Before I Wake - Rachel Vincent

Before I Wake (Soul Screamers #6) -Rachel Vincent
Grade: YA
Rating: 5/5 stars

I died on a Thursday-killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul. The good news? He didn't get it. The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school... Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend. But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life....(Description from Goodreads)


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WARNING: I HAVE TRIED TO KEEP THIS REVIEW SPOILER FREE. BUT DOES CONTAIN ISSUES FROM PREVIOUS BOOKS!

It’d be a crazy year if I didn’t get excited about a Rachel Vincent book. Rachel became one of my favourite authors last year and I was so happy to get thrown back into the Soul Screamers world – especially with the way ‘If I Die’ ended.

I was desperate to find out what was going on with Kaylee after her life took a massive turn when her teacher attempted to steal her soul – not exactly a fun, after school activity. But when your life is wrapped up in the supernatural, you shouldn’t be so surprised when some new paranormal evil attempts to kill you. Kaylee is in a difficult position in ‘Before I Wake’. Recruited to collect wrongfully taken souls, she faces her most physical and emotional battle yet. When the fate of a soul’s existence rests on your shoulders, there’s a lot of pressure to get the job done right. Kaylee is such a different person to the girl we met in ‘My Soul to Take’ – she’s grown so much. I love that she’s changed; it wouldn’t be a fun series if the main character stayed the same. Despite sometimes wishing to go backwards to the Kaylee we first met, I wouldn’t have her any other way. I love how determined she is and while she might not being a physical fighter, she’s stronger than she looks. She never gives up and always fights back.

Part of what I loved so much about ‘Before I Wake’ was how involved the hellions were in this book. I was a little disappointed that we hadn’t seen much of them in the last book. With Avari being so desperate for Kaylee’s soul, it was great to see him back in the thick of things and in more ways than before. The demons have found a way to cross over into the human world – and not just through possession. If there was ever a time to panic, now would be good. But panicking isn’t really on the minds of the characters – sure they’re worried about the danger of hellions having access to the human world, but they’re more determined to find out how the demons are getting across and how to stop them. There’s no time for a full-out panic attack. I don’t how to say much I loved having the hellions as the main focus – demons make everything more fun and dangerous! The excitement levels are definitely raised.

I was extremely worried going into this book, mostly for the relationship side of things. I am a very vocal Nash fan, and I was nervous about what would happen to my favourite bean sidhe boy, especially because ‘If I Die’ had a few major turning points for him. I’ve come to terms with the fact that Kaylee and Tod are slightly more suited for each other and there’s no denying that Tod is good at making Kaylee feel safe and protected – and we get to see him help her feel safe quite a few times. But I still can’t seem to love him more than Nash. I could not stop smiling every time he came onto the page. Broken, hurt, defeated; Nash had to watch the girl he loves be with someone else and accept that it was may be time to move on. I just wanted to hug him over and over again. My only wish for the series’ end, is for Nash to be happy.

‘Before I Wake’ was an emotional book, there was no way to stop being dragged into the folds, watch out for shocking twists towards the end. Rachel Vincent has a way of grabbing hold of you and throwing you onto an emotional rollercoaster. I can’t count how many times she’s made me tear up in the past, and 'Before I Wake' made me bring out the tissues a couple of times; but it just goes to show how powerful her characters and stories are. I can’t get enough. It makes me scared for the final Soul Screamers book. With Rachel Vincent – anything can happen.

Dying to find out what happens next. I know it’s going to be fabulous.

5/5 stars


Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)

If I Die - Rachel Vincent

If I Die (Soul Screamers #5) - Rachel Vincent
Grade: YA
Rating: 5/5 stars

The entire school's talking about the gorgeous new math teacher, Mr. Beck. Everyone except Kaylee Cavanaugh. After all, Kaylee's no ordinary high-school junior. She's a banshee—she screams when someone dies.

But the next scream might be for Kaylee.

Yeah—it's a shock to her, too. So to distract herself, Kaylee's going to save every girl in school. Because that hot new teacher is really an incubus who feeds on the desire of unsuspecting students. The only girls immune to his lure are Kaylee and Sabine, her boyfriend's needy ex-girlfriend. Now the unlikely allies have to get rid of Mr. Beck…before he discovers they aren't quite human, either.

But Kaylee's borrowed lifeline is nearing its end. And those who care about her will do anything to save her life. Anything. (Description from Goodreads)

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What would you do if you were told you had 6 days to live? You’re not sick, you’re not dying; all you know is that something will happen in 6 days, and you will no longer live. Would you change your life; would you change yourself? ‘If I Die’ explores this confronting and heartbreaking issue for Kaylee Cavanaugh, with the added bonus of supernatural forces attempting to complicate her last few days. Rachel Vincent does an amazing job of continuing Kaylee’s journey and completely flips the Soul Screamers story. There were more twists and turns than I could possibly imagine; I’m still trying to process everything that happened.

Death’s not exactly unusual for a Soul Screamers novel, but it’s harder to handle when Kaylee’s the one we’re excepting to die. Not many novels in an on-going series present the possibility of narrators dying, so it’s impossible to put ‘If I Die’ down until you’ve finished the book. There is no way to tell if Kaylee will live or not and I was dying (no pun intended) to find out what happens next.

I can’t believe how emotional ‘If I Die’ was. I should have been expecting it, because Rachel Vincent has a way of getting into your head and heart. Her stories are so powerful and they influence you so much. Death, saying goodbye and letting go of your life are all magnified through the relationships Kaylee is a part of; and I’m not just talking about her love life. Family, friends and loved ones; you’ll definitely be reaching for the tissue box. Kaylee’s dad touched me the most, his pain at the thought of losing her made me ache.

Speaking of pain, I think the hardest parts of ‘If I Die’ were the romantic issues Kaylee faces. It’s not secret to readers that Kaylee has both Hudson boys trying to gain her love, trust and attention; and this is what killed me while reading the book. I’ve always been a Nash fan. I feel like there’s something so sad and troubling about him, he’s had a tough life and has made a few mistakes in the recent past, but despite this I can’t help loving him. Then there’s Tod, who you can’t hate. He’s funny, yet serious, and willing to do anything for the people he loves; and I’ve always felt sort of bad for him because he always seems lonely. That being said, I’m torn by the relationships in ‘If I Die’, I hate thinking that one of the Hudson brothers will be hurt because of their love for Kaylee. At this point in time, my loyalty stays with Nash. (Sorry Tod, you’re still awesome though).

I love Sabine. In ‘My Soul to Steal’ I thought she was horrible. While extremely entertaining, I wanted to hate her because she stood in the way of Kaylee/Nash happiness. But I found I adored her in ‘If I Die’. I love that she doesn’t hide what she’s thinking and that she’s super loyal to the people she loves. I’m glad my opinion has changed, because Sabine’s pretty cool.

I’m super shocked by the way the book ended, but more of a “WOW!” shocked than an “OMG”. Although ‘Before I Wake’ won’t be out until next year, I can’t wait to see what happens next. I guess there’s plenty of time to reread the series before the next instalment.

5/5 stars.


Kim
Originally posted on Goodreads

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

My Soul to Keep - Rachel Vincent

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

Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them.

Until something does.

Demon breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked.

And so is someone else…

If I thought my emotional responses to Rachel Vincent books ended with the Shifters series I was so wrong. Ms. Vincent has a way of getting you so attached to characters that the slightest hint of heartbreak sends you rushing for the tissue box. The Soul Screamers series so far has been action packed and super intense, and now I can add extremely emotional to that list. 'My Soul to Keep' made me want to scream and definitely made me cry at the end.

Nothing seems to be easy for Kaylee and Nash. You think they've made it past the worst troubles and might get a few moments to themselves, but then something new comes along to crush them. I've got to hand it Rachel, she knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat; never a gap in all that action.

I love that we get introduced to more Netherworld activities and creatures. It's a dangerous world, the Netherworld, and it seems to have a lot more influence over the human world than we know. I like that demons and problems from the previous books have also carried over into 'My Soul to Keep'; the stories keep tying themselves together with more than just bean sidhe/reaper problems. With all the times they've crossed into the Netherworld, it makes you wonder if they'll ever make it past the equivalent of their immediate area. There's got to be so many creatures and places that could cause a lot of trouble in the future.

My worries about *someone* coming between Nash and Kaylee weren't necessary, but *something*...that was heartbreaking. I know it's rare for a relationship to last an entire series without problems, but that doesn't stop me from hoping they'll be relatively happy most of the time. I hope they find a way to work out their issues soon.

Sort of sad we didn't get to see much of Tod this time. While I was wary of him before, I missed him popping in and out of existence, bugging Nash and Kaylee. But he helped save the day, so that definitely made up for his lack of scenes in the beginning. I like how much he cares for the people who he allows to see him. He might hide his emotions most of the time, but he truly cares for his family, Kaylee and especially Addy.

5/5 Stars

Kim
Originally posted on Goodreads. http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/163596734