A), Shield of Winter (Psy-Changeling Novel

I'm a huge Nalini Singh fan--I'm pretty certain that if she wrote a technical copy on how to assemble a typewriter I'd buy it. So it's no surprise that I've read her blogs on writing--and one of her biggest rules is to make the characters suffer. They didn't.

SPOILERS for this book and for several previous books

Vasic (an Arrow and member of the secret rebellion, before the fall of Silence) has seen too much, done too much evil and is on the verge of giving up. Aden, the leader of the Arrows, assigns him to lead a trial project-the goal of which is to awaken the Empaths in hopes of saving the Net. Ivy is the Empath that Vasic is specifically assigned to guard and work with.

Here's where we start going off course for a Nalini Singh book. Ivy was brutally rehabilitated by an incompetent technician years ago. She was a broken shell of herself for months, but Rabbit (her dog) brought her back to life. Aden SPECIFICALLY chooses Ivy because they need to work with Empaths who have been through rehabilitation to see if they're able to function. Ivy should be damaged by the rehabilitation and in another book (like Blaze of Memory, Bonds of Justice or Heart of Obsidian) we would have seen the strain that a psychic rape had done to the woman. But in this book Ivy is a well-adjusted woman who has already done all her healing, has a pet, is happy taking care of apple trees and has a family that has broken Silence enough, years ago, to uproot their lives and take her someplace that she can heal and function. Good for Ivy, but it makes her a less memorable character than most of the Psy women we've seen thus far. (To be fair, shards of her 'brutal' rehabilitation failed, embedded in her brain and had to be cleaned up to save her life, but the entire problem took 3 pages it was hard to take as a serious threat.)
Vasic and Ivy fall for each other (shocker, I know) and stumble through some simple courtship rituals (do you want dinner? Aren't you cold sitting on these steps in North Dakota in the middle of winter? Here wear my coat) when all of a sudden Ivy send Vasic an image of her breasts--I swear I had to go back and check and make sure I didn't miss some critical step in their courtship. Vasic swears that's all they can have, he's no good for her and Ivy yells as hit. She tells him that since he didn’t have a choice in the matter the murders he committed, the abductions and the evil he committed for Ming doesn’t matter. Wham, Bam, Thank You Ma’am, he believes her and they're all snuggly with each other. The guilt and trauma of 20 years (or so) of being an Arrow wiped away by Ivy's love and oops, before they can live happily ever after--the prototype gauntlet he had fused onto arm is failing and he’s going to die.
In Blaze of Memory when Katya's brain was failing because of her separation from the Net we felt and I believed, every moment of her torment. She stabbed herself to keep from hurting Dev and I felt the knife. She failed slowly—from fine motor skills, to her legs failing to finally being moments away from total paralysis. When she separated from the Net I honestly believed she was brain dead and I cried for her, and for Dev being left behind. Vasic's malfunctioning gauntlet that was supposed to be causing neurological damage that would result in death apparently caused no physical or mental pain while failing. His Tk-V talents don't malfunction. While he accidentally fires lasers a couple of times, none of them hit Ivy. And most of all there's no pain. I guess I'm a sadist because I feel the characters hitting the depths of despair enhances the love story. Honestly I didn’t feel the character’s agony at all.
Outside of their love story the world is falling apart. The Net is riddled with disease and at risk of disintegrating. This in my opinion is where Nalini shone the most. The people who went insane, the dead bodies, and the shock of the few survivors was very real. The Empath's desperation to fix the Net before everyone died was real. The baby in the crib with her caretaker clubbed to death, the kid in the alley--those are the images I'm taking with me, out of this book. If I believed any failure was possible—it was that the Empaths would be a little too late, and the Net would fall.
One final complaint--Sasha would never have waited even one day to join the fight (even with a mate and baby)--when the other Empaths mobilized she would have too. Honestly I would have found it more believable for her to have held San Francisco then to have her arrive late in Manhattan and then leave early to start a training center. She’s one of my favorite characters in this series and she did not shine here.
So I've done a lot of complaining in this review. What I haven't mentioned is the good--outside of the central romance secondary characters like Aden, Rabbit, Sahara, Zie Zen, and Samuel Rain shone. The bond between the Arrows was as strong as ever, and the loyalty between the Arrows and Empaths was beautifully done.
Do not read this book first--it's the conclusion of many story lines that were started a long time ago when this world was a lot different. If you’re a fan of the series then do read the book-but don’t be surprised if it isn't as strong as her best work.

Vasic was Icy until he was Hot. Then he was so out of control he was boiling water and flashing to exotic locals while melting ivy's heart with Love Making he had researched because that's what Arrows do. They research and then they practice until they are perfect. Lucky Ivy! No one can resist this Super Hero. A must read for Nalini Singh fans.

I was unable to put this fantastic book down. Vasic and Ivy's story was so engrossing and emotional...this is one of the best books in this wonderful series. It was well written and filled with action, romance and humor. I highly recommend that you read this series in order to understand and enjoy this book and all it's characters!

Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series just keeps getting better! I love how she's able to turn the camera towards a new direction, going from the Changeling forest community to the Arrows isolated lives, and make this new direction just as facinating. This was the first actual insightful look at the Arrows community and I cannot wait to catch further glimses from both their male and female Arrows journey towards a happier, peaceful, love-filled life.

Love that the arrows can find love. The protectors of the psy race deserve to be happy too. Nalini Singh knows how to bring opposites together with romance and humor. She always finds the perfect fit for her characters. Can't wait to see how the next arrow falls. I have big hopes for Aiden to find his match.....someone to take care of him as he quietly cares for everyone else

This book was awesome. Ms. Singh takes story and character development to great heights of imagination. The story moves smoothly but still artfully looks back to previous books without being stale or repetitious. I am anxiously looking forward to the next installment.

Another great story by Nalini Singh. Very much enjoyed the way some questions were answered and opened others for a lead into the next story. One of the thinks I love about her books is the seeing past characters inter act with the new ones and seeing how they are doing.

Yet another excellent entry in the psy/changling series. Nalini Singh is easily one of my favorite authors. We see some familiar faces but only as their relevant to the plot, she doesn't revisit the entire cast of former characters in a way that detracts from the storyline of our new HEA. The gauntlet resolution was a bit predictable but handled beautifully. All in all, a worthy continuation of the overarching plot in the psy/changling world and I can't wait to see what she does next.

I'm an avid fun of Psy/Changelings series. Ms. Singh took (over)used premise and created a well thought out world full of interesting characters, compelling plots and hot romances. Her novels actually got better and better, more complex and intertwining. She is capable of not only breaking others, but also her own cliches, which is very rare and makes her books more unpredictable and fun to read.

That said, I was bitterly disappointed with the last two books.
Shield of Winter is a tender, very teenage-feeling romance - and you know that practically from first interactions between two main characters - Vasic and Ivy. In that regard it is honest and the reason why I liked it better than Kaleb's story
( she changed Kaleb into just another alpha who is omnipotent to boot and sent him through every cliche you could think of, while pretending that he is totally dark and his story deep).
It is also boring.
Vasic is supposed to be totally broken and Ivy went trough brutal rehabilitation, but she is little miss Perfect and he is cured with one look at her breasts???
Where is Jude's struggle to break free of Silence, where is Sienna's and Hawke's hunted past or even Adria's and Riaz's pain and broken heart?
Ms. Singh (again) took intriguing character from previous books and totally flattened him.

I could live with that if she would at least give us Arrows. Alas, the only other Arrow who has more then three sentences is Aden. We learn nothing new about their world and way of living.
Especially in SnowDancers books Ms. Singh used to include lots of side characters interacting with each other and thus made their world come alive. To be fair this book is making at least a token effort in this regard - HoO was so focused on the main pairing that even the fall of Silence deserved but a footnote. And I for one would love to see at least Nikita's and Anthony's reaction to it.

The best part of the book is the fight with the virus in the net. There are real emotions there and some heartbreaking scenes. Empaths' struggle to find a way to cure is well done. It's just that I never asked myself how will they possibly made it. It was obvious that they will.

I'm sorry to say that this book is the first in the series where I got the feeling Ms. Singh has nothing more to say in this world and she's just dragging her feet to end it because it makes good money. Not dealing with Ming only cemented that.

In conclusion - if you're looking for a tender teenager romance with a touch of predictable action, this is a story for you.
If you're looking for a complex, rich world with intriguing plot, great characters and lots of tension, go read "Caressed by Ice" or "Kiss of Snow".

I've been a huge Vasic fan for years but despaired of him making it so many times. I should never have doubted ... This is a wonderful, sweet, and sensuous book and the perfect following book to Sahara and Kaleb's story.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The story line between Vasic and Ivy is wonderfully romantic.

At a time when Silence has fallen, what will become of the Psy race? What will happen to the Empaths who have been unaware of their gifts?

This book is an awesome read and I can't wait for the next book in the series.

I loved Heart of Obsidian and didn't think Nalini could come close to that book, but this book is every bit as good. She is an incredible writer and, in my opinion, the best in this genre of books. It was a compelling story. I was sad when it ended because I knew I would have to wait awhile for the next one in this series.

Nalini Singh is one of the few romance authors I will read and that is because she is more than just a romance author, she is a craftsman of amazing plot, characters and story arches. Not once have I been disappointed by her books and while the romances are beautiful and I love them, the story is just as compelling. I'm not sure I can wait the next year for her next installment of the Psy-Changeling series. Whatever will I do?

This book is a great addition to the series. Singh is great at world building and she has build a world that I was lost in for most of the day. Now I am going to step into this world from the beginning and watch it grow again. Thank you Singh!

Nalini Singh has built a Psy/changeling world that we love to read about - Shield of Winter does not disappoint. The Arrow we have all admired and worried over - Vasic - now finds his hope and happiness with Ivy. This book is full of suspense and the story of two people learning to love each other. Shield of Winter is the story of hope, and as a Nalini Singh fan, I truly hope that there are many more stories in this series.

It was never going to be easy to live up to last year's Heart of Obsidian, and comparing them doesn't do SoW any favors - so I won't. But there is still much to love here.

SoW moves along the arc of the Psy-Changeling world at a good pace. There are touches of 28 Days Later as neighborhoods succumb to the Psy infection and the Arrows fight to help the Empaths find the cure. Great storytelling.

Vasic and Ivy are surprisingly straightforward in their desire to be together. There isn't much conflict between them, but it's built more around how to save Vasic and how to overcome the infection. Coupled with the sheer amount of plot going on around them, this makes the relationship feel a little less intense.

Having said that, I thought they were sweet and I liked them as a couple. Lovely little details to show Vasic's thaw - most notably in his growing relationship with Rabbit (Ivy's dog). And Rabbit is a wonderful addition to the Psy-Changeling cast.

I have just finished Shield of Winter and I must say that Ms Singh has again met all my expectations. I was hooked from the start of the series and I always eagerly await the next installment...the writing is excellent and the twists and turns of the story are guaranteed to keep the reader entertained.....can't wait for Aden's story.

This book was totally worth the wait! Ivy and vasic are my new faves. Beautiful characters, lots of action and suspense, and skillful world building. If you haven't met the psy/changelings yet now is the time! Loved loved loved it and can't wait for more!

Nalini Singh is absolutely wonderful. This book gave us so much insight into the Arrows as well as a ever changing world for Psy, humans and changelings. I can't wait to see who is next. I want it to be either Aden or Samuel.

I think this is the best book in this series so far. Excellent plot and the characters are very engaging. I highly recommend the entire Psy-Changeling series but this book surpasses all the previous efforts.

The depth of world building is astonishing and the interactions and consequences are consistent and true to the character of each person. I want to meet them all and share in their journey , perhaps in someplace where Robert Heinlein' s love child exists.

This is a very strong book. It really brings a lot of issues that have been lingering from the very first book in this series around and puts them in context. The exploration of the E Psy and the Arrows was fantastic. And the resolution of some of the creeping dangers in the series was very good.

A lot of the other reviewers have detailed the particulars of the plot, so I won't do that. I will just say that it is a great installment in the series that moves the overarching plot lines forward and brings resolution to many of them.

That said... why four stars instead of five? Nalini has set an incredibly high bar with several books in this series. Namely, Slave to Sensation, Caressed by Ice, Branded by Fire, and Heart of Obsidian. And those are the 5 star books in this series, to date for me. This one while excellent, lacked something.

So what did it lack? Well, in all the books I listed the hero and heroine were able to get together against the odds. Which is the initial set up of this book as well. But in the 5 star books I listed, even though you KNEW that it was a PNR and the couple would get together the journey to unity was very exciting and nothing was taken for granted. At any time the couples COULD (and in some cases did) try to walk away or the threats against them COULD have overwhelmed them. And reading how the couple negotiated their relationship and overcame obstacles... and grew together as a unit was not something that was taken for granted and kept me at the edge of my seat. In this book that wasn't the case. You knew that the couple would get together, and it seemed that the couple new from the start that they would get together too... and the obstacles were just noise and plot devices to make the book long enough to resolve the overarching Psy Net plot challengers. I was never at the edge of my seat wondering just HOW they would overcome the obstacles, flipping pages eagerly to see what came next. And the biggest threat to their unity was something completely outside of their relationship. Vasic's arm implant. In the 5 star books I noted the obstacle was something that was fundamental to the couple and well, within their control as a unit if they worked together. And I think Nalini had the opportunity to do that in this book, where the hero is an Arrow damaged to the core and shut off from his emotions as a critical self defense mechanism and a woman to whom emotion is as fundamental as breathing and who has been damaged trying to suppress that aspect of herself. This conflict could have been written (and in the past has been written). in a way where it wasn't at all certain that either character will be able to meet the other half way. Where the journey the characters have to undergo to be able to meet each other half way is exciting and engaging. That wasn't really the case here. Vasic did have to grow, but I never doubted that he would. And Ivy, well she had to grow in her confidence about her powers. But in terms of meeting Vasic half way... well, she never really did. I didn't see her grow, or change to accommodate Vasic . I can't explain it any better than that. But that's why I can't give it five stars. I felt that there was an opportunity missed to push this book from very good to fantastic.

Still, like I said, great book. I am happy for Ivy and Vasic... and for the Arrows and E Psy as a whole. Can't WAIT for the next book (and for Ming to get what he's got coming to him).

Shield Of Winter Review by Shawnie

(Reviewer Note: Please don't try and compare this book to Heart Of Obsidian. IT CAN NOT BE DONE.)

Before I start this review I want to say that I have been a fan of Nalini Singh since I found her books some years ago. She has become a very integral part of my reading life and I am grateful for that. She has a writing style all her own and the depth at which she writes is amazing. She is... in my humble opinion going to be one of the authors who goes down in Romance history for BOTH the Psy/Changling & Guild Hunter series.

REVIEW...
Finally we have an Arrow. Not to say Judd isn't an Arrow, but he was when we got to his book a SnowDancer. But with this book, we finally get an Arrow who is still very much functional in the inner affairs of the group. His loyalty is to the Arrows. The inner workings and perception that we get with this book is insightful and breathtaking. I loved the Arrows when we met Judd, but now... now it is so much more than that. Love is a pale word that I am forced to use as a way to describe how I now feel about the Arrows.

Shield of Winter is based on the Arrow Vasic and Ivy, a rehabilitated Empath. Krycheck has found a possible way to help slow/stop the mental breakdown of the Psy race and help with the damaging effects of the Dark Mind. His solution isn't going to be a cake walk and you can tell that much way before they implement his plan. For the Psy race to succeed, they must first wake the Empaths. They must pull the same people they had sought to erase back into the living, breathing, emotional world. The issue? These empaths have been told that they were flawed from the beginning, some have been rehabilitated so it's going to take some strong Psy to completely break, these Empaths’ silence. It's going to take the ARROWS.

Vasic was dealt a bad hand, he was never meant to be an Arrow because the core of his being wants only to protect. But when you are born with the TK-V ability, what you are supposed to be doesn't matter to people who only want to use you. Placed into Arrow "care" at the age of 4, they had sought to break Vasic and turn him into the perfect killer. But a tiger can't change his strips and although he has blood on his hands, he has done good. No matter what he thinks. His arrow family keep him somewhat grounded, while Aden, Zie Zen and his own sense of obligation that keep him going. But it will be Ivy who brings him into the light and makes him fight to live and have a piece of happiness.

Ivy is a Empath who had her mind violated, but it had been her choice at the time. She has always thought she was flawed and with her silence shattering at an unbelievable pace, she doesn't know what to do. Until an Arrow, wrapped in ice, appears in her garden. Nothing could have prepared her for what Vasic, was asking her to do, but Ivy is done hiding and done pretending that she doesn't feel. She is determined to make her Arrow realize he is more than a killer. She is determined to learn and help her race survive, even at the cost of her own life. Good thing Vasic has no plans on letting her sacrifice herself.

As they rush to save their people, from the madness trying to destroy them, Vasic and Ivy find a love so pure it's hard to swallow sometimes. They become a symbol of hope and acceptance within the Arrow group and they show the world that despite what the Arrows where made to do, that is not who they were anymore. They are capable of taking care of their people without causing bloodshed; but make no mistake, an attack on any of "their" empaths will mean an end to your life.

Shield of Winter is a raw and up close look into the world of the Arrows. How they think, feel, act, and see things. It is a blue print of sorts into how they operate and what happens when they take on a task. They have evolved from the killing machines they were once made to be and now they can finally show the world who they really are. Partnering with the Empaths in my opinion was just the start of what the Arrows are going to show the world.

(I fell a little for the Arrow Aden, who is without a doubt the leader of these extraordinary group of people. Singh gives us a peak into his world too. But it's only to wet your feet, I can't wait for his book. )

Book Pages & Dropping Ink gives Shield of Winter 5 C4 bricks and a must read stamp of approval.

I have a few issues with this book so I'll try to be as clear as possible. First of all let me say that i love Vasic. I enjoyed reading about him and I could empathize with him. Ivy, yeah not so much. She just rubbed me the wrong way.
Cons
Ugh the writing was annoying as all get out. I don't remember being this annoyed when I read her other series. There were too many flowery descriptions of people's emotions that seemed sooo unreal to me. I couldn't stand it. There were too many repetitive phrases that leads me to my next con.
If you've read her guild hunter series then you'll know what I'm talking about here. Ms. Singh and her obsession with ownership that's so similar to the relationship between Rafael and Elena bled over here. Ex. "Her beautiful strong arrow", "her arrow", "his ivy", "quiet, powerful honor" ---gag...who says stuff like that. She and he works perfectly fine. We get it they're in love. There was no need to bludgeon extensively with phrases like that. These were repeated so often that they jarred me out of the story. It was too similar to the wording from her guild series and too excessive.
Ivy, I couldn't stand her. She was always mad, angry .. Just ugh. Her behavior just made me not care about her relationship with Vasic. It all read cardboardish so I couldn't bring myself to care. Their relationship just came off fake.
And finally, the story was soo long, and it dragged.
I don't remember being this annoyed by any of the authors' other books, and I'm a huge fan. This one just didn't feel original, and the story was poorly developed and over fluffed.

My Rating: A- Enjoyed A Lot
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy provided by publisher.

Shield of Winter opens shortly after the fall of Silence and the world-altering events of the previous book, Heart of Obsidian. Kaleb Krychek has taken a leadership role for the Psy race now that their once-ruling council has been disbanded. He believes the empaths (E-designation Psys) are the key to stopping the horrible disease that is infecting the PsyNet - the psychic fabric that connects all Psys and provides the biofeedback necessary for the race to survive. Krychek wants to run an experiment with targeted volunteers (gone are the old ways of force) in the Snow Dancer-Dark River territory. Enter Vasic and Ivy Jane.

Ivy Jane is a damaged empath with extraordinary potential. She agrees to help Krychek to see if the E’s can save the Psys. Because of the social unrest after the fall of Silence, an Arrow is assigned to assist and protect each E-Psy. Vasic is charged with Ivy’s care, and the pair begin to develop a partnership and friendship. However, with time running out on multiple fronts, it is unclear if the group of E’s and Arrows can overcome the problems they face.

I found Shield of Winter to be an enjoyable follow up to the powerhouse story of Heart of Obsidian, and although it had the feel of a transitional book, the romance was sweet and the story engaging. I enjoyed learning more about both E’s and Arrows - two groups that until now, have not been looked at in much detail. In addition, I found the solution presented to cure the problems of the crashing PsyNet to be realistic within the parameters of the world. The journey to discover the solution was intense, although at times a bit drawn out, but overall, I enjoyed the plot.

Before this book, readers didn’t know much of Vasic, other than cryptic bits and pieces. I found that Ms. Singh did an excellent job of “humanizing” Vasic without changing his core personality, and without repeating the journey other hardline Psys like Kaleb and Judd took to find their freedom from the ties that bind. Right from the start, Vasic is shown as someone who is in the fight for his comrades, trying to give those like him a better life. By accepting his own fate (he has faltering tech attached to his body and only weeks to live), yet fighting for others because it is the right thing to do, the reader sees that Vasic can be kind without feeling the emotions behind the reasons. I found Vasic’s dedication to the E’s and his fierce loyalty helped created a hero that I wanted to get behind.

Ivy Jane is also a very likable character. She is not as outrageous with her emotions as previous heroines, but she has an infectious appreciation for life and dynamic personal connections. Right off the start, I liked Ivy’s attitude. She realized that she is defective and unstable, but that she didn’t deserve to be “violated and tortured” in her youth. I appreciate her willingness to trust Kaleb and his plans, even though she would have been condemned if Silence was still in place. Ivy is cautious, yet at the same time optimistic and willing to create change.

The pair have a slow-burning romance. One that starts in inquiries and dialogue, and moves towards teenage sexual interest. I loved how they both are curious and trying to understand the other... coming to ideas from two different directions and willing to listen. Then, as Ivy feels more for Vasic, I cheered for her willingness to go out on a limb and explore her sexuality. I adored their private moments as they began to build in to more and more. Overall, I didn’t mind the slow pace of the romance, because it fit the characters. However, Vasic’s teleporting problem every time the pair got intimate began to wear on me by the three-quarter mark of the book.

While there are a few important relationships throughout the story, and my favorite was the one between Zie Zen and Vasic. “Grandfather” is in fact, Vasic’s blood relative, although not too many know this. He was alive pre-Silence, and the story he shares about his lover Sunny, is touching. I adore how Vasic treats Grandfather with awe, reverence, and even love (although Vasic would never call it that). The pair share tender and intimate moments that brought a tear or two to my eyes.

Overall, Shield of Winter is a good story that brings readers into post-Silence life. Vasic and Ivy share a sweet romance, which is slow-burning yet pleasing. I loved their innocence and efforts to support one another no matter what. And while they didn’t share scorching hot sex scenes, it’s how it should be since they are both completely inexperienced virgins. The two main conflicts - the failing mechanical gauntlet grafted to Vasic’s arm, giving him weeks to live and the infection in the PsyNet gaining ground and driving Psys to a violent madness - provided solid suspense and action; however I did feel like it went on a bit too long. I would have preferred one less mass riot scene or so. The most touching scenes throughout the book were consistently those between Vasic and his grandfather. The book did hit on an emotional level many times, and overall, I really enjoyed the book.

OMG. How can I love this series so much after 13 books?! I so love it! It's just gotten better and better.

This one brings another contender for favorite of series. It joins book 3, Caressed by Ice and book 12, Heart of Obsidian as my favorites. These Psy males are ruining me for all alpha males to come!

Meet Vasic. Abandoned...um left by his birth father at age 3 to be be trained as an arrow, Vasic has his protective heart tortured...um conditioned out of him. He's literally the walking dead when he meets Ivy. Vasic can't accept that he deserves anything good. He's done too much bad. But there's something between them, he can't deny and Ivy won't let him ignore.

I love Ivy. Believing she's a broken, untalented psy, she finds a place to be herself. It's pretty dangerous to be yourself in this world. She's brave. And when she FEELS the connection to her arrow, she uses her bravery to coax him out of his silence. I was so proud of her. I was so cheering for them.

These two have some serious sexy. Both of them have never even kissed another person, so they figure things out as they go. Psy with Vasic's talent tend to struggle to keep control when they engage in intimate skin privileges. So, um, Vasic is a gifted teleporter. Yeah, um, you so don't want that skill out of control during sexy times. Hehe.

I have to include my favorite line from Vasic to Ivy. "I was not done kissing you." *Sigh* LOVE him.

Such a great story. As the backdrop to Vasic and Ivy's story, the psy-net is facing the brink of disaster. The psy race is facing dramatic change and many are not happy about that change. As a result, new enemies pop up everywhere. Add to that the damage to the net that years of silence have caused. How does this race pull their world back together and live up to their potential. It's a really good question and one that is yet to be answered. I'll be reading to know the answer as my obsession with this series continues and has known no equal.

Damaged sexy male combined with great story and incredible world makes this one a contender for favorite of this obsessive series!

Angela Dawe is a terrible narrator. I’ve listened to 2 previous installments of the Psy series with her as the narrator. In one she has a flat monotonous tone and tends to rush through sentences without taking a breath. She was better in the second. But in this one she’s plain annoying. She’s developed a weird way of ending each sentence, dragging out each syllable in a singsong fashion, even single syllable words, like “sky”, “school”. The narration part is done in a loud, shrill voice, with the dialog delivered in a very low tone. Some of the dialog is still rushed through without the narrator taking a single breath. The overall effect is weird and distracting. The awful narration makes it hard to maintain interest in the story which seems pretty boring anyway and much too long with too many subplots. One of the problems I've had with this particular series (this is my 4th so far) is that Singh has never fleshed out the Psynet sufficiently for me; there's a lot of flowery prose but the details remain obscure and it's hard to buy into the whole rot that's infecting the net.

Favorite Quote:
"Heroes are often the quietest people in a room, the ones least willing to lay claim to the title.

Ah. Nalini Singh. I freaking adore everything you write. Ever. Yet another incredible book to add to my favorite series. Shield of Winter was heart-wrenching, beautiful, action-packed, smouldering and sensual. Everything I expect from a Psy-Changeling novel and so much more. It was difficult to get out of my hands to do human things. Like eat.

Oh Vasic. You were stubborn and broken. Romantic without knowing it. I loved watching him change from the beginning to end. I found a few of his lines absolutely beautiful.

"I've never had someone who was mine before."

"Being with her is the most complex, most fascinating operation of my life."

This romance story tugs at the heartstrings. He was drowning in a sea of blood from the lives he's taken as an Arrow, letting his past destroy his future. Until the lovely Ivy comes into the picture.

Vasic is awesome. He's dark, he's protective, he's handsome, he's as pictured above -- completely swoon-worthy. Their love story is phenomenal. I love every bit of it. The drama, the romance, the tension. Nalini Singh is so talented. Her action is so vivid and the romance can scorch the words right off the pages. I agree with Fresh Fiction. She has ruined me for all other books. I haven't read any romance that comes even close to this. I want more. So much more. Post haste. Yesterday.

I also love how she doesn't forget her other characters. I so enjoy reading even MORE Kaleb/Sahara.

"When Kaleb pointed out she was technically doing a type of math, she'd gasped and said he'd stabbed her through the heart."

They are so adorable. I loved every cameo they made. We even had a hint of Hawke/Sienna~! Kyaa. (On that note I hope they wipe Ming of the face of the planet soon.)

Then there was...ADEN. Oh my.

"Why does your pet think I'm his personal stick thrower?"

Aden was so awesome. I didn't know him too well from previous novels but now I want one. Hahaha and Vasic too. And Hawke. And Judd while I'm at it. I'm so incredibly excited to know his story is the next book. I want it. Right now. I'm thinking it may be with Silver. There was the tiniest hint they'd be working together so we'll have to see. I hate to think of how long I'll have to wait for the next installment.

Anyway as per usual, it was an incredible read. It sucked you in and left you breathless by the end of it. Nalini creates a world that attaches to your soul and you forget that you can't live without it. Her writing is passionate, her world so vast. Her characters are so full of life. I can never read enough. Moar moar moar. I want it.

The big change as come and huge fractures and turmoil has begun for the Psy race. A huge gamble is taken that a part of their race that have been repressed and erased from history to come to the Psy people's rescue. Intense action, but at its heart a redemptive love story is in the making. Another deeply engaging page-turner.

This series has been knocking my socks off since book one. And the last book... it left seriously big shoes to fill. I was nervous for Shield of Winter because it had the job of reaching even close to the high bar that Heart of Obsidian set. And it did. Lucky 13th release in the series was our Shield of Winter. It delivered a wallop.

Vasic was the perfect choice to get his story next. This dark, broken Psy warrior assassin is right on the edge and everyone fears he has seen and done too much to come back. He's a walking dead man and the only thing holding him together is his loyalty to the other Arrows (Psy race's version of a black ops team) and the need to do what he can for his race. He's a protector at heart under all that icy Silence and now he's been given the point-man job to protect the vulnerable Pys of the E(motion) designation as they work to stop the disease that is turning their people into mad creatures of death and destruction.

And because I have loved Vasic all along, I was really crossing my fingers about his heroine. She had to be one special lady. Nalini Singh came through. Ivy Jane was just the right blend of vulnerable and steel-spined heroine. Ivy is one of the suppressed E-psy that the Councils for the whole time of silence destroyed and suppressed because emotions weren't allowed in the Silence Protocol. She's so tenacious and this is good. She loves her race even if many reject her and she falls for Vasic seeing him through and through and she steps up to stick with him even when he seems to broken to heal.

From their first meeting to that tear-inducing and fabulous climax at the end, I was so into this pair. They make a great team of fighters for their race, but also as truly romantic and passionate lovers. The romance is developed right alongside the action so well and at just the right pace for the situation.

Survival of a race and an unstoppable disease of the mind made for quite the intensive, action filled conflict that infused the series with a nice new twist after some of the other long-running conflicts were resolved.

While this is Vasic and Ivy's story, it gives some more Kaleb and Sahara along with the Changlings time while Aden emerges as the next lead character. I enjoyed staying in tune with the backlist of characters and their lives.

This is definitely not a good place to start in the series and again, I would push anyone who hasn't yet, to give this series a go.

Shield of Winter is book 13 in Nalini Singhs Psy-Changeling Series.

Vasic is a soldier, an arrow and a deadly weapon incapable of feeling and emotion. He is doomed, beyond redemption and as such has been the Arrow Squads best weapon for decades. Now, in order to protect his people and stop a murderous lethal contagion he must take on the simplest but most difficult mission of his life. The empaths must wake.

Ivy has rebuilt her life after having her mind violated and her abilities stifled for what she is. She should have run from the dark and stormy arrow with eyes of winter that has sworn to protect her, but she's never been good at doing what she should. Now she must fight for her people and for the arrow that has become her shield but with the world breaking around them, is her will enough to save everyone and save Vasic from his own darkness.

I loved this book so much.
I had been impatiently for this books release since the last book and Nalini did not disappoint.
I think even a tear or two were shed during the course of this book.
I was intrigued by Vasic from earlier books and was glad when he got his own book so we could explore his character a lot more. He seemed so far gone so it was good to see the effect that ivy and the mission had on him and was saved from himself. Ivy was such a perfect addition to the story and the purpose she now serves is going to come to light in the very near future I'd imagine.

Such a worthy addition to the series. If you haven't read Nalini Singh yet and you are a PNR fan, you have to check it out.

Nalini Singh did it again! I love her stories and I really enjoyed this one, too. Also the fact that we got to see more of Kaleb and Sahara was a huge bonus. We got to know more about the Dark net and how it looks like, also new questions and some answered ones. The journey is a great one, full of romance and also a vision of the future that the Psy might have. We also got to met new characters that are surprisingly lovely and add so much to this story. I loved Jane and how she kept pushing Vasic. She never gave up on him, even when he did. There were moments where I really though that was it for him but thankfully the ending wasn't so dark. I feel bad for him and what he lost but in the end he gained so much more, hope and love being one of them. I enjoyed reading about Aden and getting a better feel for his character. I wonder how his story will look like but I'm sure it will be a great read.

4.5-5 stars

This was a great story. I've always liked Vasic and was looking forward to his story and Ivy made a good mate for him. After the big blow up in the Psy society in the last book (the over throw of the Silence protocol) I was curious about how the next book would go and I really liked the direction that Singh took the story line. I was sucked in to the story quickly and didn't want to stop until the end.

Ivy is a Psy and a strong empathy but because of the silence protocol (the one that makes all emotions in Psy something to be banished) her abilities have been suppressed all her life. Ivy wasn't able to keep to the silence protocol and went through a major reconditioning when she was 15. This almost turned her in to a vegetable but she managed to pull through eventually (partially because of an injured stray dog she nursed back to health and adopted as a pet). Ivy’s parents, in an effort to protect her, moved their family in to a remote community with a few other Psy and they've been living there for years.

Vasic is a Psy and was born with strong and dangerous abilities. These abilities pushed him in to the Arrow squadron where he was trained from the age of 4 to suppress all emotions, control his powers and become an Arrow (much more strenuous and torturous training than what normal Psy children go through). His training has turned Vasic in to an unfeeling soldier and he thinks he needs his lack of emotions to keep his abilities restrained so he’s safe to others.

Since the end of the silence protocol, Kaleb (the hero from Heart of Obsidian) has pretty much been running the Psy community with the support of the Arrow squad and the other former Councilors, Nakita and Anthony. Kaleb is trying to find a cure for the infection that’s been spreading across the Psy-net. He believes that the empaths (who have had their abilities ruthlessly suppressed up to now) are the key to fixing at least some of the issues on the Psy-net if not the whole disease. Kaleb asks the Arrows to help him test this theory and protect a group of empaths while they try to bring out their power and see what they can do. Vasic ends up leading the team set up to protect the empaths (who are all offered jobs as incentive to join the project) and during his duties he meets Ivy. She’s an empath and although her very presence makes him uncomfortable (something about her emotions bothering his silence) he finds himself drawn to her and wanting to protect her. Vasic ends up making it his mission to keep Ivy and the other empaths safe…even from Kaleb is needed. Ivy hasn't been restrained by the silence protocol since she managed to recover from the reconditioning (although she’s still tried to suppress her emotions as much as she can so they don’t leak out on to the Psy-net). When Ivy first saw Vasic she feared him but once he told her about her ability and offered her the chance to learn more about it, she starts to trust him. When he saves her life from assassins, she feels even closer to Vasic. Ivy joins the project along with some other empaths and they stay in cabins in the Changling territories (with prearranged permission) with Arrows to protect them. As Vasic and Ivy spend more time together (and he continues to protect her and give slight signs of kindness), she starts to feel more for Vasic and wants to touch him (empaths instinctively want touch, especially with those they’re close to) but she restrains herself because she doesn't want to make Vasic uncomfortable and possible make him avoid her.

During their time in the cabins, Ivy and the other empaths learn what they can about their gifts with some help from Sascha (the heroine from Slave to Sensation who is a strong empath), who visits to share with them what she’s learned. Things get worse on the Psy-net though and the spreading disease starts causing more and more outbreaks of violence around the world. Ivy and some of the other empaths (and their arrows) go out in to the more infected areas to see what they can do to help but it’s often not enough for the large amounts of Psy being affected. Vasic determinedly protects Ivy and makes sure she doesn't push herself too far. Although Vasic tried to keep his distance, he slowly starts thinking of Ivy as his. Vasic doesn't believe he deserves Ivy but eventually he doesn't care. As Ivy has spent time with Vasic and seen the kind of man he actually is she believes he’s a good man and has come to care for him. She pushes (gently) to try to get him to acknowledge their bond and not run from it. When Vasic stops fighting her and they start to come together, he has a bit of trouble controlling his powers as they get intimate which causes some interesting results. Their coupling works well though because Arrows tend to serve and don’t think of themselves and empaths tend to take care of people they care about and can be very stubborn so Ivy takes care of Vasic whether he wants her to or not and he gets peace from protecting her. Unfortunately, the net problems aren't their only issue as Vasic's “gauntlet” (an artificial attachment to one of his arms that links in to his mind) starts malfunctioning and they have to attempt to find a way to disable it before it kills Vasic. There are some very interesting times while everyone is scrambling to find the solutions to the multiple different issues. I really liked the way the Psy-net/empath story line played out because once they found the solution, it wasn't big and flashy but it worked for me and seemed believable. The same for Vasic's issue with his gauntlet, it didn't turn out perfect but it worked out as it needed to. Vasic and Ivy…I loved the way things worked for them and was very happy with their resulting relationship and HEA.

I greatly enjoyed this story. Ivy and Vasic are a wonderful couple and was very happy to see them get past their difficulties and come out with a HEA in the end. I also really liked how things turned out for Ivy and the rest of the empaths. There are still issues that need to be faced and I’m certainly looking forward to seeing more when the next book in the series comes out. I’d recommend this book. 2 thumbs up! :D

* note - I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator did a pretty good job.

[Frankie Spinelli voice] oh my god I'm so devastated. can Nalini Singh stop hurting me pls and thank you?

OKAY I mean I knew Vasic's book was gonna hurt me good but damn I didn't expect this level of hurt my eyeballs are burning with shed and unshed tears ok ok ok

*sighs*

What can I even say about this book? There is war, people going insane and dying, more pain and suffering, many tragedies, but there's also a bond forming between two broken creatures in the middle of chaos that's so *clenches fist* beautiful I hurt-

I just want to give everyone in this book a hug okay.

The epilogue made me sob into my pillow.

Silence has fallen and things are changing in the Psy-Net. The infection in the net is spreading faster than ever and has started sending Psy into murderous rages. Kaleb Krychek believes empaths are the key to stopping the darkness and death that is spreading unchecked through the net, so an effort is undertaken to identify empaths and get them working together before the net implodes. This brings our hero (Vasik) and heroine (Ivy Jane) together in a working relationship that evolves into much much more.

Vasic has been one of my favorite psy heroes, second only to Kaleb Krychek. As one of the top members of the Arrow squad, and the strongest teleporter in the psy-net, Vasic has always been in demand by both the good guys and baddies. In previous books, Vasic became self-destructive and volunteered to try a piece of biotechnology which basically made him a human guinea pig with an expiration date. What struck me most about Vasic was that he believed himself to be one of the most silent people in the net... but that wasn't really true. Vasic's fractured silence was evidenced by his extreme loyalty to the other Arrows, and the way he took care of Aidan since they were children. Someone lacking emotions would not have those feelings of loyalty and friendship. It was wonderful to see Vasic realize that he deserved to live and love. Plus, he was pretty darn sexy and powerful. Yum. It's always fun to watch these stoic and practical Psy learn how to be intimate with one another - its a strange and fun blend of innocence and intelligence that makes intimate moments hot and endearing at the same time.

Ivy Jane has lived under broken silence most of her life. Having no idea that Designation E existed, she always thought she was broken. When this scary Arrow appears at the orchard where she and her family have been in semi-hiding, she is terrified and curious. Now that she knows she was not broken, she wants to learn everything she can about being an empath. Seeing Ivy throw herself into the program and try to solve the problem in the net was inspiring. I had a good emotional connection to her character, particularly when it came to the sadness, desperation and hope she felt when it came to Vasic and the ticking time bomb on his life.

I loved that Vasic became the face of the Arrow squad as this silent hero, and that he and Ivy's relationship achieved celebrity status. This is something we have not seen in previous books, and added a touch of realism to the story. We got a much closer look at the Arrow squad in this installment, and I was amazed at the steadfast loyalty among the group. It was nice to see how they all looked up to Vasic - almost as an older brother - they are truly a family built on bonds of loyalty.

And finally, I was glad to see some of our previous favorite couples play a bigger part in this book, namely Sasha and Lucas. It made me want to go back and read Slave to Sensation all over again... especially because we got a little more of the inventive and oh-so-steamy telekinetic sex tricks in this book.

4.5 stars / 3 flames.

Well here it is the thirteenth full length book in the amazing Psy-Changeling series. It's a series that just keeps building a world populated with strong characters that will leave readers feeling wrung out and breathless. This particular story centres around two very different Psy, Vasic the cold Arrow and Ivy an Empath. Theirs is a journey of two souls on a collision course with no place to hide and it's going to be a bumpy ride!
Vasic is a character who has been dangled by the author in front of her readers for quite some time now and he's possibly one of the most powerful Psy in his unit. He has had a difficult life and being an assasin has taken it's toll . He agrees that now that Silence has fallen his race will need all the help they can get if they are to survive the creeping death that sits within the Net. Vasic accepts the mission of bringing Empaths together in a controlled environment but one Empath in particular Ivy, will quite literally test every shield that Vasic has ever put in place. I was overjoyed when I got my hands on this book but a little afraid if honest as the idea of two cold Psy being the lead characters sounded alarm bells for me. I'm in the minority in that I didn't particularly connect with those in the previous book "Heart of Obsidian" . So I am a very happy bunny when I say this felt more like a complete story to me. It's a book with a relationship that has a beginning a middle and the possibility of a happy ending. In this harsh world nothing is certain but these two characters will fight for what they believe to be right. It's difficult to imagine living without emotions and always being self contained but the author has a knack for revealing those small differences that make it feel real. Just the idea that a simple hug would be out of place brings to life a world so cold that it's not difficult to grasp and I'm not surprised that something is starting to snap. A harsh empty reality and yet it's filled with hope as those who realise the dangers are fighting to save the Psy race.
This book is mainly centred around the Psy characters and it's interesting to read about the shy Ivy embracing the possibility that she can thaw out Vasic. She's almost brazen at times and quietly determined to get her man! As for Vasic I think the word honourable is the one that describes him the best. He's also quite amusing at times and his teleporting abilities frequently cause him problems! He clearly is a very passionate guy but has never released that side of himself before but Vasic unabashedly seeks advice from Judd who I know is a favourite amongst many readers.
If the Changelings are your favourite characters in this series then rest assured they still appear in this book but it's quite rightly front and centre about the Psy race and all the changes they are going through. The Forgotten are also in the background and I suspect we might learn more about them in future books. The Psy race are quite literally fighting for their survival now and everyone will have a part to play. So yes it's a romance and Ms Singhs lush prose just flowed . The heroine Ivy has depths and a unique courage that sees her bravely taking on her lethal Arrow. A slow believable romance but it's the incredible world building and story telling that kept me gripped until the last page. There's clearly so much more to come and please could we see more of Aden? The dynamics of this world just keep changing and it's a fabulous ride! This series is best read in order starting with Slave to Sensation but please whatever you do make sure you find time for these books because you will never regret it!

~Reviewed by FRANCESCA & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

There are several reasons why you WILL fall in love with Vasic. He’s loyal, he’s fierce, he’s caring, he’s protective, he’s possessive. He’s everything you’ve ever wanted in a man all wrapped up in a deep layer of ice. Ice that has hardened to a glacier throughout the years. But that ice is slowly cracking. The Arrows are some of the psy’s who follow Silence as a necessary way of life. The conditioning they’ve received since they were kids is both harsh and heartbreaking.

Now that Silence has fallen, Vasic is being put to the ultimate test to prove he can still function without going mad. He’s assigned, along with other Arrows, to guard a group of Designation “E” Psy’s. The future of the net lies in their hands and how much they can heal the infection and contain it, preventing it from spreading. The Arrows are to keep them safe when they are at their most vulnerable. Vasic is assigned to Ivy Jane, an empath who never really lived with Silence as others did, because her parents saved her from that fate. The little bit of her curiosity and innocence is the key to winning Vasic over. And that was my favorite part! The innocence!

First though, I have a confession to make. Psy books are not my favorite in this series. When there’s no changeling in sight I tend to lose interest because, in part, of how cold and mechanical the psy can be. I shouldn’t have worried though. Ms. Singh did such an amazing job at humanizing Vasic and Ivy that I never even noticed a difference. Their feelings were palpable, and I was able to appreciate the little things even more. The importance of just a touch, or just a look. It can drive the story forward more than an explosion of passion.

This story is a slow and steady climb, full of tensions and discoveries. Vasic’s barriers are broken one tiny piece at a time. And the more he opens up, the more you fall for this broken beautiful man. Ivy is just the woman to give him a true life back. The one that was stolen from him years ago. And he embraces it full force!

I love how Nalini Singh can make you feel so much with just a couple of words or sentences. Every book I crack open I am more amazed at the powerful and just beautiful writing. It’s rich and fulfilling, depicting the world, the characters and the emotions in a way that’s riveting.

Let SHIELD OF WINTER be that book that lets you sink into a magical world. You won’t be disappointed!

I adore Nalini Singh, really I do, and I love her even more for sending me an advanced reader copy to review. I’ve been a huge fan of the Psy/Changeling world from the start. I mean who could pull it off to make even rat shifters sound sexy? Right from the first moment I read the first line introducing Vasic, the cold TK-V Psy with the silver eyes I wanted his story. And Nalini Singh delivers again a fascinating story with my favorite Psy taking over the center stage.

The Psy-Changeling series is one of the few remaining paranormal romance series that keep getting better with each new book. There are many series out there who can’t keep the same level of awesomeness in the course of an ongoing series with 10 or more installments. Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter world and the Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward disappointed me. I don’t even want to start on the last installments in Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stakehouse series. And even my all-time favorite author Karen Marie Moning crushed my fangirling over the Fever world back to the Ice Age with Iced (Dani O'Malley, #1; Fever, #6). Nalini doesn’t disappoint. She always delivers a good story even if the main characters of the individual book don’t end up on my favorite shelf.

My favorite part about Shield of Winter was not as I expected Vasic falling in love with Ivy but to see how Nalini played out the many challenges in the Psy-world after the fall of Silence.

"The twilight of 2081 will be forever remembered as the time when Silence fell in a crash of violence brutally leashed by the furious abilities of the most powerful Psy in the Net. With the fall comes a hush across the world, as the Psy race seeks to understand who they are in this new reality where emotion isn’t a crime punishable by a vicious psychic brain-wipe, and the heart is no longer an organ simply used to pump blood. For though Silence was a deeply flawed construct, it existed for a reason."

1. One the one hand there is the creeping darkness in the Net that is still getting stronger, a sickness infesting in the society, on the other are the empaths whose abilities have been suppressed their whole lives and who now have to come out of hiding and face fighting a war against madness on the psychic plane they have no understanding of how to fight. Nalini Singh has done a great job in exploring this story line.

2. The same can be said about another sub-plot: The importance of government supervision and control and the qualities of a good leader. Kaleb Krychek, Nikita Duncan, Anthony Kyriakos and even Ming LeBon - they all play a role in this book trying to keep a fragmenting society from crumbling down completely. Does this make them all good persons? No! But it explains why sometimes justified revenge and personal interests have to be postponed when hundreds of thousands of innocents would suffer otherwise.

3. With Vasic being an Arrow, Shield of Winter also features an interesting discussion on assassins/soldiers. The Arrows have been known for black operations, for assassination and even mindless murder (while under the influence of a drug called Jax administrated during the time Ming LeBon was the leader). Each member of the squad has to come to terms not only with the fall of the Silence Protocol and the challenge of a new society they have to adapt to, but also with their former role as assassins. The Arrow squad will have to undergo a long process of reconciliation. Soldiers go to war and sometimes they have to kill. But soldiers also help in reconstruction and development; they are the ones who help in times natural disaster strike, rescuing innocents, sometimes by putting their lives on the line. In a new world without silence even assassins have to adapt and change without forgetting the past. Nalini takes us on an interesting journey of assassins turning to heroes that will render readers sympathetic to guilt and responsibility and what it means to serve and protect.

As I mentioned before that the love story wasn’t my favorite part of the book. My main reason is that I constantly compared the love story of Ivy and Vasic to those of Sasha & Lucas Slave to Sensation and Brenda & Judd Caressed By Ice. Sasha an empath like Ivy, Judd an Arrow like Vasic. I had hoped for a similar romantic journey with a scarred alpha-male and a shy empath female, a slow awakening to emotions as in those two former books. But the romance in shield of winter was kind of peculiar, showing chaotic instead of organic growth. I was not really persuaded to like Vasic and Ivy. Vasic is a real softy and Ivy is a little bit too pushy for my tastes.

But the novel recompenses by the different POVs and all the secondary characters. We meet old friends like Zie Zan, Alice Eldridge, Devraj Santos and are being introduced to new ones like the group of empaths and Arrows. Especially Aden has a leading supporting role and I loved to see Sasha in action, calming a riot with her cardinal powers.

So all in all this might not be a glowing 5-star review but it still was a very satisfying 4,5-star read for me. I hope very much everybody else will like it just as I had. (less) [edit]

Thirteenth in the Psy-Changeling paranormal romance series revolving around changelings and psychics, and for the first time, a spirit of cooperation between changelings, psy, and humans. The couple focus is on Ivy Jane and Vasic.

You should read Heart of Obsidian , 12, before reading this one as it will make the exchanges between Krycheck and Sahara more meaningful.

My Take
Whoa. I don't know how Singh does it! Her books keep going from better to better.
"Flaws make us who we are, Ivy. Without them, we might as well be made of plas, featureless and indistinct. Never ever be ashamed of your flaws."

Be prepared, I cried a lot. There's the back history on Vasic and Aden's past. And the horror of it made me alternate between rage and weeping for such cruelties. Zie Zen talks about the introduction of Silence, and how it affected the Psy, those too old to go into Silence, the Es. That sociopaths and psychopaths would find it so much easier to hide within the Psy. That horrible decisions were so easily made. Seeing people as tools to be discarded when they no longer functioned as required. There's talk of the evil side of the E designation. Whew. There are also revelations, as people think back, that others were in the know about Es but chose to leave people in ignorance.

It is balanced by all the sweet moments. The healing that begins in Shield of Winter. Kaleb and Sahara's interactions prove that man is fractured! Lol, it cracked me up when Ivy came out to see her small dog sitting at attention at that big wolf's feet. Vasic is learning how to tease, and it's so beautiful. He didn't even have to find a manual on it, lol.

It's gotta be the slowest foreplay, as these two people unaccustomed to experiencing emotion try to keep from frying their brains. Then there's the moment when they actually do make love, and Vasic parrots back the Arrow mantra — "…repetition and practice until the basic skill is honed…" — and you realize they both are virgins. Seems Vasic's teleportation skills go to pot when he's excited, lol.

This is such a change-up for the Arrows. When they learned the truth about Silence, how the Councilors were using them, they fought back in their own ways. They've become an independent group under no one's command. Now they're struggling to determine where and how they can fit in this new world. It's Vasic's meeting with Ivy that will flip his whole world over, and another comment from her that makes him stop and think: the Arrows are like pack.
Sahara Krychek's definition: "Good governance is acting for your people rather than for your own gain."

Kaleb Krychek's definition: "…do nothing that would make you ashamed to be mine."

Reading of what Silence did to people, oh god. I have to wonder what was so awful before that made continuing with Silence seem the right thing to do. A race of people who range from an excess of the sociopathic to the sheep. I wonder if the Psy had to go through all this — Silence, the Forgotten Ones — as part of an experiment to learn what would really work for them?
"An expert is simply someone who know more than those she's teaching."

Humans are not as touch-needy as the changelings, but I still can't imagine a life with none at all. It becomes morbidly fascinating to read as Ivy considers touch, how lucky she was to have parents who allowed it, and now she's considering more. More lessons arrive with Vasic needing to learn how to not keep information from a woman.

Vasic is so literal! It's a great way to show how Silence has affected him. His thoughts, his curiosity, his decision to explore more time with Ivy shows the thawing of his shield. The comment Sascha makes about "the myriad quiet intimacies" when she realizes how much Silence has cost the Psy is another great example of showing.

Sahara's right about society needing "disparate voices" to prevent a group becoming too homogenous.
"I want to make mistakes with you, learn how to be in a relationship with you."

There's a fine line between excessive repetition and creating a real sense of breaking someone's conditioning, and there were times when I got pretty annoyed with Singh's harping on and on about Vasic's beliefs about himself.
"We all have to live with our past, but it doesn't have to define us."

Gawd, Singh really knows how to tear your heart out. I don't think I've cried so much over a book before. This is definitely a buy!

The Story
The NetMind is infected and great swathes of the world are failing, causing the minds linked in that area to go mad. It’s a massacre, and the Arrows and Krychek are scrambling to figure out how to stop it. How to treat the infection and save their people.

It may well be too late as Silence stomped out the Es almost to extinction before the Psy Council realized its mistake. But there has been no one to teach the Es how to use their skills.

Vasic believes there is nothing left of the man he was, and in that spirit, he volunteered to a trial, a penance, perhaps a sentence. He feels stained by what he has done, believing it was necessary only to learn it was flawed.

It takes field testing to ramp up the Es honing their skills, coming to understand what they can do.

The Characters
Ivy Jane is a low-level telepath and an empath. Rabbit is the dog she saved and who saved her right back. Gwen Jane is Ivy's mother; Carter Hirsch is her father. In spite of Silence, they love her and disappeared to keep her safe. They run a large, moderately successful farm in North Dakota.

Vasic Duvnjak is a Tk-V Arrow, a born teleporter, a man who is discouraged by his past. Aden is the one man he considers truly his friend. Patton was the only other Tk-V Vasic had ever known, his mentor.

Kaleb Krychek is a dual Cardinal Tk, a teleport-capable telekinetic. He leads the Ruling Coalition after taking down the Psy Council. He's psychically bonded and in love with Sahara Kyriakus, Faith's cousin. Anthony Kyriakus is Sahara's uncle and a member of the Ruling Coalition as well as a former Psy Councilor. Her loving father is Leon Kyriakus. Nikita Duncan is Sascha's mother, the head of her family, and a ruthless businesswoman. She's also a former Psy Councilor and a member of the current Ruling Coalition. Zie Zen is a Tp, a telepath, and a Psy elder. Samantha, a.k.a., Sunny, was his wife, a powerful E, an empath.

Ming LeBon is a combat-grade Cardinal Tp, a former Psy Councilor, a military mastermind, and a psychopathic madman. Tatiana Rika-Smythe is a former Psy Councilor whom Kaleb has imprisoned. And I love it!

The Empaths (E) are…
…endangered among the Psy as their purpose within the NetMind was not understood. As Sascha says, "an empath is as social a creature as a pack-minded changeling". Now the entire Psy race is endangered by their few numbers. Chang, a scientist, is a cardinal empath from Kenya. Concetta Galeano's home base is Paraguay where she helps in the family business. She's felt the rot in the Net, but feels forced. Dechen is from Tibet. Isaiah is from Niue and refuses to believe his Silence is cracking. Jaya's home base is the Maldives, and she's paired with Abbott. Lianne is from Kuala Lumpur and must have missed that clause in the contract. Ray Faison is her cousin. Dara Faison is the head of the family. Penn is from Scotland and believes it makes sense to have a designation that can work with psychic injuries. Terri's home is in Houston. Brigitte is a German based in Amsterdam who had a terror-filled experience.

The Arrows were…
…a squad of assassins aimed by the Psy Council, directed by Ming
Aden is a Tp, Vasic's friend, and the leader of the Arrows who is always thinking ahead to the Arrows' futures. He's also a medic gifted at delicate work. Abbot is teetering on the edge, Nerida, and Stefan (he's figured out the key to those erotic shifts) are Tks. Cristabel Rodriguez is a sharpshooter and one of the best teachers in the Arrows. Amin and Ella are Arrows on whom Ivy wishes to try an experimental bond.

The breakaway Venice Arrows
…want active duty. They've been a clandestine op made up of officially dead Arrows. Zaira is their leader.

Zaid Adelaja was the first Arrow; he set the squad up to protect Silence and to give Psy with certain abilities a home. He also fought to keep their money their own. Zie Zen, Vasic's great-grandfather, is their financial manager. Dr. Edgard Bashir is the current team leader on the biofusion gauntlet project. The creator, Dr. Samuel Rain, was a robotics expert. Now they believe he's either dead or disappeared. Clara Alvarez, a former Justice-Psy runs Haven, a home for the psychically damaged.

Ida Mill is the leader of Silent Voices, an organization that is full of bigots refusing to believe the Es are needed. Her son is a Tk, eight years old, and already drafted into the Psy black ops teams.

Surviving victims
Silver Mercant is Krychek's very able assistant, and her skills will be handy at handling people and logistics. Eben is an E, but it didn't save his father Phillip Kilabuk; Marchelline and her mother, Christiane Hall; and, Miki Ling was the cousin who babysat and died were in Anchorage. Harriet and Miguel Ferrera, a commercial telepath, in Manhattan.

The Forgotten Ones are…
…Psy who defected from the PsyNet when Silence began. Devraj Santos is its current leader. He's married to Katya Haas. The ShadowNet is their biofeedback link that keeps them saner than those under the PsyNet.

SnowDancer Wolves
Hawke Snow is the Alpha, and he's mated to Sienna Lauren, a Psy with X abilities, lethally psychic. Indigo Riviere is a lieutenant. Judd Lauren, a Tk who can manipulate living tissue, is a former Arrow and now a member of SnowDancer as a lieutenant — and a favorite of pups and cubs! The Arrows see him as hope. He's mated to Brenna and uncle to Sienna, Toby (a cardinal Tp with very little E), and Marlee. Walker Lauren, a Tp, is Marlee's father and Judd's brother, and another Psy member of the pack. Julian, a.k.a., Jules, and Roman are Tamsyn, the SnowDancer healer, and Nate's twin terrors. Ben is a cute little pup.

Dr. Alice Eldridge is a human scientist who had been placed in a forced cryonic suspense a century ago. It's the extensive sociological and anthropological study on The Mysterious E Designation: Empathic Gifts & Shadows that is so desperately needed now. A book systematically destroyed wherever it could be found. Awake now, Alice's memories are mere fragments, and she's healing now as part of the pack.

DarkRiver Leopards
Lucas Hunter is the Alpha, and he's mated to Sascha Duncan, a Cardinal E. They have a daughter, Naya. Faith NightStar has the gift of Foresight (F) and is mated to Vaughn. She's also Sahara's cousin; Anthony is her father. The newly pregnant Mercy Smith is a Sentinel mated to Riley Kincaid, a lieutenant. Kit is a soldier whose best friend is Cory. The twins, both Psy, both former Council scientists, Amara Aleine is a true sociopath loving only her twin while Ashaya Aleine is mated to Dorian Christensen, a Sentinel and sniper, and they have a Psy child, Keenan.

The Silence Protocol is the price the Psy believed they must pay for the psychic gifts they have. While it helped many, in truth, it's doomed them. The Psy Council once ruled the Psy, but no more. The Ruling Coalition has taken its place and includes the Arrows. The DarkMind is the dark side of the NetMind, all the emotions the Psy tried not to feel. Both are "neosentient psychic entities said to be the guardian and librarian of the PsyNet, which holds the Psy race together. Jax was a drug LeBon used to amplify Arrow abilities while removing their ability to tell right from wrong.

Sunshine Station is in Alaska and was the first area to be hit with the virus. The Pure Psy are nut jobs. Psy who will violently refuse to allow Silence to fall. The Empathic Collective is an E-Psy union that will look out for their membership. The Honeycomb Protocol will be a miracle.

The Cover
The cover is a snowy background of gray-greens and whites with Vasic in his uniform of black, hands on hips, appearing determined yet relaxed.

The title is what protects Vasic. If the Shield of Winter ever falls, if his protective instincts collapse, he will die.

Ah. The sweetness that only Singh's Paranormal Romance books can give me. Silence has officially fallen and now the Psy need a cure. Each new book had me chomping at books for this! While many readers have been unhappy with too much world building and focus on the Psy I've been in heaven. I've said it before and I'll say it again Singh has ruined me for other PNR series. World building. That's the key to any great book. Intricate plots that don't end after the HEA is given to the current lead couples. Follow through. Being able to visit and see how events are affecting beloved couples/characters.

Most importantly the current couple of the book are affected by what is happening in the world. They're fully interacting in it. There's consequences for their actions as well as outside factors altering their lives. So each couple is unique. The process in which they fall in love is unique. Sure it can be said that it's basically the same Happily Ever After formula. But that's true of every romance book. (Except a few brave ones that decide to be different.) No matter what PNR series you read there is a formula. Sure a lot of characters in the Psy-Changeling verse share some fundamental personality traits, morals, and other things. But in the end I know all of the characters and each one has their own personality. Some of those similarities is also what makes characters in Singh's world friends.

OK, I’ve shared my thoughts on that matter. Moving on.

Vasic is a character I’ve always been curious about. Come on he's the kind of character fans of the series just swoon for. Plus, in the past ice cold Psy men have lead to some steamy-steamy reading. Most importantly I always wondered who he would be paired with. Personally I didn't want him to be paired with another warrior. No in my hearts of hearts, I wanted him to be with an Empath. So what a surprise when Ivy walks in. These two are amazing together. That's all I'll say on that matter so nothing is taken away from readers.

What I will say is that Singh does a wonderful job of how “Silence” was probably never truly worked. It was helpful on some levels true. Silence helped Psychopaths and killers seem legit, while helping those with scary powers. Nothing is black and white. And maybe there are already many Psy not fully Silenced. It's seen here in Ivy's parents. How despite being under Silence they were flawed enough to be parents. To take actions to save their child. For me that made me think of a certain Empath that started this whole series and her relationship with her mother.

Shield Of Winter is intense. I had faith that some type of fix would come, because it was made clear that a number of the Psy characters we've come to love would not abandon ship. That doesn't mean that it was any less intense. When finally the cure is realized, I thought it was perfect. This is a new era for the series and the Psy. The politics, maneuvering, and factions that come up are so realistic that I commend Singh for putting all that extra work in. For making this marvelous world so rich.

Vasic and Ivy's love pulled at my heartstrings. Not to mention Rabbit. Apparently Singh can not only write men, women, children, teens and so on. She can right pets. This is a wonderful stepping stone into the Psy's new future. It's dark, lives are lost, and even with hope at the end of the tunnel there's still plenty of enemies hoping it will fail. But I've always loved the aspects of love, friendship, family, and hope that this series explores. Shield of Winter the perfect follow-up to Heart of Obsidian. Yet again I have more characters to love and care about in one of my favorite series.

Sexual Content: Sexual humor, steamy bedroom scenes, and you know the drill!

5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession!

Originally reviewed at Book Whispers.

How do I even begin to describe what this book did to me? It is fitting that a love story between an empath and an Arrow who was icy cold would gut the readers to the core. So many heartwrenching, tender, funny and sweet moments. This couple is just amazing individually and together. They have such beautiful heart and soul. I really appreciated that despite how heavy their burdens and challenges are, they still gave so much of themselves to others. My fav couple and story in the series together with Lucas and Sascha. Will have to go back and read Kaleb because I was too excited to pounce on Vasic's story and skipped it.

This review can be found at The Blogger Girls review site.

A bit of forewarning: this review is COMPLETELY biased! And will hold a lot of gushing…

Nalini Singh is one of my top favorite M/F writers. I ADORE her writing and I especially adore her Psy-Changeling books. There have been novels in this series I haven’t enjoyed as much as others but ultimately, this is just about THE series for me in the M/F world (that features different couples). So, yeah, I’m a bit biased and, to be honest, I have no idea where to even START with writing this review.

Simply put, I LOVED IT. Caressed by Ice, which is Judd & Brenna’s story and book 3 in this series, has been my absolutely favorite for YEARS but holy shit, I think Judd just got pushed to the side by Vasic! At least, it’s a tie of which hero I love more in this series right now! These Psy who are Arrows, OMG, they are just torture city with themselves but they always seem to have a heart of gold buried under all that frost. And that’s one of my weaknesses! GAH!

Okay, a little about the story: With Silence broken, the PsyNet is being invaded by a disease that is infecting a majority of the Psy at an increasing rate; a disease caused by trying to smother the E-Psy from their abilities. Now, with the discovery that the empaths may be needed more than ever, a group of Arrows are tasked with overseeing an experiment with the empaths. Vasic, a well-respected Arrow, is paired with Ivy, a high-Gradient level empath, who’s past ‘treatment’ has left her damaged. The interactions between not just Ivy and Vasic, but other E-Psy and Arrows, form unexpected bonds, especially in the very creatures that are the epitome of ‘Silence’. It doesn’t take long for those bonds to become unbreakable. Before long, multiple violent attacks caused by the disease force the Arrows and E-Psy to take their abilities to help the public. Unfortunately, the E-Psy are just starting to wake and their abilities are as untrained as ever. With the violent attacks caused by the Psy illness and panic ensuing in the public, can Ivy and Vasic stop the mayhem occurring or will the mistakes of the past happen again?

Alright, alright, that was a really crappy description because, really, this book is HEAVY in romance and my little recap just barely touches on that. But I wanted to show that this book deals a lot with not only a developing and sustaining romance between Vasic and Ivy but also the troubles with the Psy. Where in the past there were conflicts with the shifters AND the Psy, this book is mostly just about the Psy. YES, we still get to see our favorite shifters (Hawke anyone?!) but this one is focused on the issues with the Psy and finding solutions to the issues that have been developing throughout this whole series.

Vasic, as an Arrow, needs Silence to keep his deadly Psy abilities in check. Without having such a tight leash on his powers, he’d be unpredictable. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean that stops him from realizing he’s killed people in the past that were completely innocent. He’s an assassin but he still feels remorse… even if he doesn’t realize it’s remorse he feels. His life has pushed him to almost the breaking point with him on the last thread of his sanity… until he meets Ivy. Immediately, the young empath soothes his fragmented soul and calms his heart, bringing out a fierce need to protect and possess along with it. Where Ivy settles Vasic, though, Vasic helps Ivy find her destiny and gives her the opportunity to realize what she is capable of, giving her the chance to FINALLY find out WHO she is and HOW she can help everyone.

The two together are SO HOT! I LOVED them. Vasic is such a mess and I ADORED that about him. Ivy is all soft, sweetness mixed with Vasic’s cold, hardness. They balance each other out in more ways than one. But most of all, they both hold such a FIERCENESS for the other that it made me fall in love with them over and over. It made me sad when they came across obstacles that blocked their ability to have a future and it made me WEEP when those obstacles proved almost too high to overcome. OMG, THE TEARS! I’m not ashamed to say I shed a few tears for this couple. I mean, how could I not?! They broke my heart!

*cough* I could go on and on about this book, this couple and what they have to go through but I’m going to stop myself here. Vasic and Ivy have definitely wormed their way into my heart. I’ll say it over and over: I loved this book. It brought out so many emotions in me but it also showed a great balance between the romance and the progression of the conflict/suspense/action interspersed in the story. It was PHENOMENAL.

Nalini’s taking the Psy-Changeling series into a whole new light and I honestly can’t wait to see where it goes from here… but I really hope we get Aden’s book soon! He needs one ASAP! If you love this series then you’ll definitely enjoy this book :)

Nalini Singh is a big hitter.
If you read her stuff, you know what you’re generally going to get.
Great story, great writing, great tension, intrigue, adventure, romance, and sex!
And that can be said for Shield of Winter, however there is a but!

This (book #13) was a much better read than the previous installment; but that doesn’t mean it was a truly fantastic read either.
The story was slow to start.
It was slow to heat up.
And it was so slow to get to the sexiness that usually comes with any book penned by Nalini Singh.

I can only conclude it has to do with the Psy/Psy relationship.
For me, there was a distinct lack of heat - and that’s understandable when you consider the way of their society – their upbringing – their silence. They are, as a whole, a closed off emotionless breed.
So is that the reason for the slow start, perhaps.
The basic continuation of the story is good – the subplot intriguing – the sneak peeks in to the lives of previously loved couples insightful.
But I just didn’t warm up to the relationship between Vasic and Ivy initially. I didn’t really like or connect with Ivy, but Vasic was a little easier to grasp as we’d seen him in previous books. I always knew he’d be a great leading man!

So yes, it took me quite a while to get in to Shield of Winter – to warm up to another Psy/Psy relationship (book #12 was also a Psy/Psy romance) but Ms Singh came through in the end.

In fact, the emotional roller coaster of Vasic’s situation was rather touching, and the progress gained for all Psy great – and I can only hope that carries forward to the next book, pushing the series ahead somewhat, so we can enjoy more great stories and less info dumping about Psy.

So all-in-all, Shield of Winter is a good read if you can manage to get past the very slow first half of the book. And because it was rather emotional at the end – I may have even had a tear or two – I’m giving it 4 stars.

Shield of Winter by Nalini Singh is the 13th book in her Pys/Changeling series. Before we go to my review, I wanted to mention how much I love this series. Nalini Singh is such a phenomenal writer, that after 13 books, she still keeps us wanting more and more of this awesome series. Many times, other big series suffer from redundancy, or just lose more with each book, as we either know what is going to happen or we get bored. Not so with Nalini Singh, and our Psy/Changelings. We still have wonderful stories, wonderful couples, and a fantastic world building that just continues to smoothly head to what promises to be a wild and exciting climatic finish to this arc.

We have known Vasic, who is our hero in Shield of Winter for a long time. The description of Vasic is perfectly described above in the book description. He and Aden are the leaders of the Arrows, who originally worked for the evil Ming, and now work together with Kaleb; the ghost we discovered in the last book, Heart of Obsidian. At the end of the last book, when Kaleb broke down Silence, we expected the fallout to be bad, since Silence was created to stop violence. With Silence no more, a dangerous sickness has infected the net, and the madness threatens to destroy everyone. Nalini goes into much detail, giving us what is necessary for us to understand what is happening, why and if it was possible to fix this. She also gives us a beautiful and difficult romance, which seemed almost impossible throughout the series. Vasic, who at the age of 4, was trained to become as an Arrow, a cold and calculated killer, to help preserve Silence, and protect the rulers of the Psy Council. We knew changes were coming, but we never thought there would ever a mate for Vasic, who was close to the end.

We meet Ivy, who is an empath, and living with her parents on a remote land, hidden from the Psy’s. Empaths were looked upon with distaste or fear, but now with the fall of Silence and the infection spreading, it is the Empaths who will come out of hiding to help work with the Arrows to try save the world. All the Empaths are brought to Changeling territory under the protection of the Arrows to come up with a plan.

Ivy was a wonderful heroine, who allowed herself to feel emotions. We saw this early on, when she would smile, and play with her beloved Rabbit (her dog). Ivy saw through the cold inner wall that Vasic built around himself. He was Ivy’s protector, and in time it was wonderful to see his wall slowly disintegrate, as he finds himself with feelings he never felt before; with each passing day going by, he cannot resist Ivy. Those emotions between them became so strong, that it not only sizzled, it totally melted Vasic’s wall, bringing out the man who was falling love and it was just wonderful to watch. To watch him come to life, and be so passionate with Ivy was great. Nalini did a fabulous job bringing in much humor during their relationship. Even to the point Vasic went to Judd to find out anything he needed to know about sex.

Both Ivy and Vasic made a great couple, and to the very end, we prayed they would be able to survive and make this work. After Kaleb in the previous book, I did not think I could find another hero to redeem in Vasic. Sigh I totally loved him.

It was great to see some of our favorites again, as they played a major part in trying to find a resolution to the infection that was spreading. I enjoyed seeing Ivy, Sascha, and Sahara, plus others work together. Shield of Winter is another great addition to the Pys/Changeling series, and I must say again that Nalini Singh is on the top of my list as a favorite author I will not miss. I must add, I so want Aden’s story next, since in this book I began to fall in love with him too.

4.5 Stars No Spoilers

The thing I love about the Psy/Changeling series is that no matter who the relationship revolves around there is always a new facet or dimension that makes it just different enough that I always fall into the story wondering how it will resolve itself. With each new book more connections are made in this world and I love still seeing characters from previous books intertwined with the new romantic couple as the underlying story progresses.

This is a story about the very secretive and mysterious arrows. They are probably the most broken and the most silent group in the psy-net and have been through the worst trials to form them into the weapons they became. But still they were made to be protectors of the net.

-- 'Heroes are often the quietest people in the room, the ones least willing to lay claim to the title. These men and women simply go about doing what needs to be done without any expectation of gratitude or fame. It is in their nature to protect and to shield and to fight against darkness, whatever form it may take.'

The Psy net is infected and collapsing with more dark and dead spots cropping up everywhere before Krychek and the arrows can contain them. The E-psy must be woken up to see if they can help stabilize an increasingly unstable net if they cannot find a way to heal the net then all Psy will suffer.

Vasic is part of the Arrow team working with some of the Es to try and find a way to combat the blackness that is infecting the minds of the Psy. Vasic had lost all hope for himself. Buried under the weight of the life he has lead he volunteered for a very experimental procedure that could end his life. Little did he know that life could hold anything else but death for him until meeting Ivy Jane the empath he is assigned to protect. With her help he might see a different future but is it too late?

-- 'Vasic stared at her, wishing he had the capacity to comprehend her. Deep in the back of his mind, in the crumbled ruins of who he might've once been, he had the piercing thought that she was a rare beautiful gift. And such a gift, came the ice-cold reminder from the core of his nature, would only end up crushed and bloody and defiled should he attempt to handle it.'

The love story takes a little time to pick up any speed but that is because of how deeply indoctrinated silence was into the arrows. Ivy had a long way to come with Vasic she had been hiding her empathic state her entire life and now even though silence has fallen she is still a little afraid of the woman she needs to become to help heal the net.

-- 'She wanted to be the promise that had been stifled inside her for a lifetime. Good or bad, weak or strong, resilient or fragile, she needed to know who Ivy Jave was beyond the cage of Silence.

The villain of this story is different from all the others in this series as it is the Net itself, imploding in on itself and threatening to take more and more psy with it when it goes. There was carnage and some very bleak moments that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The other villain Ming is not central to the plot but there are hints of a war with him in the near future, a war I very much want to read about.

This is a great follow up to Heart of Obsidian Ivy and Vasic are incredibly hot and steamy together. I loved getting a deeper view into the Arrow's and what the future might hold for them. I enjoyed the resolution to the problems and as always I was caught up in every minute of the story. Nalini Singh has developed another great addition to this series, like always I can't wait for the next one.

3.5 stars. I have been waiting for Vasic's story for ages. I've loved him in all the earlier books and was so excited when I heard about Shield of Winter. For the most part it lived up to my expectations. I totally fell for Vasic as I watched him slowly melt for Ivy and the best part was watching him develop a sense of humor. He and Ivy were perfect for each other. Their personalities complimented each other so well with Ivy being an E-Psy so she gets Vasic and she's also strong enough to stand up to his stubbornness.

Aden also makes quite a few appearances which is a definite plus and of course stoked my need for his story. I was so excited to see Nalini Singh mention that she is working on his story.

The story line itself about the break down of the Psynet was fascinating but the main reason I didn't give this one a higher rating despite my lovefest with Vasic was there is just too much going on. In addition to the degradation of the Psynet there is also a sub-plot about Vasic's life in danger from the experimental gauntlet he has grafted on him, Ming sending his men to try and re-capture Vasic and then touches on issues with the Venice Arrows, the remnants of Pure Psy and it goes on. I felt like it was just too much. I also get that Vasic is tortured over all the things he's done in his past but I felt like it was too over done and I was tired about hearing about it.

Still it's hard to go wrong with a book about Vasic so still was a good read.

Nalini's Singh's 13th Psy-Changeling book, Shield of Winter (out today!), is about a hero I have wanted almost as bad as the Ghost ... Vasic the Arrow ... the man who doesn't believe he deserves redemption, but who is as loyal and protective as a changeling alpha. Then we have Ivy, I was so thrilled to find out Nalini was going to focus on the e-designation and keep the tone darker and deeper, like in Heart of Obsidian. The book builds up so many issues and plots that it reads almost like an urban fantasy, with our two main characters falling in like early on but not reaching full steam until about three-quarters of the way through the book.

Vasic is just perfect. Watching him soften slowly from ice cold Arrow to a living, breathing and needing man just melted my heart. Personally, I'm a fan of UF and really enjoyed watching the E's work together to stop the rot on the Net and find a cure. The violence and the slow buildup were perfect for Vasic and Ivy. Each battle brought them closer together, and Judd giving Vasic advice for bedroom activities had me giggling.

This is one of my favorite series, and the audio books are so amazing I highly, highly recommend starting with Slave to Sensation (it just downloaded on my Audible app, yay!). The author has evolved so much since then, but it's still one of my all-time favorites that I go back to when I'm looking for a comfort read. Nalini's last two books have, in my opinion, been the strongest yet, and I love where the Net and different races are going. I want to watch Naya grow, I want to see Kit as an alpha and I long to see if Marly and Ben really are soul mates ... I'm just as invested in the second generation as I am in the first one, and that shows just how wonderful her world is.

Head over to the HEA blog
Last week Nalini was on her book tour and shared some awesome pics with us!

SPOTLIGHT, Review & Giveaway: Shield of Winter (A Psy/Changeling Novel, #13) by Nalini Singh [...]
Release date: June 3, 2014
Reviewed By: Reading In Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 4.5 Stars

REVIEW:
Shield of Winter is a great addition to Nalini Singh's Psy/Changeling series. I loved it! It is such an incredible paranormal series. I have been looking forward to the assassin, Vasic's story since he was introduced and I was not disappointed. I really loved the heroine in this series as well. Ivy was willing to fight for not only herself, but for Vasic. This series is full of intrigue, passion, emotion, action and sizzling romance. The storyline and the futuristic world that Nalini Singh creates is just amazing and unique. If you haven't read this series yet, I recommend you start at the beginning because it's a complicated and detailed series that you should follow from the beginning to understand everything that is going on. I highly recommend this book and this series for paranormal romance fans. It's a favorite of mine!

*Review copy provided by Berkley/NAL in exchange for an honest review.

I'll admit it- I finished the last book (Heart of Obsidian) and thought- well, that's it for me, I mean I've got all the men that I need since all my men had their happy endings. I'll even go so far as to say that Kaleb was my absolute favorite. Sure I liked Lucas and Hawke, and to some extent Dorian and the other changeling men; but Kaleb really stole my heart. (If you haven't read Heart of Obsidian, you really should!)

I had to read this book, because well, Nalini Singh could write an article that's published on the back of a horrible box of cereal and I'll buy the cereal just to get to read the article. Nalini Singh has pretty much moved to favorite author status for me.

What worked for me about this book? Vasic. A-freaking-mazing. He definitely crept up on me- I might not have cared one way or the other about him (I was actually thinking I wanted Aden's story), but by 1/4 of the way in the book, he had me hooked. I would even contemplate that he ranks up there with Kaleb (this ranking I'm still kind of working on.)

Is this a standalone book? No. You really do need to read every single book in this series. There is way too much world to miss by starting at this book- you need to know what the Psy were before the book's events started. If you start with this book, then you are really doing yourself a disservice.

Would I recommend this book? I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who has read this series. If you have NOT, then I really suggest that you immediately rectify that by starting with Slave to Sensation and then continuing to this one.

Shield of Winter is paranormal romance at it’s finest! The psy-net is infected and causing the psy within the infected regions to go mad with murderous rage and intent, slaughtering one another without remorse. In addition to that, the net itself is collapsing in some regions, wiping out thousands. With time running out. Kaleb turns to the Es and points the Arrows in their direction, hoping that with Arrow protection, and training from cardinal E Sasha Duncan, they can figure out a way to restore the net and find some stability.

Vasic is an Arrow with a soul drenched in blood. Forced as a child to become a deadly assassin, he believes he is beyond salvation but then he meets the E whom he is to be partnered with and everything changes. Vasic and Ivy’s relationship blossoms into something neither ever thought possible and Ivy fights to bring Vasic out of the shadows and into the light, but with the net collapsing and self-destructive decisions Vasic had made prior to meeting Ivy, their relationship finds itself in uncertain waters as they fight for the survival of not only their people but of one another.

I absolutely loved this story and was captured by the chemistry between Vasic and Ivy from the very beginning. You often wonder if when you hit book thirteen in a series, if the series will go stagnant. For this particular series, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Each time I pick up a psy-changling book I experience an emotional roller coaster of a story with exceptional character development. I’ve been waiting for Vasic’s story just as after reading earlier books I had been waiting for Kalebs. As you fall in love with Nalini’s main characters, you find yourself craving the story of another character. After reading Shield of Winter, I now very badly want to learn more about Aden, want him too to be pulled from the shadows. Thankfully I won’t have to wait too long since Shards of Hope, book 14 is coming out June 2nd 2015. I’d also like to see where Jaya and Abbot’s relationship goes. The author has a way of pulling you into her world so completely that you can never have enough of them

Without a doubt, a must read for any paranormal romance fan. Heck, who am I kidding. This is just a must read for absolutely everyone.

The disease in the Net is spreading, making Psy violent murders. Lots of innocent victims die, whole villages disappear from the Net. The Arrows and Councillor Kaleb Krychek try to contain the outbursts as quickly as possible. The Psy doctors are still trying to find a cure, but so far, all the infected Psy die. And it is spreading faster and faster. Desperate measures are necessary. It is time for the hidden Empaths of the Psy race to be awoken to their gifts, in order to save them all.

Ivy is one of those Empaths, she has been rehabilitated/reconditioned once, but slowly she is coming back to her senses, living with her parents and her little dog in an orchard. In a sort of back to basics community with other Psy who have left the city for one reason or the other. So when suddenly an Arrow appears before her, Ivy is terrified. She won’t survive another reconditioning.

They find 10 Empaths who want to try being an Empath, each with his or her own Arrow for protection. And with the help from Sasha Duncan from Dark River, to help them on their way. It is not easy to loose all the conditioning from an entire lifetime and embrace your emotions, and figure out a way to help others with theirs. But slowly they make progress, while growing closer to their Arrows as well. And being with an Empath, certainly helps the Arrows become more human again, a step further away from total darkness...

Of course it is not easy, and they discover that there are different grades of Empaths, and different skill sets. But Ivy is the strongest of them all, and really suited to this problem, calming down large crowds of people in a panic. But this is only the start, they need to cure the disease in the PsyNet itself, before it is too late.

Nalini Singh keeps surprising me with this series, going in directions I never see coming. I have to admit I had some problem with liking Ivy, and the romance between her and Vasic. But they really grew on me, and how they handled everything that came their way, like the Psy who want to assassinate the Empaths, as they blame all the problems on them. I liked the interaction with the Changelings of course, and well, it is just such a good story and series!

If you haven’t read it yet, what are you waiting for? I am looking forward to book 14. Bring it on Nalini!

8 stars.

Nalini Singh has done it again and Shield of Winter is a FANTASTIC instalment to the Psy-Changeling series. Every time I think it can't possibly get better she works her magic and blows my mind with her amazing characters! I have been dying to read Vasic's book for ages now and I loved every minute of it.

It's been painful watching Vasic's deterioration over the last few books, he has come closer and closer to the edge and you could feel how tired he was of living with the things he'd been forced to do since childhood. Although we've seen for ourselves how much Vasic has to offer he never sees the good in himself, all he can think about is the lives he has taken in his role as an Arrow and how much he regrets his past. The fact that he feels so much guilt shows us that his conditioning isn't quite what it should be, even at the height of Silence he was obviously showing signs of fracture and the symptoms are only getting worse.

Aden is like a brother to Vasic, they have been friends since childhood and always did their best to protect each other but being raised by a man like Ming was never going to be easy and we all know how rough the Arrow's have had it. I absolutely love the bond between these characters though, Aden is determined to do whatever it takes to stop Vasic from self destructing and he is making sure to send him on jobs that aren't going to make him suffer even more. I think this is a really interesting time for the Arrows, we're getting to see them making their own minds up about a lot of things, Silence included, and they're starting to see that there are other options open to them.

To give Vasic something positive to focus on Aden puts him in charge of protecting a group of E designation Psy, these empaths may just hold the cure for the rot that is spreading across the Psy-Net and it is vital that they succeed or it could be the end for the entire Psy race. Vasic has always had strong protective instincts but Ivy is like no one else he's ever met before and spending time with her changes him in ways he could never have imagined. Their relationship is one of the sweetest Psy/Psy relationships we've seen and I loved every minute of it. Ivy is a fantastic character, as an empath she was never able to successfully hold onto Silence so she is used to feeling deeply and isn't as cold as some of the previous characters were in the beginning. It was wonderful to see how Ivy instantly warmed not just to Vasic and Aden but also to all of the other Arrows, she is a real beacon of hope for them and I think she's going to be the one who shows them all what it is like to have a proper family. I don't want to give spoilers so I'll just say that things get extremely interesting (and very, very funny) when the passion starts to build between Vasic and Ivy. There was a particular conversation when Vasic askes Judd for advice that was absolutely priceless. You've got to give these Psy guys credit - they like to do their research and it more than pays off for the lucky ladies in their lives.

Shield of Winter was an emotional roller coaster, one minute I'd be laughing out loud and the next I would be heartbroken and crying for everything that both Vasic and Ivy have been through. This was a really heart wrenching read so it needed the humour to lighten it up but Nalini Singh got the balance just right. I loved seeing how things are progressing in the world since the major changes in the last book, a lot of things are happening and it's sure to be a bumpy ride but I'm pleased with the direction things are taking. My only worry is that I've now got to somehow survive the wait for Shards of Hope next summer, write faster Nalini please, please, please write faster!!

Shield of Winter, Psy-Changeling #13, by Nalini Singh
Grade: B-

"I hope the Es find their wings and fly."

Vasic knows his end is near but as an Arrow he will do everything he can to help save the Psy race before he's gone. After taking so many lives at the command of others, Vasic feels tainted and has accepted his fate but all that changes when he is assigned to protect Ivy Jane. Ivy is an empath or an E which had been almost eliminated when Silence went into effect many years before. Now the Es are the key to saving the Psy but not everyone wants to break Silence and it's up to Vasic and the rest of the Arrows to make sure this happens.

Ivy Jane grew up knowing her Silence was broken but she was lucky to have parents that helped hide her from others who would see her as defective. With Silence broken Ivy will do everything she can to help heal the race and stop the infection on the net. Ivy never expected to fall for a man like Vasic and when she learns of his fate she is heartbroken. Finally finding love, Ivy is determined to not only save the Psy but save to save the man who has helped so many without a second thought.

The Psy-Changeling series is one of my favorite series but I find myself not enjoying the Psy relationships as much as I enjoy the Changeling ones. I struggled with Ivy and Vasic's story and it took me almost a week to finish this book with is not normal at all. At this point in the series the books are a mixture of a new couple and all of the old characters that we've met before. I think because of this mixture it was harder for me to get to really know and enjoy Ivy and Vasic as much as I would have liked.

With all that being said I still really liked this book, it just isn't one of my favorites. Ivy is very sweet and the perfect fix for Vasic. I really liked learning more about the Arrows and I would love to see some of the Arrows and the changelings interact more. Vasic was a very complex character and I felt that it took him much longer to admit his feelings for Ivy which made the book a little slower than usual. Ivy is great and her and Rabbit kept me laughing and reading.

Since this is the thirteenth book in the series and so complex I highly recommend reading from the beginning. Way too much has happened so far and anyone attempting to come into this magical world at this point would be terribly lost. I cannot wait to see what happens in this world with all the new developments and I am eagerly awaiting the next book!

This is book 13 of the "Psy-Changeling" series and the story of (Arrow) Vasic and (Empath) Ivy.

This story was very different from the others in some ways but it was great all the same. While we did get a whole lot of Vasic and Ivy, their story was woven in with the madness happening around them. Will Ivy be able to bring him out of the darkness? Their story is one of the sweetest ones I've read in the series. I loved everything about it! Being smack in the middle of the chaos in the infected areas was an amazing experience I wish to repeat in future books.

The Psy race are imploding, dying out and their only choice is to wake all the Empath if they are to survive a total collapse of the Psy-Net. But even then there's not much hope when the Empaths don't know what to do and the infected are growing in numbers. Their instincts don't always work in their favor, putting themselves in danger of death more often than not, and it is the Arrows who must step in and take care of the Empaths before they hurt themselves too bad. The world is changing in many ways and they're all left wondering what will come next. But fear of the unknown is a very powerful thing and many are just confused without guidance and not knowing what to do. Will they all embrace emotion to survive or will they all perish with the rot and inevitable collapse?

*Anxiously waiting for the next book, the story of Arrow leader, Aden.*

What worked for me?

Like Heart of Obsidian, Shield of Winter is as much the story of Vasic and Ivy Jane as it is the unraveling of the overarching plot of the series. At 13 books, you’d think that a series would lose some of its steam but I believe Nalini Singh is not capable of losing steam with her stories. The plot, while seemingly on the brink of that final confrontation, as this is the second to the last book in this particular story arc, manages to sustain enough development that will not disappoint fans and readers.

Vasic is a character that we’ve seen glimpses of since the earliest books and it was such a satisfying thing, especially as a fan, to finally get to read his story. All the questions swirling in my head as to who he truly is as a person, if he can recognize and accept his own humanity and the penance that he craves so much, and what kind of woman would fit him as a love interest. Nalini delivers on all fronts.

Ivy Jane is an empath, a strong one at that, and I love just how these two seemingly balanced each other out. They both have their dark hours in their pasts, Vasic from being a controlled assassin and identity eraser in a way, and Ivy from almost having her own personality swiped off because of conditioning when it was found that her Silence was fractured.

The romance is just as raw and powerful as in all the other books by Nalini. And it was definitely great to see the other characters from the books again.

What did not work for me?

I can’t quite figure out what was missing in this book that I could give it a full rating. It might be on my part because I’ve put off reading the whole book in one sitting and had to continue with the latter part several days in between. Or maybe it was the unbelievably high expectations that I’ve set for this latest installment. In any case, you can not mind this anymore because Nalini Singh’s writing is still on the top of the literary food chain.

My over-all take on it?

This was still a gripping addition to the Psy-Changeling series. It wasn’t as fast-paced as the other books in the series, but the plot and character development still have that trademark treatment from Nalini Singh. I can’t wait to see how Nalini Singh will end this series and up next will be Aden’s book. I wonder who he will be partnered with. I have my theories on this too.

I really loved this installment, I felt like while both Ivy and Vasic could have survived without each other together they are completely whole. Ivy is the perfect heroine for the stoic Arrow, she has the ability to teach him to love and isn’t about to give up on him.

This is pretty far into the series, and I don’t think could be read as a stand alone because each of these stories have built on each other until Ms. Singh has created a beautiful and complex world that I enjoy delving into any chance I get.

I enjoyed catching up with past characters and getting to know the other Arrows especially Vasic’s friend, Aden. I really loved him and hope he gets his story told soon.

I absolutely adored the way Vasic studied manuals to learn how to be a better ‘mate’ to Ivy. Every time the manuals came up, I smiled. I think that illustrates cerebral quality of Vasic and the Psy. Especially Psy that are trying to live in a world where they finally have freedoms to feel again.

I highly recommend this book for fans of Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changelings. I know I read it in one sitting and couldn’t put it down.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated for my review.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Deeply emotional novel set in a dark world with engaging characters. Nalini has another winner with Shield of Winter.

Opening Sentence: The silence protocol has been the defining aspect of the Psy race for over a hundred years.

The Review:

Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling series is still going strong with the 13th installment, Shield of Winter. Nalini is an amazing writer and she consistently writes deeply emotional characters and worlds that seem so real that I can immediately get lost in. I have developed a deep appreciation for Nalini’s storytelling with each new novel in this series and I always seem to have a new favorite book of hers.

The Psy race are about to become extinct if they keep living with Silence. Their NetMind is infected and on the verge of collapse, if that happens all Psy connected to it will die. Silence was once their only hope to keep their race from the violence of their powers and emotions will now be their downfall. It seems that the Psy really do need to keep their emotions and that the hidden or long thought dead E Psy are needed to anchor that Net.

Ivy is an E Psy who kept breaking her Silence and has embraced being a different kind of Psy. As a result, she lives on a compound well away from other Psy who would have her “rehabbed”. She is also hidden on the Net so that it is not visible that she has broken her Silence. The only problem is that Ivy doesn’t quite know what she is so she has been trying to suppress her abilities and because of that she is slowly dying.

Kaleb Krychek has come up with a plan to save the Psy race using the E Psy. He hopes that their emotions will help balance the Net but first he has to test his theory. Ivy has been recruited with several other E Psy in an attempt to find a solution.

Vasic is a very powerful Psy with the ability to teleport. He is an Arrow. Arrows are trained/tortured at a very young age towards Silence and they do all the hidden dirty work of the Psy race, like hiding the dead bodies of Psy who have broken Silence. Vasic has been assigned to protect Ivy from members of the Psy race who have been hunting down and killing E Psys. Vasic is drawn towards Ivy in a strange way that will have him breaking through his own Silence.

Vasic is a quiet and observant Arrow. He will do what is needed of him by his fellow Arrows. He also harbors some deadly secrets but he also secretly remembers everyone he’s killed and victim’s from crime scenes that he has had to “clean up”. I immensely enjoyed his character and how he slowly melted from his tough, hardened exterior to a man who begins to feel emotions and fall in love with Ivy and with life. I really enjoyed Judd’s destruction and Kaleb’s ruthlessness in their stories but there was something about Vasic that had me really falling for his character. He had a vulnerability that I think the others didn’t quite have so I loved reading about him breaking apart and worrying about others.

Ivy is Vasic’s total match, while he is quiet and reserved. She is vocal and a little “pushy” but only in the sense that she has no problem showing and telling Vasic how she feels about him. She makes the moves on him. If not for Ivy, Vasic would have sacrificed himself before he broke his own Silence.

Shield of Winter is told through many points of view so if you aren’t a fan of multiple POV’s then you may not like reading this series. Although, I did feel that the story didn’t jump around too much. Ivy, Vasic and Kaleb told most of the story. Past stories in this series have really elicited emotions from me (especially crying), I never felt that way with this story. I felt more eagerness and anticipation for Vasic and Ivy’s relationship and hope that everything would turn out alright in the end.

Overall, the Psy/Changeling series is a dark and emotional world. Terrible things are happening around these people but they manage to find the light in the dark and make the world a better place.

Notable Scene:

Nodding, Ivy bit down on her lower lip as she had a habit of doing, her eyes focused on the ground and a vertical line between her eyebrows.

What are you thinking? he asked, though he had no right to know.

Give me a minute.

So close to him that he could reach out and embrace her, she—

He paused, worked through all the tiny details he knew about her. Would you like me to hold you? he asked, unsure he was correctly reading the subtle cues.

She turned into his body in answer. Wrapping his arms around her, he took care to make certain the gauntlet didn’t dig into her, and cradled her head as he’d done when he’d held her after the nightmare. She seemed not to mind the hold, and he liked the feel of her hair, silky and warm against his skin.

This touch didn’t count, either, that starving part of him whispered. Ivy needed this; to deny her the contact would be to hurt her. Cheek pressed to his chest and arms around him, she was a small weight he could feel through her jacket and his combat uniform. He preferred her dressed as she’d been the other time, her clothing thinner, less of a barrier. It made him consider how much more of her he’d feel if he, too, was dressed in light civilian clothing.

His mind jabbed a warning down his spinal cord, telling him sensation equaled pain. Fighting the psychological brainwashing, because there was nothing painful about holding Ivy, he lowered his head to speak to her, the words quiet in the intimate space between them. “Should I have been there when you woke?”

Ivy stroked his back, and he wanted the armor off, wanted to know what it felt like to be touched by someone who did it for no reason but that she liked him. “It’s all right. I know you have a lot of duties.” Con­tinuing to pet him in the way he’d so often seen humans and changelings do with one another, she said, “Was it bad?”

Vasic knew he should break contact, not for his sake but for hers. But if he didn’t hold her, protect her, who would? Yet the brutal fact was he had no right to even ask that question, have that thought.

“Not as bad as many other operations,” he said, putting aside the cold truth for this stolen instant. “I found survivors this time.” It hadn’t only been blood and desolation.

FTC Advisory: Berkley/Penguin provided me with a copy of Shield of Winter. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Title: Shield of Winter

Series: Psy-Changling Book #13

Author: Nalini Singh

Genre: Romance

Blurb: Assassin. Soldier. Arrow. That is who Vasic is, who he will always be. His soul drenched in blood, his conscience heavy with the weight of all he's done, he exists in the shadows, far from the hope his people can almost touch--if only they do not first drown in the murderous insanity of a lethal contagion. To stop the wave of death, Vasic must complete the simplest and most difficult mission of his life. For if the Psy race is to survive, the empaths must wake...
Having rebuilt her life after medical "treatment" that violated her mind and sought to suffocate her abilities, Ivy should have run from the black-clad Arrow with eyes of winter frost. But Ivy Jane has never done what she should. Now, she'll fight for her people, and for this Arrow who stands as her living shield, yet believes he is beyond redemption. But as the world turns to screaming crimson, even Ivy's fierce will may not be enough to save Vasic from the cold darkness...

Heather's Thoughts: Thoughts: I had to read this book twice before I could read it slow enough to actually think about it as far as reviews go because this is the book I've been waiting for since Hostage to Pleasure when Vasic tells Ashaya, I am not a team player. And to be completely honest I've read the book three times now. Yes it's that good.

There are so many things that keep me coming back to this series over and over again, but one of the main ones is how in each book the world is changing. We've seen the PSY race go from being ice cold to almost extinct because of the decisions that were made in the past in an attempt to save the race. Of all heroes in this series my three favorite ones come from the PSY race, Judd, Kaleb and Vasic.

Why do I love these characters so much? Because none of them have hope that they will be able to have a normal life because of their abilities. At their very core they are protectors. And yet they are different.

Kaleb Krychek might be like them, but Judd was one of them. Location 1092

Shield of Winter picks up within a short time frame after Heart of Obsidian. There is a virus in the net that is killing the PSY race. Kaleb has a plan to stop it, but to do so risks the very people the Net has been protecting for a hundred years. A group of people that aren't supposed to exist. He enlists the Arrows to protect them, knowing they will do anything to protect their race.

Aden has been concerned about his best friend for several books, but its really in Heart of Obsidian that we see how concerned he is. When Kaleb presents his plan to Aden he knows exactly who he wants in charge of the mission. The man he would walk into fire to save, but has no hope for himself. He hopes that being in constant contact with an E-Psy Vasic will be saved.

Ivy Jane is never going to be afraid or hide herself again. What was done to her when her abilities spiraled out of control was so bad it took her months to get herself back. So when an Arrow shows up in her orchards she faces him with no fear. The very last thing she ever expects is a job offer from Kaleb Krychek delivered to her by an Arrow. But what he's asking her to do is something she never expected to do. To use her ability to help save her race. Her parents want her to tread lightly, but she can't.

When Vasic uttered the words I am not a team player to Ashaya in Hostage to Pleasure I knew there was going to be something awesome about him. And I was right. I really really really want to tell you all about him and why he is so freaking awesome. But if I do I will be giving away some major spoilers, at least I think they are spoilers. So instead I will simply tell you that everything we've ever suspected about Vasic is true and so much more.

I made so many notes and highlights in this book. There was so much great content and story I couldn't help it. There was one however that is my favorite. And that I will share with you.

"I need to ask you some highly personal questions."

Judd reached down to pack the snow into a ball. "I've been hoping for a long time that someone else in the squad would get to the point where a discussion like this would be necessary." Rising, he threw the snowball with a fast arm. "Ask."

"How do you control your telekinsesis while intimate with your mate?"

"I broke a damn lot of furniture at the start, including two beds." A curious glnace. "What are you doing?"

"Traveling around the world."

Judd stared, and then started laughing, the gold flecks in his eyes eyes wild against the brown. Vasic couldn't imagine laughing, but it looked as if Judd did it naturally, so perhaps it was a skill he could learn.

I loved this scene...and it gets so much better after this. Judd's advice for Vasic had me wishing for a scene with Judd and Brenna.

There was one thing that has bothered me however. I didn't realize it until I'd re-read Heart of Obsidian for the twelth time and so I looked for it in this book. What happened to Shosanna Scott? It's like she simply disappeared. I want to know where she is and what she has planned.

I do think there is something going on between Anthony and Nikita. And if there isn't well I think there should be.

Overall this is a fabulous book. The events that Nalini set up in previous books regarding what is going on in the Psy Net play out so well. I can't wait to see what's next for this world.

Grade A+

Sarah's Thoughts: First, let me say - I love the Psy-Changeling series. It is simply an amazing, amazing series. Unfortunately for me, it seems to be losing its spark. I have found it harder and harder to enjoy the last few books in this series. Ever since Kiss of Snow, it has started to go somewhat downhill for me. In the case of Shield of Winter, I enjoyed the characters of Vasic and Ivy - and even had a moment where I thought the series might get back on track. I still enjoy Singh's writing. For me though, it just seems to be lacking that crucial spark that it first had in the first novels. I'm not sure Singh if it's become too caught up in the intricacies of the world she created and intensity of the characters has suffered, or exactly what it is that just isn't quite hitting it's mark with me, but I hope to feel that old spark again soon. I'm getting close to giving up on this series...:(

Rate: B
[...]

Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling Series is very close to my heart because this is what got me addicted to paranormal romance in the first place. The last book in the series, Heart of Obsidian, is actually one of my favorite books of all time so it’s understandable that Shield of Winter had some pretty big shoes to fill.

In all honesty, my reading experience with Shield of Winter is very different from Heart of Obsidian because it actually took me awhile to get into the story. The book dealt with the aftermath of what happened in Heart of Obsidian so it took several chapters before it actually focused on Ivy and Vasic’s relationship. I can understand the reasoning for that, the last book basically changed everything about this world and it needed to be dealt with before anything else.

I understand it but that doesn’t mean I didn’t struggle with it at the beginning though. Perhaps my biggest mistake is I should’ve read at least Heart of Obsidian again before going into this book because I honestly don’t remember certain details that happened in the previous books. But despite my initial struggle, I did enjoy Vasic and Ivy’s romance and story overall. Wherein Kaleb and Sahara already had that previous connection and relationship many years before the events of Heart of Obsidian, we see Vasic and Ivy meet for the first time in Shield of Winter. We see their relationship grow and develop in this book and there’s a certain innocence to their relationship because these two characters, however broken they may be in other aspects, are innocent when in comes to love, sex and relationships.

In fact, if you factor out crazy Psy infections, Vasic and Ivy’s painful past, and everything else that surrounds this series, their relationship felt like two people experiencing their FIRST and FINAL love. It was sweet and heartwarming to see how their relationship unfolded because we know that both of them is experiencing EVERYTHING for the first time…together. I love how Ivy knew what she wanted and put herself out there for Vasic. I love how Vasic didn’t fight his growing feelings for Ivy and didn’t reject Ivy’s affections for fear of breaking his Silence.

Surrounding this relationship is the aftermath of Kaleb’s actions in Heart of Obsidian and how the Psy and everyone else is dealing with this change. The beginning was too slow-paced for my liking and again, it took me awhile to get into the story because it didn’t focus on Vasic and Ivy first. Don’t get me wrong, I welcome the new struggles that these races (Psy, Changeling, Humans and the Forgotten) are dealing with but I think I would’ve connected with the book immediately if I got more Ivy and Vasic at the beginning. Fortunately, the buildup is slow but in the end, their relationship left me with a smile on my face. Once I let got of the notion that this is going to be another Kaleb and Sahara, I appreciated the subtleness of Vasic and Ivy’s relationship more. I can never compare Kaleb and Sahara’s relationship with Vasic and Ivy’s because they are all very different people, even though they are all Psy.

Overall, despite my initial minor struggles, Shield of Winter is a worthy book to follow Heart of Obsidian and I felt that Vasic’s story was done great justice and he found a perfect partner with Ivy. This is Nalini Singh after all and there’s a reason why she’s one of my all-time favorite authors. Although the romance can serve as a standalone, the overall storyline of this series is too complicated at this point so I wouldn’t recommend this book for first time readers of the series. This is a definite must for Psy-Changeling fans though and if you were like me who struggled at the beginning, know that I ended up loving this book in the end. It is truly a worthy addition to the series.

A copy was provided by the publisher via First to Read in exchange for an honest review.

After finishing this book I immediately wanted to reread the entire series, they are so good. The world Nalini Singh has created is fascinating and I get totally lost in it. The Psy race really piques my interest and the possibilities are endless, so it could go wherever you want it to go. I don't think I will ever get tired of them.

Thirteen books seem like a lot to read, before you should read this one, but it is necessary. If you don't have the buildup from the Psy world you'll get lost and it will be confusing. Don't worry though, as soon as you start reading, you will want to read all of them. This series is addicting.

In the previous books we've seen an Arrow fall in love i.e. Judd, but this time it's different. Judd had his family to support him and keep him from the ledge, Vasic had no one. His conditioning started at the age of four and it was one of cruelest and hardest upbringings ever. Your heart will bleed for this one. Trained to follow orders and kill people, that is what he does best. Being used as a tool all those years, has pushed him almost past breaking point. Now that Silence has fallen, it's even more important for him to stay in control, one more push and he's of the ledge. Though one thing you need to know is that when it comes down to it Vasic has always been about protecting people, even more so than the other Arrows.

For the fall of Silence to really succeed, the Psy need their Empaths. They've tried to wipe out the gene at the beginning of Silence because it was a threat. Silence is suppressing all emotions basically, which goes against everything that Empaths stand for. Now they need to find the Empaths again and train them, to make the Net healthy again. Here is where Ivy comes into play, she is a real strong empath and it has nearly killed her going against her nature. The opportunity has come for her to finally let herself be, without getting punished for it. If she helps saving all those Psy even better.

That is how Ivy and Vasic get put together. For each empath gets his/her own Arrow protector. Spending so much time together with someone who just lets her emotions flow, isn't easy for Vasic to deal with. He's afraid that if he'll give in to the emotions Ivy calls upon, his conditioning might break and that would be the end of it. Ivy though isn't one to give up. She sees something in him and is convinced she can help him melt the frost around his heart.

While this possible romance is blossoming, there is still a big threat to the Net and time is running out. They will all need to work together and push their skills to save all the Psy and the Net from collapsing.

The Arrows are very intriguing, so I am really happy we get to know them better. Their first purpose is still protecting the Psy, but somewhere along the way people started using these skilled men for their own purposes. I am glad, we get to see this new side of them. These men were conditioned until breaking point and now they are rising up, becoming their own. I hope Aden is the one to get his own story next.

Nalini Singh is able to create the perfect mix of romance, action, mystery and growth. The characters go through certain changes to become better versions of themselves. Someone else is usually the trigger for that, but it's because they want it themselves that it really happens. Also it's not just on an individual level, the world and mostly the people within are always changing. With change often comes resistance and that's definitely the case here. Change isn't easy, but you need to believe in it and slowly people will accept it.

Another great one in the Psy-Chanheling series. We get to see a lot of old friends back and it's really interesting to see how everything is woven together. A lot of questions are answered, but there is one that still remains; what is next? Like I said, change isn't easy and the world is not yet finished changing. I can not wait to read what is coming next.

4.5 Stars!
This is one of my all time favorite series; I enjoy getting carried away to a world where Psy and Changeling’s rule. Their love is fierce and they will do anything to protect their mates from the dangers inherent to their world.

Silence is all the Psy have known for over a hundred years, now that Silence has fallen there is paranoia and death surrounding the PsyNet, an infection is growing that threatens everyone.

Vasic is an Arrow, a soldier and assassin that is devoid of emotion. Raised in an environment that breeds those that are more machine than human, he has been assigned to find and protect those with an E designation; they are the hope of the future.

Empath’s or those with E designations have been almost eliminated in the Psy world and those that are still around have had their abilities basically put to sleep, they need to be woken up as they are the key to the infection and those that choose to volunteer will live in the SnowDancer/DarkRiver territories with the Arrows to protect them.

Ivy lives with her parents Gwen and Carter in a northern area, it is a quiet life now but she has endured horrible treatments a younger Psy. She is considered an Empath and is surprised when an Arrow comes asking for her help. She is intrigued by Vasic from the beginning and as they work together in the Changeling area to solve the PsyNet’s problems her affection grows and Vasic begins to feel again. They have many things to get through as the danger ramps up when the infection grow, there is also the danger from those that are PurePsy that don’t want Silence to be broken.

Shield is Winter is an amazing book, the continuing series gets better with each book as the world is more intricate. I enjoyed Vasic’s story he is a strong but broken man but he is so sweet to Ivy and of course Rabbit. And I like Ivy, she feels deeply and is immediately attracted to Vasic and the two together are amazing, the chemistry is off the wall. I love when he can’t control his emotions with her and they travel to several places in the world accidentally.

This is book thirteen and the amass of secondary characters is large, we get to see many of the changelings from the Snow Dancer and Dark River complexes not to mention we get a large dose of Kaleb and Sahara, which is fun. There are many scenes with Aden, another Arrorw which I love and hope he gets a book soon because he is wonderful and I need more of him. I also like how Alice’s story is blossoming. There are so many character stories I am intrigued with and want to see them grow and find their own mates.

The pace is perfect and it picks up as the danger grows and gets closer. I love where I think the overall story arc is going and I will enjoy the ride. Ms. Singh writes an amazing world and I am loving every minute of it.

Review also posted at Ramblings from a Chaotic Mind

Copy from publisher for an honest review

I find it hard to come up with new things to say when book thirteen comes out in a series, but I am going to give it a try. I expect a lot from Nalini Singh books. She is by far the best paranormal romance writer that I have ever read. She is able to give us a believable romance while weaving together an intricate plot. I am always blown away by her books and Shield of Winter was another knockout for me.

I was thrilled to find out that Shield of Winter would be the story of Vasic. He is so cold and stoic and I couldn’t wait to see those walls come down. And Ivy is just the girl to bring down those walls. She is pure softness to Vasic’s hard shell. But that doesn’t mean Ivy is a pushover. She is willing to fight for what she wants and for what’s right. I loved watching her grow into her designation and gifts.

As I mentioned before, Nalini is a breathtaking storyteller. The Psy-Changeling world has kind of become this massive monster, but Nalini knows how to tame it and bring it down to a smaller size so we can understand. These are definitely books that you have to read in order or you will have no idea what is going on. With that being said, I never feel lost. Nalini is able to explain everything so that you understand what’s happening, and it never takes away from the overall story.

With all of these wonderful things being said, I did feel like this story dragged just a tiny bit. For a while there it felt like nothing important was really happening, and I felt like Vasic and Ivy’s resolution was a little rushed at the end. But besides these few small things Shield of Winter was very enjoyable and a great addition to this fantastic series. I can’t wait to see where this series goes next.

I am always impressed by the caliber of Nalini Singh's writing. IMHO she is absolutely the best of the best paranormal romance writers out there. When I read Kiss of Snow I thought, "Ok. This is the penultimate. She's peaked. No way can she keep it at this pace or this quality." Then she built it up to Heart of Obsidian and killed it! She knocked it out of the park with a monumental story of love, loss, and redemption... Heart of Obsidian was SO DAMN GOOD that I've stopped counting how many times I've reread that book. I had no idea how she was going to keep it up after that. I mean, how can you top the fall of Silence, Kaleb's dynamic character, his phenomenal power, his secret childhood torment, and the heartbreaking story of Kaleb and Sahara's tragic young love reclaimed? ... But that's the brilliance of Ms Singh. You don't try to top it, you don't have to because life continues. World-changing events have repercussions. Ms Singh just rode the waves of the ripple effect to bring us Shield of Winter after the fall of Silence.

How does a society that has praised cold emotionlessness for a century react to the sudden freedom to feel? Acceptance? Denial? Rejection? Violence? How does a broken Arrow at the end of his rope learn to accept that not only can he feel, but he deserves love? How does a broken E accept that it's ok to feel? How can any E, all Es, help heal the sickness of the Psynet before everyone is destroyed? Arrows and Es - at opposite ends of the spectrum but integral to each others' survival. Vasic and Ivy's story will touch you deeply as they learn to navigate this new field of emotion amid the ripples of life-changing events on the world stage.

I cannot praise Ms Singh enough. Her story arc is so tight and consistent that it links all the way back to the first book in the series. Stellar addition. I can't wait to see where she takes us for the next one. Bravo!

NUMBER OF HEARTS: 4 1/2
REVIEW:
We all know (that is if you have read the first 12 books) that the Psy are a very cold race. They like everything perfect. There is no room for flaws of any kind. Flaws have been dealt with swiftly and harshly over the last 100 years. But with the fall of Silence in (bk 12 Heart of Obsidian) the Psy race is now fighting a new killer. One that does not care who or what stands in it’s way. There are two ways to save the Psy race: 1. Cut out the affected and kill millions or 2. Hope that the E-Psy will awake in time to stop choice number 1.

As always Nalini writes a story that sucks me in and makes me not want to leave no matter how bad it gets at time. Vasic and Ivy’s story is both amazingly filled with hope and heartbreakingly sad at the same time. I honestly had my doubts on Vasic based off prior books. He is the perfect Psy in all ways. Ivy Jane was new to me, but I loved her the minute she stepped on the page. These two are just flat out amazing together. Yes, I laughed, cried and wanted to kill the leaders of the Psy from 100 years ago. I want to say so much but don’t want to spoil it for you. Just know the manuals are very important!!! :)

I did listen to this book on audio as I have done with all of Nalini’s Psy-Changeling books. Ms. Dawe does a great job again with the voices of each character. My only issue was that the audio file I had seemed to go in and out. At times it seemed muffled at time. I am not sure what it was. But even with this I loved the story.

Disclaimer:
I purchased this book from Audible and this review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy

So much of my time spent reading SHIELD OF WINTER was dedicated to worrying whether such a broken person could actually function somewhat normally.When the reveal of just how much torture and pain he endured at such a young age to become an elite Arrow I seriously doubted he could pull himself from the darkness. Vasic had a long long journey to heal and it was a triumph to see him slowly piece himself together from being a shell of a man to someone who could love and trust for the first time in his life. I especially adored how self-sacrificing he was especially when fighting to help protect the Psy race.

The romance was super sweet and while I am not the hugest fan of the Psy/Psy romances in this series I really enjoyed this one because of the utter contrast in personalities and experiences between Vasic and Ivy. It was fun to see the sparks fly as Ivy slowly pulls Vasic out of the dark and into the light. I loved Ivy as she had the kind of inner strength that was necessary to break through Vasic’s ‘dark world’.

The plot of SHIELD OF WINTER is one of the darker ones in the Psy-Changling series. Luckily there are notes of humor to balance the dark tones. I adored Ivy’s little dog Rabbit and his reactions to Vasic which were the most memorable humorous moments in this book. I really enjoyed getting some insight into the Arrows lives. After reading SHIELD OF WINTER, I think there is some hope for the Arrow squad who like Vasic have endured so much pain in their lives to become the emotionless assassins they are.

SHIELD OF WINTER has a tender romance wrapped around complex earth shattering plot that will stick with you long after you close the book. I can’t wait for the next Psy-Changling book.

*sigh* Have you ever read a book that made you feel elated and left you with a sense of euphoria? I know it’s been a while since I’ve read the beginning of the series, but right now I can say this is definitely my favorite of the Psy-Changeling books. I wanted to curl up into the book and become one with the characters. Is that a weird analogy? Yes. Yes, it is. I just can’t say enough about how much I adore all of Nalini Singh’s books!

Vasic is an Arrow on the brink of destruction. He had a device implanted in his arm that cannot be removed, without it having never been tested clinically. He’s been forced into a soldier led life since the age of 4, and he maintains the thought that he isn’t worthy, that his crimes as an Arrow has stained his very essence, when in all reality, Vasic is a worthy, honorable man. His heart and soul will cry out to you while you read this book. You will empathize with him and long to be the one to heal his tortured spirit.

Vasic is asked to lead a squad of Arrow’s in a race to save the Psy people. He will team up one Arrow to one newly learning empath, with the hope that they can figure out a way to heal the Net and stop the brewing insanity within the Psy race. Each empath’s Arrow is to act as their shield, while they rush forward in an attempt to stop large groups of Psy’s from going mad and destroying each other and the innocent victims in their vicinity.

When Vasic assigns himself to Ivy Jane, Ivy is barely hanging on to her Silence, and she has endured a lifetime of consequences since the designation E has long since been forgotten. She was rehabilitated as a teenager and nearly killed in their attempt to recondition her Silence. Her recovery was like that of someone with a tramatic brain injury, and when Vasic comes to recruit her, she fears he has come to take her back to rehabilitation. She soon learns Vasic wants to take her, her loveable dog named Rabbit, and a team of empaths to Snow Dancer territory to learn her skills as an empath with the others in a safe environment, away from the corrupted Net.

Ivy doesn’t hide the end of her Silence, and with her new-found friendship with Sascha Duncan, embraces her strengths. She also learns a great deal about what it means to live free of Silence from spending time in Snow Dancer territory, and begins to see Vasic for what he truly is, a man in need of someone who sees him as a hero and a protector.

I love how in this book we see numerous characters from past books, many scenes with Aden and Kaleb, several of our favorite Changelings, and we are finally seeing the Psy race witness Silence for the truth of what it has become. In Shield of Winter, Singh has incorporated every aspect that makes a great series magnificent! I felt love, suspense, anticipation, lots and lots of action, and I never once had the desire to skip ahead to see what would happen next, because what was happening right in front of me was just too superb! I will most definitely read this book again and I highly recommend this book! I cannot wait till we get to read Aden’s book next year!

Check out my other reviews at https://www.facebook.com/paranormalRaven and http://paranormalraven.wordpress.com/

I thought I didn't like this book as much as some of her others but the story has stuck with me over the few days since finishing it. This book is slow and sweet compared to the changeling-centered stories which tend to be more about the physical relationship between characters.

The romance in this book is truly beautiful. The depth of emotion between Vasic and Ivy is quite believable and even brought tears to my eyes at one point. Their relationship is one of growth, since they both begin essentially as innocents. The power dynamic between them is well-written. Ivy s much stronger in certain ways and there is none of the alpha-male grandstanding that we read about in some of the other novels. Vasic is so lovable and supportive. You can't help but root for the two of them.

Initially, I was disappointed by the lack of conflict between them. Their romance is very gentle. Those who want passion and inner turmoil (like Riaz and Adria) will not enjoy this book as much. In addition, the story is focused almost entirely on Vasic's past. In many ways, Ivy is there to help him grow and discover himself. We learn very little about Ivy's history and most of their relationship issues come from Vasic. Most of the external turmoil comes from Ivy.

The breakdown of the Psy net that has been in the works comes to a head in this book. It is perhaps a little too neatly solved. It felt somewhat anticlimactic. If anything, this aspect of the story was the most lacking. I also wish we had seen more from the changelings in this book, similar to the vignettes in Tangle of Need.

It might seem like this book was lacking in many ways, but that's because I just can't put my finger on why I loved this story. Their love was beautiful and peaceful and left me with a good feeling on finishing the book. This is one of those stories that sticks with you and teaches you something about your own life. A must-read for anyone who enjoys this series, even those who like the changeling books better. Don't miss this!

Nalini Singh has always been able to make me but down whatever book I was reading at the time her latest book comes out. It is always a joy to see what the Guild or the Psy-Changlings are up to. And the Shield of Winter proved my point. The world is always evolving and with the end of Silence, the Psy are trying to find their way in this world without the help of the Psy-Net at its fullest. But there is always someone or a group that does not want things to change. Kaleb has determined that a Psy class designation has been missing from the net and he thinks this is the way to help build the net back to health. So he ask the help of the Arrows. The most deadly of forces that were used by the Psy Counselors to make problems go away in any form or fashion. People have disappeared without a trace under the hand of the Arrows. And the most deadly of all is Vasic. He is on the brink of self-destruction for the things he has been asked to do in honor is the Psy-Net. Now he is asked to do one more service for his people and it is one he will either survive or be destroyed from. But how can a man who has killed hundreds be asked to protect a single person so precious to the Psy-Net? One who knows not the ugly parts of the world, life or his soul? Nalini writes Vasic story only as it can be lived, to make him other what he is would not to justice to him.

This is one of my all time favorite series of books. I love the different species/cultures... and the way the author has made each different and unique -- and shows them learning from one another, Appreciating their differences, and fearing them. There is so much of the real world in there.

This book had a deep understanding of the life of military families and first responders. The concept that two people who came from the silent species could see one another and believe they had found their mate, and be determined to do whatever they could to hold on, both to one another, and to life, was what held me, and gave me hope throughout the book. Those who seemed frail on the outside were proven to have a core of strength, and those who appear to have an exterior of armor, were revealed to have tender cores in need of soft touches and gentle care. The value of both love and family was explored and treasured in this book in a way the Psy both needed and deserved.

As always, I can not wait to see what else unfolds on this remarkable Psy/Changeling world.

I absolutely loved this story. It reminded me of Caressed by Ice (Judd's story) and Heart of Obsidian (Kaleb's story). Vasic is very much like Judd and Kaleb, Silent, tortured, and hungry for the acceptance of the woman that has caught their attention. The story is passionate, emotional, adventurous, and entertaining. I love Vasic and enjoyed following another story of an arrow finding happiness. Ivy is a strong character who is attracted by Vasic and she doesn't let him accept his cold existence, or his tendency to punish himself for the actions of his past. I love the Spy-Changling series and I think that it is just getting better. The plot and conflicts are continuing to progress and it is not getting dull or formulaic. I also love that the stories are now focusing on the Arrows, they have intrigued me ever since book 3, Caressed by Ice with Judd, and I like reading about the Arrows finding their happy ending.

Singh finally brings us into the Arrows inner circle. Which really makes the reader realize just how much Singh has set up for future novels when she created this near-future world. Of all Arrows she has to choose from, she picks self-destructive Vasic. He was the Silent Arrow that can transport anywhere in the world and not even need a picture of the site, he could actually transport to person (highly unique). He also volunteered, against advice from his closest and only friend, to get a dangerous, non-tested gauntlet in a previous novel. So who better to crack open his silence, but an empath?

Ivy is a high level empath who was extensively tortured as a young teen when her Silence was discovered to be breaking down. She was luck enough to have parents who ran with her. The deadly breaking down of the Network and dangers of the dark mind bring together the two in the hopes of saving lives.

Great book. Much more heartfelt than previous novels, but that is ok. I wouldn't want all her books to be a carbon copy of each other. I'm already looking forward to the next.

Honestly...do I even need to review this book or this author? Is there anything that hasn't been said? Let's find out.

Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series is what I consider an "instant buy". I don't care who she is writing about, I will buy her books. This woman can do no wrong. Strike that, the US covers of her books are slightly more than terrible. But that's it. Seriously. Everything else is irritatingly flawless. Shield of Winter was no different.

Critics of the Romantic Genre always joke about the brooding hero and I, honestly, can't blame them for doing so as they have been given more than enough reason to make light of the description (*cough*Twilight*cough*). I do, however, think that said classification of hero has been down played and overlooked due to how much rubbish has been thrown under the title. If you want to experience a true and wonderful "brooding" hero, look no further than Nalini Singh and her Arrows.

We are first introduced to, and shocked by, the Arrows and their capacity for emotions in the book I showed you above, Caressed by Ice, and Mr. Judd Lauren will forever hold a place in my dark and twisty heart. While Judd's book is sitting in a place of honor on my bookshelf, in Shield of Winter we are introduced to, perhaps, one of the most broken and tortured Arrows in existence: Vasic...and his book is in my fire safe. You read about him in the other books and you are convinced he is the one guy that is too far gone. No way is he getting his own story. No way is there light at the end of his tunnel. Nalini Singh, however, strongly and spectacularly disagrees. Watching Vasic transform and, eventually, obtain his HEA was one of those moments when a book becomes an event in your life. I will never forget how I felt when I read the words "Don't say no!" If you want to know why all of us "silly romance readers" swoon and sigh over "brooding" heroes, here is your chance to experience a real one. Thank me later.

Now, since we have such an extreme in the "brooding and dark" hero, you gotta know our heroine is gonna be a freaking ball of sunshine. Ms Ivy Jane does not disappoint. Due to her designation in the Psy world she is just full to bursting with love, loyalty, and all things genuine in this world. Reading her is like sitting on a warm beach with your toes in the sand. Fearless, faithful, and ready to take on the world for the ones she loves, she is, literally, the only female in the world that could take on and conquer the insanity and absolute darkness that is Vasic. There is no back and forth, no quesitioning of feelings, no lame excuses or misread signals. What's there is there and while they may trip over themselves occasionally it is always done honestly and openly. I could not love these two more.

The plot revolves around a major point of resolution in a story that has spanned 13 books. As usual, we closed a door, there is relief from the horrible winter outside but, hey look, now that window is open! Onward to book 14! I did enjoy revisiting several characters that we've met throughout the series and meeting some brand new ones. The idea behind the resolution of this story's major complication is ingeniously beautiful. Nalini Singh's imagination is just such a fun thing to be a part of.

I will leave you with the fact that you should NEVER judge a book by it's cover. I started reading the first book in this series because the cover was so ridiculous I just could not resist. I was expecting cheese and a whole lot of eye-rolling and what I got was one of the most amazing adventures my reading world has ever known. Take a chance on a weird looking book or one that may have gotten a bad review or two and you may surprise yourself with one of the best rides of your life.

Hero: ★★★★★
Heroine: ★★★★★
Plot Line: ★★★★★
Steam: ★★★★★
Overall Rating: ★★★★★

I'm almost positive this is my first "5 stars across the board" review! :::releases confetti:::

Favorite Scene: When Ivy confronts Aden.

Favorite Quote: "If I'd meant to kill you," he pointed out, "You'd be long dead, your body disposed of in a crematorium incinerator."
Blinking, Ivy stared at him with those unusual eyes that made him feel stripped to the bone. "Maybe it's better if you don't meet my mother."

The Psy-Changeling series is an alternate world where humanity has split into essentially three species, humans, Psy who are an icy and emotionless race and who have mind powers, and changelings who are essentially shifters.

This is book 13 in the Psy-Changeling series. This is NOT a standalone, so I wouldn't encourage anyone who hasn't read at least the first few books of the series to start with this one. Frankly if you haven't read the entire series, the average reader is likely to be lost. Spoilers for previous books in this series may be contained in this review.

At the end of Heart of Obsidian, Silence has fallen but the infection is growing in the Net. However, the bond Sahara and Kaleb have formed is giving new hope to the most damaged of Arrows, except for Vasic who holds so much guilt and self-hatred and really has very little care for his own life.

Vasic seems to have been used by Ming more harshly than any other Arrow. He's killed and erased for so long he feels he has very little worth as a human being. Even in previous books while he seemed so very Silent, he never seemed particularly heartless, just...tired. Ivy is an Empath who has been bent and shattered (but not truly broken) by life in a Silent net and brutal reconditioning.

There is fairly strong agreement for the theory they must wake the Empaths to save the net, so Kaleb surprises everyone by offering the E's employment on this project rather than merely conscripting them, and the Arrows are enlisted to protect them.

So, first things, first. The romance between Ivy and Vasic was fairly straight forward and sweet. I bought Ivy's relatively gentle awakening as well as her obstinacy, it seems characteristic of all we have learned of E's so far. I even bought Vasic's growing feelings for Ivy and how gently he stepped out of his depression, because it made sense for his character that having someone of his own to love and protect would make all the difference in his life. And their Psy sexting was adorable and sexy. Unfortunately, with this book, I wanted more of them. As much as I loved Kaleb and Sahara, there was a bit too much time being spent in their heads, I understand that they are integral to the plot-line, but all we needed was their actions not their feelings or thoughts. But the cameo from Judd was spot on and just what the story needed. He's still my absolute favorite hero.

And on to the ending, for this book there were two serious conflicts that needed resolution, the disease in the net, and Vasic's gauntlet. I won't spoil too much but one was almost a deus ex machina and the other one, while it was a gentler and more straightforward resolution than we might have been led to expect, it also fit perfectly with everything we've learned bout the world and all the other actions that foreshadowed this same solution, so it made sense. I'll let you decide which one is which.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book; it just didn't reach the same level of enjoyment I received from Caressed by Ice or Heart of Obsidian, so 4 stars.

I am seriously wondering though, where is Nalini Singh going with this world next? We finally have a what appears to be the closed circle of the overarching conflict of this series, from Slave to Sensation with the very first awakened Empath, to now with the awakening of ALL the Empaths. I worry for the continuation. Hopefully the next book is Aden's, I am hoping to see him hook up with either a human (maybe Alice?) or a Forgotten in order to close another circle.

In Shield of Winter the Psy Net is getting more and more instabil. The infection is increasing and starts to infect the brain. Some regions of the Psy Net are badly flawed and start to collapse. It causes violent revolts which end into death or coma. The psy population is split into pro and conta silence.

Kalbeb sets up an E test group. Each E has her own personal Arrow as protector. Aden assigned Vasic to Ivy. Together they're looking for a way to save the Psy Net.

Time is running out. Not only for the psy population, but also for Vasic whose biofusion gauntlet is getting more and more instabil and is threatening his life.

Shield of Winter was a wonderful book to read. There is a lot of insight into the psy populace.
I loved how the different species worked together to save the collapse of the Psy Net.

I really enjoyed the story. I loved Vasic and Ivy and the inclusion of so many other Arrows, especially Aden. Perhaps we'll get his book soon. Many other favorites played a part, too, and I enjoyed seeing them all again.

On the other hand, the narration of this story was awful, almost to the point of turning it off. I have listened to Angela Dawe before, and while I find her voice strident and irritating, I can usually handle it. But this time it was much more than that. I was listening to this while driving most of the time. First she was shouting, then the sound would get very low, I'd miss some, and I'd have to turn up the volume, then she'd start shouting again and I'd jump and have to turn it down again. On and on this went. Now I am pretty much Angela Dawe shy. I think you have to blame the audio editor for part of this also. I'd recommend the book or Kindle edition.

I've now read all 14 books in this series and to my biggest surprise, this one and the first one, Slave to Sensation, are the ones that have stuck with me the most. To my even greater surprise, this one ended up being my favorite. No author I've ever read in the genre can sustain this high quality of writing, story telling, evolution, character development...I didn't even care for Vasic but this book...this book was amazing. Vasic was so well fleshed out, I fell in love with him and have even greater respect for Nalini Singh's talent. This was awesome and heart warming, and after 14 books, I still don't want the series to end. I am among the tiny minority who didn't think the prior book, Kaleb's story, was the best in the series. I'm a huge Vasic fan now, and bow down at the altar of Ms. Singh's talent, which is out of this world!

I've read the series up to Kaleb's book twice, this is the first time I've read this book. It was fantastic, fast engaging read, I stayed up till 4am to finish reading it. You still see plenty of the other characters you know and love, Ashaya, Sascha, Lucas, Hawke, Judd, Kaleb and Sahara and more. I don't want to spoil anything by accident, but this is a must read, just like all of Nalini's books

One of my favorite books in the Psy-Changling World. The Arrows deserve so much more than they have been given. I've felt for the Empaths since the very first book with Sascha and Lucas. I'm so glad that one of the most damaged Arrows got his happy ending with Ivy. And it was fascinating on how the Arrows and the Empaths created such a symbiotic bond. I can't wait to read more about these fantastic couples.

I LOVE Nalini Singh! I think she is incapable of putting out a bad book. Other than the fact that I was really hoping that this would be Aiden’s book Shield of Winter did not disappoint. Vasic has been a quiet hero in the previous books. He has used his incredible talent to save countless lives. Sadly he focuses on the lives he didn’t save and those he took. He feels deeply for a Psy Arrow who is supposed to be Silent. With the fall of Silence the Arrows will play a pivotal part in helping the Psy to recover. Ivy is a powerful empathy who had been “rehabilitated” for her breach of Silence. Fortunately it didn’t destroy her or her abilities because her gifts may be the very ones needed to save those that thought to wipe out those same gifts. Can Ivy and Vasic save each other? Of course but you definitely want to read along to find out how.

After Heart of Obsidian, I didn’t think Nalini Singh could do much better. Seriously, that book knocked me out. But here comes Shield of Winter, a story of two Psy’s who know Silence is broken, but feel they are broken deeper than that. A society is falling from which it brought itself by instituting Silence in hopes of saving their race from insanity only to drive them back into insanity by ignoring their true core. Now Silence is falling, dark voids forming in the Psy-Net. But who holds the key to saving the Psy-Net?

Vasic is a broken hero. Conditioned by Silence to be a killing machine, he really isn’t unfeeling. He remembers each and every life he has taken under command, under the Silence that was forced upon him early in life. He is utterly cold on the outside, but inside he is a hot rolling mess of emotions, guilt and the feeling he must right all the wrongs he has committed. He feels his life has little value from what he can protect. At any moment he is ready to die.

When sent to protect an E class Psy and bring her into the fold, he determines that it is his ultimate mission to protect Ivy at all costs. But the E classification has almost been eliminated because E involves emotions. Ivy almost didn’t make it through her reconditioning to remove what they thought was wrong from her. Her parents, while Silent, also loved their daughter in their own way and took her from society so she could quietly heal amongst others that weren’t totally Silent themselves.

But now Ivy has a mission to possibly be one of a few Psy who might be able to save the Psy culture. Together Vasic and Ivy along with others, set forth to heal a dark void that could destroy all the Psy. Along the way, we see the slow growing of love between these two. Both virgins, and both untrained on what love entails. There is a sweetness to their love, almost a purity as it grew. Vasic thinking he has nothing to give and Ivy knowing she has too much love to hold back. Throw in Judd giving sexual advice to Vasic and I was charmed by the sweetness that instantly turned in to erotic hotness.

She shivered, and he’d had enough looking. Getting into bed, he came over her and placed his gauntleted arm above her head, then gribbed her jaw as she’d done his. “Open your mouth,” he said. “I want to taste you.”
I often wondered what the relationship between Vasic and Aden was through the other books, and you get a closer, intimate look into how their relationship works. Aden is the character I want next to find a happy ending. He is one strong dude that needs to find love *nods*.

We get to see old favorites…Sasha, Lucas, Judd, Aden, Krychek, Sahara…and many more. You get to see Sasha find her calling as a Cardinal E Psy along with Lucas fighting tooth and nail to protect her, even from herself at times.

There are great battles, harsh conditions, internal fights, redemption, saving life and so much more to this book. Nalini Singh takes a gray world, one devoid of emotions and gives it life in beautiful colors. While some words seem too technical, she weaves those words into a tapestry of beauty that makes us realize nothing is as cold or black and white as it seems.

(...Includes a few spoilers...)

After the peculiar absence or mere cameos of many key characters of the series in "Heart of Obsidian", it’s so good to see a majority of the usual suspects in "Shield of Winter" – particularly Sascha. While some still only had peripheral roles, the fact there’s more action with older characters makes the story seem more complete in the scheme of the series.

The main story (beyond the romance, at least) is the struggle to find a way to fight the disease that’s snaking its way through the Net. It’s no easy task. Nor is it easy for the Es, who are believed to hold the key to finding a cure, to rediscover the truth of their designation after a century of being subjugated under the Protocol. But they are a determined group and those that we meet in the book quickly take up the mantle they were born to wear. Even Sascha discovers new abilities over the course of the book.

But that’s not what most people want to know about. No… They’re more interested in swooning over Vasic. :) And, hey, he’s a great guy worth swooning over! (Though Judd is still my favorite Arrow.)

Our haunted hero has trouble seeing beyond the atrocities he’s committed in his time as an Arrow. After so long, the weight of all he’s been asked to do has placed a darkness over soul…and he has no desire to fight its hold on him. However, the sunny nature that is Ivy Jane fights to banish that darkness, just as she attempts to fight the infection in the Net. She’s such a great counterbalance to his dark, brooding self. After already having to overcome her own darkness earlier in her life, she’s gained the strength and determination she needs in order to help bring both Vasic and the whole of the Psy race out into the light.

While there are many great parts of the book, one of my absolute favorites involved Vasic’s “slight technical glitch.” :) Gotta love TKs!

One thing that disappointed me about the book, however, was that we never get an explanation as to why Vasic (and apparently all TK-Vs) get an “itch” when they’re around Es. I know that, with all the chaos happening elsewhere, that this is a minor detail in the story, but I would have loved an answer because I’ve been curious as to the answer since Nalini released the sneak peek of the first chapter.

Overall, while there are a few parts I found a little rough in the book, I think that "Shield of Winter" is a wonderful addition to the rest of the Psy-Changling Series. Most of the books of the series garner a 4-star rating from me and this one is no exception (but, please note, I rarely give 5 stars to anything). I enjoyed reading this book – multiple times – and am sure that other fans of the series are going to be just as pleased with it as I was!

And, lastly…I have my idea about who the next book of this series will have as the couple. I’m really anxious to see if I’m right!

Thank you, Nalini, for such a great series!

There’s quite a bit going on in this story besides the broken Silence. There’s also the battle against the infection corrupting the Net that every Psy needs to survive and thrive. Thousands are infected, breaking out in homicidal rage and killing everyone they come across for no apparent reason. Then there’s Vasic’s biofusion gauntlet: a pretty cool bit of hardware that’s going to kill him soon. No ifs, ands or buts. Man’s gonna die because there’s no way to remove it (without killing him, that is. Which kind of defeats the purpose). There’s also the ongoing threat of a Very Bad Dude who wants Vasic back under his thumb. It’s a lot, yeah. But, hey. We’re at book 13. That means there’s a lot of crap that *has* happened, that still needs to be addressed. But I never felt like it was too much.

Oh my poor, tortured Vasic!

I have been waiting for a Vasic story since Nalini Singh first introduced him several books ago. He is one of the Psy Arrows, extremely powerful and extremely broken. Since the age of four, he’s been used and abused. Life as an emotionless soldier is all he has ever known. All the death and emptiness has now caught up to him, though. He is on the edge, ready to give up on life, when a new mission changes everything.

As the story begins, Silence has broken and a terrible infection is spreading through the Psy Net. Kaleb believes that the E(mpath)-Psy are the key to saving their race. He approaches the Arrows to reach out to the hidden E’s, to protect them as they explore their gifts and work to come up with a solution to the infection. Vasic is assigned to Ivy and from the moment he meets her, the two have a connection which will change both of their lives forever.

Vasic was everything I hoped he would be in the tortured hero department. He really cannot see anything but the blood on his hands from his years as a soldier. But Ivy sees him. She sees the hell he’s endured and the loyalty and goodness inside of him. As she finally allows herself to feel all of the emotions she has suppressed for so long, she seeks to heal her wounded warrior… and to find a way to break through his stony Silence.

I enjoyed their story, despite the fact that their path was slightly predictable. I loved that they were both virgins and learned about sex and sensuality together. I loved the blunt way Vasic was able to voice his desires — It was mighty hot. And I thought Ivy was a worthy compliment to the kind of man he was. She returns his loyalty and is willing to give all of herself, not only to him, but to all of those who need her.

The romance felt a little easy, though. Usually our Psy heroes are tougher nuts to crack. But despite all of his conditioning and self-derision, Ivy begins to affect Vasic immediately. He allows her to touch him (both literally and figuratively) so much sooner than I thought he would, and there was very little internal conflict. I think I might have liked a little more angst in that vein… though the external conflict was nothing to sneeze at. I thought the plot surrounding the Psy-Net infection was pretty epic. And the countdown to Vasic’s impending self-destruction made me so sad for both him and Ivy, alike.

I am definitely looking forward to Aden’s story. (He has to be next, right?) I feel like this book put us right at the heart of the Arrows and I want more. But some changeling love would be nice too. I’m so greedy. I want it all.

Rating: B+

NS's writing style for her Psy-Changling series always does it for me- she pulls me in every time- even though I may not always feel a great deal of simpatico towards her main couple…..having said that, I love how she DOES try to offer different personalities and not go the lazy Christine Feehan way of producing yet another same-same lead romance couple, same voice, same words, same interactions.

I do prefer the Changlings to the Psy, but I found this story satisfying- loved the plausible romance, enjoyed the back story about Vasic, and felt that Ivy was perfect for him. I also enjoyed the snippets of info about the Forgotten, and how the main story arc keeps moving along.
Great read, but not a stand alone novel--youre really need to begin at the beginnning to appreciate the references to other characters and events.

It is hard to put into words how much I love this earth shattering and provocative series. The World that Nalini Singh has created is one of a kind. I was hooked from book one and it only gets better and better. Her characters are a mix of such raw emotion that has been bottled up you just can't wait to see all the passion explode.
Vasic is a member of the deadly Arrow Squad, trained since birth to be cold and lethal.
He has lived a life taking orders and not asking questions from the Psy Counsel. They learn that everything they have followed and done in the name of bettering their race was a lie.  His silent world is awaking and can he cope with all the horror he has seen and been apart off. Ivy Jane makes him feel emotion for the first time and makes him want to be a better man. For once in his lonely existence he has someone who makes him hope for a brighter future.  Ivy has hidden her emotions her whole life and had to undergo a brutal conditioning when she was young stifling her empath abilities. Vasic makes her feel things she has never felt before. She always believed she was flawed but she see herself differently from his eyes. They have a long battle ahead. Vasic's past choices come back to haunt him and could cost him the once in a lifetime love he has just found with his Ivy.
The Psy/Changling world and all they ever knew has changed. Silence is broken and to survive their race will have to overcome what has been ingrained in them since birth if they are to survive the disease tearing up their net mind. They are looking for hope in the darkness that is surrounding them, before it is too late for them all. A Must Read for sure!

I love anything and everything about this series, even all the little short stories. While I do find all the changeling romance stories more interesting than most of the Psy relationships (except Kaleb/Sahara - love them!!!), I do love reading about how the Psy are able to find love in spite of their conditioning. The whole Psy/Changeling/Mortal war and battles though are still the primary plot of the whole series and it will be interesting to see how that story arc will continue now that Silence has fallen. Can't wait to read the next book about Aden.

I'm a die-hard fan of this series, and I loved the previous book. This book runs a close second to that one as my favorite book in the series. Vasic and Ivy were perfect together; she was the perfect complement to him. And he was just plan awesome.

It's odd, though, because this book feels like the end of a long story arc. Silence has fallen, so what happens next in this world? I checked out Ms. Singh's web site and, fortunately, this is not the end for the Psy-Changelings series. There are more books to come, books which will begin a new story arc. I can't wait.

Nalini Singh is one of the few authors I buy in hardcover and without hesitation. Mind you, I have not forgiven her for the awfulness of Kiss of Snow but everyone slips up now and then.

Shield of Winter continues the story line of the problems facing the Psy now that Silence has fallen. The PsyNet has started to fail due to a virulent virus that causes the Psy in the affected areas to go violently insane. No one is safe when the violence takes over with the affected Psy attacking not only other Psy but also any Human and Changeling in the area.

KAleb Krychek and his mate, Sahara, are struggling to find a solution before all Psy are infected by the rapidly spreading virus. Krychek believes that the E (empathic) Psy are the answer but E Psys have been conditioned not to be empaths and no one remembers how their gifts could be used.

Deep in the heart of SnowDancer and DarkRiver territories Krychek brings together a group of Es and their guardian Arrows to try to find a cure before the Psy are lost.

This is also the story of Vasic, an Arrow on the edge, and Ivy, an E Psy who was brutally reconditioned when she first broke Silence.

I enjoyed their story even if it did feel that they achieved a degree of intimacy a little too easily and too quickly. Vasic was the traditional tortured hero and Ivy the traditional heroine who finds her strength in the face of adversity and it absolutely worked for me in this story. I think it worked because their romance wasn't the whole of this book, the search for a cure for the virus was equally strong and as interesting, maybe even moreso, as the romance.

A lot of familiar faces appear briefly in Winter. Nikita Duncan, Anthony Kyriakis, and Krychek are the interim leaders of the Psy. Hawke and Sienna appear briefly, Lucas and Sascha even travel outside of DarkRiver territory to help the Es and the Arrows. Zie Zen, enigmatic Psy elder, returns on a surprising position. Even Devraj Santos appears.

After writing 12 other books in the same world it is hard to include an expanding cast of characters and no writer should have to but Singh included just enough familiar faces to satisfy the "but what about" factor.

It's really about 4.5 stars but I haven't given 5 in a while so 5 it is.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A world I never knew it existed. A word created by the talented Nalini Singh. This book was given to me for an honest review and I can honestly say that haven’t read a book faster than the last YA story I was hooked on.

Now, this is definitely not YA, this story is for mature adults that love to read anything that is supernatural, that like to read stories with action, suspense and who like to be kept in the edge of their seat as they read it.

When I received this story I did a little research and found that she had more and I was instantly hook. Where has she been all my life? Then I started wondering if I needed to read all previous 12 books to understand this one and while I would have love to do that I don’t have all that time. But I was happy to discover that Shield of Winter can be read as a stand-alone and not with the others while it wouldn’t hurt.

Now who is Vasic? He is the hot guy that is trouble and your mom told you to stay away but you cant. He is mysterious, dark, an assassin that you can’t wait to read more about.

Right from the start the story takes off, there is no dragging and any slowness to it. Vasic is to go on a mission that he clearly doesn’t want to go but he is the best one to accomplish it. But the last thing on his mind is how much the Empath he needs to gather actually makes him feel. The chemistry between the two is undeniable and hot. It makes you reach in and tell them just to strip and get it over with but at the same time you understand that, that is not the place or time.

“For if the Psy race is to survive, the empaths must wake…”

Will Ivy be the saving grace for the race and Vasic or will her help not be enough. Only time will tell and for you to read and find out.

An awesome, edge of your set, intriguing and so cool to read, review and get others to read it. I give it 4 stars/olives and I will definitely be back for more Nalini Singh Psy-Chaneling stories.

~ 3.5 Shield of Winter Stars ~

Shield of Winter is book thirteen in the Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh. Ms. Singh has built a race as cold as ice, who are merciless killers, but in this book she explores the hidden passion of an Arrow.

It’s always nice to return to the Psy-Changeling world. One of the things I like the most about Ms. Singh is her writing, she does a extraordinary job of describing things so fluently and with so much detail, but the detail can get over the top at times.

Shield of Winter was an enjoyable read, but not an Oh My God one! I have never been a fan of the Psy, though I did enjoy learning more about them, the infection in the Net, and seeing what happens when two Psy can find love. I found it new and refreshing to have two leads be virgin’s. This is something we don’t see in romance books, well this is the first one I have read that has had this aspect. I was also not expecting to like Vasic as much as I did. He came across so sweet and tender, for an Arrow, my heart melted, but he still has that detached personality that the Psy are known for. Ivy, also comes across strong and tender. Her personality complements Vasic. The romance was a slow fiery build of passion making it seam like young love.

As for the plot/storyline there was a lot of conflicts; with the infection, Vasic suicidal tendencies, Vasic bio-fusion gauntlet, Ming, the remnants of Pure Psy, the vulnerable E’s and the connection to their Arrows and more. Maybe a little to many plot’s and sub-plot’s going on for my liking. I also felt that the empaths (E’s) deserved to shine more and stick it to the Psy that tried to erase them. I wanted a little more on this story then the outbreaks of violence and death. I also felt that Ming’s appearance and talking about him was not necessary. We get some small appearance by Ming and a half as planed on his part is made to capture Vasic. Everyone wants Ming dead, but they talk and end up putting it on hold because of the infection. I was really hoping for a finish with Ming, but nothing happened and then this plan to capture Vasic.

Shield of Winter has its flaws, but there is a constant flow of familiar Psy and Changeling faces that welcome the readers back to the world. If you have not read the Psy-Changeling novels yet, I hope you give them a try.

Considering how strong this series is, especially the power of the last few books, I had wondered how this one would stand up. Though the intense pace of recent books wasn't present, I understood and appreciated the necessity of the flow to this particular story within the larger whole.

I enjoyed both lead characters as well as Rabbit. I'll admit a wicked part ofme would like to see the two damaged geniuses hook up. I'd find great delight in their maddened conversations.

I'm giving this four stars because while I enjoyed the book, and found myself tearing up morethan once, I really wanted more from the empaths. That oomph of empathic connection wasn't fully there for me. It was almost a bit sanitized, I thought. I also got a bit irked by the"honey" comments. But that could be because I had forced myself to finish the most repetitive book in history a few days ago and am still overly sensitive.

I wouldhave liked to have seen more of thenetmind. I also wish the ending hadn't been wrapped up so efficiently. I realize it's a trend now, but it's one I stronglt dislike. Still, I look forward to seeing how the world shifts and the plot lines that were hinted at in this book.

This book was probably by far my favorite. I think that the interaction between Ivy and Vasic made this a great read. Also a very laugh out loud adventure. Throughout all of the previous books we have seen Vasic and the Arrows do the bidding of Ming with no regard to their Silence and how it will eventually effect them, and I think that this book brings Vasic's protective instincts out more because that is who he has always been. But it also shows another side to his character when he comes to realize that Ivy is strong enough and cares enough to fight for and protect him as well.

Shield of Winter is a mind-blowing, utterly brilliant book – exactly what you’d expect from powerhouse paranormal romance author Nalini Singh. This is not a book you want to start late at night, for Shield of Winter is richly compelling and there’s no way you’ll want to put it down.

Vasic is an Arrow and a Tk-V Psy whose abilities make him a valuable commodity to many. Precious few see him as more than a weapon, which just about broke my heart. He’s got blood on his hands and the weight of what he was made to do in the past is crushing him, though he believes he cannot feel. It takes Ivy Jane – a powerful empath – to reach him. Ivy’s a strong soul with a giving heart, but she was almost broken as a child thanks to the Silence Protocol. Her will to survive and her need to help others made her a truly excellent heroine, and the way she and Vasic connected was simply lovely. Their alternatingly romantic, sexy, heartbreaking, and joyful slide into love made me melt, and I was rooting for them to find a way to be together forever. Because while falling in love may be surprisingly easy, staying alive isn’t. Not only does Vasic have an experimental implant that’s slowly killing him, the world is in chaos with the fall of Silence.

Though Silence has slowly been fracturing throughout the Net over the course of the Psy-Changeling series, in the previous book, Heart of Obsidian, we see the official end of the Silence Protocol. The consequences of that decision have ripple effects all throughout the Net and in Shield of Winter we see the fallout. In addition, the Net is diseased and the only hope for saving the Psy race lies with the empaths, a designation most Psy have never even heard of. There’s blood, chaos, and danger aplenty in Shield of Winter, and Ms. Singh definitely keeps you guessing as to how things will work out. I won’t say more for fear of spoiling the book, so suffice it to say that readers are in for one hell of a ride.

Shield of Winter is the thirteenth full-length Psy-Changeling book, and though Ms. Singh does provide the necessary background information needed to enjoy the story, I don’t think it would be as impressive as it truly is if read as a standalone. The Psy-Changeling world is complex, and the foundation for the explosive change of events in Heart of Obsidian and Shield of Winter were layered in all throughout the first eleven books. Vasic and Ivy’s emotional, sensual romance aside, fans of the series should go wild for this book. Between the phenomenal worldbuilding and the strong supporting roles played by the Psy-Changeling “power players” (as I think of them) – Sasha, Lucas, Judd, Hawke, Kaleb, Sahara, and Aden – this is don’t miss for anyone who loves the series.

In a series filled with standout books, Shield of Winter shines. Nalini Singh never misses a beat and I loved every single page of this tightly-written, romantic adventure. The next Psy-Changeling book can’t come soon enough!

Kimberly
Review courtesy of Wit and Sin

After being completely enchanted by Kiss of Snow, it took a while for other books in the series to measure up, and although it took longer to become invested in this book, once I did, I was hooked! The new and older stories blend seamlessly and I loved the peeks into all of the worlds. Most of all, I loved Vasic and Ivy . Just beautiful and so emotional but always with just the right amount of humor.

I'm not going to go into much detail, because plenty of other reviewers have. I'll just say, this was a good book, maybe even very good. But after Heart of Obsidian, it was a bit of a let down, which may have been inevitable following Heart of Obsidian (a truly exceptional book).

Vasic has been an intriguing character since his first introduction. Ivy was an engaging character, and a great partner for Vasic, Their romance was very sweet, but felt truncated. Vasic had been set up to be one of the toughest nuts to crack, but his hard shell seemed to fracture fairly quickly...reasons were given, but Vasic and Ivy's relationship felt rushed.

We got some interesting background on Vasic and the Es, which I enjoyed. We got to see quite a few characters from the past, which mostly moved the story along and added dimension, i.e. Sasha & Lucas, Hawke, Aden. Sahara & Krychek also played a big role, and though they were important to the story, I felt they were overused to add a more physical element while Vasic and Ivy figured out how to be intimate.

I liked the new characters, in particular the younger Arrow and the E he was assigned to protect (their names escape me). I hope to see more of them, maybe in a novella.

The story itself was just okay; it didn't pack the emotional punch of other novels. We already had stories with an Arrow and an E, and the author didn't bog down the story with general background info we already know.

**spoilers**

Ming is set up as a pretty significant background player, and I was on edge waiting to find out what underhanded dastardly deed he'd commit against Vasic...only to be left with one weak appearance. I don't know if this was a red herring or set up for something big in a later book, but I found it disappointing that he didn't end up playing a bigger role in the conflict. Vasic loses an arm and it's kind of glossed over, other than him being sad because he can't give Ivy big hugs anymore. I was really surprised by what could potentially be a permanent amputation and thought this could have been explored more. We're told Arrows adapt, and that Vasic could compensate for the loss with his Tk, but the Arrows' torturous repetitive training is drilled into us, so it would be more natural if losing a limb would cause some sort of disruption for Vasic.

**end spoilers**

Overall, a must-read, but I can't help but feel Vasic got short-changed. Maybe Heart of Obsidian should have been followed-up with a book with two unknowns (like Tangle of Need after Kiss of Snow) instead of a fairly established character.

This book in another winner from Nalini Singh. The effort of a E-designated psy women to humanize one of the psy Arrow men after the fall of silence is very well done. Some knowledge of the series will help the reader understand the story line. Although the book has sensual undertones throughout there only a few actual sex scenes, which support the story line, but could be a little less detailed.

The infection in the PsyNet is growing and their survival lies in the hands, minds, and hearts of the people the Psy have tried to erase. Ivy Jane has spent years in hiding, rebuilding herself and her life after a treatment to fix her Silence nearly destroyed her. Now, her empath abilities are needed to help save her race and the man who believes he is beyond redemption.

As an Arrow, Vasic is detached from the other Psy and carries out the most secretive and deadly assignments. Under the command of the psychopath Ming LeBon, Vasic’s hands have been stained with the blood of innocents and he thinks he’ll never be able to it wash it off. Basically, he’s broken and doesn’t deserve saving. Ivy believes differently and pulls him out of the shadows one painfully heartbreaking step at a time. There’s nothing groundbreaking here. In a series rich with complex and outstanding characters, in this instance Judd comes to mind, one really needs that something extra to stand out and neither quite had it. That being said, the romance is no less sweet, satisfying, and agonizing and Vasic and Ivy carried the book with ease to a heartwarming ending.

The infection in the PsyNet is driving some Psy to violence and murder. Kaleb Krychek is now in power after the dismantle of the counsel and wants to avoid drastic measures that will kill millions of Psy but ensure the survival of his race. No one is safe from the infection except the group of people the Psy have spent 100 years trying to eradicate. Sascha and Sahara play a large role alongside Ivy and the trio makes a kick ass team. Other than that, I wanted more from this story than the outbreaks of violence and death to show the spread of the infection repeated throughout the book. The empaths deserved to shine and stick it to the other Psy that tried to erase and cage them for so long and sadly I feel that’s not what happened. Well, other than Ivy.

Both Psy and Changeling want Ming LeBon’s head on a platter but the PsyNet needs the stability he offers in this dire time so retribution has been put on hold. Roughly, that’s all I felt that needed to be said about him. Instead, there’s a brief section dedicated to a plan he has to enslave Vasic and poor execution of said plan. None of which was necessary and I fail to see how the book would have been any different without it.

Shield of Winter has its flaws, ones I would have overlooked if I wasn’t accustomed to top-notch paranormal romance from the fabulous Nalini Singh, but not once did I think about putting this book down. There’s a constant flow of familiar Psy and Changeling faces to welcome readers back to this world laced with love, grief, joy, violence, and hope. Despite my nitpicking, there’s a lot of beauty in Shield of Winter. Now, can Aden’s book please be next!

I was looking forward to this book, but I found it a little disappointing. If you like the series you may enjoy it more than I did. If you haven't read any of the series I highly recommend that you start from the beginning up till this one they have been wonderful stories. Again you may enjoy this one more than I did, I found that it dragged and couldn't hold my interest. I put in down several times to take a break from the story. I am not sure I will continue reading this series, but really look forward to the next book in Nalini's Guild Hunter series.

Strong characters. I did find myself wanting to rush through the parts about the Net and wanting to get back to the romance between the two main characters. But I thought it had good overall pacing and I enjoyed and was rooting for Ivy Jane and Vasic. I did like them bringing in some of the old characters.

Silence has fallen and the Psy race is in chaos. An uncontrolled disease is slowly taking over sections of the NetMind. Once infected, it can send those affected into a mass psychotic and murderous rage. If it’s not stopped, it will destroy the entire Psy race. Kaleb Krycheck has an idea which may save the Psy, but he desperately needs help. He believes that the long hidden and sidelined Empaths are the key to healing the NetMind. It’s a bold and dangerous move, as a particularly dangerous segment of the Psy are set on eliminating anyone within the E classification. Kaleb cannot ask the vulnerable E-Psy to step up without offering them protection. For that, he turns to the Arrows.

Ivy is one of the E-Psy asked to help. As a child, her Silence was always fractured. As a teenager under the old system, she was rehabilitated. It left her mind fragmented and barely functioning. It has taken years of hard work under the protective shields of her parents for Ivy to mend the damage done to her mind. When a cold and lethal Arrow appears with the proposal from Kaleb, it gives Ivy hope that maybe she isn’t as broken and useless as she was led to believe. What they’re asking of her is an unbelievably dangerous and difficult task, but one she is willing to take on if it will give her the chance to regain everything which was stolen from her as a teen.

Vasic is a familiar character to those of us who follow this series. He is the ultimate Arrow, but lately he has been showing signs of cracking. Those close to him can see that he is dangerously close to the point of self destruction. They decide that Kaleb’s new project is perfect for Vasic. He can lead the mission, protect the vulnerable E-Psy, and will benefit from the emotional stability naturally extended to those in close proximity of them. What nobody counted on was the connection between Ivy and Vasic.

If you’re a fan of the Psy-Changeling series, you’ll know that most of the books have a strong romance which runs alongside whatever crisis is causing strain among the three different races trying to live together in relative harmony. SHIELD OF WINTER is no different. While the romance between Ivy and Vassic is strong, most of the other plotlines struggled to hold my interest. I think my biggest issue was that there was so much going on and too many people involved. The many plotlines also had varying levels of development. Therefore, I was pulled into some and had only a minor interest in others.

I desperately wanted the focus to be on the disease of the NetMind and the actions of those involved to stop it. I hated it when I found myself resenting some of the characters I had formerly loved because they didn’t seem to be doing anything to stop the violence and deaths of so many innocents. For example, I was angry with Sasha Duncan through most of the book. She is a cardinal E and has the most developed E talent within the Psy race, yet it took her until almost the very end to take an active role. Most frustrating of all was that I don’t think my anger at Sasha was the author’s intention. I believe it was simply a result of too many plotlines and characters being packed into the story. Honestly, it would have taken an epic book to fully develop every plotline and give everyone involved their due.

While the romance between Ivy and Vassic was quite good, the rest of it fell short for me. I had a difficult time connecting with a few of the characters and was angry with a couple others. With all of that going on, I wasn’t able to fully get behind the fight to save the Psy race. I was frustrated by the lack of action on the part of the E’s and that made portions of the book feel as though they were dragging. I did enjoy SHIELD OF WINTER, but it was close to being equal parts frustrating and interesting. If you’re a fan of the series, you should definitely read it. Just don’t get your hopes up too high.

I want to describe the mood of this book as "sexy" but they didn't offer that, LOL. I just LOVE Vasic's character! I totally picture him as one of the sexiest Arrow's and I was waiting to see who his "mate" was going to be and Ivy was the perfect fit! Like I have said before, Psy on Psy relationships usually lack fire in my opinion but this was not the case with this story. I LOVED this book from start to finish.

While Vasic's capitulation to breaking silence seemed easier than previous characters like Judd and Walker, it was a powerful and moving story. The waking of the empaths coincides with some interesting political changes to the series. There's also a good amount of interaction from other characters we've grown to love.

Love Nalini Sing's books. Can't imagine how she can write so many series together and keep all her characters so complex and riveting. Love it. Eagerly await every drop of writing she puts out. Her Psy/Changling series and her Archangel series are my utmost favorites!

Loved Vasic and Ivy's story!
Vasic and Ivy's relationship was a slow, wonderful love and trust that gradually grew to something unbreakable.
I LOVED the writing too (Ms. Singh actually had me crying towards the end).
It was beautiful to see Vasic to finally have a home, and The Arrow's to have hope.

This series is a must read for me and I pick them up as soon as they come out. I have been really happy with the way the series is progressing and this book is no exception! We get to check in with our favorite characters from past books as well as getting to meet more Es. Well worth devouring.

It was the most amazing book. I read it twice. Right after I read it the first time. This is a must read. Nalini Singh did a phenomenal job on this one. The story line, characters, romance and action were spot on. I can hardly wait to read about Aden and the other Arrows. Keep them coming.

This book is another great installment in the series and I loved it! I could barely put it down. The connection between Ivy and Vasic is amazing and had me gripping the book for dear life! And, Nalini just has a way with her characters and always gets me hooked from the beginning of the book.

Loved this book!!! Characters were engaging and there was just the right amount of interaction with "older" characters from the series. I really like the direction Ms. Singh is taking the series. Can't wait to read Alice's story.

Singh continues to bring us back to the fascinating Psy-Changeling world, and lets us get to know more characters in depth, while catching up with some of our old friends. This was another "can't put it down" book that I thoroughly enjoyed!

There are incredible visuals throughout this whole book, some so well written, you can almost feel the crisp, cold air and smell the coming snow. The characters are also wonderfully dynamic, especially the total disparity between Vasic and Ivy’s personalities. They are flip sides to the same coin, both with the same goal, but coming at it from totally different perspectives. Ivy is Vasic’s heart and soul, and Vasic is the very foundation on which Ivy flourishes.

Lototy
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

I was really hoping that I would love this book since the majority of the books in this series are excellent. The chemistry between Vasic and Ivy was just not there. These two characters were just bland. The first book that I read in this series was Caressed by Ice and instantly fell in love with the series and went out and bought all the book in the series. This book was just not as interesting as the other books in the series. The most interesting thing about the book was Rabbit the dog. I am really keeping my fingers crossed that the next book will be as good as the first few books in the series.

This story was amazing!!!! I absolutely love the arrows!!!! It was a long wait for Vasic's story but it was so worth it!!! I couldn't put this book down and yet I still wanted more!!! You won't be disappointed!

Another masterfully written story by an amazing author ! Now we see the true depth of some of the most remote, seemingly unfeeling characters. Only wish we didn't have to wait so long between installments. Wish she would do like Christine Feehan and write a "reunion" book to revisit the characters from the whole series ;)

You can never go wrong when you pick up Nalini Singh! The Psy-Changling Series is one of my very favorites! This story is a wonderful installment in the series and best of all I got to hear about my old friends from previous books while meeting Vasic and Ivy Jane :-)

Vasic has long been a favorite. this book answers the question of what happens when an instinctive teleporter is making love. at least he really liked isolated places and not times square! Oh My. how would you fine someone for public indecency when they literally have no control?

I just love these books and this one bring a conclusion to the plot that has been going on since the first one. Will there be more? I don't know, what I do know is that I would like to read more. Who knows maybe it is time for Aden's story.

Like eveyone else I couldn't wait for this book. I love the whole series and was waiting impatiently for it. I have to say unlike some reviewers I liked the certainty that Vasic and Ivy were a unit. This gave the outside forces more of a stage to work on. Like others I love when past characters come out to play and we got that in full force.

This book was a great way to start the next phase of Nalini Singh's post silence world. It have Kaleb trying to cope with Sahara right by his side and a scared populace trying to cope with a very terrifying time. My one criticism is that it will be another year before I can explore this world again.

A lot better than the last the book but still not as good as some of the others. Vasic and Ivy are intresting characters but the situation with the psynet dominated the book and it made their romance kind of dull in comparison. Still glad Vasic got a happy ending, he deserved it.

IF you've never read of Singh's Psy/Chgs series, this will be hard to get into. I stopped after chapter 4. I've followed her Guild Hunter's series, so I thought this wud be gud to start as well. But unlke the GH series, the Psy/chgs series has way more books, therefore more history, so I cudnt get into all the characters & plot of this book. And I have no desire to "catch up" w/ ALL the bks listed, not even to go back 3-5 bks to get this one.

If u read any of the GH series, the books can hold on their own w/o having to read the first book. So, I thought this series was like that also, but nope. One has to read some history to get this book. But for anyone who has read any of the Psy/Chgs series will do fine. I'm sure this is a great story, Singh is a gifted writer; but for me, I had to return it.

This book was just as cold as the title. The romance was flat, stale and uninspiring. The hero and heroine had no personality to speak of and the supporting characters just made the book too busy. This 'entire' series is more about the races and their problems then the relationships that you expect it to be centered on. So if you want to know how the future might look and how to survive in it, then give it a try. Otherwise, I don't recommend this for a futuristic, paranormal romance.

I happened upon this series and couldn't be more pleased to have found one of my favorite authors. All of the books in this series have been great, but this one was the best- it's odd to find in a series this long. I only hope it's not the last.

I thought that this was a great book. Even though this is like book 13 in the series I think Nalini Singh did a great job with its originality. I loved Vasic in this book and I can't wait to get the next book.

I love Nalini Singh and was anxiously awaiting Shield of Winter, with the TK-V Vasic. It was such a letdown. The relationship between Vasic and Ivy (E-PSY) was so blah. There was no real tension, of course you know they were going to end up together but it was so easy getting there. I didn't feel like they worked for it if that made sense. Judd & Brenna, Lucas & Sasha, Hawke & Sienna, Riaz & Adria, just to name a few, had to overcome a lot of crap for their happy ending, they did not. I didn't care about IVY she was interchangeable to me with anybody. The story dragged on and on. I liked that we found out about Vasic and his history.I also love Rabbit. I mean I feel so disappointed I'll reread in a week to see if I feel the same.