Break

by Ken Bagnis

Seventeen-year-old Trey Barrow has lost everything-his home, his family, and possibly his mind. Pursued by a threat that only he can hear or see, it's getting harder for Trey to decide which of his experiences is more the "real" world, where he woke up restrained to a bed in a psychiatric hospital, or the "fantasy" world where he's being hunted by a death-dealing shadow from the spirit realm.
Then he meets fellow patient Pearl Parker, a streetwise mystery who starts hospital riots for laughs. Pearl is the first and only person to believe in Trey's looming threat, and she convinces him they need to escape. Now, before the fate of the entire world is lost.
Realizing he doesn't have to face this nightmare alone, Trey follows Pearl down an endless road of infinite possibilities, hidden motives, an unintentional kidnapping, and not nearly enough snacks. But as their stolen car blazes a Bonnie-and-Clyde-style escape across the Southwestern US, the police and Trey's dark visions are never far behind.

284 pages, Paperback

Published August 30, 2022

About the author

Ken Bagnis is an accomplished musician and practicing psychotherapist. He has been crafting stories and singing for rock-n roll bands since his early youth in Cleveland, Ohio. Musical success took the form of tens of records sold, supported by a North American tour in a filthy Econoline van which lasted several years. Ken shares at least four eerie connections with Hawaiian entertainer, Don Ho including a number one record on the island of Oahu for two straight weeks. When the tour ended on super sunny Christmas in Los Angeles, Ken vowed he would never drive in the snow again. Wandering down a side street lit by the Gazzarri’s parking lot, he contemplated starting a new life as close as possible to the Sunset Strip. With the fortuitousness which always surprises one in retrospect, he collided with the girl of his dreams. The marriage survives but Gazzarri’s has not.

Ken lives in Pasadena, California with his wife, two tireless children and two increasingly invisible cats. Seconds after the kids fall asleep, the pair boldly appear like a scene from Lady and the Tramp. When he is not writing books, Ken still enjoys writing songs and playing 80’s rock ballads on his acoustic guitar, which always sound best when his wife sings a perfect harmony over the chorus.

Reviews

[Shweta Shenoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trey wakes up tied to the bed in a mental asylum with a vague memory of him landing up there. With the help of another mysterious patient Pearl, they manage to escape and steal a car. Soon an eight year old Millie invites herself to be a part of their escapade hoping for some thrill. Thus starts an adventure of the three highly dysfunctional underage trio across the country who are chased by the demons both inside and outside. Trey is struggling to differentiate between the reality and fantasy while Pearl cannot lose focus of their destination and little Millie is in for a joyride.

This book has everything a young reader can ask for. A crazy road trip, fun conversations, adorable quirky incidents and even funnier escapes, some deep rooted family issues and their struggle to breathe through it. Behind this funny story is an important issue of mental health, parental issues that the author has fusioned to create a story to entertain everyone. I thoroughly enjoyed it, laughed out loud a lot. The emotions of the children with troubled, neglected childhood is beautifully expressed. This is the story of a chosen family, their friendship, loyalty and a bond that doesn't give up on each other till the end.

[Alli Hoffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a fantastic wild ride of a YA novel with an emphasis on mental health. i never knew what would happen next, and i loved it! these kids had a great sense of humor — i laughed out loud several times during this read. trey, pearl, and millie are all wonderfully flawed characters that show us what it means to be human. they form a little family where you’d least expect it and help each other face traumas and hardships. i thoroughly enjoyed this storyline as an adult, but it made me love it even more to know that kids will be able to have this mental health representation. i strongly recommend this read to any teachers or parents out there. your children will benefit from both the lessons and the adventures in this book!

[Stacey (Bookalorian) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Break by Ken Bagnis. Let's talk about it.

Trey Barrow is in serious trouble now. Finding himself in a teenage psych unit after a high speed chase with police and he was wearing nothing but shoes….

He was running from a threat only he can hear and see and being strapped down to be a bed in the hospital isn’t helping.

When Pearl, another patient, believes him and knows exactly what to do, they hatch a plan to escape and get to her grandmother in Texas.

With no money they steal a car only to find out the car has a kid in it and she is sassy and . Stealing snacks and racing to beat the darkness, they find a world of friendship, hope and kindness in a world full of dangers.

My heart really ached for Trey, his parents are as useful as a chocolate kettle. The two people in the world that should have your back no matter what, and they almost wash their hands of you, tragic. I felt Pearl really bought the real Trey to surface and taught him that sometimes love comes from a place you least expect it. Millie, however, was my favorite and in reality, accidentally kidnapping her was the best thing that could have happened to her. 3 very different kids, coming from 3 different worlds and they still had each other's backs. I loved it.

I loved the gentle humor and the creative way this book touches on mental health and child neglect. It covered how neglect isn’t always the way you think, that it actually comes in many forms and often can’t be seen on the surface.

These characters touched my heart and I laughed a little, cried a little and the ending really was first rate. As someone who has people in their life with mental health issues, reading this book was a massive comfort for me and I truly applaud how cleverly written this book was. The writing was excellent and I felt like I was in the car with these three renegades and it’s a journey I will definitely take again.

Thank you Ken for gifting me a copy of your beautiful book and honestly I don’t have the words to truly express how much I loved every page.

5 stars!

[Patrycja · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book deserves all the stars! The author knows how to take a reader on a wild ride! Incredible, funny, deep, emotional story. I loved everything about it. The writing style is amazing. You start reading, and suddenly the book ends, and you want more. I loved the characters, their imagination, their interaction. I loved how author showed the mental illness threw the eyes of a psychiatric patients. Ken did it in gentle, fun way, but not taking away the seriousness of the illness. This reads like adventure, like thriller, but also like a help book, and story filled with hope and love.
This is a book worth your time! Pick it up! You will not be sorry.

[Jennie Rosenblum · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast riding twister of a read. This story follows the main character, a teenager, in the throes of mental challenges as he deals with a monster following him and leading his brain and body. Once he meets a fellow patient at a psychological hospital, who promises to help him get rid of the monster, the race is on – literally. The antics and situations that these two characters, soon to be joined by an eight year old, are a whirlwind to keep up with. This is one of those books where I had to slow my reading to take it all in. The book deals with some huge subjects but in a manner that is relatable and also with a sprinkle of humor.

[Dreams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this story and could not put it down. This story takes you on a crazy road trip filled with wild adventures and escapes. You have sarcastic banter, and three kid strangers leaning on each other to survive this trip. I feel the author did a great job at addressing difficult topics, such as parental issues and mental health. I loved that at the end of the book there are quite a few resources listed for reaching out.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A throughly enjoyable adventure!

[Deidre Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know when a book starts off with a quote from ‘The Wind in the Willows,’ it’s going to be good. Add Criminal Mind and Aerosmith references - it becomes great. I loved everything about this book. The story was great and you can’t help but fall in love with the main characters. Definitely one to add to your reading list. My only issue is I’m never going to hear ‘Back in the Saddle’ the same again. 😎