I loved it. I've read 10 of the books in the Psy Changeling and Trinity series. Alpha Night is definitely in the top 3 along with Silver Silence and Heart of Obsidian. I love Selenka, the first female alpha protagonist, and Ethan, her broken knight. I love that they don't fight being together but grow towards each other.

Nalini Singh gives readers another high-octane Psy-Changeling adventure! Alpha Night, the fourth story in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series (and book 19 overall), shifts the story back to Russia, home of the BlackEdge wolves and StoneWater bears. When an assassination attempt is made on the BlackEdge alpha, Selenka Durev, deception and betrayal surface among the Psys and wolves. However, when Selenka finds herself instantly connected to Arrow Ethan Night, the tables turn on the Architect’s plans.

Within Alpha Night readers finally start to get some answers in the overall story arc involving the Architect, Consortium, and destabilization of the Net. I love the intricacy of the plot and how the pieces are starting to come together, creating connections readers weren’t privy to before. I like how much we are learning about the mysterious Architect and her plans (did we know the Architect is a she?).

The romance between Ethan and Selenka is passionate and sweet. They experience an extremely rare mating, and I love how they both embrace it with their hearts and minds. They work together, trusting in the mating and one another. Each has many scars, and they allow the other to see them and help heal the emotional wounds. Even though they accept the bond from the start, we still witness a tender quasi-courtship, and by the end of the book, we know they are going to have their own HEA.

Even though this one took me a bit longer to read and digest, it’s because Ms. Singh gives us SO MUCH. Alpha Night (I love the title!) is a delightful romance filled with chewy plot bits and hardy action.

My Rating: B+ Liked It A Lot

This book was amazing!!!!!

I was so excited for Selenka because Alpha female (whoot!) Singh never lets me down when it comes to strong, fierce, feminine females. Selenka is not a man with boobs, she is the leader of her pack with maternal instincts and desire to lead and protect. She doesn't need to prove anything and her pack adores her. Ethan was awesome. He is perfect for Selenka in all the right ways. I adored him. Ethan and Selenka make a great partnership and help each other balance.

Memory makes an appearance and I think she might be my favorite. I just loved this whole book and I cannot wait to reread it many many times.

Alpha Night by Nalini Singh is the fourth book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity. An enjoyable read with some relatively new characters. I enjoyed reading it but in the end I found it forgettable. None of the characters really stayed with me. Honestly if you had read a majority of Singh's books from this series you know what you are getting from this series but the exception is the characters just did not have that pull others in the series usually does. I was excited because we were dealing with a female alpha and I just felt like the book never delivered. Three stars for an enjoyable if forgettable read.

This was an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Company for the ARC.

Okay, so I thought this was a very solid novel, but it kind of feels like a place holder. The main reason I read Nalini Singh is because her world building is so good. And that's true of this book, but it almost feels like this book is the set up to the next book. Does that make sense? Things happen in this book that make it feel like she's teasing out the bigger confrontation that will happen in the future, and it pulls you forward, and you want to find out what will happen next (which is basically why I read all of the books in this series in three months - WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?!?!?!) But, I wasn't QUITE as invested in the hero and heroine's story as I usually was, even though they are both interesting characters. I was more interested in the architect and what she's planning, and how everyone will react to it. I think that maybe one part was just a little too jarring <spoiler> instant mating, because the hero was suicidal and the heroine's wolf was worried he'd off himself before they mated. And that instant mating made his previous (traitorous) actions okay, because her wolf wouldn't mate with anyone bad? That was jarring. </spoiler> And the ending! Oh, what will happen next? So, I liked it. I loved seeing how the bears and the wolves work together. (Bears *sighs fondly*)

This review will go live on The Blogger Girls on June 17, 2020.

This one is definitely one of my new favorites of the series. In fact, as soon as I finished it, I read it again! I honestly am not sure how to review this one because I loved it so much and couldn't get enough of these two. The chemistry between them is so potent, it leaked off the pages. I loved that this one was slightly different than the others in the series with the mating at first sight. At first, I wasn't sure how the mating at first sight could happen because of how the females are the ones that have to accept their mates in the other books before a mating can take place and female shifters are very hesitant on doing that until they're sure about a mate. However, I soon stopped worrying about that because Selenka and Ethan grabbed all of my attention immediately.

My absolute favorites of the series are the Arrows because they're so deadly but they have such a sense of honor and it's interesting to see them adapt with their new way of life and new emotions. With Ethan, he's different because he's doesn't really feel anything so he does things hoping that he'll feel something but nothing works. Until he meets Selenka and he starts feeling things he never knew he could feel, which brings on an almost obsessive protective instinct in him. With Selenka, as a female alpha wolf, she already possessives those instincts but when she meets Ethan, her wolf immediately recognizes him as her mate and triggers the mating bond. Neither know what's really happening because mating at first sight is not a 'thing' but I loved seeing them navigate the waters of their new bond.

What I really loved about this one, though, is how easily Selenka and Ethan fit together. Not many can take Selenka but a no nonsense, blunt Arrow definitely can. Selenka can let her claws out and Ethan won't back down but he has her back 100% (even if he doesn't agree with something she does) when he needs to support her in front of others, which is what Selenka has always wanted and I loved seeing Ethan, unknowingly, knock down the walls Selenka has built up with that blind faith in Selenka. Plus, Ethan won over not just Selenka but Selenka's family and her pack very quickly with his softness for those weaker than him. I also really adored seeing Selenka bring Ethan back from the edge and help him through a possible new power that he knows will kill him. It was intriguing seeing Ethan fight those feelings while also fighting to keep Selenka safe and Selenka trying to figure out how to save her mate from a psychic problem.

All in all, this was an amazing story that I'm already wanting to read a third time. It is definitely one of my favorites in the series because I love the deadly Arrow mixed with the deadly she-wolf. I loved the push/pull between them, the chemistry and the easy way they fit together. I also loved seeing them deal with both wolf and Psy problems and how both of them were able to contribute to those scenarios. It was a phenomenal story and I loved being back in Russia and exploring the wolf shifter side of things. I l adored everything about this story and everyone should definitely read it but I wouldn't advise reading it unless you've read the entire Psy-Changeling and Psy-Changeling Trinity series or you may be slightly confused.

A symposium threat and a brutal Changeling murder brings together a fiery alpha wolf female and an icy, broken Arrow who must navigate the ties to each other, the devious minds behind the attacks, and the count down to Scarab Syndrome taking over his mind. There is no doubt that any new story in this series will be enjoyed. The surprise is always going to be how much.
Review

Alpha Night is the fourth in the Psy-Changeling Trinity second season and the nineteenth overall Psy-Changeling book. Though this is a paranormal romance series, it really works best read in order so the strong series arc and large cast of character connections make sense.

Selenka Durev is a powerful alpha wolf of a pack that shares Moscow with the bears under Valentin. She thought that bear was something when he mated powerful Psi, Silver Mercant, but after having an Arrow with a strong, dangerous gift save her life and the lives of everyone at the E-Psi symposium and his brutal honesty and loyalty to the tie that forms between them, she can now see the attraction. Her Arrow may be broken and their mate bond abnormal, but Ethan is hers and she knows that he will never abandon her or feel threatened by her alpha strength and nature like her bitter father. She will make the male see his own worth and as she wraps him up in wolf pack care and her own acceptance and desire. She will fight for him when he won’t fight for himself though for her, she knows he is willing to kill.

Ethan Knight was taken as a child, put in a dark hole, and formed by Ming’s brutality into a killer and a savage. He knows he’s messed up and unlike even his fellow Arrows who all went through the vigorous and rough training to be formed into what they are. Beyond that, he feels the pressure building in his mind of the insidious Scarab Syndrome that will eventually turn him into a crazed monster that must be put down before he takes out a bunch of people. His Arrow Squad leader, Aden, and his fellow Arrows have tried to get through to him, but all those years of isolation took their toll. It is only when a fiery alpha truly sees him, accepts him for who he is, and desires him that he comes to life. He will do anything for Selenka including stand at her back while she leads her wolves and searches for the people harrowing the Trinity Accord and the scavengers who are attacking her pack.

This was another fabulous entry in the series that takes us back to Moscow where the first Psy-Changeling Trinity book took place introducing a new main circle of characters. I was happy to see the bears and Silver back in this story acting as secondary to new characters from the local wolf pack. The overall fight against the Consortium who are trying to undermine the new Trinity Accord and the desperate battle of the Psi to save the Psi Net are still going on, but this also includes a more specific conflict that involves the Arrow unit of the Psi and a strong local wolf Changeling pack.

The author has a wonderful gift of building up her character’s backgrounds and the development as individuals and their romance so that it comes in layers and not all at once while, at the same time, presenting a suspenseful action plot that builds to an exciting climax. I enjoyed figuring out what was going on with Ethan’s raging psi gift and also working out what was going down in Selenka’s pack territory.

Alpha Night introduces a pair of improbable lovers who are opposites though both strong alpha powers in their own right. Selenka and Ethan work so well as a team and as a growing bonded pair of mates. Selenka is a dominant wolf and has been alone in the midst of pack and friends with whom she can never show them everything because she is their alpha. Ethan is a gift to her because he is her equal, but he is not pack. She can be just Selenka with him and, when she must take up her alpha mantle, he is not threatened and supports her. Most of the time love at first sight doesn’t work well for me, but this was different. The bond was right away, but the relationship came along steadily. I liked how it was done.

There was an interesting twist in the situation with the Psi Net and I’m curious to see what that will mean. Just like I am eager to get the master mind of the Consortium unmasked. Each visit with the Psy-Changeling world is utter delight and I can’t wait for the next installment in the series. If you love a powerful world building, characters, suspenseful plotting, and romance in your Paranormal Romances then give this series a go.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is another brilliant addition to the Psy-Changeling series. This book is set in Russia and the focus is on Alpha wolf Selenka and Psy Arrow Ethan.

I really enjoyed the gender flip in this book. I could be wrong, but Selenka is the first female Alpha I can remember and she is very special. Ethan isn’t quite as unique, but he is very loveable. This is a ‘love at first sight/fated mates’ romance that I actually believed in and enjoyed. Selenka and Ethan work beautifully together and I love that they still put in the work needed to move on from fate to a realistic life partnership.

The wolves in this book are quite different to the California wolves in earlier books and I really enjoyed the dynamics between the pack members. I also like that this book is part murder mystery – something that adds to a story that would otherwise be too similar to previous books.

I loved this book but I will admit that the ideas and situations in this book aren’t completely fresh. Series fans will recognise pieces of Selenka and Ethan’s story from previous books but at this point in the series, it is probably impossible to avoid some repeating elements. I’ll also admit to finding the wider series story arc a little more confusing after the fall of silence and I’m not sure I’ve fully got my head around the current politics and the role of the Architect yet. But I still fall in love with each new book. No one writes like Nalini Singh!


Erica – ☆☆☆☆
Alpha Night is the 19th installment in the Psy-Changeling series, as well as the 4th installment in the spin-off series, Psy-Changeling Trinity. Can this be read as a standalone or out of series order? Yes and no. I suggest reading a handful of the original series in order to get a firm grasp of the world building. After that, a reader can pretty much pick and choose which books they wish to read, depending on their tastes of which otherworldly characters sparks their interests.

As a fan of the original series, I must have reread the first seven or so half a dozen times, so there is a sense of comforting homecoming. I was emotionally invested during those books, but once there were so many characters, and we shifted to the Trinity novels, the connection I feel is ho-hum. While predictable in the sense that I know the author's writing style, the flow of how she does things, I have to be in the right mindset to enjoy it, or I find it frustratingly formulaic.

The Russian-based BlackEdge pack, their alpha is the narrator of Alpha Night. Selenka, an alpha female wolf changeling, is a strong voice, a combination we haven't read in the series as of yet. I was intrigued to see where she would take the story.

To add to the angst and my frustration, Selenka instantly mates with an emotionless Arrow. INSTANTLY. I need to reiterate this. Selenka's wolf instantly mates with Ethan. I N S T A to the Nth degree. Selenka was intriguing, but mated at first sight is a major pet peeve of mine, and a first by this author. It removes the tension for me, which has me become disinterested just as instantly.

When this happens before I'm able to get to know either of the characters, I have no emotional investment in them, nor do I care if they're together or not. When they are instantly in a relationship, I miss out in the organic unfolding of where the characters get to know one another, allowing the reader to understand them deeper too. When it's instant, it seems shallow, because no one (especially the reader) ever gets to connect.

We all read differently, so I tried hard to not have this affect my enjoyment or rating, because I realize others may enjoy it as much as I don't. But it needed to be stated as a heads-up.

Ethan saves Selenka's life, which is how they come into contact. Selenka is anything but a damsel in distress – honorable, strong, and protective of her pack. The bulk of the conflict is discovering what is wrong with Ethan, while fielding conflicts from many sources. This seems to be a norm in the series. The Psy always are on the edge of death due to a psy malfunction in their brains, something dealing with breaking silence, and this is where I stated it becomes frustratingly formulaic, yet also a comfort for those who are looking for the sameness/trust that the author will lead them down the same path.

No matter how intrigued I was with Selenka being an alpha female wolf changeling mated to a Psy, there didn't seem to be enough conflict or plot to support the length of the novel. I was losing interest while drudging through redundancy. Selenka sounded so promising, but it just fell flat for me.

To be honest, I wavered between 3 or 4 stars. The comforting sense of homecoming had me bumping it up. While I enjoyed the novel, I'm not left feeling curious as to where the series will go next. There is no drive to read about other characters to see their futures. No hunger to get my hands on the next as soon as it's available. Just comfort in the familiarity.

If you enjoy this series, I highly suggest you read Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series.


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
3 1/2 Stars

While familiar, there are a few differences in this book than there in the others in this series. Mostly, it felt comforting, getting back to the basics as it were. Back to the wolves, where it all began.

Selenka is the alpha of her pack, the granddaughter of the last alpha. Her father, while intellectual, is not the alpha she is, and I think harbors a grudge against her for that very reason. You can see it in the first interactions between them. Her mother, a non-changeling, left her father when she was young and raised another family. Selenka is very independent and chooses her inner circle wisely. Which is why she is confused why she's drawn to an Arrow who appears to be as closed off mentally and emotionally as she is independent.

Ethan is a tortured soul, having been taken by Ming LaBon as a child. His abuse as a child and the psychic gift he has, has created an emotionless killer. When he spots Selenka, something inside him alters, and he doesn't know how to handle it. After a lifetime of having to keep his emotions in check, he's afraid of feelings that will cause him to lose control and decimate everyone around him.

Their love story is inevitable, with just enough twists and turns that keep you interested.

For someone who has read the series, it's good to revisit old friends and see where they are and how they are interacting with the clans and Psy we meet along the way.

Amazing as always, wow this series is so far the best long series with the best overall arcs i have read. Alpha Night was everything that i wanted and need by a Nalini book, i have been reading this series for Over ten years it feels now, and it just stays amazing.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Ethan Night has known his entire life that he wasn’t normal, that’s he’s damaged. He’s an Arrow that can bend light to his will and even use it as a weapon. His harsh training as a child by Ming LeBon only proved to isolate him more. He was kept away from the other kids. In fact, the others didn’t even know he existed! Ming had his own horrible plans for Ethan. And, now that the Arrows have been liberated from his control Aden must find a way to reach Ethan before it’s too late. He doesn’t want to lose him to Ethan’s own demons.

BlackEdge alpha, Selenka Durevs is tough as nails. She knows how to show her people love, but is tough on them at the same time. Her mother left the pack when she was young and her father wasn’t fit to raise her. He was jealous of his own child’s power. Her grandparents saw what was going on and took Selenka into their home to give her a proper upbringing.

Now all the different species are coming together for the symposium. The Arrows and the alphas from all the local changeling packs are present to make sure everything runs smoothly. However, none of them expected the attacks to come from a couple empaths! Luckily Ethan was there and was able to use his power to render everyone unconscious before any real damage was done. Now they just have to figure out what caused the Empaths to act out and how to stop future attacks.

Selenka’s wolf lunged at the first sight of Ethan Night. Something about him the wolf had to have and couldn’t wait. A mating at first sight is unheard of, a myth. Most changelings have a courting period before their animals choose. Now Selenka and Ethan must navigate their new roles to one another while being complete strangers.

“Have you met Mr. Tall, Dangerous, and Smoldering before?” Margo put a hand on Selenka’s shoulder, the contact instinctive between packmates. “It’s a serious breach of the girlfriend code to hide snacks like that.”

Ethan has embraced his new relationship, but struggles with the secret he keeps. He knows that one day he will have to leave Selenka. He has the Scarab Syndrome and there is no cure. Once the immense power breaks free from his shields it will eat him alive and make him completely insane. He will have to separate himself from Selenka and the pack before he can hurt them. Memory Aven-Rose is his only hope to extend the time he has with his mate.

However, the PsyNet is deteriorating at a rapid pace and Ethan is needed to help fight the newest threat to it. But will Ethan have enough power left to fight his own illness by the time he’s done with the battle in the Net?

It seems like it’s been forever since I’ve read a Psy-Changeling novel. I was excited to delve into this one, but sadly it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. The Psy relationships tend to do that for me. Although Ethan, was never Silent, so I was hoping for better results.

I actually enjoyed Ethan. I loved his loyalty and his desire to please and protect those that depended on him. And, I liked him becoming a soap addict as well!

“After seeing what you did to that car, I don’t think any of these punks are going to be playing chicken with you.” Grin feral, the other man slapped him on the shoulder, his strength reverberating through Ethan. “Trust Selya to find herself a mate who can cut people in half.”

I think my issue with this novel was actually Selenka. I understand that she’s alpha and that the pack must always come first, but Ethan’s her mate! I think he should rank higher than he did in this book. He flames out and she leaves him with others to watch over him while she handles pack issues, even after she was told to protect his body. She could have at least found a way to bring him in the den so he was more protected. I hated how Ethan always felt he was lesser than Selenka, like her possession; his knight to her queen. She disagreed with the statement saying they were equals, but she never really drove the point home or proved it to him. They definitely never felt like equals.

This book featured unfamiliar characters, ones that either haven’t been introduced or just ones that weren’t prevalent enough for me to remember. The story was also hard to follow in the beginning with introductions and re-introductions of characters (Ezra, Pax, Theo, the Architect) most of which seemed unnecessary. The only one that brought anything to the story was the Architect and what she brought was minimal. This all happened as the reader is trying to figure out what the Scarab Syndrome even is. I found myself paging back to see if I missed the explanation. I hadn’t.

Overall, I found this book to be a bit dull and one-dimensional. It was lacking the emotion, humor, and steam that I have grown to expect from these books. Not to mention, the book didn’t feel complete.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

Since the old constructs of Silence have crumbled and the divisions between the Psy, Changelings and humans have become less solid, everything is in flux. There is a secret faction that would like to ruin all the progress made toward unity and a desire to rule all three species. This is the overreaching story arc at play in the series, but at the heart of each installment is a romance and is sort of a standalone story. I do think a reader would benefit from reading in order to understand the continuing story behind all the attacks and dangers these groups face.

Alpha Night offers up an unlikely pair: Ethan, an Arrow and and Selenka, the Alpha of the Black Edge Wolf Pack. They’re thrown together after an attack on a joint symposium has them crossing paths and discovering they’re Mates. As in mating-at-first-sight…

The intense bond they share by mating, however, is shadowed by a force within Ethan that he keeps carefully reigned in; its forces ready to explode out at every turn. Being in a mating bond makes it difficult to keep this a secret, thank goodness, because Ethan needs help and Selenka is just the person to fight for her mate.

Loved the concept of a mating-at-first-sight, and with such an unlikely pair! Ethan’s a cold, efficient, deadly Arrow, and Selenka is a passionate fiery wolf-shifter. Both a strong power on their own. Sounds like an odd match, but I do love me an intense opposites-attract romance! I! was so fun watching them navigate the complexities of a mating while trying to get to know each other; admiring each other, their strength and conviction, more and more as they do. Ethan’s past broke my heart and I was happy he had Selenka in his corner. He needed unconditional devotion and love after what he went through. His devotion to Selenka and her Pack was also touching. He naturally fit in, despite coming from the cold, emotionless Silence protocol.

Selenka and Ethan were passionate and protective with each other. I’m happy that Selenka’s dominant nature didn’t scare Ethan or make him cower. He was a man confident enough to let his mate shine and take point when needed. He didn’t need to assert his own will or diminish Selenka in any way to feel more of a man, and it was lovely!

Nalini Singh has been nailing it with the Psy-Changeling Trinity series! I read a couple of the original series and enjoyed them, but there’s something about this new series I just love!

ANOTHER GRAND SLAM STORY FROM NALINI SINGH!

ALPHA NIGHT is the fourth title in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series, and it centers around Ethan Night, an enigmatic member of the elite Arrow Squad. Ethan has had one of the harshest and most damaging Arrow upbringings (and given the sadistic nature of the Arrow training program, that is truly telling), leaving him broken in a way that separates him from all others, even his fellow Arrows. Ethan has never known hope, and he has a very fatalistic view of the world and of his own destiny. When an assignment puts him in the path of the Russian wolf shifter pack run by Alpha Selenka Durev, Ethan finds himself in completely uncharted territory; for the first time in most of his life, he feels, he fears, and he finds that nothing among his many experiences has prepared him for the mating bond.

ALPHA NIGHT is Nalini Singh at her best! A tragic hero who has never known happiness and cannot believe he is entitled to or deserving of it, a kick-butt heroine who is shaken to realize that her wolf will accept no future other than one with Ethan, and myriad twists and turns as the insidious forces among elements of the Trinity continue to advance their nefarious agendas, making Ethan and Selenka’s chances of saving each other and their future a very dicey proposition.

Selenka is FIERCE, and Ethan is SMOKING HOT as he determines that, at all costs, he will protect and defend his mate, even if the cost is his own survival. It is impossible to read this book without rooting for this mated pair! As always, Ms. Singh had me on the edge of my seat; the Net is reaching a breaking point and this book ratchets up the tension even further. I CAN’T WAIT for the next Psy-Changeling Trinity book, and ALPHA NIGHT just published today! That is what Nalini Singh does, though…tells stories we can’t live without and can’t wait to hear more of. Ethan and Selenka’s story is exciting, romantic, suspenseful, sexy, and so satisfying. Please, Miss Singh, keep them coming!

Luckily for us readers, the entire Psy-Changeling series is fabulous to re-read…love those nuances I pick up more of each time around!

I was given a NetGalley advance reader copy of this book by Berkley Publishing in exchange only for my honest review. And honestly, I LOVED IT!!

Wow! Talk about a book that will blow your mind and hold you in its very tight grip - ALPHA NIGHT by Nalini Singh does just that! Ethan and Selenka are amazing characters with a lot of depth and power as they are shocked by the sudden and inexplicable mating. Not to mention the dangers and death that surrounds them.

Annetta Sweetko, reviewer for Fresh Fiction

Complete review may be found at: https://freshfiction.com/review.php?id=70842

Before I read Alpha Night, I reread Wolf Rain and that was a good idea. Memory plays a role in this book and remembering her story and the effects of Scarab is important to understanding Ethan. Also, I read this book once just for my enjoyment and the second time for this review. Nalini Singh has introduced us to three new packs over the four books in this story arc. After reading Wolf Rain and returning to SnowDancer, Alpha Night and bonding with BlackEdge is a little slow at times. I think the mating at first sight helps this. Ethan is easily accepted in the pack because of his bond with Selenka. In many ways, I see parallels between Alpha Night and Silver Silence. Ethan is the one suffering from the real trauma in their relationship. Like Silver, there is something in his head that has the potential for destroying him or his relationship. However, because of the quickness of the mating bond, he doesn’t have a chance to try to push Selenka away. Whatever comes, they face together, as a team, and that this clearly seen when Ethan first meets BlackEdge.

Honestly, there was no chance I wouldn’t love this book. Nalini Singh is my absolute favorite author ever and a book with an instant bond and a female alpha is 100% my catnip. I loved seeing Selenka balance her role as an alpha with that of a woman falling in love. Ethan is so broken when he meets Selenka and she and her pack bring such light and joy into his live; it is heartening to read. Once you get the cast of new wolves straight, I think there is potential for other stories there; although I hope we finish Hawke’s lieutenants first. Or perhaps go back to Valentin’s bears. It doesn’t matter, I trust Nalini Singh to continue to excel with story arc. Alpha Night is an excellent continuation to the Psy-Changeling Trinity series and I loved every minute of it!

I’m not sure why I was nervous about Selenka’s book, but I was. All of Nalini’s stories are special in their own way, but each of the Alpha shifter books have been extraordinary. So, my expectations for the first book in the series about a female Alpha wolf were super high. Of course, my worries were for nothing because Nalini Singh, the author of most of my very favorite books and series, delivered, like she does every, dang, time.

Of course, there will be no spoilers in this review, but things have been brewing in the new Trinity series arc, and this book ramps things up. ALPHA NIGHT explores mating at first sight and all the consequences that come with it, especially for an Arrow and an Alpha of a powerful pack. Selenka and Ethan Night have a fascinating power dynamic; she’s more dominant and older and, in many ways, more experienced. Their relationship is nuanced, interesting, and they are perfectly paired. Ethan needed a heroine like Selenka, and he knows it from the beginning. I love a devoted hero.

The book takes place over a short period of time and so every page is action-packed. I was hooked from page one and I don’t think my adrenaline spike settled until I turned the last page. And even then, my mind was spinning trying to figure out who the next couple will be and where Nalini will take readers next.

The biggest gift to readers is the exploration of the BlackEdge pack. I love that Nalini introduces us to such interesting secondary characters, but I am considering chaining her to a desk until she gives me a book for each and every one of them. SORRY, NALINI! I’m not sure how she does it, but even though everything in the pack is new to readers, she manages to tie in old favorites. I was reminded of how much I love Aden, and Valentin is always good for comedic relief.

Overall, I could probably write a dissertation on ALPHA NIGHT, but I will stop here. I loved it. This is my favorite series. I never want it to end. Please let me know who the next couple is soon or I’ll expire with longing! I think it’s time to reread the entire series for the millionth time?

**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**

10 STARS!

Mating at first sight? Yes please!

ALPHA NIGHT is such a beautiful and engaging story! Ms. Singh’s world-building is vivid and delightful, her characters brilliantly crafted!

Having briefly heard about the BlackEdge wolf pack in previous books and more currently in SILVER SILENCE, I was SO excited to learn more about these wolves and their strong alpha! I was not disappointed!

I absolutely LOVED this book! First off, our heroine is a dominant female, an ALPHA no less! I love a strong female lead!

Selenka is holding it down for the BlackEdge wolves and their territory. She can go toe-to-toe with the deadliest Psy on the planet or a growly alpha bear and won’t ever back down! My girl Selenka is a fierce protector, has a core of steel, unquestionable and unbreakable loyalty and a heart as big as Russia. I admire her so much!

Ethan is a wild card. He’s an Arrow (member of an elite assassin squad), harbors deadly secrets, sporadic Silence and an insufferable past. But when an alpha wolf slams into him and stakes its claim, Ethan’s tenacious grip on the mating bond is a lifeline for this broken Psy.

Loved, loved, LOVED it!!! Selenka and Ethan have dynamite chemistry together! I love their love! I also love all the secondary characters. I love the complexities, diversity and intricate hierarchy of the pack structure. Everyone has a place and an importance to the pack, and every packmate is valued, even the most vulnerable. Amazing!

There is so much going on in the story! Exciting plot twists and turns and so many other secrets! This is a dangerous time in the Psy-Changeling universe, and I cannot WAIT to find out where we travel to next!

Nalini Singh consistently builds such amazing worlds for us to enjoy and Alpha Night gives us a peek at the BlackEdge pack in Russia. Selenka meets Ethan Night at a party when he prevents an ambush from happening and she saves him from being shot. Then they’re shocked to realize the mating bond has formed. So essentially she goes to a party, gets shot (grazed), forms the mating bond, and brings a stranger home with her as her mate. And that’s not even everything that happens in that one day!
I really enjoyed the touches of humour, especially the talk about the insta-mating bond only being something on soap operas until it happens to Selenka. There are heavy things happening in their world with the Psy Net, with the pack, and with Ethan’s powers. Ethan is new to emotion and new to a pack; he is an Arrow but they’ve largely let him be alone as he prefers. Being alone is foreign to the wolves and supporting each other is a huge part of who they are. He sees it as essential to his mate, and he embraces it. Because of the external conflicts, Selenka’s constant duties as Alpha, and the race to figure out what’s happening with Ethan, that’s how Singh deftly builds their relationship. The little things that bring them together and build them as a couple. Alpha Night is a fabulous read and a delight that Nalini Singh continues to keep us on our toes.

This review was originally posted on the Goldilox and the Three Weres blog.

You all know how much I adore Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series and sometimes I can't contain help but gush about each new book in this series. I always know that I'm going to at least enjoy each one and I can never figure out how each new story is going to go. I'm constantly surprised with how much I fall in love with each new book and y'all, I freaking adored Alpha Night so much. In my opinion, the four books of this Trinity arc/spin-off have been some of the best books in the whole series and this one just might be my new favorite. I've reread it three times already and it just came out.

The book starts out at a symposium for the newly remembered E designation. The symposium is set in Kaleb's territory of Moscow and the StoneWater and BlackEdge packs have been brought in with the Arrows to provide security for the empaths. Enter in Selenka Durev, alpha of the BlackEdge wolves, and Ethan Night, TK Arrow, who are both manning security and come into contact with each other when an attack happens. Within minutes of dealing with the attack, they're mated.

Not only did we finally got a book about a female alpha but we got a book about a mating at first sight! These kinds of matings have been mentioned a few times in passing throughout the series but we've never seen one. There were several matings where the male knew the other was their mate but this is the first mating we've gotten one where both love interests accept the bond before they know each other. Plus, I'm a sucker for the pairings where one or more of the main characters are an Arrow so I freaking adored Selenka and Ethan together! I loved that were both devoted to each other from the first and were dedicated to making their mating work even though they were strangers at first.

There's a lot that's going on in this book. There's an attack on the symposium, several attacks on Selenka's pack, and Ethan is displaying all the signs of having the dreaded Scarab Syndrome and could be on the brink of losing his mind. That's quite a bit to handle on top of a surprise mating. I loved reading about Selenka and Ethan learning each other and coming together. I also enjoyed the overall plot and mystery of this book. I guessed a few of the outcomes but I was kept on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading. Which happened to be all in one sitting. I should know better by now not to start a Nalini Singh book before bed if I want to get any sleep.

I loved getting to know the BlackEdge pack and seeing some familiar faces from previous books! Selenka and Valentin's interactions were the best! I loved seeing them compare whose mate was more badass and bemoaning how vulnerable said badass mates were because of their psychic abilities. Actually all the interactions between the wolves and the bears were great! I really loved everything about this book. I’m pretty sure I was a literal embodiment of the heart eyes emoji each time I finished this book.

Overall, Alpha Night was an excellent addition to one of my favorite series. I can't wait to reread the story again and again over the coming years. Now on to speculating and trying to guess who will be the main characters of the next book. I really really want a book about the falcons or someone from Remi's pack or maybe we'll get to see more of BlackSea! I kind of have my fingers crossed that we get at least a novella about one or more of the relationships we see developing like Axl and Tamar or Arwen and Pavel or Nerida and Yuri. I especially want something or anything about what the heck is going on between Anthony and Nikita. It's going to be a long year of waiting that's for sure.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

This series just gets better. With Silence broken, and the Net in disarray, it's been interesting to see how the Psy community is working towards making sure they don't become extinct. I think the Arrows are an amazing group to focus on, and Singh really brings their past and future to light. She also writes amazingly strong female characters. I think that this new chapter of her books is even more exciting than the last.

4.5 Stars

I'm deeply in love with Nalini Singh's massive Psy-Changeling world. It's creative and futuristic and her love for detail just shines through in every book and on every page which makes for a cohesive reading experience. In Alpha Night BlackEdge alpha Selenka Durev and Arrow Ethan Night are being paired up.

These two experience a spontaneous mating at their first encounter which is supposed to be rare. These two know nothing about one another and are connected through an unbreakable bond. Both of them alpha in their own right with a matching strong will, skills that are beyond average, and demons that haunt them, now need to find a way to handle this bond and get to know each other and you as a reader are allowed to come along for the ride.

I loved Ethan so much who had strong intuition how to treat Selenka and her pack. He was so disarmingly honest, trusting, tender and enamored with his new mate. But there is something dark and powerful lurking in his mind that threatens to break free and he can't allow that because that means danger to Selenka. His need to protect her at any cost is deeply ingrained despite the new connection. Ethan's loneliness tugged on my heartstrings and I wished him nothing but happiness.

"Being with Selenka, it filled an emptiness so deep inside him that it had no name."

Nalini Singh does a great job dropping hints what exactly it is that ails Ethan and if you pay attention the outcome won't surprise you. It definitely had me thrilled.

Selenka is a badass alpha who is 100% up to the job. She has no issue taking decisive action, that can include the death of anyone who threatens, endangers or hurts a member of her pack. But she also has a softer side and that makes her so very likable. These two fall in love with so much ease and so naturally, they are perfect for each other. Ethan and Selenka aren't just lovers and mates, they are affectionate, faithful friends and protectors.

"His hair fell across his forehead as he moved to touch another tree, and suddenly he looked so young that her heart threatened to break. She would show him a world beyond pain and murder and hurt, she vowed it."

We now get a clear picture of The Architect's character and motives. I really can't wait to find out who The Architect is - whether it's a new character or somebody we know. My money is on the latter. While Ethan and Selenka's story wraps up with a bow the author leaves us with a bit of a cliffy in regards to the Psy-Net's deterioration. It will be interesting to see how this is being resolved in the upcoming books.

Of course we get to catch up with many of our beloved characters from previous books and I got such a kick out of reconnecting with Valentin and Silver, especially because the bears elicit so much exasperation in the wolves, yet they are close allies.

If you need a really good PNR series I can't recommend the Psy-Changeling world enough. While I think that you could get away reading this as a standalone with little or no confusion if you've read some of the previous books in this series, I wouldn't recommend it (and seriously, I don't know why you would want that with this series being so awesome). Nalini Singh's stories are magical and always make me care deeply about her characters and these two definitely dug their way into my heart. Her words are beyond beautiful and the love for this world is in her every word. I can't wait to find out who she'll pair up next!

"For the first time in his life, he opened his soul . . . and in ran a wolf, the contact so hard and powerful and potent that his mind screamed in ecstasy."