Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

Unraveling (Unraveling, #1)

by Elizabeth Norris

Reminiscent of Before I Fall, Elizabeth Norris's Unraveling blends realistic coming-of-age issues and heart-stopping romance with something just a little bit more. In this case, a gripping science fiction world.

Unraveling's heroine, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner, is used to having a lot of responsibility. She balances working as a lifeguard in San Diego with an intense academic schedule. Janelle's mother is bipolar, and her dad is a workaholic FBI agent, which means Janelle also has to look out for her younger brother.

And that was before she died...and is brought back to life by Ben Michaels, a mysterious, alluring loner from her high school. The more Janelle tries to figure him out, the more she starts to believe he's connected to a case her father is working on. The one where people are dying of radiation poisoning and the body count is rising. The one that involves a strange clock that seems to be counting down to the earth's destruction. If Janelle wants to stop the clock and save the world, she has twenty-four days to uncover Ben's secrets--and keep from falling in love with him.

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.

Reviewed by Amber on

4 of 5 stars

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Now there's a fucking gladiator plot twist! This was AMAZING, guys.

Yay for Spartacus references! *woohoo*

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This is one of those books that I get completely sucked into. I get sucked in so much that I start fangirling about it all over the place. Unravelling was FLAWLESS. Well, not completely flawless, but almost.

The plot was well paced and kept me hooked. I mentioned in one of my previous reviews that I didn't feel a sense of urgency even though the world was/could be coming to an end. In Unravelling I definitely felt that! The climax had me holding my breath for so long, there was a legitimate chance of me fainting.

I was wondering how this was going to lean towards science fiction rather than paranormal, and can I just say it was NOT what I was expecting! At all!

The big reveal/plot twist came about half way through, and it blew me away. Did anybody actually see that coming?!

There were a couple of things that I did find unbelievable (I know, in a sci-fi novel!), particularly the amount of times Janelle went through her father's FBI files without proper consequences. She seemed to get away with too much.

I also had a problem with the way Janelle - the main character - used the word 'literally'. Your heart didn't literally jump into your throat and choke you, mate.

I didn't think I cared for the relationship between Ben and Janelle, but the ending changed my mind. I also really like her with another guy, and if there was a love triangle then I'd definitely root for those two! That would be one love triangle that I would enjoy.

The ending made me cry. A lot. Elizabeth Norris makes some bold moves there, and I adore her for it. I always love it when an author makes a decision to kill/maim/torture/destroy important characters!

Unravelling is a great novel with amazing twists, writing and world building. I adored it, and I think there is going to be a sequel. The set up for a second book was fantastic!

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 8 May, 2012: Finished reading
  • 8 May, 2012: Reviewed