Author: Elizabeth Norris
Series: Unravelling #1
Published: April 24th 2012
Rating: 3.5
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.
When I first initially heard all the buzz surrounding Unravelling I immediately put it down as a must read, thinking it would be absolutely mind blowing but, now that I've picked it up and read it for myself? I'm slightly disappointed. I don't know why though, it was quite an enjoyable read but it just failed to draw me in the way other books have and not to mention that unspeakable thing happened to one of my favorite characters!
The novels protagonist is Janelle Tenner who is one tough kicking bad-ass but in the sense she's fiercely protective over the ones she loves and does what needs to be done in order to protect them. Janelle basically brought up her younger brother Jared from a young age, as her mother is mentally unstable and will occasionally have a few melt downs here and there, while her dad is off solving crimes for the FBI, hardly ever home to deal with the mess around him. Janelle is obviously very selfless under taking the task of parenting her brother while her parents really should of been. The relationship between the siblings is very strong/sad as we see how they have come to the routine of fending for themselves.
In the first half of the novel we see Janelle going through the motions of her life but not really living it. It's not till she's rammed down by truck dying in the process- yes she actually dies!- then coming back to life seeing the face of Ben Michaels- the schools 'stoner'- that she realizes she yearns for something more in life. More then her quarterback almost boyfriend nick, more then snooping around her dad's cases playing FBI. Janelle wants something real and genuine-incoming Ben Micheals here!
The relationship between Janelle and Ben quickly progressed throughout the novel, it didn't have one of those intense build ups, with the 'will they' or 'won't they' thing going on. It was established very early on that Janelle and Ben had feelings for each other, and maybe that's why I didn't completely love this book. I couldn't help thinking that maybe the only reason Janelle started having these feelings for Ben because he saved her and now she's got the falling in love with your savior complex going on? Either way it was enjoyable to see how their relationship played out.
One of the things I did love about this book was the countdown! On every chapter there's a countdown to some mysterious item that the FBI found and can't seem to solve or stop at all. All they know is that bodies being found in the most gruesome ways and if they don't stop the countdown it's going only going to get much worse! Janelle and her lovable bestfriend Alex- who I must say was my favorite character- try to help the FBI in the case whether they know it or not. While trying to solve the case Janelle follows the clues and they all lead to BEN!!! Ben and his friends are hiding a dark secret, one so out of this world that its imperative that Janelle must tell no one. Janelle and Ben join forces to stop the countdown before Wave Function Collapse occurs and trust me, that would not be good for the human race.
Overall Unravelling is a fast paced sci-fi that has easy to love characters, I may have a few issues with it but it'll have you tittering on the edge right up to the ending, and with a ending like THAT I'm positive the sequel Unbreakable will be even better.
-Taylor x
No comments:
Post a Comment