Killer Instinct by S.E. Green
Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
Release Date: May 6, 2014
Publisher: Simon Pulse/Blackstone Audio
Genre: Young Adult Thriller
ISBN: 9781481402859
Running Time: 5 hours and 22 minutes
Source: Received E-Galley from Publisher/Bought Audiobook
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Lane is a typical teenager: Loving family. Good grades. After-school job at the local animal hospital. Martial arts enthusiast. But her secret obsession is studying serial killers. She understands them, knows what makes them tick.

Why?

Because she might be one herself.

Lane channels her dark impulses by hunting criminals — delivering justice when the law fails. The vigilantism stops shy of murder, but with each visceral rush, the line of self-control blurs.

And then a young preschool teacher goes missing. Only to return… in parts.

When Lane excitedly gets involved in the hunt for the Decapitator, the vicious serial murderer who has come to her hometown, she gets dangerously caught up in a web of lies about her birth dad and her owndark past. And once the Decapitator contacts Lane directly, Lane knows she is no longer invisible or safe. Now she needs to use her unique talents to find the true killer’s identity before she — or someone she loves — becomes the next victim…

I knew I would enjoy Killer Instinct from the very first page because of the voice and l’m so happy to say that I was more than satisfied, kind of in love with the voice of the main character, Lane, also known as Slim. Keep in mind though, Lane is twisted but aside from that, she’s just blunt. And shameless in her choice of words, so that might rub some people the wrong way. I thought it was realistic and challenged the status quo and I loved it.

Then, seeing Lane’s family, friends, and foes through her eyes was highly entertaining, especially that between Lane and the ex-girlfriend of the boy she is talking to. Yikes. The tension is thick in just about every relationship we see that Lane has and it all feels so different. I love it. Lane’s got issues, that’s for sure. I definitely didn’t agree with many of the things that she said but I don’t read books to agree with every character’s viewpoints. So…

As for the story, it was kind of predictable in that you must know Lane is connected to the serial killer somehow, right? So really, it’s just a matter of finding out how. And the how I wasn’t so won over by. It all felt so mechanical and not organic enough. So, was I in love with the story? Not necessarily. It was what I wanted but it at the basic level but didn’t go beyond that which was disappointing. That said, I really enjoyed the pacing of the book overall and the imagery which was so incredibly vivid and loved that it’s a quick day read/listen.

As for the audiobook, I think that the narrator, Emily Woo Zeller was the absolute perfect choice for this book. She embodied the voice of this character (young, appears innocent but is very mature and disturbed) in a way that wouldn’t have worked as well had it been anybody else. She also narrates Vault of Dreamers and Under A Painted Sky which are both on my list of books to read, so I’ll have to make a note to listen to those as well.

So, would I recommend this book? I don’t need to, I’d say you know if this is the book for you or not on the very first page. The voice is killer and is worth the read for that alone; I loved it so much, I may just read the sequel!

Killer Instinct by S.E. Green is available today.