Swoon Thursdays (15)

The ladies at YA Bound have created a hot new meme called SWOON #YABound IF you want to join in here's what you need to do.

All you need to do is pick up the book you are currently reading or just finished reading . Find what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding and your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering. Then shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag  #YABound, post in the comments, or grab the awesome button from YA Bound (above) and share it on your blog!

This week mine is from My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent. I can't help cheating there are so many steamy scenes in this series so this week I will again have two.

"His eyes smoldered, and his lips came apart a tiny bit. Just enough to make me want to fill that gap with my own." SWOON #YABound

"Heat rose from the pit of my stomach, tingling all the way up. He tasted so good. Felt so good." SWOON #YABound

Hope you enjoys the swoons! What did you find this week?

Review "My Soul to Take" by Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Take (Soul Screamers #1)

Rachel Vincent

Publication Date: Originally Published August 1, 2009

Republished in Soul Screamers Volume 1 November 22, 2011

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Paperback 279 pgs

Goodreads 

Summary:

     In the first book in the Soul Screamers series we learn more about Kaylee Cavanaugh  and what her panic attacks really mean. Meanwhile young girls are dying but the deaths seem too similar to be a coincidence. Kaylee will not have to figure this out on her own. She meets Nash Hudson a fellow student at Eastlake High School who just happens to also be the hottest guy at Eastlake. Nash seems to know more about Kaylee's screaming than she does. Along with Nash, Kaylee meets Tod, a grim reaper who reluctantly decides to help them. Together they will try to figure out why these young girls are dying and try and stop it if the can.

Review:

     So starts the gushing. I originally read this book a couple weeks ago but since I finished the series I felt as though I needed a refresher so I went a head and re-read My Soul to Take. What can I say I really really like this series. Why? I think it has a lot to do with the female lead, Kaylee. Kaylee is a very determined girl who has a strong sense of justice that keeps her fighting for those she cares about and those she doesn't know.  Kaylee refuses to turn a blind eye to all the deaths that are happening around her. She feels as though she has to do something for these girls. I really liked this aspect of Kaylee's personality. It was one of the reasons I felt compelled to read more about her. She's just so darn likable but not in a sickly sweet kind of way, more like a I need to fight to protect people because it's the right thing to do, kinda way. Plus she has a sense of humor that makes her even more engaging as a female lead. Throughout this book she learns some very difficult things about herself and those around her but she doesn't fall to pieces, she deals with it and moves forward. In case you couldn't tell I think she is an awesome character!

     In My Soul to Take we are introduced to Kaylee's best friend, Emma Marshal. Emma is really pretty, curvy, a total flirt, and extremely loyal to Kaylee. Despite the fact that Kaylee's panic attacks can be a little weird Emma would never dessert her. Emma's loyalty is what makes her so endearing to me. Emma moves from group to group depending on who she is dating but she never leaves Kaylee behind. Another character introduced in this book is Nash Hudson. Nash is the hottest guy at Eastlake High, girls drool over him constantly and he has his pick of any girl he wants. It's from Nash that Kaylee will learn more about who she is and what she can do. I really liked Nash. He seems to honestly care about Kaylee and want to help her figure out what is going on with all the dying girls. Through Nash we meet Tod. Tod is a grim reaper who works at the local hospital. He has pretty blue eyes, a head full of golden curls, perfect lips, and loves annoying Nash. He helps Kaylee and Nash with information about the dying girls. Tod is the type of character that draws you in and you feel compelled to learn more about him.

     I really loved learning about the world that Kaylee inhabits. It's filled with interesting characters that definitely leave me wanting more. The world that Rachel Vincent created is so original, engaging, and vivid that I can't believe I waited so long to read this amazing series.

Cover:

     I love the vivid red on the cover of My Soul to Take. Plus the swirling dress makes the cover stand out even more. 

Review "My Soul to Lose" by Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Lose (Soul Screamers #0.5)

Rachel Vincent

Publication Date: Originally Published July 1, 2009

Republished in Soul Screamers Vol 1 November 22, 2011

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Paperback: 60pgs

Goodreads

Summary:

     In My Soul to Lose we are introduced to Kaylee a teenage girl prone to panic attacks. During a shopping trip with her best friend Emma, Kaylee has one of her attacks which causes her to let out this ear shattering scream. The frightening part is that she can't stop screaming no matter how hard she tries. When Kaylee wakes up she finds herself at Lakeside Mental Health Center, she doesn't why she's there but she wants to get out. Does she really belong at Lakeside and  will she be able to get out?

Review:

     In this novella we get a look into a very vulnerable time in Kaylee's life. Even though Kaylee is stuck in the metal ward her determination and strength start to show. She sets a goal, getting out, and tries her hardest to work towards that objective. Though she questions her sanity at times it doesn't stop her from trying to get out. I liked that Kaylee used humor to help her through a very difficult episode in her life. I also enjoyed how Kaylee dealt with with being in the hospital. She was obviously terrified at being mentally unstable but she wanted to get better so her panic attacks would stop and life could return to normal.

     We are also introduced to other characters but since this novella focused primarily on Kaylee's stay at the Mental Health Center I don't think I learned enough about them to tell whether I liked them or not. One character I would have liked more information on was Lydia, one of Kaylee's fellow patients. She helped Kaylee through one of her panic attacks. 

     My Soul to Lose wasn't action packed but it was emotional and gave me insight into a  horrible time in Kaylee's life. This novella definitely made me eager to learn more about Kaylee and the world she lives in. All in all I really enjoyed this novella.

Cover:

     The original cover of My Soul to Lose is not one of my favorite covers. It's too plain and doesn't really scream pick me up and read me. I do however like the colors but that's pretty much all I like about this cover. However I really really like the cover of the omnibus version. It ties in with the whole banshee legend of screaming women in flowing gowns.  

      

Swoon Thursdays (14)

The ladies at YA Bound have created a hot new meme called SWOON #YABound IF you want to join in here's what you need to do.

All you need to do is pick up the book you are currently reading or just finished reading . Find what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding and your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering. Then shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag  #YABound, post in the comments, or grab the awesome button from YA Bound (above) and share it on your blog!

This week mine are from If I Die by Rachel Vincent

"I fell into the kiss like Alice in Wonderland, headfirst and flailing, heart pounding the whole time. The world spun around me and I still fell." IF I Die SWOON #YABound

"He leaned down again and started a new trail of kisses beginning at the hollow beneath my jaw, his hands flat against my lower back, like he couldn't touch enough of me, even if we'd had nothing but time." If I Die SWOON #YABound