Tuesday 11 September 2012

Review: Slave to Sensation - Nalini Singh

Dive 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 co-existence, 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 . . .

Psy-Changeling Series:
(Season One in the Psy-Changeling World)
Beat of Temptation (Novella included in Wild Invitation and the An Enchanted Season anthology)
Whisper of Sin (Novella included in the Burning Up anthology or as a separate ebook)
Slave to Sensation
Visions of Heat
Echo of Silence (Novella included in the Wild Embrace anthology)
Caressed by Ice
Stroke of Enticement (Novella included in Wild Invitation and The Magical Christmas Cat anthology)
Mine to Possess
Hostage to Pleasure
Dorian (Novella included in the Wild Embrace anthology)
Branded by Fire
Blaze of Memory
Bonds of Justice
Play of Passion
Declaration of Courtship (Novella included in Wild Invitation)
Kiss of Snow
Texture of Intimacy (Novella included in Wild Invitation)
Tangle of Need
Partners in Persuasion (Novella included in the Wild Embrace anthology)
Heart of Obsidian
Flirtation of Fate (Novella included in the Wild Embrace anthology)
Secrets at Midnight (Novella included in the Night Shift Anthology)
Shield of Winter
Shards of Hope
Allegiance of Honour

Psy-Changeling Trinity Series:
(Season two in the Psy-Changeling World)
Silver Silence
Ocean Light
Wolf Rain

Visit Nalini Singh's website for more information

Review:
I'm a big fan of Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series so it was about time I finally got around to starting the Psy-Changeling books! I have to say I was impressed and I think this has the potential to become my favourite out of the two series. I loved the world that Nalini has created, you have two very different races who have pretty much the opposite outlooks and are struggling to live alongside each other. The Psy have incredible psychic abilities, from mind reading all the way through to telekinetic powers (although I'm sure there are even more types that we are yet to discover). As a race they have been trained not to feel any kind of emotions, they are supposed to be ruled purely by logic and anyone who shows the slightest hint of emotional behaviour will have their personality brutally wiped out at a rehabilitation centre. The Changelings on the other hand are ruled by their feelings, they work hard and play harder and nothing is more important to them than the bonds between pack and family - the Psy don't even develop close relationships with their parents or siblings.

Our main characters for this instalment are Psy Sasha and Changeling Lucas. Sasha has always known how different she is from the other Psy and learnt from a young age to keep her feelings closely hidden - even from her mother who would never understand her behaviour. As the daughter of an important Council member Sasha knows more than most just how dangerous it would be if anyone found out just how different she is and she knows that not even her mother would protect her if she is discovered. Lucas is the alpha of the DarkRiver Leopard pack and he is working to track down the Psy who has been brutally murdering Changeling women. The latest victim was a member of his pack and he will do whatever it takes to make them pay, even if that does mean working with Sasha and trying to use her to get the information he needs.

I absolutely adored this book, I loved the world building, I'm fascinated by the Psys (although I wouldn't want to be one!) and I always enjoy reading about different kinds of shapeshifters. Above all I loved the relationship between Sasha and Lucas, Nalini Singh takes the time to develop their relationship slowly and I enjoyed every minute of it. The way Lucas cares for his pack is heart warming but it was so good to see the way he began to care for Sasha and how determined he was to protect her and keep her safe from harm. Sasha had never been allowed to freely express herself so she finds it hard to even understand all the emotions that Lucas brings out in her, she instinctively knows how to love but she is so used to locking all her feelings away that she finds it hard to express herself. Lucas never pushes her beyond what she is prepared to give though, he understands how hard it is for her and he teaches her how to care for him and his packmates. One of my favourite things about the couple was the banter between them and when you have conversations like the one below it is very hard not to laugh out loud:

"I could turn your mind to mush if I wanted"
"But then who'd lick you to orgasm?"

Slave to Sensation was a fantastic start to the Psy-Changeling series and one that has left me very excited to find out more. We have been introduced to a great range of side characters so I'm happy that each book focuses on a different couple but I'm also interested to see how the ongoing storyline of the political relationship between the Psy and Changeling races will play out. If Nalini Singh wasn't already on my list of favourite authors this would have earned her a place there so if you haven't read any of her books before then you really should do as soon as possible!

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

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