Posted by Donna
UK Release Date: July 6th, 2012
Finished Date: June 22nd, 2012
Publishers: Mira Ink
Source: For Review
Format: Paperback
The good news? He didn’t get it.
The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school…
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
The Review: *Possible spoilers if you haven’t read the series*
After her inventible death in If I Die, Kaylee has been recruited by Meredith; where she will help lost souls find peace, but being undead isn’t everything it’s made out to be. Kaylee’s struggling to come to terms with her new status, and is trying hard not to fade out. The only time she feels anything, is when she’s with her boyfriend Tod, and let’s say things are hotting up between them. But even though Tod’s the one good spot in her life, Kaylee she has to deal with new drama from Nash, a new student starts at school who’s a necromancer and Thane and Avari are back! Life for Kaylee couldn’t get much worse….or could it?
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I have to admit I was slightly nervous to start this book because If I Die was such a fantastic and explosive book, that it was definitely was a hard act to follow. But of course, Rachel Vincent doesn’t disappoint us, and this instalment is just as good as ever.
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The story: There are so many laugh out loud moments in this book and Rachel Vincent really knows how to create an intense story, with so much humour. Quotes like this between Kaylee's Dad and Tod just make me laugh so much; “Hi Tod, I didn't realize you were here. In my daughter bedroom. With the door closed." "Happy to be here" Tod said.
Not only that, but it’s as dangerous as ever, with Kaylee’s soul really not being anymore safe now when she’s dead, to when she was alive. Poor Kaylee! She really goes through the ringer in this book, and it was a little heart-breaking to see how much she struggled. But even with her struggles, she really knows what she cares about in life, and that’s her friends and family. They all come together – which I loved, because everyone got involved, and the relationships in this book, is what makes it. The only downside to this is, there were a few casualties and I’m sad, because the people we lost, we’re some of my favourite.
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Tod & Kaylee: We see a TON of Kaylee and Tod scenes and yes, they are totally swoon-worthy. I never thought I could stop being Team Nash, but after the last two books, Tod has convinced me he’s worthy of Kaylee, and now I’m completely Team Tod. I completely fell for him in this book. How could I not? “You make me feel alive. Every time I touch you, I feel like there's some kind of charge flowing between us, Like tiny little bolts of lightening, setting me on fire.” Their relationship is so pure, intense and beautiful, that I can see them together for an eternity.
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Nash & Sabine: I’ve never really been a huge fan of these two together, mainly because I always hoped Kaylee would get back with Nash, but now we know that’s never going to happen, I think these are perfect together. They have their problems but it’s nothing they can’t work out if Nash gets his act together. If anything, I disliked Nash more in this book. *Small spoiler* How can he jump in and out of bed with Sabine, but still declare to love Kaylee? A big no, no Nash! Get your act together, please!
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Kaylee & her Dad: I’m finally glad Kaylee stood up to him. He’s not a bad dad at all and he’s very caring, but Kaylee’s dead now, and the things that he was worried about no longer apply i.e. pregnancy. I know he still see Kaylee as his little girl, but I just wanted him to give her time to breathe - or not breathe in Kaylee’s case, and let her make her own choices.
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Nash & Tod: When is Nash ever going to find out the huge sacrifices Tod made for him? I’m hoping he finds out in the next book because hopefully then, Nash maybe a little grateful to Tod and not constantly blame him for everything including taking his girlfriend. I want to see them become the brothers they should be and try and work towards a better relationship.
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Thane & Avari: Grrr! I’m so sick of them now! I just want them gone!
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My expectations for With All My Soul are very high, but you know what, I know Rachel Vincent will deliver. I’m yet to be disappointed by her work so far, and if her reputation from her Shifters series is anything to go by, then I know she will give us an explosive and amazing ending to this series.
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A huge thank you to Mira Ink for giving me the opportunity to review this book.
Join us now for a character interview with NASH HUDSON!
1. Hi Nash! Welcome to Book Passion for Life. What was you're first thought when you saw Kaylee for the first time?
Nash: I actually don’t remember when I saw Kaylee for the first time. We go to the same school, so I saw her nearly every day for a long time. What made me notice Kaylee was her voice. The first time I heard her talk, I knew I had to hear more. So I kind of…followed Kay and Emma to this 18+ club. The rest, as they say, is history.
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2. How are you feelings with the whole Kaylee/Tod relationship?
Nash: That whole thing sucks. Do you have any idea what it feels like to see your brother with your ex? Well, it’s even worse than that, because when I see her and I don’t see him, I never know whether he’s truly not there, or he’s there and just not showing himself to me. For all I know, they’re together all the time, stealing privacy in the middle of every public school day, laughing at those of us who can’t appear and disappear at will.
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Well, Kaylee probably wouldn’t laugh at anyone. But then again, she’s done several things lately that I would have sworn she never would, so who knows?
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3. Can you explain you're relationship with Sabine?
Nash: Sabine was the first girl I ever loved. The first of only two. As it turns out, when you fall in love with someone, they take a little bit of your heart, and no matter what goes wrong between you later, you’ll always have some little part of that connection. I’m connected to Sabine, kind of like how I’m still connected to Kaylee and probably always will be. The difference is that Sabine wants to reinforce that connection, and Kaylee seems to want to sever it.
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Sabine is…well, I don’t really label what we are, but we’re definitely connected. There are some days when it feels like she’s the only one who really wants me around.
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4. Do you miss your relationship with your brother? Nash: The truth is that it gets harder every day to even remember a normal relationship with my brother. He’s been dead for more than two years now, and I’m not even sure reapers are capable of carrying on a normal human relationship. They’re certainly not encouraged to. Most of them get assignments far from their surviving family, to help them avoid the temptation of contacting people who saw them buried. Lucky me, since my mom and I already know the truth about death and reapers, my brother gets to reaps souls just a few miles from my house. And my school. And my girlfriend—oh, wait, she’s not my girlfriend anymore. Coincidence? Hardly.
5. If you could wish for one thing, what would it be?
Nash: I don’t know. Honestly, things are so messed up right now that one wish doesn’t seem like enough to fix things. I could wish that Tod never died, which would fix the problems between us, and between me and Sabine, but then Mom and I would never have moved, and I’d never have met Kaylee. And I wouldn’t take that back for anything. No matter what you wish for, you’re knocking over some cosmic domino, which will inevitably start a chain reaction of catastrophe. So, really, it seems easier just to live with the current level of catastrophe. Does that make sense?
Awww Nash! We do love you hear at Book Passion for Life. Thank you for joining us!
