Book: Perfect Lies by Kiersten White

Published February 2014 by HarperTeen|256 pages

Where I Got It: I own the e-book

Series: Mind Games #2

Genre: YA Thriller

This explosive sequel to Mind Games, which New York Timesbestselling author Holly Black called “a brutal, exciting gem of a book,” is a lightning-fast, wickedly smart tale of two sisters trapped in a web of deceit—perfect for fans of Sara Shepard’s Lying Game series.

For years, Annie and Fia have been in an endless battle for survival against the Keane Foundation. Now the sisters have found allies who can help them escape. But Annie’s visions of the future and Fia’s flawless instincts can’t always tell them who to trust. The sisters can only rely on each other—and even their extraordinary gifts may not be enough to save them.

I really liked Perfect Lies.  After reading Now I Rise, I really wanted to revisit this series for some reason.

One thing I was really unsure about was the time-line.  It’s very much like the first book, where you have not only Fia and Annie narrating, but it jumps around as far as time goes.  It was the main problem I had with the first book, which I also re-read recently.  I did expect it, though, so that definitely helped.  It didn’t bother me as much as it did in the first book, and I definitely found myself paying attention more, because you’re seeing all of these different moments that lead up to the end.

It’s a very intricate story, and I really liked all of the little details.  It feels like one of those books that has to be really well-plotted, because I don’t think it would work as well if it wasn’t.

I really liked Annie and Fia’s relationship, and they really are great characters.  They’ve really changed, and I really liked Annie is this book.  She did everything she could for Fia and she really did try to destroy the Keane Foundation in the best way she could.  And Fia really changed as well.  She’s a lot less stable in this one, and she felt a little more…unhinged…in this one.  I don’t know if it’s because everything was catching up with her, or what was going on, but she is definitely not the Fia we see in the first book.  Or maybe it was always there, but the events of the first book really highlighted it and brought it out?

The ending was pretty open-ended, which was interesting.  I liked it, because it does make me wonder how the school will be and if Fia and Annie are okay.  But at the same time, I don’t want to wonder what happens, because I want to KNOW what happens.  I know there will be no third book, since this is a duology, but part of me wants more, because I really wanted more from the ending.  It would have made for an interesting 2nd book in a trilogy.

4 stars.  It took a little bit of time to get used to the time line but it was a pretty interesting mystery, and I really liked Annie and Fia.