THE KILLING JAR

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.