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Soul Screamers #6
Before I Wake
I died on a Thursday— killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul.
The good news? He didn't get it.
The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school…
Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.
But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life….
The good news? He didn't get it.
The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school…
Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.
But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life….
339 pages, Paperback
First published June 26, 2012
143 people are currently reading
11472 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Vincent
72 books9,775 followers[Note: Though Rachel's blog entries are cross posted here, she does not frequent Goodreads. The best ways to contact her are FB, Twitter, or her Wordpress blog. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HER MESSAGES HERE. SHE DOES NOT CHECK THEM.]
A resident of Oklahoma, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks-seriously-and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.
A resident of Oklahoma, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks-seriously-and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 884 reviews
June 27, 2012
That was amazing!!! Tod & Kaylee *SWOONS* *FANS SELF*
I only have notes and favorite quotes for chapters 1-4 but I'll add more soon!
Read-a-long thoughts
Fave quotes and thoughts for each chapter.
From Rachel Vincent's Blog
On Wednesday afternoon, I finally let go of the Before I Wake manuscript. Which means I turned it in to my editor. Well, I turned it in to two editors, actually. My editor has already finished it. She says she's still processing the ending. I think I may have scared her. Or scarred her. This is the fourteenth novel we've worked together on since 2006, when she began editing my first novel, Stray, which came out in 2007. You'd think I'd know exactly what she's going to think about every element of everything I write by now, right?
Yeah. Not so much. I have no idea if she'll actually like the ending or not, once she's done processing. Honestly, I have no idea whether or not I'll like the ending, after she's done processing. I fiddled with it over and over, delaying turning the book in because I was scared. Yes, fourteen novels in, I was scared.
You see...If I Die was a game-changer in the Soul Screamers series, in several different ways. It's also gotten the best critical response (at least from readers and blog reviewers) of anything I've ever written. (Which probably means it'll be a commercial failure. I'm pretty sure commercial and critical success are mutually exclusive.) What that means is that If I Die was INCREDIBLY hard to follow. Why? Because each book in a series needs to be better than the previous book and the plot must flow naturally from the conclusion of the previous story. But everything has to be taken up a level. Everything. Bad guys. Drama. Plot. Emotion. Angst. And the characters have to develop or evolve. For the main character (at least), that evolution must be in the form of maturity.
BUT... (You knew there was a but, right?) But, the next-levelness of the whole thing canNOT be over-the-top. It must all be believable and feel natural.
Let me just say, that's HARD. And I have no idea whether or not I succeeded.
I had several goals in mind for Before I Wake. They are these:
(Do not read what's below if you haven't read If I Die. It's not overtly spoilery, but it hints at stuff. If you have read If I Die, you can highlight the text below to read.)
Put Nash and Tod back on speaking terms, and begin the healing.
Show what a powerful force the Hudsons can be, working together.
Put Kaylee and Nash back on speaking terms, and begin the healing.
Show the consequences of Tod's heroics in If I Die
Show the results/consequences of Kaylee's new...everything.
I took a shot at all of that. NONE of it was easy. I have no idea how successful I was.
HMMMM Tod & Nash working together...I can't wait to see this!
I only have notes and favorite quotes for chapters 1-4 but I'll add more soon!
Read-a-long thoughts
Fave quotes and thoughts for each chapter.
From Rachel Vincent's Blog
On Wednesday afternoon, I finally let go of the Before I Wake manuscript. Which means I turned it in to my editor. Well, I turned it in to two editors, actually. My editor has already finished it. She says she's still processing the ending. I think I may have scared her. Or scarred her. This is the fourteenth novel we've worked together on since 2006, when she began editing my first novel, Stray, which came out in 2007. You'd think I'd know exactly what she's going to think about every element of everything I write by now, right?
Yeah. Not so much. I have no idea if she'll actually like the ending or not, once she's done processing. Honestly, I have no idea whether or not I'll like the ending, after she's done processing. I fiddled with it over and over, delaying turning the book in because I was scared. Yes, fourteen novels in, I was scared.
You see...If I Die was a game-changer in the Soul Screamers series, in several different ways. It's also gotten the best critical response (at least from readers and blog reviewers) of anything I've ever written. (Which probably means it'll be a commercial failure. I'm pretty sure commercial and critical success are mutually exclusive.) What that means is that If I Die was INCREDIBLY hard to follow. Why? Because each book in a series needs to be better than the previous book and the plot must flow naturally from the conclusion of the previous story. But everything has to be taken up a level. Everything. Bad guys. Drama. Plot. Emotion. Angst. And the characters have to develop or evolve. For the main character (at least), that evolution must be in the form of maturity.
BUT... (You knew there was a but, right?) But, the next-levelness of the whole thing canNOT be over-the-top. It must all be believable and feel natural.
Let me just say, that's HARD. And I have no idea whether or not I succeeded.
I had several goals in mind for Before I Wake. They are these:
(Do not read what's below if you haven't read If I Die. It's not overtly spoilery, but it hints at stuff. If you have read If I Die, you can highlight the text below to read.)
Put Nash and Tod back on speaking terms, and begin the healing.
Show what a powerful force the Hudsons can be, working together.
Put Kaylee and Nash back on speaking terms, and begin the healing.
Show the consequences of Tod's heroics in If I Die
Show the results/consequences of Kaylee's new...everything.
I took a shot at all of that. NONE of it was easy. I have no idea how successful I was.
HMMMM Tod & Nash working together...I can't wait to see this!
December 5, 2013
Yes! More of Tod and Kaylee, please. :D
OMG!!!!! can I give a triple 5 star on this book?!?!!! It IS THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!! I love it and I love th ebanter that goes on between the two HUdsons and not forgetting Sabine...that girl is catching on me. I mean I use to really 'don't like' her but she is growing on me. I'm beggining to see her beauty in this series.
I LOVE that there are TOD and KAYLEE everywhere in this series. TLuca, our new addition is not bad himself, he is making Sofie look tolerable. I don't want this series to finish, because I'm starting to like most of the characters in this series....I wonder if there are more to Tod's mom and Kaylee's uncle story in the next book. Just hope Rachel don't kill uncle Brandon ;) in the next book.
I also love the addition to the end of this book on Tod's daily activity...HILLARIOUS! <3 love this book <3 and TOD definitely did not dissapoint me in this series!!!! I LOVE HIM!!!
OMG!!!!! can I give a triple 5 star on this book?!?!!! It IS THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!! I love it and I love th ebanter that goes on between the two HUdsons and not forgetting Sabine...that girl is catching on me. I mean I use to really 'don't like' her but she is growing on me. I'm beggining to see her beauty in this series.
I LOVE that there are TOD and KAYLEE everywhere in this series. TLuca, our new addition is not bad himself, he is making Sofie look tolerable. I don't want this series to finish, because I'm starting to like most of the characters in this series....I wonder if there are more to Tod's mom and Kaylee's uncle story in the next book. Just hope Rachel don't kill uncle Brandon ;) in the next book.
I also love the addition to the end of this book on Tod's daily activity...HILLARIOUS! <3 love this book <3 and TOD definitely did not dissapoint me in this series!!!! I LOVE HIM!!!
Read
November 2, 2014
I LOVED this.
Edit: I rated it five stars back when I first read it, but I think if I reread this series as I do others I rate five stars, the rating would drop significantly, so I cleared it entirely.
June 30, 2012
Brilliant!! There aren't words to describe how this book made me feel, so I'll do a quick sum up:
- Team Tod ALL THE WAY!!
- The jokes are the funniest things ever - especially Tod's. Who knew reaper's had such a spot-on sense of humour, hmm?!
- Suspenseful and heartache. The deaths are horrible and you just want to kick the bad guys where it hurts.
- Kaylee is a HAB (heroine with a backbone) and should be applauded on her courage and inner strength
- Tod is so hot! :D
- Repeat the above
- Nash needs to get a life
- Sabine and Sophie catfights are the icing on the cake
- Tod + Kaylee = cutest couple ever!
Bring the popcorn and get ready for one hellion of an adventure!
(My 'Before Reading' review:)
What I want to do to Nash:
My reaction to the fact another book means more Tod:
I'm looking forward to it BUT if our dear heroine starts crushing on Nash AGAIN...I'm going to send Nash to one of the nine circles of Hell!!:D
- Team Tod ALL THE WAY!!
- The jokes are the funniest things ever - especially Tod's. Who knew reaper's had such a spot-on sense of humour, hmm?!
- Suspenseful and heartache. The deaths are horrible and you just want to kick the bad guys where it hurts.
- Kaylee is a HAB (heroine with a backbone) and should be applauded on her courage and inner strength
- Tod is so hot! :D
- Repeat the above
- Nash needs to get a life
- Sabine and Sophie catfights are the icing on the cake
- Tod + Kaylee = cutest couple ever!
Bring the popcorn and get ready for one hellion of an adventure!
(My 'Before Reading' review:)
What I want to do to Nash:
My reaction to the fact another book means more Tod:
I'm looking forward to it BUT if our dear heroine starts crushing on Nash AGAIN...I'm going to send Nash to one of the nine circles of Hell!!:D
July 6, 2012
5 Ways You Can Tell You're Reading a Soul Screamers Book:
1. It's about bean sidhes (pronounced banshees). I mean, what other series can use girls screaming for death in the most amazing way possible? Not one that I know!
2. You want to scream, and cry, and hug the book AND Rachel Vincent for writing it! Reading this series is like going on a never-ending emotional roller coaster — and I mean that in the BEST possible way!
3. The author isn't afraid to put her characters through hell and back. I'm absolutely serious! These characters go through SO MUCH that I wonder how they could possibly still be sane... and I also wonder if Rachel Vincent may be an evil genius!
4. You never, ever, EVER expect what's going to happen next. Maybe the first few books, you could guess a bit. But by this time around, there are so many twists and turns and surprises that break my heart, and I can never guess a single one!
5. TOD HUDSON. ♥ Hilarious reaper, snarky bad boy, totally adorable, and probably one of my favourite book boys of all time. Need I say more?? :')
Warning: May contain spoilers from previous books.
I think it's safe to say that the Soul Screamers series is one of my all-time favourites, and I don't think there's anything Rachel Vincent could do to change that!
In the previous book, Kaylee died. But now she's brought back to life and given immortality at age sixteen — not as a reaper like her undead boyfriend and snarky sweetheart Tod, but as a collector who's job is to reclaim stolen souls from hellions and rogue reapers.
I admire/love/look-up-to Kaylee more than you could imagine! She's selfless, caring, and has a huge hero complex, but she's also snarky, strong, and badass when she needs to be. And Rachel Vincent doesn't just say it — she shows it through countless obstacles and situations. Especially in this book, where Kaylee has to cope with death, her strength just shines.
And it's not just Kaylee who's amazing. There's Tod (OMG, he's the main reason why I love snarky boys ♥), and the rest of the cast is honest-to-God perfection too! Then there's the story, which also blows my mind, and I've always loved the Soul Screamers world. Bean sidhes, reapers, hellions, necromancers, and more!
Each book just gets better and better! You can never expect what's going to happen next and your heart always ends up crumpled by the end of the book. But the heartache is SO worth it. This series makes me want to be a better person, just because Kaylee's actions inspire me. (I mean, she still goes to school even though she's undead, just to protect her friends and classmates. Who else can say they would do that??)
AMAZING is an understatement and ORIGINAL just isn't a strong enough word to describe this. Before I Wake is an amazing installment to a series that doesn't know the meaning of predictable. An absolute and definite recommendation!
BUY or BORROW?: The only reason you'd consider this question is if you haven't read the previous books yet... in which I say you need to BUY THIS ENTIRE SERIES! The first few books are available in the first omnibus already, which should give you a good jump start, and the second omnibus should be in stores soon too! :)
(Original review at Mimi Valentine's YA Review Blog)
1. It's about bean sidhes (pronounced banshees). I mean, what other series can use girls screaming for death in the most amazing way possible? Not one that I know!
2. You want to scream, and cry, and hug the book AND Rachel Vincent for writing it! Reading this series is like going on a never-ending emotional roller coaster — and I mean that in the BEST possible way!
3. The author isn't afraid to put her characters through hell and back. I'm absolutely serious! These characters go through SO MUCH that I wonder how they could possibly still be sane... and I also wonder if Rachel Vincent may be an evil genius!
4. You never, ever, EVER expect what's going to happen next. Maybe the first few books, you could guess a bit. But by this time around, there are so many twists and turns and surprises that break my heart, and I can never guess a single one!
5. TOD HUDSON. ♥ Hilarious reaper, snarky bad boy, totally adorable, and probably one of my favourite book boys of all time. Need I say more?? :')
Warning: May contain spoilers from previous books.
I think it's safe to say that the Soul Screamers series is one of my all-time favourites, and I don't think there's anything Rachel Vincent could do to change that!
In the previous book, Kaylee died. But now she's brought back to life and given immortality at age sixteen — not as a reaper like her undead boyfriend and snarky sweetheart Tod, but as a collector who's job is to reclaim stolen souls from hellions and rogue reapers.
I admire/love/look-up-to Kaylee more than you could imagine! She's selfless, caring, and has a huge hero complex, but she's also snarky, strong, and badass when she needs to be. And Rachel Vincent doesn't just say it — she shows it through countless obstacles and situations. Especially in this book, where Kaylee has to cope with death, her strength just shines.
And it's not just Kaylee who's amazing. There's Tod (OMG, he's the main reason why I love snarky boys ♥), and the rest of the cast is honest-to-God perfection too! Then there's the story, which also blows my mind, and I've always loved the Soul Screamers world. Bean sidhes, reapers, hellions, necromancers, and more!
Each book just gets better and better! You can never expect what's going to happen next and your heart always ends up crumpled by the end of the book. But the heartache is SO worth it. This series makes me want to be a better person, just because Kaylee's actions inspire me. (I mean, she still goes to school even though she's undead, just to protect her friends and classmates. Who else can say they would do that??)
AMAZING is an understatement and ORIGINAL just isn't a strong enough word to describe this. Before I Wake is an amazing installment to a series that doesn't know the meaning of predictable. An absolute and definite recommendation!
BUY or BORROW?: The only reason you'd consider this question is if you haven't read the previous books yet... in which I say you need to BUY THIS ENTIRE SERIES! The first few books are available in the first omnibus already, which should give you a good jump start, and the second omnibus should be in stores soon too! :)
(Original review at Mimi Valentine's YA Review Blog)
June 22, 2012
*dies*
Ah, this book... so many emotions. Perfect.
Ah, this book... so many emotions. Perfect.
July 2, 2012
2.5 stars - Spoilers
Before I wake is set one month after the events of If I Die. 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.
Apart from Shadow Bound, I've loved every book Rachel Vincent has written. Unfortunately I was disappointed by this one.
I really wanted to love this book - the storyline, Tod and Kaylee's relationship and the action towards the end was great but that wasn't nearly enough to forgive the immensely unlikeable and bloody frustrating characters. A lot of readers say that feeling strongly about a character is a sign of a good author, to some extent I agree but when you hate a character so much that it ruins your enjoyment of a book then it's not a good thing. I don't like hanging out with people who annoy me so why would I want to read about characters that bug me no end?? I dont. I had a hard time liking anyone, the only characters that didn't bother me were Tod, Alec, Luc and Emma.
What I didn't like (there's A LOT):
-I'm convinced that the only reason Kaylee died was so she could get a HEA with Tod thus making fangirls all over the book world squee in delight. I initially didn't mind this but reading about how Kaylee feels nothing, how she can't sleep, how she feels less human, how she doesn't fit in and how she doesn't want to do anything is unbelievably depressing. How is Kaylee being dead a decent HEA when being dead feels so awful? When she'll have to fight everyday to feel human? When Tod is the only one that can make her feel anything? It means that Kaylee's happily-ever-after will actually be more her not-so-happily-ever-after.
-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 the ungrateful cow left her to the vultures even after she knew Kaylee died for her.
-I loathe Nash..he's such a self pitying, whiny douche. He kept going on and on about how Kaylee framed him for murder, when she didn't frame him for murder Mr Beck did. He forced Kaylee to write that E-mail - she had no choice, he would have killed Emma and Sophie if she didn't. I wanted someone to ask him what would he have done if he was put in that position - anybody would have done exactly the same. But Nash refuses to acknowledge that because he likes feeling sorry for himself and likes making other people feel guilty. I don't know how he could claim to love Kaylee yet not support her after she was brutally murdered. The fact that he acted as if he'd been through worse by being arrested was disgusting..er hello Nash, being arrested is nothing compared to being brutally murdered. If he really loved Kaylee he would have been there for her after what she'd been through - there are some things that happen to people that are so traumatic that you forgive them of past wrongs and offer them kindness and support..but not Nash he walks around like his suffering is all that matters.
It's laughable that Nash looked down at anyone who lied when he himself is the king of lies. What's funny is everyone usually only lies to him to protect him yet Nash only lies to protect himself. Nash is the last person who should judge anybody else. I have more respect for Avari than Nash, at least Avari doesn't act like something he's not whereas most of the time Nash acts like he's done no wrong.
He acts like such a victim and he gets angry and depressed that Kaylee has feelings for Tod yet he should understand more than anyone that feelings can't be helped since he loves two girls himself. Yet he doesn't come to that realisation and so he makes Kaylee feel bad for loving someone else and makes Sabine feel bad when he says he can't help loving Kaylee..he's such a huge hypocrite. Everytime things aren't going Nash's way he either sulks, gets drunk or takes drugs. And he expects everyone to be ok with it because that's just who he is. He's not flawed - he's a selfish brat. This just depicts how self involved he is:
"How long am I going to be paying for the fact that I didn’t kill you, Kaylee?”
Seriously? Kaylee died at the hands of her rapist incubus maths teacher. I think that's a tad more traumatic than being arrested. Of course Nash only cares about his own feelings..what does he care if a girl he claims to love has been brutally murdered, if he wants to make her feel like rubbish then he will because her feelings don't matter.
-Kaylee was no better she's such a doormat. I despise how she lets everyone make her feel like everything bad that happens is her fault and I hate how she thinks she's responsible for everyone and their mother. She's such a bloody martyr.
-Kaylee's dad: I hate this guy, he abandons his 3yr old daughter for 13 years because he was grieving for his wife. There are literally millions of people who have to raise their children alone when their significant other dies. Yet Kaylee's father thought only of himself when he dumped his daughter, he didn't stop to think that she lost her mother and that by him leaving she was losing both her parents - what a weak, selfish excuse of a man. On top of that he thought it would be better to commit her into a mental asylum when she came into her powers instead of having to explain what she was - it's not like she was in danger if she knew the truth, it's not like she wouldn't have found out eventually.. but he preferred traumtizing his only daughter by having her committed rather than admit that she'd been lied to all her life. I find it hard to believe that he could love her as much as he claims after everything he's done to her.
I don't understand how they seem to have a normal father-daughter relationship when they're no better than strangers. How Kaylee doesn't feel resentment, anger and hurt towards her father is beyond me..it's so unrealistic that after a few weeks she was ok with him and had no bad feelings towards him. Feelings caused by 13yrs of abandoment don't just go away no matter how remorseful or apologetic someone is..the relationship would be strained at best, they would not have a warm, healthy, loving relationship.
I hate him. He has no right to say how Kaylee should live her life after dumping her as toddler. It's unbelievable that Kaylee would even listen to him since he's done nothing for her and since he's more or less a stranger.
A part of me was glad Kaylee died so her dad could actually understand how royally he effed up and realise how much he missed out on Kaylee's life. Her uncle was more her father, he raised her, loved her and taught her about the world yet Kaylee barley mentions him.
-Sophie treating Kaylee like dirt after everything she'd been through. She has no tact, no sensitivity, no empathy and no class - a truly disgusting individual. I can't believe I was beginning to like her after her novella. I was able to forgive her in previous books because she was ignorant but she knows the truth now and knows what happened to Kaylee so she has no excuse to treat her with contempt. She does not deserve a great guy like a Luca. I hope he breaks her heart.
-I have to say I absolutely loved when Sabine put Sophie in her place..I just wished it would have actually gotten through to Sophie's thick head and that she actually started to see how much pain and hell Kaylee and the gang went through but nope she was still thinking of herself.
-Sabine's dumb logic and her embarassing desperation for Nash to commit to her - it's torture to read about. There's nothing that will convince me that Sabine and Nash are right for each other, they both need to grow up and move onto healthier relationships. Sabine knew that Kaylee and Nash were together when she came back into Nash's life, but she still acts like Kaylee is somehow at fault for Nash still having feelings for her. She slept with Nash knowing he wasn't over Kaylee then she feels all sad and pouty when he goes to see Kaylee - what did the dumb cow expect? She knew the score - she only has herself to blame for her heartache.
-It's unbelievable that Kaylee would even be friends with Sabine after she tried to kill her because she was dating Nash. Why would anyone want to be around someone who tried to kill them? They wouldn't especially when the reason they tried to kill them is over a boy they dated when they were 15. The fact that Sabine thinks what she did was a-ok is mental..she doesn't apologise for it but she expects Kaylee to apologise because Nash still has feelings for her..Sabine is beyond ridiculous. Her love for Nash is pathetic and unhealthy, the way she degrades herself and begs for Nash's love is sickening. Sabine needs to stop being such a hypocrite - she thinks it's her god given right to judge and lecture other people but as soon as someone gives her taste of her own medicine she gets all upset and hurt. Sabine needs to take a closer look at herself before she starts judging people. She also needs to get a life..but that won't happen. No doubt in the next book Nash will realise he wants Sabine and she'll just be grateful that he finally wants her and they'll end up together, have a good life and loads of babies. Meanwhile Kaylee and Tod won't age, won't get to live life, won't get to have children, will have to see everyone around them having families and experiencing life - meanwhile they'll be stuck forever reaping and extracting, watching everyone they knew in life die but I suppose we're just meant to be happy that Kaylee and Tod get to be together forever..nope, that's not good enough. They'll have a crap afterlife filled with death, nothingness and depression with only each other for comfort..that's not a happy ending. I would prefer if they both properly died at the end so they can move on rather than them 'living' their afterlife and feeling very little and becoming less human. The only thing they'll have is each other which just isn't good enough.
-Another YA novel that has bitchy high school girls call the virginal heroine a slut because she has more than 1 guy interested in her. Seriously, girls aren't that bitchy and dumb - I wish authors would stop writing girls as such petty, vindictive, boy crazy creatures. Every girl I knew/know at school, college and uni were/are more interested in their studies and their BFF's than their love life and boys.
-I dislike books that sends messages that more or less say that virgin's are more pure and worthy than non-virgins. Why do YA authors shove this stupid way of thinking in their writing. Losing one's virginity doesn't make anyone less pure or less worthy or less powerful. I was actually wishing that Kaylee would start sleeping around because I was so sick of hearing about how pure she was just because she was a virgin.
-I don't know why Tod questioned Kaylee's motives about having sex and then going on and on about how it's important to him and how he wants it to be important to her. It's bloody ridiculous - she already told him she loved him. It'll be far more important to her than him since it's her first time and he's already slept with other girls. It won't be as important to Tod as he's already experienced sex, intimacy and love with Addy..Kaylee's not his first and only so he had no right to question how important it would be to her. I'm still not quite sure how Tod went from being head over heels, crazy in love with Addy to him falling for Kaylee.
-I don't know if I'll even read the next book - I'm that angry and irritated by the characters. I can't be bothered reading more about Kaylee and her doormaty, do goody, Mary Sue martyr ways. I also don't want to read about: 1) Nash's so called 'flaws' which consist of him being a self centred, sulky child who expects to be immediately forgiven when he makes mistakes yet can't afford the same courtesy when someone else makes mistakes. 2)Sabine's desperation for Nash..ugh. 3) Sophie thinking everything's about her and 4) Kaylee's dad acting like he has any say in her life.
-Maybe by the time the final book has been released, I'll have calmed down enough to read it. Even though it's most likely going to be an unsatisfying ending - Kaylee will no doubt get her revenge, Nash and Tod will make up, Sabine and Nash will pledge their undying love to each other but Kaylee and Tod won't get a good enough ending. Kaylee and Tod will still be dead and will be working with the dead and will watch everyone around them die, they won't be able to sleep or even have the desire to eat, they'll feel empty and miserable most of the time unless they're together. Even though they'll have each other, I don't think that'll make up for rest of the rubbish they'll have to put up with.
Before I wake is set one month after the events of If I Die. 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.
Apart from Shadow Bound, I've loved every book Rachel Vincent has written. Unfortunately I was disappointed by this one.
I really wanted to love this book - the storyline, Tod and Kaylee's relationship and the action towards the end was great but that wasn't nearly enough to forgive the immensely unlikeable and bloody frustrating characters. A lot of readers say that feeling strongly about a character is a sign of a good author, to some extent I agree but when you hate a character so much that it ruins your enjoyment of a book then it's not a good thing. I don't like hanging out with people who annoy me so why would I want to read about characters that bug me no end?? I dont. I had a hard time liking anyone, the only characters that didn't bother me were Tod, Alec, Luc and Emma.
What I didn't like (there's A LOT):
-I'm convinced that the only reason Kaylee died was so she could get a HEA with Tod thus making fangirls all over the book world squee in delight. I initially didn't mind this but reading about how Kaylee feels nothing, how she can't sleep, how she feels less human, how she doesn't fit in and how she doesn't want to do anything is unbelievably depressing. How is Kaylee being dead a decent HEA when being dead feels so awful? When she'll have to fight everyday to feel human? When Tod is the only one that can make her feel anything? It means that Kaylee's happily-ever-after will actually be more her not-so-happily-ever-after.
-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 the ungrateful cow left her to the vultures even after she knew Kaylee died for her.
-I loathe Nash..he's such a self pitying, whiny douche. He kept going on and on about how Kaylee framed him for murder, when she didn't frame him for murder Mr Beck did. He forced Kaylee to write that E-mail - she had no choice, he would have killed Emma and Sophie if she didn't. I wanted someone to ask him what would he have done if he was put in that position - anybody would have done exactly the same. But Nash refuses to acknowledge that because he likes feeling sorry for himself and likes making other people feel guilty. I don't know how he could claim to love Kaylee yet not support her after she was brutally murdered. The fact that he acted as if he'd been through worse by being arrested was disgusting..er hello Nash, being arrested is nothing compared to being brutally murdered. If he really loved Kaylee he would have been there for her after what she'd been through - there are some things that happen to people that are so traumatic that you forgive them of past wrongs and offer them kindness and support..but not Nash he walks around like his suffering is all that matters.
It's laughable that Nash looked down at anyone who lied when he himself is the king of lies. What's funny is everyone usually only lies to him to protect him yet Nash only lies to protect himself. Nash is the last person who should judge anybody else. I have more respect for Avari than Nash, at least Avari doesn't act like something he's not whereas most of the time Nash acts like he's done no wrong.
He acts like such a victim and he gets angry and depressed that Kaylee has feelings for Tod yet he should understand more than anyone that feelings can't be helped since he loves two girls himself. Yet he doesn't come to that realisation and so he makes Kaylee feel bad for loving someone else and makes Sabine feel bad when he says he can't help loving Kaylee..he's such a huge hypocrite. Everytime things aren't going Nash's way he either sulks, gets drunk or takes drugs. And he expects everyone to be ok with it because that's just who he is. He's not flawed - he's a selfish brat. This just depicts how self involved he is:
"How long am I going to be paying for the fact that I didn’t kill you, Kaylee?”
Seriously? Kaylee died at the hands of her rapist incubus maths teacher. I think that's a tad more traumatic than being arrested. Of course Nash only cares about his own feelings..what does he care if a girl he claims to love has been brutally murdered, if he wants to make her feel like rubbish then he will because her feelings don't matter.
-Kaylee was no better she's such a doormat. I despise how she lets everyone make her feel like everything bad that happens is her fault and I hate how she thinks she's responsible for everyone and their mother. She's such a bloody martyr.
-Kaylee's dad: I hate this guy, he abandons his 3yr old daughter for 13 years because he was grieving for his wife. There are literally millions of people who have to raise their children alone when their significant other dies. Yet Kaylee's father thought only of himself when he dumped his daughter, he didn't stop to think that she lost her mother and that by him leaving she was losing both her parents - what a weak, selfish excuse of a man. On top of that he thought it would be better to commit her into a mental asylum when she came into her powers instead of having to explain what she was - it's not like she was in danger if she knew the truth, it's not like she wouldn't have found out eventually.. but he preferred traumtizing his only daughter by having her committed rather than admit that she'd been lied to all her life. I find it hard to believe that he could love her as much as he claims after everything he's done to her.
I don't understand how they seem to have a normal father-daughter relationship when they're no better than strangers. How Kaylee doesn't feel resentment, anger and hurt towards her father is beyond me..it's so unrealistic that after a few weeks she was ok with him and had no bad feelings towards him. Feelings caused by 13yrs of abandoment don't just go away no matter how remorseful or apologetic someone is..the relationship would be strained at best, they would not have a warm, healthy, loving relationship.
I hate him. He has no right to say how Kaylee should live her life after dumping her as toddler. It's unbelievable that Kaylee would even listen to him since he's done nothing for her and since he's more or less a stranger.
A part of me was glad Kaylee died so her dad could actually understand how royally he effed up and realise how much he missed out on Kaylee's life. Her uncle was more her father, he raised her, loved her and taught her about the world yet Kaylee barley mentions him.
-Sophie treating Kaylee like dirt after everything she'd been through. She has no tact, no sensitivity, no empathy and no class - a truly disgusting individual. I can't believe I was beginning to like her after her novella. I was able to forgive her in previous books because she was ignorant but she knows the truth now and knows what happened to Kaylee so she has no excuse to treat her with contempt. She does not deserve a great guy like a Luca. I hope he breaks her heart.
-I have to say I absolutely loved when Sabine put Sophie in her place..I just wished it would have actually gotten through to Sophie's thick head and that she actually started to see how much pain and hell Kaylee and the gang went through but nope she was still thinking of herself.
-Sabine's dumb logic and her embarassing desperation for Nash to commit to her - it's torture to read about. There's nothing that will convince me that Sabine and Nash are right for each other, they both need to grow up and move onto healthier relationships. Sabine knew that Kaylee and Nash were together when she came back into Nash's life, but she still acts like Kaylee is somehow at fault for Nash still having feelings for her. She slept with Nash knowing he wasn't over Kaylee then she feels all sad and pouty when he goes to see Kaylee - what did the dumb cow expect? She knew the score - she only has herself to blame for her heartache.
-It's unbelievable that Kaylee would even be friends with Sabine after she tried to kill her because she was dating Nash. Why would anyone want to be around someone who tried to kill them? They wouldn't especially when the reason they tried to kill them is over a boy they dated when they were 15. The fact that Sabine thinks what she did was a-ok is mental..she doesn't apologise for it but she expects Kaylee to apologise because Nash still has feelings for her..Sabine is beyond ridiculous. Her love for Nash is pathetic and unhealthy, the way she degrades herself and begs for Nash's love is sickening. Sabine needs to stop being such a hypocrite - she thinks it's her god given right to judge and lecture other people but as soon as someone gives her taste of her own medicine she gets all upset and hurt. Sabine needs to take a closer look at herself before she starts judging people. She also needs to get a life..but that won't happen. No doubt in the next book Nash will realise he wants Sabine and she'll just be grateful that he finally wants her and they'll end up together, have a good life and loads of babies. Meanwhile Kaylee and Tod won't age, won't get to live life, won't get to have children, will have to see everyone around them having families and experiencing life - meanwhile they'll be stuck forever reaping and extracting, watching everyone they knew in life die but I suppose we're just meant to be happy that Kaylee and Tod get to be together forever..nope, that's not good enough. They'll have a crap afterlife filled with death, nothingness and depression with only each other for comfort..that's not a happy ending. I would prefer if they both properly died at the end so they can move on rather than them 'living' their afterlife and feeling very little and becoming less human. The only thing they'll have is each other which just isn't good enough.
-Another YA novel that has bitchy high school girls call the virginal heroine a slut because she has more than 1 guy interested in her. Seriously, girls aren't that bitchy and dumb - I wish authors would stop writing girls as such petty, vindictive, boy crazy creatures. Every girl I knew/know at school, college and uni were/are more interested in their studies and their BFF's than their love life and boys.
-I dislike books that sends messages that more or less say that virgin's are more pure and worthy than non-virgins. Why do YA authors shove this stupid way of thinking in their writing. Losing one's virginity doesn't make anyone less pure or less worthy or less powerful. I was actually wishing that Kaylee would start sleeping around because I was so sick of hearing about how pure she was just because she was a virgin.
-I don't know why Tod questioned Kaylee's motives about having sex and then going on and on about how it's important to him and how he wants it to be important to her. It's bloody ridiculous - she already told him she loved him. It'll be far more important to her than him since it's her first time and he's already slept with other girls. It won't be as important to Tod as he's already experienced sex, intimacy and love with Addy..Kaylee's not his first and only so he had no right to question how important it would be to her. I'm still not quite sure how Tod went from being head over heels, crazy in love with Addy to him falling for Kaylee.
-I don't know if I'll even read the next book - I'm that angry and irritated by the characters. I can't be bothered reading more about Kaylee and her doormaty, do goody, Mary Sue martyr ways. I also don't want to read about: 1) Nash's so called 'flaws' which consist of him being a self centred, sulky child who expects to be immediately forgiven when he makes mistakes yet can't afford the same courtesy when someone else makes mistakes. 2)Sabine's desperation for Nash..ugh. 3) Sophie thinking everything's about her and 4) Kaylee's dad acting like he has any say in her life.
-Maybe by the time the final book has been released, I'll have calmed down enough to read it. Even though it's most likely going to be an unsatisfying ending - Kaylee will no doubt get her revenge, Nash and Tod will make up, Sabine and Nash will pledge their undying love to each other but Kaylee and Tod won't get a good enough ending. Kaylee and Tod will still be dead and will be working with the dead and will watch everyone around them die, they won't be able to sleep or even have the desire to eat, they'll feel empty and miserable most of the time unless they're together. Even though they'll have each other, I don't think that'll make up for rest of the rubbish they'll have to put up with.
June 23, 2012
Before I Wake is the sixth book in the popular Soul Screamers series. Full of action, mysteries and irresistible romance, if you loved the previous books you will definitely be satisfied with this one!
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?
Kaylee, Tod, Nash, Sabine and Emma, are all back with a new and exciting paranormal mystery to solve. If you thought the previous books had good plots, well, Before I Wake tops them all. All I can say is, if your looking for a set of books that will keep you on the edge of your seat, pick up this series as soon as possible.
Tod is the best undead guy ever. Thought he was hot in the other books? He's on fire in this one! We get to see a lot more of him in this book (YAY) 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 must stress how much I love Rachel Vincent's writing style. Enganging, captivating, fun, unique and extremely addictive; I always wish that her books went on forever and ever and ever.
Read her books as soon as possible. That's all I can say.
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?
Kaylee, Tod, Nash, Sabine and Emma, are all back with a new and exciting paranormal mystery to solve. If you thought the previous books had good plots, well, Before I Wake tops them all. All I can say is, if your looking for a set of books that will keep you on the edge of your seat, pick up this series as soon as possible.
Tod is the best undead guy ever. Thought he was hot in the other books? He's on fire in this one! We get to see a lot more of him in this book (YAY) 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 must stress how much I love Rachel Vincent's writing style. Enganging, captivating, fun, unique and extremely addictive; I always wish that her books went on forever and ever and ever.
Read her books as soon as possible. That's all I can say.
February 4, 2016
This series truly, is one of those amazing series that gets better as it goes. With stand out characters, a fun, fast paced plot full of danger, heartache, and villains around every bend, it is truly hard to put down.
So why did it take me so very long before I picked this series back up after starting it? I have no idea! But obviously, I am an idiot because it didn't take me long to remember why I loved it to begin with and to fall in love with it all over again.
I am so excited with the direction this series is moving, from the lives of the characters to how strong Kaylee is growing as a banshee and with her now “new” responsibilities. Add in a cast full of wonderful characters, some that you even love to hate, and this series truly is a unique, fun, stand out series. I won't go into any detail because it wold honestly ruin it but I will say this, I can't wait to see how it all ends and comes together and I am so glad I have these all so I can read them back to back.
So why did it take me so very long before I picked this series back up after starting it? I have no idea! But obviously, I am an idiot because it didn't take me long to remember why I loved it to begin with and to fall in love with it all over again.
I am so excited with the direction this series is moving, from the lives of the characters to how strong Kaylee is growing as a banshee and with her now “new” responsibilities. Add in a cast full of wonderful characters, some that you even love to hate, and this series truly is a unique, fun, stand out series. I won't go into any detail because it wold honestly ruin it but I will say this, I can't wait to see how it all ends and comes together and I am so glad I have these all so I can read them back to back.
January 12, 2014
.... I'm experiencing so many different emotions right now, I swear I'm about to explode. I want to throw something; I want to laugh hysterically; I want to cry my heart out; I want to dance on the rooftops.
This book.... this book is insane. And I absolutely loved every second of it. ♥
This book.... this book is insane. And I absolutely loved every second of it. ♥
March 14, 2013
4.5 stars So so so so good.
Want to read
November 15, 2011
JULY OF 2012?!?!?!?!? ARE YOU FIPPING SERIOUS???????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 26, 2012
All things considered, Kaylee Cavanaugh was pretty lucky. Sure, she died. But she got a second chance. And although she technically wasn’t alive, at least she wasn’t a reaper. She didn’t have to take souls, just reclaim them.
Immortality, however, wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Sure, she could make herself invisible when she wanted to hang out with her boyfriend. No, she didn’t have to sleep. No, she didn’t have to eat unless she wanted to. No, she wouldn’t age. And no, she didn’t actually have to go to school. That was her choice.
But being invisible was easier than being corporeal – not ideal when trying to pretend to be normal at school. Not being able to sleep left long periods of time with little to do and no one to do it with. Not aging meant that nearly everyone she cared about would eventually be gone.
And being immortal didn’t mean being invincible.
So when someone from Kaylee’s past looks to make a deal, she must decide whether the risk of working with them is greater than the danger of facing down her enemies alone. Not a decision she ever thought she’d have to make. Not a decision she ever wanted to make. And not someone whose side she ever thought she’d have to choose. Especially when she knows they can’t be trusted.
***
The sixth installment in the Soul Screamers series, Before I Wake is every bit as tension-filled, emotionally charged, intense, gripping and entertaining as its predecessor. With new dangers, the return of old enemies and even greater obstacles to overcome, this book is nerve-wracking, suspenseful, heartbreakingly sweet and sad and absolutely unputdownable.
As with each of the previous books in the series, Before I Wake takes things to the next level – more excitement, more heat, deadlier threats and more complex challenges for the characters to face. Especially for the story’s heroine, Kaylee Cavanaugh.
While she struggles to cope with her new existence, or lack thereof, she must find a way to balance school, her new job, her new boyfriend, her ex-boyfriend, her Dad’s overprotectiveness, and a mara who still manages to get under her skin.
Engaging from start to finish, Before I Wake delves into just what “life” is like for Kaylee. It touches on the very real issues of isolation, loneliness and despair that come with not quite being part of the world around her. And it shows that immortality does not always guarantee a happy ending.
But the story also shows a positive change in the way Kaylee interacts with the people in her life. She’s developed a new strength never before seen in the series, she’s become more confident in who she is and her importance in the lives of the people around her and she’s become more forgiving and understanding of those who have let her down in the past.
We also get to see a more witty, fun and flirtatious Kaylee. Even with the enemies that plague her existence. Even with the return of someone she hoped she’d never have to see again. And even with an ex who is not about to make things easy on her just because she died.
Add to this a new mystery to solve, a threat that no one ever saw coming and one not everyone may survive, and you have a story that will captivate, that will surprise and that will leave the door open for the possibility of anything – good or bad – to happen.
Before I Wake is an absolute must read that not only doesn’t suffer a lag, but challenges itself to be better than what came before. It’s a nail-biter. It’s a heartbreaker and a heart-stopper. It’s a fast-paced, intense, incredibly addictive and wildly entertaining addition to the series. It’s shocking. It breaks the rules. It leaves readers anxious for the final installment.
And it’s all connected by author Rachel Vincent’s heart-felt, tearful and beautiful passages and the humorous, fun and sarcastic dialogue readers have come to expect.
[On the blog I gave this my six star off-the-menu rating]
On a personal note:
I don’t think I could have been happier with this series than I was when I reached the end of If I Die. It was the perfect end to the perfect series. And yet it wasn’t. There were two books still to come.
While If I Die was an absolutely tormenting roller coaster ride, the ending had me crying tears of joy. There were so many possibilities ahead for my two favorite characters. So many potential happily ever afters. If the series stopped right there I would have been sad but at the same time happy. Satisfied. Hopeful.
Then along came Before I Wake. And I was a mix of excited and nervous for its arrival. After that happy ending, I was scared about what new torture author Rachel Vincent would put me through. What she’d put her characters through. I was hopeful that what started to develop between Tod and Kaylee would grow and not end up the same twisty nightmarish mess that was Nash and Kaylee’s relationship.
I raced through the book. The first time I read it. And because once wasn’t quite enough I read it again. I was so desperate to learn what happened next. I was anxious to find out if this follow up to the best book in the series would match its awesomeness or if it would fall just a bit shy of it, if not more.
Well, where If I Die had a number of amazing moments, they were countless in Before I Wake. I noted passage after passage of moments that made me grin, moments that brought tears to my eyes, moments that took my breath away, moments that stopped my heart from beating.
I cheered. I laughed. I was giddy – yes giddy – with excitement. I was hopeful. I was happy. And not just for the briefest of moments.
But I also sobbed. I was crushed. Devastated. Heartbroken. Torn apart. And shocked. I really didn’t think I would be shocked this late in a series, knowing just how far the author will go with her characters and story. But I was.
I couldn’t believe just how many shocks and surprises there were in this sixth book in the Soul Screamers series. While some of them were good, happy surprises, more of them were of the devastating “I can’t believe that just happened” variety of surprise.
I was so shocked with the first read, I didn’t cry like I did during each of my many reads of If I Die. But on the second read I was in tears for practically the entire book. Yes, knowing what comes next doesn’t always lessen the pain.
There is so much I want to talk about in this book, but I do not like to spoil what happens for those who haven’t yet read it. And while I may have revealed things from previous books in the series – like who lived to be in this book – I refuse to go into any real details of all the awesome that is Before I Wake.
Because there was a lot of awesome. Like all those sarcastic exchanges between those bean sidhes, reapers and one troublesome mara. And all those conversations that absolutely yanked on my heartstrings. Oh, and all those moments that consisted of a glance, a touch, a kiss, where words weren’t required.
Nope, I won’t talk about those. And I won’t reveal just what happened to make me cry, to make me so anxious to see how this series ends, so desperate to find out just what the heck that ending means for… well… everyone who actually makes it into the final book in the series.
And, sorry, I won’t talk about just what may or may not have happened between Kaylee and Tod.
What I will say, though, is that this book was outstanding. It did not fall shy of the awesome that was If I Die. It was awesome in its own right. In its own way. It took me to a different place. It made me think different things about the characters. And it kept me just as riveted as I was with each and every book in the series.
I loved it for its progression. I loved it for its differences. I loved that it took my emotions on one heck of an insane ride. I loved it for its ability to keep me glued to the story, not once but twice. And I loved that it altered my opinions of not one, but almost all of the characters in this series.
But most of all I loved how real and honest and frightening Kaylee’s emotions were about what she’s become. About what her existence means. About what it feels like to be there and not there.
I am already dying to find out where this story leads and where it ends. I am nervous as to just how heartbreaking the final book in the series will be. I’m hopeful that it will be every bit as incredible as its predecessor. And I’m terrified of having to say goodbye.
Immortality, however, wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Sure, she could make herself invisible when she wanted to hang out with her boyfriend. No, she didn’t have to sleep. No, she didn’t have to eat unless she wanted to. No, she wouldn’t age. And no, she didn’t actually have to go to school. That was her choice.
But being invisible was easier than being corporeal – not ideal when trying to pretend to be normal at school. Not being able to sleep left long periods of time with little to do and no one to do it with. Not aging meant that nearly everyone she cared about would eventually be gone.
And being immortal didn’t mean being invincible.
So when someone from Kaylee’s past looks to make a deal, she must decide whether the risk of working with them is greater than the danger of facing down her enemies alone. Not a decision she ever thought she’d have to make. Not a decision she ever wanted to make. And not someone whose side she ever thought she’d have to choose. Especially when she knows they can’t be trusted.
***
The sixth installment in the Soul Screamers series, Before I Wake is every bit as tension-filled, emotionally charged, intense, gripping and entertaining as its predecessor. With new dangers, the return of old enemies and even greater obstacles to overcome, this book is nerve-wracking, suspenseful, heartbreakingly sweet and sad and absolutely unputdownable.
As with each of the previous books in the series, Before I Wake takes things to the next level – more excitement, more heat, deadlier threats and more complex challenges for the characters to face. Especially for the story’s heroine, Kaylee Cavanaugh.
While she struggles to cope with her new existence, or lack thereof, she must find a way to balance school, her new job, her new boyfriend, her ex-boyfriend, her Dad’s overprotectiveness, and a mara who still manages to get under her skin.
Engaging from start to finish, Before I Wake delves into just what “life” is like for Kaylee. It touches on the very real issues of isolation, loneliness and despair that come with not quite being part of the world around her. And it shows that immortality does not always guarantee a happy ending.
But the story also shows a positive change in the way Kaylee interacts with the people in her life. She’s developed a new strength never before seen in the series, she’s become more confident in who she is and her importance in the lives of the people around her and she’s become more forgiving and understanding of those who have let her down in the past.
We also get to see a more witty, fun and flirtatious Kaylee. Even with the enemies that plague her existence. Even with the return of someone she hoped she’d never have to see again. And even with an ex who is not about to make things easy on her just because she died.
Add to this a new mystery to solve, a threat that no one ever saw coming and one not everyone may survive, and you have a story that will captivate, that will surprise and that will leave the door open for the possibility of anything – good or bad – to happen.
Before I Wake is an absolute must read that not only doesn’t suffer a lag, but challenges itself to be better than what came before. It’s a nail-biter. It’s a heartbreaker and a heart-stopper. It’s a fast-paced, intense, incredibly addictive and wildly entertaining addition to the series. It’s shocking. It breaks the rules. It leaves readers anxious for the final installment.
And it’s all connected by author Rachel Vincent’s heart-felt, tearful and beautiful passages and the humorous, fun and sarcastic dialogue readers have come to expect.
[On the blog I gave this my six star off-the-menu rating]
On a personal note:
I don’t think I could have been happier with this series than I was when I reached the end of If I Die. It was the perfect end to the perfect series. And yet it wasn’t. There were two books still to come.
While If I Die was an absolutely tormenting roller coaster ride, the ending had me crying tears of joy. There were so many possibilities ahead for my two favorite characters. So many potential happily ever afters. If the series stopped right there I would have been sad but at the same time happy. Satisfied. Hopeful.
Then along came Before I Wake. And I was a mix of excited and nervous for its arrival. After that happy ending, I was scared about what new torture author Rachel Vincent would put me through. What she’d put her characters through. I was hopeful that what started to develop between Tod and Kaylee would grow and not end up the same twisty nightmarish mess that was Nash and Kaylee’s relationship.
I raced through the book. The first time I read it. And because once wasn’t quite enough I read it again. I was so desperate to learn what happened next. I was anxious to find out if this follow up to the best book in the series would match its awesomeness or if it would fall just a bit shy of it, if not more.
Well, where If I Die had a number of amazing moments, they were countless in Before I Wake. I noted passage after passage of moments that made me grin, moments that brought tears to my eyes, moments that took my breath away, moments that stopped my heart from beating.
I cheered. I laughed. I was giddy – yes giddy – with excitement. I was hopeful. I was happy. And not just for the briefest of moments.
But I also sobbed. I was crushed. Devastated. Heartbroken. Torn apart. And shocked. I really didn’t think I would be shocked this late in a series, knowing just how far the author will go with her characters and story. But I was.
I couldn’t believe just how many shocks and surprises there were in this sixth book in the Soul Screamers series. While some of them were good, happy surprises, more of them were of the devastating “I can’t believe that just happened” variety of surprise.
I was so shocked with the first read, I didn’t cry like I did during each of my many reads of If I Die. But on the second read I was in tears for practically the entire book. Yes, knowing what comes next doesn’t always lessen the pain.
There is so much I want to talk about in this book, but I do not like to spoil what happens for those who haven’t yet read it. And while I may have revealed things from previous books in the series – like who lived to be in this book – I refuse to go into any real details of all the awesome that is Before I Wake.
Because there was a lot of awesome. Like all those sarcastic exchanges between those bean sidhes, reapers and one troublesome mara. And all those conversations that absolutely yanked on my heartstrings. Oh, and all those moments that consisted of a glance, a touch, a kiss, where words weren’t required.
Nope, I won’t talk about those. And I won’t reveal just what happened to make me cry, to make me so anxious to see how this series ends, so desperate to find out just what the heck that ending means for… well… everyone who actually makes it into the final book in the series.
And, sorry, I won’t talk about just what may or may not have happened between Kaylee and Tod.
What I will say, though, is that this book was outstanding. It did not fall shy of the awesome that was If I Die. It was awesome in its own right. In its own way. It took me to a different place. It made me think different things about the characters. And it kept me just as riveted as I was with each and every book in the series.
I loved it for its progression. I loved it for its differences. I loved that it took my emotions on one heck of an insane ride. I loved it for its ability to keep me glued to the story, not once but twice. And I loved that it altered my opinions of not one, but almost all of the characters in this series.
But most of all I loved how real and honest and frightening Kaylee’s emotions were about what she’s become. About what her existence means. About what it feels like to be there and not there.
I am already dying to find out where this story leads and where it ends. I am nervous as to just how heartbreaking the final book in the series will be. I’m hopeful that it will be every bit as incredible as its predecessor. And I’m terrified of having to say goodbye.
November 12, 2023
“I am not cute. I am the dreaded Grim Reaper. People fear me, you know. There's a whole song about it.”
I'm really surprised just how much I enjoy these books now, considering I felt mostly ok/meh about book 1 to 4. It's the next one - If I Die (and now Before I Wake) - that changed my view of this whole series, and now I know that it was all worth it to get through the former books just for these two alone - and hopefully the last one will be just as amazing.
“But my hands are in the right place."
"Heart," I corrected. "Your heart's in the right place."
"Yeah, but my hands are in an even better place."
And so they were.”
Kaylee had such a great character development throughout the series - especially book five changed a lot of things. One of the things I love the most now about Soul Screamers - aside for the intriguing world-building and its creepy creatures, which I loved from the very beginning - is Kaylee's sweet, mature and breathtaking relationship with Tod. I always loved his character the most and prefered him to Nash even in book one, but I could not imagine just how much development he will get through, and now I'm totally in love with him! I love his dark humor, his unpredictability, his love, care, devotion and loyalty to the main heroine! Nash was a boy Kaylee once fell in love with, but Tod is the man who will always be there for Kaylee, the man who can keep up with her forever.
“But I'll be fine. I'll be with Tod. He's a good guy, you know." He just hides it under all the sarcasm and curls.”
Btw. I don't know what people have against her, but kinda loved Sabin ever since she showed up in book four, and now even more so.
“Why? Why is this happening to me?" Sophie asked.
Sabine rolled her eyes. "Because you're the beautiful fairy princess and the evil Lord of Hell can't secure his kingdom until he's feasted from your flesh and slaked his thirst with tea brewed from the ashes of your incinerated bones."
Nash groaned, and Tod laughed out loud.
Sophie hiccuped, and turned to me, frowning. "Is she serious?”
-----------
“The three of you are enough to drive a mara mad. "She can wear my shirt," she growled in an imitation of Nash.“No, she can wear my shirt," she said switching to Tod's smoother tone. Then Sabine took off down the hall without a glance at any of us. "I have a spare. Come on, Kaylee, before I choke on testosterone and melodrama.”
I think If I Die remains slightly favourite of mine so far in the series, mainly because of all the awesome changes, tension and emotions it gave me, but Before I Wake is very, very close next.
“Of every moment I've ever not-lived through, this one is the best.”
I'm really surprised just how much I enjoy these books now, considering I felt mostly ok/meh about book 1 to 4. It's the next one - If I Die (and now Before I Wake) - that changed my view of this whole series, and now I know that it was all worth it to get through the former books just for these two alone - and hopefully the last one will be just as amazing.
“But my hands are in the right place."
"Heart," I corrected. "Your heart's in the right place."
"Yeah, but my hands are in an even better place."
And so they were.”
Kaylee had such a great character development throughout the series - especially book five changed a lot of things. One of the things I love the most now about Soul Screamers - aside for the intriguing world-building and its creepy creatures, which I loved from the very beginning - is Kaylee's sweet, mature and breathtaking relationship with Tod. I always loved his character the most and prefered him to Nash even in book one, but I could not imagine just how much development he will get through, and now I'm totally in love with him! I love his dark humor, his unpredictability, his love, care, devotion and loyalty to the main heroine! Nash was a boy Kaylee once fell in love with, but Tod is the man who will always be there for Kaylee, the man who can keep up with her forever.
“But I'll be fine. I'll be with Tod. He's a good guy, you know." He just hides it under all the sarcasm and curls.”
Btw. I don't know what people have against her, but kinda loved Sabin ever since she showed up in book four, and now even more so.
“Why? Why is this happening to me?" Sophie asked.
Sabine rolled her eyes. "Because you're the beautiful fairy princess and the evil Lord of Hell can't secure his kingdom until he's feasted from your flesh and slaked his thirst with tea brewed from the ashes of your incinerated bones."
Nash groaned, and Tod laughed out loud.
Sophie hiccuped, and turned to me, frowning. "Is she serious?”
-----------
“The three of you are enough to drive a mara mad. "She can wear my shirt," she growled in an imitation of Nash.“No, she can wear my shirt," she said switching to Tod's smoother tone. Then Sabine took off down the hall without a glance at any of us. "I have a spare. Come on, Kaylee, before I choke on testosterone and melodrama.”
I think If I Die remains slightly favourite of mine so far in the series, mainly because of all the awesome changes, tension and emotions it gave me, but Before I Wake is very, very close next.
“Of every moment I've ever not-lived through, this one is the best.”
July 7, 2013
HOLY SHEE-IT!! I'm giddy! Capital "G", put me in pigtails, stick a sucker in my mouth GIDDY! Call me Han Solo because this stupid ass grin is permanently frozen on my face!
Dear Rachel Vincent,
I'm sorry I doubted your brilliance and began to lose faith in Soul Screamers. I didn't know! Holy hot paranormal hell, I didn't know! I should have trusted you. I tried to put a time frame on kickassness and almost missed this! Your last two books in this series have been OM-WOW!! My almost "disloyalty" deserves to be punished, but could you do me a favor and send Tod over to do the punishing ;-) I promise to spend the rest of my life making it up tohim you. Great job with this series and I am so glad I didn't give up on it!
Yours faithfully (from this point on),
Mollie
Let me say that even though I may have been indifferent with the Soul Screamers series before, before is gone. The past is the past and the future is Rachel Vincent! I don't care if you hate books 1-4; it's effing worth it to get to this point; getting to now is the best reward. Rachel Vincent knew in her head where she was going with this series and if there ever was a time to be patient, that time is now!! READ ON!!
Dear Rachel Vincent,
I'm sorry I doubted your brilliance and began to lose faith in Soul Screamers. I didn't know! Holy hot paranormal hell, I didn't know! I should have trusted you. I tried to put a time frame on kickassness and almost missed this! Your last two books in this series have been OM-WOW!! My almost "disloyalty" deserves to be punished, but could you do me a favor and send Tod over to do the punishing ;-) I promise to spend the rest of my life making it up to
Yours faithfully (from this point on),
Mollie
Let me say that even though I may have been indifferent with the Soul Screamers series before, before is gone. The past is the past and the future is Rachel Vincent! I don't care if you hate books 1-4; it's effing worth it to get to this point; getting to now is the best reward. Rachel Vincent knew in her head where she was going with this series and if there ever was a time to be patient, that time is now!! READ ON!!
January 28, 2024
Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Meh. I've read this series so many times, at this point, it's just a comfort book. I know exactly what will happen and how. There is nothing profound about it. Nothing that stirs any sort of emotion. It's more that I appreciate the familiarity.
Just when I was ready to forgive Tod for endangering Kaylee to save Addy and leading to all these problems, he once again chooses Addy instead of Kaylee. Yep he says she's the one he can't "live" without? Romance is dead. in every sense.
Beyond that, I don't feel like there is much to this book. Yes, Avari learned how to cross over but nothing actually came of it. It's like the purpose of this story was filler with death sprinkled throughout.
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Meh. I've read this series so many times, at this point, it's just a comfort book. I know exactly what will happen and how. There is nothing profound about it. Nothing that stirs any sort of emotion. It's more that I appreciate the familiarity.
Just when I was ready to forgive Tod for endangering Kaylee to save Addy and leading to all these problems, he once again chooses Addy instead of Kaylee. Yep he says she's the one he can't "live" without? Romance is dead. in every sense.
Beyond that, I don't feel like there is much to this book. Yes, Avari learned how to cross over but nothing actually came of it. It's like the purpose of this story was filler with death sprinkled throughout.
Read
July 1, 2012well, obviously kaylee dodges the death bullet again... i thought "If I Die" was going to be the last soul sceamers novel
June 30, 2012
I want more than anything..... eye twitch GIVE ME!! COVER!!!!!
I shouldn't torture myself by reading the first 4 chapters, but I do.
I shouldn't torture myself by reading the first 4 chapters, but I do.
June 28, 2012
I love you, Kaylee. More than I've ever loved anyone. More than I will ever love anyone. If I could freeze this moment in time and never have to let you go, I would do it without a second thought. -- Todd
*** Please be aware that there may be some small, tiny spoilers in this review ***
This is a moment where I literally don't have the accurate words to explain the emotions and feelings moving around in my head. As all of us already know, this series does nothing but surprise, shock, and amaze us. So why should any of us feel surprised at exactly how we would be feeling after this book?
There are 3 important aspects of this book that I really need to get into.
Characters
Unfortunately, hoping this doesn't disappoint a lot of you, but we literally get to be introduced to every single character that we have had the opportunity to meet since the beginning of the series. To say that is a welcome heartfelt reunion, is totally up to you to determine. I loved how everyone was mixed up into this crazy amazing train-wreak. Okay , maybe not all of it was a train wreck. *cough*Todd&Kaylee*cough*
Wow, what more can I say with these two? We all knew that at the end of IID, Todd and Kaylee had their bitter-sweet moment and we learned their real feelings and how their relationship came into effect. What I loved about this book compared to all the others? It was so much more... affectionate. Way more "touchy-feely" was more....adult? But not really. The chemistry that Nash and Kaylee had at the beginning was amazing. You could tell how much they liked each other and you knew how attracted they were to each other. But honestly? It doesn't even come close to the chemistry Todd and Kaylee have. We got so many steamy private moments between the two that Nash and Kaylee barley got.
Nash. How could he not feel the way that he does? Honestly, he's been through hell and back and it never got any better for him. Unfortunately, he still thinks that somewhere deep down Kaylee will return to him. It's sad, really sad. The worst part? I almost wish they would. I have never lost the love I had for Nash since the beginning. Technically Nash is the reason Kaylee was even able to handle everything she learned about herself. Yes he fell off the deep end, yes he screwed up horribly but guess what? Who hasn't? I think that makes him the most real person out of all of them. I know Todd and Kaylee are so much better for each other, but I will never lose the hope that somewhere, locked away, Nash and Kaylee will still have something there.
In the midst of all that comes Sabine. Oh "Bina" for once I feel sorry for her. She has done nothing but be there for Nash 100% and shes done a damn good job at that. She is still a bitchy, snotty, rude, bold, and straight up honest person since we first met her. The kind of (and I mean KIND of) good part about her this time around? Her and Kaylee are finally starting to become "friends." Okay maybe that's not the best word, but it's getting to be pretty damn close.
We get to meet the new character Luca, who we all first got introduced too in the Novella of Never to Sleep. Yeah I will admit he's pretty great. We learn that he is a necromancer. He can sense the dead. Not "see" the dead, but feel their presence. I wouldn't say I disliked him, but he didn't really grow on me as much as I wanted him too.
Story-line
Since almost the first couple of pages things already swirled into disaster. I didn't feel like I could stop and take a breath for the life of me. Between Kaylee trying to act like she never died, attend school, and try and ignore all the gossip of "the girl who survived a stabbing from their math teacher", she has to deal with her new job that gave her the chance to even pretend to be living again. With that it felt so good to see her try and mend the relationships that slipped away, and make the ones she still had grow bigger. Kaylee's dad grew a huge soft spot inside of me and I love where he and Kaylee stand. Who wouldn't want a dad like him? Nash and Kaylee finally mend some of the broken heartedness and slowly, slowly grow back some of their friendship. With new twists and new surprises nothing was expected. I had my gasp-out-loud moments, my omg-did-that-just-happen blurbs and yes I even had a few teary eyed moments.
The ending
Really? Honestly? That just happened? Why? How? Who? When? Where? Okay, so maybe I didn't ask all those questions but I did have a brain melt down. I felt like everything was led up to this big huge recovery and BAM an invisible arm grabbed me and threw me to the floor and told me to sit and wait. Yeah, I guess that just about summarizes it. So what am I suppose to do?
Why sit and wait forever of course!! Until we can see exactly how this world and lives are ending. By ending, I mean happily ever after right? RIGHT?! *Sigh*
*** Please be aware that there may be some small, tiny spoilers in this review ***
This is a moment where I literally don't have the accurate words to explain the emotions and feelings moving around in my head. As all of us already know, this series does nothing but surprise, shock, and amaze us. So why should any of us feel surprised at exactly how we would be feeling after this book?
There are 3 important aspects of this book that I really need to get into.
Characters
Unfortunately, hoping this doesn't disappoint a lot of you, but we literally get to be introduced to every single character that we have had the opportunity to meet since the beginning of the series. To say that is a welcome heartfelt reunion, is totally up to you to determine. I loved how everyone was mixed up into this crazy amazing train-wreak. Okay , maybe not all of it was a train wreck. *cough*Todd&Kaylee*cough*
Wow, what more can I say with these two? We all knew that at the end of IID, Todd and Kaylee had their bitter-sweet moment and we learned their real feelings and how their relationship came into effect. What I loved about this book compared to all the others? It was so much more... affectionate. Way more "touchy-feely" was more....adult? But not really. The chemistry that Nash and Kaylee had at the beginning was amazing. You could tell how much they liked each other and you knew how attracted they were to each other. But honestly? It doesn't even come close to the chemistry Todd and Kaylee have. We got so many steamy private moments between the two that Nash and Kaylee barley got.
Nash. How could he not feel the way that he does? Honestly, he's been through hell and back and it never got any better for him. Unfortunately, he still thinks that somewhere deep down Kaylee will return to him. It's sad, really sad. The worst part? I almost wish they would. I have never lost the love I had for Nash since the beginning. Technically Nash is the reason Kaylee was even able to handle everything she learned about herself. Yes he fell off the deep end, yes he screwed up horribly but guess what? Who hasn't? I think that makes him the most real person out of all of them. I know Todd and Kaylee are so much better for each other, but I will never lose the hope that somewhere, locked away, Nash and Kaylee will still have something there.
In the midst of all that comes Sabine. Oh "Bina" for once I feel sorry for her. She has done nothing but be there for Nash 100% and shes done a damn good job at that. She is still a bitchy, snotty, rude, bold, and straight up honest person since we first met her. The kind of (and I mean KIND of) good part about her this time around? Her and Kaylee are finally starting to become "friends." Okay maybe that's not the best word, but it's getting to be pretty damn close.
We get to meet the new character Luca, who we all first got introduced too in the Novella of Never to Sleep. Yeah I will admit he's pretty great. We learn that he is a necromancer. He can sense the dead. Not "see" the dead, but feel their presence. I wouldn't say I disliked him, but he didn't really grow on me as much as I wanted him too.
Story-line
Since almost the first couple of pages things already swirled into disaster. I didn't feel like I could stop and take a breath for the life of me. Between Kaylee trying to act like she never died, attend school, and try and ignore all the gossip of "the girl who survived a stabbing from their math teacher", she has to deal with her new job that gave her the chance to even pretend to be living again. With that it felt so good to see her try and mend the relationships that slipped away, and make the ones she still had grow bigger. Kaylee's dad grew a huge soft spot inside of me and I love where he and Kaylee stand. Who wouldn't want a dad like him? Nash and Kaylee finally mend some of the broken heartedness and slowly, slowly grow back some of their friendship. With new twists and new surprises nothing was expected. I had my gasp-out-loud moments, my omg-did-that-just-happen blurbs and yes I even had a few teary eyed moments.
The ending
Really? Honestly? That just happened? Why? How? Who? When? Where? Okay, so maybe I didn't ask all those questions but I did have a brain melt down. I felt like everything was led up to this big huge recovery and BAM an invisible arm grabbed me and threw me to the floor and told me to sit and wait. Yeah, I guess that just about summarizes it. So what am I suppose to do?
Why sit and wait forever of course!! Until we can see exactly how this world and lives are ending. By ending, I mean happily ever after right? RIGHT?! *Sigh*
June 17, 2012
So kaylees back! And back with a vengeance. This series just gets better and better with each book I think Rachel Vincent couldn't write more and more and it would never get old
This book out of the whole series defiantly had me crying the most! Sometimes happy sometimes really sad. But I will say this is my favorite out of the whole series and this is why:
Through out the whole series since the beginning in typical YA style I thought Nash and Kaylee were going to be together "forever" yes they would have some heart ache but they would end up together eventually happy ending and all that. But Rachel Vincent took a spectacular risk (like I mentioned in my previous review for if i die) and Todd was brought into kaylees love life and changed it completely and I am so glad. A lot of people were annoyed but boy I was excited.
Love, excitement, death. Blood, sweat and tears are only some of the words I can use to describe the brilliance of this book. I never get tired of reading the scenes between these characters! Rachel takes you to a place that challenges your imagination and screams at you through the page.
Todd and Kayley are as amazing as ever. Their relationship develops and the way Rachel writes their scenes you truly believe that this relationship was meant to be. I couldn't help but cheer for them, cry at their best moments and at each scene they had I had a romantic sigh from within.
Also Sabine. You know some people didn't take to Sabine but I will say that you really start to like her in this book. Rachel has shown Sabines kind side and you start to really enjoy when shes in a scene she's turning into a very likeable character!
The plot is amazing. It thickens and gets deeper. Questions are answered beautiful scenes are happening and heart ache has never been more prominent. from the amount of detail to the amount pages. I think its descriptive and effective. Rachel has created word images so vivid that it is almost like watching a movie. She takes you for a romp through kayleys not so alive life with a team of Mara, Reapers and banshees and finds themselves in a action packed suspenseful event with the evil Avari that had my heart facing and had me excited from beginning to end.
I could say so much more about this book but I would probably talk spoiler after spoiler. iIl leave you with this: there are only a small amount of series that I've fallen in love with, without getting bored and this is one of them. I feel like I had a great amount of years with these books and I thank Rachel for bringing Todd Kayley and Nash into my life..... But I'm just not ready to say goodbye. I don't think I'll ever be.
This book out of the whole series defiantly had me crying the most! Sometimes happy sometimes really sad. But I will say this is my favorite out of the whole series and this is why:
Through out the whole series since the beginning in typical YA style I thought Nash and Kaylee were going to be together "forever" yes they would have some heart ache but they would end up together eventually happy ending and all that. But Rachel Vincent took a spectacular risk (like I mentioned in my previous review for if i die) and Todd was brought into kaylees love life and changed it completely and I am so glad. A lot of people were annoyed but boy I was excited.
Love, excitement, death. Blood, sweat and tears are only some of the words I can use to describe the brilliance of this book. I never get tired of reading the scenes between these characters! Rachel takes you to a place that challenges your imagination and screams at you through the page.
Todd and Kayley are as amazing as ever. Their relationship develops and the way Rachel writes their scenes you truly believe that this relationship was meant to be. I couldn't help but cheer for them, cry at their best moments and at each scene they had I had a romantic sigh from within.
Also Sabine. You know some people didn't take to Sabine but I will say that you really start to like her in this book. Rachel has shown Sabines kind side and you start to really enjoy when shes in a scene she's turning into a very likeable character!
The plot is amazing. It thickens and gets deeper. Questions are answered beautiful scenes are happening and heart ache has never been more prominent. from the amount of detail to the amount pages. I think its descriptive and effective. Rachel has created word images so vivid that it is almost like watching a movie. She takes you for a romp through kayleys not so alive life with a team of Mara, Reapers and banshees and finds themselves in a action packed suspenseful event with the evil Avari that had my heart facing and had me excited from beginning to end.
I could say so much more about this book but I would probably talk spoiler after spoiler. iIl leave you with this: there are only a small amount of series that I've fallen in love with, without getting bored and this is one of them. I feel like I had a great amount of years with these books and I thank Rachel for bringing Todd Kayley and Nash into my life..... But I'm just not ready to say goodbye. I don't think I'll ever be.
Want to read
August 29, 2011
Eeeeevil book!
June 21, 2012
This book was PERFECTION!! All of my anticipation for it had me wondering if I would be disappointed because my hopes were so high, but the story blew my expectations away and I absolutely loved it!! I wish I could give this 10zillion stars but there isn't an option for that.
**Warning: I don't think I could review this without any spoilers from the first 5 books in the series so only read if you've read up to IID**
So after If I Die, I had no idea what was going to happen. There were so many plot twists and game changers that I had no idea how the story was going to continue. The first thing I noticed was how much Kaylee has changed. It's completely understandable since she's dead and all but I loved her in BIW. I have always seen Kaylee as a strong character but I thought she was even more so now. She fought her own battles and you could see how much she has grown since MStT. She was a fierce fighter and even though she had her moments of depression (Honestly who wouldn't? The girl was stabbed to death. I would be traumatized for life.) she was able to pull through it. I loved how Kaylee was able to take charge and how she didn't take crap from others. Then the ending happened! I would have fallen apart if that happened to me! Not Kaylee though. If anything she is fiercer than ever and I can't wait to see what she's like in WAMS because it just got personal (well it kind of already was but now even more so).
I also didn't know if I would like Tod and Kaylee together. For some reason I have always had a soft spot for Nash despite all of his issues and I think my favorite parts of BIW were when Kaylee and Nash started building a friendship again. Nash was still understandably in pain but he started to try to get over it. Easier said than done obviously but I admired Nash for trying. I think he is finally starting to recover. You can tell that he really wants to get better now and I'm proud of him for that. Tod was my favorite character when I read the series the first time but when I re-read it for the SSRC, Nash is my new favorite because (although it hurts him and affects the other characters) I love how flawed he is. It makes him more real to me even though he deals with supernatural issues. I've always loved vulnerability for some reason, and Nash was vulnerable in this one so there's this small part of me that still wants Nash to end up with Kaylee. It's a very small part of me and I doubt it will ever happen (although you can never say never with this author because everything is possible with her) but I wouldn't mind if it did.
Back to Tod and Kaylee's relationship. At first I wasn't feeling it. Tod didn't make me swoon as hard as Nash used to. What I realized was that I loved Tod because of his words. I don't really care about their physical relationship because their verbal relationship is stronger. Tod has a way with words and what he says to Kaylee and even Kaylee's father (p.289 for those who want to know) is so sweet and genuine, you can't help but to love the reaper. For a dead guy he sure has a heart. I'm not going to spoil a super special moment but when you read ch.11 OMG it's probably the sweetest scene I have EVER read about. It was so genuine and so, so perfect I can't help but smile when I think about it. *happy sigh*
We also get to officially meet Luca and I loved him! I love how protective he is of Sophie and I loved his humor. Even if it seemed inappropriate at the time he was always cracking jokes. He was like a comic relief character. That's the other thing about BIW. It has a lot of humor in it because of how serious the situation is getting. And the humor is placed in all of the right places. It's not overdone or anything. It's just...perfection.
Okay, enough with the characters and their relationships because the rest are still a tangled mess. The plot surprised me quite often. As I've said before, I had no idea where this would go but as I was reading, I thought I had an idea. Boy was I wrong! There were so many blasts from the past it was unbelievable! I had no idea that the soul thief would look like Or even that I mean that is freaky. I thought IID was a game changer but BIW is even more so. All you need to know is NO ONE IS SAFE. I don't want to get too much into the plot because I'm afraid to spoil everything but all I have to say is that it was PURE GENIUS!
Last thing I'll talk about are the deaths. We were forewarned about an important character's death early on which had me terrified before I even started reading the book. Since I was expecting the death I wasn't extremely surprised at first. Keywords: at first. After the whole part where you know the character is starting to die we get this big SHABAM! I was not expecting that! Not really anyway. I had this little, little part of me thinking "Why didn't Luca sense a dead body?" but even that didn't prepare me for what Kaylee went through. The death didn't hit my emotions as hard as I thought it would but there is something about the way Rachel Vincent writes a grieving process that kills me. Oh jeez. I just can't handle all of the characters tears! The grieving scenes are written with so much emotion, heartbreak, and genuineness and it all breaks my heart even if I weren't attached to the deceased character as much because all of the other characters are and you can feel their pain. I though I had enough pain already but then I got to the ending and I was like "WHAT!?!?!?! NO! How can that be possible??" I was so scared for the last couple of pages and I was seriously freaking out because I thought there was only supposed to be ONE death. But as I said before, everything is possible with this author And I am so glad that what happened (trying so hard not to spoil!) happened even if I have no idea how that's going to turn out in WAMS.
I can't tell if Rachel Vincent is Pure Genius or an Evil Genius but either way I absolutely LOVE her. Her ability to toy with my emotions amazes me. I don't think any other author has messed with me so much and that's because she's not afraid to take risks. But all of them pay off and they always surprise me. Whenever I have a feeling that something is going to happen it NEVER happens the way I think it's going to. It either goes into a completely different direction or it happens the way I thought but in a much, MUCH bigger way. That's is probably my favorite thing about this series. I NEVER know what's going to happen so I'm always surprised (which is a feat. in and of itself since it's extremely hard to shock me). The only thing I do know is that I would never want to be a character in one of her books. Their lives are so hard and I don't think I'd be able to handle it. ;)
**Warning: I don't think I could review this without any spoilers from the first 5 books in the series so only read if you've read up to IID**
So after If I Die, I had no idea what was going to happen. There were so many plot twists and game changers that I had no idea how the story was going to continue. The first thing I noticed was how much Kaylee has changed. It's completely understandable since she's dead and all but I loved her in BIW. I have always seen Kaylee as a strong character but I thought she was even more so now. She fought her own battles and you could see how much she has grown since MStT. She was a fierce fighter and even though she had her moments of depression (Honestly who wouldn't? The girl was stabbed to death. I would be traumatized for life.) she was able to pull through it. I loved how Kaylee was able to take charge and how she didn't take crap from others. Then the ending happened! I would have fallen apart if that happened to me! Not Kaylee though. If anything she is fiercer than ever and I can't wait to see what she's like in WAMS because it just got personal (well it kind of already was but now even more so).
I also didn't know if I would like Tod and Kaylee together. For some reason I have always had a soft spot for Nash despite all of his issues and I think my favorite parts of BIW were when Kaylee and Nash started building a friendship again. Nash was still understandably in pain but he started to try to get over it. Easier said than done obviously but I admired Nash for trying. I think he is finally starting to recover. You can tell that he really wants to get better now and I'm proud of him for that. Tod was my favorite character when I read the series the first time but when I re-read it for the SSRC, Nash is my new favorite because (although it hurts him and affects the other characters) I love how flawed he is. It makes him more real to me even though he deals with supernatural issues. I've always loved vulnerability for some reason, and Nash was vulnerable in this one so there's this small part of me that still wants Nash to end up with Kaylee. It's a very small part of me and I doubt it will ever happen (although you can never say never with this author because everything is possible with her) but I wouldn't mind if it did.
Back to Tod and Kaylee's relationship. At first I wasn't feeling it. Tod didn't make me swoon as hard as Nash used to. What I realized was that I loved Tod because of his words. I don't really care about their physical relationship because their verbal relationship is stronger. Tod has a way with words and what he says to Kaylee and even Kaylee's father (p.289 for those who want to know) is so sweet and genuine, you can't help but to love the reaper. For a dead guy he sure has a heart. I'm not going to spoil a super special moment but when you read ch.11 OMG it's probably the sweetest scene I have EVER read about. It was so genuine and so, so perfect I can't help but smile when I think about it. *happy sigh*
We also get to officially meet Luca and I loved him! I love how protective he is of Sophie and I loved his humor. Even if it seemed inappropriate at the time he was always cracking jokes. He was like a comic relief character. That's the other thing about BIW. It has a lot of humor in it because of how serious the situation is getting. And the humor is placed in all of the right places. It's not overdone or anything. It's just...perfection.
Okay, enough with the characters and their relationships because the rest are still a tangled mess. The plot surprised me quite often. As I've said before, I had no idea where this would go but as I was reading, I thought I had an idea. Boy was I wrong! There were so many blasts from the past it was unbelievable! I had no idea that the soul thief would look like Or even that I mean that is freaky. I thought IID was a game changer but BIW is even more so. All you need to know is NO ONE IS SAFE. I don't want to get too much into the plot because I'm afraid to spoil everything but all I have to say is that it was PURE GENIUS!
Last thing I'll talk about are the deaths. We were forewarned about an important character's death early on which had me terrified before I even started reading the book. Since I was expecting the death I wasn't extremely surprised at first. Keywords: at first. After the whole part where you know the character is starting to die we get this big SHABAM! I was not expecting that! Not really anyway. I had this little, little part of me thinking "Why didn't Luca sense a dead body?" but even that didn't prepare me for what Kaylee went through. The death didn't hit my emotions as hard as I thought it would but there is something about the way Rachel Vincent writes a grieving process that kills me. Oh jeez. I just can't handle all of the characters tears! The grieving scenes are written with so much emotion, heartbreak, and genuineness and it all breaks my heart even if I weren't attached to the deceased character as much because all of the other characters are and you can feel their pain. I though I had enough pain already but then I got to the ending and I was like "WHAT!?!?!?! NO! How can that be possible??" I was so scared for the last couple of pages and I was seriously freaking out because I thought there was only supposed to be ONE death. But as I said before, everything is possible with this author And I am so glad that what happened (trying so hard not to spoil!) happened even if I have no idea how that's going to turn out in WAMS.
I can't tell if Rachel Vincent is Pure Genius or an Evil Genius but either way I absolutely LOVE her. Her ability to toy with my emotions amazes me. I don't think any other author has messed with me so much and that's because she's not afraid to take risks. But all of them pay off and they always surprise me. Whenever I have a feeling that something is going to happen it NEVER happens the way I think it's going to. It either goes into a completely different direction or it happens the way I thought but in a much, MUCH bigger way. That's is probably my favorite thing about this series. I NEVER know what's going to happen so I'm always surprised (which is a feat. in and of itself since it's extremely hard to shock me). The only thing I do know is that I would never want to be a character in one of her books. Their lives are so hard and I don't think I'd be able to handle it. ;)
July 5, 2012
Okay, i have many mixed feelings on this book. i've loved the soul screamers series since the beginning, and i don't want to dislike it towards the end because of a relationship that, in my opinion, doesn't work. and unfortunately, that's a relationship that everyone seems to be rooting for. kaylee and tod. don't get me wrong, i love everything about tod - his personality, social status, his being a reaper and how he's always there for kaylee, but i feel like he and kaylee are better off as friends.
no relationship is perfect, and that's why i was so hooked on this series, because kaylee and nash's relationship WASN'T perfect (as opposed to her and tod's relationship), and that's why they were perfect for each other. then BAM! kaylee and tod, and it happened sooooo quickly. even if i was willing to, i didn't have time to adjust to it. instead, i was moping right there along with nash, wishing he and kaylee would find some way to make it work. now, i don't even know if there's a chance for kaylee and nash with the way her and tod are oh-so-in love with each other. it doesn't even feel belivable. if kaylee is in love with tod, i don't see it. i think she still has feelings for nash, but because sabine is so intrusive and wants nash so badly (although i think it's pretty clear that nash would only like to be friends with her) kaylee decides to settle for her only other option - tod, who she may or may not have a better connection with. yes, the whole nash using frost and the lies are still there, but what makes a relationship stronger, is getting past those two things. kaylee and nash didn't have enough time what with kaylee dying and sabine swooping in and 'claiming' what was hers. but i think kaylee and nash need to just find the time, and readers need ti give them a chance!
i think after sabine came into the picture, kaylee didn't want to compete anymore, and i think the reason nash is so unhappy and moody is because he's stuck between choosing his best friend (who should stay his best friend) and a girl he's been in love with since he met her (did everyone forget how supportive nash was for kaylee when the series first started out?). i'm all for a little jealousy and sibling rivalry, but only because i know at the end of the day, there's a happy ending, which is what makes YA novels so interesting. and of course no author wants to make their work the same as another's, but you can't have a long-running relationship with two characters that everyone adores and relates to because of all the bumps in the road, and then switch things up completely with only three books left and no time to get used to this new relationship.
in vincent's shifters series, everyone loved seeing faythe and jace together and the romance that brewed between for the short amount of time, but we all knew she'd end up with marc, because in the long run, she had the most problems with marc, but they got threw all of them together, and that's what makes a relationship strong and made the shifters series lovable. compare with kaylee/nash/tod, yes kaylee wiill always need tod, and nash will always need sabine, because that's what balances out all of their lives, but at the end of the day, it's clear that nash needs both kaylee and sabine. sabine is a true best friend to nash, and they talk out all their problems. isn't that how good friendships work? many people take it personally that nash and kaylee don't tell each other everything, but isn't it easier sometimes to tell your best friend something over your other half? besides, kaylee and nash's relationship was still fresh, and if they did tell each other everything, it wouldn't be belivable. so how is kaylee and tod telling each other everything and moving so quickly belivable?
the reaper novella changed many people's opinion on who kaylee is better off with, and who cares if tod saw kaylee and kaylee saw tod first? people say what if nash did die, then kaylee would be with tod. okay, but if nash died and became a repaer, wouldn't kaylee then be with him?
i understand the author has to make the novels interesting, and that's why i'm trying to bear with kaylee and tod for now, but i'm hoping this turns out to be and edward-bella-jacob situation, where even though everyone roots for jacob (for the more obvious reasons) bella still ends up with edward.
the frustrating love triangle doesn't make the series any less amazing, but if kaylee ended up with nash and nash, kaylee, and tod were still on good terms, i wouldn't feel like i'm being left on a cliffhanger even after the series is over...still worth reading, though!
no relationship is perfect, and that's why i was so hooked on this series, because kaylee and nash's relationship WASN'T perfect (as opposed to her and tod's relationship), and that's why they were perfect for each other. then BAM! kaylee and tod, and it happened sooooo quickly. even if i was willing to, i didn't have time to adjust to it. instead, i was moping right there along with nash, wishing he and kaylee would find some way to make it work. now, i don't even know if there's a chance for kaylee and nash with the way her and tod are oh-so-in love with each other. it doesn't even feel belivable. if kaylee is in love with tod, i don't see it. i think she still has feelings for nash, but because sabine is so intrusive and wants nash so badly (although i think it's pretty clear that nash would only like to be friends with her) kaylee decides to settle for her only other option - tod, who she may or may not have a better connection with. yes, the whole nash using frost and the lies are still there, but what makes a relationship stronger, is getting past those two things. kaylee and nash didn't have enough time what with kaylee dying and sabine swooping in and 'claiming' what was hers. but i think kaylee and nash need to just find the time, and readers need ti give them a chance!
i think after sabine came into the picture, kaylee didn't want to compete anymore, and i think the reason nash is so unhappy and moody is because he's stuck between choosing his best friend (who should stay his best friend) and a girl he's been in love with since he met her (did everyone forget how supportive nash was for kaylee when the series first started out?). i'm all for a little jealousy and sibling rivalry, but only because i know at the end of the day, there's a happy ending, which is what makes YA novels so interesting. and of course no author wants to make their work the same as another's, but you can't have a long-running relationship with two characters that everyone adores and relates to because of all the bumps in the road, and then switch things up completely with only three books left and no time to get used to this new relationship.
in vincent's shifters series, everyone loved seeing faythe and jace together and the romance that brewed between for the short amount of time, but we all knew she'd end up with marc, because in the long run, she had the most problems with marc, but they got threw all of them together, and that's what makes a relationship strong and made the shifters series lovable. compare with kaylee/nash/tod, yes kaylee wiill always need tod, and nash will always need sabine, because that's what balances out all of their lives, but at the end of the day, it's clear that nash needs both kaylee and sabine. sabine is a true best friend to nash, and they talk out all their problems. isn't that how good friendships work? many people take it personally that nash and kaylee don't tell each other everything, but isn't it easier sometimes to tell your best friend something over your other half? besides, kaylee and nash's relationship was still fresh, and if they did tell each other everything, it wouldn't be belivable. so how is kaylee and tod telling each other everything and moving so quickly belivable?
the reaper novella changed many people's opinion on who kaylee is better off with, and who cares if tod saw kaylee and kaylee saw tod first? people say what if nash did die, then kaylee would be with tod. okay, but if nash died and became a repaer, wouldn't kaylee then be with him?
i understand the author has to make the novels interesting, and that's why i'm trying to bear with kaylee and tod for now, but i'm hoping this turns out to be and edward-bella-jacob situation, where even though everyone roots for jacob (for the more obvious reasons) bella still ends up with edward.
the frustrating love triangle doesn't make the series any less amazing, but if kaylee ended up with nash and nash, kaylee, and tod were still on good terms, i wouldn't feel like i'm being left on a cliffhanger even after the series is over...still worth reading, though!
June 18, 2012
Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.
Regular readers of my reviews will know that I fell in love with this series once I read the third book, My Soul to Keep; despite the first two books being really enjoyable, they didn't completely wow me. But then I picked up My Soul to Keep and was blown away. With each new release, Rachel Vincent has pushed the limits of what it means to be blown away, and the same goes for Before I Wake. Wow... It's absolutely incredible.
Kaylee is now an undead extractor, she retrieves stolen souls. But being undead isn't like living but with extra abilities, death takes away what it feels like to be alive. When not around people - especially when not around Tod - Kaylee falls into deep melancholy and becomes completely lethargic. It's not a feeling she can kick on her own, and ends up drowning in thoughts of how difficult it is to pretend to be living, and the people she's hurt What is the point in anything when everything is so difficult and she can't make things better? In previous books, Kaylee is always determined to do all she can to save others, always thinking about how she can beat the bad guys and make sure everyone is safe, so it's really hard to see her so depressed. You just want to give her a hug and hand her some chocolate, demand someone cover Tod's shift at work so he can bring her back to her old self.
Because Tod really is all that's keeping Kaylee's head above water. He is completely and utterly devoted to her, and you can't help but fall in love with him even more. Tod is the light amongst all the dark. Or more accurately, the flame - because, damn, do things get hot and steamy in this book! But it's a fire that burns from a love so tender, so strong, so infinite, it's beautiful. There is absolutely nothing Kaylee and Tod wouldn't do for each other, and their love is so amazing I could cry.
However, Kaylee doesn't really have the time to be depressed or to try to fight it with Tod's help. A serial soul thief is, well, stealing souls. Madeline, Kaylee's boss at the reclamation department, is pulling her out of training early to tackle the soul thief, extract the souls, and bring them back to be recycled. Except he/she/it hasn't been stopped yet, and the task isn't as easy as it seems. Also, Thane, the rogue reaper who stalked Kaylee the days before who Tod handed over to the hellion of greed, Avari, is back. Back, and causing trouble.
I can't say much more about what happens without spoiling things, but this book is one of the most emotional and heart-wrenching I've ever read. There is more death in this book than there has been in any of the previous books, and not everyone who dies is simply a stranger or an acquaintance. A number of characters from previous book make an appearance, but not all is as it seems. Everyone Kaylee knows and loves is in much more danger than they ever have been before, and this time round, the stakes are so high, I actually couldn't see a way out of the extreme danger Kaylee, her friends and her family find themselves in. This time round, Kaylee has to stop what could be the apocalypse, and the destruction of life as we know it. There were tears, there was indescribable sadness, and there was roller coaster of emotions constantly eating you up. There is no let-up with Before I Wake, Vincent forces you through extreme fear, for these characters we love so much, and seething rage over what's happening to them.
Kaylee has grown so much since we first saw her in My Soul to Take. The girl we see towards the end of this book is a girl who means business. With anger and determination boiling through her veins, Kaylee will stop at nothing to make her enemies pay, and you are so completely behind her. Before I Wake is fast-paced, chock full of action and blood, and a completely devastating read. It's the best book in the series so far, absolutely phenomenal, but considering how it ends, I know With All My Soul, the seventh and final book in the Soul Screamers series, will be better yet. Vincent pulled it off again; Before I Wake is a book that will stay with you a long time after turning the last page.
Regular readers of my reviews will know that I fell in love with this series once I read the third book, My Soul to Keep; despite the first two books being really enjoyable, they didn't completely wow me. But then I picked up My Soul to Keep and was blown away. With each new release, Rachel Vincent has pushed the limits of what it means to be blown away, and the same goes for Before I Wake. Wow... It's absolutely incredible.
Kaylee is now an undead extractor, she retrieves stolen souls. But being undead isn't like living but with extra abilities, death takes away what it feels like to be alive. When not around people - especially when not around Tod - Kaylee falls into deep melancholy and becomes completely lethargic. It's not a feeling she can kick on her own, and ends up drowning in thoughts of how difficult it is to pretend to be living, and the people she's hurt What is the point in anything when everything is so difficult and she can't make things better? In previous books, Kaylee is always determined to do all she can to save others, always thinking about how she can beat the bad guys and make sure everyone is safe, so it's really hard to see her so depressed. You just want to give her a hug and hand her some chocolate, demand someone cover Tod's shift at work so he can bring her back to her old self.
Because Tod really is all that's keeping Kaylee's head above water. He is completely and utterly devoted to her, and you can't help but fall in love with him even more. Tod is the light amongst all the dark. Or more accurately, the flame - because, damn, do things get hot and steamy in this book! But it's a fire that burns from a love so tender, so strong, so infinite, it's beautiful. There is absolutely nothing Kaylee and Tod wouldn't do for each other, and their love is so amazing I could cry.
However, Kaylee doesn't really have the time to be depressed or to try to fight it with Tod's help. A serial soul thief is, well, stealing souls. Madeline, Kaylee's boss at the reclamation department, is pulling her out of training early to tackle the soul thief, extract the souls, and bring them back to be recycled. Except he/she/it hasn't been stopped yet, and the task isn't as easy as it seems. Also, Thane, the rogue reaper who stalked Kaylee the days before who Tod handed over to the hellion of greed, Avari, is back. Back, and causing trouble.
I can't say much more about what happens without spoiling things, but this book is one of the most emotional and heart-wrenching I've ever read. There is more death in this book than there has been in any of the previous books, and not everyone who dies is simply a stranger or an acquaintance. A number of characters from previous book make an appearance, but not all is as it seems. Everyone Kaylee knows and loves is in much more danger than they ever have been before, and this time round, the stakes are so high, I actually couldn't see a way out of the extreme danger Kaylee, her friends and her family find themselves in. This time round, Kaylee has to stop what could be the apocalypse, and the destruction of life as we know it. There were tears, there was indescribable sadness, and there was roller coaster of emotions constantly eating you up. There is no let-up with Before I Wake, Vincent forces you through extreme fear, for these characters we love so much, and seething rage over what's happening to them.
Kaylee has grown so much since we first saw her in My Soul to Take. The girl we see towards the end of this book is a girl who means business. With anger and determination boiling through her veins, Kaylee will stop at nothing to make her enemies pay, and you are so completely behind her. Before I Wake is fast-paced, chock full of action and blood, and a completely devastating read. It's the best book in the series so far, absolutely phenomenal, but considering how it ends, I know With All My Soul, the seventh and final book in the Soul Screamers series, will be better yet. Vincent pulled it off again; Before I Wake is a book that will stay with you a long time after turning the last page.
July 28, 2018
Đây là cuốn mình thích nhất trong toàn bộ series "Nữ thần báo tử" đã phát hành đến hiện giờ. Nó làm mình đi từ trạng thái "ngán-ngẩm-ráng-đọc-cho-hết-bộ-để-biết-có-gì-xảy-ra-vì-đã-lỡ-đọc-rồi" ở mấy tập đầu (các bạn xem review các tập đầu của mình sẽ thấy, phê bình kịch liệt luôn) sang "cảm-thấy-bị-hấp-dẫn-và-mong-chờ-tập-cuối" ^_^
Nói thế nào nhỉ? Đây thực sự là một cuộc chiến của cả đội và mình thích điều đó. Xuyên suốt câu chuyện, toàn bộ các nhân vật trong câu chuyện cùng sát cánh bên nhau, ở cùng nhau và cùng nhau chiến đấu. Đôi khi họ vẫn yếu thế trước các tà ma, nhưng tôi cho rằng đó chưa phải là sức mạnh thật sự của họ.
Thật lòng mà nói thì sau tập 6 này mình cũng thấy thương Sabine hơn, dù trước đây mình chẳng ưa gì cô nàng này. Suy cho cùng, tình yêu thì đôi lúc hơi ích kỷ mà...
Điều khiến mình tiếc nhất trong tập này đó chính là cái chết của Alec. Vâng, câu chuyện này cần một cái chết như của Alec để tăng thêm kịch tính, nhưng mình vẫn không muốn đó là Alec (mặc dù xét đi xét lại thì cuối cùng vẫn là Alec thích hợp để chết nhất). 1/4 thế kỷ sống ở cõi âm, vừa may mắn được quay trở về thế giới của mình, anh đã phải ra đi, lại còn phải ra đi trong sự ngỡ ngàng rằng chính người bạn thân thiết của mình đã trực tiếp đâm mình, còn có nỗi đau nào có thể lớn hơn không?...
Đây có lẽ là cái review mình viết dài nhất cho một quyển sách trong series này. Hẳn nhiên, mình đang hết sức mong đợi tập 7 ♥
Nói thế nào nhỉ? Đây thực sự là một cuộc chiến của cả đội và mình thích điều đó. Xuyên suốt câu chuyện, toàn bộ các nhân vật trong câu chuyện cùng sát cánh bên nhau, ở cùng nhau và cùng nhau chiến đấu. Đôi khi họ vẫn yếu thế trước các tà ma, nhưng tôi cho rằng đó chưa phải là sức mạnh thật sự của họ.
Thật lòng mà nói thì sau tập 6 này mình cũng thấy thương Sabine hơn, dù trước đây mình chẳng ưa gì cô nàng này. Suy cho cùng, tình yêu thì đôi lúc hơi ích kỷ mà...
"Sabine đảo tròn hai mắt rồi liếc về phía tôi và anh Tod. 'Họ sẽ chẳng đời nào để chuyện đó xảy ra, và em cũng vậy. Em không cần anh phải cứu em, Nash ạ. Em chỉ cần anh chọn em. Một lần thôi.' - [...] Chưa bao giờ tôi thấy chị ta bị tổn thương đến thế."
Điều khiến mình tiếc nhất trong tập này đó chính là cái chết của Alec. Vâng, câu chuyện này cần một cái chết như của Alec để tăng thêm kịch tính, nhưng mình vẫn không muốn đó là Alec (mặc dù xét đi xét lại thì cuối cùng vẫn là Alec thích hợp để chết nhất). 1/4 thế kỷ sống ở cõi âm, vừa may mắn được quay trở về thế giới của mình, anh đã phải ra đi, lại còn phải ra đi trong sự ngỡ ngàng rằng chính người bạn thân thiết của mình đã trực tiếp đâm mình, còn có nỗi đau nào có thể lớn hơn không?...
Đây có lẽ là cái review mình viết dài nhất cho một quyển sách trong series này. Hẳn nhiên, mình đang hết sức mong đợi tập 7 ♥
February 24, 2015
I Can't believe I have to wait till June for more TOD I swear if anything happens to break him and Kaylee up I'm going to lose it! I've been some what obsessed with him since My Soul to Save but If I Die changed that curious obsession into a full blown need for this character I am seriously infatuated here I mean how much more perfect can a semi dead guy get!
OMG amazing I am so in love with this series Tod is one of the best characters I have ever come across he's funny and sweet and smart and irrational and fiercly loyal the complexitey and depth that there is an excellent demonstrartion of good storytelling and Rachel Vincent has proven once again that she has a place at the top of my list I am so enthralled with this series that i forget to slow down and enjoy the novels while they last even knowing that i will once again have to endure a long wait till the next book is released
OMG amazing I am so in love with this series Tod is one of the best characters I have ever come across he's funny and sweet and smart and irrational and fiercly loyal the complexitey and depth that there is an excellent demonstrartion of good storytelling and Rachel Vincent has proven once again that she has a place at the top of my list I am so enthralled with this series that i forget to slow down and enjoy the novels while they last even knowing that i will once again have to endure a long wait till the next book is released
August 4, 2012
I need this book NOW!!!!
And the interview that I just read (from Rachel Vincent) says that
'Today I turned in copy edits for Before I Wake, so it’s one step closer to being a real book. You guys are going to hate me for the ending. BAD THINGS happen, and no one’s safe. Both my editor and my copy editor left comments full of exclamation marks at the climax. I think they were traumatized. That’s only the second time in fourteen books that I’ve gotten story specific comments from a copy editor, so I’m feeling a teeny bit triumphant. And also super nervous.'
I think I'm going to die...if tod and kaylee don't end up together i will cry. Oh and of Emma or Nash die bad things will happen!! haha God help me.
And the interview that I just read (from Rachel Vincent) says that
'Today I turned in copy edits for Before I Wake, so it’s one step closer to being a real book. You guys are going to hate me for the ending. BAD THINGS happen, and no one’s safe. Both my editor and my copy editor left comments full of exclamation marks at the climax. I think they were traumatized. That’s only the second time in fourteen books that I’ve gotten story specific comments from a copy editor, so I’m feeling a teeny bit triumphant. And also super nervous.'
I think I'm going to die...if tod and kaylee don't end up together i will cry. Oh and of Emma or Nash die bad things will happen!! haha God help me.
July 6, 2012
i want it now
April 2, 2013
I just received my copy of With All My Soul this week, the last of the Souls Screamers novels (sob), and with it came a terrible realization : I had yet to review Before I Wake, the previous novel. Which is pretty much how my review of the previous book started, too. You can therefore call me Kay the Unoriginal Procrastinator. And now, to the review!
It has become incredibly more difficult with each book to review it without spoiling too much about the previous ones, but if I had to make one comment about Before I Wake, it's this : prepare for an incredible ending.
I thought Before I Wake had a bit of a slow beginning. Coming after the surprising ending of If I Die, I had no idea what to expect. And it was good, with still that mix of twists and humor and incredible plotting that Rachel Vincent achieves with excellence. But that ending, oh! It was so cruel not to have the next book waiting for me just as I finished it! I was surprised like I rarely am when reading urban fantasy. And that soul thief story was incredibly riveting.
I think I love Tod more and more with each book. He's an incredible, sweet, loving character, with a strong personality, too. I couldn't have guessed he would have taken as much importance at the start of the series. In fact, the cast of characters was all still incredible, the heroes as much as the villains; I thought I couldn't wait to see how the story would end for them all, but after reading Before I Wake, I am actually a little scared for them. Vincent doesn't hesitate to torture/sacrifice/kill her characters, and this is something I am possibly not looking forward to.
Also, mad props to the author for writing some of these scenes with so much emotion. Very few YA paranormal and urban fantasy authors seem to successfully create a world that is both exciting and emotional, but Rachel Vincent absolutely does (the only other author with a similar talent that comes to my mind right now is Cynthia Hand). Kaylee's journey in this book proves that, tenfold.
So, here ends this review that wasn't really a review. Just some thoughts on my reading, as I am getting ready for the final trip. I'll be back to you (soon, I hope!) with thoughts on the series' conclusion!
It has become incredibly more difficult with each book to review it without spoiling too much about the previous ones, but if I had to make one comment about Before I Wake, it's this : prepare for an incredible ending.
I thought Before I Wake had a bit of a slow beginning. Coming after the surprising ending of If I Die, I had no idea what to expect. And it was good, with still that mix of twists and humor and incredible plotting that Rachel Vincent achieves with excellence. But that ending, oh! It was so cruel not to have the next book waiting for me just as I finished it! I was surprised like I rarely am when reading urban fantasy. And that soul thief story was incredibly riveting.
I think I love Tod more and more with each book. He's an incredible, sweet, loving character, with a strong personality, too. I couldn't have guessed he would have taken as much importance at the start of the series. In fact, the cast of characters was all still incredible, the heroes as much as the villains; I thought I couldn't wait to see how the story would end for them all, but after reading Before I Wake, I am actually a little scared for them. Vincent doesn't hesitate to torture/sacrifice/kill her characters, and this is something I am possibly not looking forward to.
Also, mad props to the author for writing some of these scenes with so much emotion. Very few YA paranormal and urban fantasy authors seem to successfully create a world that is both exciting and emotional, but Rachel Vincent absolutely does (the only other author with a similar talent that comes to my mind right now is Cynthia Hand). Kaylee's journey in this book proves that, tenfold.
So, here ends this review that wasn't really a review. Just some thoughts on my reading, as I am getting ready for the final trip. I'll be back to you (soon, I hope!) with thoughts on the series' conclusion!
June 18, 2012
Rachel Vincent’s heart-wrenching book, Before I Wake, is an all out emotional ride. Each word contained in this amazing continuation of the Soul Screamer Series will leave readers feeling all the emotions known to man. As each of the books in the series is released, it feels like Rachel could not top it. But she proves me wrong every time. Before I Wake is definitely my favorite in the series. The relationship between Todd and Kayley has grown a lot and it is just marvelous to see it develop. Rachel’s writing style allows their relationship to expand in such a way that feels real and authentic.
The plot’s recipe simply gets poured with ingredients that make it thicker, hotter, juicier, and absolutely wonderful. Some of the questions that have been brewing from the start are answered. The rich descriptions that grace the pages are well crafted and effectively advances the storyline. Rachel has a talent of producing some of the most shocking plot twists. The unforeseen coils in the storyline are some of the most unforgettable surprises I have ever encountered. Scene after scene, my eyes widened more and more and in just total awe with how everything came into place. Before I wake sets the finale in place and I certainly cannot wait how everything unfolds in the final installment of the Soul Screamers series, With All My Soul. I feel a little bit heated knowing that the series’ end is closing in. However, it has been a memorable ride. Rachel Vincent is a remarkable storyteller and I am confident that she will finish this series with a bang.
The plot’s recipe simply gets poured with ingredients that make it thicker, hotter, juicier, and absolutely wonderful. Some of the questions that have been brewing from the start are answered. The rich descriptions that grace the pages are well crafted and effectively advances the storyline. Rachel has a talent of producing some of the most shocking plot twists. The unforeseen coils in the storyline are some of the most unforgettable surprises I have ever encountered. Scene after scene, my eyes widened more and more and in just total awe with how everything came into place. Before I wake sets the finale in place and I certainly cannot wait how everything unfolds in the final installment of the Soul Screamers series, With All My Soul. I feel a little bit heated knowing that the series’ end is closing in. However, it has been a memorable ride. Rachel Vincent is a remarkable storyteller and I am confident that she will finish this series with a bang.
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