Member Reviews

Nalini Singh does it again! To be honest I was getting a little tired with this series so I was a bit hesitant when I heard that this book was coming out. However, I am now eating my words. This book got me right back to absolutely loving this series and Snowdancer is by far my favorite setting. I absolutely recommend picking this book up and relishing your time in such a wonderful world. A solid 4 stars from me!

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What can I say? Nalini Singh has hit another home run with Wolf Rain. What’s so nice is that we meet new characters while revisiting old ones. Now, onto the new. Memory is a damaged Psy who was imprisoned by another Psy. Why? Alexei has his own problems. Is he cursed? Singh weaves a tale that will let you see the strengths as well as the weaknesses of the occupants of this wonderful world we call Psy/Changeling. Want to find out what happens? Well, pick up a copy of the book and read to your hearts content. For those that have not been reading this series, my suggestion is to go back and start at the beginning to better understand the dynamics of this society and how they came to be who they are. Looking forward to the next installment.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

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5 Heart, Recommended Read
SJ, Romance Junkies

In Nalini Singh's WOLF RAIN, the third in her Psy-Changeling Trinity branch-off series from the Psy-Changeling series that began in all, we're back with Changelings and Psy, and the tension, romance, and danger shape a fantastic return to captivating paranormal romance.

A wolf Changeling discovers a captive Psy woman on Changeling territory, and so begins an emotionally driven story about the power to survive and live, and the terror of believing the worst of oneself. 

Memory is a Psy woman who must learn who she is and what she can do with a power that's been oppressive for most of her life. But with wolf Changeling Alexei's help, she'll find herself. Her interaction with the empaths is wonderful and enlightening, bringing past characters back while shaping this future world.

Alexei has known grief, losing those close to him in a terrible manner. Through Memory, he begins to see life in a new way. And as he and she grow closer, watching him break out of his shell is so incredibly emotional. Which is not to say Memory's own awakening doesn't evoke tears. (Don't get me started on her cat!)

What a wonderful addition to the Psy-Changeling world. Though this can be read as a standalone, it's much more enjoyable following the Psy-Changeling series in general, which starts with my favorite, SLAVE TO SENSATION. Recommended Read

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It’s raining wolves! Hallelujah!

Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling world began with Slave to Sensation, and then transitioned into the Psy-Changeling Trinity world with the book Silver Silence. This is the third book in the Trinity half of the series and, due to the sequential nature of the series, is a spoiler for basically everything that came before it. This review contains a few spoilers for previous books, so read ahead with caution if you aren't up-to-date. (Actually, if you aren't up-to-date, why are you reading this review? You have books to read!)

Memory Aden-Rose was trapped for over a decade by a warped Psy for whom her psychic ability is like a drug. Rescued by SnowDancer wolf Alexei, she is taken to study with empaths - but while she might have an empathy-linked power, she’s nothing like the gentle healers currently in designation E. In fact, she might be more like the monster who kidnapped her.

I’m always excited to return to the world of the Psy-Changeling Trinity, and while Wolf Rain isn’t going to be my favorite of Singh’s books (a very tough challenge!), it was still an enjoyable read.

I tend to like Singh’s tough-girl heroines more than her gentle ones, and Memory is no exception. She’s a survivor with grit and an intriguing new ability, and my only critique of her is that she seems implausibly well-adjusted for the amount of time she’d spent locked underground. She pokes and teases Alexei without ever crossing the line into meanness (and Alexei clearly relishes it, with his changeling love for a relationship with both metaphorical and literal bite). By now, of course, all of us readers know what it means when a wolf starts bringing food, and a highlight of the book is a courtship power struggle in which Alexei keeps bringing Memory food and she needles him by publicly distributing it to others. I enjoyed the slow growth of skin privileges between the two of them, which created a delicious slow-burn. Their first kiss and first sex scene are lovely in an intimate way that shines with their emotional connection.

If the ‘predatory changeling male’ is what you tune in for, then tune in for Alexei, who is sexy, fit, protective, fond of babies, and adoring of his woman. However, because he’s such an archetype, he doesn’t stand out to me within Singh’s series. His defining trait is a family history of going rogue, which leads him to believe he must never mate. Knowing what genre I’m reading, I always anticipated a wave-of-the-wand resolution to this problem, and lo, that’s what I got.

And of course there are cameos from our old friends which Singh is deft at making relevant to the plot. Particularly moving are scenes between Memory and the heroine of Hostage to Pleasure, Ashaya Aleine, whose life is intertwined with her sociopathic twin Amara. I also liked seeing Sascha come into her own as a senior E figure with vital, relevant teaching skills.

On the negative side, facial-lock teleporters introduced in previous books have to be inconveniently busy whenever someone goes missing (a staple plot element in this series) so as not to ruin the rescue. A secondary plot features a returning character sliding into fugue states to commit violence, but the fact that I didn’t remember this character made the big reveal anticlimactic. Also, the resolution of this fugue state problem is weirdly easy.I’m still waiting for a book in the Trinity (the current, second phase of the series) that blows me away the way my favorites in the Psy-Changeling half did. But I really enjoyed reading Wolf Rain while I wait.

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Nalini Singh has done it again. This is the one series I will never tire of! Each book in this series provides riveting characters you can't help but fall in love with. I loved watching Memory and Alexei fall in love. Loved seeing their verbal sparring and really loved watching them each overcome their own personal challenges in pursuit of their love for one another.

In Wolf Rain we face an enemy who wants to use Memory to his advantage, who wants to use what makes her uniquely psy against her. She isn't like other empaths. And what makes her different makes her all the more valuable.

In Wolf Rain, we see some familiar faces and some new. Nalini continues to expand the psy-changeling world and Wolf Rain is an absolute must read for all paranormal romance fans!

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I love Nalini Singh and Wolf Rain is the perfect example why. The newest entry in the Psy-Changeling series, it shows Singh's depth of storytelling, her consistency and heart as we return to the SnowDancers pack. Alexei is struggling with his past and Memory is dealing with trauma and an unknown version of empathetic power. Together they learn about her power, how to trust each other, and seek justice. A spot on, perfect entry into this long running series.

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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 indiviudal 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 subdesignation 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

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I’m new to the novels of Nalini Singh, and the worlds she builds can be a bit overwhelming. (I was puzzled at first by her use of the word changeling to describe those who shift into animal form, since traditionally this a child secretly exchanged for another in infancy, but found this website helpful in keeping everything straight: https://wickedscribes.wordpress.com/psychangeling-character-guide/)
Alexei, a wolf changeling, rescues Memory, who has been held captive since childhood by the evil Renault. Is she an Empath or, as she thinks, some kind of monster? Can Alexei avoid the curse that plagued his brother? I definitely want to visit more of Singh’s novels, which envelop the reader in a remarkably imaginative world.

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This series just keeps getting better and better! Wolf Rain is the third book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity Series and I gotta tell you, I was a little worried going into this one since I haven't had the opportunity to read book 2 yet. That being said, I am happy to report that I was worried for nothing. From the moment I picked up Wolf Rain, I was HOOKED. I couldn't put it down and I didn't feel lost at all. I was completely and totally lost to Memory and Alexie's story and I couldn't wait to see how things were going to play out.

I loved Alexie & Memory together. They both had their share of baggage and were broken. Even with that, Alexie had the biggest heart and was so protective over those he let into his life. And then we have Memory. Memory's story has been filled with heartache. I can't even fathom her heartbreaking past. She might seem like she needs to be handled gently, but don't let that fool you, Memory is stronger than ever. And Alexie is just what the doctor ordered and is sure to bring the swoons. The attraction between Alexie and Memory was instant, yet the progression of their story had me hanging on each and every word. 

Wolf Rain is a fantastic addition to this series and a terrific shifter romance. I love how complex this world is and the addictiveness of the plot. The world-building continues to blow my mind and there is never a dull moment. The characters are compelling and complex. The story-line is filled with amazing fantastical and paranormal aspects. And of course, you can't forget about the romance and let me tell you, Wolf Rain has it in spades. Wolf Rain gave me absolutely everything I was looking for and was a fabulous read to spend my day getting lost in. At the end of the day, the skys the limit with this series and this world the author has created. I for one can not wait to see what this author will have in store for us next.

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I was so excited to read this book! I’m a big Psy fan since the beginning and as always Memory and Alexei’s story pulled me in from the get go! This is a different kind of series but I think that is what intrigues me the most!

Memory and Alexei’s story gave me all the feels and to see others from the series just pulled it all together.

I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Arc provided by NetGalley

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This book was a weird mix, it felt too short, but too much. I give 3.5 stars. I can definitely see the jumping off point for another series of books, which I am excited to read.

What I enjoyed most was the romance between Alexei and Memory. The story follows the same formula. We learn a little something new abut E-Psy, other Psy, Arrows, and the mating bonds.

Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley

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This is probably my favorite book so far in the Trinity series from the Psy-Changeling world. Singh's long term careful world building pays off, I find I often get bored with series as long lasting as this one has been, but I also feel like this book has re-energized my interest in this series. This book can be read as a standalone, but is more meaningful in context of the series.

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Alexei is a strong lieutenant of the Snowdancer pack who is struggling with the demise of his brother over one year ago. During his solitary excursions into the isolated parts of Snowdancer territory, he finds himself blasted with grief. Determining that only an E psy could broadcast their emotions that strongly, he seeks out the source of the overwhelming emotion only to discover a secret bunker they never knew existed.

Memory has been imprisoned since she was eight years old, when a man targeted her and her mother as his next victims only to discover that Memory is a rare kind of E Psy that he can 'feed' off of. Her sub-designation of E is so rare it doesn't even have a classification, and works mostly with those dark individuals who have a bottomless pit of emptiness inside them. They 'feed' off energy, giving them a brief illusion of being a whole person with emotional depth and understanding and not a psychopath.

Having spent the past fifteen years in a physical and mental prison, Memory is slow to trust in the stranger who appears one day and helps her escape the mountain-top bunker. She is thrust out into the world, all of a sudden having to interact with changelings, other Es, other Psy, and prove that she is her own strong person and not the construct of her psychopathic captor. Determined to thrive, she must also prove to Alexei that she is drawn to him not because he saved her life but because of her own well-rounded emotional understanding.

Alexei and Memory are navigating a path through their own hang-ups, while the Psy race is also struggling to survive their new understanding of an E dependent psy-net. The degradation is increasing even with the E honeycomb in place and new powers and strengths are appearing in the Net. A black, nothingness that can overpower even the strongest amongst them is targeting the Es and a determined captor is fighting to get his prisoner back. Do Memory and Alexei have a bigger part to play in the survival of their world?

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Another wonderful installment in the Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh. Wolf Rain is a beautifully written as all of Singh’s books, with fully realized and complex characters, and the drama, humor, and action we’ve come to expect. After the last two books in the series saw us branching out of the wolf and leopard packs, and seeming to promise more water based changekings, humans, and bears, though I’m confused as to why this book suddenly takes us back to San Francisco and the wolves. Although well written and enjoyable, Alexei & Memory’s story felt pretty repetitive to stories we’ve already seen between wolves & pay, so I was hoping to get something different and more in line with the direction the previous book seemed to take, that is away from San Francisco. I’m feeling that the series is a bit directionless all of a sudden, and can’t figure out where this story falls in the overarching story arc. This was another solid output by Singh, but adds nothing new or exciting to the series. It felt more like a fallback on the old favorites.

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Another wonderful entry in the Psy-Changeling world, this introduces a new character named Memory while bringing back all of the old favorites as well.

Memory is an interesting character as she brings something new to the world of Psy. Her character is strong despite her horrific childhood and she plays off Alexei, the SnowDancer lieutenant, in a great way. Their romance unfolds sweetly, though I found Alexei’s reluctance to commit to be frustrating to say the least.

I love when Singh brings in the couples from previous books, especially Caleb. It is fun to see how their lives are progressing and how they deal with each new development.

Definitely recommended!

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It was wonderful to be back in the SnowDancer pack. Alexei and Memory are two broken souls that find healing in each other. I appreciated the slow careful way Alexei took care of Memory and how favorite characters like Sasha taught Memory that she had a valuable gift and was not a monster. A deeper look into the PsyNet sets up future storylines as Kaleb struggles to find a solution. We have another Psy-Changeling paring and a very contented sigh at the end.

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After a few disappointing books in the Psy-Changeling/Trinity series, we are officially back in the game with this exciting return to form from my favorite Nalini Singh series.

I was cautiously optimistic when it was revealed that Wolf Rain would feature a much beloved, but rarely seen SnowDancer lieutenant, Alexei. My favorite Psy-Changeling books feature Psy/Changeling and Changeling/Changeling pairings. Too often, a Psy hero-heroine will read as a cookie-cutter, emotionless Psy because there is only so many ways you can write a "Silent" character fighting their emotions before it feels repetitive and boring. I was a little worried about how our Psy heroine, Memory, would interact with Alexei and deal with the fall of Silence. Thankfully, Memory is a feisty badass right out of the gate and isn't afraid to give Alexei a run for his money in the stubborn department.

Memory is one of the more fascinating Psy characters next to Sascha, Sienna, and Sahara! Her specific sub-designation was revealed layer by layer and I was waiting with bated breath to discover how it would play out. I loved it! The scenes with Amara were particularly exciting since her arc has been on the back burner for some time (in Branded by Fire we get a few scenes with Amara and Mercy that hinted at a future development).

The relationship between Alexei and Memory evolved naturally with a ton of fun wolf specific courting scenes! It was great seeing our OG characters again. I especially liked the scene where Riaz and Sing-Lui helped Memory evade Alexei during their game.

One of the most interesting developments was the mysterious "new power" awakened in a Psy who was completely stable before the Honeycomb Initiative. The reveal was amazing and I loved how it played out. I hope to see this character (and others) in the future!

I ended this book with a sense of excitement about the series that I haven't felt since Heart of Obsidian! Well done Ms. Singh!

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Alexei has only felt grief at this level when he lost his brother and sister-in-law. But the grief he is currently feeling isn’t his. Can he find the source of the gut wrenching pain?
Wolf Rain is third in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series by Nalini Singh. I enjoyed meeting Memory. She has such strength but doesn’t seem to realize it. She has been a prisoner most of her life and used horribly but still she fights. I love seeing her break out of her shell with Alexei. Alexei is hiding the pain of losing the last of his family. Only with pack nothing is ever hidden. And Ms. Singh makes sure that Alexei has the support he needs even if he’d rather he didn’t. I loved seeing pack support and uplift. But Alexei also has Memory. Memory touches something and that Ms. Singh showed us how helping Memory helps him. I enjoyed seeing Alexei’s playfulness return. The light that was dimmed by loss is slowly returning. I enjoyed seeing Memory push at her wolf. She is finding herself and loves poking the sleeping wolf. I enjoyed seeing Alexei find the warrior that is Memory. Even while he gives her the space to grow he supports and cherishes her.
This story by Ms. Singh is well written and enjoyable. I love returning to this world Ms. Singh has created. I enjoyed dropping into the lives of the character we have come to love. Ms. Singh gives us a story with unexpected twists that add to both this world and Memory and Alexei’s journey. I can’t wait to see where Ms. Singh will take us next.

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There are only so many writers that can keep me on edge waiting for the next book in their series but Singh is definitely one of them. This latest in the Psy/Changling series follows the emancipation and awakening of Memory, a Psy woman kidnapped as a child and held as a prisoner by a Psy Psychopath and then freed by a Snow Dancer lieutenant. Alexi recognizes her as an Empath—though she questions that conclusion—and connects her quickly with Sacha and Jaya. Needless to say, her captor wants her back and there is the overarching problems of the maintenance of the Psy Net. The story has suspense, a sweet romance, and a nice chance to check in with some of her other great characters.

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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.

I really loved Memory and Alexei together.
Memory was fierce and feisty and I loved their interactions and romance.

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.

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