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The fate of millions of lives hangs in the balance in this new Psy-Changeling Trinity novel from New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh... Kidnapped as a young girl, her psychic powers harnessed by a madman, Memory lives a caged and isolated existence . . . until she comes face-to-face with a wolf. Labelled an empath by her bad-tempered rescuer, Memory knows that her 'gift' is nothing so bright. It is a terrible darkness that means she will always be hunted. But Memory is free now and she intends to live . A certain growly wolf can just deal with it. Alexei prefers to keep his packmates at bay, the bleak history of his family a constant reminder that mating, love, hope is not for him. But Memory, this defiant and fearless woman who stands toe-to-toe with him awakens the most primal part of his nature - and soon, he must make a risk everything or lose Memory to a murderous darkness that wants to annihilate her from existence . . . 'Paranormal romance at its best' Publishers Weekly 'Singh continues to be one of the most prolific and consistently excellent writers on the scene today' Romantic Times

392 pages, Hardcover

First published June 4, 2019

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About the author

Nalini Singh

232 books26.1k followers
I've been writing as long as I can remember and all of my stories always held a thread of romance (even when I was writing about a prince who could shoot lasers out of his eyes). I love creating unique characters, love giving them happy endings and I even love the voices in my head. There's no other job I would rather be doing. In September 2002, when I got the call that Silhouette Desire wanted to buy my first book, Desert Warrior, it was a dream come true. I hope to continue living the dream until I keel over of old age on my keyboard.


I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated every month).

So far, I've worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer's mill.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,194 reviews
Profile Image for Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️.
1,966 reviews33.9k followers
April 10, 2019
4 Stars

I was SO excited to go back to the Psy-Changeling world with this newest installment...And even more excited that we would be seeing it through the eyes of SnowDancer.

SnowDancer is my favorite setting within this world, bar none (which I have discussed in previous series reviews ad nauseam), so to get to go back and relish that environment for yet another fantastic Singh book was incomparable.

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I really loved Memory and Alexei together.

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Memory was fierce and feisty and I loved their interactions and romance.

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Also, in addition to Memory and Alexei's story arc, there was a new dimension added to the overlying Trinity story arc.

Nalini Singh never fails to surprise and dazzle with her creative and intelligent plots and world-building. Just when I think she has nowhere else to go plot-wise, she finds another whole pathway rife with new plot-fodder, characters, and relationships. It really is incredible.

However, I think my favorite part of this world as a whole (besides Hawke, of course *wink*) is the underlying message of unity, the quest for peace, and the multicultural, multi-racial, multi-specie nature of the world and its characters.

Cannot wait for the next book in the series.

Profile Image for Corina.
781 reviews2,486 followers
June 29, 2024
As always it was wonderful visiting my favorite pack. I have a weakness for wolf shifters, and when I found out about the title and the blurb I was ecstatic.

I really was intrigued by the blurb.

Memory, even though she was kidnapped for many year, didn’t lose her feistiness or sass. She was a female character I adored for her strong will, endurance and strength to know what she wanted even if it seemed to make no sense. She was one of those characters whose personality spoke to me immediately. And she meshed beautifully with her growly wolf.

Alexei was a typical wolf, approachable, protective, and always knew how to handle Memory. He was tuned into her to a fantastic degree and made them incredibly compatible as a couple.

I really enjoyed Memory and Alexei together. Smart and funny dialogues had me laughing out loud. And their chemistry was palpable. Even though Memory was inexperienced she had no trouble distinguishing her feelings and because of that she was steps ahead of Alexei. Him catching up was endearing and a source of continuous amusement.

As always the author had many new dangers lurking around corners. Forces that threatened the overall survival of Psy and PsyNet. The overall story arc is still moving along, it might have taken a little breather in Wolf Rain, but there is definitley movement. And of course I’m wondering what’s coming next. At this point I wouldn’t mind for favorite couples to get another book. Krycheck for example is just too interesting for him not have a second book. Because his power is truly one of a kind.

Throughout Wolf Rain the author revisits old and popular characters, and gives the reader small glimpses into their present lives. These glimpses are somewhat satisfying but might make this book not the ideal book to start this series with. There are just too many characters that are being mentioned. So start with book one and enjoy the ride.


___________________________________

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.
Profile Image for Astrid - The Bookish Sweet Tooth.
795 reviews897 followers
June 15, 2019


TITLE: Wolf Rain
AUTHOR: Nalini SIngh
SERIES: Psy Changeling #18, Psy Changeling Trinity #3
RELEASE DATE: June 4th 2019
GENRE: PNR, Sci-Fi
RATING: 4.5 Stars
CLIFFHANGER: No

READ MY REVIEW ON THE BLOG (Live on June 4th)





When a series is still going strong at book 18, still intriguing, still surprising, then it has something special that makes it outstanding from the rest. Both the Guild Hunter and Psy-Changeling series are favorites of mine because the worlds Nalini Singh has created are complex, huge, creative and stunning. I could spend weeks in this universe and never get bored and I get excited whenever a new installment lands on my Kindle. With WOLF RAIN we are going back to the Snow Dancer den and our beloved wolves.

Alexei and Memory were super-cute. Alexei had a beautifully playful side that I absolutely adored. He and his growly wolf made me grin so much, my face hurt from it. His protective side, the one that needed to feed Memory and take care of her was so sweet and endearing. Alexei was lost the minute he experienced Memory's sass and brave heart.
She was so tough, his E, but she had a soft heart that incited every protective instinct in his body.

Memory was everything you wish for in a heroine - she had a huge dose of spunk and sass, she was smart and determined to move on from the ordeal she experienced at the hands of a Psy-psychopath. The things this guy did to her and her mother were atrocious and for a while she thought she wasn't just "other" but bad, wrong. I was hoping that Sasha and all the other empaths would be able to instill some confidence in herself. And oh did they.

Here is where I had to deduct a half star: I loved them together - both had such a huge capacity for love. I think my most favorite part was when Memory started to poke the bear...err...wolf.
Memory was color and light and a primal joy in life.

Of course Nalini Singh makes us gasp and hold our breath with her super-evil villains. They always give me the chills and Renault is no different. We can catch up a little with the other Snow Dancer and Dark River changelings and that's always a wonderful treat. Of course Kaleb and the Arrows make an appearance, too. One of the most touching scenes were Hawke's acceptance of Memory. What a beautiful, tender moment.
A deep sense of acceptance, primal protectiveness, wild affection, it sank into her soul. This was why he was alpha. Because he had the capacity to hold every member of his pack in his heart. “You’re one of mine now,” he said, brushing back her hair with his other hand before leaning down to kiss her cheek. “Wild, a survivor, a fighter, you do this pack proud.”

The seeds for a new story arc are being planted and I can't wait to see how this is going to play out. I'm super intrigued.

WOLF RAIN is a worthy successor in this series. It has Ms Singh's trademark lovable characters and her beautiful prose that I can't get enough of. Now I wonder who we'll get next. Maybe we go back to Russia? Or up in the air? Who knows, who cares! I'll read it!

Profile Image for Somia.
2,065 reviews156 followers
October 4, 2021
3.5 Solid Stars - Re-read 2nd Jan 2020

My views below stand, but have to say, having shed the expectations I had before my first read, I was able to enjoy the characters and plot much more.

3 COMFORTABLE/COSY STARS - Read 12th June 2019

I enjoyed how Alexei and Memory interacted, and the way in which Alexi was able to have fire surging in Memory’s eyes and blood. I liked both the main characters, as individuals and as a couple. That being said when it came to Memory and all she had endured/suffered I did feel that the depiction of her behaviour/reactions, after she was liberated from her cage, signified her being a tad too well adjusted. There was just something about the ease in which she adjusted to everything that left me slightly unsatisfied, it left me feeling like a key dimension of the story/character had been forgotten.

I enjoyed the glimpses we got of characters from past books like Lucas, Sascha, their little girl, and Hawke, and can’t wait for books which have some of the kids taking centre stage.

Overall this was a nice read, but I don’t know it didn’t ensnare my attention and leave me sighing in pleasure once I finished. Don’t get me wrong I devoured this read, and enjoyed it, yet I can honestly say whilst I may re-read this book, it’s defo not in my top 5 from the Psy-Changeling/Psy-Changeling Trinity books. Yet still a good read…. Ugh! Am I seesawing a bit with my thoughts? Re-read will be needed at some point.
Profile Image for Jilly.
1,838 reviews6,478 followers
June 14, 2019
This is like going to a high school reunion except that nobody got older, fatter, balder, and their marriages are still just like they are on their honeymoon. Yeah, realistic.


Beardy has a point.
But in this case, this reunion is awesome for anyone who has read this series. All of your favorites are here, including my fav- Kaleb.



Our new couple is Alexei, a wolf shifter from the Snowdancer pack, and Memory, a psy girl who was imprisoned all of her life. Alexei rescues her from captivity and then .....


Well, yeah, but it's not that bad, dude. You might need a Snickers.
Plus, the angst is followed by:


Yeah, um there was a little more heat than that. But, you get what I mean.

It was a good story in the background too, with hints at what is to come. Nalini Singh can build the crap out of complicated, awesome worlds.
Profile Image for Geri Reads.
1,232 reviews2,124 followers
March 22, 2019
Just when I thought this world couldn't get any more expansive, Nalini Singh comes and proves me wrong.

I'm so happy that we're back with the SnowDancer pack this time around. I've missed their presence in the series for a while now and I'm so happy to see a lot of familiar faces not just from SnowDancer but from Darkriver crew as well.

Despite the familiar characters and setting, this book explores some new territory in the Psy-Changeling world. It's both fascinating and terrifying at the same time.

Nalini Singh not only expanded the Psy-Changeling world, she also deepened it. We get more insight into the PsyNet and its ongoing deterioration and the efforts the ruling coalition are doing to temper and solve it. It's exciting but also scary because Nalini introduced some unknowns into the mix which made me want to read the next book ASAP!

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Wolf Rain is first and foremost, Alexei and Memory's story.

Alexei is one of the SnowDancer lieutenants with a tragic history while Memory is a new character with some very interesting capabilities. Changeling-Psy pairings have always been my favorite and this pair is no exception.

I loved how their relationship developed. Both Alexei and Memory are broken in their own way, Memory especially. She needed so TLC and Alexei was the perfect person who gave it to her. I'm seriously considering my Nalini Singh hero ranking now that I've met Alexei. He's definitely among my favorites now.

If you're a long time fan of the series, you won't want to miss Wolf Rain. It not only gives us the familiar characters we knew and loved, it introduces us to new and exciting ones, too. I know I sound like a broken record but I cannot wait to read the next book. I hope it's about who I think it'll be about. 😂

ARC provided by Berkley
Profile Image for Scarlet Heavens.
117 reviews9 followers
June 6, 2019
Yeah, so this one didn't do it for me.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ARCHITECT AND THE CONSPIRACY? ARE THEY REALLY IDLY SITTING ON THEIR ASSES?


I love Nalini Singh, I love the Psy-Changeling series, and when I have nothing better to read, I usually go back to either Mercy's book, or Heart of Obsidian.

But, it feels like after Heart of Obsidian, the stories are just... repetitive. I know, I know, it's romance, primarily, and the formula has been done over and over again, but Nalini seemed to have had something original about her own interpretation of romance, but it seems that after 18 books, even her own interpretation has become a cliche.

I was so looking forward to going back to the DarkRiver/SnowDancer world, except... it felt as if we visited it in passing. When this happened with Sahara in Heart of Obsidian, I was happy with the small glimpses we had from the packs, but here, it felt like some characters were over-utilized, while other characters were completely ignored.
For example, I was very curious to see how Zaira and Memory would interact, yet Zaira seemed to be forgotten. I thought Sascha was used way too much, when Ivy Jane should have taken just as big of a role. Jaya's inclusion was nice, and I liked Yuri too.

I felt like Pax Marshall was wasted as a villain, even if he was being possessed by the DarkMind (I assume).
Two things I always loved about Nalini's novels were the fact that the romance and the mystery/thriller aspect were well intertwined. However, everything felt choppy in this novel. It was more entertaining than Ocean Light (oh dear lord, that's probably the worst Psy-Changeling book, with Tangle of Need coming in a close second).
What I hated:
- Memory shrugging off her time in captivity, coming out saner than I am afterwards, and honestly, it feels like a slap in the face to the people in this world who HAVE suffered through similar situations. Sorry, you guys are not empaths, and probably have no psychic way of remaining sane. In comparison, Sahara purposefully scrambled her mind to protect herself, and her coming back from it was realistic. Her falling for Kaleb was realistic because she had fallen for him a LONG LONG time ago, and it was a completion of a love story that had begun nearly a decade before the book. Also, WHY DID SAHARA NEVER TALK TO MEMORY? Not only have both of them been through something similar, both of them have a "dark" power that can be abused by psychopaths. I thought when Memory asked the NightStar clan for the brain scans, and when word got out about Memory and her situation, that Sahara would be the one to help Memory the most, not just Sascha. Also, Alice, Sasha, Ivy and Sahara, they were the ones that should have interacted with Memory more, but we only got Sascha.
- The snippets at the beginning of each chapter: I just hated the excerpts from Wild Woman. It made me cringe to read them, because they were so over-the-top sexual in their nature, and the fact that this book's heroine was a woman who had been abused for 15 years, had her mind RAPED by a monster for said 15 years, but, no biggie, now she's just focused on having sex with Alexei because she chose him.

In Ashaya and Dorian's book, Dorian gets to save Ashaya because she's up in the trees and facing some wild cats. But it was Ashaya herself who got herself out, via her connection with Zie Zen and the Arrows. In the meantime, Memory has been captive for years, and is rescued by Alexei, so of course, she falls for him.
There were so many missed opportunities to raise the stakes for both Memory and Alexei, and for the rest of the world as well. And yeah, I understand that the PsyNet has an ongoing problem, and that the NetMind and the DarkMind are going bonkers, but why is NO ONE TALKING TO SOPHIA? Not only is her part of the Net stable because she's mated to a human, but the NetMind and the DarkMind are actually united inside her mind!
In addition, I understand that the cats wanted to keep Noor and Keenan and their Harmonizing ability secret, but surely - surely! - they're friends enough with the Arrows by now to offer their help? When Yuri was dying, I kept saying, come on, use the kids, or at least have them try.

Another thing that did not help this book was the fact that I knew that none of the characters were in danger. I knew that Abbot wasn't going to die, and I was sure that Yuri wouldn't either, especially when Pax revealed the existence of his twin and his unwillingness to perform the DarkMind's duties. In Caressed by Ice, I was so afraid that Drew was gonna die, that I couldn't put the book down until he was fine.

And, what the hell happened to the Architect and his conspiracies?
I was torn between Pax and Shoshanna as the one that was pulling the strings, and leaning towards Ming when the Architect came to pick up the rogue Arrow in Zaira's book disguised, to hide a highly recognizable face. So, either Ming or Shoshanna then, because Shoshanna and her hubby were the public face of the Psy Council, and Ming has that birthmark thingy.

What I liked:
- Anthony and Nikita! Give me their book already! I want Anthony to be Sascha's father so bad, I can taste it.
- Amara. She was, ironically, the heart and the soul of this book. I always felt that Amara had a chance of becoming something else than she was. I mean, sure, she's a psychopath, or a sociopath, without having murderous tendencies, and I always felt that she could make some progress, or a change.
- Memory's pain for Jitterbug was something I could relate to, having lost a cat I used to talk to.

What I disliked:
- The other empaths' reaction to Memory's scent/emotional taste after working with Amara. I mean, yeah, alright, they apologized, and it was fine, but I wasn't fine with how the SnowDancers reacted MUCH BETTER THAN THE EMPATHS. It sort of felt like, yeah, don't you worry, Memory, your own kind don't accept you, but we will. It was different when it was Sascha and emotion, Faith and emotion, Sienna and her fiery power, but I thought the world was changing, and I wish that this side effect of Memory's power was handled differently.
- We saw a lot of the action second hand. Like the above mentioned reaction to Memory, we only learn this from Jaya through dialogue. Why not have a dramatic moment when it happens? Even later, through Memory's own PoV, we only get a "this happened and I felt so bad" kind of flashback.
- There were too many characters that were just coming and going that it felt like someone was pulling on my emotional strings, making me want more from Mercy, or Vaughn (who isn't even named), or all the other characters. I liked Brenna's "I'll hack the PsyNet if I can jack into it." I wish we actually see it one day.
- Since when are Judd and Alexei best buds? It did not feel real. I thought Judd was best buds with Drew.
- I felt like Memory's situation and what happened with Hawke's parents and Alexei's parents would be somehow intertwined, especially since we get a quote from Hawke's mom. It felt like there was an opportunity for a bigger conspiracy - Memory's capture, Sahara's imprisonment, what happened with Hawke's parents. One thing that I loved about Aden and Zaira's book was the fact that all the people missing from BlackSea were taken seemingly at random, yet they were done by the same organization.

There was a quote about the Ruling Coalition not being successful, but it felt like it led nowhere.
And the last bit of the book, about many many dark Psy awakening after Memory "healed" Pax felt like "buy the next book, this glacial plot WILL MOVE FORWARD, WE PROMISE."

Also, if the effect from Silver and Memory on the PsyNet is the same, then why the hell did Memory have to go all Cinderella on the PsyNet to achieve this effect? Would Memory be actually able to heal the Net so widely that she would save it? Because it felt like Memory merely bought them time, just like Ivy with the Honeycomb.

This installment felt like a TV adaptation of a favorite novel, everything is just there somehow, the characters are recognizable just by their hair color and names, and except for Brenna's comment, Judd's "I'll take that secret to my grave" deadpan humor, Ben's inability to grow past 5, and Tamar's snarkiness, everyone else was sort of just there. (Give me Axl and Tamar's book next, please and thank you).
Even Sahara and Kaleb were just there.
Memory was as unmemorable as Silver and Kaia, and Alexei is still more memorable for all the dominance fights than what he did in this book.

Another thing I used to love about this series was the way Nalini set up so many characters and their situations. Like Samuel Rain, who we first see fighting off a compulsion to kill all humans, or Sahara, mentioned by Faith in the second book, but appears so much later. Sienna's struggled with her powers for years until her book came along, and while Alexei was a known character, either my memory (oh lord) fails me, or Brodie and Etta were never mentioned nor seen before, even though we've spent more than 10 books in the DarkRiver/SnowDancer clans. Judd interacted with Aden and Vasic, Alice was mentioned multiple times, and her rescue was both gut wrenching and heart lifting. Memory began as the most sympathetic character, just as much Sahara, but her shrugging off everything with zero emotional trauma was... disturbing. Alexei and Brodie were fun to read about, but it would have been more gut wrenching if Brodie had actually existed before this - and since he had only died a year previously, there could have been a scene with him previously, if he was to become so important.
I remembered Lucy from before, but did not actually feel anything for her. Unlike Lara, whom I remember vividly in Drew's book, with her yellow dress and angry demeanor.
On one hand, Nalini explained many unnecessary things about the world, the empaths, and everything else, on the expense of the characters actually sounding the same.
And why the hell did Lara get an off screen birth? Why was everything in the packs happening off screen?
It felt as if nothing was connected, and everything was happening just because, or off screen.
Profile Image for Sarah.
3,347 reviews1,235 followers
September 26, 2021
As much as I've enjoyed meeting the bears and spending time underwater with Blacksea in the last couple of books (and I am really hoping we'll get to spend more time with ALL of them!) I was still really excited that Wolf Rain would take us back to where it all began with the SnowDancer pack. I can't help it, I've loved this series for such a long time that spending time with the wolves (and the cats of DarkRiver) just feels like coming home and it was so wonderful to catch up with all the familiar faces.

We've met Alexi before, he's one of Hawke's lieutenants and is a powerful member of the pack. Strong but caring and very protective of the ones he loves, he holds himself at a distance from the others due to some dangerous family history. He has good reason to fear the future but meeting Memory gives him a reason to fight for what he wants. Memory is a brand new character, she's a Psy who has been held captive for decades and although that would have sent many people completely insane she's a survivor who made it through. She isn't like a lot of the Psy we've met before, she never managed to achieve Silence so she's much warmer than I expected. I'm not going to say much about her abilities but she's always believed they are a curse and that she's evil but working alongside the empaths and the Arrows she starts to realise that she is capable of more than she ever imagined.

These two have a lot going against them, the least of which is that her captor is hunting her determined to get her back under his control, but they both know what they want and they're willing to fight for it. One of the things I love most about Nalini Singh's stories is that she never manufactures unnecessary dramas, instead she focuses on creating well rounded characters with believable motivations. It is always so easy to love her characters and even the side characters who have never been in the spotlight feel like old friends.

It goes without saying that her world building is phenomenal too, the Psy-Changeling world is so full of depth that it's hard to believe it isn't a real place. I love the way the balance has been changing between the changelings, humans and psy since the fall of silence and that the different groups are starting to realise how much they all need each other. Things was always much easier amongst the changelings and humans but the psy are now learning so much more about themselves and the others.

As well as being a fabulous romance Wolf Rain really moves the overarching plot forward too and I can't wait to see where the story takes us next. Nalini Singh's books just never disappoint!
_______________________

I HAVE AN ARC!!!!!!!



Thank you to Penguin's First to Read program! I am so bloody excited

3,202 reviews386 followers
September 5, 2024
I’ve missed the wolves of SnowDancer. They, and DarkRiver, will always have the most special place in my changeling-loving heart, simply because they were the first. I’ll never get over their unique personalities, their love and care, or the vastness of their packs. They are large packs, but still family. You can feel it in all their interactions, and it’s like coming home for me.

Fair warning. Spoilers abound for any and all of the previous books in the series. Just trust me and go start at the beginning with Slave to Sensation. Even if you don’t love every book as you go along (and there are eighteen now), the world building alone is worth continuing this series. One of my favorites things about this series is the inclusiveness, and it's something I've only briefly touched on before.

The characters are wildly diverse and unique, to the point where it feels celebrated. The characters come from so many different cultures and have varied customs, making the world feel every bit as interesting as it is. The subtle and strong underlying theme of differences being not only accepted but being necessary for survival in the world is refreshing. If I could ask for one thing, it would be more LGBT inclusion. I recall a couple of side characters shown as gay earlier in the series. Silver Silence added a couple more that we actually got some page time with. I'd just love to see more.

That wish aside...when I re-read every year, the romances get me right in the heart. This ever-expanding cast of characters and how well they love each other continues to capture my heart and mind.

I have my favorites in the series, I think everyone does, and when they show up again for more screen time in the newest book it always makes me grin. Wolf Rain gave me plenty of reason for smiles. Being back in California, with SnowDancer ensures that we’re going to meet with plenty of previous heroes and heroines. I loved seeing Lucas, Sasha, Hawke, Mercy, Kaleb, and so many others. It was a nice moment when we got to see their lives happily continuing on, even when some of them aren't mentioned by name.

As usual, at least for me, the main couple took center stage. I immediately fell in love with Memory. She’s a fascinating and strong heroine that I couldn’t get enough of. I loved that even though we were in her heart and head a good portion of the time, we began to understand her at the same rate Alexei did. She doubted her own self enough, in the beginning, that she was a bit of an unreliable narrator. I think it’s easy to know – because this is Nalini Singh, after all – that she was a “good” person. There is good reason for her to think that her Psy talent is more a curse, and that just made this so much more interesting.

Alexei, we’ve met before, but I loved seeing deeper into his soul and heart. He’s got this huge heart that only wants to protect everyone, even from himself. I loved his playful side, and his courting. Seeing the wolves court their mates is one of my favorite things.

It was easy to see why they fell in love with each other. Their interactions with each other are incredibly sigh-worthy.

I really appreciated that despite the fact that they both had legitimate concerns about how they may harm someone they love, they worked through it together. It didn’t stop them from talking about it. Nor did it keep them apart. There was no manufactured drama here. Even when fighting their own feelings, they both understood what they had with each other and fought for that.

This book combined all of my favorite elements – the “original” changelings, Psy and Changeling falling in love, favorite characters come back for more screen-time, and some very real pressing and imperative obstacles and concerns.

As always, I can’t wait for the next Nalini Singh book. I think I’ll go re-read all 18 books (and the many short stories and bonus stories) in this series in the meantime.

More on The Alliterates

Initial thoughts: Love heading back to SnowDancer. Love Alexei. Especially love Memory.

Definitely (even more) in the mood for a series re-read now.
Profile Image for Mara.
1,824 reviews4,186 followers
January 18, 2022
4.5 Stars -- This is what I'm talking about! A return to form, this is easily the best Psy-Changeling book we've had in the Trinity arc so far. Don't get me wrong-- I never have a bad time in these books. The last few, however, have felt a little bit like the chess board was getting reset & I felt that the micro-plots of the individual books (meaning the specific romances/plots of the last 3 books) suffered for it a bit. Not this one. This delivers on an awesome microplot with Alexei and Memory (who has had Memory imprisoned & why? will Alexei's heritage overwhelm him? what kind of sub-designation is Memory?) as well as starting to really pay off on the bigger macro plots that have been in motion (how long can the PsyNet hold up without human biofeedback? who are the anarchists & what do they want?).

All around, one of my fav installments in this series & a reminder that Nalini Singh is a goddess queen who delivers the goods

UPDATE: Still stand by the 4.5 rating - such a good installment in the series!!
Profile Image for Robin (Bridge Four).
1,786 reviews1,594 followers
May 12, 2021
Sale Alert: Kindle deal May 19 $1.99

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart

Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

Wolf Rain is both the 3rd book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity and the 18th book in the Psy-Changling story. Every story follows one couple on their journey to love while building on a bigger story arc overall.  You could probably read one without reading others but there would be a lot of world building and backstory that wouldn’t be as engaging if you started with this book.  That said you could definitely start with Silver Silence, book one of the Psy-Changeling Trinity and have everything you need, but the series is a lot of fun and so starting at the very beginning with Slave to Sensation shouldn’t be a hardship.

I loved that we are back with the Snowdancer pack in this.  The wolves are always a lot of fun and I love how the pack lives together.  Alexi, is part of Snowdancers pack but he has kept himself on the outside since his brother went Rogue and had to be put down.  He has felt the pain of that everyday since it happened and no one has been able to pull him back.

Memory has been kept as a captive since she was eight.  The only things she has known of the outside word are what she has seen on tv shows.  Her gift is one we haven’t really explored before, she is an empath but she is something more.  Her gift understands that monsters are in the Psy-net; it has been used to cause harm all of her life and so Memory sees it as a curse, but what if it could be more, much much more.  

Alexi might have saved Memory from the prison she was held in for over a decade, but maybe she can also save him right back from the demons that haunt him from his past and the fear that just like his brother he will one day go rogue and kill those he once loved.  Their journey to love, acceptance mixed with a little revenge was really wonderful and Nalini Singh at her best.

There are some other troubles going on in the background.  The Psy-net is failing as it needs something more than just the Psy to hold it together and the humans and changelings are not not forming emotional ties to the Psy quickly enough.  There are also sleepers in the psy, people whose silence really saved from accidentally killing others and now one’s power has been awoken and the Pack and Arrows must find out who it is before they kill more people.

It was so great to get cameos from some of my favorite Wolves, Leopards and Arrows.  Seeing Sasha and her kid was so adorable that I almost couldn’t contain my happiness at seeing how the toddler is doing.  Wolfe, Kaleb and Tammy also play small parts in the story and it was like being home again to see them all.

Psy-Changling remains one of my favorite PNR series ever.  I love how each story evolves the series and I never get bored with any of it.  Another wonderful book in this world with two characters I’m glad found a way to each other.

Narration:
Angela Dawe has been the narrator of all of the Psy-Changling books.  She is the voice I expect and the one I hear in my head even if I read them on my own.  She captures the voice of the story and her narration is always very good and really evokes the emotion of the story.  Wolf Rain is no exception and it too is performed very well by Angela Dawe.

Listen to a clip:  HERE

 
Profile Image for Mindy Lou's Book Review.
2,834 reviews748 followers
February 16, 2020
Loved! This is one of my favorites in the series. It started out strong, stayed strong and ended strong. I practically devoured this book. I'm really loving how we learn in each book how everyone, Psy, Changling and Human, are imperative to each other to function. It has truly been exciting to learn new pieces to the puzzle. I also love how a character starts out thinking they are either useless, wrong or not capable and end up finding out they have a unique gift that will save others. I can't wait for the next book. I need to learn more!
Profile Image for Beth.
3,135 reviews288 followers
June 3, 2019
Can anyone ever have enough of Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling world. Well now that she is three books into the Psy-Changeling Trinity world, we don’t have to worry about it.

In this installment, the Snowdancer Lieutenant Alexei is coming up on the 1 year anniversary of his brother’s death. He has been functioning as a shell of himself since the loss.

Deciding to take a run into the deep wilderness by himself sounds like the perfect way to avoid more contact with his packmates. While running Alexei is almost brought down by overwhelming grief. He quickly discovers that it is not his own and searchers for the source. Alexei finds a hidden Psy bunker. Breaking into the bunker he finds a Psy-E being held prisoner in the bunker and rescues her.

Memory has been held prisoner by an insane psychopath teleporter / telekinetic since she was 7 years old. Now a grow woman she is faced with a new world outside the bunker. After all she has been through, she is still courageous and strong and quite possibly a top contender in my favorite character list from this series.

Immediate attraction is felt by both Memory and Alexei, but Alexei tries to hold himself back from the precocious Psy. But that is challenge Memory is up for even recovering from her years of confinement, she isn’t going to miss another day of living.

There should be no surprise that I LOVED THIS BOOK. If you haven’t read Nalini Singh, YOU. ARE. MISSING. OUT!

Magical romances, fantastic fantasy, amazing paranormal aspects, what more can a reader ask for.

I received this ARC copy of Wolf Rain from Berkley Publishing Group. This is my honest and voluntary review. Wolf Rain is set for publication June 4, 2019.

My Rating: 5 stars
Written by: Nalini Singh
Series: Psy-Changeling Trinity (Book 3)
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: June 4, 2019
ISBN-10: 198480359X
ISBN-13: 978-1984803597
Genre: scifi | romance

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Wolf-Psy-Chang...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wolf...
Itunes: https://books.apple.com/mt/book/wolf-...

214 reviews24 followers
June 8, 2019
8th June 2019:
4.5 Stars
Full review to come :)

27th November 2018:
Yay, it’s been confirmed. This next book will feature Snow Dancer’s very own Lieutenant, Alexei.

Have a look at Nalini’s newsletter to see an excerpt from her working draft featuring Alexai... and from the sounds of it, the main female Psy will be named Memory. I can’t wait until June 😝🙌🏽

And I cannot wait to hopefully catch up with the characters we all know and love. I feel like the Psy-Changeling-Trinity “season 2” so far, hasn’t been as impactful. So I really hope this book changes all of that.

I remember how the third book featuring Judd and Brenna just somehow changed everything for me in this series. And I’m hoping that somehow Wolf Rain will bring that spark back. Well, here’s to hoping 😊


19th October 2018:
I cannot wait to read this!! :)
Nalini is one of my favourite pnr/ urban fantasy authors, and this series is one of my all time favourites! So, I KNOW this book will be amazing!
Profile Image for Angela (Angel's Book Nook).
1,634 reviews924 followers
September 19, 2019
Wolf Rain is book three in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series by Nalini Singh.

Singh never disappoints!

In Wolf Rain we go back to the SnowDancer pack.

Alexei is a lieutenant in the SnowDancer pack. I recognized him, but it took some memory jogging to fully pick out who he is. He used to be fun loving and outgoing, but with a tragedy in his past he’s become more recluse and not as easy going. It was intestine learning more about Alexi and seeing his struggle. Even with the pretty boy looks he’s a fighter. He wouldn’t be a lieutenant otherwise. I liked how he tried to give Memory her space and time for her to figure out who she is. He’s also got a sweet side that only the cubs and Memory see. It was touching seeing him evolve and resolve the past trauma with Memory by his side.

Memory is an E-Psy who’s been kept prisoner since childhood by another Psy. This other Psy has used Memory’s unique abilities to make himself a better murder. She’s a fighter. The emotional, mentally, and physically abuse she goes through is tough, but through it all she never gave up hope. I adored that she took the time to become her own person. I also found her unique ability interesting. Who knows, maybe it’s the key to preventing the PsyNet from collapsing.

As usual Singh combines a verity of elements regarding the Psy and shattering of Silence as well as a sensual and emotionally rich romance. I just adore this world and can’t wait to see where things go from here.

Narration: Angela Dawe has a great range of voices and accents. I could distinguish each character. The other thing I love about the audio is that the emotional struggles our characters face come across in such a real way that I became engrossed and couldn’t stop listening. I absolutely loved the audio.

Rated: 5 Stars

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Profile Image for Hayley ☾ (TheVillainousReader).
419 reviews1,503 followers
March 7, 2020
4.5 S T A R S

When I read the blurb for this book, and was still liek 5 books way, I got SO EXCITED. I am so happy to say that this did not disappoint and my PC binge session was totally worth it. Also, this further confirms my opinion that someone possessed Nalini while she wrote Ocean Light, because this was ekkkkk so great.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. I wish I had the physical copy so I could go back and read all my favorite parts. As I've said before, the individual Psy-Changeling books can be really hit or miss for me. Some I love, love LOVE and some I h a t e *ahem Ocean Light*, but what keeps me coming back is the engaging overarching plot, wild array of fun characters and the message of found family. I so love how past character, and their development, are woven throughout the new characters' stories.

I absolutely adored Alexei and Memory and was so, so happy to be back in the SnowDancer pack, and around some of my most favoritest characters (strangely enough, all my favorites minus two are wolves). I really loved the new plot points Nalini introduced throughout Wolf Rain and I cannot wait to see how this series progresses. So much has changed since the first book and I have no idea how this will end!

Alexei was sexy and broody, without coming off as a dick and OTT and I loved Memory's fiery side. Not gonna lie, I was a little nervous she was going to be a doormat but she was awesome. Their romance was so so cute, and I loved that Nalini took the time to write them going on little dates and such in between all the action (seriously, what the f--- happened in Ocean Light). I loved how Nalini expanded on the world and Psy designations in this one, her creativity is never ending and I can only imagine all the cool powers she's cooking up in the brain of hers.

The plot in this one was really interesting and I can see how Nalini is building a solid foundation for this "second season", and ya girl is readyyyyy.

This was a delight and I will 100% be buying a physical copy to re-read again, and again. Alexei has earned his place as a favorite PC boyfriend, right alongside Judd, Riley, Riaz, Kaleb, Valentine and Vasic.

I can't believe I've officially read all the published books in this series. GO ME!
Profile Image for Grecia Robles.
1,630 reviews425 followers
July 14, 2019
Este libro es el número 18 de la serie Psy/Cambiantes y trae como protagonista a Alexei un cambiante lobo teniente de la manada de los SnowDancer,  personaje secundario de libros anteriores
Y Memory una Psy-E con una designación nueva de la que se sabe poco ella en lugar de ser luz como todos los Psy-E es oscuridad.

El poder de ella atrae a los psicópatas es por eso que ha sido secuestrada desde que tenía 8 años y Alexei en una de sus exploraciones la encuentra y la rescata.

El libro en sí me gustó mucho más que el anterior y sobre todo porque siento que sigue la línea de los primeros libros.
La pareja protagonista también me gustó tanto juntos como por separado.
La historia tal vez no me llegó del todo pero puede ser por causas externas y no tanto por el libro.

Lo que si es que nadie NADIE le llegue a mi hombre KALEB 😍😍😍 LO AMOOOOO❤❤❤ Hace que quiera seguir la serie siempre quiero más de él  y cada vez que sale me alegra la vida 💕💕💕

Es todo oscuro, peligroso, poderoso, Sexy y MIO MIO 💕🔥😍❤

Sus capítulos fueron mis favoritos aunque si lo sentí un poco desperdiciado pero tiene sentido porque si hubiera intervenido se acaba el libro.

Para mi es un libro 3.5 estrellas pero solo por Kaleb y que tenía mucho que no me emocionaba tanto con un personaje le daré 4.

Ya sé que no es libro de Kaleb y escribí más de él que de los protas pero pues déjenme ser
Profile Image for Ira.
1,112 reviews119 followers
June 13, 2019
Memory and Alexei story was fab!

But you know why I gave this book a solid five stars?
Because we meet Judd, Hawke, Lucas and my one and only Kaleb again here! ❤️
Yes, they’re all, in this book!

What’s not to love? 😘

❤️❤️❤️
Profile Image for ♥Rachel♥.
2,085 reviews898 followers
June 6, 2019
4.5 Stars

I think the description is a little misleading, because it features the side story a little too prominently, because this story is mainly about Memory, a woman who was held captive, and Alexei the Changeling Wolf who found and rescued her.

Memory, an E (empath) Psy, was a remarkable woman, who despite her long captivity retained her spirit and strength. When Alexei finds Memory he’s enraged at the man who’s held her captive, but delighted to find Memory hasn’t been broken by the experience. She’s as fierce and furious as a lioness, and Alexei finds himself magnetically drawn to this amazing woman. Alexei is determined, along with his Pack, to find and punish this man, before he hurts anyone else.

While Memory recovers and learns to strengthen her shields there’s an irresistible attraction brewing between her and Alexei. It’s intense, sexy, and fun! I love that Nalini Singh tempers some of the horrific parts of the story with humor. Alexei was a complete sweetheart! He may be a growly, protective wolf, but he was charming and not above using naughty, playful nips as a distraction. There’s a lot of fun sparring between these two. While each have their sad histories, both were determined to keep the other out any dark funk that threatened to swallow them up.

As I said, there’s another story, part of the continuing arc in the Trinity spinoff. First, the Psy Net has been slowly collapsing because of “Silence” the way of life which has now, thankfully, fallen. “Silence” the term the Psy used for living a life without emotions, and by doing that they excluded parts they didn’t know kept the Net healthy. The Net doesn’t have long unless they find some solutions. While the fall of Silence is a good thing, there have been some repercussions. One of the repercussions plays a prominent part in this installment, and Memory ends up being a big factor as all these stories tie in together. I was amazed to find out Memory’s abilities. Nalini Singh’s creative mind never fails to impress me, with the addition of Memory in the whole equation and this wonderful fantasy world!

I’m fairly new to the Psy-Changeling series. In fact, before picking up the first Psy-Changeling Trinity book, which is said to be considered “season two” of the Psy-Changeling series, I had only read the first book in the Psy-Changeling series. I mention this so you don’t let the number of books in the previous series keep you from picking up Wolf Rain. In fact, I think you could read Wolf Rain without reading any of the other books and still enjoy it, but I do think you’d get more if you read at least a few of the previous books.

Wolf Rain was an addictive, sexy adventure, and I’m glad I set aside time to read chunks at a time. It’s really not the kind of book you want to read in bits and pieces. I can’t wait for the next one!

A copy was kindly provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Lena.
1,191 reviews324 followers
June 11, 2019
I almost DNF’d.

The insta-luv was saccharine and filled with condescension. I came to hate the word ‘lioness.’

And how could Singh equate Alexei, sixth or seventh in Snow Dancer, with Aden, leader of the Arrows?!?! Bullshit.

And how could she yada yada Laura’s delivery?!?!

But I pressed on, fast forwarding the romance, to enjoy the greater story. I’m particularly excited that Pax is being brought up more. Fascinating guy.

Still a worthy series, but she’s getting lazy on the relationship end.

*audible note: Bad narrator. Hawk sounded like he had emphysema, Laura sounded like a muppet, and everyone else sounded the same. Terrible performance.
Profile Image for Lila.
884 reviews9 followers
June 10, 2019


description


-Ok, guys, Wolf Rain is back to basics Psy Changeling book.
I don't say that just because we are dealing with original snarling changeling pack. It's also because the story starts rather smaller in scale, but some events that perspired have consequences on the whole system Trinity established. Nice change from world-in-question themes we tackled in previous novels.
-It's not the first time book is dealing with a heroine who was imprisoned for a long time by a psycopath (Santano Enrique) and suffer from trauma that caused, but I really liked how Nalini made Memory really live up to the nickname Alexei gave her- the lioness. Basically, the only time we see her helpless is at the beginning when Lexie breaks her out, and for the rest of the novel she is giving her best never to be in helpless position again. I loved how her story ended.
-It's a straight forward romance, without some major hiccups, beside Alexei being brooding idiot, but I enjoyed the simplicity since a lot of other things were happening. Also, I appreciate we got detailed explanation of skin privileges in question because the concept interests me. For scientific reasons.
-I wondered what happened with Psy who didn't abandoned Silence as a style of life with Coalition declaration despite the fact it's proven it's bad for them and I got my answer. Silence protocol was definitely a solution created to fix some problems and in turn it created other. I like seeing that newly established system with empaths is still work in progress for all important players.
-Hawke appeared in few scenes, made me reread his book because he is... so intense and hot and the best.
-Also, I haven't been as excited about a particular tortured Psy as I am after this book for a long time. I want to know more.
-Ok, I'll be the one to say it, but... I didn't really dig the name Memory, despite the story behind it. It seems dramatic and screams "I am a character in a fantasy book!".
-Because Lexie just had to have his own stupid Man Pain moment and keep away from Memory for her own safety, Nalini is exploring the concept of rogue changelings. This could have been great, especially with genetic predisposition, but the vagueness of what are the markers left me a bit unsatisfied at the end.
-When it comes to changelings, I really hope to see WindHaven next. I have so many feather references to use, and it's logical next stepwith Lexie being a proven wolf chicken. Right?

4 star read. All in all, old school Nalini, old school Psy-Changeling book.
Just how I came to love them. :)

Thank you to Nalini Singh for providing me with a free copy of book. I'm grateful for the opportunity to read it and it doesn't affect my opinion at all.

***************************************

Nalini shared an excerpt and...

"His currently habitually grumpy wolf nudged at Alexei to walk over there and investigate further."

THIS. EXACTLY THIS.
IT'S BASICALLY WHAT I WANTED.

******************************************

Oh, a grumpy wolf!

Can't wait to read some tips from Wild Woman magazine about that. :P
Profile Image for Aly is so frigging bored.
1,666 reviews270 followers
April 3, 2020
I feel like I'm repeating myself, but I'm never disappointed by one of Nalini's stories. It was totally worth the wait and now, I have to wait even more for the next book. It's all a vicious circle *grins*

We've met Alexei books ago(I want to say in Hawke's book, but I don't remember for sure, yes i need to re-read them all, don't judge me!), but the Alexei we knew is now a bit broken. Memory is a new character who's been through a lot! Both of them are learning to relay on and to trust the other person.

I loved the whole plot of the book and the way Nalini moved the action further. At the same time stuff is getting REAL! When they find new solutions it seems that more problems are developing. I can't wait to see how Nalini will resolve everything!

In this book we caught up a bit with the SnowDancers, with Kaleb and Sahara(love yo both soooo much!), with Sasha and Lucas and with the Arrows. I don't even know who I want more of, and who I want a book for. I know that I just want more!
Profile Image for Aisling Zena.
634 reviews508 followers
August 6, 2019
13/2/19

So there is an Advance Excerpt from WOLF RAIN in Nalini's newsletter. She has kindly asked for us not to copy-paste it everywhere. And I'm not taking any chances and getting banned, so this is a link to the newsletter https://madmimi.com/s/28cf8d but if you are a fan really do subscribe as she regularly posts excerpts from all her new books.

On a side note I wasn't sure about reading this one but following the excerpt I'm definitely trying it out.

description
Profile Image for Mikky.
870 reviews232 followers
September 2, 2019
Originally posted at:


I adore the world this author has created and that's coming from someone who has only read two books in the series. I can't help but imagine how much better these books could get if I started from the beginning!

Due to the fact that I don't know many characters in past stories, I found the different point of views annoying at times. They didn't mean anything to me and they only took me away from the story I was actually invested in.

Memory was a fighter. She was in a horrible circumstance when pure luck pulled her out. She develops into a loyal, smart and sassy heroine who doesn't take crap from anyone regardless of who they are. I admire that she took the time to become her own person before making things official with Alexei due to the circumstances.

Alexei knows he's a brute and that he has a fierce reputation in his pack. I loved how he tried his best to give Memory her space and time for her to figure out who she was. He has a sweet side that only the cubs and Memory sees. It was amazing to also see him evolve and resolve some of his past trauma with Memory by his side.

The ending kind of went over my head a little because I don't know that characters past story and motivation. It'll be interesting to see how that will all configure into a future storyline. I love how intricate the world and the books (that I've read are). I will probably continue to skip around in this series for future releases.

The Audio Book:

The audio book was great and very relaxing! The narrator has a nice range of accents and both male and female voices. I'd listen to other books narrated by Angela Dawe!
Profile Image for Brie.
398 reviews98 followers
June 8, 2019
This is by far the strongest book in the new spinoff/story arc but it's still just okay. I'm amused that after all the fanfare announcing the Trinity books that were supposed to expand on the world and introduce new people, it only took 3 books to go back to familiar territory even though this book could have taken place anywhere else. I'm also pretty tired of e-psy heroines and it would be nice to see an e hero, but heroes whose strength isn't physical is not a thing in a series that so strongly adheres to traditional ideas of masculinity and male heroism. This book also introduces the new Kaleb character, which made me roll my eyes but I would also be lying if I said that I'm not intrigued. And speaking of Kaleb, he is in this book and he does threaten genocide if something happens to Sahara, so, you know, LOL.
Profile Image for Kate.
2,207 reviews341 followers
June 13, 2020
Bumped up from 3 Stars to 4 Wolfy Chicken & Lioness Stars.

While doing a reread of this awesome series, I completely forgot this book even existed. It was just so unmemorable. Reading it for a second time I just don't know why I found it to be this way.

There isn't a lot I can really add to all the other reviews apart from that this is one of my favourite series which I have mentioned on numerous occasions.

Memory's designation is interesting to say the least. I hope there are more like her out there.
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