Review: Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent

Huge thanks to Mira Ink for sending me a copy to review.

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...

Kaylee has grown so much over the course of the series. She smart and strong and desperately loyal to those she cares about. You’d think she’d be irritating with all of these good and selfless qualities, but actually she just remains one of my favourite heroines. It was heart breaking to see her try to come to terms with her death, with the barrier and differences that now separate her from her friends and family, and to deal with the abuse and heart ache from most of those so called friends following her incredibly traumatic death.

My only real complaint was that her death and the trauma that must have induced wasn’t fully explored I didn’t feel. We did get touches of it, particularly at the start of the book and from her Dad and Tod as well, but the lack of emotional response from her friends was shocking. I actually found that really hard to deal with on Kaylee’s behalf. To see how she fights for them and protects them and does everything in her power to save the day/situation/world and to see how she has grown and developed and overcome such horrific adversities (such as her own death) is just amazing to see. It’s turned her into a truly remarkable character, one that I will love coming back to again and again.

Speaking of remarkable characters, can we take a moment to just appreciate the sheer awesomeness of Tod?
He’s funny and sweet and kind and would actually do anything in the world to protect Kaylee. Which is more than we can say for some of the others… It was so good to see him get his chance to shine, and to see more of his character and discover more about him. He’s been such a fascinating character right from the start and I’m so glad we’re finally getting to see him shine.
And to see the hot make out scenes. Those are good to. Oh man Tod is so on my list of fictional boys I’d like to date.
And strangely the relationship and the foreverness doesn’t send me screaming for the hills as some others do. This feels natural – they’ve come to be friends, to care for each other, and to grow beyond that into something more. It was organic and believable and as a result I am well and truly on Team Tod & Kaylee. Taylee? Kod? I think I’m going to go with Team Kod.

It was great to see a new character make an appearance. Luca was a breath of fresh air and I can’t wait to see more of him and his abilities. Of course the added bonus of Luca is that we finally got to see a bit of a different side to Sophie, which has been a long time coming and I am so glad she’s included more now and we might get a chance to see her get a bit kick ass instead of being bitchy.

Nash really still got on my nerves, which is unsurprising given how I’ve felt about him for the last two books. His constant whining that he hated Kaylee for framing him for her murder (when she does manage to sort that and only did it in the first place to save the lives of two friends) was a little irritating to say the least. I am fascinated that Vincent has managed to create a character that I loved so much in the first two books, and then do a complete flip round on him to highlight all the negative elements of his personality. They were always there beneath the yummy exterior, it’s just how they’re coming to light now. It’s an incredible feat, and one I applaud her for – it certainly threw me as I watched him change over the course of the series – but unfortunately it doesn’t make me like him anymore.
I do however hope that there is still time for him to have a little redemption in the final book in the series.

Speaking of characters that make me want to beat my head against a brick wall, Sabine and I are still having a bit of a love hate relationship. I think she’s incredibly strong, and I admire her and really feel for her with some of the more emotional elements of her personality, but at the same time I still find her a little difficult with her constant blame placement on Kaylee, when Kaylee has actually done nothing to Sabine.

With the final book looming you can expect some pretty terrifying stuff to go down, and Vincent more than delivers. We still get the funny and fluffy moments, but they’re mixed in with the horrifying and downright scary ones too. Tough to imagine given how terrifying the whole series has been, but Vincent really ups the ante, and I was left gaping at the book when I reached the end. I was completely in shock, but it sets things up brilliantly for the final book in the series which I am now even more desperate to read.

Review: If I Die by Rachel Vincent

A huge thank you to Mira Ink for sending me a copy to review.

Be warned there are spoilers below, so I recommend reading the book first.

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.

This book is without a doubt the best book in the Soul Screamers series. This has always been a series that I’ve loved reading, but has never been an ‘I must get the latest book now’ kind of one. Yeah, that just changed after reading this – the next book simply cannot come fast enough.

The biggest thing that struck me was how much Kaylee had matured over the course of the last few books, and really hit home in this book. She started out as a typical teenager, and she has really grown and matured into such an incredibly strong character. I was amazed at how she handled the news of her impending demise, everyone else seemed convinced she should be freaking out, and I loved her monologues about yes it was terrifying and crap, and she really didn’t want it to happen, but it was, so that was that. I wanted to stand up and applaud after each of these.

Whilst every book leaves our intrepid band of supernatural teenagers in terrible danger, this one felt even more terrifying, because after all, how do you cheat death when there are no loopholes?

It was really fascinating to see how each of the other characters dealt with the news of Kaylee’s time limit, and it brought out the best in some, and the worst in others. Particularly in Nash and Tod.

I love, as ever, Rachel’s writing. Her books have always been a pleasure to read, excellently written, with relatable characters and humour by the bucket load. But this has to be one of her best works so far. She tackles subjects like teenage sex and hormonal outbursts with humour, and gravity and it’s exceptionally handled. With some fabulously steamy scenes that had my pulse racing, without taking it too far.

I adore this love triangle that kind of defies the idea of love triangles. Tod has always been at the back of the crowd for Kaylee, he’s been there for her when she’s needed him, he’s stood up for her and protected her, and it has become more and more obvious over the last few books that he cares for her deeply, but he hasn’t done anything about it. He hasn’t told her, or put her under pressure, or made her choose, or been downright obnoxious and irritating as you so often can find with love triangles. He has simply been there for her, and I’ve loved that. I also loved the moments when Kaylee started to realise about his feelings. And I most definitely loved the payoff. If ever a boy was deserving of a happy ending – of getting the girl he loves, of getting his dying wish, it’s Tod. I have loved him from the first book, so to see him take centre stage as the guy on the white charger there to protect Kaylee, after Nash’s irritating whinging, was fantastic. I literally cannot wait for June and the next book to see how this plays out.

So June cannot come fast enough and I cannot recommend this book enough. If you’ve enjoyed this series in the past, you will love this latest instalment, and if you haven’t read any of the Soul Screamer’s series, why on earth not – get to it, they’re fab!

Review: My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent

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.

I’m going to straight out say that this wasn’t my favourite book in the Soul Screamers series – it was still fantastic, a brilliant example of good writing, engaging characters and a plot that boggles the mind with its creative twists, but it just wasn’t as good for me as some of the others.
In fact I’m noticing that the odd numbered books in this series are my favourites, whilst the even numbers don’t quite hit it for me.

I think the biggest problem for me personally is that normally I sympathise/empathise/relate to/all of the above to at least one of the characters in a book – and I suppose I did with Tod, but he played such a minor role in comparison that I don’t think that quite counts.

I became so frustrated with Kaylee for her unbending attitude and ability to make a decision. I became frustrated with Nash on every level for everything. After the events of the last book it’s going to take a huge amount of something to make me see him even close to the way I used to prior to his addiction.

And then there’s Sabine, who for the most part I loved, but some of the things she did just crossed the line beyond even remotely ok that I then became frustrated with her.

Don’t get me wrong, I still loved them, and did feel for them, laugh with them, etc. It was just that a lot of their interactions really frustrated me and I actually didn’t have any side that I was on, I didn’t want any of them to win! I think that in part that was because I could see all the sides to the story – and that is an incredible skill on Ms Vincent’s part. I could see why everyone was frustrated and angry, but at the same time the way they each tried to deal with it rubbed me up completely the wrong way.

A lot of that is explained when all the pieces of the puzzle click into place at the end, but I still struggled with some moments and decisions of the characters.

Of all of them I think I liked Sabine the most, which is weird… But she really does take crossing the line to a whole new level. At the same time I was kind of on Kaylee’s side, except that the prize they were fighting over was a boy that after the events of the last book I kind of felt that both of them deserved better.

Which I suppose brings us round to my real dislike in the book, which was Nash. I adored him in books one and two, but book three completely turned me off him and he didn’t manage to redeem himself at all in this book. I could understand where he was coming from with being alone and Kaylee not being there for him, but at the same time I was on her side as to why she hadn’t been there for him. It felt to me that he had done nothing but look despondent and apologise to her. He hadn’t tried to talk it out or start to build their relationship back up, he just backed off and had late night bedroom sessions with Sabine. It just didn’t sit right with me.

It didn’t feel like he was fighting for his relationship actively, he was passive, and self-involved, and playing the victim. And that Kaylee could even want to take him back made my mind boggle.

But as I said at the start, none of this affected my enjoyment of the book, I still really love this series and thought it was a great instalment, and I continue to love Ms Vincent’s writing. I love that the characters to develop, that they grow and change and make bad decisions as well as good decisions. 

I loved the introduction of Sabine, who strangely, as I’ve said, I really kind of liked for all her terrible ways. And I’m glad that all the bad stuff that happened in the previous book wasn’t just swept under the rug – it was messy and involving and completely teenage high school, and I loved seeing how they tried to deal with it all, to patch up and keep going. I love the mythology and that this series deals with supernatural creatures that are rarely given their own books – to have such a diverse and intriguing set of characters is one of my favourite aspects of this series.

So in all, not my favourite in the series but still a fantastic book, and I’m so looking forward to seeing where this goes – and to seeing more of everyone’s favourite Reaper, who remains to this day my favourite character in this series.

Review: My Soul to Keep (Soul Screamers Book 3) by Rachel Vincent

Spoilers for 'My Soul To Keep' and the previous books in the series contained below.


When teenager Kaylee screams, someone dies. And Kaylee s about to scream her head off... 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. But so is someone else. Nash.

I’m getting really irritated with blubs on books giving away a twist before you’ve even opened the book. I know the author’s most likely don’t have much control over that, so it’s not a complaint on the book at all, but it does frustrate me. Because the ‘big twist’ happens around half way through, and the build-up (which would otherwise be really well done) is a bit wasted because you’re waiting for it.

Ok, gripe over, I loved this book. I felt the second book in the series “My Soul to Save” fell a bit flat after the awesomeness of the first book “My Soul To Take.” However, Rachel Vincent is back on track with this third instalment. It was gripping from the outset and sustained the high throughout.

It was great to be put straight back in with characters we’ve already had chance to get to know, because there’s no time spent on exposition – we’re straight into the action. Instead we had a couple of background characters fleshed out, which was good because the action focused back in on high school and the people we knew.

It was interesting to see how Vincent tackles the idea of addiction, and a very bold choice to give Nash an addiction to ‘frost’. Taking the ‘golden boy’ who can do no wrong and would do anything to keep Kaylee safe, and then suddenly he’s basically abusing her and disrespecting her. It’s terrifying to realise just how much he’s done to her when he finally admits at the end of the book.
It’s a risk that pays off though, because Vincent handles the subject brilliantly. We see a darker side of Nash, the highs and the lows, and the all-consuming aspect to the drug. One thing that I found particularly hard to read was the final confrontation with Kaylee when we discover all the things that have been happening without her knowledge.
I’m looking forward to seeing how his story develops, whether he’ll remain clean, and whether he’ll be able to redeem himself. (Or from the look of the blurb for the fourth book, whether he’ll even want to do it for Kaylee…)

My one frustration with Kaylee is her ‘saving people thing.’ That’s just something that frustrates me personally, because she determinedly throws herself into dangerous situations, regardless of how it could damage her. That’s just personal to me, and overall I love her as a character. She’s likeable, believable, and you can completely empathise with her in her feelings of confusion and teenage angst, in relation to death or love, or even being grounded.
The relationship with her father continued to develop throughout this book, and I’m so glad we got to see more of him, because he came off badly in the first two books, and he was more human and believable throughout this book, and it was great to see their shaky relationship continue to develop.

I love Tod. It’s been great to see more of him over the course of the books, and he’s a constant source of fascination for me, because there is no ‘ah he’s going to do that’ or ‘he’s going to end up with her.’ He’s in constant flux. One minute he’s doing anything for Addy – the next he’s looking out for Emma, and the next he’s being protective of Kaylee. He’s an all-round Dark Knight, and I can’t wait to see more of him.

One minor gripe on the side, which has nothing to do with the quality of the novel, is that the editing on the kindle edition isn’t that great, particularly the formatting, and it can be quite frustrating to read.

So characters were developed, risks were taking and paid off, and the baddies were still terrifying. I love this series, it scares me, it makes me melt, it has made me fall in love with another branch of creatures and fantasy, and it has had me hooked from the start. A very strong third book in the series, I love Vincent’s writing, and I love this world that she’s developed. I highly recommend her writing to anyone who’s looking for a fresh take on fantasy.

Have you read the books? Share your thoughts and comments on the Soul Screamers Series below.

Review: My Soul to Save (Soul Screamers Book 2) by Rachel Vincent

When teenager Kaylee screams, someone dies...So when teen pop star Eden dies onstage and Kaylee doesn't wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can't cry for someone who has no soul. The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad's ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend's loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls: a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld - a consequence they can't possibly understand. Kaylee can't let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk.

Ok before I start wittering – it’s late, my brain has switched off, I cannot guarantee sense! – let me say I really enjoyed the book. There were a few things I wasn’t so fussed on which I’ll get into below, but I want to start on a positive and say that I really love the series and they are well worth a read.

The first book was sheer genius. It was fresh and exciting and a new angle on the urban fantasy genre, and it completely swept me up in the story, so I was really excited to get the second book in the series. 

This second book didn’t quite get to me in the same way though. It was slower – yes we had a big mystery to solve and by the end it really was a race against the clock, but I found the story less compelling, so it took me a lot longer to get involved.

Whilst the first book was all new and exciting, the second was working on expanding those ideas, which was great and I loved seeing new element to a world we’d barely glimpsed in the first book, but it meant that I struggled to become invested in the book in the same way. Spoiled pop stars are dropping dead after selling their souls. It just felt a little bit, hm, there choice, they’re morons. Whereas the girls dying in the first book had no choice and it was all a little omg, someone save them!

The concept is brilliant, don’t get me wrong, it just took me a lot longer to care about these new characters. Some of them longer than others. Kaylee keeps saying that she has no reason to help these people, she can’t just stand by and let them die though. And it really felt like that – there was no real investment for her, why was she being a moron and endangering not just herself, but Nash too?
It just was all a little bit forced for me.

However, once we really started to get into the race, I fell in love with the series again. Rachel Vincent writes brilliantly, I love her books, and whilst I was a tiny bit disappointed with the first half of the book, she really makes up for it with the second half.

Whilst the steam between Kaylee and Nash was still there, it only happened occasionally, and I was a bit grumpy with Nash in general. The first book he’s all clever and involved and super hot and exciting (I know, I know, I’m incredibly shallow when it comes to fictional guys…) but in this book he was a bit… Boring… Which was sad, because I love him, and I wanted him to be all kick ass again. I’m hoping the kick ass returns in the third book.

So I feel a bit mixed. On the one hand I completely recommend Rachel Vincent’s books in general, but particularly this series, they’re brilliantly written, fast paced, exciting and engaging. On the other, I don’t feel that this book was as good as the first book. I still really enjoyed it though, and am really looking forward to the third book being release in the UK next month. Lets hope Nash gets kick ass and takes his shirt off more in the third one…

Review: My Soul To Take (Soul Screamers Book 1) by Rachel Vincent

She doesn't see dead people, but...
She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.
Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about the need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next...

 Oh wow, this book doesn’t beat around the bush. It grabs you, hauls you in, and doesn’t let you go. It’s one of the most tense and exhilarating books I’ve read for a while, and it’s brilliant.

It was great to find a fantasy book that not only doesn’t feature vampires/werewolves/zombies/ghosts and instead utilises another myth, but also to find one where yes the characters have functioned in different social circles so haven’t really interacted before now, but they’re not new to town! YAY! Sorry, if there’s one thing guaranteed to peeve me within the first few chapters, it’s finding out that someone mysterious is new to town. There’s been an influx of those lately.

So this book is already in my good graces just on those two points alone. Add to that the brilliance of Vincent’s writing and I’ve struck gold. It isn’t the most technically brilliant book, or the sort where the prose will stay with me long after I’ve finished reading. Instead it’s a high adrenaline race against time (and sanity) that gets your pulse racing, and ups the stakes at each turn. It did end up feeling a little rushed, so I’m interested to see how the story progresses in the sequel.

Kaylee was really likeable and relatable – despite the fact that she’s not human. And Nash – sigh, he is dreamy! I love the revelation about Tod towards the end of the book, and I’m looking forward to finding out more about him. I want to find out more about all of them, but I think we were left with more questions about Tod than any of the other characters. Also, he’s yummy. That’s enough to get me intrigued, add to that the humour and reaper qualities, and I’m sold.

The only downside was that I felt there was a lot of build-up, and more to come, yet the book was suddenly over. I know this is only the first book in the series, so a lot of the issues will probably be solved over the course of the next few books, but it just felt like the payoff wasn’t all there. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it, and I loved the build-up, I just felt a little bit let down when I’d finished. Which I suppose is partly a good thing, as I’ve already ordered the second book.

Overall this was a brilliant book. It took a fresh approach to fantasy and myths, had some really relatable and yummy characters, and a very compelling story. If you haven’t already read Rachel Vincent’s work, go out and get this – it’s a great foray into the fantasy genre, that makes everything seem fresh and exciting, instead of the worn rehashed plots you so often find.

If you like Cassandra Clare, Holly Black or Sarah Rees Brennan’s books, you love Rachel Vincent.