Review: My Soul to Lose
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 3, 2012
My Soul To Lose is a prequel novella to Rachel Vincent's popular series, Soul Screamers, which I have yet to read! While I think it probably isn't absolutely necessary to read this novella before the rest of the series, I found it to be a lovely introduction to the world and characters. It left me with a huge urge to read the first book which hopefully I'll get to do really soon! Sometimes novellas can be lacking in substance or feel like they were cut short but this one certainly wasn't.The story starts off with a bang. Kaylee Cavanaugh is trying to enjoy a day out with a friend but her 'panic attacks' are getting in the way of that. Kaylee's really having a tough time of it. She screams for no apparent reason and there's nothing she can do about it! Fearing she is mentally ill, she is admitted to a psychiatric unit and even had to be sedated for 15 hours. This story mostly takes place inside the unit. I've read a fair few books that feature psychiatric hospitals and I think of all of them, this one was the easiest to picture.Rachel Vincent's writing is just amazing! I could see everything clearly in my head and there was so much emotion throughout the story it was almost tangible. When Kaylee was having one of her attacks, it was described so well you could almost feel it yourself. You could sense her panic, fear and confusion. It really gets inside your head and makes you realize what Kaylee is going through. I just loved how real it all felt even if the circumstances and reasons behind it were a little surreal!This is definitely one to read in a single sitting. I was so captivated by the story, I couldn't tear my eyes away from Kindle. I loved the ideas, the mystery and the characters. Kaylee is a likable person and I'm looking forward to getting to know her better in the next book. If you want to test this series out, this novella is really a good way to do so! It will leave you hungry for more. I have a feeling I'm going to adore book one!