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sienaro's review against another edition
4.0
I liked the characters, I liked the setting, I liked, liked, liked the writing style (for the most part). What I didn’t like about this book was the flitting. We flitted forward and back in time, from Fia to Annie’s point of view, from place to place, to reference to previous thing that happened but we haven’t yet learned about. The story wasn’t necessarily fast moving. It happens in only three days and dare I say it was somewhat slow moving. The endless amounts of flashbacks and point of view shifts made it difficult to keep and follow the seemingly brilliantly crafted plot line. The characters and relationships were well written, but as the story went on, they developed into what seemed like more juvenile versions of themselves.
The whole novel felt like a set up for the next novel, but left the reader desiring so much more without any satisfaction or desire to read the next book.
The whole novel felt like a set up for the next novel, but left the reader desiring so much more without any satisfaction or desire to read the next book.
kambmoore's review against another edition
4.0
I ❤️ this book! It was similar and different to anything I've ever read all at once... It made me think about what humans are capable of (both in the powers department and the morality department) and what someone's willing to do for someone they love. Fia and Annie seemed like the very different people they were, and I rely loved their individual voices that interweaved together! Really want to read the next book right now!!!
celjla212's review against another edition
4.0
I read this in just a few hours. I have to admit, I was very confused for at least the first 100 pages of the book. But once I started really getting into the story, I couldn't put it down. I thought the alternating chapters between the past and the present were very efficient tools for revealing the groundwork of the story without giving away too much too fast. The book went through many twists and turns which definitely play mind games with the reader!
This book is a welcome reprieve from cliched supernatural YA and I can't wait to read the next installment.
This book is a welcome reprieve from cliched supernatural YA and I can't wait to read the next installment.
safaristevie's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
3.5
abigailsbuchanan's review against another edition
4.25
Crazy book, amazing characters, sad about the innuendo, but overall, really good!
bookishmadness's review against another edition
4.0
What it's about: Fia and Annie are sisters, orphans sent away to a special school where Annie can get help for her blindness. But the school is much more sinister, and Fia gets forced into training in knife-fighting and eventually killing. Desperate to protect each other, they both have to figure out how to run free.
What I thought: This book was amazing. I instantly fell in love with Fia's attitude, with Annie's kind heart, with James's charm and with Adam's sincerity. There was so much right with this book. The book switches between the present day and the past, giving us glimpses into what happened to get Fia and Annie where they are now. We read about this unbreakable bond between sisters, despite all the nightmare's going on around them. There are secrets within secrets and mountains upon mountains of lies. You might be able to expect what's coming, but I doubt it. The plot-line didn't feel old or over-done like in some novels, and I loved the paranormal parts of the story. This book really tested my imagination, and with all the twists, it kept me on the edge of my seat.
Kiersten White is a fantastic writer, and I can't help but want more. If you like all things paranormal, or if you like a good assassination, then this is the book for you!
The Good: This book was nothing like what I thought it would and there were twists at every turn!
The Bad: I felt confused for a lot of the book. It was a bit off-putting.
Rating: 4 bookstacks
What I thought: This book was amazing. I instantly fell in love with Fia's attitude, with Annie's kind heart, with James's charm and with Adam's sincerity. There was so much right with this book. The book switches between the present day and the past, giving us glimpses into what happened to get Fia and Annie where they are now. We read about this unbreakable bond between sisters, despite all the nightmare's going on around them. There are secrets within secrets and mountains upon mountains of lies. You might be able to expect what's coming, but I doubt it. The plot-line didn't feel old or over-done like in some novels, and I loved the paranormal parts of the story. This book really tested my imagination, and with all the twists, it kept me on the edge of my seat.
Kiersten White is a fantastic writer, and I can't help but want more. If you like all things paranormal, or if you like a good assassination, then this is the book for you!
The Good: This book was nothing like what I thought it would and there were twists at every turn!
The Bad: I felt confused for a lot of the book. It was a bit off-putting.
Rating: 4 bookstacks
kamitc's review against another edition
5.0
THANK HEAVENS THIS IS A SERIES. OH MY GOODNESSSSSS.. THIS BOOK >
shirleymak's review against another edition
3.0
not gonna liiie, i skipped some pages, but like..idk this book was just mediocre..
books4susie's review against another edition
5.0
I read this in one day. Didn't get some real great reviews but neither have the last two I read and thoroughly enjoyed. I do believe like this series better than Paranormalcy.
squirrelsohno's review against another edition
1.0
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STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS DOES NOT A BOOK MAKE
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.
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”.
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”.