My Soul to Steal - Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Steal - Rachel Vincent
Grade: YA
Rating: 5/5 Stars

Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can't just pretend nothing happened. But "complicated" doesn't even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school, determined to take Nash back.

See, Sabine isn't just an ordinary girl. She's a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. She can read people's fears—and craft them into nightmares while her victims sleep. Feeding from human fear is how she survives.

And Sabine isn't above scaring Kaylee and the entire school to death to get whatever—and whoever—she wants.

5 days and 4 Soul Screamers books later and I feel lost without more Kaylee, Nash and Tod. I've barely put 'My Soul to Steal' down and I'm already dying for the next one. I can't begin to explain how addictive this series is and how much it has affected me. It's not just an addiction to the teenage paranormal drama, especially the romance between our bean sidhe couple, but an addiction to the Netherworld action and reading about such a different world to what I'm used to. I read a wide range of paranormal books, but bean sidhes, maras and hypnos are not a common focus of YA novels. I love how unique the series is and can't wait to see what species will pop up next.

If something could go wrong, it pretty much did in 'My Soul to Steal'. Relationships waver, people die, fears are exposed, people are possessed by hellions from the Netherworld (And the hellion problem is proving to be a lot more trouble than it was before). It's hard to believe a few teenagers could go through so much trouble in such a short amount of time, but they do and they manage to pull through with most of their sanity still in place.

One of the hardest parts to deal with in 'My Soul to Steal' was the relationships. I'm a very big Kaylee/Nash fan, and I want to see them have a few happy moments together and soon. However, we all know Nash has a history of girls, it's not a secret. But apparently Kaylee's not his first non-human girlfriend. I was under the impression part of the bond formed between Nash and Kaylee was because they could truly be themselves around each other. Now with Sabine around, things get a little tricky. All parties to this odd sort of love triangle - not a real love triangle, because there doesn't seem to be much doubt about who each person wants to be with romantically yet - are in agony, and it gets a bit ugly at times. I found myself ready to yell at a couple of our favourite character for words that were said. Hopefully things will settle down in the next book.

I feel really bad for Kaylee and her understanding of the world she's now in. There are so many new aspects that keep surprising her and the shock that goes through Nash and Tod when she once again doesn't know about the secret non-human parts of life angers me for her. She's been kept in the dark for so many years, disadvantaged in knowledge of her "society". Someone needs to start giving her lessons on other species and not just "How To Be A Bean Sidhe" lessons.

Incredible series so far. Dying for the next one.
5/5 Stars

Kim
Originally posted on Goodreads. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/163596758