Blogger Note: Received ARC from Perseus Books in exchange for an honest review.

Breaker Review

By: Rae

“Show him that everything starts back at the beginning, like it always has, an he’ll find his true path.” – Kat Ellis, Breaker

In Breaker, Kat Ellis takes readers down a path with multiple ways to self-discovery and new beginnings. Kyle has to figure out what is right, make a choice for his future, and accept the consequences that follow. The opening of the novel was full of information for the reader in order to set everything up. Who is Kyle. Why is this happening. What will happen. It was all pretty self-explanatory and I almost wanted the information to come in smaller sizes and woven more into the plot. Aside from that, I got to know Kyle and the speculation on what was going to happen began. The story itself, at the beginning, made me expect the entirety of the novel to be about Kyle coming to terms with who he is, maybe getting the girl, and moving on with his life. The real kink in this plan was two things: 1) Kyle’s dad was Bobby Bluchevsky, a serial killer who broke his victims, literally and figuratively, and 2) The girl he happens to be taking an interest in is the daughter of Bobby’s last victim. Yes, things just got complicated.

While all this self-discovery and coming to terms was going on for the two main characters, Kyle and Naomi, other plotlines were in the works. Things started to happen, small at first, towards a build up at the end of the novel. These things that happened, such as the stuffed owls, creepy ex-boyfriends, and accidental/suicidal deaths, all tied together nicely at the end. The stuffed owl aspect was indeed my favorite tie in between past and favorite. The best thing, for me, in Breaker was the little snippets in between chapters that reverted back to what happen in the past with the capturing of Bobby. The 911 call, the letters from Bobby to his son, and the news reports were great and I speculate on what would have happened if they were both used more and if Kyle would have gotten the letters from his dad. I think sensory detail, such as the leather jacket and the smell of smoke, could have been used more – especially at the end in the big reveal.

Overall there were a few loose ends that I would have liked to have seen clarified. The character of Fletch seemed unresolved. While the story wasn’t about him, why was he in the story? What was the point of his character? The same questions I ask about the principal/headmaster of the school where the majority of the story took place. Perhaps the side characters were the weakest links since they seemed unfinished. The resolution between Kyle and Naomi seemed a tad unbelievable as well.

Breaker was a different read that brings into question the use of secrets, how to finding yourself, and how to make you be someone you want to be.

For more information about Kat Ellis, check out her website!