earthglows's review against another edition
2.0
I don't think i'm going to finish this series. I felt I was rolling my eyes the entire length of the book. Nash's Nightmare (quite literally,) ex-girlfriend, Sabine, comes back to town in attempt to win Nash back, but teachers suddenly start dropping dead and the student body go crazy with jealousy of one another, soon after she arrives which leads Kaylee to believe Sabine is the reason why.
Kaylee spends the entire book whining and moping over Nash, someone who doesn't even deserve her, which makes her character come off as even more unlikable than she already was. She doesn't want to be with him, but wants to keep him all to herself. Personally, she should have dumped him and moved on instead of being the weak and pathetic character she was this book.
I was quite baffled several times during the book when the writing comes off extremely misogynistic. Kaylee continues to blames herself for Nash's drug addiction because it stemmed from an idea she had last book where a balloon of Demon's Breath accidentally popped in Nash's face, causing him to inhale some of the toxin. I can understand why she initially felt guilty, because it was her idea, but after that first time she has nothing to feel guilty about. She, in no way, caused him to continue to use. He lied to her constantly, influenced her to try and get into her pants, let a demon use her body several times, and was just plain rude to her. But yet, it's supposedly all her fault. I don't buy it and I don't like the message it sends out to young girls. And to even further annoy me, there is a scene in this book where Sabine shows up at Nash's place while Kaylee is getting a drink from the kitchen after she just finished making out with Nash. She hears Sabine upset because Nash's said it was supposed to be just them two hanging out, which Nash doesn't deny, and then she takes off her shirt and kisses him, to which he kisses her back and has his "tongue down her throat." He only stops when Kaylee and Tod, who had blinked into the kitchen when Sabine got there, interrupt them. And then she is led to believe by another male friend that it's supposedly a "natural instinct" for a guy to kiss someone back, even if he doesn't want to actually kiss the person... which Kaylee totally buys into and forgives Nash for. I mean, I'm honestly baffled at the message that sends to the younger audience, along with the drug issue (and several more issues that bothered me throughout the series, to be honest.)
And then you have Nash ,a character with no depth at all. He supposedly loves Kaylee, but knowingly continues to let his ex girlfriend/current bff to push a wedge between his relationship with her, and refuses to stop seeing the ex/bff. I'm not a professional here, but i'm pretty sure if someone is supposed to be your "best friend" they are not going to purposely try to ruin your relationships with the people you care about, as Sabine was doing with Kaylee. If Kaylee mattered so much, he would have seen how much Sabine was hurting her and cut Sabine out of his life. She continued to try and win him back even though he told her he had no interest in her, and she continued to invade Kaylee's dreams and feed off of her even though Nash asked to to stop. Great best friend you have there, buddy. But then again I don't expect much from Nash because he's just an awful character.
The only silver lining to this series is Tod and Emma. They are the only characters I actually like. If I do ever decide to continue on with the series, it will be solely for them.
Kaylee spends the entire book whining and moping over Nash, someone who doesn't even deserve her, which makes her character come off as even more unlikable than she already was. She doesn't want to be with him, but wants to keep him all to herself. Personally, she should have dumped him and moved on instead of being the weak and pathetic character she was this book.
Spoiler
I was quite baffled several times during the book when the writing comes off extremely misogynistic. Kaylee continues to blames herself for Nash's drug addiction because it stemmed from an idea she had last book where a balloon of Demon's Breath accidentally popped in Nash's face, causing him to inhale some of the toxin. I can understand why she initially felt guilty, because it was her idea, but after that first time she has nothing to feel guilty about. She, in no way, caused him to continue to use. He lied to her constantly, influenced her to try and get into her pants, let a demon use her body several times, and was just plain rude to her. But yet, it's supposedly all her fault. I don't buy it and I don't like the message it sends out to young girls. And to even further annoy me, there is a scene in this book where Sabine shows up at Nash's place while Kaylee is getting a drink from the kitchen after she just finished making out with Nash. She hears Sabine upset because Nash's said it was supposed to be just them two hanging out, which Nash doesn't deny, and then she takes off her shirt and kisses him, to which he kisses her back and has his "tongue down her throat." He only stops when Kaylee and Tod, who had blinked into the kitchen when Sabine got there, interrupt them. And then she is led to believe by another male friend that it's supposedly a "natural instinct" for a guy to kiss someone back, even if he doesn't want to actually kiss the person... which Kaylee totally buys into and forgives Nash for. I mean, I'm honestly baffled at the message that sends to the younger audience, along with the drug issue (and several more issues that bothered me throughout the series, to be honest.)
And then you have Nash ,a character with no depth at all. He supposedly loves Kaylee, but knowingly continues to let his ex girlfriend/current bff to push a wedge between his relationship with her, and refuses to stop seeing the ex/bff. I'm not a professional here, but i'm pretty sure if someone is supposed to be your "best friend" they are not going to purposely try to ruin your relationships with the people you care about, as Sabine was doing with Kaylee. If Kaylee mattered so much, he would have seen how much Sabine was hurting her and cut Sabine out of his life. She continued to try and win him back even though he told her he had no interest in her, and she continued to invade Kaylee's dreams and feed off of her even though Nash asked to to stop. Great best friend you have there, buddy. But then again I don't expect much from Nash because he's just an awful character.
The only silver lining to this series is Tod and Emma. They are the only characters I actually like. If I do ever decide to continue on with the series, it will be solely for them.
madwonder's review against another edition
5.0
And they all lived happily ever after.... Of course not, but it almost sounded like that could have been thrown in there at the end. I did get a little bit of a Buffy vibe when they mentioned, in so many words, that the school was the new hotspot. Makes me think of good ol sunny dale with a school sitting on a hell mouth :).
Ive actually made it a point to like all of the fuss between Kaylee, Sabine, and Nash. It shows an extra emotional level to the mix. Though I hate the tactics that Sabine has been using, I also can't stand Kaylee's thought process. Yea, she doesn't trust Nash after everything that happened before but you can't learn to trust someone if you don't give them a chance to show that you can. How do you just let someone you love go through all of that alone? She is afraid he will relapse but he is more likely to do so without her. Despite all of that, Nash still wants her. I liked them before, but now with what happened and with Kaylee never going to be the same with Nash, I agree with Todd. Sadly, Nash and Sabine probably do belong together :-/. Even though part of what he says is because he has feelings for kaylee, you can totally see it.
My opinions of everyone else pretty much stayed the same. It's been a great series so far and has only gotten better with each book I have read. I think the writing along with the storyline has evolved. I actually felt the heartbreak that shown through with the little "love triangle".
I know whats coming next in the following book and though I was a bit worried, I may actually be closer to that happy song and dance :).
Ive actually made it a point to like all of the fuss between Kaylee, Sabine, and Nash. It shows an extra emotional level to the mix. Though I hate the tactics that Sabine has been using, I also can't stand Kaylee's thought process. Yea, she doesn't trust Nash after everything that happened before but you can't learn to trust someone if you don't give them a chance to show that you can. How do you just let someone you love go through all of that alone? She is afraid he will relapse but he is more likely to do so without her. Despite all of that, Nash still wants her. I liked them before, but now with what happened and with Kaylee never going to be the same with Nash, I agree with Todd. Sadly, Nash and Sabine probably do belong together :-/. Even though part of what he says is because he has feelings for kaylee, you can totally see it.
My opinions of everyone else pretty much stayed the same. It's been a great series so far and has only gotten better with each book I have read. I think the writing along with the storyline has evolved. I actually felt the heartbreak that shown through with the little "love triangle".
I know whats coming next in the following book and though I was a bit worried, I may actually be closer to that happy song and dance :).
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
5.0
I loved how Kaylee grew in this book, and how Nash was trying to get over his addiction and to win Kaylee back.
I thourougly hated Sabine - the way she infiltrated Kaylee's dreams and even made her cross into the Netherworld while sleeping was really scary, for obvious reasons.
Kaylee is still the one to save the day, and the people she loves (actually, even the people she doesn't necessarily love...) This is one of the reasons I really, really love Kaylee, she does what has to be done, even if it's dangerous to herself, and it was very tense there for a while with all she had to deal with.
I thourougly hated Sabine - the way she infiltrated Kaylee's dreams and even made her cross into the Netherworld while sleeping was really scary, for obvious reasons.
Kaylee is still the one to save the day, and the people she loves (actually, even the people she doesn't necessarily love...) This is one of the reasons I really, really love Kaylee, she does what has to be done, even if it's dangerous to herself, and it was very tense there for a while with all she had to deal with.
nannasa16's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
full review to come.
Guys, I love Sabine. She's my new soul mate. Love love love.
And obviously Tod, you go Tod (I need to re-watch Mean Girls yep).
full review to come.
Guys, I love Sabine. She's my new soul mate. Love love love.
And obviously Tod, you go Tod (I need to re-watch Mean Girls yep).
mandyist's review against another edition
5.0
I have always enjoyed the Soul Screamers series but was a little disappointed with the previous book, My Soul to Keep. Maybe 'disappointed' is not the right word, I just didn't love it. Well, I loved My Soul to Steal and can barely wait for the next book in the series.
From my review: "My Soul to Steal is the fourth book in Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series and it is certainly the best in the series yet. With the scene set and the characters established, My Soul to Steal is non-stop action from the first page. Apart from meeting the mara, we are introduced to more demons, hellions and creatures of the Netherworld creatures including hypnos, who feed from human energy through the barrier between the two realms.
Rachel Vincent steps up her imaginative and disturbing descriptions of the Netherworld and the scenes at the twisted Netherworld version of Eastlake High were fantastic. As I read about the crimson creeper and deformed Netherworld creatures, I couldn't help thinking that this is one series that needs to be brought to life in television or film."
Read the ful review at Addicted to Media: Book Review: My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent
From my review: "My Soul to Steal is the fourth book in Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series and it is certainly the best in the series yet. With the scene set and the characters established, My Soul to Steal is non-stop action from the first page. Apart from meeting the mara, we are introduced to more demons, hellions and creatures of the Netherworld creatures including hypnos, who feed from human energy through the barrier between the two realms.
Rachel Vincent steps up her imaginative and disturbing descriptions of the Netherworld and the scenes at the twisted Netherworld version of Eastlake High were fantastic. As I read about the crimson creeper and deformed Netherworld creatures, I couldn't help thinking that this is one series that needs to be brought to life in television or film."
Read the ful review at Addicted to Media: Book Review: My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent
chelseavbc's review against another edition
5.0
This review was originally posted to Vampire Book Club.
(NOTE: We will reference events in book 3 My Soul to Keep. Spoilers from earlier books are necessary, so you’ve been warned!)
Broken trust is hard to repair. Kaylee and Nash both want things to go back to how they were before the Demon’s Breath, before she’d be used. Before things fell apart at the end of My Soul to Keep. But you can’t just erase the past. My Soul to Steal, the fourth Soul Screamers novel, focuses on what it takes to move forward. The goal alone is tough to attain, but add in the catalyst of Nash’s first love arriving in town to make Kaylee all the more insecure.
My Soul to Steal (Soul Screamers #4)Forgiveness and acceptance are hard fought, but letting go of the fears is much harder when every night deep-seated terrors of being lost, unwanted, betrayed and unworthy fill Kaylee’s dreams. And Sabine, Nash’s ex-girlfriend and living nightmare, is happy to fuel them.
Sabine quickly makes it plain to Kaylee she plans on taking Nash back by any means necessary, and she has no problem playing on their fractured trust and Kaylee’s fears for the future. Sabine also has no problem throwing her sexuality around and making obvious plays for Nash.
Nash only has eyes for Kaylee. (Which pleases us immensely.) She may be battling her inability to trust him, but he’s at war with his guilt and offering any supplication to regain what he’s lost with her. (Tod backs Kaylee on this one, and is his usual wonderful reaper self.)
In typical Rachel Vincent fashion, My Soul to Steal will spark frustration at the characters and you’ll hate as you start to sympathize with Sabine. While there is action in this Soul Screamers novel, the main focus is the internal war raging within our banshee couple. Can they overcome their fears? Can they both grow and stay a couple? We won’t give you the answers, but we’ll tell you My Soul to Steal promises a heavy emotional journey that will have you questioning you allegiances.
(NOTE: We will reference events in book 3 My Soul to Keep. Spoilers from earlier books are necessary, so you’ve been warned!)
Broken trust is hard to repair. Kaylee and Nash both want things to go back to how they were before the Demon’s Breath, before she’d be used. Before things fell apart at the end of My Soul to Keep. But you can’t just erase the past. My Soul to Steal, the fourth Soul Screamers novel, focuses on what it takes to move forward. The goal alone is tough to attain, but add in the catalyst of Nash’s first love arriving in town to make Kaylee all the more insecure.
My Soul to Steal (Soul Screamers #4)Forgiveness and acceptance are hard fought, but letting go of the fears is much harder when every night deep-seated terrors of being lost, unwanted, betrayed and unworthy fill Kaylee’s dreams. And Sabine, Nash’s ex-girlfriend and living nightmare, is happy to fuel them.
Sabine quickly makes it plain to Kaylee she plans on taking Nash back by any means necessary, and she has no problem playing on their fractured trust and Kaylee’s fears for the future. Sabine also has no problem throwing her sexuality around and making obvious plays for Nash.
Nash only has eyes for Kaylee. (Which pleases us immensely.) She may be battling her inability to trust him, but he’s at war with his guilt and offering any supplication to regain what he’s lost with her. (Tod backs Kaylee on this one, and is his usual wonderful reaper self.)
In typical Rachel Vincent fashion, My Soul to Steal will spark frustration at the characters and you’ll hate as you start to sympathize with Sabine. While there is action in this Soul Screamers novel, the main focus is the internal war raging within our banshee couple. Can they overcome their fears? Can they both grow and stay a couple? We won’t give you the answers, but we’ll tell you My Soul to Steal promises a heavy emotional journey that will have you questioning you allegiances.
becks97's review against another edition
2.0
The books are getting worse the further I read into the series
kayla_llbr's review against another edition
5.0
Oh Sabine I wish I could kick your butt myself. Same goes for you Nash. You two make me want to rip my hair out!
lucy_qhuay's review against another edition
4.0
Well, this was certainly the most intense book of the series so far! o.O
I felt so many emotions, particularly anger and pain, that I was on edge almost all the time.
The truth is, I am still on edge, so this review may contain some mild language. I'm sorry!
That being said, let me explain to you the reasons that left me in this state:
1 - Nash is a major jackass! --'
I can't believe that after everything that he did to Kaylee, he has the nerve to ask for another chance! --' And he goes around chasing Kaylee like a lost puppy, when at the same time he is shoving Sabine in her freaking face, hurting her even more! --'
I agree with Tod and Sabine (and trust me, it is extremely painful for me to admit that I agree with Sabine in something) when they say that Kaylee is holding on to Nash and just can't let him go but the truth is that, in part, that is also Nash's fault! :S
If he wasn't always seeking Kaylee out, going around making sure that everyone knew how awful he was feeling and how sorry he was and how much he wanted another chance to gain Kaylee's trust, I believe that she would have let him go already. -.-
Because it is obvious that he did too much sh*t and that she is not ready to forgive, forget and move one, thus it is also plain obvious that their relationship is going nowhere! -.-
2 - Kaylee is either too shocked to do what is right or she is an idiot or she likes being played and hurt, because she keeps pining for a guy that doesn't deserve her, not caring about anything else, which pisses me off! -.-'
3 - Sabine is just a freaking bitch! Right now, I can't even remember a character from a book that I hated more than I hated her! :@
Who the hell does she think she is? She has no right to come here like she owns everything and use her freaking mara abilities to do whatever she wants! She has no right to destroy Kaylee's life and even blaming her for the fact that currently, her lover is a freaking sorry ass addict! -.-
4 - This must be the only thing that made me feel good. :S I really loved Tod here! :D
I was always more interested in him than in Nash and I start to understand why. :)
He is really a great guy. and I sincerely hope that Kaylee is able to open her eyes and see what is right in front of her - a chance at happiness! +.+
And I guess that's it! You should all read this one because this is only starting to warm up ;P
P.S. GO TEAM TOD! xD
I felt so many emotions, particularly anger and pain, that I was on edge almost all the time.
The truth is, I am still on edge, so this review may contain some mild language. I'm sorry!
That being said, let me explain to you the reasons that left me in this state:
1 - Nash is a major jackass! --'
I can't believe that after everything that he did to Kaylee, he has the nerve to ask for another chance! --' And he goes around chasing Kaylee like a lost puppy, when at the same time he is shoving Sabine in her freaking face, hurting her even more! --'
I agree with Tod and Sabine (and trust me, it is extremely painful for me to admit that I agree with Sabine in something) when they say that Kaylee is holding on to Nash and just can't let him go but the truth is that, in part, that is also Nash's fault! :S
If he wasn't always seeking Kaylee out, going around making sure that everyone knew how awful he was feeling and how sorry he was and how much he wanted another chance to gain Kaylee's trust, I believe that she would have let him go already. -.-
Because it is obvious that he did too much sh*t and that she is not ready to forgive, forget and move one, thus it is also plain obvious that their relationship is going nowhere! -.-
2 - Kaylee is either too shocked to do what is right or she is an idiot or she likes being played and hurt, because she keeps pining for a guy that doesn't deserve her, not caring about anything else, which pisses me off! -.-'
3 - Sabine is just a freaking bitch! Right now, I can't even remember a character from a book that I hated more than I hated her! :@
Who the hell does she think she is? She has no right to come here like she owns everything and use her freaking mara abilities to do whatever she wants! She has no right to destroy Kaylee's life and even blaming her for the fact that currently, her lover is a freaking sorry ass addict! -.-
4 - This must be the only thing that made me feel good. :S I really loved Tod here! :D
I was always more interested in him than in Nash and I start to understand why. :)
He is really a great guy. and I sincerely hope that Kaylee is able to open her eyes and see what is right in front of her - a chance at happiness! +.+
And I guess that's it! You should all read this one because this is only starting to warm up ;P
P.S. GO TEAM TOD! xD
ashreads10k's review against another edition
4.0
I was inspired to pick up My Soul to Steal while voting for Tod in the YA Crush Tourney hosted by the YA Sisterhood. My Soul to Keep has frustrated me so thoroughly that I had wanted to give myself time to get over the irritation and then come to My Soul to Steal with a clear head. But in all the craziness, I wanted more Tod, so I started reading it.
Rachel Vincent has so thoroughly ensnared me in this series, that even though I want to bash every single one of the characters' heads in (except for Tod and Alec), I still love the book! There are never any moments to catch a breath, even when you think there will be. In the first like 10 pages of the book, already Rachel throws us, and Kaylee, a major curve ball in the form of Nash's ex-girlfriend. From there, it's disaster after disaster, and death galore, all the while trying to figure out who's behind it.
Character-wise, I was still on Kaylee's side concerning her and Nash, and was glad that she didn't let her emotions or her sexual frustration get in the way of rational thinking. As always, I loved Tod to death, and in this book there was some minuscule hints as to... something with him. I think I know what that something is, but I guess I'll just have to wait until If I Die to see if I'm right. Alec, a character that we met in My Soul to Keep, gets a much bigger role, and while there wasn't much character building for him, I still liked him a lot. Nash is slowly returning to my good graces, but still, he's an idiot. A monumental idiot.
The one person that I cannot stand is Sabine, Nash's ex-girlfriend. OH MY GOD I WANTED TO SLAP HER. Every scene she was in, my blood would boil because I just hate her that much. I may be Team Tod, but I don't want Nash to be with Sabine, either. That'd just be cruel to Nash.
Yet again, Rachel Vincent gives us an a great installment in the Soul Screamers series. I can't wait for If I Die! I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars.
Rachel Vincent has so thoroughly ensnared me in this series, that even though I want to bash every single one of the characters' heads in (except for Tod and Alec), I still love the book! There are never any moments to catch a breath, even when you think there will be. In the first like 10 pages of the book, already Rachel throws us, and Kaylee, a major curve ball in the form of Nash's ex-girlfriend. From there, it's disaster after disaster, and death galore, all the while trying to figure out who's behind it.
Character-wise, I was still on Kaylee's side concerning her and Nash, and was glad that she didn't let her emotions or her sexual frustration get in the way of rational thinking. As always, I loved Tod to death, and in this book there was some minuscule hints as to... something with him. I think I know what that something is, but I guess I'll just have to wait until If I Die to see if I'm right. Alec, a character that we met in My Soul to Keep, gets a much bigger role, and while there wasn't much character building for him, I still liked him a lot. Nash is slowly returning to my good graces, but still, he's an idiot. A monumental idiot.
The one person that I cannot stand is Sabine, Nash's ex-girlfriend. OH MY GOD I WANTED TO SLAP HER. Every scene she was in, my blood would boil because I just hate her that much. I may be Team Tod, but I don't want Nash to be with Sabine, either. That'd just be cruel to Nash.
Yet again, Rachel Vincent gives us an a great installment in the Soul Screamers series. I can't wait for If I Die! I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars.