Breathe My Name by R.A. Nelson

Francis has what appears to be a perfect life. She has a great, loving family, close friends, and no major problems- or so it seems. Francis was adopted as a young child by her family after her biological mother murdered her three sisters during a moment of insanity. Her mother had tried to kill her too, but she was able to escape thanks to a surprise visit by a stranger. Breathe My Name tells the story of how Francis comes to terms with her mother's actions, her own survivor's guilt, and her over-protective, adoptive family. When Francis meets hot-new-boy-in-school, Nix, she begins to follow a path that will take her towards forgiving her mother and herself.

The cover description of Breathe My Name misleads the reader into thinking the book will be a horror or suspense novel where the mother wants to "finish the job" by luring and killing her surviving daughter. While the story does have a somewhat creepy vibe to it, it is more a realistic story of coming of age and survival. The mother does not come after Francis; though Francis does find herself in danger. While this is not a fast read, it is not boring. Nelson keeps the story moving by alternating between Francis' current life and her past life where we see how her mother slowly falls into insanity and learn what happened on that fateful day when her sisters were murdered.

Book; 13+; ISBN 978-1595141866; New York: Razorbill, 2007.