My Soul to Lose (Soul Screamers, #0.5)

by Rachel Vincent

An eBook novella exclusive prequel to Rachel Vincent's SOUL SCREAMERS series.

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....

• ISBN10: 1426838670
• ISBN13: 9781426838675
• Publish Date: 1 July 2009 (first published 1 January 2009)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Harlequin Teen
• Format: eBook
• Language: English

Reviews

[inlibrisveritas]

This turned out to be more interesting than I expected it to be, and I think I might look into reading the first one. I'm super curious about what the paranormal aspect of this really is.
The audio is quite good on this one and it goes by very quickly.

[Sam@WLABB]

This is a prequel and I read it first, so I don't really know what is going on, but my curiosity is piqued.

[Berls]

For more reviews, see: Fantasy is More Fun

I wish I had read this book before book one in the series, but I didn't realize that the prequel existed (and for free on Audible!). Despite knowing the majority of the plot points for the novella because of having read My Soul to Take, I really enjoyed this short.

As a prequel to the series, this novella does a great job introducing you to Kaylee. After a humiliating mall melt-down of epic proportions, Kaylee ends up in a psychiatric ward. She wants out, but to leave she has to prove her sanity to her doctors, her aunt and uncle, and most importantly herself. I found watching her coping with the possibility that she was crazy very funny - Kaylee is witty and has a fun, sometimes ironic sense of humor that comes through really strong in this prequel.

This novella also introduces us to some other key characters of the series, though we only get minor glimpses of them; this is more about letting us know Kaylee. But I appreciated this early glance at her best friend Emma, not to mention her obnoxious cousin Sophie and her aunt and uncle, who serve as her interim parents.

As always, Amanda Ronconi brings the characters in My Soul to Lose alive. I never fail to be impressed by her wonderful narration and her ability to impress so many different personalities into your mind just through the variations in her reading. The pace is perfect and with Ronconi binging the sarcastic humor of Kaylee to life, your sure to find yourself laughing through this prequel to the Soul Screamers Series.

[littleread1]

I started this series with the prequel. I don't usually do that, because there isn't always enough information in a prequel to let me get to know the characters and feel for them. But I was pleasantly surprised by how much I connected with Kaylee immediately.

Kaylee and her family think she is crazy. She gets these "panic attacks" for seemingly no reason. But there is something fishy going on. If she is able to get away from the area, she can usually calm back down. But one day she can't get away and she starts screaming her head off. Wailing. In a mall. And she is institutionalized.

I was panicking right along with her. And you meet another person, Lydia, who I think will show up again later on. There is something funny about that girl ...

I don't want to say too much more, as it is a short novella. But it is a great lead into the first book ...

[Emma (SCR)]

This was a prequel to Rachel's new series called Soul Screamers. This was originally released on her website for free. It is a very short story which in essence brings up more questions than it answers. Which leaves you wanting more (obviously the point but still). This is a good taster of what will follow in the rest of the series.

[nitzan_schwarz]

This was a great start for a story.
I was a bit scared to start this entire thing, but now I can see it's definitely worth my attention.
I liked Kaylee's character, and loved that she had a friend like Emma. Not many have such a dedicated, good friend.
I'm sad about Lydia, and I hope we get to find out what exactly happened with her eventually.
Well, off I go to read the next installment.

[Angie]

I know a lot of people said to read this after My Soul to Take, but I must read things in order if at all possible, so I read it first. And I'm glad I did! This was a great preview of the series, and it made me even more excited to get started on the first book. It's like an awesome movie trailer getting you pumped up for the actual movie. I enjoyed getting to know the main character, Kaylee, a bit before diving into the series. And what better way to get to know someone than following them around the psych ward of a hospital!

[Linda]

A very interesting introduction to the Soulscreamer series! I felt SO sorry for Kaylee when she was in that hospital, and really mad at Val for letting her be taken there! Brendon too, if they had only told her the truth, she would have been able to deal with all of it; and she would never had been sent to that hospital to start with.

[Jo]

I have been wanting to read Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series since My Soul to Take was first released. However, due various reasons, I have been unable to buy it. Seeing as I had a few hours to spare, and after the high of finishing Prey, the fourth in Rachel's adult Shifters series, I thought I would give the prequel novella to the Soul Screamers series, My Soul to Lose a try.

At this point in Kaylee's life, she doesn't know that she's a bean sidhe. The only way she can explain to herself the terrible urge to scream when she sees someone is as a panic attack - despite feeling unbearable pain and grief, and seeing said person surrounded by shadows. Normally, if Kaylee can get away from the person who triggers her "panic attacks", she can calm down. But she doesn't get away quick enough while at the mall, and the ear splitting scream she wails lands her waking up 15 hours later restrained to a bed in a mental hospital.

No questions are answered in My Soul to Lose, but there is nothing wrong with that; as a prequel, it is supposed to be read after reading at least My Soul to Take. The events that take place in Lose are mentioned in Take, and Lose was written so we readers are actually able to experience those events through Kaylee's eyes first hand, as they happen.

Although a completely different story to that of her Shifter's series, Rachel's familiar writting style runs throughout the story, as well as a strong willed narrator. Rachel's familia style of writing is a comfort that eases you into a new story, and puts any doubts to rest. Anyone weary of trying Rachel's YA series need not be; the narrative style in Lose is no different to that of the Shifters series, it isn't dumbed down in anyway. The only real difference is that Kaylee's interests are that of a teenager; her ex-boyfriend, her homecoming dance, fashion, etc.

I absolutely loved Rachel's descriptions of Kaylee's screaming! Before reading, yet knowing that Kaylee was a bean sidhe with the urge to scream when people are about to die, I wasn't sure how her actual screaming was going to be described, or that it could be pulled off well. The story is by Rachel Vincent, though, so of course I really didn't have anything to worry about. I loved how the scream was like an animal or a beast trying to force it's way out of Kaylee that caused physical pain, and unbearable sorrow. It was such a great image, and it was awesome to see Kaylee trying to fight it; her character really came through with her fear.

The only bad thing I would say about Lose is that it's a download. It's free, which is great, but I'm not a fan of reading off a screen, I much prefer an actual physical book - one that would look nice and shiny sitting on my bookcase. I read it online as there is no other way for me to read it.

Over all, a brilliant start to what looks to be a promising series! I'm looking forward to reading My Soul to Take, and getting the answers to all the questions that were asked in Lose! I have no doubt that it's going to be brilliant!