Silver Silence (Psy-Changeling Trinity)

Wonderful story that is beautifully written. Nalini Singh is simply masterful. In this story she wastes no words while she brings you up to date with old characters and introduces you to new ones. She describes the psy-changelling world in a way that new readers can learn about the planet and old readers can learn more. These stories are not formulaic and disappointing. Each book in the series has taken a slightly different slant on the conflicts in this world while it introduces you to a set of characters, who are facing challenges and triumphing over adversity in their own unique way. I look forward to the next book!

Nalini Singh does a fabulous job on Silver's story. I would love to see her Psy-changeling books made into a tv show, movie, or something that Netflix would pick up. I don't Scorsese this being the end of Silver's story though. There is still too much going on in the very unstable Psy net with its own sentient being and it's dark twin. I love this series. I thoroughly enjoy all of Nalinis book's. This is not a standalone book. You have to start at the beginning to get the full picture of what is a actually causing the destruction. And what will they do to fix it. I am excited for the next book already.

Love Nalini Singh books! Can always count on her to write a story with great depth, great relationships, hot sex, great flow. While waiting for this one I recently read another author's books that had the makings of a good world and storyline but the editing and flow was so terrible! Made me appreciate this author and her editors even more!) Kept me up all night reading.. again! This time I did audio too. Well done! Can't wait for next story! Recommend you started at the beginning of the psy-changeling world storyline and don't skip one to get full enjoyment! They tie together so well!

I loved Silver Silence - I did go back and read Allegiance of Honor, based on some of the reviews. I'm not sure it was necessary, but I did enjoy reading it again. The interaction between Silver and Valentin was wonderful. The scenes with the baby bears was precious. It was sad when you thought Silver would never feel emotion again, but Valentin really took it in stride. A wonderful book I really enjoyed it

Nalini Singh has to ability to transport her readers into the worlds she has crafted. This is Silver and Valentin's story, but it is not a stand alone. It's the continuation of her Psy-Changling series-and includes characters from previous books.
Having said that; this book ran me through a gamut of emotions: I laughed at the antics of the "small gangster bears," cried at the crucial story arcs, and cheered for the happy ending.
If you have read this series, this is a MUST read!

Of all the series I read Nalini Singh is by far one of my favorite. Lately it seems a lot of the best author are just dialing it in but I have not once been disappointed when I read a Singh book. Silver Silence was a fun book to read, where her past books were more dark and tense Silver Silence was a little more fun and humorous. Those bears.......got to love those bears. Even when things are heartbreaking they are all about family and fun. I would recommend any of Ms. Singh's books to any one but this book was just AWSOME! The progression of the storyline from the fall of silence to the start of the trinity accord is right on point. Anyone saying the storyline makes no sense isn't really invested in the lives of the characters, I trust Ms. Singh to do right by her characters and I will always be a loyal reader

I've been waiting for years for Silver's story, and this does NOT disappoint! Silver is fantastic, Valentin is wonderful, together they are dynamite! The ending is a little rushed, and I was terribly disappointed by the ice cream date. But neither of those was enough to detract from a great romance and a compelling story.

I want a book on Pavel & Arwen now!

Silver Silence, a Psy-Changeling Trinity Novel is a really awesome start to the next part of the Psy-Changeling series and readers can start with this book because the author gives enough history for new readers to enjoy!. Nalini Singh has moved most of the action from the continental US to Moscow, Russia and involves the bear changelings that haven’t been on the scene very much since the leopards and wolves are the changelings mentioned the most.

Silver Mercant is the senior aide to Kaleb Krychek and head of EmNet, the Emergency Response Network and the rest of the Mercant family has always been characters that I wanted to know more about since they were not in the center of the Psy ruling council but they always knew information about others. Valentin Nikolaev is fascinating because the bears just seem to run over any opposition from anybody.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

I loved the previous books, and was wondering how the author would be able to keep coming up with more stories in this universe. What she did to do it, is brilliant. Now we get to better know some of the side characters from the previous stories. This one takes place in Russia, just outside Moscow and introduces a who new group of shifters we haven't heard before.
I can't afford to buy many books, but these ones are definitely worth every penny.

Nalini Singh delivers another great addition to her Psy-Changeling series. I never doubt 1-click buying her books because she never disappoints and this book is no exception. I recommend this whole series, because it's a wonderful journey and you will be well satisfied after reading. ?❤️?

Just when you think Ms Singh can't make this series any better, she does! Bears, sigh- can there be a cuter changeling? Valentin is the perfect alpha with a wicked sense of humor to break through Silvers icy persona.
It's lovely to revisit some old characters from past books and Singh does a great job of introducing a new side cast of characters I hope she writes about soon. A bear changeling who has a shoe obsession?! Valentin's sister totally needs her own book.
Sometimes the book does get bogged down with descriptions of the evil plot set to destroy the new peace of the human/Psy/changeling pact but you get the overall sense that Singh is setting you up for something totally evil in the books ahead.
Overall this is a fantastic addition to the series. I can not wait for the next development and I hope it involves my now favorite bear changelings!

Silver Silence makes as excellent entry to a new series. We still get a lot of the familiar faces, but we're moving on to new threats and new challenges. I like that there was a focus on how humanity is still feeling left out of things with Changelings and Psy. I'm hoping we'll see more humans start showing up in the Trinity series. Silver was a fun character to explore, and the bears were a blast to see.

I loved this book. Valentin and Silver were great together. I also loved Silver's Grandmother! This was another terrific book by Nalini Singh! I'm going to wait a week and then read it again ... slowly ... so that I can savor the psy/changeling world that Ms. Singh has created! I've loved this series from the very first book, Slave to Sensation! More Psy/Changeling books or Psy/Changeling Trinity books please!

It was a good book, but not great. It could have been so much better. It seems like the author cannot get back the intensity of the main characters and action impacted scenes that she brought to life in the first book with Lucas and Sascha. Even in the previous book Allegance the scenes with Lucas, Sascha and baby Nyla were the best. There were parts in Silver Silence that I loved but not enough. I loved the heart of Valentin and his love for Silver, but where was the fierceness of the bear shifters. It was the perfect opportunity for the bad guys to bring the fight to denhome to kill Silver and have the Bears fight to defend her. We didn't get that. The poison attempt was lackluster. Not enough action or drama. There was also a missed opportunity to get more of the Mercants and how they operate. Why wouldn't the H and h reach out to Lucas and Sascha when they feared how letting go of silence and embracing the bond would effect Silver? Most parts felt more like a comedy than a serious paranormal. I don't like the direction of Silver's brother and the bear. Not sure why the author decided to go that route. That's not something I relate to or interested in reading. Overall a good book. But, I expected more

I sank into this deliciously fat new instalment of my very favorite book series in the world and just DEVOURED it from beginning to end. I loved Silver and Valentin so much as a couple and as individuals. I loved the bear clan and their world. Parts of the book were utterly heartwrenching - but the HEA was SO satisfying. And I CANNOT WAIT for the next book in this series!

A moving tale of a Silent woman finding her strong mate... And all the tough decisions that are made by the people they love. Silver and Valentin move through the changes coming to each other's words and find each other, lose small pieces and find something greater in the end. A wonderful roller coaster of a read with an amazing ending!

I adore all Nalini Singh's books but I have to say this is one of my favorites so far. I really liked and related to her main characters in this one. Honestly, she just keeps getting better and better. I look forward to her next one.

I love Silver and Valentin together. Especially him. He's giving Lucas a run for his money in being my favorite Changeling male. My heart actually hurt for him when he hurt, and his loving personality made me want to protect him. I've been intrigued by Silver for a while and her story didn't disappoint. Hope to see more of this couple in future books.

I love any book or story that is written by Nalini Singh. This book and the fact that it go times a series that I have come to absolutely adore, does not change that. The book was excellently written and has filled up my reading tank until the next installment in the series. I would recommend this book and series to any paranormal romance reader.

I usually like the books by this author but this one was iffy for me. The romance is two slow. It takes forever for them to have sex and he is away from Silver too damn much! They should be together most of the time. Its a romamce novel! Too much gasing on about every detail of the world she has created and not enough romance.

This wasn't about your mine and then sex to prove it. This was about courtship, love, and romance but not mushy. Even though the main male character is a very strong bear, it was nice to see him sweet and committed. He was determined into winning her and she was opened to that. To me it told the story of how true love never dies or goes away.

Ms Singh is a powerhouse that has no signs of slowing down, and this book is just another example of this. Even though this book is the first in a new series, I don't think it can be read (and fully enjoyed) without the context of the psy-changeling series preceding it. It's a great new addition to the Trinity universe

On a separate note, I was very impressed by the depth of Ms Singh's research and understanding of Russian language and its correct situational use. Until now I didn't realise the extent of background research going into Ms Singh's work, and having this sledgehammer of an aha-moment increased my already immense respect for her twofold. This is an author that defies genre lines, and whose writing is beyond "entertainment" range and well into the "literature" field. Thank you so much for your work, Nalini! (Hope to see you at Chapter sometime :-) )

If you wear contacts take them out!!!! About half way through U started crying and didn't stop until I finished. Even the second read when I knew what was coming I couldn't stop crying, difficult to explain at work. One of my favorites so far.

Nalini Singh is one of my favorite authors but this long & eagerly awaited book was disappointing - the first Singh book that was easy for me to put down and a challenge to get through.

There were still bright spots to be had in the story but the characters & pacing seemed off (e.g. Silvers abrupt leap from don't help me out of the car to let's have sex so I can see what the big deal is), the constant use of untranslated Russian (and plethora of new characters,many with very similar names) was a bit frustrating and overall I felt this was a missed opportunity to really delve into the shadow power of Silver & the Mercants which we'd been seeing glimpses of for several years now. Still there were were some very good scenes and interesting plot points that kept the 3rd star in play.

First, let me say that I am a huge fan of Singh 's work, and drop whatever I may be reading when a new release of hers comes out. That said, this is the first time it felt like the storyline was a bit forced and formulaic. Seems like maybe it's time to focus on the next generation as they come of age? In any case, I'll be looking forward to whatever comes next.

As a Nalini Singh fan, I was a little apprehensive about reading this book. While I love Singh's worldbuilding and characters, I've noticed an decreasing quality of writing the more her series progresses. Where we once had multi-dimensional characters and complex relationships, everyone know feels one dimensional: good characters are perfect and love everyone around them flawlessly, bad characters are psycho mass murders who kill thousands indiscriminately. Strife and conflict, once based on interesting and well thought out inter-racial tensions, is now flat and cookie cutter - thousands die to some random bomb and the whole world comes together to help out. I could go on for a while.

Unfortunately, Silver Silence was what I was expecting. As another review said, it is an flat attempt to stretch out a world already fully explored. The characters have no depth to them, and we have seen enough Psy Changeling relationships to know how this is going to end. The big bad evil guy is just a copycat of the council, or Pure Psy, or the Consortium. The relationship drama is not remotely interesting, and the main "problem" in the book feels forced and unrelated to the series as a whole, with an equally unsatisfying solution that seemed rather duex ex machina to me. Even the writing goes down hill - Singh's decision to start using several sexual terms previously absent in her love scenes really broke her normal eroticism into something more smutty and bordering on trashy.

The book wasn't terrible, but I can't honestly say I'd recommend buying it. This feels too much like the second season of a good TV show that should have ended after the first. Stop while you're ahead.

It's difficult to write that one of my favorite authors has missed the mark. But in this instance, despite her clear prose, the magic was missing.

When I learned that Ms. Singh planned to start a "new" series based on the same Psy/Changeling world, the path forward wasn't clear. For me, the underlying issue is whether this particular world and/or characters can reveal anything new that hasn't been covered in detail in prior books. But what was new and fascinating early in the series (e.g., whether different groups could put aside their fear/distrust/etc.) no longer strikes the same chord.

I already have a good idea how a Psy and Changeling will manage a relationship. I already understand the stakes of why EmNet, the empaths, and the Ruling Coalition are doing what they're doing. That knowing undermines much of the storytelling.

It also doesn't help that the attempt to find a new "enemy" has fallen flat.

The Consortium, HAPMA, etc., are faceless entities striking out at new alliances and groups all in the name of going back to the status quo of keeping everyone separate. O.K., but how does that conflict really differ from what was happening with the Council's machinations? It feels like the same war being fought all over again.

Overall, I come back to the idea that Ms. Singh has built a very compelling world, but she's plumbed its depths thoroughly, and at this point, there's not really anything left to say.

I received a copy of this title to read and review for Wicked Reads

3 Stars

Note: even though this is listed as the first in a new series, I strongly advise against reading Silver Silence if you have not previously read the entirety of the Psy-Changling series, as this is definitely the 16th installment, not the first in a new series. Not all readers visit Goodreads to notice that this is connected to another series- they buy, thinking this will be new for all readers, and end up confused and frustrated. This has happened to me many times, tainting the story and the author- don't let this happen to you too. I will explain further.

Silver Silence picks up where Allegiance of Honor ended, which is an ensemble book. To read this book after never reading a word of Psy-Changling series would make for the ultimate of confusion and frustration for the reader. The politics, the world-building, and the entire cast of characters belongs to the series with 15 previous books. While the arc has changed, nothing else has. There isn't a rehash for new readers, as that would take books to explain, and there isn't an in-depth explanation of the world-building either. In fact, there are close to 100 characters name-dropped with their past experiences (storyline plots) brought up on every page- I truly have no idea how a new reader would get heads or tails, as I've read and reread previous books and I was still confused.

As a huge fan of Nalini Singh, I've been anticipating Silver Silence for months. As soon as I got my hands on it, I started reading. Now I need to be honest. I put it down and read another book, then I worked, and then I tried again, then I read another book. For the past week or so, I've concentrated on Silver Silence, until I finished it moments ago. I also need to state, I can read an upwards of 700 pages per day, so a week+ to finish 450 is an anomaly.

Added with the mass amount of information contained within the book, with many storylines brought back up, with countless old characters, there were also just as many new characters. But added on top of having to remember such a large cast of characters, these new Russian characters had up to 3 or 4 names EACH (nicknames and such), which added to the confusion. This stalled my reading, jarring me from the story, trying to deduce who was who. Valentin's entire history felt as if it should have been in another book with him as the narrator, so it was glossed over as if the reader would just roll with it and understand that which they've never read (it's not in the main series either)

There are long books which read quickly, making it feel as if a hundred pages instead of four-hundred. Then there are short books which feel like a tome. This was an issue I had with Silver Silence- all that information, the names, and the prompts to remember past plots, they slowed the pacing down considerably and buried this new story beneath. It was a struggle to remain connected, in the same way Silver struggled while being bombarded by sound. So a long book felt even longer- tedious.

I was hooked from page-one, then my interest waned off by the influx of information. Silver Mercant is a major character from the Psy-Changling universe. She's the head of Emnet, the new alliance between Psy, humans, and changlings. A human group begins targeting Silver and key locations to bring an end to the alliance. This propels the silenced Silver into a den of bears for protection, whose alpha has had the hots for Silver for months.

Silver F'n Mercant (while awesome to read that a handful of times, 25 was overkill and I started groaning when I'd read it again and again) was an interesting character, but I truthfully had a difficult time connecting to her as a reader. Obviously being Silenced makes it difficult to empathize with a character who has no emotions, but Silver did feel. Outside of feeling, and being Silver F'n Mercant, she felt like a side character in her own story, without any traits or emotions, no likes/interests/dislikes/hobbies. Silver was a blank slate of nothingness. She went from Silenced to feeling in the blink of an eye, and back to silenced, and back to feeling. She was Valentin's mate, instead of an empowered woman with her own set of character traits.

Valentin, my sweetest teddy bear, I loved being inside his head. Valentin was why I kept reading. The alpha was the perfect hero. Strong. Compassionate. Loving. Protective yet giving freedom to grow. Sexy and loyal. Valentin made the book.

Instead of rehashing the entire plot, because truthfully, not much happened, I'll point out the highlights and my favorite characters. Because, plot-wise, there was too much going on with no direction, too many characters on scene, too much from previous books being rehashed, and the enemy had 1-2 page narratives every chapter or so, taking all mystery away. What's a who-done-it, when the who is saying he's doing it?

The cubs- bear cubs. This was the highlight of the entire book, and I was thrilled when they were on scene. Nothing is cuter than changling children, especially baby bear cubs. They never failed to give me a grin. Seriously so sweet, giving me the warm and fuzzies.

The groaning about bear traits. Bears are awesome. I loved how closely the changlings acted like real bears in some instances. Grumpy yet charming, hungry and thirsty, rowdy partiers, lazy but strong- Valentin complaining about wolves never failed to tear a chuckle out of me.

Silver's grandmother. The strong head of the Mercant family- an empowered, caring, and empathetic woman.

Silver's brother, whom I hope we get a book from his perspective, because I just wanted to read his book instead. I feel horrible saying that, but I wanted to see the empath with the bear from their perspectives. That would be a decadent guilty pleasure.

I apologize for this disjointed review, but the book itself reads in a similar fashion. It was in no way the first in a brand-new series, yet was so bogged down, it didn't read like a continuation either.

I enjoy this universe and its character and world-building. I don't believe new readers would enjoy Silver Silence, so I suggest going back and reading Slave to Sensation and onward, as this will bridge a connection and remove any and all confusion. I enjoy this author and do look forward to the next in the series, as I do care about this cast of characters. This book just didn't work for me- not the romance or the main plot, even though I wanted to know what happened to said characters.

Anything by Nalini Singh is on my auto buy. That won't change. The premise for the new series was certainly something I was very much looking forward to and the excerpt tweaked my interest. I gave the book 2 stars - maybe I should have made that 3 - based on the premise and her excellent word craft. Without giving too much away let me say I was so terribly BORED with the characters. Ugh...I found myself flipping threw pages just to get to some other character to read about. I didn't like SIlver and the hero..please. He was like soggy toast to me - nothing interesting - and the cuddly names he had for each other had me rolling my eyes and just groaning. I hated this installment. What happened Ms. Singh. I paid $15CDN or so for this book and I really just want my money back. But I have tons of respect for Ms. Singh it's jus that this installment left me flat.

I have loved this series so hard that it's become my obsession. When I nothing sounds good to read, I read books from this series. I'm so excited about this new chapter as the Psy-Changeling world becomes Trinity!

Bears! There are bears in this one!! And bears are a different breed than the cats and wolves we've seen. Sure there's a wolf pack near-by but the bears feel about wolves the way Lucas felt about Snow Dancer in book one of the original series. What was really new were the bears. They just don't act like cats or wolves. They love to lay in the sun and tease each other. They throw crazy parties at the drop of a hat. There's a cover charge for bears in the city because things tend to get broken around them. And bears have these huge hearts that just keep giving. Of course, they protect their own and especially the cubs. They live in a pack and have an alpha. They are just so fun. Everyone loves the bears.

Well, of course, it's not that easy. But bears do have a way of swaying ones emotions and Silver learns that pretty fast. Silver has a really good reason why she's chosen to remain silent. But a certain bear alpha would love to change that. He's willing to be a patient bear. He tries to be a gentleman bear. He even tries to be like a sneaky cat. Because Silver sings to his bear like no other and he's willing to do the hard work to win her over. His bear is determined. But the work is so much harder then he every thought it would be.

The story for Silver, who we have know before as Kaleb's senior aide, and Valentine is interwoven with the developments with Trinity, the coalitions and the human alliance. A new group that keep killing their own people is added to the mix. Humans, psy and changeling all try to find their way in this new world that is Trinity. And my heart just gets smashed to bits. Nothing comes easy in this story. There are loses, some making me more upset than others. It was a wonderful read and hard read. I wanted so much to be fixed but the overarching story has much left to deliver. And this couples story gripped my heart deeply.

I loved it. I cried. I hoped. I trusted. I read on.

Nalini Singh masterfully unfolds a new chapter for series and I'm so excited to have more!

I really do need more! I want the next book. This couple has resolution but a major event is left hanging. I am equal parts excited and scared for what the next book will bring. Regardless of what comes next, I want the next book. Bring this series on!

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Psy have been conditioned from young children to feel no emotions and to stay calm, cool, collected, efficient, and in control at all times. They have all feared what happens once their Silence is broken. But now Silence has fallen and Psy are allowed to feel emotions once again. However, not all Psy can live without Silence.

Silver Mercant is one of those Psy. She is a rare designation that most think is extinct. She knows that if she breaks Silence that her auditory telepathy will kill her. Before Silence, none of her designation lived past the age of three as auditory telepathy is linked with emotions. However, when a hardheaded Bear Changeling Alpha sets his sights on her, she can’t help, but give in to the temptation to try a life without Silence. But will she ends up breaking Valentin’s heart when her biggest fear comes true?

First off, I want to say how incredibly happy I am that Singh has continued on with the Psy-Changeling world! This is the first book in a new chapter for the characters we’ve all come to love. If you have not read the series, you will want to start at the beginning though, there is just too much that has happened to pick up at this book to actually understand everything that has gone on, up to this point. It may seem like a lot of books to read, but they are well worth it!

Silver is a cool and calculated Psy. She is about what you’d expect, but like most that have been featured so far; her Silence isn’t perfect. I guess it’s a good thing that Silence has fallen, even if she doesn’t believe she can live without it.

We also get our first real look at the Bear Changelings in this book, with the Alpha of StoneWater, Valentin. And, I have to say he is one of the most lovable changelings you could expect to meet. I thought it was really cute when he was trying to woo Silver to give him a chance, being a ‘gentleman bear’ and ‘sneaky like a cat’. I also loved the interaction he had with his pack, especially the cubs, he was never too busy to drop down and wrestle with the little bears!

My heart really broke for Valentin through a majority of this novel though. There aren’t many people that could go through what he did in this book and for the most part be civil to people. He never gave up.

Despite my love for Mr. I’m a teddy bear, this book wasn’t as quite as good as I had hoped it would be. Don’t get me wrong it’s still an okay read, but I’ve just grown to expect so much more from Nalini Singh and the Psy-Changeling world as a whole. It will not keep me from reading the next book though as I can’t get enough of this series and can’t wait to see what happens next! I’m really hoping for another changeling/changeling relationship though as they are always my favorites!

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! I already loved this series and each book seems better than the last. The characters and the world they inhabit are complex and vibrant. The storyline is engaging and believable. It's one of those books you can completely immerse yourself in, getting swept up in the whirlwind of the story. And, in this particular instance, bears.
Really, in this book, it's all about the bears. Oh sure, there are plenty of other things that go on, sinister plots being hatched, revenge brewing, all of the usual world in turmoil stuff, but it all pales in comparison to the bears. From the opening scene when Valentin knocks on Silver's door, interrupting her breakfast, the overwhelming presence of bears dominates the entire book. And it is wonderful!
The only ones who possibly stand a chance of competing with the larger than life personality of bears are the Mercants, who have, as a collective family unit, weathered the test of time and rode the waves of political unrest over the course of history to emerge with their personal philosophy and integrity intact in the current era of change. The Mercants, led by the steely Grandmother Ena and her heir apparent, Silver, appear to be somewhat of an anomaly in the crumbling world of Silence. Being fundamentally secretive and insular, you get the impression that the outer trappings of Silence suited this family to a T. However, we learn that behind the scenes, things are often not as they seem and the Mercants apparently took a dim view of the prevailing Silent regimen of training their children with dissonance and, instead, tailored their training to suit the child. What you wind up with is an entire cohesive family unit who are, perhaps, uniquely capable of adapting to bears.
Which leads us to Valentin and Silver, whose burgeoning relationship is the focus of the book. Silver has always been one of my favorite characters, ever since she was first introduced as the senior aid to Kaleb Krychek earlier in the series. She and her whole tight knit family of spies and information gatherers I found fascinating in a world where the family unit had crumbled into relative non-existence, at least for the Silent psy. Never in my wildest dreams would I have believed that she would end up with one of the bears, and not just any bear but their alpha. However, the pairing is brilliant and after you are done reading the story you walk away utterly convinced that there could be no one for Silver but Valentin and no one for Valentin but Silver.

A new season, new cast members take center stage, a new insidious threat arises, and I am all anticipation for the opening of the Psy-Changling Trinity era.

Silver Silence is part of the ongoing Psy-Changeling series as #16, but it also has the distinction of being the first of the Psy-Changeling Trinity series. I know a great many people see this as a good opportunity to jump in and skip what came before since this is Season Two, but I really wouldn't advise it. If you care about the worldbuilding details, the whole previous large cast of characters who some of which are part of this one, and the plot threads that began and some still continue into this one then you'll want to go back to the beginning. That said, newbies to Singh and the series would not be utterly lost to jump in here though they would definitely feel the knowledge of all the connections of this book to what came before it.

So, this is, the Psy, Silver Mercant's story. Silver has been a minor character as has her family through the last quarter of the first season. I was eager to get her story and learn more about her enigmatic and powerful family who operate in the shadows. Silver and the Mercant clan definitely lived up to my expectation.

As did the plot on this one. The Consortium is still working to over throw the new tentative era of peace and the Trinity Accord, but it is now joined by a new volatile group who want the three races (Psy, Changeling, and humans) to go back to keeping separate. As a result, there are terrorist attacks, attempts to infiltrate and bring down the peaceful organizations and their leaders from within, and attempts to turn people to betray their own. Silver is poisoned and meant to die making the world's emergency response network go down.

But, this does not happen because we have a new player on the scene and my favorite part of the book. Valentin Nikolaev, the Stone Water bear changeling clan, just stole the whole show for me. This huge confident bear of a man and bear shifter fell for the ice cold Silver and he pursued her with a gusto. Okay, actually, the whole clan of bear changelings were too much and scenes just sparkled with color and liveliness. But as Valentin's story was laid out, he just grew even better and as he stalked his mate, I was captivated right along with Silver.

Amber eyes stared into her own, her Valyusha's forehead pressed to hers. His generous heart deserved to never again feel pain, but she knew he'd endure it because that was who he was. An alpha to the core. A man who had never let her down.
"Silver F-king Mercant, Ice Queen... Lyubov moya." His voice shook on the words of love. "You will be that to me to my dying day. If the worst happens and you need me, call. I'll be there. I'll always be there." p. 326 Valentin to Silver in Silver Silence

I found this book a slow build on all points, but it does get there and riveted me to my seat. I saw so much to adore and appreciate and leave me with a long list of characters that I need their story yesterday.

So, this new season got off to a bang-up start and I'm going to struggle waiting until next year for what comes next. Do not be intimidated by the length of the series. It is worth it to go from book one and arrive at this fantastic latest entry, PNR fans.

4.5 Stars

“Now, we come to the crux of why I loved this book: all’s I can say is…bears. If it weren’t so unprofessional I would also be adding a million heart emojis at the end of that.”
~ Under the Covers

This book proved me so wrong. I thought I was beginning to fall out of love with Nalini Singh, the last few books in her Psy-Changeling series have disappointed me. And then came Silver Silence and the start of a spin off series. I was sceptical. Was it just going to be more of the same? Was I in for another disappointment? Yes and no.

Yes, because it was more of the same Nalini Singh, but old school Singh. Silver Silence reminded me of her earlier books. These are the ones that I initially fell in love with and the memory of which has kept me reading her newer releases even after experiencing a streak of books that I haven’t really enjoyed. I loved them that much. Like the earlier books this was heavily centred around the romance between Silver, a Psy woman you will be familiar with if you have read the original series, and Valentin, a new Changeling character who also brings along with him a whole new culture.

Now, we come to the crux of why I loved this book: all’s I can say is…bears. If it weren’t so unprofessional I would also be adding a million heart emojis at the end of that. I adored the bears, it was hard not to. From Valentin the alpha of the bear clan to the adorable gangster cubs. They are brash, loud, playful and choc full of charisma, it was easy to see why Silver fell for Valentin and risked everything to be part of it.

What I really liked about Singh’s Psy-Changeling series was that although (to begin with) the romance was the most important aspect of the book, it also pushed the main story arc forward. In Silver Silence Singh has gone back to the same model. The balance was just right, heavy on the romance, but with a bigger story in the background which helps bring characters together. The story builds on what was created in the Psy-Changeling series and continues exploring the pitfalls of a fallen Silence. This is why I highly recommend that you read the Psy-Changeling series before starting on Trinity. It lends a much deeper, richer read when you understand the background and some of the other characters. I believe you could read and enjoy this without having read the original series, no doubt you would enjoy the romance; however, I find it hard to disassociate the original and look at it as an entirely new series.

Bottom line: I went into this book expecting same-old same-old and to continue falling a little out of love with Nalini Singh’s books. Instead, she smashed my expectations and reaffirmed why I pick up every single thing she writes. With the aid of some adorable bears she has breathed new life into her most beloved series.

*I HIGHLY recommend reading the Psy-Changeling series FIRST*
Less than a year ago I stumbled across Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series while on a major Paranormal book binge. I proceeded to devour the audiobooks in a couple of weeks. About the time I was getting to the end of the series a lovely email shows up inviting me to read Silver Silence. I was so excited that I immediately hopped up to run and tell my husband. He of course has no clue what I'm talking about but he's super supportive so he just smiled and said "that's cool, babe!" So, here we are. Launch day for the next chapter in the Psy-Changeling universe is upon us and I can't express in enough words how ecstatic I am to be a part of this.
Silver Silence is considered the beginning of the Trinity series but it also marks the end of the original series. It is a transition into the new world after the Trinity Accord and is set in Moscow. It's full of new and old characters, action, mystery, and of course that romance we all can't do without.
Silver Mercant is the Psy in charge of the worldwide emergency response network (EmNet) and she's very good at her job. She's disciplined, precise, and desperately clinging to the old ways of Silence because she believes that is the only way to hang on to her sanity. She’s the perfect Mercant (which we learn that that’s not the same as being the perfect Psy). When Silver is poisoned, she grudgingly agrees to stay with Valentin’s pack while her grandmother searches for the culprit.
Valentin Nikolaev is the total opposite. He freely admits that he’s courting Silver and has been for the past 10 months. He’s determined to make her his. He’s the Alpha of the StoneWater bear pack and has responsibilities and challenges but doesn’t let that interfere with his playful nature. He can totally be the one in charge when necessary but he has no problem letting her take charge because he loves her strength. He’s determined to woo her to pack and keeping her safe while she’s staying with his pack is the perfect opportunity.
While this is going on, the Consortium is still a problem. This interweaves with Silver’s poisoning but also other issues so they’re still trying to dismantle everything that was brought to fruition with the Trinity Accord. Of course there aren’t names in the beginning so that’s part of the mystery.
All in all this was a fantastic book and I’m absolutely in love with the bear shifters. That spark that drew me in to book one is just as prevalent. I easily devoured this book in less than a day and had the biggest book hangover. I need the next book right now. A great storyline, awesome new and old characters, another epic love story, and that same world we’ve all grown to love starts this new story arc in the Psy-Changeling series off with a bang. I can’t wait to see where Nalini Singh takes us! 5 out of 5 stars!!

Silver Silence marks a new chapter in the Psy-Changeling series after Allegiance of Honor saw the formation of Trinity Accord. This time, Silver Mercant is front and center after becoming the head of the Emergency Network (or EmNet). Silver has already built up a reputation being Kaleb Krychek's assistant, as well as being part of the exulted Mercant family where information is power and nothing is more powerful than the ties that bind a family.

Valentin Nikolaev, alpha of the StoneWater Bears, has been intrigued by the Silent Silver Marcant for months. When he finally feels like he's making some headway, Silver is attacked in her own home, and Valentin is the one to save her. In order to give the Mercant family time to figure out who was behind the attack on Silver's life, she decides to take refuge with the StoneWater Bears. What Silver discovers is that her feelings for Valentin put into question her entire life in Silence. But Silver will find that breaking Silence may be more dangerous than opening her heart to an alpha.

I like the slightly different direction that the series is taking, while still continuing along the same vein we've come to expect from the series thus far.

Probably my favorite thing was actually getting the inside look at the Mercant family, finally. Silver has been a secondary character for quite a while now, and Kaleb's interest in her family has been well known. I like the dynamic that the Mercant family has. Their unit, while still Psy, and somewhat Silent, is unbreakable. Family first. And Silver's grandmother (and alpha of family Mercant) is quite the person to be reckoned with when one of her own is threatened. I hope we'll get to see her more in future books. Also, Silver's brother Arwen is an interesting character that I'm really hoping Nalini Singh decides to give his own book. There's clearly some set-up between him and another character, but I truly hope he will get his own book and not remain a secondary character.

Now, about Silver and Valentin. I enjoyed their relationship. I wouldn't go so far as to say their relationship is too far beyond anything that we've already come to know from previous books in the series. But I did like the choices that Nalini Singh chose in regards to the path their relationship would take. However, I think if their story had been built up a little in previous books, I would have felt a more emotional connection to the things that Valentin and Silver have to go through in order to reach their Happily Ever After. As far as I know, this is the first time that Valentin and Silver have been mentioned as a potential couple.

I do like the idea of getting to know more bears and by extension the wolves who also carve out a home in Russia.

I'd say that Silver Silence definitely starts the new phase of this series out strong.

Full review to come

I have loved the psy-changling series since it started, falling in love with characters throughout the series, and wanting to know thier stories. I was really excited to read Silver's story and see how it fell in with the rest of the series so far and I have to say it was magnificent.

Silver Silence kicks off the new ARC of the series, The Psy-Changling Trinity ARC and with it's story brings us more than just the mating between Silver and Valentin, but also troubles brewing, dangers lurking, and a new enemy (or more) to worry about.

As things grow between Psy, Changling, and Human connections, there's a lot of fear and prejudice brewing all in an attempt to cause dissent in the groups. This is never more clear than with assasin attempts made on those who are working towards unity among the races.

Valentin has always felt a pull to Silver, has always known that he could have more with her, that she is the psy for him, but she's so deep into her silence she's not willing to see anything with anyone. She puts out a cold vibe, she's focused and determined, but when she's put into danger and welcomed deep in the bear clan - things change. But Silver has more to fear than mating a bear, more to fear than giving up her silence for the usual reasons; because Silver's silence has always been necessary.

As Valentin and Silver grow closer and work together to find out where the danger is comeing from, Silver feels her control slipping, her silence wearing away, and alongside that a growing connection to Valentin that is more powerful than she could have thought.

I absolutely adored the bear changlings in this book - they struggled with their own issues - but took in Silver, a psy who they hardly know and should have been terrified of and made her a part of the den. Valentin's tricks at winning Silver over were sweet and charming, and wholly satisfying. His willingness to do anything for her - no matter the pain to himself - just to see her alive and well - just made me fall in love with him over and over again.

Silver Silence delivered just what I expect in a book from Nalini Singh, action, danger, and a host of emotions as we watch two people discover something more in each other. It also expanded the overall story surrounding all of the Psy, changlings, and how they fit in with the humans of the world. I can't wait to see what comes next in the series.

Silver Mercant, a powerful Psy telepath, and director of the newly formed Emergency Response Network embraced Silence (completely suppressing one’s emotions) from an early age, but the charismatic Valentin, Alpha of StoneWater, a bear changling pack, has been disturbing her carefully controlled existence. Whether it is by showing up unannounced at her apartment or place of work in the guise of EmNet business, or just to ask her out for ice cream, he manages to shake up her reserve and get under her skin. There was a time Silence wasn’t her way of life, she was a passionate little girl, and now that it is no longer against the law to have emotions for Psy, Silver wonders about that long dormant side of her. Valentin makes her wonder.

Valentin has been fascinated by Silver since he laid eyes on her. She seems made up of fire and ice, and just the kind of woman he wants for a mate. Valentin’s determined to stir those emotions he senses burning under her cold exterior. When someone tries to poison Silver it becomes clear stashing her at the bear’s clan home is the best option for her protection. Valentin is outraged that someone could’ve killed his precious Silver, but her staying at his Denhome gives him a better chance at capturing her heart.

I’ve only read one other book in the Psy-Changling series, the first book, but I feel like I would’ve enjoyed Silver Silence even without reading any previous books in the series. There was enough information given to get a feel for this world to appreciate Valentin and Silver’s story on its own.

Loved this romance! It was amusing to see Silver flustered with Valentin’s attempts to infiltrate her life. And I dare you not to fall in love with Valentin! He’s a dangerous Alpha for sure, but at his center he’s a big loveable teddy bear! And it was impossible not to fall for the StoneWater clan! They’re so openly affectionate, fun loving, and mischievous! “Bears.” The cubs were the cutest, wedging themselves bit by bit into Silver’s heart!

Even though you might think Silver would come off as an ice princess, at her core she was lovely; principled, loyal, and protective of Valentin and his beloved bears. I enjoyed Nalini Singh’s writing so much I know I’ll go back to read some more of the Psy-Changling series.

This is my first book by Nalini Singh and really enjoyed it. It was super elaborate and I loved the world the author created. It took me until about 25% to really get into it. That first bit was pretty much a crash course of who was who and what was what. There's a lot of info in a short amount of time but once it was all laid out, I was good to go!

I enjoyed the developing relationship between Valentin and Silver, I found it fascinating. Valentin was the best! I thought he was so sweet and I just found him to be this fun loving and caring guy as well as dominant and in charge. I loved them together! I really liked Silver, she was as super interesting and I loved watching her discovering her emotions. It was just so sweet because it was like it was happening but she was in total denial which made it all the more entertaining. I loved her opening up and those moments of vulnerability. I loved seeing those breaks in her and watching her get filled with life. Valentin was there through it all, making me melt.

There's lots of emotion, a lot of fun, some ups and downs, a little heat and I thought it was all great! I loved how challenging Valentine seemed in the beginning, Silver found him aggravating and sweet. I liked their dialogue and how they played off one another.

Since there is a lot going on, I got confused more than once because there is so much happening but by the end, everything clicked and I understood it all. I liked the drama and tension that's happening between the Changelings, Humans, and Psy. This story had a great conclusion but since it's the first in a trilogy, I am hoping the overall story and drama will continue. I'm excited where it all could go.

I loved Valentin's clan and all these sweet moments he had with them. Because… Bears! There were just so many great elements and details in this that made me smile. All kinds of little storylines taking place that I enjoyed.

I love a good The writing was really, really good and I thought it was well crafted. It had a decent pace and I enjoyed the build. There are a lot of characters introduced and different elements happening, a lot of layers and things in play. I’m definitely hooked and will continue on with the series. I love a good Paranormal Romance!

Complimentary copy received for honest review.

I’m gonna be 100% honest with you. I wasn’t really sure what I was getting myself into when I picked up this book. I’ve never read anything by this author before, but the synopsis sounded amazing and I have a ton of friends that love this series/author, so I just had to dive in and check it out. Now, I will point out that while this is technically a spin off series, I do think that it would beneficial to be familiar with the full Psy-Changeling Series. That being said, if you know me, then you know that I have a habit of reading series’ out of order. Yes, there may have been some questionable points for me having not read the previous series, but I think I did a pretty great job following along.

Now, what can I tell you about Silver Silence? I thought the story was totally unique and it fascinated me. I’ll be honest with you, it did take me a bit to get into the story, but I think that was more my issue since I am new to this series and style of writing. However, once I got a few chapters under my belt, I found myself unable to put this book down. I had to see what would happen next. I thought the author did an amazing job setting the stage and building the story. The characters were really interesting and I loved the paranormal/shifter/psy aspects. For me, I thought it was totally unique and I couldn’t burn through the pages fast enough.

So, my overall thoughts….I thought this story was really exciting. The pacing was a bit slow for me at times and I would have loved a faster pace throughout the story, but honestly, there is a lot going on and a lot of story that has got to built up, so I do understand the slower pace. I enjoyed the characters and their chemistry. I thought this story had some good romance to it. Overall, I think this new series has a lot of potential and I’m excited to see where it will go from here.

So this book took me a minute to get into. And let me start by saying it had nothing to do with the book itself or how it was written, and everything to do with the reader (I was in a deep book hangover). But my sweetie, Vika told me that the author writes some amazing stuff and she has always loved what she read by her. So I pressed on and boy I’m glad I did! I love paranormal books but have never read about a Bear shifter (believe me after meeting Valentin I am kicking my own butt). Can we just take a moment to discuss the perfection that is this Alpha leader? He was everything!!! I have no idea how Silver fought him and his bear off for so long, cause one bear growl and I would have been down for. Plus watching him with the Cubs in his clan was…wowza ovary overload!

Silver was an interesting character. She didn’t show much emotion but that was due to the Silence. The chemistry between these two was hot once we got past the silence. For Valentin he felt the connection to Silver right away and wanted her from the start. But once Silver got on board, these two were fire! The buildup was a slow burn but I think that was needed for these two. I loved watching Silver work through these “odd” feelings towards Valentin.

I will say that even through this was a spin off of a series with many books to it I found some parts confusing because I didn’t understand what they were talking about during some of the terminology or when some references made by characters from past books. But it didn’t ruin the experience for me, if anything it made me want to go back and add book 1-15 in this very well written and sinfully sexy series. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a sexy alpha bear that knows how to rule his clan with equal parts firmness and silly antics.

I can't say that this book was worth 16 hours of my time. The sad truth is that the first 8 hours or so started off amazingly well. The writing style wasn't a favorite of mine and helped this story drag along in certain moments. At times it was unnecessarily descriptive and other times it skimmed certain details that had me feeling left out. That was my fault and only got exacerbated by my brilliant idea of starting this series off as what feels like a crucial point that I didn't have enough of a backstory to fully grasp.

Silver started off as a very interesting character but proved to be predictable and a carbon copy of her "alpha" grandmother. I disliked how she started referring to herself as Silver insert f-bomb here Mercant after Valentin said it. I also didn't like how people would praise her for standing up for herself where her mate was concerned. What was she supposed to do? Cower in a corner and ask him to maybe hold her hand? I'd also like to mention how almost everything went back to her being a "Mercant". I didn't understand why she and other characters would bring it up randomly throughout the story in a few high-stakes situations.

Valentin was an interesting character, but his arrogance and "dominance" (AKA pushy-ness) were annoying and overpowering. The only thing that saved him from being hated was the way he respected Silver enough to let her stand up to him without having his ego bruised.

The world of paranormal creatures and technology that this author created is incredible! This story didn't do it justice. I suspect if I read this series in chronological order I would have understood everything in more detail, but after this experience and the length of this audio book I'm somewhat skeptical of it all. This story could have been cut down into a 10 to 12 hour audio book easily considering how the last 4 hours dragged because barely anything was happening. In conclusion, I was overwhelmed with how much was going on in the background (plotwise) and that ended up affecting the overall story for me.

Please Note: I started reading this book last year and finished it because I had already invested 9+ hours of my life to it so the least I could do was get it over with. With that being said the story building was completely lost on me because I took such a long "break" from this story when it started to go downhill. Also, to say I was overwhelmed with the sheer number of characters and Russian names is putting it mildly!

The Audio Book:

The narrator had an amazing range of believable male, female and child voices with and without foreign accents! This is probably the second or third narrator I've come across that can do all that so well and not become grating in the long term.

“She cleared her mind of all other thoughts, her attention only on the wild, beautiful man who called her his sunshine and who saw starlight in her eyes.”

Because… Bears. Ohhh, I loved this one! I completely devoured this beast of a book in less than a week (which is good for me right now with everything else going on). Now, I've heard this is a series within a series, so I'm not entirely sure how it ties into everything else. However, Silver Silence easily stood on its own, and I never had trouble following the story.

This is the first book I've ever read about changeling bears, but they are the best. I enjoyed their way of life and how the clan was like one giant family. Everyone looks out for their neighbor, and they all help with raising the children. The cubs knew they were loved by everyone and wouldn't hesitate to barrel into an unsuspecting adult. Bears are quite resilient, and their personalities were infectious! Also, can I be a changeling bear? If so, I want to be a StoneWater bear! Valentin can be my alpha any day.

I've never thought about what it would be like to live without emotion, but now I can definitively say that it's not something I would ever want to do. Yes, it would allow you to avoid heartache and be more efficient as an individual, but people need human contact and feelings. It's a defining characteristic of who we are that often gets overlooked. I want to feel the overwhelming love and joy that I have for my children. I want to hear them laugh, see them smile, and have them know without a doubt how much they are adored by their parents.

Silver Silence was a truly amazing read that I stumbled across on accident (I have a review copy of the next book, Ocean Light). It has been one of the best parts of my day all week (the hour or so I have to myself once the kids are asleep), and I look forward to revisiting this beautiful and complicated world that Nalili Singh has created.

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on July 9, 2018.

Thoughts: I put off reading this book for a good long while. I loved the Psy-Changling series by Singh, however fifteen plus books in the series it was growing a bit stale for me. A series so very strong in the beginning was slowly flickering out. With Silver Silence? Wow, talk about a breath of fresh air! Not only did this book help revive a dying series, but it in actually reminded me of what I loved most about this series in the very beginning, when every book was a strong, memorable, entrancing book. While the new Trinity series ties in with the world we have come to know and love, and we catch glimpses of familiar characters, it doesn’t rely on it too heavily. We get fresh new characters to fall in love with – and Singh couldn’t have picked two stronger characters to come barreling out of the gate with. I loved both Valentin and Silver – I loved their characters, the roaring wildfire of chemistry that existed between them, and the love that defies all odds.
This is why I fell in love with Nalini Singh as an author. This is why I love the Psy-Changlings. And this is why I have fallen in love all over again with both.
Favorite quote(s): “I climbed up a building for you,” he said pointedly. “That’s better than shouting love words from the street.”
“Kiss me later,” he dared in a whisper for her ears alone. “Prove you can keep your distance. Prove you’re Silent.”
Rating: A+

Silver Silence is a feel-good story. I started it 4 months ago after all the hype of it being nominated for a Good Reads favorite book. But after getting to only the two-thirds point after 4 months, I have decided to DNF it. I know I am in the minority giving it this rating, but I have to be honest in my review. Nothing much has happened other than a burgeoning romance and some terrorist events, which surely, we are reading a romance not to be reminded of what lies at our global doorstep. It is repetitive, formulaic and not much different from other of the Psy Changeling stories. I stopped reading Silver Silence while finishing many other books; I could not make my way through to the end. Sorry, Nalini Singh. Life’s too short. Maybe more plot next time?

The previous book (Allegiance of Honor) was the end of a 15 Psy-Changeling book series. Silver Silence is in the same world, continuing to expand our knowledge of that place, and tackle the ongoing problems, but now we are in the age of the Trinity Accord. Where the previous series revolved around a world with three species, divided in thirds in almost every way you thought about it, her peace is beginning to take hold.

Silver is the head of the largest humanitarian organization on the planet, and Valentin is an Alpha bear who knew from the first time they met that he was going to need to be a clever bear to win the Psy... but his greatest moments may be when he tries his hand at being a gentleman bear.

With genuine laugh out loud moments, this book focuses on Silver and Valentin, while moving forward the plot lines of the human Alliance, their Psy blocking chips, and Bo Knight, as well.

I checked this out of the library as an audio book, and finished it off reading the paperback and kindle editions... I really enjoyed the audio edition, and found myself hearing the narrator's voice as I read character names.

Nalini Singh is brilliant. Silver Silence will tear you apart. It is filled with so much heart, emotion, and love, coupled with tragedy, disaster and intrigue that it will bring you to tears. In short, this book is stunningly spectacular.

As I write this review, I am suffering from one of the worst book hangovers I've experienced in a long time. I can't move on. I have been going back and re-reading parts of the book that have stood out to me, touched my heart in a particular way because I want to experience that emotional rush all over again. After having re-read a certain part 3 times, it still doesn't get old.

I am loving this new post-Silence world which Ms Singh is creating. It has become a complex living organism with many players and moving parts. The Psy, changeling and human politics as all three races learn to cooperate and live together in harmony and trust is fascinating.

Aside from loving this world, Ms Singh also creates characters I love. I adore the Psy-changeling pairings because they are so diametrically different. Valentin is just about the cuddliest, growliest, cutest hero ever. I adore Valentin. He's big, adorable and unapologetic. And he's beary good. I loved all the beary characteristic Ms Singh included in not only Valentin but also the bear clean. From the adorable, cuddly bear cubs and little gangsters, to the growly, lovable adults. But Valentin stands out as alpha of the StoneWater clan. His big love for his clan, his broad shoulders as he carries the weight of the entire clan on them. There's loss and tragedy and sadness too, and Valentin handles that with so much love and care, it will bring tears to your eyes. And most of his, his relentless pursuit of his Starlight. Valentin is persistent, "sneaky like a cat" and so damned adorable in his courtship of Silver that you can't help but love him and want Silver to fall for him pronto because you're falling for him too.

Silver is an awesome heroine. She is razor sharp, extremely competent but she also has heart. While she is Silent, she has not been conditioned negatively for it because of her upbringing in the Mercant family. Family is everything and in that both her and Valentin share a common ideology. I loved Silver's transition from Silent to feeling. She rises to a challenge from Valentin and once there, there's no going back. Silver is such a strong heroine it is impossible to not love her. I loved that even when she became a feeling person she retained her sharpness and her strong will. Becoming feeling and emotional didn't weaken her. It made her *more*.

I loved the Russian setting of this story too. Ms Singh peppered the entire book with Russian endearments and phrases, and I loved everyone of them. Each time Valentin referred to Silver as "moy solnyshko" it was a delight. I also loved the pet names the bear clan members had for each other. Pavel was Pasha, Yakov was Yasha. I loved the sense of intimacy and familiarity these pet names brought to the people I grew to know and love as the story progressed.

This is another stunning installment to the Psy-changeling series. I can't wait for the next one.

Four and a half
Like many readers the closer to publication date for this book the more excited I got. The snippets the author released more than wet my appetite and knowing that this time we were getting an alpha bear instead of the usual feline or wolves definitely had me champing at the bit to read this book.
Still set within the Psy-Changeling world and yet embracing how the new Trinity accord is starting to shake things up. For too long humans have lived in fear of the more dominant races that share their planet and now as it's becoming more clear that the Psy need fresh input to maintain the net and their shields it's becoming clear that forces are at work to violently shatter any hopes of cooperation and peace.
Into this scenario the author throws Silver who fans have long known is a force to be reckoned with and a very determined suitor in the shape of Valentin. We are instantly thrown into the story as whilst trying to flirt with the 'Silent' Silver Valentin realises she's been poisoned and it's a race to save her life. Who can be trusted? It's decided that whilst Silver regains her strength the safest place from her enemies is inside Valentin's den which makes the normally outrageously blunt bear feel all kinds of happy thoughts. Yes he will protect her, yes he's going to do all in his power to gain skin privileges with her and if that means acting like a sneaky cat well bring it on! Yet all is far from well in Valentin's clan and whilst forces plot outside his den there's even more sadness within.
I'm really enjoying seeing the other side of the Psy and thought seeing Silver release the powers and resources of EmNet really showed how things are changing. Yes it's hard for humans to fully trust a race that has been cruel at times but to the Psy their actions were simply just expedient. Knowing the depths the Psy have plummeted in order to rise above all others means getting those who have been wronged to help is an almost impossible task . Plus those who seek power are working behind the scenes to cause disruption and hatred. The idea that Psy, Changelings and Humanity should not just coexist but evolve together is at the core of this book and the romance here allowed the author to go in directions that surprised me.
Valentin felt completely different to the shifters we usually get and his interactions with his clan were so funny at times. Yet I never doubted that he would do anything for Silver and it became very poignant. Ok I'm not as sold on Silvers about face as I would like but nevertheless was happy with the ending that came all too quickly. Although I do admit faced with such cuddly cuteness around I really can't blame her!
I borrowed this from my library as I collect this series in paperback and as I type its not available yet. My comments are honest and I believe fair

Poison and Psy and bears, oh my!

This first story in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling Trinity series prowls into the land of the bear shifters, and they are at once lovable and ferocious. Bear Alpha Valentin Nikolaev has his eye on Silver Mercant, and he isn't frightened away by her forever dedication to the controversial Silence protocol.

While this story is the first in the Trinity spin-off from the Psy-Changeling (PC) series, I would not advise new readers to start here. The events of this book build on a rather epic story arc spun by the books in the PC series, and you need some of that information to enjoy Silver Silence to its fullest. And also to keep from being totally confused about the history of some of the characters.

The Stonewater den is ruggedly—and unexpectedly—beautiful, a warm-fuzzy surprise much like the shifters themselves. The bears are a rough-and-tumble group with big hearts, boisterous personalities, and rather lovable antics. Not even a Silent Psy could resist their charm.

I adored the teasers into a possible future gay romance, the first of this (including the larger PC) series! LGBTQ romance is underrepresented in mainstream romance coming out of the big publishing houses, so seeing this made my heart soar.

Oh the bear cubs, they are SO ADORABLE! It is impossible not to love Valentin, and the bear clan is different than any other changeling group we've seen so far. I'm looking forward to watching these happy-go-lucky bears pair off with their big hearts and even bigger laughs.

Valentin is one if my favorite heroes of the larger series, and—considering there are 15 of them so far—that's a considerable compliment. He and Silver are so different in personality, you'd think they wouldn't make a good match, but I love them together. Her cool-headed, analytical approach to life is even more fun to watch when she gets angry for and protective of him. And he has this huge, giving, loving heart that compliments his boisterous, stubborn personality perfectly. They are both so strong-willed, yet don't think twice about backing up the other on important decisions. And the "scariness contest" is one of the highlights of the story's off-beat humor.

A paranormal romance full of boisterous laughter, big hearts, and unbreakable ties, Silver Silence is exactly what the Psy-Changeling series needed to reboot and reinvigorate. Silver and Valentin will charm your heart, and his "small bear" clanmates will steal it away when you're not looking. Like pretty much every PC book published so far, Silver Silence was worth the wait!

Silver Silence was good. It gave me what I needed for my Psy/Changeling fix. Valentin and Silver are an awesome pair. I can see them…Valentin the big Teddy Bear who can be firm and strict when he needs to be and Silver, his cool Psy mate who can stand up with him when he is being alpha and can tame the bear when he turns his full attention on her. She can do this knowing that he would never hurt her. Valentin definitely needs a strong woman who doesn’t quiver or recoils when he is not a teddy bear and when he needs to be firm. She also has to have his back and be there for him to help him carry the heavy load that comes with being an alpha to a bear clan. I really like the character of Silver, she is the epitome of Silence but shows emotions on a different level. Her emotional attachment does not have to be “touchy-feely” but she loves and cares for her family and the bear clan. I would have loved to see Lucas and Hawk me an appearance in this book but having Bowen play a key part in this book was also nice and a good way to segue into this premise of this new spinoff. On a not so great note, I always enjoy reading Nalini’s books but there was something different in this one, there were a lot of grammatical and typographical errors; not typical to a Nalini Singh’s novel. I read a lot of self and independently published books and it is always refreshing to read something from a seasoned writer without worrying about typos or grammar errors, but seeing this in a book of Nalini’s caliber was very much out of character. The editing team definitely fell down on this one. Hopefully this is a one-time deal and not a precursor of things to come. All this aside, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of the series and the next Archangel book.

I've been following this series since the very beginning. I have favorite books that I read again and again, and I'm definitely more into shifters than PSY, but nevertheless the author's writing, her creativity and imagination has been a source of captivation for me ever since reading Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changeling #1).

Now, since the author has started her second big arc in the Psy-Changeling series, the wealth of information has been a bit overwhelming. I've noticed while reading the last few books, that I have had a hard time keeping up with everything. I love the politics that has been connecting the different species over the years, but it's sometimes quite challenging to keep all the characters and different story arcs separated.

Reading Silver Silence made it even more obvious that the further I get along in this series the more difficult it is to keep up.

And the most shocking happened, I almost stopped reading Silver Silence.

During the first 30-40% of the book I wasn't invested in the story at all and didn't connect with Valentin or Silver. I felt absolutely destroyed, disappointed and depressed that I wasn't enjoying this book.

Fortunately I was persistent and kept on reading. It got better. And better. And then - WOW!!! Literally OMG!!!! I was fully immersed. And when PART 2 started I was 100% emotionally involved.

And the most amazing thing happened I fell in love with Valentin and Silver.

I love bear shifters, I've always had a soft spot for them ever since I read Shelly Laurenston's shifter series. They are my favorite shifters of all. Maybe because they are so intimidatingly big, curious, blunt and cuddly. Valentin was all of that in addition to being a fantastic ALPHA. He was adoringly sneaky, and so, so lovable. His bone-deep devotion and love for Silver was palpable in every decision, gesture and word. Valentin's believe and faith in their connection was indestructible and beautifully emotional.

Silver on the other hand went through an incredible transformation. She was a typical PSY, emotionlessly cold and silent. It was a privilege to read the intricate and layered character development that Silver went through - TWICE!!!! Nothing in this journey was hastened or skipped. Her transformation felt believable and natural. And it was amazingly heart-warming and beautiful.

That said, the second half of the book made all the difference. It was stunningly gripping and captivating and the author did an outstanding job bringing these two very opposite characters together.

Silver Silence started off a brand-new, and far reaching arc. It introduced new species, new characters, and story developments that shook the foundation and believe system in such a way that anything is possible.

Now, more than ever, I'm curious to see where Nalini Singh is taking us. Her imagination knows no bounds and it's been a privilege to be part of this saga.

I'm a huge Nalini Singh fan, and this world is my favourite. It follows on from her Psy-Changeling novels but as the main story arc of those books has now come to a close, this new book marks a step in a slightly different direction, following a new pack and focussing on a new area of the globe (although there are cameos from some familiar faces).

I was excited about the new characters before I started reading, and I'm pleased to say that they live up to the packs from the original series. There are jokers, trouble makers, and that overwhelming sense of family. There are just a couple of people who we get to know well in the pack, but already several who I want to see get more stage time and explore their stories. I think this is one of Nalini Singh's great strengths - her supporting characters are all detailed enough that you want to know their own story, without them being so strong as to steal the show.

Valentin is very playful, particularly with Silver, who he's decided to pursue before the book starts. Being an alpha, of course he also has a lot of responsibilities, and he's always looking out for the people in his pack. Silver, we've met already in previous books, and I loved seeing more of her family dynamic, and how, despite them being Psy, they're very close as a family.

I enjoyed the political aspects of the story, the conflicts going on in the wider world and how Silver and (to a lesser extent) Valentin are tied in to them. I wasn't so keen on the internal conflicts, like Silver's issues that hold her back from letting go of her Silence. I'm being vague to avoid spoilers, but I didn't like how the issue was resolved - I didn't think it was explained well enough. While we met a lot of the bear pack, who are all a lot of fun and I can't wait to read more about them, we don't meet many knew Psy. I think I would have liked to get a few more new characters on that side of things. One notable exception is Silver's brother, who is gay. I'm so happy that it looks like there might be a male/male romantic pairing getting a more central focus. Nalini Singh has had same-sex relationships between side characters before in the series, but those were already established off-page, and there was never much attention on those characters. With Arwen that might change!

Unsurprisingly, given my love for all the other Nalini Singh books I've read, I really enjoyed Silver Silence. It's not my favourite in the Psy/Changeling world, but I do think it's an excellent start to a new story arc, and I'm already looking forward to the next one. Overall, I'm giving Silver Silence 8 out of 10. [Review originally posted on my book blog; link is in my profile.]

I have to admit. I loved the bears more than the cats AND the wolves in the Psy-Changeling series. They like to have a good time and their clan is really laid back. Valentin is the bear’s Alpha and I think he makes a great one. I found Valentin very open and lovable. There is a group of bears that disagree with him being Alpha and have moved out of Denhome. Their leaving has Valentin so distraught. He continues to check on them and play with the cubs, but deep down, these bears have really hurt him. He also has some mommy issues. But his biggest problem right now is how to have Silver Merchant as his mate. I think the things he does to win her over are so romantic. He calls himself her teddy bear and that is pretty much how I feel about him. So lovable!

Valentin just happens to be in the right place at the right time for a decision to be made about where Silver must stay. Now he can really woo her. He thinks he needs to be “sneaky like a cat” to win her over. Silver is determined to stay Silent, but being around the bears has her bringing down her shields. She is so open and welcoming to Valentin and the other members of his clan. She fits right in. But with her emotions comes side effects that could take her life. Big decisions need to be made along with some serious sacrifices.

The road that Valentin and Silver take is slow, but I felt it was very romantic too. Silver becomes someone completely different than the ice queen she was before entering Denhome. There is so much more to her character.

Silver Silence focused a great deal on the romance, but we also have serious emergencies and attacks on humans that EmNet is trying to deal with. There seem to be two groups that are both trying to sabotage the Trinity Accord. We get some insight into their plans and their reasoning. Their plan to take out Silver failed, so now they are looking to other areas to create as much conflict as they can. At the same time, Silver is trying to build EmNet with a good, even sprinkling of the three races so it cannot be said that one group is going to be dominant over another.

This was definitely an emotional read. I felt like I really connected with the bears, and I wanted to see big, lovable Valentin with his mate. Their lives are in turmoil from many different sides. I laughed (almost every time someone sighed “bears”), and I did cry. I love these two together so much. I didn’t think I could love a couple more than Vasic and Ivy Jane, but Valentin and Silver grabbed me and didn’t let go.

I thought Angela Dawe did an amazing job. She had to do most of the book in a Russian accent which would have been so difficult. Angela must have had to do a lot of prep work for this book. I did have trouble making out the Russian words. They always seemed to be spoken at a lower, quieter level that was hard to make out.

Silver Silence will make you laugh, cry and just get plain mad, and that roller coaster kept me glued to every page of this book. I hope we get to see more of these two. I’m not sure who the next book will be. I do know there is a bear that has a certain fascination with Silver’s brother. Maybe our next romance with be there. Whoever gets the new book has a lot to live up to against Silver and Valentin!

I was provided this book in exchange for an honest review.

Silver Silence is the first in the Psy-Changeling Trinity spin off series and Nalini Singh is about to take us in a whole new direction. I don't think I'd recommend starting here if you've not read the original series because you'd miss far too much but if you haven't discovered these books yet then I can't recommend Slave to Sensation highly enough. The first series gave us the fall of Silence and the beginnings of the Trinity Accord between the human, Psy and Changeling races but this series is going to focus more on finding a balance between the three groups and each of them learning to work together. Of course there are still those Psy who don't think Silence should have fallen and they aren't the only ones who are working against the Accord, humans have been used and abused by the Psy for far too long and it's going to be difficult to build any kind of trust between them and the Changelings have always remained fairly isolated in the past so all three races are in for a big learning experience if they're going to make Trinity a success.

Silver was Kaleb's trusted second in command so we've seen quite a lot of her throughout the original series but now she has taken control of the Em Net, the emergency network that is being built to allow all three races to pool their resources in the case of any kind of disaster situation. Em Net has coordinated relief efforts at natural disasters like earthquakes but also helps at any major disaster and Silver is in charge of making sure the right people are on hand for every situation. She works closely alongside the Arrow squad but also Changeling and human volunteers and they are slowly starting to gain the trust of the general population. Silver is fiercely efficient and on the surface she's completely Silent but she has a deep loyalty to her family and quite a loving relationship with her grandmother and brother. Because of her rare psychic abilities she knows it would be dangerous to her mental health to let her emotions run free but a certain teddy bear is very good at getting under her skin.

Valentin is alpha of the StoneWater bear clan and he knew Silver was the woman from him the moment he first met her. Of course Silver is currently living under Silence and she has no interest in a relationship with Valentin but bears are stubborn and he's got all the time in the world to convince her they are meant to be together. I loved the way Valentin decided to be "sneaky like a cat" and slowly woo his mate, he pushes Silver a little further every time they interact but he never goes too far or too fast because he respects her boundaries. They make such a ridiculously adorable couple and I was rooting for them from the very beginning. Valentin is an alpha with a heart of gold who absolutely adores his clan and will do anything for them and Silver may be Psy but she's equally strong willed and she will do whatever it takes to protect Valentin from the people who choose to spurn him.

I don't think we've had much interaction with the bears in the past so I was really excited to meet a whole new clan of shifters and I love how different the bears are to either the wolves or cats. Nalini Singh always does a brilliant job when it comes to creating interesting characters and she hits the nail on the head with this whole new clan, not just Valentin but also his older sisters and his various lieutenants. The group were just so much fun to hang around with and I loved the way the young members of the clan are the centre of everyone's world - the tiny ninjas completely stole my heart! Don't worry we still get glimpses of some of our old favourite characters but I liked that we've had a large influx of new faces. It can be very easy for a series to start to get stale or repetitive when you're 16 books in but this change of direction is definitely a great way to keep things fresh. I thought Nalini balanced things really well, enough new to keep it exciting but enough of what we're familiar with to still make it feel familiar and like you're catching up with old friends.

We got to see a lot of Bowen and the Human Alliance so I'm really hoping that means his book is coming soon but I'm really excited about spending more time with the bears as the series continues. Silver Silence was the perfect blend of sweet and sexy romance with action and intrigue from various groups who are determined to destroy the Trinity Accord before it can properly begin. I have very high hopes for season two of the Psy-Changeling world and as always Nalini's books remain at the top of my "buy it immediately" list.

Where shall I start??

As everyone and their mother probably knows by now, I love Nalini Singh's books and her Psy/Changeling series happens to be my current favourite pnr/fantasy series so it was no surprise to anyone that I was eagerly awaiting the release of Silver Silence, book 1 in the second season of the Psy/Changeling series and let me tell it did not disappoint.

Short review: THIS BOOK IS AWESOME!! BEARS ARE A+++ AND I LOVE YOU SILVER. YOU SHOULD GO BUY THE BOOK OR ELSE SILVER WILL COME FOR YOU!! 

Long review: 

Silver Mercant is the director of the EmNet (the world emergency response network) and the senior aide of Kaleb Krychek. As a powerful telepath, a Mercant and as the head of EmNet, Silver is already pretty up on the hierarchy which also makes her a target from group unhappy with the trinity.

Silver is such a fascinating women, she is completely rational about everything apart from her grandmother, her brother and one giant bear alpha. She’s a complete badass, extremely intelligent but she's also warm even though she thinks she’s ice cold. She’s such a unique individual and I ended up really loving her.

Valentin Nikolaev aka “Mr. I. M. A. Medvezhonok.” is the alpha of the bear clan, StoneWater in Moscow (and what an alpha he is!!). Valentin recently become the alpha when the previous alpha stepped down, Valentin has hands full with the newer issues within the clan but he makes time to go tease his starlight. Valentin, like the other alpha changelings is a protector at heart.

I really loved Valentin, his humour, the way he cared for his clan along with his trying to be subtle yet ruining that by just barging in/growling because bears….He really was the full package!

I loved Valentin and Silver, they had such a great relationship. Aside from the fab chemistry and the push and pull relationship they had. They later go on to become a wonderful alpha couple. I loved their arguments, how Valentin would say things just to get a raise out of Silver and their sweet moments are gahh so freaking adorable. Valentin was breaking my heart in the later half of the book with the amount of love and devotion he showed Silver and Silver no matter what couldn’t stop loving her Valyusha.

The Bears are such an interesting group of people and really nobody parties like the bears. They were hilarious, I loved seeing how different (and in some ways not) they were from the other changelings. They were so much fun.

Apart from the wonderful romance of Mr. I'M A TEDDY BEAR and his starlight, the book also involves the break down of PsyNet and it's need for humans, along with the continuing plot line of the Consortium and it's hidden head, the Architect. Tensions and causalities are rising as not everyone is happy with the Psy, the fall of Silence and the trinity accord. Humans who psy treated as inconsequential for the past 100+ years are starting to fight back and with Psy needing humans now, aggression and hatred is running high in certain groups.

Random comments: I love SnowDancer and DarkRiver so it was great seeing how different changeling groups saw them. Silver’s brother, Arwen was so cuteee and so were the twins Pasha and Yasha (Valentin’s seconds). I freaking love Ena Mercant and it was great getting to know more about the elusive and secretive Merchant family.

I loved the writing in this book as well the plot, how certain things were solved in a way that made sense and was startling at the same time. I can’t wait to see who will getting their story next, they are many amazing and interesting individual’s in the P/C world who all seem like a great candidate for the next book.

Overall, a wonderful addition to my favourite series and a fab start to Psy/Changeling Trinity novels. 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, although I have to say not my favourite, but still enjoyable. I think this didn’t appeal as much because I found it a bit repetitive and if I never read the saying “Silver F*****g Merchant” it will be too soon! This little sentence was very appropriate in places and even made me laugh, but it was used far too much…..So other than these couple of gripes, all good.

I loved the changeling bears, the feel of the community as a whole was warm and the love between them all felt real. The descriptions of the living areas and where most of the human / bears congregated was wonderful and imaginative. Very easy to picture without too much overload.

This book is about Silver Merchant (Psy) and Valentin Nikolaev (Alpha Bear changeling). The romance is predicable but sweet and heartfelt in places. I liked that Silvers character was strong all the way through this story, even her weaker moments came across as strong and positive. Valentin was a typical alpha but still managed to come across as a loveable, growly and caring character who loved his clan. They most definitely were suited for each other.

The story started off exciting and fast paced, slowed in the middle but picked up towards the end. There was a lot of character building ready for the next book and with the continuing storyline of from the last book you are left with wanting to know how and what is going to happen. I loved the easy flow of character interaction and there is plenty of humour.

As I said at the beginning I did find this story repetitive in places and it was not my favourite, but I still find Nalini Singh style of writing wonderful and I would still totally recommend reading this book.

This story was another winner for me, a worthy addition to a favourite PNR series of mine. This is the start of spin-off series, or as Nalini Singh herself called it" a second season" of the Psy-Changeling saga.

This is the story of Silver, a cardinal Psy and Valentin, the alpha of the bear clan. There are some similarities with previous stories of cardinal Psys and alpha changelings, as it's book 15 in the series, I feel some repetition is unavoidable but it didn't bother me to much. Still, I would welcome more diversity in terms of tropes and how the romantic relationships develop, these things would be beneficial for the series and would make them even more fun to read. And I'm happy to say that there are signs of such changes coming along - we meet our first gay changelings here and I really hope Nalini Singh will give us their story at some point in the series.

The bears turned Stu to be such a fun changeling clan. I didn't expect they would compete with Lucas' cats for the first place of my affections but they really did. Valentin was alpha to the core but also confused and vulnerable and playful which is something I love about all the changelings, even the wolves have this fun, playful side which I think. He was determined and even stubborn in his wooing of Silver, his love strong and unselfish.

In some ways Silver was the typical cardinal Psy - cold, calculating, smart and determined but we see the cracks in her silence as the story goes. There is an emotional side to her, deep caring for her family, for the world as a whole and gradually for the bear clan. I liked how strong she was, a true equal to Valentin. She didn't give in, didn't back down in their arguments and overall, I felt their relationship was very much based on challenging each as much as supporting and providing comfort to one another.

I absolutely loved the twist in eh last quarter of the story. It is a unique take on the amnesia trope which came rather unexpectedly and worked so well giving the story much needed freshness. It made the romance stand out on its own among the rest of the series.

What made this book extra special to me is that I'm Bulgarian and we have a lot of cultural similarities with the Russians. And I speak Russian, so all those cultural and linguistic bits in the story felt familiar and made so happy. This is the closest I have come to seeing my culture (rather one that is very similar to mine) represented in the romances I read and the feeling is incredible.

AS usual for the series, the complex world building continues, we see more of all the inhabitants of this world and the complex relationships between them which continue to change and evolve. I'm confident that fans of the series will enjoy this story a lot and at the same it is a good entry to point for new readers though some nuances coming from the previous books will inevitably be lost to them. Still, if you want to try Nalini Sighn's Psy-Changeling world, I highly recommend Silver Silence (and then going back to read all the previous books ;)

Silver Silence by Nalini Singh was another fantastic read in her Psy/Changeling series, which is now in a 2nd arc,Psy/Changeling Trinity. Upon completing the book, I was thrilled to feel that though we have newer characters, the main element of Changelings , Psy and Humans remains and thus we have many more super stories to come in this fabulous world.

In Silver Silence, which takes place in Moscow, Silver Mercant is our heroine, and a Psy. Silver, is a stone cold psy, still ruled by Silence, and is the heir apparent leader of the Mercant family; the director of the new EmNet (worldwide emergency response network), and she works for Kaleb Krychek.

Valentin Nikolaev, our hero, is a bear changeling and the alpha of the Stonewater Bears. Valentin is obsessed with Silver, and is determined to find a way to get her to feel something for him. When he makes an appearance at her home, bringing business papers, she collapses. Valentin will get immediate help and in the process will save Silver’s life.

Between Silver’s grandmother, Valentin and Kaleb, the decision is made to protect Silver, who was poisoned, and help her recuperate by going to Denhome, Valentin’s territory with the bears. They will protect her with their lives, especially Valentin, and the Mercants will investigate who is behind the attempt on Silver’s life.

What follows is the continuing of the war dividing the peace accord between Changelings/Psy and Humans. There are two factions (Consortium-HAPMA) that threaten the peace accord (Alliance, Trinity Accord, EmNet), trying to kill those deemed important to the structure , such as Silver and/or Humans willing to work with the Trinity accord. Singh’s complex and fantastic world building gives us more to comprehend in this intriguing world that we have come to love. What makes this story so good is watching Silver begin to feel emotions, and finds herself falling for Valentin. This was such a beautiful romance between two people so different, and yet so right.

I loved Valentin; he was fun, sweet, protective, and determined to win her love. He was the perfect person to slowly open up Silver to a different world. I loved how the Stonewater Bears opened their arms to Silver, accepting her, and in time, she learns to accept and enjoy living among them. I also enjoyed getting to know Silver’s grandmother, the current powerful leader of the Mercants. As for Silver, what an awesome heroine; I loved loved Silver, as she was tough, smart, powerful, and a true leader. It was so emotional to watch her cope with her feelings that began to surface. Once again, an awesome romance, with an awesome couple.

But just when our couple have found the impossible, their happiness is short lived, as things do go wrong, which brings Silver back to the emotionless life she had before. Will she find a way to love Valentin or will she go fully back to Silence?

I have said this before, and will do so again. Nalini Singh has become my go to author and in every single book she writes in her Psy/Changeling and Guild Hunter series, her stories never fails to captivate me; hold my interest from start to finish; giving us such wonderful characters, including the awesome couples and fantastic world-building. I am totally in awe how Nalini can constantly create such perfection. Bravo to Nalini Singh. If you have not read the Psy/Changeling series (both arcs), you are seriously missing a great series and a fantastic author.

I don’t usually read paranormal romance but Nalini Singh is one author that I follow religiously. I have been reading her Psy-Changeling series over ten years (that’s just wow!) and I keep diving into this strange world of human, people without emotions and people that shift into animals.
Every book is for a different couple but the background and the politics will make you lost if you read it as a standalone. I propose reading the whole series and get to love these fantastical books!
Silver Mercant is pure silent- her mind is clear of all emotions- and she follows strictly the rules of her society. That means helping and directing a vast network of all kinds of people in cases of emergency without having space for feelings.
Valentin Nikolaev is the alpha male of a bear clan and that means he trusts his people above all. There is something though in the icy blonde that makes him want to ruffle her feathers.
When an attempted murder almost eliminates Silver, the alpha man takes her into his clan to protect her and there all their walls fall.
I LOVED the bears!!! Valentin is playful, fun, a real protector and all his interactions with the other bears and Silver are adorable. The man has a golden heart full of love and tenderness. He has problems and responsibilities but he is a hero positive and overall happy.
Silver on the other hand doesn’t let her control slip so easily. She resists her “teddy bear” so she can protect herself and her secrets in the beginning. She is logical, strong and she doesn’t bend her will quickly. I was a little skeptical with the pace of her transformation from pure silence to being completely open (I found her change too drastic) but who could resist the cute bear?!
As always Nalini is doing a fine job creating this world of three races. There are those who want peace and those who believe in the chaos of war. I admire her ability to write fantasy but taking in consideration all these situations in real life. There are good people and bad people but the coin has two sides and this author shows us both. There is diversity that has to be respected and not destroyed.
This author turns a new page into her series with this book and leaves us wanting more. Every time she gives us a love story but so many questions arise and I cannot wait to read the next one! Now I am going to cuddle my teddy bears until the next book!

Nalini Singh is hands down my PNR Queen. Every time I pick up a book by her, she amazes me with her intricate world-and character-building. Her books are seriously the best – and as soon as I finished Silver Silence, I knew it was going straight near the top as one of my favorite NS books of all time. It’s up there with Heart of Obsidian and Kiss of Snow, and if you know me, you know how obsessed I am with those books. So to say I loved Silver Silence would be a huge understatement. NS blew me away with this incredible read. She took me back to the early books that made me fall in love with the Psy-Changeling series, where the romance was a much heavier factor that they were in the newer books. Not to say I don’t love the recent books too, but I missed the original feel of the older books. NS gives that feel back to us in spades, mostly in the form of a gorgeous, charming bear alpha who is determined to win the heart of his Psy.

“Hve you thought about my offer?” he asked, the laughter still in his eyes.
“The answer remains the same,” Silver said as a burn spread through her chest. “I do not wish to go have ice cream with you.”
“It’s really good ice cream.”

StoneWater alpha Valentin Nikolaev knew from the moment he met Silver Mercant, she was his and he was hers. But this bear alpha is smart and charming, so his courtship of his mate is a COURTSHIP. His months-long courtship has him showing up at her apartment at odd hours, much to Silver’s annoyance – Valentin is a bear she just can’t get rid of or avoid. But when Silver ends up poisoned one morning during an unexpected visit from the bear alpha, Valentin steps up his game to protect the one woman meant for him… all while still trying to win her over.

The slow burn romance between Silver and Valentin was DIVINE. I was in PNR heaven reading about all the ways Valentin tried to endear himself to Silver, and Silver not giving him the time of day… much. Valentin is one determined bear alpha who does so many adorable things I was swooning and giggling like crazy the whole story (he tells her to call him her teddy bear!!!). Silver is her own amazing, badass character who I’m so happy got her own story. If you loved the earlier Psy-Changeling books, or are just looking for a darn good PNR read, you absolutely must read this book.

“I love you, Valyusha.”
“I’ll be your teddy bear anytime, Starlight.” Taking her hand, he pressed it to the bass beat of his heart. “It’s yours. Forever and always.”

I have to say it. I can’t hold it back anymore… but BEARS ARE MY NEW FAVORITE CHANGELINGS!!!! I love Valentin and Silver – Starlight and her teddy bear – but I have to be honest and tell you that the bear changelings are half the reason why I love this book so, so much. They are playful, ridiculous, party-animals, charming, sneaky – the bear clan had so much personality it was literally overflowing over the pages. I adored the bears so freaking much. They are without a doubt my new favorite changelings (sorry, DarkRiver and SnowDancer!) because honestly, if I were a changeling, I’d obviously be a bear. (Also, I’ve never used as many bear emojis as I have after reading this book.)

If you’ve never read the Psy-Changeling series (what are you doing with yourself), you can still absolutely read Silver Silence on its own. I don’t recommend it, mainly because of how incredible the original series is and how much better you’ll understand the Psy-Changeling world if you read it, especially in this second arc. I know fifteen books can be daunting, but trust me, once you start Nalini Singh, you won’t be able to stop. Either way, if you’ve read the series or not, you have to read Silver Silence and experience the wonder that is bear changelings!

Silver Silence is an off shoot of the Psy Changeling series, but is the first in its own trilogy. It is set in the same world and some of the characters mentioned are favorites from our past, but this novel is centered on Silver Mercant, a Psy, and Valentin the alpha of a powerful Russian bear tribe. As their world is trying to unite, Silver, as one of the leaders in this accord comes under attack by a group who’d like to see them fail. She is poisoned, and only because Valentin was present when she fell and his super bear nose is able to sniff out the poison, is her life saved.

Valentin was the perfect balance to the rather cool Silver. She is enmeshed in Silence, which allows her to feel emotionless, something an empath like herself needs. However, Valentin’s charming ways has her casting aside Silence for the chance to feel what love, and yes, sex, feels like. His humor and passion win her over and I didn’t have a problem seeing why she’d put her sanity in jeopardy. He was too adorable! She, on the other hand was one cool woman. It was harder to see why he was drawn to her, other than her take charge attitude which fits his need for an Alpha mate.

This was a light read, and if you are a fan of this series, you can jump right in. I’ve read a few of the Psy Changeling novels and didn’t have trouble picking up where I left off. I do think if you haven’t read any of her previous novels the details of these races may be lost and would affect your enjoyment of the book. However, Nalini Singh is a great writer and the intrigue in this story enhanced the novel and I think anyone would enjoy the romance between Silver and Valentin.

“Because he, more than anyone, knew that sometimes, love wasn’t enough. Sometimes, people changed so deeply that the change broke love itself.”

I've said it before and I'll say it again; paranormal romance simply does not get any better then Nalini Singh. Long-time Psy-Changeling fans will not be disappointed in this continuation with the Psy-Changeling Trinity and the introduction to the StoneWater Bear clan. Oh the intrigue... the romance... the bearliness!

With the creation of the The Trinity Accord; humans, changelings, and psy are coming together as a whole but not everyone is happy with this new tolerance and equality between races. With Silver Merchant as the face behind Em Net, the emergency network that rolls out when there is any sort of major disaster for any of the races, she has a target on her back for those that oppose the alliance. Thankfully, when a strike hits a little too close for comfort, there's a pesky bear on hand to come to the rescue.

Valentin Niklaev is a tough Russian bear changeling and alpha of the StoneWater clan. From his first meeting with Silver, Val knew that there would be no other for him. Despite her long-held silence, he could feel the fire burning within her. He also knows though that he'll get nowhere trying to plow through her defenses like a typical bear. He needs to be sly. Sneaky. "Sneaky like a cat." First, Val needs to make sure she's safe though, and that means taking her to Denhome, with the blessing of the Merchant matriarch, of course. This begins a hilarious, saucy, and touching courtship that poor Silver had no chance of evading...

"Did you know the bear idea of courtship is to kidnap their mates off the streets?"
"Surely not."
"Surely yes."

The bears are playful and rambunctious, the complete opposite of most psy with their silence. They might just have the biggest hearts of any of the changelings seen so far. But Valentin has his own problems within his clan, controversy that threatens even the youngest of cubs, and bringing a psy into the den might escalate those problems, no matter how much Val might want Silver there. Val had nothing to worry about though because his "Starlight" can more then hold her own! Being Kaleb Krychek's right hand for so many years, you knew she could.

While the intrigue plays on in the background, with plenty of action peppered throughout to keep those pages turning, the chemistry and banter between Val and Silver is what really kept me glued to each and every page. The push and pull between these two dominate characters kept me on the edge of my seat. Val has such a huge personality, but Silver manages to continually keep him on his toes, which is one of the many aspects Val loves about her. The romance is both heart-pounding and heart-breaking, while the humor managed to keep me smiling throughout. Singh weaves in multiple highs and a few devastating lows that will leave you questioning everything. The ending got me with all of the feels. ALL. The. Feels. Just slapped me upside the head with them and left me floundering. And I loved every second of it.

My only complaint with Silver Silence would be that there were some times where my confusion over the big baddie jostled me loose from the story. Especially when we would switch point of views to an unknown entity. It took me some time to refocus on the story when that would happen. All in all though, I couldn't be happeir with the delivery of Valentin and Silver's story. I was once again blown away by Singh's rich story-telling, vivid world-building, authentic characters. and mesmerizing romance. I am very much looking forward to more from these bears and the Merchant family. Even the Russian wolves!

Silver Silence gives small glimpses of past characters here and there, and if you LOVED Lucas and Hawke's books, then Val and Silver's will be holding their own special place in your heart as well. While this is a new-ish start in the series, there is very little recap and introduction to the series as whole. It is a long running series arc and each book builds upon that. Do yourself a favor and the read the previous fifteen books before jumping into Silver Silence. The binge read will be worth it, I promise.

4.5 Stars
*I received a copy of this book via the publisher in exchange for review.

I can’t tell you how much I LOVED the Psy-Changeling series. I could but it would take pages and pages and the fangirling would have lots of hearts and flowers and over the top gushing. I need to save some for its new spin-off series! You know how spin-offs or ‘next generation’ stories may feel shadowed by their predecessors? That is NOT happening here. Oh no. Silver and Valentin and their family and friends, have carved their own space – in my heart, my kindle and my book shelf!

This story had everything and I do mean everything. Delicious, hot, hot romance. Paranormal elements of all kinds. Murderous mysteries. Racial tension. Family issues. I write that and I can’t help but laugh – such innocent, tiny words for conflicts that could break countries apart.
Silver is cool under pressure and in control of her emotions at all times. She does not feel, she won’t let herself. That control is threatened by Valentin – a bear shifter, an alpha, in control of his family and his emotions but in an entirely, irreverent way. He sees in her what she doesn’t see in herself. Yet…

“You make me better,” was his deep, rumbling response.
“Valyusha.” He made her better, too. So much better. “I can’t lose this.”

Apart, these two are forces of nature who others needs ahead of their own. Could two people be any more different? On the surface maybe not, but they bring out even more of the good in the other. Valentin is dogged in his pursuit of Silver. He is pushy and funny, refusing to believe that the feelings he has for her are not welcome, are not shared. Silver’s warmth shines through a cold façade that is anything but soulless. Together, oh together they spread warmth and love in a way that melted me…

This story is twice the length of a standard book and it was not nearly long enough. I didn’t want to put it down, even when it was over. I’m going to savour this story again and again as I wait impatiently for the next…

Five (+++++) stars!

**Reviewed for Give Me Books

“I will fight all your monsters beside you, solnyshko moyo. You just have to point them out.”

Every time I think I have settled on a favorite book in Nalini Singh’s incomparable Psy-Changeling series, I am pulled up short by the latest installment.

Case in point, Silver Silence. As the first book in the second ‘arc’ of this series—titled Psy-Changeling Trinity to differentiate—this book takes us in a new direction… and introduces us to a new clan. The StoneWater bears.

Those rowdy, maddening, loving, loyal, amusing bears. They bring such playfulness to this story; a levity that is balanced by the overtures of betrayal, loss, and uncertainty.

It's a balance that is just exactly so. The thawing of Kaleb’s icy aide deftly straddles the line between fun and fiery, with no doubt left as to the strength of Silver’s character. Because she is, of course, Silver f---- Mercant—a heroine who could undoubtedly give Ms. Singh’s Elena Deveraux* a run for her money.

On the flip side is the Alpha… Valentin is charming—a gentleman bear—and fierce. His big heart, unwavering strength and unbeatable persistence make the first part of this book (mostly) light-hearted; the most out-and-out joyful book, IMHO, since Drew and Indy sparred in Play of Passion.

And much like that book (indeed all of the books in this series), Silver Silence, uses the in-between moments—and the more serious second part—to establish new storylines. Building upon her already stellar, detailed world, Ms. Singh seeds new intrigues, new connections, new alliances. And it is captivating—a planting ground for the next crop of matings and mysteries (and maybe more Mercants?) in this unique universe.

A universe which I cannot wait to see grow.

'Glasses broken: 132. Chairs broken: 12. Jukeboxes turned upside down because some bear thought it was hilarious: 1.'

*If you don't know Elena yet, do yourself a favor and grab the Guild Hunter series.

~ FIVE Starlight STARS ~

4.5 helms

Please follow me on my blog :) Review originally posted on Vellum Voyages.

I probably shouldn't admit that this was my first Nalini Singh book *ducks and hides*....You know that rock I have mentioned previously? Yup still living there! However, I have been following Nalini's career since her publication of "Desert Warrior" because hey a fellow antipodean publishing romance novels? AWESOMENESS! I actually have plenty of her books on my growing TBR yet never managed to pick one up! Shameful!!!! I seriously didn't know what I was missing! Luckily I got the chance to read "Silver Silence" and WOW! Silver and Valentin are one heck of a power couple and Nalini's style of writing is just riveting!

Since this was my first Singh, I knew I was taking a huge gamble plunging into a well-established series with such a powerful world behind its pages. I was floundering a little when I first started the book and had to try extra hard to remember the facts, but I didn't get as lost as I expected. I would recommend reading the previous books though because it WILL provide the buildup and excitement Silver and Valentin have generated and also will give essential background information. I'm glad I didn't find it too overwhelming but others might not agree. There is enough information in the book to give you the gist of everything but the depth may not be there. Also good to remember is that although this is the start of a new chapter/series (Psy-Changeling - Trinity #1) it is also part of Psy-Changeling (Psy-Changeling #16) so there has been a massive amount of world building that we newbies have missed out on!

So I've noticed this new trend on bears in romances and seriously I just couldn't imagine a bear being sexy but boy was I wrong! Nalini breathes a whole new life into bear shape-shifters and Valentin Nikolaev is one cuddly Medvezhonok. Not only is he alpha as heck but putty when it comes to Silver! Silver Mercant is Silent and alpha Valentin Nikolaev wants nothing more than to make her all his and ruffle that cool, calm and put-together exterior. Silver is a prime target for those who don't want Trinity to succeed and after a close poisoning attack, she is placed under guard at DenHome under Nikolaev's very capable guard. What better place to show Silver what an alpha means to a clan and the meaning of family in Nikolaev's own way. But how does one make one of the most powerful psy entirely theirs with such a strong vow of Silence working against all odds?

I really enjoyed reading about Valentin's relentless pursuit of Silver and her succumbence to Valentin. The family concept of DenHome and the strong extended family vibe was very well done without drawing attention from the couple and loosing the reader in clan dynamics. The cliffhanger towards the last 150 pages or so in the book was so intense I wanted to ugly cry! The ending was perfect and I was ecstatic for Valentin because Silver completed his happiness on so many levels. The idea of Trinity between the races was also fascinating and this novel opens the doors for the following books in the series.

Couple of things did annoy me though. I did find a few things repetitive like post thoughts/post action explanations (e.g sentences like "because he was alpha"). I wasn't sure if this was Nalini's style of writing or this book in particular so I didn't judge too harshly but I did find it somewhat unnecessary for continued explanations. I felt like the reader could read between the lines in some of these repetitive scenarios.

I haven't gone into too much detail on what happens etc. as I don't want to spoil it for the rest of you guys! The new generation of Trinity sounds like one heck of a series and I really enjoyed meeting Silver and Valentin :)

*Thank-you Nalini Singh, First to Read & Berkley Books for the ARC.

Since it's one of my all time favourite authors and one of my all time favourite series as well, I have a lot of thoughts to share with you guys... ;) so sit back with a beverage of your choice and relax, because it's gonna be a while ;)

So first I need to start with a little bit of an explanation :) this is the first book in a new and sort of a spin-off-ish series... originally we had the Psy-changeling series with 15+ books in it... but that major story arch is finished, so now we are heading into a new arch, with this Psy-changeling trinity series :) I was thinking long and hard about what to tell you about the reading order... on the one hand, I highly recommend you to read the original series first, because it's just soooooo good... *sighs dreamily* but on the other hand, I know it can feel a bit daunting... so you can actually start your journey with this book... the majority of the characters appearing in it are brand new, and the ones that were mentioned before, or got their own stories, are definitely in the background... although be warned, there will be some pretty big spoilers about how certain events ended and stuff like that... but when it comes to explaining the world itself... yes, it might feel very complicated, especially if you're gonna be new with it, but I think you can manage to understand everything just by reading this book :) so the choice about starting your journey with this fantastic world here, or back at the very beginning is yours to make :)

Now that we have this little explanation out of the way, let me tell you a bit more about the world itself :) this is a paranormal-ish sort of a series, set in an alternate version ouf our world a few decades in the future :) don't worry, I won't spoil you anything in case you are brand new to this sereis, just wanted to share a few basic informations about it :) the world I'm talking about is different from our in two major ways :) #1 they are much more technologically advanced... it is the future after all ;) and #2 there are three main groups that populates it: humans, psy and changelings :) I don't want to get into too many details about each of them, because since it's one of my all time favourite series, if I would start talking about all of them, we could be here for a few days... ;) but just so you'll have the basic knowledge... :) humans are the most ordinary ones... and don't you get angry at me... I don't mean that as if they are the worst or most boring... yes, they don't have the gifts other groups have, but they can be very powerful with how kind, generous and brave they can be... psy on the other hand are the ones with mental powers... there are many designations among them, like telekinetics, telepaths and so much more... they are distant and cold, emotionless... living Silent, to escape dangerous and deadly mental consequences connected to their gifts... and we have changelings... they are my favourite in this series :) different kinds of shapeshifters who usually live in packs, although that depends on the animal part of them :) they are stronger and faster than humans and definitely the most emotional ones among all three groups... bonds within the pack and family mean everything to them... *sighs dreamily* I just love them... :) pretty much each book set in this world revolves around a different couple (there was on exception when we had an ensemble book) but there are bigger archs that are slowly unraveling over the course of several of them... like I mentioned before, the first arch ended and this is the beginning of the new big one... so even though there are no cliffhangers when it comes to the main couple, there are many questions left wihout answers :) and about our main couple... ;)

Silver is actually one of characters that appeared in the previous stories, but definitely as a secondary one... so I was very intrigued when I heard she will be the heroine of her own book... :) Valentin on the other hand is brand new... *sighs dreamily* I'm sorry, got distracted there for a second thinking about that teddy bear ;) a little joke I will explain in a second :) she is a psy and quite a powerful one... we met her, when she was working as an assistant to one of the most deadly psy in the world... but don't be fooled by that title... she was much more than that... :) now she takes on being the chief of an enterprise that focuses on rescue and help missions... that is as vague as I can put it without spoiling some stuff from previous books, so we are just gonna go with it... :) Valentin on the other hand is, like I mentioned, a brand new character, and an alpha of a bear-changeling clan... ;) that's why I called him a teddy bear ;) although he is a one huge teddy bear... ;) he's big and stubborn and usually loud, but can also be sneaky and subtle when he wants ;) he definitely jumped very high on my list of favourite characters in this world :) theirs is actually a pairing I love the most to read about: psy-changeling :) especially when the man is a changeling and a woman is psy... I don't know exactly why is that... I'm sure there is some explanation, but those stories speak to me the most... they are my favourite couples out of all of them and I tend to go back to their stories the most... and this was no exception :) I absolutely adored these two :) I can't really go into too many details of how they actually get together, although some of it is in the synopsis so why not ;) from the very beginning we are thrown straigh into the story, when Valentin appears once more very unexpectedly at Silver's doorstep, but this time, she collapses... *gasps* it was an assasination attempt and there is only one way for her to be safe while the threat is investigated... in the middle of a changeling clan of bears ;) whatever you are imaginig about the interactions between a cold psy and a rambunctious huge family of bears you will not be prepared for all the awesomeness... not to mention the plan that Valentin has to convince Silver to give them a chance... *sighs happily* it was so good that I am very tmepted to re-read it straight away... I would probalby do it if it wasn't for an insane amount of books waiting for me ;) the struggle is real... ;)

But our main couple wasn't the only bright part of this book... oh no... ;) the secondary characters definitely stole the show on more than one occasion :) and majority of them are brand new... like StoneWater clan of bears :) so many new characters and all of them amazing :) there were a couple among them that I really need to read more about ;) there is also definitely one pairing in the making that I am abolutely ecstatic about... won't tell you who I'm talking about, but I'm sure you'll figure it out :) not only bears, but there were also a few Mercant family members that definitely caught my attention... ;) oh, there was just sooo many interesting people... :) I can't possibly name them all... especially since I really don't want to spoil you anything about who is important for whatever reasons... so let me just say that I see a lot of potential for future stories with these new people... and some of the ones we met before who are still single ;) but anyway, let us get to my overall thoughts and opinions, because I already feel like we spend together all day with this review :)

Nalini is one of my all time favourite authors for many reasons... she has one of the most entertaining and capturing writing style... every time I read one of her books, especially set in this world, after a few months I tend to convince myself that they can't possibly be as good as I remember them... the time had to mess with my memories, and I'm probalby exaggerating all of it in my mind :) but then a new one comes out and BAM!!! I'm smacked right into all the feels with how absolutely wonderful the next installment is and once more I am reminded of how fantastic Nalini's stories are... and don't even get me started on how good of a storyteller and plotmaster she is... I can guarantee you that she already knows the ending of this big story arch, even though it just started, and she identified all the main players, even though we get only whispers about some of them here... after witnessing it in the original series, I am not nervous at all where all of this is going... because I know that Nalini has all the answers and I will get all of them... in time :) to this day when I re-read certain books in that first series, no matter how many times I did it before, I still find new little gems hidden within the pages... and I'm all like *she knew from the beginning how certain things will go* :) and that is the best way of writing a series... because then it all makes sense... and you can see that all the decisions and actions that took place along the way were necessary to get to that conclusion... :) this just makes me that much more excited to see where she will go with this second story arch... after all, this is a world after big changes... :) it's a perfect mix of introducing and evolving bigger story archs but at the same time focusing on the couple that is at the forefront of this particular book... oh how well she keeps the balance... *sighs dreamily* I highly recommend you guys this book... no matter if you are already a fan, or brand new to her work, if you don't know the psy-changeling world, you are seriously missing out... go start at the begining, or with this installemnt, I explained everything earlier in my review, but definitely read one of them :) it's one of the series I recommend non stop to people, because it has it all... action, humor, amazing characters, swoonworthy romance and twists that will surprise the hell out of you... go read it now :) or we can't be friends anymore... ;) just kidding... but go read it anyway ;)

***Please note that as I read an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) all quotes will need to be checked against the final version as it is still subject to change.
>>>>>My Synopsis: (review Follows) <<<<<
'OCTOBER 2082 IS a new beginning.
Psy, human, and changeling, all three races have agreed to work together to unite their divided world.
The Trinity Accord is the fragile foundation of all their hopes and dreams of a future without war, without violence, without shattering loss.
It is a noble ambition.
But the past is not an old coat that can be discarded and forgotten. It is a scent that clings and clings and clings.
That scent is of blood and betrayal and a chilling, emotionless Silence.
The psychically gifted Psy seek to feel emotion for the first time in over a hundred years.
Changelings with their primal hearts fight their natural instinct to trust only pack, only clan.
Humans look to the future with a grim‑eyed determination to no longer be the weakest race.
And others . . . they seek to spread chaos and death and division.
Welcome to the Age of Trinity...'

Silver Mercant forgets nothing, is never caught off guard, and has a steely presence that makes even the most rowdy of individuals sit up and take notice. Family legend has it they are descended from a long line of loyal knights who once served a king. Whether that is true or not, Mercants have always understood that honor defines a family.

While Mercants would unrepentantly strip a mind to protect their family, they don’t believe in using such methods to increase their own power or wealth. That is not a practice other Psy families have abided by, and the ramifications of that choice are just starting to come to light. The distrust built over the years has some wondering if the Trinity accords might be a clever ploy by the Psy to take control. In the wake of Silence's fall, a new group has emerged seemingly overnight, HAPMA, Humans Against Psy Manipulation has reared its displeasured head trying to stop the peaceful unity of Trinity.

When Silver becomes the object of an assassination attempt, there is no telling who is behind it. The suspect list is too long. For to take out Silver, who has her hand in so many things, would definitely bring about chaos, disorder, and slow down the world's healing process. She is the scion of Ena Mercant, Kaleb Krychek's most senior aide, and the head of the EmNet, the Emergency Response Network. Luckily, a changeling bear who has a soft spot for Silver, Valentin Nikolaev--the alpha to the Stonewater Clan, was present when everything could have gone so wrong, yet ended up just right...

This is Silver's story.

>>>>>My Synopsis: (review Follows) <<<<<
This was another wonderful story that Ms. Singh has created in her Psy-Changeling world for which the series name has now been modified, from this point on, to include the term Trinity to signify the start of a new age/phase. If you like Urban Fantasy novels with a paranormal bite to them and haven't read one of the Psy-Changeling books, then you need to pick one up and get reading. The world is phenomenal, the characters are multifaceted and complex, the romance is swoon worthy, and the writing is masterful. I, however, recommend you start at the beginning and read the first book, 'Slave to Sensation', along with a few others followed by the previous book to this one, 'Allegiance of Honor', before reading 'Silver Silence'. I must warn you, however, the books are addictive and it's hard to stop with just one or two or three or.... You get the picture.

Silver Mercant is a key player in uniting the three races of the world. Trinity has its work cut out, and needs strong and smart people dedicated to the cause. While Silence is breaking, Silver has no plans on breaking her own silence because for some, like her, it works. She believes silence helps her to focus on what is important and to break it would make her less efficient. Valentin, hopes to prove the beautiful, powerful young woman wrong. He thinks she'd make an ideal mate and sets about putting a plan in motion to win her over.

Valentin Nikolaev has recently taken over as alpha of the Stonewater clan. Not everyone in the clan is happy about his ascension to power. His father had been the alpha before him and things had not ended well. Split between his plans to court Silver and his duties to his clan and his desire to gain back to those who left when he rose to power, Valentin has a full plate. I must admit this bear of a man won me over quick with his playful ways and dedication to winning Silver over. He was a man with a plan and if anyone could manage to put cracks into Silver's Silence, it had to be him.

The song that kept playing in my head could be nothing other than Elvis Presley's song 'Teddy Bear'. lol

'Baby let me be,
your lovin' Teddy Bear
Put a chain around my neck,
and lead me anywhere
Oh let me be
Your teddy bear.

I don't wanna be a tiger
Cause tigers play too rough
I don't wanna be a lion
'Cause lions ain't the kind
you love enough.'

I couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. I absolutely loved it. There is not a bad thing to be said. Ms. Singh serves up another delightfully delicious hot and steamy romance which her fans have come to expect. The stories have layers of depth to them and after reading one of these, I feel spoiled and pampered and eagerly await her next installment. On the Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a SHOWER rating--a cold shower is necessary (need I say more?). Some books should come with a warning - make sure your significant other is handy or your shower is in working order. lol

Excitement, danger, love, and laughter all come together to create a dazzling story in Silver Silence. Nalini Singh once again knocks it out of the park with this incredibly fun, addictive, imaginative start to her Psy-Changeling Trinity series. Between the unforgettable characters, the unique world, and the twists the story takes, it’s easy to see why I fell head over heels for Valentin and Silver’s tale.

Valentin is one of my favorite Nalini Singh heroes (and given how many fantastic heroes she has written, that’s a tough list to crack). He’s playful, protective, doesn’t give up on people, and has a heart so huge and loving it’ll make you melt. He teases Silver by sending her gifts from “Mr. I. M. A. Medvezhonok” (Mr. I’m a Teddy Bear), and he really is her teddy bear. A huge, loveable teddy bear who doesn’t take himself too seriously and cares so much for those he loves that he’ll internalize any wound to put them first. But Valentin is no doormat; he’s an alpha through and through, one who will protect, fight for, and defend those he loves. I loved everything about Valentin – just thinking about him makes me smile.

A fantastic hero deserves and equally fantastic heroine and Silver is just that. She’s long been a supporting character at the edges of the Psy-Changeling series, and I’ve been incredibly intrigued by her all along. Now that she gets to take center stage, she shines. Silver is a Psy, one whose abilities make it necessary she keeps a strong hold on her Silence, even after the fall. Despite the fact that she looks to all the world to be an ice queen, Silver has a hidden flame that jumps out at you. She’s got a brilliant brain and is phenomenal in her job as the director of EmNet, but she’s so much more. She’s a caring, loving person whose emotions aren’t as buried as she seems to think. I loved how Valentin helped tease the real Silver out, and Silver coming into her full potential was a wonderful journey to watch unfold. As individuals, both Silver and Valentin are incredibly appealing characters. Together? They’re a heartwarming, engaging, unforgettable pair. I was rooting for them through every up and down, every twist and turn, and couldn’t wait to see them get their happily ever after.

Silver Silence is the first book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series which Ms. Singh has described as “season two” of the Psy-Changeling world. Season one of the Psy-Changeling books – the Silence storyline – was mostly centered in California and often around the DarkRiver and SnowDancer packs. I admit to being a bit anxious at leaving that beloved part of the world behind, but I shouldn’t have been. Silver Silence had a lot of what I loved about the very first Psy-Changeling book, Slave to Sensation. I’d forgotten how fantastic it was to fall in love with a whole new clan, this time the StoneWater bears. The StoneWater clan is warm, welcoming, and filled with numerous bears who grabbed my heart and didn’t let go. While Silver Silence takes us into the new era of the Trinity Accord and all the problems that come with it, I don’t think the Psy-Changeling Trinity series can completely stand on its own. Everything is connected and the world continues to build on itself. You don’t have to have read all fifteen Psy-Changeling novels before diving into this new series, but you should definitely be familiar with the world.

The overarching storyline of this new series involves the new, post-Silence world of Psy, Changelings, and humans, and those who would seek to disrupt the Trinity Accord, whether out of fear or for profit. I can’t say much about the non-romance plotlines without spoiling the story, so I’ll leave it at this: Ms. Singh is a master of world-building. I loved that we not only saw what our heroes were fighting for, but also the logic of the villains. Having fleshed out bad guys makes the fight all the more interesting. I cannot wait to see where Ms. Singh takes readers next!

Silver Silence has everything I love about Nalini Singh’s books: a strong hero and heroine, clever worldbuilding, humor, and a whole lot of heart. It’s a passionate, compelling read that made me smile, sigh, and want to live in the Psy-Changeling world.

To be honest, I read this book twice before writing my review. The first time I read it was solely for my own enjoyment. I absolutely adore everything Nalini Singh has ever written and this book is no exception! Silver Silence made me both chuckle and cry, and by cry, I mean ugly sob for the second part of the book. I was afraid I was dehydrated by the time I finished this book. It was all I could have wanted for Silver’s book. Okay, enough gushing and on to the review!
Silver Mercant was introduced in the first half of the Psy-Changeling series. She was Kaleb Krychek’s personal assistant and her family is a Psy shadow power. In the later books, she heads up the EmNet which is a worldwide emergency response system. Needless to say, Silver’s a complete badass and alpha heroine! She needs a hero who can both appreciate her badassness and break through the shield of Silence surrounding her. Luckily the readers, Nalini Singh had the perfect hero up her shelf. Valentin Nikolaev, the alpha of the StoneWater Bears. Yup, bears! Singh has moved away from her usual leopards and wolves to bring us to a new pack of bears! And the bears are freaking awesome. Like the SnowDancer wolves, the bears reside in the same housing complex, this time a cave. Silver is introduced to the world of the bears after being poisoned and needing a secure place to reside. Luckily for her, Valentin had his eye on Silver for a while now and was more than willing to offer her safe haven.
While a majority of the book focused on Silver and Valentin, Singh continued introduce the arc of the new series, Psy-Changeling Trinity, of which Silver Silence is the first book. Unlike her previous books, i.e. Slave to Sensation, Kiss of Snow, etc, these books have two word titles, singling the start of the new storyline. Silence and the Psy Council fell in the previous books and now a new world order is developing, complete with a new unknown villain. One of the storytelling techniques Singh excels at is keeping the reader engaged throughout a long series. While each of her books is standalone, apart from Allegiance of Honor, there is an overall storyline which ties them together. Silver Silence continues that new storyline as the stability of this new world is threaten by fringe groups as well as the Architect. I have my guess about how the Architect is but I have feeling we won’t find out for a while, especially considering how long it took us to find out who the Ghost was in the previous series.
As much as I admire Singh’s world shaping, my favorite part of this book is the relationship between Silver and Valentin. In this series, we’ve seen many examples of Pys’s breaking their Silence and forming relationships. However, Silver presented a new twist to this familiar story. She quickly gives in to Valentin’s playful seduction but her Silence is still necessary. She has a very different reason for needing to suppress her emotions and when she has to make that choice, my heart broke. Without spoilers, the depth of their relationship is severely tested and how Valentin deals with it shots him up to the top of my all-time favorite heroes list. He is so passionate and loving of Silver even when facing something which surely means his own heartbreak. I honestly have no words for the emotions I experienced reading their love story. It was just so beautiful.
I’m sure I’ve gushed enough over this book by now but I’d just like to throw out a few more things. There was a myriad of nicknames within this book, which some characters like Valentin having as many as four. While initially confusing, it actually proved to be very sweet once you realized they symbolized a special connection. I’m also hoping for a MM romance for Nalini Singh. There were hints of it in this book and maybe if we all wish hard enough, Nalini Singh will give us a novella with Silver’s brother, Arwen and Pavel, Valentin’s lieutenant. I want to end this review with saying that everyone should read this book.

I'm not sure I can properly express my love for this book. I have loved the Psy-Changeling series so much. It's one of my all time favorite series, in any genre. But, with the close of the first "arc" of the series, with Allegiance of Honor, I wasn't sure how I would feel focusing on a whole new set of characters in this new extension, the Psy-Changeling Trinity series. I'm so thrilled to say my concerns were completely unfounded. I should have known this author wouldn't let me down! This felt like a bit of a reboot, but not. It still has the same world, the same issues, and mentions many of the same beloved characters throughout. It just delves deeper into a character we've seen before, and introduces a new character, along with his Bear Changeling clan that is just fantastic. I do believe you could use this as an entry point to the series, but of course, I recommend reading ALL THE THINGS before it!

Silver Mercant has been Kaleb Krycheck's senior aide for years. We've heard about her peripherally, as well as her family, pretty much since Kaleb was introduced in the series. She's a perfectly Silent Psy, from a very powerful family. In the recent stories, she took over as head of EmNet, a humanitarian aid group helping to stabilize areas after disasters. EmNet came into being along with the Trinity Accord, which is an agreement of all 3 races, Psy, Changeling, and Human, working for peace. She's based in Moscow, but works remotely to affected areas when needed. One of the 2 dominant changeling clans that run Moscow, is a Bear clan called StoneWater. She deals with them for business purposes quite often. Their alpha is Valentin Nikolaev.

Valentin wants Silver. He's been courting her for months, which she just doesn't understand, because she's Silent. But, Valentin won't give up. He's an alpha, used to getting his way, and he knows Silver is meant to be his. The book starts off with a surprising event, that puts her even more into his orbit right away. He challenges her and the way she looks at the world. And her intelligence challenges him to rethink some things as well. She finally realizes he's correct in some of this assertions, and she begins to see things, and him, in a new way. Meanwhile, Valentin's clan is having their own issues that are weighing heavily on him, and it's taking a lot of his attention.

The story itself took off with a bang, but the romance was a bit of a slow burn, as most of the books in the series are, when they include a Silent Psy. But it was so worth the wait. Valentin is a bit of a dirty talker, which I loved. So did Silver! Also, his many nicknames for her were delightful, but the one I loved most was Starlight. Their banter was quite funny, even when she was still "Silent". They really had fabulous chemistry, and Valentin was irresistibly charming. I fell in love with him right along with her!

The world that Nalini Singh has built in this series is unbelievably impressive. It seems so realistic, though it takes place far in the future, and has many fantasy elements. All the characters were interesting and fun to get to know. Valentin's clan of bears were especially hilarious, constantly teasing, and playing jokes on one another. Silver's Grandmother was another fascinating character. She's been mentioned in the past, but we finally got to know more about her in this book. Additionally, Silver's brother was quite intriguing as well. Getting to see more of fan-favorite Kaleb was great too, as always.

This book broke my heart, and made me laugh. I swooned, and I felt bereft, while always hoping for the best. It was everything I hoped for, and more. I seriously cannot recommend this book, and this series, highly enough. I am so excited to see where this new portion of the series goes from here!

If you like paranormal romance you can’t go wrong with Nalini Singh’s Psy Changeling series. When you look up binge reading, Nalini Singh’s name is sure to be there. Silver Silence is a passionate and heartwarming love story. It’s compelling, sexy and absolutely swoon worthy.

Silver Silence seen through the eyes of an alpha bear changeling who is determined to win the heart of the mesmerizing woman he’s chosen to be his mate, no matter how impossible it may seem. Especially when said woman has been trained since early childhood to not feel. But Valentin Nikolaev senses the fire and sunshine beneath the ice and he’ll use every trick up his sleeve to get her. After ten months of sneakily trying to woo her, he’s saved from kidnaping her in order to properly court her —as per bear tradition— after he stops an attempt on her life and her best choice is to lay low in the heart of his bear clan.

It is a love story told by the seemingly emotionless woman in charge of EmNet, the worldwide emergency response network comprised by all races at a time when a divided world is trying to unite. But not all are convinced that unity is a step towards betterment, some will fight to keep the world divided and while stability is achieved Silver Mercant needs to focus on her job, not the unruliness Valentin brings.

Nalini Singh once again proves her prowess at writing addicting stories. Her Psy-Changeling series have the right balance between new and familiar, between heartwarming and heartrending. This compelling story shows us just how love can conquer all.

Valentin is charismatic, smart, absolutely swoon worthy. He wears his heart on his sleeve, loving wholeheartedly and fiercely protecting his clan. He charmed the ice around Silver’s Silence and I fell for him right along with her. How could I not fall when he was all male alpha sexy being cute and funny, sneaky as a cat or sweet as a teddy bear! The man signed his secret-not secret admirer gifts he left for Silver with Mr. I. M. A. Medvezhonok. Translation Mr. I. M. A. teddy-bear.

I could probably make a very long list of all the amazing things about Valentin, but I think you get the picture. For a man so wonderful, it’s only fitting that he get to have an equally great partner. Silver is pretty awesome in her own right. Even though she has a different way of showing it, her viewpoint regarding family aligns with Valentin’s and when need be, she’s just as ruthless as the alpha bear himself.

While there have been other Psy romances in the series, it still feels highly unlikely given their lack of emotional skills. Nalini makes it work though. The love between Valentin and Silver feels organic in its development however difficult and almost impossible it may seem given Silver’s special circumstances; its the depth and strength are directly correlated complications they face. That is to say, their love is huge and absolutely heartwarming and fun!

Also touching are all the bear clan events which I loved and moved the story forward. I mean, come on, BEARS! They’re boisterous, cuddly, and fun. Along with the main story, Nalini lays out an overall arc for this spinoff series. I expect several Psy-human pairings but eagerly await anything Ms. Singh throws our way.

Silver Silence is book #16 in the Psy-Changeling series, book #1 in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series by Nalini Singh. It is a standalone paranormal romance, told from various points of view with a happy ending.

This is the first book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series, an offshoot of the Psy-Changeling series.

Silver Mercant is a high rated Psy who is ruled by Silence, a discipline necessary to quiet the incessant cacophony of voices in her mind that threatened sanity when she was young. With no emotions she has internal peace and total logical control of her decisions and actions. Now director of the newly created emergency response network she has her hands full 24/7, the agency responds anywhere in the world in support of the three races: Psy, Changeling, and Human. This agency is meant to strengthen the Trinity Accord, a fragile peace between the three races that needs nurturing. Not everyone wants the Accord to succeed and what better way to bring it down than to remove the head of the network. Deadly plans were made but the implementation could not foresee a changeling bear who wouldn’t take no for an answer. One bear’s persistence, annoying as Silver might sometimes find him, was to her benefit.

Alpha Valentin Nikolaev is a bear changeling, head of the StoneWater Bears. Silver might be ruled by silence but he senses deep within her a wildness, embers of dormant emotion trying to break free and it draws him like a moth to a flame. His clan thinks what he feels is just a crush but he knows it’s far more. He’ll wear the Psy down with his bearish gentlemanly ways, he’ll also be as subtle as a cat to obtain his objective and that’s to make her his. Being where he shouldn’t have been saved her life and he’ll do anything to keep her safe including keeping the Psy within his clan under the guise of her doing research. But will he be able to save her from what lies within?

I’ve wanted to read this paranormal/urban fantasy series but with so many books written in it where to begin was the question, this derivative seemed to be an appropriate place as any to start. Stepping into an established world with characters that cross books can be daunting to follow but the author provided enough information so that this reader was able to follow and understand the bulk of the references.

Did I enjoy this read? A resounding YES! This story had the elements to satisfy this lover of romantic suspense. There’s a fragile peace with those seeking to destroy it, possible betrayal from within a family, multiple points of view including those of the villains, action and suspense and unexpected twists this reader did not see coming, and a love so true that it would not die. The flawed yet likeable protagonists were great, their connection was palpable, the dynamics between them quite entertaining. Valentin had the patience of a saint, he would not give up on what they’d had even when it was gone. Does true love really ever die? And you have to love the bears, their antics and the cuteness of not just the young in the clan made me smile often. The captivating storyline held my attention from beginning to end.

An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher’s First to Read program.

Silver Mercant has gone from being Kaleb Krychek's assistant to the director of EmNet, the new worldwide emergency response network that coordinates human, changeling, and Psy resources when emergencies occur. With the fall of Silence and the new attempts to unite the three races, Silver is one of the key players in the new Trinity Alliance. Her new high profile has gained her both enemies and allies- including Valentin Nikolaev, alpha of the StoneWater bear clan. After saving her life from an attempted poisoning, Valentin is determined to keep Silver close where he can protect her- and maybe convince her to leave Silence behind and learn to play with a certain alpha bear. But Silver believes she is one of those Psy Silence was originally designed to save. Can Valentin change her mind before assassins or her own powers kill her?

Silver Silence begins Part 2 of Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling world, a transition that began in Allegiance of Honor. Fans will remember Silver as Kaleb Krychek's assistant and I for one was beyond thrilled when I first heard she would be getting her own book. Her persistent suitor is Valentin Nikolaev- not only a new character but our first introduction to bear changelings. Valentin is everything we expect in a powerful predatory changeling alpha: stubborn, smart, stubborn, sneaky, and stubborn. He also has a great sense of humor and a seemingly limitless amount of patience and love, even for those who claim to reject him. We can see early on that Silver isn't as Silent as she thinks she is, and watching her take cautious steps into the world of emotion is a delightful journey. Being dropped into a clan of bears means some of her relaxation of Silence is almost a self-defense mechanism of its own, and once she starts down that path Valentin is only too happy to keep encouraging her. Silver's strength comes not (only) from her psychic abilities. She is an organized, efficient, take-no-attitude woman who uses grey silk suits as armor and can bluff so well you'd never want to play poker against her. She's learned from Ena that sometimes what people think you can/will do is even more powerful than what you actually can/will do- a lesson she puts to good use as new enemies threaten not only her life, but the delicate trust the Trinity Alliance is forging between the races.

Valentin may be all bear but he works on being "sneaky like a cat" in order to get Silver. Family and clan is everything to Valentin, meaning he and Silver already start with some things in common. Even during the height of Silence the Mercant family was a tightly knit unit. When Silver is poisoned and the culprit seems to be one of the family both she and her grandmother Ena, the Mercant family 'alpha', are rocked by the idea one of their own could betray them. Ena is a great, strong, scary woman (possibly even a level above Nikita Duncan) and I enjoyed how she, Valentin, and Kaleb interact with each other.

While Kaleb and a few other familiar faces cameo here, nearly all the characters in Silver Silence are new. Secondary characters like Nova, Ena and Arwen enrich the book while giving us no hints about who the next book will focus on (I'd say Arwen, but by the end it's pretty obvious he's hooked on a bear as well). I'm hoping we get to meet more Mercant family and maybe follow some of them as main characters in the future. Trouble in Valentin's family and in the StoneWater clan as a whole mean there's plenty going on and the antagonists aren't only against Silver.

While Silver Silence begins to explore the new world of Trinity and how three very different races of people can begin to trust each other again, it is, at heart, a story about family, love, and hope. Love of and loyalty to family drive virtually every decision by both the Mercants, the StoneWater clan, and many of the enemies they face. How do Psy learn to reconnect not only with their own emotions, but with others? When nearly every family of humans or changelings knows at least one person who was harmed by a Psy, how can they begin to trust Psy? How do you begin to see individuals instead of painting an entire race with one brush? Even Silver doesn't realize how connected the three races are until the very end, when with one lovely twist Singh gives us something that should have been so obvious you won't believe you didn't think of it yourself.

Just when you think Nalini Singh can't possibly top her last book, she goes and writes Silver Silence. While newcomers could start here and not feel lost, having read at least Allegiance of Honor will make Silver Silence even better. An awesome beginning to the next chapter in Singh's Psy-Changeling world, Silver Silence is a fast-paced, three-dimensional must read full of passion, mystery, love and, above all: hope. Valentin and Silver's story remind us that no matter what is happening in the world around us, we should never stop believing that love and hope can make a difference.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5-5 stars

This was a great story and addition to the series. I really liked Silver and Valentin and really loved seeing them get together (even if some parts made my heart hurt while things weren't in a great place).

Silver is a Psy, a human with psychic powers and is part of Silence (the conditioning that the Psy people have been undergoing for close to a century in order to do away with emotions). Silver is part of a family that while Silent, always stuck to the firm principles of loyalty to the family above all else. Silver is being groomed by her Grandmother to take over as head of their family but that's not something that will take place any time soon.

Valentin is a bear shifter and the Alpha of the bear clan in the Moscow area. Valentin lost his mother and father to tragedy when he was too young to take over their clan. Another bear Alpha took over until Valentin came of age but some problems came up when Valentin took over and it caused a rift in the clan that Valentin is still trying to heal.

As a powerful Alpha in the Moscow area, Valentin has to work with Kaleb a lot on the Trinity accords and such. Valentin meets Silver during these meetings and he suddenly becomes much more interested in attending them. Valentin goes out of his way to see Silver and sends her things under a moniker that roughly translates to "I'm a teddybear". Silver is Silent but not completely or she'd chase Valentin off when he makes his unexpected visits. She never invites him in but isn't quite as cold as a truly Silent Psy would be. This gives Valentin hope and he tries to be stealthy (like a cat...which is a funny convo in his head) to win her without being obvious about his pursuit. One morning, Valentin sneaks in Silver's building to pay her one of his surprise visits and it's a good thing he did or she'd have never recovered from the poison that was in her breakfast.

Since Valentin is there, he's able to play the hero and get Silver the help she needed to recover. The main issue becomes the fact that with the attempt on Silver's life, they don't know who to trust and there's some indications that even family might not be safe. Silver's Grandmother arranges things with Valentin so Silver can stay with his bear clan where she's guaranteed safety. Valentin was rather shaken by Silver almost dying making him feel very protective of Silver so he's happy to have her on his territory where he can make sure she's safe. Also, Valentin is happy that he'll have uninterrupted time with Silver to "court" her properly. Silver actually succumbs to the idea of being with Valentin and experiencing feelings pretty quickly. Things would have been great (and it's have been a much shorter book) except there's an issue (let's call it a medical issue) that comes up and the solution causes problems for Valentin and Silver. It was poignant read and it wasn't easy (have some tissues) but Silver and Valentin do manage to get through things and end the story starting on a well deserved HEA together.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story...except for the parts that made my heart hurt and even those parts were still good. Silver was a great Psy heroine...my only real issue with her was something she couldn't control so I can't complain. Valentin was great and big teddy bear both literally and figuratively. He was big and tough but he showed (maybe more than any other alpha in this series) that the most important attribute of an alpha is that they have a heart big enough heart to love their entire clan (or pack) and Valentin did. I loved the characters and thought the story was great so I'd recommend this story/series. :D

* note - I listened to the audio version of this story and the narrator did a great job.

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Kelly
NUMBER OF HEARTS: 5++
Bears!!!
We finally get to jump into the world of Bear Changelings and it was AMAZING!!! If you have read the Psy-Changeling series you will know that the Bears were alluded to in prior books. But we didn’t know much about them! Well that all changed with this book. Because BEARS!!!!
Alpha Nikolaev is amazing! He carries the weight of his clan on his shoulders and some very deep scars in his heart. But that doesn’t stop him from being the best Bear Alpha that there can possible be. The Bears are a rowdy group that love to have fun and love each other deeply.
Silver Mercant we have seen a lot in prior books. She is an ice queen or that is what she wants us to think. It becomes clear very early one that Silver likes the attention from a certain Alpha Bear. She has no plans to act on this until her life is threatened and she is whisked away to Denhome for her safe keeping :).
This is the beginning of a wonderful cat and mouse (or Bear and Psy) game.
OMG!!! Seriously, does it get any better than a Nalini Singh book? I think not. I love and adore the world that Ms. Singh has created for us. Add to that amazing story telling the amazingly talented Angela Dawe and you have perfection!! Ms. Dawe does an amazing job of bringing Ms. Singh’s characters to the next level for me. Plus she has to say all the hard words or Russian words that if I had read them I would have just glossed over them. :) So thank you Ms. Dawe for being so awesome!! I am so excited already for the next installment in this new chapter of the Psy-Changeling world.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Berkley Publishing Group and an audiobook copy from Tantor Audio in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

Nalini Singh describes SILVER SILENCE as the start of a "second arc or season" for the Psy-Changeling series and that description feels very correct. Like the previous books, SILVER SILENCE carries with it the history of this world, the compelling characters, passionate romances, and fascinating plot while forging its own path into a new world. I loved seeing the way in which the fall of Silence and the following Trinity Accord has effected all of the races and their interactions with each other. Also, getting to see new changeling groups was a smart thing to do as it not only helps to expand the universe but keeps the series fresh with new character stories.

In the midst of a brave new world, humans, psy, and changelings have formed an uneasy alliance (the Trinity Accord) and terrorists threaten that alliance. Silver Mercant is wrapped up in the politics with the Trinity Accord and through clever plot mechanics, brings the Stone Water bear clan into situation. By having Silver- a name we've run across before in the series- be one half of the main couple of this story we have a link to between the first arc and the second arc. Silver is a wonderfully serious foil to the bears and Valentin, the bear alpha (Sidenote: I love the bears! They're hilarious, loving, loyal, and powerful. Quite possibly my new favorite changlings!). Singh excels at writing emotionally-layered and compelling characters and with Valentin and Silver that skill shines through. It's an odd sort of thought to think of Valentin, the bear alpha as both sexy and absolutely adorable but he is both. His strength is balanced with his gentleness which is what makes him perfect to break through to the icy Silver Mercant. Their relationship goes through some serious challenges that almost had me wondering if they weren't going to actually stay together. I was not ready for sad, adorable bears and luckily that was not the case in the end.

SILVER SILENCE sets up the foundation of the conflicts coming with this arc and tells another wonderful and charming romance. While the overall plan for the rest of this arc is unclear I am happy to continue along the ride with this series.

Valentin...

I didn't think someone could knock the Cats off my top Changling group but the bears are gaining ground!

Nalini will have your heart on stop go mode as you read, I had a brief breakdown in the middle of the office break room (trying not to outwardly cry while my heart was breaking at the situation Silver and Valentin end up in) and then had to wait 3 more excruciating hours till I could get home and continue to read, and I did last night, finishing up at about 1 am.

No spoilers here guys and gals - just a recommendation that this book goes to prove that Nalini Singh deserves my top Author spot on my bookshelf.

I will be re-reading before the next book is published. The first 15 books have been my go-to re-read series, followed closely by a binge of Guild hunters.

If I had to pick a series to be a castaway on a desert island for 10 years It would be the whole Nalini Paranormal Back Catalogue.

Nalini's writing and world building are deep, her characters multi-faceted and they delve deep into your heart, This world astounds me as I read and read again and pick up new nuances of information each time.

I know she has a system to keep track of who what where and why, as we got to hear about it when I had the pleasure of meeting Nalini in Auckland at the release of Allegiance of Honour, (going gaga in her presence) I know that once a reader finds Nalini, they become lifelong fans.

I was so pleased that there is this new series as I would be heartbroken if this world stopped evolving... Long may Psy-Changling world continue to the next century!!

And I can't wait for the next book in this new Trinity ARC.

PS Nalini thanks for not breaking my heart!

With Silver Silence, Nalini Singh is providing her readers with an evolution of the Psy-Changeling series where, instead of focusing on the races individually, we are working towards a more integrated society. Silence has fallen, many of the corrupt and psychopathic Psy have been defeated, and now our three races have begun working to strengthen the Trinity Accord. While part of the population sees the importance and benefits to uniting Humans, Psy and Changelings, others are wary or downright combative and have resolved to bring down Trinity and its basic tenets.

Silver Mercant is the perfectly silent assistant to powerhouse Kaleb Krycheck. I had to think really hard about who Silver was when I started this story, because I didn't recall being introduced to her family in the past. This is because the Mercant family has always been powerful, but they choose to remain in the shadows rather than making some of the more bold power grabs that we have seen from Psy councilors and villains alike. So while we knew Silver tangentially as Kaleb's assistant, I don't remember her being a major player in past books. But don't let that fool you, Silver is no slouch in the power department. As a pure telepath, Silver has the ability to communicate with people over long distances, a very useful ability when you work for a world super power, and particularly beneficial to Silver in her new position as head of EmNet, the new worldwide emergency response network. However, not all of Silver's psychic abilities are a boon, and its that secondary ability that necessitates Silver's rigid control and continued silence after other Psy have relaxed their hold.

"Bears have big bodies and big hearts. No one can ever argue otherwise. But there is a school of thought that says these big, blunt, gorgeous, and often aggravating creatures are the most sensitive changelings of us all. It’s hard to hurt a bear … but if and when you succeed, their pain is enormous."

Valentin Nikolaev, a/k/a I.M.A. Medvezhonok, is a hilarious and huge Kamchatka brown bear changeling, and alpha to the StoneWater clan in Russia. Changeling bears are wildly charming, sometimes illogical, and usually overbearing. But this brash behavior, while evincing their good nature and laissez faire attitude, also serves as a cover for astute minds and abiding loyalty. While I enjoyed the cats and wolves we met earlier in the series... the bears were so much stinkin' fun and lovable that they cemented a place in my heart very quickly. Valentin was the perfect alpha, with an awesome personality and huge heart; he was constantly taking care of his clan without being a stifling dictator. His attempts to woo Silver were hilarious, particularly when he talked himself up to be "sneaky like a cat." The humor that we got from this hero was a nice change from some of the uber-serious and broody heroes we have had in the past.

I found the romance between these two to be quite humorous, mainly due to Valentin's antics. However I also loved seeing Silver's dry sense of humor peek out occasionally. At one point the relationship did feel like it went from 0-60 in the blink of an eye... but that could be because there was so much happening the rest of the story that there wasn't time for our couple to ease into things. The relationship was not all hearts and flowers, despite Valentin's efforts. There was a good amount of turmoil and emotion to experience with this couple, and I was really pulling for our big teddy bear to get his HEA.

As stated above, not everyone is happy with the Trinity Accord. In this installment, we see more than one group working against Trinity's interests. That did get a little confusing sometimes as I wasn't always sure which villainous team was operating in the forefront... but bad guys are bad guys, even where the lines are blurred. These particular villains were willing to commit large scale attacks to maximize injuries and loss of life in an effort to advance their agenda. While I was sympathetic to certain reasons behind their feelings, it wasn't enough to make me feel sorry for those responsible for the devastation. Despite the confusion on the evil operatives, the action and mystery did a good job at advancing the plot around the romance.

I recommend this book to fans of Nalini Singh and paranormal romance, though I don't recommend that you read any of this series out of order. While there have been multiple story arcs, you want to get the benefit of the cumulative world building and character development that has happened over the first 15 books. Nalini is uber creative and talented and has given us a unique and captivating world to explore.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Berkley.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy. Thanks to NetGalley!

I did not get to reading it right away because of stuff going on in my life at the time. However, when I did sit down and read it, I was questioning why I hadn’t sat down sooner to read it. It was a brilliant book as you can always expect from this author. The characters and plot are wonderfully developed. This author is able to pull you into her world that she has created and make you feel as if you are there.

Silver and Valentin are great as a couple, and seeing how they progress as a couple is fabulous. It was interesting to see how Silver’s family the merchants interact with each other and people outside the family. Her grandmother is a bit of a bad-ass in how she goes about protecting her family. This is how she and Valentine see eye to eye in some respects. It is also very interesting to see how the bear pack interacts as a whole and then with Silver when Valentine brings her in.
We see how Silver is a perfect match for Valentin and his unruly pack of bears. She is more than capable of handling any of them and even goes toe to toe with his mother.

This book keeps the pace going and its definitely has some pivotal points that have you worried about how the next book is going to play out. The new Trinity Accord is standing strong but faces many challenges as it is still in the fragile stage of starting up and has many enemies.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who has ever enjoyed Singh's books. Also, I would recommend for anyone who is interested in this genre of books. It can be read as separate of the other books in the Psy-Changeling series but they will reference characters since they are in the same world.

This book is the first of a new trilogy that takes place after an alliance has been formed between the Psy, Changelings, and humans. It is currently a shaky alliance because the humans don't trust the Psy. They have years of memories of Psy abuse to get over. It also doesn't help because a secret group is determined to bring down the new, shaky alliance. Silver Mercant is in charge of a worldwide emergency response network and coordinates aide from all three groups. She is very busy because of both natural disasters and terroristic attacks. She is also both intrigued and bewildered by Valentin Nikolaev who is the alpha of the StoneWater bears and who is determined to court her.

Luckily, he is present when an assassination attempt is made on Silver. His quick thinking lets her survive the attack. Until her assassin can be tracked down, she takes refuge with the StoneWater clan which Valentin considers a positive step in his courtship. But Silver is Silent and believes that Silence is the only thing keeping her from going insane. Any kind of relationship with Valentin threatens her life. Unfortunately, her shields are crumbling and she sees insanity approaching.

I enjoyed this story. I liked that we had the viewpoint of the leader of the Human Alliance and the viewpoint of the terrorist who wants to bring it down along with Silver and Valentin's viewpoint. I loved the brief glimpses of some favorite characters from earlier books in the Psy-Changeling series. And I loved getting to know the bears. Wolves and cats are great, but ... bears! This book had great romance, some humor, and lots of intrigue.

(SPOLIER FREE)

Remarkable. Unforgettable. Emotional.

Before you even get started. Have a box of tissues by your side. Yes, you will cry for so many reasons.

Silver Silence was an emotional and unforgettable read. So many things are at play. We get old favorites, new enemies, and several new arrivals to fall in love with.

I had goosebumps just from the first page. “Welcome to the Age of Trinity”

The Bears. They where wonderful, adorable, and sweet. I loved visiting a whole new set of changelings and their pack. Valentine, I loved him. I went through a number of emotions when it came to Valentine and the challenges he had to go through to win Silver. He was just so wonderful with Silver and he never gave up. Silver, I loved her. She was amazing. It was wonderful to visit a different Psy family and see that they are just as tight-knit as any changeling pack. This line from the book best describes Silver and well all the Mercant’s: “To be a Mercant is to be a shadow that moves with will, with intelligence, with purified precision.”

Silver Silence is all about change and a new direction for Humans, Changelings, and Psy. The book is divided up into two parts. This helps show the changes that accrue and will accrue at these points. Many unexpected things happen. Somewhere a punch to the gut, while others had me overjoyed.

This was an extraordinary start to the new Pay-Changeling Trinity series. Once you start, you won’t want to stop. I LOVED it!

Rated: 4.5 Stars

*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy provided by Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley with the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.

SILVER SILENCE is the first book in a new story arc in the Psy-Changeling universe. I gotta tell you, I absolutely devoured this book! It was so exciting and funny and heartfelt and just about destroyed me!

Right away we (the readers) are swept into a dangerous and deadly new world where the humans, Changelings (animal shapeshifters) and Psy (psychically enhanced) are trying to coexist peacefully. Not everyone, however, wants peace. I was glued to my Kindle screen the entire time!

In reading previous Psy-Changeling books, I’ve struggled at times trying to keep up with the politics aspect of the books, but not with SILVER SILENCE. I was easily able to follow all the storylines and the political nuances. It’s an exciting and amazing book and I cannot WAIT for the next one!

Can we talk about Valentin? Oh my goodness! He is hands down the best hero I’ve ever read! I fell in love with that big bear so hard and fast! I melted every single time he romanced his Silent Silver. Where can I get me a Changeling alpha bear? Sign me up!

What I really loved about this book was the exquisite balance of danger and humor. The StoneWater bear clan was the comic relief and had me laughing out loud when I wasn’t crying or squeezing my Kindle in suspense!

Nalini Singh made magic once again with this timeless love story. SILVER SILENCE is the BEST book of 2017 thus far. Amazing is such an inadequate word to describe how wonderful this story is. I highly recommend and strongly encourage everyone to pick up SILVER SILENCE or any one of Nalini Singh’s books!

I voluntarily read a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

Heads up if you are looking for a synopsis type review this is not it. Just my thoughts on why you might love Silver Silence.

New readers can definitely enjoy this book as it is a new arc of the Psy/Changeling Series called Trinity without reading the books 1- 15 (full novels), but this book will mean that much more to you if you go back and read from the beginning.

Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changelings, Book 1) (Psy/Changeling Series)

Thus far we have met many different types of changelings, and I didn't think that I could love any changeling more than the leopards and wolves, but these Bears are something else. What I love even more are all new characters that we are meeting i.e. Stasha, Nova, Pieter, Pavel, Yakov, and lots of others.

This book has a great main line romance between Silver and Valentin. They crack me up at every turn. The plot line will have you wondering where this world is going and I absolutely can't wait for the next book.

The chemistry is so present between the two characters as they come from two different worlds and try to navigate finding a way to make a relationship work.

If you are a fan of Nalini Singh you got no reason not to wanna read this book. If you are new to the Nalini Singh world and this is your entrance book jump on in and join us. I promise the Kool-Aid we sip is very tasty.

It's a great romance with sexy scenes, but not compared to others not as racy as some authors get which I kinda love about Nalini. You love romance novel, great storytelling, and a series that you can jump into then give this one a chance.

There is a reason that Nalini Singh is one of my favorite writers, she is just simply amazing!!!! In this book she delivers another gleaming gem in her psy-changling world. She manages to do what other authors only dream of doing, introduce and focus on new characters in an ongoing series that are both interesting, compelling, and lovable. And introducing those new characters in a way that don't have her readers revolting for writing unnecessary books that don't need to exist to further the overall story. She creates an amazing rollercoaster ride of emotions that has you holding your breath!!! He character and story development is so well expressed that you become attached to the characters!! And after such a wonderfully written book, she leaves us with a gut clenching cliffhanger. My only complaint is that the next book is too far way!!!

I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

This book builds on the world that Nalini Singh created with her epic Psy-Changeling series and expands it beautifully.

I had wondered how the three sectors of the population- humans, changelings and Psy - would co-exist after the corruption of the Psy was exposed and the the Psy-net stablized and this book shows the after effects both its glory and devastation.

Radicals from all over the world are attempting to subvert the good that Psy are now doing by terrorizing their own people in an effort to eradicate the Psy population. However, the Changelings are also caught in the crossfire and they refuse to let the radicals win.

Caught in the middle are Silver Mercant - former assistant to Kaleb Krycheck and now head of a world wide relief origaizaton - and Valentin Nikolaev, leader of a Bear clan just outside of Moscow. When Silver's life is endangered, Val saves her life and offers her refuge with his clan. What Val doesn't know is that Silver not only faces danger from the outside world, but from her own mind.

When a choice has to be made between the Silver he knows now and one that may never love him, Val encourages her to take the chance knowing that she may never love him after the surgery that will save her life.

As the Radicals reek havoc on the world around them, Val knows thing that truly matters is Silver's life.

~~Wicked Reads Review Team~~

voluntary review of arc
Silver is one of the few who needs silence to survive. Valentin (Mischa) is a bear determined to coax Silver into breaking silence. Can Silver chose another way not that she is a woman grown or will silence be all that allows her to survive?
Silver Silence by Nalini Singh is the latest story in her psi world but first in the Trinity series. I want a Mischa!! He has a big heart, strong will, sense of fun and could kill you dead with one strike. Silver isn’t quite sure what to do with the bear shifter Alpha who is determined to uncover the fire within. I loved his sense of playfulness not only with Silver but also with his den. Ms. Singh did not make Mischa a caricature of a Russian although I will admit a few stereotypes slipped in. Mischa was a fully developed male with deep feelings and a strength of honor that was bone deep. And while Silver wasn’t used to anyone like Mischa, I loved that she did not allow herself to be seen as week; even when Mischa sees her at less than her best. I adored Silver and Mischa together. Family is important to them both and a willingness to protect at all costs was deep within both their dna. This story is well written. It is full of joy, pain and love. I can’t wait to see where Ms. Singh will take us as the Psy-Changling world continues to grow and change.

Five Shooting Stars and Shining Star Award

Another excellent addition by Nalini Singh! Once again Singh expertly crafts a tale infused with love, loyalty, passion, and intrigue. The efficient and cold Silver, and her unusually familial Psy family, have had an important presence in recent books, and I, like many fans, have eagerly awaited her book. The insights into the Mercant family, and the introduction of Silver's closest familial relation, alone made this book remarkable. I know I'm not the only one happily waiting to see how that person's story continues in the future! The introduction of the loving and playful Bear clan also created a fun twist, as we've previously seen only wolves or cat changellings in the main character role. The mystery of the book hooks you right away, as Silver suffers from the villain right out of the gate, an event the necessitates her being bundled off to the bear'a lair for safety. Unfortunately the believability that the Mercants would place their heir in the paws of the bears so readily, rather than turning to Kaleb for her safety reads as highly unlikely and very out of character. Also unfortunately, what could have been a splendid edition to the changeling aspect of this series, the bear clan, ended up falling extremely flat. It was distracting and bizarre how Val, the bear leader, kept referring to his and other bear's actions as wolflike or cat like. I thought we were getting a bear clan? Should their actions then not be bear like? After all, Silver is not a wolf or a bear, so these references were off putting. Nevertheless, despite its weak points, Singh gives us a satisfying installment in her popular and ever original Psy-Changeling series, and leaves us, as always, eagerly awaiting the next. Until then, we hibernate!

I have not read all of the psy-changeling book, I actually did not see Silence Fall. But hey I knew Silence had fallen and it felt like the new series it was.

Silver is still silent. Cold psy, all business and in danger. I liked her, the psy are just so freaky, cold and emotionless. So filled with logic.

Nikolai is her opposite. A bear who likes hugs, who will do anything for his clan and who has decided that she is his. Oh man, she does not stand a chance.

He chases her and well duh of course things happen- It's a romance after all. But I will not say how it happens or how Singh manages to tear my heart apart with her evil ways. So perfectly evil and awesome.

The plot going on in the background is a part of the who poisoned her thing. Everyone is not happy that Trinity is ruling. That all are equals, some just do not believe it to be so. Dang idiots. It felt so real with terrorists running around and innocents getting hurt.

Narration by Angela Dawe
I was weirded out at first by her voices. All the Russians, male and female sounded like they had smoked too much and drunk too much vodka. It was strange. But I got used to it (still weird though and not sexy.)
But she did a good job and I enjoyed listening to her voice. I would def want to listen to the next one. it works perfectly on audio.

I have to start off by saying if you have not read Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series you need to now because it's one of the most awesome series I've ever read! When I received this ARC at RT17 I actually happy danced and squeed which doesn't happen with that many books (the other one being Wired by Julie Garwood!).

This is a spin off series which made me both happy and sad. I definitely missed some of my favorite characters from the previous Psy-Changeling books but I was happy to finally see Silver get her own story. She's always been cool as ice when working with Kaleb so I knew she was going to be an amazing character and she definitely lived up to my expectations. I loved seeing her come into her own while living with the bear changelings especially seeing her around the children. The children/cubs are absolutely adorable and wrapped themselves around my heart.

Valentin was a good solid hero though didn't quite knock down Lucas, Hawk, Vasic, Kaleb or Aden out of their top spots in my heart. I have to give him mad props for his determination especially towards the end.

I will admit though I loved seeing Silver fall in love I now am anxiously awaiting/hoping Silver's brother gets his own story. I loved seeing the glimpses of him and his potential mate. Fabulous start to another must read series from Nalini Singh!

Oh my goodness! The Bears! I love the bears! As much as I've enjoyed reading the cat and the wolf books, there was just something so great about the bears. They still have that strong sense of pack and family that the others have, but there's just something... more about them. That and that the mating games they play by sneaking after their "prey" aka future mates, was just so yummy! The bears are so rowdy and full of trouble and yet everyone can't help but loving them. I found myself grinning from ear to ear the entire time reading this. Trust me, if you've enjoyed the pack dynamics of the other packs, the bears are going to instantly win your heart ten times over.

Onto the romance. Remember my love for the bears? Their traits made for one heck of a fun and hilarious mating dance. The shenanigans Valentin gets up to are nothing short of hilarious. But don't worry, Silver gives him more than a run for his money. Still it was incredibly enjoyable to watch him slowly break down her walls one by one. Their chemistry is off the charts from the first page despite her initial coldness. It truly made for an incredibly enjoyable read.

Simply put, Silver Silence is utter and completely fantastic. You cannot go wrong with a Nalini Singh book, but Silver Silence knocked it out of the park!

Like many readers of this series I have developed a love of the bad boys, Judd Lauren, the Arrows and the magnificent Kaleb Krychec yum.
Now Ms. Signh gives us the ultimate good guy to swoon over Valentin Nikolaev, alpha of the Stonewater Russian bear clan who is infatuated with Silver Mercant.
Silver's story was a pleasant surprise. The cold psy aide of Krychek, the head of EmNet and the heir apparent to the powerful Mercant family story comes alive as we discover the many facets of this woman. Her personality evoves under the persistence of one stuborn bear alpha who loved her at first sight so pursues her relentlessly. Valentin and his clan live their lives with an abundance of joy and love impossible to resist by Silver and the reader alike.
This capacity to love, laugh and forgive puts Valentin at the top of my romance novel boyfriend list.
The storyline dragged a bit but I understood strings needed to be tied up while others will be left for another day. This small bit didn't take away from the overall enjoyment of the book.
While not as impactful as Heart of Obsidian ( what is) it is still a very good read.

Review: SILVER SILENCE (Psy-Changeling Trinity) by Nalini Singh
Publication Date: June 13, 2017
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 5 Stars

I absolutely LOVED this one! I'm obsessed with the Bear changelings! SILVER SILENCE is the first book in Nalini Singh's new Psy-Changeling Trinity series. It's a new story arc set in her Psy-Changeling world. SILVER SILENCE hooked me from the first page and I was quickly swept up in Nalini Singh's unique paranormal world that is unlike any other. The descriptive details made me feel like I was in the story. It was a beautiful love story with hot romance, suspense and danger. I just loved the bears! If you haven't read the previous series you can start with SILVER SILENCE, the beginning of Nalini Singh's new series, or you can go back and read the previous Psy/ Changeling Series. If you pick up the Psy-Changeling series I recommend reading them in order because of all the connections and the series storyline. I recommend this series for paranormal lovers looking for a new obsession. Nalini Singh is one of my favorite authors.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

Well, I am glad I was able to borrow this book from the library instead of spending almost $12 on it. The courtship/romance between the main characters were so lackluster that I find myself skimming through a lot. I felt like the book did not add much progression to the main story arc. I gave two stars for the cute and funny pack life. But her long time readers/followers can just skip this book and they wouldn't miss much. I finished this book within a day and felt highly dissapointed.

I look forward to each book in the Psy-Changling series and Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh. And this book did not disappoint!

The Psy-Changling-Human world is a truly intriguing one - the characters are of worthwhile substance, the dialogue is fantastic, the romance & sex is amazing, and the plot with these characters captures you! I especially love that each book in this series can be a stand-alone read, giving a satisfying closure while still keeping you interested in the next installation in this series.

You get to truly meet Silver Mercant as the powerful, competent, & passionate woman that she is - she's no longer "just Kaleb's secretary/senior aide". And now we've also got an introduction to BEARS! Cats, wolves, & bears...oh my! And you'll love this bear clan and their sexy alpha Valentin who knows who/what he wants.

Eager for the next book now!

Singh returns to the form of her best Psy/Changeling books and introduces an ebullient new Changeling pack, the bears. After a few books that suffered from trying to include too many of our old favorite couples, Singh solves this by a setting on the other side of the world with new characters. Silver Mercant is a pretty typical Psy protagonist with the common complication that she might die or go crazy if she breaks Silence. Add to that the irresistible force that is Valentin Nikolaev, the bear’s alpha, and you know that all complications will be overcome. Okay, it’s a formula, but Singh makes it fresh with her compelling characters and good action. Actually there was a bit less action in this book and I’m getting frustrated with how slowly the Consortium arc is being developed, but It was still a great read.

This is the first book I have read by Nalini Singh. I found myself being introduced to a brand new and intriguing world full of Psy (psychics), Changelings (shapeshifters) and humans. It has dark and sinister elements with the romance shining through, sneaky like a cat.
This was an enjoyable read and left me wanting to know more about this world. I will definitely wanting to read more books by Nalini Singh.

It is also a book that doesn't leave a new-to-the-fold reader feeling like they've missed something for not reading the earlier books. It is enjoyable for a new reader to the psy-changeling world as for a longtime fan.

I received a free, advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

Mate. Family. Clan. That is our hearts heart. Loyalty. Honor. Courage. StoneWater.

I love this series. Have from the very beginning. This is a must read in order to get the full effects of the characters and storyline.

Silver is Silent. Psy. Nalini set up her character really well. As always when psy meet their intended one, they have no feelings at first, or so they think and then they break but in a oh so good way. It's hard at first to watch but it ends up being worth it.

Valentine is a bear changeling. Alpha. I loved his character. He didn't give up on her even though at times it felt to me that all might be lost.

I enjoyed this series and cannot wait for more!

Reviewed by Shay from Mommys a Book Whore (NetGalley)

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this from NetGalley and read it immediately but the store wouldn't let me review until the book actually came out! So here is the review that I posted at Goodreads right after reading the book.

Silver Silence is the first book in the "second season" of the Psy-Changeling world, as Singh puts it. We get some time with returning characters but the real focus is on Silver Mercant, her silence and emotions, and on moving the whole Psy world forward. The romance was very well done, as expected from Singh, and the conflict - both internal to the relationship and external with outside forces - was well paced and interesting. An introduction to a new set of shifters and a Moscow location keep the details fresh and engaging. Long time fans of the Psy Changeling series will enjoy this book and new readers will likely be enticed to go back and read previous books if this is their first foray into Singh's world.

This book hit all the feel! From Valentin the I A M TEDDY BEAR. To Silver silence (get ??) this book got us to sigh. There is a new evil introduced, following the bombshell of last book (secret do not stay secret for long), and more clue to who the architect is. There is a heartbreaking new twist. that would have fan crying, and eagerly waiting for the next book for the conclusion. Unlike the other books the mating bond was not the solution to psy problem. And a plot twist alluded in kiss of swow is back again. It is not confirmed but it's better than the alternative. The Aleine twin are back as well as Samuel! (there was an hint of something here that will have people who have been rooting for another pairing snifing)They again performed an miracle in just the nik of time. The cast of new character is extensive of course, but already worm their way into our heart. i can't wait to read more about them. The book is a must read for old fan, and new one will fall in love with Nalini world and complex character with us!

I am not a fan of all the psy-changeling novels -- sometimes the overlap of cultures is shallow and confusing, but this one novel stands alone, the arc of history stays firmly in the background and the story of an impossible courtship between a determined changeling bear and one of the "silent" drives the plot successfully to its conclusion.

The other, much darker and more groundbreaking from a science fiction standpoint is Heart of Obsidian.

The author could have cut at least 100 pages. She repeats the same stuff about the current characters and situations over and over and over plus for long time readers she repeats past stuff which we should all know over and over and over. If not for the lack of sex (there is some) I'd think she was starting to go the Laurell K. Hamilton route.

2.5 stars

This review was originally posted on Goodreads.

For readers unfamiliar with the 15 main books that make up the Psy/Changeling series, not to worry. Nalini Singh's Silver Silence -- book 1 of what the author has described as the second arc (akin to Season 2) of the series -- does a brilliant job of bringing through just the right amount of backstory from those previous books, while allowing us to shadow the Silver Silence characters, as they explore and navigate new terrain in a changing word.
In this first story of the Psy-Changeling Trinity arc, a few familiar faces resurface, but how very fitting to have one half of the couple at the helm of this book fall into that category, while the other half is an entirely new addition.

(SPOILER) This story opens up with a nearly successful attempt on the life of Silver Mercant, whose name fans of the series will recognize from past books as the assistant to the powerful Kaleb Krychek, and later, as the director of the recently created EmNet, a worldwide Emergency Response Network, that was born out of the fall of Silence. Luckily for Silver, Alpha Valentin Nikolaev of the StoneWater bear clan, and self proclaimed "medvezhonok" (teddy bear) when it comes to the emotionally "Silent" Ms. Mercant, is there to thwart the attempt and get her rushed to the hospital before the ingested poison can fully hit its mark. And that’s just in the first chapter.

Aside from getting to know Silver and Valentin, and bearing witness to their struggles while rooting for their happily ever after-- or the closest they can get to what that is for them--, all three major groups of this world, the Psy, Changelings, and Humans have “screen time.”

I was blessed to win an ARC (still giddy that I was one of the winners) and I had to make myself slowdown in order to savor this book. A few of my favorite experiences: meeting Arwen, Silver's brother, and a potential love interest for him in the bear clan (Nalini, please give us more regarding this relationship!), meeting and witnessing Grandmother "Alpha" Ena Mercant in action, the introduction of an adorable polar bear cub, meeting several of the bear clan children, getting a clue (or perhaps it's artistic misdirection, Nalini?) regarding the identity of the Architect of the Consortium, and meeting so many fascinating bear changelings!

Now along with the joys, were definitely some tears-- including some shed over the possible death of a well-established character featured in several of the past Psy/Changeling series to date.

Nalini's world and the specificity of it, floors me. And just when I think I know where she's going with something, she surprises me in a wonderfully refreshing way. Also, Alpha Valentin Nikolaev is different from any of the characters I've met yet in the series. On the whole, the bears feel different from the cats and the wolves. And, yes, intellectually, we expect them to, but Nalini does superb work in making this reality so that it bears (see what I did there?) giving kudos to. Also, with the rivalry between the BlackEdge Wolves and the StoneWater Bears, I can't help but hope Nalini writes an inter species romance akin to that of SnowDancer Wolf, Lieutenant Riley Kincaid, and DarkRiver Leopard, Sentinel Melisande 'Mercy' Smith. But even if that doesn't come to pass, I am excited to see which inter species couples come together and how Season two will unfold for Psy, Changelings, and Humans alike.

Ive read almost ALL BOOKS by Ms. Singh. And I have loved them all. Very versatile and clever, and there is no one else like her. I have enjoyed this book like no other. This book starts off as an off-shoot to the the Psy-Changeling series. We jump ahead a little in time with a new cast but of course our all time favorite Changelings.

I don't talk about a lot of the plot because you need that experience for yourself. Read this new cast-off and sink your teeth into this great addition to our future!

I really enjoyed Silver Silence, after waiting anxiously for this book it did not let me down.
I enjoyed getting to know Silver more, although she's been in several books I had no emotional attachment to her but this book changed that for me.
I absolutely adore Valentin, the perfect partner for Miss Silver Mercant. An alpha that I hope to see more of in future books. Strong, focused & caring as an alpha should be, but also extremely funny I was laughing out loud many times.
Loved meeting the bears, they fit perfectly into this amazing series, I'm hoping to see more of the newly introduced characters in the future. So many story opportunities from this book.
Silver Silence brought out several emotions, happiness, humor, anger, concern & upset making it an excellent read as far as I'm concerned. I'll certainly be rereading this one.
Best line for me: Mr I.M.A Medvezhonok (Mr I am a Teddy bear) just perfect.

I liked this story between the psy and the bear, that are now my favorite changeling, and I love al the subplot going on on the world of trinity and Consortium. Nalini Singh is really a good writer....

Mi é piaciuta questa storia tra la Psy e l'orso, che ora sono tra i miei changeling preferite, e ho adorato tutte le sottotrame che nel frattempo hanno continuato ad andare avanti nel mondo diviso tra trinity e Consortium. Nalini Singh é veramente una grande scrittrice....

I always love Nalini Singh's books but this was my favorite. I literally laughed out loud at the bear antics of Valentin, but loved his sweet, goofy pursuit of Silver. I teared up a bit at the pain of their family situation, and Silver's strength as she joined their family. I wasn't sure I wanted to read about the bears, but they are now my favorite changeling group! More, please!

I like the way this series is growing and direction it's going. I like that we still are able to know about the lives of the major characters. But it a deeply moving to see how change can come about in a world where prejudices have been so consuming and destructive. To see all aspects of nature played out (the good, bad, evil, selfishness, power hungry, honor, respect, loyalty and love. Definitely a series worth reading and keeping.

Probably one of the best if not the best book I have read in her psy-changeling series. Except for the last psy book, I have read them all. Some were good, some were ok. This was excellent. I guess this is the beginning of a different focus of the psy-changeling series although it just felt like a continuation to me. I do love the bear clan and hope this new series focuses on them.

I borrowed this from the city library and it was soon good,I couldn't put it down once I started to read it, that's how good it was.I really liked the story line and loved the characters in this book. I just wish it was a little bit longer.I really love this author's work and love this series.I can't wait until the next book.

I love everything about this series. I love all the different plot and side stories going on in this series and how at some point it all comes together to move the story and plot along to the next book. Singh is such an amazing writer; it's absolutely incredible the way she just keeps building onto this series. Can't wait for the next one.

I read all the prior books within 1 month of discovering Ms. SIngh's alternate world (took that long cuz I had to work!!), but this book was definitely worth the wait. The characters retain the qualities they displayed in prior books and grow with each telling. The storyline moves and keeps you wrapped up in it! Wonderful read. Only wish I had another to start on right now!!

I always have high hopes for this author and she never disappoints, but even with a familiar world, she made it feel brand spanking new! It helps that now we have bears. I loved this book, this couple and I loved the bears. I am thrilled with the direction this series is going. Can't wait for more!

Loved, loved, loved it! Nalini Singh, you are amazing! You did it again! The writing is excellent, action keeps you reading breathlessly, the characters are interwoven seamlessly, creating a rich tapestry that you don't want to end! I love the world of Psy/changeling/human interactions! What an imagination!

I'm a big Nalini Singh fan, particularly of the psy-changeling series and I wasn't let down with this latest installment. In fact, I adored the cats, then the wolves, and now am absolutely hooked on the bears! I loved the way Silvers' story played out, and the sheer mischief the bear clan brought to the story. As the conflict between Human, Psy and Changeling continues to ramp up, I can't wait for the next installment.

This continues a fantastic series which has outstanding characters who live in incredibly interesting situations. The paranormal romantic minded will absolutely love this. Political thriller , murderous love story, family relationships. This has it all!

I've been waiting for Silver's story and it didn't disappoint. I think the bear clan is awesome and loved the whole group and that so much back story was shared. Kind of a cliff hanger ending, which is irritating.

First in the Psy-Changeling Trinity follow-on series from Singh’s Psy-Changeling universe and revolving around three races: the Psy, the shifters, and humans. The couple focus is on Silver Mercant and Valentin Nikolaev. If you're interested, there is a chronological listing of the Psy-Changeling books on my website.

My Take
Yep, it is an insightful series name, for it’s a new age for Psy, humans, and shifters, a tri-way struggle to achieve equality, trust, and peace for all.

The theme is love whether it be Silver coming to understand and love, Valya’s tremendous capacity for love for Silver, his family, his pack…all of 'em, Ena's love for her granddaughter, Arwen's, Valya's family…and more.

But a counter theme is greed. Yes, there’s hate in there as well, but the prime mover is greed with the Consortium willing to disrupt, murder, and destroy to improve their bottom line.

It’s an interesting contrast: the sleek and sophisticated Silver versus the brash bear. With Singh using third-person subjective point-of-view, we get to hear the thoughts of a number of characters…and I do see this POV as much warmer.

What I don’t buy is this insta-romance. Oh, no, Silver does fight it, but she falls in too easily. I like getting to know her, but she’s always been so cold and matter-of-fact, and now she has no real problem adjusting to Denhome. She easily accepts touch. Maybe it is because of her family line’s historic passions and their frequent gatherings, but c’mon, they’re still Silent. This still doesn’t work for me.

Val dares her into sex, and she’s curious enough to want to challenge her Silence and understand what the act is all about. If Silver is ”discovering the craving of power of want”, why isn’t Singh making us feel this?
”’Bears are handsy.’ They hugged like it was going out of business and threw each other around for fun. ‘…but I can’t promise the same for the littlest cubs.’”
I did love the bears, and it was a fun switch from the more … sophisticated?? … leopards and wolves. That bit about Krycheck importing a huge cask of beer to force the bears to sit down and discuss cracked me up. Singh follows this with the anecdote that describes bear curiosity when they had to see for themselves that Krycheck was in love.

I can understand human anger. As we learn of all the nasty crap the Psy pulled on humans…I wanna kill someone! Those Psy don’t deserve to survive. And the Psy won’t, now that the truth behind the Net’s disintegration is revealed.
I love this epigraph: “Betrayal is a rusted sword that wounds long before the first cut is made.”
Singh does a good job of the tease. All the hints about Silver’s debilitating “other” ability and the innuendos about StoneWater’s brokenness.

If those bears who left thought that Valya would be like his father, why weren’t they considering his grandfather's character as well?

Whoa, don’t ever annoy Grandmother Mercant. She’s a wily cuss.

These hate groups. They see nothing wrong with killing humans to get what they want. They’ll go after Silver, but then object when Ena threatens to go after their children. They call her a monster??

The Story
It can’t be family. It can’t be. The Mercants are famous for their familial loyalty. But no one else has had access to Silver’s apartment.

Bowen and his people have their own tragedy bearing down on them. The chip that was supposed to protect them from Psy influence is killing them. And it’s too late to take it out.

And Valya has been coddling the broken until a near disaster forces him to issue an ultimatum.

The Characters
Silver “Starlight” Mercant, a telepathic Psy with a debilitating secondary ability, is her grandmother’s heir, Krychek’s senior aide, and the new coordinator of EmNet, the Emergency Response Network.

Ena “Grandmother” Mercant is the head of the shadowy and powerful Mercant Clan. More family includes Ivan, a cousin who works in building security; her brother, Arwen, is the empathic one who holds Silver Silent and has probably kept the Mercants mentally stable all these years as well; Lillya, another cousin, is only twelve; Hunter is very ambitious; and, Aunt Ada. Adina Mercant had been an infamous poet who went to jail for stabbing her lover. Silver's great-grandfather had been a human engineer who loved his Psy wife. Aunt Rose was great-grandfather’s youngest sister.

Silver Silence sees the evolution of the EmNet as an organization with Erik Jahnssen, a former sergeant and human engineer with a spinal injury who had led military search-and-rescue teams, as one of Silver's new hires.

Valentin Nikolaev, a.k.a., Mishka, Valya, Valyusha, recently became the Alpha of the StoneWater bear pack in Russia; he holds a master’s degree in psychology. Zoya Vashchenko had been the previous, temporary, Alpha. His mother, Galina Evanova, roams as a bear, having flipped out when his father, Mikhail Nikolaev, proved to be severely flawed. Kirill had been Valentin's grandfather when the pack had been its strongest, claiming almost all of Russia; Anzhela is his wife.

The StoneWater bear pack claims…
…half the city of Moscow and the territory that borders it. Denhome is home base. Anastasia “Stasya” is Valentin’s sister and his second-in-command. Evanova “Nova”, his second-eldest sister, is a healer and an M.D. mated to Chaos; and, Nika who is his third eldest sister. I think she's Janika. Pieter “Petya” is his third-in-command. Pavel is one of the senior bears and a funny certified tech geek; he’s intensely interested in Arwen. Pavel and Yakov Stepyrev are identical twin great-grandsons of Déwei Nguyen, a Foreseer Psy who had mated a StoneWater bear when Silence was first imposed. Zahaan “Zasha”, Taji, and Inaraare also senior bears. Zarina Saarinen is head of StoneWater’s educational system and Zahaan’s mother. Devi is a runner.

I love how caring they are of the cubs who include Arkasha, one of the tiny gangsters; Dima, a.k.a., the Barnacle (he’s Nova and Chaos’ son); Fitzpatrick Haydon William; Svetlana Valeria “Sveta" Kuznetsov; Oksana and Irina who won’t wait forever; and, Olive and Mina are teens with an issue. More of the bears include Moonbeam, Chaos is a polar bear from Babuska Caroline’s birth clan and the head cook mated to Nova, Jane, and the very-pregnant (and human) Moira mated to Leonid.

The broken bears include…
…Fariad, Ilya, Marik is one of the teens, Sergey is their leader and had been Mikhail’s second; Artem “Tyoma” is their trainee healer and Sergey’s son whom these bears are letting down; Enja is Sergey’s mate; Jovan; and, Laine.

The BlackEdge wolves pack has…
…been taking over StoneWater territory since the StoneWater troubles. Selenka Durev is their Alpha. Christof is a student living in the combined apartment building in the city. Margo Lucenko is the head of complex security at Silver’s apartment building and a senior member of the pack.

Nina Rodchenko is the manager of Club Moscow. Victoria is a maître d’ Valya knows.

Kaleb Kyrcheck is a dual cardinal Psy, probably the most powerful Psy on the planet. He’s married to and warmed by Sahara Kyriakus. Lenik is the next senior aide and is not happy trying to take on Silver’s tasks with Krycheck.

Krychek had been part of the previous Psy Council along with Nikita Duncan and Anthony Krychek who are now part of the Ruling Coalition. Sophia Russo, a J-Psy, and Max Shannon, a human in charge of Nikita’s security, are married. Ming LeBon, Shoshana and Henry Scott, Marshall Hyde, and Tatiana Rika-Smythe had been evil Psy on the now-defunct Psy Council.

Rico Cavalier gave Silver a gift. Monique Ling is Silver’s human neighbor who works with Jai Shivani. The Dancing Frog Bar was hit. Arwen has made a couple of friends of empaths, but they don’t know who he is: Jaya in the Maldives and Ruslan, an archeologist in Russia.

The Americans
Ashaya (mated to Dorian Christensen, a leopard sentinel), Designation M with the ability to manipulate genes, and Amara Aleine (a psychopath who behaves for Ashaya) are twins and brilliant Psy scientists. Samuel Rain is another brilliant scientist who worked in experimental biofusion. Dr. Edgard Bashir is the surgeon who will operate.

Lucas Hunter, the alpha for the DarkRiver cats, gets a mention. Malachai Rhys is security for BlackSea.

The Arrow Squad is…
…led by Aden Kai. Vasic Zen is a one-armed born teleporter.

The Empathic Collective is…
…an organization of E-Psy led by Ivy Jane Zen, Vasic’s wife.

The Trinity Accord is…
…the latest treaty in which Psy, humans, and shifters will be equal.

The Silence Protocol was…
…intended to eliminate, or at least slow down, the madness that afflicted too many of the Psy. Instead, without emotion, the PsyNet broke down, splitting into the NetMind and the DarkMind. The death of the PsyNet means death will follow for all Psy. E-Psy are empaths and all about emotion.

The Human Alliance is…
…based in Venice and led by a figurehead, Giovanni Somme, who is very loyal to Bowen. It’s Bowen “Bo” Knight, their security chief, who is the real power with more and more businesses adding the Human Alliance logo to their own. Lily Knight is his sister and the EmNet liaison for the Alliance. Neha is Bowen’s highly qualified assistant. Phoenix is one of Bo’s cousins and working on an engineering contract in Mozambique, and he’s just gotten mated to a StoneWater bear, Janika. Niall is one of theirs. Piero is a gondolier.

The Consortium is…
…a self-centered, loose organization of all three races who want to sow discord and reap the profits. Their “leader” is known only as the Architect. Is he also the Patriot?

HAPMA is…
…similar but all human, Humans Against Psy Manipulation. Ya can’t blame ‘em. David Fournier is survival trained.

The Patel Conglomerate is…
…a human-owned corporation. Akshay Patel is their CEO whose wife was psychically raped. Vahan is his son.

The Cover and Title
The all-reds cover is kind of creepy in an artistic way. I’m going with the Volga River in the background with several boats steaming away, the banks lined with park-like spaces and beautiful buildings, a starry sky above. But what catches your attention is the lighter red smoke that I suddenly realized was actually a human body at the bottom morphing into a bear at the top, Ursus perhaps? The author’s name (at the top) and the title (at the bottom) are in a debossed metallic silver with the series information at the bottom in white.

The title should really be a possessive of that Silence, for it’s Silver[’s] Silence that is the issue.

I haven't read a Nalini Singh book in years (I think I read one awhile back and didn't love it), so I wanted to give this new series a shot after hearing so many great things about her. It left me feeling meh.

Silver and Valentin were an interesting couple. I liked watching him try and woo her and her try to resist. Both of them were strong, alpha characters without being overbearing. They were strong, loving, and respected each others commitments as leaders of an organization/clan. However, that enjoyment was eclipsed by a lot of generalizations about bear changelings (a bear does this, a bear does that) that we're told rather than shown and for me, that made Valentin feel like a much more shallow character. Yes, he's a bear and that is a part of him, but he's formed from more than his species and while his past is used to explain other aspects of his personality I got sick of all the shake-your-head-he's-a-bear-what-do-you-expect reactions. He's great with the clan and the bears cubs, but again it felt too general for me. Okay, he's paying attention and playing with his small bears (and it was cute!), but it's emphasized that his connection to them is deep and necessary, yet there was no personal touch shown. How does he handle his clan mates different needs?

I liked the excerpts from different books and magazines at the beginning of each chapter. They were fun and interesting. I liked seeing the signs of a budding romance for Silver's brother.

Overall, I'd recommend it if you're a big Nalini Singh fan (I too have those authors who can do no wrong). However, for those who are new to her like I was I'd recommend starting at the beginning of the Psy-Changeling series and going from there. Maybe there's something I missed by coming in so late (this is the first book of a second arc).

StoneWater, a powerful bear clan, enriches the Psy-Changeling Trinity series. I love the new layer of characters Ms. Singh weaves as this series continues to net across their world. Entertaining. Smart. Fun.

Just enough, I can't think of a word, suspense, intrigue or what the heck comes next to keep me reading. Greatly enjoyed Silver Silence and cannot wait for the next Singh book in her series. Also missed learned missed a book and I will look for it.

I hope that the next book tells more about this couple.....did not want it to end...perhaps having a bear/psy baby?, lol. This author writes the perfect alpha male and his kicka$$$ female. Great read.

Just finished Silver Silence...
Mind blowing, emotional, WOW..
Each book just gets more intense and pulls you in and keeps you turning the page.....
Can't wait for the next book.
Purchased from department store

The psy-changeling books are quickly becoming automatic 5 star reads and Silver Silence was no exception. Silver is absolute perfection and Valentin’s refusal to let her be silent makes you root and cheer for him with each passing page. There was adventure and moments of envy coupled with frustration. Silver Silence truly captivated my heart right from the beginning bringing a well loved character to center stage. I didn’t realize how much Silver’s story meant to me until it unfolded but Silver Silence is a story I will enjoy re-reading over and over in the years to come. Absolute magic!

I (Mrs. B) am addicted to this series! I impatiently wait for the next book in any of Nalini Singh's series to be written. I enjoy her style of writing and creativity. I appreciate the complexity of her characters and the depth of their development. She also shows that it's possible to tell a romance story without the focus of the story being sex.

Silver Silence (Psy-Changeling Trinity)
1 note & 2 highlights (All visible)

Loved it!
Action, romance and mystery.
Every book in this series is better than the one before.
I don't know how Nalini Singh does it, but I am ecstatic that she continues to make this series so compelling and every character so vivid.

READING PROGRESS
June 14, 2017 – Shelved as: to-read
August 6, 2017 – Started Reading
August 11, 2017 – Finished Reading

5 RIP-ROARING GROWLING STARS!!!!I I've read every book in this series and they are aweome!! Avid fan of this author...Wow! I can't even begin to say how fantastic Valentin and Silver's story is, this is now a favorite of mine's. Just wonderfully written, full of emotions, laughter and so much love. I just can't right now...I can't even...*sigh* It's that beautiful. I'll leave you all with this...BEARS!!! JUST BEARS!!!!!

First Impressions – I’m a long-time fan of the Psy-Changling series…so this book has been on my to-read list since the publication of her last book. And my eagerness tripled after reading the teaser excerpt posted on the author’s website. I just couldn’t wait!

Cub Love – Silver (a still-silent psy) and Valentin (a Bear-clan Alpha) have some transient work-related ties…which is how they meet. For Val, its love at first sight. Silver is more complicated. She remains silent, even though Silence has fallen…thus she is resistant to romance, but there is a very fine hint of interest/attraction. I think. Its difficult to tell. Their supposed romance is like molasses in winter…it’s moving at glacial speed. Halfway through the book…and they haven’t even kissed yet.

Major Beefs – There’s four things that really bugged me about this book… #1 The ever-increasing number of nik names was confusing and a little hard to follow. Sometimes I literally did not know who the author was talking about. Seriously, one character might be called by four or five different monikers and there’s already a lot of characters to begin with. It was difficult to remember who was related to whom and who was mated to whom with all this rabid monickery going on. Oy!

#2 Eh, I'm not Russian...thus I don't speak the language. Which means, the Russian that Singh includes, while authentic is also gibberish to most of us...and highly annoying.

#3 The painfully slow pace of the storyline was another source of annoyance. I wasn’t nervous at first, even when I saw the 450-page count. This is book 16 in a very popular series with complex on-going story arcs and a large ensemble cast of recurring characters. But I looked up just short of the half-way mark and realized that almost nothing had happened…seriously. There’s like two hundred pages of set-up. The central couple hasn’t even kissed. Its not even clear what the main conflict will be. Bottomline: The massive amount of set-up prose, while interesting in a character-study kinda way, is repetitive and unnecessary overkill. The audience here is not a group of anthropology majors eager to analyze every tiny little detail of the intricate social interactions and familial hierarchy in a Bear changeling clan. We’re paranormal romance readers! We want angst, plot twists, and hot nookie…That’s it! The editor needs to take a weed-whacker to this book.

#4 Jumping the Shark – Gay changelings and psychics…really? This concept was not in the original premise of the series…and to my knowledge not previously incorporated in any of the other books. So why start now? Is *this* the real reason for inexplicably renaming the series? So there is some sort of soft turn…to a different universe…different genre? And I’ll be honest, I don’t like it. There are three different triggers that this evokes. Part of it is the Christian in me. I don’t read LGBT romance for this reason. Same reason I don’t read erotica. Not something I care to read and honestly I think it should be labeled as LGBT…so as to give the reader a choice of what they want to buy/read. Which brings me to the second and third triggers it set off. The sneakiness and trickster way this was introduced. And the lack of literary continuity. Singh has changed the universe by introducing this element, which did not exist before and there’s no introduction, warning, or explanation for it. We are just supposed to assume this existed all along (I guess?), never mind that it hasn’t been mentioned in the first 15 books. Its like on the last Star Trek movie when they turned Sulu’s character gay, never mind that he was a long-running character who was never gay before. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to just introduce a new character that is LGBT? Singh should have started a new series, created a new world, and introduced this element from get-go as part of that world. Then, at least it would make sense. But to force it on the Psy-changeling readers mid-stream with no explanation or pretext is just too much. I might be done with this series and Singh. I’m just finicky like that. Note: I was one of those hard core purist that stopped watching Dallas when that brought Bobby back from the dead with that “Dream Season” nonsense. *eye roll*

Cliff Notes: *hunches up shoulders* Who knows how it ended….I only got half-way. This book unfortunately landed in my DNF pile. There is a slight probability that I will go back and finish it…the central couple was of extreme interest to me, initially anyway. But I doubt I will revise my opinion about it.

Final Analysis – Long-winded, slow-moving, too many names to remember, and has unexplained universe-altering LGBT element. If you have a few too many brain cells and want to kill some of them off this is definitely the way to do it. Read at your own risk…You have been warned.