My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent Series: Soul Screamers #2
Published by MIRA Ink on February 1st 2011
Pages: 362
Goodreads
When Kaylee Cavanaugh screams, someone dies.
So when teen pop star Eden croaks onstage and Kaylee doesn’t wail, she knows something is dead wrong. She can’t cry for someone who has no soul.
The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad’s ironclad curfew and putting her too-hot-to-be-real boyfriend’s loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls: a flickering lifetime of fame and fortune in exchange for eternity in the Netherworld—a consequence they can’t possibly understand.
Kaylee can’t let that happen, even if trying to save their souls means putting her own at risk...
Kaylee Cavanaugh is a bean sidhe (banshee), she screams for the souls of the dead. So when a young pop star at a concert she is attending drops dead on stage, Kaylee is surprised when her wail doesn’t come to the fore. It turns out that this pop star has sold her soul to a hellion damning herself to an eternity of suffering in the Netherworld (in exchange for short-term fame and fortune) – and another young pop star will soon be sharing that same fate.
However, it turns out that the next victim, Addison Page, is the ex-girlfriend of a reaper with whom Kaylee is familiar with: Tod Hudson – the older brother of her boyfriend Nash. Tod begs Kaylee (and by default Nash) to help him save his ex, whom he has never gotten over. Nash is reluctant to help but Kaylee cannot help but feel empathy for the girl and allows Tod to rope her into helping him save his ex’s eternal soul. However, nothing is as it seems and soon Kaylee’s soul may be the one in danger…
Another brilliant instalment in the Soul Screamers series (I really don’t know why it took me so long to jump on the proverbial bandwagon). The story was certainly creepy (and the Disney-esque flavour of the young starlets selling their souls is a little chilling when you consider what has happened to some of the pre-teen/teen stars of yester-years).
I liked getting to see more of Tod and even though some of his actions in this book were frustrating and at times self-serving, he is still the most interesting character for me (perhaps because he is so very ‘grey’ morally – maybe because of his reaper status? There was mention in the first book that reapers eventually begin to lose their humanity – can’t say I want to see that happen with Tod but I like the fact that his morals are a little more sketchy). I loved that he got more page-time.
I still really like Kaylee. She is a very moral character without getting too preachy and I like that she will try and help others in need of saving even at the risk of her own life – though I can see this causing problems for her at some point. Nash continues to be interesting but still somewhat enigmatic – I never really feel I can get a read on him at all. I like him but not sure if I buy him and Kaylee as a couple just yet.
I am hoping he will get more development in subsequent books as right now I do not feel I know him that well even though he has quite a strong presence in this book (and the last book too for that matter). Addison was an interesting character and her fate was a sad one – I get the feeling we may see her again at some point though.
This novel is notable for introducing Avari – the hellion who has been taking the souls for torment. From what I have gathered he will be the primary antagonist of the series and he seems like a formidable foe. The Netherworld scenes were also very creepy and well-done – hopefully will see more of this world in subsequent novels.
Overall My Soul to Save was another thrilling entry in a series that I am very quickly becoming enamoured with – though I don’t quite ‘love’ it yet – getting there though! The story was kept my interest and I loved getting to know the characters a bit better (especially Tod!).
Leave a Reply