Branded by Fire (Psy-Changeling, #6) in Dangerous Hero Addict Support Group

Feb 16, 2010 Beanbag Love rated it it was amazing

I read this book last week, but I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to review it. In fact, I've already read another two books since. Oh well, better late than never.

I really liked this installment in the Psy-Changeling series. I liked that the relationship took off early in the book ... oh boy, did it ever ... and that the couple was pretty open and honest about their nearly impossible future.

Mercy is a leopard sentinal. Riley is a wolf lieutenant. They've been partnered to watch over a p I read this book last week, but I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to review it. In fact, I've already read another two books since. Oh well, better late than never.

I really liked this installment in the Psy-Changeling series. I liked that the relationship took off early in the book ... oh boy, did it ever ... and that the couple was pretty open and honest about their nearly impossible future.

Mercy is a leopard sentinal. Riley is a wolf lieutenant. They've been partnered to watch over a particular zone between the two packs and they've been bugging each other ever since.

Poor Mercy is an alpha, which is very difficult for a female changeling. She would never be satisfied with a submissive mate, but also would never be able to be the 'beta' in a relationship. She's only attracted to alphas but they always want to run the show and a female alpha can't deal with that. It's a very real quandary.

One of the things I like about the changelings is that sex is a part of their lives. Touch, sensation, release ... they're all necessary for keeping a lid on their dangerous passions. They can easily lose their humanity if they don't 'git sum' regularly. Which, if you accept that context, takes care of a lot of baggage.

Mercy, however, hasn't been 'gittin sum' in far too long. Riley discovers her in the woods in quite a bit of discomfort. Even though they drive each other crazy as working partners, they've been driving each other crazy in a deeper sense as well. So, right there near the beginning of the book we get an explosive, erotic situation that sets the tone for their relationship for the rest of the book.

Best of all, it deviates from the template. *does happy dance*

Singh does a great job of showing the push and pull of an alpha/alpha relationship very believably. You know they're going to end up together, and you root for it, but you also can't quite figure out how much sacrifice will have to be made and by whom. It's an intriguing story line.

Yes, the inter-species love affair feels odd, but changelings mate with humans so it really isn't that far fetched. The problem is mainly two alpha personalities blood-bonded with two separate predatory changeling packs. Sparks do fly.

So, this has been my favorite of the series so far. There are some other story lines forwarded and more information is given about the Council so it's a very well rounded reading experience.

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Jan 25, 2012 Lisa Kay rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: m-pb-paperback, buddy-read-rlftci, genre-futuristic, authors-n, 2012-in-2012-group-challenge, genre-shapeshifters, m-audible-dot-com, genre-romance-paranormal, amazing-secondary-characters, character-woman-in-pants

★★★★½ (This is a review of the audiobook.) Angela Dawe continues to narrate the wonderful Psy-Changeling series, and with the sixth book she delivers her usual excellent job of distinguishing the male and female characters. However, I must admit I’m impressed with the way she does the children; there is innocence in her tone that comes across. She is one of the readers I seek out when choosing my next audiobook.

Willow, a lynx cub who is traumatized when her brother, Nash, a MIT student is kid

★★★★½ (This is a review of the audiobook.) Angela Dawe continues to narrate the wonderful Psy-Changeling series, and with the sixth book she delivers her usual excellent job of distinguishing the male and female characters. However, I must admit I’m impressed with the way she does the children; there is innocence in her tone that comes across. She is one of the readers I seek out when choosing my next audiobook.

Willow, a lynx cub who is traumatized when her brother, Nash, a MIT student is kidnapped.

Oh! This is a good one. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like a struggle between two dominants: Sentinel Mercy Smith from the DarkRiver cats, and Lieutenant Riley Kincaid from the SnowDancer wolves. Nonetheless, it was exceptional.

The chemistry between these two equals is H.O.T. Ms. Singh is deft in handling the love scenes! They certainly sizzle; however, while both individuals like it rough, the interludes are evocative of a deeper emotional tenderness. Oh, yes. Mercy is certainly flirting and cavorting with Riley in what she calls “shoo-away,” but really she’s playing a very dangerous game of “Come here, come here, come here…Go away, go away, go away.” She is definitely getting off on the excitement of the chase. But it is more than that. She wants Riley to prove himself worthy of all she has to offer as a lover; however, I believe there is a part of her that is not aware she really wants him to demonstrate he is worthy of being her mate. Still, these two pack liaisons have a lot of issues to work out. (view spoiler)

As deft as this writer is in the bedroom (or forest floor), she’s equally so outside; presenting us with a gripping suspense. Conspiracy is everywhere! There are a lot more clues and few more answers to what has been going on in this series’ story-line: The Ghost, the NetMind, the Human Alliance, the ‘puppet master,’ the Information Merchant, the PsyNet, Pure Psy, the LaurenNet, Henry Scott, Kaleb Krycheck, Anthony Kyriakus, and Nikita Duncan! We get updates on Judd and Brenna, Lucas and Sascha, Hawke and Sienna and so many, many others from this series.

I often do a great disservice to Ms. Singh; I tend to rate her books against each other instead of against other paranormal romance writers. I’m such a moody reader and it isn’t fair that the next book should have to match my current temperament. But all of her books are a step above other PNR writers.

If you haven’t started this series, and you enjoy paranormal romances, shifters, and futurist stories, this is a great one to start!

Audiobook Covers

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Nov 03, 2010 Quinn rated it really liked it

Shelves: series, library-book, paranormal-romance

I stopped reading Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling series when I finished Hostage to Pleasure back in August 2009. I’m not a sci-fi fan, and while the writing was good and I was enjoying the Changelings, I wasn’t at all interested in the Psy storyline, which is integral to the series.

Throughout the 17 months since deciding not to continue with this series, I have continued to see very positive reviews for the books in this series, and lively discussions from its legion of fans. Because I liked the I stopped reading Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling series when I finished Hostage to Pleasure back in August 2009. I’m not a sci-fi fan, and while the writing was good and I was enjoying the Changelings, I wasn’t at all interested in the Psy storyline, which is integral to the series.

Throughout the 17 months since deciding not to continue with this series, I have continued to see very positive reviews for the books in this series, and lively discussions from its legion of fans. Because I liked the writing, and because the praise seemed to be focused on the Changeling characters, I admit, it got the better of me, and I thought I would give the series another go.

Well did I ever luck out, because the hero and heroine in this book are both Changelings. Hurrah! And the Psy elements of the story, while certainly necessary for the ongoing story arc, were definitely less prevalent and more of a background focus. Hurrah again!

Riley, a SnowDancer (wolf pack) lieutenant, and Mercy, a DarkRiver (leopard) sentinel are both dominants. And while Mercy is happy to use Riley to ‘scratch an itch’ as it were, a mating between wolf and leopard, particularly where both are dominant and neither will submit, is out of the question. Or is it?

I really enjoyed watching Riley and Mercy struggle with how to make their relationship work for both of them. In this instance, there was no build up to the physical side – that happened quite explosively in the first chapter – but rather a process where animal instincts must be carefully managed and compromises reached.

Mercy is a predatory dominant, which was reflected in her behaviour. While I probably wouldn’t have liked her much as a human character, I was able to appreciate and understand her in this context. And Riley, as with all the Changeling males I have read so far, was wonderful, even as he struggled with his protective instincts.

For me, the Psy are a little like the Lessors in J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Not that there are any similarities at all in the storylines, but because it’s less engaging and distracts from the characters that you really want to read about. But just as I kept reading that series, maybe, just maybe, I will continue with this one.
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Feb 12, 2010 Zeek rated it it was ok

Shelves: shifters, favorites-pnr

Riley and Mercy are so much alike their mating seems impossible. Both dominant, they've made a point of goading each other for years now but, much to both their dismay, it's become obvious there is more to their goading than friendly rivalry.

Add in the fact one is wolf changeling and the other feline and you've got an oil and water mix that's seems impossible to come together.

While they attempt to work through their highly charged emotions for each other, someone- or a group of someones- are try ...more

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Dec 01, 2010 Keri rated it liked it

Shelves: 2010s-read, romance-paranormal

This was a good read, but not my fav of the series. NS used alot of repeat phrasing that got on my nerves after awhile. I also had a hard time staying connected to the story and kept wanting to read about other players introduced in the story versus Riley and Mercy. I still like the series and wonder how it is all going to play out.

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Oct 19, 2010 Peep (Pop! Pop!) rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2010, liked-cause-im-crazy, manly-alpha-man, adult-cravings

Well I liked this one. Yes, I said it! I liked this one almost as much as I liked Judd and Brenna's story. Almost. Those two are my favorite of the series for some reason.

This one started out different because the build up to their relationship was hinted in previous books in the series. A few paragraphs into the first chapter and there's no mistake about whether or not these two will end up together. That's not a spoiler. It's a romance novel, we know what will happen :)

Anywho, I liked Mercy a Well I liked this one. Yes, I said it! I liked this one almost as much as I liked Judd and Brenna's story. Almost. Those two are my favorite of the series for some reason.

This one started out different because the build up to their relationship was hinted in previous books in the series. A few paragraphs into the first chapter and there's no mistake about whether or not these two will end up together. That's not a spoiler. It's a romance novel, we know what will happen :)

Anywho, I liked Mercy and Judd. Even though we knew they'd end up together, it was still an interesting story! See, they're both dominants AND guess what? One is a wolf and one is a cat! Craziness, right??!?! How will it work out? Even thought the were both dominants and tough, I didn't get annoyed with either of them. Usually, I get annoyed at a character when I feel like their trying to hard to impress me (the reader). I didn't get that from them. Believe it or not, it was actaully a sweet story at times... if you ignore the psycho's that are always trying to kill people!

Umm, the you know, romance scenes are quite steamy. Blushing (and I don't blush!) from me and a few skipped pages and I was OK. Is it just me or are there more as this series goes along? I'm not complaining, I just don't remember this from the first few books. But then, I don't remember what I read three books ago. Goes to show you how dependable my memory is.

I'd definitely recommend you not skip this one if you've already read her other books. You hear more about Hawke and his potential interest. Honestly, I don't know how I feel about that. At first I was against it, but then she can only get older, right? Yes, he will as well, but by then it won't seem as odd. I was hoping for someone else but other fans seemed to have locked on them being together. We shall see, right? We shall see!

So, don't skip this one. Since I have all but admitted that I enjoy this series, I will admit that I already up to chapter 7 in the next book in the series. I love my libraries! I don't know what I'll do with myself when I'm done with the books in this series. Does anyone have any recommendations for series?? ...more

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Feb 24, 2012 Jill Myles rated it it was amazing

Shelves: audio

This book was really steamy! I loved Riley and how stalwart he was, and Mercy was so strong. And boy, they liked to get it on. Lol. Great book. My biggest complaint was that the narrator is BORING. Very boring. If you listen to the audio, she has one voice for female characters, and one voice for male characters, and if there are two guys talking in the same room, beware.

I picked up another in the series but IMO the audiobooks could really use a new reader.

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