Review: Bonds of Justice

Reviewed by Jen
 

They can't all be awesome.  This was probably one of my least favorites in the Psy-Changeling series.  It wasn't bad, but honestly, I am missing my sexy shifters. This is the second book in a row where neither half in the couple is changeling, and while it's cool that Nalini Singh wants to change things up, I'm ready to go back to Dark River... or Snow Dancer. Hell, one of the rats will even do at this point.

We first met Max back in Mine to Possess. He was the good cop who was working with Talin to find those missing Shine kids.  His heroine is Sophia, a J(ustice)-Psy. As the story begins, the two are working together to force a serial killer to reveal where he hid the bodies of his victims.  As a J, it's Sophia's job to look inside the memories of criminals and bring them to light.  But the job has fractured her psychic shields, and she is one step away from a total rehabilitation.

Fractures are also forming in her ability to maintain Silence, though a childhood trauma prevented it from ever truly allowing it to take hold to begin with.  She decides that with an expiration date on her life, she might as well act on the mutual attraction she shares with Max --especially after the two of them are paired on a second case-- this one, for Councilor Nikita Duncan. Someone is killing off Nikita's top advisers and making it look like suicide.  So Max & Sophia work to ferret out the bad guy, while they explore their feelings for each other.

I thought the relationship between Max and Sophia manifested much too quickly. It's one thing for a changeling to have a "mating" connection right away, but I just can't give the same kind of free pass to a human and Psy.  Max is this damaged guy who has never committed to a woman, but a bond is there instantly with Sophia. It doesn't ring true.  And speaking of his emotional damage, I was disappointed that this was not brought out further.  It was acknowledged, but I think there was a missed opportunity there to make him a real tortured hero.

As for Sophia, I didn't feel much personality from her.  It's like every Psy we meet has a bigger, badder problem that will not allow him/ her to escape the Psy-Net the way those before them could do.  I'm kind of over it. --I am intrigued, however with what is going on with Nikita --and Kaleb.  There is clearly more to Sascha's mom than meets the eye. And Kaleb's quarry?  Do tell!!!

This installment wasn't bad, just... not as good as the others.  No way I am giving up on this series, though.

Rating: C+

Click to purchase: Amazon

Bonds of Justice

by Nalini Singh

Release Date: July 6, 2010

Publisher: Berkley Sensation