Slave to Sensation

Very much enjoyed

I cannot get enough of the world Nalini Singh has created. The storytelling is wonderful and imaginative; it will lure you in and have you invested in the characters before you know it.

Many times I'll pick up a much talked about, much hyped book and I'll think it was good but not be blown away. Slave To Sensation is a book worth every word of praise I've heard. Singh has created a paranormal universe that is fresh and interesting, with wonderful attention to detail and worldbuilding. I love the culture she created with her changelings and the Psy. The society she's given us is rich with information you care about and that shores up the story as a whole. Her characters are three dimensional and interesting. I loved the chemistry between Lucas and Sascha and I loved the internal journey each one took to accept the other. The storyline has multiple layers but isn't hard to follow or confusing but still clever and with some interesting twists. I can't wait to devour Visions of Heat (should arrive tomorrow)

Sascha Duncan is a member of a race known for their emotional detachment, cold precision and deadly sharp minds. Only Sascha isn't like other Psy. She feels powerful emotion and she grows worried she may soon not be able to repress the building surge. A business meeting with changeling Lucas Hunter, the alpha of the DarkRiver leopards, lures her even closer to the edge of certain discovery. As she is assigned as the Psy contact for the ensuing project Lucas's company takes on, she soon begins to fear grave repercussions from her people. Lucas feels something different about Sascha--she's not like other Psy. It doesn't take long for the dominant male to begin asserting his blatant interest in her in traditionally pack ways. Could her mysterious differences be the key his and a rival pack's have been looking for? A serial killer has targeted changeling women, and the packs believe the killer to be Psy. As a Psy with connections amongst her race, Sascha will become the only saving grace in a race against time to stop two opposing groups on the brink of war. Her and Lucas's efforts will bring them to some shocking realizations as well as some heated and sensually stimulating encounters. The first impression of this romance was that it combined an awesome feel of not only paranormal elements, but sci-fi as well. Lucas's pack dynamics will ring somewhat similar to other paranormal romances, while having their own unique qualities at the same time, most notably their love for one another and family dynamics. The chilling addition of the Psy brings to mind a more futuristic sense with their sparse and utilitarian lifestyles. There are some very interesting twists to the plot that makes good use of the pacing throughout the book, making for a very hard to put down read. Sascha is a heroine readers may sympathize with in her plight to become fully herself, while Lucas is so wonderfully sexy in his concern for her welfare. Look for the sequel, Visions of Heat (March 6, 2007) about Psy member Faith NightStar and changeling Vaugn D'Angelo

This story presents a complex but not complicated paranormal inhabited by strong personalities. The plot is fairly simple. Lucas Hunter, the alpha of the DarkRiver leopard pack, is searching for a Psy serial killer who is kidnapping, torturing and killing changeling women. In order to find out more about the mysterious Psy, he offers his business services as a consultant and agent for a construction project run by the Duncan family. This puts him in direct contact with Sascha Duncan, a cardinal Psy. The Psy are a species who have been trained from birth to not feel emotion. The Silence was a program to stamp out emotion in order to rid itself of violence. But some Psy do feel and Sascha Duncan is one of them. The problem is that Sascha understands that to feel is weak and that the Psy do not allow for weakness within its group. The weak are culled from the herd and basically institutionalized. The setup creates instant conflict. Sascha a Psy who must feel no emotion is thrown together with Lucas, a changeling whose entire existence is built upon feeling. Lucas feels every emotional range, from hate and vengeance, to caring and love. Importantly, however, is that the conflict in this story is external and does not rely on the Big Mis or hateful actions by the protagonists to drive the story forward. As Sascha realizes that she is losing control over her ability to eliminate emotions, the worst thing that can happen to her no longer becomes having emotion but living without it. As Sascha becomes more important to Lucas, the worst thing changes for him as well. While there is not significant intricate layering in the story, the subject matter is provocative. The story impels us toward the maxim that feelings, no matter how gritty and painful, are more worthwhile that living without. There are extremely romantic moments and sentiments expressed by both characters. The sexual tension is thick and the consumation scenes are intense. This book has it all: the paranormal aspect, the alpha hero, the strong heroine, the hot sexy romance, and external conflict. There was a plausible and believable ending which, if a little schmaltzy, suited me just fine. In fact, I could have even endured a few more epilogue pages to show Lucas and Sascha enjoying themselves together. It's a book that fulfilled all my emotional needs as a romance reader, closing with a satisfactory HEA ending but still left me anxious for more. The setup for future books was excellent and not at all intrusive. I feel that this is the beginning of a great series. A for the book.

Imagine being part of a race that has developed beyond feelings. It has been totally erase. And if you somehow retain such things you are consider flawed. Where you are connected with others by a mental link resembling the Internet as we know it now but in your mind. And is so intertwine that to try to "disconnect" could mean your death or rehabilitation. And rehabilitation is nothing short of a lobotomy. That is the world that Sascha Duncan was born into she is "Psy". And Sascaha is flawed she feels and everyday she must fight this "breakdown" or she may face being "rehabilitated". Changelings and Humans have coexisted with the Psy, but it's an fragile existence. Which is about to become even more uncomfortable. If what they suspect is true, that the killer preying on changeling women is a Psy, that the Psy Counsel is covering up these murders, but quit possibly is also a Counsel member. Lucas Hunter is a changeling and the Alpha leader of Leopard pack DarkRiver. He is determined to expose this killer, and cover up. When he see a chance at getting more information as he and Sascha are brought together to work on a housing project. The more Lucas and Sascha work together, Sascha is finding herself becoming involved in the changeling world of touch and emotion. And she soon realizes that she can no longer go on pretending indifference, even if it means her death. Lucas is also finding out the Sascha is not like other Psy and as he begins to break Sascha defenses he is finding it harder and harder to just see her as way into the Psy's close knit society. He also wants to be the one to show her what other pleasure's she's missed out of. And that he wants to protect her as if she is part of his pack. As Lucas and Sascha race to find a serial killer before a war breaks out between Psy and Changeling. They may be running out of time themselves.

Imagine a world in which all inhabitants are either shape shifters (known as changelings) or Psy. Psy have varying powers and are interconnected through the PsyNet but the Silence has bred all emotions out of them. However, there is one Psy who is different.... Sascha Duncan has always hidden her inner core as she knows she is a broken Psy and would be sent for rehabilitation if this were discovered. Treated as a cardinal due to her mother's high position on the Council, Sascha is placed in charge of a joint business venture between the Psy and the DarkRiver leopards- the first joint venture between the Psy and changelings. Lucas Hunter is DarkRiver's Alpha and he has a secret agenda. A Psy serial killer is stalking changeling women and one of his pack lost his sister to this vicious killer. Lucas' plan is to infiltrate the PsyNet through Sascha to obtain the killer's identity but he never expects to find a Psy who feels emotions. War is about to break out between changeling and Psy as the changelings believe the Psy are protecting a killer. Sascha and Lucas will have to learn to work together quickly as one of the SnowDancer's women has been kidnapped by the psychopathic Psy and her time is running out. Nalini Singh is a relative newcomer to the romance scene but her stunning paranormal, SLAVE TO SENSATION, is sure to garner her many new fans! The plotline is intriguing and provides a very refreshing approach to both the psychic and shape shifter themes. Keep a box of Kleenex handy, however, as you will be moved to tears as this story packs a very powerful punch! SLAVE TO SENSATION is a superb story demonstrating the power of love and physical touch. The Psy have made every effort to create a world of logical and emotionless beings similar to Star Trek's Spock. Instead, beings with no moral conscience are being formed as exemplified by the serial killer preying on the changeling women. Love and physical touch can be very soothing and healing and Ms. Singh provides an exemplary story demonstrating this vividly to the reader. Nalini Singh breathes life into her characters and even secondary characters, such as Tamsyn, have an unexpected depth to them. This story, although complete in and of itself, is wide open for sequels as the reader will want to know more about the fabulous cast of characters created by Ms. Singh. One can only hope that a sequel is in the works as SLAVE TO SENSATION is easily one of the best books published this year in the paranormal genre. SLAVE TO SENSATION is highly recommended and this reviewer cannot rave enough about how wonderful this book truly is. Sascha is one of the strongest, most endearing characters to come along in quite awhile and her acceptance of herself and her relationship with Lucas provides the reader with numerous gut-wrenching and heart-warming moments. If you read only one book this year, SLAVE TO SENSATION quite simply must be that book! COURTES