Breaker by Kat Ellis- Review & Giveaway

Breaker
by Kat Ellis
Publisher: Running Press Teen
Release Date: May 24, 2016
Format: Thanks to Running Press for providing me a copy to read and honestly review.

Kyle Henry has a new name, a new school, and a new life. A year has passed since his serial killer father’s execution, and it finally looks like he has a chance to escape the stigma and fear that haunts him. 

Until he recognizes the girl sitting in the back row in homeroom.

Naomi Steadman is immediately intrigued by Kyle, but she doesn’t know he is the son of the man who murdered her mother. What she does know is she and Kyle have a connection—and a spark that Kyle continues to back away from.

Pretty soon, the death count on campus starts to rise. Someone is set on finishing what the Bonebreaker started, and reliving the horrors of their past may be the only thing that can stop the spree.

Told in alternating viewpoints, Kat Ellis’s tale of mystery and horror is full of broken bonds and new beginnings.

Find it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

This book caught my attention as soon as I saw that it was about the son of a serial killer.  I loved the Jasper Dent (I Hunt Killers) series, and was hoping to explore the whole issue of genetics vs. free will vs. how you were raised.  This wasn't exactly that type of book, it was more of a mystery book, but I was okay with that-- because I love mysteries!!

We get off to a slow start when we learn that Kyle is going to start a new life in a Pennsylvania boarding school.  Then, dun dun dun, the daughter of his father's final victim is in his first class.  This cannot be a coincidence, right??  Of course, Kyle doesn't think it's a good idea to say "Hey Naomi, I'm the Bonebreaker's only son.  Wanna be BF4E?"  So he doesn't tell her at all.  Since they have a mutual attraction thing going on, it gets harder and harder for him to keep the secret.  And when bodies start turning up, Kyle knows his identity won't be secret for long...

I didn't LOVE this book.  I liked it.  It felt a lot like a 90's thriller, which I'm a big fan of (and totally think we need books like that always), but I kind of had higher hopes for this book.  I wanted less mystery and more psychological.  There were a lot of characters and I have to say I was a fan of all of them but one.  Addison was all types of terrible.  She was mean girl/frenemy on steroids and I think the book would have been better if she was removed all-together.

OVERALL: A cool YA Mystery with an even cooler setting-- boarding school that used to be an asylum.  It involves generations of people dealing with evil and tragedy which I found super interesting.  While I wished there was MORE on the psychological side, I enjoyed reading the book and would recommend for someone who just wants to read a mystery.

Rating: 3.5/5

• (1) copy of Breaker by Kat Ellis
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