Blaze of Memory (Psy/Changling #7) by Nalini Singh

Devraj is the director of the Shine institute, the organisation created to find, protect and help the Forgotten. The descendants of those Psy who decided to resist conversion to Silence and went into hiding to escape the Council

The Council still knows about them and plots against them – so when Katya turns up on his doorstep, broken, amnesiac, tortured and blocked from the Psy Net he instantly suspects a trap

Katya is considered dead by the Psy – which makes her a perfect tool for Ming LeBon, Psy Councillor, deadly telepath and ruthless fighter. He can use her to research the Forgotten… and if not? Well, she’s disposable. But as Katya starts to rebuild herself from the ruin he left, she is determined to find answers in her shattered memories – even if it means defying Dev’s control of her.

Let’s address that perennial problem with these books – the romance. I knew very quickly in the book who the romantic partners were

Was it because of how attractive they were? No

Was it because of how compelling they found the other? No

Was it because of them simply being the protagonists? Well, yes, but not the prime reason

No, I knew they were love interests the minute Katya turned up on her doorstep like a lost broken bird in need of sanctuary and protection and healing while Dev was the big, gruff, super dangerous-oh-so-dangerous man who needed to decide whether or not she was the enemy he may need to kill.

Because for some unknown reason there are apparently a vast number people who think “damaged, traumatised woman and the violent man who may murder her” is really hot. And my gods, WHY? Why does this storyline keep happening? Not just in this series but in general?! Who are these hordes of people who are gasping “ooooh, she’s completely traumatised and facing death, such a perfect candidate for romance!” or “he’s so angry and cold and unemotional – this is so haaaaawt!” or even “he just threatened to kill her for the THIRD time! It’s getting steamy in here!”

It boggles me, it really does, that this is not only seen as romantic, but it is so often seen as romantic it has become such a prevalent trope. This is problematic in its own right – the rigid gender roles that it promotes (women as weaker, as fragile, as vulnerable, man as tough, angry, aggressive, in control, domineering) as well as the very damaging dynamics it not only portrays but encourages (male as violent, threatening, controlling, possessive) and puts on a pedestal. These are not healthy relationships. These are not relationship dynamics we should encourage. These are not a template for a happily ever after.

But it’s also, frankly, getting boring. This is the seventh book in this series. And in all but one of the previous books, this is exactly the same romance storyline. Vulnerable/fragile/broken/breaking woman, facing collapse, implosion, menace, destruction meets aggressive, emotionally distant, uncommunicative, angry, dangerous man who may hurt or kill her and LOVE HAPPENS. Sasha, Faith, Brianna, Ashaya, Talin – all have the same story with Lucas, Vaughn, Judd, Clay and Dorian. Only Mercy and Riley have a different story and it’s still not that far from it. Change the record already. We even have a moment in this book where Dev is violently jealous for no good reason and this is even lampshaded as “normally a Changeling trait.” Yet, it is – but we’ve so strongly established the idea that a man in love is 2 seconds away from axe murdering any other man who comes near that it feels almost like love can’t be depicted without it.

Dark Dawning (Totem #1) by Christine Rains

Ametta is an interior designer in Alaska – but this werepolarbear has ambitions far beyond her state: she wants to head south, to the great cities and really build her business.

Her family does not approve

But when wereanimals are being hunted and killed and skinned any disagreements she has with them about their future need to be shelved while they focus on desperately surviving.

Werepolarbears! Werepolar-bears. Were-polar-bears? I don’t know exactly how to write but this is awesome and so rare

And female werepolarbears! This is even rarer - there are strict gender roles that tend to land on wereanimals. If you have a woman, she will usually be a wereleopard, weretiger, or some other kind of feline. Felines can be female. You may get a female werewolf – but she will usually be the only female werewolf ever to be something so unfeminine as several canine wereanimal! And a female werebear? Clutch your pearls and pass the smelling salts!

So I’m already praising this book for slaying this trope of acceptable feminine wereanimalness (feline, it’s always feline). We also have an interesting main character: she’s not exactly completely original: she’s wants more than her provincial life in Alaska, she wants to move to bigger cities and expand her business as an interior designer. She has ambition, she’s driven and she is willing to stand up and demand this. It’s an excellent example of a strong female character who is strong in ways beyond fighting.

And I really like the idea of a company that builds and decorates housing to suit wereanimals. I really like the world building that goes into the characteristics of wereanimals and why they need building adaptations – like changing the colours in decorating to take into account of depth perception and colour blindness of some wereanimals. I also like the difference of the wereanimals we see depicted – like a herd of werecattle.

Branded by Fire (Psy/Changeling #6) by Nalini Singh

A Changeling research is captured – and it falls to DarkRiver Leopards and Snow Dancer Wolves to bring him back. They suspect, as always, the involvement of the Psy

But the Human Alliance is back in San Francisco with their very high risk, ambitious plan. While the Chanagelings may not be their direct target, the fallout can consume all of them

Which is leopard Sentinel Mercy and wolf Lieutenant Riley’s job to work together and solve. And work together without killing each other. And work together despite the increasing pressure of their mutual attraction despite the differing clans, differing shifter type and differing loyalties. And a whole lot of old fashioned ideals to be conquered.

I love the ongoing world building of this series, especially the focus on the complex issue of Silence and the Psy

This has been something that has been touched on before in previous books but the focus has been very much on threats to the Changelings. To them and the Psy defectors, the broader societal implications of Silence are less important than surviving the latest shenanigans from the Council

But in this book the prime antagonist is the Human Alliance and their prime target is the Psy. The fact the Changelings are not the centralised target (though they are certainly are involved because it’s happening on their doorstep and something can’t happen in their territory without getting involved) means we can examine the broader implications of Silence falling for the Psy. Rising violence rates, the fact the race was desperate when it adapted Silence, the fact that there are a lot of Psy genuinely terrified of the damage they could cause without Silence. Silence is way more than just a threat to conquer, it’s complicated and involved.

And this book really brings home how important Silence is – and how collected the Psy are. Because of the Psynet, thing that individual Psy do can actually affect the Psy as a whole. We begin to address some really interesting ethical debates about whether the Psy should be forced to quit Silence, whether Silence is a viable choice, especially when we consider that for some Psy with genuinely dangerous and need Silence to function in society and to survive, or the fact that crime rates spiking can affect everyone, or that the Psy falling could literally destroy society. What about personal choice? What about if that choice is being affected by scare mongering rather than just reality?

On top of that we have a nuanced look at the Council itself rather than just seeing them as the antagonist with a few decent members. From the nuance of Nikita to simply acknowledging the integral role that the Psy play and even if you hate the system, burning it all down isn’t that helpful to anyone.

Hostage to Pleasure (Psy/Changeling #5) by Nalini Singh

Ashaya Aleine is the M-Psy responsible for the Psy Council’s controversial new hive mind project… and she wants out. But the Council does not accept resignations and are holding her son hostage to ensure her co-operation

Only with the help of the Dark River wereleopards – including Dorian the sniper – can she manage her and her son’s escape

But whether Dark River can trust her – and how she can stay out of the Council’s clutches – is an ongoing battle, especially since Ashaya has a far more insidious threat to avoid: her sister.

I continue to be at war with myself over this series – a war that continues with this book

There’s so much I love about it. I love the world building. I love how the ongoing debate about Silence is becoming more and more complicated and involved. I love how layered this is. Ashaya repeatedly tells them – just like Judd did before - that some people need Silence to protect themselves from their own powers. And not just the lethal powers for Psy like Judd – but from the demons in their own head. We’re repeatedly told that the Psy were tormented by psychosis, murder and suicide before Silence was implemented

Ashaya says it best – ironically for a race that is so lacking in emotion – but the Psy are genuinely terrified of themselves. With Silence fraying more and more we’re seeing consequences of that, and a lot of that isn’t good or even close to good. Murder, suicide – the Psy perpetuated and suffer from horrors while living with Silence – but Silence is there to protect them from another nightmare of horrors the whole race is funning from.

On the Council side we have another interesting reaction – with the emergence of the “Pure Psy” – as more and more Psy are breaking silence we have a push back – led by factions in the Council. Brutal and ruthless and in many ways rather trying to close the stable door long after the horses has bolted – but that’s very human nature, to throw in extreme backlash when defeat seems inevitable.

Which means we also have ongoing political shenanigans with the Council – between Nikitia and the Scotts – there’s a lot of complexity within the Psy Council without them being simplistically reduced to just the designated bad guys.

I also like the continued hints of the third race that makes up this series – the humans. Humanity, the Human Union represents a growing threat simply because they are so invisible and overlooked – I look forward to see how this develops because it would be so easy to dismiss and ignore humanity next to the supernatural power houses of the Psy and Changelings. A third faction, coupled with the internal politics of the Psy, the rebellion, the Pure Psy and the Council politics all lends itself to layers of multi-faceted storylines and world building

Fate's Edge, (Edge #3) by Ilona Andrews

Audrey was building her new life. She had left behind her past of crime conning and thievery and finally had a legitimate job in the Broken

Until her family comes back with another unreasonable demand. She’s dragged in to make one last steal for them

Unfortunately what she steals has the potential for some terrible consequences. And Kaldar Mar, another thieve, con-artist, gambler – and agent for the Mirror, Adrianglia’s secret service – has been tasked with getting that property back. And he’s going to need Audrey’s help.

Like the rest of the Edge series, this is a paranormal romance. But like the rest of the Edge series I’ve enjoyed it despite generally not liking romance tropes. Part of this is because, like the other books, there is an excellent world setting, some great characters and a fun plot line that runs alongside the romance. The romance is not used to derail the main plot. And I know this is a little unfair the call a romance plot a “distraction” but I do find, especially in paranormal romances, a lot of the books I’ve read have

But it’s also because this book seems almost to be gloriously parodying those romance tropes. Including some excellent lines like:

“Oh no, not that seductive face. I’m overcome with the need to take off these awful clothes. What is happening? I do not understand. Oooh. Ahhh.” She touched her wrist to her forehead. “Somebody help me. I’m being drenched with my own fluids.”

This is reinforced by George. We don’t see him at school but he does refer to how he’s making himself popular by being a Brooding YA Hero:

 “My past is tragic. I wouldn’t want to burden you with it. It’s a pain I must suffer alone. In the rain. In silence.”

That’s some utterly quality mockery there

Of course Kaldar and Audrey do end up together because it is a romance. But what is glorious is that no matter how much they’re hot for each other and no many times they play together, they’re still focused on the actual job. They’re focused on the mission and the conflict – they keep the romance simmering without derailing the actual plot line or giving us the idea that the main plot line is not important. This is a problem I’ve seen before – the whole world is in the balance but hey they still have time to have a quick shag while running away – sometimes it’s frankly bizarre.

Blood of the Earth (Soulwood #1) by Faith Hunter

When Jane Yellowrock visited Nell, she left her in chaos. While the vampires Jane was looking for were saved, Nell was left as an outsider among her cult; one who not only had the temerity to be a woman living alone, but one who helped an outsider against her

She knows it’s only a matter of time before the churchmen burn her out and even her strange and disturbing powers connecting her to the Soulwood won’t be enough

Until Ricky LaFleur arrives, special Agent from PSYled, the supernatural investigation agency. He wants her help – and with that brings the offer of money and possible safety. Or is it just going to rile the church even more against her?

This book is set in the Jane Yellowrock world and takes one of the side characters in that series and clearly lays the foundation of a new series within that world setting

And this, as the first book in this series, does an excellent job of this. We already have a lot of the world building from the larger Jane Yellowrock series and is careful to only bring up those elements that are relevant to Nell’s story and the story as it stands now. It also really helps the greater world setting by bringing in characters, creatures and concepts that just don’t fit with Jane’s story. I like this idea because when you have a really big, rich world setting it can be really tempted to ram it all into one story and it wouldn’t work

Nell also brings in such a different viewpoint from Jane – she’s so very different from Jane that it makes for excellent potential to see whole new sides to this world (and Jane’s habit of approaching problems as things to shoot and stab things). This also allows more supernatural creatures to be introduced (like the gwyllgi which is definitely some interesting and obscure mythological research) as well as Nell’s unique abilities without crowding Jane’s life with more weirdness.

Nell herself and her nature is a fascinating concept – her connection to nature, her terrible power, her very conflict over what she can do and what she is an excellent characterisation. It also worked well with her character. As someone who grew up in a highly religious and oppressive cult, but someone who has escaped them – she has very conflicting elements to her character. She rejects her past and often hates how her past has shaped her, rejecting elements of herself which reveal she’s a “churchwoman”. At the same time she has been shaped by her past – her opinions, her experiences, her lack of education are all directly shaped by that church past. On top of this she has lived in such an isolated state that she is often shocked when she sees more of society outside of her very isolated circumstances. Her constant surprise by simple things like men making coffee and doing “women’s work” does far more to emphasise how utterly misogynist her upbringing was than any amount of rants or condemnation