Review: My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Title: My Soul to Take

Author: Rachel Vincent 

Series: Soul Screamers #1

Publisher: Mira Ink

Publication date: January 1st 2011

Format: Paperback | 345 pages

Genre: YA | Paranormal

Goodreads

Something is wrong with Kaylee Cavanaugh…

She can sense 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 boy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about the dark forces behind Kaylee's power than she does.

And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason and only Kaylee knows who'll be next, she realises that finding a boyfriend is the least of her worries!

My thoughts:

My Soul to Take follows Kaylee - a girl who just wants to be noticed by the hottest guy in school and to get over whatever's causing her supposedly random panic attacks. Kaylee's world soon gets turned upside down however, when healthy teenage girls collapse dead for no medically apparent reason and every time they do…Kaylee has an overwhelming urge to let out a screech that fights to make people's ears bleed.

I think this review will be pretty short, mainly because I found this read to be pretty average. There was nothing specifically wrong with it that made me want to vent my frustrations out in a review, nor was there anything that stood out that would encourage me to sing its praises. 

I could pinpoint a few ways this book fell short for me. For a start, I didn't like the way Nash and Kaylee first met - how their relationship started. Nash seemed to jump into the story where he wasn't necessarily wanted at first - way too fast and furious. It made Kaylee seem very shallow where I obviously don't think it was intentional. Of course, that also made the relationship look fake and uncomfortable to read. 

 

There was also an instance that I won't mention because, you know, spoilers and all - when the story is coming to an end and the plot is about to revealed. The big moment where the villain is finally ousted and you're like OMG! THIS IS NOT HAPPENING!!! because it turns out to be the character you all thought was innocent. Yeah that didn't happen for me. Not that I guessed beforehand, but because it was so unbelievable in the sense that I didn't believe in the motives wholeheartedly. There wasn't enough of a build up for me to really buy into it. So that sucked a little.

 

Aside from that I didn't really have a problem with the book. It was a little meh at times but for the most part it was a pleasant read. I liked the characters most of the time and the plot was suspenseful enough that it kept me going. All in all it was an okay read, however I don't think I'll be carrying on with the series.

 

My rating: 6/10

 

Rachel Vincent:

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Soul Screamers:

1. My Soul to Take
2. My Soul to Save
3. My Soul to Keep
4. My Soul to Steal
5. If I Die
6. Before I Wake
7. With All My Soul