Book Review: With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent

Published March 26th, 2013

HarlequinTeen

377 pages (Paperback)

What does it mean when your school is voted the most dangerous in America? It's time to kick some hellion butt...

After not really surviving her junior year (does "undead" count as survival?), Kaylee Cavanaugh has vowed to take back her school from the hellions causing all the trouble. She's going to find a way to turn the incarnations of Avarice, Envy and Vanity against one another in order to protect her friends and finish this war, once and forever.But then she meets Wrath and understands that she's closer to the edge than she's ever been. And when one more person close to her is taken, Kaylee realizes she can't save everyone she loves without risking everything she has... (From Goodreads)

I'm sad to see this series come to a close, but Rachel Vincent has given us a great ending to Kaylee's story.  With snarky characters and lots of action, this series goes down as a personal favourite of mine.

I absolutely love these characters, but two stood out to me: Tod and Sabine.  Tod is just perfect.  He made me cry twice with his epic monologues of love!  Seriously, you can't not swoon over this guy.  Sabine, on the other hand, is the perfect fiery ball of snark.  I love her no-bullshit attitude, and find her the most interesting to read.  Watching her grow through the series has been great, and part of the reason the I love this series so much.

A lot had to be jammed into this book in order to conclude the series.  At times, this created a slight problem for me.  Parts of the story got a bit too slow for my tastes.  It needed to be done, but still.

This series is jammed full of action and drama, and that makes for a great story.  If you haven't given the Soul Screamer books a chance, I recommend doing so.  Rachel Vincent is an awesome story teller.  I can't wait to give this series a reread in the future!

Much love, Samantha

Book Review: Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent

Published June 26, 2012
HarlequinTeen
304 pages (Paperback)

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.... (From GoodReads)

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.  READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Words do not describe the way I loved this book.  Action!  Suspense!  Romance!  Ajhbdfnb...

This book was dark and complex, but absolutely wonderful.  So these are a few of my favourite things...

1. Kaylee and Tod.  While I was never on Team Tod, I should have been.  These two are perfect for one another.  Tod is everything Nash wasn't for Kaylee, plus some.  It's almost disgustingly cute at times.  Why can't I have a reaper boyfriend?
2. Nash's drunk scene.  I always liked Nash.  As much as I love Kaylee and Tod together, I really feel bad for Nash.  Good people can fall into bad things.  I really loved his drunk scene and how vulnerable it made him.  So, Nash, if you ever need someone to talk to late at night, my door will be open.  ;-)
3. Sabine.  She is my favourite character.  I always love the badass, sarcastic, occasional assholes.  But she grows a bit in this book, too.  I never thought I would hear her call Kaylee a friend.  We also see more of her vulnerable side.  I can't wait to see how Sabine develops further in With All My Soul.
4. Main character deaths.  It's a love/hate thing for me.  As much as it sucks to see a character you love get killed, it can do so much for the story.  And Rachel Vincent is pretty damn good at killing characters.

I've enjoyed every book of this series, with If I Die being the only one I didn't read immediately after it's release.  If you had asked me after My Soul To Steal, I would have never predicted how invested I have become in these books.  The characters are wonderful.  The story is wonderful.  Everything about them is simply wonderful.

I can't wait for the next book, but am terrified of what Rachel Vincent will do.  With All My Soul is the last of the Soul Screamers, and I have a feeling we're in for an insane ending!

Much love, Samantha

Road Trip Wednesday: Best Read of June

It's Road Trip Wednesday, a "Blog Carnival" hosted by the lovely ladies over at YA Highway.  They pose a weekly reading/writing question, and through the comments, you can explore and find out everyone's take on the topic.

This weeks question is...
What was the best book you read in June?

I have two winners for the month of June!

I posted my review of Born Wicked last week.  It's a beautiful book that kept giving me Little Women feels and left me a crying, inconsolable mess.

I have written a review of Before I Wake, but haven't posted it yet because it's loaded with spoilers.  While released only yesterday, my bookstore had put it on the shelf early.  I will post my official review shortly, after those who had to wait for realease day have had a chance to devour it.  But I will say, it was amazing, and my favourite Soul Screamers book thus far.

Much love, Samantha

Book Review: If I Die by Rachel Vincent

September 27th, 2011

Harlequin
342 pages (Paperback)

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.

Since this book was released while I was at school, I somehow managed to forget about it.  But I have read in now, in anticipation of the next in the series.  And I'm kinda glad I waited.

Because that means I have less time to wait for the next one!

I loved this book, to the point that I just went to a job interview on 2 hours of sleep because I had to finish it. 

I found the middle got a little slow.  There was a lot of dialogue and not a lot of action or anything else.  But I honestly didn't care.  I still loved it.

Have I mentioned that I love this book series!

Much love, Samantha

Ps.  TOD!!!!  ;-)