Review: Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh
Published: September 5th, 2006 (Berkley Sensation)
Pages: 334
Age group: Adult
Source: bought
Challenge: none
Series:  Psy-Changeling, #1
Buy the book: Bookdepository
Rating: ★★★★☆


In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of "rehabilitation" - the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was... Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy coexistence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion - and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities - or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation...

When I was looking for a different kind of paranormal romance, this one was recommended to me. I picked up a copy and even though it took me several months to pick it up off the shelf, I'm so glad I did, because I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I really liked the idea behind this story. Psy are supposed to be devoid of feelings and all Psy are linked to the PsyNet, a mental network that links all Psy. I found this to be fascinating and loved the scenes in which Sascha was exploring the PsyNet. Sascha has to work with Lucas, a changeling who is almost bubbling over with emotions, something Sascha isn't used to. When the two come together to work on a mutual project, the story takes off and I loved every single minute of it.

The combination of a (for me) new kind of paranormal with completely fleshed out characters, great chemistry between the two leads and the vivid description of both of their situations - with Sascha, the complicated hierarchy of the Psy, with Lucas, the Pack - made this a great read for me. I'm excited for the second installment!

In short: four stars for the first book in the Psy-Changeling series and I'm looking forward to its sequel!