Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

Slave to Sensation is the first book in Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling series.  I have to say I was a late comer to this series.  I have read other books by Nalini, and I had this series on my huge TBR list.  After reading Slave to Sensation, which I will review shortly, I am totally hooked, and will place this on the top of my list.  What a start for a series.  Anyone who can hook me in immediately, as well as this being her first book in the series, belongs at the top of the list of authors I must read….*pencils in Nalini Singh to the top of the list* 

Slave to Sensation takes place in a future world, consisting of Psy’s, Changelings, and Humans.  Singh tells us early on that the Psy’s are the dominant species, as they have various mind control abilities, as well as being totally emotionless and arrogant.  They are an authoritarian race, that methodically governs Earth.  The Changelings, who are shape shifters, who have similar emotions as humans, and share a common bond of hating the Psy’s.  They all co exist together, though times are now changing. 

Lucas Hunter, who is the alpha leader of the DarkRiver Leopard Pack, is out to avenge the brutal murder of one of his pack members.  He sets about to offer a real estate business arrangement with one of the top and most dangerous  Psy’s, Nikita Duncan , who brings her daughter, Sascha into the meetings.  Lucas intends to try and in filter the PsyNet by using  Sascha to get information on finding the serial killer, before all Changelings will declare war on the Psy’s. 

Sascha Duncan isn’t like the other Psy’s.  She has lived all her life in fear, that she would be discovered as a broken Psy.  Though she is a Cardinal Psy, which is one of the strongest mentally, she was told early on that she had no special psychic ability, and has fought to hide that she has emotional reactions.   Sascha knows that if she is discovered to be flawed, she will be sent to rehabilitation, where they would reprogram her to become mindless.  But her mental shields that she has used to hide her flaws, has become more difficult to control. 

Lucas and Sascha work together on the business arrangement, and Lucas quickly begins to sense that Sascha is not the normal Psy.  Something about her is different.  His panther changeling senses it too.   Sascha finds herself feeling emotions she has never had, an attraction to Lucas.  She fights to control these feelings, and everynight when she goes home, she needs to build up her defenses again, to face her mother, as well as other Psy, who question her about the changelings.  Sascha starts having realistic dreams at night of Lucas, which turn very sexual, and what she doesn’t know is Lucas sees her in the same dream, and they both find themselves drawn to each other, despite the differences.  During the day, Sascha hides her dreams from Lucas, who unbeknownst to her, is totally aware of them. 

What I loved the most was watching Sascha change from a cold business woman, who has never experienced love, sex, sensations into a wonderful caring person.  Just watching the change in her was so well done.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching this, even had fun with Sascha playing with the young cubs.  Cute.    Lucas who hates Psy’s as do all Changelings, knows that she is different, and has fallen in love with her, knowing that she is his mate, despite everything.   His pack, at first finds it difficult to deal with Sascha, but when she unknowingly helps some of them with their own deep emotions, they too begin to see that she is different.  It is one of these encounters that open Sascha eyes as to why the Psy’s are so hated, and learns more about the serial killer, whom the changelings feel the Psy’s are hiding.  As her feelings continue to grow, and become more apparent to herself, and the changelings, Sascha agrees to help them find the killer.   DarkRiver makes an alliance with SnowDancer, a Wolf changeling pack to work with them to help Sascha trap the killer. 

It was a great exciting ending, with Sascha’s life at risk, possible war on the horizon, and surprises and twists along the way.  I loved this book, it reached out to me from the start, and never let go.  I could not put it down.  I enjoyed the characters that Singh introduces us to, especially the changelings from both packs.  I loved Lucas and Sascha together, as their romance sizzled, especially as she discovered all the sensations she missed all of her life.  I can’t wait to continue this series, and find out which characters will be in the forthcoming books.  Thank you, Nalini Singh, for this wonderful series.

Reviewed by Barb