Kiss of Snow (Psy-Changeling, #10) by Nalini Singh Series: Psy-Changeling #10
Published by Berkley on May 31st 2011
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 433
Goodreads
One of the Best of the Series
“You have the power to tear me to pieces, to wound me so deep and true that I’ll never recover.”
THE STORY: KISS OF SNOW continues Singh’s series about the world where humans, changelings (human animal shapeshifters) and Psy (those with psychic abilities) live. As readers of the series will recall, the Psy have been subject to Silence for 100 years. Silence was the stripping of all emotions from the Psy intended to protect them from the damaging effects of emotions. Now Silence is breaking down and there is a struggle for power between factions of the Psy and humans and changelings.
“Nothing about Sienna Lauren had ever been easy.”
Sienna Lauren is Psy. Her family defected to the SnowDancer changeling pack when Sienna was a teenager. Sienna is X-Psy which is a mysterious and rare designation. X-Psy means that Sienna is a living weapon. Most Psy of her designation do not live long and no one has lived longer than 25 years. Sienna is now nineteen and is a soldier for the SnowDancer Pack. Since their first meeting, she has known that she has wanted the Alpha of the SnowDancer Pack.
Hawke is the alpha wolf of the SnowDancer den. He is arrogant and protective and dominant. He has wanted Sienna since he first saw her, but he knows that he cannot do anything about it. He has believed her too young and also he knows that he cannot give her what she needs.
“Hawke’s mate is dead. He buried his heart with her.”
The wolf that Hawke knows would be his mate died as a child. Since wolves love only once, Hawke does not believe that his wolf will allow him to love Sienna in that way. Because he cares about her, he doesn’t want to hurt her. At the same time, Hawke cannot keep away from Sienna.
OPINION: This is the book that readers of the series have been looking forward to because Hawke and Sienna’s relationship has been hinted at in many of the books of the series. I loved the relationship between Hawke and Sienna. He wants her desperately but he cares too much about her to want to hurt her. At the same time, Sienna doesn’t want Hawke to dictate their relationship and demands to be treated as an equal. They are both strong, difficult people and they strike some serious sparks off of one another. Their story is intense and complex and I was enthralled the entire time. Entwined with the culmination of the overarching story of the impending attack on the changeling packs, Singh has created a story that is a suspense story but also a deeply moving romance. This is a story that I immediately wanted to reread. It was my favorite book since SLAVE TO SENSATION and is definitely on par with that story. I think the two can be read together as bookends to a portion of the Psy-Changeling story.
The book also has a sweet secondary romance between Lara, the SnowDancer healer and Walker Lauren, Sienna’s uncle. An addition to the story that doesn’t detract, the story is a sweet contrast to the more angst filled difficult romance between Hawke and Sienna.
WORTH MENTIONING: Fans of the series will be pleased to know that finally Sascha and Lucas’ child is born. Having both Alpha couples in this book was a treat.
FINAL DECISION: I loved this book. I consider it one of the best of the series. Action packed and emotional and written in a way that makes a reader want to keep turning pages, I highly recommend it.
CONNECTED BOOKS: KISS OF SNOW is the tenth book in the Psy-Changeling series. This book brings to a conclusion some of the stories that have been present in the series since the beginning. A reader could enjoy this book apart from the others in the series although I recommend starting at the beginning. Hawke and Sienna’s story has been going on since the beginning of the series and has more meaning having followed their journey.
STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars!