A Psy/Changeling novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Shards of Hope, Shield of Winter, and Heart of Obsidian…”the alpha author of paranormal romance” (Booklist).A ghost returns from a leopard changeling’s past, making him question everything—even his base animal instincts… his human mother, never knowing his changeling father. As a young boy without the bonds of Pack, he tried to stifle his animal nature. He failed…and committed the most extreme act of violence, killing a man and losing his best friend, Talin, in the bloody aftermath. Everything good in him died the day he was told that she, too, was dead.
Talin McKade barely survived a childhood drenched in bloodshed and terror. Now a new nightmare is stalking her life—the street children she works to protect are disappearing and turning up dead. Determined to keep them safe, she unlocks the darkest secret in her heart and returns to ask the help of the strongest man she knows…
Clay lost Talin once. He will not let her go again, his hunger to possess her, a clawing need born of the leopard within. As they race to save the innocent, Clay and Talin must face the violent truths of their past…or lose everything that ever mattered.
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Tally is a very complex heroine, who exhibited the perfect mix of vulnerability and strength, and the threads of her characterization are masterfully woven throughout the story. Clay is the ideal combination of alpha protector and passionate lover, who ends up wearing his heart on his sleeve for Tally. Their
romance is deep and heartfelt. The mystery of who was kidnapping and murdering the kids was woven seamlessly throughout, and the advancement of the story arc was phenomenal. An awesome read!
I love and own this entire series. This is a good read but not the best of the whole bunch. I highly recommend the author and this series of hers.
Mine to Possess is the fourth book to the Psy-Changeling series. I love this Paranormal Romance series, which has Changelings (shapeshifters), Psy (no-feelings, cold-hearted beings), and Humans. Each book follows a new couple, and this time, I finally found out which heroine would win over Clay Bennett.
Female Protagonist: Talin McKade is human, but she’s familiar with the Psy/Changeling world. She was best friends with a changeling when she was younger, but things changed after that one awful night that changed her life. Now she’s a social worker helping children that live on the street. She wants them to have a better life than she did when she was little. I liked her character because she may be human, but she’s a fighter in her own way. She went through horrible things as a child, which made me upset. I can’t stand when children get hurt. (I’m glad the person or people that were hurting her are no longer in her life due to a particular male character.) There were times she drove me crazy with how she handled things. She was stubborn, but I understood her character a little better after finding out more about her story.
Male Protagonist: Clay Bennett is a leopard shifter sentinel for DarkRiver. He’s one that tried to suppress his leopard inside of him and ended up doing the unthinkable by killing someone. He lost his best friend when he did kill. He had never known how to be a part of a clan until DarkRiver took him in, and now he’s one of the fiercest sentinels. I liked Clay’s character in this book, even though, at times, he did come off as a brute. He changed from Visions of Heat because he was a complete jerk in that book to a particular female character. Clay is the character that is a big-time alpha and can also be very playful.
Storyline/My Thoughts: Talin McKade has sought out Clay Bennett to help the street children she works with to protect. The children are disappearing, and she needs his help to track them down and find out who keeps taking them. Clay Bennet thought Talin was dead after he got of jail for killing Talin’s foster father. Now he will do anything to keep her in his life. It does take a while for their relationship to grow again. Clay fears that Talin is scared of him for what he did to her foster father. Talin is fearful of another reason why she shouldn’t get close to Clay. When she reveals the truth to him, Clay is determined more than ever keep her in his life. (No more going into details about the book because I don’t want to give anything away.)
Overall, this book was another great addition to the Psy/Changeling series. I’m not too fond of the Psy Council in this book (I haven’t been fond of them since the beginning.) and what they are doing behind the scenes. Why do they always want to hurt children? I’m glad that some Psy notices that it’s wrong what is happening, and there is a rebellion behind the scenes. (The Ghost hits again in this book, and I’m anxious to find out who he/she is.) Clay and Talin’s story is a heartbreaker because of what happened when they were younger. I could understand why Clay thought Talin was scared of him. I also could understand why Talin didn’t want to get too close to Clay. Both are battling their issues. They are suitable for each other, though, and need to realize it. They were stubborn with each other. Some of the changeling characters know that Clay and Talin are meant for each other, but a certain Psy in the story has become friends with Clay and doesn’t like Talin at first. Talin puts the Psy in her place. There was quite a bit of drama in this book at first until everyone started getting to know each other better.
This book also has Dorian in it, and if you read Slave to Sensation, you realize he has come along away, especially around Psy. I feel I already know who his mate will be since she was introduced in this book. I can’t wait to dive into this book.
There’s a storyline in this book that had me intrigued about Psy, Changeling, and Humans from the past. I can’t wait to find out more about it in the series. I love how Nalini Singh has each book go deeper into the history of each species. She’s one of those authors who is fantastic at world-building, which is why she’s become one of my favorite authors.
Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Psy/Changeling series. I would recommend reading in order.
Steaminess:
Trope: Fated Mates; Former Bestfriend-to-Lover
Would I recommend this book? Yes. I would recommend this book to Paranormal Romance readers out there. Each book follows a new couple and has a different storyline that connects. This is why I recommend reading each book in order. I can’t get enough of this series by Nalini Singh and can’t wait to dive into the next book.
Last year I read all of Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter series, and this year I’m dedicating to reading her Psy-Changeling series. I can’t believe it took me this long to read her Psy-Changeling series.
4,5 stars
2nd read: 2021
1st read : a few years ago
‘Mine to possess’ is the fourth book in the Psy-Changeling series and is another great addition to this wonderful paranormal series, with each story, the reader is getting more information about this fascinating world. This time we got more insight into the beginning of silence of the Psy and the consequences of it.
This story is about human Talin McKade and cat changeling Clay. Their story is very emotional. Talin and Clay met as children, they became very close but then something terrible happened and they lost contact with each other. Clay even thought that Talin was dead but then one day Talin comes back into his life. And then their emotional and painful journey continues. Pain from the past and distrust in the present but the bond from their childhood is still there. Talin is so strong and also so fragile in some ways. I love how protective Clay is of her and strong. He’s a very dominant changeling man but with Talin and the children he is very gentle.
It’s fascinating that this time one of the main characters is human and not Psy. The story is again told from both POV’s and we get to meet a new changeling pack, namely the rats.
I enjoyed this story very much.
Clay reconnects with Talin!
Sentinel Clay Bennett thought he was losing his mind when he kept smelling his friend Talin who had died in an accident before he could find her again after he had killed their foster father that was abusing and killing other children. Talin McKade from the Shine Foundation never intended to track Clay down but when children starting disappearing, she knew that he would be her best chance of finding the kids.
The Shine Foundation will become very important in later books.
The Psy-Changeling is one of my favorite series because when I read the books again, I find little nuggets of information that become important later on in the series.
3.5 stars
Clay Bennett grew up in the slums with his human mother, never knowing his changeling father. He has known his best friend Talin was his mate since they met. But he couldn’t control his animal when she was in danger and ended up losing his freedom and his mate. Years later Talin shows up from the dead asking for help. Clay refuses to let her leave him again.
This book introduced a lot more to the world of the psy-changelings. We have more information on the Protocol I implant, more Psy disruption, and The Forgotten. This world just keeps growing and becoming more diverse. I really love the complexity and uniqueness of this world and I think that is one of the reasons why this series is so good.
Talin McKade had a terrible upbringing in the foster system. She was abused and traumatized and is still struggling with PTSD from it. The only person she could ever rely on as a child was Clay and he was taken away from her. I liked how strong and determined Tally was when it came to finding and protecting the missing children. She was a mama bear. Watching her deal with her PTSD and learn to accept her past was very emotional and made me just like her more.
Clay has been the strong, stoic one. We haven’t really gotten much about him up till this point. We finally get to see the reasoning behind his darkness and animalistic side. While not my favorite changeling of the series, I did enjoy him overall. My biggest issue with Clay was that he got a bit judgmental about Tally’s past.
Overall, I am still loving this series and I cannot wait to find out what is going to happen with Protocol I.
Reader Warning:
– References to past child abuse and rape
The world is very different in this future timeline. There are three races: Psy, changelings, and humans. The Psy use their x-men-esque powers to control the world. Changelings are shape shifters. And as we all know, humans are resilient lol. Clay was a shifter raised away from a pack under hard circumstances who ended up in jail. When he was told his best friend died, it broke something in him. Lucky for him, Talin is very much alive. When she realizes that some of the kids she is assigned to help as a social worker are disappearing or turning up dead, she asks the only person she can trust for help. Even with Clay and Talin working together, they are going to need a little more help to save the kids in time. Luckily, you never know who is going to have a heart under their agenda! Happy Reading!
Ok, this has become my new favorite in the series so far. Clay and Talin had me from the very beginning and I couldn’t put this down.
At first they are both kind of cruel to each other. Clay lashing out because of how she hurt him, and Talin because of the trauma she suffered as a child. She comes off pretty weak in the beginning, but the more time she spends with Clay, the stronger she gets.
Despite his anger with her, Clay was very protective and possessive. I wanted to shake Talin for not getting past her fear and insecurities sooner. You could just tell Clay would be good to her because of how much he loved her, and he does prove that.
This will be the couple to beat in the upcoming books.
Absolutely adored this book! I loved both Clay and Tilly, as well as their chemistry. Amazing!
I’ve read quite a few books by Nalini Singh, and I would probably give them all five stars. This one is no different. The characters that she writes about are always amazing.
It is such an awesome book ,I loved the story start to finish .
Clay is so awesome ,I just find him so interesting ,I loved learning more about him and his life as a kid and how he came a part of DarkRiver ,it was so sad to see how much Talin lying to him for all those years hurt him and really how they shaped him into the man he is today , I loved that he find Talin again and that they were able to move on from the past together .
I have issues with Talin ,I can’t believe that she let Clay think she was dead for 20 years ,it’s upsetting to see that she kept him outta her life ,but on the other side of the coin I get it ,I feel bad for Clay tho, he did everything he could to protect her when she was a kid and he blames himself for all the crap that he wasn’t able to save her from but in the end he and Talin both move on and get to know each other in a totally different way and it’s great to see how much they’ve grown .
This book kicks ass that’s all there is to it,this series rules and it’s gonna be a favorite for a lifetime 🙂
Mine To Possess’ is book 4 in Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling Series.
I have been loving reading this series and don’t have a horrible thing to say about it until this book. I did/do not like Talin. The one thing that has stayed true and that I have loved most about this series is the strong bond between Pack. Pack is everything to the DarkRiver pack. But she causes Clay to get upset with Faith, then Clay argues with Lucas about Talin needing to leave the room so they can talk about the Lauren’s (which is privileged information) and then later on he is wanting to knock Judd out over something he said to Talin all because she only cares about herself and not about the risks that other people would have to take.
Clay Bennet is a Leopard Changeling, a sentinel in the DarkRiver Leopard Pack. He has always been bit of a loner until Faith (Vaugh’s mate) is able to push through his walls and build somewhat of a friendship with him. But the comes along Talin McKade a human and Clay’s closest and only friend from his childhood who he thought was killed. Clay had always been protective of Talin when they will kids and even went to the extreme as to kill someone to protect her, in doing so he was sent to juvenile detention for the crime. When he is released he is told that Talin had died. But 20 years later Talin is back and all the strong feelings Clay had towards her are back and even more powerful as he is no longer a child but a strong male leopard.
I found Talin’s constant whining about the sexual partners prior to coming back to Clay very frustrating. Everytime she mentioned it I’d shake my head and it would make me want to scream. Not once did Clay ever mention or bring it up, yes he was hurt when she first told him, but let’s be honest that is understandable. Talin’s constant hot and coldness toward their relationship was another thing I couldn’t stand. Clay was always so loving and affectionate towards her and of course possessiveness but he always spoke his mind in regards to how he felt, but with Talin she would get so possessive over him when one of the women would talk about Clay then she would be like no we can’t be together I just want to be friends.
At times I just wanted to give up and stop reading the book because I just could not stand Talin but my OCD and curiosity to how the story would end wouldn’t allow me to stop. Having said what I have above does not mean I do not understand why Talin is like she is but it just annoyed me how often and frequently she would do something or say something that I didn’t like.
But on a positive I still love Nalini Singh’s work and I’ll most definitely be continuing with this series.
For some reason, the first book in this series didn’t grab me. I almost didn’t read the second book. But I am so glad I did as this world and it’s characters grew on me. By now, the 4th book, I am hooked. While the tone of voice is dramatic at times and the subject matter not a light hearted one (which I normally prefer for leisure reading), what comes out most is the development of relationships within the main couples as well as the packs and groups. The psy as a race add a new dimension to the creatures that inhibit the paranormal world. I especially like the nature of the leopards. By no means are they romantic heros in the classic sense. They are no gentlemen with suave words. But their love is so loyal and deep and fierce once they admit to it. It shows in every action. Vaughn and Clay did need some getting used to though. I’m glad, I gave them a chance because within the vast range of male heros in the romance genre, they do stand out.
This book was just slightly better than okay for me. I didn’t really care for Clay or Talin. So their relationship was just ok for me. I did enjoy the plot and everything else it was just the couple that was meh.