Mind Games by Kiersten White

Title: Mind Games (Mind Games #1)

Author: Kiersten White

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: February 19, 2013

Source: Borrowed from fellow blogger

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

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. 

This is where I admit that I've only read the first book in Kiersten White's Paranormalcy trilogy despite owning all three. But despite this I was still excited when Mind Games was first announced. The premise for the story sounded so different and unlike anything I would have expected from Kiersten White. And after having read the book, I can officially say that it was dark, edgy and absolutely fantastic.

Fia has always known what she should do in any given situation. Having been born with perfect instincts she knows she can always trust her gut feelings. And because of those instincts, Fia makes the perfect spy. Annie is blind but has visions. And those visions allow her to help her sister stay out of trouble. The two sisters are kept at a school that uses them for their powers. And both will do anything in their power to protect the other. But what if protecting your sister means going against everything you believe in?

I knew just from reading the synopsis and from what others had said that Mind Games was going to be dark and different from Kiersten White's other books. However I did not necessarily expect it to be as dark as some parts of it ended up being. But just because it was a dark story it doesn't mean it wasn't an absolutely fantastic one. The story in Mind Games is twisted and the whole time I was reading I wasn't entirely sure about what I was reading. The way the story was written also made it difficult at times to make sense of what I was reading. Not only was it told from the perspectives of both Annie and Fia but there were also some flashbacks from both their perspectives included in the story. Those flashbacks added another layer to the story that was necessary. For me, at least, they helped understand where Annie and Fia were coming from, why they were doing the things they were doing and how they had gotten to where they were. As you can probably tell but this point, despite the short length of the book, it presents quite a complex story.

Fia is probably one of the most interesting characters I have read about in the last few months. There is just so much going on with this girl. For quite a long time I really did not know what to make of Fia. I could tell that she was conflicted, doing what she had to do to keep her sister safe. But the way her mind worked is what truly intrigued me when it came to Fia. The thing about Fia is that she has perfect instincts and that makes seeing what she says and does really interesting. She'll decide to wear certain clothes based on a feeling she has that turns out to be quite helpful in the future. Annie was more subdued than her sister, but that didn't make her any less interesting. And much like Fia, Annie would do anything to protect her sister. Now if only the two sisters weren't unknowingly working against each other while trying to protect the other things would work a little better for them. And then there was James who I'm not sure what to make of at all. At times he seemed like the most charming man ever, but at other times that charm almost looked like it was a cover for something else. And the same thing can be said for Adam. Hopefully I'll find out more about both of them in the future.

Mind Games was different from what I've come to know Kiersten White for. This book is dark and twisted and will leave you thinking for a long time after you are finished reading. Don't expect the Kiersten White from the Paranormalcy trilogy because you will be disappointed if you do. But just because it's different that doesn't mean it's any less fantastic.