Shield of Winter (Psy-Changeling Novel, A) Mass Market Paperback – December 30, 2014

Shield of Winter is written in third person with a moderate amount of sexual content and adult wording throughout with a HEA ending. This world is different from reality and set in the future, so all of the series stands up over time. This story can be read as a standalone but, you might be lost if this is your first Psy-Changling story (thought there is a fair amount of recap detailed in the story), you should pick up the first books in the series to fully enjoy this one.Both Ivy and Vasic are Psy. Ivy is very likeable and honest in the way she acts and grows into her power. She doesn’t have to hide now that silence has fallen and wants to help as any empath would want to. Vasic, is wonderful, so powerfully written that you love him even though he doesn’t love himself… watching him grow into feelings and self-worth was amazing. Vasic was written true to himself throughout the series (he was in several past books) and continued to grow throughout the story after he meets Ivy. Ivy we had not meet before but that didn’t diminish her character at all. This was a very emotional story. So well written, I felt everything, happiness, sadness, despair, overwhelming joy, love… I was so immersed in this story I was surprised and slightly sad when it was over, I just wanted more, but I was so very happy everything worked out and Ivy and Vasic got their HEA. None of that changed the second and third times I read this book.As with many of the other books in the series there are many POV’s in this story. Most are from our main couple, Ivy and Vasic, however there are a fair amount from others including Lucas, Hawke, Aden, Kaleb, Ming and others. The difference in this story from the past books is that each of the POV tell us more about Vasic, Ivy, or the emotions and/or threats involving them. Even though they are others POV’s it still felt like the whole story was about Vasic and Ivy.Ms. Singh is a very talented writer and I highly recommend any of the Psy-Changeling Books.

Consider this - I read the 1st novel in this series the first week in December and by December 19th - I was reading this one, the 13th one in the series. (Yes folks - I'm retired - if I want to sit and read all day - I can indulge - especially if it is really, really good.) I was buying and downloading the next in the series before I even finished with the one I was reading because I DID NOT WANT TO STOP THE STORY. I have even pre-ordered the next and folks - I only do that with a VERY few authors - having been burned before by lack of consistency. Each of the novels has been continuously good with the same quality of world, character and action development. That really impresses me - too often I have picked up a series to have it steadily go downhill and have to give up on an author because I no longer trust their work. Yes, there were a few that I liked better than others in the series but each one was a page turner and essential to the overall story. These novels are more of a continuing saga than just a series and each novel in the series builds upon the other and must be read in order.Each book in this series contains:- A detailed alternate reality that is so developed that it is easily pictured in the reader's mind.- Characters that come to life- Creativity - so different from any other paranormal romance book out there. So dissimilar that one is almost taken aback with such an altered world presented. This is definitely not a "formula" book.- Alpha males with strong females that can handle them. Neither perfect (I hate perfect characters!) - making the characters more believable even for a Sci-Fi novel.- No "huh" moments or misspellings. This is professional writing at it's finest.- No plot holes or getting loss in trivial garbage that is simply put in to increase word count. Each word, each sentence, each page is central to the development of the plot and characters.- Book starts out strong and ends strong. No starting out and then tapers off to a weak or contrived short ending. (Been there, read that - really, really hate that!)

I have read each of the previous books in the Psy-Changeling series and have enjoyed them all. However those where the Psy have been the main stars and the Changelings the bit players have never seemed quite as entertaining. That all changed with Shield of Winter. Possibly it was because I was already fascinated by Vasic. His small appearances in other stories hinted at what an in-depth character he had - after all, guilt is an emotion and he obviously carried a shed load of it. Whatever the whys and wherefores, honestly, I don't care because I absolutely loved this story.I'm not one to review by detailing what happens, I want to find that out for myself suffice to say the storyline is awesome, the sex is blistering, I cried like a baby, every woman should have a man like Vasic and I adore Rabbit.If you're wondering whether you should buy Shield of Winter, stop thinking and go do. It's brilliant and I might just have to start re-reading it...now.

Rating~ 4.5 Stars.I know as with many fans of the series we were all eagerly waiting for Vasic's book to be released (ever since he said he was tired, and seemed suicidal and some of us were greatly disappointed that he wasn't going to end up with Aden). SoW is mainly about Vasic an arrow and Ivy an empath psy, but we see a lot of our favorite changeling packs and Psy's world where we see the impact of what happened in the last book.While I did love Vasic and Ivy's story it was different than other other Psy books like for e.g. Judd and Kaleb's. In those books we saw Judd and Kaleb kind of learning about emotions and understanding them but at the same time they were very much still in silence in the way they interacted with others apart from their heroines. Vasic is different in that aspect though he did not quite understand emotions like hope but he had someone who kept him from feeling lonely, his friendship with Aden which saved him from a difficult childhood and later with the morality of what they were doing for their race. To me it felt like Vasic and Ivy's relationship came about very easy and without much conflict. It could be because the end of silence or just because they both could feel without any restraints, especially with all the understanding and emotional backbone that Ivy had. Their falling in love was sweet and cute.I really loved all the scenes that showed the previous characters since it showed what they had been up to and their meetings were all constructed very well to include the overall arc of the series and its effects.In the end, this was a great read and I can't wait for the next book in the series (Aden's).

I have enjoyed reading every single book in the Psy Changeling series and this one is just as good. I have always liked Vasic and was intrigued by him from his first appearance in the series.It is so nice to read his story and the way he battles with himself for some of the things he was forced to do since childhood is quite heartbreaking but admirable. I like the way he takes on the role of the E's Protector and how he interacts with Ivy, the quiet but stubborn Empath. As for Rabbit, I am in love with him. He brings something special to this book.The way Vasic leads the Arrows to work together with the Es to find a solution to Silence being broken is very enlightening as it shows his true personality. It shows the determination, strength and intelligence in Ivy to work with all the others to find a solution. It is a long and hard journey but it brings hope to all the designations.All in all I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I am sure no recommendations are needed for Nalini Sighn's fan but if you haven't read this series, it's definitely well worth a go. I now await the next book in the series with anticipation.

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!!

I loved this story of the killer Arrow and 'his' Empath. I really believed in the hero Vasic: here was the tortured soul that Singh writes about so well. ( Look a many of the other hero's of this series). It took me more time to relate to the heroine, Ivy ( hence the 4 stars) It's only as she becomes a stronger though the story, that I realised that this was someone who I could spend more time with. It made the book all the more enjoyable.There are a number of lose ends being tied up in this book. We get to revisit many old favourites: not least Kaleb & Sahara, Judd & Brenna, Lucas & Sasha, but there are a lot more questions as well. What will happen to Ming LeBon? How will the Psy survive, Does Alice (now out of the coma) get all her memory back? What number of "pup-cubs" will Riley and Mercy actually have?I cannot rate Ms Singh highly enough. Clever, inventive and fast paced story telling that keeps you hooked. Fascinating and vivid characters. Not to mention sexy story lines that do not treat the readers as an idiot. Bravo! More please.

For those readers who have read the previous books in this series, you will already know that this is Vasic's story. Vasic is an Arrow, a rare TkV, a natural teleporter, and Ivy Jane, a strong but not cardinal telepath. Although there is not a great deal of 'action' in this book quite a few discoveries are made about the Psy Net, the 'E' designation and Alice starts to remember some key details. The most enjoyable part of the story for me was the development of the relationship between Vasic and Ivy and it's effect on the other Arrows. I am not sure where Nalini Singh is going to take this series next; there are still problems to be ironed at the end of the book, but this is definitely worth reading and I look forward to the next one.

I have read all the books in this series, and some are better than others of course. This one would have justified 5 stars if I hadn't loved its predecessor Heart of Obsidian so much. To be fair this is probably a 4.9 star book it is just HoO is marginally better. That said I really enjoyed this story about an Arrow with no hope finding his soul mate in the new world without silence. It had everything it needed to make an exciting story. If you have stuck with this series to this point then you need to buy this one too.

I have read this series of books three times ,so far, and enjoyed them all every single time. The world's that Nalini Singh creates are full of detail that is it easy to envision. Her characters have depth and it's easy to feel for and cheer along at every step of their story. Even characters that have appeared in earlier books, still carry the same personality as they did in their own journey. Highly recommended!

What can I say another super hero sexy stroy, that carries on to define the psy, changling and the human race. Beautifully structured wording and so down to earth, Nalini is a beautiful writer, story teller with vivid imagination and wild expectations. The story starts where the previous one left off, with all the same heros and villians and beautiful girls. A whirlwind of action, love and deciet, you never know when the next explosion will happen, but its one series I love to read and would like for Nalini to carry on, got the next one to read soon hopfully. love Nalini what can I say. Totally recommend.

If you are new to this series of books do not read this book first, unlike some books it is not a stand alone story, and you will fail to realise the tight story telling and the intricacies of the Psy Changeling world. Nalini Siingh continues to improve as a writer and is on my buy list. This is the story of an Arrow Vasic (assassins) who has been in a number of books as a minor but increasingly important character. He is teetering on the edge of madness and is given this assignment to protect a group of Empaths who Kaleb (see Heart of Obsidian) hopes can stop the degeneration of the Psy net and people. Ivy is Vasic's responsibility and the story centres on their developing love story and the battle to save a race of people. Rabbit the dog is Ivy's pet is a fully a hero in his own right.I tried to stay up all night to finish reading it but it was not possible. It is not my favourite out of the 13 books but it is one of the top, there is a really good balance between the plot and the romance. I look forward to 14.

This story is very good climax of the psy storyline.For the net to survive they have to wake the empaths. I didn't know how they were going to do that.I felt the romance between the two characters as something so real and lovely.When you read the book you love their manuals.I find the characters love for each other refreshing.It is a good read. But you have to start from the beginning to understand the characters.Five star.

I love all of Nalini Singh's books but honestly...I was never fussed about Vasic. He was boring. Aden was always more complex and enticing as far as I could see and I'm so glad he's getting his own books! BUT...Vasic did grow on me and became more and more mouthwateringly good as the book went on. Ivy, however, was a bit of a bore.Plot, as ever was great and I thought the ending was appropriate - particularly for the bigger picture of the Arrows.On a side note - WHEN do we get to see Hawke and Sienna have a massive fight about which one of them kills Ming? Dying for that scene now!

This book along with Hawke and Sienna’s is my favourite in the series. I’ve yet to purchase book 15 but it won’t be long, wonderful addictive series.

So imhae a little trouble with this book couldn't read it fast enough so much so I got eye strain and he o wait for new glasses to come to finish it off but gave the narrated version a go to finish off and found that I like both ways of the book it was brilliant

This is brilliantly written, fast pace strong story line, bringing many well known characters into play. The last two books were so good I did not expect to be so completely pulled into this storyline. I could not put down, wanting to see how these damaged individuals would help each other whilst being guiding lights to all Psy, showing there is a new dawn for Psy.Nalini Singh is one of my favourite authors, but do read this series from the beginning.Can't wait for the next book in the series