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

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Series: Soul Screamers, #1

Published: August 1, 2009

Publisher: Harlequin

(279 pages, paperback)

Summary: 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.

--

My thoughts: Being a big fan of Vincent's adult series (albeit I'm only two books in) I was thrilled to find out she had a YA book series. However, I had a few reserves, considering one of my favorite aspects of her adult series is the heat between the main characters. But once I'd started My Soul to Take I realized Vincent has maintained the heat between her new characters in this series as well. Plus, I loved the concept: I mean, seriously teenage banshees! It's so original and I really love the mixture of paranormal/mythology/teen angst. I had a few complaints, but in the end, this was an interesting, well-executed start to the series.

--

Kaylee wasn't a great protagonist; in fact, she reminded me a lot of Faythe from Vincent's Shifters series. She was stubborn and strong-willed and a little bit too angst-y for me. She had all of Faythe's good qualities too: she's not afraid to stand up for herself or speak her mind, and she's a quick learner for sure. I liked seeing her struggle to come to terms with the fact that she wasn't human and that she could actually predict others deaths.  She got on my nerves a little with her constant needling and whining about how unfair everything was, but in the end I liked Kaylee and will be looking forward to unravelling the rest of the secrets in her world alongside her.

--

Let's face it: the real reason I really liked My Soul to Take was Nash. He was sweet, understanding, and, well, hot. I loved the heat between him and Kaylee and how they weren't always getting along. Although their romance was a little easy, Kaylee has doubts and Nash isn't always the perfect gentleman, but I loved him and more importantly, I loved them together. The other secondary characters were interesting, if not totally fleshed out. The character I found most interesting was Kaylee's father, and I'm hoping to hear more about his background in the next installments in the series.

--

The story line was a bit predictable, but I still loved the concept. Despite the foreign subject Vincent still managed to make it believable and interesting without going into information-overload. The bits of pieces we got of information made the story intriguing and didn't deviate from what was actually happening. Vincent's writing is angst ridden and realistic without being overwhelmingly teen-like. It didn't take away from the action or the complicated plot. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the sequel and hope that it stands up to this great start.

--

Covering the Cover: This cover is gorgeous, but I like the UK covers best honestly. It just fits the story better in my opinion.

Characters: 4/5

Plot: 5/5

Writing: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4 stars

Rogue (Shifters #2) by Rachel Vincent

Title: Rogue
Author: Rachel Vincent
Series: Shifters #2
Published: April 1, 2008 by Mira
(394 pages, paperback)
Summary: Okay, so cats don't always land on their feet. 
--
I know that better than most. Since rejoining the Pride, I've made big decisions and even bigger mistakes: the kind paid for with innocent lives. As the first and only female enforcer, I have plenty to prove to my father, the Pride, and myself. And with murdered toms turning up in our territory, I'm working harder than ever, though I always find the energy for a little after-hours recreation with Marc, my partner both on- and off-duty.
--
But not all of my mistakes are behind me. We re beginning to suspect that the dead are connected to a rash of missing human women and that they can all be laid at my feet--two or four, take your pick. And one horrible indiscretion may yet cost me more than I can bear...
--
My thoughts: The Shifters series is one of my favorites, and Rogue was a great installment. Faythe still gets on my nerves more than a bit and I'm still frustrated with the sexism that goes on in these books, but I'm grateful that both of my major issues with the book are actually addressed in this book. Faythe has just gotten back together with Marc, and while they can't seem to take their eyes (or hands) off one another, they also have to find time to be enforcers for their Alpha (Faythe's father). Rogue could be easily described in two words: hot and intense. The romance is still fiery and the action is still extremely entertaining. The mystery revolving around the murders going on in Rogue is intriguing and VIncent does an excellent job of teasing the readers. This book was nearly impossible to put down, too.
--
Faythe is definitely one to speak her mind; that's my favorite of her assets and also the reason I sometimes hate her. Faythe is more than a bit of a hothead and that sometimes makes the reading unbearable; I just wanted to slap her throughout the last half of the book. But I'm also glad that she isn't afraid of speaking up for herself, since a lot of protagonist don't. Occasionally I love the fact that Faythe is stubborn and refuses to bend to the Pride's ridiculous rules. And I'm glad that the sexism the Pride has is a common source of Faythe's frustration, and I can only hope eventually she'll have the power to do something about it. Vincent portrays Faythe realistically (for a werecat, I mean) and even though she has her major flaws, I'll be glad to see her maturing throughout the rest of the series.
--
The Pride members aren't all that well introduced, save for Marc, Jace, and Faythe's father, but I think they are well-placed and well-written. Even though most of book centers around Faythe, each of the characters' have their own distinctive personality and traits. I liked how Vincent incorporated more of Faythe's mother into this installment and I hope she's in more of the following books. The Alpha, Faythe's dad, is still one of my favorite characters, because he's so unwavering and Faythe completely takes after him, even if she hates to think that. As always, Marc is a sweetheart and I loved him, even when Faythe was treating him horribly.
--
The writing in Rogue isn't anything special, but I like how Faythe's voice is so unique and detailed. Sometimes she gets a little annoying with her constant hard-headed personality, but it was still distinctive and felt real. Vincent describes the werecats and the action in a fast paced, dangerous writing style that adds a lot to the overall story line. A lot happens in this book and it was all well-executed and I loved how action-packed the book was. Overall it was a great sequel and a good novel in general.
--
Cover: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Overall rating: 4 stars

Stray (Shifters #1) by Rachel Vincent

There are only eight breeding female werecats left... And I'm one of them.
I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds.
Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked.
I'd been warned about Strays--werecats without a Pride, constantly on the lookout for someone like me: attractive, female, and fertile. I fought him off, but then learned two of my fellow tabbies had disappeared.
This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back...for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I'm no meek kitty. I'll take on whatever--and whoever--I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays--'cause I got claws and I'm not afraid to use them...
--
Okay, so while I was busy making false promises to myself and saying I wasn't going to get hooked on yet another book series, I was busy falling in love with Stray. Seriously, this book had all I could ever ask for: a complicated love triangle; a smart-ass, kick-ass heroine; a huge amount of hot guys; tons of suspense and action; a sexy, in-your-face writing style; a paranormal twist; and an ending that made me pull out a couple of my own hairs. Maybe I'm in a great mood, but every page was a cliffhanger in itself and every chapter was like its own short story. Faythe (whose name I loved) is so hilarious and so sarcastic I was laughing out loud every time I wasn't biting my nails at the nonstop action. Marc, the sweetheart, left me aching so badly for my own ferociously hot, muscular, funny... Okay, I'll stop drooling. I loved Jace, too, even when he got a bit annoying and seemed a bit, shall I say, ardent in his sudden affections. Who doesn't love a good love triangle? Anyways, while the action and romance were fantastic, I had a few complaints, my main being that Faythe was a little bit of a big talker. She acted like she was tougher than she proved, until about 400 pages in. Maybe I'm being picky, but for all her big talk, she sure needed a lot of rescuing. Another thing: near the end of the novel her affections were suddenly set in stone, and I was a little shocked that she had so suddenly made her decision, seeing as for the first half she seemed to be so convinced she wanted a completely independent life. Lastly, the ending got really graphic. I'm a horror movie fan, don't get me wrong, and I love some good, old-fashioned gore, but the graphicness seemed kind of random in the book. I don't know, maybe it served its purpose, and while I didn't blink at the grotesque description, I thought some readers might have been a little more disgusted and maybe even turned off. I just found it unnecessary. Anyways, great book, and I'm definitely getting Rogue as soon as humanly possible.
4.5 stars and a recommendation to adventure-romance (is that even a genre?) fans or readers looking for a kick-ass first novel to a promising series.

Teaser Tuesdays (2): Stray by Rachel Vincent

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"But Jace wasn't laughing. He wasn't even breathing. He lay on top of me, heavy and completely motionless, his pulse racing as he waited for my answer."

Geez, this book is great so far. I know that's technically three lines, but I couldn't leave it at two. Definitely not getting rid of this meme. It's one of my favorites. :)