The Killing Jar

December 14, 2015
Kenna Marsden can senseâand stealâa person's life force simply by touching them. Back when Kenna was 10, before she knew what she was capable of, she drained the life of a malicious boy who killed her sister's cat and its kittens. When that night comes back to haunt her family, Kenna's mother takes the 17-year-old to Eclipse, a secluded commune in the nearby mountains. While there, Kenna meets her grandmother and other members of the community known as the Kalyptra, who teach her how to curb her hunger for anima or living energy. But the longer Kenna stays at Eclipse, the more she begins to forget her old life and finds it easier to dismiss the unusual things happening around her. Bosworth (Struck) has hold of a gripping premise, and her novel starts off strong as she delves into the Kalyptra's lore and Kenna's intense past. But while Kenna is forced to make some difficult decisions, a too-easy ending and the supernatural weirdness she uncovers may frustrate all but the most devoted fans of the paranormal. Ages 14âup. Agent: Jamie Weiss Chilton, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

October 15, 2015
Seventeen-year-old Kenna must live with the horrible memory of having committed murder--but she also remembers the raw energy she stole from her victim and how powerful and godlike it made her feel. Frightened by her ability, Kenna swears to never use her power again and keeps her distance from everyone, including her mother and ailing twin sister. Then Blake moves to her small town, and it becomes increasingly difficult for Kenna to stay away from the boy next door. And when her sister and mother are involved in a violent attack, Kenna breaks her promise entirely in order to help them, which attracts the attention of the police and the media. For everyone's safety, Kenna is sent to Eclipse, a remote commune, to learn how to control her power. With each passing day, however, Kenna is left with questions about her power, her mother, and Eclipse House and its residents. Kenna's power and the mystery surrounding Eclipse are intriguing, but as it unfolds in Kenna's first-person account, the story lacks tension and real conflict resolution. The detective investigating Kenna's case is bizarrely restrained, and his acceptance of Kenna's unbelievable lies is attributed to the fact that he's an X-Files fan--a credulity that readers will find hard to take seriously. The romance is alluring and Bosworth's descriptions are poetic, but the story's lack of tension and its easy resolution disappoint. (Horror. 14-18)

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November 1, 2015

Gr 8 Up-Ever since she killed a boy when she was 10 years old, Kenna has kept everyone at a distance. Kenna sucked the life force out of the boy by sheer willpower. Her mom calls Kenna's deadly ability a gift yet also instructed her to never use it again. The protagonist manages to float under the radar, spending most of her time with her twin, Erin, and her best friend and maybe one day boyfriend, Blake. But after another deadly scene caused by her power, Kenna's mom decides it's best if her daughter spends some time at the nearby commune, Eclipse. There, the teen discovers the Kalyptra, a whole community of people who also have the ability to take someone's life force, or anima. Kenna misses her family and Blake but feels like she can finally stop being ashamed of who she really is as she learns to control her ability. But not everything is perfect at Eclipse as Kenna finds out as she struggles to learn more about the Kalyptra's practices. This work has a strong supernatural premise that falls flat. The characters' motivations and their relationships don't feel fully fleshed out, and the surprise ending is more confusing than thrilling. VERDICT Despite the shortcomings, this title will be of interest to teens looking for an original stand-alone supernatural read.-Emily Moore, Camden County Library System, NJ

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2015
Grades 8-11 Kenna is a talented musician who lives an isolated life with her beloved and frail twin sister and emotionally distant mother. Kenna is also a murderer: at 10, she took revenge on a neighbor boy who tormented her sister, killing him with her touch. Under strict orders from her mother to hide that death and her powers, Kenna withdrew from friends, finding solace in her guitar. Now 17, she has found friendship (and maybe more) with neighbor Blake, and recognition of her musical gift at a local folk festival. Returning home from a triumphant performance, she finds her mother and sister bleeding with their attacker still in the house, and she is forced to use her powers to save her family. Frightened by Kenna's actions, her mother takes her to a commune of similarly gifted people, the Kalyptra, where she uncovers many dark family secrets, forcing her to choose how best to navigate through a moral thicket. Some readers may be put off by the strong anti-drug message, but almost all will find themselves pulled into this swiftly paced page-turner.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)