My Soul To Steal Trailer

Earlier Rachel Vincent posted the trailer for her new Soul Screamers book My Soul To Steal. It's the forth book in the series and if you've not started it, you really need to!! It's official release date is Jan 1st, but it's looking like it'll be in stores tomorrow in time for Christmas!! (In the US) So go buy! Also, I totally love this trailer! So spooky and very fitting. Below are some links to my reviews of some of Rachel's books, including MSTSteal!



Review - MSTSteal
Best of 2010 - YA books - Soul Screamers #3 My Soul To Keep
Best of 2010 - adult books - Shifters #5 Shift & #6 Alpha

Reaper by Rachel Vincent

"Tod Hudson was a typical teenager. He liked girls, sports, food and tolerated his younger brother, Nash. If fact, he had his whole life in front of him - and due to his bean sidhe heritage, it should have been a very long life indeed.


All of that changed in one horrible moment and suddenly Tod had to make a choice. Life... Death... or something Between..."

Reaper is a ebook novella set in Rachel's YA Soul Screamers series. Tod is a secondary character in the main series and one of my favourite secondary characters full stop. I'm so glad he's got this novella from his POV which gives us a chance to get to know him a little better!

Reaper is set before the start of the series, timeline wise matching up with My Soul To Lose, the ebook prequel novella. But this might very well be better off read after the first couple books and knowing who Tod is and his role in the main series. Either way, it is a fantastic short story and one that all Soul Screamers fans should read!

I love this short story, I just wish it had been a whole lot longer! It's fantastically written, just like all of Rachels' SS books, and it throws a few pretty big shocks along the way. For a short story it's quite an emotional roller coaster (I think some of that comes from having read the first few books and already having a connection with the characters, but not all of it). I thoroughly enjoyed getting the chance to get to know Tod a little better and this story gave us a good insight in to him and how he really thinks. Plus, like I said at the start, I love Tod so more of him is always a good thing!! I would love to see more from his POV at a later date because he's such an interesting character. I love his strength and his snarky attitude. And his loyalty to those he loves.

If you're a Soul Screamers fan, you must check this novella out. If you've not yet tried Rachel's YA series, you need to!

Reaper is avail as a free download from Rachel's website here. It's also available for Kindle and Nook for free for a short time. But it will remain free from Rachel's site after other places start charging. You can also download the series prequel My Soul To Lose for free from Rachel's site, so check that one out too if you've not.

Rating: 9/10

My Soul To Steal by Rachel Vincent

Ecopy ARC received for review with thanks from NetGalley and HarlequinTEEN!

Spoilers for the end of the previous book My Soul To Keep.

"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."

I absolutely loved this book! Beginning to end I was captivated and could not put it down. The Soul Screamers series is very different to most YA series out there at the moment with it's focus on bean sidhes rather than the more popular topics of vampires and angels. It gives you something new to get your teeth in to but what really makes this series work is the very creepy dark side found in the Netherworld and the fantastic, realistic characters and the way they develop.

Not only is this a great paranormal story in which Kaylee is attempting to get to the bottom of a spate of sudden deaths and stop them, but she's also battling with very serious personal issues, which Rachel handles incredibly well. At the end of My Soul To Keep (book #3) Kaylee realised how badly her boyfriend Nash had betrayed her, and she was strong enough to walk away. Addiction is a difficult subject to handle, but Rachel has managed it perfectly. She could have easily written it so Kaylee simply forgave Nash and they lived happily ever after, or had her walk away and suddenly stop caring. Neither would have been realistic, but the former something that could possibly have been expected. But instead Rachel deals with it in a very real and honest way. Kaylee isn't about to stop loving Nash or wanting to be with him. And she's also not about to suddenly trust him again. Trust takes work and hard as it is for them, I'm really enjoying seeing both Nash and Kaylee work to make things better. Nash's addiction is not going to be left by the way side and forgotten. It's something that will be ongoing, just as any addiction in real life is. It's handled maturely, without talking down to readers and without glorifying any aspect either. There are plenty of harsh truths involved with addiction and many conflicting emotions, none of which are skipped over, making for an excellent story.

My Soul To Steal sees the addition of Sabine, Nash's ex. And wow, she's a hell of an addition! Sabine was introduced in the short story 'Fearless' (which she narrates) found in the 'Kiss Me Deadly' anthology. I loved that short and fell in love with Sabine then. I actually love her more now, after Steal, although I've no doubt many readers will dislike or even hate her. She's very forthright, very nasty at times, and very, very blunt about her reasons for being at Kaylee's school. She wants Nash back and she doesn't care who she has to hurt to get him. Sabine is such a fantastic, complex character and I also love how she tells Kaylee what's what, revealing some home truths and making Kaylee face them.

Another important character in Steal is Tod. Tod is quite possibly my favourite character in this series. He's funny, caring, selfish and when its really needed, he can be very honest as well. He has a scene with Kaylee in Steal which might well be one of my favourite scenes of the series. Tod clearly cares about Kaylee, but he doesn't protect her from the darker truths she needs to know about. I love the caring honesty he gives her and the way he's developed over the series.

The paranormal aspects of the story are beautifully blended with the personal creating an intense read and like I said at the start, I couldn't put MSTSteal down! This series has just gone from strength to strength. Steal is achingly painful at times, with some fantastic drama, laugh out loud moments and awesome character development as well. Kaylee is growing in strength and self confidence, something I love to see and enjoy following. Steal is easily my favourite book of the series so far and it left me hungry for more! One of my favourite reads of the year and I can not wait for book 5, If I Die! Spectacular work from a wonderful author and a must read series!

Rating: 10/10

Mini Reviews - The Iron Queen, MSTSteal

Couple of early eARC's from NetGalley/Harlequin Teen (thank you!) this week, full reviews will be posted closer to their release dates.

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
Iron Fey #3 - out Feb 1st 2011 (US) - Goodreads description

I liked The Iron King [book 1], I loved The Iron Daughter [book 2], but this one...adored it!! I'm rarely a big fan of fey books, I find that more often than not, they just don't work for me. Book 1 of this series was enough to make me try book 2, despite a bit of disconnect with the story. So, so glad I carried on with it because this book is just fantastic, beginning to end. Meghan's troubles are a long way from over and I love how this all played out. The intensity and emotion to the story, along with the twists, was just incredible. The ending...wow. Amazing ending. But now I'm left with this desperate need to have book #4, The Iron Knight, Ash's story, in my hands right. now. Some how, despite not being much of a fey fan, this has become one of my favourite series. So if you're a fan of fey stories, this series should be a must read. Heck, it is even if you're not. Rating: 10/10

My Soul To Steal by Rachel Vincent
Soul Screamers #4 - out Jan 1st 2011 (US) - Goodreads description

Well. What to say? MSTKeep changed a lot, and it was a fantastic book, but I knew where the end was going long before I started it. What I really didn't know, was what would happen next. How Kaylee would deal with the events and where it would take her. Having (somehow) survived reading Rachel's seriously awesome but heart wrenching adult Shifters series, I knew this would be good, that she'd throw in some great twists and make one hell of a story. I wasn't wrong. This was just magic. I could barely put it down, despite being really sick and barely able to concentrate. It's beautiful, painful, smart and just plain awesome. Great character development and I adore the addition of Sabine (Nash's ex). The conflicts and rivalries really heated up. I'm so excited for If I Die (book 5, out late 2011) now, and it's hitting very close to the top of my must haves list for 2011. I liked this series from the start, but it was Keep that made me love it, and Steal has made me adore it. Pretty please though Rachel, do not break my heart all over again!? Please? ;) Rating: 10/10

My Soul To Keep by Rachel Vincent

"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 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 their friends - one of whom is already hooked.

And so is someone else..."

This is the third book in the Soul Screamers series and while I liked the first two, a lot, I didn't love them. No specific reason, they're well written, good well rounded characters, good plot, but just didn't fully grab me like some YA series can. But I still wanted this book a lot, especially after a few people said it was the best one yet. They weren't wrong. I adored this book!! I was hooked from the start and couldn't put it down. I had a lot of trouble getting a hold of a copy but once I had it, I read it in a day easily.

MSTKeep is darker than either of the books before it, Kaylee does a lot of growing up, loses a fair bit of the innocence and naivety that surrounded her, and it's not pretty. Which is probably why I love it so much. Life isn't easy, and growing up in particular is painful, ugly and unavoidable. Why shouldn't fictional characters have to deal with that too? The form it takes is more or less irrelevant for me, I just can't take fictional characters seriously if they're everything is easy for them. Kaylee has never had it easy, but the events of MSTKeep are much rougher on her. It picks up a month after the end of MSTSave, when Kaylee's grounding for passing in to the Netherworld has just ended. Her first night of freedom sees her at a party where she finds a friend with the scent of Demon Breath on his. Kaylee is shocked and scared. The forbidden Netherworld substance shouldn't be in the human world and certainly not being taken by high school jocks. But it is and she's determined to get to the bottom of it.

It's fast paced and had some great twists. I did guess one big thing before the book was out, but that was fine, it didn't stop it being a painful emotional ride that had me just about in tears at times. I felt so much for Kaylee as she tried to make sense out of what was going on and how to fix things. The Netherworld is dark and creepy as it should be, but I think I felt it more this time around. Nash and Tod are of course big parts of the story as well, and I love how the brothers react to each other, but also how they both play off Kaylee. Tod is one of my favourite side characters ever, for a grim reaper he's a lot of fun. He's dark and sarcastic, I love his friendship with Kaylee (and that it is a friendship, not a possible love interest) and I love seeing what he does for those he loves. Overall, a really great read, great character development and the ending was awesome, painful but awesome. I can't wait for book 4, My Soul To Steal!! 9/10

My Soul To Save by Rachel Vincent

"The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad’s ironclad curfew and putting her boyfriend’s loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls for 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..."

My Soul To Save is the second book in the Soul Screamers series, a young adult series about 16 year old bean sidhe (banshee), Kaylee. The first book saw her discovering what she was and some uncomfortable family secrets. This is set a couple months on from that and Kaylee's life has settled down again, though she's still getting used to having her dad around full time.

Out at a concert with her boyfriend, Nash, they witness teen pop star Eden collapse and die on stage. But something isn't right, because Kaylee doesn't scream. Eden died without her soul. But she's not the only one who's sold her soul for fame and fortune, and the next girl in line to die having sold hers, is someone Nash's brother knows well. He asks for Kaylee's help and despite her fears, she agrees. So naturally, Nash (who's also a bean sidhe) agrees to help as well. Between the three of them, they're determined to get Addison's soul back, but at what cost?

MSTSave starts slower than the previous book, MSTTake did, and it took me a while to really get in to it. The plot is good and well thought out, if not as grabbing as the previous book. Towards the end, the pace really picked up and we got to see the darker side of being a reaper. Could predict the end, but that didn't really take away from the book too much. The characters are lively, fun and engaging and the world built is vivid enough to get a good image of what it's like.

But I almost feel like there is something missing with this series, but I think that's my loving her adult series and it's extra depth, more. This is a well written and enjoyable series, but it is aimed more at teens than adults as well I feel. Which is fine, makes it great lighter reading if that's what you're after and I'll certainly be reading the rest of the series. Rachel's created characters I love here and I'm looking forward to finding out more about them! 6/10