Mind Games

Starred review from February 11, 2013
Two narrators, a kaleidoscope of time snippets, the distortions of lies, memories, and precognition—White’s paranormal thriller is a tour de force of perspective and unreliability. Fia, 17, and her blind older sister, Annie, barely remember a time when they were not pawns of Keane, a shadowy man running an equally shadowy organization/boarding school (of sorts) for empaths, psychics, mind readers, and the like. The sisters’ talents will be nurtured and Annie kept alive, so long as Fia does as she is told, using her preternaturally perfect instincts. An assignment to kill Adam, a teenage research prodigy, throws Fia’s already tumultuous existence into further flux, testing her loyalty to her sister and those around her. The combination of supernatural abilities, clandestine organizations, sharply witty dialogue, and a supremely skilled heroine will be familiar to readers of White’s Paranormalcy books, but this story is very much its own, due in large part to Fia’s unpredictability, both as character and protégé (to the endless frustration of the higher-ups at Keane). A sequel is likely and would be welcome. Ages 12–up. Agent: Michelle Wolfson, Wolfson Literary Agency.

May 1, 2013

Gr 7 Up-Fia, 17, has unerringly good instincts, but sometimes they are not good enough. They didn't prevent her parents from dying in a car crash when she was a child. They didn't keep her and her sister, Annie, out of a school administered by the sinister Keane Foundation, which has more than educational interests at its core. And they have not gotten the girls out of the hands of the organization that is now exploiting Annie's psychic abilities and training Fia to be the perfect assassin. When Fia is sent to kill a young man named Adam, her senses tell her that his death is the wrong outcome, but if she defies her employers, the consequences could be dire. Adam is linked to a group that could be major opposition for the foundation. Fia wants nothing more than to see Keane ruined-as long as the consequences of its downfall do not include Annie's death, or her own. This gripping, intense story is told from alternating perspectives, flashing back to key moments in the siblings' pasts. The plot moves quickly from the start, throwing readers right into the story. While some background is provided later in the book, full explanations of the nature of the Keane Foundation remain elusive. This book is sure to be popular with teens who enjoy fast-paced thrillers with paranormal elements.-Misti Tidman, Licking County Library, Newark, OH

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 15, 2013
In this series opener from the author of the Paranormalcy trilogy, two strong-willed sisters struggle to free themselves from a sinister organization that grooms girls with paranormal abilities to serve twisted, illegal ends. Two years after their parents' deaths, the Keane School foundation offered to house and educate Annie and Fia. Sighted Fia--knowing their reluctant caregiver was attracted by the free ride and that Annie, blind, longed for educational opportunities--acquiesced, setting aside her suspicions about the foundation's hidden agenda. For five years the coldly manipulative staff has controlled the girls by holding each hostage against the other. Though Annie's clairvoyant visions interest them, Fia's gift for making successful choices is more valuable. Scarred and toughened by brutal conditioning, the girls fight back; their unwavering mutual devotion brightens the dark tale. Annie's a rounded, co-equal protagonist, not merely an extension of her disability. (Yes, she's magically gifted, but so are the disability-free female characters, and like them, she has flaws.) While she uses the prejudice blindness evokes in sighted people to gain unique access to Keane's powerbrokers, Fia, more damaged, is forced to serve its ends by the founder's handsome son, James, charismatic and equally damaged. The flashback-heavy narration, initially confusing, proves effective, constructing a temporal mosaic that holds readers' interest and builds suspense as events come into focus. An effective paranormal thriller, even in this crowded market. (Paranormal thriller. 12 & up)

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December 15, 2012
Grades 9-12 In this visceral thriller, sisters with paranormal powers seek to escape a shadowy corporation without being caught by the Readers, Feelers, and Seers who anticipate their every move. Fia has perfect instincts, able to make split-second decisions leading to the most favorable outcome. Brutally trained by the Keane School, she makes an ideal spy and assassin. Annie, Fia's blind sister, is a Seer with visions of the future, but her real value is as a hostage to ensure Fia's cooperation. When Fia experiences an emotional connection to her latest target, an unassuming student named Adam, she spares his life and must scramble to protect Annie while uncovering why Keane wants Adam dead. Fia and Annie narrate, moving easily between past and present to establish the strong bond of love and guilt that forms the heart of the tale. White effectively captures Fia's unpredictable, moment-to-moment existence with stylized narrative choices, like Fia's twitchy parenthetical asides and repetitive thoughts, while Annie's narrative is grounded but emotionally complex. White's world building is as intriguing as her characters, making this a must-read series opener. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: An author tour and major galley distribution should maintain the best-selling status enjoyed by White's Paranormalcy trilogy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)