Before I Wake
Soul Screamers, Book #6
By Rachel Vincent
ISBN# 9780373210619
Author’s Website:  http://rachelvincent.com/

 Brought to you by OBS reviewer Valerie

Spoiler Alert!

 Synopsis:

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. (Goodreads)

 Review:

If I Die was positively the best book in the Soul Screamers series. It really raised the bar and actually made me excited for the sequel. However, when I finally read Before I Wake, it had me really disappointed. Don’t get me wrong; Before I Wake is a perfectly good novel, but compared to the awesomest read ever, it really can’t compare. I feel like Before I Wake was supernumerary after If I Die, but that’s only my opinion.

My favorite part of the whole book is any part that includes Tod. I was so happy for Tod and Kaylee when they finally became a couple! I was in my own happy land! If you’re Team Tod, you’ll definitely be swooning over all his moments. He’s my favorite character in the whole series, other than Kaylee, of course. I mean, he’s just so hilarious and loyal and caring. What else can a girl ask for?

If I could summarize what happens in Before I Wake, it would be “Kaylee meets a necromancer and Avari is back with more treacherous plans. Don’t forget all the excessive deaths that happen!” Honestly, a lot of people die. Some people aren’t major characters, but a few totally are. I was so confused as to why Rachel Vincent would kill so many people if it makes the book so hard to read, but hey, at least it was really interesting! Still, I really hated the deaths of certain characters. It was just too many deaths in such a short time.

Another thing I really do admire is how Sophie gets a larger role in the story. Yeah, it might be because she’s dating a necromancer, but I really do appreciate how she participates in the action. Or at least she tries to. I like how she and Kaylee improve their relationship throughout the book; character development is a huge part of a book for me.  I’m really glad that both characters develop in a realistic way.

Definitely read Before I Wake! It’s not lacking in action, that’s for sure. And if you have a thing for Tod, you should definitely check this book out. Believe me, you won’t be disappointed! If you’re Team Nash, I don’t know what to say. Maybe reread the first and the second book and have a good time remembering?