Short and Sweet Book Reviews #243 - Ocean Light by Nalini Singh, Scandal Above Stairs by Jennifer Ashley

Ocean Light by Nalini Singh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have been slow to get into this series but kept at it as I loved original Psy-Changeling and all of its characters. Now there are a whole new set of humans and a unique set of changelings. While some of the characters from the first series make appearances (I loved it when they showed up) this time it is the water changelings and humans who are featured. In this second book we get to see Bowen Knight again and it is a bit of a surprise as he was shot and feared dead in the last book. He has to work very hard to get Kaia Luna's, a water changelings) trust. Along the way he needed to have help before it kills him in fixing the mesh preventing the Psy from accessing his brain. Betrayal on both sides keep the tension high as Bowen and Kaia work to stop a war between water based changelings and humans from breaking out. This is another interesting well plotted story that solves one problem but leaves another that needs to be solved.

Scandal Above Stairs by Jennifer Ashley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved book one, Scandal Below Stairs. Book two is a step above. Much of the back story and character development has already been done and the plot flows much smoother. This is a great mystery that kept me guessing. Daniel and Kat are more comfortable with each other and their interaction is more interesting this time. I loved the new characters and how they fit into the series. Ashley does a very good job of writing historical mysteries and I do not plan to miss a one.

I received free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

View all my reviews

Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh

Paranormal Romance

From Goodreads:

"Step into New York Times bestseller Nalini Singh’s explosive and shockingly passionate Psy-Changeling world…

A dangerous, volatile rebel, hands stained blood red.

A woman whose very existence has been erased.

A love story so dark, it may shatter the world itself.

A deadly price that must be paid.

The day of reckoning is here.

From “the alpha author of paranormal romance” (Booklist) comes the most highly anticipated novel of her career—one that blurs the line between madness and genius, between subjugation and liberation, between the living and the dead."

I just finished Heart of Obsidian. I found it a difficult book to read and an even more difficult to review.  The story is very dark.  One of the characters is holding on to his control for most of the story.  There is danger, excitement, suspense, and romance.  The romance is the only thing holding the main character in check.  Love in this story truly saves.  There are a lot of lines crossed and the Psy have to change or disappear.  This is a excellent addition to the Psy-Changeling series.   I would not recommend this as a stand alone book.  Start at the beginning of the series for the most enjoyment.

Berkley Sensation published Heartof Obsidian by Nalini Singh in 2013.

Book Beginning on Friday December 16, 2011

Book Beginnings on Friday is a meme hosted by Katy from A Few More Pages. Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading.

This week beginning is from Stroke of Enticement, my favorite side story in Nalini Singh's Psy/Changeling series.  It is  a story I love to re-read and is from The Magical Christmas Cat by Lora Leigh, Erin McCarthy, Nalini Singh and Linda Winstead Jones.  Re-reading it now at Christmas seemed appropriate.

"Annie looked up and met the angry eyes of the seven-year-old sitting at the child-sized desk in front of her own, arms crossed and lip jutting out.  Bryan glared at her, the fury of his leopard apparent in every line of his body."

Play of Passion by Nalini Singh

Paranormal Romance

I just finished Play of Passion by Nalini Singh and was left wanting the next book. The last two books in the Psy/Changeling, Blaze of Memory and Bonds Of Justice were almost side stories written to enlarge the world Singh had created. With Play of Passion the focus returns to one of the main line packs, the SnowDancers and to the main story arc. While I enjoyed the last two books I loved Play and Passion. In Play of Passion the characters from the two previous books are drawn into the arc and everything is set up for the next story.

Drew Kincaid and Lieutenant Indigo Riviere were introduced in previous books. Now they get their story. Drew knows that he wants Indigo but she has doubts about his intentions. He has to work very hard to get her to take him seriously. For me one of the best scenes in the book is when Indigo’s Mother pulls Drew aside to explain how childhood events are affecting Indigo’s ability to commit. To add to the problems both face there is a split in the Psy Council and some members of the Council are intruding on SnowDancer territory. All of the members have to work to keep this threat from destroying the pack. This leads to some new and surprising alliances.

The additional world building in Play of Passion continues to expand the Psy/Changeling world. There are new character introduced, previous characters reappear, and hints are offered about some main characters that have yet to have their story told. Play of Passion keeps up the tension, romance and drama that are a mark of this series.

The next book, Kiss of Snow, is due out in June of 2011.

Berkley Sensation published Play of Passion by Nalini Singh in 2010.



I pre-ordered Play of Passion from Borders and got an email on November 1st that the book had been shipped. When it did not arrive I checked the tracking and found that after leaving Atlanta it went to Chino CA, then Los Angeles, CA, then Dallas, TX, then Southhaven MS, and finally on November 13th it arrived at my house in Bella Vesta, AR. It had quite a journey to get to me.

The Magical Christmas Cat by Nalini Singh, Erin McCarthy, Linda Winstead Jones, Lora Leigh

Paranormal Romance

The Magical Christmas Cat contains 4 short novellas by four different authors. It was released at Christmas in 2008. One of the four stories is Stroke of Enticement by Nalini Singh, one of my favorite Psy/Changelings stories.

Stroke of Enticement is a sweet love story set at the same time as the early Psy/Changeling books. Annie teaches little cats as well as humans. When Bryan, one of the Dark River leopard children, hits another child and refuses to tell Annie why his Uncle Zack is the one who comes to sort everything out. Zack knows immediately that Annie is his mate. Annie on the other hand feels that she is damaged because a leg injury she suffered as a child has left her with a slight limp. She thinks that Zack will play for a while and leave. Annie has to trust and her journey makes a wonderful story.

If you would like another Psy/Changeling story look for An Enchanted Season the 2009 Christmas multi-author release. Beat of Temptation is set in the past and tells the story of Nate and Tammy’s mating.

Berkley Sensation published The Magical Christmas Cat in 2008.

Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh

Paranormal Romance

Branded by Fire is the 6th novel in the Psy/Changeling series. While any of the novels can be read as a stand-along the books are better read in order. There are also 2 novellas published in anthologies that can go anywhere in the series.

Branded by Fire is Riley and Mercy’s story. Both are strong characters that have never found a mate. They are from different changelings groups and while sparks have flown anytime they are together it has been antagonism not romance that caused the tension. When the true nature of their attraction strikes they both have to face issues that will affect their entire lives. Add another political crisis and you have a fact moving story with danger and romance. The Psy/Changeling world just keeps getting better. Branded by Fire adds to the political and social world Nalini Singh has created and sets the stage for further stories.

Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh was published by Berkley Books in 2009.

The other books in the series are:

1. Slave to Sensation (September 2006)

2. Visions of Heat (March 2007) 

3. Caressed By Ice (September 2007)
4. “Beat of Temptation” in An Enchanted Season (October 2007)*

5. Mine to Possess (February 2008)

6. Hostage to Pleasure (September 2008)
7. “Stroke of Enticement” in The Magical Christmas Cat (October 2008) 

8. Branded by Fire (July 2009)

9. Blaze of Memory (November 2009)

*This novella was written to stand alone so you can pick it up at any stage in the series.

Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

Paranormal Romance

Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh is set on an alternate Earth where the human race is divided into three distinct types. There are the normal humans like you and I, the Psys who have mental powers, and the Changelings who are part human and part animal. Many years ago because of the high incidence of insanity and serial killing among the Psys they embraced Silence the removal of all emotion. The Psys became the leaders in government and business living apart from humans and Changelings. The Changelings live with their own kind removed from both humans and Psys. There is little interaction between the three groups. This first story in the Psy/Changeling universe sees Lucas, a Changeling whose animal is a leopard, reacting to Sascha, a Psy who feels emotions. A Psy serial killer who has killed one of Lucas pack mates, a big attraction between Lucas and Sascha, a psychic web that Sascha must escape in order to leave the Psy come together in a spellbinding story. The book has great pacing and tension. The romance between Lucas and Sascha it bittersweet. Interwoven in the story are characters that will be featured in later books. I recommend Slave to Sensation to any of you who like paranormal romances.

Berkley Books published Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh in 2006.

The book in the THE PSY-CHANGELING SERIES are:

Slave to Sensation 2006
Vision of Heat 2007
Caressed by Ice 2007
Mine to Possess 2008
Hostage to Pleasure 2008

Released July 2009 Branded by Fire

This is an update on a previous post on Slave to Sensation. I did this before posting on Branded by Fire.