Always a reliable author but this time around I wasn’t hooked. Too much time spent on the life of a pre-teen/teen in Appalachia which, while provided character development, was not overly relatable. I liked the “sight,”though. Satisfying ending. The best part of this audiobook was the narration by January LaVoy. She brings life to the characters.

I received a complimentary audiobook for MIND GAMES by Nora Roberts from Macmillan Audio!

MIND GAMES follows Thea. As the book begins, Thea and her brother have been dropped off with her grandmother for their annual two-week stay. When both Thea and her grandmother have a dream that night about the death of her parents, life is forever changed. The women in Thea's family have a gift to see inside people's minds. Thea connects with the mind of her parents killer, which helps to put him behind bars, but also gives her a first hand perspective on her parents' murder and also leaves her with a lasting connection to his dark mind.

The first probably forty percent of this book is following Thea at around age twelve. I really liked that the book took the time to really delve into what happened to her family and Thea's connection to it. The grief in this hit hard and I was so happy that Thea's family and the whole community rallied around her and her brother. As we see Thea grow up, she gets involved in video games in school and as a career and that was a fun inclusion as well. I liked how that tied things together from the beginning through the end.

The romantic interest doesn't enter the picture until almost the halfway point, so this isn't a book that I'd really recommend if you're looking for a romance forward book. The relationship follows a fairly predictable trajectory. It's fairly insta-love-ey which normally doesn't work for me so well, but in this type of book where I feel like the romance is a smaller part of the story, it doesn't detract from my enjoyment.

I had an overall good time with this one and it was a fun binge listen!

"Mind Games" by Nora Roberts is a captivating read that delves deep into themes of love and resilience. Roberts masterfully weaves a narrative around a tragedy and showcases how her characters navigate through the aftermath with strength and determination. The story's exploration of overcoming challenges is both heartwarming and inspiring.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the book is the romantic subplot, where the protagonist finds herself drawn back to her teenage crush. Who wouldn’t root for a second chance at love, especially with someone who has been a lifelong fascination? Nora Roberts excels at crafting characters and relationships that feel authentic and relatable, making "Mind Games" a must-read for anyone who loves a good romance intertwined with a story of personal growth and triumph. I absolutely loved this book!

Mind Games
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow wow wow!!!
Another FANTASTIC book by Nora Roberts. It was so unique, original, & great. You won't be able to turn the pages fast enough. Characters are great & you will cheer them on. I LOVED this book!
Thank you NetGalley!!
I can't get enough of Nora's books. So sad I'm all caught up again!!!

The versatility of Nora Roberts writing is mind blowing! (No pun intended). This is a suspense thriller that has the 2 characters that use their telekinesis, one for good and the other for evil. A tragedy brings the 2 together, as Thea watches her beloved parents murder, even though she is at her Grammie’s and no where near the crime scene. During that tragic scene she connects a moment with the murderer. At the age of 12 she and her grandmother informs the police and they catch him with enough evidence that he will serve two life sentences. And now the mind games begins. Thea is putting her life back together, but she will never be free from the torment unless she faces evil.
Definitely a page turner, a bit romance but it is about family bonds and value, good vs. evil. I was drawn into the story immediately, loved the book and also the audiobook narrator was excellent. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #MindGames #StMartinsPress #MacmillanAudio

Through an unlikely connection, a woman and her parent’s murderer battle it out in a dangerous duel of the minds.

Every June, John and Cora Fox drop off their two children—Thea and Rem—for a much-anticipated two-week stay with Cora’s mom, “Grammie” Lucy in Redbud Hollow, Kentucky. There, in beautiful Appalachia, the kids run free, help Grammie make soaps and candles for her business, and eat an abundance of delicious home-cooked meals. One night, Lucy and Thea awaken from a terrible real-life nightmare, knowing John and Cora have been murdered back in Virginia.

Lucy and Thea share a special kind of sight passed down through the women of Lucy’s family. Twelve-year-old Thea’s sight is particularly strong, as she helplessly watched every moment of her parent’s murder. Thanks to Thea, they catch the psychopathic killer—Ray Riggs—who gets sent to a supermax prison.

But Ray also shares the sight, and knows it was Thea that ruined everything for him. Promising vengeance, he weaponizes his own psychic ability by tormenting Thea year after year. As Thea becomes an adult, takes on a career as a successful game designer, and falls in love, Ray Riggs is always there, darkening the hope of a peaceful, happy life. As his anger and vengeance reaches a fever pitch, Thea’s life begins to fray, and she plots a perilous plan to sever their mental connection once and for all.

With MIND GAMES, Roberts once again delivers an immersive story with beloved, richly penned characters. Suspenseful and moving in equal measure, the narrative explores themes of family, grief, and love.

So good I didn’t want it to end!

I really enjoyed this book, it took me through a lot of twists and turns as I tried to predict what was going to happen next and each time it led me in the opposite direction. The narrator of the audio book also did a great job going through the different characters.

In the book Thea goes through all of the emotions, luckily with the support of her younger brother and her grandma. The story takes you through and makes you feel just how pretty the mountains are and how much the family loves being there despite the horrible tragedy they've faced. It's no wonder Thea wants to go back one day!

As the story goes on you feel for Thea as she has to face a new school at such a young age, being the child of murdered parents, and also someone who sees things. Her life is not set up to be easy, yet she survives and perseveres. Once she meets her childhood crush, everything changes. As their relationship grows you just hope the pin isn't about to drop! Unfortunately, it does and it had my heart breaking just as much as Thea's with tears streaming down my own face. I felt for her and was angry for her and felt she deserved sooo much more! Luckily, as you hope all stories go, they do resolve things, not easily, Ty put in some work, but I was happy he did so and they were able to be happy together! Bringing together one big happy family!

The author did a great job of developing the characters and making you feel the emotions of the plot.

I'd like to thank netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

As always Nora Roberts books just hit, this one was no different. I really loved how it followed Theas whole story and showed how she grew. It was so much fun. And the audio was great.

This is my first Nora Roberts book I can see why she is so popular! I personally had some mixed feelings about it, but overall enjoyed it. Once she introduced the concept, I was hooked.

Thea Fox has spent every summer with her Grammie at her Appalachian mountain home. At the age of 12, one night, she and her Grammie wake up sweating from a horrible nightmare that Thea's parents have been murdered. Thea saw and felt the whole thing through the eyes of the murderer. She and her Grammie, Lucy, have a special gift of sight, but have never talked about it. As they grieve and work through this generational gift, Thea must relive the event as she describes it to the Police in detail. Because of her, the killer will spend his life in prison. Over time, living in Redbud Hollow with her Grammie, Thea will make friends, build a career, and find love. The ability to see into the lives of others lurks within her, feeling more like at curse - because the inmate who shattered her childhood has the same ability. He knows it, and hungers for revenge on her. He haunts her for the next 15 years, eventually bringing them face to face.

I really began buying into this book about 50% of the way through. The intentions of the Appalachian summer farm life described in the beginning was meant to be idyllic, but for me came across too on-the-nose. It was cheesy. There were many scenes like this, especially with the description of the murderer and his Badass attitude on life. About 60% of the way through, there is an event that happens in Thea's life that made me say "Oh, come on. Give me a break" because the cheese factor ascended the scale. But the mind games concept won out. It's a GREAT concept and was executed well as a through-line. Roberts had me hanging on to the very end. And what an ending! I would wholeheartedly be into this as a movie.

This is my second January Lavoy audio book. She is a character genius. When listening to her read, I have to remind myself often that she is the ONLY reader. She brought out the BEST in this story. LOVE HER VOICING and character development.

Special thank you to Macmillan Audio, January Lavoy, Nora Roberts, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

BIG thanks to my besties at Macmillan Audio for approval to read new Nora Roberts! I LOVED the last book of hers I read (Identity) so I was pumped to get approval for Mind Games.

This has an aspect of surrealism to it which is integral (in multiple ways throughout) to the storyline, but this book is SO MUCH; There is a romance, some mystery, thrills, sadness, family, love, loss, finding happiness, small town, music, games, and (importantly) MIND games.
I adored each of the main characters. Lucy is the Grammie we all want. Loving, supportive and ALWAYS there for her kids and grandkids. Thea and Rem are the perfect siblings. After what they go through as kids they have such a special relationship. They bicker like siblings do but without a doubt would do anything for each other. When the new neighbors move in they were also great characters, to each other and to the storyline.

I thought this story was very descriptive. From the small town, mountain farm where the family lives, to the worlds in the games that Thea develops, the imagery throughout was wonderful. The characters and their emotions came across well. Overall I really loved the way this was written and the story as a whole.

January Lavoy-- I've read some really good ones she's narrated but THIS ONE. She did AMAZING. The child voices, the emotion in the kids when they find out about their parents. The Lucy/ Grammie voice. Men, women, children. She did it ALL wonderfully here. The serious emotions she brought out in me for pretty much the entire first part of this..... simply can't say anything other than: amazing! ALL THE STARS for the narration!

MInd Games (Audiobook)
Nora Roberts
May 21, 2024

Somehow I requested the audio version first, then was given the Kindle version to read. I am not an audio book fan but listened to parts of the recording after I finished reading it. The narrator was good, just not the same as the voice I created in my mind for Thea, Ren or Lucy. Whatever version of this novel the reader chooses, it is a fantastic journey into the lives of three characters who have big changes ahead. Their lives will never be the same. This special stage of life will affect the readers’ comprehension of this story as well.
Whatever you choose, I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did. It will be published by St. Martin’s Press with the audio version by Macmillon on May 21, 2024. It is narrated by January LaVoy.

I keep coming back to Nora Roberts again and again as so many readers do. Why? Because she always delivers. She gives us something we want and crave: not only a good story, but characters we can come to care about and truly respect. Her female leads are a lot like the author: incredibly hard-working, moral, and practical. Thea personifies this pattern. She experiences horror as a child, but instead of running from it, she accepts it, acknowledges that it will be with her forever, and gets on with life, creating beauty through her gardening and her fiercely honed coding skills to produce captivating video games. MIND GAMES has thriller overtones; the bad guy is caught, but he has telepathic skills similar to Thea’s own, so he is able to continue tormenting her even from a high-security prison. But Thea (like her own creator!) is no push-over, and she learns how to torment back. MIND GAMES gives us an engrossing story, a solid, if not fiery-hot love story involving a single dad with a delightful son, and a breathtaking backdrop of Appalachian beauty, complete with a full cast of lovable animals. The narration by January LaVoy was, as always, first rate. I'm rounding up from a 4.5 since the storyline didn't grab me quite as tightly as earlier titles such as NIGHTWORKS.

𝗔𝗟𝗖 𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗢𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪🎧💖📚 •
Mind Games by @norarobertsauthor

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the ALC audiobook!

Suprisingly, this was my first time reading a Nora Roberts book. I’m not sure why it took me this long! This will definitely not be my last Nora Roberts book!

I really enjoyed that this book had a little bit of everything. Romance, mystery, Thriller, drama, Family relationships, and even magical realism! Nora Roberts writing style reminded me a little bit of Debbie Macomber’s writing, and she is one of my favorite authors so it’s no wonder I enjoyed this book!

Another thing that made me love this book is the fact that it is narrated by January LaVoy @januarylavoy who is one of my favorite audiobook narrators! She just has a wonderful and soothing voice. I think sne was the perfect pick to narrate this audiobook!

If you enjoy women’s fiction with a dash of magical realism, then this is the perfect book for you!

𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘 This book/audiobook will be available on May 21st 2024 at your favorite retailer!

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗧𝗢 𝗡𝗘𝗧𝗚𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗠𝗘 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗜𝗡 𝗘𝗫𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗠𝗬 𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪!

I received this audiobook's ALC (Advanced Listener Copy) from NetGalley & Macmillan Audio.
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🎧

What an intense, emotional, and interesting listen.
Summers at Granny's house in Appalachia were the best, but this summer turned out to be a nightmare. Thea and her brother Rem will never forget the devastating night they lost their parents at the hands of a madman.

What makes this story unique is that Thea and her grandmother have a psychic gift. However, it's more for Thea: She saw through the killer's eyes, and he saw her in his. It's intense and heartbreaking.

Granny helps teach Thea to block so that he can't get to her. It's a mind game, for sure. Over the years that follow, Thea gets good at keeping him out. But it's not always easy, and he has nothing but time on his hands and wants to make her pay.

What an interesting story about learning to navigate this amazing and rare ability while also having a life. Her family is the most supportive, and I couldn't put the book down. It had just the right balance of love, laughter, and dark and sinister.

The narration by January LaVoy was outstanding; I honestly wish I had more of her to listen to.

Wonderful story that kept me excited to read more. I had a hard time putting down this book. The story was full of suspense with some romance thrown in. Following the story of Thea and the special gifts she possesses kept my interest but I also enjoyed the strong bond that Thea shares with her family. This is a great read for mystery, suspense and romance lovers.

This was my first Nora Roberts book and it definitely did not disappoint. Her writing style is fantastic and encompasses many genres all at once, without feeling overwhelming. The main plot is a slow thriller, and it follows Thea, from a preteen into adulthood, as she navigates life wanting to be “normal” but having an inherited gift of sight (or something of the sort). That ability enabled her to put a murderer behind bars, but also created a connection between the two that she can’t seem to sever. A large portion of the book is just about her growing into who she is a person and finding her own strength. The relationships are probably the best part, from her strong bond with her grandmother and brother, to the sweet love interest that’s perfectly corny and complicated. I even love her dog. It’s strange going back and forth from sweet/cozy to thrilling/creepy, but somehow it works. This won’t be my last Nora Roberts book! For the audiobook version, the narrator was amazing, taking an already great book and making it even more enjoyable and accessible.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio in exchange for my honest review!

DNF at 33%. I was in the mood for a good romantic suspense and usually Nora Roberts can hit that perfect spot. Unfortunately this one isn’t doing it for me - 1/3 of the way through and we are still in the FMC’s childhood. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free audiobook to review.

I really enjoyed Thea and her family’s story. But fair warning, the OG Nora Roberts fans may not enjoy it as much. This is not heavy on the romance and really isn’t a love story (in my opinion). It is good vs evil, great power and great responsibility.

Though this is a long book, I did get sucked in and finished in two days. I enjoyed the family dynamics, small town warmth and magic. I also appreciated Thea’s job in a male dominated field and the fact that she excelled in it. Also, her love interest may have also made my teenage heart squeal.

I did however, find the constant reminder of “he’s been put away, he has no life, you do” a little bit unnecessary and forced. It was just said way too often. I realize this book takes place over a 15ish year span, but for the reader, it doesn’t feel that way. I also had a tough time getting through the “animal” part toward the end, but for different reasons.

Long story short, I enjoyed this book and think these new “light” romance novels will gain the author new readers.

January Lavoy narration of Nora Robert's 'Mind Games' is the perfect fit. Whether she is voicing four/five year old Bray, Grammie Lucy, Thea, or Ty, each character's voice fit their character.

Each summer, I look forward to Nora Roberts' newest "stand alone" as much as I do her latest in whatever series she is writing in the fall. Like many earlier books, the life Robert's creates in Redbud Hollow, Kentucky in the Appalachians is idyllic. A successful female video game designer is not the norm so it was easy to appreciate that it was Thea's occupation. Readers rarely see the side of rock stars in the way that Robert's depicts Ty. Baggage from early parts of life is the norm and well used in this narrative. The ending fit perfectly with the narrative that was set throughout the book.

There was one small item that kept bothering me and it may be because I listened to the audiobook. The characters Ray and Bray's names are too close and each time Lavoy was reading about one, although her voice clearly delineated who was speaking, the other character would pop in my head.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook ARC.

Before I review the actual plot points of the book, Nora Roberts has been my favorite author since I was around fifteen years old. Receiving an ALC from her is mind-blowing for me! I loved the premise of this book. Roberts books always flow so beautifully, but I'm not quite used to the main character starting as a child. Even so, this made me love Thea even more. Watching her be so vulnerable as a child and turning into such a badass was so satisfying.I come from Appalachian roots so this touched home even more for me. I adore Grammy. She reminds me of my own grandmother. I really liked the mind idea here. It's not a normal thing to be explored in the more realistic fiction area so the way it was made so real and not fantastical was a plus. Ty was so sweet and beautiful as a dad. I got so angry at his initial reaction to Thea's "snooping" that I yelled at my phone. It felt so unlike him, but the conversation they had after brought it full circle for me. The ending with Riggs was great! I don't generally LOVE a female narrator on an audiobook by themselves. I prefer dual and duet narration, but the narrator did a wonderful job! I especially loved her voice for Bray. Overall, a beautiful love story with a wonderful setting and great characters. 5 STARS!