Mind Games (Mind Games, #1)

by Kiersten White

[inlibrisveritas]

Kiersten White has created a really interesting unknown world within our own, one that includes incredible powers and espionage. However despite the creativity I found some issues with the characters and my ability to truly connect with them.

Annie and Fia are caught in the middle as they are lied to and placed in positions of danger. Fia must use her highly in-tuned instincts to stay alive, complete her missions and keep her sister from meeting a dire end. I tried to like Fia despite her flaws. She’s had to put up with a lot and while some of rash decisions made me want to shake her I understood why she chose to do the things she did. Her feirce loyalty to her sister is admirable and I really like her determination to get out of the grip of corporation’s grip, but I found her personality to be really rough. It’s understandable that she ahs some anger issues but she’s moody all the time. Her fighting skills are fantastic though and I really enjoyed the action scenes. Annie was a character that I flip flopped on. I really like her personality and how she is Fia’s opposite, but she does some pretty stupid things and just added to the frustration. Her POV is really interesting though and I enjoed her sections more at times. It’s different to have a blind character and I liked the uniqueness of her voice, I just wish she didn’t make me slap my forehead so hard. James is supposed to be the suave character with a dangerous edge, but I found him to be completely insufferable most of the time. He’s full of himself and I didn’t really understand how he could say he cared for someone and then treat their family so poorly. I barely understood Fia’s attraction to him and it honestly just flat out annoyed me. Adam in comparison is much better, but I didn’t really see much of a reason to become invested in the budding relationship with Fia. I do like that he adds a bit of zen to her outright anger though and I really hope to see the relationship turn into something fantastic.

The plot moves back and forth between fast pace to meandering, and while I enjoyed the action scenes I found my attention wandering when things slowed down. I understood why Fia had to go along with the plans James made for her, but I really didn’t understand much of a point in certain sections of the book. Especially now that I’ve had a ton of time to think over it. I did however like the interesting set up of powers and the secret espionage of the big corporations, and I definitely like the level of tension that continued throughout the novel.

Despite all my issues with it I really did enjoy Mind Games and I really liked the thriller feel of it. I’m really hoping that the story and the character improves in the next book. I would love to see Fia and Annie become something more and I would love for Adam to be a bit more fleshed out.