Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio arc and exchange for an honest review.

3.8 stars

Thea's parents were murdered when she was 12. She witnesses it during a nightmare and has a connection with the killer. She builds a wonderful life but is constantly battling the killer. I liked the life she built part of the book best.

January LaVoy did a phenomenal job with the narration. I listen at 1.75 speed. I loved her voice for the little boy.

Pretty much anything Nora Roberts writes is going to be exceptional. She’s been a favourite writer of mine for years and was very pleased to be able to listen to this book. It was both spooky and emotional. A great paranormal romantic suspense!

Just a couple of things that I didn’t like…. It wasn’t as spooky as I had thought it was going to be but was still good. In the audio the voice for the Brayden was too childish. I know he’s only 4/5 but I know 4 and 5 year olds and they don’t sound like this. The voice reminded me more of a 2 or 3 year old. I was not a fan of the adult Rem.

Thanks so much for the opportunity!

I received this e-book ARC of Mind Games by Nora Roberts through Net Galley from Macmillan Audio in exchange for a truthful review.

After the first few chapters, I was ready to put this one down because I was scared about what was coming/being foreshadowed: a total downer, a great loss, children in peril, women in peril.
But I'm so glad I stuck it out, as this one was so much more!

Mind Games, like many Nora Roberts, has a bit of a fantasy/supernatural bent. Love of rural Kentucky shines through.

Yes, there are losses which will make you weepy, but there are also loving family relationships and precious/precocious children who will make you smile and chuckle. And gaming! And lots of descriptive passages about nature and food. Lots of food.

I listened to the audiobook and narrator January LaVoy was once again amazing, embodying female, male, young children, older adults, Kentucky and Virginia voices seamlessly.

Mind Games, the newest standalone novel from Nora Roberts, is yet another out of the park homerun! I am a sucker for a good romance with a little bit of mystery thrown in and this book didn’t disappoint. In this story, our main character Thea has a unique gift, which has been a blessing but also is dark and terrifying. What I love about this book is that Thea’s past to present was outlined which is a nice diversion from the traditional romance novel. Is there a love component to Mind Games? You bet there is! As only Roberts can, this book is masterfully written with deep relationships and bonds between characters, building stories within the story.

I had the opportunity to listen to the audio version of this book, in addition to reading it. I listened to the book a few weeks after the read and it added so much depth to the story. The narrator was able to portray the emotions of the characters and I found myself being drawn further into the story, waiting for the next twist to occur. I would highly recommend the audio version of this book to anyone!

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Mind Games was both riveting and compelling. I paired the e-arc with the audiobook, narrated by January LaVoy, which is one of my favourites. January LaVoy was excellent at differentiating between the many characters in Mind Games. Lavoy emotes the characters' grief, heartbreak, and joy through her narration. She did an outstanding job. She brought me along for the ride. With bringing them alive, I could picture them in my mind's eye. It was well-paced and cleverly written. I was captivated from beginning to end and had difficulty saying goodbye to the characters.

John and Cora Fox lived the ideal life with their two children, Thea, their twelve-year-old daughter and Rem, Thea's 10-year-old younger brother, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The family lived in Virginia in a beautiful neighbourhood and lived comfortably. Thea's parents worked together. John specialized in Real Estate, and Cora was an Interior Designer. They had a healthy and happy marriage that had not lost any of its spark or magic even after all these years. Every year at the end of June, Thea and Rem receive a special treat they look forward to all year. John and Cora packed up their car and headed to Kentucky, where Thea and Rem spent two weeks with their Grammie, Lucy. Their parents enjoyed some alone time at home in Fredericksburg while the children were with Grammie. Redbud Hollow was Thea's and Rem's favourite place to visit. Thea and Rem spent two weeks with their Grammie and loved every minute. Lucy lived on a farm where she grew many fruits and vegetables and raised several animals, including chickens and goats. She also made homemade soaps, lotions, candles and special homemade medicinal remedies called Mountain Magic that she sold and bartered to the people in their community in Redbud Hollow

Shortly after Thea and Rem arrived at Grammie Lucy's house, Thea was awoken from sleep one night by a horrific and vivid vision. Like all the women on her mother's side of the family, Thea had a unique and special gift. She was born able to see things sometimes before they occurred and sometimes while they were happening. That night, Thea was able to see a man break into her parent's house while her parents were sleeping in their bedroom. Not only could Thea see what this terrible man was doing, but she could read his mind. They knew he was planning to murder her parents. As the intruder passed Thea's portrait in the hallway, he felt like someone was watching him; Thea realized that this man possessed the same ability as she did. Thea witnessed the horrific murder of both of her parents. She watched and was defenceless, though, to save them. Thea and Rem lost both of their parents that night. The only good thing was that Thea knew precisely where and who the man who murdered her parents looked like, and because she was able to read his mind, she knew exactly where he was planning to go after he left her childhood home. Thea, with Grammies's encouragement, helped the police catch the man who had murdered her parents by supplying them with all the details Thea had recovered by getting inside the man's head. She helped put him in prison for the rest of his life with the details she was able to tell the police officers.
Cora's mother and Thea's and Rem's grandmother, Lucy Lannigan, had been named as the legal guardian for Thea and Rem by Cora and John Fox in their will if anything ever happened to them. Grammie Lucy embraced both Thea and Rem and lovingly made a safe and nurturing home for both Thea and Rem. Both Thea and Rem healed over time, but Thea never forgot. Even though the murderer was in prison, he was often able to torment Thea and get inside her head as the years progressed. They made good friends in Redbud Hollow, attended college, built lucrative and successful careers, and Thea eventually found love. Through all those years, though, the inmate's voice and actions never left Thea's mind. And it was starting to take its toll on her mind and body. How could Thea sever the connection and rid herself of him once and for all?

I enjoyed listening to Mind Games by Nora Roberts. It portrays the true meaning of family, finding friendship, romance, and purpose in life. It exemplified the way the same gift could produce different outcomes. Both Thea and the man who murdered her parents had the unique ability to see things, but Thea used her gift to help others and for good causes, and the man used him to perform evil acts, which often involved using violence. Over time, Thea learned to trust others again. I enjoyed the cast of characters in Mind Games. The ending was satisfying, and all the loose pieces tied together nicely. I didn't want this book to end. I am hoping there will be a sequel. I am keeping my fingers crossed. 🤞The touch of magic infused within the story was perfection. (IMO)— I highly recommend you read this book; the audio is essential. You won't be disappointed!!

Thank you, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press,and NetGalley, for allowing me to listen to and read an e-arc and alc of Mind Games by Nora Roberts in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

I keep going back and forth between 3 stars and 4, so I waited to do my review and I think I’m going to go with 4.5. The more I thought about the story the more I realized how much I liked it.
For one I absolutely loved the characters. Did anyone else dream about living like Grammie and Thea, because I sure did.
I’m a huge fan of Nora(The Obsession being one of my top books, read it if you haven’t) and her whole premise of the mind reading just blown me away. At first I thought wow this is weird, but by the end I’m like how cool.
I say go into the book with an open mind!

Of course January Lavoy did an amazing job like always.

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for a chance to listen to advance copy for a honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s press for a complimentary ARC for my honest opinion.

I feel like I’ve been missing out by not reading any of Nora Robert’s books. I really enjoyed listening to ´Mind Games’, narrated by January LaVoy. She did an amazing job differentiating the different characters.

I’m sure I felt every emotion after Thea and Rem’s parents are murdered in their home. Thea suddenly wakes up after seeing it happen in a dream with her special sight. Through the eyes of the murderer, she sees it happen. On the anniversary of her parent’s deaths, Thea and the jailed murderer get into each others minds. This was a a very moving tale as we follow the children mature and the author wraps it up well.

Siblings, Thea and Rem Fox, spend a blissful two weeks with their Grammie in Kentucky every summer. However, tragedy strikes. Thea and her grandmother have the same terrifying nightmare and wake up to find this terrible event is real. This is the beginning of a story that involves “special sight” that is not always a gift. Through the grief, Thea, Rem, and Ruth support and love each other. Thea continues to grow, heal, and find her place in the world, but will the bond forged with the killer eventually break her? This book really took me by surprise. The depth of my concern for these characters and the oasis Grammie created for them in Kentucky really tugged at my heartstrings. I hope places and families like this actually exist. It was beautiful. Thea’s intelligence and strength was a welcome aspect as well. This was slower paced than the typical thriller or romantic suspense, but I felt that was intentional and found it worked for me. Parts of the plot stretched reality significantly, but I was there for it. This was contrasted with the very down-to-earth existence Grammie secured for them. Absolutely loved the country lifestyle and setting. Nora Roberts knows how to tell a story. Narration by January LaVoy was phenomenal. This is a story I will not forget anytime soon.

Mind Games
by Nora Roberts
Narrated by January LaVoy

I adore this book. Nora Roberts does it again. After a terrible tragedy touches the lives of the Foxes, Thea, and Rem move to Redbud Hollow to live with their grammie. A monster murdered their parents for little more than the thrill of the kill. The thing is, Thea and her grammie share a special gift, though some could consider it a curse. You see, Thea saw what happened to her parents, even though they were nowhere near each other. Grammie did too. Now Thea has a connection to the monster, who also shares their gift.

Nora Roberts once again created a captivating story with a world rich in detail. It was impossible not to fall in love with the characters, the story, everything. I can't say enough about this story. I couldn't stop listening and didn't want it to end. Ms. LaVoy's performance added so much to the story, and she is a master at character voices. This is honestly one of the best listening experiences I've had in some time.

If I can leave you with one thing, it's that if you're a fan of Nora Roberts, or just a good story with a touch of suspense and romance, then I implore you to check this one out. It's that good. Thank you to NetGalley, Ms. Roberts, and Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen to and review this fantastic title.

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.

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 MacMillian Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audio book.

Twelve-year-old Thea and ten-year-old Rem spend two weeks each summer with their granny Lucy in the Appalachian mountains of Kentucky. Lucy runs a business making candles, soaps, and herbal remedies. Lucy and Rem love to milk the goats, feed the chickens, and run free in the mountains. Their parents return home and meet a fate they don't deserve. Riggs is eighteen and a sociopath. He hates people who have money and things he doesn't have and enjoys killing them and stealing their jewelry, money, etc.

Lucy and Thea share the gift/curse of sight and they both "see" the murder in real time. Unfortunately, the killer also has this gift. Thea can share enough of what she saw with the police to put Riggs away in Supermax prison for life and knows that Thea could see him. He wants her to die a slow horrible death for sending him to prison and has the ability to communicate with her.

The story draws you in from the first page. The emotions of all of the characters feel so real. I loved reading their stories, what happens to Thea and Rem as they grow up and choose careers, and how Thea chooses to deal with her gift and Riggs. Despite the gruesome storyline, I laughed at many of the scenes and lighter moments in the book. January LaVoy does an amazing job with the narration. She handles all of the voices of the many characters so well.

it would be hard to choose my favorite Nora Roberts book, but this has to be among her best yet.

Thank you to Nora Roberts, NetGalley, and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to listen and give an honest review of this audiobook.

Nora Roberts latest book “Mind games” as read by January LaVoy is another 5 star audiobook. The story begins with the murder of Thea’s parents when she is 12 years old. Thea has psychic abilities and witnesses the murder while it is happening through her dreams. Ray, the killer, is also able to read minds and torments Thea throughout her life from behind bars in prison. Thea and her brother end up living with their Grandmother following the murder of their parents. Her Grammie helps teach Thea how to use and control her psychic abilities as this was something passed down to all the women over the generations.

I don’t normally read paranormal books but I enjoyed this one. January LaVoy did an excellent job playing all the different characters and voices making it easy to follow along and get pulled into the story.

I listen to alot of audiobooks and found this one engaging and recommend it.

I hadn’t had the privilege of reading books by Nora Roberts for quite some time but recently two of her books came available to me and I really enjoyed both of them. Each of her books that I had the pleasure of reading only reminded me what a talented author Nora Roberts was. Mind Games was both riveting and compelling. I listened to the audiobook that was narrated by January LaVoy, one of my favorite narrators. January LaVoy was excellent at differentiating between the many characters in Mind Games. It was fast paced and well plotted. I was captivated from beginning to end.

John and Cora Fox lived the most ideal life with their two children, Thea, a twelve year old daughter and Rem, Thea’s younger brother in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The family lived in a very nice neighborhood and led a comfortable life. Thea’s parents worked together. John specialized in Real Estate and Cora was an Interior Designer. They had a healthy and happy marriage that had not lost its spark or magic even after all these years. Every year at the end of June Thea and Rem received a special treat, one that they both looked forward to all year long. John and Cora packed up their car and headed to Kentucky where Thea and Rem got to spend two whole weeks with their maternal grandmother, Lucy, while their parents enjoyed some alone time at home in Fredericksburg without any children. This was Thea’s and Rem’s favorite place to visit. Thea and Rem got to spend two whole weeks with their grandmother and they loved every minute of it. Grandma Lucy lived on a farm where she grew many of her own fruits and vegetables and raised several animals including chickens and goats. She also made homemade soaps and candles that she sold to the people in Redbud Hollow, Kentucky.

Shortly after Thea and Rem arrived at Grandma Lucy’s house, Thea was awoken from sleep one night by a horrific and vivid vision. Thea, like all the females in her family, had a unique and special gift. She was born with the ability to see things sometimes before they occurred and sometimes while they were happening. That night, Thea was able to see a man break into her parent’s house while her parents were sleeping in their bedroom. Not only could Thea see what this terrible man was doing but was able to read his mind. Thea knew he was planning to murder her parents. As the robber passed Thea’s portrait in the hallway, Thea realized that this man also possessed the same ability as she did. Thea witnessed the horrific murder of both of her parents. She was defenseless though to save them. Thea and Rem lost both of their parents that night. The only good thing was that Thea knew exactly what the man who murdered her parents looked like and because she was able to read his mind she knew exactly where he was planning to go after he left her childhood home. Thea helped the police catch the man who had murdered her parents by supplying them with all the details she had recovered by getting inside the man’s head. She helped put him in prison for the rest of his life with the details she was able to tell the police officers. Cora’s mother and Thea’s and Rem’s grandmother, Lucy Lannigan, had been named as the legal guardian for Thea and Rem by Cora and John Fox in their will in the event that anything ever happened to them. Grandma Lucy embraced both Thea and Rem and lovingly made a safe and nurturing home for both Thea and Rem with her. Both Thea and Rem healed over time but Thea never forgot. Even though the murderer was placed in prison, he was often able to torment Thea and get inside her head, as the years progressed. Thea did make good friends in Redbud Hollow, attended college, built a lucrative and successful career and even found love eventually. Through all those years though, the inmate’s voice and actions never left Thea’s mind. How could Thea rid herself from him once and for all?

I really enjoyed listening to Mind Games by Nora Roberts. It portrayed the true meaning of family, finding friendship, romance and purpose in life. It exemplified the way the same gift could produce different outcomes. Both Thea and the man who murdered her parents had the unique ability to see things but Thea used her gift to help others and for good causes and the man used his to perform evil acts which often involved using violence. Over time, Thea learned to trust others again. I really enjoyed the cast of characters in Mind Games. The ending was satisfying and tied all the loose pieces together nicely. I didn’t want this book to end. Perhaps there will be a sequel. I am keeping my fingers crossed. The touch of magic infused within the story was just enough for satisfaction. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to Mind Games by Nora Roberts through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story is told in third person by multiple characters. I listened to the audiobook narrated by January LaVoy. She did a fantastic job. I enjoyed her characters’ voices immensely as well as the the compelling tone used to describe the various aspects of the story and settings. The story follows Thea and her brother as they navigate growing up on their grandmother’s farm in Kentucky after the brutal murder of their parents and subsequent withdrawal of other family members.

The vivid characters really make this story shine. Thea has a special gift that is passed down to the women in her family that allows her to see into others minds and through their eyes. But the murderer of her parents also possesses this gift and he uses it for his own evil ends. Reading about Thea grow up while juggling the immense responsibilities of this gift was so emotional and rewarding. I genuinely enjoyed every moment of her journey to finding a fulfilling life filled with love and acceptance. She often uses her gift to help others whether through the detectives who helped her as a child or just through personal connection.

The story is filled with love of family, friends and community as well as suspense and character growth sometimes overshadowed by grief over their lost ones and the threat of their killer. There’s even a small romance in the end that I enjoyed. I love a romance trope with an adult meeting of a teenage crush. Though I will point out that the romance is a very small part of the story.

I’ve read many books by this author since I was a teenager, though this is my first in recent years and it may be my favorite. If you haven’t read Nora Roberts in a while or if you have never read a Nora Roberts book, I recommend that you start with this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy provided for an honest review. #MacAudio2024

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. The narration was amazing!

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

There's no way to do justice to the brilliance of the all encompassing family drama mystery Mind Games by the queen of romance suspense Nora Roberts but just know this audiobook is worth your entertainment time.

Like all the women in her family, Thea has the gift of sight, and like most, she keeps it quiet. Alas, at 12 years old, spending 2 weeks, with her younger brother Rem, at her Grammie's farm, she "sees" the purely evil man enter her parents' home and brutally murder them. What neither she nor the killer expect is seeing each other. He has the same gift, knows she knows who he is, and so the mind games begin.

Knowing the best revenge is living a great life, Thea makes a life in Grammie's hometown with found family and the best farm animals. She becomes a successful video game developer. One of the most poetic beautifully written scenes is when Tyler, our romantic lead, first sees Thea in the fields practicing her sword play. With the sun glistening on her like a halo he knows she is special, just how special will shock him.

Every voice acting award should be reserved for voice actress January Lavoy. Her performances between the killer and Thea, between goodness and evil, especially their final mind boggling battle, was pure artistic genius.

The characters are richly layered, even Tyler's adorable 5 year old son Bray. I didn't want it to end. I have been reading Nora Roberts since the 1980s and this may be my favorite book from her. The audiobook Mind Games is worth playing over and over because you will win every time.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from #macmillanaudio via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

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!

Nora Roberts is one of my favorite authors and this book reminded me of just why that is. She writes so fluidly and with intelligence and incredible wit. Despite this novel having a thriller vibe she still manages to include grief, family, tradition, children, and romance into the story leaving you feeling like you experienced and were part of the plotline. January LaVoy narrates this spectacular book and I love the way she creates a unique sound for each character so there isn't any doubt about who is speaking. She's one of the best as is Nora.

I enjoyed this book more than any I've read in the past year! In fact, it's now on my top ten favorite books of all time! If you like great fiction, check this out!

The book I'm referring to is "Mind Games" by Nora Roberts. It has great characters that are fully defined, great dialogue, a clear plot with scary thriller parts, a sweet romance, a unique climax, and a good ending!!

I enjoyed the psychic elements and how that was all handled. I loved the strong and intelligent female lead character, Thea! The family relationships with her brother, Rem, and her grandmother, Lucy, were great! The voice and dialogue of the little boy, Bray, was perfect. The dogs were a great addition to the story. Bunk was a terrific character!!

I'm in awe of the narration by January LaVoy! She did voices for young children, adults, men, women, kids over time as they age, a criminal, side characters, and she did it all so smoothly! All the voices fit their characters perfectly! January is one talented narrator!!

Characters - 5/5
Writing - 5/5
Plot - 5/5
Pacing - 5/5
Unputdownability - 5/5
Enjoyment - 5/5
Narration - 5/5
Cover - 4/5
Overall - 5 stars

I highly recommend this book, especially as an audiobook!!

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Nora Roberts for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.