(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Sofia "Fia" Rosen knew she was different, even from the beginning.  Her super reflexes—always perfectly honed—just weren't natural.  In her 17 years on God's green Earth, she's never met another person with the same infallible instincts.  Perhaps, she is the only one.  They certainly believe so.  They see her vast potential as a spy, a weapon, an assassin.  They will not let her go.  They know Fia won't resist them, not when they hold that which is most precious to her hostage.    

Annie Rosen's not as "gifted" as Fia and thus not as useful to her captors.  Still, her abilities as a Seer come in handy—for them and for her.  Mostly, Annie's visions leave her trembling and terrified; in them, Fia's always in danger.  Annie may be blind, but she can see what's happening to her little sister.  And she doesn't like it, not one bit.  But, as much as she's encouraged it, Annie knows Fia will never try to escape Them, not as long as They have Annie.  

Caught between two impossible choices, Fia must decide how far she's willing to go to keep her sister safe.  How much can she risk before she no longer recognizes the girl in the mirror?  Can she sacrifice Annie to save herself from becoming a monstrous killing machine?  Is there no escape for the two girls?  Fia's instincts are flawless, but even she can't see a way out of this one ...

Mind Games, the newest paranormal offering from Kiersten White (available February 19, 2013), takes a darker turn than the author's Paranormalcy trilogy.  In her latest, White uses stark, staccato prose, to create a tense, action-packed story that grabs the reader's attention from paragraph one and just doesn't let go.  It's exciting, for sure, but also confusing as it vacillates between past and present.  In the end, I enjoyed this fast-paced read, without totally loving it.  With a little more background, a little more build-up, I probably would have liked it more.  Still, you better believe I'll be reading the sequel, if only to find out what the fierce, unpredictable Fia does next. 

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other books about teenagers in possession of deadly powers, I just can't think of any specific titles.  Ideas?)

Grade:  B-

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  PG-13 for mild language (no F-bombs), violence, sexual innuendo and depictions of underage drinking/partying

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-ARC of Mind Games (via Edelweiss) from the generous folks at HarperTeen.  Thank you!