Silver Silence (Psy-Changeling Trinity) Hardcover – June 13, 2017

4.5/5 StarsThis review was originally posted on the Goldilox and the Three Weres blog.I know I say this every time I review a Nalini Singh book but that lady writes some amazing paranormal romance. And Silver Silence is no exception. It was bloody brilliant and I couldn't put it down once I had started it. I've been wanting Silver's book ever since she was introduced as Kaleb's aide and the wait was totally worth it.I found this book overwhelmingly charming but I don't know what I loved more about it: learning more about Silver and the Mercants, the awesome bear Changelings, or the romance. One thing I absolutely adore about Singh's books is that the romance is at the forefront but it doesn't stop the overall story arc from progressing. And while it was funny and adorable in parts, this book packs several emotional punches.I find it fascinating that Silver, who is known almost solely through her connection with Kaleb, can be so different from him. She comes off as an overly competent ice queen but she's SO much more than that. The hero, Valentin, at the first of the book has been trying to court her in his own bearish fashion but she has done nothing but shut him down. While the other books in the series have given us a lot of face time with the cats and the wolves, this one is set in Moscow and spends all the time with the bears who have very distinct and playful personalities. I absolutely loved the bears!While I loved being introduced to the bear Changelings and the Mercant clan, my favorite thing was seeing the world evolve in the aftermath of the end of Silence and the signing of the Trinity Accord. It's fascinating how much has changed since the first book. I also was on the edge of my seat as the Human Alliance and the Psy try to push past their prejudices that formed during Silence. Things haven't changed too much but this book doubles down on the importance of the role of humans in this world and how they are finally standing up for themselves.Overall, Silver Silence was a fun, charming, and romantic book! I loved meeting Valentin and the bears and getting to know Silver. It's going to be a long wait for the next book.*ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

I have been waiting for this book for a long time. While, I did enjoy many parts of the book, I found that it was a bit too slow and sometimes boring. I would have liked to see more action, more plot, and maybe more characters from other books (not all of them at once like in the last book but just a tiny little more). I still give it 3 1/2 stars (1/2 star for Kaleb ^__^).*Spoilers ahead*Questions were raised in the book and left unanswered. For example:- We never found out whether Valentin's father was brainwashed by the Psy. That's a shame, because that plot would have made the book a little less boring.- A bromance between her brother Arwen (an empath) and Pavel (a senior in Valentin's clan, a funny geek & bear changeling who wears glasses and has a twin brother) was hinted at. But we saw very little of their interaction. That would have really made the story interesting. I hope they have a novella.- We didn't see interaction between Valentin and his runaway mother even when she came back! So we're left wondering how she is going to fare after over a decade of solitude.- Valentin's sister new mating to Bowen's cousin could also have been portrayed better with more interaction with Valentine's family.- Silver's parents play no role in the plot, which is odd.- Then there is Bowen's condition.

Silver Silence is the first book in a new series by Nalini Singh set in her Psy-Changeling universe. It is special in several ways. First is the start of a new story-line, and although it builds on what has gone before it works a accessible entry-point for those who might not be interested in reading the previous dozen books. Second, this is the first Psy-changeling books to feature bear changelings.Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series was one of my gateways into Romance.  I devoured the original series, although not every book worked for me, I regularly re-read several of the books.  However as the series has progressed the over-arching plot had gotten larger and larger, to the point where she had to write an ensemble book, Allegiance of Honor without a central romance to wrap up things.  I am going to be honest and say that for me that book was trudge to read, the vignette style, interrupted by the Xavier's diary, was a snooze, despite the fact that I loved the vast majority of the characters.  I read about half of it when if first came out and only finished it last month, as I waited for Silver Silence.My recent re-readings of the Psy-changeling books have been bit uncomfortable as I have changed a lot as reader since I first read this series and I've become more sensitive to problematic choices, for example the near absence of LGBTQ people. While this series has always had racial and religious diversity, LGBTQ people didn't seem to exist in the Psy-Changeling world, and I am no longer comfortable in fictional worlds that erase queer people. So while I was excited to read a new Psy-Changeling book I was also wary. Silver Silence is the story of Silver Mercant and Valentin Nikolaev.  Valentin is the Alpha of the StoneWater Bears, one of the largest bear clans in Russia.  Silver Mercant is Psy, a highly gifted telepath and head of a world-wide coordinated disaster response organization   Although many Psy are starting to explore their emotions, Silver remains firmly Silent, yet that does not discourage Valentin.  After months of largely one-side courtship Valentin gets his big break when he interrupts an assassination attempt on Silver's life. Determined to protect her, he offers her refuge with his clan while she recovers and they work together to uncover who is targeting her and why.The book was very enjoyable and I ended up re-reading it almost immediately. Despite my wariness, Singh made a lot of good choices in this book.  First of all, there was clear LGBTQ inclusion. Two major gay characters were introduced, one is Silver's empath brother, Arwen and the other high-ranking lieutenant in Valentin's clan, Pavel. These characters got a good deal of page time, and a flirtation, that hints at a future romance. It is a small step, but for a world where LGBTQ have been absent it was exciting to see.  (I do admit to being very distracted by Arwen's name however). The second good choice was the ways where  Silver Silence mirrored Singh's first Psy-Changeling book, Slave to Sensation and then took things a different direction. In both books a Psy takes refuge with changelings while facing threats on her life.  Spending time in close quarters helps breakdown the Psy's ingrained resistance against romantic/sensual experiences.  In Slave to Sensation, Lucas frequently pushes Sasha past her comfort zone, deliberately pushing boundaries and overriding her choices.  In Silver Silence, Valentin does not proceed without Silver's explicit consent. He is blunt, determined and stubborn but he respects Silver's choices even when it hurts him.  He encourages her and makes sure she has everything she needs. His protectiveness does not make her world smaller. Silver is presented as more powerful than Valentin in all ways but the physically, and that he is not threatened by her prominent global position but instead actively supportive of it.  Valentin's love for Silver is self-sacrificial, and constant when many would have given up. Singh does a great job presenting this as fidelity not simply stubbornness."Who are you to me?" "Yours," he said, "I'm yours." I am very excited by the new directions and choices Singh is making and I am no longer wary but excited about this new series. If you have never tried a Psy-changeling book this is where I would encourage you to start.

As an avid fan of the Psy/Changeling and Hunter series, I was extremely disappointed with this book. Usually I read the book in record time then return to the beginning and read again at a more gentle pace. Not this time. It took me over a week to read and this was with an effort at making myself finish the book. I won't be reading it again.Where was the plot? The intrigue? The desire to learn and love the characters? It was a book extended with the same material ( how loving and fluffy bears are.) repeated again and again. I found the book childish in places and to be frank, boring. Such a book should not have been so expensive. I feel readers have been taken for a ride.I was aware before purchasing that we were going to meet new characters and was fully prepared for this. Sorry MS Singh but it doesn't work .If it's difficult to carry on with the original storyline I would've far more appreciated the ending of the series and you starting a new story. ( If the psy/changeling is your baby then...For example,thirty years on in time, now that would be interesting.)With regards to Silver Silence, I could say more but won't give away spoilers. Very disappointing read, and if the series are angling this way it might be time for me to say goodbye, after years of reading, this authors work.

So disappointed by this book and the fact that I paid full price for it. I feel really let down after reading these books for a number of years (more than 15 if you count the short stories). I'm not quite sure why I feel so let down, but I think it's because I couldn't believe in the central relationship between the two main characters. I really wish I'd stopped at Allegiance of Honour with all the cats having a party to celebrate the arrival of the pupcubs. Possible SPOILER ALERT: Having thought more about it and hopefully without giving too much away, perhaps it's because Silver slips out of Silence as if it's a well-worn coat and then decides almost immediately that she's made a mistake. I know we're living in a world post-Silence, but really. Goes back to Silence (I won't say how), and then suddenly comes out of Silence again. The only reason I might buy future books (which at the moment I wouldn't), is if they weren't full price and on the forlorn hope that the author might just tell us about the characters built up in the previous books. On the basis of this book though, I won't be buying them. Awful.

I originally read Nalini's work thanks to a friend on a forum (yep, there you go Jade, a mention) who told me I absolutley must read her work. As after all if I liked Kelley Armstrong, then Nalini would soon make a grab for my affections with her work in Urban Fantasy.What unfurled was a whole set of novels that took me on journey after journey where romance leads the way and at the end of the day, we all know that love is the most powerful force in the universe. (Or if not it should be.)OK yeah, that made me sound a bit mushy, but I love to be taken on an emotional rollercoaster, I want to see characters break from their comfort zones, to learn what makes them tick and to get under the covers to get to thier emotional aspect.Here within this title we're treated to a tough kick ass heroine who seeks to recover and get back for vengeance but as she is in rehab we get to see her softer side. One that accompanied by a skin walker works wonderfully well as we get to see all sorts of changes along the way. I'm not going to say its for everyone, but if you want escapism wrapped up with romance and a good solid dose of whupass then give Nalini a go.The only thing left is to filk a certain teddy bear show: "I wanna be a Were-Bear, like you...." LOL

Silver, the strongest heroine yet. She actually is the first in 16 novels who agrees with silence, it benefits her, strengthens her and allows her to achieve any goal she sets herself. Then we have Valentin, an Alpha bear, who on meeting Silver recognises her as his mate the only problem is Silver herself. Silver likes and approves of her Silence in fact she does not want to change ever so Valentin has his work cut out for him to find a way to ingratiate himself into Silvers life, good job then that Bears are tricksy. When an attempt is made on Silvers life Valetin takes advantage of the situation to take Silver to Denhome, the Bears home base to rest and recuperate, all the while hoping to get under Silvers shields to the real woman he knows is inside. This is another excellent addition to the psy-changeling universe, just one minor point, ms Singh has stayed true to the Russian culture by using several different names for the Bear characters, which can be a bit confusing as the have formal names, family names, pet names etc, for example Valentin is also at times called Valyusha and Misha, Misha is his family's pet name for him and Valyusha is Silvers, so it does require a bit of concentration but these Bears are worth it and I can't wait to read more about the "tiny gangsters" baby bears.

Where shall I start??As everyone and their mother probably knows by now, I love Nalini Singh's books and her Psy/Changeling series happens to be my current favourite pnr/fantasy series so it was no surprise to anyone that I was eagerly awaiting the release of Silver Silence, book 1 in the second season of the Psy/Changeling series and let me tell it did not disappoint.Short review: THIS BOOK IS AWESOME!! BEARS ARE A+++ AND I LOVE YOU SILVER. YOU SHOULD GO BUY THE BOOK OR ELSE SILVER WILL COME FOR YOU!! Long review: Silver Mercant is the director of the EmNet (the world emergency response network) and the senior aide of Kaleb Krychek. As a powerful telepath, a Mercant and as the head of EmNet, Silver is already pretty up on the hierarchy which also makes her a target from group unhappy with the trinity.Silver is such a fascinating women, she is completely rational about everything apart from her grandmother, her brother and one giant bear alpha. She’s a complete badass, extremely intelligent but she's also warm even though she thinks she’s ice cold. She’s such a unique individual and I ended up really loving her.Valentin Nikolaev aka “Mr. I. M. A. Medvezhonok.” is the alpha of the bear clan, StoneWater in Moscow (and what an alpha he is!!). Valentin recently become the alpha when the previous alpha stepped down, Valentin has hands full with the newer issues within the clan but he makes time to go tease his starlight. Valentin, like the other alpha changelings is a protector at heart.I really loved Valentin, his humour, the way he cared for his clan along with his trying to be subtle yet ruining that by just barging in/growling because bears….He really was the full package!I loved Valentin and Silver, they had such a great relationship. Aside from the fab chemistry and the push and pull relationship they had. They later go on to become a wonderful alpha couple. I loved their arguments, how Valentin would say things just to get a raise out of Silver and their sweet moments are gahh so freaking adorable. Valentin was breaking my heart in the later half of the book with the amount of love and devotion he showed Silver and Silver no matter what couldn’t stop loving her Valyusha.The Bears are such an interesting group of people and really nobody parties like the bears. They were hilarious, I loved seeing how different (and in some ways not) they were from the other changelings. They were so much fun.Apart from the wonderful romance of Mr. I'M A TEDDY BEAR and his starlight, the book also involves the break down of PsyNet and it's need for humans, along with the continuing plot line of the Consortium and it's hidden head, the Architect. Tensions and causalities are rising as not everyone is happy with the Psy, the fall of Silence and the trinity accord. Humans who psy treated as inconsequential for the past 100+ years are starting to fight back and with Psy needing humans now, aggression and hatred is running high in certain groups.Random comments: I love SnowDancer and DarkRiver so it was great seeing how different changeling groups saw them. Silver’s brother, Arwen was so cuteee and so were the twins Pasha and Yasha (Valentin’s seconds). I freaking love Ena Mercant and it was great getting to know more about the elusive and secretive Merchant family.I loved the writing in this book as well the plot, how certain things were solved in a way that made sense and was startling at the same time. I can’t wait to see who will getting their story next, they are many amazing and interesting individual’s in the P/C world who all seem like a great candidate for the next book.Overall, a wonderful addition to my favourite series and a fab start to Psy/Changeling Trinity novels.