I wanted SOOO much to like the book more than I did, especially after all the recommendations I've received for this author. However, the best I can say is... Not bad. There were some things I completely loved about the story, such as the extremely diverse cast of characters (the main reason I decided to go ahead and give it a try in spite of the-IMO-meh cover). I don't particularly like covers with real people on them unless they're uber hot, and the guy on the cover isn't exactly MY cup of tea-but I know, of course, not to judge a book... Anyhow, I adored the diversity, and even though there are shapeshifters & psychics (the Psy), Singh's take on them was fresh for me.
Why not 4 or 5 stars. The plot was decent, if not a little slow at times, but it was hardly all that the rave reviews made it out to be. I've read more engaging stories. I found I was able to put this down and do other things. There are also lots of typos, but they weren't so distracting I was put off by them. They were noticeable, though. I didn't judge too harshly for this considering, apparently this was the author's first book. There were also some instances in which it wasn't really clear who was speaking, and I had to backtrack to figure it out. There were also a couple of things that sort of contradicted the whole Psy premise. Such as Sascha memorizing a book of sexual positions. If the Psy rarely, if ever, do it, then why would they retain that info? And why, of all things to memorize, would she pick that if she was trying to tamp down her differences with other Psy? I don't even know why that was written in the story considering she never actually uses them. Also, were ALL emotions really gone? It didn't seem like it. They hungered for money and power. They held onto curiosity and arrogance... Even so, that's not what drastically dropped my rating for this book.
Here are my main 3 reasons for the anorexic 3.5
1. As stated in some of the other reviews, the writing is HEAVY on the repetitions. This is one of my pet peeves. Especially with all the praise for her writing, which again wasn't bad. But there were lots of words/phrases that popped up several times: night-sky eyes, ebony eyes, tangling tongues, to name a few.
2. The climax, what climax??? Exactly! It was so anti-climactic as to not even be shown but given in exposition basically...
Warning: light SPOILERS to follow...
Since the heroine was actually incapacitated when the villain (& don't even get me started on how predictable THAT was-needless to say, it's exactly whom I'm sure everyone initially thinks it is) was finally taken down, we don't get to see it. We only get the details that what was done to the kidnapped girls was reciprocated. I don't want to give too much away, so I won't say any more than that. So there is no real climax scene, at least not in action-again, I don't want to give it away.
END OF SPOILERS
3. The third reason that lowered my rating was its level of hotness. And, I know I'll probably get some negative feedback for saying this, but it has to be said, b/c it doesn't seem like anyone else has. Mind you, I bought the book after reading the sample in the 1-5 collection, but I never bothered to read any reviews-a first for me. The extended sample drew me in, and I had high expectations for the remaining 2/3 of the book. I almost bought the set. OMG, I'm so glad I didn't!! I would have been super mad at myself. I'm woman enough to admit, I'm a little pervy by most standards, maybe a lot. I'm okay with that. When I pick up a PNR, I've come to expect a certain level of heat. It's one of the main reasons I've become so enamored with them since discovering the genre a few years back. Since then, I've read so many I couldn't even begin to count. Some just the first couple of books, others the entire series. Besides YA books, which don't really interest me, I've noticed a recurring theme in PNR, lots of HOTNESS, and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!! I don't even mind the hetero stuff, if the author is that good.
After I finished this book, I went back and forth on reviewing it. I almost didn't because I didn't want to not give it a high rating since this author has provided something seldom seen in romance: a wide variety of physical appearances in her characters. For example, the heroine is part Japanese, part Russian, and part something else that all comes together and makes for a woman that is "the color of dark honey" with exotic eyes and wild, curly hair-LOVES it!! So not clichéd! I even gave her back half a star just for the diversity. Yeah, I said it. It is why I wanted to truly love this book. Anyhoo, I digress.
I thought the love developed sweetly between the main characters, even though I don't think he ever says the words to her (I could be wrong, but I don't recall it). I'm just confused by all the reviews talking about how sexy or erotic or the story is. Uhmmm not really. Okay, I have to put this in to perspective so anyone debating can get an idea of my personal hotness scale (1-5). I'll do my best since I realize not all the following writers are going to be familiar to everyone.
I'd give this story about a 2 (Tepid). I kept waiting for it to heat up.
Stephanie Rowe's Order of the Blade series: 3.6 (Hot)--4.0 overall for the actual series, I think more than anything, I like to see in what order the couples will complete the stages to their bonds. I really like this dark, interesting series, but my biggest issue is that they're usually battling for their lives and when they get a moment and are sharing a little freaky time, no one EVER bathes!! Not even after. That bothers me big time but not enough to stop buying them when Rowe puts them out. This series is different. They're demons. No Vamps or wolves to be found. First book in the series is free!
Evangeline Anderson's Kindred series: 4.0 (Very Hot)--4.0 stars for series overall, SFR done right! And definite page-turners. Plus cheap!! That's on price, not quality of plot. Her books are very entertaining and some are even laugh-out-loud hilarious, especially the first one.
Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series: 4-4.25 (Sizzling)--4.75 for series overall, PNR at near perfection. Warning: her stories will ruin you for other authors'. Really. Seriously. This is pretty much a general consensus.
Tina Folsom's Scanguards series: 4.25-4.5+ (Sssmokin')--3.5 for series overall (1st 3 books) I'm waiting for the box set for books 4-6, so I've only read the first three. The first single book is free if you want to give it a try!!
Emma Holly's Upyr series: 4.5-4.75 (Pull out the fire extinguisher)--4.5 overall for series. These books are well written and so sexy, I recommend reading them with a bed partner you can utilize afterward. Real talk. I will also say this. I USED to be partial to her books. She holds a special place in my "heart". Hers was my very first ever PNR story, and I found it at my local library-Catching Midnight, but she seems to have fell off writing on this series in lieu of her self-published stuff, which I'm mostly not a fan of. I haven't gotten into them since they seem to be heavy on M/M and M/F/M and M/M/F, and I'm not interested in that dynamic AT ALL. If there's some bi-ness in my stories, I want it to be F/F/M (like many of Selena Kitt's stories-heat=5.0, for sure-but she doesn't do full length or PNR or SFR). That being said, Holly's Upyr series doesn't have any M/M. Her Hidden as well as her Demon Tales series do offer lots of MFM and FMM, if that is your thing.
** And as a side note, I must say I'm utterly shocked at how many stories have recently saturated the market involving MM & MMF and even MMMMMMFMM, or something like that, geared towards women. I'm not a straight woman, never been one, but I just always assumed that would be off-putting to a hetero woman. Interesting that it doesn't seem to be.
Now that I've let anyone reading this into my deviant mind, I'll get back to the review of this book. There's only ONE sex scene here people! In a book well over 300 pages, that is not hot, even if the scene is extensive, which the one in here is NOT! It's actually pretty brief and not very detailed. There are a couple of shared dreams involving some quick foreplay, but that's about it. The couple has sex a few more times after the initial, but it is only told to the reader before moving on to the next scene. No description or details are given. I guess I just expected more from a PNR story about a woman who's never really been touched or felt emotions suddenly meeting her soul mate, a shifter with innate desire to be close-physically & emotionally. I thought there was so much Singh could have done with that scenario, but she just didn't go there. I expected a lot more.
Final thought: Would I recommend this book? Hmm... Probably not. At least not to someone who likes the kind of stories I like-3.5 or higher on my hotness scale. I'm not even sure I want to power on through the series even though all the books have consistently high ratings. I'm guessing that those who've made it to say, book 5 or 6 in the series just really likes this type of story. I read reviews for later books to see if I might want to continue, and many of them stated that this was "still their favorite of the series" or it was still the best... Not the best endorsement for me. I would, however, highly recommend all the series listed above if you like it spicy, and I like it Indian food hot (mmm Aloo gobi!) Hope this helps!
Happy Readings.
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Popular Highlights in this book
Hunter had become the only ruling alpha in the DarkRiver leopard pack at twenty-three years of age.Highlighted by 145 Kindle readers- Because I’m broken. And the Psy don’t allow broken creatures to live.Highlighted by 142 Kindle readers
- Nate, Vaughn, Clay, Mercy, and Dorian were the toughest members of the pack.Highlighted by 120 Kindle readers
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I was in desperate need of a good PNR and Teresa told me about the Psy- Changeling series by Nalini Singh. I can’t believe I haven’t read this books until now. Already devoured Slave to Sensation ( book 1 ) and since I hadn’t had to much time to read I decided to grab audiobook for book 2, Visions of Heat and 3 Caressed by Ice. Available on Audible Escape so wuju for me .Singh created a fascinating world. This first installment in the series helps you understand the world were Psy, Changelings and humans co-exist. Slave by Sensation was really well developed, intriguing and original. The Psy have Psychic abilities and they are analytical and cold. The changelings are shapeshifters and completely emotional, passionate and rule by their senses, specially touch. They transform in various species like panthers, leopards, wolfs and jaguars. Really love this.Main characters of this story are Sascha Duncan ( Psy) and Lucas Hunter ( Alpha Changeling). Sasha is strong, sassy but also vulnerable. That’s all traits that aren’t supposed to be part of the Psy race.Lucas is pure alpha, strong and possessive. A leader and trying to fina a way to discover a menace that’s destroying the changeling clans.This two have a very strong connection that’s completely unusual been that Psy and Changeling don’t mix. I love the way their relationship developed and grew. Also the banter and off course the passionate and intense moments too. Can’t wait to finish more books on this series.
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Top reviews from other countries
Amazon Customer
Disappointed - maybe too late to the game
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 12, 2021
Sarah (Feeling Fictional)
Psy-Changeling book 1
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 4, 2012
daisyduck1976
Just okay but it is the first in a series
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on December 3, 2010
