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Psy-Changeling #7.1
Christmas in the Kitchen
A short story about life in the DarkRiver pack.
Timeline: Takes place some time before Bonds of Justice.
This story can be found on Nalini Singh's official website.
Timeline: Takes place some time before Bonds of Justice.
This story can be found on Nalini Singh's official website.
5 pages, Unbound
First published December 21, 2012
10 people are currently reading
1768 people want to read
About the author
Nalini Singh
249 books26.8k followersI'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.
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.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
October 8, 2016
*** 4 ***
Adorable and playful short story with some of the cutest kids, changelings and a Psy EVER! A very pleasant addition to a wonderful series!
Adorable and playful short story with some of the cutest kids, changelings and a Psy EVER! A very pleasant addition to a wonderful series!
November 21, 2019
Super cute. A little moment in time where several of the characters are happy and enjoying each others company just before Christmas.
April 13, 2018
Un relato cortito familiar, tierno y muy divertido, me encanta ver a Dorian y Ashaya como pareja ya consolidada y ver a Noor y Keenan tan lindos, aunque sale mi pareja menos favorita Clay y Talin pero aun así no le quita lo bonito.
October 4, 2018
Everyone wants to eat Ashaya's cookies and cupcakes!
Super cute free short story.
Super cute free short story.
April 27, 2021
Aww.. Adorable! A cute read focused around the holidays. Good natured ripping; between sentinels and family. It features Dorian, Ashaya, Keenan, Kit, Jon, Clay, Tally, & Noor. It's a sweet and fun family moment in the midst of all the excitement.
You can find this short story on Nalini Singh's website under Psy/Changeling Free Short Stories.
You can find this short story on Nalini Singh's website under Psy/Changeling Free Short Stories.
January 14, 2019
Meh, just okay. Nice to see glimpses into their normal lives though.
December 6, 2020
A cute little read, having the kids in these shorts makes them that much more enjoyable.
Freebie.
Freebie.
December 1, 2023
1st read - September 2014
2nd read - October 2020
3rd read - August 2021
I absolutely loved this short story starting Dorian, Shaya and Keenan along with Clay, Tally, Noor, Jon & Kit. It's a perfect little slice of family life and we get to see how close the families are and enjoy watching them spend an afternoon together doing normal family things like baking cakes for a Christmas party.
The kids are all adorably sweet and I love seeing how happy everyone is. I don't think this could have been more perfect (unless it had been longer - I could have read a whole book like that! LOL)
2nd read - October 2020
3rd read - August 2021
I absolutely loved this short story starting Dorian, Shaya and Keenan along with Clay, Tally, Noor, Jon & Kit. It's a perfect little slice of family life and we get to see how close the families are and enjoy watching them spend an afternoon together doing normal family things like baking cakes for a Christmas party.
The kids are all adorably sweet and I love seeing how happy everyone is. I don't think this could have been more perfect (unless it had been longer - I could have read a whole book like that! LOL)
June 25, 2020
A novella of how the pack prepared for Christmas. 😍😍
August 18, 2017
Fue una escena muy tierna y alegre, es cierto que estas partes extras no tienen demasiada importancia pero si eres fan de esta saga no puedes dejar de leerlas.
Esta en concreto me gusto mucho, principalmente porque era sobre mi pareja favorita ( Ashaya y Dorian ).
3 Estrellas!
December 23, 2012
This story was just adorable. I smiled widely when I read the first two paragraphs:
...
Dorian was a highly trained architect with a magical ability on computers, and a license to fly. He was also a sniper who could shoot with cold-blooded accuracy, had a former Psy assassin as his sparring partner, and had been called an overachiever by more than one person.
None of those people had ever seen him trying to deal with the plumbing.
...
There was people coming to eat Ashaya's cupcakes and cakes. The young-uns were cute (I can't wait for them to grow up and have their own story). Then we have Dorian and Clay had a baking contest. Oh, gosh, I loved this world of Psy/Changeling!!
Thanks for bringing this into my timeline, Edna
...
Dorian was a highly trained architect with a magical ability on computers, and a license to fly. He was also a sniper who could shoot with cold-blooded accuracy, had a former Psy assassin as his sparring partner, and had been called an overachiever by more than one person.
None of those people had ever seen him trying to deal with the plumbing.
...
There was people coming to eat Ashaya's cupcakes and cakes. The young-uns were cute (I can't wait for them to grow up and have their own story). Then we have Dorian and Clay had a baking contest. Oh, gosh, I loved this world of Psy/Changeling!!
Thanks for bringing this into my timeline, Edna
March 13, 2021
4.5 stars.
Mar 2021 - re-listened. So Cute!
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June 2020 - re-listened. Just wished it was longer! It's just so cute.
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4.5 stars. December 2019 Re-listened. Getting into the Christmas spirits.
_______________________________________
4 stars. Too short! But such a cute Christmas snippet!
Mar 2021 - re-listened. So Cute!
________________________
June 2020 - re-listened. Just wished it was longer! It's just so cute.
__________________________________
4.5 stars. December 2019 Re-listened. Getting into the Christmas spirits.
_______________________________________
4 stars. Too short! But such a cute Christmas snippet!
dnf
March 28, 2017So this was one of those the narrator did not work.
She sounded like a robot. She talked too fast. My ears did NOT like it
She sounded like a robot. She talked too fast. My ears did NOT like it
February 28, 2021
Amo estas historias cortitas (Noor y Keenan me provocan una ternura inexplicable).
July 11, 2021
A cute little slice of life Christmas story with the leopards... also, didn't realize we were supposed to be looking out for a Rina/Jon pairing
February 24, 2023
This one was fun!
February 18, 2023
Awwwwwwww.......
Every time Dorian refers to Keenan as his son I get all mushy.
The Psy-Changeling shorts are really worth reading, they are little snippets into the lives of the characters that we know and love and they are so cute and as usual really well written. This one is one of my favourites because we get to see how lots of people are doing.
And biggest plus of all? They are free on Nalini Singh's website!!
Every time Dorian refers to Keenan as his son I get all mushy.
The Psy-Changeling shorts are really worth reading, they are little snippets into the lives of the characters that we know and love and they are so cute and as usual really well written. This one is one of my favourites because we get to see how lots of people are doing.
And biggest plus of all? They are free on Nalini Singh's website!!
August 8, 2015
4.5/5; 4 stars; A
Really just a vignette....like looking in the window and watching some friends and family have a moment of everyday life. Sweet.
I enjoy seeing glimpses of 'normal' for the characters in this series.
The audiobook was a free snippet, only about 20 minutes long. Fun.
Really just a vignette....like looking in the window and watching some friends and family have a moment of everyday life. Sweet.
I enjoy seeing glimpses of 'normal' for the characters in this series.
The audiobook was a free snippet, only about 20 minutes long. Fun.
August 8, 2015
A free shirt story set during the winter holidays, baking Christmas cookies. No plot, just a heartwarming vignette featuring Dorian, Ashaya, little K-Man Keenan, and their friends. A gift from Singh to her fans as a free e-read and Audible recording. The text should be posted on her website.
August 14, 2019
Audio edit: I love the print version of this slice of life story, and the narrator did good male voices when they were speaking, but when narrating the non speaking parts, it was flat.
A very short story on the author's website. I cracked right the heck up. So cute and so hilarious.
A very short story on the author's website. I cracked right the heck up. So cute and so hilarious.
March 11, 2013
Fun & cute!
August 5, 2014
This short was all about getting some insight into everyday pack life. It ultimately ended up in a bake-off between two of the men.
Cute.
Cute.
May 24, 2014
Right. In. The. Feels.
April 17, 2015
This short showcases what this series is about. I liked the bit with the families and with the competitive nature of the changelings.
December 11, 2019
A free short story, 7.5 in the Psy-Changeling paranormal romance series, revolving around two packs of shifters in the San Francisco area. The focus is on Dorian's family and a few friends.
"Christmas in the Kitchen" was in Nalini Singh's 21 December 2012 newsletter.
My Take
I love that Singh creates these short stories, as she explores the dynamics of characters within her Psy-Changeling series and makes use of deleted scenes. Heck, if you have to create a background for your characters, why not include the readers!?
It's a warm and comfy interchange among shifters and Psy in the DarkRiver pack, all taking place in the kitchen. The third person protagonist point-of-view is from Dorian's perspective, as we see everything through his eyes.
A beautiful blend of action and character with an easy pace.
The Story
Damn leaky pipes! Dorian may be brilliant in a lot of areas...but plumbing ain't one of 'em.
As a reward (and because Ashaya paid heed to Tamsyn's advice, lol), the aroma of of Shaya's baked cookies pulls in more characters who volunteer to judge an impromptu baking contest between Dorian and Clay.
The results of their baking...? You'll have to judge for yourself.
The Characters
Dorian Christensen's day job is as an architect (and hacker extraordinaire) with a license to fly as well as a pinpoint sniper/Sentinel within the DarkRiver pack. He can finally transform. Keenan is his son. Well, adopted really. He's actually Ashaya's biological son. Ashaya "Shaya" Aleine, a Psy scientist who escaped, is Dorian's mate.
DarkRiver is...
...a pack of leopard shifters up in the forests of the San Francisco–Bay area. Tamsyn Ryder is the pack healer. Kit is, finally, a steady young Soldier in the pack. Rina, a leopard, is Kit's older sister and a Soldier; Dorian is her trainer and supervisor. Talin "Tally" and Clay Bennett (a Sentinel; Hostage to Pleasure , 5) have adopted (Home", 9.7) Noor Hassan, who is Keenan's best friend, and the older Forgotten Jonquil "Jon" Duchslaya who survived such trauma. An ordeal that included losing his sister, Kylie.
The hierarchy is Alpha, Sentinel, Soldier.
The Psy are...
...a line of humanity which evolved into psychics with a variety of powers who now see themselves as superior to those shifters and humans. The PsyNet is both metaphysical and physical which sustains Psy minds. Lose the connection, lose your life.
The Title
The title is all about party prep with "Christmas in the Kitchen".
"Christmas in the Kitchen" was in Nalini Singh's 21 December 2012 newsletter.
My Take
I love that Singh creates these short stories, as she explores the dynamics of characters within her Psy-Changeling series and makes use of deleted scenes. Heck, if you have to create a background for your characters, why not include the readers!?
It's a warm and comfy interchange among shifters and Psy in the DarkRiver pack, all taking place in the kitchen. The third person protagonist point-of-view is from Dorian's perspective, as we see everything through his eyes.
A beautiful blend of action and character with an easy pace.
The Story
Damn leaky pipes! Dorian may be brilliant in a lot of areas...but plumbing ain't one of 'em.
As a reward (and because Ashaya paid heed to Tamsyn's advice, lol), the aroma of of Shaya's baked cookies pulls in more characters who volunteer to judge an impromptu baking contest between Dorian and Clay.
The results of their baking...? You'll have to judge for yourself.
The Characters
Dorian Christensen's day job is as an architect (and hacker extraordinaire) with a license to fly as well as a pinpoint sniper/Sentinel within the DarkRiver pack. He can finally transform. Keenan is his son. Well, adopted really. He's actually Ashaya's biological son. Ashaya "Shaya" Aleine, a Psy scientist who escaped, is Dorian's mate.
DarkRiver is...
...a pack of leopard shifters up in the forests of the San Francisco–Bay area. Tamsyn Ryder is the pack healer. Kit is, finally, a steady young Soldier in the pack. Rina, a leopard, is Kit's older sister and a Soldier; Dorian is her trainer and supervisor. Talin "Tally" and Clay Bennett (a Sentinel; Hostage to Pleasure , 5) have adopted (Home", 9.7) Noor Hassan, who is Keenan's best friend, and the older Forgotten Jonquil "Jon" Duchslaya who survived such trauma. An ordeal that included losing his sister, Kylie.
The hierarchy is Alpha, Sentinel, Soldier.
The Psy are...
...a line of humanity which evolved into psychics with a variety of powers who now see themselves as superior to those shifters and humans. The PsyNet is both metaphysical and physical which sustains Psy minds. Lose the connection, lose your life.
The Title
The title is all about party prep with "Christmas in the Kitchen".
April 3, 2018
I realize that this had been in 'currently reading' since 2015. That made me lol. I wasn't actually reading it that entire time, I just set it as my currently reading to remind myself that it was the next in the series. And actually I think I had opened it to read and then got called away to do something and never came back to it. When Nalini Singh released the Short Stories Volume 1, I added that to my phone and as I forgot my ereader this morning, I decided to continue along with that.
Obviously a short read, but an enjoyable one. It's been a while since I was properly in the Psy-Changeling world, but it felt natural and comforting of an old friend.
It's pretty self explanatory, it was Christmas in the Kitchen. Lots of baking, and lots of Leopards wanting to eat said baked items.
I really look forward to continuing with the series.
Obviously a short read, but an enjoyable one. It's been a while since I was properly in the Psy-Changeling world, but it felt natural and comforting of an old friend.
It's pretty self explanatory, it was Christmas in the Kitchen. Lots of baking, and lots of Leopards wanting to eat said baked items.
I really look forward to continuing with the series.
August 20, 2021
Reviewed for THC Reviews
“Christmas in the Kitchen” is a very short story of only about five pages that slots in between Blaze of Memory and Bonds of Justice in the Psy-Changeling series chronology. It takes place at Dorian and Ashaya’s house with Tally and Clay joining them along with their kids and Kit, one of the young soldiers of the DarkRiver pack. Ashaya is baking up a storm in preparation for the upcoming pack Christmas party, but everyone is stealing her delicious baked goods. Ultimately this leads to a little challenge between the two men as to who can bake a better cake. This was a really cute slice-of-life story that was a fun read. Clay and Tally are one of my favorite couples, so I enjoyed seeing them again. I also enjoyed the interactions between the two couples and their kids, along with the Christmas theme. Overall, it was a nice little read.
“Christmas in the Kitchen” is a very short story of only about five pages that slots in between Blaze of Memory and Bonds of Justice in the Psy-Changeling series chronology. It takes place at Dorian and Ashaya’s house with Tally and Clay joining them along with their kids and Kit, one of the young soldiers of the DarkRiver pack. Ashaya is baking up a storm in preparation for the upcoming pack Christmas party, but everyone is stealing her delicious baked goods. Ultimately this leads to a little challenge between the two men as to who can bake a better cake. This was a really cute slice-of-life story that was a fun read. Clay and Tally are one of my favorite couples, so I enjoyed seeing them again. I also enjoyed the interactions between the two couples and their kids, along with the Christmas theme. Overall, it was a nice little read.
February 16, 2017
A fun follow-up vignette with Dorian, Keenan, and Ashayla enjoying family time in their kitchen baking for Christmas with visits from others in the pack. It was a sweet and fun family moment in the midst of all the excitement in the psy-changling world.
This one fits in right after Blaze of Memory.
I experienced it in audio format (the audio is free) and I enjoyed Angela Dawe's narration work doing all the voices and keeping the whimsical tone of the story.
This one fits in right after Blaze of Memory.
I experienced it in audio format (the audio is free) and I enjoyed Angela Dawe's narration work doing all the voices and keeping the whimsical tone of the story.
Read
November 10, 2018Dorian and Clay have a bake off. Cute glimpse into Dorian’s and Clay’s families and new lives.
Free: https://nalinisingh.com/extras/psycha...
Free: https://nalinisingh.com/extras/psycha...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews