I'll write reviews for the others in the series at a later point but I just finished this one so...

I loved it. I really really loved it. I mean, Hawke's dog-in-the-manger attitude toward Sienna in the first part of the book pissed me right the fuck off, and his attempts to maintain emotional distance from her while demanding everything she has were asshole moves (but hey, at least he admits that he's being an ass, so it could be worse).

Actually, much as I love him (and I do love him) I spent an awful lot of this book wishing I could take a cricket bat to Hawke's fat head. Seriously. At one point he basically publicly claims Sienna, ensuring that she will never ever be able to find a date for as long as she lives, while planning to work of his Sienna-related sexual tension with someone else. I'm frankly surprised Sienna didn't set him on fire with the sheer awesome power of her rage.

Still, when he goes all-in, he goes seriously all-in, and completely breaks my heart.

As for Sienna... I wish I could say she should have a bit of dignity but you know what? She's pretty sure she's going to die soon, and the only thing she wants (other than, you know, to not die) is Hawke. So I guess I can understand why she's willing to take him on on his terms, even though he's hurt her again and again. I guess the thought of dying really does focus the mind.

This is the book I have been waiting for! Sienna was a sullen, moody teen when we first met her. A girl whose mother killed herself and who had to flee from everything she knew. Her life before wasn't great-she was a soldier trainee under Ming. She begins to build a life with the Snow Dancers but Hawke has always pushed her away.

So, here are the things I adored about Kiss of Snow:

1.  Sienna is a new type of Psy. The X Psy is very rare, and there has never been a cardinal X like Sienna. X's never lived very long either. However, they make the perfect weapon. Sienna has always felt that her life had an expiration date. She is so young and has been so traumatized by her power.
2. Hawke is such a guy! You want to smack his head sometimes! Through all that, you can't help but love him.
3. Lara and Walker!!!
4. Sascha has the baby!
5. The resolution to the problem of cold fire is amazing and I loved it so much!

I am so in love with these books. I want to get them all in hardback and encase them in plexiglass so I can just stare at them and sigh happily.

Side Note: I really do not like the audio cover. Something about it just bothers me.

 

• POV: 3rd
• Tears: no
• Trope: shifters
• Triggers: none
• Series/Standalone: series
• Cliffhanger: not for Sienna and Snow but for the overall story arc
• HEA: yes and its quite sweet!

Books by Ilona Andrews, Dannika Dark, Christine Feehan...then you will probably like Kiss of Snow!

 

 See full review on The Book Disciple

Sienna, powerful Psy defector and Hawke, SnowDancer Changeling Alpha have struck sparks since she first arrived in their land. Rebellion, anger, defiance – but under it all attraction which Hawke is desperate to avoid. His mate died when he was a child – he knows he will always be alone and he cannot offer Sienna the life she deserves

 

While Sienna has her own fear – she’s an X Psy, incredibly rare and even more dangerous. She’s already lived longer than any other of her designation. She knows her days are numbered – but who will she take down in the inevitable end.

 

 

 

There is an issue sometimes, especially with long series, where you have a long running complaint and then a book kind of deals with the issue and you celebrate but part of your brain realises that you’re not so much celebrating a good thing so much as the reduction of a bad thing. So we have with this book:

 

Squee!Brain: a relationship with a female Psy who has an actual active, destructive power!

 

Cynical!Brain: And they have to pair her with literally the most ALPHA DOMINANT changeling ever so she would still be the submissive one in the relationship

 

Squee!Brain: But she challenges him!

 

Cynical!Brain: They ALWAYS do. But they’re always the underling fighting to be treated as an equal from the man who still largely gets his own was. Also we have a creepy age-gap “let’s wait until she’s juuuuuust of age” issues along with virginal heroin + no man may touch her issues.

 

Squee!Brain: But she isn’t a delicate Silenced Psy who has collywobbles if someone so much as touches her

 

Cynical!Brain: But she is facing super death because of her powers and being saved by his looooove (no this doesn’t count as a spoiler. If you’ve reached this book in the series you know exactly how this relationship is going to end and don’t pretend you don’t).

 

So, I’m conflicted. This relationship does address some of the main issues I’ve had about the previous books in this series. Sienna makes it clear that she is the one who knows her own powers and she will make her decisions about them. I like that she establishes her own authority when it comes to her powers, limits et al which is so vital when we’ve had so many Changelings decide they know their Psy lovers better than those Psy do. Equally, unlike the previous books I like that Hawke is somewhat respectful of Sienna’s boundaries – at least in terms of her bodily integrity. He doesn’t touch her or pursue her – the opposite in fact

 

 

Of course this is a little toxic when we consider his possessiveness. Hawke both runs from a relationship with Sienna but also lays his claim and violently threaten men who may enter a relationship with her. Yes he’s not pushing her into a relationship, but he is pushing her to be his pedestalled virgin. But, again, to be fair she does challenge this vehemently. Equally while she’s saved by his love, she’s just as much saved by her fellow Psy relatives. I would also quite like her to be able to actually use her Psy powers more but it is nice to see a woman who is this must dangerous and who does show the other side of Silence so well.

 

Really, it is a vast improvement on the previous relationships which have annoyed me so much in this series. There’s still some tropes that are a problem but it’s nothing like the ones before

 

Excellently Sienna also have female friends who support her, work with her and recognise the gaps Sienna has in her emotional development due to the years she spent in Silence. I like that a lot, that Sienna has women in her life, women backing her up, women valuing her; even if they don’t play a huge role it’s still an important part of Sienna’s life.

 

I’m also more intrigued by the relationship between Walker and Lara. This is a relationship where no-one is willing aggressively pressing the other, no-one is emotionally fragile and falling apart, no-one freaks out if someone touches them, no-one has to epicly change their entire life to suit the other. It’s nice for it to be more low key relationship and not rely on so much emotional damage and fragility and broken boundaries. It’s built on respect and kindness and love and caring and people literally not having to choose between tying themselves mystically together FOREVER or DYING (hate hate hate that trope). Which is wonderful – and all the more annoying when Walker decides to play “ugh, man in same place of my woman! Ugh. Bad man! Ugh. I crush your flowers, MY WO-MAN”.

 

 

 

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4.75 stars

I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for Hawke and Sienna’s book, and finally, here it is! And let me tell you, I was not disappointed. Not in the least! This was everything I was hoping for: angsty, exciting, sexy. I didn’t want to put it down, and that was a bad thing because I was at Disney World when I was reading it. That should tell you something. I would rather be at the resort reading the book than running around the my beloved WDW, and that doesn’t happen often. If ever.

Hawke has been avoiding Sienna for years. First, because he thinks she’s too young for him ( and when the Laurens first arrived on SnowDancer land, she was too young for him), and second, because he doesn’t want to hurt her. His mate died when he was a young boy, and he knows that he can never love Sienna the way she deserves. His once in a lifetime chance at having a mate was snatched away from him, and he doesn’t want to make Sienna think that there is something there that’s not. Unfortunately for Hawke, both his wolf and Sienna don’t understand the meaning of the word “no.”

Sienna despairs at ever getting Hawke to see her as an adult. She works hard to be a valuable member of the pack, and she works hard to control her X powers so that she doesn’t hurt anyone she loves. When Psy intruders break the peace of the SnowDancer pack, Sienna finally gets a chance to prove to Hawke that she’s both an adult and a powerful weapon who can protect the pack.

I really liked both characters. There is this smokin’ hot chemistry between them, and unlike in the previous Psy-Changeling book, where Indigo’s constant hot and cold attitude towards Drew drove me absolutely batty, the conflict between Hawke and Sienna was engaging and believable. Hawke thinks his shot at having a loving, supportive companion died years ago, and Sienna knows that she is a ticking time bomb. No other X Psy has lived past their twenties, and she can feel how unstable, and dangerous, her abilities are becoming. She only wants a chance at happiness, with Hawke, regardless at how fleeting in might be.

Throw in the increasingly aggressive incursions by the Psy, and you have a recipe for story that is hard to put down. All of the cats and wolves we have gotten to know in previous installments of the series were back, and it was fun catching up with all of them. Even Nikita Duncan was a welcome face, having become a little more human, regardless of how vehemently she would deny it. Kiss of Snow pushes all the right buttons, expanding on the world building and offering up a steamy romance that crackles with passion.

Recommended

Audio March 2018: The audio is suburb. I LOVED it. This is one of my favorite stories in the series. Just so much awesome goodness happens.

~ 5 Kiss of Snow Stars ~

Kiss of Snow is book 10 in the Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh. Outstanding! Love the world building, character development and adventure Ms. Singh brings to her Psy-Changeling series. I have been waiting for Hawke and Sienna’s tail. Ms. Singh did not disappoint her readers. This book is addictive. I was pulled in and taking for a hot sexy adventure.

Hawke, (fangirl swoon) Hot Sexy Alpha, (wait where is my fan, oh yes here it is) Sexy sexy Hawke and the words he says. I’ve waited forever to read his book. I’ve had a book crush on him since he first flirted with Sascha. He was everything I hoped he would be and more.

Sienna, X Psy. A strong independent and vulnerable women who has had to grow up way to fast, but that is how it is with the Psy. She is perfect for Hawke. The chemistry between them was great. Her character development was done well throughout the books. I’m not in love with her, but I don’t hate her. It was good to see that Sienna knows that she wants Hawke, but she also knows he is very alpha.

The relationship between Hawke and Sienna has been danced around from the beginning of the series. Yes their is a major age difference between them, but it was well done that I had no issue with it. The chemistry is great. The build up was perfect. Lots of sexual tension. I love how Ms. Singh keeps the plot going and brings in old characters. I loved reading about Sasche giving birth, the relationship blooming with Lara and Walker was fabulous, and the emails from Alice to her Dad dated 1973. Love the insight we get from this. Giving us more information on the world of the Psy and how Silence came to be.

Wow! Amazing! Fast paced non-stop action with new twist’s I did not see coming. Love everything about the Psy-Changeling series. Kiss of Snow was everything I hoped it would be and more. I am so hooked and can’t get enough of this world! If you have not started this series I highly recommend you do.