MIND GAMES - Nora Roberts

AMAZING! - 5 stars

Plot - 5 stars - Back in Kentucky, Thea and her grandmother Lucy both awaken from the same nightmare. And though the two have never discussed the special kind of sight they share, they know as soon as their tearful eyes meet that something terrible has happened. Thanks to Thea’s vision, their parents’ killer will spend his life in supermax. Over time, Thea will make friends, build a career, find love. But that ability to see into minds and souls still lurks within her, and though Grammie calls it a gift, it feels more like a curse―because the inmate who shattered her childhood has the same ability. Thea can hear his twisted thoughts and witness his evil acts from miles away. He knows it, and hungers for vengeance. A long, silent battle will be waged between them.

Writing - 5 stars - I don't know how she does it, but Roberts grabs my attention from the first page...always. She builds a setting that is warm and welcoming, then she adds characters that pull you into their orbit and make you love them. Then she adds a crisis that puts it all over the top.

Characters - 5 stars - Not surprisingly, this is where the story especially shone for me. Thea is fascinating because of her psychic gift, but she's also strong and kind. I also loved Rem, her brother, who is cute and fun and adds some laughs and entertainment. Grammie (Leah) is the perfect grandma--wise and self-sufficient, providing warmth and advice and protectiveness that are needed (both by the characters and by the reader) throughout the book. Ty is a great dad, and he is solid and dependable (not to mention attractive). Bray is just fun, adding more color and lightness to the group. The interactions between them are friendly, loving, and peaceful. Riggs is the evil who seems to be always there, underlying everything. He adds a sense of suspense and danger that are lurking, even when everyone is in theor seemingly warm and safe environment.

Title - 5 stars - Makes sense. Thea is playing mind games with Riggs. Not to mention the video games she designs that involve problem-solving and other mind involvement.

Cover - 5 stars - The cover focuses on the rolling hills and woods where Thea feels most peaceful and comfortable.

Overall - 5 stars - I had originally planned to read a few pages each day, but instead I was caught up in the people and the story and just couldn't put it down. The psychic element is so interesting, and Roberts knows enough to make it relatively subtle and not something flashy. Just enough to be intriguing. As mentioned before, the characters are all wonderful--I can't think of any that didn't appeal to me and make me want to live in the Kentucky hills myself. The suspense built slowly and relentlessly throughout the book and kept me turning the pages. The ending was not what I expected, but it was very satisfying, nonetheless. As with all of Roberts' recent books, I loved this one and will highly recommend it to everyone.

I Absolutely Loved this book. I was a smidgen hesitant because I wasn’t sure if I would be into the mind games of it, but I’m glad I took the plunge. I’m not sure if it is meant to be a true standalone or starting something else, but I would definitely be interested in more of these characters. I was able to listen to the audio version as well as reading it, and the narrator did such fantastic job of bringing the story to life. Thea was such an interesting character. Following along with how her mind works had me on the edge of my seat. Throw in a single dad neighbor in the form of Ty and I’m sold. Little Bray was a great addition to the book. I definitely recommend this one.

3.5 stars! This is a story about the strength of family sticking together through ups and downs and after dealing with tragedy. The generations have been brought up to enjoy nature, work hard, help others and appreciate the simple pleasures in life.

What I liked: likeable characters, genuine feelings, drama, people who enjoy life and work hard, cute kids and dogs, people with psychic abilities, the setting and landscape

What had potential, but needed improvement: some scenes are too drawn out, too much bland conversation, too tragic at the beginning, slow at first but it picked up, some of the romance is predictable and at times, it took too long for something to happen

Overall, this was an entertaining read. I was especially intrigued by the psychic aspect of the story. I enjoyed the characters although I wish some of the day to day life could have been more exciting. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC.

I can’t remember if I have read a Nora Roberts book before or not but I know her name is a pretty big one in the book world. I did actually read this premise before reading the book and I thought it sounded really intriguing. I was sold at happy family until the parents are murdered. Sprinkle in a bit of psychic abilities and we have a winner. I did really enjoy Mind Games (love the play on the title). The story was fast paced and kept me interested, I finished in 2 days. I like that we could see both Thea and Ray’s perspective's. I did find the psychic abilities also and interesting plot twist. I also liked the small town tight knit community.
I wish we got Lucy’s back story, she was an interesting character and also more of Rats childhood, what made the hatred so bad. I enjoyed reading about how close Lucy, Thea and Rem were. I liked that we got a bit of a love story out of the tragedies.
Overall this was a really good read and I would recommend it to most reader I know.

Thank you to Netgalley and SMP for the copy to read.

This was a really good book. It was not what I thought when I started reading it and I got half way through and was sunk. It was that good.
Well done.

Mind Games is one of Nora Roberts best story lines, I think. The reader will encounter extra sensory abilities, terrifying threats to the main characters peace of mind and safety, romance (but not too much, for those readers that don't like sappy story lines!), and above all, family. The characters are relatable, and one can almost picture themselves as part of the story, until you realize what makes the main character...different.

I do wish that it had been a longer book to develop the sub plots just a smidge more, and the ending was a satisfactory, well done conclusion but I felt like it happened rather abruptly. As a long time Nora Roberts fan, I would have just like it dragged out a little more to get the full effect of the power that was shown.

I waited years as a reviewer on NetGalley to have the opportunity to read a book of Nora Roberts before it was published! Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher! I volunteered to read Mind Games by Nora Roberts and was in no way influenced by anyone associated with the author or the publishing company. I read Mind Games on the Netgalley app for my phone and loved it so much I will ABSOLUTELY buy a hard copy.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

This book was as emotional as it was suspenseful from the very first page! I admit I cried early on... even knowing Thea's parents were not going to have a happy ending, I was not fully prepared for the depths of despair I felt for the loss. I adored the family bond of the Foxes and Ty and his son. The dynamics of the characters was so well done even that of our villain and our heroine, Thea. The premise was clever especially with the addition of the gaming world that gets transferred into the dream/psychic world. Plus, there are animals, a cute kid and a sweet romance to alleviate some of the tension. The only downside was the way Ty reacted when he felt betrayed. Grrr, it didn't really match with his character. I realize there had to be angst to get to the happy place on the other side, but still...at least we crossed that bridge and had the perfect reunion and happily ever after.

4.5 stars

Mind Games was a page-turner for sure! It had all of the elements of a good story. The characters were likeable. The drama of good vs. evil was engaging. The whole story had me rooting for Thea, her gift, and her ability to help people. I absolutely love the dynamic between grandmother and grandchildren and the small town setting. I thoughly enjoyed thepsychological thriller part of Mind Games and even though the story began with tragedy and sadness it was well worth the read!

Nora Roberts is known for her stories that draw the reader to keep turning the pages. Every summer, Thea and her brother are dropped off at Grandma's house in Appalachia. Here they can run free and breath. However, the summer of her 12th year, everything changes. Thea and her grandmother Lucy waken from the same terrifying dream and vision. Now they will spend the rest of their childhood with their grandmother. Things turn to mind games when her parents' killer shares the ability to see into minds and souls. Will she escape her torture or will he get the better of her? I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.

Starting a Nora Roberts novel is like walking into a warm, cheery home. For me, it's truly comfort food for my soul.

Mind Games starts with a lovely description of Kentucky hills that makes me want to go there. The words create a vision in my mind of peace that is later pulled away by the actions of Riggs. Thea, Rem and Lucy are a perfect family unit and the life of joy and happiness they build through hardwork and kindness is something to strive for. To see who "Tye" really is and became and how he fits perfectly into the life they have built was a beautiful thing.

I freely admit that I adore almost everything NR writes - this was no exception. I highly recommend.

I keep trying Nora Roberts, and it keeps being a slog. I need to stop reading her books. The time that I used to like her books has passed. This one has another strong woman with some supernatural powers, goes through a traumatic event, spends her life getting strong to fight a supernatural battle and ultimately conquers her demons. But it was a slow, tough read for me. Just need to stop.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was intriguing, fun, steamy and I didn't want to put it down. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I love how this author starts most of her stories with the main characters as children. I feel so drawn into the story that I don't want to put the book down. The pictures painted with her words draw such a vivid image in my mind that I really feel a part of the story. There is so much heartbreak in the beginning that I was emotionally invested before chapter two. I loved Thea's relationship with her brother Rem. He's such a fun character. And in a perfect world, we all have a Lucy as a Grandmother. I love how strong Thea is. It's inspiring. Ty was a surprise to me. I read the book without reading the synopsis and thought a different character would become the male lead. But I loved this twist. He and his son are so sweet together, that it brought out the warm and fuzzy emotions. The suspense builds well through the story. The ending was intense and fitting. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy. Nora Robert is a master at building a complete and complex storyline. Mind Games is no exception. Thea grew up going to her Grammie’s home every summer. The year she was twelve, her whole life changed. Following the tragic loss of her parents, Thea and her brother Rem are raised by her grandmother, Lucy. Not only does Thea have to contend with the loss of her parents, but she also had psychic abilities. This creates quite the commotion in her life. The beginning of Mind Games was a bit challenging to get into, but as the story progressed, so did my interest. I do feel like it was a little long, but overall I enjoyed the story.

Another fantastic romantic-paranormal-suspense, Roberts' newest novel follows a young woman who sees her parents' murder at twelve in a dream and finds herself psychically linked to their killer. Her gift causes both pain and relief, but her true calling is as a video game designer. When she meets her childhood crush and begins to truly fall in love she has to find a way to end the Mind Games with the murderer in order to live her life with love and safety.

I always enjoy Roberts' gift of creating characters with interesting jobs and the settings in which she places them. I could almost see the small town in Kentucky and taste the flavors of the food, smell the soaps and candles, and hear the songs. My heart broke for the loss of Thea's parents and soared as she found Ty and Bray. I enjoyed every minute of this book. (And thought Thea + Ty = 💝)

Mind Games-a standalone
By Nora Roberts-I've read The Circle Trilogy and Inheritance both 5 ⭐ reads.
Publication date: 5-21-24
Genre: Mystery/Thriller, Romantic Suspense/Paranormal
Tropes: small town, serial killer, single dad, former rock star H, close knit family
Rating: 4/5 ⭐

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for the ARC and ALC💙 ! I voluntarily give my honest review and all opinions expressed are mine alone.

The narrator is January LaVoy with all characters read by 1 person. I believe the voice fit the characters and the reading style brought the story to life The pacing was great and flowed easily with the story. The narration and the author were in sync, and gelled perfectly.
The narrator paused and announced every new chapter .The book had a table of contents which helped me follow along with the e-book and audio.

Thea Fox and brother Rem go to Kentucky every summer to visit Grammie Lucy. Both Thea and Grammie have the "gift of sight" being able to see into peoples minds and souls. Tragedy strikes and the siblings are left orphans after Thea and Grammie "sees" her parents' murderer.. As time goes on, Thea grows up knowing this monster has the same gift of sight as she does. When Thea falls in love with the next door neighbor and has plenty to lose, the killer wants his vengeance.

Roberts always delivers with edge of your seat suspense, a paranormal sprinkle, and a little romance. I enjoyed Grammie the best and thought too much time was spent on Thea's childhood. I wanted more from her current life with the hero. My recommendation is to read the audiobook because you can adjust the speed, skip parts easily (if desired), and picture the characters more vividly.

I have read and loved Nora Roberts for years and this was awesome. Mindgames might be her best yet. Woven with magic and suspense that Nora seems to just have that touch. Romance. creepy and supernatural all bring together this newest story. When Thea and rems parents are murdered while on their annual summer trip to Grammies and Thea miles away sees the murderer the story just takes off. Impossible to put down a fantastic read!!!

Thea can read minds, like the other women in her family. As a child, she sees in a dream a vicious crime committed that changes her life forever. Unfortunately, the criminal has the same ability she has and knows she saw what he did. The rest of the book is Thea living her life while she and the criminal play mind games with each other.

While it may sound farfetched, this is a captivating story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Who can she trust with her secret? What happens if she uses her gift to help others? Can she truly live a full life?

This was a great read, and I really enjoyed it.

Not family friendly due to violence, profanity, and dark themes.

Like most Nora Roberts stand-alones, Mind Games is broken into 3 parts and follows the main characters from childhood into adulthood. While this is different than most romance novels, it is tried and true for NR and she’s the queen of romance for a reason. Some readers may find it a bit slower at the start because of that but NR is my OG and I love it.

I always say that the mark of a truly great writer is not just that you enjoy reading their words, but that you truly feel their words. Let me tell you, if you don’t feel basically the whole first section, there’s no hope. This section had me all up in my feels. I actually had to take several breaks (unheard of for me) just to get my emotions back under control. Sitting in a restaurant with tears rolling down my cheeks was not on my bingo card for this week but here we are. From the start, Nora Roberts draws you into the story. When it starts with the characters so young, it always leaves me wondering where are we going from here. Luckily, she does not disappoint.

I'll be honest. I did not initially see this pairing as the main couple. As the book played out and the hero comes to light, I have to say I loved it. It definitely made me wish that my biggest crush played out that way lol. The addition of Brayden was an absolute delight. I’m a sucker for a single dad story, even more so when the kid is adorable, and Brayden is one of the best kids I have read in recent past. add in the suspense and flights of mysticism/fantasy that NR is known for, and you have yourself an entertaining, engaging, and enthralling read. Thea has overcome so much in her life, starting from such a young age. It’s inspiring what she has been able to make her life into. I loved seeing her adult relationship with her brother. I’m slowly learning that found family is a trope that I highly enjoy and Mind Games definitely hits all the right notes (no pun intended).

Fans of Nora Roberts will not want to miss this new release. New readers will get sucked in and want more. Lucky for them, there’s a backlist full of equally as engaging stories to get hooked on!

Althea "Thea" Fox and her brother Remington "Rem" Fox spend two weeks every summer with their Grammie, Lucy Lannigan who lives in Redbud Hollow, KY. Their parents, John and Cora Fox then get to spend those two weeks reigniting their marriage. Thea and Rem get to spend time helping Grammie with the animals, garden, her candle business, Mountain Magic and just be free on the farm. It is a way different life then their lives in Frederickburg, VA. Thea really enjoys this time because she can clear her mind with her special visions, which she also shares with her Grammie. The summer when Thea was 12 and Rem was 10, Thea is startled in the middle of the night with a horrible dream. When she goes to her Grammie, she realizes that she had experienced the same dream. When they call the police, their shared vision becomes a reality....Thea's parents have been killed. Thea is able to help the police catch the murderer, Ray Riggs, with her visions, where he ends up in a supermax prision for life with no parole. It seem Ray shares the same visions as Thea. Soon after Detective Chuck Howard and Detective Phil Musk show up thinking maybe the murders were a set up. Quickly, Thea makes them see the truth.

Life goes on, living with Grammie while Ray Riggs keeps trying to get into Thea's mind while she keeps trying to keep him out. Thea's out of college working as a video game designer. One day she sees that someone is at the neighboring house that Miss Leona used to live in. It turns out it's Tyler Brennan, the lead singer of Code Red, and her teenage celebrity crush. Only now he has a four year old son, Braydon Seth Brennan. There is an instant attraction and over time she starts falling for Ty and Bray. Just when everything in Thea's life is going well, the past comes back to haunt her. This time she is going to take care of things once and for all....she is tired of not being able to live a complete life. In the end there is a big showdown but in the end, Thea gets the life she has always wanted.

This thrilling, suspenseful love story really had me on the edge for the first third of the book. It was crazy how scary parts were. I just adored the life Thea was building. I cannot imagine going through life with the special gift she has. I just loved how her and Ty got together, along with Bray. Add in Thea's dog, Bunk, her best friend Maddy and the entire town of Red Bud Hollow and it makes for a wonderfully written story.