Review: My Soul To Steal

My Soul To Steal by Rachel Vincent

Book Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Cover Rating: 4/5 Stars

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin; Original edition (December 21, 2010)

 Trying to work things out with Nash—her maybe boyfriend—is hard enough for Kaylee Cavanaugh. She can't just pretend nothing happened. But "complicated" doesn't even begin to describe their relationship when his ex-girlfriend transfers to their school, determined to take Nash back.

See, Sabine isn't just an ordinary girl. She's a mara, the living personification of a nightmare. She can read people's fears—and craft them into nightmares while her victims sleep. Feeding from human fear is how she survives.

And Sabine isn't above scaring Kaylee and the entire school to death to get whatever—and whoever—she wants.

 THOUGHTS: I've adored this series from book one, and it seems the books only keep getting better. I think the concept of these books is very original, and I loves Kaylee's voice. She's smart, sarcastic, and a lot like what I wish I could be. Not to mention, she's surrounded by freaking gorgeous guys. This books writing is past paced- you absolutely don't want to set it down. I probably stared at my Kindle for -what, six hours?- until I finished it. And wile the romance in this book is on the low, you can practically feel the emotional storm Kaylee's going to go through in the next book. 

SETTING: The setting isn't really all that immportant except for the fact that a way-too-powerful Hellion controls the Netherworld that overlaps with the town. That Hellion would be Avari- a Greed Hellion who is totally menacing and the perfect foe. Other than that, nothing of note, really. 

CHARACTERS: I've been reading these books since the first one came out, and the characters in them feel like old friends. I just love reading these books because of that. Like I said, I adore Kaylee. She's the perfect heroine. And-let me just say it- I am Team Tod all the way. Dark, sexy, funny reaper who looks like an Angel but certainly isn't one? He's got so much more to him than good looks- he's loyal to no end. In the last book, he even goes as far as to punch Nash because of what Nash did to Kaylee. When his girlfriend Addy is taken by a Hellion, he stops at nothing protect her and even when he fails, he doesn't give up.   Because Tod is just made of awesome like that. 

 Now, on to Nash. Honestly, I never liked him. At least, not for Kaylee. He's an alright character, but him and Kaylee just don't mesh. They did, for a while- but Kaylee changed. She got stronger. Nash didn't. So, cue Sabine.  I absolutely just want to tear into her and rip her to pieces. She's a slut, number one. She's a bitch, number two. And number three, she acts like just because she's had a hard time she should get whatever she wants. I could come up with lots of other reasons, but let's leave it at three. 

 But. When she's with Nash, although I still find her completely infuriating, something in her changes. She's different. I think Nash does love her- he just won't admit it. Not even to himself, because he's so desperate to have back Kaylee- too bad he gave Kaylee up, huh? While he gave his and Kay's memories together away, he kept his and Sabine's. If that doesn't say something about what's going to happen to their relationship, I don't know what does. And, quite honestly, I hope with every fiber of my being that Kaylee ends up with Tod- and this book hints at that. So I'm ecstatic. 

PLOT: At first in this series, I couldn't really see where the entire plot was going. But now, I'm getting it. Something major is going on in the Netherworld- something bad- and it's Kaylee's job to stop it.  Meanwhile, the plot of this one book was fantastic. You had your attention diverted from what was really happening by Sabine and completely forgot about what Avari was up to. Because, well, when a Hellion shows up, nothing ever ends well and without some scar tissue. The build up is steady- and the climax is every bit worth the wait. I probably squealed in fear a few times, actually. (And, in the end, it was Tod that saved Kaylee, not Nash. Just felt the need to point that out. GO TOD!) If you haven't read this series, you're definitely missing out. It's an amazing book, and I have great respect for Rachel Vincent. I highly recommend it. 

FIRST SENTENCE: "By the time the second semester of my junior year had began, I'd already faced down rouge grim reapers, an evil entertainment mogul, and hellions determined to possess my soul."

LAST SENTENCE: "But as I watched Sabine watching Nash watch me, I realized something I should have understood much sooner- as horrifying a threat as the Netherworld represented, learning to trust again in my own world might just be the scariest thing I ever had to do. "