Archive for Nalini Singh
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Publication Date: March 5, 2013
Format: Mass Market
Source: Received from the publisher for review.
Status: In the order they appear in the collection, these novellas are: O.5, 3.5, 9.5, 10.5 of the Psy-Changeling series.
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Other Info: I love the Psy-Changeling books. This is a fact that has been well-established on this blog.
Description and link from Goodreads):
In Beat of Temptation , innocent Tamsyn has always had a place in her heart for Nathan, a blooded DarkRiver sentinel. But is she ready for the fierce demands of the mating bond?
In Stroke of Enticement , a wary young teacher, skeptical about love, arouses the man—and the animal—in an aggressive leopard changeling who must prove his affections are true.
Plus 2 NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED NOVELLAS
In Declaration of Courtship , Grace, a shy submissive wolf, finds herself pursued by the last man she ever would have imagined: a SnowDancer lieutenant said to be “mad, bad, and dangerous to know.”
In Texture of Intimacy , SnowDancer healer Lara discovers the searing joys—and unexpected challenges—of being mated to quiet, powerful Walker, a man used to keeping his silence.
What with book twelve in the Psy-Changeling series being marketed as so epic that they can’t even give us a real description (read: NAMES), I was sorely in need of something to take the edge off. What better than a nice little collection of novellas? As a Nalini Singh fan, I’d already read the second novella, so I was super excited about the first story and the last two. As it turned out, I probably enjoyed Stroke of Enticement and Declaration of Courtship the most, even if one of these was a reread. But, really, I enjoyed all of them because I like the way that each story gives us a little more insight on the nature of the mating bond, which is a big part of the series’ world-building.
Beat of Temptation, as the blurb tells us, is Nathan and Tamsin’s story. It takes us into the past, before the events of Slave to Sensation. This is fun because it allows us a peek at Lucas before he became the DarkRiver alpha. It also explores what happens when the mating bond ignites between a grown man and a teenage girl. Don’t worry, though. By the time the story begins, Tamsin is an adult, and frustrated that Nathan is still making all the decisions about their relationship. Namely, that she’s not ready to be intimate with him (when she totally is). It’s a light, sweet story, but not my favorite.
Stroke of Enticement was a better read. The hero is one of Nalini Singh’s signature alpha Changelings and the heroine is a–gasp!–human. We don’t meet too many of those in this series. I loved this one because I adore it when Nalini writes children into her stories. I can just picture their little faces in the scenes she writes. Stroke packs a fair amount into its small package. None of the stories in this collection satisfied me the way a Psy-Changeling novel does, but this one came the closest.
Declaration of Courtship stood out because of its exploration of the submissive wolf. Though submissive wolves are occasionally mentioned in the Psy-Changeling books, this is the first time we’ve had one as a main character and narrator. In a way, Declaration was the most important book in this collection. If Nalini was going to create dominant heroes, it was inevitable that the dominant/submissive pairing would come up. And if you don’t know that dominant heroes are wasted on submissive heroes, well, email me and we can talk about it. However, just because the heroine in this story is a submissive does not mean she is weak-willed. In fact, I think the fact that she has to struggle against her submissive nature in order to stand up to the hero (and figure out how to be in a relationship with him without losing herself) makes her incredibly strong.
Texture of Intimacy was my least favorite story in this collection, and here’s why: I didn’t particularly enjoy Walker and Lara’s story in Kiss of Snow. I was very much: “Get back to Hawke and Sienna!” And I was completely irritated by the fact that there wasn’t a single ounce of them in this story. Sure, there’s a reference or two, but we never get to see them together. Call me a bitter grudge-holder, but if they were going to take up so much of Hawke and Sienna’s story, shouldn’t they return the favor? Okay, you caught me. I wanted this to be Kiss of Snow: The Extended Epilogue and it wasn’t. Completely my own fault, but there you have it.
Down and dirty rundown:
- Beat of Temptation: 3 Matryoshkas: I would have coffee with this novella.
- Stroke of Enticement: 4 Matryoshkas: I would make dinner for this novella.
- Declaration of Courtship: 4 Matryoshkas: I would make dinner for this novella.
- Texture of Intimacy: 2 1/2 Matryoshkas: I would glance at this novella through a store window.
Coming Soon!
• Tags: Collection•
Did you see this? I don’t go in for cover reveals, but this is Nalini Singh we’re talking about! I can’t wait for this book…and we still don’t even have a book description! Without further ado, here’s the next Psy-Changeling book: Heart of Obsidian.
Come on…squee with me!
(I’m also wildly speculating…which two characters do you think are this book’s hero and heroine?)
Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It’s a time for book bloggers to share the books they’re waiting on. I call it Start Up the DeLorean because only time travel will get me the books on this list. I’ve missed doing these lately, and time is short, so I think I might alternate between WoW and my usual Bookish Bundles. I love digging up new titles that I can anticipate in the coming year(s), so either way, I win!
March 2013
In Beat of Temptation, innocent Tamsyn has always had a place in her heart for Nathan, a blooded DarkRiver sentinel. But is she ready for the fierce demands of the mating bond?
In Stroke of Enticement, a wary young teacher, skeptical about love, arouses the man—and the animal—in an aggressive leopard changeling who must prove his affections are true.
Plus NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED
In Declaration of Courtship, Grace, a shy submissive wolf, finds herself pursued by the last man she ever would have imagined: a SnowDancer lieutenant said to be “mad, bad, and dangerous to know.”
Plus NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED
In Texture of Intimacy, SnowDancer healer Lara discovers the searing joys—and unexpected challenges—of being mated to quiet, powerful Walker, a man used to keeping his silence.
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Publication Date: September 4, 2012
Format: ARC
Status: Fourth in the Guild Hunter series, following:
Source: Received from the publisher for review.
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Angels, Vampires
Other Info: I’m a dedicated Nalini Singh fan, though my first love is the Psy-Changeling series. I can’t resist those alpha heroes of hers, and I’m looking forward all the books about Raphael’s Seven. Especially Venom’s story.
Description and link from Goodreads):
As much as I like Raphael and Elena, I didn’t really start to love the Guild Hunter series until Nalini Singh turned her focus onto the Seven. If you’re not familiar with the books, here’s a basic run-down: In the Guild Hunter universe, there are angels, the most powerful of whom–named archangels–are part of a powerful group called the Cadre. Raphael, the hero of the first three books, is the youngest archangel in the Cadre. He’s uber powerful, ultra alpha-y and totally swoon-worthy. Of course, an archangel is only as good as the men (and women) that are loyal to him. In Raphael’s case, this is his Seven. The first member of the Seven to get his own book was Dmitri. Archangel’s Storm features the second: Jason, the Spymaster.
Archangel’s Storm takes us winging away from Raphael’s court, all the way across the world to India, where the archangel Neha presides. Neha is a character we’ve met before and one that we know to be an enemy of Raphael. (If you don’t hate and fear Neha, something is wrong with you.) However, when Neha’s consort is murdered, Jason is sent to help with the investigation. And once there, he meets Neha’s niece, Mahiya, an angel born of an affair between Neha’s consort and her sister.
Jason and Mahiya are Nalini Singh’s least demonstrative couple yet. They vie for the title of the most reserved, broken characters she’s ever created. In a way, it’s a miracle that they find their way to each other at all. And it’s a testament to Nalini Singh’s ability to create tangible attraction between her two leads that their attraction is more than credible–it’s visceral.
Yet, despite the fact that Archangel’s Storm is ostensibly Jason and Mahiya’s story, I didn’t feel that it was the book’s primary focus. There are cameo appearances by a few of the Seven–Venom (lovelovelove) and ____–and we get to see glimpses of Dmitri and Honor’s wedding and early married life. But–the romance takes second place to the angel politics that are coming into play. Not that I’m complaining. Nalini Singh’s world-building is a part of what makes her such a favorite author of mine. She always adds that necessary smokin’ hot romance, but never at the expense of plot, characterization or setting.
Finally, If you follow Nalini Singh’s blog at all, you know that she is an avid traveler. Though I think all of her books are excellent at creating a sense of place, Archangel’s Storm takes this to the next level. Many of the palaces and places that appear in the book are based on real Indian wonders. (There are photos of her inspiration for Archangel Fort on her website.) However, I didn’t know this until I read the author’s note at the end of the book. Singh’s descriptions were enough to spark my imagination, and to trigger my wanderlust. I can but hope that I’ll have the chance to do some more armchair traveling in future Guild Hunter books. Archangel’s Storm was not my favorite in the series, but it was certainly a valuable addition to the whole.
4 1/2 Matryoshkas: I’d go on a second date with this book.
Today I’m honored to welcome Nalini Singh back to the blog. Nalini is the author of two bestselling Pararnormal Romance series, a fantastic author, and the creator of one of my all-time favorite shifter heroes (Hawke). Most recently, she has continued her awesomeness with the publication of book eleven in the Psy-Changeling series (see my review here), and she joins me today to discuss a menagerie of topics. Welcome to the blog, Nalini!
For Riaz, the primal attraction he feels for Adria is a staggering betrayal. For Adria, his dangerous lone-wolf appeal is beyond sexual. It consumes her. It terrifies her. It threatens to undermine everything she has built of her new life. But fighting their wild compulsion toward one another proves a losing battle.
Their coming together is an inferno…and a melding of two wounded souls who promise each other no commitment, no ties, no bonds. Only pleasure. Too late, they realize that they have more to lose than they ever imagined. Drawn into a cataclysmic Psy war that may alter the fate of the world itself, they must make a decision that might just break them both.
1. Kiss of Snow was a landmark book for the Psy-Changeling series. All the books and short stories that came before it built up to Hawke and Sienna’s story (romantically and otherwise). Did it feel any different writing Tangle of Need in the aftermath of such a momentous culmination?
No, not really – I suppose I have a unique perspective in that I see the entire storyline unfolding out in front of me. Each and every book is an integral element that will eventually make up the whole. Also, since the series is very organic, I simply feel like I’m picking up the story from when we last left off, so there’s this wonderful sense of continuity.
2. Tangle of Need tells Riaz and Adria’s story, but it features many of the other couples we’ve come to know and love, particularly Sienna and Hawke. Did you do this because you weren’t finished telling their stories, or was it more an organic growth of the story you were telling?
I guess I answered this a little above, but it’s an organic development. Part of what I love about writing a series is that neither the world, not the characters, remain static. The world shifts, people change and grow, and as a writer, I want to see that development, want to see the new phase of their lives.
3. I have a guess about Kaleb’s secret. If I whisper it in your ear, will you tell me if I’m right? ;p
Patience, patience, all will eventually be revealed…
4. The last couple of books have introduced us to a lot of new characters, but I can’t think of
any new faces from DarkRiver. Will we be meeting any?
If they are an important element of a particular story arc, yes.
5. Matthias, Kenji, Bo, Vasic, Aden, Alexei, Tomas, Kaleb…how is it possible for one
world to contain so many extraordinary male specimens?
Well, you know many people would say some of those extraordinary specimens are quite lethal…
6. In Tangle of Need, we get to see your vision of the Venice of the Psy-Changeling universe. Will we be doing any more traveling to unique places like this in future books? I’d really like to see South America…
The AzureSun leopards (Mercy’s grandmother’s pack) are based in South America and I’ve love to go visit them, so it’s a distinct possibility. It all depends on the storyline.
7. Riaz and Adria’s story addresses the mating concept in a different light. Has your interpretation of “mating” evolved as you’ve continued to write the Psy-Changeling books, or have you always known all of its facets?
I’ve always known the fundamental rules. I think that’s very important for a series writer, because it is the boundaries of a world that give it tension.
8. I’m curious to know if you read any Young Adult books. If so, which ones have you enjoyed? If you don’t, why not?
I’m an omnivorous reader, so I read across the board. Having said that, I don’t go looking specifically for YA, though I’ll definitely pick up a YA book that catches my interest.
Most recently, I read Patricia Wrede’s “The Thirteenth Child” and “Across the Great Barrier” and really enjoyed them. I’ll be picking up the third book in the trilogy when it releases in August.
9. Do you have a method for keeping track of your world-building? What is it?
A lot of it is in my head – the closest I can come to explaining it is to say it’s as if it’s a movie running behind my eyes.
With each scene, I step into the world and describe a part of that movie. (Right now, Roman and Julian are trying to sneak into the cookie jar while their mom’s back is turned, while Lara is sitting by the lake with her grandfather, a cup of coffee in her hand and her head on his shoulder as they catch up).
However, I do have an extensive series bible for all the tiny details – everything from location maps, to eye color, hair color, birth dates, overall and specific timelines, genealogical diagrams, and more.
I also keep complete searchable files of the books as they were published. This is important, because sometimes, I’ll write something and delete the scene from the book. However, the information is still in my head – being able to quickly check the files makes sure I don’t assume the reader knows something they never actually saw.
10. Dragon, unicorn, or Pegasus?
It’d have to be one of the flyers. Dragon I think. Ever since reading Anne McCaffrey’s (amazing) Pern series, I’ve wanted to ride one.
!GIVEAWAY!
- Only meaningful, substantive comments accepted. Please show in some way that you have read the interview.
- The prize is a copy of one book of the winner’s choice in the Psy-Changeling series (from 1-10).
- The contest begins today, (June 7) and ends at 11:59pm on June 17.
- US only.
- Must be thirteen years of age.
