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Suspicious Minds

(Stranger Things #1)

Gwenda Bond (Goodreads Author)

3.61 · Rating details · 6,651 ratings · 953 reviews

A mysterious lab. A sinister scientist. A secret history. If you think you know the truth behind Eleven’s mother, prepare to have your mind turned Upside Down in this thrilling prequel to the hit show Stranger Things.

It’s the summer of 1969, and the shock of conflict reverberates through the youth of America, both at home and abroad. As a student at a quiet college campus ...more

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Kindle Edition, 304 pages

Published February 7th 2019 by Cornerstone Digital (first published February 5th 2019)

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Feb 13, 2019 Out of the Bex rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I can’t tell you this enough: Do not bother reading this book. Yes, that’s a hardcore heads up from one Stranger Things fan to another. It’s not what you hope it is. Not even a little bit.

Full ranty review to come on Youtube later this week.

If I were the sort of person to blatantly curse in my writing, this review would be riddled with four-letter words.

Suspicious Minds is a disaster of a book.

This is meant to be the backstory or Eleven’s mother during the MKULTRA experiments in 1969. I can prom I can’t tell you this enough: Do not bother reading this book. Yes, that’s a hardcore heads up from one Stranger Things fan to another. It’s not what you hope it is. Not even a little bit.

Full ranty review to come on Youtube later this week.

If I were the sort of person to blatantly curse in my writing, this review would be riddled with four-letter words.

Suspicious Minds is a disaster of a book.

This is meant to be the backstory or Eleven’s mother during the MKULTRA experiments in 1969. I can promise you, whatever history your own mind has imagined for this character is going to be more fulfilling, exciting, and well-developed than the entirety of this 300 page novel. Stick to your own theories on the Stranger Things universe. There is nothing at all new in this book. It adds nothing to the grander ST storyline. In fact, I think it actually manages to take something away.

It is my opinion that the release of this novel is little more than a money-making scheme for the license holders. They know that fans will fall over themselves to get their hands on a copy. The fictional world and successful story within it already exist and an incredibly relevant, dedicated fanbase comes right along with it. It seems this book was made for the same reason as to why so many terrible movie sequels are made. It’s just guaranteed to make money. You can’t help but believe it will be good when you see it promoted because you already love the original work. You’re convinced it has to be even half as good as the content you fell in love with.

Trust me. It’s not.

I am absolutely shocked at the both the style and the writer they chose for this story. It seems they set out to please everyone, a tactic I’ve never known to go well. Have you? It simply doesn’t work.
Who is this novel for? It’s written so simply that it’s almost an offense to my intellect. Were they aiming this at middle grade readers? Twenty-somethings? Or mature adults? The people on the panel for this project don’t seem to have made that decision and it shows. In an effort to be something for everyone, it became nothing for no one.

I’m going to save the rest for a ranty youtube review and possibly a blog post because I have far too much to say.

This was extremely difficult to get through and an incredible disappointment for me. I’m a huge stranger things fan. I hoped this novel would add to the incredible world the Duffer brothers created. It did the opposite. After I’m done with my full review, I will do my best to pretend it never happened.

I should have just waited for season 3 of the show like a good, patient little nerd. ...more

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Sep 22, 2019 Matthew rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019, audio, supernatural, sci-fi, mystery, monsters, library

3 to 3.5 stars

Are you a fan of Stranger Things?

Have you seen at least a season of Stranger Things?

Have you heard enough about Stranger Things from your friends or seen enough about it online that you think you understand what it is about?

If your answer is no, step slowly and quietly away from this review. No need to go on. No reason to read this book at all. This book is the very essence of connection to source material, and proceeding without knowledge of that material is folly.

Now . . . I see ...more

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Feb 04, 2019 Emily rated it it was amazing

"What a beautiful little piece of evil."

Suspicious Minds is a prequel to the Stranger Things show, and the story focuses on Eleven's mom, Terry Ives. It's set in the late '60s / early '70s in Indiana, and whether this is a Stranger Things book or not, I found it to be an easy story to get invested in. Terry and her friends are likeable characters, and the story is occurring amidst the Vietnam War and everything else that was going on - yet with a Stranger Things spin that makes it even more fun. ...more

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Jan 14, 2020 samantha (books-are-my-life20) rated it it was amazing

Very interesting storyline. I love the show and after rewatching all 3 seasons for the 7th time I wanted something new from this world so I looked to see if they had any books I was so excited to see this. I get the ebook and read it in about 48 hours. It was so fun and interesting to read about I loved what the writer did with the storyline and characters and I really hope she writes more on it.

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Feb 28, 2019 Josh rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own, read_2019, horror

I love the Stranger Things TV series and was very excited to see that the universe was being expanded to include a series of novels and comics with Suspicious Minds being the first official prequel novel published in February 2019.

The themes that make the TV series so appealing are prevalent here though with a slightly skewed focus. Rather than a bunch of kids goofing around with Dungeons and Dragons, fighting monsters real and imagined, and having to contend with the horrors of the upside-down, ...more

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Feb 12, 2019 Spencer rated it it was ok

This was disappointingly unexceptional, the pacing was slow, the characters lacked character and the plot felt drawn out and uninspired. I hate to be so negative about the book as I love the tv show but it isn’t a particularly good book and I fail to see why it has so many high ratings on goodreads.

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Apr 22, 2019 Bark | Ladies Of Horror Fiction rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi, dark-fiction

I wasn’t sure what I was going to think of this book set before the events that take place in the Stranger Things Netflix series. I mean, I love Stranger Things on tv, but would I love a book set before Eleven, Chief Hopper, and Dustin and Steve’s unlikely bromance hit the screen? I wasn’t sure.

We learn all about Eleven’s mom, Terry, who is a college student when she gets involved with Dr. Brenner and his human experiments for nefarious purposes. At first it’s the chance to do something good for ...more

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May 26, 2019 Cameron Chaney rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019, adult, sci-fi, series

This book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Video review to come.

Stranger Things is a little television show made by a little company called Netflix. The series aired in 2016 and became an instant hit, spawning an endless valley of merchandise. It is to the point now that you could theme your entire home with Stranger Things merch if you really wanted to. And now you can add some Stranger Things to your library with Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds, a prequel nov ...more

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Jul 12, 2019 Gerhard rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: horror-thriller-mystery, 2019

'Stay strange.'

I recall that this first Stranger Things tie-in novel debuted on The New York Times bestseller list, much as the Star Wars novels invariably tend to do. The point, I suppose, is that the vast interest in such pop-culture phenomena bleeds over into books, which is not a bad thing. The world always needs more readers.

(Remember that after The Return of the Jedi, Star Wars was pretty much kept alive by the Old Canon books, with Disney now having wiped the slate clean, and producing in 'Stay strange.'

I recall that this first Stranger Things tie-in novel debuted on The New York Times bestseller list, much as the Star Wars novels invariably tend to do. The point, I suppose, is that the vast interest in such pop-culture phenomena bleeds over into books, which is not a bad thing. The world always needs more readers.

(Remember that after The Return of the Jedi, Star Wars was pretty much kept alive by the Old Canon books, with Disney now having wiped the slate clean, and producing instead a lot of quite crappy New Canon tie-ins. But that is another story.)

I was intrigued enough by the idea of this Stranger Things novel – the back story of 11’s mom, set in the turbulent 1960s, and the genesis of the Hawkins Laboratory – to want to give it a bash. Great idea; debatable execution. How much art has failed according to that maxim, I wonder?

This is by no means a bad book. As I’ve said, there are a lot of crappy tie-in novels out there, with some of the most execrable coming from the Star Trek universe, IMHO. But it could have been so, so much better.

I think part of the problem is Gwenda Bond is unsure what audience the book is aimed at. It deals with some pretty heavy issues – the Vietnam draft and protests, the government LSD experiments at the time – but Bond glosses over these issues with a YA soft focus. This saps the strength from the narrative, which by the time you reach the heart-rending ending, you realise has been quite a harrowing tale.

I enjoyed a lot of the ‘period detail’, which is a strength of the television show as well. Unfortunately, the characterisation is rather weak, which sometimes makes it difficult to differentiate between some of the large cast, especially the women.

And then there is Dr. Martin Brenner. Here he is even more of a cipher than he is the television series, if that is possible. At least Matthew Modine injects some creepy subtlety into the role; in the book, he just comes across as a sadly bland James Bond villain. ...more

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Sep 28, 2018 Sarah Esmae Wolfe marked it as to-read

IT'S A STRANGER THINGS NOVEL AND WE HAVE A COVER

description

(read the first chapter here! https://ew.com/books/2018/09/27/stran...) ...more

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May 19, 2019 Irene△⃒⃘➰ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2019

3.75/5

I’m a huge Stranger Things fan so when I found this book without even knowing its existence I bought it immediately!!

It turned out to be a very interesting prequel for me even if there’s actually nothing that new to know.
It still was a good add to the whole ST universe and we definitely get to know more what happened before the Eleven “era”.

Nice characters and very easy plot, maybe too easy sometimes?! But it didn’t bother me much.

I know novel number two will be released soon and I’m defin ...more

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Feb 04, 2019 Lisa rated it really liked it

Shelves: review-copy, 2019-release

Review from Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2019/0...

Suspicious Minds was not quite what I expected, but it turned out to be a wonderful read that gave a great backstory on Eleven’s mom, and how Eleven came to be in Dr. Brennar’s care and more about the origins of Dr. Brennar’s crazy experiments and meddlings with the natural world. Pretty much it was full of lots of the things we’ve wondered about since the show started.

Terry Ives is a college student in the 1960s and while the Review from Tenacious Reader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2019/0...

Suspicious Minds was not quite what I expected, but it turned out to be a wonderful read that gave a great backstory on Eleven’s mom, and how Eleven came to be in Dr. Brennar’s care and more about the origins of Dr. Brennar’s crazy experiments and meddlings with the natural world. Pretty much it was full of lots of the things we’ve wondered about since the show started.

Terry Ives is a college student in the 1960s and while there is a lot of turmoil in the world at this time, she is somewhat sheltered in her college life, but she wants to feel like she is doing something more, something more meaningful. It’s this desire that gets her tangled up with Dr. Brennar, whose research project seems like an honor to participate in and “important” in some way to her. She basically signs on to be a human guinea pig for a study that she really knows nothing about.

As the study progresses, Terry definitely starts to see signs that maybe everything is not quite as on the up and up as she first thought, and that there might just be cause for concern. I quite enjoyed Terry and her friends, and genuinely felt concern for her friends as they found themselves entangled in Dr. Brennar’s dark web.

A couple of things about this book that were not quite what I expected. First, I think I expected a bit more of a horror vibe while reading that, which it’s not. It feels more like an urban fantasy. , or urban fantasy with a science fiction slant? Is that a thing? I also think that all gets a bit blurry with things like this. The creatures can make it very much feel more fantasy. The science behind how they get there will make it feel more science fiction. But it’s the style of the prose that makes reminds me most of urban fantasy. What there is not is a that really creepy, scary foreboding quality that makes a book horror. This is by no means a negative, just was different from what I expected.

Overall, I found this to be a fun read that gave a great backstory for Eleven’s mom. If anything, I wish there was a bit more so I look forward to see what the next Stranger Things book brings! ...more

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Mar 11, 2020 Sophie_The_Jedi_Knight rated it really liked it

edit:
The more I think about it, the more I like this book. It was fun; I enjoyed it a lot. And the characters were actually really cool. I'm keeping my rating at 4/5 stars, but after stepping away I can better consider how good this book was.

original review:
I don't really love reading books like this, like Star Wars books. It's always awkward to try to judge a book when its world and characters already exist. But this one was cool.

I'll just say it: I don't love Stranger Things. It's cool, it's f ...more

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Feb 21, 2019 Holly (The Grimdragon) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi, the-infinite-library

"'Monsters,' she said., 'of course my brain has them.' As long as they stayed in there, everything would be all right. Wouldn't it?"

Are you slowly rotting away while waiting for the next season of Stranger Things like me? If so, this first official novel may take the edge off temporarily. Suspicious Minds tells the backstory of Terry Ives. Sound familiar? That's right, Eleven's mother! It's set during 1969 in Hawkins, Indiana. Dr. Brenner is conducting LSD experiments under a covert operation ca "'Monsters,' she said., 'of course my brain has them.' As long as they stayed in there, everything would be all right. Wouldn't it?"

Are you slowly rotting away while waiting for the next season of Stranger Things like me? If so, this first official novel may take the edge off temporarily. Suspicious Minds tells the backstory of Terry Ives. Sound familiar? That's right, Eleven's mother! It's set during 1969 in Hawkins, Indiana. Dr. Brenner is conducting LSD experiments under a covert operation called Project MKUltra. Terry signs up to become a test subject along with her friends Gloria, Alice and Ken. They undergo just.. fucking awful, terrible things at the hands of the manipulative Dr. Brenner and his quest to research the full extension of the human mind.

As viewers of the television series, we already know the ending of Terry's story. To be able to go back in time and have some of the mysteries surrounding her unveiled (including the identity of Eleven's father), while this feeling of apprehension lingers in the background was interesting.. and more than a little gut-punchy.

My favorite thing about this book is that the women are front and center! They are the primary focus in the story, which is so fucking refreshing. Each character feels fully-realized, rather than wooden background figures.

Unfortunately, I didn't find that similar level of nostalgia that I feel for the television series in this book. A lot of that has to do with the time period, which is one that wasn't super captivating for me. I found myself longing for more of the 80's!

Stranger Things means the world to so many people, myself included. It's one of those rare things that feels like it was made for all of us. It's just so fucking special!

I've watched both seasons multiple times and will probably dive in for another rewatch before season three premieres in July! It's like wrapping myself up in a comfortable sweater. IT JUST FEELS SO DAMN GOOD!!

I will read anything set within the Stranger Things world! Clearly I'm not the only one. I was happy to find out that there will be at least one more tie-in novel coming out this year, Darkness on the Edge of Town by Adam Christopher. The focus this time around? My boyfriend, Jim Hopper. YES PLEASE!!!

(Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada for sending me over a copy!) ...more

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Sep 02, 2019 Andrew rated it liked it · review of another edition

Okay what can I say - but I am enjoying Stranger Things - the mix of 80s nostalgia (yes I am that old) and good old monster movie had be entranced from the first episode, when I saw that they had tie in novels on the way I was intrigued to say the least.

Now after reading the first book (so far there are two - there may be more I do not know) I must admit I was not disappointed but at the same time it didnt totally re-ignite my passion for the series.

You see this is a prequel and like all prequ ...more

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Mar 10, 2019 Lauren Stoolfire rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, horror

Suspicious Minds by Gwenda Bond is not nearly as good as the tv series, but it's still a solid prequel. But then again, the tv series does set an incredibly high bar, doesn't it? Anyway, this first prequel novel follows 11's mother as she undergoes experiments at the lab and up to the point where she gives birth to 11. I enjoyed getting to know Terry a little more in this novel especially while she's right in the middle of everything. I'm definitely interested in continuing this prequel series. ...more

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Feb 12, 2019 Teepa Prince rated it did not like it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I'm going to be blunt with this, because I had such high expectations going into it, and felt so utterly let down by it that I am glad I marathon listened to it over three days. (Spoilers abound, you’ve been warned)

This is a very wordy novel with not a lot to say. What was pitched to us as a peek into the backstory of Eleven's conception/birth and of what MKUltra experiments led to the catatonic Terry Ives we meet in Season 2 was more like the framework of an "original" work that was adjusted t ...more

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May 04, 2019 Jim C rated it liked it · review of another edition

Actual rating is 3.5 stars.

This book is a prequel to the popular television series that is on Netflix. In this one, we get the story of how Eleven's mother gets involved with Martin Brenner who is the doctor that believes he is "Papa" to Eleven during the first season.

I enjoyed this novel and one can tell that the author is either a fan of the series or has done her homework. She set a goal of making this out to be like the series and she accomplishes that while throwing out various easter eggs. ...more

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Sep 24, 2019 Etienne rated it it was ok

Very disappointing. I had barely no expectation, I just was curious because I enjoy the TV shows (even if it's also going downhill...), but I still was disappointed. Very thin story, stupid characters like it's almost impossible to be that dumb, the ambiance wasn't that good either, we didn't feel the period of time as well as we do in the TV shows (it could have happen mostly in any time period...) and it just didn't bring much to the experience. I won't continue and I wouldn't recommend it! ...more

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May 09, 2020 LaDonna rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: because-of-the-moive, 2019-reading-challenge

I applaud Gwenda Bond for bringing Stranger Things to book form. I am sure that writing Suspicious Minds was a huge challenge, in that the Netflix series has such a huge following. Bond definitely did not stray too far from the source material. For this reason, some may be disappointed. As a fan of the show, I enjoyed reading the book. Suspicious Minds does take us behind the curtain and provide some facts that were not revealed in the show, but it is a seamless flow. A third of the way ...more

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Mar 01, 2019 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it liked it

Shelves: review-copy, horror, new-adult, science-fiction, audiobook, media-tie-in, tv-and-film

3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/03/09/...

For those of us who can’t get enough of Stranger Things, the good news is that Random House has partnered up with Netflix to publish a number of books based on the hit sci-fi horror web show. Of these, Suspicious Minds by Gwenda Bond is the prequel novel featuring Eleven’s mother, Terry Ives, who has been a figure shrouded in mystery ever since the series began. If you’ve ever wondered how she became a test subject in th 3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/03/09/...

For those of us who can’t get enough of Stranger Things, the good news is that Random House has partnered up with Netflix to publish a number of books based on the hit sci-fi horror web show. Of these, Suspicious Minds by Gwenda Bond is the prequel novel featuring Eleven’s mother, Terry Ives, who has been a figure shrouded in mystery ever since the series began. If you’ve ever wondered how she became a test subject in the government research program into the supernatural and paranormal, this book will reveal the story and more.

Suspicious Minds opens in the year 1969, and from Woodstock and the moon landing to the Manson murders and war in Vietnam, it was an eventful summer for the youth of America. For a group of college students in the heartland of Indiana, however, life is about to get even more interesting. After learning of the paid volunteer opportunities offered by the psychology department on campus from her roommate, Terry Ives decides to take part in a research experiment in the hopes of earning some extra cash. There, she meets others who have been selected for the program, including Alice, Gloria, and Ken.

But within the research facility known as the Hawkins National Laboratory, Terry soon suspects that not all is as it seems with the experiment or with its director, Dr. Martin Brenner. As she and her fellow test subjects are made to undergo more demanding and unsettling tests, Dr. Brenner also grows more controlling and tight-lipped about the exact nature of his research. Then, there are the children. One day, Terry happens to meet a little girl in another wing of the building, whose files identify her simply as Eight. The presence of other records indicates the possibility of even more kids kept behind the locked secretive doors of the facility, and Terry and her friends are determined to find out why.

The good news is, whether you’re a diehard fan of Stranger Things or someone who has never seen a single episode, pretty much anyone can pick up and enjoy Suspicious Minds. Because it is a prequel that takes place well before the events of the show, no prior knowledge is strictly required, though of course if you are familiar with the series you will get much more out of the references and other little Easter eggs thrown into the narrative. No surprise perhaps, but one of my favorite things about this book was getting the chance to meet Kali as a little girl.

However, make no mistake, Suspicious Minds also offers up a completely brand-new experience. We are thrown into another era, the late 60’s in this instance, where the country is a very different place than the 80’s setting of the show—socially, culturally, economically, and politically. Bond has done her homework, ensuring that her story feels at least historically convincing. Furthermore, instead of focusing on a group of middle school protagonists, this novel follows an older crowd—college-aged, to be exact. This not only puts Terry Ives at the right age when all this went down, it also serves to make this book more appealing to a wider audience, i.e. older viewers of the show who might find a “new adult” book more palatable than a YA label.

That said, I can’t help but wonder if this desire to please everyone may have contributed to the story’s general lack of focus. There are times when our 19-to-20-year-old characters seem to act, think, and speak like preteens, or certain sections of the book that droned on and on about the sentimental dramas of youth without adding anything relevant to the overall plot. I also thought the first half of the novel was also better written and organized than the second half, which felt a little rushed and messy—a pattern you see often with an author who has a pretty solid idea of what the beginning and end of their book should look like, but struggles to connect them with everything that happens in between.

Still, despite its flaws, Suspicious Minds was a fun read that offered me exactly the right kind of enjoyment and escapism. I wouldn’t say that it’s absolutely essential for Stranger Things fans in that it won’t reveal any great secrets or hidden plans for the series, but what this novel manages to do is what all tie-ins should—that is, provide more background history into the original’s story and world. If you’re like me and that’s the sort of thing you’re into, I highly recommend giving this novel a go, especially since there’s plenty in it to appreciate if you like the show.

Audiobook Comments: At first, I felt that narrator Kristen Sieh’s voice was a little off (too peppy, too young) for the kind of book I thought this was going to be, but as the story revealed more of its nature and the “new adult” vibes, this discordance became less and less. I ended up being generally pleased with her performance and overall thought this audiobook was a very light and easy listen. ...more

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Feb 12, 2019 Brittany S. marked it as did-not-finish

Shelves: ya, audiobook, from-pub-listening-library

Marked as DNF 2/11/19: Admittedly, I didn't make it far with this but I was struggling right from the start. I just didn't feel like this translated well into a book at all. I'm not sure I've ever read an adaptation of a movie or TV show aside from the Clarissa Explains It all adult contemporary adaptation, which also felt clunky and awkward.

The Stranger Things TV show just has something special that does so well in so few words. I love that so many things happen in scenes witnessed, stolen mom ...more

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Apr 24, 2019 Brittany rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: z2019-challenge, aliens, horror, thriller, 4-stars, action, fiction, romance, new-adult, fantasy-paranormal

If you are at ALL a fan of Stranger Things, you need to read this prequel about El's mom and the other test subjects, also gives more insight into Eight. Definitely enjoyed this and the evilness of Dr. Brenner still made me cringe. Now I want to go re-watch Season's One and Two again before Three is out!

4 Stars ...more

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May 22, 2019 Nikola rated it really liked it

You can also find this review on my book blog.

When I saw this book on Twitter I just fanboyed so hard and had to request a copy! My wish was granted which I’m so grateful for! I love Stranger Things as a TV show and was very excited to read Suspicious Minds because of that reason.

Suspicious Minds is set in Hawkins, Indiana, in the summer of 1969. We are introduced to Terry Ives, who finds out that her friend Stacey is going to a mysterious lab to be a subject in an experiment. Stacey doesn’t You can also find this review on my book blog.

When I saw this book on Twitter I just fanboyed so hard and had to request a copy! My wish was granted which I’m so grateful for! I love Stranger Things as a TV show and was very excited to read Suspicious Minds because of that reason.

Suspicious Minds is set in Hawkins, Indiana, in the summer of 1969. We are introduced to Terry Ives, who finds out that her friend Stacey is going to a mysterious lab to be a subject in an experiment. Stacey doesn’t want to do it anymore because it’s very weird and she doesn’t like it so Terry volunteers to do it in her place and see what it’s about. The experiment she’s taking part in pays enough for her to be even more motivated to join in. Terry gets signed into the experiment and has the privilege of being a part of something great but that ‘something great’ has a cost she’ll soon find out about. In Hawkins Laboratory she’ll meet people who will become very important part of her life: Alice, Gloria, Ken, Kali (008) and Dr. Martin Brenner. Each of the named characters play an important role in this experiment. Soon, Terry finds out that this experiment isn’t what it seems and she begins questioning why has Dr. Brenner said almost nothing about the experiment. Terry with the cast of her new friends will have to find out what secrets Hawkins Lab and Dr. Brenner are hiding.

This story isn’t completely linked to Stranger Things [it doesn’t follow the original cast] but it does feature a well-known character Dr. Martin Brenner. Suspicious Minds could be described as a prequel to the whole Stranger Things franchise. I’m honestly very surprised that this book has a 3.50 rating on Goodreads because it’s actually quite an enjoyable and quick read. The chapters are not that long and keep your attention as well as the story. I found myself feeling very attached to Terry, Ken, Gloria and Alice and found their friendship to be quite awesome. My only critique would be that although chapters were short and quick to read, there could’ve been more to them. I appreciated the shortness of the chapters but wanted to stay longer on certain parts of the book. Bond makes a great story-teller and I enjoyed her writing. I especially loved how towards the end Bond linked Suspicious Minds to Stranger Things [I fanboyed!]. Being a Stranger Things fan I must say that this was a good read – although different from the original. I was reading this book a week before exam chaos started and it provided me an amazing escape and my mind was racing through it because I was so invested in the characters’ lives.

If you’re a fan of Stranger Things then it’s a no-brainer that this one should be on your TBR!

I would like to thank the publisher Century (Penguin Random House UK) for providing me with a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions written here are my own and weren’t influenced by anything. ...more

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Jun 10, 2019 Ben Brown rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: stranger-things

As the first “Stranger Things” tie-in novel, “Suspicious Minds” is a solid, albeit unspectacular start to what will surely be the first of many “Stranger Things” novels to come. Detailing a year or so in the life of Terry Ives – Eleven’s mother – and set just prior to the flashbacks seen in the show, “Suspicious Minds” does, unfortunately, fall ever occasionally into the “YA novel” trap, oftentimes devoting pages, even chapters at a time to Terry’s romantic life. Thankfully, these sections of th ...more

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Apr 17, 2020 Lucy Tonks rated it did not like it

[EDIT]: more than two months after finishing this, i decided to lower my rating to one star

Nope, nope, nope. I picked this book up online bc i am a BIG Stranger Things fan and I wanted more. I won't lie, but I didn't have high hopes. BUT. This book started really good and I really taught, I would end up liking it, BUT NO. Like the first 80-ish pages were really good, but as I kept reading it, it became boring and the plot that we had was getting worse and worse. There were so many things that di ...more

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Mar 27, 2019 Eloise rated it really liked it

Shelves: work-related, the-importance-of-friendship

This book has very different vibes from the Stranger Things show, but that does not mean it is bad.
It really reads as a YA novel, set in 1970 but with a very contemporary writing style (which can sometimes seem a little odd but you can easily look past it). You can definitely read this without having seen the show but of course the Stranger Things fans will love the nods to the show.

What I loved the most was that this is the story of a group of young adults who care for one another deeply (yes, ...more

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May 01, 2019 sally♡ rated it liked it

some ppl will say this was trash and don't ever read it if u like the tv series, and i see where ur coming from, but overall this book was cute and fun to indulge in. if you're looking for a dark and intriguing read like stranger things, this isn't it - this book is SOOO young adult. but im such a sucker for ya that im not bothered,, it was fun to meet terry, eleven's mom, and the crew and to see what unfolded the chaos that is el (don't we love her), the demogorgon, etcetera. all of the charact ...more

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Mar 25, 2019 Joe rated it did not like it

The first book released for Stranger Things! Yes, please. But, bad news guys. It's not actually any good. Bond wrote this book like it was another one of her YA books but...yeah...kids should not be watching Stranger Things so I don't really know why you wrote a book about it exclusively for them. Do better Netflix! ...more

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Aug 09, 2018 R.J. marked it as to-read

2018/08/09 - HOLY SHIT PLEASE LET THIS NOT BE YA I WANT A GRITTY NOVEL ABOUT HOW HORRIFYING MKULTRA LEGIT IS I AM SCREAMING THIS IS ONE OF THE CONSPIRACIES THAT'S TRUE THAT I'M OBSESSED WITH ...more

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About Gwenda Bond

Gwenda Bond

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Gwenda Bond is the New York Times bestselling author of many books. Her latest is the first official Stranger Things novel, Suspicious Minds. Next up is a rom-com duology, Not Your Average Hot Guy (Oct., '21) and The Date from Hell, coming from St. Martin’s Griffin.

Her previous work includes the Lois Lane series (Fallout, Double Down, and Triple Threat), which brings the iconic comic book characte ...more