Review: ‘Shield of Winter’ by Nalini Singh
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog earns a small commission at no extra cost to you from any purchases made through these links. You can read the full disclosure underneath the Privacy Policy.
Shield of Winter
by Nalini SinghSeries: Psy-Changeling #13
Published by Berkley Hardcover on June 3, 2014
SubGenres: Paranormal Romance
Format: AudioBook, Paperback
Pages: 442
Narrator: Angela Dawe
Length: 15 Hours And 47 Minutes
Source: Library - Libby, Purchased
Audience: 18+/Adult
Add to Goodreads
Purchase at Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
"The alpha author of paranormal romance" draws us back into her extraordinary Psy-Changeling world, a world torn between violence and peace, passion and ice . . .
Assassin. Soldier. Arrow. That is who Vasic is, who he will always be. His soul drenched in blood, his conscience heavy with the weight of all he’s done, he exists in the shadows, far from the hope his people can almost touch—if only they do not first drown in the murderous insanity of a lethal contagion. To stop the wave of death, Vasic must complete the simplest and most difficult mission of his life.
For if the Psy race is to survive, the empaths must wake.
Having rebuilt her life after medical “treatment” that violated her mind and sought to stifle her abilities, Ivy should have run from the black-clad Arrow with eyes of winter frost. But Ivy Jane has never done what she should. Now, she'll fight for her people, and for this Arrow who stands as her living shield, yet believes he is beyond redemption. But as the world turns to screaming crimson, even Ivy’s fierce will may not be enough to save Vasic from the cold darkness . . .
Shield of Winter is the thirteenth novel in Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling series. After the events of the last book, I expected fallout from Silence falling, and I was eager to read the repercussions. Shield of Winter tackles the aftermath directly, revealing major problems but also a potential fix. It’s up to Vasic and others to stop things from turning deadly, and they believe the Empaths can help. However, Empaths like Ivy were mistreated for their powers, so she doubts her usefulness, but is willing to try, especially after witnessing what’s happening to other Psys.
When Ivy first meets Vasic, she should fear him as an Arrow, known for being soldiers and assassins. Instead, she finds herself intrigued and eager to help. As they spend time together, Ivy sees that Vasic isn’t as cold-hearted as he appears, and she begins falling for him.
I wasn’t sure I would like Vasic’s character, but Nalini made me care for this Arrow. Though trained to be cold and quiet, he expresses genuine feelings for a certain E-Psy who brings out his emotions. Vasic, like Kaleb Krycheck, became a favorite as I got to know him.
I absolutely adored Ivy. She endured much before Vasic’s request for help and is determined to stabilize the Psy after Silence falls. Ivy fights for what’s right and for Vasic himself. She senses something is wrong with him and will do anything to help, even if it means saving him from his own plans should things worsen.
I was invested not only in the emotional romance between Vasic and Ivy, but in the Psy’s struggle to save themselves after the fall of Silence. The story isn’t all happiness, but their determination to save their race stands out. Kaleb and Sahara also appear in the book, and I enjoyed reading Kaleb’s continued protective side with Sahara. The other Psy notices how much he has changed due to loving Sahara.
Overall, I give this book five stars and wish I could give more. I’m eager to read the final two books in the Psy-Changeling series and curious about Nalini’s next direction. I can’t believe I waited so long to finish this series, but I’m making up for it. Both this series and Guild Hunter are favorites. The characters and world-building are top-notch. Nalini’s stories consistently impress me, and I’ll read anything she writes. If you haven’t picked up any of her books/series, I highly recommend them. She’s an author I always suggest, especially to readers who love reading Paranormal Romance.
Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Psy-Changeling series, and I highly recommend reading the books in order.
POV: Third Person Omniscient
Would I recommend this book/series? Absolutely! This series is a must-read for PNR readers.
What to Expect:
✔️Paranormal Romance
✔️ Psychic Powers
✔️Fated Mates
✔️Opposites Attract (Empath & Assassin)
✔️Fallen/Broken Society
✔️Alpha/Assassin/Broken Hero
✔️Protector/Bodyguard Hero
✔️Trauma/Healing
About Nalini Singh
I've been writing as long as I can remember and all of my stories always held a thread of romance (even when I was writing about a prince who could shoot lasers out of his eyes). I love creating unique characters, love giving them happy endings and I even love the voices in my head. There's no other job I would rather be doing. In September 2002, when I got the call that Silhouette Desire wanted to buy my first book, Desert Warrior, it was a dream come true. I hope to continue living the dream until I keel over of old age on my keyboard.
I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated every month).
So far, I've worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer's mill.
Related Posts
My obsession with reading started over 30+ years ago when I went to my first Scholastic Book Fair and found R.L. Stine's Fear Street series. Later, I came across Anne Rice's novels at my public library when I was fourteen when my obsession with vampires started. I was the girl who preferred to be a vampire over a princess any day. My husband says I would leave him a heartbeat for a vampire that looked like Spike or Angel (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) or Damon Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries. (It's true, though, and he's accepted it.)
- Book Blitz + Giveaway: ‘Royally Off-Limits’ by Kate O’Keeffe - November 10, 2025
- Book Blitz + Giveaway: ‘That Boy’ by Briar Black - November 9, 2025
- Review: ‘Wild And Wrangled’ by Lyla Sage - November 8, 2025