New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh returns to her breathtaking Psy-Changeling Trinity series with a mating that shouldn’t exist… nightmare, a powder keg just waiting for a match.
Ethan Night is an Arrow who isn’t an Arrow. Numb and disengaged from the world, he’s loyal only to himself. Assigned as part of the security force at a world-first symposium, he carries a dark agenda tied to the power-hungry and murderous Consortium. Then violence erupts and Ethan finds himself crashing into the heart and soul of an alpha wolf.
Mating at first sight is a myth, a fairytale. Yet Selenka’s wolf is resolute: Ethan Night, broken Arrow and a man capable of obsessive devotion, is the mate it has chosen. Even if the mating bond is full of static and not quite as it should be. Because Selenka’s new mate has a terrible secret, his mind surging with a power that is a creature of madness and death…
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Alpha Night is book four in the Psy-Changeling Trinity and book nineteen in the Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh and narrated by Angela Dawe.
We return to Russia where we get to visit the BlackEdge Wolf Pack. This is the pack that neighbors the StoneWater Bear Pack. I like that we got to meet the wolf pack and return to Russia.
This time around we get Selenka Durev, the Alpha of BlackEdge and an Arrow Ethan Night. Our couple have an instant mating and we’ve not had this in the series before. I wasn’t as smitten with Selenka and Ethans romance because of this instant mating. I really missed the courtship, play, and fun that we have seen in previous Changing/Psy pairings. The other issue I had is that they don’t know each other and in less then 24hrs they are having sex. It just didn’t have the connection that I’ve come to feel and love with other couples.
The action, adventure, and world-building are captivating. I enjoy how Singh weaves this series and adds new things to it. It just keeps growing. The mystery about the net and those hurting it was fascinating. I’m looking forward to the hunt and how they will solve this new problem in the Psy net. We also are treated to another shifter group visiting the area. That storyline was interesting though I would have liked more closer on that storyline.
All and all I enjoyed Alpha Night, but I wasn’t as enamored. Even with it not being my favorite I still look forward to more installments.
Narrator: I enjoyed listening and highly recommend the audiobooks for this series. Angela Dawe is a wonderful narrator and did a great job. All the characters were distinctive and the story flowed nicely.
Rated: 3.5 Stars
Question: when will Nalini Singh stop scalping me?
Answer: NEVER, APPARENTLY.
Every single Psy-Changeling/Trinity book I pick up is consistently, awesomely amazing. How? How??!?!? Where does one acquire this kind of talent? Because I would like to have it.
I don’t even know what to say about this book because every part of it is so precious that talking about it all feels like spoilers. But I think you’ll enjoy this if you like:
– romance
– of any sort
– literally any kind
And I think you’ll ESPECIALLY enjoy this if you like:
– community, family, unconditional love
– twists and turns! but the safe kind that don’t upset you, but they do surprise you
– wildly devoted heroes
– truly TRULY alpha heroines
– badasses of epic proportions in general
– queen/loyal knight dynamics
– lowkey morality chain feels
Ugh oh my goodness just read it. Read it all. Urgently!!!!
LOVED Alpha Night! An alpha heroine, intriguing hero, and mating-at-first-sight.
I’ve read every book by Nalini Singh and this is my new favorite! Just loved the hero and heroine and their story!!!
I’ve got a large part of one of my bookcases devoted to Nalini Singh’s books. I can’t think of a single one of hers, whether it’s her Psy-Changeling series, Guild Hunter series, Rock Kiss or Hard Play books or her amazing new crime stories—all on my keeper shelves—that haven’t been read and reread again and again.
ALPHA NIGHT is one I just can’t get enough of, and the hero of this story is absolutely one of Ms. Singh’s very best. A psy child held captive by Councilor Ming LeBon, locked away, his mind manipulated, his body beaten when he fought back, as LeBon turned him into an assassin. Free now of LeBon, Arrow Ethan Night is a truly enigmatic man who sees himself as a killer, yet never seems to act the way he’s expected. He is a man trying to figure out how to exist in a world where he sees and feels only a gray nothingness.
Working with the Arrow team to protect a group of empaths at a symposium held jointly by the BlackEdge Wolves and the StoneWater Bears, Ethan is drawn to Selenka Durev, alpha of the Wolves. Somehow, she brings him out of the gray that has been his life, and before the day has ended, Selenka’s wolf chooses Ethan as its mate. Mating at first sight wasn’t on Selenka’s schedule, but once mated, the two of them are caught up in a whirlwind of danger that leaves little time for introspection, but more than enough time for the two of them to realize there is something very special going on between them.
And for Ethan, unable to experience emotion or color, the passion that is Selenka brings Ethan to life, but hanging over him is the very real threat that he may be going insane, a victim of the deadly Scarab Syndrome. Watching the growth in this man was such an emotional experience for me, and there’s nothing better than a story so well told that it draws the reader not only into the story, but into the emotions, the questions, even the fears of the characters.
Selenka is every bit as powerful. Nalini Singh crafts each person in her stories so completely, so well rounded, that even the secondary characters, those who are part of Selenka’s pack, the Arrows, the empaths, and even the bears are fully developed. Reading her books once is never enough. I went back to refresh my memories of this story (life got in the way between the time I finished reading it and had time to write this review) and I ended up reading it once again from cover to cover. I will always recommend anything Singh writes, but this one is definitely special.
I never get tired of Nalini Singh. I don’t know how she keeps me obsessed after this many books, but I’m MORE obsessed now than I ever have been! And finally, in this book, she gives us a Lady Alpha Wolf. (And a broken Arrow!)
Perfection. Always.
This is Ethan and Alpha wolf’s Selena Durev’s book. Tots adored it! Ethan was such a good but deadly Arrow who believed he was dying, however when that mating call pulled him and Selenka together, he decided to fight with all his strength to hold onto any type of happiness that he could get. This was a different take on a Psy character as he had another depth to him that even he didn’t realize. He was insanely strong and could do things that no other Arrow could do. I loved this tory lien and will keep reading all of Ms. Sing’s books. She weaves tales we could only hope to ever live once in our lifetime. 4.5 stars*******
I freaking love this book ! Nalini Singh is so awesome.
Omg Selenka is such a bad ass ! she is such a great Alpha and i loved her first encounter with Ethan ! omg the way the mate bond slammed into place and they had to learn each other in a totally different way then she was ever expecting was so great ,i loved every moment of them .
Holy Crap I am so in love with Ethan ! he is such a great character ,i really felt for him and everything he has been through ,i loved that he ends up with a such a strong woman and that him and Selenka find what’s been missing in each other ,i loved see him open up and heal !
Love love loved this book ,i am so happy to be back in the Psy/Changling world that Nalini Singh has masterfully created and i look forward to the next chapter in this wonderful series !
My heart is so happy…
The minute I open a new book in this series my heart just hums, knowing I’m returning to this world that feels so wonderfully real. Real because of the very personal, human spin within the danger and intrigue of this volatile world. The unique characters and their differing paths to love are delivered with high drama, and love, family friendship. Each read adds new connections, nuanced layers and, like Selenka and Ethan’s courtship, one more piece to this mesmerizing puzzle…
This spin on ‘love at first sight’ was crazy good! Selenka, an uber-powerful wolf alpha, was a leader of her pack. She took care of each individual’s safety and emotional well-being. She did that with intelligence, balanced power and an unmatched ferocity. She defines the term ‘girl power’ yet with a velvet glove…. Ethan was a dominant in many ways but very much a loner. His past was horrific and how he was functional at all amazed me. From the moment of discovery, the heat, the depths of emotion, the gentleness – it was all there for me to absorb and revel in. The unwavering support for each other, the bond where love quickly followed – and all of it within the continuing, dangerous, power struggle within the Trinity. Yeah, you want this book. Now!
And the struggle hasn’t ended. With a tantalizing tidbit of what is to come I’m again in (not so patient) book yearning mode…
*5+++ stars*
*Reviewed for 1-Click Addict Support Group
**Thank you to NetGalley
I love this series and I’m beyond pleased that the author has come up with a whole new enemy to battle. However as much I did enjoy the overall arc and how the story progressed I am disappointed with the romance here. Alpha Selenka and Arrow Ethan meet, touch and are instantly Mated ? Where is the chemistry and build up this author excels at giving her readers ? To be blunt I missed it terribly. Hopefully the next book will feature the playful games that I and other readers have come to love.
Alpha wolf Selenka Durev’s is devoted to her pack. That protection has extended to the empaths who are in her city for a symposium. When those empaths come under attack she will do anything to find the culprits responsible, especially if it means teaming up with the Arrow who says he is broken.
Selenka and Ethan’s mating bond clicks into place the instant they meet, but something isn’t quite right with that bond. This is an insta love relationship that takes place over just a few days, so if you don’t like instalove stories this might not be for you.
Ethan is a broken Arrow who is struggling to control the power that is leashed inside him. His traumatic past has made him disconnect from the world. Mating with Selenka has reawakened the world and made him feel again. Ethan’s traumatic childhood was heartbreaking and was emotionally draining for me. I loved his character but I did feel like I went through the wringer after reading this book.
“Then show me your jagged edges and your fractured pieces, your obsession and your need. Show me you.”
Selenka is a powerful and caring alpha. She has brought her pack to equal footing with the bears. I loved how strong she was. Ethan was a great partner for her because he understood that her pack was important and would come first sometimes. He had no experience with skin privileges, or children, yet he still tried to support and help the pack members. I liked that he was always helpful even when confused.
Overall, I did like this story. Ethan’s emotional trauma was emotionally draining for me, which I don’t know if it’s just from my current headspace or something else, but it made it hard for me to really enjoy this couple because I was just weighed down by the past.
Reader Warning:
Hero was caged all of his childhood and mentally/physically abused.
It pains me to rate this newest installment of the Psy-Changeling-Trinity series. After 23 books (9-5stars, 9-4stars, 5-3stars), this is the first time I have ever rated a book in this series 2stars. I still love the series and will continue to be a huge fan of it. I was just not a fan of this book from the get-go, starting with Selenka.
I love badass women characters. Women like Patricia Briggs’s Mercy Thompson or Debra Dunbar’s Samantha Martin or Darynda Jones’s Charley Davidson or Emily Kimelman’s Sydney Rye or Annie Bellet’s Jade Crow and I could go on and on and on but I believe I’ve made my point. When you have to TELL a reader someone is a badass, ad nauseam, it becomes ridiculous, meaningless and quite suspect. It’s much more believable and credible to SHOW the reader what a badass she is through her actions and behavior.
I know Singh had to work quick to make us like Selenka because she is a new character that we met sooo briefly before but going to so much effort to make me like someone who was unlikeable was such a waste of time, energy and resources. I would have just preferred her to write a story about a different character that was more familiar to the reader where she wouldn’t have to shove a phony rebel renegade down my throat.
Don’t even get me started on Ethan – uuuggghhh!!! The two of them together are absolutely my least fave couple in the entire series. The only thing I liked about this book was the villain, the Architect. Enough said!!!
Think I’m going to have to give up this author. The angels/vampire stories started to bore me after about #5 and her psy/changeling books haven’t been a hit for a while. Good enough I can finish them, but the hero/heroine story lines are boring, I don’t feel the heat between the characters here. I was enthusiastic when it seemed like we’d get something different with Selenka being more dominant than Ethan, but it was strong enough of a difference to add any spark for me. The bad guys were no real threat and the build up towards the Trinity end game between the books is too slow and uninteresting.
I’ll probably read the blurb for the next one and want to give it a go. I’ll just have to stand firm and say no. Glad I got this at the library.
This was another great read from Nalini Singh and her Psy- Changeling series. The book looks at the instant relationship between Selenka Durev, Alpha wolf of her pack in Moscow and cool as ice Arrow, Ethan Night. The story follows the building relationship between the two as well as what is going on in the Psy-Net and Ethan’s terrible secret that could lead to drastic consequences for all.
I feel like I have been waiting for this book forever, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. Although there is a lot going on in this book and lost of old and new characters, the story is so well developed that you don’t have to have read previous books ( but why haven’t you!) to understand what is going on. Although there are various stories going on, such as what is happening in the Psy-Net, how Ethan is coping and his backstory, who Selenka is and what she has gone through and their new, hot and developing mating…. There is no point where you feel lost in the story.
Even though you don’t get a lot from Ethan emotionally to begin with, his story is developed over the space of the whole book and you can understand what his and Selenka’s mating took place, they are certainly made for each other. His back-story at times is really sad and I kind of wanted to know more about how he came to be, but the author has such a way of writing that you’re always left with little questions that get answered further along in other books.
Selenka on the other hand is a strong, determined Alpha. She is there for her people and with the help of Ethan, manages to balance that out more. When her pack is threatened, she is willing to do anything to get her people the justice they deserve. She is also great with Ethan; she won’t let him fall and is fully dominant when he second guesses himself or makes decisions without consulting her. Their chemistry is off the charts, as is their emotional bond which we see get stronger through the book.
These are really great books to read in general and it makes me want to go back to the beginning to re-read them all again…totally the signs of a great author! I really can’t recommend Nalini Singh and her writing enough!
More of my reviews can be found on my blog:http://thehotmesslibrary.blogspot.com
Selenka is an awesome alpha- all teeth, claws, and heart- and Singh does an excellent job highlighting both of those roles in Selenka’s day-to-day life. She’s also perfect for Ethan, able to teach him to play while also teaching him that it’s possible to be both a killer and a protector instead of a monster. Ethan is one of those gorgeous, deadly, and damaged creatures you just want to cuddle until everything is ok again. Childhood trauma doesn’t come close to describing the hell he grew up in, but he still grew up with his sanity intact- if perhaps hidden behind a few shields to let him cope. But we meet Ethan while he’s still willing to experiment and reach beyond those shields, still willing to try and feel things and not beyond saving.
Selenka and Ethan have a chemistry that’s unbelievably hot- and a rather shocking introduction to the world of emotions for poor Ethan! They work perfectly together on every level. Singh continues to give readers perfectly paired and complex couples that leave you saying “thank you!” after you meet them. Singh (Wolf Rain) also continues in her amazingly intricate world building- it grows, develops. and makes the reader feel like they are immersed in the world on every single page.
As with all of the Psy-Changeling series, Alpha Night could be read as a stand alone book. Many characters from previous books make appearances that will delight long-time readers (personally I’m a big fan of Kaleb and Nikita) but won’t confuse newbies. Several of the threats currently facing the PsyNet however, new readers won’t get as much out of (and may get a little confused) if they haven’t read at least the earlier Trinity books before. But new readers should love Alpha Night enough that they’ll immediately need to go read the other books anyway (and then re-read this one!), so it should work out. Alpha Night doesn’t end as a cliff-hanger (thank you Nalini for rarely doing that to us) but readers will still be on the edge of their seats to discover what happens next in a world that seems just as read as our own.
Another read coming!
I had saved Alpha Night to read on my vacation and when it got canceled, I decided to go ahead and read it. I started Alpha Night the next evening and that was a big mistake because I couldn’t put it down.
Alpha Night tells the story of BlackEdge Alpha Selenka Durev and partially broken Arrow Ethan Night and the fight to heal him from within.
I plan to read it again because it is that good.
Nalini Singh’s books always fun, interesting, original reads.
You just can’t help getting absorbed by the characters, feeling what they’re feeling, rooting for them to succeed. Great series!!!!!
It takes a talented author to keep the momentum and interest going in a long-running series, and Nalini Singh doesn’t disappoint in the latest installment in her Psy/Changeling/Human world. We have another story of an ice-cold Arrow, once the enforcement wing of the Psy community, now trying to integrate into a world where Psy have emerged from Silence and are mingling with human and changeling residents.
Excellent world building, hot romance, characters who stand out, and some old friends returning, all combine to make for a very satisfying read. As is usually the case with a series like this, it’s best to start at the beginning, but the books continue to deliver a quality reading experience.
I don’t know how 19 books into a series, Ms. Singh can still come up with new and fresh ideas for this vast world she has created. This is the first insta-mating and I loved it. We’ve met Selenka pr at least heard mention of her in previous books as her pack runs in the area near Valentin and the Russian bears.
I’m always happiest when a Psy mates with a changling but again it’s thrown on it’s head because this Alpha is a boss a$$ female. And Ethan. Wow has he had a story to tell.
I honestly think this is up there for bot only my favourite PNR series of all time, but my favourite series full stop. The world, the characters, the writing they all ae top notch and I always get excited when a new Psy- Changling book gets announced.
Thanks to the publisher and the author and Netgalley for the advance copy.