Mind Games (Mind Games #1) by Kiersten White

Author: Kiersten White
Publication: February 19, 2013
By: HarperTeen 
4.5 Stars!


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.

In a stunning departure from her New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy, Kiersten White delivers a slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense psychological thriller about two sisters determined to protect each other—no matter the cost.

Thank you Edelweiss and HarperTeen for this ARC. I love the complexity of this cover, from the colors to the tiny squares to her face.


I don't like Eden. There, I said it. 

What I loved: I'm a huge fan of dual POV and this one gives us Fia's story as well as her sister Annie who has a rare gift of her own. The story flips back and forth between the present and the past which not only provides important background information but can be a little confusing at times if you aren't paying close attention. It seems there are two organizations who seek to acquire girls with the skills that Fia possesses and while the devious intentions of one seems blatantly obvious, you're never quite sure about the other. I'm guessing we'll find out more in the next installment of this series. 

Fia was a tough sell for me and not because she isn't well written, because all of these characters are. Fia's just such an angrypants and I had a hard time "liking" her in the beginning. I want to hug her but I'd be afraid she might stab me or something.  She's strong and selfless, especially where Annie is concerned but she's broken in ways we don't fully understand yet. We get glimpses and in those we see that James is partly responsible for the damage Fia's both received and inflicted and it would be really easy to hate him. But then we get to know James a little and if you're anything like me (a sucker for a would-be bad guy) it's kinda hard not to face plant into "serious like" with him. 

There's also Adam to consider and even though we don't get to know him too well in this book, I'm betting he's not quite as "innocent" as he'd like Fia to believe.  However, Fia's encounter with Adam shows her a different side of herself and a different way of life, one that could offer safety for both she and Annie but what is she really risking?

I loved the sisterly bond that Fia and Annie share, so much so, I'm thinking about going out and getting me a sister for myself.  Seriously though, It was really nice to read about sisters who genuinely love each other and who are willing to do whatever necessary to keep each other safe.  

This is one of those books that keeps you engaged and guessing right up to the very end, at which point you become sure of three things, 1) the ending is made of pure awesome, 2) you can't wait for book two and 3) Kiersten White is the one trying to kill you via book heart attack. 

What left me wanting: Um, when does the next book come out? I need to read that like yesterday.

Final verdict: Fast-paced, heart stopping action that will leave you torn between swooning over the bad the guy and routing for the good one, you know, assuming you can figure out whose who.

Review also posted at YABC.