This just in…

Nalini Singh has a lot of terrific news to share with fans. So listen up!

~ First her Psy/Changeling series. Nalini has just signed a contract to write four more books in the series!

~ Slave to Sensation, the first book in the series, is now out in ebook in several different formats.

~ There is a new short story, A Conversation, which takes place some time after Mine to Possess, that is now available on Nalini’s site.

~ Also added in the most recent site update is a blurb for Blaze of Memory, Book 7 in the series, due out in November.

~ There will also be a novella about Ria, Lucas’ administrative assistant, sometime in 2010.

~ And don’t forget, Branded by Fire, Mercy’s story, is due out July 1!

~ Now for Nalini’s new Guild Hunter series. She’s also just been contracted to write two more books in this series.

~ Archangel’s Kiss is the new title for the second book in the series, which should be out sometime early 2010.

Consider yourself flashed.

Sandy M’s review of Caressed by Ice (Psy-Changelings Series, Book 3) by Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance published by Berkley 4 Sep 07

Don’t ask me how I somehow missed reading this book back when it was released. It’s the only one of the series I haven’t read, and, as much as I love the series, it baffles me too how this one slipped by me. But I finally remedied that, and I’ve vowed not to let such a thing ever happen again with one of the Psy-Changelings books.

While this book is not my favorite of the series, it’s still a pleasure reading Ms. Singh’s writing.  She could probably write a book about the dictionary and it would be worth reading. For some reason, though, Judd as a hero didn’t quite grab me as other heroes, Lucas or Dorian, for example, but he is an interesting character and I enjoyed watching his logic erode when he eventually is unable to resist Brenna’s love. The process he goes through near the end when he finally relents and decides to take the risk of freeing himself of Silence is so very intriguing, learning how the Psy had conditioned his mind and the depth of that conditioning is simply amazing.

Both he and Brenna are mega tortured souls; his due to Silence and the lengths his superiors went to in making him the perfect killing machine and Brenna’s due to her attack by a madman who physically and mentally tortured before her rescue. She ended up with many residual fears, but the most fascinating to me was the loss of her shifting ability. All readers of this series know of Dorian’s latency which prohibits him from shifting, so it was only logical Brenna seek him out to ask questions and learn whatever possible from him.

Another intriguing concept for this couple was the fact that though they love one another, there isn’t the mating bond as with most mated pairs, and I liked the twist Ms. Singh comes up with for that. Of course, these are just a couple of things that stand out, but the book is full of fascinating happenings and this review would go on for pages just to cite them all.

I was glad to see the DarkRiver cats were included as much as possible here, though the story centered on the SnowDancer wolves. I did enjoy getting to know more of the wolves better, especially Riley and Drew, Brenna’s brothers. Which reminds me of the life-saving procedure Judd performed at one point on Drew.  My heavens, what a scene. It amazes me what this author comes up with in each succeeding book. I think of the characters left, I’m looking forward to Hawke’s book, especially after what was revealed about him in a scene with Brenna.

This series gets better with every book, as evidenced by Hostage to Pleasure, the book right after this one. Ms. Singh has one fascinating mind and I, for one, am so glad she’s chosen to write romances and share her talent and imagination with us.

Grade: A-

Read Gwen’s review here.

Summary:
Explore new heights of sensuality in this return to the world of the Psy—where two people who know evil intimately must unlock the good within their icy hearts…

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…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Shannon C.‘s review of Visions of Heat (Psy-Changelings, Book 2) by Nalini Singh
Paranormal science fiction romance released by Berkley Sensation 6 Mar 07

I don’t know what it is with me and certain series out there. I start a series of books, adore the first book, and then invariably find something else shiny to read. That’s what happened with the Psy-Changeling books. I loved the first one, and meant to pick up the rest of the series, but life intervened. Then I decided that I wanted something I could guarantee would be a good read, because I was under the weather, and Nalini Singh popped into my head. I feel like I’m the last blogger ever to embrace these books, and for that I should be ashamed, because they really are that good. 

This installment of the Psy/Changeling series features Faith Nightstar, a specially-designated F-Psy. She has the gift of foresight, and her predictions are almost never wrong. She is kept in isolation, monitored remotely. But she is beginning to feel darkness creeping upon her, and the tenuous control she has over her mind is threatening to fracture. She seeks advice and answers from Sascha Duncan, the only Psy she can think of who isn’t going to snitch on her to the Psy Council. But in the process of finding Sascha, she meets Vaughn, a jaguar Changeling whose animal is rather closer to the surface than most Changelings, and the two of them find themselves embroiled in a plot including murder, scheming, and romance.

I found it pretty darn impossible to put this book down. I’m usually the kind of reader who stretches her reading out over a couple of days. Not so this book, which I finished in a matter of hours. Ms. Singh writes the kind of alpha men who work really well for me, and she writes heroines who mesh well with them. I never felt that Vaughn’s personality seriously overpowered Faith’s, and I absolutely adore the sensual, touchy-feely Changelings. As I said on my twitter at the time, I want one of these guys for my own.

Faith herself wasn’t as compelling a heroine as Sascha from Slave to Sensation. There was a sense of fragility about her that distanced her a little from me. I don’t think I’m likely to remember her quite as well as I remember Sascha. That being said, the romance here works beautifully, and Ms. Singh sells me on a fated mates storyline, which is quite difficult.

I liked seeing some of the secondary characters, particularly the members of the Dark River Changeling pack. I further enjoyed the Psy Council, and I absolutely loved the small twist at the end involving Faith’s father. They all weave seamlessly into the plot, and I didn’t get the sense of “OMG look at me, I am a sequel-bait” from any of them. That being said, I would have liked to see a bit more of the Changelings in particular, as the quiet scenes with Nate and Tammy and their cubs were among my favorites in the first book. But I suppose their absence was necessary, since neither Faith nor Vaughn are particularly communal people.

I liked Slave to Sensation slightly better than I liked Visions of Heat. But given the fact that VoH was impossible to put down, it still gets an A, and I hope that the rest of my 2009 reads are just as stellar.

Grade: A-

Read more about the Psy-Changelings series by clicking on its tag.

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…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Branded by Fire, Book 6 - coming 7 Jul 09

Sandy M’s review of Hostage to Pleasure (Psy-Changelings, Book 5) by Nalini Singh
Futuristic Paranormal Romance released by Berkley 2 Sep 08

From the beginning of this series, Dorian has been my favorite character, so this is the book I’ve anticipated the most.  After waiting so long — I always wanted it to be next after each previous book was released! — I feared that I had let my imagination spin so out of control about his storyline that I could very well be disappointed once I read it.  Thank god Ms. Singh has more imagination that most of us daydreamers will ever be able to touch.

Although I felt for Dorian, of course, for the emotional upheaval of losing his sister in such a horrible and monstrous way, it’s always been his latency, his inability to shift, that has drawn me to him.  Due to his inability, he’s always strived to be the best at whatever he does and he’s definitely a lethal predator with his feral instincts, martial arts, and sniper cool.

In this book we see the clawing and biting of his leopard wanting to shift, to claim its mate, and we see the pain that causes him, along with the guilt that has hit him when he realizes his attraction to Ashaya Aleine, an M-Psy who has defected from her people but refuses to break Silence.  Since he has vowed to destroy the Psy who allowed his sister to be murdered, it’s difficult for Dorian to reconcile his feelings for Ashaya.

Even though in the beginning he tries to deny his growing feelings for Ashaya, we see the gradual lessening of his antagonism and his acceptance of her in his life.  It’s fascinating to watch him tear down her defenses one by one and so very slowly and charmingly with the devastating combination of man and cat.

Ashaya comes into the picture with a lot of secrets and just as much pain in her life as Dorian.  The twists in this book keep jumping out at you at every turn. She’s determined to bring the Council and their schemes down while keeping herself and her son safe, a son who has already bonded with Dorian.  I really enjoyed how Ashaya’s trust in Dorian grows every time he accepts one of her secrets and still stands by her.  Of course, he plays with her just as much as he protects her and gets irritated with her when her secrets do come out.  She delights in the sensation of touch, the sensation of family, which is everything to Dorian.

There are plenty of tense moments to keep you engrossed to the exclusion of anything and everything else.  The honesty and integrity these characters give to one another is simply a joy to read.  No lying, no mis-communication but still plenty of conflict to keep it all interesting.

We also get to enjoy previous characters along the way.  The interaction among them all does give a sense of community and family, whether it’s in fun, in anger, or in helpfulness and gratitude.  The acceptance of each new mate into that family and their own net mind is a pleasure to read.  and, of course, there’s also the recurring Psy characters, and as interesting as they are, I want to scream at every evil act they concoct.  I have such fun in the way Ms. Singh describes Dorian’s feline characteristics, how his leopard purrs or growls, his sleekness and gracefulness, and especially his playfulness.

My only disappointment, which I’m hoping will be taken of in the next book, Branded by Fire, out in July 2009, is the Pack’s reaction to Dorian’s miracle.  But the fact he got his miracle is really enough for me.

Grade: A+

Read Gwen’s, Devon’s, and Lime’s reviews.  Read all sorts of information by following the Psy-Changeling series tag.

Summary:

Separated from her son and forced to create a neural implant that will mean the effective enslavement of her psychically gifted race, Ashaya Aleine is the perfect Psy–cool, calm, emotionless…at least on the surface. Inside, she’s fighting a desperate battle to save her son and escape the vicious cold of the PsyNet. Yet when escape comes, it leads not to safety, but to the lethal danger of a sniper’s embrace.

DarkRiver sniper Dorian Christensen lost his sister to a Psy killer. Though he lacks the changeling ability to shift into animal form, his leopard lives within. And that leopard’s rage at the brutal loss is a clawing darkness that hungers for vengeance. Falling for a Psy has never been on Dorian’s agenda. But charged with protecting Ashaya and her son, he discovers that passion has a way of changing the rules…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Limecello’s review of Hostage to Pleasure (Psy-Changelings, Book 5) by Nalini Singh
Paranormal romance released by Berkley on 2 Sep 08

I really like Nalini Singh’s books. A blanket statement that holds a lot – but I discovered her in February 2008 while reading the anthology An Enchanted Season. Absolutely loved her novella Beast of Temptation – and then read Slave to Sensation and nearly all of her backlist. (Yes, including the Harlequin Desires, which are quite good.) Ms. Singh’s Psy/Changeling series is quite popular, and I have to say that this is one of my favorites.

Ashaya Aleine makes for an excellent heroine. It’s also nice that she’s not your typical Psy. She’s smart, and I must add that I love she has a hard science degree. (Heroines can be brilliant and amazing too!) Ashaya is special for a number of reasons – not just because she’s an M-Psy (medical) with basically little to no other psychic powers. She’s “broken” – has a twin, a son, courage, and yet is selfish. She’s human which makes it better since Psy are supposed to be emotionless. I knew she’d be special once I read Mine to Possess – and I ended up liking Ashaya a lot more than expected.

Dorian Christensen is a hero I knew I’d love. He’s latent – so even though he’s a changeling, he’s never assumed leopard form. Add that to the tragedy he’s experienced, and you’ve got a wounded hero you’re conditioned to feel sympathy and admiration for. However, rather than letting that get him down, Dorian is fierce and you have to admire him for that. He’s almost more feral than a truly wild animal, which is part of his strange appeal. Dorian absolutely hates the Psy, so is completely conflicted when his inner self recognizes Ashaya as his mate. This makes for delicious tension and angst.

While the plot got a bit tangled at points, it was very nice to see characters that have becomes something like old friends. I do wish there had been more of a focus on some of the “older” characters. What was also enjoyable was reading about the developing relationship between Dorian and Ashaya. While “silence” didn’t work for her, in a way her emotions are even more repressed than a normal Psy’s. Then there’s the fact that people are out to get them, children involved, and the entire world crashing down around them. It’s quite suspenseful. (Although I admit to wanting it to be done so I know how it all ends!)

I’m wondering where this series is headed. I enjoy each book (some more than others) though the story line has become rather convoluted. It’s a bit difficult to keep characters and events straight if you haven’t read the books in a while. Still, Hostage to Pleasure was very enjoyable, and I’m so glad that I read it. I

f you’re a fan of Ms. Singh’s writing, or looking for a different type of paranormal read, I can definitely recommend this book. In fact, I’m eagerly awaiting her next books – Angel’s Blood and especially Branded by Fire.

Grade: A-

As the deadly Psy Council tightens its grip, a rebel Psy scientist finds herself at the mercy of a changeling who has sworn vengeance against her kind…

Separated from her son and forced to create a neural implant that will mean the effective enslavement of her psychically gifted race, Ashaya Aleine is the perfect Psy–cool, calm, emotionless…at least on the surface. Inside, she’s fighting a desperate battle to save her son and escape the vicious cold of the PsyNet. Yet when escape comes, it leads not to safety, but to the lethal danger of a sniper’s embrace.

DarkRiver sniper Dorian Christensen lost his sister to a Psy killer. Though he lacks the changeling ability to shift into animal form, his leopard lives within. And that leopard’s rage at the brutal loss is a clawing darkness that hungers for vengeance. Falling for a Psy has never been on Dorian’s agenda. But charged with protecting Ashaya and her son, he discovers that passion has a way of changing the rules…

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Gwen’s review of The Magical Christmas Cat by Lora Leigh, Erin McCarthy, Nalini Singh, and Linda Winstead Jones
Contemporary paranormal romance anthology release by Berkley Sensation 7 Oct 08

This collection of stories are all centered on the holiday period and all have a few things in common – love, passion, and cats. They’re all quite nice stories, a couple are downright great. Read on to see how they fared…

Stroke of Enticement by Nalini Singh (87 pages)

This is a very good Psy-Changeling story that centers around the heroine, a school teacher named Annie Kildaire, and the hero, a DarkRiver soldier named Zach Quinn. It’s very much their love story and has none of the typical Psy-Changling “suspense” elements that we normally see from Singh. Just a pure love story and I loved it. The cat in this story is the hero.

Because we’re centered on the relationship, we get a couple of very well developed characters in the H/H. Especially the heroine and while the hero is still very yummy, perhaps more time could have been spent on him, but it wouldn’t have been a short-story if that had happened. And, can I say, OH MY about this hero. I wanted to lick him all over.

The conflict in this story came from family – particularly the heroine’s. Annie had been injured horrifically when she was a kid and still suffers some side effects from it – both physical and emotional. This causes some interesting scenes between Annie, her family, and the DarkRiver soldier she brings to dinner. It’s very “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” and is very fun to read.

This was just a terrific Psy-Changeling story and worth the price of the book all on its own.

Grade: A

Summary:

My [Singh's] contribution to this anthology features Zach, a DarkRiver soldier you’ll love, and Annie, a human woman who finds herself tangling with this irresistible cat.

Read an excerpt.

Christmas Bree by Erin McCarthy (76 pages)

This was an enjoyable story, if a bit forgettable. I felt a little like I was reading a really racy Cosmo story. Lighter, more chick-lit-type stories aren’t my thing, though. So keep that in mind as you read this review.

The heroine, Bree, has dreams about the hero, Ian, and doesn’t realize it until she meets him on her doorstep. Bree’s cat, Akasha, keeps showing up in the hero’s car, under their feet, in the hallway, and always with a bit of mistletoe in her mouth. There’s so much build-up as a result of the year of dreams the hero and heroine have of each other they fall to boinking on the floor almost as soon as they meet each other. Twice.

The heroine is a pretty stereotypical almost-goth chick who calls herself a “witch” and the hero is a pretty stereotypical poor kid from the wrong side of the tracks who makes good as a big-city lawyer. Not a lot stood out for me in the story, but, remember, these kinds of stories aren’t my thing. I liked it and promptly forgot it.

Grade: C

Summary (mine – not the book’s):

Self-professed witch, Bree Murphy, is unconventional and likes it that way. She taught her little sister to read tarot and she reads palms and futures for a living – all in the rambling old Victorian house she inherited from her grandmother. Ian Carrington is a big city lawyer to the millionaires. He brokers deals for the high society when they don’t want to get their hands dirty. One of his clients wants Bree’s house and wants it bad. Problem is, Ian wants Bree too. How is he going to balance his client’s wants with his own? Will they end up happy or will hearts be broken?

No excerpt available when the review was written.

Sweet Dreams by Linda Winstead Jones (76 pages)

This was the darkest of the four stories. The cat in this case is actually the villain – a demon trapped in the statuette of a cat. The heroine, Ruby, is a local baker who doesn’t realize that her soul will bring about the release of the demon, who will then lay waste to mankind. Her neighbor, Zane, a local professor who also happens to be a member of a group of warriors dedicated to the extermination of this demon (of course), discovers that Ruby is the next/last victim and goes about trying to keep it all from happening.

I didn’t like the hero much until about mid-way thru the story. The action elements were good and the villains were interesting. It was a fun paranormal story, but the romance felt a bit forced. Interesting, but, in the end, forgettable.

Grade: C+

Summary (mine – not the book’s):

Ruby Kincaid, the town’s best baker, doesn’t realize she’s about to be the culmination of a spell that has been brewing for centuries. But her hunky neighbor, Zane Benedict, does. A parapsychology professor at the local univerisity, Zane knows about Ruby’s destiny and is determined to do everything in his power to stop the spell and keep an unspeakable evil from being unleashed on the earth – including killing Ruby if he has to… But he doesn’t want to…

No excerpt available.

Christmas Heat by Lora Leigh (117 pages)

This was a lovely Breeds story and I think it’s obvious who the cat is in this entry. Noble, our hero, is a Jaguar Breed and has been in love with Haley, one of the librarians at the Sanctuary Library, for a while. He doesn’t realize it, but Haley is in love with him, as well. The story follows the predictable “heat” path – irresistible lust and some seriously hot, and I mean HAWT, sensuality with really steamy, raw sex, eventually ending in a life commitment and love. The path there is littered with dead bodies, an explosion or two, family holidays, and some major bad guys.

There’s good action and tension throughout the whole story. There was one scene that I didn’t like where one of the villains catch the H/H mid-boink. I could have done without that mental image and it’s the only thing that keeps the grade from an A. Nevertheless, there’s good character development even if the villain(s) felt like a bit of an afterthought. I loved when the heroine’s family shows up and bowls the hero over – he had never experienced anything like her, her family, or their celebration of the season. It was charming.

This was a very good Christmas love story… Breeds style.

Grade: B+

Summary (mine – not the book’s):

Noble Chavin, Jaguar Breed, and Sanctuary librarian Haley McQuire find love and heat under the Christmas tree.

Read an excerpt.

This was a charming and very readable collection of four Christmas stories all themed around cats. I highly recommend it to any fans of the four authors, or someone looking for some quick paranormal hits to while away an afternoon.

Overall Grade: B

Book Summary:

Put a little meow in their stockings this year with these all-new tales of Christmas and felines-from beloved bestselling authors!

New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh and top-selling authors Nalini Singh, Erin McCarthy, and Linda Winstead Jones have a special gift for readers this year: never-before published holiday stories featuring passionate romance, paranormal adventure, and a distinctly alluring feline touch. With four new stories-including one featuring Lora Leigh’s genetically altered Feline Breeds-this is a collection packed with more surprises than Christmas morning, and more chills than the snowiest winter night…

Devon’s review of Hostage to Pleasure (Psy-Changelings Series, Book 5) by Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance released by Berkley 2 Sep 08

I am a latecomer to the world of the Psy-Changelings. At first I wasn’t sure this series would be for me, but the ginormous amount of glowing reviews by bloggers I respect, soon changed my mind. The first book I finally got around to reading was Mine to Possess, and I was hooked. This is a truly fascinating world, populated by fascinating characters. Hostage to Pleasure develops a storyline introduced in the previous book, and readers of this series will definitely not be disappointed.

The most interesting aspect of this world are the Psy. With their highly developed mental powers and lack of emotion, they are alien to me and almost creepy. Take Ashaya Aleine, the heroine of this book. She played a pivotal role in Mine to Possess, but it was very difficult to tell her motivations. We learn a lot more about Ashaya here, and it’s a very interesting backstory. The way the Psy function, with their net mind and all, is a bit difficult to understand, but fascinating.

She’s an unusual character and Dorian makes a great foil for her. The Changelings are the opposite of the Psy, rooted in gut instinct. He is tormented by his attraction to Ashaya, seeing it as a betrayal of his sister’s memory. They both have a lot of baggage to work past, including a very interesting villain (of sorts) who dogs Ashaya’s every move. The whole Psy lack of emotion thing is of course a major stumbling block, and their developing relationship is made all the more passionate by the things they have to get past.

But this was a book where I was almost more interested in the overall plot arc than the romance. Silence, the Psy protocol which indoctrinates the race into an emotionless state, is starting to crumble. The governing Psy council members are scrambling to keep their people under control and conflicting with each other over how to do so. I’m so curious to see how it all unfolds, in particular, what’s up with the new councilor Kaleb Krychek.

Hostage to Pleasure had a good romance, interesting characters and compelling plot. Although I believe you can read this without having read the others, it’s best to just start at the beginning, because you’ll want to go back and catch up anyway. I know I’m working on it. Characters from previous books make appearances, and they are actually playing an active role in the development of the story. I look forward to seeing what happens next.

Grade: B

The Summary:

Separated from her son and forced to create a neural implant that will mean the effective enslavement of her psychically gifted race, Ashaya Aleine is the perfect Psy–cool, calm, emotionless…at least on the surface. Inside, she’s fighting a desperate battle to save her son and escape the vicious cold of the PsyNet. Yet when escape comes, it leads not to safety, but to the lethal danger of a sniper’s embrace.

DarkRiver sniper Dorian Christensen lost his sister to a Psy killer. Though he lacks the changeling ability to shift into animal form, his leopard lives within. And that leopard’s rage at the brutal loss is a clawing darkness that hungers for vengeance. Falling for a Psy has never been on Dorian’s agenda. But charged with protecting Ashaya and her son, he discovers that passion has a way of changing the rules…

Read an excerpt here.

The other books in the series:

Gwen’s review of Hostage to Pleasure (Psy-Changelings, Book 5) by Nalini Singh
Futuristic paranormal romance released by Berkley 2 Sep 08

I’m convinced that Nalini Singh is a visitor from another world and is recounting a history to us, not speculative fiction. Her stories are so REAL and the characters completely believable. I think this was the best Psy-Changeling book I’ve read yet.

Dorian, DarkRiver sentinel and sniper, encounters Ashaya in the last book of the series, Mine to Possess. They have an unusual reaction to each other in that meeting – one that perplexes both of them. In HtP, we get a very satisfying resolution to that encounter.

Our hero and heroine in HtP are very real characters. I think I “connected” more with Dorian than I have any of Singh’s other heroes. I liked his approach to his world. Because Dorian cannot shift into his beast (he’s a “latent”), he overcompensates by being the best at everything else. I really respect this philosophy and enjoyed reading it. And this is one of the very appealing things about all of Singh’s characters – none of them are “perfect”. Sure they’re pretty, sure they’re super-human, but none are perfect. I love that.

The emotional development in this story was perfectly paced. I never had the “oh will you get on with it already” moment. The hero and heroine are attracted to each other and act on it like adults. I loved the moment when Dorian finally admitted it was something more than simple attraction. I loved Ashaya’s angst at falling in love with Dorian. Ashaya had lived a lie so long about Silence, that it was wonderful to see her finally be able to let go and feel. And her love for her son was so wonderful.

The story arcs were all very satisfying and we’re never left wondering “how the hell did that happen”. And we have a new group of villains to love to hate – humans.

I suppose I should simply admit to myself that I am now, if I wasn’t before, an unabashed Nalini Singh Fangirl. Her books are full of hot sex, wonderful emotion, terrific characters, and really interesting plots. Plus she seems to be an all-around nice person. If you’re a paranormal fan or just a Singh fan, you do not want to miss this book.

We get to read a standalone Psy-Changeling novella in the upcoming The Magical Christmas Cat anthology (Oct 2008), “Stroke of Enticement”. It will be a terrific opportunity for those of you who aren’t sure if you want to start this series to get your feet wet. (And can you say “Squuuueeeeeee!!” at this author line up in this anthology?? Lora Leigh, Erin McCarthy, Nalini Singh, Linda Winstead Jones!) And Mercy’s book will be coming soon – I hope sometime early 2009, but no date has been posted.

So now go get Hostage to Pleasure! You won’t be disappointed!

Grade: A

Summary (fair warning: includes spoiler for Mine to Possess):

With her darkly seductive Psy/Changeling world, Nalini Singh has created “a sensual, dangerous adventure not to be missed” (New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh). Now, as the deadly Psy Council tightens its grip, a rebel Psy scientist finds herself at the mercy of a changeling who has sworn vengeance against her kind…

Separated from her son and forced to create a neural implant that will mean the effective enslavement of her psychically gifted race, Ashaya Aleine is the perfect Psy–cool, calm, emotionless…at least on the surface. Inside, she’s fighting a desperate battle to save her son and escape the vicious cold of the PsyNet. Yet when escape comes, it leads not to safety, but to the lethal danger of a sniper’s embrace.

DarkRiver sniper Dorian Christensen lost his sister to a Psy killer. Though he lacks the changeling ability to shift into animal form, his leopard lives within. And that leopard’s rage at the brutal loss is a clawing darkness that hungers for vengeance. Falling for a Psy has never been on Dorian’s agenda. But charged with protecting Ashaya and her son, he discovers that passion has a way of changing the rules…

Read an excerpt (scroll down).

Other books in the series:

Gwen’s review of Mine to Possess (Psy-Changelings, Book 4) by Nalini Singh
Futuristic paranormal romance published 5 Feb 08 by Berkley

The most difficult thing I’ve done all week is not read the other reviews of this book.  I wanted my review to be unbiased and have, hopefully, original thoughts.

This was just an amazing read.  Singh’s world is complex and very rich in detail.  Her characterizations are varied and lifelike – very believable, regardless of the paranormal elements.  Her story arcs are logical, sometimes surprising, and satisfying.  The suspense was gripping.  The sensual scenes were lush and detailed without being puerile.

Okay – enough about the mechanics of what a terrific writer Singh is.  Now on to how I FELT about the book.

It was one of the best books I’ve ever read and dealt realistically with one of the more gut-wrenching topics a book can deal with.  In this book, Singh deals with something not very many romance authors dare to handle – a hero, Clay, and heroine, Talin, who both suffered from abuse as children.  Different kinds of abuse (his was neglect, hers was sexual and neglect), but still abuse. 

Singh brings to life the adult impact of child abuse.  You feel the blows to the character’s self-esteem and to how they deal with other people in their lives.  Clay and Tally have known each other since they were very young (he 8 years old, she 3), so their history is long and sometimes horrifying.  As a result of this long acquaintance, there’s a “short hand” they’ve developed, even if they don’t know it.  They’ve been mated for years and years and have tried to ignore the pull.  All of this – the self-image issues, the history, the mating – all piles up to create an emotionally explosive reunion.  The way Singh brings these two characters thru all of this and out the other side, better than they were before, is the epitome of why I read romance – it is significant, emotionally satisfying writing.

Don’t get me wrong – this isn’t some heavy tome inspecting the navel lint of abuse.  It is a fast-paced, suspenseful read that happens to have some very satisfying emotion to it.  And one very hot alpha hero. 

 This book would standalone, if you haven’t read the series.  You’ll get more out of the story if you read the other entries, but it could be read alone.

I canNOT wait for the next entry, HOSTAGE TO PLEASURE (Dorian’s book), coming in September 2008. 

Grade: A

From the back cover:

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.

Read excerpt 1 and excerpt 2.

Read Alicia’s review and SandyM’s review of this book.

Other books in this series.

Sandy M’s review of Mine to Possess (Psy-Changelings, Book 4) by Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance published 5 Feb 08 by Berkley Sensation

Between Nalini Singh’s leopards and J.R. Ward’s vampires, I don’t think my dreams will ever be tame again. I love alpha-to-the-core men and these characters from these two authors fit the bill perfectly. These stories are why I sit for hours on end and devour books.

Clay is no exception in this latest installment from Singh. The least social of the DarkRiver cats, he has carried around a lot of blame and a broken heart for so long, losing his best friend because he couldn’t control his beast when he tried to protect her from a horrible event as a child. He lost her a second time when she died in a car wreck. Or so he thought.

Talin loved Clay as a child, he was always there for her, but she was scarred so deeply when she witnessed his leopard kill a man, even though it was an act meant to protect her. Not being able to handle his demanding nature, she chose to put an end to their friendship once and for all, at least only in Clay’s mind. Tally then has to face her past when children under her care are disappearing and dying. Seeing Clay again is harder than she’d ever imagined.

It’s even harder on Clay, however, because Talin has been dead to him for so many years. He helps her, though, no questions asked, in her search for the missing kids. Along the way they each have to come to grips with their history and their future, if Tally can overcome her fear of Clay and if he can forgive her for her life-altering lie.

What I like most about these alphas is not only their protectiveness, their hardness, but also their sensitive side that always come through in dealing with their mates. I really enjoyed the cat characterization and mannerisms Singh gave Clay in this book, much more, it seems to me, than any of the others so far. The deep examination into the Psy world pre-Silence this time around was quite fascinating too. This series has become an all-time favorite. The writing is as fresh as ever. I still care about what happens to these characters. I’m curious how it’s all going to play out.

Read Alicia’s review. She likes the kitty cats too.

Grade: A+

From the back cover:

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.

Alicia Thomas’s review of Mine to Possess (Psy-Changelings, Book 4) by Nalini Singh
Paranormal romance published 5 Feb 08 by Berkley

I’ve gotten a bit cynical. I had started waiting for a series to lose its ‘new car smell’ before I started to read it. Luckily for all of us, Singh’s still sparkles four books in.

I noticed I tend to comment on the blurbs. I guess it’s because they sell the book or not, when the reader has no other experience with the author. This one is just kind of “blah.” It isn’t wrong. It just doesn’t capture the energy of the book.

Clay’s animal didn’t just cause him to kill. He was protecting Tally from an immediate threat and, in his rage, took it too far. She was a child and the horror of what she saw stayed with her. She lied through a third party to avoid him and it was a bitterly harsh measure. Tally has a lot fear and confusion and since a lot of it involves Clay, he is hurt by it, too. I loved Clay more than Tally for a lot of the book. I had as much trouble as he did forgiving her for the lie. These two have a lot of past history to get through before they can get their HEA.

But it’s all handled beautifully. I had tears at the end. The characters are alive and the dialogue sparkles. If you haven’t read any of Singh’s Psy-Changeling books, they need to be read in order. Start with Slave to Sensation, but start soon. You need to hurry and get to this one.

Grade: B+

Blurb:  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.

Read an excerpt and an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

A

Read Gwen’s review of Book 3, Caressed by Ice here.

Alicia’s review of An Enchanted Season by Maggie Shayne, Erin McCarthy, Nalini Singh, and Jean Johnson
Paranormal romance anthology published 02 Oct 2007 by Berkley Trade

Melting Frosty by Maggie Shayne

This story shows what happens when opposites collide. Matthew has hated Christmas ever since his father died, while Holly has embraced the holiday season more than ever since losing her whole family just before Christmas. Can these two apparently mismatched souls ever find love together? A certain black hat seems to think so….

Holly is sweetness and light as Sybil would say. *G* Matthew is a true scrooge. Maybe I’m just sappy-happy now but this story was so sweet! I loved the happy “Magic of Christmas” feel to it.

Grade: B+

Charlotte’s Web by Erin McCarthy

This story has three sisters who have been told by family that they are witches. The heroine doesn’t want to be a witch, she just wants to be normal. Her sisters pressure her to try casting a spell to attract her secret love who is also her best friend.

The witch aspect is secondary to the romance. The characters were appealing and the story was fun. The seventeen year old sister was a bit too sexually aggressive for my taste, but that’s me.

Grade B-

Beat of Temptation by Nalini Singh (excerpt)

This story is part of her Psy-Changeling series.  Tamsyn Mahaire is the Healer of the DarkRiver pack, an unusually high position for one so young. The mating bond between Tamsyn and Nate Ryder snapped into place when Tamsyn was only fifteen years old. Now, at age nineteen, Tamsyn is ready to claim Nate for her own… or lose him forever.

I read this book for this story. I actually read it before I read Mine to Possess then came back to the rest of this book. While lighter than her full-length titles, Beat of Temptation is still classic Nalini Singh. The characters were consistent and the story drew me along. Nate went too far but that was the point Tamsyn was trying to make. Not to be missed for any Psy-Changeling fan.

Grade: B+

Gifts of the Magi by Jean Johnson (excerpt)

This story concludes this anthology. Steve Bethel and his fiancé, Rachel Rutherford, are trying to make a living from the Bethel Inn. A freak blizzard has led to cancellations of all of their scheduled guests, leaving a mortgage they can’t pay to their miserly banker. However, unexpected visitors have arrived and miracles will be in store this
Christmas.

This story was the weakest in the book. It read more like women’s fiction than a romance. I got the point but it was way before the story actually ended. The love scenes were sweet, showing the couple were solid and in love (not hot) but they felt like they could have easily been left out. I would have enjoyed more it if it were about a third of the length it was.

Grade: C-

Composite grade: B-
Blurb:

It’s the time of year when dreams come true, miracles happen every day, and love is the greatest gift of all…

The holidays always seem to bring out the best in everyone, with heartfelt hugs for long-missed friends, sincere smiles in the spirit of the season, and a feeling of magic in the air.

Here, for the first time, is a collection of paranormal romances celebrating the holidays as never before. From a shape-shifting leopardess who wants a packmate to be her soulmate to a snowstorm that brings a surprise gift, these all-new tales by Maggie Shayne, Erin McCarthy, Nalini Singh, and Jean Johnson will stir your spirit in all the right places.

Gwen’s review of Caressed by Ice (Psy-Changelings Book 3) by Nalini Singh
Paranormal romance released by Berkley Sensation 4 Sep 07 

This is the first of Singh’s Psy-Changlings books that I’ve read. I think I have Book 2 in my TBR and I’ll be looking for Book 1. This was a very fun book about an alternate world where changelings and telepathics/telekinetics vie with humans and each other for their piece of the pie. It’s a fascinating world that is built meticulously and entertainingly. 

Singh has created an amazing world in her Psy-Changling books. It’s rich with political intrigue between all the races – Psy who are tele-somethings who live almost solely in their minds, Changelings of many species, and humans. Her world has complicated social structures, backstabbing (literal and figurative), and complicated business dealings. There are also taboos and social mores that make life even more complex for the denizens.

All of the characters in Caressed are complex, multidimensional people. Singh’s world-building is smart and she doesn’t do “brain dumps.” You learn as you go along, which always feels more natural – and that applies to her characters as well. She brings secondary characters into the story when they’re needed. I never felt like a to-be hero/heroine was shoehorned into the book for the sake of the next in the series. It all made complete sense.

The relationship between the Judd and Brenna was sweet, complicated, and different. Judd’s conditioning makes it painful for him to feel any emotion, so it’s literally painful for him to love Brenna.  Brenna was brutalized by a madman before she met Judd, making trust a very big deal for her.  These two damaged people manage to find each other and fall in love in a most non-traditional way.

This was a very interesting, engrossing book. I can’t wait to read the others in the series and the next. I think I’ll find them all equally compelling. Highly recommended read if you want something to really sink your teeth into.

Grade: B+

Here’s the book blurb:

Explore new heights of sensuality in this return to the world of the Psy – where two people who know evil intimately must unlock the good within their icy hearts

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…

Read an excerpt and an excerpt.

P.S. You can find all sorts of interesting bits and pieces about her world-building, characters, and what not on Singh’s website.

Other books in the series:

Mine to Possess, Feb ’08 (read an excerpt)