Visions of Heat (Psy-Changelings, Book 2)
by Nalini Singh
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Book Reviews of Visions of Heat (Psy-Changelings, Book 2)
Book Review: A Wonderful Second Installment
Summary: 5 Stars
Nalini Singh's fresh take on the world of paranormal is as gripping as ever, with strong action and a cast of interesting characters. Visions of Heat continues somewhat the original plot of the first book, Slave to Sensation. The Psy are a race known for their cold aloof facades and the deadly minds they cloak beneath. Thanks to a rigid race determined to conceal their slightest imperfections, killers are born, and it's up to the changelings once again to protect not only their own but the Psy as well.
Faith Nightstar is the embodiement of a sheltered Psy. As an F-Psy able to predict the future, her talents are coveted by her family. Cocooned against the outside world, she's tucked away in her own compound, where she can predict safe things, things that make the PsyClan Nightstar very wealthy. When dark, disturbing visions begin to plague her at any given time, and a particular murder cuts too close to home, she knows she cannot ignore them...no matter how fragile her mind might be.
Drawn to the enigmatic and unusual Psy, Changeling Vaughn D'Angelo uses his abilities as a jaguar to encroach on Faith's territory. He must tread carefully, for too much contact with the delicate Psy could send her senses into overload. He's determined to make her feel though and it's going to be on his terms. He sees strength in Faith and that's what he plans to draw forth in her, till she can handle exactly what he wants to give her. When visions of the killer cut too close to home, and the Psy come for her too, Vaughn will be there to catch Faith and dispense the remorseless justice changelings are known so well for.
Vaughn's story was one I greatly looked forward to and came out pretty pleased with. An aloof character in the first book, it was interesting to read exactly what made up this single jaguar member of the DarkRiver leopards. As a sentinel for his adoptive clan, he's fierce, loyal and dangerously cunning. When he sets these talented sights on Faith it's an instant animal attraction that roars to the surface, ready to claim the confounding woman. Faith, knows her boundaries, and while she thinks there's no place for her in Vaughn's world, she proves herself to be invaluable to him and it's not for the cold reasons her Psyclan wants her. Their interactions make this installment worth the read. While the villain this time didn't stand out the way the previous book's baddy did, I found myself not minding in the least by book's end. Ms. Singh is a master at dishing up the details at just the right intervals, allowing her plots and subplots to flow beautifully amongst one another. Stay tuned for more from this fascinating new world. Next up is Caressed by Ice, this time starring a Psy member as the hero. It releases September 4, 2007.
Book Review: This talented author has done it again for me.
Summary: 5 Stars
I'll bet the people at Berkley Sensation are dancing little jigs in delight for having this wonderfully talented writer on their list. I read SLAVE TO SENSATION and was bowled over by Nalini Singh's talent. Now I've finished VISIONS OF HEAT and cannot believe how seamlessly the two books work together. If at all possible, I would recommend reading SLAVE TO SENSATION first. It lays all the groundwork for the paranormal environment where the books take place. VISIONS OF HEAT can be read as a stand-alone book, but I am personally glad that I had already met so many of the characters depicted in this book. It was wonderful to revisit Saschia and Lucas along with all the other Changelings from book one.
Faith NightStar was unaware of the fact that her subconscious had been preparing her for the changes which were about to take place in her life. Living in total isolation, within her own compound, she had time to read anything and everything which caught her interest. Only later did she see that she had been choosing reading material which would help her understand the world she would walk into when she went in search of Saschia Duncan, the E-Psy who had escaped the PsyNet shortly before. Faith needed the empath to tell her why she had begun to "feel" emotions during her dreams. Dreams which had become increasingly dark and frightening. Due to the Silence Protocol, Psy did not feel any emotions. Was this a sign that Faith was beginning to go insane? If her handlers thought so, she would be placed under protection, used as long as she could predict financial data accurately, and then be left to exist within her deranged mind until her body finally died.
Vaughn D'Angelo was a true alpha male in personality, even though he was not the alpha of the Changeling pack. His interactions with Faith were so crucial to her ability to survive in the world outside her bubble existence. His past history explained why he was always much closer to being jaguar than human. Too many weeks on his own at a young age had left him closer to feral than human. Together these two damaged individuals helped each other through feelings of guilt and fear so that Vaughn could claim Faith as his mate, and she could submit to all that term meant.
I loved it. Some reviewers wanted it to be "hotter". Not me. With these books, the story, the plotline, the building of block upon block is the ultimate pleasure. Yes, there are sensual moments. No, they are not excessive. I look forward to book 3, CARESSED BY ICE, due out soon. Nalini Singh is peppering her books thusfar with lots and lots of potential heros and heroines for future adventures. I look forward to many stories in this fascinating universe.
Book Review: Fresh and innovative paranormal with a strong alpha male and an equally strong female
Summary: 4 Stars
Visions of Heat is the sequel to debut novel Slave to Sensation. While Visions of Heat didn't quite live up to StoS, it was still a good read. This alternate realty romance provides a rich otherworld filled with three distinct groups: Psy, Changeling and human. Like Slave to Sensation, Visions features a strong Psy female and a delicious Changeling male.
Faith Nightstar is an FPsy, a foreseer, who is worth untold millions to the Nightstar clan due to her ability to foresee economic changes in the future. She has been making predictions since the age of 3 and not one of her predictions, unless intervened, has been wrong. As any valuable asset, Faith has been protected and hidden for all of her life. FPsy's often go mad toward the latter end of their usability and then the Psy use those people for parts or scientific study. Faith has been able to stave off madness, but she has some concerns when she begins to have strange, non financially related visions. These visions lead her to seek out Sascha Duncan, the Psy who dropped out of the network and the only person who would not seek to betray or mislead Faith.
Sascha Duncan lives with her Changeling family and this puts Faith in close proximity to Vaughan, a Dark River sentinel. Vaughan's cat, the jaguar, is intensely interested in Faith. The cat's need for sensory input juxtaposed against Faith's physiological abhorrence for touch made for immediate conflict. Beyond Faith's predisposition for mental instability is the present danger in the from of a killer who is strangling Psy women, starting with Faith's sister. Faith must seek out the killer on the Psy Net, cope with Vaughan's physical demands and find a place for herself in a changing world.
The challenges I had with this book were episodes of inappropriate lusting despite the justification of the jaguar's nature. I also found the time spent on the Psy Net to be a bit difficult to follow and, at times, a bit repetitive of Slave to Sensation. I hate to say that a story is too complex, but at times, it was for me.
I was really intrigued by a couple of characters deftly introduced and that was Faith Nightstar's father, Anthony Kyriakus, who isn't all that he is portrayed to be and Kaleb Krychek, a contender for the Psy Council. I think that rebellion is brewing within the Psy and I am anxious to see how that plays out in future books.
Fans of Slave to Sensation, and those who like Linda Howard and Christine Feehan, won't be disappointed. B.
Book Review: Visions of Heat-A Joyfully Recommeneded Title!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Faith Nightstar is a cardinal telepath, an F-Psy whose ability to foretell the future with great accuracy has made her a protected and isolated asset to her clan since childhood. Now, instead of visions of business decisions and commercial ventures, she is constantly bombarded by those of murder and death. More dangerous to her though, are the accompanying feelings of need and pleasure. Can she withstand not only the breaking of Silence but the emotions she desperately wants to experience?
Vaughn D'Angelo is a jaguar changeling who lives among the leopards. His strong animal side becomes fascinated by the solitary Psy he discovers living in a guarded compound in the forest. The more he thinks of her, the more he's drawn to her until the attraction is overwhelming. His jaguar self demands this woman, but while he dreams of ways to touch and pleasure her, others are determined to retain her abilities for their own purposes. Will his desire for her cost Faith her sanity or will the actions of others mean her death?
Visions of Heat is the second book in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series and I loved it as much as I did the first book. I loved Vaughn as a jaguar shifter and the subtle differences between him and the leopard shifters he lives with. I'm partial to big cats anyway, but Nalini's big cats are at the top end of my scale. I love them and they way their society is portrayed.
If you read the prior book, Slave to Sensation, you cannot miss Visions of Heat. This book can stand on its own but is all the richer for knowing the back story of the characters that are revisited in this one.
The world of the Psy has been more revealed in Visions of Heat and the intricate world building only serves to suck me further into this series. Faith's desire for the emotions and physical touch that might totally destroy her is fascinating and I especially love her interactions with Vaughn when he gets especially jaguar.
I recommend Visions of Heat to anyone who wants to read a compelling story set in a world of extremes where people can still find love in a middle ground that may or may not be anything society would approve of. The hot sex and character relationships sucked me in immediately and I could not put the book down until I had finished it - then I immediately started reading it again!
Maura
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
Book Review: Second in Psy/Changeling Series
Summary: 4 Stars
For anyone who hasn't read the first book in the series (Slave to Sensation), Visions of Heat is set on an alternative history Earth, where the planet is populated by three races: - Changelings - shapeshifters who rely on their animal instincts, The Psy who are emotionless and cold, and human beings. I would recommend you read Slave to Sensation first if possible, as there are plotlines started there that continue into VoH.
Faith NightStar is an F-Psy (F-foresight) tormented by dark visions (no pun intended :)). Unsure of what is happening to her and not wanting to reveal her fragile state of mind to the Psy Council she seeks out Sascha Duncan (Slave to Sensation) the only Psy known to be free of the Psynet. It's while she is looking for Sascha that she meets Vaughn D'Angelo, a jaguar Changeling who is inexplicably drawn to Faith. (I note here that Vaughn is an incredibly alpha hero, almost to the point of being unbearable on a couple of occasions.)
I've read on some reviews that there is a preference for Sascha (the heroine of StS) over Faith. I however, like Faith, she's a contradiction - incredibly fragile, but at the same time so single-minded she manages to push herself farther than she thinks she can go.
It almost seems like the relationship between the two of them shouldn't work. Vaughn the irresistible force willing Faith to take on more. Faith the immovable object giving in. And yet they fit, in a way I don't think either of them would be able to with anybody else. I wish the book had been longer so we could see this relationship evolve even further.
One of the things I really enjoyed was the continuance of plot threads from StS - we meet up with Sascha and Lucas again, and it's interesting to see how much Sascha has changed between books. There has also been fallout from the incident at the end of StS and this is still being dealt with by the Psy Council, who, if possible, got scarier. We also find out more about how the Psynet itself functions and get a hint of how this will impact the Psy. Visions of Heat is perhaps not as intense as Slave to Sensation and we're now clued into how this alternative world works; but there is an awful lot here to mull over.
I very much like how the overall arc of the series is developing. Nalini Singh starts to increase the tension in Visions of Heat and I can't wait for Caressed by Ice.