ROCK REDEMPTION by Nalini Singh is the third book in her fantastic Rock Kiss Novel series. In this book Nalini returns to Schoolboy Choir, this time with Noah St. John taking centre stage. Kit Devigny loved Noah once, until he broke her heart. Kit is in the running for a role of a lifetime, but media scandal ties her to Noah. Forcing them to play the happy couple, if she wants a chance of getting the part. Pretty soon fantasy is becoming dangerously close to reality.

This is a really good read. Both Noah and Kit have been around as background characters since ROCK ADDICTION, and it is nice to see them centre stage. One of the things I really like about this book is how brave Kit is, and at the same time she’s very aware of the risks she’s taking. I liked that past actions and their consequences aren’t taken lightly. I also really appreciated the fact that there was no “insta-fix” to anything. I liked the fact that we got to see things from both Noah and Kit’s point of views, for me this really added an extra dimension to the narrative. Although it deals with some tough subjects, ROCK REDEMPTION is an entertaining read.

If you have read any of the previous books, or novellas, in this series then you’ll have a very good idea of the basic premise of this book. Personally I really quite enjoy this as it means I know pretty much what I am getting into – I say pretty much, because there’s always the opportunity for surprises. And as I mentioned earlier, the narrative is split between Noah and Kit. Singh handled the issues in this book in a sensitive manner; I don’t want to go into it in too much detail because of spoilers, but some people may find some of the events in this book triggering. This isn’t something I usually talk about in reviews, but I don’t want people to walk into this blind. The pacing of the novel is a little slow for me in places, but I found myself rooting for the characters and really liking the story.

I enjoyed getting to know Kit and Noah in this book. They’ve both made appearances in previous books, and I’m glad that Singh decided to give them their own book. I found them both to be likeable characters. One of the things that I really appreciated about Kit was that before anything else she wanted to be – and was – a good friend. I also really enjoyed the return of familiar faces, although only as secondary characters to Noah and Kit’s story. It was nice to get a bit of an update into how the lives of the members of Schoolboy Choir are going. There’s also a bit of set up for the next book I think, which I’m excited for. Overall I think ROCK REDEMPTION is a brilliant addition to the Rock Kiss Novel series. Singh tells an intricate love story that will capture your attention.

Originally posted on The Flutterby Room.

SHARDS OF HOPE is the fourteenth addition to the Psy-Changeling novel series by Nalini Singh. This time Singh tells the story of Aden – the head of the Arrow squad – and Zaira, a fellow Arrow. They start the story having been kidnapped by a mysterious organisation, and must escape from the remote facility. Zaira will not let Aden die, because she believes he will be important for the future of the Arrow squad in a post-Silence world.

SHARDS OF HOPE is without a doubt a good, solid addition to Singh’s Psy-Changeling world. Singh starts the story with a bang; the beginning is very tense and dramatic, with lots of action. Everything slows down though as the story progresses, and instead focuses on the Arrow’s future. I have to admit that I quite enjoyed this change of focus, with Aden and Zaira focusing on the future of their people – and what kind of future they wanted the Arrow children to have.

To be honest, I had trouble connecting to either of the main characters although I did quite enjoy following both their journeys as the story progressed. Aden is a familiar face for those who have been following the series, and I really enjoyed the fact that I finally got to know a little more about him. I really enjoyed watching him amongst his people; I think this is the first time in the series that we get to see that. Zaira meanwhile was an intriguing, if elusive, character. I didn’t ever really feel I quite got to know her, though she did seem to care very much for Aden as well as the other Arrows.

Overall, I think if you have enjoyed the Psy-Changeling series so far then you will enjoy this latest addition too. However, if you are looking for something new then you may come away disappointed if you are looking for action and drama. There are of course plenty of subplots going on, and we get the reveal of a new villain, but SHARDS OF HOPE is very much in the mould of the rest of the series.

Originally posted on The Flutterby Room.

ARCHANGEL’S SHADOWS is the seventh addition to Nalini Singh’s brilliant GUILD HUNTER series. The book is split into two main plots – the fallout from the events of the previous book in the series, and the hunt to find and destroy the monster bringing death to the recovering New York City.

As the seventh book in the series, ARCHANGEL’S SHADOWS builds brilliantly on the over-arching storyline of the series. It also superbly tells the story of Ash and Janvier, and their hunt to find the monster that is haunting New York city. I really liked the fact that Singh split the book between these two storylines, although there is occasional overlap. By splitting the book this way Singh gives an idea of the overall picture of what is going on at this particular time in the GUILD HUNTER world. And a lot is going on.

Having read/heard about about Ash and Janvier in previous books in the series, I was really glad that they finally got their own book. They had been appearing in the background, and appeared in a short story, so I’m glad Singh felt it was time to reveal their story. Their interactions were fun to read, and although their narrative was primarily from Ash’s point of view it was nice to get occasional glimpses from Janvier’s point of view. Ash’s dark and terrible secret, was an interesting one and I really liked the way Singh handled it – the hints, and the reveal. I also really liked the investigation of who – what – the monster was and what it meant. Singh laid some good hints and teases, and I never guessed what was actually going on.

The politics side of the book, that tied in with the overall series storyline, was also quite interesting. It also meant that familiar characters got to return like Elena and Raphael, as well as Dmitri, and several other familiar faces. It was nice to see them, and I actually liked the fact that despite the hunt and romance we got to see what was going on behind the scenes, so to speak. There is a lot going on in this book, and as such it is an engrossing read – I found it hard to put the book down, and ended up reading in about a day. If you are a fan of the GUILD HUNTER series, then you will surely enjoy the additIon of ARCHANGEL’S SHADOWS.

Originally published on The Flutterby Room.

ROCK COURTSHIP is the first novella in the ROCK KISS series by Nalini Singh. It is a companion story to the first book in the series ROCK ADDICTION, and it tells the story of Thea and David. David has been interested in Thea for a while, but first she had a boyfriend and wasn’t interested in anyone else and then he broke her heart. David has been patient, but maybe now it’s time for him to make a move.

Having read ROCK ADDICTION I was really curious to see what a novella would add to the series, and it left me a little disappointed. Part of that was no doubt due to the fact that I knew how the novella would end pretty much – it’s very obvious from the glimpses of the two characters you get in ROCK ADDICTION – and I think part of it was down to the fact it felt to me like there was more of a story Singh could have told: I would have liked to have had Thea’s ex exist on the page for a while, I’d also have liked to see Thea and David interact with the band a bit more. The story felt a bit bare, and I’d have just liked a little more meat to it.

Having said that, ROCK COURTSHIP was an enjoyable read – and a quick one too. I really liked the fact that Singh gave voice to a relationship that is only hinted at in ROCK ADDICTION – I think it deserved to take central stage. Watching Thea and David dance around one another – with the memos especially – was brilliant, and quite funny too. They are both really strong characters, and quite similar – their relationship seems like a fairly equal one, even with their scars. I also really enjoyed the scenes where Thea talks to her mother, and the relationships both of the main characters have with their families. If you enjoyed the first book in the ROCK KISS series, then you will enjoy this one too.

Originally posted on The Flutterby Room.

ARCHANGEL’S LEGION is the sixth book in Nalini Singh’s brilliantly hot GUILD HUNTER series. The story focuses on the Archangel Raphael who lives in New York, and his consort Elena Deveraux – a Guild Hunter. In ARCHANGEL’S LEGION the events of the previous five books come to a head, and The Cascade crests. Things are changing in the world of the archangels, and nothing will ever be the same.

I was really excited to get back into the world of GUILD HUNTER and find out what was going on with Elena and Raphael, who I should probably confess are my favourite characters in the series. A lot happens in ARCHANGEL’S LEGION, so I found the book to be a real page turner – I just had to know what happened next. When I reached the end I was actually quite sad because I wanted to be more, not because the story felt incomplete or anything like that, but because I didn’t want it to end.

The plot of ARCHANGEL’S LEGION is a seemingly simple one: someone is making a power play against Raphael. However, Singh weaves much more into the plot than that. She also reintroduces characters from the previous novels and novellas in the GUILD HUNTER series. There are also some new characters introduced, and there is a heck of a lot of action as well as some really steamy romance between Elena and Raphael – all in all, everything you would expect from a novel in the GUILD HUNTER series.

Battle lines are drawn, and battles fought in this book. I think Singh did a very good job both building up the tension in the narrative, and describing the fight scenes. There are also some really quite poignant moments, where we get to see a more “human” side to some of the characters. Singh did a really good balancing all these different scenes out, and keeping the narrative coherent. All in all ARCHANGEL’S LEGION is a great addition to the GUILD HUNTER series, and I am looking forward to seeing how things develop in this world in future books.

Originally posted on The Flutterby Room.