My Soul to Lose/My Soul to Take

Description: It was supposed to be a fun day, shopping at the mall with her best friend. Then the panic attack started and Kaylee Cavanaugh finds herself screaming, unable to stop. Her secret fears are exposed and it's the worst day of her life. Until she wakes up in the psychiatric unit. She tries to convince everyone she's fine-despite the shadows she sees forming around another patient and the urge to scream which comes burbling up again and again. Everyone thinks she's crazy. Everyone except Lydia, that is. Another patient with some special abilities... -Amazon

Author: Rachel Vincent

Release date: July 1, 2009

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Pages: 63

Source: My personal copy

Reading level: Young Adult

Teaser Sentence(s): '"They don't lock up people with the flu, Aunt Val." Not unless it's the bird flu or Stephen King's end-of-the-world flu.'

Description: She doesn't see dead people, but... 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... -Amazon

Author: Rachel Vincent

Release date: August 1, 2009

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 384

Source: My personal copy

Reading level: Young Adult

Teaser Sentence: 'Weirdest. Tuesday. Ever.'

My thoughts: First off, My Soul to Lose is a short introduction to the Soul Screamers series. The novella goes through a short period of time where Kaylee is placed in the psych ward at the local hospital. A few things happen, but nothing that is detrimental to the story line. The stay in the hospital is referenced in My Soul to Take, but you could absolutely skip this reading and start at book one. The only real information you will acquire from the story is what happens when Kaylee has a 'panic attack'.

 Now, on to My Soul to Take. This was a really refreshing read for me. I love vampires, weres, witches and other supernatural elements in the books I read, but I cannot recall a time I read one about bean sidhes (banshees). It was definitely different to have the Irish folklore, and I enjoyed that. There were some really predictable happenings in this book I saw coming from the beginning. I was almost disappointed then I was thrown a surprise. You proved me wrong, Rachel Vincent, good job! And then again I was hit with a little tidbit of information I had not anticipated in the slightest. Another good job, Rachel Vincent! I know that's all very vague, but *does her best River Song impersonation* no spoilers!

This book does contain some insta-love which usually turns me off-I am more into the agonizing suspense. But with the type of story this was it fit, so it did not get to me bad. I didn't want My Soul to Take to end. I can't wait to order the next book in this series. I really want to know what kind of crazy bean sidhe family drama happens next. 

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