began and Gemma had more to deal with then Russ hanging around her I got pulled into the story.

The whole second half of the novella added danger, secrets unraveling, and a cause Gemma could champion. Although the initial problem with Russ was an OK plot, the heightened mission half-way through really brought this story to life. Now Gemma wasn’t a main character focused on a boy and the forbidden love angle. Instead Gemma’s character became more developmental–she has more growth potential. I began to connect with her and her new struggles. She wasn’t just a naive teenager trying to please her dad anymore, but a girl who began to see things differently, to question things, and someone who learned she was stronger than she seemed.

The writing also improved by the second half of the novella. The action was fast-paced and the characters more interesting. As I said before, I was really drawn in by this point. I began ignoring the editor side of me and began focusing on the lover of reading side of myself.

One thing Udogu did right from the beginning of the novella was the love interest/storyline. Russ and Gemma go really well together. Russ is more confident, but still a gentle spirit who is there to bring Gemma out of her shell. Gemma is hesitant, but Russ’ patience and nudging finally sneak into Gemma. She begins to see Russ as an option for love and someone she can trust. Their love develops slowly in the novella as well. There is a supernatural element between the two characters that leaves Gemma questioning things, but Udogu does a great job of keeping their relationship going despite the setbacks.

In the end, I did enjoy this story. I will most likely be continuing the series as Udogu does a great job of leaving a reader wanting more at the end. I want to know what happens to Gemma and Russ and her Dad and this world with Averters. So I will be keeping The Mentalist series on my radar. Book two, Sentient, was published last October and is the next book in the series.

I recommend Aversion to anyone looking for a nice paranormal/supernatural read that’s different from the common stories out there. The refreshing idea is a great pull and the Averter world interesting. It had a difficult beginning for me, but once you move past it you’ll definitely love the story more. I think it’s worth the try as you’ll most likely be wanting to move on in the series.

( I received this free ebook in exchange for an honest review)
I really enjoyed reading Aversion. It was a good book, a quick read, fast paste, and right to the point. One of the things that really stood out for me was instead of the guy trying to hide things and stay away from the girl, it was the girl that was trying to protect the guy.. A good change up of the norm is great. I haven't really read anything with this particular idea of an Averter so the idea of it was very unique.


I loved Gemma's and Russ's characters and the connection that they shared with each other. I find it rather romantic that wherever either one is the other one will be able to find them. The bond that they share can't be removed and no matter how hard Gemma may have tried to push it away or fight it she couldn't deny the connection that is between them.


The relationship with Gemma and her Father was good but also complicated on her father's end. So much was kept from her but it was also for her protection.


I can't wait to read the next book in the series. I enjoyed every bit of it.


Rating 4Stars

Recommend? Yes

Aversion, Book One in The Mentalist Series by Kenechi Udogu is a novella following the first Aversion performed by Gemma Green and how it goes oh so wrong. Fifteen-year-old Gemma is the only female Averter in a long history of Averters, an anomaly. Nonetheless, she has been taught from a very young age the responsibilities, honor and rules of Aversion. Averters use their minds to deter others (without the person realizing it) from decisions that will keep them from their life path.

When Gemma gets her first "jolt" from Russ Tanner, she is confident and a little nervous. But this is what she is born to do. Everything seems to have gone well with Russ--disaster averted. That is until Russ approaches her at school the next day. She has never talked to him before and has kept a low profile at school, but now she can't shake Russ. He doesn't remember the Aversion, but for some reason he feels drawn to her. What else can go wrong?

Gemma is a down-to-earth character that tries her best to live up to her legacy. But being a teenaged girl just gets in the way of duty sometimes. The reader goes with Gemma on her journey to becoming a full-fledged Averter (and not just a trainee) and her journey into the world of the average teen. She is believable, if a bit too analytical. The story is Gemma's first person account, so she's already been through the adventure that she's relating to the reader. The only thing that bothered me was that because it's already happened, she inadvertently reveals minor plot points.

Description is minimal and other character development is scarce. We get to know a little about Russ and Gemma's father, but we're not yet sure what is true about either one of them. After all, we're dealing with Aversion. But there is still more to uncover.

I liked this first installment in The Mentalist Series and recommend it for a quick read. I look forward to the next installment.

I was provided with a copy for an honest review.

Read more reviews by Cherese Vines at www.cheresevinescharmingwords.wordpress.com

I got this book for an exchange of honest review.

At first, i interested on the title. aversion? averted? what is that?
so i decided to give it a try, thinking it maybe another paranormal fantasy book.
but im gladly say that this is more sci fi than paranormal. Gemma's talent is unusual and unique, i never heard of it before, Kenechi done a good job in creating such a power like that.

What i like about this book is Gemma and Russ is so cute together, they're like a puppy love couple, but then it turned out more than that and fate does have something for them.
I like that its fast paced, a fast read, and i can easily finish it in one read. yet, it really makes me wonder what gonna happen next? its a short novel right? only 133 pages, why can't the author finished it in one book?? ugh.

Gemma relation with her father is also touching but complicated, because it turned out there are a lot of secret revealed little by little. and it not as simple as i thought it would be. Gemma personality is also interesting, she is in one side a naive little girl who trust her world in her father's hand and believe in every word he said, but yet later she become strong as she learns more about her ability.

Overall, i did enjoy this book :)

*A copy was provided for me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

While I didn't love the book, it really surprised me. I loved the concept! I loved the idea of Averters and Mentalists, with some other labels that you learn about later on. I thought the story-line was executed nicely, although the voice of Gemma, the main character, was hard to like at times. Sometimes it felt like she was very naive about things, having never asked any questions and trusting her father completely. She was a strong heroine, though, and she did whatever she could to protect the ones she loved.

While the beginning was slow, I didn't find myself bored with it (which sometimes happens if I'm having a hard time connecting with the main character, or if the book isn't holding my attention). There wasn't much action until later on, when a stranger appears and she learns they're in danger and that her father has to lied to her about a lot of things. When Gemma learns more about her past, she realizes that she's far more powerful than she ever thought possible. And here she was thinking she'd screwed up her first Aversion on Russ! I liked Russ a lot, and I thought the sweet and innocent relationship between them was played out to fit both of their characters. In the end, there are a lot of questions left unanswered, and I can't wait to find out more about the life of an Averter.

Overall, it was a good start to the series! :)

I would like to thank Kenechi for letting me read her book. I would have to say I really liked it. It was refreshing and something different.

Gemma was not like many other characters, for one she does not whine about her life. She tries to take things into her own hands and fix things her way. I think that she is mature for a teen.

I loved the story line and plot. Like I said it is different and refreshing. I have not read any other books with the same type of character which makes this book great. The book was also well written, and had a easy flow. I didn't want to put it down and had to read it before I went to sleep. I can't wait to read the next book.

Firstly, Id like to thank Kenechi Udogu for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review.

WOW what a great read. When i intially signed up to review this book my first thoughts we that the blurb sounded good and cover look good but never did i think it was going to be this GOOD! what a pleasant suprise.

Kenechi Udogu ticked all my boxes with this book:
Romance, Mystery, we learn about things along the way with the main characters and those things that are already known to the characters are explained to us in the beginning, Tragedy, Happy ending and so much more but im getting a little ahead of myself.

Our leading lady is Gemma Green a 15 year old girl who is a social outcast of her own accord. She is an Averter which is explained to you in the very first page of the book so you dont have to guess but basically means she can alter or persuade peoples thoughts for eg. if she gets a jolt from someone she usually sees a glimpse of something that will alter that person forever, now it is her purpose in life to change these decisions and alter the outcome. She is also the only female averter but that is only the beginning of gemmas problems as the people whom she averts are to never remember seeing or hearing Gemma.

Enter our main man Russ. Whom is to be Gemmas first aversion and although she followed all the steps taught to her somehow, something goes askew and our story really begins. Russ is a talented, popular, cute boy from Gem's school whom like everyone else has never spoken to Gemma. That is until the day after her failed aversion when he suddenly wants to get to know her and befriend her. He confesses that he cannot stop thinking about her.

Is it the botched aversion that has gemma on his mind or is there other things at play in this wonderful, romanctic young adult book.

Now down to the nitty grittys. The only things i have to mention that i didnt like (there is usually something, these however are small) was that i felt it wasn't long enough and that i havent been able to find out when the next book is out :(

I highly recommend this book for those whom want a short but fun read.

I was excited to read this book because it had a romantic aspect that I've never seen approached successfully before. The synopsis gave me a different idea of the book than what it actually was, so I kind of walked into it with a blind eye, so to speak. One thing I'm going to say right of the bat is I liked Russ more than Gemma. And I don't think that was supposed to happen. I don't want to say Gemma had no emotion, but I wanted to see more of a personality. Being that the book is in first person, I was expecting to see more of her vulnerable side and maybe some sarcasm/humor. I'm not saying I wanted the book to become a comedy but there were some aspects that were missing.

Russ. Well, what can I really say? If good men really did exist, he'd be the poster child I bet. He was so adorable and lovable and well. Y'know. I have a soft spot for people like that. Every time he appeared in the book I was just as happy as a dork could be.

Another thing I didn't care for was the book felt kind of isolated. This might have been done intentionally because it is a "mental" book (a book that has a lot to intellect) but the absence of characters was quite weird to me. Right now I can think of two main characters and three secondary characters (two of which had an appearance that lasted just about ten pages). That simply isn't enough for me. I wished it had more dialogue.

The story line was unique enough for me to give it a high rating, despite. There were lots of interesting plot twists and the few characters were interesting enough. The ending was also pretty great.

This review might sound harsh, but I actually want to read the second book. I have a really good feeling about it.

What a great novella. As soon as I began the book, I was drawn into Gemma's world. She's an Averter, the only known female Averter. She lives with her father, who's another Averter, and although there's a lot of love between the two of them, there isn't a lot of honesty. Her dad is harboring a secret that eventually comes out and shatters all she knows. And then there's Russ, who she develops feelings. But she's never felt this way before and although she feels connected to him, she's unsure if it's the connection or just being a teen that's making her think of him constantly.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and one that was original. The only negative thing I have to say about it is that it was pretty teen-ish. These were very innocent 15 year olds (which is a good thing...)! But I do recommend it because it is a good read!

I received a read and review copy from the author.

I was positively surprised by this book: it's based on an highly original idea, has an interesting plot and it's well written. It just keeps you reading, you can't put the book down till you've finished it.

It's a novella so it's pretty short, but there are quite a few things happening, though it never seems chaotic.

The main character is Gemma, a fifteen-year-old girl who's an Averter, she has the ability to see if a person is about to do something that will have a bad impact on his life and she can "convince" him not to do it. It's more than convincing, actually, she can put her thoughts in that person's mind so that he will think that what he was about to do wasn't a good idea after all. He won't remember what she said nor he will remember her, or at least that's what should happen.
But when she averts Russ, things don't go quite as they should.

Very good book, I recommend it. It leaves you wanting to read more, so now I can't wait for the second book in the series to come out!