Review--My Soul to Save

"IF SHE WERE GOING TO DIE, I'D ALREADY BE SCREAMING. I'M A BANSHEE, THAT'S WHAT WE DO."

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...

Had a set back in my reading schedule when My Soul to Save came out, so everything got pushed back by 1 book, not that it took me long to read it. But the second installment of Rachel Vincent's latest YA series was one that could not wait. And boy was it good!

It feels like forever since I read My Soul to Take, but for Kaylee it's only been a few weeks and a lot has happened to her since. Her father has decided he is actually going to be a father again after his long absence--which never really made sense to me in the first place. Kaylee is both happy about this and a little annoyed, for her father treats her like she is 6 and not 16.

For a 16 year old Kaylee has gone through a lot and continues to do so, since learning she is a bean sidhe--banshee--her life has become somewhat difficult, but she doesn't complain that much, since her boyfriend Nash, is still by her side and his mother, also a bean sidhe, is helping her learn about her heritage and talents, powers, etc. Which comes in hand when it is Tod who comes to ask for a big favor from Kaylee.

When the pop star Eden dies on stage during a performance, he fears that the opening act, Addison Page, is next. Addy was once Tod's girlfriend back when he was still human and alive. But there is a meaning behind Eden's death and he knows that Addy will likely go out in the same way in a matter of days. If that sounds complicated, then you will be surprised that even more happens by the end of the second chapter.

In order to save Addy, Tod tells Kaylee that she is going to have to travel to the Netherworld, a dangerous place for anyone, let alone a female bean sidhe. There are dangerous creatures, beings, and other things in this place that wish to do harm to anyone who enters who does not belong, so Kaylee has really gotten in way over her head to save the soul of another teen pop star. Sometimes people will pay anything for fame and fortune, even their soul. Which just goes to show you, always read the fine print in the contracts....and keep a copy for yourself. ;)

*That wasn't too spoiler worthy, and once you read the book, you'll understand, but then again it is a general concept for signing a contract with anyone*

I absolutely love Vincent's writing! Her YA series is as superb as her adult series, which is one of my all time favorites! Her writing is fresh and fun in this series and even with the mix of Irish lore with the bean sidhe legend, there is no confusing vocabulary or concepts. She creates this world so it can be understood simply and yet it still has the nice mystical feeling to it. The Netherworld she creates is equally intriguing for it mirrors our own world but yet there are telltale differences that she enhances with colorful settings. Even though the colors are gray--but that is not the point, the Netherworld isn't going to be all sunshine and rainbows. The name itself can tell you that.

*chuckles* The name reminds me of the Neetherworld--at least that's my guess to the spelling--the supernatural world from the cartoon Beetlejuice. Ah, the 90's...

This is a very intriguing series that I highly recommend, tired of sparkly vampires and werewolves? Then go for bean sidhes! This is really an awesome series.

The characters are well rounded and are intriguing, although I was slightly disappointed not to see more of Emma--Kaylee's best friend, she was there a little bit, but her and Kaylee's friendship from My Soul to Take touched my heart. They are really close and Emma can be very entertaining for she is a little more daring than Kaylee, but the two of them together allows you to see what true friendship is like.

Kaylee and Nash are still at those beginning stages of their relationship and it is sweet. While Nash may seem a little overbearing at times, he has a good heart and does everything he can to protect Kaylee, but there are times she still worries his old reputation may come back to the forefront.

The others, like her dad and Nash's mom, and Tod are also entertaining as well. The parents are decent parents, and Tod is...Tod. We see a lot more of him since it is request that Kaylee helps Addison and we get to see a different side to him because of this. Luckily Sophie, who is built up to be a spoiled brat and sort of a b*tch wasn't around too much, nor was her dad. From My Soul to Take, Vincent really developed Sophie's character well, because you pretty much hate her from the beginning, although there is some sympathy allowed for her at the end of My Soul to Take.

There are a slew of other developments I would love to talk about but they start turning towards spoilers, let's just say a lot more happens then you would think and the ending is SHOCKING! Read My Soul to Save today, you won't be disappointed and it was a relatively quick read for me.

Looking forward to the third installment My Soul to Keep coming June 1 2010, where according to a minuscule blurb at the end of My Soul to Save: Kaylee only thinks she's done fighting evil. What will she do when a Netherworld element infiltrates her high school?