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Hostage to Pleasure - nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance; Psy/Changeling, Book 5; 9/10
Nalini Singh continues to develop the characters and world of her Psy/Changeling series. This time the book focuses around Psy Ashaya Aleine and Changeling Dorian (can't remember his last name). When we first met Ashaya in the previous book, I didn't think I was going to like her. She seemed cold and harsh and I couldn't see how Singh was going to turn her into a sympathetic character for her own book. Of course, I should have had more faith. Ashaya turns out to be a fascinating character, one way on the outside and another completely on the inside. She needs to learn to integrate the two and slowly does so over the course of the book. What is different about Ashaya is that she has chosen Silence (or an approximation of it) for herself and Dorian has quite a job to convince her the alternative is an option for her. As for Dorian, the Changeling who cannot change, I loved him the first time I met him, way back in Slave to Sensation and I love him just as much here. He's carrying a lot of rage and guilt and to find himself attracted to a Psy just exacerbates both, meaning he too has a significant journey to make before he can find a happy ending. Singh does her usual wonderful job of blending world-building, outside plot, character development and relationship development without going to extremes in any particular direction. I also loved the ending of the book. She had a choice to make on whether or not to allow Dorian, latent since birth, to gain the ability to change shape. To have him learn to shift would really have been too pat considering he'd been latent all his life, but while making him stay latent would probably be more realistic, it would also be desperately sad for Dorian (and for me the reader, who wanted him to learn to shift, but didn't want it to feel like Singh was tying up the resolution with a pretty ribbon for the sake of it). Again, I should have trusted more. Singh finds an alternative solution that works perfectly. Now I'm hanging out for her next books - Angel's Blood, which is the start of a new series that sounds like it has an equally unique spin on the world-building, and Branded by Fire the next Psy/Changeling book, both due out next year. (Although I do have to say that the think the titles to the Psy/Changeling series are pretty awful.) ( )

Ahh...I love this series. It's such a nice blend of SF/dark fantasy and romance. I have to agree with many of the reviews that say the romance is a bit weaker here, but overall the story is really good. I like that there's not a lot of black and white in this world. I can't wait to see where this series goes next. The over-arching plot is almost more exciting than the romance, which honestly, works just fine. If you haven't read this series, you definitely should. Just don't start with this book as I really think a person needs to start at the beginning to really appreciate it all. ( )

I’ve enjoyed all the books in this series – some more than others. I gotta say that so far this one is my favourite. It is REALLY good!
So – what makes it so good you ask?
Well first off the hero Dorian is great. Although a sentinel in the Cat Clan, he has never been able to ‘change’. Although this is hard for him to accept, he has and in doing so, has made himself better in all other areas. He is still reeling from the loss of his beloved sister and is horrified that he is strongly attracted to a Psy – and not only a Psy – but one who has been a member of the hated Council. At first he is almost cruel to Ashaya after he saves her and is made her guardian, but Ms. Singh writes his character so well, that we don’t really blame him for his treatment of her. He still manages to be charming with her at times. He makes for a wonderful wounded hero who is really thrown for a loop. But once he accepts his feeling for her, he is all alpha protective of both her and her son.
Secondly Ashaya is a great heroine. She never really fell victim to The Silence – something that all Psy’s are forced to partake of in their youth. She is a very complicated character and Ms. Singh unveils all her fascinating layers slowly until we see the vulnerable, strong rebel underneath – the woman who has had to hide her basic nature all her life. She is very loyal to those she loves including her psychotic and truly frightening twin sister.
The suspense with it’s twists and turns in this book build upon themselves and it got to the point where I could hardly bare to put it down as Ashaya is torn between her growing and passionate love for Dorian and her loyalty to her sister, twisted and broken as her sister is. As we progress in this series, we see that there is so much going on in this fascinating world that Nalini Singh has created. ( )

Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Sep08

As tempting and satisfying as Belgian chocolate! “Hostage to Pleasure” by Nalini Singh is the fabulous fifth book in her Psy-Changeling world and it’s oh so worth the cost and the time to visit there. She rachets up the suspense and the heat in equal portions and I couldn’t put the darn book down once I picked it up. This book is easily read on its own, but if you’ve been following the series you need to MOVE, RIGHT NOW and go get this book. It reveals more about the Psy and more about the Changelings and more about what’s happening with the Silence and the Council. She even gives us glimpses of a possible new enemy?/ally?.

Dorian is a latent leopard, unable to shift. This ‘lack’ has been the impetus behind his fierce need to excel at everything to become one of the toughest Guardians of the DarkRiver Pack. He hates the Psy and the Silence with a bitter rage that hasn’t lessened since a psychotic Psy brutally tortured and killed his sister. When he rescues a young Psy child, he unwittingly forms a blood bond that enables the child to escape from the Net. Then he is given the assignment to guard and protect an M-Psy defector who happens to be the child’s mother, and both he and his leopard are confused and furious with their instant and unflagging attraction to her.

Ashaya is a brilliant and talented M-Psy who is desperate to escape from the Council’s clutches. But first, she must free her son, the Council’s hostage for her cooperation in concocting an implant to enslave her race. And if she must die to ensure her son’s freedom and safety…then so be it. When her daring escape is successful, she becomes the Council’s #1 target for elimination; so she’s assigned a Guardian for protection. She’s met this Guardian before and hasn’t been able to forget him or his actions in saving her child. But Ashaya is also keeping some VERY big secrets; secrets that could cause serious problems for Psy, Changelings, and humans and upset the delicate balance between the three. To keep her secrets, she MUST maintain silence. But every minute she spends in Dorian’s company is undermining her ability to stay cold and unfeeling.

What a rush! Every time I thought I had the ending figured out, Singh kept throwing something else in the mix. The tension built so skillfully I didn’t realize how tense I was until my hubby remarked on my facial expressions! And the heat between Dorian and Ashaya…yowza! His fierce protectiveness combined with the fire of the mating bond—well, you’ll want to keep a fan handy. This world has such an extensive and complex society, yet it’s not hard to keep track of the main players and issues, even those that carry from book to book. That takes a real talent and Singh has it in spades. She does a fine job of keeping a balance between romance and action, I didn’t feel ‘cheated’ with either. The entire cast remained in character throughout the book and the relationship obstacles were logical and reasonable for her universe. The ‘happily ever after’ was probably the best yet, but you’ll have to read it yourself to see what I mean.

I’ve read each of Nalini Singh’s four previous books in this series and I think I become a bigger fan after each one. It’s hard to find anything to dislike except maybe that she doesn’t write faster. And she does such a great job of subtly setting up the next book in the series. It’s part of the plot of this book and doesn’t leave you hanging or jump out of nowhere. More than anything, it makes me anxious for her next release, “Branded by Fire” coming in ‘summer 2009’. I can’t say enough good things about “Hostage to Pleasure” and this series. It’s original, it’s interesting, and it’s sexy. And that’s really all I’m looking for in a book or a series!

Til next time
JJ ( )