Hostage to Pleasure

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

Hostage to Pleasure is book 5 in the Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh. My lowest rated Pys-Changeling book is Mine to Possess because I wasn't really feeling either main character. Hostage to Pleasure was totally different than Mine to Possess for me. I really enjoyed Hostage to Pleasure.

I loved Ashia and I loved Dorian and I especially loved their son! I enjoyed the story, the pacing, and the love scenes. Actually, I wish there were more love scenes. I enjoyed the ending even though I do have an issue with it. My issue is that Dorian can't shift and that's considered a sort of disability. By "curing" or "fixing" him at the end you she just wrote the disabled trope, where the disabled person or peoples ends up being "fixed" by the end.

One thing that irritated me is that the main female character, her sister, and her son are all supposed to be Black but the cover art on the audiobook has Dorian huggin up on a white woman. Shame on the company for doing that, I thought things like that were finished with in the 90s.

All in all I really loved this story.
I'm going to give it 5 stars out of 5

The Psy-Changeling series seemed to have really picked up pace since the first two books. I went into this book highly excited after the pace of the last one, however, I had reservations about the female Psy character. All of the previous ones we’ve had have really failed to give us a real energy kick in their story. I enjoyed the fact that she had become a mysterious character in the last book and bringing her to centre stage allowed the connection to cement and really engage the reader (me) in the storyline! The main characters. Ashaya. She wasn’t the typical Psy we’ve met previously because she was more deeply embedded into the danger and action. She wasn’t a push over and certainly held a strong, imposing mother-figure that we’ve lacked in any of the previous characters. She wasn’t the super ability Psy who could do everything, but she worked on an intellectual level that was highly advanced and engaging. I always like the intellectual female protagonist of the story and she was undoubtedly. Dorian. Sympathy for Dorian has been a major focus since his sister was taken and his inability to shift into Leopard form have hurt him deeply. Dorian has been on the edge of falling into an abyss he won’t return from and there is an edge of predictability that he will fall for his ‘enemy’ and bring him back. We have the danger, edge, seduction and wildness of the male lead that entices us into the storyline and his witty, sexy and a character you can’t help but fall in love with. Things I loved: ■The characters. ■The little excerpts from Ashaya’s diary, Dorian, or letters of mysterious groups that added to the mystery and anticipation in this book. ■The danger of this novel was more prominent so the anticipation really built up. ■The interlinking of characters and new plots where we see more of the three races: human, psy and changeling. ■The secondary characters are incredibly developed in this story, especially over the series they have become more prominent and taken a seat at the back to remind you of their duty. There on-going subplots adds to the style and quality of the story and this is much better, the more you read into the series! Things that annoyed me: ■The mystery became too confusing at times to be able to follow and it left me feeling like I could put the book down and abandon it at times. ■The predictability of the happy ever after that comes about in many paranormal-romances. ■The cover and the title. The cover and the title didn’t really fit with the story because Ashaya wasn’t really a hostage because that implies she’s been taken, when she stumbled upon the DarkRiver clan. The cover felt unnecessary compared to the other brooding, darker covers we’ve seen previously. It also made it embarrassing to have in public if people saw the cover. The other books do all have similar titles of sexual meanings, but this one felt too explicit and raunchy to really make me feel comfortable taking this book out in public. Overall this book has a good mixture of everything, from romance to sex, teary-moments and action. The darkness is really starting to creep into the series and as ever the intermingled perspectives really built up the story. I’d recommend this book to anybody who enjoys paranormal romance, especially the wild animal instincts and futuristic settings, but I suggest buying/borrowing the book with the other cover because it’s much more conservative!

I'm really enjoying the Psy/Changeling world that Singh has created. However her latest entry, Hostage To Pleasure, lacked some of the "umph" that I've come to expect from this series.HTP does an excellent job of giving us more insight into the workings of the PSY/Changeling world, but in doing so the author sacrificed some of the character development that actually drives a series for me. I couldn't help feeling this one fell more on the side of Urban Fantasy rather than a Paranormal Romance because of all the threads the author had to tie together in her world building- although it certainly is not Urban Fantasy in it's purist form.In HTP we get Dorian's story- the one Changeling from the DarkRiver pack who is unable "change". He's been with us from the beginning of the series and suffered a great tragedy in the loss of his beloved sister to a psychopathic Psy who brutally kidnapped and murdered her. These two aspects keeps him separate yet part of the pack- because he needs them to keep him sane. (A top notch sniper/ sentinel, he continues to protect the pack above and beyond to compensate for the fact he can't transform into the leopard who resides inside him who is also so overcome with bitterness over his sister's death, it's eating away at him.)Enter Ashaya. A beautiful bronzed skinned Psy who secretly defied the evil Psy Council to help rescue children in captivity connected to Dorian's pack. Ashaya's been under the thumb of the Psy all her life- but she's hidden her true self from them. When it became clear that the Psy Council will use any means necessary to keep her working on a secret project that would destroy anyone exhibiting emotion- including using her son as leverage- she decides to get out. She calls in her marker with DarkRiver pack and fakes her own death to escape. And it works. Until she decides to expose the Psy's plans to the world for the good of the people and thereby exposes herself to those who want what she knows- no matter what the cost.Dorian's appalled. He's assigned to protect this cold Psy who's motives are muddied at best- but she's of the race of the man who destroyed his sister. How can he do his job when everything in him screams for him to avenge his sister's murder? Of course there's another problem- he's helplessly attracted to her.And Shaya is not what she seems. She's an ice maiden for a reason. When Dorian discovers why, he's even more determined to protect her and her son- despite what he feels.In the meantime, not only are the Psy making plans to eliminate her, but other factions as well. And as the Silence (the total suppression of emotions) crumbles around the Psy, they become even more desperate to end Shaya's life. For what she knows will be the key to their undoing.Although I did enjoy HTP, I was a bit disappointed in the love connection in this novel. Oh I liked both Shaya and Dorian tremendously- I just felt like their story took too much of a backseat to all the explaining that had to be done to make Singh's world fit.So, in the end, it gets a 3.5 from me. Not bad- but not my favorite.

Ashaya Aleine, has been separated from her son, and as a Psy, she is emotionless atleast to the Psy, but she has a great love for her son. So now because of that, she is forced to create something for the Psy that mean enslavement for her people. Then she manages to contact DarkRiver and they manage to get her son out and safe and integrated into their web. Now Ashaya has managed to hide herself from the other Psy, except for her twin sister, where Ashaya is met up with Dorian Christensen, a sentinel for DarkRiver. Dorian, a sentinel for DarkRiver, is out for revenge for the Psy, after his sister is brutally killed. But then he meets with Ashaya and knows that she is very different from the other, and there is a heated desire that is firing up between them that he can't deny, and realizes that she is his mate. Ashaya is overwhelmed with all the emotions that she is starting to feel, especially for Dorian whom at first she viewed as a enemy, but now is the one man that she knows she can't resist and doesn't want to let go of, but there is a danger that is rising that will put them all in danger.Hostage To Pleasure is the sixth installment to the Psy-Changeling Series. I have just loved reading this series, I have always loved shifter series, but this one is one of my favorites to read. I found Hostage to Pleasure to be a sensational read, with such delightful characters. Ashaya, is a twin, but her sister is in a way demented, but has not much Psy power, but Ashaya is the only one out of the two that has broken "Silence". Even though her sister is her son's biological mother, Ashaya is his mother in every true way that matters. Ashaya is willing to do everything she can to protect her son, no matter the cost. Dorian, even though he is bitter at the beginning toward Ashaya, his manner toward Ashaya we see soften, where he starts the process of healing. Dorian even though he is part of DarkRiver, he has never been able to fully shift into animal form, he is one of the strongest of DarkRiver. As I was reading this one, I found myself taken on a ride of sizzling passion, alluring characters with a witty exchange, and a plot that will have you grabbing the hold of your seat to hold onto this mesmerizing installment to the Psy-Changeling series, that will leave you eager for the next installment in the series!

Ahh...I love this series. It's such a nice blend of SF/dark fantasy and romance. I have to agree with many of the reviews that say the romance is a bit weaker here, but overall the story is really good. I like that there's not a lot of black and white in this world. I can't wait to see where this series goes next. The over-arching plot is almost more exciting than the romance, which honestly, works just fine. If you haven't read this series, you definitely should. Just don't start with this book as I really think a person needs to start at the beginning to really appreciate it all.

Hostage to Pleasure is the fifth full-length novel in Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling series. It pairs latent leopard shifter, Dorian, with Ashaya, a Psy scientist with a major ax to grind with the Psy Council. When she escapes from captivity, where she was being held by the Council against her will and forced to work on dangerous experiments that could mean the end of any autonomy for the Psy, she winds up in DarkRiver territory. Since the leopards were already caring for her son who they’d rescued from the Psy, she is also placed under their protection with Dorian as her main bodyguard. As the two get to know one another, Dorian realizes Ashaya is his mate and she’s very attracted to him, too. But she’s keeping some pretty big secrets, which if revealed, could make Dorian hate her. Overall, I enjoyed this installment, mainly for the progression of the series story arc, which is inching closer and closer to a full dismantling of Silence and of Psy control over much of business and politics, although it’s looking like a war may need to be fought to make all of this happen. However, where I felt the story faltered a bit was in the romantic relationship building. So Hostage to Pleasure ended up being a good read, but not one of my favorites in the series so far.The Psy Council has been holding Ashaya’s son, Keenan, hostage in order to get her to cooperate with them. She’s an M-Psy (which is their medical designation) and one of only a couple of scientists who have the ability to see DNA at the molecular level. As such, she’s very valuable to the Council, who is forcing her to work on Protocol I, an implant that would take away individuality and turn all Psy into a true hive mind. Ashaya has been projecting the veneer of Silence to the outside world for years. But in reality her conditioning broke in her teens due to a traumatic experience, and she hasn’t been able to maintain Silence ever since. She doesn’t want Protocol I to go into effect, and the only way to prevent it is for her to disappear, something that isn’t so easily accomplished. In the previous book, Mine to Possess, she helped two of her child subjects escape the lab, and in return, she asked for a favor, which she calls in at the beginning of this book, requesting that DarkRiver rescue Keenan. Once she’s fairly certain her son is out of harm’s way, she then fakes her own death, and with assistance from the rebels, she escapes. DarkRiver then offers their protection and helps her get her message out. Ashaya had briefly met Dorian when he nearly killed her during the previous operation to rescue the kids. Although she wasn’t really able to see him, she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about him since, and meeting him face-to-face is a visceral experience that makes her long for something deeper. However, Ashaya has an identical twin sister, and she’s harboring a whole lot of secrets that revolve around her sibling that could threaten her newfound relationship with Dorian. In spite of her sister Amara’s misdeeds, Ashaya loves her anyway, and although she fears that things may not end well for her sibling, she tries to do everything in her power to save Amara. She also harbors a deep love for Keenan and would do anything to see him kept safe. I love super-smart characters, and Ashaya is definitely that. I liked her very much and think that she makes a wonderful addition to the DarkRiver pack and that her scientific mind may be of great use to them in their future conflict with the Psy Council.Dorian is a latent Changeling, meaning that, while the leopard still lives inside him, a genetic anomaly makes it impossible for him to shift into animal form. He hasn’t let that hold him back, though. In fact, he pushes himself to be the best he possibly can be at everything he tries. He realized his dream of becoming a DarkRiver Sentinel and is very serious about protecting his pack and their interests. However, he harbors a great deal of guilt over not being able to protect his own younger sister from being kidnapped and brutally murdered by a Psy serial killer, an event that occurred in the very first book, Slave to Sensation. As a result, he’s vowed revenge against the Psy, and while he’s made exceptions for a handful of Psy rebels who’ve either joined their pack or the SnowDancer wolf pack, he largely still hates the race as a whole. When he’s tasked with keeping Ashaya safe, he isn’t entirely sure what to think of her at first. On the surface, she seems cold and unfeeling, but then he gradually gets glimpses into a softer side that appeals to him. Not to mention, he’s very physically attracted to her. As he battles between his head and his heart, he slowly comes to accept that the leopard has chosen her as his mate, but he struggles a bit with looking the other way when she finally reveals all her secrets to him. Dorian is a character who has intrigued me from the beginning, perhaps because of his inability to shift. However, it’s doesn’t end up being quite as much of a vulnerability for him as I thought it might be. Ashaya mentions several times that she can sense his hurt over it, but I was having trouble sensing that myself, maybe because I felt like it was being more told than shown. Otherwise, he’s a pretty good hero, though not one of my favorites. I think this is because he was a bit too pushy for my taste. All the guys in this series are alphas with assertive tendencies, but whether I like them in spite of it depends on the circumstances and how they come off as I’m reading. In this case, Dorian’s overbearing nature didn’t quite resonate with me in the way some of the others have.As is typical for this series, Hostage to Pleasure is chock full of supporting characters, many of whom have their own stories. DarkRiver alpha, Lucas, and his mate, Sascha, (Slave to Sensation) head things up. Vaughn (Visions of Heat) is there to provide protection, and his mate, Faith, makes some dire predictions. Clay and Tally (Mine to Posses) help out a lot, too, and Judd (Caressed by Ice) assists with the rescue of Keenan. Nate and Tamsyn (“Beat of Temptation” from Wild Invitation) offer protection and healing respectively. Mercy is the only female DarkRiver sentinel but she’s every bit as protective as the males. She becomes the heroine of the next full-length book, Branded by Fire. SnowDancer wolf, Drew (Play of Passion) shows up in one scene. Kaleb (Heart of Obsidian) is still the enigmatic Psy Councilor who I think is much more than meets the eye. Many other series characters are mentioned in the background, and Faith’s father, Anthony Kyriakus, ends up being a valuable ally. Then, of course, there’s young Keenan who is a sweet child and also very smart for a little one of only four and a half. I thought it was cute that he wants to marry Noor, and it made me wonder if someday, Nalini Singh might write a next-gen series for the kids.IMHO, the main strength of Hostage to Pleasure is in its plot additions to the overall series story arc. A lot happens in this installment that I’m sure will have repercussions throughout the rest of the series. There are many factions rising up, including a new Psy faction and a human faction that’s tired of living under Psy rule, all of which could be future threats. For these reasons alone, this is a must-read book. However, I just wasn’t as engaged in the romance between Ashaya and Dorian as I wanted to be in spite of generally liking them both as characters. I think where things broke down for me in this respect was that neither Ashaya nor Dorian really trust each other when they first meet, and yet they slowly begin to reveal their respective pasts. This is a good thing and typical for a romance, but at the same time, I simply couldn’t identify exactly how or when they came to trust one another enough to make such confessions. Also, their lustiness is very readily apparent, but the actual romance is a bit harder to define, as is the how or why of them falling in love. I just didn’t feel the deep emotional connection between them that I wanted to. All that said, though, it was still a good read. The next novella in the series is also about Dorian and I look forward to discovering if it might add new insights to his character.