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mlglenn's review against another edition
4.0
This felt like if Gattaca, 1984, and shifter romances had a baby, and I’m not mad about it.
I’ve been hearing about this series for years and glad I finally got around to the audiobook in preparation for meeting Nalini Singh later this summer. I am definitely going to be checking out more of this series, and her books, because this one had all the things I love wrapped up into one package!
*Possible spoilers below*
POV: dual third person
You can expect: shifters, psychics, forbidden relationship, natural enemies to lovers, alpha male (literally), mates, opposites attract, “touch her and die”, he falls first, “mine”, found family, belonging, panther shifter MMC, investigation, forced proximity, hacking but of the brain, dream smut.
Spice: 2/5
CW: death of parents (past), violence, kidnapping, murder
I’ve been hearing about this series for years and glad I finally got around to the audiobook in preparation for meeting Nalini Singh later this summer. I am definitely going to be checking out more of this series, and her books, because this one had all the things I love wrapped up into one package!
*Possible spoilers below*
POV: dual third person
You can expect: shifters, psychics, forbidden relationship, natural enemies to lovers, alpha male (literally), mates, opposites attract, “touch her and die”, he falls first, “mine”, found family, belonging, panther shifter MMC, investigation, forced proximity, hacking but of the brain, dream smut.
Spice: 2/5
CW: death of parents (past), violence, kidnapping, murder
francesford's review against another edition
2.5
the writing was so so so bad, you can not just from one pov to third pov to a different pov. Also, he only loved her because she was his mate like they just randomly fell deeply in love. the sex scenes were one and so not exciting the ending was so obvious it hurt, only finished as i enjoyed the world building
ravenslanding's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I enjoyed this. As the name suggests, it's a pretty sensual book. But, it is also more than the name suggests.
This, my friends, is dystopian romance. Now, yes, a subrace of humans with psychic powers, and another of human/animal shapeshifters makes it an urban fantasy/dystopia cross over, but I like that kind of thing. The psy are in an Equilibrium-like society, hammering emotion out of themselves before the end of high school (or else). Sascha, who is psy, has a big dangerous secret that she FEELS.
Most of the sensation part of the story comes from Sascha suppressing, or exploring, or growing into. Also the leopard shifter pack she ends up with are affectionate (not unlike big cats) with kisses and hugs par for the casual interaction.
The book is very tactile.
Anyway, there is mystery, there is romance, there is the uncovering of the dystopia. There is a happy ending.
Honestly, I had to sit to figure out why I didn't gleefully love it, and finally realized it is because it wasn't funny. Just not that kind of book. Which makes it not my most favorite, but I don't think counts as a flaw
This, my friends, is dystopian romance. Now, yes, a subrace of humans with psychic powers, and another of human/animal shapeshifters makes it an urban fantasy/dystopia cross over, but I like that kind of thing. The psy are in an Equilibrium-like society, hammering emotion out of themselves before the end of high school (or else). Sascha, who is psy, has a big dangerous secret that she FEELS.
Most of the sensation part of the story comes from Sascha suppressing, or exploring, or growing into. Also the leopard shifter pack she ends up with are affectionate (not unlike big cats) with kisses and hugs par for the casual interaction.
The book is very tactile.
Anyway, there is mystery, there is romance, there is the uncovering of the dystopia. There is a happy ending.
Honestly, I had to sit to figure out why I didn't gleefully love it, and finally realized it is because it wasn't funny. Just not that kind of book. Which makes it not my most favorite, but I don't think counts as a flaw
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Sexual violence, Torture, and Violence
greysun69's review against another edition
5.0
5⭐️ Psy-Changeling Book 1: Sascha & Lucas (E-psy & Leopard Alpha)
Look! This book is so much more than just a romance novel! The world building, yet to be matched. The complexity of this world and how each psy category is explained without it being boring is 10/10. The stakes were REAL in this book. There is no damsel. There is no stupid heroine and the hero is a hero fr! This is legit my 3rd time reading this book/series and I’ll never get tired of recommending it. I’ll never shut up about it. I can’t decide who I love more in JUST this book alone. Nalini came out swinging with this series. Plot wholes? Where? Low stakes? We don’t know her.
Currently in the middle of trying to purchase the whole series! I wanna live in one of Nalini Singh’s books. The action! The insta-like slow-burn! I can’t! Even the audiobook! Angela Dawe did her big one on this book.
Look! This book is so much more than just a romance novel! The world building, yet to be matched. The complexity of this world and how each psy category is explained without it being boring is 10/10. The stakes were REAL in this book. There is no damsel. There is no stupid heroine and the hero is a hero fr! This is legit my 3rd time reading this book/series and I’ll never get tired of recommending it. I’ll never shut up about it. I can’t decide who I love more in JUST this book alone. Nalini came out swinging with this series. Plot wholes? Where? Low stakes? We don’t know her.
Currently in the middle of trying to purchase the whole series! I wanna live in one of Nalini Singh’s books. The action! The insta-like slow-burn! I can’t! Even the audiobook! Angela Dawe did her big one on this book.
tew_11's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
flexpotential's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
bookishrealm's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars. I mean...this is a pretty unpopular opinion. The actual world that Singh created was dynamic and intriguing. This world is comprised of two specific types of paranormal groups including the psy who are beings that have no emotions and changelings. The fact that the psy had psychic abilities but intentionally voided themselves of all human emotions was an unexpected twist in the character development. Seeing just the emotional differences between the psy and the changelings was interesting. There was also quite a bit of diversity amongst the characters which I enjoyed seeing.
In addition to the world building, I found Singh's writing to be engaging and fun. She was skillfully able to create a storyline that had the reader interested in the mystery of the plot and the romance that would grow between the main characters Lucas and Sascha. Unfortunately, this is where I felt a little disconnected as a reader. Honestly, I think I've always had trouble with alpha males in romances. They just don't sit well with me as a reader and Lucas is definitely an alpha male. While I don't think this will prevent me from reading the rest of the series (I'm finding the plot to be really interesting) it did cause me to become disinterested in some parts of their romance. The only reason why I stayed invested is because I knew that no relationship whether physical or not happened between psy and changelings and that just made the stakes higher.
I think that the plot is going to be the key to me continuing to enjoy this series. I think that Singh has created a truly dynamic world that we don't often see in other paranormal romance books. I was super into the "action" parts of the books where we follow Sascha as she attempts to figure out what psy could possibly be harming the changelings. There was political intrigue and interesting character development and relationships designed by that underlying mystery. I'm really interested in seeing where the series goes especially with that ending.
In addition to the world building, I found Singh's writing to be engaging and fun. She was skillfully able to create a storyline that had the reader interested in the mystery of the plot and the romance that would grow between the main characters Lucas and Sascha. Unfortunately, this is where I felt a little disconnected as a reader. Honestly, I think I've always had trouble with alpha males in romances. They just don't sit well with me as a reader and Lucas is definitely an alpha male. While I don't think this will prevent me from reading the rest of the series (I'm finding the plot to be really interesting) it did cause me to become disinterested in some parts of their romance. The only reason why I stayed invested is because I knew that no relationship whether physical or not happened between psy and changelings and that just made the stakes higher.
I think that the plot is going to be the key to me continuing to enjoy this series. I think that Singh has created a truly dynamic world that we don't often see in other paranormal romance books. I was super into the "action" parts of the books where we follow Sascha as she attempts to figure out what psy could possibly be harming the changelings. There was political intrigue and interesting character development and relationships designed by that underlying mystery. I'm really interested in seeing where the series goes especially with that ending.
research_department's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
sianny's review against another edition
5.0
Woooow
Sascha is a cardinal Psy but, unlike her peers, her true powers have never manifested. She has been hiding her flaws from the rest of the Psy and furthermore the PsyNet for her entire life. Not even her own mother knows the extent of her flaws. For Sascha feels. And the Psy do not feel. Do not experience emotions, likes, dislikes. They view emotions as weak.
So when Sascha meets Lucas, a changeling and alpha of the DarkRiver pack, and her emotions start to take control, start to crack her carefully crafted facade, she believes she is finally descending into madness. She knows it’s only a matter of time until she is discovered by the Psy and sent to rehabilitation. But she doesn’t want to die, even if it’s just mentally.
Lucas introduces her to new emotions and experiences, pushes her boundaries, and truly shows her how to live. He refuses to let her go because she belongs to him and his panther, and they belong to her alone.
Can they overcome all their obstacles to be together, and save Sascha’s life? Or is their end inevitable?
Wow. Wow wow wow! Another book I went into totally blind purely on the recommendation of a fellow bookstagrammer and she was so right. This is only book one in a series of 15 books and I already know I’m going to be so broke buying the rest of the series!
The writing is so incredibly immersive, I could picture the world she created so vividly. I kept swaying back and forth on who I thought the killer was, and what Sascha truly was. I was absolutely hooked! This series definitely needs to be hyped up more! Go.and.get.this.book!!! Right now!
Sascha is a cardinal Psy but, unlike her peers, her true powers have never manifested. She has been hiding her flaws from the rest of the Psy and furthermore the PsyNet for her entire life. Not even her own mother knows the extent of her flaws. For Sascha feels. And the Psy do not feel. Do not experience emotions, likes, dislikes. They view emotions as weak.
So when Sascha meets Lucas, a changeling and alpha of the DarkRiver pack, and her emotions start to take control, start to crack her carefully crafted facade, she believes she is finally descending into madness. She knows it’s only a matter of time until she is discovered by the Psy and sent to rehabilitation. But she doesn’t want to die, even if it’s just mentally.
Lucas introduces her to new emotions and experiences, pushes her boundaries, and truly shows her how to live. He refuses to let her go because she belongs to him and his panther, and they belong to her alone.
Can they overcome all their obstacles to be together, and save Sascha’s life? Or is their end inevitable?
Wow. Wow wow wow! Another book I went into totally blind purely on the recommendation of a fellow bookstagrammer and she was so right. This is only book one in a series of 15 books and I already know I’m going to be so broke buying the rest of the series!
The writing is so incredibly immersive, I could picture the world she created so vividly. I kept swaying back and forth on who I thought the killer was, and what Sascha truly was. I was absolutely hooked! This series definitely needs to be hyped up more! Go.and.get.this.book!!! Right now!
what_is_daphne_reading's review against another edition
5.0
This is basically Bride. Or more accurately, Bride is basically a highly polished version on this book. The only thing this didn’t have was as much witty banter. Probably because of the kind of thing Sasha is. Although, the longer she was with the changelings the more witty banter appeared.
I throughly enjoyed this novel and am diving head long into the rest of the series.
I throughly enjoyed this novel and am diving head long into the rest of the series.