I'm really enjoying the Psy/Changeling world that Singh has created. However her latest entry, Hostage To Pleasure, lacked some of the "umph" that I've come to expect from this series.

HTP does an excellent job of giving us more insight into the workings of the PSY/Changeling world, but in doing so the author sacrificed some of the character development that actually drives a series for me. I couldn't help feeling this one fell more on the side of Urban Fantasy rather than a Paranormal Romance because of all the threads the author had to tie together in her world building- although it certainly is not Urban Fantasy in it's purist form.

In HTP we get Dorian's story- the one Changeling from the DarkRiver pack who is unable "change". He's been with us from the beginning of the series and suffered a great tragedy in the loss of his beloved sister to a psychopathic Psy who brutally kidnapped and murdered her. These two aspects keeps him separate yet part of the pack- because he needs them to keep him sane. (A top notch sniper/ sentinel, he continues to protect the pack above and beyond to compensate for the fact he can't transform into the leopard who resides inside him who is also so overcome with bitterness over his sister's death, it's eating away at him.)

Enter Ashaya. A beautiful bronzed skinned Psy who secretly defied the evil Psy Council to help rescue children in captivity connected to Dorian's pack. Ashaya's been under the thumb of the Psy all her life- but she's hidden her true self from them. When it became clear that the Psy Council will use any means necessary to keep her working on a secret project that would destroy anyone exhibiting emotion- including using her son as leverage- she decides to get out. She calls in her marker with DarkRiver pack and fakes her own death to escape. And it works. Until she decides to expose the Psy's plans to the world for the good of the people and thereby exposes herself to those who want what she knows- no matter what the cost.

Dorian's appalled. He's assigned to protect this cold Psy who's motives are muddied at best- but she's of the race of the man who destroyed his sister. How can he do his job when everything in him screams for him to avenge his sister's murder? Of course there's another problem- he's helplessly attracted to her.

And Shaya is not what she seems. She's an ice maiden for a reason. When Dorian discovers why, he's even more determined to protect her and her son- despite what he feels.

In the meantime, not only are the Psy making plans to eliminate her, but other factions as well. And as the Silence (the total suppression of emotions) crumbles around the Psy, they become even more desperate to end Shaya's life. For what she knows will be the key to their undoing.

Although I did enjoy HTP, I was a bit disappointed in the love connection in this novel. Oh I liked both Shaya and Dorian tremendously- I just felt like their story took too much of a backseat to all the explaining that had to be done to make Singh's world fit.

So, in the end, it gets a 3.5 from me. Not bad- but not my favorite. ( )

http://totally2aymless.blogspot.com/2... ( )

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. ( )