Tag: Nalini Singh

This Chick Read: Primal Mirror (Psy-Changeling Trinity #8) by Nalini Singh

Auden Scott is not the child her Psy parents wanted, especially after her brain injury. Her thoughts are scattered and her memory is fuzzy or just blank. The only thing she knows is that she must protect her unborn baby, a baby she has no recollection of conceiving. Leopard Alpha, Remi Lenier’s instinct is to protect, his pack, his allies, and his new neighbor. Her eerie eyes and changing scent confound the man and intrigue his cat. Nothing about Auden is as it seems and when she asks for his help Remi can’t help but respond.

Primal Mirror is the 8th book in the series, but this Psy-Changeling world is over 20 books in. I’ve read a few across both Psy series and I feel like if you’re familiar with the details of this world you can jump right in mid series. That’s what I’ve done when I chose to read Primal Mirror, the newest novel in this world. It didn’t matter that a few characters may have had recurring plots, I was intrigued by Remi and Auden and wanted to read their story, not the backlog of other novels. It was easy to immerse myself in this world again and get wrapped up in this intriguing and kind of eerie story.

After reading the synopsis of Auden Scott and her memory issues and pregnancy I knew the plot could be slightly uncomfortable and without going into too many details that might spoil the plot, I will say that this was the case. If you can’t remember getting pregnant, chances are that the how’s and what-for’s are probably not going to be all sunshine and rainbows. As the plot surrounding Auden’s mystery is revealed it was very easy to root for the good guys, which is a great transition to the subject of Remi. As an Alpha, his instinct is to protect, but that doesn’t explain why he is drawn to someone that shouldn’t intrigue him, but he is a cat and cat’s are curious. Once he unveils the mystery he is all in to help Auden and keep her baby safe. I liked their interactions with each other, despite their personality differences. It certainly helps that Auden doesn’t seem to be interested in being removed from emotion as are most Psy. This makes their meld into a couple not seem so forced.

I’m not usually drawn to read Nalini Singh’s books, although I do like the mysteries she has started to write, but for some reason I was drawn to this book. It could be that the promotional tour did it’s thing and I seemed to cross paths with this book more than her others, but I’m not sorry that I did pick it up. Maybe because I’ve only read a few of these novels, but I found this one interesting, easy to read, and easy to get into. All in all, a solid weekend read! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Primal Mirror

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This Chick Read: There Should Have Been Eight by Nalini Singh

Nine years ago they lost one of their own. Now, the remaining seven friends meet up at Bea’s home in the mountains for a weekend of regaining their friendship and reminiscing about the past. Only someone is playing cruel tricks on the guests and when they get snowed in, those eerie pranks turn dangerous.

Nalini Singh is famous for her romantic fantasy novels but this is her second foray into the mystery genre. It hit all of the thriller/mystery notes. Eerie mansion in the mountains, mysterious death of their friend Bea, the psychological unwinding of her sister Darcie, romantic entanglements, and yes, even death. Unlike Ms. Singh’s first foray into the genre, this novel moved at a quicker pace. The main protagonist, Luna is the sleuth the reader relies on to take them through the plot and we see each action through her eyes. However, Luna is also suffering from a disease that is taking away her eyesight so she doesn’t trust some of the things she is seeing. Her suffering causing her to hallucinate or at least cause some mental hijinks that gives this story an even more eerie feel.

There were so many relationship entanglements that at first I had trouble keeping up. As I turned the pages those entanglements became a bit more clear and I was able to focus solely on the plot and not who did what with whom nine years ago making it easier to get wrapped up in the eeriness of the setting and the thriller dynamics that were in play. This was truly a fun book to read and had the feel of an old Nancy Drew mystery, although our heroine was a bit older and wasn’t quite so wholesome.

I think fan’s of Nalini Singh’s other novels would feel very satisfied with the change in genre’s and the cast of characters. This was a really interesting read that held my attention through every page. I’ll admit that I did guess the mystery but it took me a little bit to do that and I enjoyed the process of eliminating my suspects. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* There Should Have Been Eight

Copyright 2023 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: Quiet In Her Bones by Nalini Singh

Aarav Rai’s mother disappeared when he was sixteen years old. He can still hear her scream and feel the rain on his face as he watched her tail lights disappear into the dark. Twenty years later her car is found down an embankment hidden by the jungle overgrowth, her bones inside wearing the clothes she disappeared in. The $250,000 she stole from her husbands safe missing from the car. The police aren’t the only one investigating this murder. Aarav is determined to find out who murdered his mother but he’s recovering from a bad car accident, a head injury, and a broken foot. Quiet in her Bones is a dark, twisted mystery that I couldn’t put down and am still thinking about days after finishing.

When the police arrive to tell Aarav and his father that his mother was found in her car not too far from their home the scene is fraught with tension. It’s immediately apparent that Aarav and his father dislike each other and Aarav is only tolerated in his fathers home because their heritage is patriarchal and he is an oldest son. The good looking Aarav is a famous horror/mystery fiction writer who had a popular book made into a movie and whose fame he uses to his advantage. Turning on the charm when he wants to divert attention but intent upon his own self destruction, his addiction is sugar instead of pills or booze. As the narrator we are bystanders to his thoughts and this author leads us down the path of his derangement.

Set in a wealthy neighborhood in New Zealand I’m immediately enraptured by the foreign nature of pretty much everything. Aarav is Indian and so his family’s names and culture are very different, but life in New Zealand is not familiar to this southern California native and the differences seem pretty extreme. Add to that foreign setting a disturbed narrator, and a dark elite lifestyle led by his neighbors the scene is set for some dark hijinks and Nalini Singh certainly delivers. These characters were so interesting and the contradiction between their somewhat ordinary lifestyles and their bizarre secrets revealed bit by bit kept me eagerly turning each page.

It’s hard to write a review for a mystery and not reveal all the details. I don’t want to spoil this one for anyone. I will say that the author does a great job of leading the reader to think they know who the killer is at different parts of the novel. I think I ran through about six killers before the end of the book. There were a few red herring’s but part of the effectiveness of being led astray was that the mood was so dark it was easiest to follow the light of the one character you were reading about at that moment. I had fun reading Quiet In Her Bones because I just don’t get surprised too often anymore, but this time this author did it. I was surprised by the ending. You can’t help but appreciate that!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review and it was honest.

Click this link to purchase!* Quiet in Her Bones

Copyright 2021 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- If you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh

What makes a woman who writes paranormal romances switch genre’s and try her hand at a mystery? I really don’t know but I was curious enough to pick up her novel and take a look at the back cover. There were a couple of things that jumped out and made it sound interesting. The mystery takes place in New Zealand and the synopsis made it sound different than other novels I’d read lately. As I started reading I found myself amazed that this was the same author who I’d read in the past. The pace was slow and deliberate, and whereas the two main characters were a man and a woman, this was not a love story.

After the sudden death of her husband, Anahera moves back to her hometown and a childhood friend, Miriama, immediately goes missing. As she gets to know her old friends again she starts to wonder if the long ago case of some missing hikers is connected to her friends disappearance. As police officer, Will and Ana investigate they uncover secrets that had been buried for years and Ana realizes that someone she knows may be a killer.

Lately, my tastes have run towards reading mysteries. More of a whodunnit kind of reader, A Madness of Sunshine was right up my alley. I enjoyed getting a feel for a country I don’t really know that much about, and loved the atmospheric outback feeling the character’s names and scenery provided. Despite the slow pace it held my interest and I couldn’t help but like the two very flawed main protagonists and the mystery they were solving.

Is this the start of a new series by Nalini Singh? I don’t want her to quit writing romances but I hope so, or at least I hope that she’s found a genre she enjoys writing and can continue to throw me a bone every year or two. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“The complex mystery, vivid characters and a homecoming story with a twist make A Madness of Sunshine fresh, gritty, and real.  I am very happy Nalini Singh has decided to branch out in this new direction.” Whiskey With My Book

“I think that if you are a thriller fan who isn’t used to a mix of other genres, “A Madness of Sunshine” may not satisfy your reading itch. But if you are going in with the expectation of a little bit of romance and angst, it might be a pretty good fit!” The Library Ladies

Click this link to purchase!* A Madness of Sunshine

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*Amazon Associate- I’ll receive a very small reward if you purchase through the above link.

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This Chick Read: Silver Silence by Nalini Singh

Silver Silence is an off shoot of the Psy Changeling series, but is the first in its own trilogy. It is set in the same world and some of the characters mentioned are favorites from our past, but this novel is centered on Silver Mercant, a Psy, and Valentin the alpha of a powerful Russian bear tribe. As their world is trying to unite, Silver, as one of the leaders in this accord comes under attack by a group who’d like to see them fail. She is poisoned, and only because Valentin was present when she fell and his super bear nose is able to sniff out the poison, is her life saved.

Valentin was the perfect balance to the rather cool Silver. She is enmeshed in Silence, which allows her to feel emotionless, something an empath like herself needs. However, Valentin’s charming ways has her casting aside Silence for the chance to feel what love, and yes, sex, feels like. His humor and passion win her over and I didn’t have a problem seeing why she’d put her sanity in jeopardy. He was too adorable!  She, on the other hand was one cool woman. It was harder to see why he was drawn to her, other than her take charge attitude which fits his need for an Alpha mate.

This was a light read, and if you are a fan of this series, you can jump right in. I’ve read a few of the Psy Changeling novels and didn’t have trouble picking up where I left off. I do think if you haven’t read any of her previous novels the details of these races may be lost and would affect your enjoyment of the book. However, Nalini Singh is a great writer and the intrigue in this story enhanced the novel and I think anyone would enjoy the romance between Silver and Valentin.

❤️❤️❤️❤️


Click link to purchase! Silver Silence (Psy-Changeling Trinity)

Copyright 2017 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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This Chick Read- Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews

Alphas: Origins will be released in April 2016 as a single short story, but if you don’t want to wait, you can read it in the short story anthology Angels and Demons, with Nalini Singh as the headliner. Continue reading “This Chick Read- Alphas: Origins by Ilona Andrews” →

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