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.