Review: Brilliant and breathtaking sequel...Solid 5+ stars =)
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 30, 2014
One thing is for certain…when you start to read any book by Madeline Sheehan you know…you just trust, that she will transport you to a world of something very awesome and creative…no matter if it is an MC compound or a futuristic world where sickness has overtaken and turned people into fanged flesh eaters. There is no worry that you will be bored or feel uninspired to imagine what it would be like to live in these fantastic places because she creates such striking and vivid images, that you will feel like you are right there…in the middle of a fight or in a gypsy camp around a campfire or gods help me…in the moment as they get down and dirty in lust.I loved the first book in this series SO much and did not think I would be as impressed with book 2 because sometimes you can’t just expect a sequel to be as good as the original…I was SO wrong.My Soul  To Take finds us struggling along with a desperate Trinity as she fights to survive, having been left on her own after her camp is attacked at the end of the The Soulmate. She doesn’t know where she is really (neither do the two men who love her) and it is taking all of her strength to keep her faith that she will live to find Xan…and she is slowly discovering (with some unexpected results) what her powers are and how strong she is becoming.This book is the perfect combination of family loyalty, romance,  magic,  deception,  adventure and evolving,  both in relationships as well as in physical and spiritual ways.  Trinity was so angry with Gerik in the first book because she felt manipulated by his power over her as her soulmate and could not  trust  whether or not his feelings for her were real (or hers for that matter).  To be empowered to make her own choices about her future , she fought the hold he had on her and flew into the arms (and heart) of Xan.  Both men think she is safe and somewhere she is not…and as the story progresses other characters start to destroy what bonds were formed with lies and manipulation. Jealousy and revenge play a huge part in what happens to cause a heartbreaking downward spiral for both Gerik and Xan and I really don’t want to spoil all of the events that lead up to the most amazing (and very satisfying) ending for all three of them.  I am anxious to see what direction these three will take in the third book because I am so torn between the two men in her life, alternating between my own feelings  for them as the reader and wondering who Trinity will ultimately end up with in the final scene.I also want to say that I usually find a huge cheese factor watching horror or post-apocalyptic films, especially if I feel like the world is unrealistic and when I see people “turn” into monsters or other worldly creatures.  Sheehan does a fantastic  and very realistic job of describing the transformation of her characters…especially when Gerik has a major “body evolvement”…wow…it felt so true and right and it was absolutely as beautiful as it was heartbreaking. I am so excited to read the next book since the epilogue connects two other characters, both of whom are very much beloved by Trinity as she has protected them both at different times and now they are together in an un-human form.This was an absolute pleasure to read and even if you are not into futuristic fantasy, but love a good character driven story with  strong family and romantic themes, you will enjoy this book!***** 5+ *****  Brilliant and breathtaking stars