A dark threat grows, the Psy Net continues to splinter, and two unlikely lovers meet again. I anticipate each new installment in this series with great excitement and Storm Echo was no exception.

Storm Echo is the #6 entry in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series which is a continuation of the original Psy-Changeling series. These read best in orde,r because the over-arcing series plot and returning characters continues and builds from past books.

Ivan Mercant is not himself and has his formidable grandmother who is the head of his house worried. He hasn’t been the same in over a year since he took a fighter training course in Texas, met a whimsical, joyful Changeling, rescued her after a horrific pack slaughter, and then never saw her again. He’s looked and put the Mercant intelligence service at work, but to no avail. Then in San Francisco, he spots her right as chaos breaks loose on that portion of the Psy Net and he discovers his deadly Psy gift provides him with abilities he didn’t know he had.

Soleil went through a traumatic time when her small, weak pack was destroyed. She has hazy memories of the time, but what she has discovered is that Lucas Hunter, the Dark River pack alpha ordered the slaughter so she is determined to make him pay for killing innocents (not that she puts her old alpha in that category). Only, Lei is a healer and when the moment comes, she finds herself helping to stabilize fallen Psy and curious about the man with cold blue eyes who stares back at her and gives her a strong sense of recognition. When it comes down to it, Lei would rather explore her cat’s strong attraction and need for Ivan Mercant than get revenge on Lucas Hunter- but, at the very least she will make the alpha account for killing her loved ones.

Storm Echo seemed to pull back from the global grand scale and focus on a couple and incidents close to them both in her Changeling world and his Psy world with bigger matters, like the Scarab Queen’s machinations, still there, but muted.

I’ve enjoyed seeing each Mercant cousin with their varied, powerful Psy gifts and horrific pasts get their turn at finding love. Ivan’s story involved living on the street, a mother addicted to Jax, and no idea who his father was while grappling with a unique ability to attach other Psy minds to his and drain them of energy until they’re husks. All his life, he has contained this gift, but now the containment walls are splintering, so he pushes away those he loves for the time he will be gone.

Lei was somewhat baffling to me at first and I was still a little hazy on how everything went down in her life after leaving Ivan at the training center until she shows up in San Francisco. There was an explanation in bits and pieces, but it never felt clear to me. It didn’t take her long, at least, to see that what she thought she knew about Lucas Hunter couldn’t have been more wrong.

Ivan and Lei were another amazing romance pair and I loved seeing open, sweet Lei draw out Ivan and teach him to love and enjoy life. She sticks to him and won’t let him push her away for her own good. I enjoyed seeing more of Ivan’s family particularly Ena and his E-Psy cousin jumping in when Ivan needs them.

Storm Echo had some exciting reveals from what Ivan’s strange Psy ability could do to big progress on the Queen of the Scarabs identity and that surprise connection at the very end that sets up an interesting situation for the next book.

For those coming new to the Psy Changeling world, I recommend readers start at the very beginning of the original series to get the full, deep, and rich wonders of the world and the characters. It is a paranormal romance series that urban fantasy fans can love on, too.

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2022/08/09/%f0%9f%8e%a7-storm-echo-by-nalini-singh/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

4.5 hearts

<em><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/188338-psy-changeling-trinity"><strong>The Psy-Changeling Trinity</strong> </a></em>the spin off series to <em><strong>Psy-Changeling</strong></em>. Overall,  it is like one big series.  I didn't and wouldn't read the later books without the foundation of the first series.  Singh has a style which is a great blend of paranormal romance and urban fantasy.  Each book has a romantic couple and we get great development of those two characters as well as their family and friends.  There is also an overall story arc, the urban fantasy part of her style, which carries on throughout the series.

In <strong>Storm Echo</strong>, we have Ivan Mercant who has a rough backstory but is part of the tight Mercant family now. He is Psy and so you would think he wouldn't have any experience with emotion but he wasn't really raised in the traditional Silence protocol. Plus Arwen Mercant is an E Psy so he has been exposed to more emotions.  Both Silver and Arwen are connected to the bears, so Ena has also spent time with the bears.  No one who spends time with bears can be truly silent.

<blockquote>"Stop talking to bears! They're a bad influence."</blockquote>

Lei is a cat and I don't want to say much here, because I don't want to spoil anything.  Suffice it to say, we do get back to visiting Dark River, and get to see some of our favorite characters there.  I love the development of her and Ivan's history and characters, and the magical way they connect.  It's so heartwarming but develops slowly.

The overall plot with parts of the Psy Net failing, the Trinity learning to work together more, the anchors connecting with each other, the problems with the Architect and Ming, is a very slow progress.  That would be my only difficulty with the series is the plot parts feel like they always happen in the last 10% of the book with the bulk of the pages devoted to character and romance development.  That's a generalization, of course.

Singh is a master, though, and the books are brilliant.  I love every minute of the story, and all aspects.  I'd only like to see the plot move along just a bit more in each one.  I enjoy these SO much and can't wait to learn about the next couple and further developments in the Trinity world.

I think, by now, everyone familiar with my blog knows how much I love any and all things Nalini Singh. Her psy-changeling books are my favorite and Storm Echo adds to the complexity of her worldbuilding. Storm Echo returns us to San Francisco and the familiar pack of Dark River leopards. However, the heroine is not a leopard but in fact an ocelot, while the hero is a Mercant psy. I think to really grasp this book, you have to read Allegiance of Honor, the transition/epilogue book between the original Psy-changeling books and the newer Psy-changeling Trinity series. Soliel’s motivation for being in San Francisco and wanting to kill Lucas is explain in this book but the background of Allegiance of Honor really helps.

Soleil. The sweet and loving healer who is so broken by the events in her life. I loved having a healer heroine. Tammy and Lara are lovely side characters and both have short stories but I love having a full length book for a healer. She is such a complex character, with her healing heart warring with a need for revenge over the loss of her pack. When Ivan comes back into her life, it is so beautiful even though she doesn’t remember him. Ivan and Soleil meet briefly but their connection was so burning and strong. When life separated them, it was heartbreaking. However, when they are reunited, that bond between them is so clear. I loved having Ivan as the hero in this book. We get to see even more inside the Mercant family, which operated very similar to the changeling packs. He’s such a strong hero with a tragic past and a deadly power but loves Soleil with such a purity of heart.

Like the other Psy-Changeling books, the world is still evolving post-Silence and there are catastrophic events taking place that our heroine and hero are drawn into. This book wraps up an lingering question in the Trinity universe but opens the door to even more problems with the net. Nalini Singh is a true master of worldbuilding and every time I read one of her books, I’m just amazed at what she creates and how she pulls in new and existing characters without overwhelming the reader. Storm Echo is a stunning story and I wanted more as soon as I finished it!

Have you ever picked up a book in the middle of a series and realize you need to go back and read the rest?
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That’s what I did with this one! This is the sixth installment and an entire universe is out there I need to catch up on now!
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Huge thank you to @berkleypub for an advanced copy! This book is out today!
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Well, dang. Where do I start? This is the 21st book in the Psy-Changeling series, and book 6 in the Psy-Changeling Trinity...story arc...? I'm not sure if that is the correct term since each book in the PCT series coincides with the main timeline. Just to be clear, there is no timeline/alternate universe jumping here. There are a few flashbacks with some much-needed context. Ivan and Soleil's story was full of surprising twists, sweet moments, heartache, and spicy scenes (1-2 chili peppers spicy). The Mercants are a Psy family full of mystery and they are loyal to the core. While training in the wilderness, Ivan is injured and comes across Soleil, a Changling and Healer. Their relationship slowly develops with the possibility of something more. They are separated by a catastrophic event until they are fated to meet once again...and this time Ivan is not letting go. I liked how Soleil complements Ivan's personality. She is sunshine and love personified. She herself has suffered great heartache. She has some lost memories due to trauma and was under the impression that DarkRiver was the reason her pack is gone. Soleil's pack was a mystery in the first half of the book. I had a vague idea of which pack it was, but I couldn't quite remember who it was. The identity of the pack will be a nice Easter egg for fans who have read the PCT series/arc from the beginning. On the flip side, we also slowly unravel who Ivan Mercant is and we also learn more details about how the Mercant family operates. Lots of cameo appearances from other popular Mercants to add some zest into the mix. I enjoyed the pacing and over-arching story. The dynamic between Ivan and Soleil is that of partners and lovers. They have a deep trust in each other's abilities and faith in their relationship. Overall, Storm Echo is a solid addition to the series. 4.5 stars

Nalini Singh does it again! Storm Echo is a great installment in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series. This is one of my comfort series. I could read a million books about this world and the characters!

Things to expect in this installment:
- a Psy and Changeling pairing
- A sweet meet cute
- Romance
- The return of some beloved characters
- A slight case of amnesia
- A big plot twist/reveal

Storm Echo follows Ivan Mercant, a Psy, and Soleil Bijoux Garcia, a changeling. These two unexpectedly meet and have an instant connection. They continue to spend time together until one day Soleil doesn’t show up. Ivan believes she changed her mind about him….but is that what really happened? 👀 You’ll have to read to find out!

As usual, Nalini Singh delivers a heartwarming romance. I have no doubt fans of the series will love Lei and Ivan. Storm Echo also does a fantastic job moving along the macro-plot of the series! We finally get a hint about the Architect’s identity and how her powers work! I can’t wait to see what we learn in the next book.

Storm Echo is another brilliant Psy Changeling Trinity book featuring another Mercant. I just continue to fall more and more in love with these books. I also highly recommend the audiobook, narrated by Angela Dawe. She does such an excellent job with accents and male and female voices.

Ivan Mercant was a baby born hooked on drugs. Thankfully, he was able to escape life on the streets and was taken in by his grandmother, the head of the Mercant family. But, his time addicted to Jax has left him with a ticking time bomb in his head. He has isolated himself for a long time and then he meets Lei. His world tilts on its axis. But, as quick as their relationship bloomed, it ended and she was gone for over a year.

Ivan is Psy and because of his "spider" brain, he still keeps with many of the traditions of the silence protocol. He is also an assassin, killing anyone who is a threat to his family and anyone who deals in Jax. Soleil is an ocelot healer who lost her pack and then her memory. She is the type of person Ivan needs-someone who can stand up to him and provide him with love and fun. I really loved these two together!

There are times in the book when I realize I have forgotten things. Because each story has this over arching thread of the architect, the scarab, the death of the Psy net, etc., you really have to recall what is going on. That can be tough if you have an aging memory like me! However, no one creates worlds like Nalini Singh. Her writing is brilliant and her plot threads are intricate. Getting lost in one of her books is my favorite pastime.

Storm Echo is sensational! It’s romantic, entertaining, and deeply interesting. Nalini Singh’s latest Psy-Changeling Trinity novel is the kind of book that makes you want to cancel plans so you can keep reading – it’s that engaging.

Ivan Mercant knows love and absolute loyalty thanks to his grandmother and cousins. But even with them he’s often an island unto himself – the knowledge that he carries a toxic power in him so deeply embedded that he’s wary of ensnaring anyone in his web. Then he meets Lei, a changeling who bursts into his world with brightness and color and laughter…before she disappears in an event of violent madness. Over a year later Ivan comes face-to-face with Soleil Bijoux Garcia, a changeling whose human side doesn’t know him, but whose cat can sense an unbroken bond between them.

Ivan is a Psy whose cold exterior covers a vulnerable heart that absolutely melted me. He’s dominant and protective, but so sweet I could swoon. Soleil is a healer who backs down from nothing and no one. She’s a changeling who needs pack but has been isolated for most of her life. I won’t spoil what happens when she comes to San Francisco looking for answers, but suffice it to say it’s satisfying. Fans of the Psy-Changeling series will know that given the location of this book they’re sure to meet old friends again. I loved that Singh incorporates both the Mercant and DarkRiver worlds in this book. It’s a true treat see these two packs/families that are so different yet so similar.

At the heart of Storm Echo is the love story between Soleil and Ivan. These two fit like lock and key and I was swept into their romance from the first. Ivan is a man with titanium shields but they’re no match for his cat’s claws. Soleil has a spine of steel that won’t let Ivan go and the way they just gripped each other, so to speak, grabbed my heart in turn. There’s such love, care, and passion in their romance that it makes me smile just to think about it. I dare you not to fall in love with these two protective souls.

The overarching series mystery of the denigration of the PsyNet and the damage caused by the Scarabs is at the forefront of this story and it’s fascinating. I love how Singh brought about more questions and answers, her worldbuilding top-notch as we delve deeper into Psy minds and powers. I can’t say much about this plot without spoiling things so I’ll leave it by saying that I finished Storm Echo desperately eager to see what Singh will do next. I cannot recommend Soleil and Ivan’s story highly enough. Nalini Singh is in top form in this thrilling, romantic tale!

I love this series and have from the beginning. It is always such a joy to visit with Lucas, Sasha, Tammy and Nathan. Returning to DarkRiver - it just gave me all the feels. That being said - whoa -Ivan!!!! A PSY who has never embraced Silence, yet still remains so controlled. His relationship with Lei is beautiful. I love that they fell instantly in love, it seemed very organic to me. Of course, that can not be the end of the story or there would be no story.

The underlying chaos of Ivan's mind and the chaos in the PsyNet come together in such a satisfying way. I truly do not know how Ms Singh comes up with the intricate - all connecting resolutions she does, but she does. And the last bit - WOW - talk about coming full circle. Amazing.

But, underlying it all is the love story. Which is so fantastic. These 2 broken individuals who will do anything for each other. As usual I cried through parts of the story, they were so well written. Also, as usual, I would have liked to have seen some of the bears, because, bears! Thank you for a lovely story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley For the ARC.

Even after 21 books between 2 series, and countless vignettes and novellas, the Psy-Changeling world is still going strong, can still surprise me, and keep me captivated. I love it SO MUCH.

Ivan Mercant (cousin to Silver, from Silver Silence) was taken into the Mercant family after the death of his Jax-addict mother, who swore he was a Mercant. He's become an integral part of their operation, and he cares for and protects them all. But, he has a special ability, that no one but his grandmother knows about, and he thinks it will eventually kill him when he can no longer control it. Then, he meets Lei, and everything changes. And then EVERYTHING goes wrong.

Soleil Bijoux Garcia is a changeling healer, without a pack. She has no memory of the last month before her injury, but all she does know is she needs revenge on the alpha of DarkRiver. In San Francisco, she sees Ivan, and her cat insists he's hers, though she doesn't know him. He's clearly dangerous, though not to her, and she doesn't know what to make of him.

Lei and Ivan's connection was so strong, it even lasted through her memory loss. I loved their initial meeting in the woods, and how strong the feelings were for both of them. When tragedy struck, it was heartbreaking, and you felt that pain right along with them. But seeing how Lei was drawn to him, even though she doesn't remember their history, was so satisfying and I couldn't wait to see what happened next!

There was also a TON of macro plot payoff in this book! We finally learned the identity of the Scarab Queen/The Architect, and that thread has been dangling for YEARS. It was so satisfying to finally get some more insight into that storyline. There were also some interesting things with Ivan's ability, and how he can do things that no one else, not even Kaleb Krychek, can do, and I loved digging into that as well.

I found this story extremely enjoyable, and I especially loved being back with DarkRiver, and seeing many of my old faves again! If you're a fan of this series, I feel sure you'll enjoy this book too!

***5 ‘Today and Tomorrow and Always’ Stars***

This right here is why I’m a full on fan girl of this series. The storyline, the characters, how the author keeps all the various and numerous connections straight while making new ones…all of it kept me turning the pages and had me doing a re-read as soon as I finished because it was just that damn good and I didn’t want to say good-bye.

I adored Ivan and Lei. Ivan being a Mercant is already a vote in his favor ~ because who doesn’t love the Mercants? ~ his loyalty to family and need to protect, not only his family but he found a very interesting kinship with was a huge draw. Lei was light, happiness and a sweet sassyness that had me smiling, even when her light was dimmed due to an extreme loss. Their journey to their HEA was a lot of fun to experience. I loved how they first collided and the connection it started between them. And while their second collision was not as joyous, it only strengthened the bond between them and as they got to know each other, helped to heal the wounds from their pasts.

LOTS goes on in this one. I loved how Lei’s back story is connected to an incident that happened in a previous book, but was not touched upon until now and gave me a sense of, not closure, but a slice of life type of thing where we get to catch up with where everyone is at. The whole Scarab Queen thing is intense ~ though I will say that it’s nice to know that my guess about who the Queen/Architect is was correct ~ but I like how things are playing out. And then there are the various characters we get to meet and hang out with in this one. The Mercants have become some of my fav characters ~ Ena is AMAZING ~ as are their paramours ~ Pasha is awesome. But getting to spend time in DarkRiver again was like a homecoming, especially with the twins. But now to wait for the next installment because..WHOA…the crazy just got amp’d up a whole nother notch.

I must give thanks to Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC. I typically do the audiobooks on release day, so this was a treat ~ though I cannot wait to hear Angela Dawe bring this one to life!

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

Storm Echo
Psy-Changeling Trinity Series - Book 6
By Nalini Singh

Berkley - August 2022

Paranormal Romance


The Psy-Changeling Trinity series, is a continuation of Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series. It is essentially the second story arc. Readers new to this series might find starting with Silver Silence to be a good introduction into this world. For the most part though, Storm Echo does stand on its own. However, each story does contain spoilers to the previous story arc and characters. Accordingly, this review assumes that the reader has read the previous stories in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series. Personally, since I have enjoyed all of the stories to date, I highly suggest reading the entire full series in order.

Ivan Mercant had been training with a wolf pack when he had stumbled, and she had come to his rescue. A changeling, there was no doubt to that, but Lei didn't say what kind. He had to figure it out. He was a Mercant, digging out information was what they did. But she was more than an unknown. She enchanted him, she called to something within him. She was becoming an integral part of him, until she was gone.

Soleil Bijoux Garcia had once been a member of a pack. She had been an outsider in the pack, but they were still home and family. Now they were gone. All of them. She was the sole survivor, and she had come to San Francisco on a mission. She may be a changeling, and her life was at risk by coming into DarkRiver territory, but she had buried her cat so far that she could pass as human.

Until chaos descended. Another instance where psy dropped dead. Some were barely surviving, and it appeared that there was one reason for that. Him. The man who awakened her cat. She may not consciously know him, but her cat remembered him.

Storm Echo was a reunion romance in so many ways. Ivan and Lei reuniting being the heart of the story. Both had troubled backgrounds. I loved learning about Ivan's introduction to his Mercant family. Lei may have had loving parents, but they hadn't fed her need for pack. It was wonderful seeing them come together, heal, and fight for their future. I look forward to the next Psy-Changeling story.

Kathy Andrico - KathysReviewCorner.com

Included as a top pick in bimonthly August New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached)

I am not sure how she does it but Nalini Singh consistently writes books full of adventure, hope, and love. Storm Echo introduces us to Lei and Ivan..she is an ocelot (squeal) and he is Ina Mercants grandson. No spoilers here, but there is a little turbulence between them early on but both of the know the other is their future. We get to visit some old friends in San Francisco (squeal again). That might have been my second favorite part of the book, the first of course is Lei and Ivan's story.

I love the Mercants, or Spies-R-Us as they joke about the family business. Ivan Mercant is out learning to coexist with the changelings in a sort of boot camp setting when he slices his leg open. Since he's a big, bad Psy mercenary, he figures he'll just keep going. The he meets Lei, a human who's out foraging and fixes him up. For the first time, Ivan finds himself having feelings and wanting to be with someone. Through a series of events, the two are separated and when they finally meet up, Lei doesn't know who he is. She is also not the happy girl he met. Unknown to him she has a deadly agenda related partly to what happened to her. Watching them work their way back to each other is full of sexual tension and worth the wait.
I loved that DarkRiver pays an important part in the story because it's always enjoyable to see earlier characters and how their lives are playing out. I also want to see more of Arwen Mercant.
Each book in this series unravels a little of what is behind the Scarab problem and this one reveals some biggies! The three races being in the Trinity is a big part of the resolution of the crisis du jour with a big teaser at the end.

Ivan Mercant, darkly mysterious, and drop-dead gorgeous Psy, scion of the famous Mercant family meets an equally mysterious woman in the forest. He's dumbstruck by Lei and the fact that she doesn't run away screaming from him. Another silly psy who thinks he's scary when he's actually unknowingly melting panties wherever they go 🔥 They continue to meet in the forest until one day Lei doesn't show up. Ivan thinks he has scared her away with his perfect face and body 🙄 No, he thinks he's a monster and undeserving of love. But in reality, tragedy has struck and he finds her half dead and saves her life only to lose her again... And this is how this book murdered my feelings 😭

Storm Echo started with a bang (not literally, alas) The initial meetings between Ivan and Lei reminded me of the Psy that owns my heart body, and soul, Kaleb, and his Sahara. But then the separation happens and the story fast forwards (a few years? Not sure of the timeline) The focus then switched from the relationship to the plot and that's where it started to drag for me.

Psy Changeling as a series has always been plot heavy and my favorite books have been the ones that are more relationship and character-driven. I was hoping Storm Echo would be one of those. It has really strong Judd/ Brenna and Kaleb/ Sahara vibes but the plot overtakes the majority of the book. By the time we get back to Ivan and Lei, everything feels super rushed, even the love scenes which were surprisingly short and super tame #sadness. BUT we get back to San Fran and Dark River which made my fangirling heart squee with joy. The plot was centered in the area and we got lots of cameos from the cats. No wolves though *cries in Snowdancer*.

Speaking of the plot I was super confused at times. I don't know if the overarching plot is getting denser, or if I'm getting denser or if it's the fact that I'm not reading all the books back to back and I'm now having to wait a year between books. Whatever the case I had a hard time following, and my goldfish memory couldn't recall if SkyElm, Lei's pack, had ever been mentioned before. There is one huge bombshell dropped at the end which is making me antsy for the next book.

Overall, this was a solid entry in the series and I enjoyed it but I'm still looking for a book in the Trinity spin-off that knocks me on my ass like Caressed by Ice or Branded By Fire did early on. I think my main problem with Trinity is that there is so much hopping around the world. I think the first half worked so well for me because it centered in one place, for the most part, San Fran and it focused on the two Packs. Which meant I got to know them over time and got attached to them until they got their own books. This isn't happening here. Most of the leads are total strangers and I find it harder to get emotionally invested. Anyway, this series is the longest series I've ever read and I will stick with it until the bitter end. I will read an entire book for just a mention of my main murdery boo Kaleb 🥺

Nalini Singh does amazing world building but it is her wonderful characters that draw me back again and again.

Ivan Mercant’s mother was a Jax addict. Not only did she take the drug while pregnant but she sometimes gave some to young Ivan. After her death from an overdose, there was a name he only heard his mother say once and young Ivan demanded that child services contact the Mercants. He unflinchingly presented himself to the indomitable Ena Mercant as her kin. Even Ena could see that Ivan’s upbringing would be an issue but she personally worked with Ivan to overcome so much. Ivan works hard to prove himself worthy of the name Mercant but Ivan also believes that because of the Jax given to him in the womb, he has a malevolence hiding in his brain, a power that can take over other psy minds. He knows that some day he will need to be destroyed for everyone’s safety.

Soleil Bijoux Garcia (“Lei”) is a shifter, a member of an almost extinct changeling family. Yet even though their numbers are dwindling, they still tossed her aside. But it is Lei’s nature to care for others and no matter how badly she is wounded on the inside, she can’t stop herself from helping a wounded psy, no matter how dangerous he might be. Lei’s family goes missing and she believes them dead. She also believes she knows who is to blame, and she has traveled to San Francisco to kill Lucas Davenport, the alpha of the most powerful cat shifter clan.

Ivan believes himself be a spider, but it is Lei who catches him in her web. Ivan has become obsessed with the changeling who soothes his soul since their first meeting and can’t get her out of his mind. Ivan being a patient predator of his own, sits and waits for Lei to appear again. Lei’s gentle kindness, heals a wound in Ivan he didn’t know he had but when she suddenly disappears from his life, he isn’t certain if something happened or if his internal violence has finally scared her off.

When they accidently meet again, and Lei looks into his eyes and sees a stranger, Ivan finally knows that something bad happened to Lei and it is not fear of him that tore her away. Now Ivan will not leave her side until he knows she is safe and he knows whether they can have a future together after all. But even as Ivan finds his hope, he knows it is only a matter of time before he loses control of the spider he has caged in his brain and he will need to be locked away for Lei’s safety as well as the entire psy race.

I need to start out by saying how much I loved Ivan and Lei. I loved how young Ivan stood up to his grandmother, a very powerful woman and psy, and demanded that she acknowledge him and accept him into her house. Lei, like all the healers, is a gentle soul who captivates Ivan from the beginning with no fear of him. Nalini Singh writes such unforgettable characters and I am so happy for their HEA. If this is your first Psy-Changeling story or you are just returning to the series, you will love this book.

Now the part that hurts me to say. It hurts to disparage any of my favorite authors, but if you are a fan of the series like I am, this book has too many of the same plot points as the last few books. For example, Ivan and Lei fall in love but suddenly Lei loses her memory and we need them to fall in love again. We had this same idea in Silver Silence when Silver needs an operation which reengages her Silence and Valentin needs to work twice as hard to make a truly silent psy fall in love. There is also the same “I am a ticking time bomb ready to explode but turns out it’s the one ability that will save the pay-net” plot point like in Wolf Rain, Alpha Night and Last Guard. Each story is so enjoyable from both a paranormal and a character driven standing but as part of a series, we have hit a rut in the story telling and while we are mostly moving the story forward, the ideas are becoming a bit cookie cutter. (It hurt so much to say that out loud.)

I will agree that due to the nature of the Psy-Changeling series, this is going to be an ongoing idea of the failing psy-net. The last book that wasn’t focused on the psy-net in the last few years was Ocean Light. Which was also the last story to feature a human main character. Remember both human and changeling connections are needed to heal the failing psy-net but there have been no humans included since Ocean Light, and that was a romance with a changeling and therefore, no help to the net. I understand us humans are boring compared to changelings and psy, but I wasn’t the one to make that rule.

As an individual story, Storm Echo was amazing. As part of the series, Nalini needs to break out of this rut.

Ivan Mercant, head of the Mercant family security, believes he’s a monster because of the way his brain is wired due to his mother taking the Jax drug while she was pregnant. When on a training exercise, Ivan meets a mysterious shifter, Lei, and is smitten - something that’s never happened to the Psy. She even agrees to see him once he tells her about some of the darkness within him. However, after Soleil’s pack is brutally attacked by some Psy, she goes missing, and Ivan assumes she choose to leave him.

After not loving the previous book, Storm Echo reminds me of why I’m still reading this series after twenty plus books: It’s an amazing series and Nalini Singh is a gifted storyteller. The characters are beautiful, unique, and caring. We have two new identities (but tied into previous storylines). There is a new Psy power and a new featured changeling. There is a melding of some newer characters (Mercant) and some older (DarkRiver). The story moves from beginning to end. There are little mysteries to understand and solve (what happened to Lei, where is her pack) and bigger things (will they be able to save the relocated Psy?) and there are huge developments on the Architect/Scarab Queen front. It took a really long time to build to this point in the series, and now I want to go back and see how the seeds were planted by Ms. Singh to bring us to the present.

Lei and Ivan have a deep connection from the beginning. Although it’s not a true insta-love situation because it takes time for Ivan to process his feelings in this post-Silence world. I like that they have to fight for one another but don’t fight each other. Even Ivan’s threats to leave Lei to protect her aren’t serious. I love that they work together to fight the dangers, and he allows Lei to use her natural strength and abilities to help, even when dangerous. He protects her but doesn’t smoother her. They make a unique and beautiful team: open and honest with one another.

The overall story outside the romance is solid and standalone, but part of the overall Scarab storyline completely. It finally makes huge progress and is exciting in its own right.

Storm Echo is a beautiful romance with an exciting storyline that fans won’t want to miss!!

My Rating: B+

Storm Echo by Nalini Singh is the 6th book in her wonderful Psy-Changeling Trinity series. Nalini Singh continues to be one of my must read go to authors, always loving her Pys-Changeling and Guild Hunter series. She never fails to give us fantastic stories, great couples and fabulous secondary characters; not to mention her amazing ability to make sure her continued world building is totally flawless.

Ivan Mercant, our hero, is the Mercant family security expert. Ivan considers himself dangerous, with an abnormal brain, able to go deep into the PsyNet with fears of losing control. When Ivan attends training sessions, he meets a young woman, who gives him strange vibes that he has never experienced.
Soleil Bijoux Garcia (Lei), our heroine & a healer, accidently runs into Ivan in the woods, and they both enjoy each other’s company. Lei is an ocelot, whose shifting side recognizes Ivan as their mate. Even though it has been a short time they have known each other, Ivan finds himself becoming obsessed with Lei. When she doesn’t show up one day, he begins a search and finds a massacre at her pack, and Ivan tries to save her life, but the healers and medics arrive. He uses all his powers to find Lei, but gives up after time; until one day almost a year later, he recognizes her.

Lei doesn’t remember Ivan, as she is hell bent on visiting Dark River (Leopard pack) to kill Lucas, since she felt he murdered her pack. Slowly, her Ocelot recognizes Ivan, and she starts to remember some of her memories. Ivan immediately goes into protector mode, and our wonderful Dark River healer, Tamsyn will help Lei, who will learn quickly that Lucas did not murder her pack, instead he saved most of the survivors, making them members of their pack. At first Dark River, was not happy to have Ivan with Lei within their territory, but Lucas can see a bond, and in a short time, their relationship will heat up. Lucas allows her to become a member of Dark River, knowing Ivan will stay with her.

The bond between Lei and Ivan was wonderful to watch, especially the ocelot side, who was demanding. Slowly, Lei and Ivan will succumb to their feelings, with her helping Ivan deal with the unknown physical intimacy; fully trusting her. I really loved them both together.

What follows is an exciting, suspenseful, intriguing and action-packed story that kept me glued to my kindle, unable to put the book down. Storm Echo was an emotional love story of two damaged people, with a bond that will bring them totally together. Ivan was able to use his ability to go deep into the PsyNet, with Lei able to monitor him, as he discovers how everything is falling apart, due to the Scarab Queen. Will Ivan be able to survive? Can he find a way to stop the evil Scarab Queen?.

I also loved seeing many of our previous heroes, such as Lucas, Kaleb, Ena, Tamsyn, Nate, Mercy, Canto, Arden, etc. Storm Echo was so very well written by Nalini Singh, which has always been the norm. She never fails to captivate me with her engaging creative stories, fantastic plots, and seamless world building; wonderful couples in each and every story; super secondary characters and fantastic world-building. I loved every moment of Storm Echo. As I have noted many times, if you have not read Nalini Singh, you are missing such a gem of an author.

Ivan Mercant has long lived in the shadows of his famous Psy family. He has never really been Silent; however, even though Silence has fallen and the chains are off, Ivan needs an iron control over the monster that lives in his mind. Exposed to Jax while still in the womb and thereafter, Ivan’s brain developed in a way the PsyMed doctors do not understand; they offer him grim predictions with little hope of a future. Ivan’s firm grip is slipping so he knows his time grows short. He is okay with that until he meets Lei, a feline changeling woman who suddenly colors his whole previously dark world. Now Ivan has a reason besides his family to survive his own personal deadly destruction that threatens not only him, but everyone around, Psy, Changeling, and Human alike. Just when he is getting to know Lei, she vanishes without a trace.

Soleil Bijoux Garcia was a part of a small pack known as SkyElm. As a healer, she was deeply connected to her packmates though their Alpha was not a good one. When a reign of terror decimates those around her leaving Soleil gravely injured, she forgets all about the man she recently connected with except the cat part of her remembers. Several months pass until Soleil and Ivan reconnect in San Francisco where she has come with one goal in mind: to take revenge on Lucas Hunter for his part in her losses.

Ivan has little hope that there is a future for him although he is willing to try because Lei, once she remembers and reconnects with the man who is her mate, refuses to give up on him. Ivan’s unusual ability allows him to help with another of the PsyNet catastrophes orchestrated by the deadly enemy of the Trinity known as the Architect. Readers will be pleased to know that secrets are finally revealed about the woman who calls herself the Scarab Queen after the run amok exponential powers that have been unleashed after Silence fell.

This is book six in the Psy-Changeling Trinity so fans will be happy to spend more time with the Mercants with their very imposing head of family, the enigmatic de facto ruler of the Psy, Kaleb Krychek, and the DarkRiver pack with their favorites. Tensions are rising and the total failure of the PsyNet continues to hang on the edge of knife while good people make sacrifices to keep it from all tumbling down.