Mind Games audiobook

The first thing you need to know about Sister Assassin (or Mind Games, title of the US edition) is that it’s absolutely thrilling. Ferguson, my Kindle, was temporarily unavailable so I was forced to read it on my iPhone and my eyes nearly fell out, but I couldn't stop. Not for a second. I wouldn't have stopped to save my life.Sister Assassin is a story about two sisters, Fia and Annie, and the narrative is divided between their two points of view. It also jumps back and forth in time, and these flashbacks (both Annie’s and Sofia’s) allow us to fill in the crucial backstory. The sisters live in a boarding school for talented girls. Annie is blind, but she is also a Seer, able to predict the future to a certain extent. However, the real asset is Fia, for whose talent there isn’t even a proper name. Her instinct, the tiny voice that tells right from wrong, never fails her. She always knows the best course of action, even when she doesn’t understand the reason. Her ability doesn’t really help her to defend herself from the school and its owner, Mr. Keane, when he starts holding Annie hostage in order to force Fia to do his bidding. She’s a girl who can do anything – predict stocks, steal anything they need, kill and get away with it. She always knows which road to take if she needs to get away. In the process of training her, they completely broke her. Fia is a disorganized mess of violent thoughts and White’s writing reflected this perfectly. I honestly didn’t think that she, as a writer, was capable of such a thing. It reminded me just a bit of Tahereh Mafi, and you all know how I feel about her. In Annie’s chapters, the writing was more balanced, but Fia’s was full of jumbled, disjointed sentences and repetitiveness. It was the perfect way to keep the damage that was done to her constantly present in the reader’s mind. 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. Ms. Robertson, you see, is Mr. Keane’s secretary and a (mind) Reader. The school also has Seers, and Feelers (empaths). Under their watchful eye, it’s almost impossible to plan a successful escape, but Fia is better trained than any of them and she has her own ability to help her. The romance was completely unconventional, and all the more exciting because of it. Sofia had no idea whom she could trust, and neither did I. I liked James a lot, but his every action was morally dubious, and it was precisely that that made him perfect for Fia in a sad, twisted way. Theirs is a romance I resisted for as long as I could because I felt that a part of it is rotten at its core, but in the end I had no choice but to accept it and want it for both of them. Make sure to have a free afternoon when you decide to read this book. You will not be able to put it down, that much I can promise you, it will consume your every thought. Sister Assassin doesn’t end with a cliffhanger, but things are far from resolved. The ending IS an ending, but it is also a promise of a great second installment. I’m in. How about you?

Me enganchó desde la primera página. Es un libro tan impulsivo e impredecible como una de sus protagonistas. Lo único negativo que resaltaría es que el ritmo de lectura ágil se convierte en un cuchillo de doble filo. Las páginas no paraban de pasar, pero a veces sentía como si los personajes no tenían una base firme y algunas de sus motivaciones quedaban en duda. Aún así recomendadísimo.VIDEO RESEÑA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apQ3M...

Review posted at SoManyBooksSoLittleTime

Synopsis: Fia can't make a wrong decision, because she's got perfect instincts. Her older sister, Annie, is blind, but has the ability to see into the future, and she's one of the only people who can "see" Fia.At the beginning of the novel, Fia is tasked with killing a guy named Adam. As someone with perfect instincts, she can easily fight off any guy, and has the ability to manipulate anyone around her to twist them around her little finger. She's clearly the perfect assassin.The problem is, she can't do it - the guy looks nice, and like a good person, and she makes a split-second decision to try and save him. Of course, people come after her, but she manages to escape with Adam, and we learn a little more about what led us to this point.The story alternates between the voices of Annie and Fia, and flashbacks to the sisters' lives before and during this event. We find out that the girls ended up a school for "special girls" like them that is mostly run by males and is tapping their talents for it's own secret purposes. In this world, only girls have special powers, and those powers are grouped into Seer, Feeler, and Reader. Fia is none of those things, and because of that, she's extra special.Review:I loved Fia's strength and her desperate need to protect her sister at all costs. That's pretty much her "tell" in any situation, and it's one that's completely understandable and made me want to hug my besties. She's strong, sassy, and understands sacrifice better than any YA character I've ever seen. Her character was incredibly complex, and I pretty much wanted to stay in her fragile mind the entire time.Read the rest of this review at Mostly YA Lit

I've erased this review like ten times because I'm having trouble. When I say that MIND GAMES is not the Paranormalcy Trilogy, I find myself stuck in an endless loop because I loved the Paranormalcy Trilogy, so I don't want you to think for a minute that this is better, because it isn't better--but yet--its better. *sheesh* The most accurate thing I can say is that Kiersten White has only begun to play mind games with her readers. It is evident by this unique, exciting and riveting book that White has just proven she's not a one trick pony. She's tiny like a pony--but she has lots of tricks and I love them. I love them so much, I want the sequel to this book NOW! So much so, I'm going to start harassing my agent to automatically put me on the top of the ARC list for MIND GAMES #2. Make a list. Check it twice. I'd better be on it. I know you hate me because it isn't February yet, and you're justified, but guess what--I'm not even a little bit sorry, because yeah, it was that good. LOL!

This book rocked. It was short and sweet and tense and crazy. Kudos to Ms. White.

Mind Games (or Sister Assassin in the UK) is the first book in White's new series of the same name. I've read her Paranormalcy trilogy, and for the most part enjoyed its fluffy heroine, Evie. I assumed Mind Games would be similar, and prepared myself for a book filled with silly humor and sparkly characters. Yeah, not so much.I'm also bad about ordering a book, forgetting why I ordered it and then diving in without bothering to read what the blurb on the cover says. Lazy, I know. So I downloaded it thinking something along the lines of, "Two sisters...something, something...government-ish conspiracy...something, something...isn't one of them psychic?". Then settled in for a bit of a light read while the kids were on the playground. Except it wasn't a light read, and instead of something to kill the time while the kids were playing, I ended up not being able to put it down. I'm pretty sure I fed and bathed them that night, but I wouldn't swear to it in a court of law. It probably sounded like this, "Hey! It's corn dog and french fry night, guys!", and "You smell alright to me, just don't forget to brush your teeth.". So am I a slack parent, or was the book just that good? Obviously, both, but today I'm blaming my smelly malnourished children on the book.Annie and Fia (Sophia) are sisters, and the story is told between their alternating POV's. Fia was what I would consider the main character, though. Annie's voice seemed to be there more to fill in the gaps of Fia's story.Warning: There are a lot of flashback sequences, and frequent time jumps between the past and present. If this is a pet peeve, you may not enjoy this as much as I did. Orphaned at a young age by a car wreck, the girls are taken in by an aunt who would rather not deal with Annie's blindness and psychic nightmares. When an exclusive boarding school offers to give Annie a home, she jumps at the chance. Fia immediately feels something is very wrong with the school, but when she voices her opinion, it only serves to intrigue the interviewer and ensures that both girls are given a new home.However, this is not where the story opens (remember the above mentioned time jumps?). When we first meet Fia she is seventeen, lurking in the shadows, and trying to figure out a way to save the boy she was sent to kill. At this point, I'm totally sucked in. And how did a teenager end up working as an assassin, you ask? See, Annie may be psychic, but Fia has what they call perfect instincts. Big deal, right? Well, the more I read, the more intrigued I became. Not only can she tell when people are lying, or which stock is going to skyrocket, she also knows instinctively when to duck so that she can avoid a punch, which way to turn on a street to avoid capture, and what person in a crowd will help her. There's more to it than that, but those are some of the highlights.As the story progresses, you learn that Fia is working for a shadowy organization that runs the boarding school she and Annie were accepted into. While Annie was the original prize they wanted, it quickly became evident that Fia was far more important. Annie has now become a prisoner in what once was her home, and her life is the insurance policy that guarantees Fia's continued cooperation. Which makes Fia's choice to save the life of her target, Adam, that much more dangerous. After all, Annie and Fia aren't the only special girls that the school has recruited. With psychics, mind readers, and empaths all around her, how can she possibly hide her plans to save both Adam and Annie?As if all of this wasn't enough, Fia has to contend with her handler, James. She's drawn to him in spite of every instinct screaming that she needs to stay away. He says he cares about what happens to her, but it could easily just be a lie. After all, he's the son of the very man responsible for what Fia has become. Could the heir to such an evil empire really love her?Well, you'll just have to find out for yourself, because I'm certainly not telling you the answer.I'd recommend this one for readers who like their heroines smart, snarky, and slightly unhinged.Also on http://www.addicted2heroines.com/2013...

Really enjoyed this book!It's so fast-paced and short, it is very hard to put down!I really loved the two main characters, Annie and Fia. They are so strong!This book has a lot of mystery, secrets, and action. It definitely kept me on my toes. The writing style is pretty unique. It switches between past and present, which helps give some backstory and depth in a plot that's driven by action. I got confused sometimes, but overall I liked it! I also switches points of view between the two sisters. I felt each one had their own personality and the author did a great job writing them.The only complaint I have is that the world isn't very developed and there aren't many answers to "why" questions. Why are these girls like this? Why is this school set up? Why do they have to do they have to kill people? I'm hoping these questions are answered in the following books!

I really like this one, but not for the reasons you would think. I kind of got the "Ocean's 13" satisfaction at the end of the book. And I think this book is better named "Mind Games." I think if I had read it as "Sister Assassin," I would have been extremely disappointed. SISTER ASSASSIN FAIL While the prologue and first chapter throws you right into it, the rest of the book lacked that "slick, edgy, heartstoppingly intense" action I was expecting from this book. The action scenes were too short and kind of disappointing. For a book that promises to be about a kickass assassin, I couldn't get a good image of all the hits, all the kicks or all the blows Fia was giving. Nor did I really get to see much of that instinct that made her so deadly.And the whole espionage thing could have used a bit of work. I was hoping to be wrapped up in this whole conspiracy behind the school of specials. While it's obvious from the very start that the girls are being used for their powers, I'm not exactly sure what that power is being used for. I mean, I'm assuming it's for some mafia-type assassin business, but really, what's the point? MIND GAMES - FOR THE WIN When I started looking at the book from a psychological point of view, I began to see how crafty White had been. Don't get me wrong, it was a bit irritating at first - the constant switching back and forth of POV and from present to past. But, I really began to appreciate the style that White put into the book.I did feel, that even though the POV were spread out quite evenly, Fia kind of dominated the book. I would have liked to see more character from Anna, especially since it all started because of her. But at the same time, I can see how her blindness fits so perfectly well in this book - how she could not see the very thing that was right in front of her all along.And the constant flashbacks were a bit grating on my nerves because they interrupt the story at the most inopportune time. But I can see the effect White was going for, pushing readers forward, and the timing wasn't bad as far as giving us the background when it seemed to fit. The only place I felt it was just wrong was at the end You have an amazing end - kind of a cliffhanger, but kind of a forward-looking determination. Why in the world you use that point to give it a bland flashback? To me, it dulled a powerful end.I would have liked to see more of the other characters in this book. I think James is way deeper than we give him credit for, and Adam may be linked to this whole thing, but his appearance in the book was weak considering his role and his powerful start. I wanted to know the story behind Ms. Robertson, and Eden is not the shadow that she appeared to be. With every amazing book is amazing supporting characters, and in this book, they were just taken for granted. GUESSING UNTIL THE END The reason why I liked this book so much was because it wasn't an easy read, partially because of the constant shifts and the writing style. But the thing that really got me was because although some parts were predictable, as expected, the most of it kept me guessing until the end, especially those questions concerning Adam and James and their roles in this book.And the end? Holy crap! I never saw that one coming. I did understand about Anna's vision while she had it, but Fia's final move? Wow. So my question is: (view spoiler)[Was James in on it the whole time? Or was it the Lerner's plan, and Fia filled him in? (hide spoiler)] So many scenarios flying around in my head. So many questions still left unanswered. But like I said at the beginning. The book, sans last flashback, ended without that "Ocean's 13" satisfaction, where you walked out of the casino, knowing you have beater the system.

It took me a second to get into this one and really understand what was going on, but I honestly flew through this book. It's definitely more on the action side rather than character development, but that's okay! It was a satisfying quick read and I can't wait to read the sequel! Also- James. Just James.

Rating: 3.5/5Review to come!

This is a much edgier and darker concept than White's Paranormalcy trilogy. It's not cutesy with vampires who are clearly misunderstood except for the one. He's just a Creepy Vampire Guy. It's completely different.In this book we meet Fia, age 17 and her older sister, Annie, who is blind. They are orphaned as young children and shipped off to an aunt who raises them for a couple of years before the girls are taken in on scholarship to a private school. You can smell something diabolical about that, of course. First of all, boarding schools in the United States are few and far between unless they are reform schools. It is not a reform school or a real educational boarding school since this is YA paranormal fiction. As we continue on the timeline, the reader realizes that both Annie and Fia have paranormal abilities. Annie is a seer. Fia is something else altogether. The school is a training ground and they don't play nice. Fia has perfect gut reactions. She is trained in the fine art of fighting with knives and whatnot. She's an assassin against her will.Much of the book is told in past tense with the present tense playing a smaller part until the end. Essentially, it is setting the stage for upcoming conflicts. The master of the school is keeping Fia in check by keeping Annie locked up and under guard and key. Fia becomes disturbed to distraction by what she is turning into. Enter incredibly suave and handsome son of the master of the school. Meet James. Does he work for his dad or is he working on his own? What are his allegiances? He is using Fia but so was his dad. You don't know whether he is good intentions or not so good.Although written in White's signature clean style, I would add a couple of parental warnings. Violence is apparent since Fia is trained to fight and use knives. This is clearly purposeful and essential to the book's conclusion. Swearing is reported but not quoted so negligible. Sex is absent but innuendo is not. Language is clean. Dialogue is clean despite the innuendo. I loved the story. I loved Paranormalcy and expected more of the same. It's not the same. It's very different. I can't wait to read the rest of the books.

Kiersten White is a genius! I adored everything in this novel. She can write some pretty fantastic stuff that will have you hooked from beginning to end and even after it’s finished. You’ll be wanting more from her long after you’re done with Mind Games.I was constantly flipping back to the cover to make sure I was reading a book by Kiersten White, not in a bad way though because I did love her Paranormalcy series but because this one felt so different. Mind Games was just as engrossing and fabulous as Paranormalcy but it felt darker, steamier, it felt like Kiersten lets go in this series and touches at the edge of her limits. It’s really hard to explain, just know that there was a lot more kissy scenes in Mind Games. Loved it!I loved that Kiersten once again created some empowering female characters that can kick butt just like Evie. Fia is not a damsel in distress and reading her story makes your blood pump faster, makes you proud of being a girl and also feel like you can kick anybody’s butt and go run a mile right after. I loved Fia’s strength and loyalty to her sister. I love that we get to see both of their perspectives in this novel and see how different they are but how much they both love each other and will do anything to protect one another. We also get to see how they ended up in this institution through flashbacks in between their chapters that take us a couple of years back and counts down to the present.There’s also of course, a very hot love interest, one that you don’t really know if he’s trustworthy or not, but boy does he make you weak in the knees. Couldn’t get enough of those scenes between him and Fia, they were pretty hot and had me holding my breath waiting for more. Kiersten definitely knows how to tease her readers. There’s also the possibility of a second love interest but honestly I don’t know how that will play out in the sequel with the crazy ending we are left with in Mind Games. This was a fast paced and exciting new series by Kiersten White, one much edgier than Paranormalcy and just as addictive.

I was drawn in from page one of Mind Games, and I loved every second of it. Fia is exactly my kind of character that I love to read about. She can take care of herself, and she kicks butt. Her one weak spot is what makes her from being evil though, because even when she does things she shouldn't she always does it to protect her blind sister Annie. Their bond is so complex and I loved getting the dual narrative to see where both were coming from in their decisions and how much they really would sacrifice for the other. I think its well written and the epitome of what sibling relationships should be like. Sure everything is not always peachy but that would also make it unrealistic. The people that Fia is working under and at first took Annie under their wing is well thought out and is not one dimensional. They all have different motives, and it took me a bit to grasp on at what they are after, and especially how James played into everything and I am sure that even the things that I think I know will be shaken in the next book. Adam is a great addition as well. I thought he was just an introduction at first, but then I saw all of the threads that he was weaving into the plot and I cannot wait to find out how else he will play into it. The only thing I have to complain about is the timing of the flashbacks. I understand why they are important and what they add to the story, but at times, especially at first, I felt like it was pulling me out of the action and it took me a bit to get back into it. Overall though, I loved it and Kiersten has created an intriguing world that I can't wait to find out more about. Bottom line: Well done paranormal that left me wanting more of the plot, mystery, action, and especially more of Fia.For more of my reviews, check out Blkosiner’s YA and Teen Book Blog: http://blkosiner.blogspot.com