I didn't read the synopsis before picking up this book, so I went into the read with no clue about what was going to happen. The characters were really great in The Killing Jar, especially the main character Kenna. The author really took the time to make Kenna relatable and sympathetic. The writing in the book was very beautiful, it almost had a lyrical quality despite the sometimes dark subject matter. The tension builds gradually and the climax really had me gripped. I was satisfied with the conclusion and thought the author did a good job tying everything together. Overall, a great YA standalone. Review posted on Goodreads and Amazon.

***Thanks to the publisher for a copy for review.***

Actual Rating: 3.5★

I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

Unlike anything I’ve read before, The Killing Jar by Jennifer Bosworth is an interesting, suspenseful read. I’ve had this book sitting on my shelf since before it came out and I happened across an audio copy of it. I highly recommend listening to the book as I couldn’t read it fast enough for my liking.

The first line of the blurb is the first line of the book. If you skipped that part, go read it now. I’ll wait…..Awesome, right?! So I was hooked from the very first line. Beginning a book like that, you know as the reader that you are in for an exciting read. And it was exciting, yet not at all what I expected. I was expecting a murderer, some mystery, a dark main character. You do get that, but not in the way you might think.

Kenna is an easy to like character. She sees things in black and white, there are no grey areas. What she does to that boy in the prologue is haunting and it follows her into her late teens. It sets the tone for the book and Kenna herself. Kenna will do anything for her twin sister, including murder even though she doesn’t understand how or why it happens. Her life is shrouded in secrets, and she purposefully pushes people away in order to protect them.

When something happens to her mom and sister, Kenna loses control. I won’t go into too much detail as I don’t want to spoil the story, but this is the catalyst that sends her to the cult-like group Eclipse. Eclipse is not at all what I expected. It reminds me a little of the hippie communes you read about from the 60s and 70s. The people live off the land, have no electricity, and live whimsical lives. It’s a 180 turn from what Kenna is used to with her strict mom. I liked these people, but I wasn’t sure how much I trusted them.

Overall I enjoyed the story. There were parts that seemed to drag out, and there’s a paranormal element to the book I didn’t expect but enjoyed. Kenna is a character I found myself rooting for, but didn’t buy the romance with either of the romantic interests she encountered. Both boys came off flat to me. If you enjoy myths and paranormal, you may enjoy this book. I personally enjoyed the audio copy more than trying to read it on my own. It’s fast-paced and once you start you won’t want to stop until you reach the end.

Kenna was an interesting character and I liked her narration throughout the story. It made it more compelling, and had a sort of urgency, which also paralleled to the plot. It was a little vague at times, but it worked out for the story overall.

Kenna has a dark gift, the ability to steal the life from any living thing. Her gift reemerges when her mother and sister are attacked, after years of surpressing this power. Her mother sends her away to Eclipse, a strange commune where she discovers the others who share powers like her own.

In Eclipse, Kenna begins to feel as if she belongs, but the longer she stays there the more she feels that there is something not quite right going on.



CREEPY READ! Gotta love it.