MIND GAMES
Nora Roberts, author
Women’s Fiction

When the Foxes are in a deadly accident they leave behind their children. Thankfully they have their grammie to guide them into adulthood. Especially one of the girls who is showing some unique abilities that only grammie can help her with.

This book was a refreshing change of pace with Roberts’ stand alone books. With a little paranormal activity, a bit of suspense and of course some romance thrown in for good measure. I give this book a solid 5 out of 5 stars.

Whenever I get in a reading slump, having trouble making progress on my TBR pile, I can count on Nora Roberts to put a page turner in my hands. Mind Games is no exception. Thea Fox witnesses the unthinkable murder of her parents when she is twelve years old, but not because she was there. She’s psychic, and for unexplainable reasons, her mind links with that of her parent’s killer. They both have the gift of sight, only he uses his for evil and she for good.
Thea and her brother go to live with their also gifted Grammie in Redbud Hollow, in the Kentucky Appalachians. There she grows up, learns and continues to be haunted by the murderer. It’s a beautiful setting with enough magic, technology, and sizzling romance to remind us of what a wonderful storyteller Roberts has always been. This was a wonderful breath of fresh air. The book was published May 21, 2024. Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s press for the review copy.

Before I dive into this review, I must make a full confession. I’m a lifelong Nora Roberts fan and will always recommend her books. I found her in a Reader’s Digest Condensed Books volume when I was probably way too young to read romance and romantic suspense, and I never looked back.

Mind Games reads like a mashup of her old-school romance writing with a dash of romantic suspense and a pinch of her paranormal leanings. If you’re looking for a fast-paced romantic suspense, this book will not be for you. But I, for one, truly enjoyed what was, for me, a return to her romance roots for the most part. Add in the extra elements, a strong family unit unafraid to love boldly and love big, a heartbreaking murder, and an evil villain you are never meant to feel any good feelings toward, and you have a winner in my book. Oh, and romance. But that comes so much later in the book. The story is chocked full of character development of the main female character and is very much about her journey and her family’s unwavering support along the way. I found this book a refreshing change of pace from her last romantic suspense.

As always, Nora Roberts refuses to stay in any mold where she and her writing are concerned, which is why she’s considered a queen amongst a plethora of talented authors. And before you come at me about being a huge fan and always loving her stories, I can honestly say it’s not always been true. Some I’ve loved, some I’ve not cared for at all, and some I’ve been ambivalent about. But it’s her talent to weave these incredible stories that bring me back time and again as she has done for many, many years. If you’ve never given her books a chance, I challenge you to do so immediately.

NICUnurse’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭑ (4.5)

I have been reading Nora Roberts’ books for as long as I can remember. My grandmother was a huge fan, and I would snatch her latest book after she read it. So, it was a no-brainer for me to read Mind Games.

The main storyline of Mind Games centers around Thea, her relationship with her parents’ murderer, her gift, and her relationship with Tyler. It is a well-written storyline that shook me with the trauma that Thea endured throughout the book.

I found Thea’s gift fascinating. Thea was psychic, and somehow, she formed a connection with Ray, the murderer, who is also psychic. Thankfully, Lucy (her grandmother) is also psychic and taught Thea how to control the gift. Those lessons also, for the most part, kept Ray out of Thea’s head during her teenage years. Thea’s gift was strong, but I didn’t realize how strong it was until she built that world where it physically hurt Ray. And let’s remember what she did at the end. That did scare me because it showed exactly how strong her gift was.

Tyler and Thea’s romance did seem a little forced, but the more they interacted, the more I liked them together. During the breakup scene, I was heartbroken because of what was said and the accusations that Tyler flung at Thea. I also didn’t like how he didn’t let her explain herself. I also didn’t like that Thea tried to prove herself to Tyler with her gift. That did make me go, WTH?

I enjoyed the thriller angle of the book. I liked that it was a more mental game between Thea and Ray (because he was in prison). Even though I knew he couldn’t get out, I tensed up when he taunted Thea through their link.

I loved the end of Mind Games. I liked how everything turned out, and I felt that Ray got what he deserved!

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Nora Roberts for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Mind Games. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

4.5 Stars

Nora Roberts does it again! I loved this one! The story is a little unbelievable but that is ok because this is fictions and boy did it entertain me. Thea was born with a gift and when her parents are murdered while her and her little brother are staying with their grandmother she sees it happen in her dream. The rest is the story of her life and struggle with the man who killed her parents. I ate every bit of this up! I kind of wish it wasn't a stand alone.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read this book.

Another great book by NR. I loved the heroine and all the secondary characters. You get to follow her from the time she is 12 until she gets her HEA. This book takes several twists and turns throughout it but all gets wrapped up in the end.

Nora Roberts weaves a story that takes her reader into the heart of her character's turmoil as we follow along on an emotional journey of healing and survival! I was quickly hooked from the very first description of this family and once the drama really started to play out, there was no way I could put it down. Fast paced and addictive with a family that is easy to love and pull for as twist after twist comes knocking. I loved Thea and Tyler made a really great sounding board for her to rely on in the end. Lots of angst, danger and romance mixed in. Highly recommend!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! No slow parts but the prison scene got a bit weird and was difficult to follow. It had a good combination of mystery, suspense and romance with a steady pace to keep the story interesting. I enjoyed the Appalachia setting as I am a Kentucky girl myself. Overall, a good book that I would recommend. My thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Not for me. I’m not too into magic and paranormal and this author seems to be staying in that realm lately. I did enjoy the family dynamic and setting for this story tho. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review

This book immediately grabbed my attention, it is about a family in a holler in Eastern Ky (which is where i grew up), so alot of the things that were talked about took me back to my childhood. Grammie's husband passed away from black lung as did my daddy, book talked about chow chow-which my mama makes, just hearing the way they all talked about the beauty of the mountains, how there is always someone around to help you when needed and always having the feeling of home. There truly is no place like those mountains.

Thea and Rems parents were brutally murdered and this story is about them and Grammie, but really about Thea's gift and her dreams and how she never forgets what happened but always tries to live her best life which leads her to come up with a plan to get rid pf the killer so that she can live in peace. I loved the relationship that Thea and Rem have with Grammie and their journey to closure and their love for each other.

So many things with this book resonated with me and how i grew up -especially the feeling that those mountains can bring to your inner soul. Nora Roberts outdid herself on the research for this book. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this amazing story!!

This book was a great intro to Nora Roberts! I enjoyed the story of the FMC and the supernatural vibes. My only drawback was that the MFC didn't come into the book until nearly halfway through the book.

3.75 stars

Amazing Suspense! keeps you intrigued , great cast of characters. Mind games explores the psychic ability between two people connected by tragedy over a span of 16 years , the games they each play until one day one will win once and for all.

4 stars. Mind Games is the newest release from Nora Roberts. I’m a HUGE fan of Roberts (writing as Nora Roberts or JD Robb). I get super excited for all of her new releases and read most of them. Mind Games felt similar in vibe to Identity, which was released last year (they even have similar covers), but also had a magical realism component. The main character in Mind Games is a psychic who can see into the minds of others (she's also a video game designer... hence, Mind Games). I loved loved loved the romance. And as with Identity, it took a hot minute for the romance to start (we don’t even meet the male love interest until ~40% in), but once the characters were introduced, I loved how they slowly got to know one another and how things developed. I also really loved the family dynamics (which in a way, also has similar vibes to Identity). I loved Thea, her brother, and her grammie. But I also loved that her love interest was a single father and the kid was super cute and had a really great relationship with Thea. Truly, the characters were what made this one a winner for me. That and the small town backdrop with wholesome family values. I’m not sure if I would consider this romantic suspense, but there was most definitely a bad guy. All in all, I enjoyed a lot of things about Mind Games and I can see others really enjoying this too. As always, thank you to St Martins Press, Netgalley, and of course Roberts, for hooking me up with an ARC and physical copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mind Games by Nora Roberts. 4 stars

This is the stand alone Nora Roberts suspense novel for 2024. We first meet Althea “Thea” Fox as a 12 year old going on vacation to see her grandmother in Kentucky. Her whole family is on the road and she can’t wait to spend the summer with her Grammie. However, her dream summer turns into a nightmare when she dreams that her parents are killed by a psychopath. She is clairvoyant like her Grammie and she manages to convince the police that she can help find the killer. She gets justice, but along the way she is tied to the killer because he also has a gift. Therefore you have the cat and mouse “Mind Games” that takes place over years.

While this is book is focused on Thea and her ongoing battles with her parents killer, it also put an emphasis on her ability to move on with her life. She finds fulfillment in her work and relationships with her family and friends. It is a Nora Roberts book and therefore it must have a romantic element in the form of Tyler Brennan, former front man for Code Red - musician and composer - Thea’s teenage crush. He is living next door with his adorable little boy and this relationship is on a slow burn. There are conflicts between the couple but also a HEA. I found this book a fun read, but not the best Nora Roberts I’ve read. I thought last year’s “Identity” was better.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.

Nora Roberts has written another nail-biting, nerve-jangling suspense saga in her latest, Mind Games! A touching story of love and grief with an epic battle of good versus evil personified! After their parents' brutal murders, Thea and her brother, Rem go to live with their grandmother. The grandmother, mother, and Thea have the gift of sight and Thea in her mind's eye sees how the parents were murdered. She helps the police find and convict the murderer, Riggs, who also has this gift. He is sentenced to life in prison. This ability causes havoc in all their lives. What a well written story that kept me reading and enjoying every word. What an amazing ending!

Nora Roberts descriptions are always so great. I felt like I was right there in Kentucky with Thea! This was a lovely book. The characters were great. A good read overall.

I've read other books by Roberts, but I really struggled with this one. I didn't really care for it. The pace was too slow, and it took me way too long to connect with Thea and her brother. I kept expecting more to add interest to the storyline, but it didn't happen. The love interest shows up well into the book (~50%). Then ending was sloppy. This book just didn't work for me.

"He'd fight to kill while she fought to live. She firmly believed that gave her the advantage."

It's so difficult to put into words how this book made me feel. Especially because I don't think I actually know the full impact of it yet. It's hard, and it's special, and it took me on a journey like no other author can. Nora Roberts puts such heart into her stories and I love getting lost in them.

This one is particular hit me extremely hard. It took a long time to get through it simply because I kept crying. I couldn't stop. Whether it be the loss of her parents or the mind blowing love of her grammie, Thea's story was one hit after another. I can't even imagine going through what she did and still waking up the next day, and maybe that's why it felt so surreal to be a part of it.

But even outside of that, outside of who we watch her become, I loved the world building of video games and what goes into it. I love that Thea was a little weird learning how to wield a sword, a little quirky with her schedule and her seemingly packed away life, and a little lonely to never look passed her grandma, her brother, and her childhood best friend. As someone who feels a little lonely for all the same reasons, it was like an understanding and a reflection all in one. Maybe she opened me up to a new possibility, maybe she made a dream come true for me.

Because she also gets to fall in love with her childhood crush, who.... let's just say that you should imagine Harry Styles falling in love with you one summer. In this universe Harry Styles has an adorable kid who lights up his life, and Thea could use a little light in all her dark.

Because the darkness is always looming when you watch your parents get murdered. And wow did this one hit home because of it. I'm always so thankful to read a Nora Roberts book, but I'm especially thankful to net galley for letting me do it early.

Twelve year old Thea loves summer, no school, just long days of fun ahead. Her favourite part of every summer is when her parents drive her and her little brother Rem from their home in Virginia to their grandmothers in Kentucky to spend two weeks with her. Both Rem and Thea love their parents, but time with their Grammie is something special. Thea and her Granmie share the same gift, passed down through generations, of being able to feel and see people’s thoughts. One terrible night Thea spends her sleeping hours sharing thoughts with a terrible man back in Virginia while he walks through her house and murders her parents. He has the same gift and now Thea will be linked to him fast she grows up, and he wants revenge on the girl who got him locked up for life.
A bit of a thriller with a strong and loving family at the centre. I don’t love being terrified when I am reading (or watching movies or shows) and this struck a great balance for me between suspense and story. I love the deep connection and love between Rem, Thea, and their Grammie and the rest of their family and community. This book also takes place from the time Thea is 12 until she is in her late 20’s and I love getting to watch everyone’s lives play out over time. This was a one sitting read, I was both intrigued and enchanted by the story.
Thank you so much to @norarobertsauthor @stmartinspress and @netgalley for letting me review #mindgames Look for it May 21 2024
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Huge thank you to @stmartinspress @macmillan.audio and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Nora Roberts is forever my comfort read and this didn’t disappoint! Bonus points for the family last name being Lannigan. While it’s spelled different it’s pronounced the same. It was fun hearing it in the audiobook!
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Every June Thea and her brother travel to Kentucky to stay with their grandmother. When one night Thea and her grandma Lucy woke up with the same nightmare and they soon realize their “gift” showed them the murders of Thea’s parents and Lucy’s daughter and son in law. Thanks to Thea’s “gift” she was able to see the killer and he is behind bars but he also has a “gift” and the two are in a mental fight.
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I really loved the characters of Lucy and Thea. Roberts books always fleshes out an entire world and characters to root for!