Uncontrollable (The Nature of Grace, #2)

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Uncontrollable (The Nature of Grace #2)

by S.R. Johannes (Goodreads Author)

4.17 of 5 stars 4.17 · rating details · 265 ratings · 62 reviews

As Grace recovers from tragedy, her science class is chosen by Agent Sweeney at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to help with research on the new "Red Wolf Reintroduction Program".

While she’s excited about helping with the conservation of the endangered wolves, Grace knows this means being outdoors in the worst winter recorded, in a place she no longer feels comfortab...more As Grace recovers from tragedy, her science class is chosen by Agent Sweeney at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to help with research on the new "Red Wolf Reintroduction Program".

While she’s excited about helping with the conservation of the endangered wolves, Grace knows this means being outdoors in the worst winter recorded, in a place she no longer feels comfortable. It also means working closely with Wyn (her ex) and his annoying girlfriend (Skyler), a girl whose idea of getting close to nature is picking silk plants and growing fake plants.

After a couple of wolves show up dead, Grace almost quits. However, when a fellow project team member goes missing, Grace continues the assignment under a renewed suspicion that someone might be sabotaging the conservation program. She quietly begins to hunt for clues.

Little does she know, she is being hunted too.

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PRAISES FOR UNTRACEABLE

"Grace is a spunky, independent, nature girl who doesn't need a boy to save her. With wilderness survival, a juicy love triangle, and more twists and turns than a roller coaster, this fast-paced novel had me holding my breath until the very last page—and still begging for more!" -Kimberly Derting, author of the The Body Finder series (Harper Teen) and The Pledge series (S&S)

"This thrilling story is a dramatic entanglement of mystery, deception and teen romance. The action flows like a brisk mountain stream interspersed with rapids, holding suspense to last page." - Kirkus Reviews

2009 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Quarterfinalist (under the original title of Grace Under Fire) - Judges Reviews:

"This story starts out with a bang...it reads like the young woman were narrating it to a friend, and had the ring of a young person's style and intensity. Grace sees authority people, or at least those she knows, as a bit bumbling, which is true to age. Authentic representation of youth in action also. Original in premise and style, and good use of background...Good story!" - Sue Grafton, author of bestselling Kinsey Milhone series

"This murder mystery features a teenaged heroine, but she has the self assurance of a woman twice her age. The prose is very descriptive...and the dialogue is genuine. The setting of small town North Carolina and the surrounding woods is appealing. The story moves along at a brisk clip, and it feels as if we already have some important clues. We look forward to seeing what's in the case file and what Grace and her motorbike, Luci, will be up to next." - Sue Monk Kidd, author of Secret Life of Bees(less)

Paperback, also in ebook, 300 pages

Published September 24th 2012 by Coleman & Stott (first published September 12th 2012)

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Sep 26, 2012 Haley ~ YA-Aholic rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

“…I think we should talk. I owe you an explanation.” I plop down next to him. “Yeah you do. Your cute accent and dreamy ways can only get you by for so long.”

Shelli Johannes has done it again. Uncontrollable book two in The Nature of Grace series was just as amazing as book one Untraceable. This series is easily one of my favorite series, Shelli has once again put together a book that keeps the readers on the edge of their seat and guessing till the very end.

If you loved Untraceable, then you a...more “…I think we should talk. I owe you an explanation.” I plop down next to him. “Yeah you do. Your cute accent and dreamy ways can only get you by for so long.”

Shelli Johannes has done it again. Uncontrollable book two in The Nature of Grace series was just as amazing as book one Untraceable. This series is easily one of my favorite series, Shelli has once again put together a book that keeps the readers on the edge of their seat and guessing till the very end.

If you loved Untraceable, then you are going to love Uncontrollable! At first when I started Uncontrollable, I’m not going to lie, I was flat out nervous! Untraceable was one of my favorite books of 2012 and I was insanely worried that the sequel wouldn’t live up to book one. But thank goodness that didn’t happen. Uncontrollable had a new story, but still had the aspects and characters I loved from Untraceable.

There are so many amazing things in this series that I love. But the number one thing I think will always be my favorite is our heroine Grace. Grace is possibly my favorite heroine ever, she is so tough and courageous, if she thinks she can save someone’s life, even if it means risking her own..she will do it! She knows a ton about wildlife and how to survive in the wilderness, and she has a passion for animals. This girl is pure awesome, if there was ever a zombie apocalypse and I could have one character from a book be on my team…you can bet your butt I would pick Grace!

There was only one thing in Uncontrollable that annoyed me and that was Wyn (Grace’s EX boyfriend/bestfiend), while he did only annoy me the first 25% or so of the book he still very much got on my nerves. He was such a coward in the beginning I found myself wanting to just grab him by the shoulders and scream “BE A MAN!” But thankfully Wyn came through for me and become the guy I loved in book one after the first 25% or so of the book.

There was one other character that made me insanely happy, but I am not going to speak of them because that would be a semi spoiler, but just know that said person is AMAZING!

Besides the characters being amazing as ever, the story itself this time was so thrilling, although there were a few times where I guessed what was coming before hand, for the most part Uncontrollable surprised me. I loved that this story still stuck with the ‘theme’ of saving animals like book one did, but this time around it was endangered red wolves. .

After finishing Uncontrollable I not only got to add a new book to my favorites list, but was also informed of the red wolves and how their numbers are diminishing. I think it is amazing that Mrs. Johannes not only writes beautiful stories, but also informs readers of endangered animals and things that are happening to these animals in real life. I for one have always been an avid animal lover and the topic she covered in book one Untraceable was one I am very familiar with. But the endangered red wolves was something I was not aware of before reading Uncontrollable, so thank you Shelli for informing me and your readers of our wild animals that need our help.

Overall I had to give this book 5 stars just like book one, it blew my mind and completely met my expectations and more. If you’re looking for a book that will have you on the edge of your seat, a book that will break your heart at times but also teach you something, and a book that is just all around epic and different than most YA novels out there, then I highly recommend The Nature of Grace series.
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Sep 13, 2012 Ellen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tours

Uncontrollable picks up about 3 months after Untraceable left off. If you haven't read Untraceable yet, you will really want to before your read Uncontrollable. Grace is still recovering from her summer tragedy. After her father disappeared, she was determined to find him, and in the process met an awesome hottie named Mo, was attacked by a poacher named Al, and infiltrated a bear poaching criminal ring. She did find her father, who everyone thought was dead, only to lose him again. To add to th...more Uncontrollable picks up about 3 months after Untraceable left off. If you haven't read Untraceable yet, you will really want to before your read Uncontrollable. Grace is still recovering from her summer tragedy. After her father disappeared, she was determined to find him, and in the process met an awesome hottie named Mo, was attacked by a poacher named Al, and infiltrated a bear poaching criminal ring. She did find her father, who everyone thought was dead, only to lose him again. To add to the tragedy, she was also told that her new love, Mo, was killed in the firefight that took place. Her best friend Wyn was so upset with her for lying to him that he refused to speak to her, and now 3 months later, he still doesn't acknowledge her presence. He is just all hung up on his girlfriend Skyler, who hangs all over him, literally. To top it off, the whole town acts like they blame Grace and are mad at her, instead of being proud of her for helping to bust up the poaching operation. Forced to sit behind Wyn and Skyler in class and suppress her gag reflex, Grace is excited to see her friend Agent Sweeny from the US Fish and Wildlife Service enter and begin to tell the class about a new program for endangered wolves called The Red Wolfe Reintroduction Program. Agent Sweeny offers anyone in the class who wants to, the chance to participate. Much to everyone's surprise, considering everything she had been through, Grace was the first to volunteer. She knew it was time to get back into the woods. She was, after all, her father's daughter.

Needles to say, this got Wyn's attention, and he also volunteered, then Skyler volunteered as well, along with three other from the class. Despite concerns from her mom and grandmother, Grace embarks upon this new adventure with a fresh perspective, looking forward to moving from the past into the future. Even though Al, the thug that tried to kill her, had escaped, she still felt she would be safe in the group. As it turns out, the danger that Grace faces is far more dangerous that the wolves she encounters, the question is, can she survive this time around?

I really loved Uncontrollable. It takes place, again, in the Great Smokey Mountains of North Carolina, this time in the midst of a very harsh winter. I love Grace. She is a kick-butt heroine, and she is real. Shelli has done an outstanding job of writing and developing her character, as well as the other characters in the book. Once Wyn got his butt off his shoulders, I really enjoyed him to. We are introduced to several new characters in this book, and as events unfold and the mystery begins to unravel, you are held on the edge of your seat trying to figure out who is involved and who isn't. There are some intense and life threatening situations, but there is also humor injected into the mix in just the right proportion. Lost friendships are recovered and tested, old fears are faced and replaced with new ones, and people, things, and places, from both the past and present, are not what they seem. Filled with action, adventure, mystery, danger, romance, and big surprises, S. R. Johannes has written an outstanding sequel to the first book in her Nature of Grace series, and I am really looking forward to the third installment. (less)

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Sep 29, 2012 B at Spare Time Book Blog rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of Uncontrollable by the author. After the way Untraceable ended I was excited to get to read Uncontrollable. First lets take a minute and show some cover love! The covers for this series are awesome!! Ok now back to the review. S. R. Johannes has such a great way of writing. She has a way of making you question all the characters. Like anyone of them could be involved in the problem. I must be terrible at predicting who is doing what because I was way...more I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of Uncontrollable by the author. After the way Untraceable ended I was excited to get to read Uncontrollable. First lets take a minute and show some cover love! The covers for this series are awesome!! Ok now back to the review. S. R. Johannes has such a great way of writing. She has a way of making you question all the characters. Like anyone of them could be involved in the problem. I must be terrible at predicting who is doing what because I was way off here. This has been happening a lot lately, I must be losing my mojo. The story about the red wolves and why they are dying mysteriously after being released into the wild is just as riveting as the story of the bears. It takes Grace and a group of her friends on a dangerous "field trip", if you will, to try to document the wolves. This happens to take place during a particularly bad winter with dangerous conditions. There are injuries and even deaths. I felt so bad for Grace throughout the story because I feel like she can never catch a break! She is having a string of bad luck and continues to loose people close to her. She felt so alone. There was one aspect of the story that I was right about however it would be a huge spoiler and therefore I will not be telling you. Sorry you will have to read it!

Lets talk about the other characters. Wyn got on my nerves a lot. The way him and Skyla flaunted their relationship in Grace's face. It was just mean how they blamed Grace for their families deaths and such. Never once did they stop and think about how much Grace lost on that day as well. The whole town for that matter blamed Grace for everything and it was just crap! Let's blame the teenager for what the corrupt adults did. I thought the whole Al twist was brilliant! Now that he's back in the picture Grace's life is still on the line which is scary considering what happened to her in Uncontrollable. I would say that there is still a little bright light for her however through all this and that is what will help her get through the obstacles yet to come!

I can't wait to see what happens in book 3. I have a feeling Al will be out for revenge. And the object of that revenge is Grace. Once again in book 3 her life will be on the line. I hope she will make it through!(less)

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Apr 30, 2013 Sheila rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: coming-of-age, cultural, current_issues, mystery, relationships, romance, suspense, young-adult

Filled with memorable phrases and great characters, including the enjoyable cast of Untraceable, Uncontrollable by S. R. Johannes sends the inestimable Grace back into the woods, scant weeks after her father’s tragic death. Chapter headings give survival tips as valid for backwoods life as for inner-city depression and offer intriguing insights into a teen’s approach to difficulties. Meanwhile, accompanied by “Backwoods Barbie and Camping Ken,” Grace has to learn when to trust and when to take c...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Step Into Fiction rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: jessica

S.R. Johannes does it again (minus my ridiculous crying). I fell in love with Untraceable and it broke my heart at the same time. I actually can't believe it's already been ten months since I read the first book. I want to thank the author for not only asking me to be a part of her blog tour but also sending me a copy of the second book to read and review. I've been so busy with books to read that I've finally gotten a moment to read this book. I finished it in less than 12 hours (including a fe...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Annette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Johannes continues the story of Grace in Uncontrollable. She's still getting over the tragedy in Untraceable, and it seems the whole town is blaming her for what happened (I'm not going to say what happened in case you haven't read it yet!)

Grace hasn't been in the woods since the events in Untraceable. But, now she has the opportunity, along with some other students, to research the red wolves in the mountains. They need to be tracked before winter to make sure they are healthy enough to survive...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Britney rated it 5 of 5 stars

As you may know, I absolutely adored book 1 in this series, Untraceable. You can read my review of Untraceable here. Uncontrollable definitely lives up to the first book. It is just as packed with action, mystery and danger. Poor Grace is still recovering from everything in book 1, including losing her father and boyfriend, Mo (whom I abso-bloody-lutely love), and all of a sudden she is back in the middle of another dangerous mess. Only this time, she's being hunted.

This time its winter, so peop...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Sandy rated it 4 of 5 stars

UNCONTROLLABLE (Nature of Grace #2) by S.R.Johannes

UNCONTROLLABLE is the second instalment and September 24, 2012 release in S.R.Johannes young adult Nature of Grace series. Uncontrollable picks up approximately 3 months after Untraceable. Our heroine Grace has suffered many losses but life in the small town near the Smokey Mountains keeps getting worse-the few friends she had are barely talking, her mother is leaving for a new job and her BFF since childhood is refusing to acknowledge her exist...more UNCONTROLLABLE (Nature of Grace #2) by S.R.Johannes

UNCONTROLLABLE is the second instalment and September 24, 2012 release in S.R.Johannes young adult Nature of Grace series. Uncontrollable picks up approximately 3 months after Untraceable. Our heroine Grace has suffered many losses but life in the small town near the Smokey Mountains keeps getting worse-the few friends she had are barely talking, her mother is leaving for a new job and her BFF since childhood is refusing to acknowledge her existence. And when Agent Sweeney from the Fish and Wildlife Department returns to town, Grace is more than willing to help in the tracking of the endangered Red Wolf but someone or something is killing off the wolves and Grace is the next target. With the addition of two qualified trackers, Sweeney hopes that hunt will be short but they will soon find themselves in a fight for their lives.

Grace has always lived in the shadows of the Smokey Mountains. As an avid outdoors person, Grace was the first to volunteer to help track the recently released Red Wolves, but as part of a classroom assignment she would find herself grouped together with ex-bestie Wyn and his new girlfriend Sky. And to complicate matters, the weather was turning a bitter cold and snow storms were forecasted for the immediate future. And as you can guess, unqualified student help does not make for an easy or uneventful assignment. Students will go missing, wolves will be found dead and the realization that someone is still trying to end your life will find Grace the hero once again when she discovers the truth behind big business and the environment.

S.R. Johanne’s UNCONTROLLABLE is a well-written, fast-paced storyline that will keep you wondering with the turn of every page. Old friends will find each other in the most unlikely of circumstances only to lose out to a love that is stronger than anyone believed. And in saying that, the YA love triangle is ever present and frustrating, especially when both young men will tug at your heart and your soul. No one should have to suffer a broken heart. I am enjoying the Nature of Grace series and look forward to the next instalment by S.R. Johannes.

see all of my reviews at : thereadingcafe.com(less)

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Sep 21, 2012 Heather Robbins rated it 5 of 5 stars

Let's start with the cover : It's Beautiful! and perfectly fits with the series! Vania has done a wonderful job on both this one and the Untraceable cover I heart them so much :)

S.R. Johannes does an amazing job of weaving this story into something incredible ... Where I loved the first one for the same reason, this story steps it up a notch. I love how she makes it so that you questions EVERYONE! I never know who is good and who is not. When I come to the conclusion that one thing is going on.....more

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Dec 21, 2012 Ashley Fierro rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: proper-heroine

After the way Untraceable ended I was excited to read its sequel.

I'M COMPLETELY PARTIAL TO STRONG FEMALE CHARACTERS, AND IN THE NATURE OF GRACE SERIES, YOU MOST FIGHT FOR WHAT YOU KNOW AND WHAY YOU KNOW IS RIGHT.

Picks about three months after it what's left off. It takes place again in the Great Smokey Mountains of North Carolina, this time in the midst of a very harsh winter.

S.R. Johannes has done an outstanding job writing and developing her characters.

There are some intense and life treaten...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Literary rated it 3 of 5 stars

Mandy's Review:

Remember how I griped about Grace and her emotions in my review of Untraceable? Well, she's still a little too emotional in this book for my taste, BUT she's A LOT better than she was in Untraceable. As a matter of fact, this whole storyline is much improved over the first book. The characters seem MUCH more believable.

Wyn, Grace's ex, is, in my humble opinion, playing the field. He wants Grace, is supposedly in love with her, but has Skyler as his girlfriend. If I were Skyler and...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Itsjustme-wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Nature of Grace series. The first book being - "Untraceable" which I read and reviewed earlier in the year. I did like the first book a little better, but both books are great .
Full of lots of outdoor action. If you are a lover of the great outdoors - a hiker, camper, explorer, an animal lover, or someone who just loves nature/action books, you will love this book.

Book 2 - "Uncontrollable" takes right off just shortly after the first book, so you have that feeling...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Meradeth Houston rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed Untraceable so it came as no surprise that Uncontrollable was equally as heart-pounding and lots of fun! Grace is a great character and very confident (seriously, more so that I could ever hope to be in her shoes!), and I really enjoyed watching her pull it all together in the wilderness. While reading I was watching the tons of snow fall out my window and really, really grateful I wasn't about to try and go traipsing through it! I did kind of wonder why the different agencies t...more

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Nov 21, 2012 P.E. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Untraceable took me two weeks to read. Uncontrollable was finished in less than a day. Since I knew what to expect in this series everything in the sequel flowed very well and I liked the story even more.

The thing I was so impressed with was how everything was not tidy. Asheville was shaken by the events at the end of Untraceable and there was grief and anger. Grace did what she thought was right and there were severe consequences for her decisions. Seeing the hurt she caused others, the pain s...more Untraceable took me two weeks to read. Uncontrollable was finished in less than a day. Since I knew what to expect in this series everything in the sequel flowed very well and I liked the story even more.

The thing I was so impressed with was how everything was not tidy. Asheville was shaken by the events at the end of Untraceable and there was grief and anger. Grace did what she thought was right and there were severe consequences for her decisions. Seeing the hurt she caused others, the pain she kept within herself, and everyone's struggles to let go and move on gave this book some real depth. There were two scenes in particular that stood out for me; one with Skylar, one with Tommy.

Grace herself grew into a character that I liked a lot. She's been through a lot by now and it's obviously she's crumbling at times. She isn't broken. Grace has this incredible fighting spirit. She's someone that just plain cares about the world and although she still does have a tendency to make completely irrational, impulsive decisions it's more endearing now that she sometimes thinks her plans through.

I enjoyed the side characters a lot. I said this story has great depth- the side characters helped with that. Although Uncontrollable is another mystery, it's also the story of people trying to heal. I loved some of the quirky characters like Birdee. One thing I didn't like was the love triangle. I feel like someone might get hurt and the would make me sad because I liked both love interests.

I also developed a real appreciation for nature. I'm a city girl but I've always been fascinated by forests and conservation. There's a pretty big national park near where I live and I even saw a black bear there once so I could easily picture what Grace was seeing. I love that Johannes is using her books to inform people about animals like red wolves. I know a lot of people would care about these types of issues but there isn't enough coverage for the average person to hear about unless they specifically went looking for it.

Overall, I enjoyed Uncontrollable a lot. Although I ended up guessing who the villain was beforehand, I liked the direction of the story. This book felt much more compact and action packed than it's predecessor. It kept me into the story and I'm excited to read more! 4 stars,

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Oct 07, 2012 Ziaria rated it 4 of 5 stars

Another great book from S.R. Johannes! Just like the first one it was filled with action, mystery, suspense, and the most important to me, the great outdoors.

I think the setting is what really draws me in. I love how the main part of the story happens in the woods. The author doesn't make the woods a scary place to be but instead she makes them beautiful and serene even in the mist of danger.

Grace's character is put to the test yet again and I wonder how in the heck she hasn't crumbled yet. I'm...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Traci (The Reading Geek) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Uncontrollable was a great sequel to Untraceable and I couldn't put this book down. Once again Johannes writes another book that completely sucks me in and I couldn't read this book fast enough.

The story picks up a few months later and Grace is still trying to deal with everything that has happened. However when she signs up to help on a research project with Red Wolves, she finds herself back in the forest. Grace makes an excellent protagonist because she feels like a realistic character to me...more Uncontrollable was a great sequel to Untraceable and I couldn't put this book down. Once again Johannes writes another book that completely sucks me in and I couldn't read this book fast enough.

The story picks up a few months later and Grace is still trying to deal with everything that has happened. However when she signs up to help on a research project with Red Wolves, she finds herself back in the forest. Grace makes an excellent protagonist because she feels like a realistic character to me. She is still dealing with a lot but she throws herself back into helping out in the forest in an effort to start moving on. Also the forest is a place she cares about greatly. Grace definitely developed into an even stronger character in this book too. I admire how she continues to do anything for others, especially the people closest to her. That means that she can be reckless at times but her heart is always in the right place. She is so good with basic survival facts too so if I ever got stuck in the forest I would want Grace with me. I also loved seeing the return of some characters and also meeting some new ones.

The plot once again kept me on the edge of my seat because of the twists. I feel like whenever I started to figure it all out, there would be another new twist and I would be back at square one trying to solve the mystery again. I just couldn't wait to figure out how it would end so I ended up finishing this book in one sitting. Not only were there plenty of twists but there was action, romance, and a few moments that tore my heart out.

I also loved being back in the woods again too. The setting was one of my favorite aspects of the first book in this series so I was thrilled to jump right back in again. This time though Grace was in the woods during one of the coldest winters so reading the details left me with chills. I will definitely be highly anticipating the next book in this series. Overall I loved Uncontrollable and highly recommend this book as well as the first book in this series if you haven't read it yet.

Review posted on: thereadinggeek.blogspot.com (less)

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Oct 07, 2012 Tracy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, read-in-2012

Once again I was so thankful and thrilled when author S.R. Johannes added me to the list of Bloggers to receive an ebook ARC of Uncontrollable. You all know how much I loved the first book in this Trilogy and book two did not disappoint.

Once again Grace is such a refreshing main character. She is strong, smart, loyal, dedicated to what she believes in and pretty darn funny at times. She was put through the ringer in book one and still has a lot of healing to do. I love how Grace is still as stro...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Alleluialu rated it 5 of 5 stars

Another great story by Shelli Johannes! I loved "Untouchable" and "Uncontrollable" is just as exciting. Grace, the heroine, is just so amazing. She has been through hell and still tries to help the people and animals she loves. I felt her sadness at her losses and I especially felt the cold when she fell into that snow drift. Johannes knows how to write to keep you turning pages and anticipating what will happen next. Her villains are believable and she gives you little clues, but you have to be...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Tiffany Lundin rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 04, 2012 Beverly rated it 4 of 5 stars

My thoughts:
Fantastic story! The characters are wonderfully created and fleshed out into "real" people as the story unfolds off the pages.
This is a wonderful addition to the series - picks up the story line and runs with it. The plot is original and clever - keeps you on the edge of your seat. The interactions of the characters are realistic and some will leave your heart aching. The writing is creative and flows well, carrying the reader further and further into the story.
This is one series...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Fly To The Sky rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazing, best-books-in-the-world, favorites, i-love-this-book-so-much, interesting, mystery, nature, reviewed

This review appeared on my blog, Read Books and Live Green

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I should probably let you know I have Sequelaphobia and second book phobia. Trust me when I say this, but it is bad! Half the time I have a huge giant let down, like I love the first book and then I read the second and it's like, AAAAHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. It's tough, so going into this book I...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Page (One Book At A Time) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013

This was a really hard book for me to rate and review. I really enjoyed the characters and the plot line. But there are some key points to this story that seem false to me. I think must people won't think twice about the so I decided to let them go and just go with it.

Grace really is one of the most kick ass heroine's I've ever read about. She's never the damsel in distress even when she really is in distress. I love how she's so in tune with nature. I'm an outdoorsy girl, but I often wonder if...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Barbara ~*Lindt Ninja*~ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

Life is starting to settle into an uneasy new normal for Grace after the death of her father and the fallout from the bear poaching ring that devastated the town three months ago. For a lot of people, she’s become the town pariah, her best friend isn’t speaking to her anymore and she can barely face people she’s known and loved for years because of the misplaced guilt between them. Grace hasn’t been back in the woods in those three months, partly because it’s what her mom wants, partly because i...more Life is starting to settle into an uneasy new normal for Grace after the death of her father and the fallout from the bear poaching ring that devastated the town three months ago. For a lot of people, she’s become the town pariah, her best friend isn’t speaking to her anymore and she can barely face people she’s known and loved for years because of the misplaced guilt between them. Grace hasn’t been back in the woods in those three months, partly because it’s what her mom wants, partly because it reminds her of what she lost and what she’s still running from. Al, one of the poaching ringleaders hasn’t been caught yet and may still be out there looking for her.

Grace’s chance to start getting one part of her life back to normal comes when U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Agent Sweeney shows up at school and asks for volunteers to help study and map a local population of red wolves that are part of a reintroduction program. Surprisingly, her former best friend (and terrible outdoorsman) Wyn volunteers too, along with his bubble-headed girlfriend Sky.

It seemed like a colossally bad idea to me to send six teenagers out into the wild in the winter with just maps and undependable radios and GPS equipment and when Grace found the first dead red wolf, I knew trouble was coming. Between bad luck taking out some of her fellow volunteers and someone obviously up to no good, Grace once again found herself in the thick of a mystery involving dying animals, a mysterious stalker or two and hidden business deals for millions of dollars that are worth killing for.

I can’t think of another YA series that I read that’s a contemporary mystery thriller like this. Once the action starts, it barely slows down at all and doesn’t even really stop at the end of the story. I could easily imagine both this book and the first as movies with lots of special effects – Johannes’ writing evokes that. The kind of tension you can cut with a knife? It’s here.

Grace isn’t like any other contemporary YA heroine either. She’s got the guts and sheer kick-ass temperament of the best UF heroine, the sleuthing skills of a young Sherlock Holmes, the survivalist skills of Grizzly Adams and an endless supply of self-recriminations. She wasn’t quite as angry in Uncontrollable as she was in Untraceable but she was carrying around a ton and a half of guilt which was almost worse. I really love how she does what she believes is right, but. But she’s sixteen. She just up and leaves when she feels like it and is in danger constantly.

If there’s any issue I have with the series, it’s that Grace just doesn’t feel like a sixteen-year-old to me. I’m not saying someone that age couldn’t be, but she’s absolutely brilliant when it comes to all of that nature (picture me waving my arms around) stuff, more so than the guys with diplomas and fancy certificates sometimes. I’d love it if she were at least a few years older for her romantic situation too, I admit. Knowing necking is about all she’s going to get to with her guy is a little deflating.

I love the continuing supporting characters and the new ones that were introduced. Grace’s best friend Wyn keeps breaking my heart by thinking he’s ever going to be more to her; he’s so cute and is growing…dare I say it? Kind of…hot? Nah, he’s a dork. I’m so glad Grace’s mom is mostly back to normal and her dad’s mom Birdee is hilarious. Even the very rotund Ranger Les made me smile.

You really have to read Untraceable and then Uncontrollable. They’re both normal length books but the time will fly by when you read them. It’s fun to have a strong, capable heroine who not only can rescue herself, but can save six guys while she’s at it, while solving a mystery and evading a couple of killers. That Johannes can write so knowledgably about the Carolina Rockies and wildlife and make you feel like you’re there is one giant bonus.(less)

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Oct 21, 2012 Lori rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book, even more so than Untraceable, which almost never happens with sequels. Grace was awesome--both tough and vulnerable, while doing her best to overcome her grief and make her dad proud. There were moments I teared up because I just loved the family dynamics so much. The decisions she made in this book made a lot more sense to me than some of the decisions she made in the previous one, which helped me to understand her a bit better. The grief and the PTSD felt...more 3.5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book, even more so than Untraceable, which almost never happens with sequels. Grace was awesome--both tough and vulnerable, while doing her best to overcome her grief and make her dad proud. There were moments I teared up because I just loved the family dynamics so much. The decisions she made in this book made a lot more sense to me than some of the decisions she made in the previous one, which helped me to understand her a bit better. The grief and the PTSD felt very real, and not once did I ever wish for her to just get over it, because she dealt with everything in such a relatable and understandable way.

I LOVED Birdie, who was an absolute fantastic character. I'm sad Gracie's mom wasn't around more, but her absence was explained well. I don't want to spoil anything so I'll just say there was another character I quite liked as well :) Wyn alternately made me really happy and really annoyed. He came through when he needed to, which made me really proud, and admittedly, he does often get the short end of the stick. But man, sometimes I just wanted to stuff the kid in a closet so he'd stop talking xD

Whereas it took me a little bit to get into Untraceable, Uncontrollable had me immediately. It felt quicker-paced, with the cold and the snow adding an immediate danger at all times, which always felt authentic and never forced. I was on the edge of my seat every time the kids went out on a search for the wolves. And speaking of which, I enjoyed learning about the red wolves. There was a really lovely moment in the woods with them, which was one of my favorites.

The only reason this isn't a higher rating is because the plot was fairly predictable. I guessed who the bad guy was almost immediately, and then I suspected why/how pretty much within the first fourth of the book. I just didn't know what the finer details were, which is what maintained the suspense for me. Plus I didn't know who would die and who would live, which was also a huge source of suspense. No one is safe! lol. And the twist at the end didn't surprise me because I figured something it'd be something like that, a way to tie the first and second books together. If anything, the 'twist' made me roll my eyes a little.

Having said that, overall, I really enjoyed the book. It was a quick and thrilling read, with characters who I've really grown to care about.(less)

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Oct 20, 2012 Jessica (Step Into Fiction) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arcs, blog-tours, 5-stars

Review originally posted at Step Into Fiction

S.R. Johannes does it again (minus my ridiculous crying). I fell in love with Untraceable and it broke my heart at the same time. I actually can't believe it's already been ten months since I read the first book. I want to thank the author for not only asking me to be a part of her blog tour but also sending me a copy of the second book to read and review. I've been so busy with books to read that I've finally gotten a moment to read this book. I fini...more Review originally posted at Step Into Fiction

S.R. Johannes does it again (minus my ridiculous crying). I fell in love with Untraceable and it broke my heart at the same time. I actually can't believe it's already been ten months since I read the first book. I want to thank the author for not only asking me to be a part of her blog tour but also sending me a copy of the second book to read and review. I've been so busy with books to read that I've finally gotten a moment to read this book. I finished it in less than 12 hours (including a few hours of sleep and watching the Voice in there) - so that just shows you how addicting the book is. I fell in love with her characters, her world and the wildlife in the woods of North Carolina. Was curious as to how she would get Grace back out in to the wilderness after that happened to her in the first book. She is a girl of nature and there's no keeping someone away from something they're so passionate about. It took some time but she went back out there and this time instead of protecting bears, it's the near extinct red wolves that she's out to protect. I have a soft spot for wolves so I was eager to dive right in.

Grace is still hurting from many losses in Untraceable and the fact that her best friend (and ex-boyfriend), Wyn, swore he'd never talk to her at the end of Untraceable and he's been sticking to his word. He's all over Skyler and ignores that Grace even exists. Grace is jealous and hurt. She needed him more than ever these past few months and he pretends like she's not even there. You can't help but want to do two things. First being giving a Grace a huge hug and telling her you're there for her and second, knocking Wyn upside his head. He needs a swift hit to the head to set him straight. Things are tense for a good bit of the book before things get back to normal with these two...but that doesn't stay that way for long.

Six kids from Grace's class form two groups that are to go out and study these wolves. Study how they're adapting to being out in the wild and take notes. Something terribly goes wrong on the first day and they stumble upon a dead wolf. A young male. At first glance it appears he is dead of natural causes but nothing is that obvious when Grace is involved. It breaks my heart seeing these wolves, dying. You know it's not of natural causes but you don't know what or better yet who is killing these beautiful creatures. Grace does what Grace does best...she stops at nothing to uncover the truth, even if she puts herself in harm's way. I have so much respect for her strength.

I hate growing attached to characters sometimes. Even the annoying ones.

There are some aspects to this book that are predictible and some that you didn't see coming or at least don't see coming until they're basically smacking you in the face. I like that about a book. A bit of mystery for the reader to solve as well as the characters. There's a great balance of that throughout this book. Not to mention the ending is just perfect. Or rather, the epilogue. The next book is going to be epic. You know there's going to be a big showdown between Grace and her enemy from the first book. E.P.I.C.

Read this series. Especially if you're an animal lover. It feels real. It makes me want to go out in to the woods and just sit. (May be not in the winter like they do in this book...)(less)

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Sep 27, 2012 Lena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-have

I love S.R. Johannes' writing style and plots in her books. Uncontrollable is no different from Untraceable in the exciting, suspenseful parts, however we do see a new vulnerable side of Grace. Grace is still has her strong-natured side but she builds herself up to it after what happened in the first book. Grace is a very relatable character, and I think that is why I liked her so much. How she deals with her tradegy, family, and friends, reminds me of myself at some points. I am not the best o...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Lora rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was a disappointing follow up to the first book in the series. The quality of the storytelling and editing left much to be desired. I am also bothered by the author's message somewhat. It truly is an awful thing to needlessly kill or hurt an animal, but I would never go so far as to say that it is as bad as killing or hurting a person. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the book and will most likely read the next book too.

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Dec 04, 2012 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It's a brilliant sequel to untraceable and is thoroughly entertaining.
This novel seemed to be much better than the previous one, it is heart wrenching and evokes deep emotion from the reader.
The characters are relatable and the 'bad guys' are genuinely scary. Johannes has created a masterpiece.
Over all a fantastic book and series!

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Dec 08, 2012 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Three months after she has lost so much Grace has not healed much. When an opportunity arises to get back out in the wood she feels it is time. Little does she knows that this opportunity will bring her right back into the danger that she just got out of. This book is another page turner and definitely leaves you waiting for the next.

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Sep 27, 2012 Julie Kotzin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wonderful follow-up! It has all the romance, conservation/nature messages, action, mystery, and tear jerking heartache that Untraceable contained. We get to discover how Grace deals with the losses, the community and friends around her, and how she winds up back in the woods and into even more trouble! Abso-blossom-lutely wonderful #2.

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About S.R. Johannes

When Shelli was younger, she spent all her time outdoors, hiking, camping and living the Girl Scout Way.

Somewhere along the way, she got away from nature and earned an MBA in Marketing, kicking off an 18-year marketing career in Corporate America.

Eventually, Shelli traded in her expensive suits, high heels, and corporate lingo for a family, flip-flops, and her love of writing. She started her own...more

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Books by S.R. Johannes

In His Eyes Anthology (Stories from a Cute Guy)

Unspeakable (The Nature of Grace short story, #1.5)

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Uncontrollable (The Nature of Grace #2)

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