Soul Screamers (V.1) by Rachel Vincent, 927 pages
includes: Prequel: My Soul To Lose, Book #1: My Soul to Take, and
Book #2: My Soul To Save
Soul Screamers is a series full of bean sidhes (banshees), reapers, hellions and netherworld beasties. In the prequel, "My Soul To Lose", we meet Kaylee, a teenage girl who suffers from what she believes are panic attacks. After a screaming episode at the mall, she is admitted into a mental hospital and treated as if she's lost her mind. She is finally released back to the care of her aunt and uncle whom she has lived with since her mother died and her father left her at the tender age of 3. In, "Soul To Take", Kaylee meets Nash, the popular jock in school who is also special like Kaylee. After Nash hears Kaylee's scream, he tells her that she is a bean sidhe just like him. Together with a reaper named Todd, they try to solve the mystery of what rogue reaper is taking souls before their time. (In this case, beautiful young girls in their prime of life). The reason behind the poaching of souls will leave Kaylee reeling, as will the loss of someone she loves dearly. In "My Soul To Save", Todd treats Kaylee and Nash to a concert where they watch the famous popstar die on stage - without Kaylee singing her soul song. They learn the reason from the special Reaper who comes to collect the demon breath that was left in place of the girl's soul. During the conversation, it is discovered that Todd's ex-girlfriend, Addison, (who is also a famous singer) will be next on the reapers's list in five days time. Though Todd has been dead for 2 years, it's very clear that he still loves his ex-girlfriend and he begs Kaylee and Nash to help him save Addison's soul. The three enter the Netherworld for a battle of souls. All in all this was a good series about banshees and reapers. The plot lines were well written and the prequel really filled in a lot of blanks you'll find in the first two books. There is mystery, romance, and a minor bit of thriller throughout the pages. I loved the description of the Netherworld. I just might read the rest of the series.
