My Soul to Lose

Soul Screamers #0.5

by Rachel Vincent

It was supposed to be a fun day, shopping at the mall with her best friend. Then the panic attack started and Kaylee Cavanaugh finds herself screaming, unable to stop. Her secret fears are exposed and it's the worst day of her life.

Until she wakes up in the psychiatric unit.

She tries to convince everyone she's fine--despite the shadows she sees forming around another patient and the urge to scream which comes burbling up again and again. Everyone thinks she's crazy. Everyone except Lydia, that is. Another patient with some special abilities....

"An eBook exclusive prequel to Rachel Vincent's SOUL SCREAMERS series."

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Supernatural, Fiction, Ebooks

61 pages, ebook

First published July 1, 2009

About the author

[Note: Though Rachel's blog entries are cross posted here, she does not frequent Goodreads. The best ways to contact her are FB, Twitter, or her Wordpress blog. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HER MESSAGES HERE. SHE DOES NOT CHECK THEM.]

A resident of Oklahoma, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks-seriously-and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.

Reviews

[Cereja Cult · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really, really good start to a series. Luv it.





Review 11/06/2011



The Plot - It's original, really original. Kaylee has a secret that no one knows. When she is near someone that is going to die she screams. Not just an 'I broke my foot scream' but a really, really 'tear up your throat scream'.

The Characters - This is a short story, so I couldn't know much of them. Nevertheless, it was enough to know that Keilee is a teen with some really dark secret and has to hide or else she'll be in deep shit. Her aunt is trying to be eighteen again, her uncle loves her and wants the to help, but doesn't know how, her cousin sounds like a bitch to me, and so on. But the character that really gave me the creeps was Lydia. Who the heck is she? And, most important, what the heck is her secret?

The Writing - This is one of those writers that make things come to life. Reading her description of the scream building up inside Keilee I could literally feel it inside of me. I could hear it in my ears. By the time I was done with it my throat was sore like I had screamed along with her.





The Recording - Really good, but the guy's voices wasn't a guy's voices. She read as it was, without forcing the voice to make like a guy's voice. That was nice and better then if she had tried, cose her voice is really girly like, and would have been weird. She has a nice tone and does the reading very well.

Considerations - I've heard lots of great things about this series before and it was on my TBR list for a long time, but I never got around to read it. I was missing out. This is a breath of fresh air and I needed something different to read. The thing that I luv the most was the way that the little things were being uncovered and the more I discovered the more I needed to know. The air of mystery was breathtaking and the straps were just down right creepy. In the end I had to stop myself from jumping into the next book.

[Nancy❤The❤Bookaholic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good start

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Soul to Steal

Four stars: A gripping prequel that will leave you screaming for more!

Kaylee and her best friend, Emma, chatter excitedly as they peruse the packed mall. Happily, they shop, making plans for the big homecoming dance. Without warning Kaylee begins to tremble and sweat as panic and fear assault her senses. Deep inside she can feel the scream beginning to swell, building and pushing to break free to pierce the air. Desperate, Kaylee gasps for Emma to help her. Quickly, the two girls dash down the corridor and take refuge among the brightly colored, towering stacks of bath towels in a department store. Scared and shaking Kaylee slowly gains control, until the frail, boy in the wheel chair turns the corner. This time she cannot stop the impulse and her shockingly, loud scream reverberates through the air. A wave of tremendous sadness washes over her and tears stream down her cheeks. She falls to her knees unable to cease the deafening wail emanating from her lungs. Clawing at her throat and gasping for air until the fog appears and she falls into blackness. Frightening images flee through her mind and then she wakes to a nightmarish reality. Kaylee is restrained to a bed in a cold, windowless room. Her limbs ache and her voice is raw. Where is she? Kaylee discovers that fifteen hours flew by while she lay shackled and unconscious in the mental institution. Is she crazy? Kaylee navigates around the dire, confines of her new surroundings. Her typical, teenage wardrobe is now sparkly, sweat suits minus the drawstrings ( to prevent hangings) and soft, fuzzy socks. Time is spent, avoiding group therapy sessions and completing crossword and jigsaw puzzles, while her mind plots a way out. A strange girl with mesmerizing green eyes watches her every move. At last Kaylee is on the brink of gaining her freedom when terror rips through her. Again the howling festers and swirls in her throat, threatening to explode out of her, no matter how hard she clamps her jaw. Lydia, the green eyed girl grabs her hand and tugs her down the hall. Inexplicably, Lydia manages to halt the ear splitting howl but at what price? Why is Kaylee unable to control the intense and powerful screams?

Rachel Vincent manages to yank you into Kaylee's world with her powerful, short prequel. I was riveted to the story. It is intense to say the least. I swear my jaw ached in sympathy as Kaylee tries to clench back her painful, ear splitting screams (I wonder how her screams compare to those of my three year old daughter on a bad day). Then the horror of waking up in the psych ward. All I can say is Wow! My only complaint, I desperately wanted more (or should I say I screamed for more), I will be grabbing a copy of My Soul To Take (Soul Screamers #1) immediately!

Favorite Quotations:
"I couldn't see who swam in the darkness, who wore shadows like a second skin."

"She watched me with a creepy sort of detached curiosity, as if I were a bug crawling across the sidewalk in front of her. I wondered briefly if she was the ant stomper type."

"Great. I'm psychotic and sparkly."

"Relief washed over me like that first air-conditioned breeze on a hot summer day."

"Kaylee do you know why you are here?"
"Yeah. Because the doors are locked."

[Annie Brewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a relatively quick read. A prequel if you will to the Soul Screamer books. It was a damn good one too. I can already tell I am going to devour this series. It was pretty intense and I kept turning page after page to see what happens next. Wow and what an intriguing concept this was. A different take on the paranormal world. I can't wait to delve into the next 5 books!!!!

[Deyse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review originally posted here.

I've been wanting to read something from Rachel Vincent ever since I discovered her books, but I never seemed to find the time to do it, so I prioritized started her first (I think) YA series, Soul Screamers, I was a bit wary because it's paranormal and it was published right on the fever of Twilight, so it could go very wrong but a lot of people enjoyed this series.

I'm impressed by this short novella, it doesn't fall into YA paranormal cliches and it didn't read like anything I ever read before. For starters a lot of it passes on a psychiatric ward, where Kaylee is because of what the doctor believe to be a psychotic break-down, I have to say that the way the whole experience is treated is a bit worrisome because it doesn't shine a very positive light on psychiatrists and/or seeking treatments but also I understand why it's portrait this way, since we, readers, know that what Kaylee is passing isn't a break-down but a paranormal experience.

That being said, the atmosphere on this short story is pretty on point with what I would want from paranormal reads, it starts of quite a normal thing, with regular girls shopping but it turns into a kind of nightmare when Kaylee has the vision, gets interned and everyone is claiming she has a mental health problem, it gets even more interesting when a girl from the hospital seems to be really interested on Kaylee too.

Overall it was a really nice introduction of this series and it definitely made me pick up the first book right after finishing it, it doesn't show any signs of cliched paranormal stories, has a great atmosphere similar to suspenseful movies and I want to know more about Kaylee and her gift (or curse, who knows, not me). Recommended to lovers of YA paranormal that haven't still tried to read this series.

[Sassy Sarah Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent, narrated by Amanda Ronconi

Prequel to the Soul Screamers series

4 stars

Kaylee Cavanaugh was supposed to just have a normal day shopping at the mall, but a panic attack took over and she couldn’t stop screaming. When she wakes up, she finds herself in a psych hospital. As she tries to convince everyone she is fine, another patient seems to be curious about who she is. My first audiobook! I would say it was a success. I didn’t love My Soul to Lose but I really enjoyed it. The narrator could be annoying at times, but she could make the story interesting when it came down to whether I was able to concentrate on the story. I did have a few problems with the narrator’s voice and how she portrayed the characters. Sometimes I liked the voices she made, but her Kaylee voice annoyed me greatly at times. Which is obviously not a good thing considering the fact that Kaylee is the MC. I did enjoy the storyline and I was a fan of the first Soul Screamers book. I really liked seeing how Vincent portrayed Kaylee’s first experience as a banshiede.

Another qualm I had was with the other patient who was revealed to have an ability at the end. I liked this ability quite a bit and she proved to be an interesting character that showed potential to be in the series in the future or even have her own. I was sad that her reveal was so rushed and it left me feeling confused and I had to rewind the audiobook a bit. I’m quite pleased with my first delve into the audiobook world and I’m happy it wasn’t terrible like I was afraid it would be.

Whimsical Writing Scale: 4

Character Scale: 4.25

Audiobook Scale: 3.5

Plotastic Scale: 4.5

Cover Thoughts: It’s simple, but I don’t like that snot color green at all.

[Cyndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, this story is scary! A young girl has what she thinks are panic attacks. Of course, those of us who read a lot of supernatural stories know she’s a banshee. Then it gets worse when she ends up in ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest’

[Stacia (the 2010 club) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another lazy weekend review. I had but a few stolen minutes to read tonight, so instead of only making a couple chapters of headway on a long book, I figured I'd squeeze in a freebie short.

It's been a while since I've read book 1 of this series, so I thought using the prequel as a refresher course might be a good idea. Eh, not really. I thought this was an okay read, but I don't think it was absolutely necessary either.

I'd say skip this and go right to book 1, then come back and read the prequel later if you want to know Kaylee's early experiences as a bean-side (pronounced banshee). What is a bean-side? This character is basically a harbinger of death. When you hear one scream, you know someone's about to bite it. Kinda interesting, right? You don't see many stories like that, which is why I'm going to finally quit screwing around and read book 2 soon.

Although, I did think that this description of one of her first screams was pretty cool :

The shriek ripped from my gut and ripped my mouth open on its way out. It felt like someone was pulling barbed wire from my throat, then shoving it through my ears, straight into my head.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prequels have a very specific job - give you, as the reader, just enough of a taste of a series that you'll pull the bills out of your pocket to purchase the full book. So often, I've been unable to connect with the MC or its premise.  Not so with this book! Rachel pulled me into the plot within four pages and created a real sense of empathy with Kaylee.

Goodreads summary: "It was supposed to be a fun day, shopping at the mall with her best friend. Then the panic attack started and Kaylee Cavanaugh finds herself screaming, unable to stop. Her secret fears are exposed and it's the worst day of her life. Until she wakes up in the psychiatric unit. She tries to convince everyone she's fine--despite the shadows she sees forming around another patient and the urge to scream which comes burbling up again and again. Everyone thinks she's crazy. Everyone except Lydia, that is. Another patient with some special abilities...."

[Danielle Smiley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really well done short story. Even as a stand-alone story, without the rest of the series, this was so worth the read. This prequel is about Kaylee having an "episode" and ending up in a mental health ward. It's really intense, but has it's humorous moments. Kaylee meets a girl Lydia, whom I can't tell you much about without giving too much away. Lydia is my favorite in this story. This is definitely a great way to start the series.

[Patricia · Rating 1 out of 5]

When a series starts with blatant displays of ableism, it should be warning enough - but it wasn't, and so I read the entire thing.

As a start, this novella wasn't bad. Had there been less ableism (as in, none) it would've been good.

[Brandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the prequel/ novella that kicks off the Soul Screamers series. I have had this series on my tbr for far too long and now I look forward to reading the rest of the books!

I enjoyed this little dip into the Soul Screamers pool, so to speak. It was a nice way to introduce you to the main character and let you see into her ability.

If you like YA paranormal, this is up your alley!

The narrator did a great job, too. I look forward to hearing more of her work.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok this was a fantastic start to a series.. I listened to it on the audible rom package and the narrator was great. It's a short story.. just took a couple of hours to listen to it but it was enough to build a good foundation on what the series will be about and i'm super intrigued! Going on to the next book now.

[allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

The other week I was laying on my sofa dramatically lamenting that I could find nothing good to read when I suddenly remembered the greatest television show to hit our TV screens: Teen Wolf.

Now, even by my own shitty TV standards, Teen Wolf was not that great in terms of, well, everything (aside from the acting), but it did have 2 very good things going for it. 1) A likeable lead character. 2) Lydia Martin. Despite giving up on the show when Arden Cho was unjustly booted off and Scira was no more, I still hold the banshee lore established on the show close to my cold, dead heart. While the idea of me rewatching Teen Wolf in the year of our lord 2020 is an unrealistic, laughable dream, looking up books about banshees is not.

In a roundabout way, that very dramatic retelling of my love for Teen Wolf was my way of explaining how I found My Soul to Lose. Did the fact that the series is also free on Scribd play into my decision to choose this book? Abso-fucking-lutely. Did the fact that it’s so short make it more appealing? You betcha.

Anyways, my journey to the book was coincidentally more exciting than the actual book itself. Not much happened, which is saying a lot because stuff did happen.

Basically, you’ve got Kaylee (the banshee) who screams whenever she goes near someone who’s about to die. She self-diagnosed it as some form of panic attack or something, even though she screams so much she tries to tear her own throat out to stop it. But yeah, sounds like a panic attack to me ??

Now, if there’s one thing Kaylee isn’t, it’s a Scott McCall. The girl is a b-i-t-c-h. Example 1) her and her best friend think it’s “funny” to prank her ex-boyfriend at homecoming by accusing him of sexual assault. Now if you don’t think that’s bad news bears, kids, idk what to tell ya other than ITS BAD NEWS BEARS. Example 2) she is unreasonably rude and snarky to the medical staff who are trying to help her after said throat-ripping-out fiasco. Rude in that type of snarky, I’m smarter than other girls kinda way. Example 3) the way Kaylee speaks about other people on the psychiatric wing. She often refers to everyone else as psychos and makes it a big deal to declare them as different and other to herself. It’s gross, and I wasn’t here for one little bit.

Also I know this book came out a long time ago, but hot damn, would it kill publishers to include trigger warnings in their shit? Since Harlequin Teen couldn’t be bothered, I’ll make mention of it here. There’s pretty graphic reference to self-harm near the end. It was bad, so please be careful y’all if that’s a trigger for you.

Long story short, if Kaylee was more of a Scott McCall than an Elena Gilbert (looking at you, Book!Elena), I might have actually liked the book. As it stands now though, 2 stars and I won’t be reading the rest.

[Kayleigh {K-Books} · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Soul to Lose Review on K-Books

After having this series for a long time I finally decided to pick it up and start it. I did read the first book in this series, My Soul to Take, last year but never got around to reading the others so decided to start it again from the prequel.

Kaylee is having a normal day shopping at the Mall with her best friend Emma. But then she feels the dreaded feeling that causes her to scream uncontrollably. Waking up in a mental hospital, Kaylee knows that she is not crazy. But can she convince them and get out of the mental hospital before the need to scream comes again?

I was actually really surprised how much I loved this prequel. This is without a doubt one of the best short prequels I've ever read. I was instantly drawn into the storyline of this series and couldn't put it down as I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen.

I instantly sympathised with Kaylee. I really felt for her. I can't imagine knowing you are not mentall ill but still being kept in a mental hospital with everybody convinced you are crazy. I really felt for her and I just felt sad for her all the way through the prequel and really didn't want to stop reading until everything was straighted out.

This is a fantastic prequel to what's looking up to be a fantastic series. I can't wait to re-read My Soul to Take and to read the rest of this series.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

"My Soul to Lose" is the prequel novella to Rachel Vincent's "Soul Screamers" series. I haven't read the series to date, but I have to say that it's a wonderful, eerie introduction that piqued my curiosity and interest in the series. The story centers around Kaylee Cavenaugh, a young woman afflicted with an odd series of panic attacks. Unfortunately, after a panic incident in the middle of the mall (and seeing shadows closing in over a boy in a wheelchair), Kaylee ends up in a mental institution without understanding why she's there, and what caused her uncontrollable screams. She copes with being in the institution for quite some time, and I could understand her fear and frustration with the scheme of events. What occurs after that is borders on the eerie side, but it does leave some threads hanging, no doubt leading into the larger intrigue of the series, I would gather. Still, it was a short, engaging read that I enjoyed, and I'll certainly look into the series from here to see where it goes.

Overall score: 3.5/5

[The Flooze · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having never read anything from Vincent before, I was pleasantly surprised by the prequel to her Soul Screamers series. The writing was tight, the character of Kaylee felt very real, and the terror of her "panic attacks" was so well described, I felt my own throat closing uncomfortably. For an introduction to a new UF universe, it did its job of peaking my interest--I'll seek out the book.

[Asia · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This turned out to be more interesting than I expected it to be, and I think I might look into reading the first one. I'm super curious about what the paranormal aspect of this really is.
The audio is quite good on this one and it goes by very quickly.

[Carina · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Rating: 4.5 / 5

What I thought about it:
When I decided to join the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge to finally start this series, I thought it would be a good idea to read the novellas and novels in the right order and start with My Soul to Lose. I definitely didn't regret this decision, because this little novella was a perfect introduction into the series.

While we don't get to know many characters, reading this was a good way to get to know the main character Kaylee and witness how she struggles with her "panic attacks" which elicit a terrible urge to scream. I felt very sorry for her while reading My Soul to Lose which made me hope that her life would be a little bit easier in the first novel of the series My Soul to Take.

After a very bad "panic attack" she wakes up in the psychiatric unit of a hospital. While she worries about her own sanity, she's even more scared that people will keep her locked up. Only Lydia, a girl she meets there, might know more about what is happening to Kaylee. Lydia is definitely a very intriguing character and I'd love to see her again in future instalments of this series.

All in all, My Soul to Lose is a great introduction into the Soul Screamers series. I immediately connected with Kaylee and wanted to know how her story continues. While I don't think it's necessary to read it, I'd definitely recommend it - especially if you're new to the series like I am.

[Jannat Bhat · Rating 4 out of 5]

That's some way to start a series. It was so damn intriguing. I sure can say that I did like it but then I have so many questions and it left me wanting more. In this short prequel, we meet Kaylee Cavanaugh and her best friend Emma. Kaylee was a very normal teenager, she has a best friend and of course teenage dilemmas. Talk about plotting revenge with the help of the best friend. Everything was fine until she had this weird feeling. Her panic attack started happening and she started seeing this black figure and then she started screaming. When she woke up she was in the Mental Health Centre.

I have to commend the author for the vivid writing. I imagined Kaylee hysterical and screaming. I was caught with the moment and ask myself what just happened? The aftermath of the commotion got me angry with Aunt Val and the whole situation. The ending had me so many questions. Questions that I think only the first book will answer. This story is completely different from anything else I've read in the YA paranormal genre and I would highly recommend giving it a try. My only warning would be make sure you can get hold of My Soul to Take soon after reading it as I'm sure you'll be left desperate to know what happens next!

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I had never heard of this series going in and I'm kind of glad that I went in blind. My Soul to Lose is a prequel to the Soul Screamers series and introduces the character of Kaylee. What we learn fairly quickly is that Kaylee suffers from panic attacks. But they aren't normal panic attacks. These attacks quite literally take control of her body, overriding all of her senses until there is nothing left but fear and she has no choice but to let it out in a soul shattering scream. Unfortunately, she does this in the middle of Sears.

Since this is a novella that leads up to the series, nothing is really given away. The author leaves us guessing as to what is going on with Kaylee. Instead, this novella focuses on the breakdown of the character - I mean, she gets sent to a psychiatric hospital for observation. What's more damaging to a high school student than that? But this novella did what it was supposed to, it enticed me to want to read more. I will definitely be checking out the rest of this series. I want to see what happens to Kaylee - why is she getting these attacks? And also, what about Lydia? Does she make a reappearance? Is her "gift" ever explained? So many questions!

[Lady Jaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

*You can download/read this novella/novellita(?) free on goodreads*

Ms. Vincent is a first-time author for me, and I'm really glad I got this book. I like the cover a lot too. It's a really short piece - only about 53 pages, and what a 53 pages it was!

I was completely intrigued the entire time I was reading it.

Kaylee knows she can't scream because something bad will happen. The one time she does scream, it's so horrific she ends up in a psychiatric facility. One inmate there seems to know what she is, but Kaylee herself doesn't know (or doesn't seem to know).

I want to know what Kaylee is. It sounds to me like she's a banshee, or a siren (in which case, it would have been so much fun if her name was Lorelei, lol)but I can't be sure because Ms. Vincent doesn't let on. Either way, it's an interesting concept for urban fantasy novel, and I am excited about starting this series.

This book is such a great teaser novella(is it even long enough to be called that?)I am going to look for the first book in this series pronto!

This is how teaser novellitas should be done, lol.

[Taschima · Rating 5 out of 5]

I figured if I am to re-read the Soul Screamers series I best read all the novellas as well. And I really liked this one. I found it to be terrifying the way that Kaylee has to deal with her issues and not let anyone around her notice. The ending is very ominous. I like that we get to meet Lydia for the first time and see how she deals with everybody's pain, how good a person she is by taking it on herself while helping those around her continue on with their lives. I wouldn't read this one however before I'd read the other titles, if not you wouldn't understand a lot of it. Specially the part where the uncle and aunt are freaking traitors who should have been frank with Kaylee instead of letting her be put in a mental hospital for something she couldn't possibly avoid.

And now on to do my re-read a thon! I can't wait to see Tod again! Ugh Nash, go away, and bring your brother.

[AH · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice, short story setting up Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series. I enjoyed this story and will definitely be reading the rest of the series. I loved the heroine Kaylee and how she struggled to deal with her ability to sense impending death.

She has a rather wry sense of humor and when her aunt sends her some clothes to the mental health institute, Kaylee puts on the clothes. Later, she notices that the sweatsuit is made of a sparkly material. She comments to herself: "Great. I'm psychotic and sparkly."

Nash makes a cameo appearance. Looking forward to seeing more of him.

This book was available as a free download and you can read it online on Goodreads.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Soul to Lose is a short Prequel to My Soul to Take.

I'm actually glad I read My Soul to Take first. This could have been a prologue to that book but I liked not knowing what was in this book when I read My Soul to Take. I think you can honestly go either way, read this first or the book first but I would recommend reading My Soul to Take first.

There is really nothing more I can say that won't be a spoiler. A must read for Soul Screamers fans.



Rating: 4 Stars - Great Book

Content: language, innuendo and some crude comments

Source: Read Online on the Soul Screamers website

Eead for free here:
http://soulscreamers.com/soulscreamer...

[Kelley Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great short story! It's the prequal to a new series by one of my favorite authors. I'll admit that before I read it I thought that I probably wouldn't be interested. But I found that not only was I pulled in by the story, now I can't wait for the first book to be released. For those interested, you can download a free copy off of Vincent's website. I got a copy of the audiobook for free off of audible.com. This seems to be the start of a great new series!

[~Tina~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely different! I likey!

[Gabriela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original plot, interesting main character, great writting and a mystery that will suck you right in.

[Danielle Folker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story in 61 pages. Onto My Soul to Take.