Friday, January 11, 2008

MINE TO POSSESS, Nalini Singh

I got my hot little hands on an ARC over Christmas, and what a treat it was! I don’t often review books here my blog. Mostly this is because I find it hard to separate the author in me and the reader, especially when I try to organise and express my opinions. When I read, I want to immerse myself in the story and not think too much about how the writer has constructured it. If I forget about the writing, that’s the sign of a really great book. MINE TO POSSESS was so engrossing I never once stopped to think about the mechanics of the writing. The other reason I don’t often review is because I find it hard to maintain the delicate balance between giving a flavour of the book for other readers, and not spoiling it for them. Yes, I’m crap at keeping secrets. :)

The fourth book in Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling series, MINE TO POSSESS, explores the story of Tally and Clay. These two have history. Oh boy, do they have history! The novel is an action-packed paranormal romance, as well as a powerful reunion story about two people who were friends as children, and couldn’t stop thinking about each other over the intervening years. However, as a child, Tally witnessed the animal in Clay, and she was terrified. He knows she was his one love, and yet he has lived his life believing she’s dead. That’s some major conflict to overcome.

But now Tally has had to face something that scares her even more than Clay did, something that she needs his power and strength to defeat. The children she works with are being taken from the streets, and she tracks Clay down for help. These two have a helluva lot of emotions to work through as they progress on the hunt.

As readers I believe we are carried through stories by strong characters, and Tally and Clay are instantly compelling, hauling us along on their engrossing tale. Tally is a strong and admirable heroine. Clay is fierce, scary, and downright gorgeous. What's not to like -- half leopard, half egyptian, wholly yummy. :) Their story packs a powerful emotional punch from the first pages right through to the end. I believed I would be able to read a few chapters and put it aside. I read the entire book in one day. The phrase “hit the ground running” came to mind, the difference being that this book hit the ground running and kept on running right to the end. Powerful action, powerful emotion, a fully realised and totally believable paranormal world, combined with a superhot romance. Nalini Singh has mastered all of these elements and combined them skilfully in MINE TO POSSESS.

Amazon.com
Amazon UK