REVIEW: Hex Hall (#1 Hex Hall) by Rachel Hawkins

4 Stars 

Hex Hall wasn’t quite Hexcellent, but was certainly enjoyable! 
(...And lovely cover ^_^)

Sophie Mercer was sent to Hecate Hall a.k.a. Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent “Prodigium” (Witches, Warlocks, Shapehifters, and Fairies) after she performed a love spell at the prom, for a classmate, that went terribly wrong, threatening to expose the Prodigium world to humans. “Hex Hall” is located on an island off the coast of Georgia.

Before this, Sophie has only ever lived in the human world, with her mother, and hasn’t known her father, a warlock whose relationship with her mother ended before she was born.

In a way, this story reminded me of Harry Potter as he first attends Hogwarts, but without quite as much whimsy, magic, and detail. There were certainly some moments of attending class including a “Defence” class, a creepy forest nearby, but no moving staircases or talking pictures. There’s an interesting connection between fallen angels and the Prodigium, though, that I liked.

In line with these thoughts, the plot of this story actually reminded me of Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets, with mysterious deaths/injuries, a ghostly, helpful figure, blame being cast on an “obvious” suspect, and the protagonist being caught up in the middle of it all. Though, this was most assuredly NOT a replica of The Chamber of Secrets.

Hex Hall was an enjoyable read, with a steady pace, and a great climax.

The story is told from Sophie’s first-person perspective. I really liked Sophie, who looks like a girl-next-door, with a great sense of humour and smart-ass wit, and the struggles she faced against the “mean girls” of Hecate Hall, led by gorgeous redhead, Elodie Parris. I enjoyed Sophie’s humourous voice, and her inner monologues, especially in regards to her crush on Archer Cross, made me smile. I really liked that she admittedly had an inexplicable "crush" and didn’t consider herself immediately “in love”.

I also really liked Sophie’s roommate, Jenna, the only vampire student at the school, who funnily adores the colour pink, and with whom Sophie forms a close friendship.

Alas, I didn’t find another “book boyfriend” is this one with snarky, lean, dark, and bad-boyishly good-looking, Archer Cross. *sad sigh* I mean, he was aiiight, but he didn’t have me sighing and swooning. Which is one of the reasons why this didn’t garner a 4.5-5 Star rating from me. Hey, I take my “book boyfriend” collection very seriously, okay? LOL

Cal, the blonde, down-to-earth, quarterback-physiqued, and magically talented groundskeeper, on the other hand, intrigued me, somewhat. Hmm... And no, he doesn't look like Hagrid. ^_^

“So if you can heal with your touch, why are you working here as like, Hagrid, or whatever?”

There was some romance in this, not a lot. And for parents, it should be noted, that there is mention of sex and a rather passionate kiss, but that’s all.

All in all, a nice, fun read. Recommended.

'“Let's just say you may regret that second piece of cake."
Oh my God. Regret cake? Whatever was about to happen must be truly evil.'
....

'“Sophia Mercer," Elodie intoned, "we have come to induct you into our sisterhood. Say the five words to begin the ritual."
I blinked at her. "Are you freaking kidding me?"
Anna gave an exasperated sigh. "No, the five words are 'I accept your offer, sisters.”'

My images of the characters...

Sophie (Kaya Scodelario)

Archer (Wade Poezyn)

Cal (Zach Roerig)

Elodie (Simone Simons)

REVIEW: Branded by Fire (#6 Pasy-Changeling) by Nalini Singh

5 of 5 Stars

YOWZA!!! I felt Branded by Fire, alright!!!

 

This installment of the Psy-Changeling series started out SCORCHINGLY HAWT! 

When Mercy Smith, a sentinel of the DarkRiver leopard pack, leaves her best friend Dorian’s wedding to go for a run, as it was difficult seeing him and the other sentinels all happily mated, she is found by none other than the highest ranking Lieutenant SnowDancer wolf who pushes her buttons, the sexy Riley Kincaid. Riley can see that Mercy is in heat and antagonises her into a “wrestling” match that turns into something primal…all in the first few pages! As I said, YOWZA!!! 

Who you calling hot, wolf???

Yield to me, kitty. You know you want to.

This is the first changeling-changeling romance in the series, and I must say, it was certainly EXPLOSIVE! The chemistry and sparks between Mercy and Riley is off the charts.

This is also the first book with a wolf hero. While I love the DarkRiver cats, I also enjoy getting more of the SnowDancer wolves. And while I’ve loved the stories with the Psy/Changeling and Psy/Human pairings, it was great that Nalini Singh changed pace with this one. 

Mercy and Riley, as the representatives for each of their packs in their still new alliance, are thrown together often, and in this one, they have to work very closely together. 

Mercy a.k.a. Miss Bikini Babe 2067 is afraid she’ll never mate, because she’s a dominant female in her pack and she doesn’t want to be with someone she is more dominant over nor does she want to submit. Mercy is kickass, and her family and pack are very important to her.

 Miss Bikini Babe 2067 - Rawr!!!

Riley a.k.a. The Wall…or Mr Mud Stick/Muddie, as Mercy refers to him … is responsible and serious but is also so deliciously sexy and caring. I love these kinds of heroes! Just like my darling Marcus, Lord Westcliff, of Lisa Kleypas Wallflowers series. They are so outwardly controlled, but when they fall for a woman, their control is decimated and their passions are incredible to behold. Riley is so protective and he has a big heart. Just love him!

“Be gentle with him, Mercy. He's got a heart as big as Texas— he'll die for you without blinking. But he doesn't expect anyone to do the same for him.”

Be gentle, Mercy!

Physically, these two are far from gentle with each other. Being changelings, biting and scratching certainly factors into their passions - it was very primal. They simply can’t keep their paws off each other. 

On the emotional front, Riley is convinced he wants a domestic female for a mate, not an independent, kickass one, who would be putting herself in danger on a regular basis. But when things develop deeper with Mercy, he realises that Mercy is the one for him. But how can Mercy bring herself to submit to Riley? 

I absolutely loved their banter!

Riley: "Do you want to claw at me, kitty-cat? Come on."
Mercy: "Sorry, I don't beat defenseless puppies.”

While there was no slow build-up to their physical relationship, like with couples in previous books - though there was already sexual tension brewing between them, earlier in the series - I loved reading about the development of Mercy and Rileys’ emotional relationship. These two struggled with how to make not only a relationship between two dominants work but between two different changeling packs.

Things aren’t easy for Mercy and Riley, and as much as I enjoyed the banter, I loved the moments of intimacy as they both bared their souls, making this a truly satisfying read. And when they submit to each other, in the end, it was simply wonderful!

“I have something for you.”
“Yeah? What? Is it shiny?”
They both waited until Indigo had jogged away before resuming their conversation. “So,” Riley asked, “what have you got for me?”
Taking his hand, she placed it palm-down over her heart. It would hurt like a bitch, she thought, but he was hers to protect as much as she was his. “Me.” And she opened up her soul, laid herself bare.”

*sighs*

I loved seeing Mercy and Riley get their HEA!
 

I love how Nalini Singh lets readers into the ongoing relationships of couples from earlier books after they get their HEA, such as with Lucas and Sascha, who hold a very special place in my heart, and the development that happens in this installment was just “awww…”. And seeing Judd and Brenna in their HEA, too, was great.

Sienna is all grown up now and tensions are rising between Sienna and Hawke. Looking forward to getting to their book!

I enjoyed meeting Mercy’s three gorgeous brothers – Bastian, Sage and Grey.

I’m enjoying the progression of the overall series story arc and the tensions growing between the Psy, Changelings and humans. 

The mystery of The Ghost continues to intrigue me.

And is it wrong that I find Kaleb Krychek alluring in some dark way? Could he be The Ghost??

If you still haven’t picked up a Psy-Changeling book by Nalini Singh, then you really should do something about that!

Credits:
My Mercy - Amanda Righetti
My Riley - Aaron O'Connell 

REVIEW: Hostage to Pleasure (#5 Psy-Changeling) by Nalini Singh

5 Stars!!!

Time to catch up on my reviews for this series…

“I heard the sniper’s voice against my ear when I woke today. He whispered sensual promises so savage, I can hardly believe these thoughts come from some corner of my own psyche. And yet they must. Because, at the end, he called me prey.

And told me to run.

- From the encrypted personal files of Ashaya Aleine”

Now why does that give me a delicious shiver?! Because it’s Dorian!! *sighs and swoons* I LOVE Dorian!!! And I loved this book and Ashaya! ^_^

Dorian, from the first moment I met him in the first book of the series, captured a piece of my heart. In Slave to Sensation, we meet Dorian when his beloved little sister, Kylie, had just been murdered by a Psy, and he was in so much pain and filled with rage. My heart just ached for Dorian.

The other pain in Dorian’s life is that he’s a “latent” leopard – a leopard who can’t shift into his animal form. In every other way - his senses, speed, strength, etc. - Dorian is a leopard. To compensate for his latency, Dorian is a high achiever, always striving to make sure he is the best. He is a super-skilled sniper, a computer genius, and is as lethal as the other sentinels of the DarkRiver leopard changeling pack, despite looking like a gorgeous surfer. Dorian, with his charming nature, portrays to the world that he has come to terms with his latency, and he mostly has…but deep down, he hasn’t really.

“When you want something so bad it hurts,” he said quietly, “and you bury it, bury it so deep that you convince yourself it no longer matters . . . and someone tells you you can have it, it's terrifying. What if you take the chance and you're wrong? What if you let yourself feel the loss and it's this huge pain and you can't put it back in the box?”

Ashaya Aleine is an M-Psy (Medical); a specialist in DNA. Ashaya never really took to the Silence Protocol, ie. the conditioning the Psy race has imposed on the race to eliminate emotion, in order to protect their society from mental degeneration and madness. But because of this, Ashaya has very strong psychic shields, and she had to carry out a ruse for her own, and her son’s, survival in the PsyNet. She is intelligent and compassionate.

Ashaya sought help from DarkRiver, the dominant leopard changeling pack in the San Francisco surrounds, to rescue her son, Keenan, after she helped them out in the previous book.

Ashaya manages to escape from the Psy research facility where she was required to work on some special projects. After she escapes, she ends up with DarkRiver - Dorian, specifically.

I loved being sucked into the electrifying sexual tension and developing relationship between Dorian and Ashaya. Dorian battles with his hatred for the Psy, and his leopard-self telling him that Ashaya is his mate; he was a hostage to his compulsion towards her. I loved the banter between these two. Ashaya is strong and doesn’t back down from Dorian, and Dorian can be both charming and demanding.

‘Her eyes opened.

Locked with his.

“Why are you watching me?” Her eyes, he saw, were not blue, not truly. They were a vivid pale gray with blue shards coming in from the outer ring to hit the pure black of her pupils. Strange eyes. Wolf eyes.

“My leopard is fascinated by you.” By her sensuous, flawless skin, her wild hair, her damn curves. He leaned in and blew a gentle breath that made a rebel tendril dance. “I dreamed of running my tongue across your skin.” He spoke to release some of the tension, to leash the beast before it broke its bonds. “Of exploring you in long, slow licks."

She didn’t break the deeply intimate visual connection. “You’re crossing lines again."

Hell yeah. It was either that or go insane. “And your heartbeat just got erratic.” The cat smiled, pleased. Ashaya Aleine wasn’t as immune to him as she liked to pretend. “What would happen if I tasted you? If I took a bite out of you?”’

*SHIVERS* Hell yeah, Dorian is insanely sexxxy!

There is plenty of hot, sexy romance, intrigue, and suspense in this one! But what I loved most was how Ashaya helped Dorian heal, and how a family was formed between her, Keenan and Dorian.

Ashaya’s son, Keenan, was adorable, and I loved watching the bond that formed between him and Dorian, with Keenan’s almost immediate trust in Dorian, and Dorian’s protective instincts toward Keenan.

Ashaya has a twin who will... Creep. You. Out. Yet the bonds of twinhood are so strong.

I’m really enjoying the world that Nalini Singh has created, with the tensions between the cold Psy, especially their governing body, the Psy Council, and their machinations, and the changelings and humans.

I admit that I enjoy watching sci-fi but not necessarily reading it, and I had found the concept of the PsyNet a little confusing, initially, but now, I am really enjoying it!

I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I love how racially diverse the characters are in this series. I believe Nalini Singh’s own background of being a Fijian Indian, who moved to New Zealand as a child, and then teaching English in Japan for a few years, gave her a real appreciation of different ethnicities, and I love how she knit this into the fabric of the Psy-Changeling world. Nalini Singh has removed the prejudice against the colour of one’s skin, and instead, created a world where it is the dichotomy between cold logic versus hot emotion, and the mental/psychic versus physical/sense-driven, which breeds prejudice.

‘“Hate will destroy you,” she whispered. “It’ll destroy…us.”

He shuddered, burying his face in the curve of her neck. The electric curls of her hair cushioned him with a soft warmth that was so intrinsically female, he couldn’t hope to explain it. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he simply held her, allowed himself to hold her, to accept that she was his mate. And that she came from the very race he’d made a target of all his rage, all his pain…so that he wouldn’t have to face his own guilt.”’
….

“Then save me, Shaya.” He laid his heart bare, invited her to savage it.

Dropping her hand, she turned in his arms. Then, rising up on tiptoe, she cupped his face in her palms and drew him down. Her kiss was innocent, vulnerable, a caress so gentle that it made him her slave between one breath and the next.”

THANK YOU, Nalini Singh, for a wonderful addition to the series!!! 

My Dorian (Jesse Pavelka) and My Ashaya (Aishwarya Rai)

REVIEW: Lothaire (#12 Immortals After Dark) by Kresley Cole

5 of 5 Stars

Lothaire met MY “Endgame” of a satisfying read quite diabolically splendidly!

Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark (IAD) series is one of my favourite Paranormal Romance series and I always know I’m in for a wild and entertaining ride when I read one of her books. Lothaire was an ATOMIC BLAST of a ride - and I mean that in all kiiiinds of ways! LOL

When it was mentioned that Lothaire “The Enemy of Old” would have a book, I thought, “What an unlikely “hero”! An enemy of our beloved Forbearer Vampires, Valkyrie, Lykae and House of Witches is to have his own HEA??” But, WOW, what an engaging and sizzling tale it was!

Kresley Cole started truly intriguing me with Lothaire’s character in Dreams of a Dark Warrior, and made me very excited to read his book. Yes, he’s done some dastardly deeds but there were moments of what appeared to be compassion in him, especially in his dealings with Thaddeus, even though Lothaire justified it as just being part of him needing to achieve his “Endgame”.

I just love Thad! He’s so sweet, and his dimples just make me melt…Just, Awww!! I want to cuddle him close! I really hope Thad doesn’t lose his idealism and optimism!

I was shocked to see that Lothaire’s book wouldn’t get one of the long (and sometimes difficult to remember ^_^) IAD titles but would simply be titled “Lothaire” . I then realised, for an arrogant and self-absorbed character, such as he, there could be no better title!

Within the first chapter of Lothaire”, Kresley Cole had me deeply saddened and shedding tears for young Lothaire. I finally understood why he was the way he was and what his “Endgame” was, and why he was obsessed with it. Seeing his tragic past and his vulnerable side also enabled me to forgive him for some of his cruel acts, but he still did frustrate me, at points – remaining true to character. I needed to see some true remorse from him …and there was, but it was in is his very Lothaire-way. I would have liked to have seen him grovel more, though I accept that would not have been be true to his character.

Arrogant, going insane, intelligent, and diabolical, Lothaire never contemplated that his Bride would be a mere mortal. He believed that his Bride was Saroya, the goddess of death who possessed Elizabeth “Ellie” Peirce. When “Lizvetta”, as Lothaire calls her, awakens his burning desires, he still refuses to accept that a weak mortal could be his Bride.

I loved Ellie, the young mountain girl from Appalachia. She is sweet, smart, brave, and she challenges, intrigues and arouses Lothaire like no other. I really loved how Ellie held her own with Lothaire and made him question his “Endgame”. Even with all the shite Ellie has gone through in her short life, I loved how she looked for happiness where she could. She wasn’t bitter and twisted, like Lothaire, and that made her just what he needed.

Lothaire and Ellie were SCORCHINGLY HOT together!

Even though the sexy Paul Marron is the cover image for the US cover of Lothaire, I couldn’t shake the image I developed of Lothaire as I read Dreams of a Dark Warrior, with his longish pale blonde hair and his arrogant, diabolical handsomeness as this… 

Whether you picture Lothaire as looking like Eric Northman, Paul Marron, or someone else, one thing is for certain, even as Lothaire makes you growl at him (and also laugh) because of his arrogant and domineering ways, he will win you over – though maybe not in the puppy dog loyalty of Thad…or maybe he will! LOL

There was only a wee bit of development in the series story arc and I would have liked a bit more. But, then, I found out on Kresley Cole’s Facebook page, that there will be a new spin-off series called the Realm of Blood and Mist with the first book being titled Shadow Claim - release date 21 August 2012. The series is about the Dacians, introduced in this book. So, I now appreciate the sacrifice of the overall IAD story arc for introduction to these new characters. I’m excited for the new series!!

It was very interesting to find out more about Nix’s and Lothaire’s history together. Poor Nix “The Ever Knowing”, she’s losing it more and more, trying to keep up with all the possible futures as the Accession draws near. I’d love to see Nix’s HEA, for her to have a male who could be a stabilizing and comforting force for her, but I think I read somewhere that hers may be the last book in the series. While I really want to read her story, I’m not ready for this series to end.

So…who do you think is up next?

Cara the Fair (twin sister to Furie) and the human of noble line who is a thrill seeker and extreme sports enthusiast?

I think it may be King Kristoff of the Forbearers and Furie, who will unlease her wrath on all vampires for what Lothaire did to her, and in doing so will, of course, lead to a HEA. Haha! We shall see…

Looking forward to the next IAD installment!!!

REVIEW: Amethyst Heat by Laura Hunsaker (FREE Short Story)

 4 of 5 Stars

What a beautiful short story by Laurie Hunsaker!

It’s strange to say that I knew Laurie “The Highland Hussy” on Goodreads before she became a published author. I even ordered a copy of her book, Highland Destiny, all the way from Australia, not just to support her writing endeavours, but because I was truly curious to read something penned by such a lovely and fun person. I haven’t as yet read Highland Destiny, but I have now read this short story, Amethyst Heat, and I was so pleasantly surprised about how much I enjoyed it! I’m not one who enjoys being critical, as anyone who has read my reviews would know, so, I was truly hoping (shivering in my knickers) that I really would appreciate Laurie’s writing. I need not have worried, because if her novel is anything like this short story, I’ll like it very much!

Amethyst Heat will only take you a few minutes to read, but it will take you a lot longer to forget or stop imagining more about it. Within those few minutes, I was captivated and drawn into Meg’s and Kade’s story and wanted to read more! I love the cover art for Amethyst Heat!! Kade… Mmmm… sexy, green-eyed kilt wearer! *fans self*

Amethyst Heat is a story about an amethyst ring, sexy men in kilts (should have led with that, right? LOL), time travel, and a fated love. Can we have more please, Laurie???

The reason I'm giving it 4-Stars is because it was much too short. ^_^

You can read Amethyst Heat for FREE here at New Concepts Publishing:
http://newconceptspublishing.com/laura-hunsaker/amethyst-heat/

Disclosure and Disclaimer: I have disclosed any potential conflict of interest in relation to my acquaintance with Laura Hunsaker and swear that I have not been coerced in any way or received any enticements, remunerations etc. to write this review. This is merely my honest opinion.

And because I needed to look at Kade all enlarged...*coughs* ^_^

I really wish this was a paperback cover so I could lick admire it better!

REVIEW: Mine to Possess (#4 Psy/Changeling) by Nalini Singh

3.5 of 5 Stars

I haven't reviewed book 3 yet, Caressed by Ice, but I wanted to get this one out of my system. Hmm...sounds bad, doesn't it?

Well...I have mixed thoughts/feelings about this 4th installment of the Psy/Changeling series. I’m sad that I didn’t love this one as much as I loved the first 3 books.

Clay Bennett, a sentinel of the DarkRiver leopard pack, grew up in the slums of the human world. He never knew his changeling father and his human Egyptian mother, Isla, wanted him to deny his changeling nature. As a young boy without the support of a Pack, Clay loses control of his animal side and commits a brutal act of violence in order to protect his precious best friend, Talin. He is sent away to juvenile detention and when he is released, he believes Talin has died and this leaves a huge hole in his heart.

Talin McKade, seeks out Clay for help, all these years after that bloody and terror-filled day. In desperation, when some of the street children that were her responsibility go missing, Talin turns to the strongest man she knows.

The moment when Clay first sees Talin again had me aching for him and hooked into the story.

‘He knew that sound, that female voice. It was that of a dead woman. He didn’t care. He had accepted his madness a long time ago. So now he looked, looked and searched.

For Tally.’

….
‘“Hello, Clay.”

Air rushed back into his body with the force of a body blow. A roar built in his throat, but he didn’t realease it, violently aware of the acrid scent coming off her in waves.

Son of a bitch! Tally was scared of him. She might as well have taken a knife to his heart.’

I thought the premise for Clay and Talin’s story was very promising and compelling. I love an “angsty” and emotional story. There were moments when my heart truly ached for both of them, for what they went through at such a young age, and how they would move pass that.

But then…there were moments when both Clay and Talin got on my nerves: Talin, with all her fears and flip-flopping; and Clay, with his temper and brooding. I understand that they both went through something just awful, that scarred them both so deeply, and they have issues - of course, they would! – but these behaviours wore thin after a bit, for me, and so affected my connection to them and my enjoyment of this book. Clay teases Tally as a “Brat” and Tally calls Clay a “Bully”. These were meant to be endearments, but unfortunately, for me, there were moments when they lived up to these monikers all too much.

Plus, they seemed to bicker a lot! It wasn't like the banter in the previous books, for me. It felt like bickering, and was not very enjoyable to "watch".

That being said, I know some Goodreads friends who absolutely loved this book, and Clay and Talin. It always fascinates me how we can all have such varying perceptions of characters, and I really wish I could have loved this the way some of my friends did. Understanding what Clay and Tally went through on a logical and mental level, it makes me feel bad that I couldn’t be as understanding on an emotional level, and found them annoying, to some extent. I liked them, but I didn't love them the way I did the couples in the other books. Sorry, Clay, Tally and Nalini Singh!

I loved the developments in the world that Nalini Singh advanced in this book. We learn some interesting history about the Psy and I loved the story about the “Forgotten”.

I always love the one or two pages that Ms Singh uses to lay the foundation of the world development at the start of each book, before we get into the first chapter and introduced to the featured characters and their story.

I loved the introduction of the new characters in this book, and the moments with the ongoing characters.

I was also very excited to get to Dorian's book! I love Dorian!

I ADORE the alpha couple, Lucas and Sascha, and love the little moments that Nalini Singh includes in the later books, such as this one:

‘Nodding, Lucas pressed the Enter key and sat down in the other armchair. Sascha perched on the arm, leaning into her mate, who slipped an arm around her waist, his hand lying loosely on her hip. It was an easy pose, the pose of a couple that had been together long enough to have created their own patterns, their own secret language.’

~*~*~*~*~

My Clay and Tally

REVIEW: Visions of Heat (#2 Psy/Changeling) by Nalini Singh

4.5 Stars? Aaahhh... Make it 5! ^_^

“Tell a child something often enough and she starts to believe it.”
~ Sascha to Faith

*sigh* I LOVED this book even more the second time around!!

While my re-read of Slave to Sensation had me dreaming (again!) about being enslaved by the delicious Lucas Hunter *grins*... it more seriously had me contemplating the concept of a “society without emotion”, that is the Psy. In my re-read of Visions of Heat, the theme that became the focus of my reflections - which was also a prevalent theme in the first book - was that of having the courage to free one’s “self” from the "prison" imposed by others, and of seeing things we were blind to before.

Faith Nighstar, of the PsyClan NightStar, is a powerful “F-Psy” – a cardinal Psy with the ability of foresight. Since the age of 3, she has been isolated from society and trained to give business forecasts, worth billions. She has also been told that the F-Psy are particularly susceptible to madness. That for her own protection, she must be constantly monitored and undergo medical tests, regularly.

Now, at the age of 24, Faith is starting to have some very dark dreams, malevolent visions of blood and murder. She thinks - not “fears”, as the Psy are not supposed to fear - that insanity is looming. In an effort to get more information, without alerting her keepers of her degeneration, Faith decides to seek out Sascha Duncan, a renegade Psy who is now part of the DarkRiver changeling leopard pack.

Vaughn D’Angelo, a jaguar adopted into the leopard pack through a tragic event, whose beast prowls closer to the surface than other changelings, is a sentinel of DarkRiver. He has recently become very curious about an isolated compound, in which appears to live a Psy. The Psy usually choose to love in skyscrapers.

When Faith escapes the compound to seek out Sascha, it is Vaughn who finds her in DarkRiver territory. Vaughn’s cat side is immediately instinctually drawn to Faith and can’t stop teasing and bombarding her senses with his touch. This puzzles Vaughn, the man, as he does not believe in the concept of “mating”, not wanting to ever need anyone or have someone need him.

I was drawn into Vaughn and Faith’s story: Vaughn, as he works though his conflicted feelings towards Faith; as he sees her as not just a cold Psy, but a fascinating woman he wants to tease and protect, and as he realises that while he has "mated" with Faith, she can refuse that mating bond. Faith, as she tries to buckle “Silence”, to find pleasure in Vaughn’s touch, and to allow herself to feel. I felt for the losses they had both suffered – Vaughn’s story, particularly, broke my heart. I admired Faith as she fought not to fall into the madness of her dark visions; as she started to “see” that the things she has been told all her life were lies. How does Faith break through the walls that isolate and imprison her, when they are so much a part of “her”?

I appreciated the intriguing political aspects that Nalini Singh included in this book - and also in the first - through the machinations of the Psy Council.

Through my re-read, I found the initially bewildering, complex concept of the PsyNet easier to process.

There were a few loose threads at the end of this book, which I’m expecting will be answered later the series…at least, I hope so!

P.S. I DO NOT like the cover of this book and the guy looks nothing like how Vaughn is described! In fact., a lot of the covers in this amazing series by Nalini Singh just don't do it justice, in my humble opinion.

“Faith looked up. And up. As she’d guessed from the feel of him at her back, the jaguar was tall in human form. His hair was a thick amber-gold, long enough to brush his shoulders, and his eyes ... they were an odd almost-gold, the eyes of a cat made human. There was nothing soft about him, nothing tame. Yet she, a woman who'd never before understood the concept, found him beautiful. It was an inexplicable reaction, one her brain couldn't accept, going as it did against every rule of Silence.”

Vaughn is prrrimally sexxxy...

  

His jaguar is strong within him...



Vaughn needs to live in the wilds of nature...



Faith has only known a sterile Psy environment ....









Now Faith's night-sky eyes have opened...

And her senses expode under
Vaughn's heated touch - RAWR!!!
Can Vaughn help Faith break free of her prison?



~*~*~*~*~*~

Psy/Changeling Series reading order:

1. Slave to Sensation
1.5 "The Cannibal Princess" - Free short story:
http://www.nalinisingh.com/freebies.php#princess
2. Visions of Heat
3. Caressed By Ice
4. Mine to Possess
5. Hostage to Pleasure
5.5 "A Gift for Kit" - Free short story:
http://www.nalinisingh.com/freebies.php#gift
6. Branded By Fire
7. Blaze of Memory
8. Bonds of Justice
9. Play of Passion
10. Kiss of Snow

And there are also stand-alone novellas:
1. "Beat of Temptation" in An Enchanted Season
2. "Stroke of Enticement" in The Magical Christmas Cat
3. "Whisper of Sin" in Burning Up

But if you wish to read in strict chronological order, see Nalini Singh's website (link to the page here): http://www.nalinisingh.com/psybehind.php

A Society Without Emotion? - Some Thoughts on Nalini Singh's Psy/Changeling series

I mentioned in my review for Slave to Sensation that this book (well, the whole series, really) is “thought-provoking” and just wanted to share some of the thoughts it “provoked”.

I’ve been thinking about how interesting it is that the Psy race has so many people of interracial genetic background, as a majority of them are “test tube babies”. For example, Sascha is of mixed Asiatic (Japanese) and Anglo-Indian descent. It seems that the prejudices for the Psy people, though, run not in the colour of one’s skin, but rather in the fact that one has less cerebral development/ lack of psychic ability / is an emotional being. The Psy consider themselves “superior” to the Changelings, who they consider only a step above animals and humans.

Then I thought about the kind of extreme society the Psy have created by eliminating emotion. It seems, though, that the Psy Council, the ruling body of the Psy, can be ruthless. Is ruthlessness a result of the absence of emotion? “Ruthless” is defined in the dictionary as “having no compassion or pity”. The Psy, having conditioned emotions out of their race through the “Silence Protocol”, have no compassion or pity.

But… the Changelings, who are emotional beings, are also capable of being ruthless. This is mostly evident in their ruthlessness in vengeance. In this sense, it is the presence of the emotion of rage and drive for revenge, which may cause them to be “ruthless” – it is their overwhelming emotion which may render them unable to feel compassion or pity... or maybe it is just a choice not to.

One of the questions posed by this series is: Has the Psy decision, based on logical reasoning, to eliminate emotion in order to eradicate violence and mental illness instead created the very monsters the Psy sought to control? So, to feel or not to feel? Crimes of passion versus the cold killings of sociopaths?

Also, what about the Psy’s “indifference” as opposed to “ruthlessness” – will apathy be the downfall of the Psy?

I just know that I wouldn’t want to live in a world without emotion. But I would like to live in a world without violence. With or without emotion, is violence an inevitable part of the human condition?

These are just some of the thoughts I had - mostly just rhetorical questions! LOL

REVIEW: The Cannibal Princess (Psy/Changeling #1.5) by Nalini Singh

FREE SHORT STORY ON AUTHOR'S WEBSITE

4 of 5 Stars

The Cannibal Princess is a cute free short story in the Psy/Changeling series on Nalini Singh's website.

Here's the link to it:

http://www.nalinisingh.com/freebies.php#princess

It takes place between Book 1, Slave to Sensation, and Book 2, Visions of Heat. In this short story, Ms. Singh gives us a little glimpse into Lucas and Sascha's life together.

I adored the twin cubs, Julian and Roman, in Slave to Sensation and this is a cute story with them in it.

I loved this part of the scene:

"The cubs giggled, then shifted apart. Julian patted the space in between and Sascha sat. They immediately snuggled up to her, small and warm and so precious. Every time she held these two, she wondered about what the future held for her and Lucas. Her eyes lifted and clashed with his as he sat down on the edge of the coffee-table in front of her. The beautiful green of his gaze held the most intense kind of promise.

Her heart jerked. Impossible, her Psy mind told her. But she knew it was possible. Emotion had a strength most of the Psy had forgotten. It could hurt and it could give such joy it was beyond anything she had ever imagined possible."

The adorable leopard cubs, Julian and Roman

REVIEW: Slave to Sensation (#1 Psy/Changeling) by Nalini Singh

5 of 5 Stars   

The first book in Nalini Singh's 

fascinating and acclaimed 

Paranormal Romance

Psy/Changeling series

 satisfies on so many levels!

  

*~*Slave to Sensation *~* 

Touching fingertips, 

To ice-cold lips,  

The skimming touch, 

Sensations, too much;  

The brushing thigh,  

Escaping sigh, 

The softest whispers,  

Sends primal shivers;
Barely leashed control,
Of a fractured soul

The heat of skin,  

Burst flames within;

Instinctive artistry,  

Reactive chemistry

The ragged breath,  

Cerebral death; 

Who thought such bliss,  

In just one kiss?  

Now, his changeling touch, she craves,  

Has she become sensation’s slave?

(by J.M.A. a.k.a. Lady Jayne, 12th August 2011)

~*~*~*~*~*~

Nooo… Slave to Sensation isn’t a book of poetry. I had drafted a review for this, but unfortunately, it was on my laptop, which was among the items stolen in a recent break-in. And somehow, when I sat down to re-write this “review”, this poem came out. Sorry. If you are one of the few people (like me) who has not read this series yet, PLEASE do not judge it based on my humble “ode” to it! LOL

Slave to Sensation is the first book in the stimulating Paranormal Romance (PNR) Psy/Changeling series by Fijian-New Zealander author, Nalini Singh. I kept seeing this series being hailed as a favourite PNR amongst my Goodreads friends. I must say, now I know the appeal! What a deliciously enjoyable first book in a series! This book was published in 2006, so yes, I've been slow to jump on this bandwagon...but that's okay, that just means I have lot of Psy-Changeling books to enjoy! *grins*

While Nalini Singh seduced me, with this first taste, to crave more of the books this series, this poem was my attempt to capture how the sexy, tactile and sensually primal Changeling, Lucas Hunter (a panther who is the Alpha of the DarkRiver leopard pack) managed to overwhelm Sascha Duncan (of the cold Psy race) with sensation – something “unnatural” to the Psy who do not touch. Slave to Sensation is indeed an apt title.

I’ve always had a fascination for stories with characters who have psychic abilities, and have developed, in the last few years, a love of the sexy animalism of shape-shifters. And this book combines both loves! I loved this remarkably interesting, detailed and imaginative world that Nalini Singh created - Bravo, Ms. Singh! The writing and the story were thought-provoking and evocative. 

This story is set in 2079 in San Francisco and its surrounds, where co-exist, though not without its tensions, three main groups of people: The Psy - a psychically advanced and logical race, who conditioned emotions out of their society through a program called “Silence”, which was instigated in 1969 in an effort to reduce the high incidence of insanity and violence in the Psy population, and who consider themselves the “superior” race; the Changelings - the instinctual, emotional, territorial and sensual shape-shifters, made up of various animal packs, who are cunning and underestimated by the Psy; and the humans - there is only mention of them in this book, though I am told that there will be human characters in later books.

(Edit: I mentioned that this book was "thought-provoking" and here are some thoughts it provoked - "A Society Without Emotion?")

I loved that there was suspense and mystery in this story – of a serial killer targeting Changeling women. Lucas and Sascha meet as part of a Psy-Changeling business venture and end up working together to solve the mystery.

I loved, and connected with, the character of Sascha, who is terrified about being found out as a “flawed” Psy and as a matter of survival struggles to hold on to her fragile mask of a calm, cool and collected Psy. Sascha is no “typical” Psy and the ability she possesses is one that I wish I had.

And Lucas? Mmm, mmm, mmmm… He was dangerously sexy hawt, with a tortured past, determined to claim Sascha as his mate, and he was just so there for Sascha. Purrrrs….

The only wee issue I had with the book…which is my problem, really… was with the concept of the “PsyNet”, which, while incredibly fascinating, was a little confusing, especially with the projection of a “shield” within a “shield” within a “shield” and the computronics imagery – I’m not tech or computer savvy - which reminded me of Matrix meets Tron meets Inception. Brain buzzingly cool.

I loved the cast of characters of the Changelings and the two packs introduced in this book – the DarkRiver pack (leopards) and the SnowDancers (wolves). I had recently seen the prevalent love for Hawke, the Alpha of the wolf pack, and from his introduction in this book, I could already understand the fascination with him and am excited to get to his book….which unfortunately isn’t until Book 10! I was also fascinated with Vaughn, from the leopard pack, who wears his beast closer to the surface than others in his pack, and just had to read his book, which was next in the series, Visions of Heat, straight away!

If you are one of the few people who haven’t read this series yet, make sure you pick up Slave to Sensation ASAP!!!

"He tasted better than her dreams, as rich and delectable as the most exquisite chocolate, as exotic as the panther he was.”

Lucas Hunter - Lusciously dangerous to the senses

A panther and Alpha of the DarkRiver Leopards

 Sascha - An unraveling cardinal Psy, with night-sky eyes

 

Sascha's animal instincts are awakened by Lucas

~*~*~*~*~*~

Psy/Changeling Series reading order:

1. Slave to Sensation
1.5 "The Cannibal Princess" - Free short story:
http://www.nalinisingh.com/freebies.php#princess
2. Visions of Heat
3. Caressed By Ice
4. Mine to Possess
5. Hostage to Pleasure
5.5 "A Gift for Kit" - Free short story:
http://www.nalinisingh.com/freebies.php#gift
6. Branded By Fire
7. Blaze of Memory
8. Bonds of Justice
9. Play of Passion
10. Kiss of Snow

And there are also stand-alone novellas:
1. "Beat of Temptation" in An Enchanted Season
2. "Stroke of Enticement" in The Magical Christmas Cat
3. "Whisper of Sin" in Burning Up

But if you wish to read in strict chronological order, see Nalini Singh's website (link to the page here): http://www.nalinisingh.com/psybehind.php

REVIEW: The Second Short Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

4 of 5 Stars - (Read July 2010)

(This review assumes one has read Eclipse)

I actually liked this a lot more than I thought I would! It certainly kept me engaged and was a quick read.

I am most definitely a fan of the Twilight series and the books will always be special to me. I have to say, though, that I wasn't super excited to read this novella by Stephenie Meyer on The Second Short Life of Bree Tanner, when I first heard about it. One, because I know how it ends…and well, it’s not a happy ending, which is what I’m all about. Two, I wasn't sure I really wanted to read about the burning thirst and struggle of a newborn vampire.

I admit to being a moody reader and I think this is a book you have to be in the “right” mood for. Having recently watched Eclipse, and enjoying the additions of the scenes of Riley and the newborns in the movie (which we don’t get a perspective of in the book, Eclipse), I was definitely in the right frame of mind to read this.

I appreciated getting this viewpoint of events that were behind-the-scenes in Eclipse, and I note some of the things in this book were included in the movie. It gave me a view into the creation and life of the newborn army, some insights into the Volturi, and a view of the Cullens and Bella from an outsider’s POV. Not only that, I got to see through red eyes! ... which was actually rather violent, at times, as you would expect. One scene, in particular (of a mass feeding) was quite upsetting, reading it through my human eyes - for obvious reasons! *shudders*

I really liked Bree, and Diego, and was intrigued by Fred (I definitely would have liked more Diego and Fred!). And there is really nothing more I can say without going into spoilers.

I will say, though, that I felt sad at the end, even knowing what would happen. But I also felt okay with it. Not only because it wasn’t unexpected, but because of how Bree approached the end. I will remember you, Bree, and I really wish things could have been different for you. Your life was not insignificant.

I know I sound nuts talking as if fictional characters are real! *LOL* But that’s what Stephenie Meyer’s writing/stories, while not brilliant literature, does for me. Her characters feel like real people and she makes me care about them (even one that seemed so inconsequential, like Bree, who we saw for but a brief moment in Bella’s life). And that’s the experience I look for in my reading.

“I hope you end up caring about Bree as much as I do, though that’s kind of a cruel wish. You know this: it doesn’t end well for her. But at least you will know the whole story. And that no perspective is ever really trivial.”

- Introduction by Stephenie Meyer, The Second Short Life of Bree Tanner.

I recommend this for fans of the series. And if you are a moody reader, like me, do yourself a favour and wait for the right “mood”. Though that's not to say that you will necessarily have a similar experience to me. After all, we all look through different eyes.

P.S. I wish the book had been divided up into chapters.

P.P.S. I’m still holding out for more of my beloved Edward’s perspective in Midnight Sun! ^_^