Book Review: My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Publisher: Harlequin

Publish Date: August 1, 2009

Paperback, 279 pages 
Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal
 ISBN: 978-0373210039
Soul Screamers #1

My Review:
I didn't know what to expect when I started this series.  For some reason, I had not read much about the series, I knew there were lots of fans and I follow Rachel Vincent's blog, but I kind of skim it so I don't get spoilers (which she doesn't do, or she warns you if she does).  I guess if I read any reviews of this book it was back when it was released over two years ago so I just don't remember much and that was a good thing.  I really like going into a book with no expectations.

Wow - was I ever blown away.  The characters.  I love Kaylee and Nash.  Kaylee is so caring and so ordinary girl that you just can't help but love her, especially if you were the ordinary girl in high school (or are).  There is just something very relate-able about Kaylee to me.  So Ms. Vincent first sets her up as the ordinary girl just trying to get by living with her aunt, uncle and rather annoying cousin.  Then there is her rather extraordinary gift that Kaylee doesn't understand and has landed her in the psych ward before.  But that was before Nash came into the picture.  Wonderful, handsome Nash, who has some secrets of his own.  But I'll stop there, because you have to read the book.

So the characters are great.  I think Ms. Vincent does an extraordinary job setting them and the world up in this first book without getting too bogged down in the details.  She really makes everything flow together and keeps the interest level up at all times.  The plot is well done too.  It is well paced.  It kept me turning the pages, wondering what would happen next, what secret I would find out, who would die, who wouldn't, who would I meet next and what exactly were they.  The world and the plot are well crafted.  I love these books that are set in the normal world and have the parallel paranormal world (which is most paranormal books).  I like to see how authors work it out and make it work.  Ms. Vincent really makes it work in this first Soul Screamers novel and I cannot wait to get my hands on the second one.

An excellent first installment in a series I can't wait to read more of and I'm in luck since this series began over two years ago, I have a bunch of books to read, so expect more reviews on this series in the coming months.  And expect more gushing about Kaylee!


My Rating: 5.0/5.0

One cool thing - you can now buy the My Soul to Take and My Soul to Save, first two Soul Screamer novels together along with the first novella, My Soul to Lose, which I is the prequel and appears for it's first time in print in this omnibus.  So make sure you check it out at The Book Depository Link below.






Parental guidance: There are references to drinking and I think some language in the book, it's been over a week since I read it so I must admit my mind is fuzzy on the parental guidance part.  I know there are sexual references, but nothing graphic.  I would say 14+ for this one, which is what I say for most YA novels.  If you disagree or think I gave the wrong guidance on this one, please let me know because like I said I'm fuzzy on this one.

About the Book:
She doesn't see dead people. 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 her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next.

About the Author (from Goodreads.com): 
A resident of San Antonio, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks-seriously-and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.

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FTC Information: I checked this book out from my wonderful local library.  I do make money from purchases made at The Book Depository and B&N.com, but all money is used to fund giveaways and shipping for giveaways from the blog.