September & October 2022

I know I say this, but November definitely crept up on me. After a wildly successful reading month in August I fell into a reading drought. I just honestly did not feel like reading at all, hence no post last month and the fact that I’m posting about September and October together. Sorry about that, but reading is like that for me. When I was posting more regularly I always used to try and have enough posts to give myself 3 to 4 weeks wriggle room in case I just did not feel like reading. I know from when I was younger that forcing myself to read when I don’t want to just means that the slump lasts longer. I hope you had a more successful time reading in September and October than I did.

The front of the Falmouth Bookseller.

Whilst I might not have got any reading done in September, I did visit a couple of bookshops whilst I was down in Cornwall. If you’re visiting Falmouth or St Ives you should stop off at the bookstore there (if you make it to Truro, the Waterstones there is good too). They’re both relatively small stores, but they can contain some real gems – I’m not sure about the St Ives Bookseller, but the Falmouth Bookseller also does some author events.

The St Ives Bookseller

I’m a huge fan of Bernadette Banner on YouTube. She’s made some fantastic garments and her videos are always entertaining. I’ve had a quick flip through her book, and honestly I don’t think this is one book I will read in a single sitting. What I have seen looks really helpful and super informative.

Books I got this month.

Honestly, October saw more of the same on the reading front at least to begin with. I was starting to think it would be three months without me reading and decreasing the size of my tbr. Mid October saw me getting my boosters for the flu and Covid – honestly, although I had it pretty mildly I do not want to get it again. The likelihood of me getting any reading in this month was getting smaller, but then October 30th came and I was hit with the desire to read.

In September and October I managed to read 1 book and clear 0 from my tbr pile. Honestly this feels like a failure. It’s not. I know that reading for me comes in waves. I know I read a LOT of books back in August. But yeah. It’s especially disheartening seeing so many people on booktube and bookinsta reading dozens of books a month. I have to remind myself that I don’t want this to be a chore. I want it to be fun to share my thoughts and feelings with you about the books I read. Here’s hoping November will be better.

The only book I read this month.

In October I read Storm Echo by Nalini Singh which is the sixth book in her Psy-Changeling Trinity series. If you’ve enjoyed this series (and the previous one) then you will love this one too. I enjoyed seeing more of the Mercant family, with this book focusing on Ivan. I really enjoyed his relationship with his grandmother. Soleil was very mysterious and I enjoyed learning more about her. In a lot of ways for me the romance wasn’t the most interesting part of the book though it was well done. It was interesting finally seeing a bit more of how some of the Psys dealt with Silence, that it wasn’t quite as neat as it had seemed in the earlier books which has been hinted at but I think this is the first book where we actually see anything. There are definitely a few secrets revealed in this book. The ending has me curious about the next book. Sorry that’s a bit of a tease, but I don’t want to spoil anyone.

Thank you for sticking with me so far, I hope to see you next month.

B.

Reviewlets: The Alpha's Home by Dessa Lux & Wolf Rain by Nalini Singh

The Alpha’s Home by Dessa Lux

The Alpha’s Home by Dessa Lux ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

So continuing The Protection of the Pack series I picked up a copy of the fifth instalment. This book focuses on Mike, and also introduces Grant and Jack. Grant and Jack are not in a good position when they meet Mike, so this book is a little slower than the previous books in the series but it is just as steamy. I liked that this book showed the less than perfect side of werewolves within this verse. I mean we get a bit of an idea from how Sam is treated in the first book, but this book really drives home the fact that Rusty, Sam, Mike, Nick and Brody are one of the more progressive packs. So if coercive control is a trigger for you, then I would approach this book with caution. That being said, I think the situation is handled well and consent is shown to be important. This book is good addition to The Protection of the Pack ‘verse, and I hope to see more in this series.

Wolf Rain by Nalini Singh (UK edition)

Wolf Rain by Nalini Singh ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)

In the third part of the Psy-Changeling Trinity Novel series we get to explore more of the world and meet some new faces. This book introduces us to Memory, a psy who was kidnapped as a child and abused, and Alexei a wolf changeling who discovers her cage. I really enjoyed the way Singh wrote the relationship between Memory and Alexei. As always, although the main focus is on Memory and Alexei, there is a lot going on within the Psy-Changeling world. This book shows some of the growth within the PsyNet and what that means both good and bad. A few familiar faces pop in, which I also enjoyed. I think that this is a great addition to the series, and I’m looking forward to the fourth book which will be out later this year.

Review: Ocean Light by Nalini Singh

Ocean Light by Nalini Singh

Title: Ocean Light (A Psy-Changeling Trinity Novel, 2)
Author: Nalini Singh
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Gollancz (14th June 2018)
Blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh dives beneath the surface of her Psy-Changeling world into a story of passionate devotion and selfless love . . .

Security specialist Bowen Knight has come back from the dead. But there’s a ticking time bomb in his head: a chip implanted to block telepathic interference that could fail at any moment – taking his brain along with it. With no time to waste, he should be back on land helping the Human Alliance. Instead, he’s at the bottom of the ocean, consumed with an enigmatic changeling . . .

Kaia Luna may have traded in science for being a chef, but she won’t hide the facts of Bo’s condition from him or herself. She’s suffered too much loss in her life to fall prey to the dangerous charm of a human who is a dead man walking. And she carries a devastating secret that Bo could never imagine . . .

But when Kaia is taken by those who mean her deadly harm, all bets are off. Bo will do anything to get her back – even if it means striking a devil’s bargain and giving up his mind to the enemy.

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ (5 stars)
Review:

OCEAN LIGHT is the second book in Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling Trinity series; a continuation of her brilliant Psy-Changeling series. At just over four hundred pages, it is slightly smaller than the first book in the series. OCEAN LIGHT tells the story of Kaia Luna, a woman who chose to leave a scientific career and become a chef, and Bowen Knight, a security specialist in the Human Alliance who fans of the series may be familiar with. Their paths cross whilst Bowden is recovering from his brush with death hidden at the bottom of the ocean, and even with all that is against them sparks soon fly.

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Review: Silver Silence by Nalini Singh

Photo of UK edition cover of Silver Silence by Nalini Singh

Silver Silence by Nalini Singh (UK edition)

Title: Silver Silence (A Psy-Changeling Trinity Novel, 1)
Author: Nalini Singh
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Gollancz (15th June 2017)
Blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh returns to her extraordinary Psy-Changeling world with a story of wild passion and darkes betrayal . . .

Control. Precision. Family. These are the principles that drive Silver Mercant. At a time when the fledgling Trinity Accord seeks to unite a divided world, with Silver playing a crucial role as director of a worldwide emergency response network, wildnress and chaos are the last things she needs in her life. But that’s exactly what Valentin Nikolaev, alpha of the StoneWater bears, brings with him.

Valentin has never met a more fascinating woman. Though Silver is ruled by Silence – her mind clear of all emotion – Valentin senses a whisper of fire around her. That’s what keeps him climbing apartment buildings to be ear her. But when a shadow assassin almost succeeds in poisoning Silver, the stakes become deadly serious . . . and Silver finds herself in the heart of a powerful bear clan.

Her would-be assassin has no idea what their poison has unleashed . . .

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars)
Review:

SILVER SILENCE is the first book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series, a spin-off from the fantastic Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh. The Trinity Accord is still in its fledgling stages, with everyone waiting to see if it will succeed or fail. Silver Mercant plays a crucial role in the success of the Trinity Accord as the director of a world wide emergency response network. With that responsibility on her shoulders, Silver does not want any more chaos and wildness in her life. That is exactly what Valentin Nikolaev brings with him, and it may turn out that it is just what Silver needs to forge forward.

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