MIND GAMES - NORA ROBERTS

4.5⭐

PLOT -
12 yr Thea and her brother stay for summer at her grandmothers and while their parents return home and are murdered. Both Thea and her grandma Lucy get real time vision of this horrific scene. Due to this esp Thea's vision their parents killer is arrested and will spend the rest of his life in super max prison. But this gift of vision at times feel skike a curse as she tries to build a career, find love but the person whom she sent away also has the same gift as her and this ensues a long silent battle waged between the tow as the MIND GAMES begin.

MY THOUGHTS -
I grew up reading and loving Noras books they bring such comfort and she writes such strong female characters and Thea is one of them...the way she handles her gift and at times overcomes it is deftly written plus her bond with her closed ones was beautifully done.
The plot was unique and very interesting to read.
Its a slow burn mystery thriller with romance in the end ( wish we had more of it though) and thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

Nora Roberts is a an incredible author. She paints pictures with her words as if on a canvas. Talented doesn't even begin to describe her work. This book Mind Game is no exception.

Thea is a twelve year old girl who has a great life and family. She has a ten year old brother named Rem a dog named Cocoa and then her loving mom and dad, Cora and John. They are going to be going on a road trip to visit their grammie in Kentucky for two weeks for part of their summer vacation just like they do every year.

Unfortunately this summer vaca is not like the rest of them have ever been. Thea is Physic and so is her grammie. One night they both have a the same dream ...Cora and John have been brutally murdered. Thea doesn't stop there she actually y on to see the face of the murderer.

Mind Games truly gets interesting when Thea figures out that the killer also has physic powers! Who will win in this battle of the minds? Only you will find out when you read this riveting, sit on the edge of your seat holy crap book!

I highly recommend this book! Fantastic read
Happy reading

Thea Fox is twelve years old when her parents are killed. She and her brother are staying in Appalachia with her Grammie at the time, but Thea still witnesses the whole thing. She has the gift of sight and it’s just like she’s there in the house with her parents and the killer. Thea’s ability allows her to help the police put her parent’s murderer behind bars, but even from jail he can mess with Thea’s mind. Over the years, he comes and goes in her life until Thea has had enough and puts her foot down, trapping him and forcing him hand.

When I saw this book I was definitely intrigued by the description and knew it was going to be good because it was by Nora Roberts. I was hooked on this book from the very beginning and couldn’t put it down as I got pulled farther and farther into the story. This book takes place over many years and I loved the way it was broken down and we got to see Thea grow and find herself outside of the murder. The characters in this book were strong and easy to like, this story itself pulled me in and wouldn’t let me out until the very end and the moments of sweetness between Thea and the support her family and neighbors had for each other was the perfect balance to the tragedy this book revolves around. I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone looking for a good thriller with a little bit of mystery, some strong characters and a story that will hook you from the very beginning!

Thank you to NetGalley and Nora Roberts for allowing me a preview of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Imagine waking from a horrible dream and then realizing it really happened. Your parents have been murdered. Thea Fox, and her brother Remmy have a wonderful family. At the start of every summer, their parents take them to their maternal grandmother‘s farm in Kentucky to spend two glorious weeks, just being kids with no worries of school and getting to bask in the love of their “Grammie”
Thea and her Grammy share a special psychic gift allowing them to see what is happening in real time, as well as from the perpetrators view. With her help the police are able to capture Ray Riggs and put him away for life. BUT! Ray has the same ability as Thea has and so starts the lifetime dance of their Mind Games between the two.
As Thea gets older, the police continue to come to her from time to time to use her special gift to help solve murders. But using her gift opens a little crack and that is just enough for Riggs to let her know he is still lurking..
This Book has a slow burn romance, the love of one’s family, intrigue, suspense and a crazy plot twist at the end. As an avid Nora Roberts fan this book does not disappoint.
I rate it 4 stars.

I just really enjoy almost anything from Nora Roberts. This was the story of Thea and her family, who suffered a tragedy in her young life involving the loss of her parents. Thea also inherited a gift from her family that allows her some psychic abilities that can both help and hurt. These characters were extremely well-written and lovable. I was sad to leave them after finishing the story. I love that we got to see so much of Thea’s life in one book and how much she evolved and accomplished. Definitely pick this one up if you’re a fan of the author or if you just want a really good book to read!

I always love the magical elements in Nora Roberts' books.

Thea and Rem spend two weeks with Grammie in Kentucky every summer. They get some time on the farm and their parents get some alone time. Thea awakes from a nightmare that something happened to her parents, runs to Grammie's room and sees Grammie also had the same vision. Thea is able to assist detectives in finding their killer.

The killer is in prison for life. Unfortunately, he shares the same gift as Thea and Grammie, and spends years trying to mess with her playing "mind games".

Ty, Thea's teen crush musician, moves to town with his young son, and a romance blooms. Meanwhile she is still dealing with the mind games.

I loved the romance, the mystery, and all the family elements.

January LaVoy did an amazing job on this audio.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press for an eARC and MacMillan Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this earc

This one felt like old Nora Roberts. I’ve been having hard time with the last few books because they were too long and didn’t feel right. But this one reminded again why I’ve been reading Nora’s books for years.

It had the mystery, the romance, the small town setting and the spooky. Always witchy vibes I love so much. It was full of heart and fun. Definitely pick it up.

As usual Nora Roberts wrote a great and unusual story. Many of us feel we have a sixth sense, and in the case of Thea Fox and her grandmother Lucy, both have it for real. The story will make you smile and cry. The plots take you places you fear and struggle through along with Thea. It's struggle and fear plus determination to be the victor, iI's also love and betrayal, all gripping you to keep reading. A story you won't forget immediately after you close the final pages. Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press this is my heartfelt opinion.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really struggled with how slow this story moved. Especially with how long it was. This is my first book by this author and will probably give her another shot. I enjoyed the characters and their development.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy.

Oh My Goodness!! I laughed, cried, gasped out loud all throughout this book. I don't know where Nora Roberts gets her ideas for her stories because this was an absolutely awesome story! I didn't want to put it down and just wanted to keep reading until I got to the end. I think Thea was my favorite character in the book, not because of her abilities but because of who she is and who she wants to become. She fights for normal as much as possible and I think that's all anyone wants out of life. That she gets her happily ever after is just the icing on the cake. Great summer read on the beach!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher.

The first half of the book is 2 1/2 stars for me...I don't mind the supernatural elements, but somehow while Thea is a child, the writing style feels simplistic and a little cheesy. Once she's an adult, it feels more like a Nora Robert's novel, and it's 4 1/2 stars for me.

Roberts' romantic supsense books are always an intense read and this might be one of the darker ones I've read yet. I really liked Thea as a main character and her relationship with her family - epseically her grandmother. Their bond was special and only made more so by the gift/curse they both share. The connection between Thea and the killer was tough to read and definitely emphasized the curse part.

Roberts' books are addictive and this was no different. When I picked this one up I fell into Thea's world and was hooked until I finally had to reluctantly put the book down to get some sleep. If you're a fan of Nora Roberts' romantic suspense books you want be disappointed. If you're looking for a fast paced read with likable main characters, solid family and friend relationships, a solid romantic relationship,and a hefty helping of suspense you can't go wrong with this one.

Thea’s childhood is ripped apart one traumatic night when her parents are murdered. Worst of all, her psychic gift allowed her to connect with the murderer and “see” how it happened. Somehow, with her grandmother, Lucy and her brother, Rem, they picked up the pieces of their shattered lives and tried to heal together. But the killer had the same ability as Thea and knew Thea was the one who helped the cops catch him. He’s determined to get revenge and Thea’s just as determined to stop him.

I loved all the characters in this book, especially Lucy and Braydon, who were my favorites. I was very intrigued by the plotline and Thea’s way of dealing with the killer. The author did a fantastic job of crafting a story with such rich details I could visualize it all in my mind.

The best thing about this story, other than the adorable Braydon, were the interpersonal relationships and connections. The love and deep friendships tug at the heartstrings and it’s why I love Nora Roberts’ books.

The ending was a bit anti-climactic but I loved one of the plot twists which was excellent. Mind Games is a rich story with an intriguing plotline and amazing family values and connections.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t think I was going to finish this one, but then I got sucked in. This was a lot MORE than just a romance, which is good and bad. Good in that it was more psychological thriller. I don’t generally read those, but I’ve read some NR books with paranormal aspects before and loved them. This one captivated me, but. (That happens a lot in the book. Ending a sentence with a preposition with an implied finish.) Bad in that the romance was slow moving, late to appear in the book, and a bit flat for me. There was so much description for me that I skimmed some. I hate doing that because I feel like I might miss something. The climax was WOW, but the ending short in comparison to the rest. I feel like it could have been a lot shorter and still been as captivating.

This latest book by Nora Roberts is romantic suspense but relying very heavily on the paranormal. When Thea parents are killed, she tragically witnesses their murder. However, Thea is hundreds of miles away and is only a witness to the murder through a psychic connection. Unfortunately, that connection is with the killer, and it seems he also has a psychic connection with her.
What follows is Thea handling not only her newfound psychic ability but also dealing with the repercussions of being connected to a killer. In a true test of mind games who will ultimately win?

Every summer Thea and Rem Fox spend two weeks with their Grammie Lucy, in Kentucky, giving a mini-break to their parents. One day during the two week break, a serial killer targets their mom at the grocery store and follows her home. That night while they are asleep, he breaks in and kills them both. Thea & Grammie both have psychic abilities, though Thea's is stronger. They both see the murder happen and Thea sees the murderer's face and links up with him psychically, because he also has psychic abilities. Through Thea's help, the police are able to capture him and put him in prison. Thea grows up, goes to college, and starts working for a company designing video games. She has a house, a dog, some chickens, but she also has the inmate who killed her parents constantly in her head taunting her and tormenting her. She won't be able to rest until she has defeated him once and for all.

This book was a little different from this author's usual books. I liked Grammie and Thea - they both made for excellent female protaganists. I did think the dialogue was a little clunky. At least that isn't the way we talk around here, but maybe they do in other place...I don't know. I personally had a harder time maintaining interest in this one, maybe because of the subject matter, since it mainly focused on video games & using her psychic abilities. Overall I would give this a solid 4.

It's been a number of years since I have read a Nora Roberts novel, and Mind Games has reminded me of how much I used to enjoy reading her books. This one is a bit creepier than I remember, but as expected, it had me on the edge of my seat and turning pages well into the night as I couldn't wait to see how it would turn out.

The characters are well-developed, with all the flaws and love I could imagine in any real family and community. The supernatural gift that Thea shares with her Grammie and other women in her family felt real and added such terror to the story that I kept waiting for something awful to happen.

Gamers will enjoy Thea's chosen career as a game designer, as well as the way she uses gaming to exact her revenge/control her antagonist. I loved Bray and Bunk's relationship, and also fell a little in love with Ty and Bray, myself.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC of Mind Games by Nora Roberts. The opinions in this review are my own.

I was provided both an ebook and an audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I actually really enjoyed this book! This started out as a questionable read for me, as the main character Thea is a child when the villian Ray Riggs enters the storyline. I don't enjoy thrillers where children are involved, but I really liked what the author did with the interactions between Riggs and Thea. I thought it was a creative way for them to interact, while still protecting Thea as a child and as she grows up and she is ready to face him in person. Make no mistake the interactions with Riggs are plenty ugly and at time vulgar, but knowing that he and Thea are never physically in the same space makes for an interesting plotline and easier to stomach when she is younger. There are several scenes where you are going to want to check trigger warnings for especially when Riggs is in the drivers seat or when Thea is describing crime scenes to the detectives. While short, they are disturbing.

I thought the pacing was good in this one. I sometimes find Roberts book to be a tad on the long side and the pace to be slow, but I didn't find that to be the case with this one. This follow Thea and her brother from childhood when tragedy strikes their family on their annual 2 week trip to their grandmothers Kentucky home. Grammie becomes their legal guardian and raises them into successful adults. Both Grammie and Thea have a gift, so this does delve a bit into the paranormal throughout the book as Thea has a connection with the man who killed her parents. She works hard to keep him out, but he is working just as hard to break down her walls. As we follow Thea through adulthood, we see her build a successful career and life, and when she least expects it love enters the picture. I thought all of the characters had good character development and well defined storylines. I loved all the side characters as well and felt they did a good job to support the story. I was invested in Thea and Ty's relationship as their romance developed, and thought they had good chemistry. This is pretty closed door when it comes to the spice, which I prefer. I also loved all the references to home cooked meals. This book should come with a supplemental cookbook for all of the yummy things Thea and Grammie cooked, as well as Grammie's secret recipes to her soaps, candles, and lotions.

Overall I thought this was really entertaining. Sometimes the author's work can feel a bit formulaic, and while that might have been true for this book that formula worked really well for me here. If you are a Nora Roberts fan and like a thriller with a paranormal twist this, I recommend this one!

Mind Games by Nora Roberts is the tale of a young lady with Psychic abilities and the struggle of using it and not using it. Thea is visiting her grandmother when she sees a man called Riggs murder her parents. Of course, she doubts herself until she finds out this ability is passed down in the females of her family. Riggs is a despicable man and has no remorse for the chaos he leaves in the wake of murdering their parents or the hurt he heaps from the previous kills he has done. They will spend the entire book struggling to live and to know how to handle this ability, which, regrettably, Riggs has as well. What I really felt was compelling was these two characters have the same ability, but one chooses to do evil things with it, and the other chooses to hide it at times but, when needed, uses it for good. The way Thea takes back her life against Riggs at the end is epic and the perfect way to play out Mind Games while following all the rules.

3.5 stars

A likeable easy read with some magical realism. The first half of the novel had a lot of detail about Thea’s daily childhood life with her grandma and brother after the murder of her parents and this served to slow the pacing. The second half picked up substantially and it was also when the romantic interest, Tyler, appeared. The main characters were likeable and Tyler’s son was adorable. The Thea and Tyler relationship worked well but it should have occurred earlier in the story. The suspense part of the story was psychological in nature (hence the title, Mind Games) and was interesting. There was a pretty good ending though I thought it would have been more suspenseful.

Overall, this was a pleasant read but, for me, it could have had better pacing and less descriptive writing. Lovers of Nora Roberts will, I think, like this one.

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.