I can't tell a lie, this story made me love Tod (more). Told from a point both before he died (immediately before he died) to just after his death and later, we see that Tod was an irrepressible flirt from the very beginning.

Reading this and thinking back on his interactions with Nash throughout the first three books, a lot makes more sense. Its not fair to say this is a 'prequel' to My Soul to Steal since this has less to do with Sabine and Nash and more to do with Tod becoming a Reaper and what exactly that meant.

His 'last' conversation with Nash made me choke up. I go through similar fights with my younger sister and being the fretful sort of person I am, if I don't hear from her I immediately think 'Was that my last conversation with her?'

It was kind of weird seeing Nash the way he was. This is set after "Fearless", but Nash is so...jerkish. Immature and selfish and waving a huge superiority complex. He's not at all like the Nash we see in My Soul to Take or My Soul to Save. He's closer to the Nash we see in My Soul to Keep--yes the (for lack of a better word) drug addicted Nash who treated people horribly.

This didn't feel like a 'bridge' story, or just a simple back story piece. Rachel mentioned that she went forward with this story after gauging how readers would feel about a Tod short story, but you can tell that it was something she thought hard on. Not just how Tod died, or the particulars surrounding his transition to Reaper-dom, but how it affected Nash, their mother, and later when he meets Kaylee. Things like when he recognizes his old girlfriend on the TV, or when he acknowledges just how much it would suck to be a Reaper. The benefits vs. the negatives.

This is a definite read for anyone who loves the Soul Screamers series or is looking for an entry into it. This actually works as a perfect pairing to "My Soul to Lose", the other short story prequel Harlequin Teen released, but from Kaylee's perspective.