Unraveling

Written by Elizabeth Norris

Narrated by Katie Schorr

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she's opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn't possible, she knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her revival, and Ben's possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father's files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what's right in front of her: Everything that's happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben's sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she's going to need to uncover Ben's secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl's fight to save herself, her world, and the boy she never saw coming.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Apr 24, 2012
• ISBN: 9780062132642

Elizabeth Norris

Elizabeth Norris briefly taught high school English and history before trading the San Diego beaches and sunshine for Manhattan's chilly winters. She harbors dangerous addictions to guacamole, red velvet cupcakes, sushi, and Argo Tea, fortunately not all together. Unraveling is her first novel.

Reviews for Unraveling

[emily_anne-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This novel was really good! I enjoyed every second of it! (Although I need the next book, like, NOW!) The characters were awesome, and so was the plot and writing!

Let's start off with Janelle, I really liked her, she is realistic and caring, so is her brother and her dad. Her mother is too, although she has her problems. Janelle kind of raised herself and her brother. Her Mother is mentally ill and her dad disappears at work most days and nights. But she has her best friend Alex, and she stil knows her dad is mostly there for her. Janelle is pretty awesome. She has some killer qoutes, I would share them with you if I could actually remember them, and I don't want to go hunting for them now, maybe I'll share them later. Well, anyway, she is sarcastic, sweet, and doesn't take to being messed with.

Ben is amazing. Although I felt we didn't see quite enough of him. In fact, this whole book passed really fast. It is definitely action packed! The science fiction part was very well done too! I won't say anything more than that so I don't spoil anything!

The chapters were really cool and added to the story. At the top of each it shows the countdown! ( I loved the countdown part of the story!) And the varying lengths left an impression, 3 paragraphs to ten pages!

Just to let you know, some important characters die, I won't say who, no spoilers! But, while I wasn't heartbroken, I felt for Janelle and the victims.

Overall, this book was awesome! I enjoyed it! However, I didn't feel enough strong emotion in myself for this to be 5 star, you know? I didn't feel as embedded into the characters as I do with The Host, or Harry Potter, for example. A kind of, I don't care feeling just sometimes washed over me.

I would definitely reccomend this! I loved the plot and all the action!

[kr15tina · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What I LovedApocalypse BookThe world is ending and only a few select people know it. A mysterious countdown that no one can stop, people melting due to radiation, and major weather disasters are just the beginning. The book literately counts down and you can't help but read and devour as the minutes tick by. Elizabeth isn't afraid to hold back and nothing and no one is truly safe. The book is filled with excitement till the very end.CharactersJanelle: Another female character that I really enjoyed reading. She is the provider for her brother and caretaker for her mom so her dad doesn't have to do any of it. Janelle was forced to play parent and responsible adult at a young age causing her to mature and become very dependable. She is able to deal with bad situations with a level head and she doesn't loose it like a whiny little girl. Ben: What a surprise he turned out to be. I at first wasn't sure about him and his obsessive tendencies, but as Janelle spent more time with him I came to really enjoy and love him.Side of RomanceI enjoyed reading the budding romance, this push and pull, yes and no, want but shouldn't romance makes for a very interesting and frustrating read.Didn't LikeThe ending was killer. I can't believe, well yes I can believe it, that is ended that way. I can't wait for the next book to come out!Recommendation Got to read this book!

[bookspot · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

 It's two days before the start of her junior year, Janelle Tenner has just finished her lifeguard shift and is about to pick up her brother . . . when she's hit by a pickup truck and killed.The next thing Janelle is aware of, is Ben Michaels, one of the loners (and possible stoners) from school leaning over her. She can't explain it, she knows no one will believe her, but she knows that somehow Ben has brought her back to life.How she's alive (again) isn't all Janelle has to figure out, though. Snooping around in her FBI agent father's files for clues about her accident, Janelle finds something about a clock - that seems to be counting down to something. Putting everything together (including events that occur soon afterwards), Janelle knows that the countdown and the strange occurrences - maybe even including her accident - are all leading up to something huge.To save the world she'll have to stop the countdown . . . after she figures out what it is.Unraveling is a book that is pretty good when you start it, gets better after a few pages and then really just sucks the reader in. It gets better and better and better as it goes - and it's 445 pages so it gets realllly good.I love that the countdown is there from the first page but what the countdown - even that there is one - isn't known right away. Things really do unfold in Unraveling very well. All of the information isn't just dumped in readers laps right away, it's slowly unveiled as necessary. Sometimes I was anxious to learn just a little bit more - but not knowing definitely kept me turning the pages so I could find out!The romance in Elizabeth Norris' debut, while not the main focus of the novel, is incredibly strong and captivating. It's one of my favorite YA romantic relationships of lateThe plot of Unraveling is tricky and full of twists and turns but it never seems to lose itself. There aren't any holes (that I could tell) nor does it get confusing, or bogged down at any point, either. The plot also doesn't take over, leaving the characters behind. The familial relationships and friendships were well done and added a great extra element and emotion that made the story something it really wouldn't have been without them.Elizabeth Norris' writing/language is definitely worth noting. While the story itself was so very enjoyable, I also so enjoyed the certain phrasing she used and how well written Unraveling was.*Also, Janelle gets so many points from me for having read (and retained) The Awakening by Kate Chopin (she loses a few for spoiling it, but . . .still).thank you to Harper for providing a copy for review

[bookaddictdiary · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Janelle is hit by a truck and killed. Not only does she manage to come back to life, but the truck appeared -literally -out of nowhere. Soon after, Janelle's father, who works for the FBI, gets involved in a case surrounding the accident, and Janelle just has to snoop around in his supposedly confidential files to find out more. She finds herself pulled into a strange world where the very laws of physics seem to have no meaning, and where the future of the world hangs in the balance.After reading a blurb like that, how could I say no? Unraveling offers a fast-paced plot packed with science fiction elements, pulse-pounding action and a writing style that's compelling and un-putdown-able. I ended up reading this book in just one sitting because of the quick pacing, especially after the halfway point, when things really start to speed up. After the halfway mark, things started to get a little shaky for me. Though I was grateful to get past the more high school-centric feel of the first half of the book, and the plot started to get more compelling as the novel plunged into the more "science fiction" part of the story, it just reminded me far too much of the TV show Fringe. (Yes, I am Fringe fan and I still continue to watch it.) While I can understand utilizing similar elements, I felt like a good chunk of Unraveling, especially the elements that had the most direct baring on the plot, were ripped almost directly from Fringe. It was so bad that at certain points I almost felt like I was reading Fringe fanfiction -I even started imagining some of the characters as Fringe actors! I really would have liked this book to have a stronger personal identity that can would allow it to stand alone, but there just wasn't enough separation here for me.Obviously, my opinions of Unraveling are prejudiced due to my relationship with the show Fringe, which seems to have inspired this book. For readers who are not familiar with Fringe, Unraveling will read as a much fresher approach to teen science fiction that packed with action. (I was still surprised, however, at the frequent use of adult language here, which isn't typical for YA.) I probably would have enjoyed this book more if I had never seen an episode of Fringe -but that just wasn't the case.

[ayleeargh · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In short: Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris is an intense mystery thriller with a fascinating sci fi twist and a countdown to the End of the World.Unraveling took me by surprise. I went into it not really knowing what to expect, maybe just a nice read with a good mystery. But what I got exceeded all my expectations in every single way. Unraveling is a superb and intense mystery thriller with a super cool sci fi twist. I became so involved in the plot and characters while reading that I found it near impossible to put Unraveling down. Despite being relatively lengthy, short chapters and a plot involving a countdown clock to the End of the World ensure a fast paced read.Unraveling's protagonist, Janelle Tenner, is what really made this book for me. It may partly be a factor of really hating the protagonist in the last book I read and thus in comparison, Janelle seems extra awesome, but I'd like to also think that I loved her for being completely independent, smart and nerdy, and snarky. She never once relied on someone else to get things done - she was a go-getter. When faced with the mystery of how she was brought back to life, why people are turning up dead with their bones liquefied from a nuclear-like blast, and how the End of the World Countdown can be stopped, she makes it her business to find out. Yikes - if it were me, I'd probably hide in a corner and hope for the best.I also adored Janelle's love interest, Ben, and all their scenes together. And you know that if I'm mentioning the love and relationship aspect of a book in a review, then I must've really loved it because I am not one to gush over that kind of thing in my reviews. Ben has all of the intrigue and mysteriousness of the "Bad-Boy Type" without any of the dickish-ness, which was awesome. Together, Ben and Janelle make quite the cute couple. There were many a moment - most notably, Janelle's ideal proposal scene - that made me swoon.My one quibble is one that I have with lots of YA mystery novels - namely, that the characters feel the need to play teen detective and save the world instead of turning to a professional for help. I loved Janelle, really I did, but the girl needs to learn that when the End of the World is looming over your head, it's maybe time to turn to the FBI or a Physicist and not worry about if they'll think you're crazy - ASAP.Unraveling is author Elizabeth Norris' debut novel and I cannot wait to read more from her in the future. I am especially looking forward to seeing more of Janelle and Ben and maybe a certain other mystery that was mentioned briefly in Unraveling and will hopefully be solved in a sequel! Unraveling will be released April 24, 2012. I highly recommend it.

[heatherlinc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was a disappointment. I was reeled in by the blurb and enjoyed the first part of the book, but then it became convoluted. There were just too many things happening to be realistic, especially when the sci fi element was introduced. Janelle wasn't a bad protagonist, she was outspoken, intelligent and caring, but the romance between her and Ben, like many of today's YA novels, happened far too quickly. I thought there would be more suspense in this book as the main characters raced against the clock to save the world, but basically "Unravelling" was just another teen romance.

[staciesnape-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When it comes to Unraveling, I had just been looking for something quick and easy to read. Don't get me wrong, I've had it for a long time and thought the summary sounded good, sadly when I read it I got just that, a quick and easy ready that didn't wow me at all.Janelle, the main character, is working her last day at the beach, its also the last day of summer before she goes back to school. Everything seems to be going fine, she's with her boyfriend, they haven't had an incident in the water (she's a lifeguard) and she's making plans with her friends, until while leaving to pick her brother up she is hit by by a truck and brought back to life (a little bit Twilight-esk move if you ask me) by the school's loner Ben. She knows she's died, because her life flashes before her eyes and she is remembering things about her mother before she was unhappy most of the time. Not only is she remembering things about her self, but it seems she is also seeing into Ben's thoughts and memories as he heals her. She knows she's right, and not crazy, but trying to corner and confront Ben is looking like a more difficult task than she thought.At home her mum is bi-polar and no longer the person she once was, her dad is an FBI agent and constantly away all the time, which leaves her and her brother Jared. She practically raises him, feeds him and makes sure he gets to school on time. Hell she practically looks after them all. But her dad is on a new case a bit closer to home, one with a series of strange and random deaths. Janelle and her best friend Alex decided to do some investigating their self but Janelle soon finds out that the deaths, and her new mysterious Ben, may be linked in ways she never thought possible. Doubt of her new love interest and the discovery of a clock counting down to something terrible, Janelle knows that no matter what she might find she has to keep on searching for answers. After all she's lost too much already.If I'm honest, I didn't like Janelle's character, that's not to say she was a bad one, I just did.. feel a spark with her. I didn't really get her relationship with Ben, at times I felt she thought she 'loved him' more out of the fact that he saved her life. There was moments when I felt like it was all one sided. It's strange, with Ben I never doubted his feelings, they were right out there in the open and granted I felt them to be a bit borderline stalkerish sometimes, they were still true. There were only a handful of times I felt anything for Janelle's character, times when it was just impossible not to. So like I said, she wasn't a bad character I just found her annoying at times. As far as sub characters go, I loved Alex, he made me laugh and really seemed like a loyal friend (at times I thought he was secretly in love with Janelle but I've been wrong before) and he was just a character that I warmed to. Ben's best friend Elijah and Reid however I could not. I think that is because they didn't try setting any roots down or connecting with more people, they were just so focused on one thing and even though I know it was a big thing, I also would have liked to see them actually give others the time of day instead of just brushing them ofSo much happened in this book and it made it damn near impossible to stay focused. If it was spaced out a little bit more between the series than maybe I would have liked it better. I really liked the idea behind the story, and I also know it was a début so I'm hoping that the others will be better. I didn't hate this book, not really. I just expected more than what I got but that's due to my own stupidly high standards.

[capnrandm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was unexpected in the world of paranormal YA. Multiple worlds, global consequences, and only the barest hints of a love triangle. The heroine is not always likable, but this story never disappoints.

[a_reader_of_fictions · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Unraveling is one of the books I've been waiting for, not just because its an Apocalypsie book, but also because it seemed like it would be awesome. However, I also went into the book with a healthy dose of skepticism. I really feared it was going to be a melodramatic, typical YA novel. Why? Because the cover kind of looks like a CW TV show. The first sentence definitely had me worried. Immediately after that, it was pretty apparent that Unraveling is a whole different animal.

Contradicting what I just said, the opening of Unraveling definitely made me think of the television show Roswell, in which Max saves Liz's life. Later, he's able to show her his memories of her and she can see how he feels. I imagine that the show must have served at least somewhat as an inspiration, and, if not, Norris should probably go watch it now. Anyway, cheesy at is, I enjoy Roswell, and Unraveling is better and more intense than Roswell.

The countdown opening each chapter is a device that has been used before, and I think Norris uses it quite effectively. There was an immediacy to all of the events in the book. At pretty much no point in my reading was I bored or not reading as quickly as I could because I needed to know.

I love Janelle from the outset because of her independent mindset and how she doesn't let the high school drama get the better of her. Plus, she judges her boyfriend for sending a grammatically incorrect text message (grammar is hot!). I would judge her for liking the guy, but she mostly doesn't; she just wants to have fun, which I can respect so long as she does so responsibly.

YA heroines are known for doing a lot of really annoying stuff. One such thing that particularly aggravates me is just accepting huge news without any curiosity OR being super curious but not asking anything, and generally acting in a stupid banner based on completely absurd guesses. If they do ask and are rebuffed, they usually give up. Janelle, however is totally unlike those heroines. Janelle pesters people for information until she learns what she wants to know; even FBI agents have trouble not spilling the beans to her. Thank goodness for a heroine who's proactive!

Another thing I really appreciate about Unraveling is in the details. We really get to see Janelle's life, rather than solely focused on romance or the mystery plot line. I know who does the laundry in what way in her household and mundane facts like that. I also really enjoyed the school scenes, such as one in which the AP English class dissects a scene from a novel. Most books skip over the actual learning part of class, but Norris didn't, and I loved how much it felt like one of the good discussions from my AP class. Rather than school just being a place for romantic drama to happen, it's also a place to learn. Props.

With all of the dystopias out there right now, I'm really surprised the publisher or Norris herself didn't try to make this into one. Certainly, it's counting down to an apocalypse, but the book definitely comes off more as a science fiction detective story than a dystopia. Also, the science in this was SO COOL.

Another thing that I loved about Unraveling, because I really seriously don't have anything not loving to say about this book, is the humor throughout. Although the book is seriously intense all the way through, like holy-shiz-what-just-happened-oh-snap intense, Norris has woven humor throughout the whole book. Janelle and most of the other teens are snarky wise-cracking sorts who deal with the shit that is GOING DOWN through jokes. Of course, the book might not be as humorous to people who don't love sarcasm, but I do, and I think everyone should.

I should really wind up this review, because I've stayed up til 1 already finishing (because I HAD to) and my alarm's going to go off at 6:30. So here are the final points:

1) Elizabeth Norris rocks my socks and I will be reading everything she writes subsequently.

2) Unraveling is amazing. You should go buy it/borrow it/cajole someone into buying it for you/find one of the copies that was rock-the-dropped and read it ASAP.

3) Unraveling comes out April 24. You have two weeks to figure out where you can get a copy. The 24th is a good release date for Unraveling, since that's the number of days Janelle has to save the world. Funny that.

[nicola26 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Unravelling was a book I initially had no interest in reading. But then the gushing reviews started popping up, and then I saw and loved the UK cover and finally, I won a copy of an ARC. So clearly I was meant to read this book and I'm so glad I did. It was fantastic! The books I give high ratings to are always the ones that I take days to actually read because I don't want them to end. That was definitely the case with Unravelling and I hated seeing the ending getting closer, which was heightened by the fact that the chapters showed the countdown to the end. A little detail that I really liked, actually.

Janelle may just be one of my favourite female protagonists of all time. There was just something about her voice that really resonated with me. If I haven't made this clear before, I love well-written snarky characters and just can't get enough of them. They make the reading experience a lot more amusing, especially when the character is also really intelligent, as Janelle was. I especially liked how kind and caring Janelle is despite everything life keeps throwing at her. She has a really close bond with her younger brother Jared mostly because she had to step up and parent him since their actual parents weren't doing too good in that department. She does get frustrated with it at times but mostly just does her best and gets on with it.

It is not often that I like a main character's best friend. Let's face it, when they're girls, they're made annoying probably just to make the protagonist seem even amazing. And when they're boys, they lust after the protagonist- again to make her seem even more amazing. But I loved Alex! He was such a sweetheart and an actual friend! I adored him right from the first time we met him and wish he'd been in it even more. And there's a scene with his mother that I found pretty comical too! Ben- the love interest- is a very different guy but just as brilliant. I enjoyed getting to know him and I think he'll have many readers crushing on him!

The plot itself moves at a perfect speed and had many twists that I really did not see coming which was awesome. But why am I not giving it a full five stars? Well it was depressing as hell. Seriously. The first half wasn't so bad but I got so weary of bad things happening after a while. It just felt so heavy and sad to me a lot of the time. Not that I can't give 5 stars to sad books (I mean, The Road is an all time favourite) but I had just been wishing some things would go differently. Other than that though, this was a seriously amazing book and I will be recommending it to everybody!

[gigisiriereads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A Fantastic read. Loved every minute of it, the story was so engrossing I found it hard to put down. The writing flowed with a cast of well flushed out characters. The protagonist Janelle has a lot on her plate to deal with than the typical teenager but she doesn't fall apart she handles them with strength and determination. I think the stuff she has to deal with made her who she is, a strong willed no nonsense girl. A really fantastic book.

[angelina0justice · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Daughter of FBI agent uses her sleuthing skills to find the answer to the mystery of a catastrophic countdown the origin of which is unknown. Turns out our heroine is right at the center of this mystery in more ways than one.

Lots of action, a little bit of romance and incredible characters make this debut novel a good read.

I think the editing was probably heavy and didn't always translate what the author intended. Character development is good and believable. The primary element that keeps this story from being 4 stars is the impression that certain parts of the story are steam-rolled or fast-forwarded. Again, it feels like it was an editing issue, versus author delivery.

I look forward to the next novel from Norris.

[jrlibrary · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Read it so long ago that now I can't remember much about it, which tells me that it isn't an incredible story because if it was, I'd remember it.

[perpetualrevision · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another unrealistically bad ass teenager saves the day, but isn't that pretty much what you'd expect from the genre? I enjoyed the story because of the characters and their interactions -- and of course the references to the X-Files, Firefly, and San Diego ComicCon -- not because I found the parallel universe or the teenage FBI-style agents believable.

I really liked how vivid the characters were in my mind as I listened and how real the relationships felt, with the exception of Janelle's mother. She was reduced to a caricature of someone suffering from bipolar (who clearly wasn't being properly medicated) and had no real relationship with anyone, to the point that I wondered why she was even in the story. (At one point I thought maybe she'd been snatched from another universe as a child and that's why she was mentally unstable, but there was nothing to that effect in the first or second books in the series.)

I enjoyed the parallel universe idea only b/c it's something I hadn't yet encountered in YA dystopian sci-fi, and I read so much of that that I always appreciate a different angle. But the whole idea of separate universes that have the exact same people (down to the same names) seems completely improbable. The moment one universe separates from another, some people would inevitably make different decisions that would lead to completely different outcomes -- and offspring. Some of the first generation offspring might be similar to their parallel universe counterparts, but after a few more generations, they'd undoubtedly diverge to the point that the second universe would be filled with completely different people.

That drove me crazy about the parallel universes in the TV show Fringe, as well. And yet I really loved the show. I gave this book four stars, so clearly I'm capable of hoisting my disbelief out of the way if I enjoy the characters enough :-)

[flyleafheather · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Holy. Cow. This. Book! This book was not at all what I expected it to be. I'm going to be echoing those sentiments the entire review so I offer my apologies now. But it is SO true. The synopsis above alludes to something paranormal-ish or supernatural-ish, right? And it is, to a degree. But, what it doesn't tell you, and I don't believe that I am giving anything away here, it is also some straight up awesome science fiction (does a little happy dance), which I LOVE and which seems to be a popular trend in YA lit right now (does a second little happy dance.) But wait! There's more! It also reads a lot like a contemporary at times. This book has it all! Still not sold? Read on, friends.First a question: If you are like me, you love YA (you are reading this blog after all, and that's pretty much all I review) but, tell the truth, how many of the heroines featured in YA lit annoy the crap out of you? I'm talking about the ones that seem not only completely inept at times (fumbling and stumbling in the presence of a hot guy) but can be whiny and clingy and make the most RIDICULOUS decisions regarding EVERYTHING (especially guys) over and over again? I'm not saying that everyone doesn't make mistakes. Sometimes making mistakes results in great stories. And I'm not talking about being perfect. Perfect characters can be BORING. But you know those handful of examples of totally kick ass heroines in YA Lit that you can think of off the top of you head? (Here's my quick list: Katniss, Katsa, Evanjalin, Tris, Rose, Taylor, and Karou) Well, take my advice, just go ahead and add Janelle Tenner to that list. Because not only is she kick ass (her dad is an FBI agent who used to take her to target practice for kicks) but the girl knows what she wants, when she wants it, and goes right after it. Hallelujah to the strong-willed as well as strong-armed heroine!! When first introduced to Janelle Tenner, I thought she was a bit superficial, she's got the hot lifeguard boyfriend, and she plays all the games that high school chicks seem to play to get said hot lifeguard boyfriend. But then I began to see other dimensions to Janelle's personality. Like the side of her that takes care of her younger brother almost single handedly because her mother is mentally ill and her father works all the time (and uses his work as an escape from the mentally ill mother.) And Janelle is smart. Like super smart with a streak of detective in her. When the accident occurs, Janelle is hit by a car and sustains life ending injuries. It could be lights out right there, until the mysterious Ben Michaels steps in, and somehow, saves Janelle's life.This is where the story really takes off. Janelle is determined to find out how Ben did this, and the most incredible, mind blowing story begins to unfold. All these different occurrences, from Janelle's accident, to a series of unexplained murders that her father and the FBI are investigating, to a mysterious and ominous countdown present themselves and just when I was kind of scratching my head wondering what the heck any of these things meant, BAM! Everything begins to connect and the book takes off in an entirely new and completely unexpected way. And somehow, somehow, author Elizabeth Norris manages to accomplish all of this seamlessly, without confusing me (or even irritating me) at all. I am still kind of stunned at how she manages to pull it off! So we have a rockin' MC and we have a really amazing plot, hmmm... what am I forgetting. What about the ROMANCE? Well. It's there friends, it is SO there. Ben. Ben Michaels.The hero.The savior. Sound cliché? Hold up! There is more to this boy than meets the eye. Yes, he's the mysterious, bad boy type. And Janelle thinks she has him all figured out, until she discovers she doesn't. Holy cow you guys. Can Elizabeth Norris write some engaging scenes between these two characters. My favorite scene: the exchange between the two in English lit class when they are discussing a passage from Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens. (I have never read this but I'm going to now:)"So this isn't a marriage proposal you would say yes to?" Ben says. he's giving me that half smile again. Like he already knows the answer. I can't help but smile back. "No, it's not.""You wouldn't want some guy confessing his love for you, and saying he'd do anything for you--even die--that wouldn't be enough for you?" My face floods with heat again, I can't believe Ben Micahels is making me feel like I'm not smart enough to argue. I think I might hate him."What, you want some guy to propose by putting an announcement on the Jumbotron at a baseball game or something?" Ben asks."Oh please, that's ridiculous. I don't want someone announcing to the whole world that he's proposing to me. It shouldn't be about the whole world--it should be about just the two of them.""So your perfect proposal, what would it be?""Seriously?" I look at Poblete and she shrugs, obviously enjoying the real-world application. "I don't know. It would just be the two of us and I guess I'd want him to say something honest, not overly romantic, not something that would make a great story to tell his friends. I'd just want him to lean over..." as I say it, I lean slightly toward Ben, close enough that I can feel the warmth of his body radiating into the empty space between us, and drop the volume of my voice, "...and say 'Janelle Tenner, f- ing marry me." {Except she doesn't say f-ing, she says the real word, and you know what? I'm not a big advocate of curse words in YA, especially when they are shoved in there for no reason, but here it f-ing works. And yes, there is more language like that in Unraveling (at least there was in the ARC I read.) Not ALL the time, just interspersed, you know, like real life teenagers talk. No big deal.}And that moment between Janelle and Ben is just the beginning. There are so many more passages that I absolutely swooned over. I wish I could include all of them here for you, because seriously, this was some of the hottest, yet at the same moment both heartfelt and honest, romance I have read in a long time. I LOVED it.And I can't tell you how impressed I am by this debut author. Elizabeth Norris has somehow managed to capture the unique tone of a young adult, her writing rings true with authenticity. Her words don't sound like an adult imitating a teenager. I don't think that's as easy to pull off as it seems, in fact I know it isn't, judging by some of the YA books being published today. Sorry, if that's harsh but it's the truth. Unraveling isn't a quick read, at 445 pages, and with such an intricate and complex story line, it's not what I would call a 'light' read. But don't let that dissuade you from reading it. There are parts to the story that, at the time I read them, I thought "Why is Norris including this? It doesn't seem to move the book further along or it doesn't seem relevant." But at some point later in my reading I would have one of those "A ha!" moments and I'd suddenly understand, so that's why it's there! Nine times out of ten it developed the plot, or gave teeth to Janelle's character in some way. Unraveling is full of action and not afraid to take chances. It kept me guessing throughout, and surprised me over and over again. I started out thinking I knew what this book was going to be about, thinking I knew the direction it was going to take, only to discover that was not the case at all. In short: Unraveling blew my mind. I can't wait for the book to release later this month so I can hear what the rest of the world thinks because this book kept me up late thinking about all it's twists and turns and open possibilities. Unraveling is the first book in a planned series (thank goodness, because if this was the end... Gah! I'm not even going to go there...) My advice: Pre-order it and get ready for the ride:)5/5 Stars (because this book surprised me from start to finish!)

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Things all start when Janelle Tenner is killed by a truck, however she's saved by a boy, a boy she has noticed but has never seemed to notice her back. Now she's involved in a race against time to save the world, but can their romance survive.I liked this one, liked the characters and how they made hard decisions because they should, and weren't afraid to abide by those decisions. An interesting read that kept me wondering.

[bookishthings · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Loved, loved, loved this book! It's got so many great features: sci-fi elements, end of the world events, romance, and heartbreak.

Janelle is your typical high school girl until she gets hit by a truck. Then all hell breaks loose. There are earthquakes, wild fires, and unexplainable deaths. All the makings of a great book.

Janelle is a strong character. She takes what life has thrown at her, and tries to make the best of all situations. She's led a great, but stressful life. She's also very inquisitive, to the point where it could bite her in the butt. She can't seem to let the mysteries in her dad's files be put to rest. She needs to find out what is happening. Her best friend Alex is awesome. I love that he is witty and loyal. Alex is everything you want in a BFF. And that leads us to Ben. He's not a popular kid at school, and hangs out with questionable people. He's smart, hot and funny. I enjoyed being able to learn about him. I'd love to see things from his perspective though. That would be pretty awesome.

The story line was very fast paced. You are sucked in from the very beginning. I didn't want to put it down. There's a ton of mystery, and some great X-Files quotes. (Yes I'm one of those folks that loves that show.) The characters are what make this book so awesome. Their feelings aren't on the surface only. Each person has been through something that has made them who they are, and fuels their decisions in certain circumstances.

Since I listened to this book, I want to thank the narrator for doing such an amazing job throughout the book.

And a side note. Grab some tissue, cuz you may or may not need them.

[bookwhisperer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I got into “Unraveling” within the first few pages. If it wasn’t for work and life, I could have finished it within a half of a day. Janelle (J-baby as her dad calls her) is a strong character in this book and fights to find the truth but it might be more than she can handle. She has a best friend (Alex) who has her back 99% of the time, a mentally ill mother, a FBI-workaholic father, and a younger brother who she has protected. “Unraveling” made me want to risk getting car sick on my way to the conference because I wanted to finish it so badly but I knew getting sick would not make a good impression on my new co-workers. I hope you readers check it out and like it as much as I did.  

[renrav · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had heard good things about this series and it did live up to its hype. I wasn't sure exactly where it was going most of the book but I enjoyed it and will be continuing the series sometime soon.

[HeatherlyWalker · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

like listening to Roswell fanfiction.

[alcarinqa_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Every now and again I come across a book that screams to be read in one sitting – forget eating and sleeping and just read! Unravelling is one of these books, and unfortunately my read through it was interrupted by … work. But I went straight back to it after I got home again! Everything about the book is superb – the pace, the setting, the wonderful relationships it portrays – but the elements that stand out for me are the characterisation and the heart-stopping plot.Elizabeth Norris serves up a heart-stopping plot in Unravelling – one that will keep you hanging for sure. There is barely a dull moment after Janelle is hit by a truck in the first chapter and wakes to find Ben hovering near her. What follows is a “Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but I was dead and, you saved me … maybe” (see what I did there?). At this point I thought I knew where the plot was going and them BAM, all bets were off and the book was hurtling towards new territory. Although I find it extremely odd that Janelle was able to easily access all her father’s FBI files, it became a minor nuisance as new details were revealed and the characters raced to save the world. The only complaint I have is that, as teenagers, they were extremely unequipped to deal with the situation and I wish they had brought in the proper authorities sooner.I liked Janelle instantly – she’s smart, focussed, mature and dependable. And all this comes across in the very first chapter. She’s a girl after my own heart and I had an instant connection with her. I could see myself making many of the decisions she did and sharing her motivations for doing so. Janelle’s attraction to Ben also resonated within me, because for once it isn’t an insta-romance, and what blossoms between them is, in my eyes, realistic and very sweet. It’s only after the two get to know one another and find out they actually have a lot in common do they embark on a romantic journey.Janelle’s life is centred around her younger brother Jared, whom she has basically brought up – her mother is bi-polar and her father deals with it by working as much as he can. I love the relationships Janelle has with her family, even her mother, and again, find this aspect of the novel to be realistic. Another awesome addition to the cast is Alex, Janelle’s best friend, and although I was fearful that the story would quickly spiral into a love triangle, I am happy to report that it didn’t. Alex remains her steadfast best friend and resident voice-of-reason – proving that a girl and a guy can be friends without romantic feelings developing between them.A book to get your hands into as soon as you can, Unravelling is a rare blend of thriller, science fiction and young adult literature that I feel it will enjoyed by all readers. A brilliant book that is made more stunning in the light of being Elizabeth Norris’ debut – I know I’ll be eagerly awaiting anything she writes next!You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.

[zoewashburne · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not bad. It was like a big mashup of some shows I really like: Roswell, Fringe, Sliders and Veronica Mars (haven't seen Sliders? Go to Netflix, it's freaking awesome). I'm not ignoring the fact that a lot was straight lifted from these shows (not derivative...lifted). It drags in places, but everything takes off starting on page 361...out of 400 pages...so, awkward. Anyway, I enjoyed it, I'll read the sequel as well.

[pandaris_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the most awesome books I've ever read. And it's huge, with so many things going on all the time throughout the story that there was never a point that dragged for me. As you'll know if you've read the summary, Janelle dies and is brought back to life. What I didn't expect was for it to happen right off the bat, but it did.Janelle is also one of the most kick-ass characters I've ever met. Her dad is an FBI agent, so she knows more than an average girl her age would know about things going on with the FBI, and also how to protect herself. Eli gives her crap every time they meet, but Janelle just rolls with the punches and deals them right back with ease. I'd love to be like her. Her dad's partner, Struz, was awesome as well. Kind of like an older brother to her, it was apparent that he was part of the family.There are so many twists and turns in this story that I have to say I never saw what was coming. When it was revealed what the countdown was to, I initially was disappointed because I wanted the book to continue in the way it had, as an FBI action thriller. As I kept reading though the real cause for the countdown grew on me, and ended up making the story more awesome than it would've been had it gone the way I wanted it to.All in all, if Goodreads had the option it would definitely get 6 starts out of 5. These characters felt so real, that when certain stuff went down with people she knew, I choked up. I felt connected to these people, and definitely cared about what happened to them. This is probably the best debut I've ever read and I seriously cannot wait to read more by Elizabeth Norris.

[yearningtoread · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris (#1)Pages: 445Release Date: April 24th, 2012Date Read: 2012, May 18th-20thReceived: Library (But I will buy it someday! :D)Rating: 5/5 starsRecommended to: 16+SUMMARY -Janelle Tenner lives in sunny San Diego where life is good. Maybe not perfect; no, her mother's story attests to that. But her father and brother are always there for her, her best friend is awesome (as always), her boyfriend is cute and sweet, and a summer job as a lifeguard is a great way to pass the time.But then...the unthinkable. Janelle is hit by a quickly moving truck from out of nowhere - and dies. Or at least she thinks she does. She's brought back to life by Ben - some random stoner kid from her school.Now all Janelle has are questions. How did Ben save her? Where did the pickup truck come from? And her dad's mysterious FBI case - how is it all related? In the end, finding answers may come down to saving the world.MY THOUGHTS -First, I was hit with what an incredible writer Elizabeth Norris is. The words..they practically sang. I could feel the beach wind and smell the salty air. I could taste, breathe, see like Janelle. I became Janelle.On top of this, I was shocked (in the best of all possible ways) to learn that Norris used to live in San Diego, and, therefore, is an expert on SD geography and the local's favorites. I mean, Roberto's in Del Mar? I eat there probably once a week during the summer, no joke. Highway 101? Love that drive. The 5? I drive it every day to go to work! The Panera Bread in Mira Mesa? Again, I pass it every day. I feel right at home in this story...but that just made the mass mayhem and destruction all the more real for me. There were refugees holed up in Qualcomm Stadium, guys!! I can just see it happening!! :OIn any case. Brilliant, I tell you. It was brilliant.CHARACTER NOTES -Janelle and I would definitely be besties. Or, erm...I would be that annoying friend who follows her around 24/7 because she's SO flipping cool!! No joke. I could really relate to her, especially in her relationship with her dad and brother. The sarcasm and bantering reminded me of my own family!I love that the best friend and the love interest were separate. The absence of arguing between them. The absence of a love triangle. It really really was quite refreshing.Alex, the best friend, was always there for Janelle, at all costs. I became very emotionally attached to him and just love him to pieces.But, you know, hopeless romantic that I am...I can't help but point out that I'm extreeeemely partial to Ben.I can't even tell you how lovely he was - so perfectly portrayed and defined. You need to read the book to truly understand his pure awesomeness. His debates with Janelle, how much he cares, his absolutely shocking revelation... Well, you get the picture. Every girl would like to have a Ben, let's just say that.STORY NOTES -I think this book should win an award for most tripped out twist ever! Did you see that coming? I sure didn't. To be fair, I don't read much sci-fi, so maybe to a sci-fi reading pro it might seem less shocking, but no siree, not to me! Plus, it made me want to read sci-fi all the time!One thing leads to another. Nothing is left untouched. There are no story holes. It's only a tiny bit confusing at the start, but when things are explained, they're crystal clear. And I can promise you, your jaw will be glued to the floor!You know, I don't believe I've ever read one negative review about this book. I think that right there should say a lot about how badly you need to read this.Basically, it's epic. It's insanely cool and awesomely insane, totally C-R-A-Z-Y. And you know what, Elizabeth Norris knows how to cut out your heart and suck out your soul with her killer ending. Cruel, woman! Cruel! I totally cried. I did. It. Was. Gut-wrenchingly beautiful!!!SUMMING IT UP -Theoretically brilliant! You won't understand unless you decide to accept the inevitable and cave and buy and devour this book like an Extraordinary Dessert. My friends, what on earth are you waiting for?!For the Parents -There are few books I can handle with the F-bomb dropped 50+ times. This was one of the few. Everyone drops a few cuss words in this story, but the group of stoners - Elijah in particular - is the worst. Elijah has created a very cringe-worthy art of fitting an F-bomb into every sentence. And I mean, literally - every sentence. Besides this excessive use of poor and obscene English, there is one very steamy make-out session and the characters sleep side-by-side in bed (but nothing happens).Recommended to ages 16+ - or to those who can handle ridiculous amounts of cussing.

[amberfib · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Unraveling is one of the best novels I've ever read from a debut author. Norris will take you on an adventure that will have you breathless and on the edge of your seat from the first page until the very last sentence. I could not put this book down. Norris masterfully weaves her way through a story that is equal parts mystery, action, and romance. I was captivated by the world that she created, attached to the realistic characters, and enthralled by the plot. Unraveling is a book that I won't soon forget. Unraveling is set in present-day San Diego and is told from Janelle Tenner's first person POV in the present tense. You guys know that I don't really like present tense novels most of the time, but for this book, it just worked. I can't imagine it being told any other way. The present tense narrative served to make me feel like I was right there with Janelle, in real time, fighting to save the world from utter destruction. Needless to say, that added to the suspense of the novel. The characters in this novel are perfectly done. They are flawed, believable, and you can't help but feel for them (whether it's love or hate). Janelle is brave, strong, and selfless. She's everything a heroine should be. She constantly puts others' needs before her own, and even when her own life is falling apart (which it is almost constantly), she still fights for the good of everyone instead of laying down and wallowing in self pity. She's more mature than many adults I know, and I really admired her for that. She's the kind of person that I think most of us strive to be, but she's not perfect by any means. She has her defenses, she's temperamental, and she's impatient. Ben is the guy that I think almost every girl wants. He's intelligent, caring, and has morals, for lack of a better term. Still, he's rough around the edges and isn't afraid to kick some ass when needed. He doesn't fit in with society's idea of normal, and that made all the more intriguing. He's also a selfless character, but at the same time, he's driven by his own emotions and desires. He's secretive, but not to the point that you want to bash his face in. It just adds an air of mystery to his overall character. He's also extremely loyal, to his friends and to Janelle, but he won't stand by someone when he knows they did something wrong. I admired that about him. The secondary characters, especially Alex (Janelle's bff), Struz (Janelle's dad's bff), Janelle's dad, her mom, Jared (Janelle's brother), Kate (Janelle's ex-bff), and Elijah (Ben's bff) are very well-developed. I feel like we knew the least about Reid and Cecily, but we still knew enough that they seemed real and not just like filler characters. I also enjoyed how Janelle threw in random memories of herself with these characters so we felt like we got to know her and them better. It also made the whole story seem more real because her mind worked like a human's mind naturally works, randomly remembering the past. These memories obviously didn't drive the narrative forward, but they did make the story more complex, believable, and realistic, which in turn made it more enjoyable. The plot of Unraveling is ridiculously intense. I don't think poor Janelle and co. get a moment's rest throughout the entire 464 page narrative. Janelle has so many things to overcome, as do the secondary characters, and they all grow so much because of all of the adversity. There are funny parts and happy parts. Those points in the story ensure that this novel isn't a depressing read because there are a ton of heart-shattering sad parts, as well as intense action scenes. There is a lot of mystery surrounding what's going on in this novel, and as the story progresses, more questions are added to the list. However, the ending wraps everything up nicely while leaving room for the sequel (which I can't wait for!). Thankfully Norris doesn't leave us with a cliffhanger. I really hate cliffhangers. And I will be buying both this book and the second book as soon as they come out. I tend to be more likely to buy a second book in a series if the first one didn't leave me hanging with no answers at the end. The pacing of this book was pretty spot on, though I did feel like it dragged in places. The chapters have the countdown at the top, which is a nice touch. It makes you feel like you're going through this adventure in real time, right along with Janelle. I'm assuming that's why there were normal parts included in the narrative as well, to give the story a real-time feel to it. It was kind of cool, but it also made the book kind of long. I have nothing against long novels, but when I read a long novel, I have a hard time not "cheating" and skipping to the end to see what happens before I go back and finish reading the rest of the book. I admit, I did that with this book. But the ending was kind of weird when I hadn't read but a little over half of the novel, so it didn't satisfy any of my curiosity. That's a good thing, though, because I was enable to enjoy the entire book that way. Yea, I know. I'm a giant child sometimes, and I'm as impatient as they come. Overall, I'd recommend Unraveling to anyone. I'm normally into paranormal more than sci-fi, but this book blew me away. This novel has it all, intense pathos, extreme suspense, challenging mysteries, and terrific characters. You do not want to miss out on this one.

[shaelipar · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Unraveling is a really hard book to describe without giving anything away. Part of what made it fun to read was that I had no idea what it was about before I started it and I think that's really the best way to approach this novel. While there were many aspects of the story I enjoyed, I also had some problems with it. Hopefully this review will make it clear what parts worked for me and which didn't.First off, I liked the main character Janelle. She's a very self-reliant young person who doesn't take crap from anyone. I was generally impressed by her strength and refusal to give up. The things that she endures throughout this novel would likely break the average person but somehow she just keeps going. Through all of that and more Janelle remains an amazing friend to her best friend Alex. I love the way they can rely on each other no matter what.The chemistry between Janelle and Ben is really special. It was something I never really questioned even though it has a slight "insta-love" thing happening. Perhaps it didn't bother me as much because their interactions always felt really believable.Ben has all the qualities I love in a guy. He's intelligent, mysterious, caring and always striving to be a better person. I loved how his past and secrets were slowly exposed. I definitely wasn't disappointed by what I found out.This novel is a bit like a roller coaster you can't get off of, twisting and turning its way towards the end at an insane speed. There's a countdown to something, an FBI investigation, a murder mystery, a boy with secrets and a whole lot more. For the most part having all these plots works but it's balancing them that became tricky. I also could have done without some of the side characters and stories that distracted you from the main plot of the mysterious countdown. Neither, Janelle's biopolar mom or her ex-best friend Kate, serve any real purpose in the novel other then to take you away from all the other things that are going on.I think it’s great whenever a YA novel tries to be more than the sum of its parts but with Unraveling I actually felt there was TOO much going on. It feels a lot like three different story ideas that got stuffed into one novel. This makes the pacing a bit off because although the story is told using a countdown element and many of the chapters are super short, it still lagged in a few places. Again I think this goes back to the fact that there were side plots that didn't need to be there.The novels ending definitely threw me for a loop. I give author Elizabeth Norris a lot of credit for taking a risk that big. Whether or not you think it pays off will depend on how you feel about the rest of the novel. Much like my review, I had mixed feelings.Unraveling takes a unique premise and runs with it. I just wish it had spent more time on the more important plot details than making it a circus. Although my feelings on the end result is mixed I think a lot of readers will find its breakneck pace and main character enough to keep them cheering for more.

[ahandfulofconfetti · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book starts off with a bang - literally - when the main character, Janelle, is hit by a truck and dies. The strange thing, though, is that she wakes up, with a classmate - Ben Michaels - leaning over her telling her she'll be all right. Janelle knows that Ben brought her back to life, but can't figure out what that means. Meanwhile, her FBI agent father is working on a case where badly burned bodies are appearing out of nowhere, and a countdown has appeared, ticking down to some unknown conclusion. Things come to a head when someone Janelle cares for is killed, and it becomes a race to stop the countdown and save everyone's lives.Janelle is a girl with some very serious problems (dying and being brought back to life only one of them): her mother is mentally ill, her father surrounds himself in work and is rarely home, and the parenting and care of her younger brother, Jared, has fallen solely on her. She's also dealing with some personal things, namely the aftermath of a traumatic experience while at a party a couple of years prior. Ben - the boy who saves her - had never even been on her radar until she saw him leaning over her; she'd taken him at face value and assumed he was your typical stoner loser. But after he saves her, she can't help but be drawn to him, namely because she wants to know exactly what he did to her - at least at first - but their relationship starts to grow from the get-go.I found myself really engaged with Janelle's narrative. The book is told in present tense, which is really the only way an "it's the end of the world" book can be written, especially one that incorporates the countdown into the beginning of each chapter. There was an urgency in the narrative, the frantic-ness (that's totally not a word, but bear with me) of the characters thoughts and actions setting the pace and making this a very hard book to stop reading. I was literally drawn in from the very first page. I also adored the slow-burning romance that builds between Ben and Janelle, even while everything else is spinning out of control and more and more is discovered about Ben and his abilities and how everything comes together. While you have the initial fascination of Janelle with Ben, there isn't any "insta-love"; they slowly start talking, spending time together, and becoming friends before anything romantic really happens.I do, however, have a couple of complaints. First off, I have an avid dislike of the phrase, "I released a breath I didn't even know I was holding," and it happens five times in this book. And yes, I noticed it all five times. This is totally just a personal preference/annoyance, but MAN did it pull me out of the narrative. Also, the author utilized flashbacks to talk about various things that Janelle was thinking about. When she's lying there dead, she gets one of those "life flashes before her eyes" occurrences, in which she sees a number of things. All of those crop up again throughout the book, with her flashing back to experience them again. We also have actual flashbacks, like to Halloween when she was ten, or to that party where something happened to her, etc. Some of the times it worked all right, but other times it was really disruptive to the narrative and flow of the story. I wish the author had done less of these, or found some other place to insert them, particularly when it got to the end of the book and everything was coming together fast and furious. But that was really my only complaint: as far as the plot and suspense and all of that, this book was really well done.And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the ending, which broke my heart a bit. I am not going to elaborate as I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, but, yes. Sad. I read that the author is writing a sequel, though, so that's good news for me. Perhaps some of that sadness will be alleviated in the next installment.I do want to point out that this book does contain a fair bit of profanity, which is tossed around seemingly without thought. Just a heads up if that sort of thing bothers you.If you're a fan of suspenseful and action-packed writing, and an engaging main character who is strong but still fragile and trying to handle entirely too much, then check this book out. I definitely recommend it.An e-galley was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

[potterwholockian · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

AN AMAZING BOOK !!!!!!!

What I Loved about this book

Such a strong protagonist. An amazing heroine. I literally love Janele. She doesn't need a man in her life and even if her lover leaves she can still get through it in the end. She has had to deal with so many sorrows in her life. It is amazing how much she was able to cope with it all.

I am officially in love with Ben. He is such an amazing, caring character.

I love Jared and Janele's Dad because they are amazing and seem very realistic in my opinion.

What I hated about this book

What is with Elijah and swearing. I felt like teleporting into the book and smacking her in the face. You don't need to swear in every single sentence. It drives people mad.

How so many people had to die ? Her dad :(, Alex :(

What I am neutral about

-Struz
-Reid
-Barclay
-Alex

-The whole alternate universes etc. (what an interesting idea for the end of the world)

Questions
I wonder what the next book will be about? I am hoping it will be just as good as the first. I don't want it to be a series where the first book was promising and then the series just fell apart.

So to Elizabeth Norris.... make the next as amazing as the first.


♥ Isabelle

[booktwirps · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I must admit that after reading the first 100 pages of this book, I had absolutely no idea what was going on, but I knew it had to be something huge after reading the synopsis. I proceeded with caution, though, because I was afraid that I wasn’t going to get the payoff I wanted after all of the hype. I was not disappointed. By the time I’d made it through another fifty pages, I couldn’t put it down. Crazy things started to happen — things I didn’t expect at all — and as in any good mystery, as things are revealed more questions are raised and the stakes grow ever higher. It kind of reminded me of a season of “24″ BEFORE it got all crazy predictable.This book is insane — and I don’t mean crazy cat-lady insane — but fast-paced, awesome premise insane. I honestly had no idea where Ms. Norris was going with the story, but when I got there it all fell into place. I love when I think I’ve got something figured out only to be proven wrong, and I also love when an earlier and seemingly insignificant event takes place and a hundred pages later (or more) it suddenly shows up again as a huge plot point. Sheer brilliance I tell ya.This is another sci-fi book that totally grabbed me and sucked me in. I really liked it. The writing is effortless, the characters are all very strong and well-drawn and I never once felt the plot fell short. Even the minor stories played out well without being distracting. If you are an X-files fan, you MUST check this one out.

[aquaorbis-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Elizabeth Norris has an amazing talent for building tension. Every single chapter of Unraveling ends on a nail-biting cliffhanger that makes putting this book aside extremely difficult. Also in the tension department is the fact that some chapters are very short, which makes it easy to shrug and think, okay, one more chapter and then I'll go to bed. Yeah, right. Suddenly it was 3am and I'd flown through something like 200 pages and I had to FORCE MYSELF to close the book and get some sleep.

Things I really liked:
1. The romance. Janelle and Ben's relationship was very touching and real for me, and I enjoyed watching their love bloom even over a short period of time.
2. The plot's originality. Norris is far from the first person to use parallel universes as a plot line (first thing that comes to mind is the His Dark Materials series), but the take is fresh and deliciously scifi without getting bogged down with needless details. Listen, the science doesn't matter. Give me the opportunity to suspend my belief, and I will follow your plot to the end of the world. Norris did this well.
3. I mentioned the tension, right? Well, it's worth mentioning again. Norris is the type of author who hits the reader with a bunch of little plot points that all add up to a whole lot of story. Huge revelations came just about every chapter and yet evolved naturally. I always felt engaged and every time it seemed like the action was ramping down, something dramatic would happen. Earthquakes during English class, anyone? Okay!

Things I didn't like so much:
1. The whole thing with Kate went nowhere. Now, I understand that there will always be time for Kate in the sequel, but still. Nothing bothers me more than having seemingly important characters introduced, make me remember who they are, and then never do much with them except glare at them from across the room.
2. Alex's death. What. The. Heck. It seemed contrived and horrible and just downright wrong. When you have a guy around who can heal people with a touch, the tension is gone from a character's death scene. So when Alex got shot, I was completely meh because I knew Ben would bring him back to life. But then when Alex's spirit or whatever did not come back to his body for unknown reasons, I felt deceived and cheated. I wasn't sad--I was angry. And don't tell me that it was Alex's "time". It so was not. Bah. This completely unnecessary death also overshadowed Ben and Janelle's parting scene. Even as invested as I was in their relationship, I couldn't bring myself to feel very much. I was just numb.

Overall, however, I really liked this book. It was, in a word, gripping. I look forward to the sequel.