Wolf Rain

Wolf Rain is book three in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series by Nalini Singh.

Singh never disappoints!

In Wolf Rain we go back to the SnowDancer pack.

Alexei is a lieutenant in the SnowDancer pack. I recognized him, but it took some memory jogging to fully pick out who he is. He used to be fun loving and outgoing, but with a tragedy in his past he’s become more recluse and not as easy going. It was intestine learning more about Alexi and seeing his struggle. Even with the pretty boy looks he’s a fighter. He wouldn’t be a lieutenant otherwise. I liked how he tried to give Memory her space and time for her to figure out who she is. He’s also got a sweet side that only the cubs and Memory see. It was touching seeing him evolve and resolve the past trauma with Memory by his side.

Memory is an E-Psy who’s been kept prisoner since childhood by another Psy. This other Psy has used Memory’s unique abilities to make himself a better murder. She’s a fighter. The emotional, mentally, and physically abuse she goes through is tough, but through it all she never gave up hope. I adored that she took the time to become her own person. I also found her unique ability interesting. Who knows, maybe it’s the key to preventing the PsyNet from collapsing.

As usual Singh combines a verity of elements regarding the Psy and shattering of Silence as well as a sensual and emotionally rich romance. I just adore this world and can’t wait to see where things go from here.

Narration: Angela Dawe has a great range of voices and accents. I could distinguish each character. The other thing I love about the audio is that the emotional struggles our characters face come across in such a real way that I became engrossed and couldn’t stop listening. I absolutely loved the audio.

Rated: 5 Stars

I don’t even know where to begin with a review for what is, in my not so humble opinion, one of the very best of Singh’s Psy-Changeling stories. The third book since the fall of Silence sees the world getting closer to its own apocalypse—the fall of the Psy-Net which could mean the deaths of almost the entire race. Already parts are beginning to fail, and finding a cure has not been successful.

Memory is an empath who has been kept prisoner by a psychotic Psy, a man who feeds off her ability to nourish his dark power. He is a murderer who killed her mother when Memory was eight years old, and only kept Memory alive when he discovered that the energy she holds as an empath empowers him in a way that essentially makes him a better killer. For an empath, knowing the evil Renault has committed with her unwilling assistance could have broken her, but it’s made Memory stronger through all the years he’s kept her hidden in an underground bunker on SnowDancer land. When she is rescued by Alexei, a SnowDancer lieutenant, it’s because he has sensed her powerful grief over the death of a cat that was her only companion for many years. Alexei has suffered his own grief, and it’s as if the two wounded souls find strength in each other, and along with that emotional strength, the chance to heal and grow closer. I love how strong Memory is in spite of her horrific childhood-young adulthood, how she grows into her power as a special kind of empath, one who may hold the key to healing the failing Psy-net.

There are so many twists and turns in this wonderful story that I haven’t been able to put the book away. I just finished reading it for the third time, and it’s time to let it go—for now. But for those readers who have fallen in love with Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling stories, this is one you will absolutely love. I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve hardly put it down for the past week. Unfortunately, my own work isn’t getting done, and I think the Lord of the Manor might be running out of clean clothes. Time to get this review up and try really hard not to read Wolf Rain again. I love the way the author creates such amazing worlds—the politics, the personalities, the culture, and the characters—especially the characters! She is a uniquely talented author with an amazing imagination. Nalini Singh truly brings her stories to life.

4 Stars
Review by Lisa
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog

Wolf Rain by Nalini Singh is the third installment in the Psy-Changeling trinity. I felt a little lost in this story but I think it’s because I didn’t read books one or two. It can be read as a standalone but I feel I would have enjoyed it that much more if I read the first two books.

When the end of silence was supposed to bring some peace and better times for the next generations, trust is broken and the peace between the Psy, Changeling and the humans is on thin ice. Temporary fixing and hiding problems come back when problems have been previously solved. Looking for real answers so their kind will not become non-existent.

We are taken on an adventure to find the truths, trust, and all the while the possibility of finding love.

Memory and Alexie have this chemistry that charges off the pages.

The turns and twists throughout this story make it that much more.

One of the things about this story that I thoroughly enjoyed was the world as a whole that was created for these books. It absolutely fascinated me.

I’m obsessed with this series, and I swear it just keeps getting better! This installment was fresh, while still bringing us back to our wolf and leopard roots. I LOVED it!

Alexei, aka Sexy Lexie, aka the Russian Bridegroom, is a SnowDancer Lieutenant, and the head of one of the satellite dens of the giant wolf pack. He’s a beautiful man, some would call him “pretty”, but he has never cared about any of that. He lost his parents very young, after his father went rogue and had to be killed, and his mother couldn’t hold on with out her mate. He and his older brother, Brodie, were all that was left. Then that all changed a year ago when Brodie met the same fate, and took his beloved mate with him. Alexei feels utterly alone now, but he can’t risk that happening to him. So, he plans to never mate, or let anyone else too close.

Memory is an E-Psy, with a pretty big difference. She’s never quite been sure where she fits into the world, especially since she was kidnapped at 8 years old by the monster who murdered her mother. She was forced to help him in his sadistic murders, and she fears that what he’s always told her is true: that she’s a monster too. When Alexei rescues her, she doesn’t know who to trust, or what they’ll think if they find out what she can really do. She hasn’t felt safe anywhere, or with anyone since she was 8. How can she reconcile that with her massive attraction to the sexy golden wolf, and her new home among the other E-Psy?

Alexei and Memory had a strong connection from the beginning, though the romantic part of it was a bit of a slow burn. Memory had never had a loving touch from anyone since early childhood, and Alexei was determined to never allow himself a mate. He knew he felt strongly for her, and so he felt compelled to stay away, for both of their sake. Memory really started to come into her own at the E-Psy training camp, and she made fast friends with Sasha, the DarkRiver leopard alpha’s mate. She needed that time to find herself, and her place in her new life. Alexei needed it to realize that there was no way he could stay away from her for good.

The suspense/mystery part of the story was very intriguing, and I had no idea who the bad entity was, or how it would all be resolved. Also, Memory’s captor was a true villain, and I was glad to watch how they took action against him throughout the story. It was truly lovely being back with our beloved SnowDancer wolves and DarkRiver leopards. It felt like going back to the beginning in some ways, though things have obviously moved along, and they’re all mated, with cubs and pups now. I loved catching up with them, and seeing them anew through Memory’s eyes.

I really loved how good Alexei and Memory seemed for each other. They really fit together, like puzzle pieces, and they filled in where the other lacked, like a true partnership. She wasn’t scared of his dominance as a wolf, and he wasn’t scared of her mighty abilities as different kind of E-Psy. They were both in awe of each other, and had big love for each other, even before they realized what that would end up meaning.

I always love visiting this world so much. The author’s building of this fantastical, slightly futuristic, world is awe-inspiring to me. I love everything about it, and how it’s grown and changed throughout the series. I am anxiously anticipating seeing where we’ll head next in this universe. I can’t wait.

I love her books and this one was another excellent tale. I highly recommend it!

Wholly riveting installment in the Psy/Changeling series

Despite its not unimpressive length of almost 400 pages I devoured the book practically in one go, only taking necessary snack and potty breaks. And when the end came, I felt quite put out, as there seemed to open so many possibilities in which direction the story could go, but I of course realized that I would have likely to wait close to a year for the story to continue.

It is kind of amazing that after so many books I am still so invested in Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling world. Wolf Rain is book 3 of the Trinity Accords, which opened up a new story arc after Silence has fallen, but actually it is already the 18th full-length novel overall (not counting novellas). I do wonder if Singh started a new numbering sequence to make it less daunting for new readers.

I must admit that cross-species pairings (especially Psy-Changeling) are my favorite. Alexei is very dominant wolf and Snow Dancer lieutenant, who has suffered the traumatic loss of family. And because he fears that he has also inherited the curse of his family, he has become closed off and lets relationships only go so deep. But everything changes when he is out on patrol one stormy day and is unexpectantly blasted by emotions of devastating pain. Naturally he goes to investigate and discovers an empath with a strange texture to her psychic scent, who has been the prisoner of a psychopathic telekinetic…

I loved this book, but strangely the parts that I loved most about it also sparked some criticism in me. For instance I love how Memory is feisty and strong, despite everything that has happened to her and how she literally growls back at Alexei, since I am not one for the sweet, submissive heroine. But on the other hand I find it difficult to get my head around how little Memory seems impacted by the trauma that she experienced, especially considering the age she was taken and the length of time she has spent in captivity. Also, she appears remarkably well-adjusted, seeing as she spent most of her time in isolation…

I am really glad we got Alexei’s story, but there are still so many other characters whose story I want. All the little research notes about designation E by Alice Eldrigde scattered around in Wolf Rain (some of them new) make me think that Alice deserves a story of her own, too. And there are a host of other characters, some of whom I have trouble remembering without consulting a character guide. And then there is the mysterious BlackSea pack with members that we don’t even know what they turn into. Or whether the relationship between Miane and Malachai goes beyond that of a leader and her lieutenant and security chief. And what about Anthony and Nikita, or Tag and Tiara?

The other issue I have is that as much as I love all the new developments, for instance the emergence of new “harmonizers” (so far we only knew about Noor and Keenan) I somehow feel that the overarching story arc is getting a little scattered, meaning there are more and more threads and I am getting a bit worried how Nalini Singh is going to juggle them all. Although the worst of the decay of the PsyNet seems to have been stopped for the moment, the problem is far from solved. Also, what happened to all the BlackSea changelings that have been abducted? And what about the new and developing powers among the Forgotten? And still not sure whether Pax is The Architect or not, and what it means for the future of all Psy that there seem to be factions working against the coalition…

Despite all these issues, I really loved this installment of the Psy/Changeling series. I liked both the protagonists as individuals and the way they are as a couple. I also enjoyed the glimpses of other characters – especially Amara – and also development with regard to the background story, though it could be a little more focused. I can’t wait for the next book. 4.75 stars.

Ok i totally loved this whole book ,Nalini Singh has done it
again ,she writes these awesome characters and you can’t
help but fall in love with them and their story 🙂

Omg Alexei is such a great character ,i loved seeing him let
down his walls and deal with what happened to his family
and he was finally able to open up and let someone in ,he
has been hurting for so long and seeing him help Memory
find herself and seeing them fall in love was so awesome
i loved their story ,they were totally made for each other.

Omg I love Memory ,she is such a badass ,she didn’t let that
phsyco break her ,she made herself anew and she totally
got Alexei to open up and see that he isn’t going to go
rogue like the his brother and father ,he’s been so afraid of
hurting someone that he closed himself off but when he
see’s what Memory has been through and that she is still
willing to love people and let them in ,he didn’t stand a
chance once she decided to love him .

I love this series so much, Nalini Singh has created a world
that is so rich with amazing characters and fantastic story telling.

3.5 stars

Memory has been a prisoner for years. Her captor returns frequently to use her ability like a drug addict looking for his next fix. When Alexei hears her mental anguish he stops at nothing to rescue her. These two work together to stop her kidnapper, learn about her unique E-Psy abilities, and try to stop a new threat against the E’s.

Memory is an all new psy to the series and is very unique. She was a survivor who is finally getting a chance to live. Memory is a very unique E-Psy and has had her ability abused by a psychopath. That has made her view her abilities as bad and she struggles with the fact she isn’t like other E’s. I loved that she learned to become her own person after her rescue and that Alexei doesn’t overtake her personality.

Alexei is a lieutenant in the SnowDancer pack. While I recognize his character I don’t really remember him much, nor do I remember his brother Brodie. Alexei has been struggling after a personal loss and is withdrawing away from the pack. Finding Memory made him remember the good times and she helped him work through his grief. I liked Alexei because he was a fighter and protector. I loved that he gave Memory space to grow and become the person she is meant to be.

As with all Singh books, this was a wonderful blend of emotional change, romance, and action. This world has changed so much since the first Psy-Changeling and there are still a lot of changes to come. While this one wasn’t as intense as some of the previous books, I still really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one. I just can’t get enough of this complex and character rich world.

Alexei has only felt grief at this level when he lost his brother and sister-in-law. But the grief he is currently feeling isn’t his. Can he find the source of the gut-wrenching pain?
Wolf Rain is third in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series by Nalini Singh. I enjoyed meeting Memory. She has such strength but doesn’t seem to realize it. She has been a prisoner most of her life and used horribly but still, she fights. I love seeing her break out of her shell with Alexei. Alexei is hiding the pain of losing the last of his family. Only with pack nothing is ever hidden. And Ms. Singh makes sure that Alexei has the support he needs even if he’d rather he didn’t. I loved seeing pack support and uplift. But Alexei also has Memory. Memory touches something and that Ms. Singh showed us how helping Memory helps him. I enjoyed seeing Alexei’s playfulness return. The light that was dimmed by loss is slowly returning. I enjoyed seeing Memory push at her wolf. She is finding herself and loves poking the sleeping wolf. I enjoyed seeing Alexei find the warrior that is Memory. Even while he gives her the space to grow he supports and cherishes her.
This story by Ms. Singh is well written and enjoyable. I love returning to this world Ms. Singh has created. I enjoyed dropping into the lives of the character we have come to love. Ms. Singh gives us a story with unexpected twists that add to both this world and Memory and Alexei’s journey. I can’t wait to see where Ms. Singh will take us next.

Five Shooting Stars

When you’re reading an ongoing standalone series such as the Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh, you’re apt to meet a plethora of characters. Some of the characters you meet may only appear in the book for a single paragraph on a page but their impact resonates and is felt by readers.
Alexei Harte-Vasiliev was one of those minor characters who appeared in earlier books in the series who really resonated with me. He was a character that immediately captured my interest from his first appearance and I desperately wanted to learn more about him, so when I found out that Wolf Rain would be Alexei and his love’s story I was excited to say the least and Nalini Singh definitely didn’t disappoint with his story.
Sweet, sexy, suspenseful and tender, this new story in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series is one that’s not be missed.
Although it was Alexei’s story that I had been waiting and longing to read, it was his love, Memory Aven-Rose who captured me and made me fall completely in love with this story.
Fierce, but fragile, with a ferocious spirit and will to survive, Memory’s character had me utterly enthralled and I now have a serious girl crush on her.
There are many books in the Psy-Changeling series and for awhile now I’ve had my favourites picked out. Kiss of Snow has always been my favourite Psy-Changeling book, followed by Slave to Sensation – the book that started the series and then Heart of Obsidian because I love Kaleb and Sahara’s story and now Wolf Rain is tied third in place with Heart of Obsidian, in my top three!
I absolutely adored reading this story and look forward to reading many more in the future.
As with all Nalini’s books, this is definitely one that I’ll be re-reading more than once. (I seriously, have lost count of how many times I’ve re-read the series. It’s that good!)
Highly Recommended.