Menagerie by Rachel Vincent

Genre:  Adult Urban Fantasy

Menagerie Series, Book 1

Rachel Vincent's website

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Description (taken from Rachel Vincent's website):

When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger's Menagerie, she discovers a fierce creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, she's forced to "perform" in town after town.

But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Her handler is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other "attractions” are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she'll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.

Delilah lives in a world with paranormal beings.  And humans are still recovering from a brutal point in history between themselves and the paranormal.  In this world, the paranormal is put on display as creatures in a traveling carnival.  And as much as Delilah disagrees with the circumstances, she is still very captivated by it all.  That is until she finds out she's not human and the menagerie takes her as an exhibit.

When Delilah is forced into the traveling circus, she finds how lowly people think of the paranormal.  And how inhumane they are treated.  But as she and her handler try to determine just what she is, they find it's a race of wits and control to get what they want.  The menagerie is meant to scare the humans with the paranormal.  But what you find behind closed doors makes your heart break.

This book is shrouded in mystery.  The cover doesn't give any hints about the book, and the description is as vague as can be.  I will admit, I picked up this book because of the author and the title, and I was definitely blown away with what I got.  It was so different than what I expected.  The best description I can give is it's as if you told your favorite paranormal author to write The Night Circus.  Even though these two books are completely different and only have a common theme revolving around a traveling circus.  I have no other description for it.  But I loved it.

This is a book that didn't deliver on my expectations because my expectations were so off base.  I feel like paranormal fans just need to dive into this one and read it.  Hopefully, you won't regret it.

With all my Soul by Rachel Vincent

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

Soul Screamers Series, Book 7

Rachel Vincent's website

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Note:  This is the final book in a series.  Reading on will potentially ruin earlier plots in the series...  Read at your own risk.

Description (taken from Rachel Vincent's website):

What does it mean when your school is voted the most dangerous in America?

It's time to kick some hellion butt…

After not really surviving her junior year (does "undead" count as survival?), Kaylee Cavanaugh has vowed to take back her school from the hellions causing all the trouble. She's going to find a way to turn the incarnations of Avarice, Envy and Vanity against one another in order to protect her friends and finish this war, once and forever.

But then she meets Wrath and understands that she's closer to the edge than she's ever been. And when one more person close to her is taken, Kaylee realizes she can't save everyone she loves without risking everything she has.…

Soul Screamers, the last thing you hear before you die...

The final book in a series.  Oh so good.  And now it's all over.  This was a really fun series to read.

Is it just me, or does it seem like the romance has gone a little over-the-top ever since Tod got involved and Kaylee doesn't have to sleep at night.  I know I'm getting besides the point, but it seems like at the end of the chase, I become a little exasperated with the romance.  Don't get me wrong.  The romance is sweet, cute, and everything someone would want.  I guess I just got over it.

Kaylee is ready to get rid of the hellions once and for all.  She wants to pit them one against another to get them out her life once and for all.  But her anger has begun to attract another hellion: Wrath.  How on earth will Kaylee get herself out of this mess while protecting her friends and family?

This book had a sweet ending!  I'm sad to see it all end, but I'm so happy Kaylee and her loved ones got the ending they deserved.  Now I need a new series to keep me occupied...

Challenges:  Paranormal Reading Challenge

Before I Wake by Rachel Vincent

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Soul Screamers Series, Book 6

Rachel Vincent's website

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Note:  If you haven't read the books in this series, the below information screams major spoiler alerts to earlier books...

Description (taken from Rachel Vincent's website):

I died on a Thursday—killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul. The good news? He didn't get it. The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school…

Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.

But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life….

I just feel like this one didn't have enough "oomph" for me.  It was great and held a lot of Soul Screamer worthy potential.  But it seems like it's the big breath before the finale.  We're preparing you for something big.  And after having just read something else that felt this way, I'm ready for the main action.

Kaylee has come back to the world of the living.  But she's not alive.  And she finds that is something that's really hard to deal with.  Fortunately, she's got Tod helping her through this.  The gorgeous Tod.  And we also see the same characters from previous books.  And what's awesome about this series is we see Kaylee's mistakes carry through.  There's no instant fix to the people in this world.  We see them bear their battle wounds and try to heal.

Back to the hellions.  They do something kind of weird in this book.  And I feel like there wasn't enough explanation for this.  And it seemed like a door was left opened at the end in preparation for the final book.  Maybe I just need to start skipping middle books (or the ones that prepare you for the finale).

I love this series.  And I need to see how it ends.  Hopefully it's epic.  (I just hate how we watched Kaylee lose a little bit of her humanity when she died.)

Challenges:  Paranormal Reading Challenge

If I Die by Rachel Vincent

Genre:  YA Paranormal Fantasy
Soul Screamers Series, Book 5

Rachel Vincent's website

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Note:  This is your only warning that continuing on with this review will ruin the books for you if you aren't up to date with this series.  Consider yourself forewarned...

Description (taken from Rachel Vincent's website):

NO ONE WANTS TO BE THIS TEACHER’S PET . . .

Everyone else is talking about Eastlake High’s gorgeous new math teacher, Mr. Beck, but Kaylee Cavanaugh has bigger things on her mind. Kaylee’s a banshee—her scream is a portent of death.

But the next scream might hit too close to home. Kaylee’s borrowed lifeline has almost run out.

Yeah—it’s a shock to her, too. So to distract herself from her own problems, Kaylee is determined to defend her school against the latest supernatural threat. That hot new teacher is really an incubus, who feeds from the desire of unsuspecting students. The only girls immune to his lure are Kaylee and Sabine, her boyfriend’s delinquent ex-girlfriend. Now the unlikely allies have to get rid of Mr. Beck…before he discovers they aren’t quite human either.

But Kaylee’s running out of time, and those who love her will do anything to save her life.

ANYTHING.

Oh boy, I can't imagine how readers who read this right after it was published were feeling.  They were probably freaking out.  The only thing that kept me from sobbing was the fact that there's another book in this series.  So we don't really lose Kaylee.  Even though I had some pieces of the plot ruined (because I'm one of those people who has to read book descriptions of later books in a series before I read the one I'm on), I was still slightly melting inside while reading the ending.  I couldn't handle it, but I couldn't put it down either.

So the paranormal parts of this world kind of take a slight back-burner role in this book.  This book is all about the characters, and where they stand with each other.  Kaylee and Nash.  There's a lot of hurt, betrayal, and distrust in this relationship.  And as much as they try to patch things up, can they really act like everything's fine for them?  And Sabine's only counting down the days until she gets Nash to herself and can be there to console him when Kaylee dies.  And Tod?  Well, he's Tod.  Only gorgeous Tod who wants to save Kaylee just as much as the next reaper (oh wait, that made no sense).

Rachel Vincent does a really good job at making you like a certain character.  And then she can immediately make you wad up all those good feelings for that character and throw them away.  And even though you have renounced all feelings for said-character, you bawl like a baby when this character gets hurt.  (Why yes, this is an insight to my mind - scary, isn't it?)

Love the series, must place hold at the library for the next one.  And then I found out that the series has ended.  At least I have two more books to keep me occupied, right?

Challenges:  Paranormal Reading Challenge

My Soul to Steal by Rachel Vincent

Genre:  YA Urban Fantasy

Soul Screamers Series, Book 4

Rachel Vincent's website

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Description (taken from Rachel Vincent's website):

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.

This is definitely a series that holds a special place in my heart.  I absolutely love Kaylee's supernatural world.  And how she reacts to everyday situations is perfect.  There's enough humor, enough emotion, and a lot of empathy.  One of the things that makes this series one of my favorites is there are some very heavy topics approached in these books.  They involve a lot of mistakes and heart ache.  And a lot of these sad emotions are things I don't care to read about, but they happen so much in real life, that it's super easy to relate to these books.

As to this book in the series, sorry.  I don't think I can review it without giving things away.  The new girl, Sabine, however is a delicious treat.  She does make things awkward, yet interesting.  Definitely loved the story here.

While this book definitely isn't my favorite, my rating is influenced by the series as a whole...  I will definitely be reading the next book and trying to catch up.  If you haven't started this series, I suggest you pick them up.

Challenges:  TBR Pile and Young Adult Reading Challenge

My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

Genre:  YA Paranormal Fantasy

Soul Screamers, Book 3

Rachel Vincent's website

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Description (taken from Rachel Vincent's website):

WHEN KAYLEE CAVANAUGH SCREAMS, SOMEONE DIES AND KAYLEE IS ABOUT TO SCREAM HER HEAD OFF...

Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them. Until something does.

Demon’s breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow, the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked. And when the epidemic hits too close to home, Kaylee will have to risk everything to save those she loves.

I really love this series.  I enjoyed the first two books.  However, I felt like this one started out a little slow.  But no matter, I was completely hooked once I was halfway into the book.  I still agree with my statement that the plot lines are predictable.  However, it's the ride through the book that makes it worth it.

When Kaylee and Nash go chasing the root cause of the new drug fad, I got intrigued.  And while the theme of this book is a little different from the first two books, the emotions feel real.  However, I think it hit a little too close to home for me, and that's why I can associate so well with Kaylee and her struggles (even though I don't have that pesky screaming ability).

Honestly, what other books out there are about banshees?  If paranormal fantasy is one of your favorites, then you'll want to read these books.  If you're someone like me who can't sit through contemporary novels very well but will read anything regarding real-life situations with the added paranormal twist, then go read these books.

Challenges:  TBR Pile Challenge and Young Adult Reading Challenge

My Soul to Save by Rachel Vincent

Genre:  YA Paranormal Fantasy

Soul Screamers, Book 2

Rachel Vincent's website

Note: If you haven't read the first book in the series, then the description has minor plot spoilers from the first book (sometimes, you have to ruin the surprise in order to decide if you want to read it in the first place though).

Description (taken from Rachel Vincent's website):

If she were going to die, I’d already be screaming. I’m a banshee. That’s what we do.”

The last thing Kaylee needs right now is to be skipping school, breaking her dad’s ironclad curfew and putting her boyfriend’s loyalty to the test. But starry-eyed teens are trading their souls for 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...

I have to say that these books have the kind of plot that's super-obvious and easily guessed.  But it's all about story-telling: diving into the characters and how they react to the story.  I have to say that even though these books are easy to figure out how to end, I still enjoy them.

If you're someone like me who likes anything paranormal, then you'll probably enjoy this series.

My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

Genre:  YA Paranormal Fantasy

Soul Screamers, Book 1

Rachel Vincent's website

Description (taken from Rachel Vincent's website):

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 the need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next...

This book was super cliché where the nobody-girl gets the attention of the hottest guy in school.  But there was more to the story (in other words, the main character wasn't really a nobody).  So I would say it worked for this book.  It was very interesting to learn how soul screamers work, and the fact that there's more to the story than what's in this book.  It's definitely a series I will most likely continue.