Visions of Heat (Psy/Changeling Book #2) by Nalini Singh

Title: Visions of Heat
Author: Nalini Singh
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Source: Purchased
Age Group: Adult
Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥ 

Used to cold silence, Faith NightStar is suddenly being tormented by dark visions of blood and murder. A bad sign for anyone, but worse for Faith, an F-Psy with the highly sought after ability to predict the future. Then the visions show her something even more dangerous - aching need...exquisite pleasure. But so powerful is her sight, so fragile the state of her mind, that the very emotions she yearns to embrace could be the end of her.
Changeling Vaughn D'Angelo can take the form of either man or jaguar, but it is his animal side that is overwhelmingly drawn to Faith. The jaguar's instinct is to claim this woman it finds so utterly fascinating and the man has no argument. But while Vaughn craves sensation and hungers to pleasure Faith in every way, desire is a danger that could snap the last threads of her sanity. And there are Psy who need Faith's sight for their own purposes. They must keep her silenced - and keep her from Vaughn.

Nalini Singh is one my favourite authors. Nothing can change my mind on that. I absolutely adore her Psy/Changeling series, but of course I like every book in this series in a different way. Since Slave to Sensation is my one and only star, it´s only natural that the second book in the series doesn´t quite catch up to it. And that is okay, because even though I didn´t love Visions of Heat as much as Slave to Sensation I still enjoyed it quite a lot.

Faith Nightstar lives - due to her abilities - in an isolated area. She is the best foreseer in the world, but suddenly she starts getting dark visions, which is disturbing for a normal F-Psy. Those visions are signs of madness and the result of that is rehabilitation.

For me, Faith is a difficult character and at first I found it quite hard to identify with her. In the beginning she is so cold that as a reader I was repelled by her and her constant denial of feeling anything.  But as the story progresses she develops into this beautiful and warm woman that I liked. Not loved, but liked.

Changeling Vaughn D´Angelo feels something is up and starts observing Faith´s house in the middle of nowhere. He has a complicated past and a quiet and dangerous character. After reading Visions of Heat I still have the feeling that I don´t get Vaughn completely. To me he remains this mysterious changeling, who doesn´t open up to anyone, but his own woman. I guess this makes him special to many readers out there, because I´ve heard the second book in this installment is their favourite. I personally can´t really understand that, but I can accept it. Every person has different tastes.

I remember reading Visions of Heat right after finishing Slave to Sensation, which I think was a huge mistake. Those two books are so different that I remember feeling annoyed reading about Faiths and Vaughn's story. It was just so much different, because at some point it lacked this deep passion that I loved in the first novel so much.
I changed my mind about Visions of Heat when I reread the book again after some time had passed. I felt like I finally understood the motives and intentions of this strange couple.

I´m also always thrilled to read those short and rare chapters featuring Sascha and Lucas. Another central point why I love Singh´s work. She always keeps the reader updated on how the other characters develop that she focused on in previous books.

Also the conflict between Psy and Changeling gets more and more intense. I find it quite refreshing to get to know the Psy Council. Each member is a mystery and their secrets are dark and plenty. I always had a thing for the villain, and now there are so many!

The Yearning Mermaid says: "Psy/Changeling fans will be thrilled to read he second book in the series. Everyone else should read book #1 first."

See the review of Slave to Sensation