Review:Before I Wake

Before I Wake (Soul Screamers #6)

by Rachel Vincent

 blurb:

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….

Note: Younger Readers strongly cautioned.

Source:Publisher for Review(Thanks so much MiraUK!)

US cover:

My Thoughts:

I knew that there was no way that this book could top the previous book ,If I Die even before I picked it up but this book came pretty close.It wasn't as amazing as If I Die because If I Die was a complete gamechanger and took this series in a completely different direction but Before I Wake  doesn't ruin the buildup that develops in If I Die and that in itself gives me a huge sense of satisfaction.


The one thing I was worried about after If I Die got over was the fact that Kaylee would still lust after Nash and would drive me insane but I'm VERY happy to say that Kaylee did not act in the way I had predicted.It is established that Kaylee and Tod are an item and are going to remain one  in the near future .(YAY!!!! ) 


Dear Nash fans, I'm happy to say that Nash was great in this novel.I actually liked him in this one and found him to be only mildly irritating.Nash grows as a character in this novel and I'm happy to FINALLY see some growth in him.


One thing I loved in this novel was the fact that even though Nash and Tod weren't on good terms when it came to Kaylee's welfare they didn't argue and sided with each other against her.


Sabine was also great in this novel. She was her sarcastic self as usual but a lot more bearable as she wasn't out to kill Kaylee.There were some parts in which Sabine broke my heart .


One of my favorite quotes from the novel is from Sabine.


“The three of you are enough to drive a mara mad.'She can wear my shirt," she growled in an imitation of Nash."No,she can wear my shirt,"she said switching to Tod's smoother tone.Then Sabine took off down the hall without a glance at any of us."I have a spare.Come on, Kaylee,before I choke on testosterone and melodrama.”




Tod


I didn't think it was possible for me to love this guy anymore but I do.Also, he kind of scared me a little with his devotion to you-know-who  but it was so sweet!

Then I remember that he's a fictional character,,,,(Plus he isn't single but that doesn't matter)

But I'll settle with this....

The concept
Before I picked up this novel I didn't think much would change with Kaylee even though she's dead now. I thought it was pretty cool that now Kaylee is invincible and nobody can KILL her but it comes at a price.In almost all novels authors hardly pay attention to how people miss their humanity(like when people become vampires they're too busy not killing people and trying to live a normal life to actually miss being human and you barely notice the fact that they aren't human anymore).Rachel Vincent isn't most authors and I loved seeing the consequences of being almost invincible in this novel.


The story
The author had me hooked and as usual I finished this book in one day and couldn't put it down.There were a lot of twists and turns but the best part of the novel was the ending.It was amazing and now I'm dying to find out how it ends in the LAST NOVEL.


At the end of the novel there is a great surprise ..instead of a sneak peak into the next novel there's something else.Something I REALLY ENJOYED.(Won't ruin the surprise for you )


Overall, this was a fine addition to the series,can't wait for the last one.


My Rating:

I would have given a 5 but I'm comparing this to If I Die so in comparison to If I Die it's a

4 - 4.5/5


Giving it a range .


Just couldn't decide.

Some of my favorite quotes(Couldn't post the really good ones because of spoilers) :


"Not much scares me anymore,but I'm terrified of losing you,Kaylee."His lips skimmed my stomach again,and I closed my eyes as my hands curled in his hair."I don't want to let you go long enough for that to happen."
-Pg.188

"Do you take anything seriously?

"Only you.I take you seriously.Everything else goes down better with a joke-the verbal equivalent of a spoonful of sugar."

Pg.195

"The realm? The whole realm?" Em was close to panic.
"Stop saying the word realm,"Sabine said."I'm having sci-fi convention flashbacks."
"When were you at a sci-fi convention?" Alec asked and the mara shrugged.
"Nerds give good nightmare.They're afraid of everything."
Pg.213

"You know there's a much easier,simpler way to sedate her,"Tod whispered as Sophie downed half the shot,then gulped the soda Nash handed her.

I rolled my eyes."No.you can't knock her out."

Pg.235

Sabine rolled her eyes."Because you're the beautiful fairy princess and the evil Lord of Hell can't secure his kingdom until he's feasted from your flesh and slaked his thirst with tea brewed from the ashes of your incinerated bones."
Nash groaned,and Tod laughed out loud.
Sophie hiccuped  and turned to me, frowning "Is she serious?"
Pg.236

"No,you should stay right where you are,or my estranged brother and I will settle our differences by seeing  who can break more of your bones."

Tod glanced at him,brows raised,"You want to settle our differences?"

Nash frowned."No,I want to break every bone in his body,and I don't think you'd let me do it alone."

Tod nodded."Good call."

Pg.(you'll just have to figure it out)