Singh continues to impress me with her Psy-Changeling world! She's built a cool world set in a future where mankind has evolved mentally and psychically, with "humans" caught somewhere in the middle. (They're all human, really- but the Psy's and Changlings are bit more!)

The only thing is- I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first three.

I had "issues" with the heroine.

Talin and Clay have known each other since they were children. But one blood soaked day, Clay went berserk protecting her from an abusive foster father, landing himself in jail and scarring her for life. Believing her dead, he eventually joined up with the Darkriver pack, the feline Changeling pack of Lucas and Sascha (Slave to Sensation) and Faith and Vaughn (Visions of Heat).

Now, years later, Tally has decided to overcome her fears and look for him. She desperately needs too, because someone is harming the children she protects and he's still the strongest man she's ever known.

Talin is a wounded heroine. Intelligent and sensitive, she suffered great damage at the hands of her abuser and because of what Clay did that fateful day, she's erected walls against him, (and the world, for that matter), to keep herself sane.

I am glad to see Singh was consistent in giving Talin the natural defenses adult survivors of child abuse usually set up. What I didn't buy, was the reasons for Talin's distancing herself from Clay. She had to have known he did what he did to protect her, and her fearful reactions to him, even years later, got on my nerves.

I liked Clay a lot. He's on the edge, being separated so long from Talin, but that's what endeared him to me. I liked his protectiveness, and even his possessiveness. I just wish he had been paired with someone who matched him.

The "missing children showing up dead" plot line worked for me, although I was curious throughout the story as to how that connected with the illness she had and "odd scent" Clay kept picking up on with Talin- because there was obviously a connection. In the end, it all made sense to the rules Singh's been establishing in her world, but I totally saw it going a different way- though I couldn't put my finger on what.

This book's strength is the further development of the Psy/Changeling world. I did like the way she incorporated the regular old humans into their world, and appreciated how she established the psy-changelings' need for them. As others have noted, this book marks a turning point for the Psy's- they're losing their grip on power and are getting desperate to keep it. And. The Changelings are gaining strength. I'm anxious to see how it all pans out!

I'm giving this one a 3.8 out of 5. Good, but not as engaging for me as the previous ones! ( )

I've read so many books I couldn't finish lately, that this one wins big points just being well written. I was worried that I had somehow lost the ability to read romances, but here is a book with a strong romantic core, a reasonably complex world, part of a series where you meet characters you knew before. The men are suitably angst ridden, the women strong but still in need of rescuing. I loved it!

Tally and Clay were childhood friends but when Clay violently kills Tally's abuser (he's a leopard changeling, she gets covered in hre foster father's gore) he's sent to prison and she to another foster home and then they don't meet again for another 20 years. Clay knows that Tally is his, but convincing her of that takes some (but not too much) work. I liked how Talin's hunger for a relationship is shown, how she so wants to belong somewhere. I believed them as a couple, and believed their love for one another - which hasn't happened to me so much lately, so I was pleased to be in the solidly competent hands of Nalini Singh. I like this series and will keep buying it. ( )

Clay Bennett is a DarkRiver sentinel with a haunted past. After losing himself to his leopard side as a youth and killing a man in a murderous rage over the violation of his young friend Talin, Clay has been left with internal scars. He was lead to believe that Talin died soon after the incident and he's been dealing with her death ever since. But when he finds out that Talin was never dead and now needs his help, it is hard for Clay to reconcile the new Talin with the one he loved as a kid.

Talin McKade is damaged from childhood abuse and the only thing she finds solace in is helping troubled youths find a better path. With the increase in disappearances and deaths of children once in her care, Talin finds she needs help finding the killer. After years of letting her best friend Clay think that she had died, Talin now seeks the sentinel out--in hopes that he will be able to help her solve the kidnapping of one of her charges and the murders of the other's.

Clay and Talin will have to face their past demons and deal with a burning mutual attraction while they set out on a mission to uncover the truth behind the dead children and save one child before it is too late.

I wanted to love Mine to Possess, but I didn't. The reason why I didn't has everything to do with Talin, she bothered me like no other Nalini Singh heroine ever has. In fact, I've liked all of Singh's heroines up until Talin. I tried to cut her some slack because of her horrible childhood, but as the story progressed I liked her less and less. I've never said this about a heroine before, but I think that Talin's character would have fared better has she warmed up to Clay a little sooner in the story. Her being so cold to him, and blaming him for a past that was beyond his control made her unlikable.

There was also the fact that she led Clay to believe that she was dead for years and acted like she was justified in doing so when he called her out on it. Maybe if her reasoning for it were more palatable, I could have bought it. But as it was, it just made me like her even less. By the time Talin finally came around, I was of the mind that Clay deserved better than her, and no longer cared about their love story.

However, I was interested in the mystery of the disappearing kids, and liked the way it unfolded. Though, it is revealed early on who is behind the crimes, I enjoyed reading it all play out. I do have to wonder if the Psy will continue to be portrayed as the villains in this series? The humans and changeling's have some bad seeds, too, right? Anyway, the strong point in the series is the world that Ms. Singh has created. I've said it before (forgive me while I say it again) the world building is superb, and not found so seamlessly done in most paranormal romances. ( )

Mine to Possess is the fourth novel in the Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh. Not technically due out until today, I was able to get my hands on it a little earlier and I absorbed it last night. After going back through my site and realizing I haven’t reviewed one of her books yet, I’m kind of shocked with myself. Singh is such an awesome story teller that this is one of those series I’m planning on buying. She throws us into a whole new world while not deviating from what we know, her characters have depth and personality, and the plot keeps you interested while moving at a good pace.

Mine to Possess was no different. Just like with her other books, Nalini made it hard for me to put this novel down. I was up until after midnight just so I could finish it. Her previous novels involved relationships between Changelings and the Psy, but this time around she throws together a Changeling and a human who is .03% Psy. Instead of having to deal with the cold emotionless Psy upbringing, Clay and Talin have a horrific past they must overcome. They were separated over 20 years ago and that action left multiple scars that they both have to deal with. On top of that, they are searching for a couple of her missing children and uncover something far more devious. We’re sent through a roller coaster of emotions and it never once gets slow or dull. Overall this book was awesome and I’m so excited for the next installment.

http://www.literaryescapism.com/2008/... ( )

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