Review- Kiss Of Snow by Nalini Singh

Summary-

Since the moment of her defection from the PsyNet and into the SnowDancer wolf pack, Sienna Lauren has had one weakness. Hawke. Alpha and dangerous, he compels her to madness.

Hawke is used to walking alone, having lost the woman who would’ve been his mate long ago. But Sienna fascinates the primal heart of him, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf.

Then Sienna changes the rules and suddenly, there is no more distance, only the most intimate of battles between two people who were never meant to meet. Yet as they strip away each other’s secrets in a storm of raw emotion, they must also ready themselves for a far more vicious fight…

A deadly enemy is out to destroy SnowDancer, striking at everything they hold dear, but it is Sienna’s darkest secret that may yet savage the pack that is her home…and the alpha who is its heartbeat…

Release date: May 31st 2011

Published by: Gollancz

Page numbers: 432

Review-

I LOVE Hawke. I've loved him since we met him in the first book and I was waiting for his book since I finished reading the first book in the psy-changeling series by Nalini Singh. So, obviously my expectations of Kiss of Snow were super high. I am SO happy that Nalini Singh met and exceeded my expectations. I loved Kiss of Snow.

Let's start with Hawke. He is the lone alpha. Hawke has lost his mate when he was a child and he never expects to mate again. The only thing he did not see coming in his life was Sienna Lauren. I loved how possessive and protective Hawke was. He tries so hard to resist Sienna because of their age difference but there is something pulling them together.

Then there's Sienna. When we'd first met her in the previous books I wasn't completely sure about her. She was young, still is in this book and I couldn't picture Hawke and Sienna together. But they were amazing. Sienna blew me away with her feelings for Hawke and the pack. I came to love and respect her and she was perfect for Hawke.

The romance, the chemistry, every single thing in this book was hot. Hawke was HOT. Hawke and Sienna had a playfulness in their relationship which each had lost before. I loved seeing Sienna fight for more with Hawke and Hawke finally giving in. When that man falls, he falls hard.

We get a beautiful side story of Lara and Walker. With the SnowDancers we even get glimpses of what's happening with Luc and Sascha and the DarkRiver pack. Kiss of Snow has an amazing climax and things have just gotten better. This is easily one of my favorite books in the series. If there is any doubt in your mind about starting this series, ignore it because Nalini Singh is awesome!

Review- Shield of Winter by Nalini Singh

Summary-

Assassin. Soldier. Arrow. That is who Vasic is, who he will always be. His soul drenched in blood, his conscience heavy with the weight of all he’s done, he exists in the shadows, far from the hope his people can almost touch—if only they do not first drown in the murderous insanity of a lethal contagion. To stop the wave of death, Vasic must complete the simplest and most difficult mission of his life. 

For if the Psy race is to survive, the empaths must wake…

Having rebuilt her life after medical “treatment” that violated her mind and sought to stifle her abilities, Ivy should have run from the black-clad Arrow with eyes of winter frost. But Ivy Jane has never done what she should. Now, she'll fight for her people, and for this Arrow who stands as her living shield, yet believes he is beyond redemption. But as the world turns to screaming crimson, even Ivy’s fierce will may not be enough to save Vasic from the cold darkness…

Release date: June 3rd, 2015

Published by: Berkley

Page numbers: 431

Review-

I had been waiting for the release of Shield of Winter from a looong time. That may be due to the fact that I devoured the entire series in one go last year. But anyways, Vasic seemed to be standing on the edge so I was eager for his story. Shield of Winter certainly did not disappoint me. I loved it!

Before getting into the story, I'd like to say that it is of vital importance to read the previous books. Things are explained well but there are many story arcs and I think knowing the background makes for a better read. Vasic is an Arrow. Arrows are cold blooded soldiers and because of this Vasic thinks that the crimes he has committed are irrevocable. 

I loved Vasic. He has strong but he really felt that he was undeserving of anything good and pure. His story was frankly heartbreaking and I'm so glad he found Ivy. Ivy, is an empath. Her kind has been destroyed but now the psy need their help to survive. I also really liked Ivy. She was the warmth and sunshine which Vasic needed. She was a bit pushy at times but I think Vasic needed that to overcome his insecurities.

The romance between Vasic and Ivy wasn't as swoon worthy as some of the previous books. But I may feel that way because I have solid favorites, beyond compare in this series. They know they have a connection but they take their time acting on it. It was kinda a slow burn and things only progress a bit later in the book.

I also loved the fact that we got to see Luc and Hawke with their better halves. Kaleb and Sahara were a pleasure to watch and the conversation between Judd and Vasic was hilarious! The one person who captured my attention though was Aden. Aden and Vasic's bond was amazing and I really hope we get his book next. This book was full of details and changes happening in the psy-changeling world. Nalini Singh consistently writes awesome books and Shield of Winter was just that. Go read this series!

Review- Shards of Hope by Nalini Singh

Summary-

Awakening wounded in a darkened cell, their psychic abilities blocked, Aden and Zaira know they must escape. But when the lethal soldiers break free from their mysterious prison, they find themselves in a harsh, inhospitable landscape far from civilization. Their only hope for survival is to make it to the hidden home of a predatory changeling pack that doesn’t welcome outsiders.

And they must survive. A shadowy enemy has put a target on the back of the Arrow squad, an enemy that cannot be permitted to succeed in its deadly campaign. Aden will cross any line to keep his people safe for this new future, where even an assassin might have hope of a life beyond blood and death and pain. Zaira has no such hope. She knows she’s too damaged to return from the abyss. Her driving goal is to protect Aden, protect the only person who has ever come back for her no matter what.

This time, even Aden’s passionate determination may not be enough—because the emotionless chill of Silence existed for a reason. For the violent, and the insane, and the irreparably broken…like Zaira.

Review-

I am a HUGE fan of Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series. Shards of Hope is the fourteenth book in the series and it shows no signs of stopping. I would highly recommend getting to this series from the first book because there is so much world building and so many threads and a lot of character growth throughout the series. It is no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed Shards of Hope.

Shards of Hope is about a psy-psy couple. Let's start off with Aden. Aden is a nice guy and that is the simplest way to describe him. He is the leader of the Arrow squad and he cares for his people and is willing to do anything for them. The only place where he is a tiny bit selfish is Zaira. I loved Aden. He was an amazing guy who didn't let many people see his power. I loved the way he was with Zaira and all the other Arrow kids.

Then we have Zaira. Zaira herself, is a member of the Arrow squad and she is fiercely protective of her friendship with Aden. Even though Zaira loves Aden she thinks that she is too damaged inside to actually share a relationship with him. Zaira was unlike any other heroines in this series. She was hard core and ruthless and I loved that about her. The possessiveness and protectiveness she felt for Aden was what made them perfect for each other.

The main focus was not the romance in Shards of Hope but what romance we get was amazing and sweet and real. Aden is determined to be with Zaira, come what may. I cannot even begin to tell how many other things are going on in this book. There are several sub plot lines and we get to meet a ton of new characters. Many story threads from before get tied up while opening up new ones.

I am especially curious about the sea changelings and Remi's pack. I do hope we get a book for everyone in the future. While Shards of Hope concludes a part of the story arc it also opens up a new one. I am highly curious to see how Nalini will take forward the series because it is obvious she knows what she is doing. With excellent writing and characters Shards of Hope was an amazing read.

Review- Mine to Possess by Nalini Singh

Summary-

Clay Bennett is a powerful DarkRiver sentinel, but he grew up in the slums with his human mother, never knowing his changeling father. As a young boy without the bonds of Pack, he tried to stifle his animal nature. He failed...and committed the most extreme act of violence, killing a man and losing his best friend, Talin, in the bloody aftermath. Everything good in him died the day he was told that she, too, was dead.

Talin McKade barely survived a childhood drenched in bloodshed and terror. Now a new nightmare is stalking her life--the street children she works to protect are disappearing and turning up dead. Determined to keep them safe, she unlocks the darkest secret in her heart and returns to ask the help of the strongest man she knows...

Clay lost Talin once. He will not let her go again, his hunger to possess her, a clawing need born of the leopard within. As they race to save the innocent, Clay and Talin must face the violent truths of their past...or lose everything that ever mattered.

Review-

Mine To Possess is the story of Clay and Talin in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series. This book was not one of the best books in the series from what I've read so far but it was definitely good. We get to see the first Changeling and human mating in this book where are the previous ones were between Psy and Changelings.

Clay is a powerful DarkRiver sentinel. He grew up with a horrible childhood always suppressing his leopard with his human mother. But now after having been through so much he has the bonds of the Pack to keep him grounded. Yet, he stands on the very thin line between good and evil. I liked Clay. He had the whole silent brooding thing going on. The only chink in his armor is Talin, his childhood best friend whom he thinks is dead.

Talin barely survived childhood. At first, I didn't like her very much because of the way she had lied to Clay and the way she was fearful of him when all Clay wanted to do was protect and love her. But as we get to know her, the horrible abuse she had to face as a child comes to surface. She's been through hell and it is justified how she wants to do nothing with her past.

But when children Talin knows start to disappear suspiciously and turn up dead with their organs missing, she has no choice but to ask Clay for help. Clay and Talin's relationship was not as easy one. There was a ton of past hurt, and lies and misunderstandings and things unsaid. They get a rocky start but there was always a familiarity between the both of them. Seeing them work through it made the ending very satisfactory.

We get introduced to many new people in this book who look like they'll be playing major roles in the future books. I am intrigued by Kaled Krychek. The sub plots keep you updated about what's going on in the Council and with the rest of the Pack. It is so very easy to lose yourself into the world Nalini Singh has created with these Psy-Changelings. I can't wait to dive into Dorian's story next.

Review- Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh

Summary-

As an Arrow, an elite soldier in the Psy Council ranks, Judd Lauren was forced to do terrible things in the name of his people. Now a defector, his dark abilities have made him the most deadly of assassins - cold, pitiless, unfeeling. Until he meets Brenna . . .

Brenna Shane Kincaid was an innocent before she was abducted - and had her mind violated - by a serial killer. Her sense of evil runs so deep, she fears she could become a killer herself. Then the first dead body is found, victim of a familiar madness. Judd is her only hope, yet her sensual changeling side rebels against the inhuman chill of his personality, even as desire explodes between them. Shocking and raw, their passion is a danger that threatens not only their hearts, but their very lives . . .

Review-

Caressed by Ice is the third book in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series. The first two books went pretty well for me but this book has just made me a solid Nalini Singh fan. There was such an impossibility in the love story between Judd and Brenna but it was so brilliantly done that I was amazed by the end of Caressed by Ice.

Judd is an Arrow, an elite soldier in the Psy Council who aren't officially supposed to be existing. After a few tragic events which take place in his life, he and his brother take shelter between the SnowDancers who are a wolf clan. Judd is cold. Like, really ice cold. He has a complete control over Silence and he knows that if he gives in to his emotions he may very well end up killing everyone around him.

Brenna is a SnowDancer. She was the victim who was kidnapped by a sociopath in the first book. Now, she is trying to recover past the mental rape and she just wants to move on. But she has two very overprotective brothers in her way. On top of that it seems like the cold Psy, Judd is the only one who really understands her.

I really liked Brenna. She was brave and courageous. But Judd was the real hero of the book. From the first page he captures you and as the ice around his cold heart melts he makes you feel all the things he does. Their love story was definitely not easy. Judd was stubborn not to give in to his feelings but Brenna was just as determined to make him feel. I loved it.

Caressed by Ice actually gets quite a few developments in the plot as well. We are introduced to the Ghost. There are several changes taking place within the Council itself and it looks like a revolution is about to happen. Meeting all the other members from the DarkRiver territory just made the book more enjoyable. I am completely immersed in the series and can't wait to see what happens next.

Review- Visions Of Heat by Nalini Singh

Summary-

Hailed as a major new talent in paranormal romance, Nalini Singh takes us deeper into the world of the Psy and the changelings in her latest extraordinary novel, where a gifted woman sees passion in her future - a passion that is absolutely forbidden by her kind...

Used to cold silence, Faith NightStar is suddenly being tormented by dark visions of blood and murder. A bad sign for anyone, but worse for Faith, an F-Psy with the highly sought after ability to predict the future. Then the visions show her something even more dangerous - aching need... exquisite pleasure. But so powerful is her sight, so fragile the state of her mind, that the very emotions she yearns to embrace could be the end of her.

Changeling Vaughn D'Angelo can take either man or jaguar form, but it is his animal side that is overwhelmingly drawn to Faith. The jaguar's instinct is to claim this woman it finds so utterly fascinating, and the man has no argument. But while Vaughn craves sensation and hungers to pleasure Faith in every way, desire is a danger that could snap the last threads of her sanity. And there are Psy who need Faith's sight for their own purposes. They must keep her silenced - and keep her from Vaughn...

Review-

Visions Of Heat is the second book in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series. I went into this right after  I  finished reading Slave To Sensation because I just had to find out what happens next in their world even though the first book didn't end on a cliff hanger. Visions Of Heat was really good but I think Lucas and Sascha remain my favorite couple yet.

Faith NightStar is an F-Psy. Which means that she is a Psy with the ability to for see the future. This makes her an invaluable asset to the Council. But now she's having dark visions of the killer who murdered her sister. She knows that she need to figure it out without mental degradation or letting the Psy know. So she goes to Sascha Duncan for help.

I really liked Faith. She was a really strong person but still she had a vulnerability to her. She had to fight herself between what she thought was right and what the truth was. Meeting Vaugh D'Angelo, the man who has his beast, a jaguar so close to the surface was never in the plan. Yet she is completely fascinated by him and vice versa.

I was not completely taken away by Vaughn in the last book with what little we got to see of him. But we get to see his real self in Visions Of Heat. Vaughn has a horrible past, which is why he is the only jaguar in between the leopards in the Dark River territory. He has sworn his loyalty to Lucas and he intends to protect his alpha and his mate, even if the threat is one tiny beautiful woman.

There was a constant push pull between Faith and Vaughn. It was shown extremely well and when all that sexual tension finally reached its peak, the end result was much more than satisfactory. Nalini Singh's books have it all. There's romance, action, a plot filled with mystery and intrigue. I flew through this book as well. The only slight complaint which I have is that it felt similar to the first book. But I hope that gets rectified in book #3. Yet, it was a really good read.

Review- Slave To Sensation by Nalini Singh

Summary-

In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of “rehabilitation”—the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was…

Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a Changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy coexistence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several Changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion—and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities—or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation…

Review-

I had always heard great things about Nalini Singh's books. I'd always wanted to read her Psy-Changeling series and her Guild Hunter series and see what the hype was surrounding these books. After finishing Slave To Sensation I can completely see how addicting Nalini Singh's books are. I thoroughly enjoyed losing myself in the Psy-Changeling world.

Slave To Sensation is a book set in the year 2079. There are several different races present on earth with humans like the Psy and Changeling who are basically shape shifters of various kinds. The Psy are a race who are conditioned not to feel emotions. It is known as the silence. And Slave To Sensation is the book where two people from different worlds and races fall in love with each other. I found the whole concept utterly fascinating.

Lucas Hunter is the alpha of the pack in the Dark River territory. After a series of murders are taken place where Changeling women go missing, Lucas and his Pack are determined to find the killer whom they suspect is Psy. So under a guise Lucas makes a deal with Sascha Duncan, the daughter of one of the most powerful Psy in the Council. So begins their story.

I loved Lucas. He was a complete alpha male with all the alpha tendencies of being possessive and protective. He was pulled in by Sascha though she tried being emotion less towards him. His relentless pursuit of what was between them made him all the more sexier. Sascha was just as good. Binded by the Psy rules she thinks she is defective for feeling emotions. But being with Lucas is the only thing that makes her feel sane.

Lucas and Sascha had a dark and irrefutable chemistry. The romance was brilliantly shown. There was a bond which binded Lucas and Sacha together and that with all the specifications of the world made me breeze through the book. We also get to meet the whole Pack and I am super excited to know each one of their stories. Nalini Singh is an awesome author and all fans of paranormal romance and/or urban fantasy should give this series a try.