Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Primal Mirror by Nalini Singh Narrator: Angela Dawe
Series: Psy-Changeling Trinity #8, Psy-Changeling #23
Published by Berkley, Tantor Audio on July 23, 2024
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Pages: 384
Length: 12 hours, 42 minutes
Format: Audiobook, eARC
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
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Daughter of two ruthless high-Gradient telepaths, Auden Scott is not the child her Psy parents wanted or expected, even before her brain injury. Her thoughts are scattered, her memories fuzzyāor just terrifyingly blank. The only thing she knows for certain is that she must protect her unborn baby . . . a baby she has no recollection of conceiving and who draws an unnerving depth of interest from her dead motherās closest associates.
Leopard alpha Remi Denier is a man driven by the primal instinct to protect. Protect his pack, protect his allies . . . and protect the mysterious woman who has become a most unlikely neighbor. With eerie eyes that see too much and a scent that alters in ways disturbing and impossible, Auden Scott is the enemy . . . but nothing about this strange Psy is what it seems, and Remiās feline heart is as fascinated by her as his human half.
The Psy-Changeling Trinity the spin off series to Psy-Changeling. Overall,Ā it is like one big series.Ā I didn’t and wouldn’t read the later books without the foundation of the first series.Ā Singh has a style which is a great blend of paranormal romance and urban fantasy.Ā Each book has a romantic couple and we get great development of those two characters as well as their family and friends.Ā There is also an overall story arc, the urban fantasy part of her style, which carries on throughout the series.
We get to learn more about Remi and the RainFire leopards which is a very young pack with strong connections to the Arrows formed with Aden Kai.Ā Ā Remi did not have a supportive pack growing up, mainly his mother who died when he was still young.Ā Ā Now he has formed a pack of young, strong, protective changelings.
Auden Scott is trying to figure out what is happening to her.Ā She is a psychometric Psy.Ā They pick up events and emotions from touching objects.Ā When her father died, she was thrown into her mother’s plans.Ā Now she is worried by blackouts and knowing things she shouldn’t.Ā Her mother did a brain experiment on her as a teen and she still has scars.Ā Now she is pregnant, something that is very unusual for a Psy as young as she is.
In Primal Mirror, we get the heart-warming romance of Remi falling for Auden and working so hard to protect her.Ā She is smart and loves her baby beyond herself.Ā Her baby knows it and also favors Remi.Ā Ā Auden is lucky when she goes into labor that Remi and his friends are there to protect her and the baby.
Besides the romance,Ā we have the background of the PsyNet and NetMind near collapse.Ā It’s short bits of time with Kaleb, Aidan, Ivy Jane, Pilar, and more working to save the Psy race.Ā Ā Their plans and contingency measures are tested and aren’t working. They are also exhausting those they have.
Auden doesn’t trust her mother’s old assistant and doctor, who have been caring for her.Ā There’s also her uncle who wants to take control of the family.Ā She has no one on her side until Remi but he’s an awesome ally.Ā Ā I guessed that her mother Shoshanna had a hand in planning what was happening to her, including her pregnancy.
As usual, Nalini Singh has give us great characters and relationships. There is also the overall plot to the integration and cooperation between the races.Ā All of this provides an emotional journey,Ā I am always ready to read more in this world.
Narration:
I have listened to all the books in the Psy Changeling Trinity and the previous series..Ā I am so pleased with Angela Dawe.Ā Ā I love the voices she has for different characters and how the emotional tones are fitting for the species as well.Ā She really nails the narration and the performance really enhances my enjoyment of the series.Ā I was able to listen at my normal 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:Ā HERE
About Angela Dawe
Angela Dawe is an audiobook narrator and actress living and working in Chicago, Illinois. Winner of several Earphones Awards from Audiofile Magazine and narrator of two Audie-nominated audiobooks, Angela is also an accomplished improviser/sketch comedian, and has worked with such theaters as Second City, iO (formerly improvOlympic), and The Annoyance. Among Angela’s recordings are Psy-Changeling Series by Nalini Singh, Wild Roses by Deb Caletti, and Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts.
About Nalini Singh
I’ve been writing as long as I can remember and all of my stories always held a thread of romance (even when I was writing about a prince who could shoot lasers out of his eyes). I love creating unique characters, love giving them happy endings and I even love the voices in my head. There’s no other job I would rather be doing. In September 2002, when I got the call that Silhouette Desire wanted to buy my first book, Desert Warrior, it was a dream come true. I hope to continue living the dream until I keel over of old age on my keyboard.
I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. Iām back in New Zealand now, but Iām always plotting new trips. If youād like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated every month).
So far, I’ve worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer’s mill.
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I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 24-COYER
This series sounds so good. I’m glad this latest one got such a high ratingš
yes there was some good progress on the overall UF story arc along with the romance.
Itās wonderful to see that the foundation series is still going strong! I started it and do have plans to get back to it. Excellent review, Anneš
Thank you Jonetta. It is SO good. It has all the elements of UF, PNR, great characters, world building and excellent diversity.
I read this one too. I thought the first half was a little boring though. Although I am reading this series completely out of order.
yes it might be more exciting to read them in order with the overall story arc which is UF and the couple romance which is PNR. I was interested to see Remi after meeting him in a previous book. Auden was new.
Iāve heard of this author before, glad youāre enjoying the series. A good narrator is so important.
Thanks. There are a LOT of books in this series and its previous one. I did the base series as a Read-along and now have been reading the continuing series. It’s worth the effort.
I just finished it today and whew, that was good stuff. So much to love in this one.
I love the world created here and so many of the characters.
I fell behind in this series but always enjoy the stories.
Looks like I will need to catch back up soon.
These are so so good. I’m glad I finally managed to read them and be caught up on the series.
I’ve really enjoyed the past couple stories. The romances are fresh and there’s been forward momentum on both the Psynet and Scarabs.
Yes! I really enjoy the dual nature of the UF and PNR type storylines. There’s great diversity too.
Definitely need to read in order! I’m happy you had the read-along that forced me to catch up with the series and complete it. I loved it and this “season two” series. So cute that Auden’s baby recognized Remi and moving that he them in and was so protective! I’m looking forward to the next one!
Thank you Rachel. I have been fortunate to really, really like all the choices I have made of the books I hadn’t read any before the Read-along.
Yet another author I still need to read something by! Great review!
oooh Nalini Singh is awesome. I’d start with Psy-Changeling at the beginning. I did a Read-along in 2021 with the first 15. I hadn’t read them before.