bluuejeans's review against another edition
3.0
I CANT WAIT! 23/6/12
Book thirtyseven/fiftytwo;
well, I did my waiting , and I am glad.
It took me quite a while to finish it, and it had nothing to do with the plot. I simply didnt have enough time, what with discovering London and all. Because if that little detail wasnt there the book would've been finished the day it was borrowed from the library.
I had missed her, K and Tod. And it was good reading of them again.
It was exciting and terrefing, I mean if demons can cross over that easily, well its not that easy, but if they know the formula, things are getting daaangerous here.
And poorpoor emma. How many people has she lost now? among all of them herself, she cant be with her family anymore, cant go to school or be herself around people she used to know. That must be a scary thing, and is it worth it then? coming back from death, but loosing so much?
What K is going through isnt easy either, I mean with the sort of hate/pleaselovemeK from Nash, and the guilt of Em and all Alec on her shoulder, leaving out all the thing she had to stab just to save them, and lets not forget about the sort of not living issue. It sucks, lucky she has Tod and that she can go invisible&inaudiable at wish, because otherwise it would suck, like for real.
Book six, I'm waiting for you.
Book thirtyseven/fiftytwo;
well, I did my waiting , and I am glad.
It took me quite a while to finish it, and it had nothing to do with the plot. I simply didnt have enough time, what with discovering London and all. Because if that little detail wasnt there the book would've been finished the day it was borrowed from the library.
I had missed her, K and Tod. And it was good reading of them again.
It was exciting and terrefing, I mean if demons can cross over that easily, well its not that easy, but if they know the formula, things are getting daaangerous here.
And poorpoor emma. How many people has she lost now? among all of them herself, she cant be with her family anymore, cant go to school or be herself around people she used to know. That must be a scary thing, and is it worth it then? coming back from death, but loosing so much?
What K is going through isnt easy either, I mean with the sort of hate/pleaselovemeK from Nash, and the guilt of Em and all Alec on her shoulder, leaving out all the thing she had to stab just to save them, and lets not forget about the sort of not living issue. It sucks, lucky she has Tod and that she can go invisible&inaudiable at wish, because otherwise it would suck, like for real.
Book six, I'm waiting for you.
aly36's review against another edition
5.0
Can't say enough good things about this series. I always watch for more books by this author!
kelsenator's review against another edition
5.0
Originally posted on my blog Kelsey's Cluttered Bookshelf.
Where do I begin? I want to make this as spoiler-free as possible, because so much awesomeness goes on in this book.
Kaylee is back to her life from the last book, but after dying she is now a Reaper kind of like Tod. She is to go after souls that have been taken and get them back. Part of the deal of her coming back was that she could be around her family, finish school and go to college, but being dead is hard. She starts to wonder what the point of doing all these mindless things from before like school and a part-time job will accomplish since she will never age and live forever.
The only positive thing is her boyfriend Tod, who loves her very much and is willing to do anything for her. Her first day back at school is full of stares and questions of what happened to her and how she survived, but they don’t know she’s technically dead. And that she has to focus constantly to stay visible to living people.
That same day she has her first assignment, and she comes across an old enemy, one we thought was gone. A lot more is going on than anyone thought, a favourite villain returns and the tables are turned for the Hellions it seems. So now everyone involved needs to find a way to finally stop them, without anyone getting hurt. There are some losses and grief in this book, but it made the story even greater.
This is by far the best book, not only is Kaylee finally with someone who is good for her, but she has to keep fighting to be human and not give in to being dead and losing everything she loves. Tod is awesome as usual, and even Nash is trying to make things right.
Recommended for fans of the series and those who like paranormal.
Where do I begin? I want to make this as spoiler-free as possible, because so much awesomeness goes on in this book.
Kaylee is back to her life from the last book, but after dying she is now a Reaper kind of like Tod. She is to go after souls that have been taken and get them back. Part of the deal of her coming back was that she could be around her family, finish school and go to college, but being dead is hard. She starts to wonder what the point of doing all these mindless things from before like school and a part-time job will accomplish since she will never age and live forever.
The only positive thing is her boyfriend Tod, who loves her very much and is willing to do anything for her. Her first day back at school is full of stares and questions of what happened to her and how she survived, but they don’t know she’s technically dead. And that she has to focus constantly to stay visible to living people.
That same day she has her first assignment, and she comes across an old enemy, one we thought was gone. A lot more is going on than anyone thought, a favourite villain returns and the tables are turned for the Hellions it seems. So now everyone involved needs to find a way to finally stop them, without anyone getting hurt. There are some losses and grief in this book, but it made the story even greater.
This is by far the best book, not only is Kaylee finally with someone who is good for her, but she has to keep fighting to be human and not give in to being dead and losing everything she loves. Tod is awesome as usual, and even Nash is trying to make things right.
Recommended for fans of the series and those who like paranormal.
taliac36's review against another edition
5.0
Before I Wake is the sixth book in the Soul Screamers series; Full of action, mysteries and irresistible romance, if you loved the previous books you will definitely be satisfied with this one!
Now, Before I wake is set one month after the events of If I Die. After being killed, Kaylee Cavanaugh is trying to live life like nothing's happened. But lots of things have happened since the day she was killed. After being recruited to find souls, Kaylee's time alone with her Reaper boyfriend has become increasing short. With all her friends and family endangered, how will Kaylee protect them?
We find that Kaylee's 'life' is still as complicated as ever. Kaylee's adjusting to her new undead life, her new job, her new boyfriend and her newfound popularity. Kaylee's first day back at school starts with a bang when her new boss orders her to retrieve a soul stolen by a rougue reaper. Kaylee is shocked to find that the rougue reaper is Thane - who Tod left in the Netherworld to be tortured by Avari after he threatened Kaylee. With Thane now working for Avari, Kaylee and her friends must stop them both before Avari causes more death.
Kaylee, Tod, Nash, Sabine and Emma, are all back with a new and exciting paranormal mystery to solve.
Tod is the best undead guy ever. We get to see a lot more of him in this book and, occasionally, see him pour his heart out. Tod and Kaylee made me laugh, made me cry and they made me smile. When times got tough, Tod was there to make it all better. The guy's just too perfect for his own good.
I liked the jealousy between the characters as well. Sabine and Nash, damn, nothing ever goes right for them, does it? Even though Kaylee has made her choice, I can't help but feel sorry for Nash. He tries very hard, in this book, to get over the pain and betrayal, and I really admire him for that.
-I found it beyond disgusting that Sophie, Nash and Sabine left Kaylee to cope on her own on her first day back at school because they cared more about their own hurt feelings. If you truly care about a friend you support them in their hour of need. Sophie especially, she could have easily helped Kaylee when she saw how distressed she was but she left her to the vultures even after she knew Kaylee died for her.
Now, Before I wake is set one month after the events of If I Die. After being killed, Kaylee Cavanaugh is trying to live life like nothing's happened. But lots of things have happened since the day she was killed. After being recruited to find souls, Kaylee's time alone with her Reaper boyfriend has become increasing short. With all her friends and family endangered, how will Kaylee protect them?
We find that Kaylee's 'life' is still as complicated as ever. Kaylee's adjusting to her new undead life, her new job, her new boyfriend and her newfound popularity. Kaylee's first day back at school starts with a bang when her new boss orders her to retrieve a soul stolen by a rougue reaper. Kaylee is shocked to find that the rougue reaper is Thane - who Tod left in the Netherworld to be tortured by Avari after he threatened Kaylee. With Thane now working for Avari, Kaylee and her friends must stop them both before Avari causes more death.
Kaylee, Tod, Nash, Sabine and Emma, are all back with a new and exciting paranormal mystery to solve.
Tod is the best undead guy ever. We get to see a lot more of him in this book and, occasionally, see him pour his heart out. Tod and Kaylee made me laugh, made me cry and they made me smile. When times got tough, Tod was there to make it all better. The guy's just too perfect for his own good.
I liked the jealousy between the characters as well. Sabine and Nash, damn, nothing ever goes right for them, does it? Even though Kaylee has made her choice, I can't help but feel sorry for Nash. He tries very hard, in this book, to get over the pain and betrayal, and I really admire him for that.
-I found it beyond disgusting that Sophie, Nash and Sabine left Kaylee to cope on her own on her first day back at school because they cared more about their own hurt feelings. If you truly care about a friend you support them in their hour of need. Sophie especially, she could have easily helped Kaylee when she saw how distressed she was but she left her to the vultures even after she knew Kaylee died for her.
lacey1020's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Honestly I’m kind of disappointed with this book. This book doesn’t even feel like it’s a part of the same series. I expected a lot more. The ending sucked. The new characters that were added didn’t really add anything to the story. Both Alec and Emma’s deaths seemed kind of pointless to me. The big Hellion scheme seems kind of dumb. Hoping the series ends better.
deann_f's review against another edition
5.0
Hoping to start this one on or around the 26! Join us: http://www.fiktshun.com/fiktshun/2012/06/24/before-i-wake-mini-reading-challenge/?utm_source=rss
This one had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I giggled, I cried, I loved! Cant wait to find out what happens next!
This one had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I giggled, I cried, I loved! Cant wait to find out what happens next!
berls's review against another edition
4.0
For more reviews by Berls see: Fantasy is More Fun
4 1/2 Stars
My Initial Reaction...
With Kaylee's death in If I Die, the series has changed a bit and for the better. Kaylee's not the same person as she was and the way her death has changed every aspect of her "life" complicates the story and makes it grow up a bit.
The Narration...
At this point in the series, I'm no longer surprised by Ronconi's ability to capture nuances of personality in her reading. Kaylee has changed in profound ways and Ronconi gets it. Kaylee has the same voice, but she sounds different and it's brilliant. You can feel her struggle to hold on to life through Ronconi's reading. She just nails it every time!
The Characters...
All the characters are really growing and changing in Before I Wake, but no one changes more than Kaylee. When she made the deal to work as a reclaimationist and clear Nash's name, she never dreamed that resuming her normal life would be so hard. She doesn't have to eat or sleep or move. She easily fades away during conversations and staying visible during the school day is beyond hard. Now that she's dead, she's looking at life differently. Her priorities have shifted drastically. And then there's her relationship with Tod. Tod is her lifeline, literally. He keeps her alive and I really enjoyed seeing this loving, soft side of Tod. Their interactions are equal parts sweet and intense; their relationship has grown more in these few short weeks than her relationship with Nash ever did.
Nash, on the other hand, is struggling. Just because he was cleared of all charges, doesn't mean the "court of public opinion" cleared him. And it doesn't mean he's forgiven Kaylee. I expected him to return to Sabine and four things to neatly work out, but it's not that easy. Nash is confused and not ready to take what Sabine has to offer. He's also not ready to talk to his brother. While I understood his upset at her cheating on him, I can't understand his anger at her for framing him for murder. I found his response childish and really hoped he would suck it up and grow up.
The Story...
With the conclusion of If I Die this book promised a new Kaylee, if for no other reason than that she was now dead, and new adventures, since she's now working as a soul reclaimationist. This book starts out a few weeks after the conclusion of If I Die, with Kaylee getting ready for her first day back to school after her supposed near-death encounter with the Math teacher. But Kaylee has been learning that playing alive is not so easy - just keeping herself visible is hard, not to mention those horrible hours of the night when Tod is working and everyone else she knows is asleep.
And then there's the job - her new boss chooses her first day back to school to test out Kaylee's skills on a rogue reaper. He's not the reason they recruited Kaylee, he's just the test. The simple task comes with a surprise - she knows the rogue reaper and his reappearance can only spell trouble for her and her loved ones. Not to mention the mystery killer, who's proving incredibly difficult for the reclaimations department to stop, but Kaylee must help take down, beginner or not.
The gang is damaged - Nash is reeling from both Tod and Kaylee's betrayal, as well as Kaylee framing him for her murder (regardless of the reason), Sabine is struggling to make Nash see her, and Kaylee's struggling to just be "alive" - but they must come together again if they're going to survive this new attack.
Concluding Sentiments...
For me this was the best of the series so far. I was shocked several times and brought to tears at least once, not to mention the exciting developments in Kaylee and Tod's relationship. So excited to read the next one!
4 1/2 Stars
My Initial Reaction...
With Kaylee's death in If I Die, the series has changed a bit and for the better. Kaylee's not the same person as she was and the way her death has changed every aspect of her "life" complicates the story and makes it grow up a bit.
The Narration...
At this point in the series, I'm no longer surprised by Ronconi's ability to capture nuances of personality in her reading. Kaylee has changed in profound ways and Ronconi gets it. Kaylee has the same voice, but she sounds different and it's brilliant. You can feel her struggle to hold on to life through Ronconi's reading. She just nails it every time!
The Characters...
All the characters are really growing and changing in Before I Wake, but no one changes more than Kaylee. When she made the deal to work as a reclaimationist and clear Nash's name, she never dreamed that resuming her normal life would be so hard. She doesn't have to eat or sleep or move. She easily fades away during conversations and staying visible during the school day is beyond hard. Now that she's dead, she's looking at life differently. Her priorities have shifted drastically. And then there's her relationship with Tod. Tod is her lifeline, literally. He keeps her alive and I really enjoyed seeing this loving, soft side of Tod. Their interactions are equal parts sweet and intense; their relationship has grown more in these few short weeks than her relationship with Nash ever did.
Nash, on the other hand, is struggling. Just because he was cleared of all charges, doesn't mean the "court of public opinion" cleared him. And it doesn't mean he's forgiven Kaylee. I expected him to return to Sabine and four things to neatly work out, but it's not that easy. Nash is confused and not ready to take what Sabine has to offer. He's also not ready to talk to his brother. While I understood his upset at her cheating on him, I can't understand his anger at her for framing him for murder. I found his response childish and really hoped he would suck it up and grow up.
The Story...
With the conclusion of If I Die this book promised a new Kaylee, if for no other reason than that she was now dead, and new adventures, since she's now working as a soul reclaimationist. This book starts out a few weeks after the conclusion of If I Die, with Kaylee getting ready for her first day back to school after her supposed near-death encounter with the Math teacher. But Kaylee has been learning that playing alive is not so easy - just keeping herself visible is hard, not to mention those horrible hours of the night when Tod is working and everyone else she knows is asleep.
And then there's the job - her new boss chooses her first day back to school to test out Kaylee's skills on a rogue reaper. He's not the reason they recruited Kaylee, he's just the test. The simple task comes with a surprise - she knows the rogue reaper and his reappearance can only spell trouble for her and her loved ones. Not to mention the mystery killer, who's proving incredibly difficult for the reclaimations department to stop, but Kaylee must help take down, beginner or not.
The gang is damaged - Nash is reeling from both Tod and Kaylee's betrayal, as well as Kaylee framing him for her murder (regardless of the reason), Sabine is struggling to make Nash see her, and Kaylee's struggling to just be "alive" - but they must come together again if they're going to survive this new attack.
Concluding Sentiments...
For me this was the best of the series so far. I was shocked several times and brought to tears at least once, not to mention the exciting developments in Kaylee and Tod's relationship. So excited to read the next one!