PRIMAL MIRROR (Psy-Changeling Trinity Book #8) by Nalini Singh is an exciting paranormal romantic suspense which had me on the edge-of-my- seat as the leopard changeling hero and the Psy heroine go against a frightening evil. While the romance can stand on its own, the suspense plot is ongoing from previous books and there are also several characters pulled from previous books. While you do not need to go back to the beginning of the entire paranormal series, I enjoyed reading this Trinity spinoff series in order.

Psy Auden Scott suffered a terrible brain injury in an accident. While her memories are scattered or even blank, her mother has a diabolical use for her daughter. As Auden’s mind heals, she realizes she is pregnant with a child she has no recollection of conceiving. When her mother dies, Auden does not understand her mother’s associates’ intense interest in the yet to be born baby, but she vows to protect her baby at all costs.

Leopard alpha Remi Denier is working on protecting and building his fledgling pack. As he is checking his lands perimeter, he discovers a new neighbor on the adjacent land. This Psy with the unique eyes is very pregnant and has a scent that changes in disturbing ways, and he is fascinated. His alpha will do anything to protect this woman and her to be born cub.

Auden and Remi work together to uncover what Auden mother’s plans were for her that seem to be continuing even after her death as they also protect Auden’s baby. They MS. discover a nightmare even as the entire Psy race is on the brink of mass destruction.

I loved this addition to the series. It is fast paced with tension that continues to ramp up to a discovery that is severely twisted. Auden is a great powerful female heroine that you cannot help but love, not only because of her fight to regain her mental self, but also how much she will do to protect her baby. I have been waiting for Remi to finally meet his mate and this is a great pairing. I also enjoyed how this book pulls in many characters from previous books in the series not only to assist Auden and Remi, but to save the PsyNet itself.

I highly recommend this addition to the series, and I am looking forward to seeing what is in store for this paranormal world in the next book!

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖
Narration:🎧🎧🎧🎧
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨.5


First Impressions
So Primal Mirror is the most recent release in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series by Nalini Singh. This is definitely one of my more anticipated releases for 2024 and I had such a blast with it. I am very glad I was able to get this one read and it definitely was worth the wait. This also showed aspects of the changeling world that we haven't really seen before and I appreciated what the author did in that. The pack that we see, is also a brand new pack and very new and young and still establishing themselves. They are a smaller unit, but finding their own strength and I really valued the context of it. This also had a feeling of a classic changeling romance, there was something so classic about many aspects of this book while still being mindful of the more modern readership that this author has developed. There is still a heavier focus of consent in her books here. I don't mind that, but sometimes having it mentioned so many times in one page gets a bit annoying. But other than that, I found this book so refreshing and the romance was breathtaking. Fans of this world and this author, will have a blast with this one here.

First Line
Remi swore under his breath.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Remi, Alpha Leopard
The Heroine: Auden Scott

Summary
The story begins with our hero, Remi, who is the new alpha of this new pack in a very remote forest near some mountains. Their borderland is taken over by a lone Psy woman, a woman that is intriguing but her mind is fractured, but Remi and Auden have a brief moment of intense connection. Now its been months later, and Auden has been pregnated by a associate of her mothers, but Auden is determined to protect her baby no matter the costs. She knows that there is something not right about their plans for her baby, and she is a damaged daughter of a powerful elite family in the Psy world and she will break free and find a place of safety for her daughter. She comes to the remote mountains to escpae and she runs into Remi, who is protective and attentive, but respectful and she starts to build a bond with Remi. Remi is the alpha of his pack and a powerful leopard, who knows that Auden is his mate and that child she is carrying is their cub and they will protect both no matter the cost to themselves and he has his whole pack behind him as cubs always come first. Auden doesn't know what to make of Remi, but she does know that she makes her feel intense emotion, the like of which she never imagined for herself. Their bond grows into something much more intimate and packed with love and strength, but Auden will have to defeat her family and the damage done to her own mind before she can have any sort of happy ending with the man she loves and the daughter she would die for...

What I Loved
So many aspects to this story that just completely worked for me. The first being, is there is not a book from this author that I don't love and there is something about her writing that will always work for each and every time. I also couldn't get enough of Auden and Remi. But especially REMI.....there was just something about this author, who literally stole my heart from the very beginning. Even though you sense that he has a connection to Auden, he is still wary of her because of her fractured mind. But his leopard is always wanting to fight for Auden just like Remi is wanting to. And the bond that Remi makes with Auden's baby, Liberty, was just beautiful. I couldn't seem to get enough of those sweet moments he bonds with this adorable little baby girl. The romantic relationship between Remi and Auden was just a delight. Now fair warning, that this is a slow burn so it might not be for everyone, but I promise that if you stick with it, it definitely will be worth it because even though the moments that Remi and Auden have aren't many, as due to the circumstances they aren't able to be intimate until after Liberty is born, you also see that emotional connection being built and then once we get to the smexy moments, the intimacy just fully connects with them and it packs such a powerful punch. Even though I am not big on intimate scenes, this one just was worth reading because of how this story was gradually built. I fell so hard for Remi and Auden and they might be one of my favorite couples and also seeing other characters in this pack....I fell so hard for and we got to see KIT!!! And boy is he so grown up and I can't wait for his book. I know it might not be for a while, but it is definitely getting closer to happening and I am so fascinated to see what his contribution will be to this pack.

What I Struggled With
The only thing I struggled with at times was the slow burn nature of the romance, as it was REALLY slow burn and it could have not been so dragged out. And the focus on consent was WAY too much. I know this is a newer trend with Singh in this series, and while I don't mind it, the amount of times consent is mentioned got a bit annoying at times which is why this book isn't a five star book. It just was a bit of overkill here.

Narration
Powerful narration and really brought out the character dynamics just right. It also portrayed the emotion and level of intensity of the story that was needed at just the right time to truly build on the connection and suspense in how it was meant to be displayed in audio for the story.

Overall View
Primal Mirror is a gradual built romance that feeds into the heart of the changeling soul, digs deep into the emotion of love and intimacy, it explores the beauty of a parent's love and brings a world to life which is guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings and captivate the senses! TRULY A THRILLING RIDE OF THE SOUL!

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Paranormal Romance
Character Types: Shape Shifter, Alpha Male, Psychic Abilities, Leopard shifter
Themes: Heart/Touching, Slow Burn, Tear Jerker, Danger/Suspense elements, Praise Kink
Tropes: Fated Love, Opposites Attract

Book Perspective
3rd POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Plot Conflict

If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Christine Feehan
Paige Tyler
J.D. Tyler

Song This Book Inspires
Wake Up Love by Teyana Taylor

Recommendation For Reading Order
Either. They can be read as a standalone, but this world does better being read in order.

Steam/Spice Explanations

Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.

Narrators:
Angela Dawe

I would like to thank Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Primal Mirror is the eighth book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity by Nalini Singh. I have not read the previous books in this series and I think it put me at a distinct advantage. This book required highly complex world building, and as a result it took me a little while to become engaged in and understand the context of the story of some parts of the storyOnce I figured out the meaning of some of the passages, this became a very intriguing story. This is a fascinating paranormal romantic suspense story about jaguar shifters and people with telepathy, telekinetic, psychometric, or similar abilities. The reader must piece together clues as the main characters gather them to put together the answers regarding the end game for those with evil intentions. There was danger, intrigue, emotion, passion, and combustible chemistry between the two main characters. I definitely recommend this novel for readers who enjoy this genre, but also recommend starting with the first book in the series, Silver Silence. This book will work as a single romantic suspense story, but there are tie-ins with issues affecting the larger paranormal world that were hard to follow without having any context going in.

Nalini Singh weaves magic into and through her books. Once you start reading, you are now actively inside the story. The communities she has built are three dimensional, you see, hear and feel what is going on around the characters....and how she developed the characters, giving them a physical presence so well done, you'd recognize them on the street, or next door.
Book 8 in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series, “season two” in the Psy-Changeling series. It’s best read in order. Or at least from the first Trinity book. Each book is a standalone romance, but there’s an ongoing story arc that came to a critical point in this installment. The series revolves around a caste system that is obviously broken and dying, but the Psy will hold onto their power as long as they possibly can. As the circumstances become more dire, the Psy ruling class will sacrifice anyone and every thing to keep their privileged lives.
Each book features a romance between two characters, a Romeo and Juliet story that adds to the mystery and drama. These books are such good reads, but with magic included, they have to be.

Since I read the blurb of Primal Mirror, it’s been one of my highly anticipated reads of the year. The mystery of the main character Auden is in some ways similar to Sahara’s story but also not. The big difference which if you’ve read the blurb is no spoiler is that Auden is pregnant. I love a pregnancy trope and the love she has for her baby is the absolute sweetest. So many moments I wish I could just reach out & hug Auden. I’ve been excited to read Remi’s story since we first met him in Shards of Hope. I think the alpha books in the Psy series are probably my favourite books, seeing the special one on one moments they have with their pack members always makes my heart melt. Enjoyed this book and I can’t wait for the next release to come so I can do a reread all over again of this series!

I really loved getting to know the RainFire pack better and watching Auden and Remi connect. In a lot of ways their story reminded me of earlier books in the psy-changeling series in which a powerful psy needed the protection of a changeling pack. However, I enjoyed the continued plot of restoring the psy net and figuring out a post-silence future.

I really liked Remi and Auden as a couple. They were both strong and caring and I loved watching Remi protect Auden. I loved reading about how her psychometric gift affected her experiences and pregnancy.

Fans of the series will love this new installment! If you haven't read the series I would recommend starting at the beginning. It's a long series but 100% worth it! It's one of my favorite paranormal romance series of all time!

If you haven't experienced Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling worlds, I highly recommend it! Primal Mirror is book 8 of the Psy Changeling Trinity Series... and my brain is still saying, "Wow!"
So many threads show what’s going on throughout the world…seemingly separate threads keeping me guessing and unsure yet until all is revealed and you’re caught up in the web their threads weave!
Edge of seat Psy thread following dangerous issues with the PsyNet since The Silence..
Characters old and new in the thick of things, yet always open to come running to others in need!
RainFire- The building of a pack, Remi Denier, a strong Alpha and the heart touching bonds with those who are his and Allies,
Auden Scott and her struggles to understand what's happening to her while protecting her unborn child from corrupt family and the same unknown...
And the incredible way these threads become woven together had me turning pages with OMGs...one more chapter!
Croissants and Cinnamon Rolls what they come to mean to the couple are my favorite part of the storyline! I love the heart of both of these characters (and the many secondary characters). How they are willing to find trust and move past walls of past mistrust to see each other, have faith in each other…and how their strength and willingness to sacrifice builds a bond of love, and care for themselves, each other, and the lives they touch. and stand off against any threats they are facing. All brilliantly told by Nalini Singh with balance and contrast of love and apathy, connection and abandonment , humor and tears.

Auden Scott is the daughter of the ruthless Psy-Counselor pair: Henry and Shoshanna Scott. Her mind was fractured in an experiment approved by her mother that went wrong. Auden has recovered for the most part, now fully aware/awake, and pregnant, without her consent or memory! She and her baby are constantly monitored by the advisors left over by her mother, a prisoner in her own home. When touring the properties she inherited from her parents, Auden discovers land adjacent to the Rain Fire Pack where she encounters the Alpha, Remi and there’s an immediate connection.

Remi is fascinated by Auden Scott, the clearly damaged Psy, so when she takes up residence close by and alone, he can’t help but check on her. What he discovers about her circumstances is chilling. Auden needs his help. Remi’s determined to keep her and her child safe.

I was outraged for Auden by the treatment she had by the ones who were supposed to love and protect her! I wondered at what was going on and I had my suspicions. Auden’s mother was truly awful! I was so happy she found the Remi and sanctuary with the Rain Fire Pack, because she and her baby needed protection from those psychos!

Primal Mirror is book 8 in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series, “season two” in the Psy-Changeling series. It’s best read in order. Or at least from the first Trinity book. Each book is a standalone romance, but there’s an ongoing story arc that came to a critical point in this installment. The Psy race are desperately trying to repair/salvage the Psy-Net from imminent collapse. There was movement on that front and other revelations that wouldn’t make sense if you read this as a standalone. I loved the cooperation from all races: Human, Psy, and Changeling banding together to help the Psy.

I completely recommend this series for fans of fast-paced, chemistry filled shifter/sci-fi romances! I would start from the very beginning, the original series and keep going. The audios, read by Angela Dawe, are fantastic!

A fantastic addition to the Psy-Changeling world! This tied up a lot of loose ends in the Trinity offshoot, which I appreciated. I'm sure that Singh will continue writing these books for a long time and the world is still open for that, especially as the PsyNet is still failing. But now, there is time to find a real solution and I'm curious to see where the series will go. I'm also curious to see who the next big bad will be as the Scott storyline seems to have wrapped up.

The romance was definitely a slow burn, but that made sense for Auden and Remi. When you don't trust your brain you really can't make a lot of informed decisions about consent. I will always enjoy stepping back into Singh's world and will continue to do so with every book she puts out in this series.

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

Let me start by saying that I did enjoy Primal Mirror for the most part. If there one thing Nalini Singh is going to do is give readers is intense characters and their story.

That being said, the back-story here felt bloated. It affected the pacing and imo , weighed down the romance of Primal Mirror and for this read; that’s unfortunate. Also, although I liked the characters enough separately, I didn’t feel there was much chemistry between them.

All and all, Primal Mirror was an okay read.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

Title: Primal Mirror
Series: Psy-Changeling Trinity, #8
Author: Nalini Singh
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: July 23, 2024
Reviewing: eARC via Netgalley
Reason for reading: As always, author love, series love

The Short Answer
This installment of the series resolves the Spider arc, as well as the recent arc of crisis in the PsyNet, although it's likely that future books will deal with political fallout and some world-rebuilding. Character-wise, we get a new feline pack, with ties to DarkRiver and a few attendant cameos. I enjoyed the romance but I think the freaky plot stole the show, which is unusual for me. Still, four stars.

The Blurb:
New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh takes us into a family dark with shadowy secrets, as the world of the Psy teeters on the edge of a final catastrophic collapse. . .

Daughter of two ruthless high-Gradient telepaths, Auden Scott is not the child her Psy parents wanted or expected, even before her brain injury. Her thoughts are scattered, her memories fuzzy—or just terrifyingly blank. The only thing she knows for certain is that she must protect her unborn baby . . . a baby she has no recollection of conceiving and who draws an unnerving depth of interest from her dead mother’s closest associates.

Leopard alpha Remi Denier is a man driven by the primal instinct to protect. Protect his pack, protect his allies . . . and protect the mysterious woman who has become a most unlikely neighbor. With eerie eyes that see too much and a scent that alters in ways disturbing and impossible, Auden Scott is the enemy . . . but nothing about this strange Psy is what it seems, and Remi’s feline heart is as fascinated by her as his human half.

Then Auden asks Remi to help her shatter the wall of secrets that is the Scott bloodline. What they unearth will reveal a nightmare beyond imagination. This time, the battle is to the death. . .

A Personal Aside
In some ways, perhaps it's fitting that my return to the blogosphere is inspired by Nalini Singh. Many years ago, I won an ARC of Hostage to Pleasure. Nearly a year into blogging - well past the average lifespan of a blog in those days; and not my first exposure to the Psy-Changelings, it WAS my first ARC, and also the beginning of so many things for this blog. So hopefully this will also be a new beginning of sorts. I've been reading like a madwoman lately and it's possible that I have some Things To Say. More on that in future posts.

The Plot- Some Good, Some Meh:
My first priority in any paranormal romance, is, well, the romance. The characters. But just by the nature of the plot here, Auden's character was a little hard to pin down. The Psy in the Psy-Changeling series have always had a certain alignment to some of the ways that autism spectrum disorder can commonly manifest, and over the years, Singh's bravery in making these challenges more explicit and inclusive has grown, perhaps starting with Last Guard, where Canto is confined to a wheelchair and Payal has a brain tumor disorder which requires both medication and (admittedly fictional) behavioral management.

The plot of this book is a little difficult to discuss without spoilering. There are a few pieces that come together, some from very early in the series, and some from the last 10 percent of Storm Echo. Still, the realization of the horror that is being inflicted on Auden unfolds slowly, at least it did for me. Given the readers' knowledge of prior books, we figure out what is happening before Auden and Remi do, but the plot device of her dual scent gives them a critical clue.

Ever since the fall of Silence, at the intersection of the original series and the Trinity "chapter two" books, there has been an instability in the PsyNet which threatens the survival of all the Psy. In Last Guard, the Anchor designation is introduced and their unification with each other and with the Ruling Coalition provide some new defenses against the ongoing failures, but even so, the destabilization accelerates. Readers who have been finding this arc to be dragging on a bit will find a resolution in this book, as the original PsyNet finally fails.

Without spoilering, I think it's safe to say this is not the end of the series. Therefore, fans can reasonably expect to learn more about how the Psy will survive their next evolution in future books... and that a significant portion of the population survives.

I will say that I did not love how this problem was solved. Given all the buildup and the hopelessness that was created over multiple books, I found that the way the salvation hinged on something that to me seemed very very small. I think I would have preferred to see the "new way" built up for a bit of time before the primary PsyNet failed utterly. On the other hand, my history teacher used to paraphrase the Constitution thus: "While evils are sufferable, men will suffer," meaning that well, change is hard. The devil you know, etc. So perhaps its believable that the failsafe could not be activated until the primary net had...failed.

The Characters
When I turned the last page of this book, I had that happy glow that I always get from this series. This is a couple that fights hard for their Happily Ever After, that overcomes an exceptionally creepy and horrifying villain - this is a very personal and amped up villainy compared to say, Payal's horrible family in Last Guard. Ming Le Bon aspired to this level of evil.

Have to say I absolutely loved Remi's character progression, as he takes on more and more of the business of building his pack and becoming a good alpha. Absolutely loved it. I especially enjoyed the mentorship he was getting from Lucas; and factors like the delicacy of pack members moving from one pack to another. At the beginning of the story, Remi is a rising star, coming into his power, but still something of a junior player.

Auden on the other hand, enters the story on the verge of collapse. Pregnant, suffering from memory loss, blackouts, what might be conventionally described as psychotic breaks or possibly even schizophrenia, she doesn't trust herself. Remi's protective instincts are triggered, and as he strives to protect the woman and unravel the mystery of her illness, they catch feelings despite the timing being the worst ever.

I would say this isn't my most favorite couple in the P-C universe. Maybe I was just reading extra fast to get to the bottom of the villainous fuckery. Maybe Auden's struggle made their connection a little less believable for me (possibly a mental illness bias on my part that could stand some examination?). I felt like the emotional connection was less intense than what I usually get from the series, but I'm calling that a 4-star rather my usual 5-star rating*. This is not a disappointment of a book. I think it's incredible that we are 23 books into this series, not counting novellas, and I for one am still loving it. That is one hell of an accomplishment. Don't stop, Nalini!

Connections
Possible spoiler alert: If you enjoyed the speculative sci-fi elements of this story, I would recommend The Echo Wife, by Sarah Gailey. If you look up even the plot description, it will be a bit of a spoiler for Primal Mirror, but AFTER you've read Primal Mirror, if you liked it, go read this title, then tell me what you think.

*Most of the time I don't do star ratings. Too much pressure. But if I did, this series would be a whole long string of 5-stars.

There are so many sweet terms of endearment and tenderness displayed in this book. Auden and Remi are good together and both respect and love the other enough to follow through with their plans no matter the circumstance. It's a book that shows a lot of honor and courage and the strong bond between mother and child. There was legitimate fear of what was going on as clues were given about the ruthlessness of Auden’s family that it felt like a thriller. I think this feeling made the pace go quickly. In the beginning Auden and Remi were not together as often as I would have liked but by the middle they had a lot of page time together. It was okay though because all the side characters are so interesting and I already have plans to go back and look for their books, but Nalini Singh is really good at creating characters so I should have expected this.

I also recommend the audiobook. Angela Dawe is very good at capturing Auden’s and Remi’s voices. It has been awhile since I’ve read a Psy-Changeling book but I was able to read this with no problem and get right into the plot. Don’t be afraid to jump in if you are books behind. You don’t really need to be caught up to enjoy this.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group| Berkley for sharing this book with me in exchange for my honest review.

This book is a beautiful blend of something old and something new, the transformative and healing power of a mother’s love, and what it truly means to rise above the misery of one’s own childhood.

This book reintroduces us on a deeper level, to RainFire, a recently formed leopard pack originally introduced in Shards of Hope. I’ll be honest, my recollections of Shards of Hope is pretty limited as it’s been a while since I last read it. But there’s enough backstory given in this book about the formation of the pack and one of the interesting things about this pack as opposed to many of the other packs we’ve read about in this series is that this a new pack, recently formed, still in the process of establishing themselves as a powerful force in the Psy-Changeling universe. Led by alpha Remi Denier who happens to be the hero of this book, RainFire is young and scrappy, residing in the Smoky Mountains and I’m already hoping for a whole slew of books featuring the different pack members we meet in this book.

Remi is cut from the same cloth as the very first hero we met in this long running series, Lucas Hunter, the DarkRiver alpha who also serves as his mentor. He unexpectedly meets Psy Auden Scott while out on a run and finds himself drawn to her despite the fact that she’s clearly hiding a lot of secrets.

If the name Auden Scott is familiar to longtime fans of this series, she’s the offspring of the late Henry Scott and Shoshanna Scott, who were two incredibly high profile and evil Psy Counselors, When Remi meets Auden, she’s very pregnant and struggling with issues relating to her mental health as well as her memories. It is her past, as well as her relationship with her parents that form much of the plot of this book. Thematically, it’s dark, but beautifully balanced with the slow growing romance between Remi and Auden, both initially deeply unsure of the other even while attracted to each other. When Auden realizes that in order to protect her unborn child, she must seek help, it’s Remi that she turns to, putting all her trust and faith in the fiercely protective and nurturing Alpha.

I adored both of these characters and their romance and also the introduction to this brand new pack. When Auden delivers her baby, the scenes between mother and child were so profoundly sweet and tender as were the scenes between Remi and the baby. It’s a love story not just about romantic love but about the creation of a family, about a mother and her child and just how far that mother would go to protect her baby.

As with all the books in this series, there is also a secondary plot in the book, the continuing saga of the PsyNet failing. Many old friends make cameos in this book from multiple Arrows and empaths to Kaleb Krychek who continues to shoulder much of the burden of saving the PsyNet simply because he promised his love that he would. But in a surprise twist that only Nalini Singh can deliver, true help in saving the PsyNet comes from the most unexpected source but in order to find out who that is, you’ll have to pick up the book.

I also want to say one more thing about this book: it feels almost like a reset. While I liked the last book well enough, the one before it was kind of a miss for me. This book feels a lot like the very first book in the series, Slave to Sensation, in which another leopard Alpha fell for a Psy with unusual powers and major mommy issues. (Though, let me just add, Sascha’s complicated relationship with Nikita seems like child’s play compared to the toxic trashfire that is Auden’s relationship with Shoshanna). That’s not to say this book is repetitive in any way, there’s plenty to distinguish Remi and Auden from Lucas and his Sascha darling. But there’s something so lovely and comforting about a leopard changeling pack, even one that’s in its infancy, building bonds and relationships and creating a found family with a Psy who has never known what a family is. It feels like a full circle moment but also like a brand new beginning for the series. Eight books into the spinoff Psy-Changeling Trinity series, Nalini has managed to breathe new life into this series and make something old feel like something new again, a truly impressive feat.

Remi is alpha of RainFire, a newly formed pack with a territory adjacent to the land where Aden and Zaira were held captive (Shards of Hope). The Changelings were never able to figure out who owned the land, until Auden Scott, daughter of former councilors Henry and Shoshanna Scott, decides to build a cabin. Upon initial meeting, Remi notices something very wrong with Auden, but when she shows up months later, she appears more normal and is very pregnant. Remi, ever the alpha protector, decides the cub is his to keep safe.

Primal Mirror is a delicious slow-burn romance with an exciting race-against-time plotline. While the romance is slow burn, it’s not dull. Both Remi and Auden have pasts that make trusting and loving another difficult. I really enjoyed watching them get to know one another and learn to open up. It’s not insta-mate, but an innate knowing that the other isn’t out to hurt them (after an initial awkward encounter). They express themselves in a love language that is based in trust rather than falling into bed with one another.

Having a pregnant heroine, by someone who isn’t her mate, never becomes an issue because 1) the Psy view pregnancies as a genetic transaction and 2) Remi bonds with the babe while in utero. His love for the child intensifies his unspoken love for Auden and adds emotional value to the story.

The mystery of what’s going on with Auden isn’t a shocking surprise and was pretty easy to figure out, but that doesn’t diminish its value to the story or the entertainment factor to the book. There is a strong sense of urgency developed by the plotline, it’s intense and comes off like a ticking bomb. I was glued to my Kindle trying to find out if and when that bomb would explode.

I love the forward progress of the Scarab plotline. Similar to the previous book, it’s not the primary focus of the story, but there are enough glimpses to know that things are changing. Same goes with the crumbling PsyNet - there is a significant occurrence that alters the situation without ending the storyline.

Overall, Primal Mirror is an exciting and engrossing tale with a sweet and sensual romance.

My Rating: B+

Auden is fractured. She looses time even as a baby grows from within. Remi is conflicted. He is Alpha of a small group but alone with his contained rage. Can these broken souls heal each other?
Primal Mirror is the latest in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling Trinity series. I really enjoyed getting to know Remi better. He is a bit broken but the friend everyone needs. He is rock solid when he offers you a hand. I loved that Ms. Singh took us past his outer shell and showed us the struggle he faces even as he supports his people. They are small but mighty and I loved seeing the support within this growing pack. And I thought Auden was perfect for him. She had a core of steel. She fought for those she believed hers. I loved seeing her struggle even as she learned to trust in Remi. She has been betrayed by not only her family but also her own brain. But she will fight tooth and nail to protect her heart...Libby and Remi. I enjoyed seeing a love so pure. This story was a wonderful addition to this series and I cannot wait to see where Ms. Singh will take us next.

Primal Mirror is a story of survival and of love conquering evil. Auden Scott is the daughter of two former Psy Counselors, but her abilities weren’t the telepathic kind her parents wanted. She has survived her parents, but didn’t come out of it unscathed; something was done to her brain that causes blank spots and times where it feels like she’s not entirely herself. She is also pregnant and desperate to save her baby from whatever plans her mother had set in motion before her death.

RainFire alpha Remi Denier doesn’t quite know what to make of his new neighbor. The first time he meets her she’s eerily blank, then next time a heavily pregnant woman ready to fight for her unborn child. Remi is a protector at heart and he and his pack will do anything, risk anything to help Auden and her child. But Remi’s drawn to Auden on another, far more personal level. What will happen to the two of them as her mother’s plans are uncovered? And how can they fight an threat that is taking place inside Auden’s mind?

Remi is a hero who is easy to fall for. He’s kind, protective, and has worked hard to make his new pack strong and whole. Auden is more complex. Her brain injuries and what was done to her make her unpredictable. Primal Mirror is a bit slow to start because Auden isn’t always herself. The mystery of what was done to her and why unravels over the course of the story and I was rooting for Auden to beat the odds and destroy the evil plan her mother put in place. Remi and Auden are characters whose core is love – they will fight for those they love until their last breath. They make a great couple but their love story is understandably slow to build, given Auden’s mental state.

Primal Mirror isn’t just about Auden and RainFire’s survival. It’s about the survival of the whole Psy race. The PsyNet is continuing to fail and it’s incredibly tense throughout the story as characters we’ve come to love over the course of the series struggle to save as many people as possible. It’s doomsday time for the Psy and there’s a pall cast over the story by the imminent threat of millions of lives lost. How things work out and what the future looks like, I won’t spoil, but I am curious to see how Nalini Singh continues things for the Psy race.

Primal Mirror is the eighth book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series and while you don’t have to have read all the books to enjoy Remi and Auden’s story, you definitely need to be familiar with the world to follow what’s happening in the overarching storyline of the Psy. In Primal Mirror, Singh continues to weave an intricate web of characters, connections, and powers that is utterly absorbing. I adored Remi and Auden and I’m very much looking forward to seeing where Singh takes the Psy-Changeling world next.

So once again I've jumped right into the middle of a series and started reading it because it sounded good. I've read some of this authors other books and liked then so I thought I would like this one as well. But this story left me wanting and not in a good way. It starts out really slow and the story lags for the first half of the book. We get a sense that Auden who is pregnant has something more wrong with her brain than what those around her are telling her. The fact that everyone seems to want to do tests on her unborn baby that don't seem necessary and how Auden keeps losing time and her doctor says it's just seizures, was suspect at best.

When Auden meets Remi who is a changeling (think shifter) she feels comfortable with him. So when he tells her that he saw her and she was different and she even smelled like a different person, she knows something else is going on. So she asks Remi if he and his people will keep her safe and give her sanctuary if it comes to that.

When the truth is finally revealed, it made up for the lack of engagement during the first half of this book because it was a big secret that those around her were keeping from her. So even though I had some problems with this book because it starts out pretty slow, I ended up liking it when it did finally get more entertaining and dramatic.

Disclosure: I was sent a free copy of this book via NetGalley but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another spell-binding read!

After 15 books and a whole bunch of novellas in Season I of Nalini’s Psy-Changeling series and 8 books in Season II of her Psy-Changeling Trinity series, I feel like we are just scratching the surface of all the complexities of the Psy-Changeling universe. Primal Mirror completely blew my mind and book-hangovered me so hard!

We first meet Remi in Shards of Hope (Psy-Changeling #14) and now we finally return to the forests of the RainFire pack! I am so excited to be back and learn more about the mysterious alpha who was able to earn the trust and loyalty of Aiden, Zaira, and the rest of the Arrows–former Psy assassin squad of the now defunct Psy Council.

Auden was a complete surprise, literally. I had no idea she existed until this book and what an unbelievable backstory she has! I was completely enthralled and left dumbfounded a couple of times. Auden is so strong, resilient, and a badass in her own right. I greatly admired her spirit and tenacity.

The romance is passionate and untamed. The storyline is deeply textured and the characters are brilliantly and dynamically crafted. And there are SO many cameos, some brief and some not so brief. Ugh! Shut up, me! I can’t say more, I don’t want to spoil it! Read it!

The mystery/suspense aspect of the story left my jaw dropping. So many secrets, so many surprises, and so many brow-raising moments. So exciting!

It’s like coming home every time I pick up a Nalini book. Her worlds are beautiful and explosive and so special to me. Nalini’s stories are a balm to my soul and bring so much joy to my life. Primal Mirror is no exception.

I highly recommend the entire Psy-Changeling universe!

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


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

The Psy-Changeling Trinity the spin off series to Psy-Changeling . 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.

We get to learn more about Remi and the RainFire leopards which is a very young pack with strong connections to the Arrows formed with Aden Kai. Remi did not have a supportive pack growing up, mainly his mother who died when he was still young. Now he has formed a pack of young, strong, protective changelings.

Auden Scott is trying to figure out what is happening to her. She is a psychometric Psy. They pick up events and emotions from touching objects. When her father died, she was thrown into her mother's plans. Now she is worried by blackouts and knowing things she shouldn't. Her mother did a brain experiment on her as a teen and she still has scars. Now she is pregnant, something that is very unusual for a Psy as young as she is.

In Primal Mirror, we get the heart-warming romance of Remi falling for Auden and working so hard to protect her. She is smart and loves her baby beyond herself. Her baby knows it and also favors Remi. Auden is lucky when she goes into labor that Remi and his friends are there to protect her and the baby.

Besides the romance, we have the background of the PsyNet and NetMind near collapse. It's short bits of time with Kaleb, Aidan, Ivy Jane, Pilar, and more working to save the Psy race. Their plans and contingency measures are tested and aren't working. They are also exhausting those they have.

Auden doesn't trust her mother's old assistant and doctor, who have been caring for her. There's also her uncle who wants to take control of the family. She has no one on her side until Remi but he's an awesome ally. I guessed that her mother Shoshanna had a hand in planning what was happening to her, including her pregnancy.

As usual, Nalini Singh has give us great characters and relationships. There is also the overall plot to the integration and cooperation between the races. All of this provides an emotional journey, I am always ready to read more in this world.