Goodreads / Librarything
Genre: Paranormal Young Adult
Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 346
Publisher: MIRA (UK) HarlequinTeen (US)
Summary: Spoilers for previous books! Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.
But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life….
Review: Before I Wake was just an absolute treat. We're six books into the Soul Screamers series now, and I can firmly state that none of the characters we met in the first book are the same - Kaylee most of all.
And thank God for that! Kaylee is one of those characters that has rather frustrated me over the years. She always feels pathologically responsible for the decisions of others - which leads to books and books of guilt, guilt, guilt. It's been frustrating beyond belief.
But her death in If I Die and her break up with Nash have, well, made Kaylee grow up. This is rather sad, in a way. A lot of reviewers have commented on how they felt sorry for Kaylee in this book, that she was so depressed and that it was sad to see her that way. I understand where they are coming from. After all, she died. She can't just "get over" that. But I happen to think that overcoming her death made her grow as a person - even if she's not the same (happier?) girl we met in the first book. Bad things happen and they suck - but that's part of growing up and sometimes people can come out the better because of them.
Gosh, that was maudlin.
Anyhow, I also loved what Vincent did with everyone else in this book. I very nearly felt sorry for Nash in this book (an absolute first for me, devoted anti-Nash fan that I am), and I certainly felt for Sabine (who I've always liked despite her insanity). Both Sabine and Nash have to deal with their own fallout from Kaylee getting together with Tod, not to mention Nash's never-ending addiction problems. I am so glad I am not reading a book from their POV, because that would be epically woeful.
Vincent also went all out plot-wise. The ending of Before I Wake was an absolute shocker and all I could think was, "wow". Love that this series can still surprise - considering all the bombs Vincent has dropped in this series, you'd think we'd see it all coming! But no... she's still got us on tenterhooks.
Best for last: Tod. He remains one of my favourite characters ever and fortunately there is plenty of him in this book! I don't want to give a single thing away, so all I will say is this: every word out of that boy's mouth was a bloody gift.
Bottom line? While not quite as stellar as stellar as If I Die, but up there. I cannot wait for the seventh and final book in this series: With All My Soul.
I absolutely LOVE how much the characters have changed over the course of the book! And wow, the surprises. I cannot wait to read the last book. TOD!
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