Review: My Soul to Steal

My Soul to Steal
Rachel Vincent
Young Adult/Fantasy
Soul Screamers/Book 4
Harlequin Teen/January 1, 2011

From the author's website ~

YOU WANT MY SOUL AND MY BOYFRIEND?

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 DON'T THINK SO.

Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamer series is one of my favorite young adult series to date. Vincent's style of writing captures the demeanor of the teens - coming across as genuine, with that teen angst and logic that can defy reason.

Kaylee has had a lot of hard choices to make in recent months. One of the hardest was to distance herself from her boyfriend Nash when he made some seriously bad decisions that not only affected him but her as well. With Kaylee spending little time with Nash, this give Sabine the perfect opportunity to spend time with Nash in her attempt to get him back. But thankfully, Kaylee isn't a complete pushover. She fights back, letting Sabine know that she won't give up Nash without a fight. I've always liked Kaylee and that hasn't changed. I do think she should have started spending time with Nash once Sabine showed up and not have continued to keep such a distance from him. It's hard to fight for your boyfriend when you're not there but the competition is.

Nash - oh, brother. By the middle of the book, Nash was really getting on my last nerve. He tells Kaylee how he needs a friend right now and that's all Sabine is, a friend. Yeah, someone needs to tell Sabine that and then get her believe it! He spends time alone with Sabine, in his bedroom, knowing that her agenda includes getting him back as her boyfriend. He continues to tell Kaylee that nothing has happened or will happen with Sabine because he still loves Kaylee and wants her back. I do think Nash's heart was in the right place. He's trying to help Sabine, still considers her a good friend, but he trusted her a little too much to not hurt Kaylee in the process. I wish Nash had gotten tough with Sabine a lot sooner than he did and stopped making excuses for her actions.

What can I say about Sabine that is nice? Oh - she was honest about her feeling for Nash and that she would do anything to get him back. I do have to give her credit for that. She was also a bitch and a half when it came to Kaylee and how she rubbed Kaylee's face in the fact that she was Nash's first and they had a history that Kaylee and Nash didn't. Then Sabine asks Kaylee to help her when Nash finally decides to stop seeing Sabine. WTH!!! Yes, Sabine had the guts to ask Kaylee for help in getting Nash to talk to her again. All the while telling Kaylee that she still had every intention of trying to get Nash back as her boyfriend. She also told Kaylee to lay off Nash so she would have a chance with him. Seriously, this girl's logic was dangerously skewed. The odd part is, by the end of the book, she didn't bother me as much. I can't go so far to say that I liked her but. . . my dislike for her wasn't as intense.

The drama with Sabine isn't the only thing Kaylee has to contend with. Something very bad is going on at school. Plus, Kaylee is having some painfully bad dreams, Freddy Krueger's got nothing on these. Kaylee thinks Sabine is behind the dreams and the deaths but can't prove Sabine had anything to do with the deaths. Nash denies Sabine would have anything to do with it, no surprise there. Kaylee does ask Tod for help and while I've always liked Tod, I did have to question his motives when giving Kaylee advice about Sabine and Nash. Strange alliances are formed both here and in the Netherworld. The showdown between good and evil was filled tension, high emotions and possibly the ultimate sacrifice.

My Soul to Steal once again shows why I love this series so much! There were a lot of intense emotions, danger and mystery. It was all woven together to form an addictive story line. The next book, If I Die is due out this fall and I can not wait to find out what these characters are up to next!

Rating: A-

Books in this series ~

My Soul to Lose (prequel novella)
MY Soul to Take
My Soul to Save
My Soul to Keep
Reaper (MStS prequel novella)
My Soul to Steal

Favorite New Series of 2010

Whenever I read about a great new series or a series that everyone loves I'm tempted to pick it up but at the same time I know I shouldn't start a new one until I've caught up with the ones I'm currently reading. And then there's the series that I have sitting in my mountainous tbr pile, waiting for me to start ~ Hello Meljean Brook, Anne Bishop, Lois McMaster Bujold, Diana Gabaldon, Cindy Gerard, Kim Harrison, Eloisa James, Sabrina Jefferies and many more. But that didn't stop me from picking up some new series in 2010 which was good since I found some real gems. So, the tbr pile gets a little bigger but I have some wonderful auto buy authors and their reads to look forward to. New worlds to explore and new characters to love. So it's all good!

In no particular order, here are some outstanding series you really should be reading!

Julie Kagawa's The Iron Fey series. This is an amazing Young Adult series that has kept me completely enthralled in the mythical world Kagawa has created. I love reading about Megan, Puck and Ash. The next book, The Iron Daughter, is set for release on January 25th. You can go here to read the free novella, Winter's Passage.


Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamer series. Love, love, love this series! It's another Young Adult series that I initially picked up for my teen, who loves it too! Vincent knows how to put the reader on the edge of the seat, keeping tensions high while still writing about the ups and downs of teen relationships. Do yourself a favor and start reading this series if you haven't already. You can go here to download My Soul to Lose, the free prequel novella.


And lest you think it's all about the YA, nope. Cowboys are one of my favorite types of heroes and Lorelei James knows how to write hot, alpha cowboys! I finally started reading her Rough Riders series this year and let me tell you, it was about time. They are full of sugar and spice and all things hot and sexy. This is one erotic series where the relationships don't take a backseat to the sex. It's all rolled up into one steamy tale of cowboys and cowgals and their love for each other. Definitely a series I can easily recommend. Bonus - the covers are gorgeous!


Elizabeth Hoyt aka Julia Harper aka a favorite author in either genre. Ms. Hoyt started her Maiden Lane series this year with Wicked Intentions, a top ten read of mine. Only one book into the series and I have no doubt it will become one of my favorite historical series. You know it's a good sign when you finish a book and there are any number of secondary characters whose book you would love to read.


Is it any surprise that a Jill Shalvis series made the list? Nope. I love her writing and was thrilled to find out she's starting a new series, Lucky Harbor. It's a wonderful contemporary series about three sisters and their relationships with each other and with the men in their lives. Shalvis is an author not to be missed!


So what series stood out for you this year? Any that you now find yourself waiting in anticipation for the next installment? Any series that you think I need to start reading, like yesterday? Cause, hey, there's a good chance it's on my tbr pile. :)

Review: Reaper

Reaper
Rachel Vincent
Young Adult/Urban Fantasy
Soul Screamers/Novella
Harlequin Teen/December 2010

From Books on Board ~

The story of how Tod died and was recruited as a reaper . . .

Tod Hudson was a typical teenager. He liked girls, sports, food and tolerated his younger brother, Nash. In fact, he had his whole life in front of him--and due to his bean sidhe heritage, it was going to be a very long life indeed. And then the car accident occurred.

Suddenly Tod's future wasn't so sure, and he had to make a choice. Life . . . Death . . . or something Between . . . .

A couple of things first. This is a novella of approximately 17,000 words. Most full length novels run closer to 90,000 to 100,000. Reaper comes in at 64 pages in Adobe Digital Editions. The great news is that it's free right now! Yes, you can go right now and download it for free from Books on Board in Adobe PDF format. It's showing up at places like Amazon and B&N for pre-order, set to release on December 1 for $2.99 (minus discounts). If you don't want to pay for it, Ms. Vincent has said it will be available for free on her website. Personally, I think this is a great way to introduce new readers to Ms. Vincent's writing and get current readers excited about the next release in the series, My Soul to Steal (January 1).

As you can see from the blurb, the story is from Tod's perspective, telling about the events that led up to him becoming a reaper. But that really simplifies this little gem of a story. Those of you that have read the previous books in the series know who Tod is and, if you're like me, want to know more. This is the more. Tod is complex in a way that only a teenage guy could be. He likes hanging out with friends, his girlfriend and partying. He finds his little brother irritating as only little brothers can be. He loves his mom but doesn't always listen to her. See, a typical teenager. Tod's also smart, he gets the consequences to his decisions. He's loyal and loves his family so fiercely, he'll do anything to keep them safe.

I loved this look at the series from Tod's POV. He's a character that we've gotten to know through the series but still leaves us so many questions. In Reaper, we get to see what makes him tick, what drives him to make difficult decisions and still maintain that smart ass humor that is oh, so Tod. It was also heartbreaking, making me tear up a bit and feel Tod's sorrow and regrets coming through in Vincent's writing.

This novella only adds to the layers of this series. Since the bean sidhe are all about the dying, it's not surprising that reapers are part of their world. In Tod's world, there are rules that he doesn't mind bending and even breaking a little. Tod showed how mature he could be and gave this reader a greater appreciation for his part in Nash's life. I hope we get more of Tod and possibly his POV in future books. Since he's an integral part of Nash and now Kaylee's life, I can't imagine we've see the last of him.

Rating: A

My reviews for books in this series ~

My Soul to Take
My Soul to Save
My Soul to Keep

Best of 2010 - So Far...

The reading for the first half of 2010 has been up and down. Some great reads that I know will stay with me for a long time while others will fade from my memory, if they haven't already.

I got out the spreadsheet, sorted by grade and looked over all the A grades. There were 27 A grades with only one A+. Fourteen As and twelve A-s. I decided to pick 5 8 to spotlight of the Best So Far. I picked the ones that really stood out for me and are still stuck in my head. Titles are linked to my review.

Here they are in no particular order ~


Silver Borne by Patrica Briggs

One of my top 5 favorite Urban Fantasy series. I love the world that Briggs has created. The characters are so vivid for me. The phrase "they come alive" really applies to this series.


My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

An excellent Young Adult series that continues to give the reader great character development and story lines. If you are looking for a new YA series, give this one a try.


A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh

Ah, my love for Balogh's writing goes way back, twenty years or so. She delivers such beautiful characters with intriguing stories and A Matter of Class was no exception.


Shades of Dark by Linnea Sinclair

This is the second book in the Dock Five series as well as the second book about Sully and Chaz. I liked Gabriel's Ghost(book 1) a whole bunch but I liked Shades a bit more. Amazing characters, fascinating setting.


Cowgirl Up and Ride by Lorelei James

Oh, boy! So damn happy to have finally started this series. I've enjoyed all the books but this one stands out as being such a funny and emotional read. Loved AJ and Cord!


The Texan's Wager by Jodi Thomas

This was a re-read of Jodi Thomas, another author who I read years ago. She can write some wonderful westerns with unique characters that you wouldn't expect to find in a historical romance.


Roadkill by Rob Thurman

Another top 5 Urban Fantasy series. This is UF and there is a lot of action but Thurman can write relationships like nobodys business. She is truly a gifted author and you're missing out if you're not reading this series.


Darkness Calls by Marjorie M. Liu

Liu's writing is the type that pulls you into the world she's created and makes you to feel what her characters are feeling, whether you want to or not. A dark, gritty series with equal parts action and emotion. I love Maxine's boys. :)


I know I said 5 then changed it to 8 but I had to include the following 2 because they were very good and I would certainly recommend them. And that makes it a top 10 list and isn't that what people usually do? :)

I'll have the review for The Iron Daughter up next week. The review for Chimera is a buddy review with Nath that will be posted at Breezing Through. Titles are linked to the author's website.

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa ~ A+

You can tell from the grade why I included this in the list. Lets just say I had some serious love for this book. It blew me away with its intensity. Definitely one to read.




Chimera by Rob Thurman ~ A

Another brother/brother story, focused on their relationship but different enough from her Cal Leandros series to make it stand apart.








An overwhelming majority of Fantasy. I did read some good contemporaries but it looks like for now at least, my heart belongs to the Fantasy genre. Here's hoping the second half of the year brings us all some great reads!

ARC Review: My Soul to Keep

My Soul to Keep
Rachel Vincent
Fantasy/Young Adult
Soul Screamers series/Book 3
Harlequin/June 2010
ARC from Publisher/Net Galley

*Possible Spoilers for Books 1 & 2*

Isn't that a gorgeous cover? My favorite color!

From the author's website ~

When Kaylee Cavanaugh Screams, Someone Dies and Kaylee is About to Scream Her Head Off...

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

Until something does.

Demon's 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 when the epidemic hits too close to home, Kaylee will have to risk everything to save those she loves.

If you haven't started this series, what are you waiting for?! It really is that good! I don't know how Vincent does it but she keeps the plot interesting, the tension up and the mystery in full force. And then there's the teen angst. It feels real, not over the top. And boy does it bring back some memories. :)

Kaylee is a very likable heroine. She's smart, responsible and has an innate kindness. She isn't the most popular girl or with the in crowd, at least not until she started dating star football player Nash Hudson. Now that she's with Nash, Kaylee goes to the parties with the popular kids. It's at one of these parties that something goes wrong and Kaylee find herself deep in Netherworld trouble again.

Kaylee Cavanaugh has certainly evolved as a character since book 1, My Soul to Take. In the first book she discovers who and what she really is. And why she has these amazing screaming fits that earned her a trip to the psyche ward. She's a bean sidhe or banshee. The screaming starts when someone nearby is going to die. She now has some control over her screaming and with the help of her boyfriend Nash, who is also a type of bean sidhe, her screaming experiences don't exactly terrify her anymore. It's still a scary experience but now she's not alone and in the dark. Now she has Nash, his brother Tod, Nash's mom Harmony, who's also a bean sidhe and Kaylee's father is back in her life. You would think with all these people she wouldn't feel so alone but there are still times when Kaylee has to make some hard decisions that she handles with maturity and strength beyond her years.

This time we find Kaylee and Nash back together after a month long grounding Kaylee endured after the last run in with the Netherworld. On this night they are just two teens, going to a friend's party. I like that we get to see this side of their relationship. The normal teen side. They are hanging out, making out and just being teenagers. But this is Urban Fantasy and the unthinkable happens. What seems to be an alcohol induced accident turns out to be Demon's Breath induced. Not a good thing! Kaylee and Nash find themselves right in the middle of what has the potential of doing serious harm to many of their friends and classmates.

Kaylee is a good kid but she's not the perfect teen. She has real teenage problems. One of them is Nash. Oh, sure he's a great guy but he's also a guy. And he's an experienced guy when it comes to sex. He doesn't exactly pressure Kaylee but he does make it clear that he wants them to take the physical part of their relationship further. Kaylee, while very attracted to Nash, is still hesitant to take that final step. I thought Vincent handled the sexual situations very well. The situations were realistic in the portrayal of two teenagers with raging hormones. They both want to go all the way (not sure if that term is still used) but also realize it's a big step in their relationship. Kaylee shows her maturity in knowing that once she takes that step with Nash, there's no going back.

The world building, which to me is extremely critical in Urban Fantasy, is intricate yet makes perfect sense. You can throw any kind of creature and mythology at me but it's got to make sense. If I'm lost and can't follow the logic, then chances are, I'm not going to keep reading. What Vincent has created in her Netherworld is a fascinating place. It's like looking through the mirror and seeing a reflection except it's distorted and filled with the unknown and the horrific. It's eerily similar yet terrifyingly different. The way the mythology works makes sense in that there is a balance to the "gifts" Kaylee, Nash and the bean sidhe have been given. I like that Vincent doesn't throw everything at us at once but continues to build on that world as the series progresses. In My Soul to Keep, we meet more beings and creatures that populate the Netherworld, adding to the overall world building with their existence and abilities.

There are lighter parts the the story. It's not all doom and gloom, in fact, Kaylee is not only smart but funny. She can be a smart alec when the occasion calls for it and even when it doesn't. Kaylee, like many of us uses humor when she is nervous or upset. Sometimes she tries to use it to defuse a tense situation. Her outlook on the world is one of realism with a dash of pessimism thrown in.

In My Soul to Keep, Vincent has written a story that had me reading late into the night. I thought I knew where she was going with the Demon's breath and the kids getting hooked on it. In part, I had it right but there were some parts that totally threw me, in a good way. Those parts kept me on the edge of my seat. There's a lot of "edge-of-your-seat" moments and I loved those parts. It took some thinking and planning to getting everything to work out and towards the end I wasn't sure exactly how it would happen. That's the best part, knowing that these characters just have to be okay, yet not quite sure how the author is going to pull it off. Loved It! There is a point in the story where I feel such empathy for Kaylee. What happens to her is shocking and wasn't easy to read but it did make sense in the overall story arc. It left me wondering where she will go from here.

Another wonderful addition to the Soul Screamer's series. I'm looking forward to reading more but will have to wait until My Soul to Steal comes out.

Rating: A

Go here to read the free prequel My Soul to Lose

My reviews for books 1 & 2

My Soul to Take
My Soul to Save

March Reads...

March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb, or so the saying goes. I'm not sure about that, all I know is that the flowers are blooming and my allergies are killing me. The goods news is that I did read some great books, only a couple that didn't work all the well for me but overall a good reading month.

Tapestry ~ Karen Ranney ~ Historical ~B+
Ecstasy Unveiled ~ Larissa Ione ~ PNR ~ C+
A Matter of Class ~ Mary Balogh ~ Historical ~ A
The Stolen Crown ~ Susan Higginbotham ~ Historical ~ A-
Roadkill ~ Rob Thurman ~ UF ~ Buddy review to come
Have You Seen Her? ~ Karen Rose ~ RS ~ A-
Naked Edge ~ Pamela Clare ~ RS ~ C+
The Secret Year ~ Jennifer Hubbard ~ YA ~ B+
Stolen Fury ~ Elisabeth Naughton ~ RS ~ Review to come
My Soul to Save ~ Rachel Vincent ~ YA ~ A-
Fantasy in Death ~ J. D. Robb ~ RS ~ B+
Bound by Your Touch ~ Meredith Duran ~ Historical ~ A-

12 Total

Historicals ~ 4
PNR ~ 1
RS ~ 4
UF ~ 1
YA ~ 2

A good mix dominated by Historicals and RS. Which surprised me. I didn't realize I had read that many historicals. No straight contemporaries. I'm sure I'll have some this month. I've got Sarah Mayberry and Julie James on the tbr pile. :)

Any weekend plans? Saturday, I'll make an attempt to clean the garage. We plan to have a yard sale soon so I need to get the junk together for that. I'll get some reading in too and need to wash my car - it's horrible! Do you ever notice how your car seems to run better when it's clean?

Sunday is Easter and we are going to my mom's for dinner. She didn't want me to bring anything but I'll be making fruit salad and bringing cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. The cheesecake is the frozen kind from Sam's Club but it's still delicious!

*The flowers are from a Bougainvillea in my front yard. The yard is very colorful: reds, pinks and purple flowers are everywhere. Just wish my nose enjoyed it as much as my eyes. :)

Review: My Soul to Save

My Soul to Save
Rachel Vincent
Fantasy/Young Adult
Soul Screamers/Book 2
Harlequin Teen/January 2010
Library book

Spoilers for Book 1

From the back cover ~

“If she were going to die, I’d already be screaming. I’m a banshee. That’s what we do.”

When Kaylee Cavanaugh screams, someone dies.

So when teen pop star Eden croaks 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 cant' possibly understand.

Kaylee can't let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk...

Book 2 of Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series picks up where book 1 left off. Kaylee and Nash are dating. Kaylee is now living with her father who has moved back to the United States from Ireland. Before Kaylee's father moved back to Texas, Kaylee was living with her aunt, uncle and cousin. Since her aunt's death and the events leading up to it, Kaylee's father is now back in her life in a big way. She's happy about it but they are both new at this father/daughter thing. He's overprotective of Kaylee but he's also a bean sidhe, so he knows the darker side of what's out there. I liked how he was portrayed. He loves Kaylee but he's also stumbling around when it comes to how to treat his nearly grown up daughter, she's 16. It's a learning process for him that he doesn't always score high on but the love is definitely there.

Vincent does a good job of moving the story arc forward, introducing new creatures and giving the reader a greater understanding of the Netherworld. We do get to see Kaylee and Nash's relationship progress at a believable rate. Nash made it clear he wanted to sleep with Kaylee, Kaylee isn't completely sure. She wants to but...

I never felt Nash would push her into it. And they do have a bunch of other things and people, to interfere with any alone time they might get. Both Kaylee and Nash have parents that are present and involved in their lives. These are parents that are trying their best to raise their kids in the most normal of ways, knowing the bizarre other world that is part of their lives.

Kaylee and Nash are a typical high school couple in many ways but they are also a very unique couple because of what they each are - bean sidhe. They compliment each other with Kaylee letting loose her ear piercing wail and Nash using his soothing voice to help her not go crazy when the urge to wail comes over her. I liked the way Vincent shows them as being typical. They both have school and homework. Kaylee has a job, Nash has football practice. And through all of this they still have their duties as bean sidhes.

The main focus of the story is the soul stealing of teens that's going on. Specifically Addison Page. She is a singer and TV star. She's also Tod's ex-girlfriend. Tod being Nash's older, very dead brother. But Tod's still around because he's a reaper. He works at a local hospital, taking the souls of the recently departed. Tod may be dead but he's still very much a part of Nash's, and Kaylee's, lives. He's the one that gets them into the concert where Addison is the opening act for the singing star Eden. Kaylee, Nash and Tod find out what has been going on with the selling of souls after Eden drops dead on stage. Here's where we see some conflict between Kaylee and Nash. Kaylee feels she must help Addison but Nash doesn't think it's worth risking their lives for what he considers a spoiled pop princess. Kaylee stays firm in her belief and Nash goes along to protect Kaylee.

There is a vulnerable side of Kaylee that I enjoyed seeing. She's a very strong-willed, young woman. She's brave and maybe even a bit reckless when it comes to her bean sidhe life except she also has insecurities concerning Nash. She very attracted to him and knows he's attracted to her, yet she wonders about that attraction. If he's attracted to her because she's a bean sidhe or because she's another "conquest" for Nash, the popular football star. Those insecurities, for me, made her more authentic as a female and a teenager.

This time around we get more of the Netherworld. The way Vincent describes it I found fascinating and eerie. It makes sense that the higher concentration of hellions and such would be found corresponding with places of high human traffic. I found myself worried for Kaylee, Nash and oddly, even Tod when they were in the Netherworld. I have no idea why I was worried about Tod since he is dead. Just got caught up in the story. :)

Tod is an interesting character in that we get to see him interact with Nash and Kaylee as if he's just another young adult. Sometimes I would forget that he was a reaper and as dangerous as a reaper should be. There were times when Vincent would remind us of that very fact. After reading book 1, I was curious about Tod. Now, after getting to know more about him, I'm still curious. A good thing, right?

The ending - Wow. I wasn't sure what to expect. How everything could possibly work out, with a good outcome. Vincent played it well, giving the reader a resolution to the soul stealing while still reminding us that this isn't fun and games but life and death. I can't wait to read the next installment in the series, My Soul to Keep, release date June 1.

Rating: A-

Review: My Soul to Take/Book 1

February Reads...

Why Batman? IDK, never was a fan but maybe if he looked like this...

February was short and sometimes a very sweet month. I managed a total of 12 books and only one audio because, *sob*, my mp3 player broke. I'm suffering withdrawal while dealing with trying to get a replacement. So tempted to go to Sam's Club and get an IPod. Anyway... here's the list. ~

Slow Heat/Jill Shalvis/Contemporary ~ A
Hunting Ground/Patricia Briggs/Urban Fantasy ~ B+
Tell Me Lies/Jennifer Crusie/Contemporary (audio) ~ C
Crazy Beautiful/Lauren Baratz-Logsted/YA Contemporary ~ A
My Soul to Lose/Rachel Vincent/YA Fantasy ~ B+
My Soul to Take/Rachel Vincent/YA Fantasy ~ A
Kindred in Death/J. D. Robb/Futuristic ~ B+
Lord Ruin/Carolyn Jewel/Historical ~ B
Open Season/Linda Howard/Romantic Suspense ~ A-
The Iron King/Julie Kagawa/YA Fantasy ~ A (review to come)
The Texan's Wager/Jodi Thomas/Historical ~ A
Shades of Midnight/Lara Adrian/PNR ~ B (review to come)
What the Librarian Did/Karina Bliss/Contemporary ~ A (review to come)

Overall a very good month. Lots of wonderful reads. I attribute that to the great reviews from all of you book pimping bloggers. So I thank you and my ever growing TBR pile thanks you. :D

Oh, I almost forgot. Bookcases - Abby got a new one and I managed to be good for nearly 2 weeks, then I got a new one too. I swear I didn't plan it, it just happened. :)

March looks to be a great month for new releases. Take a peek at the Slide widget on the right side bar and see what I'm looking forward to for March.

Review: My Soul to Take

My Soul to Take
Rachel Vincent
Fantasy/Young Adult
Soul Screamers/Book 1
Harlequin Teen/August 2009
Library book

From the back cover ~

SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH KAYLEE CAVANAUGH

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...

SOUL SCREAMERS

The last thing you hear before you die...

Before reading My Soul to Take I would strongly recommend reading the free online prequel novella, My Soul to Lose. You can go to Rachel Vincent's website and read it or it can be downloaded free (as of this writing) from Amazon for the Kindle. It's an excellent read and gives you a healthy taste of Vincent's writing style. I got pulled into Kaylee's world when I read My Soul to Lose and was thrilled I had My Soul to Take on the library tbr pile. (yeah, I have a library tbr pile too!)

Do you ever feel like you want to scream? Need to scream? Have to scream? Kaylee Cavanaugh knows exactly how that feels because it happens to her whenever she's near someone who's about to die. And this girl can scream. She screams until she loses her voice and people around her think she's gone crazy. Even Kaylee thinks she might just go crazy when it happens. It's like she goes into another world or dimension and no one else understands just how scary it is.

The story is told in Kaylee's POV but I thought Vincent did a good job giving the reader enough insight into the other characters through their words and actions. It was good that I liked Kaylee's voice. There were a couple of times when she got a little to into the "pity me" mode but she had good reason to. Thinking that you're going crazy and finding out there is an explanation, not matter how strange, can give anyone a little attitude.

I felt this odd connection to Kaylee right away. It's odd because she's a teen and I haven't seen my teen years for a very long time and yet there was something there. Maybe it was the way Kaylee wasn't exactly a loner but she wasn't with the "in-crowd" either. She has the usual teenage angst, adults who don't get her and a dysfunctional family thrown into the mix. She still has this inner core of strength and maturity. No doubt from everything she's lived through with her "panic attacks" and the losses she has faced in her 17 years. I really liked her and the way Vincent wrote her to be true to her experiences and her age. She felt like a teenager, not like an adult trying to act like a teenager.

When Kaylee and her best friend Emma decide to sneak into a dance club the night ends with Kaylee falling fast towards another scream fest and Nash Hudson, her secret crush, there to witness it. With Nash's help, Kaylee is just barely able to keep it together. But what's with Nash's sudden interested in Kaylee? Yeah, Nash is hiding something, it's pretty obviously but what is he hiding? I asked my teen daughter, she had already read MStT, but she just smiled and told me "you'll find out." So I'll tell you the same thing. Read the book and you'll find out. LOL

Nash is a popular guy at school. He hangs with the in crowd but he's not a snob. He's what I would call a mature 18. I liked Nash too! I liked him and Kaylee together. I thought they made a great couple once I got to know Nash. At first I had to wonder what his motives were because as Kaylee points out, they don't really travel in the same social circles. ~

If Eastlake High School were the universe, I would be one of the moons circling Planet Emma, constantly hidden by her shadow, and glad to be there. Nash Hudson would be one of the stars: too bright to look at, too hot to touch and at the center of his own solar system. page 11

I do think Kaylee tends to downplay her importance in her friends lives. She finds out that she is far more important than she ever thought when her friends come through for her. The small circle of her friends widens a bit and an interesting character named Tod comes into Kaylee's world. He's one secondary character that I look forward to reading more about. In fact all the secondary characters, Kaylee's family and friends, Nash's family, are all well written and add dimension to the story without taking away from Kaylee's and to a lesser extent Nash's spotlight.

As Kaylee and Nash grow closer together, Kaylee begins to discover the reason for her attacks and the history behind them. I loved, loved, loved the way Vincent incorporated myths, legends and fantasy into the story. She gives a new twist to the myths and adds a unique touch to the legends, creating a fantasy world that pulls the reader in and holds them tight.

This is definitely a YA series I would recommend for teens and adults. And just in case you're wondering, My Soul to Take and the second book, My Soul to Save both get teen daughter's seal of approval. :) I still need to read My Soul to Save. I had to return it to the library before I could read it so I'm back on the request list. It gives me something to look forward to and I'll still have time to read it before book 3, My Soul to Keep which comes out June 1.

Rating: A