Helpful Score: 6
I have read every book in this series. I have to say I think they just keep getting better and better. I tend to think it fits perfectly with the rest of the books. The heroine is a Psy who has had her memories blocked and was dumped on the director of the Shine Foundation's doorstep. Dev, the Shine director, is determined to protect the Psy decendants who broke with the Psy when Silence was originally instituted from the Psy Council. As the book progresses Dev is trying to fight his attraction and feelings for Katya because he is worried she is a council spy or "trojan horse". The plot is well done, the characters are well written (as I've come to expect from this author), the relationship between the two is very believable to me. I will say this is one of a VERY, VERY few books that has ever made me cry. By the end of chapter 53 I was in tears. The resolution was well done and didn't feel forced or rushed in any way. I like the fact that characters from earlier books are always showing up in the new ones, so you get to keep up with how their relationships are developing and what is going on with them. I enjoyed the fact that she continued to develop Judd's character from Caressed by Ice. He only makes a brief appearance, but that's all that's really needed to show that he is starting to learn that not everything about his abilities is bad, and that perhaps their is a way for him to help others. At the end of Caressed by Ice I felt he was a little closed off to others except his mate, but his small appearance in this book leaves me feeling that he is changing and growing in a good way, and I like those little updates that show up in each of her books. This is definately another shinning star written by a great author.
Helpful Score: 3
This is book 7 in the Psy-Changeling series. This series is set in the future and centers around Humans, Changelings (shifters) and Psy (experience no emotions and have psychic abilities).
Blaze of Memory takes us into the world of the Forgotten, a portion of the Psy race that chose not to be conditioned for silence. They maintained their emotions and developed their own shadow net that links them all together. Most of the forgotten were either killed over the years or have married humans and their abilities have almost vanished. New powers are showing up in children that are decedents of the forgotten and its Dev Santos job as director of the Shine Foundation to find and protect these children.
Katya, a Psy that worked in the labs that were destroyed, was presumed dead but instead had been kidnapped, stripped of her memories and programmed to kill. She was left on Devs doorstep as a Trojan horse. She doesnt have any memory of who she is or what she has done but she does know that she could be very dangerous to Dev and Shine.
In the beginning Katya is trying to escape from Dev because she is afraid of what she has been programmed to do but at the same time something is pulling her toward the North. She doesnt know why just that she has to go. Later she tries to leave because she fallen for Dev and she thinks thats the only way she can protect him. She doesnt seem to mind his Alpha male dominance to a degree and as she gets stronger, she gives as good as she gets.
I enjoyed her character, she was a strong female lead that even though she had been locked within the prison of her own mind, she was learning how to stand on her own two feet. I think she was a good fit for Dev. He was so cold and hard at the beginning, like the metal he draws to him but it was nice to see him softening as she got under his skin.
The story is good but there are some slow parts in the middle. The main characters have an instant attraction to one another that is sometimes not believable but they are both endearing and have some heartwarming scenes between them. It was nice to see previous characters making an appearance but not taking over the story. One of my favorite scenes was when Judd visits the young boy, it was very heartwarming.
Although I didnt enjoy this book as much as I have the previous books in this series, I would still highly recommend it and give it 4 Flaming hearts.
Blaze of Memory takes us into the world of the Forgotten, a portion of the Psy race that chose not to be conditioned for silence. They maintained their emotions and developed their own shadow net that links them all together. Most of the forgotten were either killed over the years or have married humans and their abilities have almost vanished. New powers are showing up in children that are decedents of the forgotten and its Dev Santos job as director of the Shine Foundation to find and protect these children.
Katya, a Psy that worked in the labs that were destroyed, was presumed dead but instead had been kidnapped, stripped of her memories and programmed to kill. She was left on Devs doorstep as a Trojan horse. She doesnt have any memory of who she is or what she has done but she does know that she could be very dangerous to Dev and Shine.
In the beginning Katya is trying to escape from Dev because she is afraid of what she has been programmed to do but at the same time something is pulling her toward the North. She doesnt know why just that she has to go. Later she tries to leave because she fallen for Dev and she thinks thats the only way she can protect him. She doesnt seem to mind his Alpha male dominance to a degree and as she gets stronger, she gives as good as she gets.
I enjoyed her character, she was a strong female lead that even though she had been locked within the prison of her own mind, she was learning how to stand on her own two feet. I think she was a good fit for Dev. He was so cold and hard at the beginning, like the metal he draws to him but it was nice to see him softening as she got under his skin.
The story is good but there are some slow parts in the middle. The main characters have an instant attraction to one another that is sometimes not believable but they are both endearing and have some heartwarming scenes between them. It was nice to see previous characters making an appearance but not taking over the story. One of my favorite scenes was when Judd visits the young boy, it was very heartwarming.
Although I didnt enjoy this book as much as I have the previous books in this series, I would still highly recommend it and give it 4 Flaming hearts.
Helpful Score: 3
Neither the hero or heroine are changeling in this particular book. I thought it wouldn't be as good as previous ones for that lack but was wrong. You get glimpses of characters from previous books and how their loves/lives are progressing. A very good read.
Helpful Score: 1
I thought this was the slowest moving and noneventful book out of the series. Singh is a great author and I like the gnre but this particular book took 200 pages for the plot to develop. I actually struggled to get to page 200, but the end was great and had some good twists.
Now I have to find another good changeling author since I have read the whole seires :)
Now I have to find another good changeling author since I have read the whole seires :)
Excellent read with a different viewpoint than the previous books - the Changelings play only a supporting role in this book. The hero is Dev, director of the Shine organization, a man with his own problems. One of the 'Forgotten' he has an interesting ability - he can manipulate metal and through the metal is developing the ability to interface directly with machines. The heroine is full Psy Katya - whom we met in earlier books as Ekaterina - who was tortured by Ming to the point where Ekaterina 'died' in her own mind. Her mind was invaded, raped and destroyed - Silence shattered, memories hashed or hidden, and probably programmed to spy or kill. Dev knows the simplest solution would be to just kill her but he really doesn't want to...
The information revealed about the Forgotten and the Shadow Net was fascinating - and added more depth to an already complex world society. Of all the Psy/Changeling books, this was is the closest to a stand-alone. [At least so far] it seems to stand to the side of the main story arc. However reading it without having read the others you won't appreciate the juiciness of some of the cameos by previous h/h - especially Judd's willingness to step outside of the shadows to help a child.
Psy-Changelings
1. Slave to Sensation (2006)
2. Visions of Heat (2007)
Free short story: The Cannibal Princess [available on the author's website]
3. Caressed By Ice (2007)
4. Mine to Possess (2008)
Free short story: A Conversation [available on the author's website]
5. Hostage to Pleasure (2008)
Free short story: A Gift for Kit [available on the author's website]
6. Branded by Fire (2009)
7. Blaze of Memory (2009)
Lash of Need due out next year...
There are also Psy/Changeling stories in the anthologies: âBeat of Temptationâ in AN ENCHANTED SEASON and âStroke of Enticementâ in THE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS CAT
The information revealed about the Forgotten and the Shadow Net was fascinating - and added more depth to an already complex world society. Of all the Psy/Changeling books, this was is the closest to a stand-alone. [At least so far] it seems to stand to the side of the main story arc. However reading it without having read the others you won't appreciate the juiciness of some of the cameos by previous h/h - especially Judd's willingness to step outside of the shadows to help a child.
Psy-Changelings
1. Slave to Sensation (2006)
2. Visions of Heat (2007)
Free short story: The Cannibal Princess [available on the author's website]
3. Caressed By Ice (2007)
4. Mine to Possess (2008)
Free short story: A Conversation [available on the author's website]
5. Hostage to Pleasure (2008)
Free short story: A Gift for Kit [available on the author's website]
6. Branded by Fire (2009)
7. Blaze of Memory (2009)
Lash of Need due out next year...
There are also Psy/Changeling stories in the anthologies: âBeat of Temptationâ in AN ENCHANTED SEASON and âStroke of Enticementâ in THE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS CAT
Love it!
I love that Singh successfully complete a seventh book and still keeps her readers hooked~! This was a great addition to her Psy-Changeling series with Forgotten Leader Devraj Santos and Ekaterina. As always this book will keep you wanting more.
Blaze of Memory is the 7th book in the Psy/Changeling Series. It's a great series, but if you haven't read any of the previous ones I don't recomend that you start with this one. Unfortunately you will be lost and will probably not enjoy it as much as you would have with more background information.
For some reason I couldn't connect to this story the way I could to the other books in the series. I felt it had some really interesting points, but on the whole it wasn't what I was hoping for.
I really enjoyed learning more about the Forgotten Psy and Shine. I was intrigued by the differences between their Net and the PsyNet. I can't wait to learn more about them. I also liked seeing the small hints that Nikita Duncan might feel more of a connection to Sascha than we thought. I appreciated the author showing us prior characters in the series without letting them take over the story too much. Although I do have to say that I think Sascha has way too much page time throughout the series.
The relationship between Dev and Katya didn't engage me the way that all the others did. I think it was because it felt so unequal with Katya being so needy. I know she had her mind messed with and wasn't in the best position to come out of her situation on top, but it felt like she leaned on Dev for everything and let him take control. I do have to say that she did try do things her way once, but because Dev stepped in and stopped her without any difficulty at all just made her seem even more helpless.
Dev was also a much different character than I thought he would be. He was way controlling and possessive. He reminded me of the Changelings with their animal instinct but he even took it beyond the point that any of them have. Maybe it's because he was Psy that these things struck me as so off...
I think the author did a good job of keeping the uncertainty going of whether Katya would live or die. I have to be honest and admit that at the end I really couldn't see how Katya could be fixed so she and Dev could have a happy ending. It was a bit convenient how it was solved, but I don't think it would have worked out any other way.
Even though it wasn't my favorite I would recommend it to anyone following the series. We learn a lot of interesting things and the journal entries/letters to her son are great.
For some reason I couldn't connect to this story the way I could to the other books in the series. I felt it had some really interesting points, but on the whole it wasn't what I was hoping for.
I really enjoyed learning more about the Forgotten Psy and Shine. I was intrigued by the differences between their Net and the PsyNet. I can't wait to learn more about them. I also liked seeing the small hints that Nikita Duncan might feel more of a connection to Sascha than we thought. I appreciated the author showing us prior characters in the series without letting them take over the story too much. Although I do have to say that I think Sascha has way too much page time throughout the series.
The relationship between Dev and Katya didn't engage me the way that all the others did. I think it was because it felt so unequal with Katya being so needy. I know she had her mind messed with and wasn't in the best position to come out of her situation on top, but it felt like she leaned on Dev for everything and let him take control. I do have to say that she did try do things her way once, but because Dev stepped in and stopped her without any difficulty at all just made her seem even more helpless.
Dev was also a much different character than I thought he would be. He was way controlling and possessive. He reminded me of the Changelings with their animal instinct but he even took it beyond the point that any of them have. Maybe it's because he was Psy that these things struck me as so off...
I think the author did a good job of keeping the uncertainty going of whether Katya would live or die. I have to be honest and admit that at the end I really couldn't see how Katya could be fixed so she and Dev could have a happy ending. It was a bit convenient how it was solved, but I don't think it would have worked out any other way.
Even though it wasn't my favorite I would recommend it to anyone following the series. We learn a lot of interesting things and the journal entries/letters to her son are great.
I'm the naysayer review here. I had trouble with this book. It was difficult to get into. Having read now 6 other books in this series, I'm tired of reading the little sidebars about the Psy Council and all the meaningless stuff. It isn't interesting enough to hold my attention.
Dev is definitely an alpha male. I would go so far as to describe him as a Dominant and Katya as a submissive. Nalini Singh explores Dominant/submissive relationships in this story and while she never expressly describes them as such, if you've read any D/s romance, this comes pretty close.
Despite the title of the book, it wasn't particularly memorable for me. I read it a few days ago and can't remember much of the story or of the characters. Maybe since they weren't as directly tied to the core group my interest in them was reduced.
Not enough happening to progress the series and just don't care about anyone in this story.
Dev is definitely an alpha male. I would go so far as to describe him as a Dominant and Katya as a submissive. Nalini Singh explores Dominant/submissive relationships in this story and while she never expressly describes them as such, if you've read any D/s romance, this comes pretty close.
Despite the title of the book, it wasn't particularly memorable for me. I read it a few days ago and can't remember much of the story or of the characters. Maybe since they weren't as directly tied to the core group my interest in them was reduced.
Not enough happening to progress the series and just don't care about anyone in this story.
Anjeanette S. (asausy74) -
Great paranormal romance series!
