Bookaholics book club: soul screamers

Showing posts with label soul screamers. Show all posts

9 Apr 2013

With all my soul - Quickie review

With all my soul by Rachel Vincent

Soul screamers book seven

Available now

www.miraink.co.uk

What's it about?

After spending the last year undead, Kaylee Cavanaugh has had enough of the paranormal creatures who have plagued her ever since she came into her banshee powers. Now she's ready to take her school back from the evil hellions, once and forever.

To protect her friends, Kaylee will need to find a way to turn the living incarnations of Avarice, Envy and Vanity against one another.

Yet when one more person close to her is taken, Kaylee realises she can't save everyone she loves without making some powerful sacrifices...

Previous titles in the series
My soul to lose - Book 0.5
My soul to take - Book one
My soul to save - Book two
My soul to keep - book three
Reaper - Book 3.5
My soul to steal - Book four
If I die - Book five
Never to sleep - Book 5.5
Before I wake - Book six
My review

With this being the seventh and final book in a series, as you can imagine I was anxious to get to it and actually started the book within seconds of it being in my hands!

I enjoyed it a lot and think Rachel Vincent came up with a great ending to her series, everything was wrapped up nicely by the end and all my questions answered.
I liked the outcomes for each character and thought they were well fitted. Kaylee has always been admirable character, always willing to give everything she has and she's no different in this one and Tod is as swoon worthy as always. It was also good to see Nash dealing with his demons and making slow steps to move on with his life and I felt so bad for Em and the struggles she has to face after the events at the end of Before I wake.
I'd rather not say too much as I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I can confidently say that if you enjoyed the previous books, then you'll like this one too. I think If I die is still my favourite of them all but the whole series is brilliant and I loved each and every instalment, I'm actually a little sad to see the series end but I always enjoy all of Vincent's books, so I'm looking forward to whatever she writes next and jumping into the new world she'll create because they're always brilliant.

My thoughts on the cover
Possibly my favourite one of the lot! I love the smudged mascara that gives her a dishevelled appearance and that Tod is on the cover! Even though his hair is the wrong colour lol unless its supposed to be someone else. And I love the bright pink lipstick she's rocking.

Favourite quotes

'"Okay, I always try to be careful." But the truth was that "careful" doesn't always get the job done. If you're not willing to risk everything you have and everything you are for those you love, what's the point in living?'

'"With everything I have and everything I am. With all my soul."
I lost control of a sob. Just one, and Tod kissed the tears from my cheeks.'

Find the author

7 Jul 2012

Before I wake - Review and guest post

Before I wake by Rachel Vincent

The soul screamers book six.

Available 6th July 2012.

www,miraink.co.uk

What's it about?
I died on a Thursday—killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul.
The good news? He didn’t get it.
The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school…
Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent “recovering,” she’s back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.
But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won’t keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn’t just gambling with her own life….

My review

Once again Rachel Vincent has delivered another brilliant book! I really enjoyed Before I wake and can't wait for the final book in the series, With all my soul, though I will be sad to say goodbye to these characters.

Whilst I'd say If I die is still my favourite of the series, probably because of the shock value it came with, I still really enjoyed this instalment and watching Kaylee and Tod's relationship develop was great to read, even though it did feel very intense at times, I'm glad they have each other and I think Tod is way better suited to her than Nash. It was sad watching Nash trying to deal with everything though and I hope it all ends well for him.

Needless to say I am on the edge of my seat for book seven, where hopefully Kaylee and co will be kicking some demon butt!

The ending of Before I wake was so shocking and heart wrenching and I really can't tell what's in store for a certain character after what just happened to them - I'm trying to not give anything away!

So, if you liked the rest of the series, then pick this up now, you won't be disappointed.

Team Tod!

My thoughts on the cover

Oh, I've said it before and I'll say it again, these covers are gorgeous! I couldn't pick a favourite and I really like this one to, the fire is great as the series is really heating up but I don't know how they'll top it with the last cover!

Favourite quotes

'I ran my thumb over the back of Tod's hand. Just touching him made me feel more...real. More there. More alive.'

'His gaze burned into mine, like he could see past my eyes into parts of me no one had ever seen, and I knew I was seeing the same in him. No one else had ever seen him so vulnerable before, like if I pushed him away, he might crumble into pieces that could never be put back together again.'

Guest post from the author:

How I Became a Bookaholic: Rachel Vincent

I honestly have no idea what fuelled my love of books as a kid, but if I had to guess, I’d say it was having parents who were ALWAYS reading. My parents were still in college when I was born, and though I don’t remember that far back, I’m sure there was a ton of studying in our house. Some of the earliest things I do remember, though, are trips to the library with my grandmother and my mother’s collection of genre fiction. Books were always a huge presence in my life.

My grandmother fed me the classics from an early age. Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, Little House on the Prairie, A Little Princess. Heidi. Nancy Drew. The Hardy Boys. The Swiss Family Robinson. Later, her influence led me to The Bronte sisters and Jane Austen.

My mother, on the other hand, read mostly high fantasy and horror, and I gravitated to those as well. I cut my teeth on Stephen King and Robert R. McCammon, and later moved into murder/medical mysteries.

Then, when Laurel K. Hamilton began writing the Anita Blake series when I was in high school, my mom fell into those and my love of urban fantasy was born.

I’ve been writing literally as far back as I can remember. I wrote and illustrated my own stories beginning at age five. I wrote short stories all through middle school, high school, and college, and I was an English major in college (emphasis in literature, not writing), so there were all kinds of papers to write and things to read.

But I didn’t start writing with an eye toward publication until my husband actually dared me to write the novel I’d always talked about, way back in mid-2004. By then, I’d been married for seven years (I married when I was barely 19) and out of college for almost four. It took me ten months to write my first three books, then several months to polish that third (Stray, my 2007 release) with the help of a great mentor. I started querying literary agents en mass in the fall of 2005 and signed with my first literary agent the last week of November, 2005. I did a round of revisions on Stray for her, and she sent it out to six publishers on Jan 2, 2006. We got our first offer 11 days later. Then we got three more.

I haven’t looked back since. ;)

Find the author

4 Feb 2012

If I die UK blog tour - Review and quickie interview with Rachel Vincent

If I die by Rachel Vincent

Soul screamers book five.

Available now.

http://www.miraink.co.uk/

What's it about?

No one wants to be this teacher's pet…

The entire school’s talking about the gorgeous new math teacher, Mr Beck. That is, everyone except Kaylee Cavanaugh. After all, Kaylee’s no ordinary high-school junior. She’s a banshee — she screams when someone dies.
But the next scream might be for Kaylee.
Yeah — it’s a shock to her, too. So to distract herself, Kaylee’s going to save every girl in school. Because that hot new teacher is really an incubus who feeds on the desire of unsuspecting students. The only girls immune to his lure are Kaylee and Sabine — her boyfriend’s needy ex-girlfriend. Now the unlikely allies have to get rid of Mr Beck…before he discovers they aren’t quite human, either.
But Kaylee’s borrowed lifeline is nearing its end. And those who care about her will do anything to save her life. Anything.

My review

I'm a big fan of Vincents work and of the soul screamers world, the first book in the series is my favourite, at least it was until I read this! Now I'm not so sure because If I die was soooo good! The story is so gripping right from the shocking reveal at the start until the conclusion in the last pages, and if I don't get my hands on the next book Before I wake soon I might die myself!
If you're reading this then you've likely already read the previous books and I don't need to go to in depth about the characters or the authors writing, you already know they're awesome! I liked Kaylee a lot in this book, she's extremely brave and despite what she has waiting for her, she still puts others first, I'm not sure if that's something I could do!
I'm also definitely more warmed up to Tod after this book to, I'd never really noticed him until the last couple of books but he is a great character (If you haven't read the short story Reaper yet, you should!) I certainly found myself swooning over him as we got to know him more personally. I was a little disappointed that Alec was barely in this one but the book was already chock-full of bookish goodness there wasn't really room for him, maybe in the next one!
If I die really did keep me on the edge of my seat, guessing until the end, there was no way I could predict how it would go and I'm eagerly anticipating the next installment.

My thoughts on the cover
Stunning as ever, the UK covers for this series are some of my favourites ever and this ones no exception, though I'm not sure what the dragonfly has to do with the story it's still gorgeous and the smoke and the title, ahhh I just love it!

Favourite quotes

'He shrugged, looking right into my eyes. "Right now, this is all I feel." He held our intertwined hands up for me to see and I wanted to look away, but I couldn't break the hold his gaze had on me, like he could see more than anyone else saw. Things I couldn't even see myself.'

"Kaylee, I would do anything for the girl who granted my dying wish." - Tod

Quickie interview

How do you go about writing a book? Do you map it first or do you just start writing and see where your characters take you?

-I have to plot the book first, because I have to turn in a synopsis to my editor. But things often change during the actual writing process.

When is it you first decided you wanted to be a writer?

-That wasn’t really a conscious decision. I’ve just…always written. From the time I was five years old and could first hold a pencil. Once I realized it might actually be possible to make my living with my pen (though it’s actually a computer), I was full-steam ahead. Unfortunately, that realization didn’t come until my mid-twenties.

If you weren't a writer, what do you think you'd be instead?

-I suspect I’d still be teaching English.

Do you think when Kaylee’s story is told you'll write more in the world of the soul screamers or will you end it there?

-I honestly don’t know. Maybe. But that depends a lot on what both my publisher and my readers want. And what I feel like writing at the time. But that point is a full year away.

You use a lot of mythology in the series, do you have a particular favourite mythological character/creature or story?

-I have lots of favorites! I love the Persephone/Demeter myth. I’ve always wanted to do something with the Tantalus myth (though I’m not sure what, yet. I LOVE the concept of oracles and I’ve mentioned and even shown them in the Soul Screamers universe (in “Niederwald) but have yet to write an entire story about them. But even more than particular myths, I’m drawn to particular themes and concepts.

Find the author

3 Nov 2011

My soul to steal UK blog tour - Quickie interview with Rachel Vincent

My soul to steal by Rachel Vincent.

Book four in the Soul screamers series.
Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can’t just pretend nothing happened. But “complicated” doesn’t even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school, determined to take Nash back.

See, Sabine isn’t just an ordinary girl. She’s a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. She can read people’s fears—and craft them into nightmares while her victims sleep. Feeding from human fear is how she survives.

And Sabine isn’t above scaring Kaylee and the entire school to death to get whatever—and whoever—she wants.

About the author

Rachel Vincent is a New York times best selling author. The Soul Screamers series is her first YA series. Rachel is also the author of the successful Shifters series about a pride of werecats which are written for adults. Rachel lives in Texas with her husband, who she met when she worked in Subway. When she’s not writing paranormal fiction Rachel spends time catching up on her favourite TV shows - she is addicted to True Blood! For more info visit www.rachelvincent.com.com

Quickie interview

- This is the only series I've ever heard of about Bean Sidhes, what was it that drew you to writing a series about them?

The fact that I hadn’t read much about them in fiction. I like to forge my own path, so I try to find subject matter that hasn’t already been done to death and see what I can do with it. Sometimes that makes me hard to classify from a sales/shelving point of view. But it keeps me entertained. ;)

- There are lots of very different characters in the Soul screamers series, were there any who particularly easy or hard to write?

Sabine is the easiest to write. Tod is a lot of fun, but a lot of work. It’s hard to make him sound so quick-witted and strike just the right balance of humor and depth. Nash is very hard to write. He’s complicated.

- You also write adult books, do you find it easiest writing YA or adult?

Soul Screamers is the only YA series I’ve written so far, so I can’t speak about YA beyond that from experience, but I can say that the Soul Screamers series is easier to write than either of my adult series are/were. I’m not sure why. The adult books are generally longer and more complicated from a plot perspective, but both If I Die and Before I Wake (Soul Screamers 6&7) have come in around 95,000 words, and the plots only get more complicated. But these books are fun. At the end of the day, that’s the only explanation I can come up with. ;)

- How much research did you do on folk tales and legends (if any of course!) before writing the books?

I researched Irish folklore and the original Bean Sidhe stories. Then I made the rest of it up.

- And lastly, are you a Bookaholic?

Of course! Why would I want to write if I didn't already love to read?

Giveaway

So how would you like to win a copy of this fabulous book?

Simply go to Mira Inks Facebook page, 'like' them and find the picture of the My Soul to Steal book cover (either on the wall or in the photo album) and comment on it. Mira ink will be randomly picking ten winners to recieve a copy of the book!

Check out:

My review for My soul to steal

23 Oct 2011

My soul to steal review

My soul to steal by Rachel Vincent

Available now

www.miraink.co.uk

What's it about?

Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can’t just pretend nothing happened. But “complicated” doesn’t even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school, determined to take Nash back.
See, Sabine isn’t just an ordinary girl. She’s a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. She can read people’s fears—and craft them into nightmares while her victims sleep. Feeding from human fear is how she survives.
And Sabine isn’t above scaring Kaylee and the entire school to death to get whatever—and whoever—she wants.

Previous books in the series:
My soul to take (Book one) review
My soul to save (Book two) review
My soul to keep (Book three)

My review:
5/5

If you haven't read the first three books then there is definitely going to be spoilers in here!

Yet again Rachel Vincent has come up with something unique and written a great book! Even though this is the fourth book in the series it still feels fresh and new and this book sees the introduction of fabulous new character Sabine. I know she's technically the bad guy but I love her, she has a great, slightly psychotic, personality and was a lot of fun to get to know.
Tod is also starting to feature a bit more, I like that he's suportive and protective of Kaylee.
I think Rachel Vincent has done a great job writing Kaylee and Nash's relationship, I can understand all of Kaylees reasons for why she's mad at Nash but yet wants to go back and her reasons for why it won't work, I know I have my own hopes for where this might go but I won't say.
If your reading this review, it's likely because you've read the first three books already so I don't need to go in depth about the writing, it's written just as well as all of Rachel's other books and makes for effortless reading that ends way to soon, I can't wait for 'If I die!'

My thoughts on the cover
Love love love it. The UK covers for this series are just so gorgeous I could stare at them all day, the blue in this is lovely and the butterfly is really cute though I'm not sure how it fits to the story, maybe I'm not interpreting it correctly or maybe it is just there to look awesome, who knows lol

Favourite quotes

(Kaylee) "She ambushed me in the hall this morning and gave me a lecture on sex."
Tod's brows rose halfway to his hairline. "I hope you took notes..."

"Ms Cavanaugh, how delightful to see you again, without all the pretense." - Avari

Rachel Vincent's website

Rachel Vincent's blog

Rachel Vincent on Facebook

Rachel Vincent on Twitter

16 Oct 2011

What I'm reading?

My soul to steal by Rachel Vincent

Blurb

My thoughts
I finished Unveiled already lol
This is the fourth book in the Soul screamers series, just in case you didn't know. I love this series, I love Rachel Vincent in fact so I'm so excited I got it for review, I can't wait to get stuck in, in a minute after I've written this! Book three didn't ended happily and I'm dying to know what happens next and, as with the other UK covers for this series, I'm totally in love with the cover! After I'll probably read the two free ebook novella type things for the series which I have on my Kindle :)

What are you reading?

23 Feb 2011

Wednesdays Worldly covers - week six

This week is the French cover for My soul to take by Rachel Vincent. It's very different to the other covers but still pretty, I think. What do you think?

And in case you haven't seen them, here's the British covers for the series so far.

4 Feb 2011

My soul to save review

What's it about?
When teenager Kaylee screams, someone dies...So when teen pop star Eden dies onstage and Kaylee doesn't wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can't cry for someone who has no soul. The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad's ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend's loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls: a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld - a consequence they can't possibly understand. Kaylee can't let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk.

My review:
4/5
First off I liked this book as much as the first, but I wouldn't say I was excited about it but I think that's just because it wasn't as new a concept to me as when I was reading the first but it still had it's uniqueness from other books I've read. The story line wasn't copying the first at all and I liked a lot that we got to see more of the emotional side if tod so he doesn't feel like a souless reaper anymore and we also maybe see a little of kaylees dark side at the end that has me intrigued for the next book 'my soul to keep.'

For more on Rachel Vincent visit her website: http://www.rachelvincent.com/
Buy the book here (UK)

12 Jan 2011

My soul to take review

My Soul to take by Rachel Vincent:

What's it about?
Being a teenager just got much more complicated. There is something very wrong with Kaylee Cavanaugh: she senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally. Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about the need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next.

My review:
4/5
Rachel Vincents easy-to-read writing style had me knowing I'd like this book within a few pages, and I wasn't disappointed.
I read a lot of fantasy books, YA and Adult, so I've read a lot of Vampires and Werewolves and such but this is the first time I've come across a book about a teenage Banshee or Bean Sidhe, this and the lack of a 'forbidden love' made for a refreshing change. Don't worry, there is a love interest for our young heroine but it's more straight forward than some other stories.
I found I liked all of the characters although none more than others, Kaylee is a nice young girl, sometimes funny, who takes the news of what she is very well and Nash is certainly great boyfriend material!
Although some of the plot was more obvious than other parts I was still guessing til the very end.
Needless to say I'm looking forward to the second book in the series My soul to save.

To see more of Rachel Vincent visit her website: http://rachelvincent.com/
Buy the book here (UK)