Singh's Psy-Changeling series is quite possibly the best paranormal/romance out there right now. With two in the series and one on the way (Caressed by Ice), it's fresh with an exciting futuristic world that little others have touched on. A world of the Extra Sensory Perception and Changlings (otherwise known as the "Were"), so incorporated into normal life, it has it's own set of rules to govern it.

In Visions of Heat, we have an off the scale Future Seeing Psy named Faith who can predict the future with amazing accuracy. A member of the Psy race, she's not supposed to feel- emotions have been shut down under the cloak of the Silence- but when she starts having visions of death she can't help but feel the suffering about to come down . In anguish not only from the visions but also for fear of her mental stability she decides to take control.

Before the governing council of the Psy shut her down- permanently- she leaves her secluded compound to seek out Sascha Duncan- a female member of the Psy race who dropped out of the PsyNet (Whose story is in Slave to Sensation), something unheard of up until now. Sascha is now part of the Changlings, mated with a wereleopard and alpha to the DarkRiver pack.

Before she finds Sascha, Faith meets Vaughn, a steely Werepanther from Sascha's pack, who begins to make her feel other things that at first is difficult for her to process. He leads her to Sascha and it doesn't take them long to discover a new menace is on the scene- one created from the same sickness that has infiltrated the PsyNet that created the menacing serial killer that once hunted the changlings in Slave to Sensation.

As they get closer to the new menace, Vaughn and Faith find themselves becoming closer as well. When Faith is finally able to realize that the people she trusted all her life are not quite what they seem, she makes a final break that brings her into a new world she never imagined possible.

Full of action and steamy sensuality, Visions of Heat is a page turner that grabs you and doesn't let go until the end.

VOH also gives more explanation into Singh's world so be sure you don't miss this one if you're starting this series. ( )

Faith NightStar is an F-Psy who can forecast the future and this talent is the reason she has been kept in isolation in her own compound almost her whole life. She sits in a chair day in and day out predicting the future for businesses and thereby making the NightStar clan extremely wealthy. But lately she has been having disturbing visions of murder.

Vaughn is a changeling who takes jaguar form and one night comes across Faith's compound and senses her inside. He is drawn to her and becomes determined to go in and claim her but to his surprise she climbs over the fence of her compound to him. Vaughn is an alpha male any girl could love :) He's arrogant and possessive and accidentally pushes Faith into sensory overload. Faith gradually adjusts to him and her character grows from a rather fragile woman to a very tough and brave individual. Vaughn is overly protective but Faith is equally determined to exert her independence. The relationship that develops between Faith and Vaughn is deeply emotional and the love scenes are erotic and passionate. I love it when the hero falls head over heels before the heroine and Vaughn knows that Faith is his mate long before Faith accepts it.

PsyNet stuff is very convoluted and complicated but I made a conscious effort this time to read this stuff more slowly to try and really understand what was going on and I think it helped. I still found some things too confusing but the relationship between Faith and Vaughn was so overwhelmingly satisfying that I found myself not really caring about the PsyNet and it's weirdness. Or the murder mystery that was just a side plot. (Grade: A-) ( )

Vision's of Heat begins with Faith NightStar finding out from her father that her sister has been murdered. Faith is an F-Psy--invaluable to her family and to many of the Psy, Faith is able to predict monetary forecasts which means big bucks for those that depend on her. Being a Psy, Faith is not able to feel emotion, all feeling having been trained out of her through Silence. All Faith is able to do is survive on a bleak existence of seeing into the future for profitable gain for the Psy, but when she sleeps a darkness settles over her and Faith is transported to the mind of a serial killer who has already killed her sister and is stalking his next prey.

Faith knows that she can not go to her own people with her dreams because they would think that she was going crazy and lock her up, so Faith leaves her secure compound in search of the notorious Sasha Duncan. Sasha is a Psy who "malfunctioned" and left the Psy to live with the Changeling Dark River clan. But Faith finds more than help from Sasha, she finds a leopard intent on showing her how to feel.

Vaughn is a jaguar living amongst the leopard's. From the moment he sees Faith he knows that there is a connection beyond anything that he can control and he acts on it, pushing Faith to her limits with touch. This becomes almost too much for Faith to handle but with his persistence Faith will not only learn to tolerate feeling, she will catch a killer.

While I liked Vision's of Heat, it didn't grab me the way that Slave to Sensation did. In a lot of ways the story between Faith and Vaughn is similar to that of Sasha and Lucas'. Two Psy heroines and two Changeling heroes. Both women have to overcome major obstacles and both heroes worry that the heroines won't be able to ever love them the way they need to be loved. The thing is, I loved this concept the first time around better than the second. I had a hard time connecting with either Faith or Vaughn. I was never immersed in their story so it read very surface level for me, when I was hoping for something deeper.

Vision's of Heat does have its moments of goodness, though. I love reading the interaction between the Cats and the Wolves, the snark and banter is a hoot. I was also interested in what little there was of the Psy Council. I think there is more there and I can't wait to find out what. Faith and Vaughn weren't a major pull for me but their story was still sweet, and Ms. Singh's world building is something to marvel at. No holes here so far. I found Visions of Heat to be a worthy addition to the series, not as good as the first, but still a fun read. ( )

very good read ( )

From the very start of this amazing series, I've found myself submerged into the Psy-Changeling world right from the first page. I feel like I'm there, like I am part of this unique world. I loved Slave to Sensation and I found myself falling for Visions of Heat just as quickly. Now I have to wait until I can get the other books in the series in order to continue, which is a very hard thing to do because the series is so good, so addictive that you can't put the book down until the end, and even then you are unwillingly to see it end.

Nalini Singh has created a lush paranormal world that is filled with cold, insensitive Psy and the sensual, hot-blooded Changelings....Perfect combination, and when they get together-- WOW! The sex scenes are everything a woman can ask for in her romance novels, not sleezy or porn like, but a nice combination of erotica and tender love. Word of Caution to any Future Readers of These Books? HAVE A FAN NEAR BY BECAUSE YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF THINKING 'WOW, IT'S GETITNG HOT IN HERE!' Which is a good thing, really, if the author is able to make you hot and sweaty while reading the book while still holding onto the deeper, more heady feelings of love and trust between the characters.

Everything I said in my review for Slave to Sensation applies here: Sexy, hot, alpha males, wild, delicious, thrilling, compelling, et cetera. Visions of Heat is a perfect continuation of her heady Psy-Changelings Series, drawing on all the emotions that humans and Changelings hold so dear to them but the Psy have blocked...until now, until these strong Psy women have broken through the Silence and tamed the wild beasts who are their mates. I can't say enough good things about Nalini's books, but you have to trust me when I say that they are a definite must read for any paranormal romance fan. If you love authors such as Christine Feehan, Lora Leigh, Angela Knight, or Alyssa Day, you will love Nalini Singh too!

5/5 STARS! A great series, a spectacular book, definitely one that you will find youself drawn to again and again. The perfect combination of love, sex, passion and thrill, Visions of Heat will pull you in from the first page and only let you go after the last word, while still whispering in your ears Come back for more.... ( )