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Soul Screamers #7
With All My Soul
What does it mean when your school is voted the most dangerous in America? It's time to kick some hellion butt...
After not really surviving her junior year (does "undead" count as survival?), Kaylee Cavanaugh has vowed to take back her school from the hellions causing all the trouble. She's going to find a way to turn the incarnations of Avarice, Envy and Vanity against one another in order to protect her friends and finish this war, once and forever.
But then she meets Wrath and understands that she's closer to the edge than she's ever been. And when one more person close to her is taken, Kaylee realizes she can't save everyone she loves without risking everything she has....
After not really surviving her junior year (does "undead" count as survival?), Kaylee Cavanaugh has vowed to take back her school from the hellions causing all the trouble. She's going to find a way to turn the incarnations of Avarice, Envy and Vanity against one another in order to protect her friends and finish this war, once and forever.
But then she meets Wrath and understands that she's closer to the edge than she's ever been. And when one more person close to her is taken, Kaylee realizes she can't save everyone she loves without risking everything she has....
377 pages, Paperback
First published March 19, 2013
112 people are currently reading
10722 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Vincent
66 books9,785 followers[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.
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.
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March 25, 2013
So here it is: the conclusion of yet another of my favorite series. Did all the YA writers get together to plot to torture us in 2013?
No spoilers below, even if you haven't started the series yet.
My favorite thing about Soul Screamers: Kaylee has grown so much over the course of these books. As a bean sidthe, or banshee who calls souls of the dead, she started out somewhat naive and unsure of herself, but grew into a strong, admirable young woman. She makes huge sacrifices for her friends and family, but has stayed somebody you'd still want to invite over for popcorn and a movie. 'Cause you know she'd eat some to be polite, even if she doesn't...feel like it.
Other things about the series that are done well: strong family bonds. (Aren't you tired of absent parents or parents who just don't "get" their teens and are nothing more than annoying roadblocks to a good time?) Well-defined secondary characters, many of whom have their own interesting story arcs. Mythology that is well thought out, with cool soul-calling and blood-letting. Humorous dialogue. Emotional turmoil handled in a reasonable way. Realistic depictions of how relationships with friends and exes change, with both anger and sadness. A love triangle that doesn't make you want to kill everyone involved. Sex handled in a way that is tender and funny and true. Cute, cute boyfriend. Swoony ice cream kisses.
I still loathe Sabine, though. And I wasn't a huge fan of the plot line with Emma that continues on through this book, nor of a certain baby/soul subplot. And unlike in the last two spectacular Soul Screamers books, I was frustrated with Kaylee several times because she kept making all these decisions that were clearly going to lead to no good and hurt people, even if they were made with the best of intentions. But props to the author for handling emotional responsibility and consequence in a way that felt satisfying, even if I didn't necessarily enjoy some of the things that happened.
Overall, With All My Soul offers exactly what you'd want in a series ender: high stakes, heightened romance and feeling, unexpected plot developments, and satisfying emotional resolution. I'll miss having a Soul Screamers book to look forward to in coming years, but I'm happy with how Kaylee's story ended. Fingers crossed we'll get a new YA series from this author soon, too!
This review also appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
No spoilers below, even if you haven't started the series yet.
My favorite thing about Soul Screamers: Kaylee has grown so much over the course of these books. As a bean sidthe, or banshee who calls souls of the dead, she started out somewhat naive and unsure of herself, but grew into a strong, admirable young woman. She makes huge sacrifices for her friends and family, but has stayed somebody you'd still want to invite over for popcorn and a movie. 'Cause you know she'd eat some to be polite, even if she doesn't...feel like it.
Other things about the series that are done well: strong family bonds. (Aren't you tired of absent parents or parents who just don't "get" their teens and are nothing more than annoying roadblocks to a good time?) Well-defined secondary characters, many of whom have their own interesting story arcs. Mythology that is well thought out, with cool soul-calling and blood-letting. Humorous dialogue. Emotional turmoil handled in a reasonable way. Realistic depictions of how relationships with friends and exes change, with both anger and sadness. A love triangle that doesn't make you want to kill everyone involved. Sex handled in a way that is tender and funny and true. Cute, cute boyfriend. Swoony ice cream kisses.
I still loathe Sabine, though. And I wasn't a huge fan of the plot line with Emma that continues on through this book, nor of a certain baby/soul subplot. And unlike in the last two spectacular Soul Screamers books, I was frustrated with Kaylee several times because she kept making all these decisions that were clearly going to lead to no good and hurt people, even if they were made with the best of intentions. But props to the author for handling emotional responsibility and consequence in a way that felt satisfying, even if I didn't necessarily enjoy some of the things that happened.
Overall, With All My Soul offers exactly what you'd want in a series ender: high stakes, heightened romance and feeling, unexpected plot developments, and satisfying emotional resolution. I'll miss having a Soul Screamers book to look forward to in coming years, but I'm happy with how Kaylee's story ended. Fingers crossed we'll get a new YA series from this author soon, too!
This review also appears in The Midnight Garden. An advance copy was provided by the publisher.
March 27, 2013
I was struggling to form coherent thoughts after I read the final installment of what I consider my all-time favorite YA series.
Soul Screamers
is my first venture outside the vampire/werewolves theme. So for me this wrapped up is a bittersweet moment. I was excited and at the same time scared on how the author will pull this one off. She had managed to topple my expectations over and over again. But even with her stellar history, I’m somehow still having this uneasiness clouding me from the inside.
So my instinct is actually telling me something. I have never given the books from this series less than perfect rating. But I feel dishonest if I still give it a full mark when I wasn’t really, hmm, satisfied. My dissatisfaction is not associated on how the story ends. Or the events in this book. It was my feelings afterwards. I feel a blend of regret and pity. Regret to a character I originally adored. And pity to the couple that I loved.
Let me divided this review into two parts, namely: Kaylee & Tod, and Nash.
I’ll start with Nash. My sister couldn’t comprehend my feelings of frustration over Nash’s situation, and Nash and Kaylee. I’m their fan from the beginning. I actually loved them as a couple. I loved Nash. I was his fan. Oh wait, that didn’t come out right: I AM his fan. Present. Until now regardless how his older brother clawed a huge chunk of my heart, a part of me is still loyal to him. In retrospect, I was being unfair to him. I should’ve not judged him. We should’ve not judged him. I shouldn’t have celebrated when things flipped and Tod’s now on his place. I feel remorse on those times when I was reveling Tod, while he was there struggling. But I think it helped him mature. That experience he had (bad as it was) helped him grow. And oh boy, did he grow.
When ending came and saw Nash again, I have this ‘what if’ moments. What if Kaylee stick to his side and they didn’t break up? What if Kaylee didn’t die? What if they end up together? Will Nash be Nash today? Will Kaylee still be Kaylee? I have so many questions. I know it’s useless to think on things on already happened but I just can’t help but to wonder. So what if?
I have three favorite moments in this book and two of them involved Nash. I know, my hidden affection for Nash came back with a vengeance. One was when Kaylee called everybody and every one of them was busy. Kaylee called him and asked for his help. You know Kaylee has a tendency to hog all the responsibility, so Nash was surprised that finally she needed his help. His voice showed surprised and delight (then she asked to ask Emma too, and the moment was ruined). Nash had taken the sidelines, and was treated as a liability which is once again it was unfair to him. He’s fully capable if given a chance—that I know wholeheartedly understand now.
My second favorite was when Nash was apologizing to Tod. Their relationship isn’t completely harmonious to begin with but I loved their connection, their bond. I’m just glad that they finally worked it out.
Sorry Sabine, hunt me in my sleep but I do not approve of your relationship. Nash deserves someone…better. Not that she’s unworthy but I don’t see it. Not after all these Nash feelings inside rushing back like a tidal wave. I think I have these MtTake, MtSave and few MsKeep flashbacks of Kaylee & Nash’s moments hovering in my head and I’m actually taking reconsiderations. Ugh, darn it. Darn it all!
Now for Kaylee & Tod: I loved this couple. Still do. Despite my surprising disclosure just earlier the books proved how perfectly they are to each other. I’m not gonna elaborate how unified they are but at the same still have liberties and identities outside their relationship. That’s what I liked about them. It’s not just about them two together. It’s about how they make their relationship work. How dedicated they are. This book has less romance than the two previous books since it already established that fact but when this two had their moments it was heart stopping, soul melting moments that I ended up (borrowing Kaylee’s line) like Mitchii goo.
The title of this book is a confession from Tod. I’m not going tell the context of what he said but I’m mesmerized and in love. No wonder Kaylee’s head over heels in love with him (and so is he with her). We also find the depth of their relationship. How true and powerful beyond border of their love for each other. That their minds, hearts, bodies and especially their souls intertwined—connected to each other.
But I held some pity with their relationship. With their lives specifically. When their friends and families have moved on. When everyone has moved on. All they have is each other. Romantic but sad. I was sad that they won’t enjoy the pleasure of living their lives. They are forever young, stuck in routinely human less world. The only consolation is that they have each other. Good thing they have each other.
I don’t have much to say about the plot other than Kaylee’s sacrifice in order for them to have lasting peaceful (Hellion less) lives was clever as well as painful. Physically, emotionally, mentally. Both to her and to the people she loves. And oh and another thing, I think the Hellion of Wrath was confusingly…cool. For a spawn of evil he’s actually nice. Still evil and selfish though. That’s all I can say without telling you more.
Perhaps, I wasn’t bawling like a baby like my sister was when she finished it. But it did feel like end of an era. Before I was asking for a spin-off but you know what, I take it back. I want this chapter of their lives permanently closed. I think everything was settled and smoothen. I think it is appropriate to put a period to the last sentence. And ‘the end’ to the last page. So yeah, it’s the end but it was completely fine with me.
Pre-reading comment:
I’m excited and sad to know that this is the final book.
I call for a spin-off. Tod’s POV!!! :P
I mean, who doesn’t want more of this?
So my instinct is actually telling me something. I have never given the books from this series less than perfect rating. But I feel dishonest if I still give it a full mark when I wasn’t really, hmm, satisfied. My dissatisfaction is not associated on how the story ends. Or the events in this book. It was my feelings afterwards. I feel a blend of regret and pity. Regret to a character I originally adored. And pity to the couple that I loved.
Let me divided this review into two parts, namely: Kaylee & Tod, and Nash.
I’ll start with Nash. My sister couldn’t comprehend my feelings of frustration over Nash’s situation, and Nash and Kaylee. I’m their fan from the beginning. I actually loved them as a couple. I loved Nash. I was his fan. Oh wait, that didn’t come out right: I AM his fan. Present. Until now regardless how his older brother clawed a huge chunk of my heart, a part of me is still loyal to him. In retrospect, I was being unfair to him. I should’ve not judged him. We should’ve not judged him. I shouldn’t have celebrated when things flipped and Tod’s now on his place. I feel remorse on those times when I was reveling Tod, while he was there struggling. But I think it helped him mature. That experience he had (bad as it was) helped him grow. And oh boy, did he grow.
When ending came and saw Nash again, I have this ‘what if’ moments. What if Kaylee stick to his side and they didn’t break up? What if Kaylee didn’t die? What if they end up together? Will Nash be Nash today? Will Kaylee still be Kaylee? I have so many questions. I know it’s useless to think on things on already happened but I just can’t help but to wonder. So what if?
I have three favorite moments in this book and two of them involved Nash. I know, my hidden affection for Nash came back with a vengeance. One was when Kaylee called everybody and every one of them was busy. Kaylee called him and asked for his help. You know Kaylee has a tendency to hog all the responsibility, so Nash was surprised that finally she needed his help. His voice showed surprised and delight (then she asked to ask Emma too, and the moment was ruined). Nash had taken the sidelines, and was treated as a liability which is once again it was unfair to him. He’s fully capable if given a chance—that I know wholeheartedly understand now.
My second favorite was when Nash was apologizing to Tod. Their relationship isn’t completely harmonious to begin with but I loved their connection, their bond. I’m just glad that they finally worked it out.
Sorry Sabine, hunt me in my sleep but I do not approve of your relationship. Nash deserves someone…better. Not that she’s unworthy but I don’t see it. Not after all these Nash feelings inside rushing back like a tidal wave. I think I have these MtTake, MtSave and few MsKeep flashbacks of Kaylee & Nash’s moments hovering in my head and I’m actually taking reconsiderations. Ugh, darn it. Darn it all!
Now for Kaylee & Tod: I loved this couple. Still do. Despite my surprising disclosure just earlier the books proved how perfectly they are to each other. I’m not gonna elaborate how unified they are but at the same still have liberties and identities outside their relationship. That’s what I liked about them. It’s not just about them two together. It’s about how they make their relationship work. How dedicated they are. This book has less romance than the two previous books since it already established that fact but when this two had their moments it was heart stopping, soul melting moments that I ended up (borrowing Kaylee’s line) like Mitchii goo.
The title of this book is a confession from Tod. I’m not going tell the context of what he said but I’m mesmerized and in love. No wonder Kaylee’s head over heels in love with him (and so is he with her). We also find the depth of their relationship. How true and powerful beyond border of their love for each other. That their minds, hearts, bodies and especially their souls intertwined—connected to each other.
But I held some pity with their relationship. With their lives specifically. When their friends and families have moved on. When everyone has moved on. All they have is each other. Romantic but sad. I was sad that they won’t enjoy the pleasure of living their lives. They are forever young, stuck in routinely human less world. The only consolation is that they have each other. Good thing they have each other.
I don’t have much to say about the plot other than Kaylee’s sacrifice in order for them to have lasting peaceful (Hellion less) lives was clever as well as painful. Physically, emotionally, mentally. Both to her and to the people she loves. And oh and another thing, I think the Hellion of Wrath was confusingly…cool. For a spawn of evil he’s actually nice. Still evil and selfish though. That’s all I can say without telling you more.
Perhaps, I wasn’t bawling like a baby like my sister was when she finished it. But it did feel like end of an era. Before I was asking for a spin-off but you know what, I take it back. I want this chapter of their lives permanently closed. I think everything was settled and smoothen. I think it is appropriate to put a period to the last sentence. And ‘the end’ to the last page. So yeah, it’s the end but it was completely fine with me.
Pre-reading comment:
I’m excited and sad to know that this is the final book.
I mean, who doesn’t want more of this?
March 29, 2013
Great ending but I am still so sad it is over! I still need more Tod!
After many weeks of re-reading all my favorite parts from the last few books in the series I finally can put a few thoughts down.
What I love about the series is that each book definitely got better and better. The stakes got higher, the death toll went up, the romance heated, it was a perfect series that I never wanted to end because it never went downhill.
I was never a fan of Nash but looking back again after the series ended I feel kind of bad for Nash again. I was kind of blind to his pain because I've had only Kaylee and Tod in my eyes as end game. But I feel bad for his bad breaks and think he is a good guy deep down.
I still hate Sabine. I don't think I could ever fully like her but along with Kaylee I began to accept her and get used to her. I did find her honestly hilarious but there is good honest and using it to hurt people which she did. I still don't really like her for Nash but I'm glad he is happy.
Tod has always been epic for me. I just love his humor and all his lines. In this book the swoonworthyness really spiked. But looking back I actually highlighted the most quotes in Before I Wake. I gave up reviewing that because I had 42 pages of highlighted quotes on my kindle and I just couldn't get through all my love for that book without it becoming so long so I gave up half way through writing. LOL I still need to go back and fix that. But anyway this is my rambling review still so bare with me, the point is I love Tod. Love his looks, humor, the way he appreciates random Wednesdays just because e has ice cream and Kaylee and what more could he want.
Kaylee is sweet but sometimes her self sacrifice became too much for me. I have to respect that but like Tod I would be throwing glass and demanding she stop.
The ending was brilliant. The way the plan came together. It was a great way to make everything work out. It stayed true to the series. And most importantly was happy!
Spoiler thoughts on the ending.
---
"Vanity, right?" Nash reappeared in the living room with an open bag of potato chips. "I nominate my venerable brother. He likes to play hero, and one look at him should establish the vanity angle."
"Nash!" I really shouldn't have been surprised by the dig. But I was.
"What?" He raised one brow at me in challenge. "It's okay to call me jealous, but not to call him vain?"
"Awareness of one's obvious advantages doesn't imply vanity," Tod insisted calmly.
Nash turned on him. "Does it imply narcissism?"
Tod huffed. "This coming from the guy who owns more hair products than his girlfriend."
"She's right." Em frowned and glanced at me apologetically. "Not about your boobs. They're fine."
"Way better than fine," Tod leaned over to whisper, and I buried my face in my hands, both embarrassed and relieved to realize that Nash was the only one in the room who'd refrained from commenting on the sad state of my personal assets.
I went up on my toes to kiss him, and he groaned. "Do you really think this is appropriate on school grounds?"
"Nope." I wrapped my arms around his neck. "And I happen to know there isn't an appropriate thought running through your head right now."
"Or any other time." Tod pulled me close and held me so tight my ribs almost hut, but I didn't want him to let go. Ever.
"Really. Compared to you, they're all nameless. Like...Thing One and Thing Two. And Thing Three. And...okay, that's not helping." His gaze searched mine, and his forehead furrowed. "This sucks. How can I help?"
"I don't..." But I did know. "I think I need you to kiss me."
"Your mortal attachments are like a puppet’s strings," Avari said, both hands clasped casually at his back. "One need only pluck the right cord to make the puppet dance." His smile was almost creepier than his threats. "Dance, reaper!"
"Some day soon, reaper, your mouth is going to be the source of your own destruction."
"That does seem likely, doesn’t it?" Tod glanced at me and shrugged. "Until then, it remains a source of my own amusement."
THE END!!!!!!!!!! How will I go on without anything new from Tod!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited and so sad!!!!!!!!!!
After many weeks of re-reading all my favorite parts from the last few books in the series I finally can put a few thoughts down.
What I love about the series is that each book definitely got better and better. The stakes got higher, the death toll went up, the romance heated, it was a perfect series that I never wanted to end because it never went downhill.
I was never a fan of Nash but looking back again after the series ended I feel kind of bad for Nash again. I was kind of blind to his pain because I've had only Kaylee and Tod in my eyes as end game. But I feel bad for his bad breaks and think he is a good guy deep down.
I still hate Sabine. I don't think I could ever fully like her but along with Kaylee I began to accept her and get used to her. I did find her honestly hilarious but there is good honest and using it to hurt people which she did. I still don't really like her for Nash but I'm glad he is happy.
Tod has always been epic for me. I just love his humor and all his lines. In this book the swoonworthyness really spiked. But looking back I actually highlighted the most quotes in Before I Wake. I gave up reviewing that because I had 42 pages of highlighted quotes on my kindle and I just couldn't get through all my love for that book without it becoming so long so I gave up half way through writing. LOL I still need to go back and fix that. But anyway this is my rambling review still so bare with me, the point is I love Tod. Love his looks, humor, the way he appreciates random Wednesdays just because e has ice cream and Kaylee and what more could he want.
Kaylee is sweet but sometimes her self sacrifice became too much for me. I have to respect that but like Tod I would be throwing glass and demanding she stop.
The ending was brilliant. The way the plan came together. It was a great way to make everything work out. It stayed true to the series. And most importantly was happy!
Spoiler thoughts on the ending.
---
"Vanity, right?" Nash reappeared in the living room with an open bag of potato chips. "I nominate my venerable brother. He likes to play hero, and one look at him should establish the vanity angle."
"Nash!" I really shouldn't have been surprised by the dig. But I was.
"What?" He raised one brow at me in challenge. "It's okay to call me jealous, but not to call him vain?"
"Awareness of one's obvious advantages doesn't imply vanity," Tod insisted calmly.
Nash turned on him. "Does it imply narcissism?"
Tod huffed. "This coming from the guy who owns more hair products than his girlfriend."
"She's right." Em frowned and glanced at me apologetically. "Not about your boobs. They're fine."
"Way better than fine," Tod leaned over to whisper, and I buried my face in my hands, both embarrassed and relieved to realize that Nash was the only one in the room who'd refrained from commenting on the sad state of my personal assets.
I went up on my toes to kiss him, and he groaned. "Do you really think this is appropriate on school grounds?"
"Nope." I wrapped my arms around his neck. "And I happen to know there isn't an appropriate thought running through your head right now."
"Or any other time." Tod pulled me close and held me so tight my ribs almost hut, but I didn't want him to let go. Ever.
"Really. Compared to you, they're all nameless. Like...Thing One and Thing Two. And Thing Three. And...okay, that's not helping." His gaze searched mine, and his forehead furrowed. "This sucks. How can I help?"
"I don't..." But I did know. "I think I need you to kiss me."
"Your mortal attachments are like a puppet’s strings," Avari said, both hands clasped casually at his back. "One need only pluck the right cord to make the puppet dance." His smile was almost creepier than his threats. "Dance, reaper!"
"Some day soon, reaper, your mouth is going to be the source of your own destruction."
"That does seem likely, doesn’t it?" Tod glanced at me and shrugged. "Until then, it remains a source of my own amusement."
THE END!!!!!!!!!! How will I go on without anything new from Tod!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited and so sad!!!!!!!!!!
April 2, 2013
Absolutely perfect.
May 14, 2013
Spoilers
Note: this review will be ranty and repetitive. That's usually how my reviews go with books that piss me off loads.
Disappointing. Why? Because of Kaylee - she was insufferable. Also, the ending and certain peripheral characters (Nash/Sabine) irritated me. Kaylee bugged me the most though — it's not that she was whiny or vile… It was the fact that she was such an unbelievably unrealistic character.
-I didn't mind Kaylee in the first couple of books but I grew to dislike her with each installment. At first, I wasn't sure what my problem was with her but then I finally figured it out — she didn't feel real, she didn't speak to me at any level, there was something false about her entire personality. She was such a Mary Sue, and she was so vanilla but worst of all she was a huge martyr… I've never met anyone who's ever had Kaylee's over the top self-sacrificing, do-goody personality.
I hated how apologetic she was, and how she blamed herself for every little thing. I could understand her feeling somewhat responsible for all the shit that was going down, but she went overboard — she seemed to think it was up to her to protect not only her friends but also her dad, uncle and other various adults. It was dumb — she was a teenager, she shouldn't have felt that level of responsibility towards her elders.
I especially hated how 1. She always puts herself in danger for everyone else and 2. How everyone else let her. There's only so much self sacrifice I can take. Ugh. She even felt guilty when other people were suffering, and she wasn't. Who the fuck feels like that? 'Oh no, he/she's in pain… I feel guilty, that I'm not in a pain too.' Get real.
-Tod was okay. I was disappointed with his reaction to Kaylee's supposed death. He thought she was dead for four years but I didn't really feel that he'd suffered all that much at her death. He seemed to have been living a nice life without her — he had Nash, his mum and Emma. All that joking around with Emma made me think that something happened between them — if not anything physical then they must have had at least had a few romantically charged moments. There was definitely something flirty between them.
-I hated Nash. He was a spoilt whiny brat that had everything yet still moaned and felt sorry for himself. I can't believe that he ended up with Sabine. It was ridiculous when he said that he'd never stopped loving Sabine. Really? He used her like a blow up doll and then fell in love with someone else… Yet somehow I'm meant to believe he loved Sabine all along. BULLSHIT. And if that was indeed the case then how dare he get all high and mighty about Kaylee having feelings for someone else, when all along he was in love with Sabine!! FUCK YOU, Nash!!
-Sabine was pathetic. She was a truly awful female character — her desperation and pathetic-ness when it came to all things Nash wasn't the slightest bit romantic. It was sickening. I hated that she had no self-respect or self-worth. The only thing she wanted was Nash - she had no life outside of him. Why did she even want him so desperately? He treated her like shit, and he had a vile personality.
-Kaylee's dad was useless, he should have been protecting Kaylee, but it was mostly the other way around — he was just useless.
-It was sad how Kaylee's death made everyone's life better and happier. She didn't seemed to have been missed at all. Everyone more than got on with their lives after her death. I actually felt sorry for her, which I didn't think was possible. Maybe, it was because there was very little page time to find out about everyone's feelings… But honestly they all seemed to be healthy and happy without her. Even her dad seemed like he was living the good life, which was odd. He suffered loads when Kaylee's mum died, so much so that he abandoned Kaylee for thirteen years. Yet when Kaylee died he was not only able to manage with her loss, but he was cool with looking after Emma. Why could he stay to look after Emma when he was grieving but wasn't able to stay for Kaylee when she needed him? Why did he feel more responsibility and care for Emma then he ever did with Kaylee? It's not like his brother couldn't have looked after Emma. Honestly, I've never felt that Kaylee's dad cared about her — he's only ever treated her like crap.
-I hated the ending, everything happened so fast and it was all rather abrupt. There was only a few pages that covered Kaylee's time in the Netherworld and her reunion with her friends and family — those were HUGE things that happened to Kaylee yet no time at all was spent on those major things. I hated that four years had passed in a couple of pages, yet less than a year passed in the entire seven book series (bar the last few pages). It just made the conclusion seem underwhelming and rushed.
-Kaylee went to the Netherworld for four years and all her family and friends moved on and were happy without her… it was depressing especially because she was literally going through hell for them. Only Tod seemed as if he was somewhat affected by her death… I know nothing was meant to have happened between Tod and Emma when Kaylee was away but for some reason I still got the feeling that they got a little too friendly — they've always seemed to have some sexual tension between them.
-I loved Emma and Luca, both decent side characters.
-Sophie was awful and up herself but at least she was kind of entertaining. Sometimes.
-I hated how the whole Avari situation was resolved. He was the main enemy for the entire series but he wasn't defeated enough for my liking. Oh and the inclusion of new character, Ira, irritated me — he was instrumental in the resolution between Kaylee and Avari yet he'd never been mentioned before in earlier books. It was beyond contrived that Kaylee happened to meet a more powerful demon in the last book who just so happened to be willing to help Kaylee and who just so happened to hate Avari and who just so happened to have the exact powers needed to 'defeat' Avari. All very disappointing. Ira felt like a deus ex machina, the whole resolution was very lazily done. Maybe if Ira had been introduced earlier on in the series, it wouldn't have been so bad.
-I thought it was a little too convenient that Ira took away four years worth of pain, madness and torture from Kaylee - it was so contrived. Kaylee went through years of hell yet she was still able to come out of it healthy in mind and body. Really? There was no stress, depression or unhappiness… she just bounced right back.
I know the story had to be wrapped up to be all happy-happy but then why have the main character tortured for 4 years at the very end? It was bizarre to believe that after all she suffered she was back to normal straight away (even if it was by magical means), and was left with no long term emotional damage. She was literally a-okay minutes after her years of torture stopped. It was ridiculous, and it pissed me off. I hate it when torture and abuse are magically brushed under the carpet for the sake of plot or an HEA - things like that should be handled with some sort of care.
-What happened to Kaylee's mum? Wasn't her soul still lost or stolen or whatever? Why did everyone forget about her?
-Er, what happened with the incubus baby?? He should have been killed. It's obvious he won't be able to help his rapey ways and even if he tries, loads of girls will still be unwillingly attracted to him. He really needed to die.
All in all, I hated it. I liked the series at first but there were too many things that let it down - Kaylee's martyr act, Nash's descent into douchery and WTFery, Avari's ending and a load of other stuff. I doubt I'll be reading any new books Vincent writes — unless it comes recommended from trusted GR friends.
Note: this review will be ranty and repetitive. That's usually how my reviews go with books that piss me off loads.
Disappointing. Why? Because of Kaylee - she was insufferable. Also, the ending and certain peripheral characters (Nash/Sabine) irritated me. Kaylee bugged me the most though — it's not that she was whiny or vile… It was the fact that she was such an unbelievably unrealistic character.
-I didn't mind Kaylee in the first couple of books but I grew to dislike her with each installment. At first, I wasn't sure what my problem was with her but then I finally figured it out — she didn't feel real, she didn't speak to me at any level, there was something false about her entire personality. She was such a Mary Sue, and she was so vanilla but worst of all she was a huge martyr… I've never met anyone who's ever had Kaylee's over the top self-sacrificing, do-goody personality.
I hated how apologetic she was, and how she blamed herself for every little thing. I could understand her feeling somewhat responsible for all the shit that was going down, but she went overboard — she seemed to think it was up to her to protect not only her friends but also her dad, uncle and other various adults. It was dumb — she was a teenager, she shouldn't have felt that level of responsibility towards her elders.
I especially hated how 1. She always puts herself in danger for everyone else and 2. How everyone else let her. There's only so much self sacrifice I can take. Ugh. She even felt guilty when other people were suffering, and she wasn't. Who the fuck feels like that? 'Oh no, he/she's in pain… I feel guilty, that I'm not in a pain too.' Get real.
-Tod was okay. I was disappointed with his reaction to Kaylee's supposed death. He thought she was dead for four years but I didn't really feel that he'd suffered all that much at her death. He seemed to have been living a nice life without her — he had Nash, his mum and Emma. All that joking around with Emma made me think that something happened between them — if not anything physical then they must have had at least had a few romantically charged moments. There was definitely something flirty between them.
-I hated Nash. He was a spoilt whiny brat that had everything yet still moaned and felt sorry for himself. I can't believe that he ended up with Sabine. It was ridiculous when he said that he'd never stopped loving Sabine. Really? He used her like a blow up doll and then fell in love with someone else… Yet somehow I'm meant to believe he loved Sabine all along. BULLSHIT. And if that was indeed the case then how dare he get all high and mighty about Kaylee having feelings for someone else, when all along he was in love with Sabine!! FUCK YOU, Nash!!
-Sabine was pathetic. She was a truly awful female character — her desperation and pathetic-ness when it came to all things Nash wasn't the slightest bit romantic. It was sickening. I hated that she had no self-respect or self-worth. The only thing she wanted was Nash - she had no life outside of him. Why did she even want him so desperately? He treated her like shit, and he had a vile personality.
-Kaylee's dad was useless, he should have been protecting Kaylee, but it was mostly the other way around — he was just useless.
-It was sad how Kaylee's death made everyone's life better and happier. She didn't seemed to have been missed at all. Everyone more than got on with their lives after her death. I actually felt sorry for her, which I didn't think was possible. Maybe, it was because there was very little page time to find out about everyone's feelings… But honestly they all seemed to be healthy and happy without her. Even her dad seemed like he was living the good life, which was odd. He suffered loads when Kaylee's mum died, so much so that he abandoned Kaylee for thirteen years. Yet when Kaylee died he was not only able to manage with her loss, but he was cool with looking after Emma. Why could he stay to look after Emma when he was grieving but wasn't able to stay for Kaylee when she needed him? Why did he feel more responsibility and care for Emma then he ever did with Kaylee? It's not like his brother couldn't have looked after Emma. Honestly, I've never felt that Kaylee's dad cared about her — he's only ever treated her like crap.
-I hated the ending, everything happened so fast and it was all rather abrupt. There was only a few pages that covered Kaylee's time in the Netherworld and her reunion with her friends and family — those were HUGE things that happened to Kaylee yet no time at all was spent on those major things. I hated that four years had passed in a couple of pages, yet less than a year passed in the entire seven book series (bar the last few pages). It just made the conclusion seem underwhelming and rushed.
-Kaylee went to the Netherworld for four years and all her family and friends moved on and were happy without her… it was depressing especially because she was literally going through hell for them. Only Tod seemed as if he was somewhat affected by her death… I know nothing was meant to have happened between Tod and Emma when Kaylee was away but for some reason I still got the feeling that they got a little too friendly — they've always seemed to have some sexual tension between them.
-I loved Emma and Luca, both decent side characters.
-Sophie was awful and up herself but at least she was kind of entertaining. Sometimes.
-I hated how the whole Avari situation was resolved. He was the main enemy for the entire series but he wasn't defeated enough for my liking. Oh and the inclusion of new character, Ira, irritated me — he was instrumental in the resolution between Kaylee and Avari yet he'd never been mentioned before in earlier books. It was beyond contrived that Kaylee happened to meet a more powerful demon in the last book who just so happened to be willing to help Kaylee and who just so happened to hate Avari and who just so happened to have the exact powers needed to 'defeat' Avari. All very disappointing. Ira felt like a deus ex machina, the whole resolution was very lazily done. Maybe if Ira had been introduced earlier on in the series, it wouldn't have been so bad.
-I thought it was a little too convenient that Ira took away four years worth of pain, madness and torture from Kaylee - it was so contrived. Kaylee went through years of hell yet she was still able to come out of it healthy in mind and body. Really? There was no stress, depression or unhappiness… she just bounced right back.
I know the story had to be wrapped up to be all happy-happy but then why have the main character tortured for 4 years at the very end? It was bizarre to believe that after all she suffered she was back to normal straight away (even if it was by magical means), and was left with no long term emotional damage. She was literally a-okay minutes after her years of torture stopped. It was ridiculous, and it pissed me off. I hate it when torture and abuse are magically brushed under the carpet for the sake of plot or an HEA - things like that should be handled with some sort of care.
-What happened to Kaylee's mum? Wasn't her soul still lost or stolen or whatever? Why did everyone forget about her?
-Er, what happened with the incubus baby?? He should have been killed. It's obvious he won't be able to help his rapey ways and even if he tries, loads of girls will still be unwillingly attracted to him. He really needed to die.
All in all, I hated it. I liked the series at first but there were too many things that let it down - Kaylee's martyr act, Nash's descent into douchery and WTFery, Avari's ending and a load of other stuff. I doubt I'll be reading any new books Vincent writes — unless it comes recommended from trusted GR friends.
March 28, 2013
I have never wished for a button that gave more than 5 stars as much as I have today. I am utterly speechless! Every time Rachel Vincent writes a book I always wonder if it could possibly be as good if not better than her last one because the bar she has set is so high! Well, as I have read this series I have learned that I should never doubt her storytelling skills. Ever. I don't know how she does it, but each book written by this wonderful author completely surpasses the last one!
WAMS was the epitome perfection. I could not have asked for a better ending to a series. Everything was resolved in that we no longer have any questions left open and this was accomplished without anything being rushed. I know of a lot of series ending books that I have read that always seemed rushed to me because they tie up all of the loose string extremely fast at the end. I am so happy to say that that is not the case for WAMS. Everything was paced at a reasonable speed and it all made sense. The plot was executed flawlessly.
And that brings me to the plot!!!! Oh. My. Goodness!!!! I know I called Rachel Vincent both an evil genius and pure genius in my Before I Wake review, but that plot has nothing on this one!!!! Holy. Freakin'. Cow. My mind is completely blown away! After all of the heart ache I have endured from this series I just couldn't accept the fate that Kaylee was planning on following. And that moment with Tod? Bring out the tissue box because that will have your eyes bawling! He is too damn sweet. I don't even know how he can exist even as a character in a book. He just can't possibly be real.
Oh this is such a bittersweet review because I can't believe my journey with Kaylee is finally over! I want to be looking forward to the next book, but...there isn't going to be one. I'm so bummed but I'm happy that I was able to enjoy every second of this journey while it lasted. Kaylee has grown into this amazing character and she's probably one of the characters that I admire the most that I have ever read about. She is so strong and brave and good. And did I mention BRILLIANT??? Now I know technically that's the author's brain but WOW! Remember how I said the plot blew my mind? Yeah, that's because Kaylee is brilliant. So. Freakin'. Brilliant. I wish I could tell you all what I'm talking about, but then that would completely ruin the story. Like seriously. If any of you read endings before the actual book, DON'T! First of all, Why would you? Never understood that but to each their own I guess. Haha. But I promise you that you don't want to spoil this ending. It is a beautiful masterpiece that should be saved for the end. That's why it's at the end, right?
*Sigh* I could never do this book nor this series justice no matter how long I make this review. Everything about it is perfect and no amount of words I type would ever suffice. If you have never read a book in this series let alone by this author, you should get on that when you have the chance. I promise you won't regret it ;)
WAMS was the epitome perfection. I could not have asked for a better ending to a series. Everything was resolved in that we no longer have any questions left open and this was accomplished without anything being rushed. I know of a lot of series ending books that I have read that always seemed rushed to me because they tie up all of the loose string extremely fast at the end. I am so happy to say that that is not the case for WAMS. Everything was paced at a reasonable speed and it all made sense. The plot was executed flawlessly.
And that brings me to the plot!!!! Oh. My. Goodness!!!! I know I called Rachel Vincent both an evil genius and pure genius in my Before I Wake review, but that plot has nothing on this one!!!! Holy. Freakin'. Cow. My mind is completely blown away! After all of the heart ache I have endured from this series I just couldn't accept the fate that Kaylee was planning on following. And that moment with Tod? Bring out the tissue box because that will have your eyes bawling! He is too damn sweet. I don't even know how he can exist even as a character in a book. He just can't possibly be real.
Oh this is such a bittersweet review because I can't believe my journey with Kaylee is finally over! I want to be looking forward to the next book, but...there isn't going to be one. I'm so bummed but I'm happy that I was able to enjoy every second of this journey while it lasted. Kaylee has grown into this amazing character and she's probably one of the characters that I admire the most that I have ever read about. She is so strong and brave and good. And did I mention BRILLIANT??? Now I know technically that's the author's brain but WOW! Remember how I said the plot blew my mind? Yeah, that's because Kaylee is brilliant. So. Freakin'. Brilliant. I wish I could tell you all what I'm talking about, but then that would completely ruin the story. Like seriously. If any of you read endings before the actual book, DON'T! First of all, Why would you? Never understood that but to each their own I guess. Haha. But I promise you that you don't want to spoil this ending. It is a beautiful masterpiece that should be saved for the end. That's why it's at the end, right?
*Sigh* I could never do this book nor this series justice no matter how long I make this review. Everything about it is perfect and no amount of words I type would ever suffice. If you have never read a book in this series let alone by this author, you should get on that when you have the chance. I promise you won't regret it ;)
May 5, 2013
4 but bumping it up to a 5 because this has been such a epic series. I'm very sad to see such a unique spin on paranormal end, but although highly enjoyable, this book was a little bit of a mess. But man oh man, this shit does the love triangle right. I am so sick of wishy washy love triangles in YA fiction and this book does the angst and the guilt and the sense of love/hate and friendship that remains after love just PERFECTLY. It's like a little soap opera in the best possible way, in a believable way.
Throughout the entire series, I have not been able to hate a single character; everyone has something redeeming to them, a moment or moments that reveal their vulnerability and kindness and humanity. Besides the demons and Avari, all the human or once-humans were extremely believable characters; I'd go so far as to say the character-building the major strength throughout this entire series. Family dynamics, friendships, people acting in a way that's actually realistic. Those are a few of my favorite things (in fiction) and I am so very sad to see this series end. The ending is rather bad, though, it reminds me of the extended ending of the Lord of the Rings, where everyone's sitting around eating and hugging and laughing in slow-motion.
Throughout the entire series, I have not been able to hate a single character; everyone has something redeeming to them, a moment or moments that reveal their vulnerability and kindness and humanity. Besides the demons and Avari, all the human or once-humans were extremely believable characters; I'd go so far as to say the character-building the major strength throughout this entire series. Family dynamics, friendships, people acting in a way that's actually realistic. Those are a few of my favorite things (in fiction) and I am so very sad to see this series end. The ending is rather bad, though, it reminds me of the extended ending of the Lord of the Rings, where everyone's sitting around eating and hugging and laughing in slow-motion.
Want to read
November 10, 2012Another is to die?!?!?! How many, Ms Vincent, how many?!?! There is only so much I can take after I lost Alec...
February 7, 2016
Seven! There's a seventh one!!!!!
Insert happy dance.
Edit 9/14: THAT COVER IS GORGEOUS
Insert happy dance.
Edit 9/14: THAT COVER IS GORGEOUS
March 26, 2013
WITH ALL MY SOUL is the stunning conclusion to the Soul Screamers series by author Rachel Vincent. With an intriguing new character and a new mortal sin, a gripping storyline and a shocking turn of events, this final installment is an exhilarating, heartrending and epic finish to this must-read series.
No matter how hard she fights and no matter how great the risk to herself, Kaylee Cavanaugh has not been able to defeat the hellion that wants her soul. With each loss hitting closer to home, Kaylee is not sure how many more people she cares about she can bear to lose, especially knowing that she’s the one Avari really wants.
And when he takes someone she loves, someone whose life she is not willing to risk, she must quickly find a way to stop him once and for all or be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. Because Avari has nothing but time, has nothing to lose and will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
Action-packed, electrifying and at times heartbreaking, WITH ALL MY SOUL takes readers on one last journey with Kaylee Cavanaugh as she faces off against a seemingly unstoppable enemy that has pursued her through life and the afterlife. With anger as her motivation and an unlikely ally, Kaylee’s greatest challenge yet will keep readers on the edge of their seats and their eyes glued to the page as events unfold and lead up to the book’s dramatic conclusion.
Author Rachel Vincent has once again put her characters through an incredible ordeal and taken her readers on a roller coaster ride of emotion in WITH ALL MY SOUL. Filled with exciting plot twists and turns, dialogue that is both heartfelt and moving and sarcastic and amusing, and a nail-biting build-up to an outcome that is heart-stopping, this last installment in the series can only be called phenomenal.
The author does not leave readers hanging at the story’s end. All loose-ends have been tied up and all the larger questions about the remaining characters have been answered. And while the story wraps up in a way that will satisfy those readers who like to say their goodbyes and move on, it does allow for the reader’s imagination to go beyond the story and look into the futures of those characters that do remain, for those readers that aren’t quite ready.
WITH ALL MY SOUL is the perfect finish to this always entertaining, always surprising and always thrilling series.
And this story and series is a must for readers who want to discover a world that is unique, writing that is engaging, clever and oftentimes breathtaking, a plot that is suspense-, danger- and tension-filled, a heroine that is incredibly brave, selfless and relatable, and a love story that is eternal.
(On the blog I gave this my 6-star off-the-menu rating.)
On a personal note…
If I had a million words at my disposal instead of the meager few that seem to rattle around my brain when sitting down to compose my thoughts, even then I don’t think I could come up with the appropriate combination to express just what this series has meant to me or just how truly amazing I think it is.
And this final installment, this final chapter in these characters’ lives, has been no less of a roller coaster than its predecessors, no less heartbreaking, nail-biting, tension-filled, bittersweet, heart-rending. It was a phenomenal ending to an absolutely riveting series that just got better and better as it progressed.
WITH ALL MY SOUL was everything I’d hoped it would be in a series-ending book. I had incredibly high expectations that I wasn’t entirely sure could be met. And yet they were. Met. And surpassed.
I did not expect to get so caught up in the story that I’d forget this was a series-ending book. I did not expect to fall for a newly introduced character. I did not expect to be surprised by how things came together at the end. And I did not expect the ending when it arrived, all too quickly.
I expected tears. And yes there were tears. From the moment I began the last quarter of the book until the story’s end I could not stop tearing up. Every sentence felt like a goodbye. A goodbye I was not ready for. Every heartfelt passage was bittersweet, heartbreaking.
Every action, every page, brought me one step closer to the end. And after having been so distracted by the events taking place in the first three-fourths of the story, the realization that this series was coming to a close made every single thing that happened in that final fourth that much more emotional.
And it still didn’t prepare me for the end… a part of which continues to haunt me even after a re-read.
I expected a roller coaster. And there was definitely one of those. I expected sarcasm, dialogue that would make me grin, a brave, stubborn and fiercely protective heroine and a mortal sin that would make this story explosive. And I got all of that and then some.
I expected to fall in love with this final book in the series. And Rachel Vincent made it just so easy to do so. It was so easy to once again get lost in Kaylee’s world as she prepared to face just one more obstacle to a happily ever afterlife. It was so easy to be captivated by her characters – some charming, some horrifying, some a little bit of both.
And it was so easy to connect with Kaylee, who was every bit as strong and determined and sarcastic as she’d been throughout the series, but who also displayed a confidence she didn’t previously possess.
I couldn’t have been more proud of, more fearful for, more heartsick for, more in awe of who Kaylee became by the end of this series. A character who I liked right from the start was one that I absolutely adored by the end.
While I won’t reveal whether Kaylee gets a happy ending… or even if she makes it to the end of this book… I will just say that I loved every single moment of WITH ALL MY SOUL. Even the moments that broke my heart.
And no, I would not change a single thing about this book… well… except for the fact that it is a series-ending book. It was just that out-of-this-world amazing. It is just that unforgettable.
Original commentary...
Oh. My. Gosh. This is by like a million my favorite book of the series. I was heartbroken the whole read because I knew with each page I read that there would be no more.
But I literally could not stop crying from page 313 on. And I'm still tearing up 24 hours after having said goodbye.
Just oh. My. Gosh....
I did NOT expect that. At all.
Review TK after a re-read where I'm not sobbing.
No matter how hard she fights and no matter how great the risk to herself, Kaylee Cavanaugh has not been able to defeat the hellion that wants her soul. With each loss hitting closer to home, Kaylee is not sure how many more people she cares about she can bear to lose, especially knowing that she’s the one Avari really wants.
And when he takes someone she loves, someone whose life she is not willing to risk, she must quickly find a way to stop him once and for all or be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. Because Avari has nothing but time, has nothing to lose and will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
Action-packed, electrifying and at times heartbreaking, WITH ALL MY SOUL takes readers on one last journey with Kaylee Cavanaugh as she faces off against a seemingly unstoppable enemy that has pursued her through life and the afterlife. With anger as her motivation and an unlikely ally, Kaylee’s greatest challenge yet will keep readers on the edge of their seats and their eyes glued to the page as events unfold and lead up to the book’s dramatic conclusion.
Author Rachel Vincent has once again put her characters through an incredible ordeal and taken her readers on a roller coaster ride of emotion in WITH ALL MY SOUL. Filled with exciting plot twists and turns, dialogue that is both heartfelt and moving and sarcastic and amusing, and a nail-biting build-up to an outcome that is heart-stopping, this last installment in the series can only be called phenomenal.
The author does not leave readers hanging at the story’s end. All loose-ends have been tied up and all the larger questions about the remaining characters have been answered. And while the story wraps up in a way that will satisfy those readers who like to say their goodbyes and move on, it does allow for the reader’s imagination to go beyond the story and look into the futures of those characters that do remain, for those readers that aren’t quite ready.
WITH ALL MY SOUL is the perfect finish to this always entertaining, always surprising and always thrilling series.
And this story and series is a must for readers who want to discover a world that is unique, writing that is engaging, clever and oftentimes breathtaking, a plot that is suspense-, danger- and tension-filled, a heroine that is incredibly brave, selfless and relatable, and a love story that is eternal.
(On the blog I gave this my 6-star off-the-menu rating.)
On a personal note…
If I had a million words at my disposal instead of the meager few that seem to rattle around my brain when sitting down to compose my thoughts, even then I don’t think I could come up with the appropriate combination to express just what this series has meant to me or just how truly amazing I think it is.
And this final installment, this final chapter in these characters’ lives, has been no less of a roller coaster than its predecessors, no less heartbreaking, nail-biting, tension-filled, bittersweet, heart-rending. It was a phenomenal ending to an absolutely riveting series that just got better and better as it progressed.
WITH ALL MY SOUL was everything I’d hoped it would be in a series-ending book. I had incredibly high expectations that I wasn’t entirely sure could be met. And yet they were. Met. And surpassed.
I did not expect to get so caught up in the story that I’d forget this was a series-ending book. I did not expect to fall for a newly introduced character. I did not expect to be surprised by how things came together at the end. And I did not expect the ending when it arrived, all too quickly.
I expected tears. And yes there were tears. From the moment I began the last quarter of the book until the story’s end I could not stop tearing up. Every sentence felt like a goodbye. A goodbye I was not ready for. Every heartfelt passage was bittersweet, heartbreaking.
Every action, every page, brought me one step closer to the end. And after having been so distracted by the events taking place in the first three-fourths of the story, the realization that this series was coming to a close made every single thing that happened in that final fourth that much more emotional.
And it still didn’t prepare me for the end… a part of which continues to haunt me even after a re-read.
I expected a roller coaster. And there was definitely one of those. I expected sarcasm, dialogue that would make me grin, a brave, stubborn and fiercely protective heroine and a mortal sin that would make this story explosive. And I got all of that and then some.
I expected to fall in love with this final book in the series. And Rachel Vincent made it just so easy to do so. It was so easy to once again get lost in Kaylee’s world as she prepared to face just one more obstacle to a happily ever afterlife. It was so easy to be captivated by her characters – some charming, some horrifying, some a little bit of both.
And it was so easy to connect with Kaylee, who was every bit as strong and determined and sarcastic as she’d been throughout the series, but who also displayed a confidence she didn’t previously possess.
I couldn’t have been more proud of, more fearful for, more heartsick for, more in awe of who Kaylee became by the end of this series. A character who I liked right from the start was one that I absolutely adored by the end.
While I won’t reveal whether Kaylee gets a happy ending… or even if she makes it to the end of this book… I will just say that I loved every single moment of WITH ALL MY SOUL. Even the moments that broke my heart.
And no, I would not change a single thing about this book… well… except for the fact that it is a series-ending book. It was just that out-of-this-world amazing. It is just that unforgettable.
Original commentary...
Oh. My. Gosh. This is by like a million my favorite book of the series. I was heartbroken the whole read because I knew with each page I read that there would be no more.
But I literally could not stop crying from page 313 on. And I'm still tearing up 24 hours after having said goodbye.
Just oh. My. Gosh....
I did NOT expect that. At all.
Review TK after a re-read where I'm not sobbing.
October 2, 2024
Before Reading All My Soul review
I'm throwing in my weight here. I love this series and will be sad to see it go but.... I think it's a good place to end the series especially with and also because we been through most of the spectrum with Kaylee [pissed off, pissed on, naive, desperate,guilt, etc] but this will be good ol fashion rage & retribution.
I also don't particularly like Nash because he's all about me me me and he's never sacrificed anything for the people he's suppose to care about. And if the selfish little pissant would stop to think for five minutes about someone other than himself he would have probably figured out that reapers aren't recruited from people on the list but those willing to sacrifice for someone who is. I think the only way Nash will ever grow up is if he realizes what his brother sacrificed for him.
Sabine is a bitch and selfish but at least she cares about someone other than herself. At least she's willing to to make that sacrifice for someone else. Also at least she is upfront & honest about her motives and motivations. Which speaking from personal experience is a lot better than being lied to or manipulated and not knowing the reasons why. I have a friend just like her and the one truth I know about her no matter what is that she can be your best friend or worst enemy.
Tod can be and is selfish but at least he's honest about it. And at least he'll do whatever it takes to save the people he loves not matter what and he doesn't apologize or make excuses for it. He thinks beyond what he's sacrificing or his pain to do whatever it takes to ensure the safety of his family & friends. I love characters like him and that's why he's my favorite character in this series.
Sophie was ignorant, spoiled & annoying and part of that is the fault of the people around her. Wanting to keep her out of & blissfully unaware of supernatural forces & issues in a supernatural family. Well such as life goes I think the old saying applies here: Want in one hand shit in the other guess which one you get the most of.
Emma is by far my favorite leading lady in this series. Yeah she got freaked out and yeah she's human but when push came to shove she stood by and supported her friend. And she tried to understand the world Kaylee lived in so that she could be an ear to vent to. Most of the things that happened to Emma could have possibly been avoided if Kaylee would have told her the truth or given her warning because ignorance is not bliss, knowledge is power, and well informed is well armed.
Kaylee I like her but she annoyed from a little to a lot with her self righteous- I can handle this- I carry the weight of the world - naivete. Those are good qualities for people to have in the right dosage but her character was ODing on them. She's too much of a serious do-gooder which is why I think Tod's perfect for her because he balances her out and is willing to make the hard decisions that she isn't able to. think with this book we will finally see Kaylee step into her own and become Tod's perfect balance as well. Plus we'll see how far she is really willing to go to save the innocent.
This book should be amazing and I for one can't wait!!!
I'm throwing in my weight here. I love this series and will be sad to see it go but.... I think it's a good place to end the series especially with and also because we been through most of the spectrum with Kaylee [pissed off, pissed on, naive, desperate,guilt, etc] but this will be good ol fashion rage & retribution.
I also don't particularly like Nash because he's all about me me me and he's never sacrificed anything for the people he's suppose to care about. And if the selfish little pissant would stop to think for five minutes about someone other than himself he would have probably figured out that reapers aren't recruited from people on the list but those willing to sacrifice for someone who is. I think the only way Nash will ever grow up is if he realizes what his brother sacrificed for him.
Sabine is a bitch and selfish but at least she cares about someone other than herself. At least she's willing to to make that sacrifice for someone else. Also at least she is upfront & honest about her motives and motivations. Which speaking from personal experience is a lot better than being lied to or manipulated and not knowing the reasons why. I have a friend just like her and the one truth I know about her no matter what is that she can be your best friend or worst enemy.
Tod can be and is selfish but at least he's honest about it. And at least he'll do whatever it takes to save the people he loves not matter what and he doesn't apologize or make excuses for it. He thinks beyond what he's sacrificing or his pain to do whatever it takes to ensure the safety of his family & friends. I love characters like him and that's why he's my favorite character in this series.
Sophie was ignorant, spoiled & annoying and part of that is the fault of the people around her. Wanting to keep her out of & blissfully unaware of supernatural forces & issues in a supernatural family. Well such as life goes I think the old saying applies here: Want in one hand shit in the other guess which one you get the most of.
Emma is by far my favorite leading lady in this series. Yeah she got freaked out and yeah she's human but when push came to shove she stood by and supported her friend. And she tried to understand the world Kaylee lived in so that she could be an ear to vent to. Most of the things that happened to Emma could have possibly been avoided if Kaylee would have told her the truth or given her warning because ignorance is not bliss, knowledge is power, and well informed is well armed.
Kaylee I like her but she annoyed from a little to a lot with her self righteous- I can handle this- I carry the weight of the world - naivete. Those are good qualities for people to have in the right dosage but her character was ODing on them. She's too much of a serious do-gooder which is why I think Tod's perfect for her because he balances her out and is willing to make the hard decisions that she isn't able to. think with this book we will finally see Kaylee step into her own and become Tod's perfect balance as well. Plus we'll see how far she is really willing to go to save the innocent.
This book should be amazing and I for one can't wait!!!
Want to read
September 13, 2012YES BITCHES, I, Saniya, uploaded the book cover.
How can someone NOT upload this gorgeous cover at the moment it was released?
I mean, LOOK AT IT, JUST LOOK AT IT!
GIVE ME THIS BOOK NOW! I WANT THIS BOOK IN MY HANDS!
How can someone NOT upload this gorgeous cover at the moment it was released?
I mean, LOOK AT IT, JUST LOOK AT IT!
GIVE ME THIS BOOK NOW! I WANT THIS BOOK IN MY HANDS!
March 3, 2013
I have no words. There are no words that do this book justice.
All I can really say now is thank-you, thank-you, THANK-YOU for bringing these characters and this world to life. Thank-you for creating such a dynamic story that is so different to anything I've read within the YA fantasy/paranormal genre. And most of all, Rachel Vincent, I can't thank you enough for giving me a copy of With All My Soul.
And now I shall return to crying hysterically while I read the series again from the beginning.
All I can really say now is thank-you, thank-you, THANK-YOU for bringing these characters and this world to life. Thank-you for creating such a dynamic story that is so different to anything I've read within the YA fantasy/paranormal genre. And most of all, Rachel Vincent, I can't thank you enough for giving me a copy of With All My Soul.
And now I shall return to crying hysterically while I read the series again from the beginning.
Want to read
October 19, 2012
November 24, 2018
Ένα πραγματικά ταιριαστό και ωραίο τέλος για μία πολύ καλή σειρά! Μπράβο στη συγγραφέα!!
January 19, 2018
I don't feel quite as gutted with this series' ending as I did with the last one I read, but I'm not going to lie, I did shed some tears. I didn't discover this series until the fourth book was out and I'd won a copy, but you'd better believe that I rushed out to catch up and then waited not-so-patiently as each subsequent book was released. And with each new book, I loved this world, the story, and the characters that much more.
Kaylee Cavenaugh and friends have survived a lot. Okay, maybe survived is the wrong word. Not everyone has come through this war with the Netherworld unscathed...or even alive. We've lost some friends along the way, but we've made some new ones, too. These characters have moved past heartbreak, overcome addiction, and triumphed over evil time and again. And what's ahead for Kaylee in this final installment leaves her at the edge of a precipice, facing a decision that no one, dead or alive, should ever have to make.
Kaylee has never been opposed to taking risks to protect those she loves. And she is no less gallant in With All My Soul. But she is entirely too impulsive in her decisions this time around, leaving others wounded and hurt in the process. In fact, it almost felt like she was channeling Faythe from Rachel Vincent's Shifters series. And Faythe annoyed the crap out of me for much of that series, so it's a safe assumption that I found Kaylee infuriatingly frustrating for a big chunk of this book. But her motivations are pure, and though her intentions weren't always clear, it was obvious she'd considered every angle before acting.
One of my favorite things about this series is the dialogue. And not just from the swoony Tod, though I am admittedly partial to him. It's realistic. It's sarcastic. It's witty. It had me laughing and crying and swooning every step of the way, and I'm going to miss the banter between the characters something fierce. But I am mostly going to miss all the sweet, romantic words from one very hot reaper.
This series is one of the few times I've actually approved of a love triangle. Because in reality, and especially at the age these characters are depicted at, it is entirely possible to outgrow your first love and find solace in another. And after everything these characters have been through, it felt right for the romance to take the path it did. It was refreshing to see the emotional growth of these characters throughout the series, but I was especially elated at the resolution provided in this final Soul Screamers book. Hurt feelings or not, I think this is the way it was always meant to be.
There were some plot developments here and there that I could have done without or that I thought would have taken an entirely different turn than they did, but overall, I still consider this one of my favorite series. I mean, first of all, it's the only one I know of focused on wailing banshees. That in itself is pretty awesome, but when you couple it with intriguing characters, intense interactions with sins personified as villainous hellions, beautiful world-building (centered around my hometown, no less!), and a well-crafted storyline, well, you can't really go wrong, can you?
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
Kaylee Cavenaugh and friends have survived a lot. Okay, maybe survived is the wrong word. Not everyone has come through this war with the Netherworld unscathed...or even alive. We've lost some friends along the way, but we've made some new ones, too. These characters have moved past heartbreak, overcome addiction, and triumphed over evil time and again. And what's ahead for Kaylee in this final installment leaves her at the edge of a precipice, facing a decision that no one, dead or alive, should ever have to make.
"These beautiful blue eyes show me all the things you'd be willing to do for the people you care about. The things you would give up. The pain you would put yourself through for anyone you love--including me--and I can hardly stand to look into these eyes sometimes, because when I do, I know that you're going to do what needs to be done, even if that might take you away from me. From all of us."
Kaylee has never been opposed to taking risks to protect those she loves. And she is no less gallant in With All My Soul. But she is entirely too impulsive in her decisions this time around, leaving others wounded and hurt in the process. In fact, it almost felt like she was channeling Faythe from Rachel Vincent's Shifters series. And Faythe annoyed the crap out of me for much of that series, so it's a safe assumption that I found Kaylee infuriatingly frustrating for a big chunk of this book. But her motivations are pure, and though her intentions weren't always clear, it was obvious she'd considered every angle before acting.
One of my favorite things about this series is the dialogue. And not just from the swoony Tod, though I am admittedly partial to him. It's realistic. It's sarcastic. It's witty. It had me laughing and crying and swooning every step of the way, and I'm going to miss the banter between the characters something fierce. But I am mostly going to miss all the sweet, romantic words from one very hot reaper.
"I want you for all of you. Each individual part and the sum of them all. I want you for everything you are and everything you will ever be. I will never have enough of you, because there's no such thing."
This series is one of the few times I've actually approved of a love triangle. Because in reality, and especially at the age these characters are depicted at, it is entirely possible to outgrow your first love and find solace in another. And after everything these characters have been through, it felt right for the romance to take the path it did. It was refreshing to see the emotional growth of these characters throughout the series, but I was especially elated at the resolution provided in this final Soul Screamers book. Hurt feelings or not, I think this is the way it was always meant to be.
There were some plot developments here and there that I could have done without or that I thought would have taken an entirely different turn than they did, but overall, I still consider this one of my favorite series. I mean, first of all, it's the only one I know of focused on wailing banshees. That in itself is pretty awesome, but when you couple it with intriguing characters, intense interactions with sins personified as villainous hellions, beautiful world-building (centered around my hometown, no less!), and a well-crafted storyline, well, you can't really go wrong, can you?
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
March 21, 2013
This book is beautiful and terrible and heartbreaking. I cried so much through out. I stayed up all night to read it and it was perfect. And when you realize how important the title of this book is you will just die.
Originally Posted on Confessions of an Opinionated Book Geek
In the final installment of “With All My Soul,” Kaylee is facing the greatest challenge of her life and her very soul is in the balance. Avari and his hellion counterparts have taken almost everything from Kaylee. Her childhood has been ruined, she has buried her friends and has lost her life. Twice. Now she is on her third chance at surviving and she is not going to give it up. She is also freaking angry. She is angry that due to Avari’s obsession with her, she has been in danger and she has put the people she loves in even more danger. She has had enough and together with her undead boyfriend Tod and their friends, Kaylee has a plan to free herself from the hellions forever. Unfortunately, Avarice is one greedy hellion and before they can get their plan off the ground, Avari unleashes an evil plan of his own.
From page one of this book, I was heartbroken. With all my excitement to read this book, I forgot about the devastating finale of “Before I Wake.” Kaylee and her friends have suffered so much. They have died, been resurrected and just barley survived. The opening of this book reminded me that surviving can be extremely difficult and sometimes impossible to get over.
It starts at a funeral and is filled with emotions and tears. For me, the tears did not stop there. Of all the young adult fantasy/paranormal novels I have read, Kaylee has suffered the most. In “With All My Soul,” we experience some of the guilt and shame that her survival has brought her. She lives and is happy with Tod, but others were not so lucky. Even though it isn’t her fault and no one really blames her, Kaylee cannot help but feel guilt at how life has turned out. Everyone from her mother to her best friend Emma has suffered due to their connection to Kaylee. If there isn’t a rogue reaper after her soul, there is an Incubus teacher or even worse a Hellion is after it. That’s a lot for an 18 year old girl to take. That guilt leads her to make some reckless, dangerous and life changing choices. Kaylee makes huge sacrifices all in the name of saving the people she loves.
What has always made the “Soul Screamers” series stand out to other YA fiction is the fact that the parents are active in the danger. Usually, parents have disappeared, are clueless or are lacking the skills needed to be of any real help. Kaylee, Tod, Nash and Sophie have always had their parents. Not this time. Due to a series of unfortunate events the kids are truly alone. This causes strife within the group as everyone struggles with their own feelings of weakness and uselessness in the wake of tragedy. Everyone wants to help, but it is too dangerous and it seems unlikely that everyone can be the hero.
This is where readers of the book will separate and argue in their opinion. Kaylee takes a lot of the responsibility on herself. She foolishly opens the door to danger and places herself in situations where she could be hurt and her friends wouldn’t know. This of course upsets team good. Then there are the times where her sacrifices are so vast, amazing and selfless. Some will call her self-righteous or a martyr. And, they would be correct, but under the circumstances I don’t see how any of this could be helped. When it is all said and done everyone is in danger, because of their connection to her. Of course she wants to be the one to take all the risks. Of course she wants to prevent anyone else from hurting, just because they are close to her.
I cannot end this review without talking about my favorite thing in this series, Tod. For a long time Tod was the saving grace of these books. Just when my frustration with Kaylee, Nash, Sabine, etc would rise Tod would swoop in and say or do the right thing to bring me right back into the story. When the series began, Tod was an interesting outsider. With every book, Rachel Vincent brilliantly built him into an absolutely fantastic YA hero. In a world filled with borderline abusive males, psychotically possessive boyfriends and vampires who have to fight the urge to drink their girlfriend’s blood, there is Tod. A shining beacon. Tod is not perfect. He has done awful things, but his heart is always in the right place. He will do anything, face anything and give anything to protect the people he loves. Even if what he must give his own life. At the end of the day, the person I wanted to have a HEA most was Tod.
This book is jammed! Jammed pack with action, intrigue, romance and all manner of emotions. Everything you have been waiting for happens. Characters you thought you hated turn out to be heroes who step up at the right moment. Secrets are revealed, sins are forgiving and everyone is closer than ever. That of course is when all hell breaks lose and one of the most traumatic climaxes of my book geek heart transpires. I had tears in my eyes on page one and constantly throughout. Soooo much has happened to these kids and their families and the events in this book felt like salt in the wound. I am sorry to see the series end, but happy all the same. I am happy, because I cannot possibly stand anything else happening to these people.
A fantastic ending to an entertaining series. A must read.
-Reviewed by RH (with input/opinions by me)
Originally Posted on Confessions of an Opinionated Book Geek
In the final installment of “With All My Soul,” Kaylee is facing the greatest challenge of her life and her very soul is in the balance. Avari and his hellion counterparts have taken almost everything from Kaylee. Her childhood has been ruined, she has buried her friends and has lost her life. Twice. Now she is on her third chance at surviving and she is not going to give it up. She is also freaking angry. She is angry that due to Avari’s obsession with her, she has been in danger and she has put the people she loves in even more danger. She has had enough and together with her undead boyfriend Tod and their friends, Kaylee has a plan to free herself from the hellions forever. Unfortunately, Avarice is one greedy hellion and before they can get their plan off the ground, Avari unleashes an evil plan of his own.
From page one of this book, I was heartbroken. With all my excitement to read this book, I forgot about the devastating finale of “Before I Wake.” Kaylee and her friends have suffered so much. They have died, been resurrected and just barley survived. The opening of this book reminded me that surviving can be extremely difficult and sometimes impossible to get over.
It starts at a funeral and is filled with emotions and tears. For me, the tears did not stop there. Of all the young adult fantasy/paranormal novels I have read, Kaylee has suffered the most. In “With All My Soul,” we experience some of the guilt and shame that her survival has brought her. She lives and is happy with Tod, but others were not so lucky. Even though it isn’t her fault and no one really blames her, Kaylee cannot help but feel guilt at how life has turned out. Everyone from her mother to her best friend Emma has suffered due to their connection to Kaylee. If there isn’t a rogue reaper after her soul, there is an Incubus teacher or even worse a Hellion is after it. That’s a lot for an 18 year old girl to take. That guilt leads her to make some reckless, dangerous and life changing choices. Kaylee makes huge sacrifices all in the name of saving the people she loves.
What has always made the “Soul Screamers” series stand out to other YA fiction is the fact that the parents are active in the danger. Usually, parents have disappeared, are clueless or are lacking the skills needed to be of any real help. Kaylee, Tod, Nash and Sophie have always had their parents. Not this time. Due to a series of unfortunate events the kids are truly alone. This causes strife within the group as everyone struggles with their own feelings of weakness and uselessness in the wake of tragedy. Everyone wants to help, but it is too dangerous and it seems unlikely that everyone can be the hero.
This is where readers of the book will separate and argue in their opinion. Kaylee takes a lot of the responsibility on herself. She foolishly opens the door to danger and places herself in situations where she could be hurt and her friends wouldn’t know. This of course upsets team good. Then there are the times where her sacrifices are so vast, amazing and selfless. Some will call her self-righteous or a martyr. And, they would be correct, but under the circumstances I don’t see how any of this could be helped. When it is all said and done everyone is in danger, because of their connection to her. Of course she wants to be the one to take all the risks. Of course she wants to prevent anyone else from hurting, just because they are close to her.
I cannot end this review without talking about my favorite thing in this series, Tod. For a long time Tod was the saving grace of these books. Just when my frustration with Kaylee, Nash, Sabine, etc would rise Tod would swoop in and say or do the right thing to bring me right back into the story. When the series began, Tod was an interesting outsider. With every book, Rachel Vincent brilliantly built him into an absolutely fantastic YA hero. In a world filled with borderline abusive males, psychotically possessive boyfriends and vampires who have to fight the urge to drink their girlfriend’s blood, there is Tod. A shining beacon. Tod is not perfect. He has done awful things, but his heart is always in the right place. He will do anything, face anything and give anything to protect the people he loves. Even if what he must give his own life. At the end of the day, the person I wanted to have a HEA most was Tod.
This book is jammed! Jammed pack with action, intrigue, romance and all manner of emotions. Everything you have been waiting for happens. Characters you thought you hated turn out to be heroes who step up at the right moment. Secrets are revealed, sins are forgiving and everyone is closer than ever. That of course is when all hell breaks lose and one of the most traumatic climaxes of my book geek heart transpires. I had tears in my eyes on page one and constantly throughout. Soooo much has happened to these kids and their families and the events in this book felt like salt in the wound. I am sorry to see the series end, but happy all the same. I am happy, because I cannot possibly stand anything else happening to these people.
A fantastic ending to an entertaining series. A must read.
-Reviewed by RH (with input/opinions by me)
June 21, 2013
So I have a lot of mixed feelings for this book, but all in all it deserves every star. Our adventure continues with Emma trying to do a body adjustment, the hellions raising...well hell, and Kaylee and crew fighting said reigning terror.
Rachel Vincent introduces a new concept in this final book about soul mates which was intriguing in my opinion, and we also got to meet Ira the hellion of wrath. He was quite the character and definitely my favorite hellion if I had to choose.
The book was fast paced, I honestly don't think events extended beyond a week for our characters but it was not horrible since this was the thrilling conclusion to a seven book battle between good and evil. Kaylee's final deceptive plan was extremely clever and I admired for it but it def left the ending bittersweet.
All in all, I had been nervous with how Rachel Vincent would conclude her series considering she kind of backed herself up against the wall with such indestructible villains, but I was not disappointed! We get the happy ending that Tod and Kaylee deserve although some part of me longed for an epilogue for the romantic couple, but I am still satisfied, I am a little sad to say goodbye but Vincent has given me a series to cherish that I have enjoyed over the years so no regrets, and I look forward to a new possible teenage series!
Rachel Vincent introduces a new concept in this final book about soul mates which was intriguing in my opinion, and we also got to meet Ira the hellion of wrath. He was quite the character and definitely my favorite hellion if I had to choose.
The book was fast paced, I honestly don't think events extended beyond a week for our characters but it was not horrible since this was the thrilling conclusion to a seven book battle between good and evil. Kaylee's final deceptive plan was extremely clever and I admired for it but it def left the ending bittersweet.
All in all, I had been nervous with how Rachel Vincent would conclude her series considering she kind of backed herself up against the wall with such indestructible villains, but I was not disappointed! We get the happy ending that Tod and Kaylee deserve although some part of me longed for an epilogue for the romantic couple, but I am still satisfied, I am a little sad to say goodbye but Vincent has given me a series to cherish that I have enjoyed over the years so no regrets, and I look forward to a new possible teenage series!
March 27, 2013
Mar 6, 2012
D: this title sounds like the end... wait it is the end? NOOOOOOOO(x100^100)... D: plz up the publish date plox plox plox i'll have nothing to read after June 26th for half a year for heaven's sake ;_;
Sept 15, 2012
The cover is gorgeous <333 a lil different though, I think the others have more of a sense of movement? this one lovely too ^^
Jan 25, 2013
So close, yet so far...
Mar 17, 2013
NINE.MORE.DAYS!!! -Do the happy dance- \(^0^)/
March 26, 2013 0010hours
Alright.. I bought the book at midnight... but I'm having a hard time reading it thinking it's the last... ._. sign... I'm 10 page into it and I need a break already Q_Q
March 27, 2013
Dissappointing as all hell is all I'm feeling. Half way through the book I would have given anything to change to a different protagonist. Kayley has just outdone her self in being a ginormous martyr who believes that what she's doing is for everyone else's protection, and that other people dont possess survival abilities other than breathe and eat and s***. Her attitude basically has been, "look, I'm going to sacrifice my self... no listen! I'm going to sacrifice my self, and I dont give a f about what you or anyone else think or want, because im sacrificing myself for your good and i'm SELFLESS, really I'm just that selfless, because I love you all, I'm selfless, I'm without self when I patronize!" You'd think she'd develop some other redeeming quality or ability that helps her fight off badass villian, but how the issue resolves is just anticlimactic really. Like through out this book, Kayley: "we're a team, we have to stay together" and yet 90% of this book's decision are the decisions Kayley made for everyone else and her acting out those decisions, on her own. I can't believe I waited around for this junk.
D: this title sounds like the end... wait it is the end? NOOOOOOOO(x100^100)... D: plz up the publish date plox plox plox i'll have nothing to read after June 26th for half a year for heaven's sake ;_;
Sept 15, 2012
The cover is gorgeous <333 a lil different though, I think the others have more of a sense of movement? this one lovely too ^^
Jan 25, 2013
So close, yet so far...
Mar 17, 2013
NINE.MORE.DAYS!!! -Do the happy dance- \(^0^)/
March 26, 2013 0010hours
Alright.. I bought the book at midnight... but I'm having a hard time reading it thinking it's the last... ._. sign... I'm 10 page into it and I need a break already Q_Q
March 27, 2013
Dissappointing as all hell is all I'm feeling. Half way through the book I would have given anything to change to a different protagonist. Kayley has just outdone her self in being a ginormous martyr who believes that what she's doing is for everyone else's protection, and that other people dont possess survival abilities other than breathe and eat and s***. Her attitude basically has been, "look, I'm going to sacrifice my self... no listen! I'm going to sacrifice my self, and I dont give a f about what you or anyone else think or want, because im sacrificing myself for your good and i'm SELFLESS, really I'm just that selfless, because I love you all, I'm selfless, I'm without self when I patronize!" You'd think she'd develop some other redeeming quality or ability that helps her fight off badass villian, but how the issue resolves is just anticlimactic really. Like through out this book, Kayley: "we're a team, we have to stay together" and yet 90% of this book's decision are the decisions Kayley made for everyone else and her acting out those decisions, on her own. I can't believe I waited around for this junk.
March 26, 2016
I thought this book is going to end badly but then it ended beautifully and I can't imagine a better ending for all of those characters!
One thing I need to add. When Tod started to have feelings for Kaylee, I knew I'm going to like them together and now I'm going to say that I totally, 100% ship them!!!
Tod, easily earned himself a spot on boyfriend list <3 He can be my knight in shining armor anytime :D
Last but not least, Kaylee was a badass character, especially in this book.
One thing I need to add. When Tod started to have feelings for Kaylee, I knew I'm going to like them together and now I'm going to say that I totally, 100% ship them!!!
Tod, easily earned himself a spot on boyfriend list <3 He can be my knight in shining armor anytime :D
Last but not least, Kaylee was a badass character, especially in this book.
July 26, 2013
AHH! I can't wait to find out what happens at the end (even though I'll be devastated to see all those characters go). And that title...shivers...just gorgeous!
EDIT:
There are no words to describe how magnificent this book is. The best ending for a series I've ever had to fortune to read. It literally made me sob. It will be so hard to say goodbye to these characters. To say I loved this book would be a vast understatement. It was just absolutely amazing and perfect and even more than I hoped it would be.
Thank you so much, Ms. Vincent, for creating this series. You have officially gained a place on my list of all time favorite authors. I'll miss the characters you created and the world you built so much.
Full review to come
EDIT:
There are no words to describe how magnificent this book is. The best ending for a series I've ever had to fortune to read. It literally made me sob. It will be so hard to say goodbye to these characters. To say I loved this book would be a vast understatement. It was just absolutely amazing and perfect and even more than I hoped it would be.
Thank you so much, Ms. Vincent, for creating this series. You have officially gained a place on my list of all time favorite authors. I'll miss the characters you created and the world you built so much.
Full review to come
July 30, 2018
FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST, PLS READ THIS SERIES THANK YOU
April 30, 2013
I concede that the ending of the book was interesting and imaginative but, not enough for me to actually say that I liked the book.
This series started out so well and with a unique angle since banshees are not a common paranormal species that has been written about. For the first several books, the uniqueness of the worlds and plot were enough to keep hold of my attention and keep me reading but, the last two books have really crashed and burned.
The plot points have become increasingly convoluted and in this finale, there were several that were never resolved and I am not sure why they were ever introduced. For example, Emma’s temporary imprisonment in the psych ward as Lydia caused a whole list of problems such as Lydia’s parents being contacted and how to explain that the girl who looked like Lydia wasn’t Lydia anymore (a true identity crisis if ever there was one). There were several pages of anxiety over the outcome of that problem but in the end, it was never even addressed. It was discussed hypothetically as Kaylee and Emma considered what could be done to fix the problem but with more important matters to solve, the author forgot to return to that one and explain exactly how it was dealt with.
Evidently, the fact that Kaylee was gone for four years in hell allowed the author to skip over explaining issues presented earlier in the story that wouldn’t be relevant four years later- nice cop out. What was the point of having that in the story? It didn’t add anything but unnecessary drama.
The incubus baby was another point of contention for me. Everyone knew that he would likely be a dangerous predator and yet, they steal a soul for him and hope for the best. And, because there could be no way to explain or resolve that matter, in the end, it’s left at Awww…he’s so cute at three years old… Well, WTF happens when he turns thirteen? Everyone just seemed to conveniently forget he could be a problem.
I was so disappointed in the fact that every issue had to have an HEA. It didn’t make any bloody sense! Kaylee suffered for four years to save them all and for some reason, that seemed to negate having to explain the other issues. Everything just magically worked out. How very nice…Ugh!
There were so many issues repeated in this book that had already been played out in several of the other books that my interest had completely tapered off and I was truly bored. It wasn’t just repetition of the story line but the repetition of facts, for instance, the fact that Styx could bite through human flesh and bone was mentioned at least three times that I can distinctly remember. It’s not even an important, relevant fact!
The characters had shifted so drastically that I couldn’t identify with them anymore, individually as well as in their relationships. The changes that occurred were awkward and the relationships felt forced, insincere. I think the author was aiming for dramatic character development and change but, it didn’t work. I was okay with the relationship between Tod and Kaylee because Nash was so whiny and annoying that I couldn’t tolerate him much after book three. It didn’t take long to realize he wasn’t going to be my favorite character. However, after the relationship switch – Tod and Kaylee and Nash and Sabine – their interactions throughout the books just didn’t consistently fit their situations. I felt like the emotions were all over the place and I really wanted to scream “ENOUGH, ALREADY…GET ON WITH IT!” Nash suddenly realized in this book that he’d never stopped loving Sabine—Pffft…well, of course he did *eye roll* because everyone needed an appropriate HEA and everything tucked up all nice and neat.
It was ridiculous considering the emotions and actions from previous books.
The only slight redemptive quality was the final 25ish pages minus the final 5 pages (I found the reunion too disorienting and abrupt). The deal Kaylee constructed with Ira to subvert Avari and eventually regain her soul was clever. It’s the only part of the story I actually liked enough to remember.
The series would have been better off had it ended around book five. Unfortunately, the continuation of the story beyond book five only grew increasingly redundant and quite simply devalued the series as a whole.
I’m glad I can finally put this series to rest. I admit that despite the disappointment the final two books have brought, I still like the first few that originally captured my attention.
This series started out so well and with a unique angle since banshees are not a common paranormal species that has been written about. For the first several books, the uniqueness of the worlds and plot were enough to keep hold of my attention and keep me reading but, the last two books have really crashed and burned.
The plot points have become increasingly convoluted and in this finale, there were several that were never resolved and I am not sure why they were ever introduced. For example, Emma’s temporary imprisonment in the psych ward as Lydia caused a whole list of problems such as Lydia’s parents being contacted and how to explain that the girl who looked like Lydia wasn’t Lydia anymore (a true identity crisis if ever there was one). There were several pages of anxiety over the outcome of that problem but in the end, it was never even addressed. It was discussed hypothetically as Kaylee and Emma considered what could be done to fix the problem but with more important matters to solve, the author forgot to return to that one and explain exactly how it was dealt with.
Evidently, the fact that Kaylee was gone for four years in hell allowed the author to skip over explaining issues presented earlier in the story that wouldn’t be relevant four years later- nice cop out. What was the point of having that in the story? It didn’t add anything but unnecessary drama.
The incubus baby was another point of contention for me. Everyone knew that he would likely be a dangerous predator and yet, they steal a soul for him and hope for the best. And, because there could be no way to explain or resolve that matter, in the end, it’s left at Awww…he’s so cute at three years old… Well, WTF happens when he turns thirteen? Everyone just seemed to conveniently forget he could be a problem.
I was so disappointed in the fact that every issue had to have an HEA. It didn’t make any bloody sense! Kaylee suffered for four years to save them all and for some reason, that seemed to negate having to explain the other issues. Everything just magically worked out. How very nice…Ugh!
There were so many issues repeated in this book that had already been played out in several of the other books that my interest had completely tapered off and I was truly bored. It wasn’t just repetition of the story line but the repetition of facts, for instance, the fact that Styx could bite through human flesh and bone was mentioned at least three times that I can distinctly remember. It’s not even an important, relevant fact!
The characters had shifted so drastically that I couldn’t identify with them anymore, individually as well as in their relationships. The changes that occurred were awkward and the relationships felt forced, insincere. I think the author was aiming for dramatic character development and change but, it didn’t work. I was okay with the relationship between Tod and Kaylee because Nash was so whiny and annoying that I couldn’t tolerate him much after book three. It didn’t take long to realize he wasn’t going to be my favorite character. However, after the relationship switch – Tod and Kaylee and Nash and Sabine – their interactions throughout the books just didn’t consistently fit their situations. I felt like the emotions were all over the place and I really wanted to scream “ENOUGH, ALREADY…GET ON WITH IT!” Nash suddenly realized in this book that he’d never stopped loving Sabine—Pffft…well, of course he did *eye roll* because everyone needed an appropriate HEA and everything tucked up all nice and neat.
It was ridiculous considering the emotions and actions from previous books.
The only slight redemptive quality was the final 25ish pages minus the final 5 pages (I found the reunion too disorienting and abrupt). The deal Kaylee constructed with Ira to subvert Avari and eventually regain her soul was clever. It’s the only part of the story I actually liked enough to remember.
The series would have been better off had it ended around book five. Unfortunately, the continuation of the story beyond book five only grew increasingly redundant and quite simply devalued the series as a whole.
I’m glad I can finally put this series to rest. I admit that despite the disappointment the final two books have brought, I still like the first few that originally captured my attention.
April 22, 2013
Review originally posted in: http://forget8me8not.blogspot.com.au/...
Cover:
This change to the UK cover for the final book in the series is definitely surprising. I am quite disappointed as my series won't match because I have the previous 6 books with the US cover. I prefer the US cover for With All My Soul, the golden dress is absolutely gorgeous!
Story:
Kaylee Cavanaugh is taking her final stand!
[Warning: Spoilers for those who haven't read the books in the series, particularly Before I Wake]
Saying goodbye to a series, and not just any series, one of my all-time favourite series, is definitely hard. While I haven't been a fan of Rachel Vincent for a long time, I devoured the first 6 books in the Soul Screamers series mid-2012 and I have been waiting for With All My Soul ever since then. The thing that made the wait bearable was the fact that Before I Wake did not end in a cliffhanger. So, did I enjoy With All My Soul? Well, enjoy is an understatement. I love With All My Soul with all my heart. (Well, I actually wanted to say with all my soul but I think the pun might be too much!)
I actually don't quite remember what happened in Before I Wake but the start of With All My Soul slowly refreshed my memory of the major change that happened to Emma in Before I Wake, and also other events that happened which affected the characters in the book. Kaylee is determined to bring the hellions down so that they can never harm her loved ones again, but that is difficult as the hellions are challenging to defeat. While that is the major plot of the story (trying to defeat the hellions), the plot also covers Traci's 'pregnancy', Emma's adaptation to her 'new' life and of course, the amazing relationship between Kaylee and Tod. What particularly surprised me was the climax of the series. It's so clever, smart and genius. I want to applaud Kaylee for that, but I guess the one I should truly applaud is Rachel Vincent for writing such an epic series.
Characters:
This is the bit I'm most excited for! Kaylee has definitely grown throughout the series, after all the hardships she had to endure. It's good to see that she has her happy ending after the climax of the plot. One thing that hasn't change is Kaylee's tendency to act rashly and secretively. Throughout the series, we are no longer surprised by the decisions Kaylee make which can be quite impulsive at times. She makes major decisions in this book too and while I can't really say I'm happy with the choice she makes, I understand why she makes them.
What I particularly adored is Tod. He is perhaps the only character who I found absolutely perfect! Kaylee is not exactly a perfect girlfriend but Tod is not the obsessive controlling boyfriend. He tries to understand Kaylee's decisions, controlled his anger and never ceases to love her no matter what happens. Those are the qualities of a perfect boyfriend! Tod completely outshines other characters. Sure, I adored Nash but he annoyed me quite a few times. Not to mention Sabine. I know she's not 'evil' anymore but I still dislike her. At first, I was quite against Nash and Sabine being together but in the end, I can accept that they do belong with each other. There's also Sophie and Luca. I still don't like Sophie but Luca is such a sweet guy! Sophie should definitely feel lucky that she has Luca as her boyfriend!
My favourite scenes are definitely Kaylee and Tod's moments in the book. I savoured them, particularly those swoon-worthy scenes including secret confessions and sharing ice-creams! Kaylee and Tod are perfect for each other.
Overall:
Wow, that turned out to be a such a long review! All in all, With All My Soul is the thrilling, beautiful and epic conclusion to the Soul Screamers series. I devoured this book in about 4 hours and I particularly loved all those scenes between Kaylee and Tod. I guess this is goodbye for now, Soul Screamers series. But rest assured, I'll be re-reading you again hopefully soon! (Just so I can read about the two lovely Hudson brothers, particularly *cough* Tod!)
Thank you Harlequin Teen Australia for the review copy!
PS: Here's my favourite quote from the book :')
Kaylee: "Do you trust me, Tod?"
Tod: "With everything I have and everything I am. With all my soul."
*sigh* ♥TOD♥
Cover:
This change to the UK cover for the final book in the series is definitely surprising. I am quite disappointed as my series won't match because I have the previous 6 books with the US cover. I prefer the US cover for With All My Soul, the golden dress is absolutely gorgeous!
Story:
Kaylee Cavanaugh is taking her final stand!
[Warning: Spoilers for those who haven't read the books in the series, particularly Before I Wake]
Saying goodbye to a series, and not just any series, one of my all-time favourite series, is definitely hard. While I haven't been a fan of Rachel Vincent for a long time, I devoured the first 6 books in the Soul Screamers series mid-2012 and I have been waiting for With All My Soul ever since then. The thing that made the wait bearable was the fact that Before I Wake did not end in a cliffhanger. So, did I enjoy With All My Soul? Well, enjoy is an understatement. I love With All My Soul with all my heart. (Well, I actually wanted to say with all my soul but I think the pun might be too much!)
I actually don't quite remember what happened in Before I Wake but the start of With All My Soul slowly refreshed my memory of the major change that happened to Emma in Before I Wake, and also other events that happened which affected the characters in the book. Kaylee is determined to bring the hellions down so that they can never harm her loved ones again, but that is difficult as the hellions are challenging to defeat. While that is the major plot of the story (trying to defeat the hellions), the plot also covers Traci's 'pregnancy', Emma's adaptation to her 'new' life and of course, the amazing relationship between Kaylee and Tod. What particularly surprised me was the climax of the series. It's so clever, smart and genius. I want to applaud Kaylee for that, but I guess the one I should truly applaud is Rachel Vincent for writing such an epic series.
Characters:
This is the bit I'm most excited for! Kaylee has definitely grown throughout the series, after all the hardships she had to endure. It's good to see that she has her happy ending after the climax of the plot. One thing that hasn't change is Kaylee's tendency to act rashly and secretively. Throughout the series, we are no longer surprised by the decisions Kaylee make which can be quite impulsive at times. She makes major decisions in this book too and while I can't really say I'm happy with the choice she makes, I understand why she makes them.
What I particularly adored is Tod. He is perhaps the only character who I found absolutely perfect! Kaylee is not exactly a perfect girlfriend but Tod is not the obsessive controlling boyfriend. He tries to understand Kaylee's decisions, controlled his anger and never ceases to love her no matter what happens. Those are the qualities of a perfect boyfriend! Tod completely outshines other characters. Sure, I adored Nash but he annoyed me quite a few times. Not to mention Sabine. I know she's not 'evil' anymore but I still dislike her. At first, I was quite against Nash and Sabine being together but in the end, I can accept that they do belong with each other. There's also Sophie and Luca. I still don't like Sophie but Luca is such a sweet guy! Sophie should definitely feel lucky that she has Luca as her boyfriend!
My favourite scenes are definitely Kaylee and Tod's moments in the book. I savoured them, particularly those swoon-worthy scenes including secret confessions and sharing ice-creams! Kaylee and Tod are perfect for each other.
Overall:
Wow, that turned out to be a such a long review! All in all, With All My Soul is the thrilling, beautiful and epic conclusion to the Soul Screamers series. I devoured this book in about 4 hours and I particularly loved all those scenes between Kaylee and Tod. I guess this is goodbye for now, Soul Screamers series. But rest assured, I'll be re-reading you again hopefully soon! (Just so I can read about the two lovely Hudson brothers, particularly *cough* Tod!)
Thank you Harlequin Teen Australia for the review copy!
PS: Here's my favourite quote from the book :')
Kaylee: "Do you trust me, Tod?"
Tod: "With everything I have and everything I am. With all my soul."
*sigh* ♥TOD♥
April 9, 2013
I have been a massive fan of the Soul Screamers series ever since I read the first book so I have to admit I was quite nervous about picking up this final book in the series. I was sad that the story would be coming to an end and worried in case I didn't like the ending but I should have known better - Rachel Vincent has never let me down yet and With All My Soul is a fitting end to the series. I'm going to deliberately keep this review fairly short because I would absolutely hate to give away how it ends but please note that this is the seventh book in the series so my review may contain spoilers for the previous books. If you've not read the first six books then I don't recommend reading any further but I do recommend immediately dropping everything to catch up because this is a series that isn't to be missed.
Kaylee and her friends have been through so much throughout this series at the hands of Hellion of greed Avari and he isn't going to stop coming after them until he has what he wants - Kaylee's soul to torture for eternity. They have taken numerous casualties but haven't managed to find a way to hurt Avari in return and things are starting to get desperate. Kaylee just wants to protect those she cares about and she has an idea for a way to turn the three Hellions against each other in the hope that they will destroy themselves but that isn't going to be as easy as it sounds and Kaylee may have to make a sacrifice that she isn't prepared for if she has any hope of succeeding. Kaylee has always been a strong character but she excels herself in this book, she has always put the safety of her friends and family above her own and she has gone to great lengths to protect others. That doesn't change in this book, in fact she is going to have to be even smarter and braver than ever before if she has any chance of looking after the ones she loves. She is facing some fearsome enemies and that is going to mean making some incredibly hard decisions but anyone who knows her will know that she doesn't back down from a challenge.
With All My Soul ends the series with a bang, the story is fast paced, full of action and takes some very unexpected turns. Characters I've loved to hate in previous books managed to make me fall in love with them and some of the events in this book broke my heart. I laughed, I cried and I prayed for my favourites to survive until the end but I always had a fear at the back of my mind that something major would happen. I'm not going to tell you who makes it, I'm not going to tell you if they all live, I'm not actually going to tell you anything else at all apart from that this is a MUST read for fans of the series. Rachel Vincent has ended Kaylee's story on a high and as much as I'm going to miss these characters I'm happy that I'll be able to look back at this series with fond memories and without feeling disappointed by the ending. Now I'm just eager to see what the author comes up with next, I already know from experience that I love both her adult and young adult books so whatever it is she writes it will automatically be added to my must buy list.
Kaylee and her friends have been through so much throughout this series at the hands of Hellion of greed Avari and he isn't going to stop coming after them until he has what he wants - Kaylee's soul to torture for eternity. They have taken numerous casualties but haven't managed to find a way to hurt Avari in return and things are starting to get desperate. Kaylee just wants to protect those she cares about and she has an idea for a way to turn the three Hellions against each other in the hope that they will destroy themselves but that isn't going to be as easy as it sounds and Kaylee may have to make a sacrifice that she isn't prepared for if she has any hope of succeeding. Kaylee has always been a strong character but she excels herself in this book, she has always put the safety of her friends and family above her own and she has gone to great lengths to protect others. That doesn't change in this book, in fact she is going to have to be even smarter and braver than ever before if she has any chance of looking after the ones she loves. She is facing some fearsome enemies and that is going to mean making some incredibly hard decisions but anyone who knows her will know that she doesn't back down from a challenge.
With All My Soul ends the series with a bang, the story is fast paced, full of action and takes some very unexpected turns. Characters I've loved to hate in previous books managed to make me fall in love with them and some of the events in this book broke my heart. I laughed, I cried and I prayed for my favourites to survive until the end but I always had a fear at the back of my mind that something major would happen. I'm not going to tell you who makes it, I'm not going to tell you if they all live, I'm not actually going to tell you anything else at all apart from that this is a MUST read for fans of the series. Rachel Vincent has ended Kaylee's story on a high and as much as I'm going to miss these characters I'm happy that I'll be able to look back at this series with fond memories and without feeling disappointed by the ending. Now I'm just eager to see what the author comes up with next, I already know from experience that I love both her adult and young adult books so whatever it is she writes it will automatically be added to my must buy list.
August 16, 2013
*Contains minor spoilers for the previous books*
This is the end, guys. We have to say our goodbyes to this wonderful, amazing, incredible, exquisite, beautiful and unique series. I know some of you can feel your heart breaking as you realise that we will have no more dangerous adventures with Kaylee Cavanaugh and her crazy friends. And Tod... Oh God! NO MORE TOD HUDSON!
*Screams to all Team Tod supporters* How are we going to survive? Where else are we going to find a charming and gorgeous reaper? The only way my Tod with-drawers will go away is if this series is made into movies. Yep, that is my solution. So, until I see a real life Tod... I am going to... I am going to sit in the corner and sulk.
Anyway, back to the book.
Kaylee is jumping into another pit of troublesome danger. *Sigh* But then again, this wouldn't be a good Soul Screamers finale if Kaylee wasn't taking any risks, right? So, what is she doing this time? Well, apart from summoning a demon, venturing into the Netherwold, and making a life changing deal... So, not much really. Just Kaylee being her usual selfless self, because she wouldn't be doing all this unless someone she cared for was in danger. Kaylee and the gang have to conjure up a plan that will not only save their loved one, but also keep them all alive.
I enjoyed every second of the book and I could not put it down even though I told myself to take it easy. After all, this is the last book. I don't even know what else I can say. Rachel Vincent has written a beautiful series with characters that I will cherish. She has introduced me to a crazy world, that I'm really happy that I got to explore, full of crazy paranormal beings, that I'm really happy I got to meet.
With All My Soul is the heartbreaking conclusion to the thrilling Soul Screamers series. And one that you do not want to miss. I mean it. If you have not even STARTED the series... ONE: You should not be reading this review because you've probably spoiled the previous books for yourself. TWO: You need to go to some bookshop right now and buy this series. Yes. It's a necessity.
This is the end, guys. We have to say our goodbyes to this wonderful, amazing, incredible, exquisite, beautiful and unique series. I know some of you can feel your heart breaking as you realise that we will have no more dangerous adventures with Kaylee Cavanaugh and her crazy friends. And Tod... Oh God! NO MORE TOD HUDSON!
*Screams to all Team Tod supporters* How are we going to survive? Where else are we going to find a charming and gorgeous reaper? The only way my Tod with-drawers will go away is if this series is made into movies. Yep, that is my solution. So, until I see a real life Tod... I am going to... I am going to sit in the corner and sulk.
Anyway, back to the book.
Kaylee is jumping into another pit of troublesome danger. *Sigh* But then again, this wouldn't be a good Soul Screamers finale if Kaylee wasn't taking any risks, right? So, what is she doing this time? Well, apart from summoning a demon, venturing into the Netherwold, and making a life changing deal... So, not much really. Just Kaylee being her usual selfless self, because she wouldn't be doing all this unless someone she cared for was in danger. Kaylee and the gang have to conjure up a plan that will not only save their loved one, but also keep them all alive.
I enjoyed every second of the book and I could not put it down even though I told myself to take it easy. After all, this is the last book. I don't even know what else I can say. Rachel Vincent has written a beautiful series with characters that I will cherish. She has introduced me to a crazy world, that I'm really happy that I got to explore, full of crazy paranormal beings, that I'm really happy I got to meet.
With All My Soul is the heartbreaking conclusion to the thrilling Soul Screamers series. And one that you do not want to miss. I mean it. If you have not even STARTED the series... ONE: You should not be reading this review because you've probably spoiled the previous books for yourself. TWO: You need to go to some bookshop right now and buy this series. Yes. It's a necessity.
April 6, 2013
That ending was so awesome I don't know whether to burst into rainbows or tears.
Kaylee is a genius! How could anyone think her less than the strong, smart, and selfless heroine she obviously is? I just love her to bits.
And Tod... Tod is absolutely fantastic, as always ;)
This quote pretty much sums up my love for Sabine in this book - and is the only logical explanation as to how I could have possibly gone from hating her with a passion in My Soul to Steal, to now crying at the possibility of any harm coming to her.
“That damn mara was an emotional ninja, sneaking up on your heart when you least expected it.”
I HEREBY DECREE THAT EVERY PERSON IN EXISTENCE READ THIS SERIES AND CRY AND LAUGH AND FALL IN LOVE AS MANY TIMES AS I DID. There will be no survivors. ♥
Kaylee is a genius! How could anyone think her less than the strong, smart, and selfless heroine she obviously is? I just love her to bits.
And Tod... Tod is absolutely fantastic, as always ;)
This quote pretty much sums up my love for Sabine in this book - and is the only logical explanation as to how I could have possibly gone from hating her with a passion in My Soul to Steal, to now crying at the possibility of any harm coming to her.
“That damn mara was an emotional ninja, sneaking up on your heart when you least expected it.”
I HEREBY DECREE THAT EVERY PERSON IN EXISTENCE READ THIS SERIES AND CRY AND LAUGH AND FALL IN LOVE AS MANY TIMES AS I DID. There will be no survivors. ♥
March 22, 2013
Wowzers! Rachel Vincent's conclusion to the Soul Screamers series, With All My Soul was truly magical! It was beyond freaking awesome!! I loved every moment of it!
Kaylee and her friends are tired of all the demons terrorizing their lives. Finally, Kaylee decides they have to do something about it. Now. Especially since her high school has been deemed "the most dangerous high school in America. Of its size." And their plan is to turn the hellions against one another, so that their meddling in the lives of humans is put to an end. But it's going to take a lot of work. More than Kaylee realizes. Dealing with hellions can be tricky. When she happens to meet the demon of Wrath, Ira, she finds herself working with him in ways to help put her plan into motion.
But once someone close to her is taken by Avari, the game plan changes drastically and becomes even more dire when two more people close to her are lost to the Netherworld. Yes, life seems to suck for poor Kaylee and she isn't even alive anymore!
Kaylee definitely has a lot on her plate. Besides trying to get rid of the hellions for good, save the people she loves and protect them too, she also has to help Emma's sister Traci who has become pregnant with her dead teacher's baby. Help Emma adjust to her new life being in Lydia's body and deal with her powers that Lydia once had, which becomes extremely difficult, especially when after an incident she is recognized as being Lydia and having once been at Lakeside.
There's just so much that happened in this novel, it's hard to express it without spoilers, but it was purely awesome! Kaylee has a lot of tough decisions she has to make and I really really felt for the girl. But by the end, it was all worth it and Kaylee sees that too, despite everything she had to lose in order to get to that point.
I have truly enjoyed watching how all these characters have grown! There were times that I didn't like Nash and felt like I couldn't trust him. Not just the times when he was taking Demon's Breath and giving his memories of Kaylee away. But in the beginning, when he just suddenly took an interest in Kaylee, I had my suspiscions. But he's definitely grown since then and throughout the series.
Sabine has grown on me too! When we first met her, I naturally didn't care for her since she was trying to rip Kaylee and Nash apart. Not that I was totally team Nash or anything, I just don't like it when someone's so vindictive to try to rip a couple apart so they can have one of them. But through the remaining books I have come to understand and even like Sabine! She's definitely become a favorite character!
Sophie has pretty much taken me by surprise! Who didn't hate her in the beginning of the series? I guess it wasn't until the end of her novella, Never to Sleep, that I came to sort of liking her. But I definitely liked her in With All My Soul! She's grown quite a bit. She hasn't totally lost all her vices, but she's not so mean anymore and has come to be even friendly! She still retains some of her spunk and spice which is kind of good, because that's what makes her Sophie!
Emma is definitely still the bestest friend ever! She truly cares for Kaylee and has shown it in this entire series. But this time around, Kaylee has to be there for her and help her through her adjusting to a new body and new life. And their friendship just continues to remain strong and I so love that!
Tod. What's there to say about him, other than that he's freaking fantastic!! I love that reaper! I may have been a little delusional in the beginning that he liked Kaylee in that way. And I didn't think Rachel would take the Kaylee and Tod route at the time since Kaylee was alive and Tod was a reaper. But that problem was easily fixed! Tod continues to make me laugh throughout this one, as he did in the whole series. But we also get to see another side to him, a more vulnerable one where he truly lets Kaylee know how much she means to him and that totally made me melt!
The ending was just perfect! I always get worried about how authors will end a series and if I will truly like it. I like to know that my favorite characters that I have come to love over the years are going to be happy in their future--whether we get to hear about it in future books or novellas or not--because that's just the way I am. Who doesn't want to know that the heroes and heroine live happily ever after? That after all they went through they might finally get some peace and a chance for happiness! Needless to say I wasn't disappointed with this one. I don't think I've ever even read a series finale where the ending wasn't absolutely perfect or happy!
With All My Soul was a tremendous read! I have loved this series pretty much since the beginning! I always enjoy diving into a new paranormal read that features a lesser known supernatural entity, but naturally still enjoy the classics with a new twist! The Soul Screamers has been a hell of a ride (no pun intended!) and I happy to have read it!
Overall rating 5/5 stars
Kaylee and her friends are tired of all the demons terrorizing their lives. Finally, Kaylee decides they have to do something about it. Now. Especially since her high school has been deemed "the most dangerous high school in America. Of its size." And their plan is to turn the hellions against one another, so that their meddling in the lives of humans is put to an end. But it's going to take a lot of work. More than Kaylee realizes. Dealing with hellions can be tricky. When she happens to meet the demon of Wrath, Ira, she finds herself working with him in ways to help put her plan into motion.
But once someone close to her is taken by Avari, the game plan changes drastically and becomes even more dire when two more people close to her are lost to the Netherworld. Yes, life seems to suck for poor Kaylee and she isn't even alive anymore!
Kaylee definitely has a lot on her plate. Besides trying to get rid of the hellions for good, save the people she loves and protect them too, she also has to help Emma's sister Traci who has become pregnant with her dead teacher's baby. Help Emma adjust to her new life being in Lydia's body and deal with her powers that Lydia once had, which becomes extremely difficult, especially when after an incident she is recognized as being Lydia and having once been at Lakeside.
There's just so much that happened in this novel, it's hard to express it without spoilers, but it was purely awesome! Kaylee has a lot of tough decisions she has to make and I really really felt for the girl. But by the end, it was all worth it and Kaylee sees that too, despite everything she had to lose in order to get to that point.
I have truly enjoyed watching how all these characters have grown! There were times that I didn't like Nash and felt like I couldn't trust him. Not just the times when he was taking Demon's Breath and giving his memories of Kaylee away. But in the beginning, when he just suddenly took an interest in Kaylee, I had my suspiscions. But he's definitely grown since then and throughout the series.
Sabine has grown on me too! When we first met her, I naturally didn't care for her since she was trying to rip Kaylee and Nash apart. Not that I was totally team Nash or anything, I just don't like it when someone's so vindictive to try to rip a couple apart so they can have one of them. But through the remaining books I have come to understand and even like Sabine! She's definitely become a favorite character!
Sophie has pretty much taken me by surprise! Who didn't hate her in the beginning of the series? I guess it wasn't until the end of her novella, Never to Sleep, that I came to sort of liking her. But I definitely liked her in With All My Soul! She's grown quite a bit. She hasn't totally lost all her vices, but she's not so mean anymore and has come to be even friendly! She still retains some of her spunk and spice which is kind of good, because that's what makes her Sophie!
Emma is definitely still the bestest friend ever! She truly cares for Kaylee and has shown it in this entire series. But this time around, Kaylee has to be there for her and help her through her adjusting to a new body and new life. And their friendship just continues to remain strong and I so love that!
Tod. What's there to say about him, other than that he's freaking fantastic!! I love that reaper! I may have been a little delusional in the beginning that he liked Kaylee in that way. And I didn't think Rachel would take the Kaylee and Tod route at the time since Kaylee was alive and Tod was a reaper. But that problem was easily fixed! Tod continues to make me laugh throughout this one, as he did in the whole series. But we also get to see another side to him, a more vulnerable one where he truly lets Kaylee know how much she means to him and that totally made me melt!
The ending was just perfect! I always get worried about how authors will end a series and if I will truly like it. I like to know that my favorite characters that I have come to love over the years are going to be happy in their future--whether we get to hear about it in future books or novellas or not--because that's just the way I am. Who doesn't want to know that the heroes and heroine live happily ever after? That after all they went through they might finally get some peace and a chance for happiness! Needless to say I wasn't disappointed with this one. I don't think I've ever even read a series finale where the ending wasn't absolutely perfect or happy!
With All My Soul was a tremendous read! I have loved this series pretty much since the beginning! I always enjoy diving into a new paranormal read that features a lesser known supernatural entity, but naturally still enjoy the classics with a new twist! The Soul Screamers has been a hell of a ride (no pun intended!) and I happy to have read it!
Overall rating 5/5 stars
July 19, 2014
More Reviews Here: Readers Live A Thousand Lives
I have been waiting for this book what feels like forever, and the wait for it was oh so worth it. It was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. I love when a series gives you a conclusion that is just perfect in every way possible. I am so happy to have my conclusion, but at the same time I am seriously going to miss these characters. It was very hard to say goodbye!
Kaylee will forever be an absolute favorite of mine. She is such an incredibly strong heroine. She always does what she thinks is right and has no problem risking herself for those she loves. If people doubted her love for her friends and family before, there is no way they can doubt it now. I just love her determination and the way she perseveres.
Then there is Tod and I LOVE him, simple as that. From the very first book I knew I was going to love him. When he made the transition from secondary character to full blow love interest, I was ecstatic. I love his sense of humor and his devotion to his family and how he is willing to do anything for Kaylee. Their relationship is so sweet and so beautiful and just perfect. I have said it before, but it is worth repeating, they make more sense as a couple than Kaylee and Nash ever did. They are perfect for each other and there are no petty insecurities.
Ahhh, Nash. I still have my issues with him, but I was happy to see him grow in this one. Then there is Sabine, who I have grown to really appreciate and even like. She just tells it like it is without reservation. Emma is another one that I love and I really felt for her in this book.
The plot in With All My Soul is fantastic. I couldn’t figure out where the story was going. I was so caught up in the world that I didn’t even try to guess, I just enjoyed the ride. While Before I Wake still remains my favorite of the series, this one is a very close second. I loved the way the story wrapped up and I loved taking the journey with these characters. The world Rachel Vincent created is just frightening. The hellions are not something I ever want to encounter. It seems as if poor Kaylee has caught the attention of so many of them and then this book introduces yet another hellion who has an interest in her. It seems as if she has gotten herself into a mess that she can’t get out of without great sacrifice. I was on the edge of my sea the entire book and when everything climaxed I was literally freaking out. It was just crazy!
All in all, With All My Soul is a fabulous conclusion to one of my favorite series. If you have not read this series yet, I highly recommend you do.
I have been waiting for this book what feels like forever, and the wait for it was oh so worth it. It was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. I love when a series gives you a conclusion that is just perfect in every way possible. I am so happy to have my conclusion, but at the same time I am seriously going to miss these characters. It was very hard to say goodbye!
Kaylee will forever be an absolute favorite of mine. She is such an incredibly strong heroine. She always does what she thinks is right and has no problem risking herself for those she loves. If people doubted her love for her friends and family before, there is no way they can doubt it now. I just love her determination and the way she perseveres.
Then there is Tod and I LOVE him, simple as that. From the very first book I knew I was going to love him. When he made the transition from secondary character to full blow love interest, I was ecstatic. I love his sense of humor and his devotion to his family and how he is willing to do anything for Kaylee. Their relationship is so sweet and so beautiful and just perfect. I have said it before, but it is worth repeating, they make more sense as a couple than Kaylee and Nash ever did. They are perfect for each other and there are no petty insecurities.
Ahhh, Nash. I still have my issues with him, but I was happy to see him grow in this one. Then there is Sabine, who I have grown to really appreciate and even like. She just tells it like it is without reservation. Emma is another one that I love and I really felt for her in this book.
The plot in With All My Soul is fantastic. I couldn’t figure out where the story was going. I was so caught up in the world that I didn’t even try to guess, I just enjoyed the ride. While Before I Wake still remains my favorite of the series, this one is a very close second. I loved the way the story wrapped up and I loved taking the journey with these characters. The world Rachel Vincent created is just frightening. The hellions are not something I ever want to encounter. It seems as if poor Kaylee has caught the attention of so many of them and then this book introduces yet another hellion who has an interest in her. It seems as if she has gotten herself into a mess that she can’t get out of without great sacrifice. I was on the edge of my sea the entire book and when everything climaxed I was literally freaking out. It was just crazy!
All in all, With All My Soul is a fabulous conclusion to one of my favorite series. If you have not read this series yet, I highly recommend you do.
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