Mind Games

Reviewed by Nyx @ unraveling-words.blogspot.com

This book was actually kinda surprising. I wasn't expecting it to be so dark. This book was more about the sister's relationship than the whole psychic thing. That's not to say the psychic part was bad or anything. It was well done and I hope to see more development on that front, but the real selling point was the dynamic between the sisters.

I usually don't like when authors decide to go back and forth in time, plus in this case she was also switching points of views between the two sisters, but in this case it really worked. You get to see the key point events that happened to the sisters to get them to where they are now. I really liked how they evolved and that ending was priceless.

The actual plot wasn't too amazing, but it was still interesting enough. I would really like to see more of Adam's research and where that goes, and that vision Annie had close to the end. I'd like to see what they discover about Fia from Adam's research. I also think Annie will play a bigger role in the next book.

What I wasn't too keen about was this repetition thing that was going on when Fia was narrating. I mean I get the symbolism but it started to get on my nerves by the end. Also, Fia's weird relationship with James. She quite literally has no excuse, she knows it's wrong but there she goes right ahead. I really hope something is done that will make it easier to swallow, cause as it stands, I don't care why James is there, Fia's choices is what I'm afraid of.

This will be a squeal I'll be anxiously expecting :)

I had a really hard time getting through this book. Even after finishing it, I still cannot really describe accurately what it was about. Generally, it is the story of Fia and Annie, sisters with different mind powers, who are under the control of some kind of evil empire. Fia is being used as an assassin and Annie is being kept as insurance that Fia will do her job. Okay, that sounds like an interesting story, right? In theory, yes.

What White has given us is a story told in flashes and snippets. A memory here and there, a look, a touch, a regret - the style was certainly interesting and unpredictable. My issue with it was that I never felt like I got to know any of the characters, at all, and that I never learned with any certainty what the good guys or the bad guys were doing. It was all very hazy and vague. Because of this, I was not invested in the characters or what became of them. I ended up skimming a lot, and that made me sad.

I think that White is a talented writer, for sure. She came up with this crazy idea, which is actually constructed well, and there are moments of brilliance in there - the fear and out-of-control-ness that Fia in particular experiences is touching at times. But, I think the intention was to ultimately show the deep and unending relationship and love between sisters. And up until the final scene, it felt like they just annoyed each other and protected each other out of obligation, not affection.

2/5 - not a fan of this one, but I would definitely check out another of White's books in the future.

MIND GAMES is a compulsively readable story that shows a completely different side to Kiersten White than her PARANORMALCY series did. It was awesome and unexpected, while still having some of the trademark Kiersten White easy, contemporary style of writing that I love of hers. But this character is so different from what she has written before. The structure of this story built upon itself to drive the suspense to a climactic moment that I never saw coming. White has built a world of girls with psychic powers intertwined in a thriller of a story that kept me on the edge of my seat. It was an unputdownable pageturner. I have so many thoughts after reading this engaging, twisted, emotional, intriguing, thought-provoking, kick-butt novel, and all of them are good.

I really love reading books with strong girl characters, and when they're a little bit broken as Fia is, it makes it that much more relatable. Fia is kind of my new hero after reading MIND GAMES. She is conflicted, but knows what's most important to her. She is broken, but strong. She is scared, but fearless. She is hopeless, yet determined. She is the strength of this novel. Between Fia, the world that Kiersten White created, the mysterious thriller aspects, the relationships, and the back and forth timeline of the story, I never knew where it was going to end up. MIND GAMES was an excitingly thrilling novel and I enjoyed every page of it. I can't wait for the next one to find out what happens next!

I was expecting something lighter and quirkier with moments of darkness, like some of White's previous books. This however, was *mostly* the dark moments. A broken heroine, a horrible situation she can't seem to get out of, and lots of craziness.

The jumps in time (forward and back, forward and back) also made it difficult for me to keep track of where I was at in the story. By the time I got to the end, I was a little confused about which action had actually happened in the 'present' day. Basically this story line takes place over a couple of days, and I didn't feel like much happened or was resolved, so the story felt incomplete. I was expecting more of a build up toward *something*, but because the entire thing was so fast-paced, I was left wondering at the ending because it seemed abrupt.

Will I pick up the second one? Well, it really was an intense book. Kind of like how The Hunger Games sucks you in and won't let you go, even though you don't exactly "enjoy" reading it. I think I'll want to see how it all plays out, though I probably won't reread it. Time will tell.

I can't stand when characters are being manipulated and controlled like how Fia and Annie were, so I understand why Fia was always angry and frustrated and explosive. But dear Lord, it wasn't easy reading from her perspective. She made me cranky as heck for the majority of the book. I liked Annie more, even though there were times where she made mistakes that made me facepalm hard.

I hated James. I really don't care if his intentions were good or if he has this grand scheme to end things. None of that mattered to me because all I could focus on was how he treated Annie, the sister of the girl he supposedly cares a lot about. You don't treat family like that. If one of my sisters were to end up with a guy who treated me or any of my sisters like crap, I would tell that jerk to go to hell and force my sister to choose between him and us. I was just disgusted with James's treatment of Annie. He came off as such a huge prick. As for the other guy, Adam... He was kind of...random and bland. Really, he seemed important, but I felt he was overshadowed by some of the other characters by the end. I honestly wasn't feeling the whole Fia and Adam romance, so I'm hoping for some Annie and Adam instead. Mwahaha! Hopefully Adam's as good as he sounds.

This book drove me crazy at times. If I decide to read the sequel, it would only be because I want to find out what happens to Annie. I'm not sure how much I'm going to care when the times comes though.

I've never read anything by Kiersten White before. Now, I can't wait to try something else from her! This is a fast, fun read that never quite went where I expected it to. Annie and Fia are fantastic characters, each radically different from each other, yet both compelling.

Fia was the biggest surprise. She was such a dark character but, understanding where her darkness came from, I loved her. And I have to say she had terrifically unique skill. As for Annie, at first I found her a little dull, but she soon got very interesting. I did find that some of her decisions confused me at times, but I liked her.

If I had one complaint, it would be the male characters. One was a bit bland and too nice. I wanted a little more spirit. As for the other, I couldn't figure out why Fia liked him. I never did figure out whether he was a villain or not.

In spite of my minor complaints about the men in the book, I really enjoyed this read. I tore through it and would read a sequel if one was in the works.

I absolutely ADORE the Paranormalcy series by Kiersten White so I was sooo excited when I got to read this one! And while I enjoyed it, I definitely love the Paranormalcy series more.

Mind Games started off confusing for me. I couldn't figure out what was happening. Some chapters were flashbacks and some were current day. Unfortunately, I don't really like feeling confused.

That being said, I really liked the characters. A lot of Fia's thoughts are in parentheses and at first that got on my nerves but then it just became part of her personality. I liked that she had to be so tough but she was so protective of her sister and really just wanted to be loved. I also liked Annie. She just wanted to feel normal for once, what with her disability and her special abilities. And James. A guy who is so wrong yet so right. I liked him right away. His heart is in the right place even if his actions aren't always.

I think this book was too short (only 200-something pages). I think if maybe the school had been explained more then I wouldn't have had such a hard time figuring things out. That being said, I will definitely be picking up the next book in this series!

I found this book very unusual and unique. First the "abilities/powers" these girls have are not exactly something that is laid in concrete. Both powers are very vague and can be bent to go in several directions. Which does lead to some confusion in the storyline. Fia acts on initial feelings, but she herself is all over the place emotionally and at any time may have the instinct to fight or flight. They are just very unusual powers and can lead the story to take a turn at any point throughout the book. With Fia already being on the edge emotionally, she is a little high strung and tends to act out her emotions by partying and trying to mentally escape her situation.
Many of you may recognize the author from her Paranormalcy series. Which has a lot of humor, fun antics, great characters and a kick ass heroine. While this story does have a bad ass girl at the fore-front. All the characters in this book are highly flawed, and very little humor, if any. Definitely something different than other paranormal books that take place in a private-school setting. It's dark and and full of emotionally driven characters.

I loved this book. Loved, loved, loved it. As in, I could not put it down, brought it to work with me today where I finished it. Let's have a little discussion to talk about why this book was so good, shall we?

1. The main character- Fia (or Sofia). She is complex, on the verge of crazy but yet still likable and relatable. She reacts to the situations she is pushed into in the same way I might. She is wise beyond her years, but still acts like a regular teenager in some situations. And she is kind of a bad-ass. Her intuition is deadly accurate from picking good stocks, to knowing that she will need to wear heels that night.

2. The Plot- It's like nothing I have read before and yet all of the parts are familiar. The basic premise is two sisters one is a seer (can see the future), one has spot on intuition. They go to live at a school where they learn their powers and help the schools owners. See that story is very familiar right? But the book is so much more than that. It's smart, and not predictable. It doesn't hold to the standards of books today where everything turns out fine in the end. Bad stuff happens and it needs to because it drives the story forward. Kiersten White created this story within our everyday society that is completely plausible.

3. The Timeline- I know this seems like a weird thing to like but it really helped move the story along and it was interesting. White created two time lines, one that starts 7 years ago and one in present day. The timeline that starts 7 years ago helps to explain the back story. It is like a flashback but better because the time frame is consistent and doesn't jump around. She also jumps from one timeline to the other seamlessly. It if flawless in execution.

4. The secondary characters- Annie and James. Annie is Fia's sister and her reason for living. Annie is blind and a seer. The relationship between Fia and Annie is that of guilt, responsibility and love. Annie is also extremely naive and slightly selfish. James on the other hand is trickier to figure out. He seems bad, and yet there is something about him that may not be so bad. I won't go into more detail, don't want to spoil anything.

5. The "Villain's"- These are Villain's with a capital V. They are self-serving , nasty mean, and you truly dislike them. There are no redeeming qualities about them and quite frankly that's how I like my villain's. So are you intrigued yet? Go buy the book it is worth it. I am now going to recover from my book hangover.

If you enjoyed this review and are looking for more Young Adult novel reviews visit us at our blog A Midsummer Night's Read by clicking this link [...] .

~Thanks to HarperTeen and Edelweiss for this eARC!~

This should not have worked. This should not have been good. Everything about this book was begging for me to hate it.

So why did I love it so much?

Here's why I shouldn't have loved Mind Games:
1.It's written by Kiersten White and it's NOT about Evie and Lend, to which nothing was supposed to compare.
2.The point of view is constantly switching between two sisters.
3.The point of view not only switches between characters, but switches between the past and the present.
4.There is a love triangle beginning for one of the sisters.
5.I hate false advertising. This book isn't really a "slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller" as descriped in the blurb. I wasn't ever particularly scared or anything.

AND YET I LOVED IT.

All of my feels about this book are hard to explain. But hold on, let me back up a little. This book is about two sisters with psychic powers who have been orphaned and "taken in" by this school for girls with psychic powers. The problem is that this school is not a nice place, and they're using these girls for evil purposes. The first sister's name is Annie, and she's blind--but a Seer. So her sight is really more useful in the long run. Her sister Fia is like nothing anyone has ever seen before, because she has these great instincts that tell her everything from the right stocks to pick to how to perfectly fight someone--and also keep her from being able to be seen by Seers. The school that's taken them in is training Fia to be their killer while holding Annie for collateral. The book opens with Fia out on her first hit, which she is unable to carry out. And then it all goes downhill from there.

I was not amused with the book started going back and forth between Fia and Annie, and even less so when the book kept going into chapters of flashbacks. Usually, this DOES NOT WORK. But with this one ... it did. It ACTUALLY WORKED and I don't know how. The flashbacks actually did their job of making the story and the characters even deeper while never taking away from the flow and process of the present storyline. WITH FLASHBACKS, I felt like the plot never stopped moving forward, and fast. I'm still going gaga about that.

The characters of Fia and Annie were very different, and their voices really came through. Honestly, I wasn't that impressed with Annie, but Fia entirely makes up for it. She is broken, she is battered, she is stubborn and she is a fighter. Living in Fia's head is painful and terrible and breathtaking.

Usually I wouldn't be a fan of the love triangle that was set up either, but here it totally made sense. The characters aren't throwing themselves at each other, and they aren't eternally in love with each other from the start either. There's a mutual attraction that pulls one of the sisters in two ways that make utter and total sense.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but here it goes: I think that Mind Games is better than the Paranormalcy books. I mean, the two books are REALLY DIFFERENT, but I think as a crafted object Mind Games is actually better. There's a less of White's humor in here, but her story writing seems to have reached a new level with this one.

I got goose bumps!

This book was a fantastic, easy, quick, enjoyable read. I was sucked in quickly and found myself having to finish it. I lost a little bit of sleep thanks to this book...

My favorite character was Fia. I also feel she was the most fleshed out character of the bunch. I really felt I was in her head while I was reading the chapters that she was narrating.

I personally think Annie needs to be fleshed out a bit more. Maybe she needs to find herself more and her own identity before that can happen. I hope it does.

This review is based on an eARC provided by the publisher.

I was surprised by how quickly Mind Games drew me into the story, I was hooked from page one and just wanted to read it all right away - love when I feel that way. I loved how the book shifted the POV between both sisters, but the constant backtracking in time every other chapter or so was a little confusing. Enjoyable, I loved getting to know the things it brought up, but at the same time it would get me out of the story that was taking place and then it would take a bit for me to get back into the story again. That is the only reason I'm not giving this book 5 stars. Everything else in the story was SO good!

Mind Games was a really great read and one that I recommend. I plan to read the next book in this series as soon as it releases.

Audience: YA (Clean)
Genre: Speculative Fiction, Fantasy
Length: 237 pgs

Rating: *****+ (I absolutely loved it)

Review: I loved PARANORMALCY by Kiersten White, and a little while back she wrote a blog post an how, while MIND GAMES was very different from anything she'd ever written, it was also still pretty similar--in that it involved a "strong, smart, snarky heroine."
But Fia is very different. She is so beautifully broken that it hurts to read about her--in a good way. You just ache for this girls and then cheer for them. You can do it! You can make stuff better! This book made me really think and really feel and really want to read the next one right now. But I'm told (by Kiersten herself, seriously) that I have to wait until next February. Which is forever and ever away.

Source: Bought this book via the store.

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Fantastic book! Totally riveting and I couldn’t stop reading the entire time. The bond between Annie and Fia is amazing and nothing about the story or the characters was predictable, which I loved. All the characters were complex and I can’t wait t read what happens next!

Tis review is for Mind Games - Also known as Sister Assassin

I can hardly find the words to describe how awesome this book is! Unexpected, dark, haunting, kick-ass, amazing. All are words that work, but also don't quite capture what makes the book as great as it is. Part of what made Sister Assassin so good is its uniqueness; it is just incomparable to any book already out there.

Fia was an incredible character; I love strong characters but she was so much more than just that. Her perfect intuition makes her a perfect spy/thief/assassin; she will always walk the route with no guards and in a fight she will always duck at the perfect time. She is unbeatable. Because of this she is very valuable and unfortunately she has ended up in the wrong hands. She has no control over her life and is so horrified at the things she has been made to do that she is only just holding on to her sanity. Talk about a complex character!

Annie is also very interesting. Powerful in her own right yet used as little more than a leash to keep her sister in line and under control. I loved the connection between these two. Annie has the sisterly urge to protect Fia yet she is the blind one, the less powerful one.

Both the two main male characters in this book were such enigmas. James is one of the bad guys, yet at the same time he cares for Fia and appears to have some hidden motives. Adam seems to be sweet and caring yet at the same time he is a threat - to Annie, to Fia, and possibly to every girl with powers. This book almost felt like it was just an introduction for these two, but hopefully we will be seeing them a whole lot more in the next book.

The story flickers between present time and flashbacks of the past - namely how Fia and Annie came to be in their current situation. Whilst this does have the possibility of confusing some readers, I found it a great way to gain understanding of what was going on. It kept the story mysterious and allowed the characters secrets to be revealed at the perfect times.

From the very start this book drags you straight into the action. I love when books do this as I don't like it when it feels like the author is just assuming you are an idiot who won't understand anything so spends the entire first half of the book explaining the background. Whilst it is a little disorientating at first, the threads that create this masterfully woven storyline start to come together quickly and you can thoroughly enjoy and understand the action.

Sister Assassin doesn't have much romance and I found this to be a nice change from all other books that cram in romance no matter what. It does however have the potential for romance and I think this will probably be explored further in later books so fans of a little romance need not despair.

In total this is simply an amazing book that should be read by all. If you like the sound of action, mystery and thrills mixed in with a tale about two fragile girls out of their depth in risk and danger then you will love Sister Assassin. I cannot wait to see what the author does with the next book in this series.

*This book was recieved from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review, this has not affected my opinions in any way*

This is the story of two sisters, each with psychic abilities, sworn to take care of each other even killing when necessary. The book starts with the one sister Sofia, who prefers being called Fia, about to kill a boy near her age and having second thoughts. She and her sister are well developed in the narrative and with sharply witty dialogue. I did feel, however, that it would have been a bit better with a straight forward narrative. The switching between the two characters viewpoints worked very well, but the continual going back to different periods in their lives disconcerted me a bit. Be that as it may, this is a darn good read and one you won't want to put down once started.

With a stream of consciousness narrative style, Mind Games is a fast-paced thriller thanks to each one of Fia's manic thoughts that are exposed and laid bare for the reader to witness. As the sinister truth behind the Keane Academy is brought to life through flashbacks, and the sisters are pushed to their breaking points in order to keep each other safe, I found myself lost in their stories, completely unable to look away.

Told in dual PoV, splitting between both Annie and Sofia (Fia), Mind Games managed to give us glimpses into the motivations and intentions of both girls, while rocketing us down a twisty path of lies, deception and hope. Remaining naive to the Academy's true purpose for much of her residence therein, Annie was floored to learn that her sister's training was of a much more dangerous - and practical - manner. As she slowly began to understand that she was being used as leverage in order to keep Fia under control, she struggled with the guilt of knowing that it was her choice that had gotten Fia into this mess to begin with.

"I turn and walk out, knowing exactly how many steps will take me away from that monster. Once again wishing I were Fia, Fia who could have killed him with her bare hands.

Fia who is impossible broken because she can do just that."

While I enjoyed watching Annie grow to understand just how broken Fia had become, all because of her decision to attend the Academy despite Fia's protests, I never truly got a sense of who she was as her own person; I was constantly thinking of her as Fia's sister. Her chapters were a nice reprieve however, acting as an escape from the dangerously dark and maddening chapters that belonged to Fia.

Having been beaten and broken, trained to fight her instincts to do what was right so she could learn how to manipulate them in order to do what was commanded of her, Fia held no illusions concerning the intentions of those running the Academy.

"In this room I have picked which gun was unloaded out of ten options. And then they pulled the trigger on me. I have picked stocks that went on to skyrocket. I have picked which pencil I would shove into Ms. Robertson's ear until she kicked me out for thinking about it."

Mind Game's stream of consciousness narrative was used to show just how fragmented and damaged Fia was, after years of mental and physical abuse at the hands of her guardians. I found myself drowning in her chapters, lost in her broken mind as she tried her best to block out the voices, the feelings that said something was wrong, and enter a space where she was neither happy nor unhappy; a space where she merely existed. In this way, Fia truly stole the show for me, as I was fascinated with seeing how far she could fall before she was took broken to get back up. I also admired her determination to protect Annie, even though it meant she would never be free of her tormentors.

"Still, I will protect Annie. She is the only person in the world who loves me. She is the only person in the world who would never use me. She is my anchor, the chain around my ankle, the thing that means it doesn't matter what James does or who he is - I will still be his because I will always be Annie's."

Even when presented with an out, with a life where she could be free, where she could work at forgetting the horrors she had been forced to do under the command of those who held her sister's life in the balance, she knew it would only be a matter of time before her past caught up with her.

"I could have kisses like that for the rest of my life. kisses that don't know who I am. Kisses that make me feel more and less than what I am. But my finger tap tap taps on my leg and reminds me that I am not who Adam thinks I am, and it makes me want to cry. It's not that I don't deserve his kiss. It's that the person I am can never really share a life, a soul, with the person he is."

My heart broke for Fia with every chapter, as she descended deeper and deeper into the kind of madness that comes with having to constantly look over your shoulder, having to constantly be one step ahead of those who would see you fall.

While there could have been a lot done to better develop Mind Games' plot, to better flesh out the world Fia and Annie lived in and the people behind their captivity, I didn't mind because I was so invested in Fia's story. To me, as much as Mind Games was a psychological thriller, it was so much more a character-driven novel. I was desperate to fix Fia, for her to find a way to free both herself and Annie from Keanes' clutches, and for her to get a chance at the kind of life she deserved.

Sisters Annie and Fia couldn't be more different. Annie, who lost her sight when she was young, is mild mannered and sweet. Her visions of the future allow her glimpses of sight. Fia is fiery and impulsive. Her ability is having perfect intuition. All of her gut feelings and first impressions end up being correct. So, when the Keane Institution offers Annie a full scholarship and tempts her with the possibility of restoring her sight, Fia knows something is wrong. Of course, Fia is right and, after her own ability is discovered, the Institute focuses their attention on her, using Annie and her safety as leverage to manipulate Fia. Fia will do everything and anything to keep Annie safe, including picking stocks and planting bombs, effectively trapping them both as pawns for the Keane Institute. She will have to do something drastic and completely unexpected to get out from their influence or she and Annie will do their dirty work for the rest of their lives.

I didn't expect a lot from Mind Games, but it surprised me. The cover doesn't really represent the story very well, so it is much darker and more intense than it appears. The Keane Institute is an ominous and frightening place that at first appears so welcoming and warm to the young people that come to them for education or an escape from their lives. After it ensnares the unsuspecting prey, they drop the facade and use immoral tactics to get their subjects to do whatever they want. These subjects have special powers, split into three categories of Seers, Feelers, and Readers, that can be used to further the Keane Institutes influence in big ways with acts of murder, espionage, and manipulation. As the novel moves along, the Institute reveals itself to reach further than Annie and Fia thought possible. That place is horrible and so easy to hate. The book is frustrating in a good way because these two girls are trapped so perfectly and I just want them to have normal lives away from the evil clutches of megalomaniac corporations.

The characters are vibrant and realistic. Fia is my favorite character by far. She is so broken and hurt, yet incredibly dangerous. She's an orphan who has only Annie as family, so she's fiercely and sometimes violently protective of her sister. Fia has been manipulated into committing the most heinous acts and lied to for years, so her mental state is not the best. Kiersten White does a wonderful job of capturing her frenetic and unfocused mental state through stream of consciousness writing during her chapters of the novel. Her relationship with Annie is complex. They obviously love each other, but resentment festers because Annie ignored Fia's misgivings about the Institute. Annie, although very sweet and much more mild than her sister, has a manipulative streak. She desperately wants to get her and her sister free from the Institute, but she's willing to allow her sister to be used as a pawn and others to be hurt and even killed to do it. She isn't all sweetness and light like she appears.

Mind Games is a fast paced paranormal read with an ending I didn't see coming. The narration jumps between the past and present and between the two sisters' point of view. I liked piecing together the whole picture bit by bit until everything became clear. The romance and small love triangle are surprisingly enjoyable and didn't detract from the main focus of the story. I can't wait for the next book to see what happens next.

Mind Games is another masterpiece that I completely loved from Kiersten White! She has done it again, simply sweeping me off my feet with another amazing story. Mind Games has a stunning combination of the bond and love between two sisters, suspense and edge that will surely be loved by old and new fans all around.

I've been smitten with White's work the moment I finished Paranormalcy and Mind Games was further proof of her excellent and outstanding writing style. She has this touch, this ability to create unique voices and personalities in every character she makes and it's more prominent here between her two main characters, Fia and Annie. The swift and easy way of her storytelling always impresses me to no end. There is something about her writing that flows smoothly without trying that I can never get enough of no matter how many books she may write. Mind Games was really different from her pervious books and that's what I love most about it. It's darker, more mature and ten times more thrilling. Kiersten White really ups her game and I was throughly dazzled. 


Between Fia and Annie, I loved Fia more from the very beginning. For me, Fia was just more interesting, more of a mystery and very hard to figure out. She was such a complex character that had so many different sides that always kept me guessing on what she would do next. Fiercely Fia, is what I call her, and she got more spunk and backbone that all the other characters in this book combined. Somewhat broken, a little spazzy and filled with energy, Fia brings out the life of this book in every way. I looked up to Fia for her strength, intelligence, and her cunning ability to fight and defend herself with little to no ease, but mostly for the continued sacrifices she makes on behalf of the safety of her sister. Troubled and internally tortured, Fia struggles with right and wrong and the consequences of her instincts despite the good and the bad. The best thing about Fia was her unwavering loyalty to Annie and the fact that her bravery was seemingly endless even in the face of her most deepest fears.

While I didn't love Annie the way I did with Fia, I did like her to some extent. I thought Annie was a little more serious compared to Fia's spunky attitude. She was just as protective as Fia, even when she felt like she couldn't really protect her all that much. I like that Annie was able to give some attitude and dish it even when she was scared and even when she truly couldn't see. I had a soft spot for Annie because of the guilt she carried for the death of parents and for Fia's unraveling. I could see the burden she carried and blame she put on herself for everything that has happened and it ate away at me that she would feel this way. Quiet and reserved, Annie wasn't afraid to risk her life for Fia. She may have seemed weak, but she was strong and able to handle herself far more than I would have thought she could. In the end, I did end up admiring Annie just a little bit more.

There was definitely many elements going on in this book that White allows us to grasp and understand, but I could always tell that there was so much more to the story and what was truly going on with the Keane Foundation. The special abilities from Seers, Readers and Feelers are slightly touched upon enough to give way to intrigue and fascination. I loved the aspect of exploitation and black mail because it was entirely different from what I usually read in books lately. The best part of this book was the alternating point of view's between Fia and Annie and all the flashbacks that were weaved in between the chapters. These flashbacks allowed the story to come full circle and to connect any dots and tie any loose ends. It was not only insightful, but it helped moved the story and explain any questions along the way. I'm excited for the next installment because I have a feeling things are just only beginning for Fia and Annie.


Overall, Mind Games wasn't a simple story about romance, but of two sisters who love each other so much and would go to so many lengths to protect each other no matter what. This book will enrapture from start to finish and leave you holding your breath for more.

This is a plain-text only version of the review. To see formatting and illustrations, please visit my blog, Now is Gone, a link to which is in my profile.

Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Recommended for: Those who like YA urban fantasy, especially darker stories with very damaged people
Trigger Warnings: (essentially) slavery, murder, self-harm, suicide attempt, attempted assault/gang rape

My Thoughts: Holy cow! This was a very, very dark story, but utterly and thoroughly engrossing. I literally could not stop reading until I had finished it. Fia is so utterly damaged, Mr. Keane is so utterly immoral and cruel, James... Well, James is an enigma wrapped in a riddle. Annie is impossibly naïve for way too long, but then also damaged. The things that this school does to these girls is horrible! But the story... wow, the story is mind-blowing and I absolutely loved it!

It is very dark, but at the same time by the end you start to see a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. How long will it take before we know if that's the end of the tunnel or an oncoming train? I have no idea but I know I will want to be along for the ride. If you're interested in the story you should definitely do yourself a favor and read it as soon as possible.

Series Information: This is the first book in the Mind Games series. A second book, which is not yet named, is scheduled for publication in 2014.

Disclosure: I received an ARC paperback from the store Vine in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Fia was born with flawless instincts. Her first impulse, her gut feeling, is always exactly right. Her sister, Annie, is blind to the world around her--except when her mind is gripped by strange visions of the future.

Trapped in a school that uses girls with extraordinary powers as tools for corporate espionage, Annie and Fia are forced to choose over and over between using their abilities in twisted, unthinkable ways...or risking each other's lives by refusing to obey.

As much as I liked Paranormalcy, I actually liked Mind Games even more. The story has alternating points of view between two sisters. The two sisters are at a "school" that is more like a prison. As the story progresses, you learn more about the school and why the girls are there. Fia, the younger of the two is kind of a badass. She has a special ability that makes her very valuable to those in charge. Her sister, Annie is blind and has a different ability. The story revolves around what the sisters will do for each other and how far they have to go to keep each other safe and just survive. I think this was a very good start and I like the possibilities that the ending left.

The one thing I can say about this book that I did not enjoy was that it was just too short and I think it needed to have more to it.

Mind Games was so much more than I was expecting. So much. I loved Paranormalcy. It was so fun and hilarious, not to mention different, but that left me woefully unprepared for the dark and twisty path that that Kiersten White was going to take us on in her new series.

Mind Games is nothing like the Paranormalcy books, but rest assured that it was nothing short of amazing. I'll admit that it did take me a little while to get into it. It's one of those stories that it feels like you're thrown into the middle of it. So it took me just a little while to find my footing, but once I did I was utterly hooked.

The book is written in a pretty unique format. The chapters alternate between the two sisters and the past and present. That might sound confusing but it really wasn't. It made for a very quick pace. I was a little unsure about Fia at first, but she definitely grew on me. Both sisters are so realistically flawed that it makes them hard to take in. As the story progresses and more and more past deeds and thoughts come out I found myself shocked, but also caring about those girls so much. They are in a hopeless situation. All I wanted was to see them get through it, but of course this is a series so that's going to take awhile.

The supernatural aspects of the story were so intriguing. Psychic abilities are nothing that hasn't been done before, but Kiersten White definitely has a fresh new take on it. Like I said before, Mind Games is pretty dark. These girls have found themselves in a horrific situation with no clear way out. They are being used, threatened and made to do unspeakable things. It was intense to say the least.

I highly recommend Mind Games by Kiersten White. You are in for an edge of your seat thrill ride with this one. Don't miss it!

What I Liked: 1) Stuff like "corporate espionage" as seen in the summary is something you don't get a lot of in teen YA fiction. Or at least not in the books I've been reading. So I was interested to see what kind of part that would be playing in this book. The action was lively and really kept the pace of the book moving forward. 2) I was definitely able to appreciate the relationship between Annie and Fia. I'm protective of my sister, and so I completely understood their feelings toward each other.

What I Didn't Like: Um...most of the rest of the book. Sad, I know. I've never read a Kiersten White book, though I know her Paranormalcy series has been popular. I never got into it. But like I said before, psychological thrillers intrigue me. This book was very jumpy. Beyond what I usually describe as the stop-start of a new driver. For me, that was all my brain could handle. Because we were in so many places at once, there was not enough to pull me into the story. Additionally, the characters just bugged me. I am one of those people who likes pretty much everyone, but on a rare occasion I come into contact with someone who just rubs me the wrong way. These characters, I don't know if it was their standoffish attitude - which is understandable because of everything they've dealt with - but I just couldn't get to know them, or care about them. And this prevents me from getting into any book.

Overall Thoughts: Mind Games just wasn't for me. I couldn't engage in a book that seemed to stop and start as often as this one did, and with no really likeable characters...I had a hard time finding other redeeming qualities. I know that her fans will probably enjoy this one, but I'm looking for more from my psychological thrillers.

In a overall way Mind Games has a pretty interesting plot. I really enjoy crime-action a lot, and since it starts right in the middle of the action, you waste no time, we are thrown into Fia's world and it even takes quite a bit to catch up to the narration. It reminded me a lot of CW's Nikita! This is the perfect book for any fan of that show! I really love that show so that made Mind Games an enjoyable and very different read. Not many books are like this in YA.

The narration style was a little off at some times. The book switches from Fia's to Annie's POV in each chapter. Annie's POV should have had a bit more depth in my opinion. It could have explored a little more her life as a blind person and given us a little more of her visions. She was a very interesting character, but since it was not very developed, I ended up liking Fia a lot better.

And then there's James, who completely stole the show for me. I loved Fia and James, the tension between them, the lack of trust, and their chemistry. Although again, it could have been explored more as well. The romance between them was so well staged that the potential was infinite.

Overall, I think it is a very good, light read even though the premise makes it seem dark. While I do think that many aspects lack depth and that many things had potential to be better, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Mind Games and the uniqueness and difference of its storyline was very welcoming. For readers looking for some action and cool premise, this one's for you!

Very interesting look on intuition, and other gifts from a more useful point of view. Even though the book is fiction, it works into our world and reality very well. Makes you wonder if there really is more to life. Love the relationship the sisters have. Very unique situation they are in, one that I hope has a follow up to it. Fell in love with the characters from the beginning. Well written. Good to see another side to Keirsten's characters.

I've never read Kiersten White's popular Paranormalcy series, but I wanted to read MIND GAMES based on her reputation as well as the interesting premise. Fia and Annie are two sisters who will do anything for each other and that's their downfall.

In the world of MIND GAMES, there are some women with psychic abilities. Annie is a Seer - one of the few who can begin to predict Fia's actions. There isn't a name for Fia, but she has an amazingly accurate intuition. They've fallen into the hands of an evil organization that trained Fia as an assassin and keep Annie hostage to ensure she follows orders. Then Fia decides to save nineteen-year-old Adam because he helps a puppy right before she's supposed to kill him.

MIND GAMES alternates between Fia and Annie's point of view. This helps puzzle together various characters' motivations and plans, because the two girls are rarely allowed to communicate. Therefore, they each have a totally different idea of what is happening. Often, they end up messing up each other's plans for freedom because they don't even know if the other is planning something. Annie's chapters are told in a straightforward manner, but Fia's voice might annoy some readers. She's been damaged by her childhood, and often repeats phrases and does things without thinking about them first. Think River Tam from Firefly-style crazy, rather than any real world mental illness.

A lot of MIND GAMES worked for me. I liked the slow reveal of the evil conspiracy and how it managed to get a hold of the sisters. I liked how the story reveals that Fia might have killed three people, but she's definitely not a cold-blooded assassin. I liked James - the son of the man behind the conspiracy - and his relationship with the sisters. He's bad news, and both girls know it, but Fia feels an affinity with him.

Adam, on the other hand, is almost completely extraneous. He's supposedly important, but he gets shuffled to the side for flashbacks and such. I wouldn't call it insta-love, but Fia is attracted to him and instantly concerned about his safety and well-being for no real reason. When he keeps dropping out of the narrative, it's hard to care much about him. I suppose he (and his research) could be more important in the next book, but he felt like a footnote who kept being treated as a main character the few times he actually showed up.

I wouldn't call MIND GAMES a thriller though that is how it is being branded. It's a bit too meandering to be a thriller. The structure was interesting and useful to understanding the characters, but it sometimes killed the pace. After all, we know that the boarding school is sinister from the start considering the present, so the flashbacks to Fia and Annie figuring it out are pretty useless, aside from showing that Annie can be dense.

Aside from that, MIND GAMES just doesn't feel very developed. Annie and Fia are developed as characters, but the world feels half-formed. Why are only women psychic? Why is Adam, a student, the first person to really notice anything? What happened to the aunt? Why aren't there more consequences from James' drunken confessions? Keane is very sinister because he's awful to the women under his control, but he's much lamer than he should be. There's no hint of his plan and thus no raising of the stakes. An evil conspiracy should threaten something!

I read MIND GAMES quickly, and enjoyed it quite a bit, but when I finished I felt disappointed. MIND GAMES has some interesting ideas, but it never does anything with them.

This book is absolutely amazing. Mind Games is simply that a perfect mind game that will leave you begging for more. I honestly have no clue how I am going to write this review but I am going to try.

The POV in this story alternates between Annie and Fia, two sisters each with very unique abilities. The time setting also changes from present time to the past making things even more complicated, but still in my opinion unique and amazing. The overall storyline is not simple either. It involves lots of espionage, murder, calculating, and deception. Annie and Fia are both being used for their abilities but Fia is the one that everyone wants. It isn't really clear what her ability actually is until later in the story but believe me it is one of the best creations I have ever read. When Fia can't take things anymore she starts to take things into her own hands, but with all eyes on her and her sister to protect she doesn't have many options. This story is really just the beginning, we get to see the background and the why of everything but I think the true story will start in the next one since Fia made a HUGE decision at the end of Mind Games and it is really a game changer for everybody.

The writing style I will admit may turn some people off. I personally loved it but I can see where it could be a little bit much at times. Fia has a habit of repeating certain things three times and tapping her leg three times, this is proven and shown throughout the book and to me it just showed me how broken she really was. I felt her being broken down and with the writing the way it is it just fit her mind perfectly.

I honestly just want to squee from the roof tops about this book. I know my review is all over the place but I just can't seem to find the words to do this book justice. Mind games is unique, amazing, interesting, and so so much more. I was so shocked at so many things that happened throughout, that by the end of the story I was exhausted emotionally and in shock over what is to come. I don't know how I am going to wait for the next book!

I wanted to like this book. I really, really did. The cover was intriguing, the summary pulled me in, but from that point on, things fell pretty flat, pretty fast. Fia and Annie are sisters who go to live at a boarding school of sorts for kids with certain abilities after the death of their parents- the death that Annie saw in a vision. Oh yeah, and Annie happens to be blind.

Mind Games had its moments. As I was reading it, I felt compelled to picture it as a movie, and felt it would be one of those books that just makes it better as a movie. The plot progresses so quickly, but the chapters flip not only flip between character point of view, but also switches between points in time which makes it really awkward to follow along with what is going. It felt like every chapter I was trying to refocus through the storyline which was really distracting and pulled me away from what was going on.

Everything happened way, way too quick and I had way too many questions from what came across as an undeveloped plot. If it was one or two points, I think that would be alright, but it seemed like every chapter I read just left me more and more confused. What is the history of this school? Why did the Keane's start it? Why do only girls have the powers? What about this other group? The characters didn't really help out much either. They came across as pretty one dimensional, which wasn't expected considering their unique abilities. And some just seemed completely unnecessary- like Annie's friend Eden. I'm pretty sure you could delete all mentions of her, and it wouldn't make too much of a difference save for Fia's quasi romantic interest. And Fia's nickname just felt weird and forced to me, jumping off the page erratically and disjointing the story for me.

Despite the issues I had with Mind Games, it was a quick read that I couldn't put down. I kept reading hoping I could find a resolution to some of my previous issues, but it just never happened. I would read a sequel to this, to see where it's going. 3/5 stars.

I wish the store allowed gif reviews, because I'm having a hard time describing the experience of reading "Mind Games," and how I feel about it. I think it's a book most people are either going to love or hate. Me, I loved it.

Here was my reaction the minute I finished reading (copied from my Twitter): I just finished MIND GAMES. I have to say ... WOW. In the best, craziest way possible. I'm feeling all the things!

"Mind Games" is exactly that -- one gigantic mind game. I'd also call it a mind frack, or perhaps a mind puzzle. The characters play mental gymnastics with each other, and the reader gets to figure out how everything fits together, or doesn't.

It's told from the alternating viewpoints of two sisters, Fia and Annie. The sisters have distinctive voices, so it's easy to tell them apart, as well see the story unfolding from both sides. Fia's narration got a little annoying at times, but I understand what the author was trying to do. Because many of the women at the school Fia and Annie attend can read minds, one of the tricks Fia uses to keep them out is repeating the same words over and over again. For the most part, the author was successful with using repetition, but it still got on my nerves every so often.

The story isn't told in chronological order either, but it's easy to keep track of what's going on, and when it's happening. I rarely had to flip back to the beginning of a chapter to see if I was in the present or the past.

"Mind Games" is fast, short, and action-packed. There's not a word (even repeated words) wasted. Lately I've been complaining about books that are stretched out and need editing, but that's not the case here. Quite the opposite. I wanted to find out more about Fia and Annie, about the school for "gifted" students (I'm a sucker for a boarding school setting), and more about the mysterious Keane and what his motives were.

The reason I'm giving "Mind Games" 4 stars instead of 5 is because the ending let me down. All the action and build-up had me expecting more ... oomph. However, the ending wasn't enough to take away from my overall enjoyment of "Mind Games," and I can't wait for book two.

MIND GAMES was a heart-breaking yet hopeful story of two sisters—both with psychic gifts—who become the property of the Keane School where threats against each of them keeps the other bound.

Annie is the older girl. She is blind yet she has a gift for seeing the future. It works best when she is seeing her sister Fia's future. She was eager to go to the school at first because they promised to educate her and possibly even cure her blindness. Her blindness to what is really going on at the school has less to do with her lack of vision and more to do with wishful thinking.

Fia is the younger sister. She was tasked by her parents—before their deaths in a traffic accident—to take care of her sister. She has a much rarer and more desirable gift. When she is confronted with choices, she always picks the correct one. Fia is trained to be a killer and is used for corporate espionage and assassinations despite being only seventeen when the story takes place. The way she has been used has almost broken her mind. She is constantly angry and afraid for her sister.

The third major character in the story is James who is the son of the Keane who is training and using the girls. James inherited the school from his mother who was the psychic who started the school in order to save psychic girls. She is dead now and James blames his father. At the same time, he seems to be a perfect son following his fathers. He is the most mysterious character in the book. Annie hates him and Fia is torn between hating him and loving him.

The character who was the game changer was Adam. Fia was sent to kill him but couldn't follow through even though she knew it would likely cost Annie her life. When she found out that Annie was the one who targeted Adam in the first place, she felt betrayed. Annie had seen a vision that linked Adam with the deaths of some psychic girls. Adam was "rescued" by a group of people who were trying to save psychic girls before the Keane School acquires them. Adam is a brilliant young doctor and researcher who is studying brains to see if he can find out where psychic gifts come from. Fia likes him because he gives her a picture of what a normal life would be like.

The style of the book required careful reading. The story was not told in a linear fashion. Each chapter jumped around in time and switched viewpoints between Annie and Fia. But every chapter helped build the sense of mystery and danger. Readers will engage with the characters and will want to follow along to see if Fia and Annie can ever have a happy ending.

A psychological thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat and sent chills up my arms. Having no brothers, only sisters, I could relate to the bond between Annie and Fia. Fia is very protective of her blind sister, but Annie's mind is very strong. Her visions escalate and when an opportunity comes for the two to attend a school, even though Fia doesn't want to go, she does because Annie does.

There, a school focused on supernatural ability girls, things begin to go awry. Fia struggles daily with what is asked of her. She always has been able to go with her gut feelings and now she is being required to go against that. She begins to take things into her own hands, but her priority above all else is to keep Annie safe.

Told in Annie and Fia's points of view and alternating between past and present, it can get a bit confusing. But the premise is solid and mesmerizing. The story is suspenseful, dramatic and had some great characters introduced that really motivated the plot. All in all, an entertaining read.

The Good: Love, love, love this book. Trapped in a boarding school for those with super mental abilities. An evil school. Awesome. I loved how Annie is blind, but has the ability to "see" through visions. And especially how and when she chose to share said visions. I loved Fia, completely. Her ability was unique, but better was her raging - her hatred for the school, its people and mostly herself. I loves the twisty ending, and even more when I realized it meant a sequel had to be coming.

The Bad: Nothing. I've got the major love for Mind Games.

I really enjoyed the book, the way it was written just made it so hard to put down! I love how Kirsten white captured Fia's slightly eccentric behavior with the repetition and her thoughts. I also liked how it wasn't written in chronological order and did flash backs. I read it like this the first time and the second time I skipped around to read it in order. The first way was better, because it was more suspenseful, Since it left out information about what they were saying. I loved the flash back of Annie protecting Fia, because it kind of tied it together in its own special way. I REALLY hope there will be a second book because the first one was amazing!

I wanted to read Mind Games by Kiersten White because I've met her a couple times and thought Paranormalcy was a pretty fun book. Mind Games appeared to be much edgier, and I wanted to see just how dark Kiersten could go. In person, she's very goofy and funny, and Mind Games is neither of those things. I could hardly believe the same person had written this book, but that says a lot about Kiersten's range and abilities as an author.

Kiersten White wrote the first draft of Mind Games in just nine days, pieced together from two previous books she'd written that never amounted to anything. Her critique partner, Stephanie Perkins, revealed in an interview that the first draft and the final draft of Mind Games were not much different. Considering that Mind Games is disjointed and follows four different timelines, I found that a bit shocking. In my own writing, I find it pretty challenging to keep one timeline straight. I'm glad White found it so effortless in her writing, but unfortunately it just didn't work for me.

Mind Games follows the alternating narratives of sisters Annie and Fia, who are students at a school for girls with special abilities. Annie, who is blind, has the gift of seeing the future. Fia, who is gutsy and relies on her uncanny instincts, has undergone physically intense training and has committed unspeakable acts. These two sisters and the other students and graduates of the Keane school have been exploited for powerful people's gain. The details of what becomes of the girls after graduation are very scarce; I would have loved it if White elaborated on the school, its beginnings, and the people who recruited the graduates.

In the present day, Fia is told she must kill a guy named Adam. When Fia sees him for the first time untangling a puppy from its leash, it softens something in her heart and she is unable to go through with hitting her mark. Instead, Fia vows to save his life while tricking her employers into believing he's dead. Later on, Fia learns that it was her own sister who ordered the hit on Adam. Even when I was fully finished with Mind Games, I still did not have a clear understanding as to why Annie wanted him dead, especially since he would be able to help her and others like her.

I had a bit more appreciation for Mind Games as I was reading the last few chapters, but overall felt as if I were reading an outline or a very rough first draft that still needed to be filled in with details and given more meat. Honestly, I'm surprised this book has been fairly well received. The structure of the different timelines is easier to follow in movie and TV format, when hairstyles, outfits, and other physical indicators let you know when you are. When you are solely relying on prose to set the stage, it can be utterly confusing. White did do a fairly good job of keeping the voices of the two sisters unique; I could tell when I was in Fia's head because she had a habit of repeating words and phrases. At times, it was a bit too much for me, but I had to accept it was simply part of her character.

While it does seem that Mind Games has set itself up for a sequel, I'm sorry to say I will be skipping it. I found myself too annoyed by these characters, and not invested in any of them. The only character I truly wanted to get to know was Adam and his research, but I think White purposely avoided getting too into him because of the complex ideas involved. To truly make him believable, White herself would have had to do large amounts of her own research. However, if anyone ever decided to make Mind Games into a TV series or a film, I would be on board with that.

Well-written, believable, page turner, great character development, really interesting plot. Love the way the storytelling was constructed...instead of telling it in a linear fashion, she aternates between past- and present-day, which really makes the book. Happy to find a new author to add to my list of favorites.

Mind Games started out a little slow, and I considered abandoning it. Don't get me wrong, there was plenty of action. But the story itself just lagged on. It seemed that the plot didn't really get going until about 55% through. But by then it really picked up for me. I ended up speeding through the second half. Some of the inner dialogue did seem to borrow from the style of Tahereh Mafi in the Shatter Me series. But I still enjoyed it. The writing was a little more mature than White's Supernaturally series (which I also enjoyed, but I preferred this). I look forward to book 2.

STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS DOES NOT A BOOK MAKE

""I have no idea. My plans changed about five minutes ago." I look over my shoulder to see the men, three (tap tap tap - I hate the number three), thick shoulders, one gun between them based on the way the guy in the middle is walking (that was a mistake, they should all have guns - guess they'll find out) matching our pace and getting closer."

The narration style of MIND GAMES starts off annoying and only grows increasingly more annoying as the story goes on. In the case of both sisters, the narration is done in first person present tense stream of consciousness style. It takes a great hand to effectively deal with first person present tense, and that great hand generally has to go to lengths to make it not seem like, “I brush my teeth, I say hello to my cat, I go to sch- SQUIRREL! Ouch a rock! I go to school.”

The draft for MIND GAMES was written in nine days, and it shows. The writing is extremely random, with forced bouts of conscious thoughts that have no place in a book. When you remove the random inner monologue and flashbacks that have no place in guiding the story (only serving to make the reader very, very confused), the actual story is maybe 100 pages.

"I hate stun guns, I hate them so much. LET GO OF MY RIBS."

Here in lies the main problem with MIND GAMES, the problem which ruined my enjoyment of it. The writing was juvenile, forced, incoherent at times, and seemed like a cheap rip off of SHATTER ME stylistically, a book which I should note I was not a fan of for reasons of prose AND plot. But that’s a different story. MIND GAMES suffers because of the very problem that makes it fast paced. There is little plot going on, little cohesion between past and present, and little differentiation between the sisters. Told in two first person present tense POVs over the course of several years, the story lacked any real focus.

ANNOYING CHARACTERS = ANNOYING BOOK

My second biggest concern with MIND GAMES was the characters. Firstly, as I mentioned, Fia and Annie were basically the same character. Even with chapter headers identifying each character’s chapter, there were times where their similar narration style would confuse me into thinking I was in the mind of the other character.

Both characters had similar problems. They were self-obsessed, irrational in their decisions, selfish, irresponsible, and childish. The ending was another one of these times, where the irrational decision by one character – and the irrational acceptance of such thing from another – completely annoyed me to no end. And these characters never change. They’re still as whiny on the last page as they are on the first.

And our side characters? With the exception of James, who spends the entire story as a love interest for Fia and the object of my pure and utter hatred, the characters are bland and lifeless. James, however, has found himself as a new member of the “Boys I Hate” Club. Plying a girl with alcohol to get her to “loosen up” (well, that’s implied at least) is sickening. End of story.

Although Annie’s power seemed rather interesting, if a bit bland, Fia’s fell short of something that could have been much better. If your gut instinct is always right, let’s think of the things you could do (in theory): intense math equations, the secrets of the universe, Olympic fencing, solving murder mysteries, making people lots of money. But what do they use an insane 16 year old girl for? Killing people. Because Jason Statham with a gun probably wouldn’t do the job as well as her.

A LACKING STORY

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have decided to give MIND GAMES only one star. This book, in my opinion, needed a lot more work to bring it up to the standards I hold for my books. The writing was extremely rushed and under-nourished with the things we need as readers – pizzazz, control, flourish, and meaning. It read like a 10 year old girl’s diary after her boyfriend (i.e. Justin Bieber) started dating someone that isn’t her.

Ms. White is a New York Times Bestseller for the PARANORMALCY series, but in MIND GAMES, I do not see anything that makes me want to run out and buy this book. At 250 pages, it came off as something that could have been done in one book instead of a duology – a rip off, if you will. The story does not satisfy, it does not make one feel, and it does nothing besides leave a lasting anger and annoyance at wasting a few hours hoping to find something within the pages that will make up for the whining.

Skip MIND GAMES. The action might be good in spurts, but when it makes up a tiny portion of a story devoted to the ramblings of a girl who may or may not be an insane narcissist, it’s not worth your money or time.

VERDICT: MIND GAMES falls short on every level, from the characters to the action to the romance. I felt completely gypped by the last page thanks to heroines that never leave the stage of “whiny children”.

The voice grabbed me right away, although the beginning was a little confusing. But once I got into the groove a couple chapters in, that wasn't a problem. The timeline is not standard in this book, jumping back and forth between past and present, which some readers may find disconcerting. I happen to think it worked. I've read a few books like this (Winter by Keven Newsome and Strings Attached by Judy Blundell) and when done right, as it is in these books, it can be very effective.

The characters were well-developed, although you don't get a huge glimpse into their lives and what they were like before tragedy struck. I was fine with that. I think it was necessary for the story, for the place the characters were in in their lives, as they really didn't have access to their old selves themselves.

I was also so happy to read a YA book with an actual YA voice again! I had gotten rather frustrated with the store vine YA selections lately. Too many have had voices that just don't work for YA--either too mature or dumbed down. I will agree with one reviewer that said the voices of the younger versions of Fia and Annie weren't differentiated enough from the older Fia and Annie, but at least they were believable teen voices that don't sound like every other teen voice out there.

My only gripe would be a lack of description throughout. There were times when I felt it would be nice to have more of a sense of environment. But the characters are pretty egocentric and the story is tightly written and kept me turning pages. I read the whole thing in just a couple of sittings.

Some other reviews on here mention this being first in a series. I don't see anything on the the store page or the book itself to indicate it is a series. Is that just an assumption? It felt like a standalone to me. But if a sequel comes out, it will go right on my to-read list.

Anyway, a definite recommend.

Originally posted here:[...]

Mind Games is the first book of a new series by the author of Paranormalcy Unfortunately, I didn't really like her previous trilogy, but this book was presented as a psychological thriller with a touch of paranormal and the synopsis was so great that I couldn't resist.

I probably should have resisted. It's not that the book is that bad, it just didn't satisfy me at all. Let me explain why.

The story focuses on two sisters, Annie, born blind and who can get glimpses of the future, and Fia, who has perfect instinct (is that even really a superpower? Looks like it) and has been trained to be a spy and a killer, much against her will. They both are guests/prisoners of an organization that is not willing to let them go free and that can predict their every mode. When Fia refuses to kill her next target, a young man called Adam, things start to get complicated and their lives are at stakes.

As I said, the idea is captivating and I fell in love with it, but the execution… well, maybe my expectations were too high and that's why I was disappointed. The two main characters felt too plain and the writing didn't really bring out their different voices. We just see that one of them is constantly angry and under pressure and the other doesn't really get her sister's emotions and reasons.

Fia, the younger, is strong and brave, a fighter mad at the whole world and at her sister; Annie, on the other hand, is calm and just didn't understand what the school she so badly wanted to attend did to her sister. They would do everything to protect each other and we know they love each other (we know…we don't really feel it), but the two sisters cannot seem to find a common ground. All the other characters are just superficially described, except for James, gorgeous, dangerous and cruel James, who's attracted to Fia.

The writing was probably my main problem; I just cannot seem to like it, no matter how hard I try. It's too fragmented, with too many repetitions (I know, they're used to show certain things, but they annoyed me) and overall it was a bit too simple. The characters didn't really grow on me; Fia was probably the most interesting but the way her thoughts are presented irritated me because of the syntax.

The narration shifts constantly between the two sisters with TONS of flashbacks, which had me confused and disoriented more than once. The story goes back and forth, picking so many subplots without really developing them that I had a hard time keeping tracks. We got the girls' powers, the creepy school run by a mysterious and creepier man, James the I-cannot-tell-you-my-plan kind of guy, the so-called saviors and so on. I would have preferred less things but more answered. The ending is really surprising and I may keep reading this series.

My favourite quote:

Their smiles are lies. Most smiles are.

"Let me know if you need anything."
"So you can disappoint me yet again by never listening?"

Did I hear "heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller"? Because I want in. Mind Games is a refreshing addition to the YA genre, especially when psychological thrillers is often exclusive to adult fiction. White delivered a interesting plot and a fierce female character (albeit she stole the the spotlight from everyone else) all in a fast-paced two-hundred page novel. We've seen all the elements before from crazy training schools (Ender's Game, Insignia, Variant, The Vindico) to exploiting psychic abilities (Minority Report), but White takes these elements and weaves something her own. Unfortunately, despite the compelling premise, the delivery fell short, leaving much to be desired.

Poor Organization: I Usually Like Multiple Perspectives, Shifting Timelines and Fia Stealing The Whole Show
Fia and her older sister, Annie, both speak to us in first person. While usually perspectives alternate, Mind Games didn't follow a specific pattern: there might be a present Annie chapter directly preceding a 18 month ago Annie chapter. Eventually I gave up trying to do the math to figure out the chronological order between chapters. I often had to flip back to the start of the chapter to find out why a character supposedly imprisoned in the last chapter could be roaming free in the next. I know chapters from the past aid in giving backstory, but the sudden transition confused rather than enlightened. Many times, I didn't care what mundane stuff happened in the distant past, I want to get back to my "intense psychological thriller" already!

Another problem with the multiple perspectives was that Fia stole the show. From the start of the novel, she establishes herself as a femme fatale who is not afraid to lie and break a few bones to get what she wants. She is manipulative and cunning. After the first chapter, I was sold. But then I found out, Fia wasn't the only voice of the novel. Annie, Fia's older sister is radically different from Fia, she's the calm, reserved one. She basically sat around being emo. *yawn*

Writing Style:
White's writing didn't do it for me. I'm not sure if it's because this espionage training school forgot proper English lessons so neither character sound eloquent, or if both characters are too screwed up. Both characters speak in a stream of consciousness. From the writing, we can feel the sister's troubled state of mind, especially Fia's. I thought I was supposed to feel fear, frustration, and hurt from Fia, but I just kept thinking she was high on drugs. Her terse sentences and repetitions were meant for emphasis, and perhaps to imitate the impulsive, conflicted, uneditted human consciousness that characterizes Fia, but it wasn't long before I grew exhausted with those short sentences. There was not enough contrast between the two sisters' voices.

Action Scene Writing is Hard Stuff
Fia's passages are distinct from Annie's primarily due to her action scenes. I found it odd that her action scenes are the few moments when Fia turns "eloquent" (or her sentences turn long), but not in a good way. Her sentences turn into lists of action after action, then some other action. I kept wishing for sensory details to bring me into the scene. I admit I rarely come across action scenes that actually work in writing without sounding like a list but because of the rigid, un-varied nature of these sentences, they felt jarring--I didn't believe for a second it was Fia recalling the moment, but a third-person narrator giving me a summary of what he saw Cat Woman do in a movie. These action scenes drove the novel, but unfortunately, they were also the weakest parts.

The Emotions
I was not convinced. From romance to sisterly love, all of it was forced. The romance was borderline random; I had no reason to care for either prospective lover.
As for sisterly love, Fia and Annie are supposed to care deeply for each other, sacrificing and taking care of each other when they have nobody else. But I don't know what bonds them together at all. For most of the novel, they have no interaction (Annie misses Fia holding her hand) aside a few secret whispers here and there. I felt not warmth from these two. Only betrayal, negligence, and jealously.

So..What is This Story About Again?
There are so many subplots going on that aren't adequately explained that I really can't tell you what's going on. We have two sisters enrolled in a suspicious school run by a mysterious guy. That mysterious guy's sexy son is trying to overthrow his father. To overthrow his father, he "trains" Fia. This sexy guy is not to be trusted, but Fia likes him so she helps him overthrow his father. Somehow the president is involved in the school. There's a nice doctor who's saved by Fia and randomly reappears. There's a society going against the school (they have the weirdest logic where they kidnap people only to let them out the font door) On top of that, the sisters need to get their relationship sorted out. Yep, I'm lost. Too many random faucets are opened all at once, and we are still at square one trying to answer questions and figuring out why I need to care. I CAN'T KEEP UP.

Fia has...Perfect Instincts?
I am not sure what having perfect instincts entail, but that's Fia's special power and what makes her so valuable. Is it just keen perception? I find it weird that she can just pick the best selling stocks. Those things have nothing to do with gut feeling. Apparently her instincts also allow her to ace multiple choice tests. WHAT??!?!

Plot Twist:
Meh. I suspected it.

Overall, I appreciated the unique concept and the fast-paced kept me reading, but execution is far from perfect. This is one of the messiest books I've come across, with way too many subplots, confusing transitions, and no answers.

I chose this book because the cover looked interesting. I hated the part where Sophia killed her sister, Annie. I was so heartbroken. If I had to rate it between 1-10, I would give it a
10, but if we could do it beyond 10 or a negative number, I would give it a 100.