Love this book == bear shifters are AWESOME!! Interactions between Silver and Val are so good.. fell in love with them!. Nalini Singh has done it again. HIGHLY recommend this book.

Spellbinding…

I can’t tell you how much I LOVED the Psy-Changeling series. I could but it would take pages and pages and the fangirling would have lots of hearts and flowers and over the top gushing. I need to save some for its new spin-off series! You know how spin-offs or ‘next generation’ stories may feel shadowed by their predecessors? That is NOT happening here. Oh no. Silver and Valentin and their family and friends, have carved their own space – in my heart, my kindle and my book shelf!

This story had everything and I do mean everything. Delicious, hot, hot romance. Paranormal elements of all kinds. Murderous mysteries. Racial tension. Family issues. I write that and I can’t help but laugh – such innocent, tiny words for conflicts that could break countries apart.

Silver is cool under pressure and in control of her emotions at all times. She does not feel, she won’t let herself. That control is threatened by Valentin – a bear shifter, an alpha, in control of his family and his emotions but in an entirely, irreverent way. He sees in her what she doesn’t see in herself. Yet…

“You make me better,” was his deep, rumbling response.
“Valyusha.” He made her better, too. So much better. “I can’t lose this.”

Apart, these two are forces of nature who others needs ahead of their own. Could two people be any more different? On the surface maybe not, but they bring out even more of the good in the other. Valentin is dogged in his pursuit of Silver. He is pushy and funny, refusing to believe that the feelings he has for her are not welcome, are not shared. Silver’s warmth shines through a cold façade that is anything but soulless. Together, oh together they spread warmth and love in a way that melted me…

This story is twice the length of a standard book and it was not nearly long enough. I didn’t want to put it down, even when it was over. I’m going to savour this story again and again as I wait impatiently for the next…

Five (+++++) stars!

-Diane, 5 stars

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Kelly
NUMBER OF HEARTS: 5++
Bears!!!
We finally get to jump into the world of Bear Changelings and it was AMAZING!!! If you have read the Psy-Changeling series you will know that the Bears were alluded to in prior books. But we didn’t know much about them! Well that all changed with this book. Because BEARS!!!!
Alpha Nikolaev is amazing! He carries the weight of his clan on his shoulders and some very deep scars in his heart. But that doesn’t stop him from being the best Bear Alpha that there can possible be. The Bears are a rowdy group that love to have fun and love each other deeply.
Silver Mercant we have seen a lot in prior books. She is an ice queen or that is what she wants us to think. It becomes clear very early one that Silver likes the attention from a certain Alpha Bear. She has no plans to act on this until her life is threatened and she is whisked away to Denhome for her safe keeping :).
This is the beginning of a wonderful cat and mouse (or Bear and Psy) game.
OMG!!! Seriously, does it get any better than a Nalini Singh book? I think not. I love and adore the world that Ms. Singh has created for us. Add to that amazing story telling the amazingly talented Angela Dawe and you have perfection!! Ms. Dawe does an amazing job of bringing Ms. Singh’s characters to the next level for me. Plus she has to say all the hard words or Russian words that if I had read them I would have just glossed over them. :) So thank you Ms. Dawe for being so awesome!! I am so excited already for the next installment in this new chapter of the Psy-Changeling world.


Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Berkley Publishing Group and an audiobook copy from Tantor Audio in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4.5 Stars

This book was beary beary awesome!

As the first book in the next arc of the Psy- Changeling world I was super excited. Plus Bears! A changeling I haven't see before.

Silver Mercant is the head of EmNet, the worldwide emergency response network and assistant to one of the most powerful Psy on the planet. She has her hands full. She does not need a changeling bear trying to barge into her life. She is also Silent by choice. Valentin Nikolaev is the Alpha of the Stonewater bears. He is fascinated by Silver, both by her skills and the potential lurking around her Silence. When someone tries to kill Silver, Valentin saves her life and brings her back to denhome while the offender is located. As Silver starts to see Valentin and realize that maybe she does need the bear in her life, her Silence starts to fracture bringing with it deadly consequences.

I adored this book. Silver has been an important secondary character for most of the books, so it was awesome to get her story. I really really enjoyed her family and Arwen and her grandmother.

The bears were so cool. I love the cats and the wolves but bears are different which was great. I liked Valentin's sisters, who I want to spend more time with and his seconds. The bears are like the other changelings but so chill and fun and party. I adored them.

The best part of this book was the romance. The first part was good but the second part was awesome. I adored it. <3 <3 <3

Awesome book love the new direction series is taking. Love the description for baby bears -small bears.

Reviewed by: E, Has, Lou, Marlene
1. Thoughts on the Hero

E: Valentin, might have become my favorite bear shifter. He is grumpy, possessive, caring, growly, generous, patient, mischievous, protective, and so wonderful to get to know. I really liked how he could be a cub at heart but at the same time keep people in line and give them so many chances to succeed. I felt for him as he struggled with internal pack issues and marveled at his patience and caring as he tried to bring disparate elements together. I also admired how he kept using different tactics to provoke Silver. Watching him stand toe to toe with both Kaleb and The Mercant herself was a great reminder that it isn’t only the Psy who have power but the changelings are in fact equal regardless of their species. I honestly wouldn’t mind having a Teddy Bear of my own.

Lou: Oh Valentin, you big teddy bear. You and your clan stole my heart and have refused to let go. When I first read the sneak peak of Silver Silence in Nalini’s newsletter I was so excited that we were getting bear shifters. Valentin has become one of my favourite shifters in the series (I have many heh. Hawke still holds first place) and his commitment and never-ending love he shows for his whole clan and Silver showcases how much of a strong leader Valentin is with his big ole squishy heart. How he teased Silver from the first page had me falling in love with him instantly.

Marlene: Mr. I Am A Teddybear is the kind of hero that makes a girl long for cold winter nights because they are better snuggling weather. But he was also the consummate Alpha, and it’s a combination that works incredibly well for this story. He’s so able to show that being strong does not mean being unemotional, and that caring does not mean weak. He also showed that there can be a playful side to being Alpha, something that Lucas has always had a difficult time with. And like my friend E., I loved the reminder that the Changelings are every bit as powerful as the Psy. Differently powerful, but equal.

Has: I am also in the fan club for Mr Teddy Bear. I looooved Valentin who was sweet, patient but also alpha to the bone with how protective towards his clan, and most especially to Silver who had to face a tough ordeal. I really enjoyed their interactions and how he used humour and his wits to get past her defences and I adored how boisterous and energetic the bear clan were, which added a different dynamic to what we’ve seen in other Changelings packs. Although I am very partial to wolf shifters, I do have to say that the bears may actually overtake them and Valentin was a wonderful hero.
2. Thoughts on the Heroine

E: I have been fascinated by Silver Mercant for several books now as her character has grown from an efficient assistant to someone whose family has decided Kaleb is one of theirs, to a person brought in to help with a large crisis, to running the global crisis reaction center and coordinating all initial efforts. Silver moved from a member of a family who wielded power from behind the scenes to front and center, the face of interracial coordination and cooperation and thus equal parts threat and target to those who wanted the world to remain destabilized. She was so complex and it was easy to see how she earned all of her positions. I absolutely loved her! Her mental voice and hidden personality were perfectly snarky as was her caring for those who her inaction could hurt. Seeing her fall prey to the bears open affection was very touching as were their attempts to cater to her Psyness. At the moment I am putting her up to the same level with Sasha even as she displays her strength and resilience in extremely different ways.

Marlene: Silver is a fascinating heroine. She’s so strong, and so focused, and yet, so vulnerable. It was also important to see that there were real reasons for Silence that were not necessarily evil. At the same time, one of the things that I liked about Silver and her family was seeing that Silence didn’t kill either loyalty or love. Her relationship with her grandmother was marvelously nuanced in that regard. Just because the words weren’t said, never meant that the feelings weren’t there.

Lou: I’ve always been intrigued by Silver. Before Kaleb’s story I always wondered if she might end up as his love interest (boss/secretary trope!), but I was so wrong. The two of them would never have worked and Silver was perfect for Valentin. I really liked Silver, but I didn’t love her as much as Valentin. Sorry! I’m always a little slower in warming up to some of the psy characters as they always seem similar because of the Silence protocol.

Has: I have been looking forward to Silver’s book because she was an intriguing character in the previous books. I loved how we got a deeper insight into her character and her family which brought interesting facets into the story. I loved her sense of self and despite being aloof at the beginning, I really enjoyed how Valentin coaxed her true personality out which was fun and entertaining to see enfold in the plot.
3. Favorite Scene

E: I have so many scenes I went back and reread out of sheer delight but I think I am going to pick two which have some serious impact but aren’t, I hope, spoilery ones. The first is a little over a third of the way into the story during a conversation between Silver and Valentin as they discuss a rather public reaction to their interaction. She says she isn’t like some of the the other powerful Psy who broke Silence and became mates with Changelings. Valentin agrees and says “You’re Silver Fucking Mercant, a woman who makes her own rules.” This one line more than anything I think really encapsulated who Silver is and what she is capable of doing. It is a line worth remembering. The second is about 80 percent in and let me just say – you should read the little quotes Singh adds in her chapter headings because a detail leaped out at me and provided me a bit more insight into Bo, leader of the Human Alliance. I am very curious to see where or if it goes anywhere.

Marlene: Pretty much every single time that Valentin referred to Silver as “Silver Fucking Merchant” because it said so much, not just about how he saw her, but also how she came to see herself. When she finally adopts that moniker for herself at the end, it was definitely a “stand up and cheer” moment.

Lou: My favourite scenes (can’t choose one. Sorry.) are when Valentin and Silver interact lol. The two of them together were so funny with Silver’s dry wit and Valentin’s funny bluntness. I loved seeing the other bear changelings and I want more of them please!!!! Especially Arwen (Silver’s brother) and Pavel <3.

Has: Again like the others have said there are too many to count, but I do love the scenes between Valentin and Silver. They were magic together and the tension and the wit and humour they created in the book was entertaining and fantastic. I can’t gush enough about their chemistry together which was the highlight in the book.
4. Dislike about book

E: I really don’t have anything I disliked. I needed tissues in a few scenes and I NEED to know how some other things end up being resolved but those aren’t anything I dislike, I just want the next one now. *grin*

Marlene: For me there were one too many anonymous human evil bastards. Their methods and motives were closely enough aligned that it was hard for me to tell them apart, especially without names. One anonymous evil human bastard per story is probably enough.

Lou: I agree with Marlene. The bad guys felt too anonymous.

Has: I also agree about the bad guys being too anonymous, although I did enjoy the story arc about the new threat against the Trinity Accord.
5. Any other misc. thoughts along with grade

E: I really loved discovering how the Mercant family is so distinctly different from the other Psy families in the first arc but at the same time I could see similarities to the Nightstar family group and I am now wondering about the inner workings of over powerful Psy family groups. Watching the StoneWater Bears demonstrate their linkages and connections outside what was formerly seen as a rather insular group gave me continued hope for the future. I also have high hopes for a secondary romance thread between a certain Bear and/or a certain Mercant. I have also solidified my guess as to who I think is the leader of the Consortium now I am waiting to see if I have read the clues accurately.

Singh’s start to the Trinity arc was absolutely wonderful. I was afraid when she shared this it was going to focus on other characters outside of the ones whose lives I have followed for so long that I would feel the hole but I was so quickly immersed in this story I forgot about that worry until I was discussing the story after I finished devouring it for the second time. The characters are equally as strong and vivid while being their own distinct personalities and having their individual struggles I really got the sense of Singh taking the question “Now what?” and crafting an extremely solid detailed answer. I am completely on board for the journey and I look forward to seeing where it goes.

I give Silver Silence an A+

Marlene: I also have high hopes for that secondary romance on multiple axes. I would love to see that one happen for a number of reasons, even though I had a WTF moment every time I saw the name Arwen as a male name and not female (Too much LOTR influence)

I loved the way that so much of this story dealt with family. Valentin’s relationship with and love of his Bear Clan felt different than Lucas and his wolves, partly because bears and partly because Valentin is Alpha in a different way from Lucas, in spite of their similarities. Like E., I also liked that peek into the Mercant family dynamics, which do resemble Nightstar and also reminded me way more of the Changelings than some of the wacko Psy we’ve seen.

But I’ll admit that I have no clue who the head of the Consortium is, and the multiple anonymous evil human bastards did not work for me.

I did a full review of Silver Silence over at Reading Reality and gave it a B+/A, and I’m sticking with that.

Lou: Reading this book gave me both joy and sadness. Joy that this series has a new direction and arc with so many new characters to fall in love with for hopefully many more years to come. I mention sadness because I’m so sad in saying goodbye to the previous characters we adore and love. While I’m sure we’ll see sneak peeks of them in future, it feels like an end of an era with the previous story arc finished and dusted. However, I cannot wait to see what Nalini brings in future installments. Silver Silence’s romance was romantic, sexy, passionate, but it’s also a book that strongly brings home the point about family and unity. Nalini Singh is an amazing writer and now the wait begins until the next book heh.

I give Silver Silence a B+

Has: Silver Silence was an amazing and highly enjoyable installment in this new arc in the Psy Changeling series. The romance between Silver and Valentin was just fantastic and I adored their banter and sizzling chemistry which leapt out from the pages. I also loved the new bear clan which had a different element in the series and they were a humorous, colourful and wonderful introduction to the series. I can’t wait to see more of them in future books. I also adore the secondary gay romance which was subtle in the background and I hope we get to see a novella or even a book with those characters in the future.

Overall Silver Silence is a brilliant entry in this long running series, but Nalini Singh has added more intrigue, new memorable characters and her magical touch of a hot and heartwarming romance which has kept this series vibrant. I can’t wait for the next book!

I give Silver Silence an A-

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
This book builds on the world that Nalini Singh created with her epic Psy-Changeling series and expands it beautifully.

I had wondered how the three sectors of the population – humans, changelings, and Psy – would co-exist after the corruption of the Psy was exposed and the Psy-net stabilized, and this book shows the after effects – both its glory and devastation.

Radicals from all over the world are attempting to subvert the good that Psy are now doing by terrorizing their own people in an effort to eradicate the Psy population. However, the Changelings are also caught in the crossfire and they refuse to let the radicals win.

Caught in the middle are Silver Mercant – former assistant to Kaleb Krycheck and now head of a worldwide relief organization – and Valentin Nikolaev, leader of a Bear clan just outside of Moscow. When Silver's life is endangered, Val saves her life and offers her refuge with his clan. What Val doesn't know is that Silver not only faces danger from the outside world, but from her own mind.

When a choice has to be made between the Silver he knows now and one that may never love him, Val encourages her to take the chance knowing that she may never love him after the surgery that will save her life.

As the Radicals wreak havoc on the world around them, Val knows the thing that truly matters is Silver's life.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
Oh. My. Gawd. The bears! All of Nalini Singh’s shifters are special but the bears are something else. Playful, affectionate, and easygoing, this is the happiest shifter group in the entire series. The bears’ violent thuggish reputations are slightly undermined by their Pooh-like love of food. They love beer, parties, and practical jokes but they are also controlled and calculating political players. I absolutely loved them all. In this story, the bears’ gentle warmth and humour provides a backdrop for the global political upheaval and resulting violence that Silver must manage in her role as Kaleb’s assistant.

As the bear Alpha, Valentin is persistent, clever, and loyal. He has a wicked sense of humour that is the perfect foil for Silver – possibly the most silent Psy character yet. Valentin pursues Silver against all odds. Valentin and Silver are both powerful and dominant but it is Valentin’s playful, persistent affection that gains Silver’s attention. Valentin’s huge personality compensates for Silver’s very robotic, cold persona for much of this story. Fully entrenched in Silence, I found it very difficult to like or even know Silver at times. Because of Silver’s reserve, the heat level is lower than in other stories in this series.

The Moscow setting is wonderful and I loved the use of the Russian language in the story. There is layer after layer of plot in this book. Series fans will be familiar with the global political struggle between human, Psy, and Changeling groups. The power struggles continue here but I most enjoyed the simple search for those who poisoned Silver at the start of the novel. This far into the series, I’m finding the politics more than a little bit tedious and I could feel myself glazing over each time Silver and Valentin’s story was interrupted by global politics.

As the sixteenth full length book in the Psy-Changeling series, this is definitely not a standalone novel. It may be the start to a new story arc, but readers are expected to know the Psy-Changeling world intimately and the author doesn’t offer a great deal of world building or recapping in this book. There are also regular references to characters from earlier books. Having missed the last few books, I was able to catch up without issue but new readers will want to start at the very beginning of the series.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Valentin is one of my absolute favourite men in this series. Silver is a perfect match for him even if she isn’t the easiest woman to love. I really hope to see more of the bears soon.


Erica – ☆☆☆
Note: Even though this is listed as the first in a new series, I strongly advise against reading Silver Silence if you have not previously read the entirety of the Psy-Changeling series, as this is definitely the 16th installment, not the first in a new series. Not all readers visit Goodreads to notice that this is connected to another series – they buy, thinking this will be new for all readers, and end up confused and frustrated. This has happened to me many times, tainting the story and the author – don't let this happen to you too. I will explain further.

Silver Silence picks up where Allegiance of Honor ended, which is an ensemble book. To read this book after never reading a word of Psy-Changeling series would make for the ultimate of confusion and frustration for the reader. The politics, the world-building, and the entire cast of characters belongs to the series with 15 previous books. While the arc has changed, nothing else has. There isn't a rehash for new readers, as that would take books to explain, and there isn't an in-depth explanation of the world-building either. In fact, there are close to 100 characters name-dropped with their past experiences (storyline plots) brought up on every page – I truly have no idea how a new reader would get heads or tails, as I've read and reread previous books and I was still confused.

As a huge fan of Nalini Singh, I've been anticipating Silver Silence for months. As soon as I got my hands on it, I started reading. Now I need to be honest. I put it down and read another book, then I worked, and then I tried again, then I read another book. For the past week or so, I've concentrated on Silver Silence, until I finished it moments ago. I also need to state, I can read an upwards of 700 pages per day, so a week+ to finish 450 is an anomaly.

Added with the mass amount of information contained within the book, with many storylines brought back up, with countless old characters, there were also just as many new characters. But added on top of having to remember such a large cast of characters, these new Russian characters had up to three or four names EACH (nicknames and such), which added to the confusion. This stalled my reading, jarring me from the story, trying to deduce who was who. Valentin's entire history felt as if it should have been in another book with him as the narrator, so it was glossed over as if the reader would just roll with it and understand that which they've never read (it's not in the main series either)

There are long books which read quickly, making it feel as if a hundred pages instead of four-hundred. Then there are short books which feel like a tome. This was an issue I had with Silver Silence – all that information, the names, and the prompts to remember past plots, they slowed the pacing down considerably and buried this new story beneath. It was a struggle to remain connected, in the same way Silver struggled while being bombarded by sound. So a long book felt even longer – tedious.

I was hooked from page one, then my interest waned off by the influx of information. Silver Mercant is a major character from the Psy-Changeling universe. She's the head of Emnet, the new alliance between Psy, humans, and changelings. A human group begins targeting Silver and key locations to bring an end to the alliance. This propels the silenced Silver into a den of bears for protection, whose alpha has had the hots for Silver for months.

Silver F'n Mercant (while awesome to read that a handful of times, 25 was overkill and I started groaning when I'd read it again and again) was an interesting character, but I truthfully had a difficult time connecting to her as a reader. Obviously being Silenced makes it difficult to empathize with a character who has no emotions, but Silver did feel. Outside of feeling, and being Silver F'n Mercant, she felt like a side character in her own story, without any traits or emotions, no likes/interests/dislikes/hobbies. Silver was a blank slate of nothingness. She went from Silenced to feeling in the blink of an eye, and back to silenced, and back to feeling. She was Valentin's mate, instead of an empowered woman with her own set of character traits.

Valentin, my sweetest teddy bear, I loved being inside his head. Valentin was why I kept reading. The alpha was the perfect hero. Strong. Compassionate. Loving. Protective yet giving freedom to grow. Sexy and loyal. Valentin made the book.

Instead of rehashing the entire plot, because truthfully, not much happened, I'll point out the highlights and my favorite characters. Because, plot-wise, there was too much going on with no direction, too many characters on scene, too much from previous books being rehashed, and the enemy had one to two page narratives every chapter or so, taking all mystery away. What's a who-done-it, when the who is saying he's doing it?

The cubs – bear cubs. This was the highlight of the entire book, and I was thrilled when they were on scene. Nothing is cuter than changeling children, especially baby bear cubs. They never failed to give me a grin. Seriously so sweet, giving me the warm and fuzzies.

The groaning about bear traits. Bears are awesome. I loved how closely the changelings acted like real bears in some instances. Grumpy yet charming, hungry and thirsty, rowdy partiers, lazy but strong – Valentin complaining about wolves never failed to tear a chuckle out of me.

Silver's grandmother. The strong head of the Mercant family – an empowered, caring, and empathetic woman.

Silver's brother, whom I hope we get a book from his perspective, because I just wanted to read his book instead. I feel horrible saying that, but I wanted to see the empath with the bear from their perspectives. That would be a decadent guilty pleasure.

I apologize for this disjointed review, but the book itself reads in a similar fashion. It was in no way the first in a brand-new series, yet was so bogged down, it didn't read like a continuation either.

I enjoy this universe and its character and world-building. I don't believe new readers would enjoy Silver Silence, so I suggest going back and reading Slave to Sensation and onward, as this will bridge a connection and remove any and all confusion. I enjoy this author and do look forward to the next in the series, as I do care about this cast of characters. This book just didn't work for me – not the romance or the main plot, even though I wanted to know what happened to said characters.

A new season, new cast members take center stage, a new insidious threat arises, and I am all anticipation for the opening of the Psy-Changling Trinity era.
Review

Silver Silence is part of the ongoing Psy-Changeling series as #16, but it also has the distinction of being the first of the Psy-Changeling Trinity series. I know a great many people see this as a good opportunity to jump in and skip what came before since this is Season Two, but I really wouldn’t advise it. If you care about the worldbuilding details, the whole previous large cast of characters who some of which are part of this one, and the plot threads that began and some still continue into this one then you’ll want to go back to the beginning. That said, newbies to Singh and the series would not be utterly lost to jump in here though they would definitely feel the knowledge of all the connections of this book to what came before it.

So, this is, the Psy, Silver Mercant’s story. Silver has been a minor character as has her family through the last quarter of the first season. I was eager to get her story and learn more about her enigmatic and powerful family who operate in the shadows. Silver and the Mercant clan definitely lived up to my expectation.

As did the plot on this one. The Consortium is still working to over throw the new tentative era of peace and the Trinity Accord, but it is now joined by a new volatile group who want the three races (Psy, Changeling, and humans) to go back to keeping separate. As a result, there are terrorist attacks, attempts to infiltrate and bring down the peaceful organizations and their leaders from within, and attempts to turn people to betray their own. Silver is poisoned and meant to die making the world’s emergency response network go down.

But, this does not happen because we have a new player on the scene and my favorite part of the book. Valentin Nikolaev, the Stone Water bear changeling clan, just stole the whole show for me. This huge confident bear of a man and bear shifter fell for the ice cold Silver and he pursued her with a gusto. Okay, actually, the whole clan of bear changelings were too much and scenes just sparkled with color and liveliness. But as Valentin’s story was laid out, he just grew even better and as he stalked his mate, I was captivated right along with Silver.
Amber eyes stared into her own, her Valyusha’s forehead pressed to hers. His generous heart deserved to never again feel pain, but she knew he’d endure it because that was who he was. An alpha to the core. A man who had never let her down. “Silver F-king Mercant, Ice Queen… Lyubov moya.” His voice shook on the words of love. “You will be that to me to my dying day. If the worst happens and you need me, call. I’ll be there. I’ll always be there.” p. 326 Valentin to Silver in Silver Silence



I found this book a slow build on all points, but it does get there and riveted me to my seat. I saw so much to adore and appreciate and leave me with a long list of characters that I need their story yesterday.

So, this new season got off to a bang-up start and I’m going to struggle waiting until next year for what comes next. Do not be intimidated by the length of the series. It is worth it to go from book one and arrive at this fantastic latest entry, PNR fans.

My thanks to Penguin-Random House for the opportunity to read this one in exchange for an honest review.
Excerpt

Laughing at the cubs’ antics, Valentin jogged down the slight incline and waded into what had to be ice-cold water after kicking off his boots and socks. He splashed the cubs, laughed when they splashed him back. Running so they could chase him, he turned abruptly and chased them back, to their unhidden joy.

Silver took a seat on the grass. When the female bear looked her way, she inclined her head in a silent greeting. The bear did the same, then they both watched an alpha bear play with two energetic cubs, his hands holding rough care for their small bodies.

By the time Valentin made his way back to her, he was drenched and his eyes weren’t human in any way. When he spoke, his already deep voice was so low it felt like thunder against her skin. “Couldn’t resist,” he said, pushing back his wet hair with one big hand. “If you weren’t in recovery and if I wasn’t in terror of Nova’s wrath, I’d have invited you. The small monsters wanted to play with you.”

Silver didn’t get to her feet. “Can we stay here a little longer?” It was patent that Valentin had an extremely high tolerance for the cold, but he might want to dry off.

“Sure,” he said, and, moving away several feet, shook off the wet.

Fine droplets settled on the skin of her cheek, but she didn’t flinch at the unintentional tactile contact. She also controlled her urge to reach up and touch the water where it lay against her skin. There was no reason to do that, and Silver was alive because she only did things that were rational.

Settling beside her, Valentin waved at the cubs as their guardian led their tired forms toward a path in the trees that was at the same level as the stream. “Gentler climb,” Valentin told her.

“They seem too exhausted to make it to Denhome.”

“It’s all an act—they’re hoping for a ride on their aunt’s back.” His tone held the same fond affection she’d heard when he spoke of Dima. “It’d take more than a few minutes’ play in the water to wipe out those two.”

The cubs had played with Valentin for almost a half hour. “They’re hyperactive?”

“They’re baby bears.”

Silver watched as those baby bears turned toward her and rose up on their back paws, as if in challenge. A stern sound from their caretaker, and they dropped down and scrambled to catch up with her. Their bodies disappeared into the trees as dusk began to turn from orange to shadowy gray.

Beside her, Valentin sprawled out, bracing himself on his elbows. His drenched T-shirt clung to the ridged muscles of his abdomen, pulled tight across his pectoral muscles, shaped itself over his shoulders. His jeans weren’t much better, outlining the raw muscle of his thighs.

Valentin Nikolaev was a man of violent physical strength even in human form. Yet he clearly had iron control over it; when he’d played with the children, they’d displayed zero fear of their alpha.

“You thought about where you’re going to live when you escape the bears who’ve kidnapped you?”

When she raised an eyebrow at him, he grinned. “Fringe netter with his own Internet channel sent out a breaking report last night. Pasha—who obviously needs more work duties—made up a fake account and posted a comment swearing to have seen you being pulled into a black van by six burly bears in bear form.”

“You don’t seem too concerned.” Amber eyes and deep voice, he remained very much a bear in human form.

“Well, according to this ‘eyewitness,’ the getaway driver was in bear form, too. Must’ve been tough for him to steer with one paw since he was drinking a beer at the same time.”

“Bears,” Silver said, making Valentin throw his head back and laugh that huge laugh that wrapped around her.

Posted by arrangement with Berkley, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © Nalini Singh, 2017.

I have to admit. I loved the bears more than the cats AND the wolves in the Psy-Changeling series. They like to have a good time and their clan is really laid back. Valentin is the bear’s Alpha and I think he makes a great one. I found Valentin very open and lovable. There is a group of bears that disagree with him being Alpha and have moved out of Denhome. Their leaving has Valentin so distraught. He continues to check on them and play with the cubs, but deep down, these bears have really hurt him. He also has some mommy issues. But his biggest problem right now is how to have Silver Merchant as his mate. I think the things he does to win her over are so romantic. He calls himself her teddy bear and that is pretty much how I feel about him. So lovable!

Valentin just happens to be in the right place at the right time for a decision to be made about where Silver must stay. Now he can really woo her. He thinks he needs to be “sneaky like a cat” to win her over. Silver is determined to stay Silent, but being around the bears has her bringing down her shields. She is so open and welcoming to Valentin and the other members of his clan. She fits right in. But with her emotions comes side effects that could take her life. Big decisions need to be made along with some serious sacrifices.

The road that Valentin and Silver take is slow, but I felt it was very romantic too. Silver becomes someone completely different than the ice queen she was before entering Denhome. There is so much more to her character.

Silver Silence focused a great deal on the romance, but we also have serious emergencies and attacks on humans that EmNet is trying to deal with. There seem to be two groups that are both trying to sabotage the Trinity Accord. We get some insight into their plans and their reasoning. Their plan to take out Silver failed, so now they are looking to other areas to create as much conflict as they can. At the same time, Silver is trying to build EmNet with a good, even sprinkling of the three races so it cannot be said that one group is going to be dominant over another.

This was definitely an emotional read. I felt like I really connected with the bears, and I wanted to see big, lovable Valentin with his mate. Their lives are in turmoil from many different sides. I laughed (almost every time someone sighed “bears”), and I did cry. I love these two together so much. I didn’t think I could love a couple more than Vasic and Ivy Jane, but Valentin and Silver grabbed me and didn’t let go.

I thought Angela Dawe did an amazing job. She had to do most of the book in a Russian accent which would have been so difficult. Angela must have had to do a lot of prep work for this book. I did have trouble making out the Russian words. They always seemed to be spoken at a lower, quieter level that was hard to make out.

Silver Silence will make you laugh, cry and just get plain mad, and that roller coaster kept me glued to every page of this book. I hope we get to see more of these two. I’m not sure who the next book will be. I do know there is a bear that has a certain fascination with Silver’s brother. Maybe our next romance with be there. Whoever gets the new book has a lot to live up to against Silver and Valentin!

4.5 Wine Glass #Review for Silver Silence by Nalini Singh
Crystal's Thoughts:
“Because he, more than anyone, knew that sometimes, love wasn’t enough. Sometimes, people changed so deeply that the change broke love itself.”

I've said it before and I'll say it again; paranormal romance simply does not get any better then Nalini Singh. Long-time Psy-Changeling fans will not be disappointed in this continuation with the Psy-Changeling Trinity and the introduction to the StoneWater Bear clan. Oh the intrigue... the romance... the bearliness!

With the creation of the The Trinity Accord; humans, changelings, and psy are coming together as a whole but not everyone is happy with this new tolerance and equality between races. With Silver Merchant as the face behind Em Net, the emergency network that rolls out when there is any sort of major disaster for any of the races, she has a target on her back for those that oppose the alliance. Thankfully, when a strike hits a little too close for comfort, there's a pesky bear on hand to come to the rescue.

Valentin Niklaev is a tough Russian bear changeling and alpha of the StoneWater clan. From his first meeting with Silver, Val knew that there would be no other for him. Despite her long-held silence, he could feel the fire burning within her. He also knows though that he'll get nowhere trying to plow through her defenses like a typical bear. He needs to be sly. Sneaky. "Sneaky like a cat." First, Val needs to make sure she's safe though, and that means taking her to Denhome, with the blessing of the Merchant matriarch, of course. This begins a hilarious, saucy, and touching courtship that poor Silver had no chance of evading...

"Did you know the bear idea of courtship is to kidnap their mates off the streets?"
"Surely not."
"Surely yes."

The bears are playful and rambunctious, the complete opposite of most psy with their silence. They might just have the biggest hearts of any of the changelings seen so far. But Valentin has his own problems within his clan, controversy that threatens even the youngest of cubs, and bringing a psy into the den might escalate those problems, no matter how much Val might want Silver there. Val had nothing to worry about though because his "Starlight" can more then hold her own! Being Kaleb Krychek's right hand for so many years, you knew she could.

While the intrigue plays on in the background, with plenty of action peppered throughout to keep those pages turning, the chemistry and banter between Val and Silver is what really kept me glued to each and every page. The push and pull between these two dominate characters kept me on the edge of my seat. Val has such a huge personality, but Silver manages to continually keep him on his toes, which is one of the many aspects Val loves about her. The romance is both heart-pounding and heart-breaking, while the humor managed to keep me smiling throughout. Singh weaves in multiple highs and a few devastating lows that will leave you questioning everything. The ending got me with all of the feels. ALL. The. Feels. Just slapped me upside the head with them and left me floundering. And I loved every second of it.

My only complaint with Silver Silence would be that there were some times where my confusion over the big baddie jostled me loose from the story. Especially when we would switch point of views to an unknown entity. It took me some time to refocus on the story when that would happen. All in all though, I couldn't be happeir with the delivery of Valentin and Silver's story. I was once again blown away by Singh's rich story-telling, vivid world-building, authentic characters. and mesmerizing romance. I am very much looking forward to more from these bears and the Merchant family. Even the Russian wolves!

Silver Silence gives small glimpses of past characters here and there, and if you LOVED Lucas and Hawke's books, then Val and Silver's will be holding their own special place in your heart as well. While this is a new-ish start in the series, there is very little recap and introduction to the series as whole. It is a long running series arc and each book builds upon that. Do yourself a favor and the read the previous fifteen books before jumping into Silver Silence. The binge read will be worth it, I promise.

Silver Silence

Psy-Changeling Trinity Series - Book 1


By Nalini Singh

Berkley Sensation - June 2017

Paranormal Romance



The Psy-Changeling Trinity series, is a continuation of Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series. It is essentially the second story arc. New readers might find starting with Silver Silence a good easy introduction into this world. However, it does contain spoilers to the previous story arc and characters. This review assumes that the reader has read the previous stories in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series, and does contain spoilers to prior books. Personally, since I have enjoyed all of the stories to date, I highly suggest reading the series in order.

Silence had fallen, but Silver Mercant knew it would not be for everyone. She was not someone who could embrace emotions. She continued in her role as director of EmNet, the Emergency Response Network that helped people of all races, Psy, human and changeling. She had contacts worldwide, and continually gathered information, she was a Mercant after all. But nothing could prepare her for the bear.

As alpha of the StoneWater bears, Valentin Nikolaev, could have had someone else make deliveries to Silver. But he relished the challenge of circumventing Silver's security. Both her apartment's security, and her personal armor. When Silver's life is threatened, Valentin's protectiveness goes into hyperdrive and he is willing to challenge both Kaleb Krychek, Silver's former boss who happened to just be the most powerful Psy, probably ever, and Ena Mercant, Silver's grandmother, the matriarch and head of the Mercant family, and a power in her own right.

Valentin might have an interest in Silver, but even he knew it wouldn't be wise to kidnap Silver. Luckily, it never came to that and Valentin was able to bring Silver to his pack, to his home. Denhome.

Finally, readers meet Kaleb's former right hand woman, Silver Mercant. The fascinating Psy who has captured the interest of a bear alpha. Still Silent since the fall of Silence, brilliant, and quite capable of putting said bear in his place. Of course when it comes to bears, their place is pretty much anywhere they want to be. Could just be sprawled wherever they lay, or that any party isn't a party without a bear. Quite simply, when it comes to a bear changeling, anything they do can be summed up in two words "they're bears". Placing Silver in the middle of this pack, and Silver Silence was entertaining from start to finish. Even better than meeting new friends was Valentin's devotion to his pack, and his mate. Valentin is willing to do anything to protect Silver, even if it means giving her up forever.

This story was another winner for me, a worthy addition to a favourite PNR series of mine. This is the start of spin-off series, or as Nalini Singh herself called it" a second season" of the Psy-Changeling saga.

This is the story of Silver, a cardinal Psy and Valentin, the alpha of the bear clan. There are some similarities with previous stories of cardinal Psys and alpha changelings, as it's book 15 in the series, I feel some repetition is unavoidable but it didn't bother me to much. Still, I would welcome more diversity in terms of tropes and how the romantic relationships develop, these things would be beneficial for the series and would make them even more fun to read. And I'm happy to say that there are signs of such changes coming along - we meet our first gay changelings here and I really hope Nalini Singh will give us their story at some point in the series.

Tthe bears turned Stu to be such a fun changeling clan. I didn't expect they would compete with Lucas' cats for the first place of my affections but they really did. Valentin was alpha to the core but also confused and vulnerable and playful which is something I love about all the changelings, even the wolves have this fun, playful side which I think. He was determined and even stubborn in his wooing of Silver, his love strong and unselfish.

In some ways Silver was the typical cardinal Psy - cold, calculating, smart and determined but we see the cracks in her silence as the story goes. There is an emotional side to her, deep caring for her family, for the world as a whole and gradually for the bear clan. I liked how strong she was, a true equal to Valentin. She didn't give in, didn't back down in their arguments and overall, I felt their relationship was very much based on challenging each as much as supporting and providing comfort to one another.

I absolutely loved the twist in eh last quarter of the story. It is a unique take on the amnesia trope which came rather unexpectedly and worked so well giving the story much needed freshness. It made the romance stand out on its own among the rest of the series.

Wwhat made this book extra special to me is that I'm Bulgarian and we have a lot of cultural similarities with the Russians. And I speak Russian, so all those cultural and linguistic bits in the story felt familiar and made so happy. This is the closest I have come to seeing my culture (rather one that is very similar to mine) represented in the romances I read and the feeling is incredible.

AS usual for the series, the complex world building continues, we see more of all the inhabitants of this world and the complex relationships between them which continue to change and evolve. I'm confident that fans of the series will enjoy this story a lot and at the same it is a good entry to point for new readers though some nuances coming from the previous books will inevitably be lost to them. Still, if you want to try Nalini Sighn's Psy-Changeling world, I highly recommend Silver Silence (and then going back to read all the previous books ;)

Live on blog - 6/20/17
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So this book took me a minute to get into. And let me start by saying it had nothing to do with the book itself or how it was written, and everything to do with the reader (I was in a deep book hangover). But my sweetie, Vika told me that the author writes some amazing stuff and she has always loved what she read by her. So I pressed on and boy I’m glad I did! I love paranormal books but have never read about a Bear shifter (believe me after meeting Valentin I am kicking my own ass). Can we just take a moment to discuss the perfection that is this Alpha leader? He was everything!!! I have no idea how Silver fought him and his Bear off for so long, cause one bear growl and I would have been down for. Plus watching him with the Cubs in his clan was…wowza ovary overload!

Silver was an interesting character. She didn’t show much emotion but that was due to the Silence. The chemistry between these two was hot once we got past the silence. For Valentin he felt the connection to Silver right away and wanted her from the start. But once Silver got on board, these two were fire! The buildup was a slow burn but I think that was needed for these two. I loved watching Silver work through these “odd” feelings towards Valentin.

I will say that even through this was a spin off of a series with many books to it I found some parts confusing because I didn’t understand what they were talking about during some of the terminology or when some references made by characters from past books. But it didn’t ruin the experience for me, if anything it made me want to go back and add book 1-15 in this very well written and sinfully sexy series. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a sexy alpha bear that knows how to rule his clan with equal parts firmness and silly antics.

“I’ve got strong hands, and I promise to be a gentleman unless you ask me to tear off your clothes and kiss every delectable inch of you.”


Image result for swooning gif

Oh my gah, Valentin. *melts into a puddle of goo*

This Changeling alpha bear stole my heart from the get go and he almost ALMOST replaced Hawke as my favorite Nalini Singh hero ever! No small feat coz duh, Hawke is Hawke but oh man, Valentin is right up there.

Silver Silence is the first book out of the second chapter of Nalini Singh's sprawling Psy-Changeling series called Psy-Changeling Trinity. Silence has fallen and a new peace accord has been signed by the three groups: the Human Alliance, the Psy's and the Changelings. But a new group threatens to unravel the fragile bonds of peace that the Trinity has forged. Just when you thought this series couldn't get any better, it does. It really does.

Silver didn't know how to love, but she knew how to hold on to her people.


Silver Mercant rose from being Kaleb Krychek's top aide to become the head of the Em-Net, the worldwide emergency response network. Silence has fallen but despite this Silver still chooses to live under it. She has a good reason to and her reason isn't clear to other characters in the book as well as the readers until it was revealed. The Mercants is one of the most powerful Psy family in the world, and the most secretive. So when an attempt was made on Silver's life, the Mercants did what they had to do their way.

Fortunately for Silver, Valentin Nikolaev, alpha of the StoneWater Bears offered his home and his protection while her family tried to get to the bottom of who wanted Silver killed.

The StoneWater Bears are a strong predator changeling group out of Moscow who went through a very traumatic rift which threatens to tear them part. And Valentin being the Alpha has his hands full with keeping his family safe and strong as they navigate the new changes brought about by the Trinity Accord. But Silver has always fascinated Valentin. The man and his bear recognized their mate in Silver and despite her Silence, Valentin goes above and beyond in trying to win her trust and her heart. And we know what happens when you put a determined alpha bear together with a reluctant Silent Psy in one place, right?



This was my favorite part of the book for me. Yes, this book does have multiple POVs. It has intrigued and a dash of suspense. But the romance...the ROMANCE was top-notch swoonworthy.

“Explain what's happening.”
“We're happening.”


Valentin, like most changeling Alpha, is determined. Gah! His devotion and patience as the pursues Silver "sneaky like a cat" was everything. He was funny as hell and he respects Silver and treats her as his equal. He totally won me over and Silver didn't stand a chance. He was one determined bear.

I loved how Ms. Singh took time to develop not just their romance but each of their character arcs. Silver went from being Silent to the kind of person that was perfect fit for Valentin, who has always worn his heart on his sleeve when it comes to Silver. I loved how the StoneWater Bears Denhome was explored in the book. The vivid imagery of their cave as well as the relationships between Valentin and his sisters, as well as his lieutenants added an interesting layer to the story and to the romance.

A few familiar characters from the first chapter of the Psy-Changeling series made some appearances but not all. Lots of names were dropped though which made me so happy because yes, I knew these characters. Their presence were felt but not too much that it became distracting. This book is definitely all about these new characters, specifically, the StoneWater bears and the BlackEdge wolves, which I am already in love with.

“I’ll be beary good,” he promised, his face lit from within.
She had the sense of playing with a wild thing. “Now you’re just beyond bearing.”


Silver Silence did not disappoint. It's tautly written with fascinating characters and an intricate plot that holds your interest from beginning until the end. There were a lot of plot threads that were left open and I for one, am intrigued. I'm definitely looking forward to more Psy-Changeling Trinity.

http://www.npr.org/2017/06/10/532288978/beach-reads-you-need-four-sandy-summer-romances

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: “We are who we are and we are strong”

Silence has fallen and the Psy are no longer at the top of the food chain. A new world order has emerged-The Trinity Accord. Consisting of all three races-Psys, Humans, and Changelings-the Accord is an attempt to level the playing field and ensure peace among the races. But there are those who fear the Accord and the changes it brings and are slowly and steadily chipping away at the foundation on which the Accord stands.

The psychically gifted Psy seek to feel emotion for the first time in over a hundred years.

Changelings with their primal hearts fight their natural instinct to trust only pack, only clan.

Humans look to the future with a grim-eyed determination to no longer be the weakest race.

And others … they seek to spread chaos and death and division.

Fans have been chomping at the bit to learn more about Silver Mercant, the highly efficient and secretive right hand of Cardinal Kaleb Krychek and now director of the Em Net for the Trinity Accord, since our first sighting of her. Singh has been leaving tantalizing clues concerning Silver, the elusive Merchant family, and where their loyalties truly lay since the beginning. All our questions are answered in Silver Silence. The first in the Trinity spin-off and what Singh herself has labeled as Season Two of the series, Singh turns her focus to an important secondary character, elevating their status and using their story to help expand this world with new intrigues, new dangers, new romances, and a new and delightful cast of characters. I do not recommend starting this series here. We are sixteen books in and there is no recap of events to bring you up to date.

Welcome to the Age of Trinity.

Singh takes us to Russia and drops us into Silver Mercant life as she is once again dealing with an annoyingly obstinate force of nature that keeps infiltrating her apartment building. A force of nature that refuses to heed her warnings and continues to show up uninvited. A force of nature so irritating handsome and playful that Silver chooses to allow them their continued breaking and entering without pausing to examine her reasons why.

“How did you get in?”

“I asked nicely.”

Meet the man more than ready to take on Silver ‘F*cking’ Mercant. Valentin Niklaev. AKA Mr. I.M.A. Medvezhonok. A Russian bear changeling and Alpha of the StoneWater Clan. This gorgeous and ‘beary’ delicious man fell head over heels for Silver the moment he saw her at a EmNet meeting. He knows who and what she is but senses his “Starlight” isn’t so deeply entrenched in Silence that her emotions are gone forever.

…the faint touch of fire he kept picking up around her, a hidden sunshine that flickered against his skin. Valentin was determined to seduce that hidden wildness out into the light. Who better than an uncivilized bear after all?

An impromptu B&E with yet another date request for ice cream puts Val in the right place at the right time when Silver collapses right in front of him. Val calls upon Krychek for an emergency medical teleport and discovers Silver’s food has been poisoned, meaning someone has attempted to assassinate her. At the hospital, Val meets the head matriarch of the Merchant family, the very dangerous and powerful Ena Merchant, who gives Val an order to protect her granddaughter at all costs.

“Are you asking me to kidnap your granddaughter?”

“Let’s call it an enforced move out of the field of danger.”

Val spirits Silver away to Denhome, introduces her to his family and friends and begins his not so subtle courtship. Convinced she is his mate, Val does everything he can to show Silver her future is tied to his. Of course, what fun would it be if Silver didn’t offer up some resistance?

“She’s never going to forgive me for having witnessed her collapse.”

“Given the current time and the fact that Silver keeps to a firm schedule unless she needs to adapt to fit a developing situation, you interrupted her at breakfast, thus saving her life.”

“Do you think she’ll see it that way?”

“No, You’re out of luck.”

Readers are in for a treat with Silver and Val. This story is classic Singh with it’s colorful and dynamic energy exploding off the pages as she brings us more action, romance, humor, and intrigue. Silver Silence reminded me so much of the beginning when we were first introduced to this world through Lucas and Sierra in Slave to Sensation. Two strong-willed people coming together despite the odds. Cold calm rationale meets an emotional hurricane. Sorrow, joy, heartbreak, and hope are the spices that flavor this story as we are intimately reminded that some Psy went silent by choice while others were silent out of necessity.

Silver and Val are remarkably similar in many ways. Both are born alphas who hold their families above all else. Valentin took up the mantle as StoneWater’s alpha after his father and now strives to overcome the terrible legacy his father left behind. A firm but fair alpha, he is a predator first and human second. No one defies or challenges him and lives to tell about it. Except for Silver. He tempers it all down for her, allowing his more playful and romantic side to emerge.

“You have anything but suits in your closet?”

“No, I sleep this way and wake up perfectly pressed.”

Grinning at the cool comment that made him want to kiss her until she melted, he put his hands on his hips. “Tell your babushka to pack jeans or other tough pants, T-shirt, sweaters, stuff suitable for a little rough and tumble.”

“I don’t intend to rough and tumble with anyone.” Those extraordinary eyes, so clear and frosty, pinned him to the spot.

A lesser man, or one who had some sense in his head, might’ve flinched. Good thing Valentin was big enough to take her, and stupid enough to keep banging his head against a wall of Silver Silence.

“No choice in a clan,” he said with a shrug. “Bears are handsy.”

While Silver isn’t running the Mercant clan as of yet, she is the heir apparent. And as Krychek’s administrative assistant and the head of EmNet, she commands hundreds and is respected by thousands. She has proven more than able to hold her own against a pushy bear and his pushy clan. Her fearless nature is the perfect foil for Val’s more gregarious one.

“Because…BEARS.”

The rich narrative more than supports the multi-layered storyline. As the chemistry lauded romance plays out in bold and brilliant manner, heavily laced with laughter and heat, Singh keeps readers informed of what is happening on the sidelines. And there is a lot happening. Allies make strange bedfellows in this new era as enemies storm the gates, threatening the wellbeing of all. The Consortium is gathering in force as more splinter groups emerge and are continuing to push its advantage, causing devastation across the planet. As always, Singh gives readers plenty to cheer and jeer with abundance.

These newly introduced supporting cast of characters are intense, well developed, and intertwine with our protagonists perfectly to give the story depth and volume. Complex and convoluted; we see the good and bad are merely separated by ideology. Everyone in here has an agenda and does not always play by the rules. I loved meeting the members of the StoneWater and Mercant clan. Silver’s family is a force to be reckoned with and I truly hope we see more of Silver’s brother, Arwin, in future stories. Val’s clan are an intelligent and mischievous lot who provide plenty of laughter with their antics and “bear” wisdom.

The romantic conflict was quite intense and Singh plays it close to the vest as I prayed the story would end the way I wanted. Once again, I am left both satisfied and wanting with this latest story and cannot wait to see what Singh has up her sleeve next. Fans of this world will cheer this newest couple and rejoice in the familiar as Singh takes us to a whole new level.

Grade: B+

An answer to entirely too many of the questions, problems and issues in the entire Psy-Changeling series boil down to the truism that “human beings suck”. This isn’t a criticism of the series, merely an observation, because, after, all, human beings do suck. And for all of their differences, all of the races in this series, whether Psy, Changeling or original recipe human, are still all variations of human, and human beings suck.

Now that I’ve got that off my chest, there’s a reason for the rant within the story. So much of the non-romantic action in Silver Silence is a response to some particular human beings sucking very, very much.

Silver Silence, as the first book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity sub-series, follows the events in Allegiance of Honor, and everything that led up to this point. What was once a world with three separate and equally distrustful if not equally powerful factions is beginning to coalesce into the alliance brought about by the Trinity Accords.

The Psy, the Changelings and the Humans, at least through the loose coalitions that speak for each group, are determined to work together for the greater good. And for the continued survival of all three.

But there is an awful lot of bloody water under the damn bridge, and there are a lot of very wary members of all three groups. Particularly the humans. The Changelings and the Psy, while always distrustful of each other at best, always did have somewhat equal power. Changeling minds are immune to Psy interference. But humans, less physically threatening than the Changeling and always open to mental interference from the Psy, have a lot to forgive, particularly of the Psy. Changelings mostly left them alone, while the Psy have spent a century plucking advances out of the minds of humans, keeping those advancements for themselves and breaking the human’s minds in the process.

All too many of the Psy were a force that lived up to the old maxim about power corrupting and absolute power corrupting absolutely. No one could stop them, so they felt empowered to do whatever they damn well pleased to whoever they could.

Those days are over. Not necessarily or always out of altruism, but because the PsyNet that all Psy must connect to in order to remain healthy and function is itself sick. By walling themselves off from human emotions in specific and humans in general, the Psy have closed off a necessary safety valve for the PsyNet’s sentient mind. Psy need humans (and changelings) to willingly form bonds with them, and those bonds can’t be coerced. Without those bonds, without the breaking of the Silence conditioning that keeps them emotionally barren, the Psy will all die, but not before going on a psychopathic rampage of planet-wide proportion.

So the seemingly all-powerful Psy, whether reluctantly or willingly, must cooperate and intermingle with the Changelings and the humans. But it is in all three groups’ best interests to learn to get along. They each have something that the other lacks, strengths that the others need, and weaknesses that the others can shore up. Now that they are not all out to merely exploit each other. Business is still business, and that’s fair. But they’ve all finally acknowledged that they have to work together or things will get very, very ugly, and it won’t necessarily be anyone in particular’s fault. Once you start treating groups as “the Other”, bad things happen to both parties.

And that’s where this story comes into the whole. The Human Alliance, led by Bowen Knight, is willing to work with the Psy and the Changelings on an equal footing. There is still some distrust, but it is reasoned and reasonable distrust. But there are other human agencies working in the shadows who condemn any human who works with the others as either under Psy influence or a traitor to their race. (And haven’t we all heard those words before?)

The shining symbol of interspecies cooperation is Em-Net, a global crisis response team that provides assistance to all whenever and wherever needed. And it is personified by its extremely capable director, the Psy Silver Mercant. So Silver is attacked by stealth, from the shadows, by a patient predator who wants to see Em-Net in disarray and unable to respond, while also crippling the future of the powerful Mercant family.

But Silver is not alone when she ingests the poison that has been lurking unsuspected in her stored nutrition packets. Instead, the Bear Alpha Valentin Nikolaev is in her apartment, attempting to bait her into an un-Silent response to his rather less-than-subtle wooing. Valentin rescues Silver, and sets the events of the rest of the story in motion.

Despite her being Psy, Valentin knows that Silver is his mate. And he will do anything to protect her and keep her safe. And if that anything includes taking her to the Denhome and giving her ample opportunities to fall for both him and his clan, so much the better.

But Silver has a secret weakness, and not just her weakness for slightly clumsy Alpha Bears. Silver’s Silence conditioning is failing, and her growing emotional connection to Valentin is breaking her already vulnerable walls. But that conditioning, the Silence that keeps her ice cold and unemotional, is also the only thing keeping her alive.

Escape Rating B+/A-: This one came out right on the border between B+ and A-. I loved the relationship between Valentin and Silver. We watched it build from very small pieces into something big and wonderful and, at times, tissue-grabbing tragic. There is so much love and fear and hope built into their story, and that was marvelous.

There were also some fascinating reactions/revelations on the parts of Silver’s grandmother Ena and her brother Arwen. The Mercant family, for all of their reputation as ice-cold operators, clearly has never been completely Silent. We’ve seen other Psy families where loyalty comes to serve in place of love, and provides many of the same motivations that love does, but this is the first time we see love expressed within a Psy family, even though the words are never said. Not just that Silver loves her E-designation brother Arwen, for whom emotion is strength, but also the love between Silver and her grandmother Ena.

Valentin’s bear clan, even with the tragedy currently darkening its heart, is always a joy. Bears are real charmers, especially the cubs. And the story needs the lighter moments that they bring.

But the thing that kept this story at the border for me were the two unnamed human evil-doers who operate from the shadows and propel much of the political action of the story. They are both definitely evil. They both hate Psy, and to a lesser extent, Changelings. They both have a “Humans First” agenda that they are willing to press forward with mass murders. And they are both fanatics who are willing to murder massive numbers of humans to prove that Psy can’t be trusted, an irony which is totally lost on both of them.

They are not the same person and many of their goals and methods are not completely aligned. But as the story progresses and we get small glimpses from their own perspectives about their thoughts and motivations, it becomes increasingly difficult to tell them apart. I think one of them is exposed by the end, but because they were so amorphous and so much alike, I’m not sure who, or which, or completely if.

None of which changes the fact that I love this series, and can’t wait for the next installment. Hopefully next summer and not any later.

But I have one final comment. The covers for the US editions of this series are never as good as the UK editions. The US covers are often vaguely “cheesy”, and sometimes not even vaguely. Or, are just blah, as this one is. The UK covers are crisp and evocative portraits of the hero, and they just work.

Reviewed on June 14, 2017: http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/overall-b-reviews/b-plus-reviews/joint-review-silver-silence-by-nalini-singh/

C2’s review of Silver Silence (Trinity Accord, book 1) by Nalini Singh
Paranormal Romance published by Berkley 13 Jun 17

It’s that time again, Faithful Reader – time for the latest installment of one of my most favoritest series EVER! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling series is one of the best series ever – paranormal or not. I don’t know how she manages it, but things never seem to get unwieldy or hard to follow. It’s impressive, I tells ya! So, who are we reading about this time?? Well, the title kind of gives it away…so let’s do this thing!

Silver Mercant is a busy person. Not only is she the head of EmNet – the newly established worldwide emergency response system – she’s also the heir apparent to her family and still helping out at her previous job with Kaleb Krychek (ahhhhh Kaleb…*sigh*). So she really does not have time to deal with a flirty bear.
Alpha of the local StoneWater bear clan, Valentin Nikolaev has been going out of his way to chat with Silver every time their paths cross (and he makes sure that’s often). He wants her to go out for ice cream with him. (Now is a good time to mention that I LOVE him.) Silver, of course, sees no logic in going to get ice cream with a bear, but he keeps asking. Persistent bear. Persistent with cause – he knows Silver is his mate.

During an early morning (unexpected, sneaky) visit to Silver’s apartment to drop off some files, Valentin scents poison just as Silver drops to the floor and starts convulsing. He immediately calls Kaleb, who teleports her to the hospital. While Valentin and Silver’s grandmother, Ena Mercant, are waiting for her to recover, they try to figure out who would want to poison Silver, why and how they managed it, since she lives in an extremely secure building with several Mercants working security.

By the time Silver awakens, Valentin and Ena have a plan – she will stay with the bear clan while her grandmother investigates the poisoning. Normally, Silver would go to a Mercant safe house, but, since it’s possible a family member poisoned her, that isn’t an option. Plus, Valentin would very much like to have her in his territory for a while. Silver is reluctant, but her grandmother helps her see the logic behind the decision.

Life in a bear den is a drastic change from Silver’s usual routine. Especially at the beginning when she is still very weak from the poisoning. Slowly, she becomes accustomed to DenHome and its inhabitants. And becomes intrigued with its alpha. With some coaxing from Valentin, Silver decides it is a good time to explore life without Silence…just to see if she can handle it or if she even wants to. There’s something Valentin doesn’t know, though…something most people don’t know about Silver. Her designation is as a high-level telepath – not Cardinal but almost – but most people don’t know she has a sub-designation that is very rare. It is rare because, before Silence most didn’t survive – there was too much stimulus for the brain to process – even with Silence it is so rare, it hasn’t been studied. But Silver has noticed warning signs and suspects her time is running out, so she decides to spend what’s left of her life with a giant alpha teddy bear.

Of course, when Valentin learns what’s happening, he is upset. As is Silver’s grandmother and Kaleb and all the rest. It is decided that there must be something that can stop the degeneration and save Silver. Unfortunately, the only option is to shut down the part of her brain that processes emotion. Silver knows that Changelings mate for life and doesn’t want to subject Valentin to a life alone – which he will be if the surgery kills her or if she survives without emotion – but the mating bond doesn’t listen to logic. Besides, Valentin says as long as she’s alive, there is a chance for them.

So, does Silver survive? And what about her emotions? Is she doomed to be Silent forever? And what about the poisoner?? What’s that about? (Obviously, I didn’t cover the poisoning subplot in this review because I enjoyed the other part so much and my fingers got tired. I will sum up by saying the shadowy Consortium are trying to sow dissent among the Psy, Changelings and humans and they thought removing Silver from the board would be a good way to produce chaos. Suckers.)

Ms. Singh has said that this is the beginning of a new story arc – she won’t leave behind the characters from the first arc, of course, but the focus is shifting from “what if Silence falls?” to “what happens now that Silence has fallen?” So, do you need to read all the many previous books (although, honestly, WHY HAVEN’T YOU??) to know what’s happening? I’m gonna say no, surprisingly. Of course, I recommend you read the whole series from the beginning in order (obvy)…but if you insist on starting here? It isn’t a bad place to start, actually.

I enjoyed the dynamic of Silver and Valentin’s relationship – I like Psy/something else pairings better than Psy/Psy, generally. I liked getting to see a new section of the Psy-Changeling world – this book takes place almost completely in Russia. We did get to see a few old friends, however briefly (Hey Kaleb! Heyyyy! And I see you, Arrows!). And we met some new Changelings – the neighbor wolves that the bears routinely wrangle with. All in all, this was another excellent addition to an outstanding series.

Grade: A

When it comes to the world of urban fantasy Nalini Singh’s Psy Changeling is amongst the best in the genre. With Silver Silence Psy Changeling Trinity, Singh has transformed the series from paranormal romance to a stellar futuristic global urban fantasy. I have always loved the multilayer plots of the series and like her writing contemporary J.R.Ward, Singh has expanded her series beyond the romance between one specific couple. She has opened up the world to covert political intrigue of the Psy Changeling world. This book has a global flavor instead of keeping the series based primarily in California. Singh has done an exceptional job in bringing humans into the narrative, where they have been mostly absent. We humans can be boring as we have no super powers, but the new merging world has opened up a number of possibilities for us mundanes.

The shift in Singh’s world building maybe hard for those new to the series, but as a longtime reader this grittier world is completely in tune with the series. I like my romance with a deeper world to explore.