My Soul to Steal

Soul Screamers #4

by Rachel Vincent

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.

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Demons

375 pages, Paperback

First published December 21, 2010

About the author

[Note: Though Rachel's blog entries are cross posted here, she does not frequent Goodreads. The best ways to contact her are FB, Twitter, or her Wordpress blog. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HER MESSAGES HERE. SHE DOES NOT CHECK THEM.]

A resident of Oklahoma, 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.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is where it started.

This is where it all began.

Oy! My review for this book really is one long ass fangirl rant. Mighty embarrassing and I know that some of my points are invalid since I know in which direction the series headed after this book and I have to grudgingly admit that I do see the bigger picture now but...I'll still leave this review as it is. There’s one thing I wanna say, though...it’s been what? 7 years since I read this? And I can tell you, I am still not over what happened. I'll be reminded of this at the oddest times...Like today...

This series is the reason why I hate love triangles so much. This series is the reason why I completely lose my marbles whenever love interests switch. I’ve never been able to forgive Rachel Vincent for making me invest in a character only to utterly annihilate him. Everything he was, all that was good about him...completely destroyed. I truly hate this series with a passion. It left scars. Deep ones.

***********************************

Original review from 2011:

"Whoever said it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved was full of crap."

I cannot believe I finally caved in. After the drama of the third book and what it did to my state of mind I declared it unsafe and potentially harmful to myself to read this book. But I am weak. So so weak. *hangs head*

See, I am absolutely crazy about this series. Just how crazy I am might become obvious after I have given you a glimpse into my twisted little mind. Even while my review and status updates might convince you otherwise, let me be clear about something right from the start. I am Team Nash. All the way. I know he messed up pretty badly in book 3 and, well, also in book 4, IMO, but nevertheless, I love that guy. Now there are people who think Kaylee should end up with Tod in the end - I will come back to that again later on - but I strongly disagree. And do you know what I think whenever I see people mentioning how they want Kay and Nash to break up? I wish they would just shut up -
and hope that Rachel Vincent doesn’t read these reviews, takes it to heart and therefore lets Kay end up with Tod instead because OMG that would just about kill me. Does that make you understand how far gone I am? I am turning into a freakin’ headcase. But admitting your problem is the first step on the road to recovery, right? RIGHT?

So, why am I this obsessed? For one thing, I like the whole banshee concept. It’s a breath of fresh air, at least I haven’t seen anything like this in YA before but even while I think the concept is refreshing, I also feel like the existence of banshees is kinda pointless. I mean, what good is a banshee? They can tell when somebody’s about to die, big deal, but what’s the use? It’s not like they’re getting anything out of it, right? Or can do anything about it, for that matter. Because whenever they interfere, somebody else has to die instead. And let’s not even talk about the male banshees. They are utterly useless. I know what they can do with their abilities but still, I don’t really see the point. Nevertheless, the banshees, the reaper, the Netherworld, the whole borrowed time thing...it’s all pretty cool, IMO.

Now about this particular installment of the Soul Screamers series...(it might get a little spoilery now but if you have seen my status updates you are already "spoiled" so no need to worry...)

I am so unbelievably pissed off that I really don’t know how to rate this. On the one hand, I should give it 5 stars for making me scream, for making me cry and for basically driving me insane but on the other hand, I should only give it 1 star because of the exact same reasons. That was just a bit too much drama for me. No wait, drama is not the right word. This was torture. I was dragged in so many different directions, emotionally speaking, that I felt like I would tear. Rachel Vincent stretched me to, and beyond my personal breaking point. I went from feeling sorry for Nash, to hating him, to loving him, to wanting to rip his balls off and ending up feeling betrayed, hurt, sad, angry and being totally confused. Same with Kaylee and Tod. Not with Sabine, though. I just plain hate her. She can go drown somewhere for all I care. It’s like Kaylee said. "Nash and I were like the wreckage of two cars that had hit head-on. We were tangled up in each other so thoroughly that I could no longer tell which parts of us were him and which were me. We could probably never be truly untangled – not after what we’d been through together – but I had serious doubts we could ever really recapture what we’d had." The whole situation is such a big stinking mess and it just hurts So.Fucking.Much. And you know what the worst part is? Rachel Vincent took away my hope because I honestly don’t see how Kaylee and Nash will ever make this work again. And I am very unhappy with Rachel because of that.

Now it’s getting really spoilery so stay away if you haven't read the other books!


Alright, I need to get back again to that Tod business. What is all this talk about him and Kaylee ending up together? That’s bullshit, IMO. I mean, he is a reaper, He. Is. Dead., so why on earth would it be better for Kaylee to be with him? Furthermore, he’s losing touch with his humanity. Just look at how differently he’s behaving in this book from how he was behaving in Reaper. He’s becoming less and less human. But back to what’s actually said in the book. What’s all this crap about how Kaylee doesn’t need Nash but Sabine does? What kind of argument is that? Nash LOVES Kaylee and she LOVES him and just because some people think it would be better if they were with someone else instead they should just end their relationship now? Kaylee should just send Nash back to Sabine? What the hell?



It doesn’t work like that! But ok, for the sake of argument let’s say Nash and Sabine really should be together because they both need each other and because they’re equally messed up. So, could someone please explain to me why Kaylee would need Tod? Or Alec, for that matter? She doesn’t need any of the three. This argument is ridiculous. You know, I was pretty pissed off at Kaylee in this book, I think she let Nash down and I hated how she just kept pushing him away and into Sabine’s arms but at the end of the day, I am on her side and first and foremost, I am Team Kaylee. So screw you Nash, screw you Sabine and screw you Tod.

What also annoyed me was how everybody kept using the fact that Nash only gave away memories of his time with Kaylee, to prove that he doesn’t love her all that much. Well, Avari wasn’t interested in any other memories. He specifically asked for those because in the long run, he wanted to hurt Kaylee and I honestly believe that Nash wasn’t aware of the consequences. As he said, he didn’t realize that the memories would be worthless if he couldn’t feel them anymore. The only thing that’s really inexcusable IMO is the fact that he let Avari possess Kaylee on a regular basis.

*sigh* I could go on like this forever but I really need to put this behind me now. I'm already afraid that I need to get therapy because of this book...So, altogether I found this rather unsatisfying and the ending was not worth the torture. This was just too much relationship drama for me.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 or 4.5 stars, I can't decide.

Okay. I'm going to give you some friendly advice, Kaylee, because I like you. I really, really do. But I also want to slap you. Hard.

Yes, your ex-boyfriend did something horrible. Yes, he treated you badly. Yes, he lied, he kept secrets and tried his Influence on you. I get that you are pissed.

But when his hot ex-girlfriend comes into town, and tries every possible way to get into your ex-boyfriend's pants, who you still love like crazy, you just don't sit there and complain about it. Would it hurt to at least try and make things right? To try to forgive him and see what a great guy you have there, just waiting for you? Cause that's exactly what he's doing.

You left him to rot for 2 weeks straight, while he was trying to fight his addiction FOR YOU. He was trying to get better FOR YOU. He was working so damn hard to keep himself together FOR YOU. And what did you do? Right, ignore the shit out of him.

Then the ex pops up, openly declaring a war. And what do you do? You try to hurt Nash as much as possible, you throw back everything in his face AND assume he'll just go back to Sabine. You almost want him to fuck up. I cannot understand why you are trying to push him away when all he's trying to do it get close to you, EVEN WITH SABINE BREATHING DOWN BOTH YOUR NECKS.

It's not like he hasn't have girls lining up to be with him. The fact that he's sticking around, even while he can get some someplace else, SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO PROVE HIS LOYALTY. GOD. GET A CLUE.

It's your turn now, Sabine. You are beyond pathetic. Yes, you didn't have an amazing life. Boohoo. I understand that Nash is the only 'good' thing you've ever had in your life (at least that's so in your delusional mind), but for god's sake, it was just sex. Lots and lots of it, apparently, but still. Your insecurities and your attempts at trying to scare Kaylee away are just hilarious. I reached for the popcorn several times while watching you in action.

And now you, Tod. WTF? Are you that desperate for Kaylee's attention or do you secretly hate your brother that much? GOD. I don't even understand what your deal is. You try to make Kaylee see the nature of the relationship between Nash and Sabine, and then a few chapters later you are telling Kaylee to let Nash go if she really cares about him. I'm really not in the mood to deal with you right now.

And last but not least: Nash. I love you. Never stop being awesome.

The ending was weird, with the puppy-ish things etc. I can't wait to find out their names for some reason XD

[Kat (Lost in Neverland) · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the description:

Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh.


*coughs* Excuse me? Your maybe boyfriend? THE DUDE LET YOU BE POSSESSED BY A DEMON, YOU IDIOT!

Let's set this straight;
All of the things Nash has done to make you break up with him (or at least SHOULD)

1. He lied to you for a month about being high on Demon's Breath
2. He let you be possessed by a demon
3. He had sex with the possessed version of you, claiming that he didn't know it wasn't you, but he really should (and probably did know) have.
4. Acted like a dick the entire month while being high on Demon's Breath, trying to get you to have sex with him, since that's all the bastard wants.

*grabs Kaylee by the shoulders* GET WITH TOD. HE LOVES YOU, AND YOU LOVE HIM, WE'RE ALL A HAPPY DAMN FAMILY.


Actual Review.

I'm just realizing these Soul Screamers books are all following the same plot pattern;

The very beginning of the book consists of Kaylee obsessing over Nash and nothing else matters. Then a problem comes into the picture (in this case, Sabine, Nash's ex-girlfriend shows up and wants Nash back. Kaylee soon finds out Sabine is actually a Maru, literally a Nightmare, a Netherworld creature that feeds off the fear of people in the form of nightmares. When people start dying in their sleep, Kaylee thinks Sabine's behind it) Kaylee tries to solve the problem on her own, she realizes Avari is behind the whole thing (big surprise there) and when she fails to solve it on her own, she tells her dad, who's no help whatsoever. (add some more obsessing over Nash, lots of eating food, and fighting Sabine) They somehow find themselves in the Netherworld, deceive Avari in some way, then they escape and happy ending! (until the next book)



*sigh* Okay, two things I like about the book;

1. Tod. Tod is Tod, and I love him for that.

2. Sabine. Even though she was supposed to be one of the 'bad' characters, I really liked her. She was really cool, and adored getting on Kaylee's nerves, which I loved her even more for. She has a cool 'bad girl' vibe about her, and also a slutty vibe, but that's not entirely who she is.

I don't get why Kaylee can't just give up Nash! You're obviously unsure about it, so why not let Sabine have him? I get it, your pride will be wrecked, and your wittle hawrt won't want to be bwoken! Swallow your damn pride girl, and let Nash go. Tod gave you so many hints that he liked you in this book, and you can't stop fussing over stupid Nash.

Also, why is Kaylee always drinking Coke? Why can't she just drink water?! Whenever someone asks her if she wants something to drink, she says "Just Coke." Or whenever she drinks ANYTHING, it's always fricking Coke. Doesn't she know drinking soda every day increases your risk of getting cancer? And it makes you fat?

Oh, and in the end, when Kaylee gets back together with Nash...

I--just--what--the--I can't--




p.s. I hate Rachel's Vincent's writing style. Hate it. Despise it. I actually have If I Die from the library in my room right now, but I can't stomach another Rachel Vincent book right after reading one. So, I'm going to read Shade instead.

[Isamlq · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kaylee and Nash are in limbo after she breaks up with him. Things shake up when Nash’s NIGHTMARE of an ex, Sabine shows up. Except, *and there’s zero catiness as I type this* Sabine really is a NIGHTMARE.

I’ve finally figured out what made me not like the first two: they read/sounded “young,” granted the books are YA, I just couldn’t connect their “youngish” tone. Basically, The premise was solid, but the writing was not on the mark. BUT Come the third book and now the fourth one, the characters had matured and so had the writing. What really surprised me was the constant weight on my chest present as I read To Steal. It’s definitely edgier and much more relatable:

Sabine. She kicked this series up a couple of notches in my regard too. Now right there is a bitch who knows she’s one. Absolutely no pretense on her part. A little cold blooded but she spiced up the series for me. She is totally different from the villains of old (Aunt Val, The Hellion and Avari,) because she seemed more human. Cool, no?

Nash. If something seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t. And in the first book, he was definitely too good, to be true. I had my doubts about him then, but here, his “I-me-myself” mentality really got to me! And yes, I know there’s no Nash-Kaylee-Todd triangle, but if there was my choice is clear.

Kaylee. She has finally grown a pair. And I loved it. She’s paranoid and really bitchy, but at least she admitted it. In a word: Relatable. She’s no longer the goody-goody bean sidhe doormat trying to save the world, but a girl trying to settle things with her boyfriend. It seems all it takes for me to change my stance from ‘just reading’ to ‘loving’ this series is a relatable main character. I really enjoyed My Soul To Steal.

So, for being edgier, darker; for having a much more relatable MC, To Steal has redeemed this series in my eyes. I officially love the series.

[Mary Books and Cookies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ship it so hard, oh my god what is my life. You know who I'm talking to, people who have read this highly underrated series.

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series just keeps getting better and better and My Soul to Steal is definitely my favorite thus far. The book starts with Nash and Kaylee's relationship in limbo as a result of Nash's addiction to "frost". Kaylee can't come to terms yet after everything that has happened. Enter Sabine, Nash's ex-girlfriend who is literally Kaylee's worst nightmare. Sabine's a "mara", someone who feeds off of other people's fears by way of their bad dreams and Kaylee seems to be #1 on her hit list.

I loved how the story played out. Kaylee's thoughts and emotions were very real. The way she was torn about getting back together with Nash was believable and I liked how resolute she was in making sure of her feelings before even attempting to dive back into a relationship with him. Nash has yet to redeem himself in my eyes although he was working hard to regain Kaylee's trust. The new character, Sabine was straightforward and honest to a fault. She's the type who knows what she wants and will do everything to get it.

And Tod... I absolutely loved Tod! Some think that the shift in his attitude came out of nowhere but I sort of I saw it coming in My Soul to Keep given how furious he was at Nash when he found out about Avari possessing Kaylee and Nash letting it happen. I thought the author did an awesome job with clueing the readers about Tod's feelings without hammering us on the head with it. Rachel Vincent definitely knows how to build anticipation and I'm excited to read about what happens next.

The book was not all teenage angst and drama either. Of course, there's a mystery involving the Netherworld. This part of the story felt a little weird. I don't want to give out details but I don't think a small place would have so much death and chaos and yet people went their merry way. Limbs were being crushed and authorities felt something was awry and yet they chucked it up to teen hormones. What, not even a moment of silence for those who passed away? It was simply unbelievable.

That being said, I still think My Soul to Steal is a very good read. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

MY FAVORITE BOOK IN THE SERIES. :)
WONDERFUL STORY! Bittersweet, heartfelt and very painful! I LOVE IT!

I really like this book compared to the other 3. This one has a lot of emotions that continue to play in and out of my head. It actually bothers me a lot because of how Kaylee keeps on getting hurt. I really really pity her in this book. I mean c'mon! She feels like she's not wanted by the people around her! Feeling unwanted sounds really painful and every time her fears are being described in the book I can't help myself to feel sorry for her.

Another one, Nash. Nash is also hurting. I know, he did some unforgivable things but that doesn't mean he's not sorry. He's saying he loves Kaylee, but how come he gave up his memories of her in the third book? (and other matters that I am not going to mention because it may contain spoilers) However, I can't help myself to shout at Nash, "WHO'S it gonna be Nash!!?? Kaylee or Sabine!?!"

Tod, is a different matter all together. From the first book, I was actually in love with him! gosh I love you Tod! Marry me! :)i want you reaper! i need you! LOL
anyway, he said some things here that really hurt Kaylee, not him hurting her literally, but some of his perspectives regarding Nash, Kaylee and Sabine. I don't know if he's saying that for the sake of his brother, for the sake of Kaylee's emotions or for HIM. (yes, i think it may be his intentions as well...i'm still suspecting here... but i really WISH my suspicions are true. :)
Another matter about Tod, well, I THINK he's having feelings for Kaylee. as in not just a "friend" but in a different level. see here...
***SPOILERS***
****Tod and Kaylee moments.****

(I LOVE THIS!!!!)
His fingers wrapped around mine loosely, then squeezed, and I thought I saw the slightest swirling of colors in his eyes.
My pulse leapt and I blinked, breaking eye contact, then blinked again, confused by what I'd almost seen.
Tod stared at me for just a second longer, then shook his head, and his ironic grin was back.
~~~
(does this mean anything????? i REALLY think it does!)
Kaylee: "Wouldn't you be mad if I told you to give up on someone you love? Just... hand her over to someone who doesn't even deserve her?"
Tod gave me a strange, sad look I couldn't interpret, and the blues in his irises shifted subtlety before he got control on them. "Yes I guess I would."
~~~~
(my favorite part!)
Then strong, warm arms wrapped around me from behind. "I've got you," Tod whispered in my ear, as Avari charged us.

I don't know if these meant anything at all or they are just simple gestures. BUT c'mon!!!! i LOVE THEM TOGETHER!!! :) This book hurt me to much I don't care if Nash ended up with Sabine! :( soooo I'm sticking with TOD! :)
but how can someone have a happy ending with a reaper? hmmmmm.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series has sucked me in... I'm sleep deprived but can't seem to get enough.

How to write a review for Book #4 in the series without spoilers? Not really possible!

If you've read this series and made it through book 3 then you'll likely love this addition to the series. For some reason I'm just pulled into these books. They are NOT clean reads. The first book wasn't too bad but the heat just keeps increasing with each book. In this one Sabine oozes sex, she's sex personified and there is nothing subtle about her actions.

Despite the content which I wish was toned down a little, I haven't felt such emotion while reading a series in years. My emotions were in turmoil while reading this book. Sabine is so awful. I abhor her and yet somehow came to love her to - is such a thing possible? Nash - to love him or hate him? I keep flip-flopping back and forth and it's making me crazy. Add in an evil Netherworld element and it's one wild ride of a story.


Rating: 5 Stars - I Loved It

Content: Once again this book was another step up from the last one. More language, more sex talk, more innuendo.

Source: Audible.com download

[Lani Woodland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this latest installment!
I should start off this review by admitting I’m completely addicted to this series. I checked the first one out of the library on a whim and by the end of chapter one I was hooked (I’ve since gone out and purchased my own copy). I swear the pages of the book are laced with frost or some other Netherworld addictive chemical. If that last sentence didn’t make sense it can only be because you haven’t read the books, and you should fix that immediately.

At the end of the third book, My Soul to Keep, we were left in an emotional limbo with Kaylee having learned some devastating news about things a person close to her let be done to her. So I knew going in this book was going to be full of emotional angst and boy was I right.

My Soul to Steal starts off a few weeks after the end of book three. Kaylee and Nash’s relationship is still in limbo and Kaylee is unsure where things between them are going. In this book Kaylee is stronger and at the same time more vulnerable than ever. Within the past year, not only did she learn who she is and about her heritage, but she has had to deal with some level of betrayal by almost everyone in her life. This could have made her jaded or cynical but instead it made her more cautious, made her think before she leaps and helped her learn to rely on herself. But she isn’t too proud to ask for help. She listens to others’ input, allows for the fact she could be wrong and then forms her own conclusions, even if no one else agrees with her. She has really grown since we met her in book one and I was proud of her.

The Nash we see in this book isn’t the one we met in book one or the one we last saw at the end of book three (Yay for that). The Nash we see here is a little broken. He’s doing his best to find his footing and reclaim his life after the fall-out of book three. My heart went out to him, but I was still hesitant to totally trust him. Despite my hesitancy, the whole time I was crossing my fingers that he and Kaylee would be able to find their way back to each other. Above all I was hoping/praying/rooting that he’d prove himself worthy of her.

I really loved Tod in this book. He’s always been one of my favorite characters and this book was no different. If anything I loved him even more.We also get to learn more about Alec. He was an interesting character and his back story was intriguing. In this book we are introduced to Sabine, Nash’s ex-girlfriend who makes no secret of the fact she wants Nash back. Sabine is Kaylee’s worst nightmare… literally. When I read the blurb about this book and learned of Sabine’s existence I was worried immediately, as I should have been! She is a perfect foil for Kaylee. Sabine was a really complex character and kudos to Rachel Vincent for bringing her to life. I could go from being annoyed by Sabine, to hating her, to feeling a pang of sadness for her within a few sentences. It was amazing.

There is plenty of emotional drama in this book but there is even more fast-paced well-written plot. I had high expectations for this book and Rachel Vincent didn’t disappoint. My Soul to Steal comes out this January. It is a must read for anyone who enjoys this series. And if you haven’t read this series, you really should start. I loved this book and can’t wait for book number five. :)

[Laianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so basically if you're familiar with the series, you know the main characters are Kaylee, Nash, Emma and Tod, and to a lesser extent Kaylee's dad, Nash's mom, Kaylee's cousin Sophie, etc. After Nash's actions in the previous book, Kaylee is -- understandably -- hesitant to trust him for much of My Soul to Steal and her inner turmoil is exploited even more when his ex-girlfriend Sabine comes to town and makes it clear that she'll do anything to get Nash back.

A lot of My Soul to Steal is spent building up tension between Kaylee and Sabine, preparing the reader for a final showdown that is only slightly averted by a matter of greater importance at the end of the book. Sabine was Nash's "first" -- first girlfriend, first love, first person to have sex with -- and for her, he was the only person who ever cared. In the two and a half years since she last saw him, Sabine was alone, being hurdled from foster family to foster family until finally she was able to find him again. Fiercely loyal to their relationship, it seems to Kaylee that she will stop at nothing to get Nash back... And the terrifying nature of her species as a mara, a Nightmare-giver who feeds on fear, only worries Kaylee more.

Nash, on the other hand, claims to see Sabine as only a friend. He will do anything to help and protect her, but goes to great lengths trying to make up with Kaylee, even if it means kicking Sabine out. Unfortunately for him, with Kaylee so indecisive, his two best friends dead and crazy, and his brother Tod avoiding him for his actions in My Soul to Keep , Sabine seems to be the only friend he has left. Indeed, as Tod is quick to point out, Sabine is the only one who can really help Nash fight his addiction, and maybe, just maybe, she is actually better for him than Kaylee could ever be. Perhaps, he suggests, Kaylee should just break it off with Nash now -- she obviously doesn't need him like he needs her, and after all they've been through together, how will they ever be the same after all this anyway?

Oh, Tod. Tod, Tod, Tod.

I know I am not the only Kaylee/Tod shipper after this book, but I for one have been shipping them since the very beginning. So when Tod first said the above, after the initial moment of shock passed, I was elated and eagerly combing the book for more possible hints that he might have feelings for Kaylee... Because besides saving his brother from relapse and giving both Nash and Sabine someone who could make them "whole," as he puts it, wouldn't persuading Kaylee to let Nash go also make Kaylee free to get with him, Tod? Throughout the course of several books, I've loved the reaper for not only his blunt honesty and quirky sense of humor, but also because he's always been consistant in his willingness to do whatever it takes for the people he loves. Addy was the perfect example, but Kaylee is an even better one. I liked seeing Tod save the day more than once in My Soul to Steal and I hope that in future books Kaylee will see this too. And then realize she's totally in love with him. Or something. ;)

My other favourite character, Emma, didn't disappoint though either. Cheerful and cute as ever, she remains ever loyal to her best friend and thankfully seems to sympathize with Kaylee's feelings for Sabine. She reminds me of Willow to Kaylee's Buffy, with Sabine being Faith. She seems indifferent to whether or not Kaylee and Nash actually do get together but she's always there to support her friend, and that's something I love about her.

In addition to the above characters, we also learn a bit more about Alec, this guy Kaylee rescued from Avari in the previous book, and his interactions with Kaylee and her father are priceless and yet very genuine at the same time. For his part, Kaylee's dad worries about her and Alec -- who looks nineteen even though he could really be her parents' age -- for fear that Alec will take advantage of her, so Kaylee makes a point to call Alec "hot" whenever her dad's around. A few situations between the three of them were just strange enough that out of context they might seem extremely kinky... and I like how the author capitalizes this to break some of the tension.

The plot was excellent. I like books that aren't predictable in the traditional way, where the most obvious direction is the one the author takes, and Rachel Vincent did not disappoint! To figure this one out, you had to take into account all of the subliminal clues and even then there are twists and turns along the way. I like how she takes the smart route so that predicting what will happen is possible, but also requires thought. Kaylee was so admirable as the strong girl with conflicting emotions and the risks Ms. Vincent takes with her characters -- just the thought of Nash betraying Kaylee's trust and trying to Influence her into his bed in the last book is something most authors would never dream of -- is such a breath of fresh air. She's human and smart, and that's what I love most about these books. They might seem like simple chick-lit paperbacks, but they're actually extremely well-written and surprisingly clever in their direction.

Overall, I think Rachel Vincent's writing gets better and better with each new installment, and I honestly cannot wait until the fifth book, If I Die, comes out so that I can devour that one as eagerly as I did this.

Five out of five stars. :)

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book felt like pure filler, like it wasn't a novel in and off itself but something meant to bridge between this and the next book. I was bored by a lot of the inaction, which isn't something I've experienced in the series before. I've felt a lot of things about Rachel Vincent's writing and I didn't particularly like the main character in her adult series, but I've never felt quite so blah and bored before.

A new character, Sabine, was introduced with little to no finesse. It felt like Vincent dropped a sack of flour down and decided that was enough, mission accomplished, except the sack of flour was a girl who irritated me to no fucking end. It felt like Vince couldn't move the story forward any other way. Sabine's presence, her back history with Nash, her entire personality -- it all felt way too convenient. Everything about Sabine was designed for DRAMAROAR in the main character's life. It wasn't helped by how the main character felt like Sabine was a punishment from God. Seriously, flat out addressing the randomness and how awful Sabine was just felt like knocking on the fourth wall and playing too the audience. It didn't make Sabine feel more natural which was clearly the purpose.

Even Tod, whom I've liked before, had awkward scenes that felt inserted for relationship drama with no other purpose. He suffered from some personality whiplash in the story, filling whatever role Vincent needed him to fill at that particular moment.

Step one: Tod was on Kaylee's side against his brother for all the horrible, horrible things he did to her.

Step two: Tod notified Kaylee about Sabine's true nature so his brother couldn't lie to her some more/she would be safe.

Step three: Tod drags Kaylee to spy on Sabine and Nash so she can see the true nature of their relationship, seemingly so that she can see their bond wasn't just about sex and him rejecting any sexual overtures she made.

Step four: Tod informs Kaylee that she is destroying Nash's life by not letting him go off and frolic with Sabine because he so clearly belongs with Sabine. He tells her that the shiny and new has worn off her relationship with Nash and she's never going to get it back so she might as well toss him to the literal Nightmare who has plagued her life because that is the loving, caring, and unselfish thing to do! Despite his brother really only wanting a second chance with Kaylee and only getting clean from his drug addiction so he can be with Kaylee. (Tod now feels despite being all of Nash's motivation for getting clean Kaylee is now interfering with his sobriety.)

Either Rachel Vincent slowly destroyed the integrity of Tod's character for the sake of relationship!dramaz or Tod is in love with Kaylee and courting her in a pretty amoral fashion, pretending concern for her and his brother.

The messed up thing is I have NO IDEA which it is. Seriously, flip a mother freaking coin.

This book felt blah, fillery and I think the character integrity was severely damaged in the process. I'll probably stick with the series enough for book five but unless there's a lot more clarity and some fast banking upward I'm checking out of the series and possibly out of Rachel Vincent as a writer.

[Kt · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the start of this book, Kaylee is still "licking her wounds" from the events of the last book. She still loves Nash but for now needs some space to get herself together. She figures she has plenty of time, but then Nash's ex, Sabine shows up. Sabine makes it obvious she wants Nash back and will stop at nothing to get him. She is a mara, literally Kaylee's worst nightmare, so she has an entire arsenal up her sleeve. Kaylee will have to decide whether to step aside or fight for what she wants, and in the end the best girl will win.

When I first read the description for this book I was convinced I would hate Sabine, just because I wouldn't like anyone who could come between Kaylee and Nash. So imagine my surprise when it turns out that I actually like her, a lot. Sure on the outside she may be very manipulative and vindictive, but that's only the surface. Underneath, she is very fragile and has a lot of issues, which considering her past, this is completely understandable. She really loves Nash, and he has been the only constant thing in her entire life so she is convinced that she cannot survive without him. Everything she does to Kaylee, and trust me some of it is nasty, is only because she loves him, not because it's a game to steal Nash from her. I think perhaps in time Sabine could become strong enough to stand on her own two feet and not need Nash so much, but only time will tell.

In this book I was simultaneously proud of and frustrated with Kaylee. She really held to her guns in needing space from Nash and refusing to just jump back into his arms. That took a lot of strength and guts and that is why I was proud of her. However, the reason I was frustrated was that I felt she took the separation to the extreme. She loves him and wants to be with him, but then refused to see him the entire time he was going through withdraw and even longer after that. I just think that if she really wanted him to stay clean, then she needed to help support him, because it only makes it so much harder to resist without love and support. I understand that he did some pretty horrible things, perhaps unforgivable, but the point was that she wanted to forgive him, so she shouldn't have hung him out to dry while he was trying to recover. It's going to be a long bumpy road ahead and I can only hope the two of them will find a way to make it work.

I really enjoyed this book, even more so than the last one. It read very fast and ties things up pretty well. The ending isn't really a cliffhanger, so that is a little relief compared to the cliffhanger of the previous book. I am still very eager to read the next book as things seem to be headed in a very interesting direction. I look forward to more of Sabine, and of course my favorite character, Tod. I can only imagine the trouble that is in store for them and I can't wait to find out how they handle it. The only reason I'm not giving this a perfect rating is due to Kaylee's lack of support for Nash, but otherwise, it was a very good book that I highly recommend.

[Emma Michaels · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book as an overall read in this series is still a tie between My Soul to Save and My Soul to Take but to be honest when it comes to specifically character growth, this book is it. Without getting too spoilery I will just say that I am really proud of Kaylee and to be honest there were a lot of points in this book where her character was put to the test and in my opinion she pulled through. She made hard choices while still staying true to what she knew she wanted and what she felt was right, which can be an extremely hard thing to do, in a plot or real life. She earned my respect and there is a new juicy character on the loose ready to create havoc! Overall, a must read for all Soul Screamer fans and one I am so happy to have gotten my hands on! I am so curious what will happen next!!!!

P.S.- For those of you who have read the series, yes, I am now seriously starting to be team Tod.

[Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have not read book 1- 3, there are possible spoilers-



You have been warned




This book was good. How good? If you took all the paranormal elements out of this book, it would still be a great book!

Without any paranormal elements-
• Girl breaks up with boy because boyfriend lied to her and abused her body to further his addiction to drugs.
• Girl and boy still love each other but major trust issues.
• Along comes ex-girlfriend who sees an opportunity to grab boy back and cause major problems.
• Jealousy, envy, and distrust reign supreme throughout the book.

Now if you add in the paranormal elements, the book is even better.

But hold on…

This book would be an easy 5 star except…

THE STUPID ENDING!

Ok, that is all I’m going to say.

[Annie Brewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gahhhhhhhhhh!! This is getting better and more nervewracking and intense. With what Kaylee has been through with these Netherworld creatures and the evil that has swept through her town, school and home…she’s really becoming a badass. Saving her friends, risking her life for someone she hates…her growth as a main character is really impressing me.

So much has happened in this installment. Lots of heart pumping, edge of your seat drama. I’m really enjoying it. I love watching these characters overcome so many challenges together and face them all head-on. No one is safe. Its just getting so much worse now that that ending happened. Dangers lurk in every direction and it’s only gonna get more dangerous.

But I have to dwell on that scene with our girl Kay and Tod. Yessssss!! Yes yes yessss!! I need more of it. Like way more. It was a small glimpse of what’s to come. But. Omg. I. Love. Him!!!!

Onto the next one tomorrow.

I love this series and so glad I jumped back into it after so many years. Ahhhhh!!

[The Flooze · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to hand it to Rachel Vincent - she's got teen angst down pat, and My Soul to Steal is brimming with it. Kaylee is finding drama at every turn, and that's not taking into account interference from the Netherworld.

As the blurb says, Kaylee and Nash are already struggling to determine their future when in swoops Nash's ex.

Sabine, first introduced in the novella Reaper (not required reading), is troubled to say the least. She's a tough-talking, creepy girl. From her long black hair to her fixation on sex and viciously blunt nature, she bears a startling resemblance to Faith from Buffy. As with Faith, I didn't particularly like her. However, she serves as a great comparison to Kaylee whose goody-two-shoes attitude can get boring.

As Kaylee tries to keep Sabine away from Nash, she's also dealing with horrors of a different kind. Chaos has errupted at her school. Teachers are dropping like flies. Alec is having trouble adjusting to the real world. There are problems everywhere. I liked this, especially compared to the previous book where the plot took far too long to get moving. Here, we have action from the get-go and Vincent does a pretty good job balancing it all.

I was also thankful that the foreshadowing tidbits were not clue-by-fours this time round. There were plenty of hints, but it was plausible that the characters wouldn't pick up on them right away. Also, although I guessed certain aspects of the plot from early on, there were still some surprises in store.

Finally, my usual complaint - I want Tod to get more page time! He's so amusing, practical, and crush-worthy that Nash pales by comparison. Perhaps it's that his snark and not-so-alive status lend him a more mature attitude, appealing to my aged self? Whatever it is, I love him.

I have no idea what the next book will bring, but this installment was diverting enough that I'll definitely continue with the series.

P.S. Back to the Buffy comment. So if Sabine is Faith, that makes Kaylee Buffy. Which fits quite nicely with her moralizing martyrdom. Too bad she doesn't use puns. Nash is obviously Angel, because of the hero complex. Tod - he's dead, a smartass, very blonde, tends to do the right things but in the wrong manner, and I love him...ohhh, who could he be? Sophie is obviously early Cordie...

Am I alone in seeing the personality parallels?

[Savannah (Books With Bite) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never been so pissed off while reading a book. Sometimes I get mad and then get over it. But after reading this book I was mad for days!!


Kaylee is struggling with trust. Trust that has been broken takes time to be repaired, but not in Nash's case. Instead his ex-girlfriend comes in to town making it all to easy for him to fall into another arms. Kaylee is pressured with all kinds of circumstances and is now fighting for a guy.


Let me just say I love Kaylee. She has always been such a great character that has grown immensely before my eyes. But in this book she is nothing but weak! Instead of putting her foot down and putting Nash in his place she always allows him to control her. She's already giving him a second chance and now he says he whats it this way and she does it! OMG! I was furious. Strong Kaylee is not so strong anymore.


And don't get me started on Sabine and Tod! They are both are on my crap list. It is one thing to go after something you want but boy did she fight dirty. And Tod asked Kaylee to do something that I never thought he asked. How could he??? Does everyone want Kaylee to give up everything for everyone? What about her? Does anyone care to ask what she wants? Kaylee has done nothing but rescue everyone no matter the circumstances. Isn't it time someone rescue her?


Ok, rant over.


This book is one hundred percent so freaking awesome! If you have not read this series, you most definitely should. This is one series that you could not put down. EVER! With every new book, Ms.Vincent writes it even more exciting, more intensity, and much more fun. She knows exactly how to bring her characters to life with zeal and strength. I love every minute of reading it. But be forewarned it will take you on one emotional roller coaster!

[Bookaholic (reads every mortal thing) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - I am going to keep this review very short and vague.

I am not a fan of female love triangles. Too much drama. But I still tried this and I am glad.

Dont get me wrong, there is a lot of 'He is MY soulmate' between Sabine and Kaylee. But unlike other books, Sabine actually has a reason for wanting back Nash. I think Kaylee should just give him up, for Sabine's and Nash's sake and Tod had made a very good speech on why she should.

But The biggest surprise in this book was Nash. In the earlier books, Nash made my blood boil with rage, anger, frustration and you name it. But I actually liked Nash in this book. I think I like Nash as an individual rather than Kaylee's boyfriend.

Even Sabine was cool. People hate her, but I really like her. I dont know why, dont ask.

The only thing that pissed me was the whole 'I want Nash' 'Nash is mine' fight between Kaylee and Sabine. Seriously. But I really enjoyed this book, so If you're a fan other the former books in this series, you'll enjoy this one.

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

*1.75/5 to much-drama-llamas stars*

“Can we save the live demo for later, please? Bean Sidhe in angst, here.” <-- Yeah, which most of this book is about. So far, this is actually the weakest point of this series.

I don't have much to say about this book, so I'll keep this short. Despite my lower rating, I do quite enjoy Soul Screamers series, and 'it was ok' fits well this particular book.
The world-building of this series is very unique for paranormal - you won't find any vampires, werewolves of witches here. Rachel Vincent plays with some entirely new species and paranormal creatures that 'aren't in the trend'. Our main heroine is a Banshee, the following cast also includes Grim Reaper, walking Nightmare of a girl and half demon. It's possibly one of the most creative paranormal series I've ever read. And each book includes very intriguing twists and paranormal mysteries for our main cast to solve. Every book is very quick and addictive ride from the beggining till the end.
The writing-style fits the main heroine well and she actually even sounds her age, not like these Yoda wise teens we all have read about from time to time. She's intelligent and responsible, yet still a teen and way too naive and insecure in some ways. Especially when it comes to romantic relationships.
And that is one of the things that really started to annoy me ever since book three - Her relationship with Nash. (Well, I never really shipped her with Nash, so I'm not so disappointed with the fact that their little relationship is in the ruins now.) I get why the author wrote this romance the way she did, and I also understand that the MC is young, insecure and naive, sometimes way too patient and forgiving, but.. I simply cannot stand that guy. It's not even their relationship that annoys me, because I can see now where it's heading and what the author wants to show us, no, it's his character I hate. And I have to say that Sabin, his ex really does fit his character better than the MC, because they are both pretty much messed up.
The main heroine Kaylee is actually pretty likeable MC. She's strong, yet not kick-ass, she's mature yet not entirely, I love that she's just a human being - imperfect, and relatable. One of the things that I've also noticed is the fact that she does pretty much grow (in baby steps) throughout the series. She's more independent, capable to take care of herself more now (less damsel in distress) and I really hope I'll see her mature even more so! I love her slow character development. Another slowly developing thing I've noticed is her relationship with Tod.
I loved that guy from the very beginning, he's actually my favourite character in this series, and I ship him so, so much with Kaylee! There's no instalove there (like the huge instalove that was with Nash), and even now the heroine is practically blind to his showing feelings toward her. But one can hope that she will actually dump Nash for good and finally see the amazing guy standing right next to her. One can hope. *Crosses fingers.*

“Wouldn't you be mad if I told you to give up on someone you cared about? Just... hand her over to someone who doesn't even deserve her?"
Tod gave me a strange, sad look I couldn't interpret, and the blues in his irises shifted subtly for a moment before he got control of them. "Yeah. I guess I would.”

On the last note: The feel of the romance really reminds me of The Vampire Diaries. (The Tv show, of course, not the terribly unreadable books.)

Nash is not like Stefan, exactly. (He's much, much more annoying, kind of a mess. And I have to confess, I liked Stefan once upon a time.) But he does have Stefan's protective streak. The need to protect the one he loves.
Tod also reminds me of Damon a bit. Except for their looks (which are polar opposites), they are really similar in some ways, Tod is like a less bad-BAD-boy version of Damon.

It's the two different relationships that reminds me of TVD the most. The feel of the romance is pretty much similar to the show. The heroine fell in love with Nash when she was just beginning to know herself, her abilities and the hidden paranormal world. He introducted her to it. (How original, I know!) She needed protection, Nash needed someone to protect.
But then things happened, the heroine matured and grew up a little along the way. Got stronger and was able to protect herself (and others) without a guy. She no longer really needed him, she changed. He didn't.
Yet, Kaylee is still trying to salvage their crumbling relationship and it's just not worth it anymore. And that's where I'm hoping the next book will slowly change. Show readers for once that not every very first boyfriend will always be the one a girl will necessarily end up with, that first love doesn't have to be the last one, that the second love is sometimes stronger and more stable than the first. That sometimes, when the relationship becomes unhealthy for both of them, it's better to let go. When the heroine realizes that, hopefully, I will be there waiting for our Soul Screamers better version of Damon to emerge.. Who am I kidding, I already am! So yeah, strong TVD dynamics right there.

P.S. I love this, and 100% agree with Tod on this one -

“Kay, you and Nash are no good for each other,” Tod said. I tried to interrupt, but he spoke over my inarticulate mumble. “You know it, even if you won’t admit it. He needs you, but you don’t need him.”
“That’s not true.” I shook my head, emphasizing my denial. “I do need him. I needed him last night.”
“No, you didn’t. He said that by the time he got there, you’d already expelled the hellion, tied up the host, and cut your dad loose, all by yourself. You’re so strong, and smart, and you never hesitate when something needs to be done, and that’s all… amazing.” Tod’s irises sparked with a sharp twist of bright blue before going suddenly still. “But Nash needs to be needed. You both want each other—even a dead man could see that—but you’ve changed, and he has nothing to offer you anymore, and eventually you’re going to realize that on your own. But probably not before you’ve wasted years of your life—and his—with the wrong guy.”

My words exactly.

“Then strong, warm arms wrapped around me from behind. "I've got you," Tod whispered in my ear.”

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachel Vincent does it again and knocks another book awesome book out. My Soul to Steal is just as good as everyone says. Filled with raw emotions, a demon out to kill and a love triangle that will leave your heart torn and it’s definitely not one to miss.

This time around we see Kaylee and Nash going through their break up. Even though they’ve broken up, Kaylee is still unsure whether to get back with Nash because she doesn’t know if she can forgive and forget. When Nash’s ex-girlfriend; Sabine moves to their school, she makes it’s pretty clear she wants Nash back and she’s willing to play dirty to get him. As Kaylee tries to battle with the ex-girlfriend, teachers at her school start dying and Sabine is her number one suspect. Why? Because she’s a Mara, a person that feeds of other peoples nightmares and she’ll happily feed off anyone, including Kaylee.

I really enjoyed this book as much as My Soul to Keep which was an emotional ride but boy was this an emotional book too. With Sabine’s arrival we see Kaylee’s jealous side as well as see how mean Sabine really is. Sparks literally fly off the pages with their heated conversations. Not only that, but Avari is back and as dangerous as ever. He’s found a way to possess the people around Kaylee that she loves and she’s fighting to see who she can trust but it was good to see her fighting back.

Our characters; Kaylee – she’s very rash and very erratic in this book mainly because she’s threatened by the arrival of Sabine. She instantly starts questioning whether to take Nash back even though she knows she can’t trust him. I have to say, I was quite annoyed with her. She just kept going back and forth and I just wanted her to make her mind up. Not only that I felt she was actually pretty mean to Nash in this book. Everything Sabine did to annoy her, she had a go at Nash about so I was pretty glad in the end he stuck up for himself and of course, I’m glad the end of the novel shows a little hope for us Nash and Kaylee fans.

Nash – I really wish people would give him a break. Yes, he lied to everyone in My Soul to Keep but not on purpose. It wasn’t his fault that everything happened the way it happened and he probably should have confided in Kaylee to start with but he’s finally starting to progress in getting better. He’s trying to get life back on track and neither Kaylee nor Tod help him but with Sabine back he finally feels like he has a friend and although she is trying to win him back, he continues to turn her down and for that – showing how much strength he has and is willing to turn away his one friend in his time of need, makes me love him that much more. I <3 him!

Tod – I was a little disappointed he didn’t have more time in this book and after all the rumours I’ve heard I was expecting more Kaylee and Tod time. However, that Reaper sure did ANNOY me when he was telling Kaylee to let Nash go so he could go and be with Sabine. Did he have an alternative motive? Maybe? But it certainly didn’t show in this book…..maybe the next one.

Sabine – Wow, how mean can one girl be? She seriously knocked Kaylee’s confidence in this novel and it makes me really dislike her. I understand she wants Nash back but that was seriously some low blows. I seriously don’t want to see her end up with Nash!!!!!!

Alec & Emma – I loved that they got some more time this time around. It was nice to be able to connect with them that much more and does anyone else think they’d make a great couple? I do!

Overall, My Soul to Steal was a great page turner, one to will definitely keep you on your toes and I cannot wait to continue Kaylee’s journey with If I Die.

[Avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be frustrating, that is not to say that it was bad by any means, it was great and tied as the best book in the series, but just some of the characters frustrated me.

First off? Nash. In my review of the previous book in this series I stated that I did enjoy seeing Nash knocked down a few notches, it made him seem more human(ish) and not the stereotypical popular pretty boy jock that he seemed to be in the first two books- but in this book? He was as sad as a puppy that got kicked. I understand that in the recovery process he was experiencing a hard time, was depressed and everything, but I just felt like he really played that up, trying to make Kaylee feel extremely bad for him and guilty for breaking up with him. Kaylee had every right to break up with him- simply put he betrayed her and I don't think he deserves her forgiveness. And the whole Sabine situation? Well buddy, you are trying to earn your ex-girlfriends trust again so that she will once again be your girlfriend- WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU THINKING, HANGING OUT AT ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT WITH YOUR EX-EX-GIRLFRIEND WHO EX-GIRLFRIEND WILL OBVIOUSLY BE JEALOUS OF?!? THAT IS NO WAY TO EARN EX-GIRLFRIENDS TRUST/ SHE WILL OBVIOUSLY NOT COME RUNNING BACK TO YOU... Pfew, now that that is off my chest...

As for Kaylee? I must say that I was extremely proud of Kaylee for the majority of this book. She stuck to her guns and didn't go running back to Nash as soon as he apologized to her. But I am frustrated with the fact that she was unable to give Nash up overall. I think that Tod made some extremely valid points about Sabine and Nash being better for one another than her and Nash being together. I don't think that either Kaylee nor Nash can live up to their full potential if they stay in their relationship. And I might be the only one out there but... I really want to see Tod and Kaylee together! Or heck, I will even take Alec and Kaylee together (but more so Tod and Kaylee)! And Sabine? Though I found her to be frustrating with all of her sluttiness/ boyfriend-stealer-ish behavior, I didn't hate her. She was dealt such a crappy hand in life- it's kinda like she won the worst possible lottery, being the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, and as such becoming a literal nightmare- or mara. As I mentioned previously, I really would like to see her and Nash together, because as Tod explained both her and Nash are broken in a sense, and together they could become a whole- and I believe that she really does deserve happiness.

I thought that it was great seeing Emma grow even more so in this book/ really come to terms with the crazy world that she was thrust into. Also, I loved learning more about Alec. He is such an intriguing character and I really cannot wait to see what role he will play in "If I Die"- plus all of the banter between him and Kaylee with her always calling him "hot" despite his physical age versus mental age, in front of her dad? Hilarious.As for Avari? Stay in the Netherworld you friggin' hellion and stop trying to destroy everyone's life!

All in all? Rachel is clearly bettering herself as an author with each of the books in this series, therefore I cannot wait to see what "If I Die" has in store for us.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, I gave it 4 stars and that's how I feel but this is a mixed review.

First, the good stuff. Rachel Vincent does a great job of twisting and turning the plot. She is an incredibly talented writer. I am good at guessing the ending and she had me fooled. All her great characters were back, main and supporting. I love Em and Tod. They are complex characters that add a lot to the story. Of course there was Kaylee and Nash but we learned more about Alec from the last book. His character was interesting. I was always trying to decide if he was honestly with Kaylee or against her (all those twists I was talking about). The new character was Sabine, Nash's ex who just happens to be a living breathing nightmare AND she wants Nash back. Needless to say Kaylee and Sabine don't get along very well. Okay, I'm understating that a bit.

And second, here was my personal frustration. I want to say that this is my reaction and may not be the same anyone else. At the end of book 3, Nash was broken. I have been around people I love that are broken by something and I would never cut them loose but that is exactly what Kaylee does. She is no support to Nash at all even though he has been there for her in the past. Kaylee's anger at Nash is totally understandable but people who love each there help each other even when things aren't perfect. Kaylee goes two weeks without even calling to see if Nash is okay. These two weeks happen to be the time his is sick trying to get clean. The first time she sees him, its from his efforts and she isn't happy about it. Let me give this spoiler. Nash is clean in this book. He tries hard to win Kaylee back and she continues to push him away even with Sabine trying to get him. I lost a lot of my emotional connection with Kaylee because of this. She deserves to lose Nash even though I'm still mad at Tod. (You will understand when you read it.)

Of course I enjoyed the book a lot and am excited to hear there will be another one, "If I die". I'm also excited to have the novella "Reaper" coming out 12/1/10. I love Tod's character and can't wait to learn more about him. I hope that Kaylee does some soul searching (no pun intended there) and realizes that people deserve second chances. AND that you can't spend you life not trusting anyone.

Thanks for the great read Rachel Vincent!

[Imani · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lame. I only had to read the first chapter. Then skipped to the middle of the book and skim read until the end and I didn't miss a thing because what happened in the beginning of the book is explained in the 2nd half anyway.

I couldn't stand to read it because I was so sure Kaylee was done with Nash in the previous book but here she was so possessive of him only because his ex-gf wanted him. Even though we KNOW she should've been permanently done with him here. She should've graciously let Sabine have Nash; why keep him after everything he's done? She obviously couldn't trust him. So this clingy thing she had going on was just super annoying.

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It didn't take me long to remember why I love this series and to want to smack myself for not completing it sooner. I love Kaylee, Nash, Emma, and Tod! I can't wait to jump right into book five for more!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel Vincent has done it again with another awesome addition to the Soul Screamers series. My Soul to Steal was an emotional rollercoaster, with more angst than the other books, I think. Poor Kaylee just can't catch a break.

I'll start by saying, that for those of you who have read the backcover blurb- it's not completely accurate. Sabine is not after Kaylee's soul. Her boyfriend, heck yes, but not her soul.

Sabine is Nash's ex, and I don't even know where to begin with her. I can't say much about her without giving away spoilers, but she's a mara, which is common knowledge for those who have read the story "Fearless" in the Kiss Me Deadly anthology (go read it, it's an awesome story that features Sabine and Nash!). A mara is literally a person's worst Nightmare. She feeds on the fears of others while they sleep. Pretty freaky, right? She's not a girl to make an enemy of. Her personality is very interesting, though. One minute I'm hating her guts, the next I'm sort of feeling sorry for her. She is an incredibly frustrating character, but she has alot of potential. She does have a vulnerable side, and if her and Kaylee weren't competing over Nash, they could probably be friends. She's so different from Kaylee, which is why it was so fun to see the two of them interact.

On to Nash. I started this book with one thought when it came to Nash, and it was "He'd better find a way to redeem himself." I like him and Kaylee together, but after what happened between them, I think he had alot of work to do to get Kaylee back. And it's clear that he wants her back, but since Kaylee continuously pushes him away, the only other person for him to talk to is Sabine. I did feel sorry for him in this book because it shows that he's very sorry about what happened, and he's really struggling with getting over his addiction. There were times where I was just plain frustrated with him, and I kind of wish there was more progress in his and Kaylee's relationship in this book, but I still think they make a good couple.

As for Kaylee, I really felt for her. She's been betrayed and lied to, and now she's more hesitant about who she can trust. Sabine gave her a pretty hard time, but I think Kaylee handled things well most of the time. Tod was also back, and I really like him. He's done some things that have pissed me off in the previous books, but I can't help but love him. I'm very curious though, as to what's going through his head. There were moments where the reader can tell there's something going through his mind that he's not saying aloud, and I really want to know what that is! We also get to learn more about Alec, as well, and find out about his past.

Besides all the drama that's going on in the book, there's also trouble from the Netherworld. Avari still hasn't given up his evil plans. Teachers start dying, and though it looks like their deaths were natural, Kaylee is not convinced. Students start acting out, and chaos ensues. It becomes imperative for her and the others to find out what's going on before more people get hurt.

Overall, My Soul to Steal was a well-written, fast-paced book with lots of angst, romance, suspense, and action. I'm really looking forward to If I Die, the next book in the series.

Thanks to @NetGalley!

[Hannah ⚔️ Jaedia]

My Soul to Steal is bloody awesome. No, really. It took me a while to get back to reading this series but when I finally picked up My Soul to Steal I could not put it down.

Rachel Vincent introduces a new character into the fray in My Soul to Steal, Sabine. A living nightmare. Literally. And Nash’s ex-girlfriend. Just what Kaylee needs when she’s trying to overcome her and Nash’s problems from My Soul to Keep, right? Wrong. Sabine is one of those characters that you love to hate. She’s so… UGH! Frustrating. She’s a single-minded girl, which isn’t always a good thing, and she’s most certainly not afraid of hurting people in getting what she wants if they get in her way and she really makes me want to slap her something silly. And the fact that Nash spends so much time with her when Kaylee is clearly uncomfortable with this and he is trying to get her back.. well.. *facepalm* The boy’s an idiot. What can I say. After only a couple of weeks, Sabine and Nash expect Kaylee to go back to trusting and loving Nash, or to leave him. Relationships are not that simple and Kaylee has definitely not had enough time or space to forgive Nash.

Rant Warning. I’ve read a lot since my review of My Soul to Keep from people who really like Nash and can’t understand why people don’t like him and I have to reiterate my feelings on this. He had sex with Kaylee when a hellion was possessing Kaylee’s body and she had no control over herself or her actions and no knowledge that she was anything but asleep, and a part of him knew that, he was just too high to care. He tried to influence her into having sex with him when she wasn’t ready and not consenting. When she shook it off and told him no, he insulted her. In what twisted world is that okay? If somebody is not consenting to sex, it is rape. You can’t blame Kaylee for his Frost addiction, she made a mistake, a horrible one, yes, but she hardly held him down and released Demon’s Breath in his face, did she? It wasn’t her fault, and there’s really no excuse for what Nash did. It’s up to her if she chooses to forgive him, but she’s struggling with that and I 100% understand why she struggles to trust him. Perhaps she should have visited him when he was coming off Frost, but it’s understandable why she’s so uncomfortable after the things he did to her and the way he treated her. Rant Over.

Saying all of that, I love that the Soul Screamers series has me thinking so much about the characters, their relationships and how they deal with everything. I love that it makes me feel so passionately. Rachel Vincent has done an amazing job of creating three dimensional characters that you care about and you hate and hell, at times, I don’t mind Sabine. I want Kaylee to be okay, and Emma, and Tod, and even Nash, because they aren’t perfect. It’s so hard to create characters with imperfections that readers still care about and Ms. Vincent has done this perfectly.

Seriously, why hasn’t Soul Screamers been optioned for the screen yet? Can you imagine the Netherworld on the big screen or even the little one? It would be amazing.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the end of My Soul to Keep, the relationship between Kaylee and Nash was in limbo. My Soul to Steal opens with Nash recovering but guilt-ridden, Kaylee not quite ready to forgive him, and Nash’s ex-girlfriend Sabine arriving on the scene. Nash and Sabine had an intense relationship two years ago but parted without closure after Tod’s death. Now, Sabine is determined to take advantage of the rift between Nash and Kaylee, and take Nash back for herself.

Oh, and Sabine is a mara, or Nightmare, who feeds by giving people horrible dreams and soaking up their fears. When Kaylee learns this, she’s sure Sabine is behind a new string of tragedies at their high school. The truth, however, may be worse still…

My Soul to Steal is literally painful to read at times. If you’ve been following Kaylee, it hurts to see the way she’s treated here, and to see the way this strong character is manipulated into doubting herself. I can’t say I ever really liked Nash, and in My Soul to Keep he messed up severely — and he doesn’t do much to redeem himself here. It’s not so much that he’s attracted to Sabine. I get why he’d have conflicting feelings. It’s the way it takes far too long for him to stick up for Kaylee in any meaningful way against Sabine’s bullying and manipulation. Tod has a huge agenda, but he’s right. Kaylee and Nash don’t belong together. I will retroactively like this book better if it’s the precursor to Nash not turning out to be Kaylee’s eventual love interest — and I will retroactively like it less if it leads to a mushy happy ending between the two. I’m not sure Rachel Vincent could make me “buy” a mushy happy ending for this couple at this point.

But enough about the romance. There’s another plotline here, though the structure of my review reflects the relative prominence of the two plots pretty accurately. If I have a gripe about My Soul to Steal, it’s that the balance is off. The romantic triangle drowns out the “evil forces invading the high school” story a bit too much. As wrenching as the love story is, I can’t help but think that what happens to some of Kaylee’s teachers and classmates is worse, and more irrevocable, and could have used more development. When this plotline does move to the front burner, though, it’s terrifying and well executed. It’s always enjoyable — in a creepy sort of way — to travel to the Netherworld and see what horrors Vincent has cooked up for Kaylee and for us.

While My Soul to Steal isn’t the strongest of the SOUL SCREAMERS books — so far I’d have to grant that title to Keep — this is still one of the better young adult paranormal series out there. Vincent gives us intense emotion, plenty of scares, and a wonderful heroine to follow. I can’t wait for book five, which will be titled If I Die.

Fantasy Literature's Rachel Vincent page

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book picks up about two weeks after Kaylee walked out on Nash, and left things in limbo. Nash is now clean and is looking to make amends with Kaylee. He still loves her and wants to be together. I admire Kaylee for not just jumping back into a relationship with Nash. She's conflicted and feels betrayed, and no longer knows how to trust because Nash was just the biggest and most recent betrayal of her trust.

Kaylee figures she and Nash will have time to work things out, and if and when their ready to try again it will just happen. This plan gets derailed when Nash's ex-girlfriend Sabine shows up and she wants Nash back in a big way. Because Sabine wasn't just any girlfriend she was Nash's first everything. Sabine is also a mara (a living NIGHTMARE) so she knows Nash's supernatural side as well.

This book was more about the personal aspects of each characters lives. It only had action and very little of it towards the end. This book was more about the drama of Kaylee's love life. Who should she be with? Is Nash right for her or is she supposed to be with someone else? And will Sabine ultimately take Nash away before Kaylee can make a decision about wanting to be with him or not? All these things are asked in this book but only some get answered.

I didn't particularly care for Sabine because she made it known right away she was after Nash and wasn't going to pull and punches but she was completely ruthless about it. She hurt Nash by doing these things to Kaylee, and didn't really seem to care. She claims she loves him (it was more like she needed him to me, and not in a healthy way)but she never listens to him and does things her own way everytime. I don't understand how Nash just kept forgiving Sabine each time she messed with Kaylee even after she had promised Nash she wouldn't. I think the Nash has grown since he has known Sabine but she hasn't.

Something else that didn't make this book amazing to me was too many people were telling Kaylee that her and Nash aren't right for each other. I personally love her and Nash so I am a little biased I know, but it got to the point where so many people were saying it I couldn't really tell if that was what Kaylee wanted anymore. I think Kaylee and Nash are good for each other because they both want to be with each other and they balance each other well. Nash relies on Kaylee's strength and support, and Kaylee relies on Nash's love and help (his perspective, he always reins her in if she goes too far). Whereas Nash and Sabine's relationship was completely unhealthy in my opinion. I didn't like how one character said Nash needs to be needed and Sabine and him are right for each other.

I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book, and see these loose ends tied up. I really hope Kaylee and Nash can work through their issues, and I really hope Sabine leaves I don't like her.

[TarynXO · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow. I don't even really know what to say right now. My mind is in a million places at once and I don't even know where to begin. First of all, im pissed. Pissed off in the fact that my life has been a huge hectic piece of crap. I'm in the middle of moving and all I wanted to do was sit in my huge ass comfy chair and read until my eyes burned. But no!! I need to process this for a bit before I really review.. so um yeah, to be continued?

Updated
Alright! So im officially moved in and somewhat settled in. So now I can finally review this book properly. Where to start. Kaylee and Nash, ugh why am I getting extremely annoyed with these two. I get they went through this big demon breath thing, but come one Kaylee even you are far from perfect. Was it only me, but it not seem like Kaylee had a coke in her hand like 24/7? Every time she was having a conversation or trying to stay awake she was constantly drinking one. She's all worried about Nash getting over his Demon Breath addiction when it seem she was addicted to Coke. I get she was trying to stay awake but really? Hmmm now to talk more about the plot itself.

Sabine, the kind of girl we all love to hate. Why did I like her most times and completely hated her the rest? Oh right, she spoke the truth, every time. Not once did she not say something to Kaylee that wasn't true. It was like she would say exactly what everyone else was scared to say. Although, I will give Kaylee credit that she said some pretty truthful things back to her. Then when I hated her, she reminded me exactly of the attention whores in high school. Actions that were completely unnecessary on her part. But, this made her character keep this whole book pretty damn entertaining. I actually felt the pangs of jealously every time she was around Nash and said those sexual innuendos about him. As if Nash was my boyfriend.

Then comes Alec, I like this new character, he actually put a different twist into this book which I was really happy with. For once I liked having two different things happening during the story where eventually they all come together at the end. Why do I have a feeling that Alec and Emma have some secret chemistry there? In a way, I kinda like it!!

Tod. Tod Tod Tod. He was not in this book enough. I actually found myself missing him when he wasn't around. Then in the small moments when he would finally "pop" up I felt like a little school girl all giddy that he was there. Now I know most of you know what happens in the rest of the series but I,m loving him more and more.

Now I guess I should only continue. Why do I feel like I have to prepare myself for complete heartbreak? :( probably cause I do......

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rated this book a 3, although maybe it would have been more of a 3.5 if this system would allow half stars.

I really love this series so far and I think I gave the first three books 5, 4 and 4 stars respectively, despite the obvious flaws, and some frustration in my inability to relate to the main character. I stand by my statement in my review of the first book that these books are just plain fun! Anyone who likes YA Paranormal Romance will like the Soul Screamers series.

Now on to why I rated this one a little lower. It's because I have young daughters. That sounds random but there was some big frustration with the direction things were going at the end of book 2 and more specifically how the character handled the problems in book 3.

At the end of book 2 Kaylee finds out that while she was possessed by the hellion (which Nash didn't tell her about and maybe never would have until she found out on her own) Nash also felt her up. We are talking a good solid third base and leading off toward home kind of thing! To add insult to injury (or rape as I would call it, since performing any sexual act on someone who is not conscious, is, in fact, rape. Yes, I know he was not aware that she was not conscious, but he did figure it out eventually - and then STILL didn't tell her - AND made her feel bad about not putting out.) he also sold his memories of her.

I applauded the author for having Kaylee walk away from him and be super pissed off at the end of book 2, however I understood her mourning the relationship, as I had been really rooting for those two banshees! I wasn't sure how they could continue, because in my world, what Nash did was unforgivable, and if it were me or one of my daughters who that happened to, I would have beaten the crap out of the boy.

Spoilers ahead...

So in this book Kaylee is trying to forgive Nash, which already makes me mad, but what is worse is that this book almost immediately launches into several characters making Kaylee feel guilty for not immediately forgiving Nash, and for not holding Nash's hand through his withdrawl, and for not having sex with him and basically for existing! This was not OK, and I spent the first two thirds of this book IRATE with every single character, including Kaylee (for being so indecisive, and because I would have thrown a lot more punches if I were her) and with the author.

Anyways, without ruining too much, I think that I will continue on to the next and try to be patient and hope that the next book shows our main girl, Kaylee, coming through with a little more spine and a little less 'woah-is-me, it's so hard to save the world. Boohoo." attitude!