My Soul To Take By Rachel Vincent

Series: Soul Screamers #1
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Release Date: July 29th 2009
Source: Bought
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Cover Rating: 4.5/5 Stars 
Synopsis: She doesn't see dead people. She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally. Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next.

Usually I read an authors young adult series before trying their adult ones but for this one it was the other way around. I absolutely love Vincent's Shifter series so I was eager to get into this one. This author is full of firsts for me, I usually much prefer young adult to adult books but I found that I didn't like this book as much as her others. The story follows Kaylee has the ability to sense when people are about to die but it's not one of those cool powers where she could act like a hero and swoop in to save the person. No she can do nothing but scream. Kaylee has tried to cover this up all her life and is doing an okay job of it until girls start dropping dead for no reason and the 'hottest guy in school' creepily knows more about her than she does herself.

I found the characters entertaining but quite two-dimensional at times. Kaylee, our heroine, started off okay but I just found her a bit boring. I am hoping we get to know her more in the next book though because she doesn't seem all that bad. Nash the guy whose description I put in inverted comma's earlier was the same, he started well and seemed to live up to the description but then we met someone else (who I'm guessing will probably be a future love interest - of Kaylee not Nash, just to verify) who overshadowed him. Todd, he is a Reaper. I'm sure you're all thinking, "How can you like a grim reaper? They're all black hoods, non-visible faces and Scythe's" but no. In this book Grim Reapers are normal people who take souls - the title makes sense now right? - and can turn invisible. His personality was way more interesting than Nash's plus he has a less weird name.

The story was very original but seemed to fall flat part of the way through. That being said, I still really enjoyed the book and will be investing in the rest - even if it's just to see more of Todd. I did find the Banshee element of the book quite interesting because it is not often you find a book about them and I have always found them very interesting.  This book was quite fluffy but had too sharp an edge to describe it as a light read. I would recommend this to people who want an original look on the myth of Banshee's and Grim Reaper's.

My Favorite Quote:

“His name's Nash." 
Aunt Val took a butter knife from the silverware drawer. "What year is he?" 
I groaned inwardly. "Senior." ...here we go ... 
Her smile was a little too enthusiastic. "Well that's wonderful!" Of course, what she really meant was "Rise from the shadows, social leper, and walk in the bright light of acceptance!”

 Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

Rogue By Rachel Vincent

Series: Shifters #1
Genre: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Release Date: April 1st 2008
Source: Bought
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Cover Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
Synopsis: Okay, so cats don't always land on their feet. I know that better than most. Since rejoining the Pride, I've made big decisions and even bigger mistakes: the kind paid for with innocent lives. As the first and only female enforcer, I have plenty to prove to my father, the Pride, and myself. And with murdered toms turning up in our territory, I'm working harder than ever, though I always find the energy for a little after-hours recreation with Marc, my partner both on- and off-duty. But not all of my mistakes are behind me. We're beginning to suspect that the dead are connected to a rash of missing human women and that they can all be laid at my feet--two or four, take your pick. And one horrible indiscretion may yet cost me more than I can bear...

I knew I was going to love this book because I had loved the first so much and it seems for once I was right. I loved it just as much as the last, maybe more. This book follows on from the first, Faythe has agreed to rejoin the Pride and in return her father has let her become an enforcer. The only ever female enforcer. But with that comes responsibility especially when the usual females in the Pride are normally treated as if they were made of porcelain. Then again Faythe has never been the usual female. She can fend for herself and will hurt anyone who says she can't. When Toms and human women begin turning up dead she knows it has something to do with her, and she has to do something about it.

As in the first book I still love Faythe! She is badass personified. I think she beat up more guys in this one that the last so that's always a plus. Faythe is very entertaining, witty and a total bookworm. Talk about challenging stereotypes, she has it all. I love her relationship with Marc though his possessiveness is really getting on my nerves. The minor characters are just as good. Seriously apart from Marc, I have no problems with any of the characters. Ethan has to be my favorite of her brothers though. There's something about him and his friend Jace that just radiates awesome.

This book is fast paced and the twists and turns will have you trying to puzzle the mystery out yourself. I must say, I figured it out before Faythe did but only by a few pages. The whole book is thoroughly entertaining and one of my favorite adult series'. I would recommend this rollercoaster ride of a book to anyone who likes adult urban fantasy with a very strong heroine.

My Favorite Quote:
“I laughed. It was just like Owen to make excuses for someone else’s shortcomings. Even fictional characters. Owen found my tendency to speak my mind “refreshingly honest,” and hailed Marc’s temper as “a deep protective instinct.” He said Ethan “thoroughly enjoyed life,” and that Parker “really knew how to have a good time.” According to Owen, we were all doing just fine, and all was right with the world.”

Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK

Stray By Rachel Vincent

Series: Shifters #1
Genre: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Release Date: May 26th 2007
Source: Bought
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Cover Rating: 2/5 Stars
Synopsis: There are only eight breeding female werecats left . .
And I'm one of them.I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds.
Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked. I'd been warned about Strays - werecats without a Pride, constantly on the lookout for someone like me: attractive, female, and fertile. I fought him off, but then learned two of my fellow tabbies had disappeared. 
This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back . . . for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I'm no meek kitty. I'll take on whatever --and whoever - I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays - 'cause I got claws, and I'm not afraid to use them . . .

I didn't expect to like this book all that much but I wanted a change from YA so I picked this one off my shelf where it had been sitting for quite a while. Am I glad I did? Yes! I really loved it. I have my ups and downs with Adult books for example I love the Night Huntress series but I'm not all that keen on the Fever series. I'm happy to say this ranks right up there with Night Huntress. It is a mixture of witty remarks, hilarious moments but also a serious side. The book follows Faythe Sanders after she is called back from College where she had finally got the independence that she had craved her entire life. After some of her Pride go missing it is unsafe for her to stay especially since a Stray came after her - she fought him off and won but apparently the fact she can look after herself doesn't matter all that much. After much argument Faythe agree's to go home until it's safe. But Faythe isn't the type to sit back and do nothing.

Faythe was awesome! I just had to get that out because seriously any girl who can fight off a guy and break his nose has my automatic approval. She annoyed me a couple of times but by the end I loved her. She has officially made my top ten heroine's list - which I have yet to write but still. This book made me wish that Young Adult authors tried a bit harder to make their females a bit more badass. You have the likes of Rose from Vampire Academy and Katniss from The Hunger Games but that's just not enough. There are so many more guy-reliant backboneless heroines than there are badass ones. We really need more. The main male character Marc, was alright but he didn't really stand out all that much. But at the same time I was really rooting for him and Faythe to get together so I must have liked him a bit. I just hope he grows on me.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and a will be reading the next in the series - well the third since I've already read the second, yes they're that good. This book is fast paced and kept me guessing until the last page. I just couldn't put it down. Not even while I was cooking so the book nearly got a bit singed, don't worry I saved it just in time. I would recommend this book to people who want a heroine can handle herself. Just remember it's an Adult book so I am recommending it to more mature readers.

My Favorite Quote's:

“Apparently the complete works of Shakespeare packed quite a wallop. To think, my mother said I'd never find use for an English degree. Ha! I'd like to see her knock someone silly with an apron and a cookie press.”

“The queen was my favorite chess piece. Unlike the women I knew in real life, she was powerful. Her job was to defend her husband at all costs, because while he was weak and practically defenseless—only allowed to move one square at a time—she was the strongest player on the board, hindered by no restrictions at all.”

“You mostly.” Her hands went still again as her eyes stared off into the past with a look so wistful it made me ache for her. “The boys tended to take care of each other but you were too much for anyone else to handle.
”I poked at the ball of yarn avoiding her eyes. “I wasn’t that bad.”
She smiled. “You broke Ethan’s arm.”
“It was self-defense. He wouldn’t let go of my foot.”
“He was helping you tie your shoe.”

Email me at: confessionsofabookaholic@LIVE.CO.UK