Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changeling #1) by Nalini Singh

 

Summary:

THE HOT NEW NAME IN PARANORMAL ROMANCE.

Nalini Singh dives into a world torn apart by a powerful race with phenomenal powers of the mind-and none of the heart.

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

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

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 334 pages (Mass Market Paperback)

Source: Toronto Public Library

Available Formats: Print/E-book/Audio

Publication Date: September 5th 2006 by Berkley Sensation

I've been a fan of Nalini Singh's since I first came across her Guild Hunter series back in 2011 and I've been wanting to try her Psy-Changeling series for just as long, and last week I finally bit the bullet and borrowed the e-book from my library.

And you know what? I loved it. I did, I really, really did. I was totally surprised by the fact that I loved it because of the sci-fi and paranormal blend which I thought was pretty unique compared to the other romances I usually read.

The book focuses on two people. First there's Sascha, a Psy. Someone who has had the emotion supressed in them, they have individual personalities, and powers but no emotion. Except something went wrong with Sascha and she does feel things, and that could get her killed if the wrong people found out. Then there's Lucas, the alpha of the DarkRiver pack of Leopard shifters, he's all emotion and can tell that there's something different about Sascha but it takes time to figure out just what that difference is.

I loved both characters, sometimes I struggle with alpha heroes but when it comes to Nalini Singh, I love them. She creates them in such a way that I can't help but adore them, even if they can be major pricks she always gives them redeeming qualities, and Lucas's most redeeming quality is his loyalty to those around them, plus he's a shifter. How could I not like him? I didn't always agree with him but I liked him a lot through out the whole book.

As for Sascha, I was really surprised to like her since I've read a romance like this before where I hated the heroine I loved Sasha. Unlike the other Psy we encounter in the book she's all emotion, even though she had to keep it under wraps around her kind, I enjoyed seeing her embrace her differences and use them for good.

As a couple, I loved this pairing of characters. Yes, Lucas is all macho but Sasha is able to smooth out his rougher edges and they went together so well both in and out of the bedroom. Singh has always been able to create a strong storyline that is both equally character and plot driven in her other series that I've read so it was nice to see that her ability to create scorching chemistry in one of her earlier novels was great.

The plot of the novel was a strong one. Both Lucas and Sasha are trying to find the Psy who is abducting and butchering other shifters, leopards as well as wolves and it becomes a game of cat and mouse, with both sides of the coin having much to lose if it comes to light that there's a rogue Psy in the world. At first I was very unsure about the whole Psy thing because of the sci-fi nature of them and race but in the end I enjoyed it and thought it was really refreshing. Yes, I have some questions about the Psy and the Changelings but I suspect many of those questions if not all will be answered in the subsequent novels in the series.

Overall, this turned out to be one of my favourite reads of this year. Nalini Singh is one of my favourite authors so I'm glad that I finally gave her first series a try, though I am kicking myself for not starting it sooner. The plot was complex and the romance between the characters was able to build up before it bubbled over. I liked the angst and the way that she set up this first book in her series and I'm dying to read the second one.

I would recommend this to fans of Nalini Singh who haven't yet started her Psy-Changeling series for fears that it won't have strong characters like those in her Guild Hunter series. If you love shifter romances but want one with a twist where there isn't a case of insta-love and want something refreshing in the genre I highly recommend picking this one up and if you long your heroines with a strong personality grab it as soon as you can

I read this book for the following reading challenges:

 

2013 150+ Reading Challenge

2013 Paranormal Reading Challenge

 

Loved it!
★★★★★

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Outfoxed (Cougar Falls #4) by Marie Harte

 

Summary:

 

"When a cat tries to outsmart a sexy fox, only love can save him. "

A "Cougar Falls" Story

Grady Chastell, Shifter extraordinaire, wants to take a mate the delectable Gabby Easton. She s sexy, kind, and has the extraordinary ability to shift into "two" animal spirits, cat and fox. There s just one problem.

Gabby won't take him seriously.

He s at his wits end trying to convince her to give him a chance when trouble comes knocking at his door. Before he knows it, he s unwittingly party to one whopper of a lie that finally has Gabby where he wants her but will she feel the same when she realizes she s been duped?

It will take all his cunning, the help of the pride, and a good bit of mutual trickery to convince his foxy lady to forgive and forget. And more, to love him the cat born to be hers.

Warning: Arrogant cats who think they can outsmart the slyest of foxes. A cat war, devious siblings, hijinks with consequences, and the threat of sexualized danger as a foxy feline turns the tables on a man who likes to tell tales.

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 115 Pages

Source: Toronto Public Library

Available Formats: E-book

Publication Date: March 13th 2012 by Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

 

Outfoxed was my first read by Marie Harte and even though it is the fourth story in the Cougar Falls series I felt like the book was completely able to stand on it's own. The book does mention the characters from the previous books but the romance between Grady and Gabby is completely their own and is the main focus of this 115 page e-novella.

 

I thought that Outfoxed was a decent read given it's novella status. I'm not much for shorter reads but this one was an okay one. There were things like the fact that Grady was the biggest playboy. I don't get the appeal but I can't really handle books where the writers make the male leads into alpha males who have to coddle the women they love. In that way I felt the relationship between Grady and Gabby was a little "meh". Even the naughty bits of the story were a bit repetitive and shallow but the one saving grace was that Gabby despite being a ditz was actually quite adorable and she was so sweet and kind to the people she cared about.

 

My main thing I liked about the book other than the humour, which I would describe as mildly funny was that it was a quick and easy read that helped me get back into the shapeshifter romance genre. I wouldn't say the plot was amazing but it was alright and had enough substance to keep me reading to find out what the outcome of the story would be and if Grady and Gabby would make it. For 115 pages I'd say the author did a nice job of mixing things up and making it feel like a longer read.

 

I would recommend this romance novella to fans of shapeshifter romances especially if you're in the mood for a quick read. I can see this being a weekend read or one that can be picked up when you have an hour of free time and would like to start and finish a book in one sitting.

 

Really Liked it!
★★★★

 

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Wolf Moon Rising by Miranda Simon

 

Summary:

 

Clare Sorenson has a boyfriend, but there is something so very intriguing about her new next-door neighbor. She's never seen anyone with eyes so — golden. Those eyes rendered her speechless. Pale skin, unruly dark curls, and the lean, wiry body of a distance runner don't hurt, either. Soon the high school senior is falling head over heels for the mysterious Nicholas. She'll risk everything to be with him.

But something isn't right in the small town of Hadley. It begins with ravaged livestock and rumors of wolves. Clare begins to suspect that Nicholas knows much more than he's willing to admit. How many gruesome deaths will it take before she confronts him -- and discovers his true nature? And can love survive that terrible truth?

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 125 pages (E-book)

Source: Kindle Freebie

Available Formats: E-book

Publication Date: November 13th 2012 by Capuchin Publisher

 

Wolf Moon Rising turned out to be one of the more surprising books that I've read so far this year. Usually if a book is under 150 pages I'm not likely going to enjoy it but when I got this as a Kindle freebie last week I had a feeling about it.

 

Right away I was taken in by Miranda Simon's story of Clare Sorenson and the new boy in town, Nicholas Hadley. I was surprised by how much I liked both of the main characters because usually in shorter books there isn't quite enough character development but this one didn't have that problem whatsoever.

 

Clare was such a super sweet and caring girl I couldn't help but feel bad for her loss over the suicide of her mother several months before the events in the book took place. She was totally devoted to her father and she wasn't a brain dead heroine at all and I was glad to see the author gave her some smarts.

 

As for Nicholas, I thought he was a jerk in the beginning when he was so rude to Clare when she was just trying to be friendly but he grew on me even though his denial about his father's wolfish tendancies being as bas as they were annoyed me a lot. He did love his little sisters with all his heart and I loved how selfless he was for them.

 

The other characters in the book were minor but they also had good character development and I didn't have any real issues with them. I thought that Nick's father was a major nutter and for me there was no love lost between him and I. Especially after reading about how he treated his family.

 

The plot of the book was very good as well. I liked that it wasn't your standard young adult romance novel and that while there was romance it wasn't all sappy like the kind a reader of the genre would typically find, especially in such a short book. I thought the plot was well developed and I was very pleased with how the overall story played out and thought it was a really enjoyable read. My only issue is that the author seemed to leave it on a bit of a cliffhanger so I'm hoping that she does pen a sequel since I'd really like to see how things with Nick and Clare turn out after things ended the way they did with Nick's dad and the killing of livestock.

 

Overall, Wolf Moon Rising was a surprisingly detailed and well written 125 page novel and left me wanting to read more by Miranda Simon. I'm very glad I picked this Kindle freebie up when I did and very glad I gave it a try.

 

I would recommend Wolf Moon Rising to fans of young adult shape shifter novels. Unlike many books in the genre I thought this one stood out as a shining example of how well a book of it's nature can turn out. Plus if you're looking for a quick read this is a great book to pick up.

 

Really Liked it!
★★★★

 

 

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Tagging Her Lynx by Abby Wood

 

Summary:

 

Living in the bush of Alaska, Chloe Barrant wanted to take care of the animals at her wildlife refuge and ignore the times she shifted into a lynx. Even she knew that wasn’t normal. Little did she know that the day she’d turn away the poachers she’d find a male lynx coming to her rescue. What surprised her even more was when the lynx turned into a man claiming her as his life mate.

Granger, alpha of the Lynx clan, would do anything to protect the Lynx. They’d lost too many members to the hunters who preyed on them. Finding his alpha life mate gave him back dreams for the future that he’d given up on long ago.

Chloe didn’t understand how the other Lynx expected her to fill the alpha role within the clan, when around Granger she only wanted to slip into beta role and submit to him. Could she figure it all out in time to save the Lynx?

Summary & Cover taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 111 pages (E-book)

Source: Kindle Freebie

Available Formats: E-book

Publication Date: April 23rd 2010 by Breathless Press

 

Last night I really needed something light and fluffy to read after finishing a bit of a heavier read so I picked up Tagging her Lynx by Abby Woods and since it had been given some pretty favourable reviews I had high hopes for it.

 

The bad news is this book just wasn't for me. I keep hoping that I'll come to enjoy novella's but so far it's only happened a couple times where I've like the story. This wasn't one of those times but at least I can say that I gave the book a chance.

 

This was definitely a case of this not being the book for me. The book started off really well but by about 20% in I was getting really annoyed with the book. The two main characters were both too extreme for me. Chloe was far to subservient to Granger for my tastes and Granger was just pig headed. Honestly he wouldn't let the girl work ever again because it's not what the women in the Lynx Clan do. I just felt that the book was very stereotypical of a shifter romance and the x-rated parts were bland and repetitive. I'm not a prude but it just felt as though the scenes were recycled.

 

I think that if this had been a full blown 200-250 page it would have been a good book because everything in the book happened so fast it would have been much better for me if it had been slowed down a bit and the characters weren't so over the top.

 

Overall, this book didn't do anything for me but I'm in the minority as there are many people who did like the novella a lot. I would recommend it to people who like shifter romance novellas with extremely alpha heroes and very meek women.

 

Not For Me!
★

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Curse of the Wolf (Veela Curse Series, #1) by Danica Winters *(Blog Tour Review)

Summary:

For cursed, shape-shifting Veela Gloriana, following her heart and giving her body to sexy, tortured werewolf Alexander means one thing-he will die and it will again be her fault.
Once only a man, Alexander finds himself scarred by the memories of his former life and the deceptions and lies that surround him. When a glimmer of light breaks the madness, he must let go of his misguided preconceptions and the hatred that consumes him.
On a mission for blood, they find unity in their desire for revenge, but are driven apart by their pasts. Traveling the darkest paths and fighting the very people they think they can trust, they draw closer to one another's hearts and further into danger.
Will the curse prove to be unstoppable... or is there hope in forbidden love?

Summary taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 212 pages (E-book)
Source: Review Copy

Publication Date: May 9th 2012 by Ravenous Romance

I think I may have just found a new favourite author, and at the very least I found a new line of books that I'll be visiting for their titles from now on. I was so surprised by how much I ended up enjoying Curse of the Wolf because lately I just haven't been able to get into the paranormal genre which is a shame since it's one of my favourite genres to read.

However, since I read Gloriana and Alexander's story I think that my dry spell in the genre is over. I really enjoyed the story that Danica Winters told and I think it's because it was ultimately a love story where both characters had more than their fair share of flaws which made them much more likable to me. Nothing bugs me more than a perfect hero or heroine. I also love how this tale was one of love lost and redemption.

I also really like how the story itself flowed. It wasn't stop and go like a lot of the paranormal romances I've attempted to read lately. The characters themselves though were the selling points of the novel for me. I really came to love Gloriana and Alexander because they were so different.

This is the first novel besides Harry Potter that has used a veela  as a character and that along with the fact that Gloriana was a shapeshifter as well I found to be really unique and because of that a welcome change for the genre.

The story was a bit steamy but not overly erotic at least to me it wasn't so I think that it's a great novel for those just trying out the paranormal romance genre as well as being great for those who are already die hard fans so I honestly would have no problem recommending this book to any one because I for one am going to be keeping my eye on and I can't wait to read the second book in the series.  This is a book not to be missed so please go get yourself a copy, I don't think you'll regret it!

*I received a complementary copy of this book in exchange for my FREE and HONEST review.

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(and will soon be available in over 10 other locations)

Really Liked it!
★ ★ ★ ★