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All Unquiet Things

by Anna Jarzab (Goodreads Author)

3.89 of 5 stars 3.89 · rating details · 1,695 ratings · 291 reviews

A riveting thriller set at a California prep school!

Carly: She was sweet. Smart. Self-destructive. She knew the secrets of Brighton Day School’s most privileged students. Secrets that got her killed.

Neily: Dumped by Carly for a notorious bad boy, Neily didn’t answer the phone call she made before she died. If he had, maybe he could have helped her. Now he can’t get the ima...more

Hardcover, 337 pages

Published January 12th 2010 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers (first published December 18th 2009)

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Nov 25, 2011 karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: why-yes-i-ya

this is a really high three stars, because i really did like it a whole lot. my only reservations about going the whole four are that i know i will never read it again. five stars means i neeeed to reread it, and four stars - its chances are good that it will be revisited. but this is a mystery, and i am not the sort of person who has any interest in rereading a mystery once i know whodunit.

but it has a lot going for it.

it takes its title from childe harold, so already it's got me interested. m...more
this is a really high three stars, because i really did like it a whole lot. my only reservations about going the whole four are that i know i will never read it again. five stars means i neeeed to reread it, and four stars - its chances are good that it will be revisited. but this is a mystery, and i am not the sort of person who has any interest in rereading a mystery once i know whodunit.

but it has a lot going for it.

it takes its title from childe harold, so already it's got me interested. my love of byron conquers all. he leadeth me beside the still waters and all of that.

also, this is a YA split narrative where both characters sound like different people. hallelujah! an author that can handle the challenge of creating distinct characters! you would think this would be child's play for an author, but i am finding more and more that many are just not up to the task. this one is great for that.

this book also has a great twin peaks-y vibe. carly was murdered a year ago, her uncle has been jailed for the crime, but her cousin audrey (daughter of convicted murderer) and her ex-boyfriend neily are unconvinced that he is actually guilty. looking into her past, questioning people close to her at the end of her life, and reading her journal, they find out all kinds of sordid information about her that she kept very well-hidden. she's filled with secrets, like poor laura.

overall, it is an incredibly rich book about guilt and betrayal, with complicated and generally unlikable characters. it's hard to root for anyone in this book. but in a good way. with first-person narratives, you want to see all the gritty nasty bits of a character. when you can see into their souls, as it were, and you see only pretty shit, they come across as underdeveloped and unrealistic. it is all out in the open here. jealousy and malice and rage and judgment, but all tempered by good qualities like loyalty and love and good intentions. it's the whole package - characters you understand because they are neither squeaky clean teen detectives nor sordid antiheroes. i thought they were really well-drawn.

now for the bad stuff. the ending...is not satisfying. the whodunit is fine, but there is a showdown that was totally silly. oh, dear. too convenient by half.

the epilogue was a big bowl of "who cares..."

and the part where we find out why carly dumped neily before her life started getting out of control was difficult to swallow. the author covered her bases; the decision was totally in keeping with the character of carly, as shown in one flashback in particular, but it still smacked of contrivance. i can't accept that a teenage girl has that kind of perspective in a situation like that.i was one, and i had no clue what my motives were half the time.

overall it is a solid read. i enjoyed the setting and the problems of this world. it definitely held my interest, and i would classify it as a page turner, but one whose pages i would only turn once.(less)

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Dec 22, 2009 Courtney added it

Shelves: 2009, ya-fiction

I think there is nothing sadder than a book that has a beautiful cover and is not so great on the inside. Seriously, it bums me out. Whenever I see a book that is GORGEOUS to look at, I expect it to be GORGEOUS to read. I have been disappointed in this regard many, many times.

This, however, was not one of those times.

All Unquiet Lives up to its cover and goes so far to SURPASS it.

(Seriously, that's a really gorgeous cover. It's kind of like a beautiful lie. Look at it once, there's a pretty gi...more I think there is nothing sadder than a book that has a beautiful cover and is not so great on the inside. Seriously, it bums me out. Whenever I see a book that is GORGEOUS to look at, I expect it to be GORGEOUS to read. I have been disappointed in this regard many, many times.

This, however, was not one of those times.

All Unquiet Lives up to its cover and goes so far to SURPASS it.

(Seriously, that's a really gorgeous cover. It's kind of like a beautiful lie. Look at it once, there's a pretty girl on the grass, look again and--HEY WAIT A MINUTE SHE'S DEAD. Ok, maybe that was just my response but.)

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of All Unquiet Things back in July. My review then was these four words: "Wow. That is all." And you know, that's pretty much STILL how I feel about this book--wow--but I'm going to try to elaborate a little bit more now that it's closer to the release (January 12th, 2010!) and I can.

All Unquiet Things is the story of Neily and Audrey. They are both looking for closure after the recent death of self-destructive Carly (Neily's ex and Audrey's cousin). Neily is haunted by the phone call Carly made to him before she died and Audrey is determined to find Carly's murderer because she knows in her heart the prime suspect isn't who everyone else thinks it is--her father. Together, the pair become unlikely allies and in their quest for the truth, find out more about Carly and themselves than they ever expected they would.

All Unquiet Things is a really fantastic debut. The language is gorgeous and rich and incredibly transportive, which in my opinion, is essential for any mystery (slash-thriller-slash-bildungsroman). Jarzab takes us into Neily and Audrey's world so expertly, making it so close and so real, that you'd swear it's all you've ever known, and she does this to great effect as well--as this tightly knotted mystery begins to untangle, you feel every new development, every gut-wrenching reveal in your chest, like they're happening to you. Like YOUR secrets are on the line. And these secrets, these developments, are meted out perfectly as well. All Unquiet Things is on the longer side, just to look at it, but never once feels like a long book while you are reading it. It's nearly impossible to put down.

Perhaps my favourite thing about All Unquiet Things, though, are the characters and their growth, their stories. Audrey and Neily are two distinct voices. The book starts out with hurt, loss, pain. The kind that really goes deep. The rest of the novel is sort of like taking the bandages off very slowly and revealing the kind of wound that is not healing properly (ok this is a gross analogy but I really mean it as the highest praise) and you have to take a REALLY GOOD LONG LOOK AT IT before you can see what can be done, how to fix it. Anna Jarzab's take on this kind of pain, these kinds of emotional wounds, is unflinching and Neily and Carly's ultimate path to healing is satisfying. The trip down that path, for a reader, is incredible, at times shocking, and always unforgettable.

Keep your eye out for this one.(less)

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Jan 04, 2010 Alexa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010, ya, debut-author-challenge

All Unquiet Things is a complex book; a murder mystery with two narrators and multiple flashbacks. It would be easy to get lost or thrown out of the story. I never was though because past and present and Neily and Audrey's distinct voices are so skillfully weaved together.

Although this is a mystery the real heart of the story is in the relationships. My favourite being Neily and Carly's. I loved the flashbacks where we got to see their relationship develop. You could really feel why they were at...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Christie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

Anna Jarzab’s first novel All Unquiet Things is mature and thoughtful. Kirkus called it “a sophisticated teen mystery.” It’s actually hard to believe that this book is written for young adult readers; its prose, while not exactly sophisticated, is a cut above many other books published for young readers.

It was the end of summer, when the hills were bone dry and brown; the sun beating down and shimmering off the pavement was enough to give you heatstroke. One winter came, Empire Valley would be c...more Anna Jarzab’s first novel All Unquiet Things is mature and thoughtful. Kirkus called it “a sophisticated teen mystery.” It’s actually hard to believe that this book is written for young adult readers; its prose, while not exactly sophisticated, is a cut above many other books published for young readers.

It was the end of summer, when the hills were bone dry and brown; the sun beating down and shimmering off the pavement was enough to give you heatstroke. One winter came, Empire Valley would be compensated for months of hot misery with three months of torrential rain, the kind of downpours that make the freeways slick and send cars sliding into one another on ribbons of oil.

All Unquiet Things is the story of Carly, Neily and Audrey, students at Brighton Day School, a prestigious private school outside of San Francisco. Through a series of flashbacks – told from Neily and Audrey’s perspective – we learn about how Carly and Neily’s middle school friendship blossomed into something more, and how the arrival of Carly’s cousin Audrey changed the dynamics of their relationship.

These teenagers are smart, but they also have a lot of other issues including deadbeat or overly demanding parents. Neily’s parents are divorced and according to Neily his father “hadn’t really parented me since I was very young and I tended to get away with most things….” The girls have problems of their own.

So what’s the mystery? Well, Carly’s dead. (Don’t worry – her ghost doesn’t speak.) Someone shot her four times and the circumstantial evidence points to Audrey’s alcoholic/drug addicted father Enzo, so he’s serving time in jail. Audrey is convinced that her father is innocent and even though her relationship with Neily has been strained by events, she seeks him out to help her try to figure out who really ended her cousin’s life.

Their investigation exposes the slimy underbelly of Brighton’s facade, but also allows the reader a glimpse into the messed up lives of students with too much money and not enough parental involvement. As Neily and Audrey try to figure out what really happened to Carly, they become friends, at first united in their search for the truth but then because they grow to genuinely care for each other.

You can’t really see whodunnit early on, which makes this a perfect read for students who like a page-turner. All Unquiet Things works on another level, too. Neily has to consider how he has been shaped by his love for Carly and how that love, no longer sustainable or attainable, is holding him back from living a fulfilling life. Audrey has to own up to her own part in Carly’s story and come to terms with the fact that her father might not be capable of all she hopes for him.

All in all, a terrific book.
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May 10, 2012 Kayla rated it 5 of 5 stars

Carly’s ex-boyfriend, Neily, is still getting over their breakup when he suddenly finds her dead by the Empire Creek Bridge. She left him for a bad boy named Adam Murray. Carly called Neily the night of her death, but he refused to answer due to his resentment towards her. Audrey, Carly’s cousin, is convinced that they have accused the wrong person. Audrey and Neily dig into the past to find the truth about Carly’s death. There are many twists and secrets revealed as they figure out the true mur...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook, middle-school, junior-high, mystery

A year after Carly is found shot to death on a deserted country road, her cousin, Aubrey begins looking into the truth about her murder. She approaches Carly's ex-boyfriend Neily looking for a Watson to her Sherlock. He is reluctant to get involved but is convinced that the police have convicted the wrong man. The two become and odd couple, delving into Carly's life leading up to the night she was found dead they discover more about Carly than either knew about her while she was alive.

A pretty g...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars

"All Unquiet Things" by Anna Jarzab is a book suitable for any audience.I would categorize it as a mystery book. I came across this book whilst searching in my school libraryand it was suggested to me by my librarian. After reading it I was so glad I listened to her because this book was beyond phenomenal. I would recommend it to anyone who loves books about mystery and high school. This was the first book from this author that I've read and it definitely will not be the last.

This book is told f...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Shweta rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-contemporary

All Unquiet Things is told in dual narrative. There is Audrey, whose cousin Carly,had been found brutally murdered an year ago and the blame of which was put on Audrey's father. The second narrator is Neily , Carly's ex boyfreind who was the one who discovered the body in the first place.They both join hands to find Carly's real murderer while all the time trying to understand the girl , both thought they knew so well.

Book goes back and forth between past and present, in the voices of both the n...more All Unquiet Things is told in dual narrative. There is Audrey, whose cousin Carly,had been found brutally murdered an year ago and the blame of which was put on Audrey's father. The second narrator is Neily , Carly's ex boyfreind who was the one who discovered the body in the first place.They both join hands to find Carly's real murderer while all the time trying to understand the girl , both thought they knew so well.

Book goes back and forth between past and present, in the voices of both the narrators. It had some really strong moments but overall I had a lukewarm response to the book. It wasn't the writing. I thought the writing was excellent and the way the author chose to tell the story from 2 different point of views , helped the reader make sense of the situation. My problem was the theme. I was enraged as to how the high schoolers looked comfortable with the idea of drug peddling and drug addictions. The brutality of the whole situation which ends a life was too uncomfortable to read . It looked too much of a mess and a very unhealthy situation.It could be reality in some places but reading it made me think about influences on teens and how easily they can sway due to peer pressure.

Characters were well written. They were flawed ,prejudiced but very real. Just because they were portrayed exactly like normal teenagers in their emotions loss and affection, their casual take on drugs left me horrified.It can be just me who has this problem with the book, but it kind of brought down the pleasure of reading. I didn't like Neily or Audrey but I sympathized with Carly whose picture they both created so vividly. She was as flawed as it's possible , she did things which were unpardonable but she was one really well written character. You could find faults with her but you could also see why she turned into the kind of person that Neily loved to hate and Audrey couldn't understand.

It is basically a mystery but I thought it wasn't hard to guess who committed the crime .Some one who focuses a lot on characters and their behavior would have guessed the killer pretty early. But the way Jarzab builds up the mystery is another thing I loved about the book.

I wouldn't say I loved this book but it was worth a read. I would want to read what Anna Jarzab writes next because her writing as I said is wonderful.
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Nov 15, 2011 Betsy VanSweden rated it 5 of 5 stars

All Unquiet Things is a fictional story about a prep school for teens which could in reality almost serve as a review of most high school students behavior today. This story deals with death, drugs, loss of friendship, judgement and secrecy in a way that is severely appalling because of how true and close to home it really is. This novel is written through the perspective of many different students, yet I feel that it is more important that parents and teachers be asked to read this story as a r...more

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Nov 01, 2011 Colleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Carly has been dead for a year. Her ex-boyfriend Neily found her shot to death on a bridge where they often met. Her uncle, Enzo Ribelli, was found guilty of her murder. With a reputation as an unfit father and an alcoholic, Enzo was quickly tried and convicted of Carly’s murder. Though a year has gone by, Enzo’s daughter Audrey (Carly’s cousin and seemingly best friend), can’t move on. Audrey is convinced that her father could not have killed Carly. She is determined to find the real killer and...more Carly has been dead for a year. Her ex-boyfriend Neily found her shot to death on a bridge where they often met. Her uncle, Enzo Ribelli, was found guilty of her murder. With a reputation as an unfit father and an alcoholic, Enzo was quickly tried and convicted of Carly’s murder. Though a year has gone by, Enzo’s daughter Audrey (Carly’s cousin and seemingly best friend), can’t move on. Audrey is convinced that her father could not have killed Carly. She is determined to find the real killer and approaches Neily for help.

Since finding Carly’s body on the bridge, Neily’s life has been unwinding. He no longer sleeps due to the nightmares and he has allowed he perfect grades to fall. Though Neily and Carly had a terrible breakup, Neily knew that Carly was different from other girls and he held onto the hope that one day Carly would come back to him. Now that she’s dead, Neily can’t move on and is stuck dwelling on the death of Carly and what that means for him.

Told in alternating viewpoints of Audrey and Neily, this novel delves deep into each character and what connected them to Carly. Jarzab weaves a great mystery here, told at just the right pace to keep you guessing until the killer is revealed. Jarzab also tells the stories from different time periods. You read about what is happening during the current day (Audrey and Neily’s senior year), but you also jump back in time to important moments–like to eighth grade when Neily and Carly first met. Slowly these flashbacks reveal more and more about Carly and her murder.

I really enjoyed this book. The mystery told here was very intriguing. Sometimes books in alternating viewpoints are not appealing to me, but the way that Jarzab wrote All Unquiet Things made it very easy to follow. Even though everyone is a suspect in this novel, I also really liked the characters of Neily and Audrey and the way their non-romantic relationship develops. The ending is very satisfying, as the truth about Carly’s murder is revealed in a way that is surprising but also plausible. Pick this book up if you are looking for an excellent mystery to devour.(less)

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Oct 28, 2011 J. A. Owen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-2011

Just going to make this short, the author had a wonderful plot line going, her voice is magnificent, I sympathized with the main character, loved the conflict towards the end when Neily and Audrey confronted the killer even though I had already known who it was prior to the ending being revealed. I was totally intrigued with the story for the most part. The ending was a total disappointment. However, I really loved Neily's sarcastic outlet and Audrey is this brave girl that will definitely take...more

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Aug 23, 2011 Jodi Papazian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-reads

I'm not normally much of a mystery reader but this book had me from the blurb on the inside jacket - and I was completely wrapped up in it til the very end.
More than a year after the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Carly, Neily still has nightmares about finding her dead body. His exclusive private high school is torture for him as he is reminded of his times shared with Carly as well being forced to deal with the crappy antics of his classmates. Right at the start of his senior year, he is confr...more

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May 02, 2011 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Carly, a young, wealthy high school student, is found murdered, shot in cold blood four times. Audrey's father, Carly's best friend and cousin, has been convicted of the crime. In the aftermath, Neily, Carley's ex, who found her body, and Audrey struggle find some resolution and peace in a world that has been turned topsy turvy. Audrey's father is an alcoholic and ne'er do well. He is a convenient fall guy on which to pin the murder. He had motive, opportunity, and no alibi for the night of the...more Carly, a young, wealthy high school student, is found murdered, shot in cold blood four times. Audrey's father, Carly's best friend and cousin, has been convicted of the crime. In the aftermath, Neily, Carley's ex, who found her body, and Audrey struggle find some resolution and peace in a world that has been turned topsy turvy. Audrey's father is an alcoholic and ne'er do well. He is a convenient fall guy on which to pin the murder. He had motive, opportunity, and no alibi for the night of the crime. Audrey is convinced that her father is innocent despite his many failings and shortcomings as a parent. She convinces Neily to help her investigate the murder. Neily begrudgingly agrees to help her more so to face his own demons than to help her. Although Carly and Audrey were close, Neily felt no great affection for Audrey, even blamed her for Carly's abrupt change in personality and wild behavior after her mother's untimely death from cancer. Carly fell into a fast, popular crowd at their elite private school and made it clear to Neily in no uncertain terms that she no longer wanted a relationship with him in a very public and humiliating way. However, the night of her death, Carly called Neily and left a puzzling message that he can't help but wonder about. He feels guilty, sure that if he had answered the call he might have been able to help her. Neily and Audrey begin to piece together the events of her last days to uncover the real murderer. The story alternates between two voices, Neily's and Audrey's. This, to me, was a weakness in the writing, but perhaps a necessary conceit so that we the readers could be privy to the entire story. Unfortunately, I didn't find that there were two distinct voices. I often found myself re-reading a passage with dialogue to figure out who was saying what. And, I failed to connect with either character very deeply. The mystery was enough to keep me turning the pages though. I thought there were more red herrings than there actually were and I was surprised to discover that the murderer was in fact more obvious than one would expect. There were not many deep twists and turns. Some of the plot seemed implausible but perhaps that is my lack of experience in the wider world of money and drugs. I would rate this one as "M" for mature themes, murder, mayhem, sex, and drug references. All in all, I think this will resonate with teen readers who will not question it in the same way I did. (less)

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Feb 07, 2011 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

Would have been five stars, but it is not the most original story and the sentences were sometimes choppy.

Neily's ex-girlfriend (Carly), that he still had feelings for, has been murdered. But he doesn't believe the person convicted of the crime is guilty. He and Carly's cousin Audrey, who's father was convicted of the crime, set out on their own investigation to track down the murder.

The novel switches back and forth between Neily and Audrey's point of view. It is interesting to see their differ...more

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Jan 28, 2011 Ashlie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-reads-of-2010

I enjoyed reading this book, and it was a nice change for me from all the paranormal YA I've been reading lately. Jarzab does a great job of creating a suspenseful mystery that will really capture your heart. The story deals with tough issues and deals with them boldly and bravely: personal loss, teen drug use, depression and different kinds of abuse (whether it's inflicted by ourselves of others). Since Carly was silenced by death, there is no one to speak up for her and no one that knows the t...more I enjoyed reading this book, and it was a nice change for me from all the paranormal YA I've been reading lately. Jarzab does a great job of creating a suspenseful mystery that will really capture your heart. The story deals with tough issues and deals with them boldly and bravely: personal loss, teen drug use, depression and different kinds of abuse (whether it's inflicted by ourselves of others). Since Carly was silenced by death, there is no one to speak up for her and no one that knows the truth concerning her death. It' not until Neily and Audrey agree to work together that Carly regains a voice and is able to help lead them to find her murderer. This is a moving plot and idea, and one that works well in the narrative that Jarzab has skillfully knit. The novel alternates between Nealy and Audrey's POVs, and the chapters also switch between their eighth-grade and senior years.

I loved Neily. I could relate to him in so many ways. Why should he help Audrey when the case is already closed? Carly broke his heart, in an embarrassing way. He was humiliated by her and then by her death, since he found her and was linked in so many ways to her, despite their estrangement. Sometimes I was so overwhelmed by the things Neily was going through that I didn't understand how he kept going! There were a few times when I broke down in emotion, grieving his pain. It wasn't that he didn't feel the pain, he just channeled it all completely different, not showing it outwardly until later in the story. He just lived his life ignoring the dull ache resounding through his body. Just thinking about it now makes my eyes tear up. His character is so powerful!

One part I particularly like about Neily is when he "borrows" Adam's phone from his locker. Right before putting it back he checks to see what Carly's ringtone on his phone would have been. I thought that was SUCH a great detail! If we didn't "know" Neily by this point in the story, then that detail could have been easily overlooked, but Jarzab makes it almost impossible for that to happen. I loved that carefully placed scene.

I think it's through Neily's experiences that we learn about the intellectual, reasonable side of Carl and through Audrey's that we learn the girly, emotional side of her. Both character's bright so much light to the stage, but each through a different style. Audrey wasn't as bad as I thought she was going to be at first. I think that since her childhood had been so messed up, she wanted to ensure that she wouldn't be a product of circumstance. Her environment and experiences absolutely shaped her, but it turned out not to be for the worse. That is always a good thing to see. She never played the victim either, even though she had plenty of reasons to. I loved the strength she brought to the story. Neily needed that from her and so did Carly.

I can't believe this was a debut novel. It was so gripping and realistic, I often found myself thinking what I might do if I were Audrey or Neily. Some authors have a hard-time being able to create one character the reader can relate to, but Anna Jarzab creates at least two and maybe even three, counting pre-death Carly. The story is really well written; I never felt lost or out of the loop, everything was clear and concise, funny at times and inlaid with emotional heart-string-tuggers. Even though I secretly hoped Carly really wouldn't be dead (I'm a hopeless romantic *sigh*), I wasn't disappointed with the story's ending. I understood and even sympathized with what Neily and Audrey were feeling as the book concluded; I understood why it worked out that way. It felt like it was the only suitable ending to give complete closure to the situation.

It's good, unsettling, beautifully tragic and bitter-sweet. It's pieced together in a simple yet sophisticated way that is so delicate. It is a must have in any personal library, especially for anyone with teenagers around. (less)

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Aug 02, 2010 Samantha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Neily Monroe's ex-girlfriend has been dead for a year and still he can't get over her or escape the frightening dreams of how she died. Carly was murdered right before the start of their junior year, shot four times through the heart. Her uncle is now in prison for the crime and it would seem that the case is closed. For Audrey it is not. She was Carly's cousin and her father is the one convicted of the crime. She takes it upon herself to clear his name and goes to Neily for help with solving th...more

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Aug 02, 2010 Rachael rated it 3 of 5 stars

A year ago, Carly was murdered, and even though they’ve put someone in jail, no one can forget, least of all Neily, Carly’s ex-boyfriend, and Audrey, Carly’s best friend. Neily blames himself for not answering Carly’s call the day she died; maybe he could’ve saved her. Audrey blames herself too, because her relationship with popular golden boy Cass is what got Carly involved with bad boy Adam Murray. Now, Audrey is convinced that the wrong man was put in jail and that Carly’s killer is still fre...more

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Jul 11, 2010 Mark rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a book that I've wanted to read since spying the haunting cover photo earlier this year. However, I think I still like the cover a little more.

This is a mystery novel set at a private school outside San Francisco, where one year after Carly's brutal murder, her former boyfriend (Neily) and her cousin (Audrey) team up to solve the case, which originally had convicted and imprisoned Audrey's father for the crime. Along the way, Neily and Audrey learn disturbing truths about Carly, and abo...more

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May 28, 2010 Cornmaven rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: high-school

This was a book which mixed typical high school relationship issues with a little mainstream mystery whodunit stuff. I enjoyed trying to figure out who really committed the murder; there were several possible candidates, all with a motive that connected to relationships. The male character was well drawn, and I really liked him - the most mature of the bunch. Jarzab chose to do an alternating narraction style - Neily and Audrey get back and forth sections, which gives the reader different perspe...more

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May 19, 2010 Susan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read_and_review, ya_mystery

All Unquiet Things has two narrators and time shifts from the present to the past many times, so the narrative is complex. The ritzy private school setting and adults in strictly peripheral roles are hallmarks of a certain strain of YA books; the unrealistic risk-taking owes a debt to amateur sleuths everywhere. Overall, the tone is not so much thrilling as reflective; Audrey and Neily both try to figure out if Carly was the girl they thought she was while they seek out her killer.

Neily is still...more

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May 05, 2010 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: washyarg

Neily’s life will never be the same – last year he found the body of his murdered girlfriend, and now her cousin wants him to help her find the real killer. This is a well-crafted mystery told in Neily’s and Audrey’s alternating voices. Readers are shifted back and forth in time between freshman year where Neily and Carly first get together to senior year when Audrey returns to town determined to prove that her father didn’t murder Carly. There are twists and turns in the plot that keep the rea...more

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May 03, 2010 Sarai rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction

I liked this book less than 4 stars but more than 3. I was not surprised by the ending and sometimes the writing seemed a bit choppy or repetitive. Overall, though, it was an interesting read.

Product Description
Carly: She was sweet. Smart. Self-destructive. She knew the secrets of Brighton Day School’s most privileged students. Secrets that got her killed.

Neily: Dumped by Carly for a notorious bad boy, Neily didn’t answer the phone call she made before she died. If he had, maybe he could have he...more

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Feb 17, 2010 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars

All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab left me with very mixed feelings. There were parts I really enjoyed but unfortunately, the characters left me cold.

Synopsis: Carly: She was sweet. Smart. Self-destructive. She knew the secrets of Brighton Day School's most privileged students. Secrets that got her killed.

Neily: Dumped by Carly for a notorious bad boy, Neily didn't answer the phone call she made before she died. If he had, maybe he could have helped her. Now he can't get the image of her lifeless...more All Unquiet Things by Anna Jarzab left me with very mixed feelings. There were parts I really enjoyed but unfortunately, the characters left me cold.

Synopsis: Carly: She was sweet. Smart. Self-destructive. She knew the secrets of Brighton Day School's most privileged students. Secrets that got her killed.

Neily: Dumped by Carly for a notorious bad boy, Neily didn't answer the phone call she made before she died. If he had, maybe he could have helped her. Now he can't get the image of her lifeless body out of his mind.

Audrey: She's the reason Carly got tangled up with Brighton's fast crowd in the first place, and now she regrets it--especially since she's convinced the police have put the wrong person in jail. Audrey thinks the murderer is someone at Brighton, and she wants Neily to help her find out who it is.

As reluctant allies Neily and Audrey dig into their shared past with Carly, her involvement with Brighton's dark goings-on comes to light. But figuring out how Carly and her killer fit into the twisted drama will force Audrey and Neily to face hard truths about themselves and the girl they couldn't...

Unfortunately, by books end (well, ok beginning and middle) I absolutely disliked Neily, Audrey, and Carly. I just did not at all connect with their world of wealth and privilege. I'm sure the author intended for readers to sympathize with Neily in particular, but he just seemed like a whiny emo kid. Not even the buildup of his friendship with Carly could save him for me. Yes, I felt a small modicum of sympathy for him with the death of Carly, I'd have to be heartless not to, but he seemed content to go on his way wallowing in self-pity and sadness until Audrey started investigating the murder.

And while I'm sure the author wasn't trying to make this a big murder mystery, I found the real killer's identity to be easy to spot from the moment he was introduced. I won't go into it more but the false clues and red herrings and obvious overpainting of another character as a bad guy were all signs that this was obviously not the killer.

I don't even have much of an opinion of Audrey. She seemed like a user and rather heartless herself. I mean, she got back with the boyfriend who dumped her without a moment's thought when it was discovered that Audrey's dad killed Carly. It was not at all believable to me that, even though she was a teenager, she would forgive something like that all that easily.

I got kind of a Veronica Mars feel to this book (and this may have been mentioned in another review I read) but honestly, Veronica Mars was way more kick-butt than Neily and Audrey. The entire cast of characters was rather unsympathetic and just seemed to exude this sense of ennui even as they were supposedly wallowing in grief.

But there is good news! I really, really enjoyed the writing style. I mean, it fit the overemotional content of these characters, their boredom and seeming dramatization of their feelings. Anna Jarzab has a beautiful writing style and I'd love to see that put into action with a book with characters I could feel something besides dislike for.

And, props for making me dislike the characters this much. I mean, that takes talent too! I know this book is in demand on my library; there are several people waiting for when I return it tomorrow so hopefully those teens will relate better to the story than myself. I usually have no problems relating to teen characters but this book did not leave me with a good feeling at story's end.(less)

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Feb 13, 2010 Debbie rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really wanted to give this book 3.5 stars.
This book had me worried at first. The narration alternates between Neily and Audrey with the first section being from Neily's point of view. I found Neily to be a really irritating character and I sometimes find it hard to get into a book with a main character I dislike. Thankfully once we see more of Audrey I got drawn into the story. The other slight concern was a great deal of the book is made up of flashbacks so you really have to pay attention to...more

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Dec 28, 2009 Carol(ina) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

Lately it's rare to find such a remarkably well-written YA novel. With at the so-so written YA novels in shelves, ALL UNQUIET THINGS is sure to stand out.

The voices of the two main characters—Neily and Aubrey—are so strong and so realistically portrayed that I found myself reading their story well into the night. While their voices are a bit familiar that you need to check whose part it is, their narration really sucks you in. Their grief, frustrations, anger, and their other feelings just leapt...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Jen rated it 3 of 5 stars

I really liked this book. The point of view switches several times between the two protagonists, and it really drives the book forward in doing so. Of course, the climax most benefits from the rising tension the narrative trade offs create, but there is a steady build up to that moment to make it feel earned and justified. By the time I reached the halfway point, I knew I’d finish the rest of the book in one sitting because I didn’t want to put it down. The jaunts into the past that each narrato...more

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Oct 14, 2011 Alexandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

All Unquiet Things is Anna Jarzab's debut novel. And she is off to a phenomenal start.
I read this book in one day; I just couldn't put it down.

To start, the cover is one that pulls you in right away. A pretty, young girl is lying in the grass on a sunny day. But if you look very closely at her pale skin and at the unfocused, eerie look in her eye, you can see that she's dead.

You know from the way beginning that Carly was murdered. The killer was found and put in jail. But Neily and Audrey (her...more

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Oct 06, 2010 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

I devoured this book. I haven’t read a book like this since I read 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher at the beginning of the year. I love mystery books, I love sitting there and putting the pieces of the puzzle that the author has strategically placed together. I always think I have something going and then there is always some sort of fork or new twist and that’s probably why I enjoy mysteries so much.

I’ve seen a lot of talk about this book being written from 2 different perspectives and some people...more

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May 10, 2010 Tabitha Olson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: recent-reviews, 4-to-5-stars

This story is definitely quieter than some of the other YA available. Normally, I'm not a fan of quieter books because they are hard to pull off, and not many can do it well. But this story pulled me in right away.

The voice is soft and subtle, yet the writing is sharp and the characters are pretty clear. I really liked Neily. His voice and actions matched his character, as did his confusion and pain over losing Carly. I actually wish the entire story had been told from his perspective, because I...more

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Mar 19, 2010 Melody rated it 4 of 5 stars

With a combination of mystery and character study, All Unquiet Things marked one of my most unforgettable reads this year. This story basically revolves around three teenagers; a murdered 16-year-old Carly, her ex-boyfriend, Neily and her cousin, Audrey.

Audrey's father is convicted of Carly's murder. But even after a year has passed, Audrey still believes her father is innocent and she hopes to find out the truth about everything, even if that means she has to approach Neily for assistance. Aud...more With a combination of mystery and character study, All Unquiet Things marked one of my most unforgettable reads this year. This story basically revolves around three teenagers; a murdered 16-year-old Carly, her ex-boyfriend, Neily and her cousin, Audrey.

Audrey's father is convicted of Carly's murder. But even after a year has passed, Audrey still believes her father is innocent and she hopes to find out the truth about everything, even if that means she has to approach Neily for assistance. Audrey has never been close with Neily right from the beginning, and on top of that Carly dumped Neily for another guy and she is not sure if Neily is still feeling bitter about everything. It turns out that Neily is still feeling guilty about not taking Carly's call before her death, and Audrey's request somewhat seems like a remedy thus they agreed to do an investigation of Carly's death.

However, in order to find out the truth, Neily and Audrey has to find out what secrets did Carly harbour, and what she was doing with the dangerous popular crowd before her death. Suddenly, everyone in that crowd becomes their suspect. But the most complex issue of all is, Neily and Audrey have to be honest and trust each other, including to their own self.

All Unquiet Things was a page-turner through and through, and I wished I had the time to read it all in one sitting. What makes this book such a gripping read (besides the premise, that is) is that it is told from Neily and Audrey's perspective in different sections. I find this pretty effective as the readers get to understand their thoughts and emotions through their respective narrative, besides their findings on Carly's murderer.

The dangerous crowd which Carly mixed with before her death is also another interesting read. Each character appears to be troubled and seems to have an agenda of their own, and I was glad that I was able to figure out the real murderer towards reading the half of the book. Anna Jarzab has done a great job in crafting this story, but I think it is her observations of the characters (their thoughts, emotions and behaviours) that really made this story stands out.

All Unquiet Things is a must read for any YA readers who love a good mystery. I will definitely keep a lookout for Anna Jarzab's new releases in the near future. (less)

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About Anna Jarzab

Anna Jarzab is the author of All Unquiet Things, The Opposite of Hallelujah, and the upcoming Tandem, the first book in the Many-Worlds Trilogy. She lives in New York City and works in children's book publishing. Visit her online at www.annajarzab.com, connect with her on Twitter @ajarzab and on Facebook at facebook.com/annajarzabbooks.

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Quotes from All Unquiet Things

“How many people are we going to lose before the universe decides we've had enough?" Carly asked me. I didn't answer, but if I had known what was coming I would have said, "All of them.” — 6 people liked it

“From early childhood, I had been told how smart I was, and throughout my life various people had tried so hard to teach me everything there was to know. But it occurred to me then how negligent they had been in teaching me how to love. I had two example of love in life - my mother's, absolute and over- burdened, the trial of love; and my father's, the cold and ambitious pursuit of meaning in love, the desire to turn it into a product with a worth that could be measured. Of the two options, I had skewed towards the former, disappointed with my father's method, and so I had bestowed a sort of unconditional love on Carly without really understanding what it meant. I wished that just one person had taught me a way to love her less. If I had loved her less, maybe I wouldn't have hated her so much. And maybe then I could have forgiven her.” — 6 people liked it

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