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Unraveling (Unraveling #1)

by Elizabeth Norris (Goodreads Author)

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 6,144 ratings · 1,180 reviews

Sixteen-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, Jared.

And that was before she died...and is brought back to life by Ben Michaels,...more

Kindle Edition, 464 pages

Published April 24th 2012 by Balzer + Bray

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Apr 25, 2012 Wendy Darling rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-publication, harpercollins, young-adult, sci-fi-or-futuristic, april, poc, read-2012, 2012-favorites

The end of the world is coming! When a book begins with the heroine getting hit by a truck and killed in the first chapter, you know you’re in for a good time. 17-year-old Janelle Tenner somehow wakes up miraculously unhurt, however, and staring into the eyes of a boy she barely knows. In the 24 days that follow, she has to figure out what Ben has to do with her strange revival, as well as how her FBI agent father’s investigation into a series of unidentified burn victims might tie into her own...more

129 likes · like · see review

Mar 26, 2012 Tatiana rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Tatiana by: Maja

Shelves: 2012, ya, sci-fi, series-dropped-lost-steam, b

As seen on The Readventurer

2.5 stars

When I look back at Unraveling, the first word that comes to mind is "calculated."

I read a fair number of commercial genre fiction and I am quite used to certain themes, plots and character archetypes being recycled over and over and over and over. It does not bother me, in general. But Unraveling was the first book that made me think, while reading it, that it had been written off of a checklist of what is currently "in" and sells well in YA market. I do not...more

102 likes · like · see review

Apr 17, 2012 Maja rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-favorites, all-the-right-choices, amazing-writing, are-you-kidding-me, arc-2012, cover-lust, debut-author, favorites, highly-anticipating-2012, just-another-book-crush, made-me-cry, my-flat-army, never-saw-it-coming, own-a-dtb, role-models, sci-fi, ya, reviewed-in-2012

Update 04/17/12: Stop by The Nocturnal Library to read a guest post by Elizabeth Norris and enter for a chance to win a hardcover copy of Unraveling.

I never give five stars easily, but I'd give this book ten if I could.

I always feel this strange sense of accomplishment when I discover a book I can add to my all-time favorites. There aren’t many books that mean so much to me and that I keep going back to over and over again. I take that short list and adding books to it very seriously. Therefore...more Update 04/17/12: Stop by The Nocturnal Library to read a guest post by Elizabeth Norris and enter for a chance to win a hardcover copy of Unraveling.

I never give five stars easily, but I'd give this book ten if I could.

I always feel this strange sense of accomplishment when I discover a book I can add to my all-time favorites. There aren’t many books that mean so much to me and that I keep going back to over and over again. I take that short list and adding books to it very seriously. Therefore, I needed to give myself some time before reviewing this because I was afraid that my initial reaction was entirely emotional and that my enthusiasm will drop once I calm down. I slept on it, I finished a very different book by one of my favorite authors, but none of that changed how I feel. If anything, I am now convinced more than ever that I found something truly special in Unravelling (that’s two Ls in the UK edition, only one in the US).

Janelle Tanner is living with her parents and her younger brother, working as a lifeguard at the beach and dating a gorgeous and extremely popular high school senior, Nick. Her life looks perfect on the outside, but on the inside, her mother is bipolar and needs to be taken care of, and her father, no matter how wonderful, has a job that’s keeping him away most of the time. He’s the head of counterintelligence in the FBI’s office in San Diego, and he just got a case that’s driving him and the other agents crazy. An explosive device has been discovered and it’s counting down days, but no matter how many experts they bring in, no one has any idea what it is or how to disarm it. As if that’s not enough, unidentifiable bodies, almost completely melted from radiation, are suddenly showing up everywhere. One of these bodies was found in the car that hit Janelle on her way home from work. She seemed more or less fine after the accident, but what no one knows, what no one would ever believe her, is that she died when the car hit her, and a stoner kid from her school, Ben Michaels, brought her back to life and healed her. Who is Ben? Where are all the bodies coming from? What’s going to happen when the countdown finally hits zero? Is it all somehow connected? Janelle and her best friend Alex always enjoyed ‘borrowing’ her father’s case files from his home office and discussing his cases, but this time, they may be in over their heads.

Elizabeth Norris’ writing is flawless. It doesn’t draw attention to itself, but it keeps you engaged and controls your emotions in a way that doesn’t make you feel manipulated. Unravelling is action-packed from start to finish, but that doesn’t mean that it lacks depth. It was truly heartbreaking, and I gave myself a headache from all the crying. If you think this is just another YA novel, think again, because Elizabeth Norris pulled no punches. She kept surprising me on every page, and each time I thought I had it all figured out, she did something entirely unexpected. It was like watching the awesome first season of Fringe all over again, but with a likeable heroine instead of Olivia.

Don’t you just love a girl who doesn’t spend all her time consciously making one mistake after another because she lacks the backbone to do the right thing? That’s our Janelle for you, a girl who knows exactly what she wants and doesn’t hesitate to make it happen. She’d been a victim once and she has no intention of being one ever again, so she thinks hard about every choice she makes and doesn’t allow herself to be influenced by anyone else’s opinion. She’s my new character I want to be best friends with. I always expect YA heroines to disappoint me sooner or later, because they almost always do, but with Janelle, that never happened. I can count on the fingers of one hand the characters that impressed me as much as she did.

(Did you guys notice how I avoided writing about Ben as much as possible? I'm trying to be serious here and I don't think gushing about that boy would help my cause much. But rest assured, he IS perfect.)

I think I’ve made my opinion pretty clear: I cannot recommend this highly enough. I can’t wait to find out how other people will feel about it. Do yourselves a favor and preorder this one, you won’t regret it.

A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher, HarperCollins UK, for review purposes.

Also posted at The Nocturnal Library (less)

81 likes · like · see review

May 13, 2012 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker rated it 1 of 5 stars

My name is Janelle, I'm the star of this book. I'm super smart. I am way above all these social misfits in this book, in fact, they are so beneath me, I just call them "stoners" or whatever else I see fit. My boyfriend Nick is a loser, I'm just with him because I felt sorry for him and when he smiles, he is soooooo devilishly handsome. I'm going to lie to avoid him, and use my friend Alex to come up with excuses to stay away from Nick.

Oh yes, don't forget Alex. He's my super smart best friend w...more

56 likes · like · see review

May 15, 2012 Ariana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Ariana by: Maja

Shelves: arc-galley, favorites, paranormal, series, beloved, rereading-material

Elizabeth Norris, I fucking love you!

If I had to describe this book in only one word I would say “incredible”, but if I had more words to play around I would say something along this lines:
“Mind-blowing, heartbreaking with a pinch of humor and an action/suspense overdose... all in the best possible way. Keep both eyes on it when it comes out! And be assured - this is a hell of a great book!“

And if I had even more words to use.. well, you should sit down as I have many things to say about this b...more

39 likes · like · see review

Apr 20, 2012 Phoebe added it · review of another edition

Shelves: intergalactic-academy-reviews, sci-fi, thriller, romance

Full review at The Intergalactic Academy

On the surface, Elizabeth Norris’s upcoming debut Unraveling sounds promising: a paranormal procedural featuring the daughter of an FBI agent who investigates a series of mysterious murders where bodies are discovered twisted by radiation. The novel’s opening–which also features our heroine Janelle Tenner’s very own near-death experience–is heavy on The X-files references and promise a similar degree of spooky complexity.

Unfortunately, Unraveling‘s very pr...more Full review at The Intergalactic Academy

On the surface, Elizabeth Norris’s upcoming debut Unraveling sounds promising: a paranormal procedural featuring the daughter of an FBI agent who investigates a series of mysterious murders where bodies are discovered twisted by radiation. The novel’s opening–which also features our heroine Janelle Tenner’s very own near-death experience–is heavy on The X-files references and promise a similar degree of spooky complexity.

Unfortunately, Unraveling‘s very premise was identical to another paranormal procedural–not The X-files, but rather the still-airing Fringe.

I’m not usually one to bemoan the presence of derivative works in YA. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t even mention it. Sure, there have been plenty of paranormal novels where teens meet and flirt in biology classrooms. And okay, there have been a couple of dystopian stories featuring coal-mining populations that may or may not live under domes. I’m not, however, talking about surface similarities but rather the fundamental skeletons of both stories. Unraveling and Fringe offer essentially identical frameworks.

(view spoiler)

These elements (and there are significant similarities to other franchises as well, including Veronica Mars and Roswell) wouldn’t, in and of themselves, particularly damn Unraveling. But Fringe is one of my favorite science fiction shows–and the specific twist mentioned above one of the most innovative I’ve ever seen on TV. Fringe has used this science fictional premise to examine its characters under a variety of frameworks. And these characters are incredibly well-drawn and dynamic, capable of carrying the story even when the SFnal premise falters. In order to succeed, Unraveling would have to rise at least to a similar level.

Unfortunately, it does not. Unraveling‘s prose is often awkward; the dialogue, on occasion, painfully corny (“Whatever you feel for him, don’t let it get in the way of what the laws of physics tell you”). And the cast is sketchily-drawn, rather than vivid. Love interest Ben Michaels, for instance, has green eyes and floppy hair and likes motorcycles. I don’t know how he moves or thinks, even after spending nearly five hundred pages with him. We’re told that Janelle resents having to raise her younger brother, suggesting that they should have an intimate relationship. But I didn’t know anything about him, either. Janelle’s mother, who is bipolar and whose personality, you would think, would have an incredible impact on Janelle, is largely absent, and when she is present she’s never developed beyond “mentally ill.” Even Janelle’s best friend is a cipher. The only thing I could tell you about him at all is that he’s half-Asian–and I only know that because at one point he drops an awkward, self-deprecating racial reference.

The only character beside Janelle that I had any concrete sense of was her father, who loves science fiction. This gave Norris the chance to name-drop some sci-fi, but I found these sci-fi references fairly shallow. At times they were even inappropriate–like when Janelle tells us her father read her Ender’s Game when she was three. But more significantly, we’re supposed to believe that he was a negligent, workaholic parent. And yet Janelle’s memories of her home life are infused with references to him. It just didn’t add up.

That’s not to say this is all bad. Despite the sometimes-awkward phrasing, the novel moves quickly, helped along by its ticking clock format and short chapters. Janelle herself is a fairly solid character. And Elizabeth Norris’ breathless stylistics actually worked well in a pinch during make-out scenes. Readers who don’t mind fairly derivative plots and are simply looking for action novels with lots of romance might enjoy it, even if genuine sci-fi geeks like me are probably best just sticking with Fringe.(less)

32 likes · like · see review

Mar 08, 2013 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity by: Buddy read w/Katy and Anna

Shelves: young-adult, favorites

Ten days ago, I should have died. But I didn't. I'm alive. I have so much to live for. And this time I'm going to do it right.

Current Status : Happy Camper

4.5 stars. It's a miracle! This book is sci-fi but it's not dystopia. You could knock me over with a feather right now. Unraveling is not even technically post-apocalyptic. Think more along the lines of pre-apocalyptic. Either way, I'm in shock. Good job with bucking the trend, Ms. Norris.

Unfortunately, I can't tell you the best parts of th...more

40 likes · like · see review

Mar 24, 2012 Sam rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-or-galley, sci-fi-favourites, science-fiction, 5-star-gems, romance, mystery, thriller, 2012-favourites

This is one of those moments where I wish I was a better writer so my review could at least do this book justice. You will have to make do, I’m afraid. Or better still, READ THIS BOOK, and then get back to me so we can gush about it together.

I am a person who is very easily excited by a gripping synopsis or stunning cover. You won’t believe how many YA books I have lusted and pined over simply because they had been well-marketed. I can think of several upcoming releases already that I have conv...more

68 likes · like · see review

May 19, 2013 Basuhi Ravi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pre-apocalyptic, baby-i-m-addicted, dystopian, favorites, freaking-fun-to-read, my-love, sci-fi, thrillers-n-mysteries, books-i-own

4.5 "Till the world ends" Stars.

Janelle is ~~pretty~~ damn sure she was dead before someone resurrected her and then the paramedics showed up. When her best-friend doesn't believe her, she knows that no-one else will.

But, she also knows that particular someone and he goes to the same school as her.
Scratch that, it sounds too much of a cliche, savior and all. No I'm not saying anything more because all I say will sound like some "insta-copy-paste from that other book" crap.
But, trust me, it's anyt...more

23 likes · like · see review

Mar 22, 2013 ♥Rachel♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-debut-author-challenge

Unraveling was an action packed story with twists and turns that leave your heart pounding, a swoony and sweet romance, and a smart, likable, resourceful heroine. This fresh and original story was a winning combination for me.

Seventeen year old Janelle’s life has been far from easy. She’s had to grow up quickly with a bipolar mother and a workaholic father. She’s stepped into the role of parent for her brother, Jared and takes care of most of the household chores that a mother would care for, a...more

27 likes · like · see review

Apr 03, 2012 Meg ♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Meg ♥ by: Maja

Shelves: e-books, z-2012-reads

This book has made a splash amongst YA reviewers lately, so I had to make sure I had this read before its release on the 24th. Also, the synopsis saying "24 meets the X Files" made me very interested.

Janelle is a 17 year old girl who seems to have the perfect life. Nice, fun job as a lifeguard on the beach, super popular hottie boyfriend, cute little brother and more. She also has a dad that works for the FBI. One day when she is going through his files she discovers a file that says something i...more
This book has made a splash amongst YA reviewers lately, so I had to make sure I had this read before its release on the 24th. Also, the synopsis saying "24 meets the X Files" made me very interested.

Janelle is a 17 year old girl who seems to have the perfect life. Nice, fun job as a lifeguard on the beach, super popular hottie boyfriend, cute little brother and more. She also has a dad that works for the FBI. One day when she is going through his files she discovers a file that says something is going to happen in 24 hours. She doesn't know what it will be, but assumes it's the end of the world and she has to stop it. Ben is a boy from her school that saves her life or er...brings her back to life...after she was hit by a truck. Jannelle feels that Ben is somehow related to whatever is going to happen in 24 hours, too.

This is one book where I honestly did not care about the characters at all, and was fully engrossed in the plot. That doesn't often happen to me. I didn't find anything unique about Janelle or any of the other characters, but I did feel Janelle was relatable. She was abused in the past and works hard to make sure no one will ever take advantage of her again.

The countdown created amazing suspense and will make any sci-fi fan happy they picked this book up. The story flowed at a nice, fast pace so it never got boring. The writing style is pretty simple.

The reason I didn't give this book a higher rating is because I feel like it tried to squeeze a bunch of things into a tiny book and I don't feel much of it will be memorable. To me, anyways. It feels like the author couldn't decide if she wanted to write something totally sci-fi, or maybe a high school drama about the abused teen, or a paranormal romance? I don't know it just felt like too much to me. Others may love the fact that it has a bit of everything to offer the reader, though, so don't let that stop you from checking this book out. This really is a good book that was entertaining and interesting. There are a few parts where you might think "have I read this before"?, because it's honestly got some details that have been used over and over again. I feel like the plot was quite fresh, though.

I think the majority of readers who read this book are going to love it! I keep seeing that this book is part of a series, but I haven't found anything on goodreads to confirm that. If it is, though, I will definitely continue reading. This was an excellent debut.(less)

43 likes · like · see review

May 16, 2013 Sandra marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: don-t-like-the-main-character, dragging-like-a-snail, horrible-bad-boring-beginnings, not-finished, omfg, reviewed-books, rolling-my-eyes, someone-put-me-out-of-my-misery

1.5 STARS

17 year old Janelle Tenner is hit by a truck and killed. But she get's brought back to life by Ben, a guy from her school that she didn't notice until then. Her dad works as an F.B.I. agent, and she snoops around his files searching for clues about her accident.

She finds a clock that's ticking down to something, but she doesn't know what it's ticking down to. She realizes that if she's to save the world, she must uncover Ben's secret, and stop from falling for him in the process.

War...more

11 likes · like · see review

May 09, 2012 Kay rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: apocadystopia, here-and-now, quite-the-romantic, sci-fi, science-experiments-gone-wrong, teens-tweens-and-ya

3.5 to 4 stars for the first half, and 2 to 2.5 for the second.

The premise of this book was what grabbed me. It reads like an X-Files episode with a dash of Veronica Mars, and I do like my plucky heroines spiced with some badass in the face of the unknown. You know, more along the lines of

rather than, like,

By the way, meme notwithstanding, Janelle is an excellent cook, on top of her dividing up her time as a high schooler and a pseudo FBI sleuth.

For the most part, the book did not disappoint. T...more

18 likes · like · see review

Oct 23, 2012 Sarah (saz101) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, science-fiction, 2012-releases

4.5 stars

If the words ‘Science Fiction’ make you want to run for the hills, it’s time to reconsider*. Unravelling is certainly sci-fi, but it’s not what you’re expecting: this is no lycra-covered space opera, but thrilling mystery, heart-stopping action and a heroine with enough snark and savvy to give Veronica Mars a run for her money. If you’re running anywhere, let it be to the bookstore. You need this book.

The Story:
With a largely absent—but painfully wonderful—FBI agent father, a bipolar mo...more

14 likes · like · see review

Jul 13, 2012 Crystal Starr Light rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: amazon-vine, young-adult, science-fiction, hello-my-name-is-mary-sue

Janelle Tenner has your typical teenaged life: FBI father who overworks, alcoholic, manic depressed mother, little brother (a mere 13) that Janelle has to take care of, a nerdy best friend, an evil former friend (of course female) that may or may not have helped get Janelle sexually assaulted. But being hit by a truck, dying, and being revived by stoner, Ben Michaels, changes that. What happened to her? And does it have anything to do with this countdown timer her father discovered?

NOTE: I recei...more

11 likes · like · see review

May 28, 2012 Soumi(in love with Puck) Roy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-arcs, paranormal-others, si-fi, young-adult, books-i-reviewed, owned-copy

When seventeen years old Janelle Tenner was hit by a tuck and died, she felt she was dying. Soon she brought back to life completely unharmed and found Ben Michaels, a loner guy from her school she barely knows, leaning over her. She knows Ben had something to do with her revival but she doesn’t know how. Desperate to know truth behind her accident, Janelle sneaks in her FBI father’s study and discover investigation files on unidentified radiation victims, also a timer that is counting down towa...more

10 likes · like · see review

Apr 28, 2012 Zoey rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, cover-love, dac-challenge

I don't know if I can even begin to explain why I love this book so much. I don't care if sci-fi isn't your favorite genre to read. I don't care what your favorite genre is: this is a book I think most people will like. (Unless you have an issue with swearing. There's quite a bit of that.)

Unraveling reminded me of why I love sci-fi so much. There are so many different ways you can make it unique, and Elizabeth Norris definitely knows her stuff when it comes to that. Unraveling has the perfect am...more

12 likes · like · see review

Apr 26, 2012 Maggie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Maggie by: Maja

Shelves: 2012

Some buzzwords that will automatically make me read a book are: Heathers. Veronica Mars. Tim Riggins. Black singlet. You get the picture. Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris had Veronica Mars potential. The main character, Janelle Tenner, is 17 years old, from San Diego, and the daughter of a law enforcement agent (FBI). These are just superficial similarities though. Some other similarities include memories of blacking out at a party and waking up with ripped clothes, a popular and handsome boyfrien...more

16 likes · like · see review

Apr 02, 2012 Ashleigh Paige rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: amazon-vine, arc, the-decent-shelf-of-meh

Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker.

Lately, my forecasts for books have been spot-on; books I forecast as one, two, or however many stars by the halfpoint often end up being worth that many stars. My forecast for Unraveling was two stars by the halfpoint of the novel and I'm happy that my forecast was off.

Give me a few seconds so I can recover from the whiplash because wow. One minute I'm reading a book that's speeding along at ninety miles per hour and the next, I'm back to a leisurely str...more

9 likes · like · see review

Jun 20, 2012 Eunice rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Eunice by: Maja and Sam

Shelves: out-2012, death-tragedy-suicide, kick-ass-heroines, struggled, urban-fantasy, ya-romance, young-adult, sci-fi

3.5 stars

Okay. I'm probably leaning a bit on the minority side. Not that I didn't like the book it was just that, with all those glowing reviews I kind of expected this book to blow my mind. Which I realized was not a very good move. Because it did not. Although there were parts that I did enjoy and had me quite impressed I was a bit sad that I wasn't completely captivated by the story.

With all the FBI investigations, bio-terrorism and pseudoscience talks, dead bodies from radiation and (view s ...more

8 likes · like · see review

Mar 17, 2013 Renu rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review-from-publisher

Unravelling has it all - a strong mc, dynamic characters, and an explosive plot!

When the story beings we learn that Janelle is a lifeguard. She has a boyfriend that she's not really that into, takes care of her brother, and is basically going through life "stuffed with straw, hollow, and unfeeling." But then she gets hit by a truck and everything changes. When she wakes up the first thing she sees is Ben, a quiet loner from school. This is where the investigation into Ben, and some mysterious mu...more

6 likes · like · see review

Jul 26, 2012 Keertana rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: debut-author-2012, why-the-hype

I think I need someone to explain to me just what was so great about this book, because I sure as hell didn't get it. Maybe I'm missing some pages from my copy of Unraveling, but unlike most of the book blogging community, I was not drawn into this seemingly original story. If anything, Unraveling felt as if it was being written from a checklist:
- Female protagonist who is in high school and has the fate of the world on her shoulders? Check!
- Male protagonist who saves the female protagonist fro...more I think I need someone to explain to me just what was so great about this book, because I sure as hell didn't get it. Maybe I'm missing some pages from my copy of Unraveling, but unlike most of the book blogging community, I was not drawn into this seemingly original story. If anything, Unraveling felt as if it was being written from a checklist:
- Female protagonist who is in high school and has the fate of the world on her shoulders? Check!
- Male protagonist who saves the female protagonist from death and makes her fall half in love with him through that action alone? Check!
- Quiet, shy male protagonist who is in love with the female protagonist from afar and hides his intelligence behind a stoner persona? Check!
- Smart, intelligent, popular female protagonist with issues both at home and concerning her past? Check!
Practically every standard element that you can think of in your usual YA flick is in this novel, so why was it so popular? Let's see if I can unravel that mystery in my review...

When a truck hits Janelle on the road, she should be dead. Yet, even while she's taking what she believes are her last breaths of air, she is mysteriously resurrected by Ben, a stoner who she's never spoken to before. Now, Janelle has to know how she's still alive, why she's still alive, and exactly what her father's new FBI case has to do with anything. There's a countdown and time just may be running out...

Janelle, despite having her family issues that I sympathize with, was extremely annoying and her narration completely grated on me. She was constantly whining about her life, taking out her frustration on her younger brother who did nothing, and had an attitude and aura of being better than everyone else around her. If you're thinking she sounds like a bitch you're right! I couldn't stand her and reading her narration took an immense amount of effort. Furthermore, despite supposedly being "smart" and "clever" and "intelligent" she still manages to fall in love with Ben almost instantly. Their love story felt a little too much like Twilight: Edward is mysterious, he saves Bella, Bella tries to find out why, Bella falls in love with him in the process. Now, just substitute Bella and Edward's names with Janelle and Ben and you have the entire romantic story of Unraveling. Unoriginal much?

Enough about the characters, let's talk about the plot. I suppose for a debut author, Unraveling was clever and original. Each chapter was a countdown to a bigger event, the bipolar mother had never been done before, and it had elements of science fiction. However, there was way too much going on in this story. There were various subplots and the book was too long and drawn out to be credited with having a tight plot. In addition, I wish that Janelle's mother's bi-polarness had been treated more realistically. It was one aspect of this story that I was really intrigued by and it fell flat. Furthermore, the sci-fi elements in this story were disappointing. Perhaps I've read and watched too much sci-fi for this to come across as being truly authentic, but I wasn't "wowed" by it in the least.

Overall, Unraveling was an utter disappointment. I had built this book up to be something amazing in my mind because of all the spectacular reviews, but I didn't find myself enjoying it. I can see the allure for other readers, but I'm getting tired of the same old story lines, characters, and ideas. Publishers seem to enjoy a story that can fit the mold of classic YA, but as a reader, I'm yearning for something more unique. I almost wish I could have seen what other readers saw while reading and falling in love with this book, but I guess I'll never know. I won't be reading any more of Elizabeth Norris in the future, no matter how stunning her reviews are.(less)

17 likes · like · see review

Apr 21, 2012 Blythe added it · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of science fiction

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss-arc, i-totally-saw-that-coming, read-reviewed, take-your-insta-love-and-leave, 2012-reads

To be reread soon.

6 likes · like · see review

Mar 24, 2012 Katy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book had a truly awesome story. Unfortunately, it was a beating to get through and let me really angry pretty much all the way through, and I was more than ready for it to be over. I would rate it lower, but I kind of feel guilty because the book does have a lot of potential.

I really liked the concept, and the story development could have been really beautiful. I would elaborate, but it was almost halfway through this really, really long book that I found out what was really going on. I can...more This book had a truly awesome story. Unfortunately, it was a beating to get through and let me really angry pretty much all the way through, and I was more than ready for it to be over. I would rate it lower, but I kind of feel guilty because the book does have a lot of potential.

I really liked the concept, and the story development could have been really beautiful. I would elaborate, but it was almost halfway through this really, really long book that I found out what was really going on. I can't believe Norris made me suffer that long, but since she intended to introduce the "truth" there, I'll have to leave readers in the dark. Sorry folks, can't ruin the experience for you.

The experience for me made me wary. You already know that I felt this book was WAY too long. I thought Norris put too much into one book. The beginning scene with Nick, the experience after the accident, her mission to find out what's going on and after the big reveal was a little bit all too much. At times, I felt like they were different stories, and while they were great individually, I kind of wish Norris had saved some of them for ideas on future books. It just felt all crammed pack in there, and it made everything confusing - not in the I don't understand what's going on kind of confused, but the everything is so chaotic confused.

And I'm always up for twists. I like it when a book surprises me. But again, I felt Norris tried to put in too many twists in there. While it kept me on my toes, there were times that I felt the twist came from nowhere. Like the big reveal. And also she threw in FALSE twists in there just to catch you off guard. For example, the scene where (view spoiler) WHAT-THE-EFF was that?!? I'm sorry, but that made me angry. If he had felt guilt, his delivery and/or her reaction would have been written differently. And like I said, I like having twists to keep me on my toes, but Norris threw in SO many, that by the fifth one, I just started getting really annoyed.

I was ready for this book LONG before it ended. And by two-thirds of the way through, I was ready to give up. But of course, I had to keep turning the page, and just when I thought the book would end, whoops, hold on folks, there's more.

The end - or the REAL end is probably this book's saving grace for me. It was heartbreakingly beautiful and made me want to cry. But by then I was just exhausted.

I'm sure many will think this is an amazing book. And as I said, the story is really great. It's all that other stuff in there that really bogged the story down, and I truly felt Norris could have cut about half of that stuff out, and the book would be totally awesome.(less)

6 likes · like · see review

Jun 09, 2012 Donna {Book Passion for Life} rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, from-publishers, for-review, own, ya-dystopian-scifi-thriller, favorites

I finished Unravelling just over two weeks ago and I’m still struggling to write this review because, honestly, I don’t think I can give it the justice it deserves. It’s such a unique read that pulls you in from the very first page and it keeps you enthralled until the very last, making you want more and more.

Janelle Tenner is a normal seventeen-year-old girl until one day she is hit by a truck and is killed. But the next thing she see’s is Ben Michaels kneeling over her and she knows that he h...more I finished Unravelling just over two weeks ago and I’m still struggling to write this review because, honestly, I don’t think I can give it the justice it deserves. It’s such a unique read that pulls you in from the very first page and it keeps you enthralled until the very last, making you want more and more.

Janelle Tenner is a normal seventeen-year-old girl until one day she is hit by a truck and is killed. But the next thing she see’s is Ben Michaels kneeling over her and she knows that he had something to do with bringing her back to life. Janelle tries to get closer to Ben to find out what really happened but Ben’s hiding’s bigger secrets and he’s somehow involved in her Dad’s new FBI case where unidentified people are turning up – dead and somehow the world only 23 days left resulting to the end of the world.

Unravelling is absolutely EPIC read and I’m still trying to get over how awesome it really is. I’ve heard mixed reviews about this book and I personally think it’s going to be one of them that you're either going to love it or hate it, and of course, I loved it. Elizabeth Norris introduces you to something fresh, imaginative and beautifully written, with intense and action packed scenes and a storyline that is exciting and unique. The story continued to surprise me all the way through and there were so many twists and turns that left me utterly stunned. It’s impossible to predict this book and it was definitely one of my favourite reads of 2012.

Janelle is a great heroine. She’s smart, feisty and witty. She never backs down from a challenge and will always stand up for what she believes is right. The way her mind works really is captivating too. With her Dad being a FBI agent, she’s picks up a lot of insight from him, like how to figure out which hand someone will use to fire a gun or she thinks fast to get herself out of dangerous situations and I really see her as a FBI agent in training. She’s definitely the hero in this book.
Ben was a great love interest for Janelle. He isn’t what he appears to be, he’s been labelled as a stoner kid at school and he’s anything but. He’s just as smart as Janelle, he’s funny, loving and he really cares for her. They have a connection that knows-one can break and it’s really sweet. The secondary characters were fantastic too. I love Elijah, Reid and Alex especially Elijah. His relationship with Janelle is a pure hate relationship but it’s so funny at times that it gives the story the humour it needs.

Now the ending of the book is utterly heart-breaking but so, so good. Be warned, it’s a tear jerker! I knew it was coming but I still wasn’t prepared for it and Elizabeth Norris ended things so fantastically that I’m dying for the next book. The last words that Ben spoke to Janelle are still with me now and I have no doubt that Ben will keep his promise. I cannot wait to see how things turn out.

All in all, Unravelling is a remarkable debut novel by Elizabeth Norris and I will be eagerly anticipating the release of her next book. This not a book you want to miss out on in 2012, so go and pick up a copy today - you won't regret it!

A huge thank you to HarperCollins UK for giving me the opportunity to read this book.(less)

7 likes · like · see review

Jul 03, 2012 Kelly Leigh rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller, young-adult

Before we venture forth into my thoughts, I’d like to begin by stating that I did like Unraveling. I did read every single word. No skimming, and that’s saying a lot for this reader who has quite the capricious attention span. Though, I went into this book desperately hoping it would hit the spot for my jonesing for anything, everything (view spoiler) as was promised by many reviews and ads and buzz circulating around the Webosphere. It didn’t exactly do that (...more

5 likes · like · see review

Apr 23, 2012 Mimi Valentine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, 5-star, best-of-2012, boys-i-wish-were-real, pure-awesomeness, reviewed

Mind-blowing, gut-wrenching, original, exceptional... It's been over a week since I finished this book and I still can't stop thinking about it or find the words to describe it!

Unraveling kicks off with a running start when Janelle dies — hit and killed by a speeding pickup truck — and is brought back to life by the most unlikely boy possible: Ben Michaels. As the smart, strong, and kick-ass daughter of an FBI agent, Janelle begins to unravel the strands of his secret all the while figuring out...more Mind-blowing, gut-wrenching, original, exceptional... It's been over a week since I finished this book and I still can't stop thinking about it or find the words to describe it!

Unraveling kicks off with a running start when Janelle dies — hit and killed by a speeding pickup truck — and is brought back to life by the most unlikely boy possible: Ben Michaels. As the smart, strong, and kick-ass daughter of an FBI agent, Janelle begins to unravel the strands of his secret all the while figuring out that there's something bigger happening, something exponentially more dangerous, and she has to find out what before it's too late.

With shorter chapters that always start with an ominous countdown, saying this book is intense doesn't even begin to describe it! The concept is literally out of this world. There's not much I can say without being spoilery, but the sci-fi elements are so DIFFERENT from what you'd expect that I can't even put a single label on it. Except maybe amazing. And epic.

Other than loving Janelle completely, I think that Elizabeth Norris created the perfect cast! They're real and anything but typical. And they swear — a lot, which I totally loved. Ben is 100% swoon-worthy while being so different from regular book boys; her best friend Alex isn't a love interest (there's actually no love triangle at all ♥) but I promise he'll steal your heart anyways; Elijah and Taylor Barclay make for unexpected awesome; and Janelle's FBI father and friends are complex as well.

Unraveling isn't a fairytale. Like nothing I've ever read before, it's hardcore and intense and gripping and unique. It's also one of those rare gems that remind us how real life doesn't always close with a happy ending — the huge twist at the end knocked me off my feet! I wanted to cry and beg for a sequel at the exact same time.

In short, Unraveling is one of the most brilliant and gut-wrenching debuts I've ever read! You have to read it — it will blow your mind away! :)

BUY or BORROW?: For books like this one, this is such a pointless question! Buy it and love it, then please come tell me what you think after so we can cry together! :')

(Original review at Mimi Valentine's YA Review Blog) (less)

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Jul 31, 2012 Victoria rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, mystery, young-adult, action-adventure, i-thought-it-was-okay, sad-depressing-books, shattered-my-heart, ya-sc-2012, books-reviewed, annoying-main-characters, disappointing-books, not-for-me, series-dropped-bad, could-have-been-better

Actual rating: 2.5 stars

You know there're some books that you were highly anticipated for, but when you read it, it failed to meet your expectations and you stop liking it? You're like "Darn it! I thought this book was good! It's so disappointing!" Well, Unraveling was one of my highly anticipated reads, but failed to meet my expectations and it's one of my dropped series. Of course, there were some good, memorable parts where I was on the edge of my seat, eagerly anticipated to see what happen...more

5 likes · like · see review

Nov 07, 2012 Whitney (Vivid Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Life is a fragile thing. Apparently the whole world is fragile too."

One word: PHENOMENAL!

This book was everything I could have possibly wanted in a book! From the first to the last past, I couldn't stop reading. The characters, the plot, the romance.

"When the zipper snaps open, Ben pauses, his breath hot in my ear. "Janelle Tenner," he whispers. "I fucking love you."

It was fantastic! I was instantly drown in from the beginning.

The main character: Janelle, is the type of MC I love to read ab...more

3 likes · like · see review

May 02, 2012 E rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aliens-yes-aliens, scary-but-not-for-normal-reasons

Also Found On: A Book and A Record

There is a book that I’ve read recently that this book really reminds me of, or maybe it’s a television show that I’ve watched? That is how this book felt to me. Like I had read everything in it somewhere before. Don’t get me wrong, it was good. I liked the characters (could have done with out so many F bombs, though) and Janelle and Ben played really well off of each other in that cutesy first love sort of way. The science fiction aspect was pretty hard core an...more Also Found On: A Book and A Record

There is a book that I’ve read recently that this book really reminds me of, or maybe it’s a television show that I’ve watched? That is how this book felt to me. Like I had read everything in it somewhere before. Don’t get me wrong, it was good. I liked the characters (could have done with out so many F bombs, though) and Janelle and Ben played really well off of each other in that cutesy first love sort of way. The science fiction aspect was pretty hard core and the author is pretty smart for being able to put it all together (although it did come out in the atypical “let me tell you everything about me” scenes) so that aspect I was a fan of.
I liked the action sequences, I loved the messed up character of the mom, but still, there was something that felt so familiar about this book…oh yes. Because it reminded me of Twilight. As in the epic read that everyone read and no one will admit to reading anymore. Yep, that Twilight. It felt like Twilight 2.0, with Norris going that extra half-inch with her characters that Stephanie Meyer never did, a lot of scenes felt like they were straight out of that read (the truck scene at the beginning, the big reveal, the in-fighting of a select group) it was a more action/adventure, science-fiction version of Twilight. I promise that I don’t say this lightly. Rarely do books remind me of other books, but as I was discussing this one with friends I could not stop thinking about how familiar it felt, to the point where she wondered if I’d read it before (impossible, seeing as it only came out a week ago).
Unraveling was an entertaining read, it had everything that a reader is looking for in a young adult book, action/adventure, mystery, romance, a hint of the paranormal, some laughs, and some tears. It was well written, though at times became a little redundant plot-wise. It left me feeling a little bit ‘meh’. As in: maybe I’ll read the sequel, but maybe I won’t. It was really quick, pacing wise so you can read it in a few days, but it isn’t one that I would keep going back to like a bad habit, one read was enough for me.
(less)

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About Elizabeth Norris

Elizabeth Norris briefly taught high school English and history before trading the southern California beaches and sunshine for Manhattan's recent snowpocalyptic winter.

She harbors dangerous addictions to guacamole, red velvet cupcakes, sushi, and Argo Tea, fortunately not all together.

Her first novel, UNRAVELING (Balzer+Bray, April 2012), is the story of one girl’s fight to save her family, her w...more

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Quotes from Unraveling

“So your perfect proposal, what would it be?" Ben asks. "Seriously?"... "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, fucking marry me.” — 70 people liked it

“Life is a fragile thing. Apparently the whole world is fragile too.” — 63 people liked it

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