Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
I have been waiting for this book since book seven.

Auden Scott. The daughter of Shoshanna Scott and Henry Scott. A broken Psy even before the PsyNet began to fail. Auden, who had carved out a somewhat simple life, is now on edge as her brain injury seems to be getting worse.

Remi Denier, the Alpha of RainFire, is a dominant – alpha – feline who finally accepted the mantle of leadership and formed his own pack. Buying land in the middle of nowhere Colorado, his plans for his pack are to lead a simple life – staying away from trouble.

But what happens when trouble finds him? News of Auden Scott inheriting the property adjacent to him makes a cat curious. Auden is not what he expects, even for a Psy. She's distant, almost as if she isn't processing what she's actually seeing. As if someone else is staring out of her eyes.

Auden doesn't know what is going on with her. She doesn't remember a lot of things that have been happening to her since the death of her mother, including getting pregnant. But she knows that her child is the answer to the question she doesn't remember.

The continuing world-building in this series is nice, but it also limits the story between Remi and Auden. I would have like to have seen more development between the main and supporting characters. The cameos of characters from other books gives added depth to PRIMAL MIRROR.

I really enjoyed this book, staying up late to read it all in one night. Then going back for a re-read the same week.


Erica – ☆☆☆
PRIMAL MIRROR is the eighth installment in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series as well as the 23rd installment in the Psy-Changeling Series. PRIMAL MIRROR cannot be read as a standalone. However, it can be read out of series order if familiar with the overall world-building, where you've read the majority of the series.

I need to preface this review by stating how I feel as if the overarching world-building and backstory is overly complex and completely buries the story attempting to be told. Added in with the female main character suffering from a brain injury, the beginning of the novel was nearly impossible to enjoy, filled with nothing but confusion, the need to make a spreadsheet to order events, and not much of entertainment value. It was purposefully confusing, not truly focused on either of the main characters, overshadowing any romance or connection the main characters may or may not have felt to one another.

I adored this series, as well as all of the other series Nalini Singh has written. I know this series like the back of my hand, not confused by events that have taken place. But there is an overall chaotic, end of days feeling to the novels as of late, which erases any feel-good emotions and entertainment value I may experience. Reading this series has become stressful, so it's difficult to root for the main couple in each novel, as their romance and connection is completely smothered by the never-ending plot arc that binds these novels into a series.

This series has become a slog, no longer pleasurable to read and enjoy as a couple finds their way to one another. I love angst, drama, and suspense, not one for in-my-face romance, but the overly complex world-building and backstory are drowning the main plot in the past few installments.

Auden Scott inherits the land next to Leopard Alpha Remi Denier's pack lands. She is suffering from a debilitating brain issue which stems from her family utilizing medical procedures outside of her consent, added in with the fact that she is also pregnant, which was a medical procedure outside of her consent, without her knowledge, which adds into the inability to remember events.

Auden Scott is a difficult character to connect with, not only because of the abuses she has suffered at the hands of her family, but the fact that she doesn't even remember these abuses, remember much of anything really. The ultimate of an unreliable narrator. How can the reader know Auden when she doesn't know anything about herself either? I could empathize and sympathize, but I was left feeling as confused as she was.

Remi Denier is easier to understand, especially since he is a reliable narrator. His narration easier to digest, but it is still overshadowed by all the hundreds of plots coming together to where the reader doesn't get to know him well enough to connect with him.

I wanted to love Auden and Remi, but I never got to know them. I wanted to ship them as a couple, but they barely shared any time together on the pages to develop a connection with one another and to the reader. A slow-burn vibe with no passion, no connection, or sexual attraction. Auden is suffering across the board, pregnant, and dealing with issues with her family and the PsyNet, she had no room for romance, so what little romance there was seemed oddly misplaced and paced.

This novel did not work for me. Auden and Remi used as a vehicle to continue to slog through the tangled, overly complex, anxiety-ridden, chaotic backstory and world-building, which I personally do not find very entertaining.

Primal Mirror is a continuation of the Psy-Changeling Trinity series. While Auden and Remi are new, the overarching plots regarding the psy-net are continuing. You could pick this up as a standalone and be able to enjoy it. However, this series (PsyChangeling) is my all time favorite series ever, so you should start at the beginning with Slave to Sensation because its awesome.

This was a slow burn, and I find that is to be expected when a Psy is involved. It's also a new pack: the RainFire leopards!! I love that we are getting a new pack, but with familiar ties. Auden reminded me of Memory Aven Rose from a previous book and I loved that. Auden is damaged and her parents were psychopaths. Remi is a solid, stable, protector, and it is exactly what Auden needs. It is really the couples that sell each book; while I do like the large overarching themes, it feels very dense and confusing at times and you don't always see a lot of progress on that. So, it really is up to the characters to carry the story and I loved Auden and Remi! Auden is pregnant by a donor, which I typically don't care for (pregnant heroines), but she doesn't really remember how or why, and she doesn't know the donor. It was really just another mystery!

I don't care how long this series goes on, I will always want it to be longer. This is the book release I look forward to every summer. If you are an audio fan, the audio versions are amazing! Angela Dawe is a phenomenal narrator and has done all these books.

I got to 25% in this book before I was frustrated by it being, for all intents and purposes, a carbon copy of the other books in this and the sister series. It’s not a bad book. The writing is good and the continuation of the overarching plot line has potential, but the main characters lack distinct differences from the prior main characters in the series

Firstly I want to give a huge thank you to Nalini Singh, Berkeley, and NetGalley for this ARC. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get an ARC for Nalini Singh my favorite author! I literally screamed when I found out I got it.

Spoiler Free Review

I was just thinking the other day that Nalini had never released a book with this trope and here it is.

Auden, the FMC, is the daughter of two former councilors. Auden has been having more and more moments of clarity after experiencing a lot of blackouts. As time goes on she wants to spend more time away from her parent’s house and flies herself to a secluded cabin near some changelings. Enter the male main character who is the alpha of the nearby pack who you might recognize from the Psy Changeling Series. He fully supports her and helps her gain her freedom and confidence.

This was such an incredible installation in this series and I can’t wait for the next one!

I'm always so happy that Nalini Singh continues to give us new entries in the Psy-Changeling world. Especially here in Primal Mirror as we have Remi, the alpha of the RainFire pack first introduced in Shards of Hope, and Auden, the daughter of the infamous Shoshanna and Henry Scott from the orignal Psy Council. To make it feel fresh she throws in amnesia and pregnancy tropes that we haven't seen in the series before. I'll admit that neither of those usually draw me to a book, but Nalini Singh really made them work in this story. I absolutely devoured this book, it just reads so classic Psy-Changeling and I can't wait for more in this world. This is not a good entry point for anyone new to the Psy-Changeling world, but definitely a must read for fans of the series.

Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for my copy to review.

Leopard alpha Remi Denier is building a new pack in the Smoky Mountain area of the United States. They may be allies to Arrows and larger packs, but they themselves are small and fly under the radar. Until the day Auden Scott moves into a small cabin at the edge of their territory. The daughter of two powerful and ruthless former Councilors, no one in the PsyNet has ever heard of her. A woman with an impossibly changing scent, Auden is both an enemy and someone Remi wants very much to get to know better. Especially when she comes to him for help: her home isn't safe, and people are much more interested in her unborn child than they should be. Can he protect them when Auden herself may be one of the threats?

Primal Mirror is a tough book to review without giving away spoilers. Nalini Sigh does her usual wonderful job of world building, giving us the large view of a failing PsyNet and the people we know from other books trying to save the Net and prevent what would basically be the death of the Psy race; and the personal story of Auden and Remi. Both have their own damaged pasts to overcome. Remi is working on building a new pack and proving to himself that he is capable of being the good alpha that everyone else knows is he. Auden has the bigger baggage, which includes us getting to learn about a new designation of Psy: psychometrics. Learning about objects by touching them sounds great, until you really think about it, and it doesn't take long into this book before that sounds like the last 'gift' you'd want!

Remi and Auden are great together, and I loved meeting a new pack- with definite hints that we might get to follow some of these members in the future. There are a few guys here crying out for mates so hopefully Singh will set them up in future books. The way Singh wove the stories of the big picture PsyNet and the smaller romance together I thought worked really well, and reminds us that everyone has an important part to play in the world.

Some of the bigger picture PsyNet story will help if you've read some of Singh's earlier books, at least Obsidian Heart if not also the earlier Psy/Changeling Trinity books like Resonance Surge. I recommend reading them anyway because they are awesome (I'm a huge fan of all Singh's Psy/Changeling series if you can't tell). If you can't wait and have to start with this book, just accept the fact that there's backstory- you'll get the gist of it enough to follow along, and it won't effect Remi and Auden's main story.

Nalini Singh fans will love the newest addition to her Psy/Changeling world. I'm already set to read it again and can't wait for the next book!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Primal Mirror
Psy-Changeling Trinity Series - Book 8
By Nalini Singh

Berkley - July 2024

Paranormal Romance


The Psy-Changeling Trinity series, is a continuation of Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series. It is essentially the second story arc. For the most part, Primal Mirror does stand on its own, but new readers to this series might find starting with Silver Silence a good easy introduction into this world, although 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, I highly suggest reading the entire full series in order.

Auden Scott was the daughter of not one but two powerful ruthless former Councilors. But the Council, and her parents were no longer. Not that they were parental in the traditional sense. She had pleasant memories of her father, but he had given her up to her ruthless mother after a botched procedure. Now, she existed where periods of her memory were gone. Those around her performed test after test that she didn’t understand. Tests that she feared not only for herself, but the child she carried. For unlike her parents, she cared and wished to protect her child.

Remi Denier was intrigued by the psy woman who would come to the cabin next to RainFire's border. The psychometric psy could feel the imprint of memories and emotions of items she touched. She intrigued him on multiple layers. She was a woman who obviously cared and feared for her unborn child, but there were times when she just wasn't herself. Her speech, behavior and even more disturbing, her smell changed. It was as if Auden wasn't Auden. Remi was determined to help Auden understand what was happening to her and protect her and her baby from the unknown threat.

He wanted them safe, just as he quickly realized he wanted them to be his family.

Primal Mirror is a fun romance with a heroine who has a fascinating ability and a hero who is alpha of a pack readers will remember well. I was excited to learn Remi would have his romance, and intrigued to learn more about the daughter of two Councilors who had been the definition of evil. Seeing everyday experiences for a Ps-Psy was an added bonus. I look forward to the next Psy-Changeling story.

Kathy Andrico - KathysReviewCorner.com

I had such a fantastic time reading this book! I just love her writing so much, and this world is so wonderful, I love the characters that inhabit it, and watching them fall in love while they deal with the problems that the Psy are currently facing, I can't get enough and have to keep reading!

Reading about Auden, who is the Scotts daughter, as in, the Scott who has been the bad guy of this series, was really interesting. That she has some metal stuff going on, like she's in a daze, with limited memory retention-I had to know what was going on.

Auden didn't consent to becoming pregnant. But that child is the center of her world, she is such a fierce and loving mother! Which works well with Remi, because protection is a big thing for alphas. They were so heartwarming to see with one another!

What this book added to the world, what it gave them, was so great, and I'm so glad that they got it, and I can't wait to see what they're going to do with it! Though that bit with Pax, oh, I really hope he gets his own story soon, because I don't want to lose him!

Loved reading this book so much and I can't wait for the next installment in the series!

The author continues to delight me with the continual twists and turns of this series. Auden is the daughter of two Councilors and has been missing time due to blackouts. When she turns up pregnant she knows she has to protect her child at all costs. Remi, the alpha of newly formed RainFire pack, runs into Auden and knows something is off with her, but when she comes to him for help he and leopard are all in.

I love the continual twist and turns of the storyline with the Psy and Changeling, I don't know how Ms. Singh comes up with new and creative plot twists, but I do know that I appreciate them. Love, love, love this world she has created.

I am continually amazed at the depth of character growth and world building that Nalini Singh brings to the Psy-Changeling series. I fall in love anew with each new book in this series. This story focused on Auden Scott a damaged young woman who's parents were total psychopaths, extremely strong Psys, and very dangerous. Auden has had memory issues and loses time, and now she is pregnant but does not know anything about how that happened. She has escaped to the Smokie Mountains to find some peace and get away from the people who are trying to control her. There she meets an Alpha of a fairly new pack named Remi. Remi is very intrigued by the broken young woman and wants to help her in any way he can. The characters are very well written. You can almost feel the terror Auden experiences with her memory losses, and the love she has for her unborn baby. Remi is a true Alpha and the love he has for his pack is in everything he does. These two have a beautiful arc on their way to falling for each other.

Of course this romance is happening with the backdrop of the Psy-Net destabilizing and the utter chaos of that. The need to find a way to fix the Psy-Net allows us to revisit some of the characters that were featured in previous books. It is always fun to see what is happening with them, and of course that does occur here. This is a beautiful story that gives you every emotion. I found it really fascinating how the ending was achieved. But, of course, that is through the intriguing mind of Nalini Singh. I can not wait for the next book in this series, they are always my favorite reads.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC.

Primal Mirror is part of the Psy-Changling Trinity by Nalini Singh and it is an excellent addition to the series. I received my review copy through NetGalley. The story involves Remi Denier, Leopard Alpha and Auden Scott, a psy who have become neighbors. Remi has been in a previous book, Shards of Hope, and it is wonderful now to get his story. Auden is pure psy, or is she? But she makes Remi's leopard very interested in her and what she is doing in the house that hasn't been used for a while.? Read Primal Mirror to find out more about Auden and Remi and read a fantastic addition the the Psy-Changling world. Highly Recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Pub for this earc.

And we’re back! Maybe because we’re back to cats or maybe I’m just in a shifter mood but this one just felt like the first Psy changeling books.
I loved how protective Remi was of someone he barely knew. I liked seeing brand new pack forming, one member at the time. I loved seeing a daughter of the known villain, becoming the most loving mother. And of course little Libby. Her being born with the power to save the Net? The biggest Karma against Scott’s dark legacy.

Somehow, after all these books, Nalini still managed to come up with a new way to bring two characters together. And the fact that neither of them are biological parents but will love Libby with all their hearts???? I have no words. It was so sweet.

Just go read it. You’ll want a leopard too.

Auden Scott, the daughter of former Psy Councilors Henry and Shoshanna, heads her family, but in name only. She is in a fragile state recovering from a brain event and pregnant with no memory of how are why she came to be in that way. Auden’s mind seems untrustworthy as it blanks out on her for periods of time. She has had a cabin built on rural property next to the borderline of the RainFire group; they are a nascent changeling pack with an intense and protective Leopard Alpha, Remy Denier.

Auden is being controlled by her late mother’s team of an assistant and doctor who are overseeing the pregnancy. She is desperate for some peace and alone time but quickly comes under the scrutiny, and then protection of, Remy and his small, young pack. Remy and his leopard half are very drawn to Auden even though he knows she may well be the enemy at his door step.

Auden at times appears like two different people; she knows something is very wrong with her mind. Auden is determined to protect her unborn child realizing that her Psy family means to take the child away to use for nefarious purposes. As Auden spends time in the wild with Remy, their relationship develops to the point Remy believes she is his soulmate. When Auden asks Remy and his pack for help, they are all in to protect her and her unborn child. Since Auden is pregnant, any more intimate relationship between them as with previous couples in this series is put on hold.

In the background of this story, is the critical failure of the PsyNet which is about to happen. All of the Changeling and Human groups who have connections with the Psy are doing their best to prepare to draw as many as possible into their own familial nets. Kaleb Krychek and the ruling consortium have been trying desperately to find a solution, but so far, all efforts have failed. Now, it seems the end is truly near for the Psy race.

Reading the Psy-Changeling Trinity series always brings me back. I can’t help but remember why I fell in love with reading when I return to this world. Nalini Singh was one of those authors whose books that I couldn’t stop reading and in reading this book, I felt comforted by her words once again.

Singh’s writing never ceases to amaze me. Despite writing such long-standing series, the Psy-Changeling Trinity series feels fresh. The world never stops evolving and the characters are all complex and unique. I love the slow burn of these books. It’s romance that feels unrushed and attentive to its detail.

I hope this series can go on forever. There’s still a lot that Singh can explore with her characters. I’m always on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book to release.

Primal Mirror by Nalini Singh delves into a family shrouded in dark secrets, set against the backdrop of a Psy world on the brink of a catastrophic collapse. The gripping narrative had me captivated, yet I couldn't help but feel that Singh missed a chance to truly immerse readers in a tantalizing torment.

Primal Mirror was fantastic. This is book 8 in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series and was such a compelling tale I was hooked and refused to put it down. Each book keeps getting better and better and the author's creativity keeps astounding me.

This author is one of my favorites so I was elated to dive into this book and omg I wasn't disappointed. The story was complex with added layers that kept me fervently turning the pages as once started, I needed to know more.

I loved getting to see inside the RainFire Leopard pack and learning their Alph's story. Remi was an excellent alpha and it showed with how his small pack was flourishing. It was a treat meeting some of his pack mates and I really hope we get their stories as I want to know more.

His and Auden's slow burn romance was quite in interesting one. As the daughter of two ruthless former Psy Counselors, Auden fascinated Remi when he first met her and even though he knew something wasn't right, he and his cat were drawn to her. I loved seeing how their relationship slowly progressed, it was different but it was theirs.

This authors knows how to keep you hooked as the story was fast paced, the overarching plot was intense and the world building was intricate and well developed. There were some unexpected twists and the suspense/mystery surrounding Auden was added another layer to the story.

This was another wonderful read from this author and I would highly recommend it to lovers of paranormal romance.

Oh I love that this book feels more like the series I love and adore.

I'm a big fan of the Snow Dancers wolves and Dark River leopards. I fell in love with the couples. And although bears are fascinating creatures, their stories never ensnared me the same way as Hawke and Lucas's packs did.

Primal Mirror is located in the Smoky Mountains. And RainFire is still a young pack but feels solid, and Remington "Remi" Denier is an Alpha who does a wonderful job keeping his pack of lone roaming cats and families that wanted the opportunity to be part of a young pack together and flourishing.

I enjoyed the slow burn between Remi and Auden. Although I was missing the tension, passion and sexual attraction from some of the other couples, but overall it was fitting. It worked for Remi and Auden.

I'm still not a fan of the big convoluted mess of a backstory. Honestly I stopped caring a long time ago, but the couples are still what makes me pick up these books. It's all about the couples and the packs.

I would love to get more books about the RainFire pack. I as a reader need more time with just one pack to actually build a connection with them. The last few books were just meh for me. I never really cared about the characters. And that's just not what this series deserves. I want to care about them the same way I care about the wolves and leopards in California. But for that I need time.

So, let's just say that Primal Mirror was a great first book of a new leopard pack, which I would love to see grow.

. The story centers on Auden Scott, a Psy woman who grapples with a brain injury that leaves her thoughts disjointed and her memories either foggy or alarmingly blank. Despite these challenges, Auden's fierce determination to protect her unborn baby—whose conception she cannot recall—drives her forward, especially as her deceased mother's associates show an unnerving interest in the child.

Enter Leopard alpha Remi Denier, a character driven by an instinctual need to protect those around him. As a protector of his pack and allies, Remi's life takes an unexpected turn when he becomes neighbors with Auden. Her eerie, all-seeing eyes and ever-changing scent make her an enigma, and despite considering her an enemy, Remi finds himself irresistibly drawn to her.

The plot thickens when Auden enlists Remi's help to uncover the dark secrets of the Scott bloodline. Together, they delve into a past fraught with nightmares, unearthing truths that push them into a life-or-death battle.

The author skillfully blends elements of romance, suspense, and supernatural intrigue, creating a story that captivates from start to finish. Auden and Remi's characters are deeply layered, their evolving relationship adding emotional depth to the narrative. The tension between their worlds—Psy and Leopard—adds an intriguing dynamic that keeps readers hooked.

5 Star Alert!!!!

When I tell you that I devoured this book- I DEVOURED it. I read it all in one day despite being extremely busy because I just couldn’t stop reading this book.

Now- I fully admit that I am a Nalini Singh fan. She is my favorite author and I own all of her books. But I have been worried about this series for a while. There were a few books that made me worried about how this series was going to go forward. But these last two books show that Nalini is still the queen and that there is momentum. While I can admit- there is no mystery or surprises in this book, I was fine with that and it didn’t detract from my love of the book. Remi and Auden were great and I love their addition to the world. While you can’t really start with this book, if you are already in you will see this as a good addition.

Primal Mirror is an extraordinarily exquisite masterpiece that went from a very intimate level to one that held their entire world in their hands. Nothing could prepare you for the raw power and beautiful wonder that are these precious characters. They never failed to touch my heart throughout this utterly fascinating and wickedly spellbinding journey. Their hopes and dreams resonated from within each precious word and found a home in my heart for all time. I walked away truly changed and felt my whole being shift after diving into this stunningly lush world.

Auden only wants one thing. It is something that we all take for granted from time to time. She desperately longs for freedom to make her own choices. Choices that would improve her life and transform it into something even she might not recognize after awhile. When her need to breathe in the air of hope brings her face to face with a man who intrigues her beyond understanding, she knows that freedom will be hers one way or another. Rami has worked and fought long and hard to secure the safety and future of his leopard pack. He will not risk it for anyone not even an impossibly captivating woman who won't leave his thoughts. There is something strange about this woman that both repels and attracts him, and is he determined to find out. Will she be his downfall, or the most magnificent gift sent from the heart of his own mother?

Auden truly stole my heart from the very beginning. Her mysterious demeanor leaves nothing but questions with no answers in sight. While clearly left in charge of her family's estate, she is nonetheless kept in the dark by those around her. There is web of secrets woven around her that she is not able to break no matter what she tries. Remi blew away my defenses with his simple yet powerful ability to love and to protect. He is truly an awe-inspiring character who is single-minded in his determination to break through Auden's web of secrets that hide both her beautiful heart and her unqiue mind. He knows there is a place for her in his life, and he won't lose that precious promise no matter who or what threatens him or his pack.

Singh has completely and utterly blown my entire world apart bit by bit with her powerful and insightful story that has so much to teach us that we could easily glean untold treasures from its wondrous pages for years to come. Her ingenious and breathtaking world has blessed and inspired me in ways that I hope will continue throughout my life. For only by words and the power of our hearts that we can we truly make any worthwhile changes to our life and to our world. The depth and breathe that a person impacts their own life as well as those around us is truly astounding. People are critical to our health and well-being on so many levels, and those levels cross and intertwine the physical, mental, and emotional levels that I doubt that all but a few truly comprehend their real impact and power. That is why how we treat each other is so imperative. We should treat each other with endless compassion, undying love, boundless grace, and wholehearted respect. I would beg that each of us would consider our impact on our world, our family, our friends, and oursevles. We each deserve to be treated how we want others to treat us. The golden rule continues to speaks volumes even in this day and age.