Release-Day Review: Wolf Rain by Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Trinity #3)

Wolf Rain (Psy-Changeling Trinity #3/ Psy-Changeling #18)
Nalini Singh
Published: June 4, 2019 (Berkley)
Purchase: Book Depository or Amazon
Review source: copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

Reviewed by: Margaret

Rating (out of 5): 4.5 stars

Note: While review will be spoiler free, it does make reference to previous books in the series. If you haven’t started yet, check out VBC’s review of Slave to Sensation.

Snow Dancer lieutenant Alexei is out for a run in the Sierra Nevadas when he’s bombarded with psychic pain. He knows it must be coming from an empath, but is shocked when he finally finds Memory trapped in a bunker where she’s been held by a psychopath since childhood. Once she’s safe, Alexei and the pack work to track down the Psy who hurt her.

Alexei has his own trauma though, connected to his brother’s death two years earlier. His history with Rogue Changelings is something we haven’t heard much about in the series. It makes Alexei reluctant to form attachments to anyone. But despite her sheltered and traumatic history, Memory’s quickly attracted to Alexei and willing to fight for what she wants.

Memory’s story is reminiscent of a few earlier in the series, particularly Kaleb’s and Sienna’s, though more in a nostalgic way than an “I’ve read this before” way. Add in appearances by Sasha, Hawke and lots of the Snow Dancer wolves and long-time fans are the series are sure to love Wolf Rain. We also learn a lot more about the Empaths and how they work in the PsyNet. And don’t skip the chapter headers! The excerpts from research on Empaths is fascinating, but the bits from Wild Woman magazine might be my favorite thing in the whole book.

I was surprised by the return to the California pack since the other Trinity books have been set in other parts of the world. Plus, I really wanted to see more of the Russian shifters. But I wound up loving Wolf Rain. This series has always been a comfort read for me so the setting and characters are like old friends. And I didn’t have a complaint about the ending like I’ve had with the two previous Trinity books. I do, however, still have some unanswered questions about Memory’s powers so I hope that Singh will return the Empaths soon. I can’t wait to see what’s next!

Sexual content: graphic sex/references to kidnapping and abuse