Double Take Review: If I Die by Rachel Vincent

If I Die (Soul Screamers #5) by Rachel Vincent
Synopsis (Goodreads):

The entire school's talking about the gorgeous new math teacher, Mr. Beck. 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.

Original review: 10/26/11
**Warning: The below review contains spoilers, the original review does not**

My Thoughts: Gah! If I thought this book was hard to read the first time, I had no idea what a reread would do to me! *cue arm flailing and other extreme emotional expressions* Really, Rachel Vincent, you are the master at whipping me into an emotional frenzy. Well done, Ms Vincent. Well done, indeed.

There is so very much that happens in this book. Kaylee's rapidly approaching death makes her a little more reckless in regard to her love life and I, for one, am pleased. One of the things I'm loving on this reread is that all the little things about Tod and Nash that have been building up finally come to a head. I've never really agreed with the way Nash allowed Sabine into his life knowing that she was interested in renewing their old relationship and I was thrilled when Kaylee called him on it. Truly, Nash has no reason to be angry at Kaylee for spending time with Tod when Nash routinely spends time with Sabine. In fact, I think Kaylee's been a peach for putting up with their weird relationship as long as she has.

I also love, love, love that Lydia was brought back and her powers were finally explained. To be honest, I pretty much loved everything that happened - EVEN THE BAD STUFF - because this book progresses the overall arc so nicely. I'm dying to see how Sophie deals with finally being told all the family secrets. I can't WAIT for book 6!

Books in this series
Prequel: My Soul To Lose
             Double Take Review
Prequel: Reaper
             Double Take Review
Prequel: Fearless (Kiss Me Deadly)
1. My Soul To Take
    Double Take Review
2. My Soul To Save
    Double Take Review
3. My Soul To Keep
    Double Take Review
4. My Soul To Steal
    Double Take Review
5. If I Die
    Double Take Review - Paperback | Kindle
5.5. Never to Sleep
6. Before I Wake
7. With All My Soul

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Reading challenges: The Soul Screamers Reading Challenge

Double Take Review: My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Steal (Soul Screamers #4) by Rachel Vincent
Synopsis (Goodreads):

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.

Original Review: 01/13/11
**Warning: The below review contains spoilers, the original review does not** 

My Thoughts: This is another book that was hard to reread when you know what's coming in book 5. We get introduced to Sabine and, well... I just don't like the girl. Well, I like her as a character in the overall arc but I don't like her single-minded determination to insinuate herself back into Nash's life no matter who she hurts in the process. If I'm honest, I keep going back and forth about her. She's creepy and incredibly selfish at times (I'm sorry but telling Kaylee that she should give up Nash because Sabine needs him more than Kaylee does is the thing that makes me lean toward not liking her in a BIG way) but she's incredibly honest about her actions. She never once lied about what she was willing to do to get Nash back. I don't know if that honesty can tip the scales in her favor though because I think she's a borderline sociopath. I mean, most people have a sense of socially acceptable things you shouldn't say to another person and Sabine completely lacks that filter.

One of the biggest things I love in this reread are all the hints about Tod and his feelings. I'm not sure how I feel about his little speech about giving Nash up and how Kaylee doesn't need Nash the same way he needs her but I do respect his honesty. Of course, his honesty is driven by his feelings, so... yeah. Speaking of which, as needy as both Nash and Sabine are I'm imagining that their relationship would be like those moments before a train wreck when you know bad things are about to happen but you're helpless to look away. I also imagine that their relationship involves spending huge quantities of time in bed. As everyone knows, that's always a basis for a strong, long-lasting relationship. ALWAYS!

Besides my mostly minor annoyance with Nash (in case you haven't noticed, I'm a lot less sympathetic to his issues this time around) and my teeth grinding over both Sabine and Kaylee's rather juvenile behavior toward one another (which is explained by the blitz and how they were targeted by the hellions), I'm loving the hints for the future that I'm catching on this reread.

Books in this series
Prequel: My Soul To Lose
             Double Take Review
Prequel: Reaper 
             Double Take Review
Prequel: Fearless (Kiss Me Deadly)
1. My Soul To Take
    Double Take Review
2. My Soul To Save
    Double Take Review
3. My Soul To Keep
    Double Take Review
4. My Soul To Steal
    Double Take Review - Paperback | Kindle
5. If I Die

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Reading challenges: The Soul Screamers Reading Challenge

Double Take Review: Reaper by Rachel Vincent

Reaper (Soul Screamers) by Rachel Vincent
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Tod Hudson was a typical teenager. He liked girls, sports, food and tolerated his younger brother, Nash. In fact, he had his whole life in front of him--and due to his bean sidhe heritage, it was going to be a very long life indeed. And then the car accident occurred.

Suddenly Tod's future wasn't so sure, and he had to make a choice. Life... Death... or something Between....

Original Review: 12/29/10
My Thoughts: So. I liked Tod the first time I read this short story but I wasn't OMG!IN LOVE with him. This time? OMG! TOD! YOU ARE THE WORLD'S BEST BROTHER EVAH! Seriously, guys, he's ... awesome. I'm just smitten with him. I freely admit that this has everything to do with events that happen in later books. Tod's character has grown on me in leaps and bounds with his actions and going back and seeing how selfless he is for Nash just reinforces his awesomeness.

One thing I love with these short stories is that we get to see these defining events that have been mentioned during the course of the books and they lend another layer of depth to the overall arc. Tod's death was a turning point in a lot of ways and it was interesting seeing that so many little things bloomed out of this one big event. If he hadn't died, Nash and his mother wouldn't have moved to Kaylee's town. If he hadn't died, he wouldn't have become a Reaper and his abilities as a Reaper pull Nash and Kaylee's buns out of the fire a few times that I can think of.

Short, yet packed with emotion, Tod's transformation into a Reaper is equal parts sad and heroic. As an added bonus, we get a glimpse of Kaylee in the psych ward. I love when things like that happen. What can I say? I kinda love this guy.

Books in this series
Prequel: My Soul To Lose
             Double Take Review
Prequel: Reaper 
             Double Take Review - Kindle
Prequel: Fearless (Kiss Me Deadly)
1. My Soul To Take
    Double Take Review
2. My Soul To Save
    Double Take Review
3. My Soul To Keep
    Double Take Review
4. My Soul To Steal
5. If I Die
5.5. Never to Sleep
6. Before I Wake

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Reading challenges: The Soul Screamers Reading Challenge

Double Take Review: My Soul to Lose (Soul Screamers #0.5) by Rachel Vincent

Synopsis (Goodreads):

It was supposed to be a fun day, shopping at the mall with her best friend.

Then the panic attack started and Kaylee Cavanaugh finds herself screaming, unable to stop. Her secret fears are exposed and it's the worst day of her life.

Until she wakes up in the psychiatric unit.

She tries to convince everyone she's fine--despite the shadows she sees forming around another patient and the urge to scream which comes burbling up again and again. Everyone thinks she's crazy. Everyone except Lydia, that is. Another patient with some special abilities....

Original review: 12/30/10
My Thoughts:  Okay. Now, I might have a slightly different reaction to this read-through than I did the first time around. I still like the overall story and I'm impressed with the amount of story we were given here but... I'm supremely unhappy with Kaylee's Aunt and Uncle. It really bothers me that they stuck her in a mental institution when THEY KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH HER FROM THE START and it had nothing to do with her being crazy-cakes. While I'll admit that they might not have had a choice in bringing her there initially since her screaming fit was in such a public place, the fact that they left her there for a week makes me a little rage-y. On the other hand, knowing that Lydia pops up later makes this a nice (and very mysterious) introduction to her and her power. Still, I'm rather peeved at her Aunt and Uncle for doing what they did.

If I can overlook my anger at her Aunt and Uncle, this is a pretty fabulous story. I take that back, this is a pretty fabulous story whether I can get over my anger or not. Rachel Vincent brings Kaylee's heartache and pain at being locked up front and center. She's terrified that maybe she really is crazy (which brings me back around to the Why Didn't They Tell Her? question) and she's trying her hardest to not make any waves so she can get out.

Honestly, this is a great addition to the overall arc and it both brings in a character we'll see later and touches on a traumatic event in Kaylee's past that is hinted at in the books. I'm still mad at her Aunt and Uncle, though.

Other books in this series
Prequel: My Soul To Lose
Prequel: Reaper
Book 1: My Soul To Take
             Double Take Review
Book 2: My Soul To Save
             Double Take Review
Book 3: My Soul To Keep
             Double Take Review
Book 4: My Soul To Steal
Book 5: If I Die

More books by Rachel Vincent

Reading challenges: The Soul Screamers Reading Challenge

Double Take Review: My Soul to Keep (Soul Screamers #3) by Rachel Vincent

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them.Until something does.Demon breath. No, not the toothpaste challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked.And so is someone else…

Original review: 01/03/11

**Warning: This below review contains spoilers, the original review does not**

My Thoughts: This has been the hardest book to re-read in the series thus far. I not only had to force myself to start it, I had to force myself to keep reading it. Not because of the writing or anything, but because I have a lot less patience for Nash's problems this time around. It's funny how knowing what's coming for these characters down the road can change our perspective on their actions. The bottom line for me was that there was NO excuse for him allowing what happened to Kaylee to go on without saying something after the first time. I don't care that he was dealing with an addiction. IT'S NOT AN EXCUSE. While I didn't condone his actions the first read-through, I was more forgiving of him because I saw it as a path his character had to take. This time? I'm not feeling the forgiveness.

Here's the thing, if a person wants to spiral down a path of self-destruction... okay, fine. Do it. But DO NOT pull the girl you claim to love down that path with you. This was the same issue I had with Tod in book 2 when he risked Kaylee's life to save a girl who had willingly sold her soul for fame and fortune. That bothered me, but at least Tod was trying to help someone while doing it. Nash, on the other hand, is nothing but selfish when he remains quiet. His wholesale betrayal of Kaylee's trust - repeatedly - is what got to me.

While this was a hard book for me to re-read, it's obviously one that stirs my emotions. Yep, I'm feeling a wee bit rage-y toward a certain bean sidhe and I'm not afraid to show it. The writing's still solid, the depth of this world is fabulous and I really do love the characters. I might want to throttle Nash for the way he handled this situation but I still love dipping my toes into their lives.

*narrows eyes at Nash* We'll see how I feel about that one after the next book.

Other books in this series
Prequel: My Soul To Lose
Prequel: Reaper
Book 1: My Soul To Take
             Double Take Review
Book 2: My Soul To Save
             Double Take Review
Book 3: My Soul To Keep
Book 4: My Soul To Steal
Book 5: If I Die

More books by Rachel Vincent

Reading challenges: The Soul Screamers Reading Challenge

Double Take Review: My Soul to Save (Soul Screamers #2) by Rachel Vincent

Synopsis (Goodreads):

When Kaylee Cavanaugh screams, someone dies.

So when teen pop star Eden croaks 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….

Original review: 01/02/11
My Thoughts: I have a secret. I'm a little bit in love with going back a year after my initial read and taking another crack at these books. Knowing what's coming for Kaylee and crew down the road is giving me a different perspective on what I'm seeing this time around. I want to shake Nash and I want to give Tod great big cuddles. I still pretty much loathe Sophie, so nothing's changed there. The biggest difference I can see is that I don't trust Nash this time around. I'm almost afraid to read book 3 now because I don't like what he does to himself and to Kaylee.

There's part of me that respects Kaylee for giving her all to try to help Addison regain her soul. And then there's a big part of me that can't believe she put both herself and Nash in danger to help a girl who had willingly sold herself for fame and fortune. As I was reading, I kept thinking that I didn't care that Addy had been duped and tricked and any number of other things... the bottom line was that she sold her soul. Her problems were of her own making. Why was Kaylee risking her own life to help a girl who had been so quick to sign on the dotted line?

Still, Kaylee did show that she had spine and she was willing to step into the line of fire. This is something we see time and time again from her in later books, so it rang true to her character. I'm just not sure I would have done the same in her position.

I still love the worldbuilding, the mythology, the cast of characters that Rachel Vincent has assembled. And Tod is officially my favorite Reaper.

Other books in this series
Prequel: My Soul To Lose
Prequel: Reaper
Book 1: My Soul To Take
             Double Take Review
Book 2: My Soul To Save
Book 3: My Soul To Keep
Book 4: My Soul To Steal
Book 5: If I Die

More books by Rachel Vincent

Reading challenges: The Soul Screamers Reading Challenge

Double Take Review: My Soul to Take (Soul Screamers #1) by Rachel Vincent

Synopsis (Goodreads):

She doesn't see dead people. 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 her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next.

Original Review: 12/30/10
My Thoughts: At this point I've read all the Soul Screamers books (and all but one of the novellas) that are currently out, so going back and starting again from the beginning is kinda cool. It gives me a chance to see how the bits and pieces that Rachel Vincent sprinkled throughout come to fruition later on. Which is awesome!

I had honestly forgotten how twitchy Kaylee is around Nash when they first come together. She's sure he's only being nice to her to earn another notch on his bedpost. He's captivated by her from the first time he hears her voice. His ability to soothe her when her wailing fits come upon her seems to be one of the big draws for Kaylee. That and the fact that he's able to give her answers to questions she didn't even know she needed to be asking. Now, I liked Nash in this book, despite the fact that he's portrayed as a bit of a man-whore. He genuinely seems to have Kaylee's best interests at heart. That's just sweet. Plus, their kisses are smoking!

A lot of characters who have fair sized roles in later books are introduced here, as well as the groundwork for the Netherworld and the bargains some people are willing to make with hellions. We also get to see that the Reaper world has a pretty rigid structure and hierarchy. Very cool. Not to mention that hierarchy comes into play in later books. I love watching things come together!

Engaging and well worth the re-read, I'm looking forward to jumping into the rest of the series again.

Other reviews in this series
Prequel: My Soul To Lose
Prequel: Reaper
Book 1: My Soul To Take
Book 2: My Soul To Save
Book 3: My Soul To Keep
Book 4: My Soul To Steal
Book 5: If I Die

More books by Rachel Vincent

Reading challenges: The Soul Screamers Reading Challenge