Review: Wild Embrace

WILD EMBRACE
Psy-Changeling 15.5
Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance
400 pages
Berkley
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
The “alpha author of paranormal romance”* presents a stunningly sensual collection of four all-new Psy-Changeling novellas, in which taboos are broken, boundaries are crossed, and instincts prove irresistible...

Echo of Silence
In a deep-sea station, Tazia Nerif has found her life’s work as an engineer, keeping things running smoothly. But she wants nothing more than to break down the barrier of silence between her and her telekinetic Psy station commander...

Dorian
A changeling who can never shift lives a life of quiet frustration—until he learns how to let his leopard come out and play...

Partners in Persuasion
Still raw from being burned by a dominant female, wolf changeling Felix will never again risk being a plaything. But for dominant leopard Dezi, he’s the most fascinating man she’s ever met. She just has to convince this gun-shy wolf that he can trust the dangerous cat who wants to take a slow, sexy bite out of him…

Flirtation of Fate
Seven years ago, Kenji broke Garnet’s heart. Now the wolf packmates have to investigate the shocking murder of one of their own. And the more Kenji sees of the woman Garnet has become, the deeper he begins to fall once more. But even his primal instincts are no match for the dark secret he carries...

MY THOUGHTS
Wild Embrace is an outstanding collection of four Psy-Changeling stories, perfect for those who have wanted to try this series but have been intimidated by the number of books, as well as a treat for longtime fans. These novellas highlight the romantic chemistry at which Ms. Singh so excels, three out of the four focusing on new couples (though some familiar names) and the emotional challenges they have to overcome in order to be together. 

Echo of Silence
A standout start to this collection, Echo of Silence brings us an incredibly tense relationship setup due both to the emotionless nature of the Psy as well as the fact that Stefan is Tazia's boss. Tazia's desire smacks solidly into the seemingly ice-cold wall that is Stefan time and again, and it's impossible not to turn the pages at unprecedented speed just to see how and when she'll finally break through. The happily ever after is a tiny bit rushed but to be expected in a novella-length romance, and certainly not something that detracts from the overall success of these two as a pair.

Dorian
Our time with Dorian is brief given his story in full has already been published in this series (#5), but it's pure fun to get to revisit him and see slices of life from when he was younger, while also sharing in the moments when he's finally able to shift after a lifetime of being trapped solely in human form.

Partners in Persuasion
Felix and Dezi's story is utterly delightful in that it's a slightly different romantic setup from what we typically get in this series, with Felix being submissive to Dezi's dominant. Normally it's the Changeling men who are all alpha in their own way (though their women are always strong and go toe to toe with them perfectly), but it's Dezi who has to be careful to watch that she doesn't inadvertently use her dominance to influence Felix in a way he wouldn't naturally choose for himself. Felix is in no way weak however, his submissive nature simply part of the biological and psychological makeup of wolves within a pack hierarchy, and he more than shows his mettle when necessary.

Flirtation of Fate
This is the longest of the novellas, giving us a murder mystery to solve as the romance unfolds. There's an extra layer of tension between Kenji and Garnet given their rocky romantic history, but those like myself who love a second chance romance will smile the whole way through as these two butt heads (in a delicious foreplay kind of way) at every turn.

Rating: 4.5/5

Find Nalini:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Allegiance of Honor

ALLEGIANCE OF HONOR
Psy-Changeling #15
Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance-ish
Berkley
496 pages
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
The Psy-Changeling world has undergone a staggering transformation and now stands at a crossroads. The Trinity Accord promises a new era of cooperation between disparate races and groups. It is a beacon of hope held together by many hands: Old enemies. New allies. Wary loners.

But a century of distrust and suspicion can’t be so easily forgotten and threatens to shatter Trinity from within at any moment. As rival members vie for dominance, chaos and evil gather in the shadows and a kidnapped woman’s cry for help washes up in San Francisco, while the Consortium turns its murderous gaze toward a child who is the embodiment of change, of love, of piercing hope: A child who is both Psy…and changeling.

To find the lost, protect the vulnerable—and save Trinity—no one can stand alone. This is a time of loyalty across divisions, of bonds woven into the heart and the soul, of heroes known and unknown standing back to back and holding the line. But is an allegiance of honor even possible with traitors lurking in their midst?

MY THOUGHTS

Allegiance of Honor is a unique installment in Ms. Singh's outstanding Psy-Changeling series, reuniting us with beloved couples and characters from previous books instead of focusing on a single primary romance as the political maneuvering in this world reaches an all-time high.

While perhaps a touch slower in terms of pace given the lack of romantic tension fans like myself have come to know and love from Ms. Singh, spending new time with some of the early couples that stole our hearts is nothing short of delightful. Sascha and Lucas, the pair that started it all, are at the forefront of this fifteenth installment, bringing a smile to our faces with their every appearance as they work together to raise baby Naya. Bringing a little humor to the rising tensions is a very pregnant Mercy, whom everyone continually tries to distract to keep her from focusing on the fact that she's yet to give birth. Vaughn and Faith, Judd and Brenna, Hawke and Sienna and so many others fill the pages alongside Sascha and Lucas, giving us longtime fans a true sense of how rich and expansive this world has become over the years, and leaving us with an intense desire to go back to the beginning and start all over again.

Those who have yet to read any of the books in this series should not start with this one, as the storylines from previous books all come to a head and there's no individual romance on which to focus when the unfamiliar politics might prove to be a bit confusing. Allegiance of Honor is truly a gift to the fans, a chance to revisit the past while basking in the present, watching and waiting with breath held to see what the future of the entire Psy-Changeling world is going to hold in store.

Rating: 4/5

Find Nalini:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Rock Hard

ROCK HARD
Rock Kiss #2
Nalini Singh
Contemporary Romance
387 pages
TKA
Available Now
Source: Bought

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Wealthy businessman Gabriel Bishop rules the boardroom with the same determination and ruthlessness that made him a rock star on the rugby field. He knows what he wants, and he’ll go after it no-holds-barred.

And what he wants is Charlotte Baird.

Charlotte knows she’s a mouse. Emotionally scarred and painfully shy, she just wants to do her job and remain as invisible as possible. But the new CEO—a brilliant, broad-shouldered T-Rex of a man who growls and storms through the office, leaving carnage in his wake—clearly has other plans. Plans that may be equal parts business and bedroom.

If Charlotte intends to survive this battle of wits and hearts, the mouse will have to learn to wrangle the T-Rex. Game on.

MY THOUGHTS
Rock Hard is another shining example of Ms. Singh's ability to write an engaging, poignant and funny romance all wrapped up in layers of sexual tension, keeping us on the edge of our seats waiting for the moment our lead couple is going to combust.

Thanks to an abusive ex-boyfriend, heroine Charlotte suffers from severe anxiety in her day to day life, anxiety that spikes to extreme levels when she's faced with imposing men like her new CEO Gabriel. It's impossible not to want to spend a good portion of our time reading wanting to hug Charlotte and never let her go as her nerves get the better of her repeatedly, but she is in no way meek, and finds a spine of steel when she needs it most. Once Gabriel makes his romantic interest in her known, she opens up to him about her past, and continues to be upfront with him when something he says or does triggers a flashback so that they can move forward instead of getting stuck in the past.

Gabriel is every bit as good at communicating as Charlotte (with a few small exceptions which only add to the humor and tension), asking for her honesty but never demanding it, and letting her know when his protective instincts are at an all-time high so she can take a step back and let him work through it. They two of them together are ridiculously adorable, and while waiting until well past the halfway mark for things to really heat up between them physically seems like it would kick their romance into frustrating territory, it instead feels perfectly paced, and Ms. Singh ensures that we're not left wanting for swoon.

Overall, Rock Hard is an outstanding contemporary romance, and one that easily stands alone despite being the second book in the Rock Kiss series. Longtime fans of Nalini Singh or newcomers to her work should add this one to the TBR list for a sweet and sexy summer read!

Rating: 4/5

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Review: Archangel's Enigma

ARCHANGEL'S ENIGMA
Guild Hunter #8
Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance
384 pages
Berkley Sensation
Available September 1st
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Naasir is the most feral of the powerful group of vampires and angels known as the Seven, his loyalty pledged to the Archangel Raphael. When rumors surface of a plot to murder the former Archangel of Persia, now lost in the Sleep of the Ancients, Naasir is dispatched to find him. For only he possesses the tracking skills required—those more common to predatory animals than to man.

Enlisted to accompany Naasir, Andromeda, a young angelic scholar with dangerous secrets, is fascinated by his nature—at once playful and brilliant, sensual and brutal. As they race to find the Sleeping archangel before it’s too late, Naasir will force her to question all she knows...and tempt her to walk into the magnificent, feral darkness of his world. But first they must survive an enemy vicious enough to shatter the greatest taboo of the angelic race and plunge the world into a screaming nightmare…

MY THOUGHTS
The Guild Hunter series is an unusual one in terms of overall format, focusing on a single couple in the early books before veering off and giving us one-book romances featuring prominent secondary characters. While falling in love with a primary couple in a series and then having to give up our time with them in favor of others (especially since we do loop back around to them in a later book) might sound a touch off-putting, Ms. Singh makes it work effortlessly, ensuring we’re so invested in this world as a whole that we can do nothing but look forward to whomever is in the starring role.

Archangel’s Enigma sees one of Raphael’s Seven step to the forefront once again, Naasir winning our hearts easily (as has the entirety of the Seven) in previous books with his unapologetic nature. Naasir has teased both those around him as well as readers with hints about what he truly is (something uniquely other from the angels and vampires that inhabit this world) from the background of others’ stories, and proves as delightful in this tale as we’d hoped he’d be. He’s endearingly quirky and blunt, boldly announcing his desire to “rut” with Andi from almost the moment he meets her and rarely allowing polite company to dictate his words and behavior.

Once he learns Andi has made a vow of celibacy, one enormously important to her given the things she’s seen growing up with parents who take debauchery to a nightmare-inducing level, he refuses to let her break it even as their feelings for one another develop and deepen. Before setting off on their assignment, Andi gives Naasir what she believes to be an impossible task, stating that she’ll only break her vow should he be able to complete it (it’s important to note however that she doesn’t give him this task to make him jump through hoops or prove himself worthy, instead it’s more for herself – to keep her desire for him in check by making the reality of a relationship something that will never come to pass). The seriousness with which Naasir takes this task is absolutely adorable, his occasional grumbling about her “stupid Grimoire” when things get romantically tense between them keeping a smile on our faces even as the darkness of this world settles heavily in our bones.

The two of them together are a joy, and given Andi’s vow we get to spend a lot of time with them as they get to know one another emotionally before even the tiniest of baby steps toward physical intimacy are made. While this is the only book that will feature Naasir and Andi as the main couple, it’s best to read this series in order, the overall plot arc regarding the start of the Cascade in previous books continuing to develop in this installment. We’re of course left with a happy ending for Andi and Naasir, but the political climate for the archangels is turbulent at best by the time we reach the last page, and big changes are clearly on the way in future books.

Rating: 4.5/5

Find Nalini:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Shards of Hope

SHARDS OF HOPE
Psy-Changeling #14
Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance
496 pages
Berkley
Available June 2nd
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
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.

MY THOUGHTS
Shards of Hope delves us deeper once again into the cool and calculating minds of the Psy race, and as always, it’s an absolute treat to watch our lead couple pull themselves out of the darkness that was Silence and into the light. Aden and Zaira, as damaged by the brutal way the Psy race disciplines their young as Vasic, Kaleb and Sahara before them, are unique as a couple in that they’ve had a lifetime together prior to us meeting them, their shared past making their eventual romance all the more satisfying.

Aden, perhaps the least Silent of the Psy protagonists immediately preceding him, makes it easy to fall in love with him quickly, shedding his Silent skin with far greater speed than Zaira, though the development of their romance is anything but fast. He’s more than aware of Zaira’s absolute need for a rigid structure to her life, the strength of her rage as a result of all that was done to her when she was young something that cannot go unchecked, and so the two of them take beautiful baby steps forward in changing the nature of their relationship. Each small step feels like a massive accomplishment however, Ms. Singh giving us glimpses now and then of everything the two of them faced in Arrow training as children to help us understand the emotional challenges they face, and we can do nothing but smile as the two of them fight their pasts to have a chance at their future.

While the Psy-Changeling series has always included time with characters other than our main couple – small snippets of characters whose stories have happened or will happen – Shards of Hope feels as though it bounces around a touch more than previous installments as Aden and Zaira uncover a massive chess game that aims to create a war between Psy, Changelings and humans. The middle in particular meanders a touch as our time with Aden and Zaira exclusively is limited, but as always, Ms. Singh introduces new characters who immediately grab our attention and touches base with beloved ones, so it’s hard to work up any kind of frustration at being denied additional time with our primary romantic pairing.

Overall, Shards of Hope uncovers a complicated plot that will undoubtedly have far-reaching effects in future books, but it anchors us with Aden and Zaira’s relationship, ensuring that we don’t get so overwhelmed with all the political maneuvering that we lose our emotional connection to their story. Here’s hoping a Changeling romance is up next though, as it’s been a while since we’ve gotten to take a walk on the wild side.

Rating: 4/5

Find Nalini:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Night Shift

NIGHT SHIFT
Anthology
Nalini Singh, Illona Andrews, Lisa Shearin, Milla Vane
Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
384 pages
Berkley
Available November 25th
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Four masters of urban fantasy and paranormal romance plunge readers into the dangerous, captivating world unearthed beyond the dark...

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh delivers a smoldering story with Secrets at Midnight , as the scent of Bastien Smith’s elusive lover ignites a possessiveness in him that’s as feral as it is ecstatic. And now that he’s found his mate, he’ll do anything to keep her.

In #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews’ novella, Magic Steals , when people start going missing, shapeshifting tigress Dali Harimau and jaguar shifter Jim Shrapshire must uncover the truth about the mysterious creatures responsible.

From Milla Vane—a warrior princess must tame The Beast of Blackmoor to earn a place among her people. But she quickly discovers that the beast isn't a monster, but a barbarian warrior who intends to do some taming himself.

It’s seer Makenna Frazier's first day on the job at Supernatural Protection and Investigations, and her first assignment is more than she bargained for when bodyguard duty for a leprechaun prince’s bachelor party goes every which way but right in national bestselling author Lisa Shearin’s Lucky Charms.

MY THOUGHTS
Secrets at Midnight by Nalini Singh
Ms. Singh never disappoints with her paranormal romances, and whether we’re treated to a novella or a full length book, we turn the last page utterly satisfied yet already craving more. Secrets at Midnight takes us back to fiery redhead Mercy’s family, her brother Bastien finally catching his mate’s scent and setting out to woo and win her using all the weapons in his impressive arsenal. Things of course move quickly between them given the short page length, but their romance is a sweet and sexy reminder of why the Psy-Changeling series sits on a shelf of favorites.

Rating: 4/5

Magic Steals by Ilona Andrews
Like Ms. Singh, the writing team of Ilona Andrews has a gift for writing extraordinary secondary characters, and much to our delight and glee Magic Steals thrusts two such characters into the limelight. While this novella boasts a well-plotted mystery, the true highlights are of course Dali and Jim, Dali’s understandable insecurities (given she’s mostly blind with magic that’s hit-or-miss and he’s Alpha of Clan Cat) regarding how fit a romantic partner she is for Jim making us want to reach through the pages and hug her. In our short time with the two of them though, she and Jim work through their various relationship issues, all the while solving a tangled web of a case with their individual senses of humor present and accounted for.

Rating: 4.5/5

Lucky Charms by Lisa Shearin
Lucky Charms is a laugh-out-loud novella that walks us through protagonist Makenna Frazier’s first night at her new job. A new job that includes horny (and naked) leprechauns, strip clubs, and a partnership complicated by both physical attraction and the inadvertent inhalation of an inhibition-lowering drug. Pages fly by as clothes come off (including the clothes of those who make us grateful we can see only words on a page and not the events themselves), and we reach the end ever-so ready for a full novel with Makenna and her partner Ian leading the way.

Rating: 4/5

The Beast of Blackmoor by Milla Vane
The Beast of Blackmoor is a drastic and rather abrupt change in tone from the previous novella, humor and hijinks suddenly followed up by a grittiness that wipes the lingering smile from our faces. The abruptness is in no way the fault of Ms. Vane, but her world is inescapably off-putting to a higher degree than it might have been otherwise given the order of this anthology, the multiple rapes and violence such a departure from the other three that we can’t help but struggle to find purchase. The story itself has an intriguing Beauty and the Beast-type setup with a physically and emotionally strong heroine tasked with bringing a “beast” to heel, it just takes a while longer to really settle in and adjust to the darkness.

Rating: 3/5

Buy Night Shift:

  

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This book was sent to me by the author  free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Archangel's Shadows

ARCHANGEL'S SHADOWS
Guild Hunter #7
Nalini Singh
Adult Paranormal Romance
Berkley Sensation
366 pages
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
In the wake of a brutal war, the archangel Raphael and his hunter consort, Elena, are dealing with the treacherously shifting tides of archangelic politics and the people of a battered but not broken city. The last thing their city needs is more death, especially a death that bears the eerie signature of an insane enemy archangel who cannot— should not—be walking the streets.

This hunt must be undertaken with stealth and without alerting their people. It must be handled by those who can become shadows themselves…

Ash is a gifted tracker and a woman cursed with the ability to sense the secrets of anyone she touches. But there’s one man she knows all too well without a single instant of skin contact: Janvier, the dangerously sexy Cajun vampire who has fascinated and infuriated her for years. Now, as they track down a merciless killer, their cat-and-mouse game of flirtation and provocation has turned into a profound one of the heart. And this time, it is Ash’s secret, dark and terrible, that threatens to destroy them both.

MY THOUGHTS
Nalini Singh is a reader's dream author, someone tried and true who can be relied upon to continually write stories–no matter how high in number her series get–that satisfy the hedonist in us, delight the romantic we can't help but be, and terrify the morbidly fascinated part of us that loves a good murder mystery. Many times with series where any single book follows a number of different characters rather than sticking solely with the main couple, we can sometimes find ourselves frustrated, unwilling and uninterested in spending time away from our hero and heroine as the protagonists of future books have their foundations laid. Ms. Singh, however, has created such a rich cast of secondary characters in the Guild Hunter world that time spent with them is not something we must endure before returning to our lead couple, but rather a series of beloved moments we cherish every bit as much as we do those spent with our romantic pair.

For longtime fans of the series, both Ash and Janvier are characters with whom we've spent time before, but those who haven't read the novella featuring the two of them will easily be able to slip into their playfully flirtatious relationship. Ash, as is always the case with Ms. Singh's female characters, is a strong personality, easily able to go toe to toe with those who inspire both fear and lust from anyone who crosses their path. Her history with Janvier adds something special to their romance, the affection between them present from page one to beautifully alter their path to coupledom. We don't have the tension that exists between two strangers who find themselves attracted to one another, instead we have teasing, banter, and the ache of longing that only comes from a place of deep familiarity. Ash's clear love for Janvier wraps around us from chapter one, a comforting presence all the way through that lets us know these two will find their way to happiness no matter what supernatural horrors or personal issues they face.

Janvier is every bit as enjoyable as Ash, his deep cajun drawl something that echoes in our ears as we flip the pages, creating the kinds of mental images we don't ever want to forget. He's every bit as in love with Ash as she is with him, and his confidence in the rightness of their relationship adds a few new creases around our mouths from the amount of smiling we do while reading. He's endlessly patient and supportive, understanding Ash has very serious and valid reservations about immortality but refusing to let her retreat from him and cling to her humanity out of fear. His love for her is eternal, something that sounds grossly exaggerated and the type of thing only to be found in the pages of a romance novel, but Janvier could easily persuade even the staunchest of romantic cynics to believe in the strength of his love for–and loyalty to–Ash.

Overall, Archangel's Shadows is another winning installment in the Guild Hunter series, Ash and Janvier an utterly memorable couple who manage to make our hearts flutter even amidst the violence threatening the security of Raphael's beloved New York City once again. Both Raphael and Elena, as well as treasured members of his Seven, are all present and accounted for, deepening our connection to this series by reminding us just how much we love them and the world in which they live. Illium and Naasir in particular have large roles in this installment, and I can only hope that means their stories will be coming down the pipeline in the not-too distant future.

Rating: 4/5

Find Nalini:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Shield of Winter

SHIELD OF WINTER
Psy-Changeling #13
Nalini Singh
Adult Paranormal Romance
448 Pages
Berkley Romance
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
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…

MY THOUGHTS
Shield of Winter is the thirteenth installment of Nalini Singh’s brilliant Psy-Changeling series, one that follows up the emotionally gripping and long-awaited story of Councilor Kaleb Krychek with that of an equally ice cold and lethal Arrow. As is often the case with books that come after a particularly captivating predecessor, Shield of Winter suffers just a touch in comparison, Vasic similar to Kaleb in enough ways that we can’t help but feel the utter familiarity of the romance’s overall progression. The slow thaw of Vasic’s rigid conditioning once he meets Ivy echoes that of Kaleb’s even though the relationships themselves are quite different, leaving us a bit more on the outside looking in than we were with Kaleb in Shield of Obsidian. That being said however, Ms. Singh on the whole never disappoints, and even with the similarities between the heroes of this book and the one before, entertains with every page as pivotal game-changing events unfold.

Ivy is a classic Nalini Singh heroine, full of a fire and steel that challenges the difficult man in her life at every turn. She’s a delightful combination of shy and bold, hesitant around Vasic in the beginning but never afraid, and once she spends a bit more time with him she's the one to make the first charming (and mortifying) move. Vasic, as mentioned previously, is as cold as his Arrow training demanded he be, simply existing day to day until the moment when the experimental gauntlet fused to his arm will inevitably malfunction and take him out in a fiery blaze of glory. He has little hope that life has anything good left to offer him, so it’s nothing short of satisfying to watch as Ivy acts as a lighthouse that guides his broken and battered ship home.

The highlight of this story (aside from Ivy’s dog Rabbit who has a delightfully starring role) has to be the sexual innocence of both Ivy and Vasic, and the sweet awkwardness that results when they finally decide to explore the attraction between them. As both Ivy and Vasic are Psy–having had their emotions stripped from them in the most brutal way possible in their youth and taught again and again that physical touch is to be avoided at all costs–they’re both adorably unsure of themselves when it comes to intimacy, with Vasic repeatedly consulting a variety of manuals to help him figure out what to do. He also has the hilarious tendency, as a teleporter, to lose control of his ability in sexual moments, relocating them all over the world and back again in a matter of minutes. With so many romance novels featuring love scenes consisting of virile men exhibiting unheard of levels of sexual prowess and skill, the cute fumblings and open honesty between Ivy and Vasic as they talk about their wants and needs together is a breath of fresh air.

Though Vasic and Ivy are the prominent couple in this story, it’s very much an ensemble book (more so than many of the previous installments), the length of it granting us time with beloved characters as well as those who we can only hope will have their own books in the future. Overall Shield of Winter, while not as strong as Heart of Obsidian, is still a highly enjoyable addition to the Psy-Changeling series, leaving us with the landscape of the PsyNet irrevocably altered and a door for what are sure to be interesting developments in future books wide open.

Rating: 4/5
 

Find Nalini:

 

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Archangel's Legion

ARCHANGEL'S LEGION
Guild Hunter #6
Nalini Singh
Adult Paranormal Romance
384 pages
Jove/Penguin
Available October 29th
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Angels are falling from the sky in New York, struck down by a vicious, unknown force.

Vampires are dying impossibly of disease.

Guild hunter Elena Deveraux and the Archangel Raphael must discover the source of the wave of death before it engulfs their city and their people, leaving New York a ruin and Raphael’s Tower under siege by enemy archangels.

Yet even as they fight desperately to save the city, an even darker force is stirring, its chill eyes trained on New York…and on Raphael. Rivers of crimson and nightmares given flesh, the world will never again be the same…

MY THOUGHTS
Archangel's Legion returns us to the smoldering relationship between archangel Raphael and Guild Hunter Elena; this sixth installment perhaps a bit quieter than those that came before it, but the slower nature of it is more gift than curse as it allows us to reestablish our valued connection to this pair after two books apart. Books four and five of the series switched the romantic focus from Raphael and Elena to two of Raphael's elite Seven and the women who captured their hearts, so the slow but steady progression of the disease that threatens the immortality of this world's vampires in this latest book gives us time to really explore the nuances of an already-established romantic relationship, their various problems and insecurities a treat to witness for the emotional proximity to them it grants us– grounding them in reality when so much of their world is breathtaking fantasy.

Elena has always been a gorgeous combination of badass fighter and haunted daughter, the weight of her mother and sister's death combining with the disapproval and borderline hatred of her father to lay her bare before our eyes even as she refuses to so much as flinch in the presence of a physical threat, and she's at the very peak of vulnerability in Archangel's Legion. Her love for Raphael, while unwavering and indisputable, terrifies her more than it has in previous books; an ingrained fear of abandonment rearing its ugly head as the Cascade brings about significant changes in Raphael. It's the realization that her very presence could play a part in his downfall that nearly unravels her, a brutal history threatening to repeat itself just when she's truly started to live again thanks to a frighteningly powerful archangel.

Raphael, who has previously been rather remote and at times cold given his impressive age and things he must to do to hold his position within the Cadre and within New York, continues to shed some of his otherworldliness in this installment, repeatedly demonstrating a dry wit and surprising sense of humor as he teases Elena out of her melancholy. Together the two of them are an unforgettable romantic pair, pushing each other to their limits but always providing safe harbor when the other needs it most, all the while constantly challenging each other yet standing united against any and all threats. They fight, they dance, they tease, and they prove to all of us perhaps doubtful readers that an established relationship can be every bit as hot as one still in the many stages of courtship.

Though the journey in this one is categorized by soft footfalls rather powerful, stomping strides, Ms. Singh ends book six with a rather epic showdown high above New York City, our lead pair and their beloved assortment of loyal friends causing us to tense every muscle in our bodies as they fight what appears to be a losing battle, but even in the darkest moments of those concluding pages our love for them provides much-needed warmth. Peace for Raphael, Elena and Raphael's Seven is clearly but a distant hope by the time we reach the last page, yet our faith in all of them is at its all time highest and we can only smile in gleeful anticipation as to what the next book will bring.

Rating: 4/5
 

Find Nalini:

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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Super Six Sunday: Bad Bookish Boyfriends

Inspired by Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke and The Bookish, Super Six Sunday, a new feature from the fabulous ladies at Bewitched Bookworms, has different book-related topics each week and asks participants to address each one in the form of a list of six. Obviously.

This week's topic is bad bookish boyfriends, something those of you who read this blog with any frequency know is all-too perfect a topic for me. The hard part of course comes in narrowing this list down to only six–rather than say, one hundred–bad bookish boyfriends. *shakes fist at the Bookworms for limiting me so!* MY LOVE FOR FICTIONAL MEN CANNOT BE CONTAINED IN SUCH A MANNER! I have so very much to give you see, but I endeavored to adhere to the rules of this feature and picked only a handful. *exasperated sigh*

In order to help me compile this list, I narrowed the topic further and chose men who walk a fine line between hero and anti-hero, often saying or doing things that make me want to revoke their candidacy for Fictional Love of Jenny's Life, but yet I find them all the more interesting for their deep, and sometimes very dark, flaws.

1. RYODAN

The Fever Series (adult urban fantasy)

I know. I talk about him a lot. There's just so much to say! He has layers, my friends, LAYERS UPON LAYERS and I adore him. I'll spare you my fawning all over him because I already did that in a previous post, but suffice to say he pretty much owns the term badass and skates the line between someone I love and someone I could easily hate so very, very expertly. I need Burned in my hands as soon as physically possible.

First book in the entire series: Darkfever

First book in Dani's series in which Ryodan is a major player: Iced

2. KAIDAN ROWE

The Sweet Trilogy (paranormal YA)

Okay, like Ryodan, I may have mentioned Kaidan a time or two on this blog. Or possibly 23849203394 times, but that's completely beside the point. The point is Kaidan is the son of the Duke (think demon) of Lust, and he won me over the minute he came on page in Sweet Evil. He's more than just a bad boy who happens to ooze sex appeal; underneath the sharp wit, the British accent, and the devil-may-care attitude lies a young man stuck in a situation he's powerless to change, and he has perhaps more fear in him than he does cocky swagger if you take the time to really look, something very few actually do. If you couldn't tell already, I'll let you in on a little secret: I love him.

First book in the series: Sweet Evil

3. COLE

The Everneath Series (paranormal YA)

Oh, Cole. What a tangled web you weave my friend. Though Cole plays second fiddle to primary love interest Jack in this series, he remains the far more intriguing of the two (but my love for Jack is still epic!), his motivations for every action always shrouded in an untold number of mysteries, and just when I think I have a handle on the man he is, he cracks a sinister smile and laughs right in my face for being so dense. He is both kind and cruel, genuine and devious, and I simply cannot wait to see where things go with him in the third installment of this series.

First book in the series: Everneath

4. GREYFRIAR

Vampire Empire Series (adult urban fantasy/steampunk)

This trilogy completely and unexpectedly blew me away when I first picked it up a couple years ago, the world a welcome yet devastating return to a time when vampires were not the stuff of romance novels, but rather the monstrous killing machines of legend. The Greyfriar is one who hunts them, but as things unfolded in the first book I quickly realized the mask he wears hides far more than just his features from the world, and once I got a peek at what was underneath, I had to know everything there was to know. Like the others on this list he sometimes straddles the line between black and white, though he proves again and again that gray is a far more attractive and addictive color.

First book in the series: The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire)

5. PHOENIX

The Violet Eden Chapters (paranormal YA)

Phoenix has led me on a merry dance through this series (though like Cole, he is not the primary love interest, that honor falls to Lincoln). In one book I despise him and everything he is, but then in the next book he shows a completely new side to himself that has my fingers turning from claws that would slice him open to clutching digits that would pull him closer and never let him go. He can be brutal and plays a mean emotional game with Violet and Lincoln, but in the rare moments when his guard drops he shines brighter than any other character, and the glutton for punishment in me never fails to rejoice when he makes an appearance on page.

First book in the series: Embrace

6. RAPHAEL

The Guild Hunter Series (adult paranormal Romance)

Ooooo Raphael, you are a sexy bastard. I am an enormous fan of all things Nalini Singh, and though you've probably seen me gush most often about my love of alpha wolf Hawke from her Psy-Changeling series (YOU'RE STILL MY FIRST LOVE HAWKE!), I absolutely adore her Guild Hunter series as well. In these books we get to spend time with Raphael, the archangel of New York, a man who is all power and steel and immortality, and who time has hardened and shaped into someone unyielding and unrelenting. He is perhaps the most alpha of all Nalini's many alpha men, but when Elena enters his life we have the pleasure of watching the rigidity of him start to ever-so-slightly relax (though not much mind you), giving but the barest of inches before his archangel superiority snaps back into place. He's infuriating and intoxicating and if you've yet to meet him, you're missing out.

First book in the series: Angels' Blood

Super Six Sunday: Love Stories

Inspired by Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke and The Bookish, Super Six Sunday, a new feature from the fabulous ladies at Bewitched Bookworms, has different book-related topics each week and asks participants to address each topic in the form of a list of six. Obviously.

This week's topic is love stories, and given how much I love romance, it's both an awesome and a terrible prompt for me. Awesome because there are so many amazing love stories out there that have made me swoon, and terrible because it was nearly impossible to narrow it down to just six. I had to limit the topic even further in my head in order to choose books, so I went with love stories that feature really strong heroines, emotionally and physically, who aren't afraid to challenge the men in their lives. I think all six of the below women push buttons, question, and frustrate their men, but they are also loyal, powerful in their own ways, and are absolute equal partners in the relationship. Love them.

KISS OF SNOW (Psy-Changeling #10)

Nalini Singh • Adult Paranormal Romance

Nalini Singh is one of my very favorite authors, and her Psy-Changeling paranormal romance series has been one I've been obsessed with for years. We meet Hawke and Sienna in book one, but it takes another 8 books–yes eight, I died a little inside when each book that released wasn't theirs–before they finally get together. To be fair, they need all that time as Sienna is significantly younger than Hawke, but their journey in this book is one I've taken with them over and over again and will continue to do so for years to come.

DARKFEVER (Fever Series)

Karen Marie Moning • Adult Urban Fantasy

I'm sure many of you have heard the word Barrons uttered (or exhaled on a shaky breath full of longing) even if you haven't yet read this series. Jericho Barrons is not your typical romance hero. He's often neither romantic nor heroic. He's downright cruel at times and the force of his personality can be overwhelming. It's as easy to hate him as it is to love him, but Mac holds her own and never takes a step back when he takes a threatening step forward. Instead, she meets him with a step of her own, and the two of them fight, taunt, argue and then explode romantically as the series continues, and I just can't recommend their story enough. It's definitely NOT a conventional love story in any way, and that's part of what I like so much about the two of them.

TRUE

Erin McCarthy • Contemporary New Adult

True came to be in my hands just at the moment when the New Adult genre got to be at its most frustrating for me, the angst and drama of the relationships starting to test my patience and grate on my nerves, but then along came Rory. Rory wouldn't know how to play a game romantically with a guy if someone gave her a series of directions to review beforehand, and her honesty with everything she's feeling quickly led her to the top of my favorite heroines list. Tyler is a bit more cliched - a bad boy with a difficult past, but he's not nearly as superficial as labeling him a bad boy makes him seem, and I couldn't have loved him with Rory any more if I'd tried.

FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS

Diana Peterfreund • Young Adult/Dystopian

This story is one of the most romantic stories I've read where the hero and heroine don't even do so much as kiss on page. Elliot and Kai are all tension and hurt, dancing around one another as they search desperately in each other for the person they knew when they were younger, but whereas Kai takes his opportunities to land his emotional punches, Elliot always pulls hers, earning my respect and her place on this list. Despite all the lingering pain between them, there are such beautiful moments in this tale, and I always look forward to going back and spending time with Elliot an Kai on a re-read.

UNRAVELING

Elizabeth Norris • Paranormal Young Adult/SciFi

Unraveling is one of those books that took me by complete surprise, the blurb initially one that held no interest for me, but when I was lucky enough to get a review copy I decided I might as well give it a try. I fell in love with Janelle on nearly the first page, her sense of humor and low tolerance for the petty games of the popular crowd winning me over immediately. When Ben enters the picture there is no swooning (except on my part), and their relationship is one of tentative friendship and wary attraction for a long time before it becomes something much more heartwarming.

ANGELFALL

Susan Ee • Paranormal Young Adult

Like Unraveling, Angelfall was a complete surprise for me, a story I entered into not really knowing what to expect but I quickly found myself blown away. Penryn is fiercely protective of her younger sister, and when she gets taken, embarks on a long and terrifying journey with the dubious help of wingless angel Raffe to find her again. I loved everything about this book and the relationship between Penryn and Raffe, the antagonism and distrust between them ever-so slowly fading to leave genuine affection in its place. Again, a bit darker and less traditional of a love story, but strikingly memorable and beautiful just the same.

Those are six of my very favorites, what love story would top your list?

Review: Archangel's Storm

ARCHANGEL'S STORM

(Guild Hunter #5)

Nalini Singh
Adult Paranormal Romance
336 Pages
Berkley Sensation
Available September 4th
Received from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)

With wings of midnight and an affinity for shadows, Jason courts darkness. But now, with the Archangel Neha’s consort lying murdered in the jewel-studded palace that was his prison and her rage threatening cataclysmic devastation, Jason steps into the light, knowing he must unearth the murderer before it is too late.

Earning Neha’s trust comes at a price—Jason must tie himself to her bloodline through the Princess Mahiya, a woman with secrets so dangerous, she trusts no one. Least of all an enemy spymaster.

With only their relentless hunt for a violent, intelligent killer to unite them, Jason and Mahiya embark on a quest that leads to a centuries-old nightmare… and to the dark storm of an unexpected passion that threatens to drench them both in blood.

MY THOUGHTS

As with all of Ms. Singh’s books, Archangel’s Storm gives us a pair of beautifully rich characters perfect in their flaws and imperfect in their strengths who lead us through a dark dance of pleasure, pain, and heady hope. Ms. Singh has an uncanny ability to craft characters and relationships that have us feeling as though we’re a vital part of the events as they unfold, her hand a feather light touch at our backs to guide us as she carefully draws the often violent topography of her protagonists' pasts. Never once does she sit us down and detail the darkness of either Jason or Mihaya’s lives before they meet, instead she provides us fleeting glimpses and telling flashes, thus allowing us to fill in the blanks and ensuring our relationship with each of them is completely unique. Reading their story is profoundly intimate, the conclusions we’re able to draw based on the snippets we’re given throughout binding us to them irrevocably as we revel in the quiet intensity of their romance.

Mahiya is a fascinating deviation from previous Guild Hunter heroines Elena and Honor, her physical strength and fighting ability far below that of either woman given the sheltered nature of her upbringing as a princess in archangel Neha’s court, but it’s these differences that make her so interesting. Ms. Singh’s heroines are always strong women–women able to go toe to toe with extraordinarily alpha men–but she manages to stunningly portray varying degrees of strength to keep and hold our attention. Mahiya appears meek on the outside, quietly taking Neha’s verbal abuse and offering no defense, but we quickly learn Mahiya has painstakingly built over time a near flawless façade of subservience, playing to her status as a “trinket” with consummate skill. While she will not be the first to pull a blade or jump into the fray as Elena or Honor might, her appeal lies in her ability to believe in something better despite the horrors she’s seen, and the radiance emanating from her untapped capacity to love makes her stand out among her battle-ready peers.

Jason is as dark and dangerous as either Raphael or Dmitri, but like Mahiya, his true nature lies in stealth and shadow; in making others see what is not truly there while expertly hiding what is. He’s not one for bravado, arrogance or loud intimidation, instead allowing his more muted menace to do all the work for him by forcing those around him to question what he’s capable of as well as what he knows while he near-invisibly learns all their secrets. His attraction to Mahiya is not quite as explosive as Raphael and Elena’s chemistry or as combustible as Dmitri and Honor’s connection, but we feel the force of it no less than we did the others, knowing each small gesture is worth more than pretty words could ever be, and we breathe shallowly while we read, waiting for the most undemonstrative of angels to gift us with a peek at his true feelings.

Archangel’s Storm is a strong addition to the Guild Hunter series, providing us with a relationship intriguingly different from what we’ve seen before, while also giving us a much-desired taste of the other characters in this world we love so much. Venom, Illium and the remaining members of Raphael’s Seven are of particular interest, and here’s hoping books for each of them are on the horizon along with the continuation of Raphael and Elena’s story.

Rating: 4/5

Interview: Nalini Singh

Those of you who read this blog with any regularity are well aware that I'm a huge fan–dare I say a complete and utter fangirl–of Nalini Singh and both of her adult paranormal romance series. It goes without saying then that I'm absurdly excited to welcome her back to the blog today to answer a few questions about her latest release in the Psy-Changeling series, Tangle of Need. I think Nalini writes absolutely captivating characters, and hers are stories that bring a smile to my face every time without fail, so I hope anyone who has yet to pick up one of her books will give her a try!

You give those of us who absolutely adore Hawke and Sienna a gift in Tangle of Need by continuing their story right alongside Adria and Riaz’s. Is there one scene between Hawke and Sienna in this book that is a particular favorite of yours?

This is a really tough question! If I absolutely must choose, I think the scene with them in bed after the mating ceremony has a particular poignancy and power to it, showing us just how deeply they understand one another.

If you were to join the SnowDancer pack, what position in the hierarchy do you think you’d fill, and what skills do you have that would most benefit them as a whole?

Hmm. I’d probably end up Dalton the Librarian’s assistant. I would continue to be a storyteller, but the tales I’d tell would be those of the pack, and as Dalton would say – the past informs our future, so it’s important for the pack to never forget their history.

Let’s say there is a supernatural Guild Hunter/Psy-Changeling wife swap and Sienna spends a week learning Raphael’s world while Elena spends a week learning Hawke’s. What’s one trait each male would say they most admire in the other man's mate after spending time with them?

Though they are very different women, I think it may well be the same trait that would strike both Raphael and Hawke about each other’s mates: an internal strength that means the two women never give up, even when the odds seem insurmountable.

They are both women a man can rely on to walk by his side, no matter the obstacle in front of them. And that of course, speaks to another trait they share—their bone-deep loyalty to those they love.

The Psy-Changeling world is extraordinarily complex, and while each book focuses on mainly one couple, there are always multiple storylines playing out side by side. How do you keep track of all character and world intricacies you’ve created?

I do have a series bible with all kinds of notes in it, but each world exists as a whole in my head – and it’s such a visual creation that I feel as if I step into the particular world with each book, able to see the myriad story threads.

Is there any one aspect of Adria and Riaz’s relationship that surprised you while you were writing? Something that wasn’t necessarily planned?

I’m not a planner as such (not in terms of laying out a book from start to finish), so the evolution of every couple’s relationship is a surprise – Riaz and Adria were no different. I learned about them as they learned about one another.

Do you do anything in particular when you’ve finished a book for one series to help you get in the right mindset for the switch in world and characters before you start the next series?

I might take a few days break after I finish a story, watch DVDs of my favorite tv shows, catch up on some reading…but honestly, I’m usually itching to get back to the world I haven’t been in for a few months.

If you could take one of your characters on a book tour with you, who do you think would keep you and the fans entertained the most?

Can I pick one from each series?

For the Guild Hunter series, I think Illium would be the hands-down fan favorite. Not only does he like humans, he’s both fun and charming.

For the Psy/Changeling series, I think Drew would be great company—like Illium, he’s witty and intelligent, and also playful.

(And sneaking in one more…) I also think Brenna would be great fun to tour with—she’s so smart with technology that she’d be on top of everything, and she has a friendly personality that means she could strike up a conversation with just about anyone. Also, she could dish about Judd. ;-)

Okay, I’ll force myself to stop there…though I could keep going and going and going…

The last time you were here I asked you this question:

If Hawke were to describe Sienna with a single word the moment he saw her upon her defection from the PsyNet, what would that word be? If he had to describe her now?

And you answered:

I think now and then, he would always call her strong. But now that he knows all the facets of her personality, he’s likely to use words like compelling and intriguing, too,…as well as one other that I’ll tell you after Kiss of Snow releases.

Can we have that last missing word now? :-)

Mine. :-)

*Jenny can no longer run this blog because she has died of an overdose of love (and also lust) for Hawke*

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions Nalini! More information on Nalini, the Psy-Changeling series and the Guild Hunter series can be found here:

Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Amazon

TANGLE OF NEED (from Goodreads)

Adria, wolf changeling and resilient soldier, has made a break with the past--one as unpredictable in love as it was in war. Now comes a new territory, and a devastating new complication: Riaz, a SnowDancer lieutenant already sworn to a desperate woman who belongs to another.

For Riaz, the primal attraction he feels for Adria is a staggering betrayal. For Adria, his dangerous lone-wolf appeal is beyond sexual. It consumes her. It terrifies her. It threatens to undermine everything she has built of her new life. But fighting their wild compulsion toward one another proves a losing battle.

Their coming together is an inferno...and a melding of two wounded souls who promise each other no commitment, no ties, no bonds. Only pleasure. Too late, they realize that they have more to lose than they ever imagined. Drawn into a cataclysmic Psy war that may alter the fate of the world itself, they must make a decision that might just break them both.