Wolf Rain

Wolf Rain (Psy-Changeling Trinity Book 3)- Nalini Singh
Berkley/Penguin Group
Release Date: June 4, 2019

Rating:
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Synopsis: Kidnapped as a young girl, her psychic powers harnessed by a madman, Memory lives a caged and isolated existence...until she comes face-to-face with a wolf. Labelled an empath by her bad-tempered rescuer, Memory knows that her 'gift' is nothing so bright. It is a terrible darkness that means she will always be hunted.

But Memory is free now and she intends to live. A certain growly wolf can just deal with it.

Alexei prefers to keep his packmates at bay, the bleak history of his family a constant reminder that mating, love, hope is not for him. But Memory, this defiant and fearless woman who stands toe-to-toe with him awakens the most primal part of his nature--and soon, he must make a choice: risk everything or lose Memory to a murderous darkness that wants to annihilate her from existence...

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The third book in Nalini Singh's Trinity series, Wolf Rain continues to explore life after the fall of Silence.  Humans, Changelings, and Psy are learning how to co-exist in this new world but are also learning more about the dark secrets kept under Silence, and some of what drove the ruling Psy to instigate Silence in the first place.  Many Psy have finally admitted that what it comes down to is: for every power there is a price.  As a whole, the psychic race wanted to see themselves as superior to humans and changelings, but weren't willing to admit there was a price that they needed to pay, or a balance that must be struck.  Ignoring the high rate of psychopaths and killers in their midst seemed like a small price to pay for control.  With the fall of Silence, those psychopaths have a harder time hiding from the rest of the world. 

Memory has been held prisoner by a psychopath since she was a child.  Discovered by SnowDancer Alexie, she must learn to control her Empathic abilities and become strong enough to save herself from the killer who wants to reclaim her.  Memory is a delightful character who, when given the chance, fully embraces her new life.  She may consider herself dark and damaged, but to the reader (and Alexie) she is soft, strong, and caring, light and sparkles.  She learns what makes her happy and she goes for it.  Alexie is a wolf who tries to hold himself apart from others, afraid his family's darkness has infected him as well.  He decided a long time ago to never mate, and when we meet him in the beginning of Wolf Rain he is grieving and in pain from losing his beloved big brother.  But his intentions can't stand up to Memory and he finds himself in love with her before he quite realizes what's happened. One thing he knows for sure- the killer hunting Memory is going to have to get through him to have her.

As usual, Singh does a wonderful job of blending a personal story with the story of the evolving world she has built.  Memory is an unusual E, and it takes a long time for anyone to figure out exactly what it is she can do.  She has to try and find her place in the post-Silence world, as an individual and also as an E trying to help her people.  Without humans, changelings, and strong empaths in the PsyNet, the Psy as a whole are in danger of extinction.  With the end of Ocean Light readers might be surprised that the next Trinity book doesn't follow the idea of bringing humans and Psy closer together- but don't worry, as always Singh has tricks up her sleeve to surprise and delight the reader and bring her characters (and world) together in unexpected but perfect ways.

Wolf Rain is a wonderful addition to the Psy/Changeling world, and will fill readers with all of the emotions they could want.  We get to see old friends from previous books and watch new bonds form.  Readers new to the series shouldn't have trouble figuring out what's going on, although having read at least Ocean Light and Silver Silence will help you appreciate some of the nuances.  I defy any first time reader who picks up Wolf Rain to not immediately fall in love and need to read all of SIngh's Pay/Changeling books- and then wait on the edge of their seat with the rest of us to discover where Singh will take us next! 

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review