Finally the PsyNet is somewhat stabilized thanks to the
awakening of the Empaths but there is another unknown
threat in the horizon. A shadowy enemy that has already
captured the Arrow Leader, Aden Kai and one of his most
dangerous operatives, Zaira Neve; somehow disconnected
them from the Net and blocked their psychic abilities. A
threat, if not neutralized in time, will devastate the
already fragile Net and the peace between humans, Arrow,
the Psys and the Changelings to re-instate a New World
Order. One who has already set in motion plans to create
discord among the fiercest and most powerful fragile
alliances.
Despite injury and the chance of being captured again,
Aden never leaves a man or woman behind. Neither is he
afraid to die as long as his comrade is safe. The
happiness of his squad is the top priority for him. For
them, he is willing to do anything, even take a mate to
show them they can lead normal lives too especially the
old weary ones who think they do not belong in this new
era. But he will not accept any other mate than Zaira.
For Zaira, being alone on the psychic plane is a
nightmare. The isolation from all brings out her most
vicious self, a need to become a killer, an animal
without conscience, to give in to the insanity for whom
the Silence was put in in the first place. Aden's safety
is her top priority. She would fight to the end if it
guarantees his safety . The complete disconnection from
the Net is the greatest hurdle for her to overcome else
she might be the one to finally kill him. Having him is
something she does even let herself hope for the fear of
destroying the person he is.
Nalini Singh hits it out of the ballpark again with the
newest addition to the Psy-Changeling series. SHARDS OF HOPE
is
comparatively darker to the last instalment. Ms. Singh
pulls no punches while describing the training the Arrows
went through during their childhood, the brutality they
faced. Amongst all this are the light warm moments where
you can see SHARDS OF HOPE among all those who are close
to giving up. I absolutely loved how Ms. Singh tackled
the issue of child abuse and raising happy healthy
children. How she discussed the possibilities of
punishing a child without breaking them, keeping them in
a secured environment and nourishing them. We can learn a
lot from this too. The revelations and reactions of the
Arrows to these things is absolutely heart-breaking and
shows how strong they really are in character.
The suspense in SHARDS OF HOPE kept me on the edge of my
seat. I really really wanted to know who the instigator
was, the shadowy enemy. Unfortunately it is not revealed
yet. SHARDS OF HOPE is the second book in the beginning
of a new arc for the Psy-Changelings. It is still a
long
journey and they have yet to learn much to fit among the
normal and filter out the actual psychopaths. The only
negative SHARDS OF HOPE has, was the repeating of some
things over and over but despite that, this book holds
dear to me. Zaira reminds me of a feral possessive cat
who never fully gets tamed except for with her loved
ones. Aden is a strong soul, never fully Silent yet
providing the stability and calmness required for the
Arrows to move forward.
I enjoyed visiting the old characters again and look
forward to seeing more of them especially the RainFire
alpha Remi. The children provide the warmth and negates
some of the darkness, the brutality in SHARDS OF HOPE. The
action, the bonding and the revelations are mind-blowing
especially the moment we find out Aden's true power.
SHARDS OF HOPE is an adventure which might seem random in
the beginning but when the puzzles fall in, the intricate
web will blow your mind and leave you wanting more. Keep
in mind, I do not think sensitive people who abhor
violence might enjoy this book. Ms. Singh never
disappoints and I for one cannot wait for what she in
store next in the Psy-Changeling series.
The “smoldering heat, epic romance, and awesome action”* of
Nalini Singh’s New York Times bestselling series continues
as two Arrows find themselves caught in a chilling
conspiracy that spans all three races…
Awakening wounded in a darkened cell, their psychic
abilities blocked, Aden and Zaira know they must escape. But
when the lethal soldiers break free from their mysterious
prison, they find themselves in a harsh, inhospitable
landscape far from civilization. Their only hope for
survival is to make it to the hidden home of a predatory
changeling pack that doesn’t welcome outsiders.
And they must survive. A shadowy enemy has put a target on
the back of the Arrow squad, an enemy that cannot be
permitted to succeed in its deadly campaign. Aden will cross
any line to keep his people safe for this new future, where
even an assassin might have hope of a life beyond blood and
death and pain. Zaira has no such hope. She knows she’s too
damaged to return from the abyss. Her driving goal is to
protect Aden, protect the only person who has ever come back
for her no matter what. This time, even Aden’s passionate
determination may not be enough—because the emotionless
chill of Silence existed for a reason. For the violent, and
the insane, and the irreparably broken…like Zaira.