The Killing Jar

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.