Soul Screamers Vol. 2

Soul Screamers Vol. 2
by Rachel Vincent
 
Book: Soul Screamers
Publisher: Harlequin
Pub Date: November 13, 2012
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy
Format: Print
Source: Bought
Book Links: Goodreads  Amazon  Bookshop
 
And the scream keeps coming…... Don't miss Volume Two of New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent's unique and fascinating Soul Screamers series.

MY SOUL TO KEEP
Aside from the whole "I scream when someone is about to die" thing, Kaylee Cavanaugh's life has gotten better. She's getting to know her dad, doing okay in school and has a hot new boyfriend who understands her in every way. Until the hellion Avari starts tempting everyone with an exotic new drug—demon's breath….

MY SOUL TO STEAL
Now on shaky ground with Nash Hudson, Kaylee is taking their relationship easy. But then Sabine—Nash's ex—storms into their lives. She's determined to get Nash back and there's nothing she won't do to remind him of what they had. And since Sabine has special abilities of her own, Kaylee is headed into a battle she's not sure she can win….

REAPER —First time in print!—
Though Tod Hudson died two years ago, thanks to his job as a Reaper he's never had to move on or let go of his family—no matter how much Nash would like him to! But few people know about how he came to accept the job of claiming souls….

 
My Review: Woah was this one busy. A LOT happens and moves decently fast so you aren't bored waiting for something to come along.

Nash... welp if there was anything good to say about him before, there sure isn't now. Boy did a stupid thing, got addicted and took a bit of time before he finally took responsibility for what he did. Plus what he had to do in order to get more was just wrong and Kaylee was right to break away from him. It wasn't just the addiction piece but what he sold to get more was one of the most painful parts and Nash may never earn her trust back again, let alone anything else or more. 

Then you have Todd who is trying to go the extra mile to save Addy, his girlfriend that he had when he was alive and still loves her even now. She is in deep and didn't know it until Kaylee and the boys told Addy what's really going on and what is about to happen to her. 

Todd wants to save her and so does Kaylee. It's big, dangerous, complicated and more than they should be handling on their own. But do they tell the adults and ask for help off the bat like they should???? Eventually the adults are aware but the trouble they face is bigger and it's only going to get harder after this.

Overall, I still really like this story and this volume might be even better than the last. There is so much going on and you're never given time to be bored waiting for something to happen. New skills are learned, demons tangled up with humans, a demon basically obsessed with Kaylee and so so much more. Worth the read and I'm excited to continue this series and see what else this author has written.

 

My Rating:

✪✪✪✪

Soul Screamers Vol. 1

Soul Screamers Vol. 1
by Rachel Vincent
 
Book: Soul Screamers
Publisher: Harlequin
Pub Date: November 22, 2011
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy
Format: Print
Source: Bought
Book Links: Goodreads  Amazon  Bookshop
 
It starts with a scream….

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent's compelling Soul Screamers series keeps getting better—here, for the first time, the original stories are compiled into one special volume….

My Soul to Lose
—The prequel: never before in print!—
Kaylee is just your average girl shopping at the mall with friends—until a terrified scream bursts from her that cannot be stopped. Taken to a hospital ward, will she be able to save her mind—and her life?

My Soul to Take
She's always felt different, but now Kaylee discovers why. The screams that cannot be denied mean that someone near her will die—and she can never save them. Because saving one life means taking another….

My Soul to Save
Going on dates with her boyfriend is still new to Kaylee. But when the singer of the band they're seeing dies onstage and Kaylee doesn't scream, she knows something crazy is going on. Soon she discovers souls can indeed be sold….

My Review: I'm finally tackling this series and was glad that I did. It was a pretty darn good fresh new take on paranormal with a banshee at the center which I don't see written much of. 

Kaylee is trying her best at being a normal girl. But when the urge to scream comes back it not only makes her look like she has problems but her aunt and uncle may send her back to the hospital for it and she is not crazy in the slightest. 

When Nash enters the picture and is able to calm Kaylee down in a way no one could before. He knows what she is and ends up having to be the one to break the news to her. Kaylee isn't human but a banshee who screams is a song for souls.

Now things make a little more sense to her. Even though she is still not thrilled about the fact that no one told her. Her uncle is one too and so are her parents. Oh and it's part of the reason why her dad just dropped her off and ran off to Ireland. Plus why being present in her life is heard because of her mums sacrifice. 

Kaylee's life is about to change in so many ways and things are just getting started. 

Overall I loved the story, the background, the characters. It's different, fun, many twists and turns and so much more.  

 

My Rating:

✪✪✪✪

Weekly Spotlight - Darkness Rising

 

The Gathering
Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.

Until now.

Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel...different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.

My Review

The Calling
Maya Delaney's paw-print birthmark is the mark of what she truly is - a skin-walker. 

She can run faster, climb higher, and see better than nearly everyone else. Experiencing intense connections with the animals that roam the woods outside her home, Maya knows it's only a matter of time before she's able to Shift and become one of them. And she believes there may be others in her small town with surprising talents.

Now Maya and her friends have been forced to flee from their homes during a forest fire they suspect was deliberately set. Then they're kidnapped, and after a chilling helicopter crash, they find themselves in the Vancouver Island wilderness with nothing but their extraordinary abilities to help them get back home.

My Review

The Rising
The race for survival comes to a thrilling conclusion in the heart-stopping finale to the Darkness Rising trilogy, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.

Things are getting desperate for Maya and her friends. Hunted by the powerful St. Clouds and now a rival Cabal as well, they're quickly running out of places to hide.

All they have is the name and number of someone who might be able to give them a few answers. Answers to why they're so valuable, and why their supernatural powers are getting more and more out of control. But Maya is unprepared for the truths that await her. And like it or not, she'll have to face down some demons from her past if she ever hopes to move on with her life. Because Maya can't keep running forever.

With all the twists, thrills, and romance that have made Kelley Armstrong an international bestseller, plus the surprising return of some fan-favorite characters, The Rising will hold you under its spell long after its breathtaking end.

My Review

Cupid Is A Liar

Cupid Is A Liar
by Lexi Davis
 
Book: Stand Alone
Publisher: Author
Pub Date: February 9, 2026
Genre: Adult, Romance, Dark
Format: ARC
Source: Author
Book Links: Goodreads  Amazon  
 
I thought the worst thing that could happen on Valentine’s Day was getting stood up.

I was wrong.

When my date ghosts me and I decide to confront him, I don’t expect the night to spiral. I don’t expect danger and I definitely don’t expect the quiet, intense man from down the hall to step in and change everything.

Damian Salvanti is calm under pressure.

Terrifyingly observant.
And far too willing to put himself between me and the world.

The more time I spend with him, the more unsettling the truth becomes.

He knows me.
My routines.
My fears.
The things I want but never say out loud.
Because Damian hasn’t just been watching out for me.

He’s been watching me…

Cupid Is a Liar is a dark, fast-paced Valentine’s romance featuring an obsessive, morally gray hero who falls first, a heroine who chooses danger over safety, and a love story that blurs the line between devotion and obsession.

 
My Review: Ahhhh, LOVE this! As far as stalker romances go, this is one I approve of. (Though that's not condoning real life stalkers)

Damian is a bit of a recluse. He hasn't left his apartment, let alone have gone out in a while. So he remains in his space, surrounded by monitors and his favorite screen with Hannah in it. 

Hannah has a routine, expect tonight that routine is out the window. It's Valentine's Day and she has a date. When this date goes from being stood up, to a neighbor crashing her plans, confronting the fool who stood her up and so much more. 

Hannah goes from thinking Damian is this decent looking and overall decent guy from her building to how in the world does he know about her allergy, parents, routine, etc.

Confessions are made by Damian and will let everything go, forget it all and leave Hannah alone for good if she asks. She just needs to come to the roof....

UGH I so loved this. Even though it was a quick novella, it should've been more. I read through this so quicky, so hooked that I wish I could've forgotten this book just so I could read it again.

A dark romance with spice and a stalker you'll fall for fast and hard. A stalker you'd want on your side. Don't wait on this novella!  

My Rating:

✪✪✪✪✪

The Fox and the Devil

The Fox and the Devil
by Kiersten White
 
Book: Stand Alone
Publisher: Del Rey
Pub Date: March 10, 2026
Genre: Adult, Horror, Fantasy
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Book Links: Goodreads  Amazon  Bookshop
 
An obsession with a beautiful serial killer entangles a vampire hunter’s daughter in an immortal sapphic romance in this enthralling gothic fantasy from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Lucy Undying.

Anneke has a complicated relationship with her father, Abraham Van Helsing—doctor, scientist, and madman devoted to studying vampires—up until the night she comes home to find him murdered, with a surreally beautiful woman looming over his body. A woman who leaves no trace behind, other than the dreams and nightmares that plague Anneke every night.

Spurred by her desire for vengeance and armed with the latest in forensic and investigatory techniques, Anneke puts together a team of detectives to catch her mysterious serial killer. Because her father isn’t the only inexplicably dead body. There’s a trail of victims across Europe and Anneke is certain they’re all connected.

But during the years spent relentlessly hunting the killer, Anneke keeps some crucial evidence to infuriatingly coy letters, addressed only to Anneke, occasionally soaked in blood, and always signed Diavola. Devil. The obsession is mutual, and all the more dangerous for it.

The closer Anneke gets to her devil, though, the less sense the world makes. Maybe her father wasn’t a madman, after all. Diavola might be something much worse than a serial killer . . . and much harder to destroy. Because as Anneke unearths more of Diavola’s tragic past, she suspects there’s still a heart somewhere in that undead body.

A heart that beats for Anneke alone.

 
My Review: Kiersten continues to dish out one masterpiece after another and I'm so here for it. 

Anneke is working to avenge her father's death. She knows he was murdered and didn't take his own life and she is going to prove it. She saw a woman that night who did and will stop at nothing to hunt her down. 

Anneke is one of the best detectives out there. She can notice things that many can't, has the skills and knowledge to show off these men. Which, I loved considering it was during the times where it was still a male dominate field and they would never want to admit how much they need her, even though it's true. 

Years of hunting down this Diavola leads to many travels and letters over the years and one day she gets the biggest break she needs. The village where she comes from and the story that goes with it. So Anneke makes plans to go there, find her and end her once and for all. 

When Anneke gets to the village, it doesn't go exactly as planned. She runs into the Diavola and despite attempts to stop her, nothing has worked. But this Diavola isn't all as we thought her to be. So, she explains to Anneke what happened to her, how she came to be what she is and how she went after her father because of his great betrayal and the effects that came from it.

Anneke now has a new purpose. A new person to hunt down. But, finally she has the answers she was looking for regarding her father. Now she understands more on what her mother has been saying about him and how it was a lesson she had to learn herself to finally understand and see what was there all along and how he doesn't deserve this much attention, this much time and effort from her. 

Now, face with a new case, a new suspect, she must reconcile with her friends and gather their help to hunt down the true devil behind all these murders. 

I absolutely LOVED this book. The dark themes, the setting, the world building, the characters and overall story was everything I expect from the author. 

I'm so glad I choose this as my first book of the year. I have no idea if anything is going to top this right now. I'll always be a Kiersten fan and can't wait for next masterpiece!

If you enjoyed her Lucy Undying, Vampires, Dracula and similar settings, then this book is certainly for you!

 

My Rating:

✪✪✪✪✪

Weekly Spotlight - For Teens but Adults Will Love

 

House of Salt and Sorrows
In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.

Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor with her sisters and their father and stepmother. Once there were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls' lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last--the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge--and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that her sister's deaths were no accidents. The girls have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn't sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who--or what--are they really dancing with?

When Annaleigh's involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it's a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family--before it claims her next. House of Salt and Sorrows is a spellbinding novel filled with magic and the rustle of gossamer skirts down long, dark hallways. Be careful who you dance with...

Get it Here

 

The Raven Boys
“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Get it Here

 

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
Everyone in Fairview knows the story.

Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.

This is the story of an investigation turned obsession, full of twists and turns and with an ending you'll never expect.

Get it Here

 

All My Rage
Lahore, Pakistan. Then.
Misbah is a dreamer and storyteller, newly married to Toufiq in an arranged match. After their young life is shaken by tragedy, they come to the United States and open the Cloud’s Rest Inn Motel, hoping for a new start.

Juniper, California. Now.
Salahudin and Noor are more than best friends; they are family. Growing up as outcasts in the small desert town of Juniper, California, they understand each other the way no one else does. Until The Fight, which destroys their bond with the swift fury of a star exploding.

Now, Sal scrambles to run the family motel as his mother Misbah’s health fails and his grieving father loses himself to alcoholism. Noor, meanwhile, walks a harrowing tightrope: working at her wrathful uncle’s liquor store while hiding the fact that she’s applying to college so she can escape him—and Juniper—forever.

When Sal’s attempts to save the motel spiral out of control, he and Noor must ask themselves what friendship is worth—and what it takes to defeat the monsters in their pasts and the ones in their midst.
From one of today’s most cherished and bestselling young adult authors comes a breathtaking novel of young love, old regrets, and forgiveness—one that’s both tragic and poignant in its tender ferocity.

Get it Here

Even If We Last

Even If We Last
by Molly Barlowe
 
Book: Huntley Square #3
Publisher: Author
Pub Date: February 17, 2026
Genre: Adult, Romance
Format: ARC
Source: Author
Book Links: Goodreads  Amazon
 
I’m what people call a charmer. Maybe it’s the drawl, maybe it’s the dimples, or maybe it’s the entire ex-Special-Forces package. Either way, I’ve never met a woman I haven’t been able to sweep off their feet . . . until Mallory Monroe. The only female on our team, she’s all fierce words, brave actions, and impenetrable walls around her heart. She’s also the only girl I’ve ever loved.

After burying my feelings for over a decade, I’m not surprised I dream of waking up married to her. Except, it isn’t a dream; the certificate claiming we’re husband and wife is real, and neither of us remembers a thing. Dream come true or not, I never wanted this. Not when my new bride looks horrified, accuses me like our situation is my fault, and demands we “fix it.”

But while I’d do almost anything for her—including taking a bullet for her, again—leaving her, in any sense of the word, isn’t one of those things. And when Mallory makes no move to annul our secret marriage, even months later, I decide to test the waters by attempting to date my wife.

My Review: Does this book have to be your next reads?! YES, a millions times over. 

I love everything Molly writes, to this day I've yet to say anything is less than 5 stars and this one is no exception. 

Hudson and Mallory finally get their story and it was worth the wait. 

Mallory has a past that really stays with her and it comes out when it comes to her relationship with Hudson. She needs to feel, she needs to be happy, loved, wanted and all the things. Plus Hudson is the guy she swore wouldn't be someone she falls in love with. That's her best friends and that it. No secret swoons, no crossing the line, just none of that now. 

So uh.... what happens when drinking leads to getting drunk that leads to getting married?? Um, oops?? 

But that's okay because Hudson hasn't a clue what's happened either, so it's all good.  A drunken mistake and they can undo it right? But do they really want to....will this finally be the reason Mallory can give into her feelings for Hudson. Will Hudson stop working his magic on others and finally get it to work on Mallory??

The way my heart was aching for them, heartstrings pulled, edge of my seat screaming for these two to hurry it along already and so much more. 

If you want romance, tension, friends to lovers, fake marriage, and a book just packed with everything you need to require the tissue box. Then look no further. You need these books on your self like yesterday. 

Seriously though, get the tissues. Idk how she does it, but Molly's writing always gets to me. Heck, to this day I still have feelings over her Taking Chances series that holds a special place in my heart. So get ready for an emotional but amazing romantic read!!

I can't wait to see what Molly is going to come up with next!!!

My Rating:

✪✪✪✪✪

The Rising

The Rising
by Kelley Armstrong
 
Book: Darkness Rising #3
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pub Date: 
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal
Format: Print
Source: Bought
Book Links: Goodreads  Amazon  Bookshop
 
The race for survival comes to a thrilling conclusion in the heart-stopping finale to the Darkness Rising trilogy, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.

Things are getting desperate for Maya and her friends. Hunted by the powerful St. Clouds and now a rival Cabal as well, they're quickly running out of places to hide.

All they have is the name and number of someone who might be able to give them a few answers. Answers to why they're so valuable, and why their supernatural powers are getting more and more out of control. But Maya is unprepared for the truths that await her. And like it or not, she'll have to face down some demons from her past if she ever hopes to move on with her life. Because Maya can't keep running forever.

With all the twists, thrills, and romance that have made Kelley Armstrong an international bestseller, plus the surprising return of some fan-favorite characters, The Rising will hold you under its spell long after its breathtaking end.
 
My Review: Meh. Unfortunately, I'm glad that this series is finally over. The predictability was so strong that really, it didn't give much joy to this series anymore and you just wanted it to be over already.

Maya and her friends are getting ready to take down this corporation, take back their lives and reunite with their families. They all just want to live normal lives again and put this all behind them. 

But it's pretty much easier said than done. But they will have help along the way. Maya and her friends will give into their abilities and use them to fight back, to show them what they can do. 

The ending though, was really the best part of this series. The way the families get reunited, a new community, a new sense of peace and calmness. New members and family. All seems to finally fall into place and they can live as normal as it can get for them.

 

My Rating:

✪✪✪✪