Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Review: My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Title: My Soul to Take
Author: Rachel Vincent
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: August 1st, 2009
Source: Purchased

My Rating: 4/5

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.


This was actually the second time I've read My Soul to Take. I decided to take part in The Soul Screamers Reading Challenge hosted by Fitkshun over at Fiktshun's Blog because I thought it would be a great way to get back into the series before the much anticipated release of Before I Wake. I hadn't read MSTT since August of 2009, the day it came out. I was a huge fan (and still am) of Rachel Vincent's adult series, and was eagerly awaiting the release of her first YA book. And I was not disappointed. I spent one summer afternoon on my basement couch just reading, without stopping. It was addicting. 

It was really odd to re-read this book. After everything that has happened over the last five books (and trust me, a LOT has happened), it was really cool to go back and see how it all started. The characters have grown so much throughout the series, and it was a shock to see them back before everything happened. I found myself slipping into the story once again and, even though I knew what would happen, I couldn't stop reading it. The characters called me back every time, and the interesting and original storyline made this book completely unique. Over the series, I've come to really love Kaylee, but going back to the start I remembered my early irritations with her, and my misguided love of Nash. I kept trying to shove the characters back into the boxes of my opinion, but found it impossible. These are not the same characters they are in the later books, and my opinions of them grew as they did. I can't hate Nash because he really hasn't done anything to make me feel that way, just like I can't love Kaylee because my pride in her doesn't exist yet. I have re-read tons of books before, but this experience was new to me. Usually, characters grow but, in this case, it was like the characters weren't even the same people. And I loved it.


I really adored the concept of this book even more the second time. As I mentioned before, I'm Irish, and I have studied Irish mythology more than once (not extensively, mind you) and it was great to read about Vincent's spin on bean sidhe. The added element of the Netherworld (a world apart from our own filled with grotesque creatures and soul-stealing hellions who feed on chaos and pain) was a great addition to the story. As were the reapers! I thought it was a very creative and well-thought out world, one that has so much potential built into it.


And speaking of reapers...time for some Tod gushing! This adorable, sarcastic, and cunning reaper who stole my heart from his first scene. I am a very proud member of Team Tod, and love him more and more each book. It was so great to go back and see Kaylee's first impression of the angelic-haired soul snatcher, and notice a few things I didn't before! (Since what I noticed is a bit of a spoiler, I'm going to save that for a later review!) I can't wait to watch as his role increases, and as his wit and heart capture my love all over again.


Overall, I'm so happy to have read this book again. Looking at the old story through new eyes was both jarring and enlightening. I think I'm going to love this series more the second time!


Check out the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge if you're interested in these books! And, you can buy the first two books (and novella) in an omnibus!

- Ciara who is lost at midnight

Find this book: Amazon | Goodreads | Rachel Vincent's Website

1 comment:

  1. Great review hun! I have yet to put mine up! AHH! I'm so bad! LOL! I also need to buy the rest of the books in the series o.0 yup.. LOL! Thank you for sharing!!! (P.s. finally reading the Hunger Games.. and why did I wait this long? I have no idea...)

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