Review: Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh

Published: July 2009 by Berkeley Sensation

Number of Pages: 345

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Stand Alone/Series: Psy-Changeling Book 6
1: Slave to Sensation
2: Visions of Heat
3: Caressed by Ice
4: Mine to Possess
5: Hostage to Pleasure

Why This Book: It's Nalini Singh!

From the Author Site: Though DarkRiver sentinel Mercy is feeling the pressure to mate, she savagely resists when Riley Kincaid, a lieutenant from the SnowDancer pack, tries to possess her. The problem is not simply that he pushes her buttons; the problem is that he’s a wolf, she’s a cat, and they’re both used to being on top.

But when a brilliant changeling researcher is kidnapped from DarkRiver territory, Mercy and Riley must work together to track the young man—before his shadowy captors decide he’s no longer useful. Along the way, the two dominants may find that submitting to one another uncovers not just a deadly conspiracy, but a passion so raw that it’ll leave them both branded by fire…

Read excerpt here.

Hero: Riley Kincaid, aka Mr. Mud Stick aka The Wall, is the SnowDancers' top lieutenant. Solid, dependable, unmovable, unemotional and boring may be words that have been used to describe him in the past. But with Mercy he feels the wild side of the his beast and definitely is out to get a piece of the cat that's been tempting him and annoying him for over a year. Riley dreams of mating the nice girl next door, a homemaker and someone who will stay safe and out of the danger. Too bad all he wants is Mercy, who is exactly the opposite of his dream mate.

Heroine: Mercy Smith aka Melisande (but don't call her that or she'll kick your ass), is a DarkRiver Sentinel and a woman who knows what she wants. Its just too bad her beast doesn't want to lay down for just anyone. Especially not some staid, emotionless wolf, even if he is totally hot and dominate enough to be acceptable to her cat.

Review: Nalini Singh just keeps the best-sellers coming. In over six books she's not missed a single beat. Each page turner of a book is perfectly crafted to ensnare the reader in a captivating tale that takes life right before the reader's eyes. And this one starts with a sizzle guaranteed to fog up your glasses.

The DarkRiver/SnowDancer alliance is solid but it takes constant work to keep the alliance from falling apart. Mercy and Riley are the ones responsible for maintaining that daily balance between the packs. In addition to their usual tasks as dominate members of their packs, they have to deal with each other and all the messy details of building and maintaining an alliance. The juveniles are still jocking for position within the mixed pack structure, the Psy are up to something mysteriously violent and the Human Alliance has come out of the woodwork shooting to kill.

Ms Singh tells a wonderful story and each is a delight to read. Really there isn't much more to say. I could sit here and gush on and on about how wonderful writer she is and what delightful characters she has created, but I'm not going to do that. I have only one thing to say. Go buy/borrow her books and read them for yourselves. You'll not be disappointed.

What I liked best: Mercy's ploy to get rid of her brother's girlfriend. Even though the scene is less than half a page, it had me giggling until I was in tears. The "tool" was just the final bit of perfection that made the whole scene irresistible.

What I least liked: I can't really think of the single scene that I didn't like. All the characters stay true to themselves, no great leaps of belief required and the Psy world is going to hell in a hand basket. Who could ask for more?

Okay I need more. More Kaleb, more Vasic, more Hawke and Sienna, just give me more story and a grandmother who will send me hotties (^_^)!

Keeper?: Most definitely

Recommendation: The series has progressed to the point where it must be read in order. Although it is probably still very enjoyable there is just too much of the back story to cover, even briefly, to bring the reader up-to-date.

Grade: A+
Series Grade to Date: A

Nalini Singh Takes Us All Hostage to Pleasure

Brought to you by the help of a very, very nice book fairy! You know who you are. *HUG*

Title: Hostage to Pleasure

Author: Nalini Singh

Published: September 2008

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Stand Alone/Series: Book 5 of Psy-Changling
Book 1: Slave to Sensation
Book 2: Visions of Heat
Book 3: Caressed by Ice
Book 4: Mine to Possess

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

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

Review: Nalini Singh's wonderful style again brings to life the Psy-Changling world as it is going through its revolutions and power struggles. We get to see more of the Psy Council's power struggles, the secret rebellion that is starting to become more public, the power and ruthlessness of the Human Alliance and the continuing relationship of the DarkRiver Leopards and SnowDancer Wolves. The Psy-Changling world is complex and continues to become more intricate keeping readers fascinated but not so complex that a new reader would get lost. Read more about the series at Nalini Singh's website.

Ashaya brings more humanity to the Psy, the love of a mother for her child, the struggle to keep those around her safe from her evil twin but also to keep her twin safe from the world. Ashaya is a delightful character, she is smart and sassy with an icy facade and an incredible mind. Ashaya is full of secrets and as we learn them one by one, she become an increasingly more interesting character. She has been a lone warrior fighting her secret war for a long time and when Dorian step into her life, she is forced to accept help in her battle. She also finds Dorian strangely fascinating, as she struggles to maintain her Psy facade.

Happy-go-lucky Dorian struggles with his internal demons and his need to keep those he loves from harm. Dorian is more than a pretty face, he's a trapped leopard, an over-achiever, and a man holding on to his sanity with his finger-tips. He has never gotten over the death of his sister at the hands of a Psy killer and his silent rage has pushed him to the borderline of becoming a rouge. When Ashaya enters his life, everything changes. He is helplessly attracted to her and his rage must battle his increasing attraction to the Psy doctor.

Amara is delightfully evil and that's all I'm going to say about her. Vasic, whom we have been told by the wonderous Nalini is a character to keep an eye out for, is supercool, mysterious and has a kick-ass Psy power.

This book is pivotal to the storyline. The Psy world is fracturing and unraveling along the edges as hinted in Mine to Possess. More and more Pys are loosing their cool. The Psy council is also changing, first with the introduction of Anthony Kyriakus (also the leader of the silent rebellion) to the council. Then some insight on Henry Scott. And the introduction of yet another Psy faction. We also get a glimpse of the Human Alliance, which up until down has only been referenced.

Nalini Singh once again delivers a great love story and keeps the on-going storyline moving along smoothly. The story in delightful with surprises and suspense up to the very end. The book is beautifully created with just the right amount of humor, romance and suspense to keep reader interested and completely satisfied to the end. It was a hard book to put down. Definitely a great page turner and you just couldn't wait to see what happens next. It also has a wonderful teaser into the next great Psy-Changling adventure.

Keeper?: Definitely

Recommendation: You MUST read this book.

Rating: 5 of 5