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Unravel

(Linked #2)

Imogen Howson (Goodreads Author)

3.64 · Rating details · 446 ratings · 77 reviews

Untold dangers await telepathic twins in this sequel to the futuristic, romantic thriller classic sci-fi, space-travel adventure.

After Elissa and Lin exposed the government's secret experiments in Linked, their home planet Sekoia is thrown into chaos. Determined to do their part to help the planet they've hurt, they return to Sekoia only to discover that things are far wo ...more

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Hardcover, 480 pages

Published July 8th 2014 by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers (first published June 30th 2014)

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Apr 10, 2014 Selena Yukino (The Lioness: hear me roar) rated it really liked it

Rating: 4.4 stars

Plot..etc: I definitely think Unravel blows Linked out of the water because there's a whole lot more world building, kickass scenes, character development, and not to mention side characters that were actually interesting. The plot isn't much different from Linked but like I said it's definitely improved.

Characters: Elissa our main character, like I said in Linked's review is not my favorite character...although I do really like her. In Unravel, though she is annoying as fuck. ...more

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Aug 16, 2014 Blondie rated it it was ok

Shelves: futuristic, not-good, dystopian, science-fiction, didn-t-finish-reading, sisters

My Rating: 2 Stars

"She didn't want to sit at the table, but nor could she face getting herself anything to eat just yet. She went to the nearest drink machine and dialed herself some hot chocolate."

Where to begin. Most books I always finish, whether it's horrific or amazing, but UNRAVEL was just…irritating! I got to page 183 and I was STILL bored out of my mind. I liked LINKED a lot, it was fast paced, interesting, and had a decent plot, but I would have liked this concept much better if i My Rating: 2 Stars

"She didn't want to sit at the table, but nor could she face getting herself anything to eat just yet. She went to the nearest drink machine and dialed herself some hot chocolate."

Where to begin. Most books I always finish, whether it's horrific or amazing, but UNRAVEL was just…irritating! I got to page 183 and I was STILL bored out of my mind. I liked LINKED a lot, it was fast paced, interesting, and had a decent plot, but I would have liked this concept much better if it was just one book. I was excited to read UNRAVEL, with it's pretty cover and interesting summary, but I'm unimpressed.

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So once the truth got out about the Spares; twins that are experimented in torturous labratories and used as a power source for space equipment (lost yet?) Lissa and her Spare Lin, decide to head back to their home planet, Seokia, and help with the disasterous aftermath of a society gone wrong. Brace yourself to read chapter upon chapter of our characters stuck in a rebel base where they sit around and talk, survive the same predictable flyer attacks, and drink hot chocolate. (Seriously, why is there so much hot chocolate in these books?)

And that was how far I got before I just had to tuck this book back into it's shelf. First off, the characters.I didn't get Lissa. She treats her twin like she's not even a human being, (even though Lissa constatly argues with people that Lin is in fact one) and is so mean. Why won't she cut her sister some slack? I know if mine survived unspeakable torture, I wouldn't be shunning her and giving her The Silent Treatment.

And the romance between Lissa and Cadan. By the end of book one, I was starting to think that Lissa and Cadan actually had some chemistry, but now…yeah, no. They constantly argue, and it feels like their realationship is so…forced. Not to mention the fact that the base is constantly in peril, and the whole time Lisssa is panicking that Cadan's parents don't approve of him dating her.

So that's all I really have to say about that. LINKED is a satisfiying book, but UNRAVEL is disappointing. Moving on to the next dystopian novel. ...more

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Jul 03, 2013 Alyssa rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2014-releases

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Unravel by Imogen Howson
Book Two of the Linked series
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: July 8, 2014
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

Untold dangers await telepathic twins in this sequel to the futuristic, romantic thriller called classic sci-fi, space-travel adventure at its best. After Elissa and Lin exposed the government's secret experiments in Linked, which Booklistcalled a roll ...more

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Jun 15, 2014 Melanie rated it liked it

Shelves: sci-fi, action-and-stuff, awwww, dystopian, girls-being-girls, relationships, no-just-no, why-you-do-this, girl-no-just-no, look-at-the-cover

Okay let's start with the cover before I talk about the story. The cover is attractive to the eye but, if you haven't read the synopsis about the book you wouldn't even really understand how the cover relates to the story. The cover looks like bad pixel art and it's not even connected to the story.

The story takes place a few weeks after the events in Linked. So, Elissa, Lin, and Caden come back to Sekoia to "help" their planet but, they don't actually ever do anything leaving me to wonder was th

...more

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Jun 21, 2014 Nicole Wang rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I loved Linked. The cover was beautiful, the story enticing, and when I got Unravel, I nearly fell out of my seat with excitement! (Although a little daunted: 500 pages is A LOT) And as high as my expectations were, it didn't fall flat.

Admittedly, at first it felt a little bumpy--as action packed as it was a few pages in already, I couldn't really get into it and Elissa's back and forth decisions and opinions made me want to shake her and ask her to choose one and Cadan didn't really seem to un ...more

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Apr 07, 2014 LB rated it it was ok

Shelves: young-adult, romance, sci-fi, paranormal, final-frontier

2.5 / 5 stars rating

This review is also posted at http://readingnookandcranny.blogspot....

I was probably more disappointed in this novel than I have the right to be. Perhaps the stunning cover sucked me in and made me believe the story would be as enticing as the art. Perhaps I was still so excited about Linked, especially since my copy just arrived for my personal collection, that I held Howson up on a pedestal where she didn't belong. But man, it's hard to figure out where to start with my rev 2.5 / 5 stars rating

This review is also posted at http://readingnookandcranny.blogspot....

I was probably more disappointed in this novel than I have the right to be. Perhaps the stunning cover sucked me in and made me believe the story would be as enticing as the art. Perhaps I was still so excited about Linked, especially since my copy just arrived for my personal collection, that I held Howson up on a pedestal where she didn't belong. But man, it's hard to figure out where to start with my review for Unravel now that I finally trudged the entire way through it.

Or, perhaps, no it's not. I'm going to start with Elissa, and on the same note her relationship with Cadan. Man, Elissa seems like a typically teenager in this novel. She spends almost the entire novel whining and complaining about the same things over and over again. And her continual deficit of self assurance in her relationship with Cadan made me want to reach through the pages of the novel and choke the biotch. I even had the same problem with Lin in this book as well.

Linked was great because it was such an unique sci-fi story turned space opera. Though I didn't necessarily like the paranormal element they added to the story, the perks of Linked far outweighed the flaws. In Unravel, it felt like Howson made a complete 180. While Linked showed signs of the romance aspect, it was tolerable. In Unravel, it becomes center stage, and you spend half the novel listening to Elissa's self conscious inner monologue while she goes back and forth over her relationship with Cadan. The addition of parents into the equation only made things 10x worst. It was infuriating reading Elissa have the same doubts and then have the same fight with Cadan over and over and over again.

I felt like Elissa was a suicidal teenager while reading the narrative of this novel. Rarely any of it happens in deep space, and if she isn't worried about Cadan, then she is having doubts about Lin or fighting with her instead. While angsty teenagers may love this novel, it was hard for me to get through. It's difficult to tell if Unravel was the end of a series or if Howson wants to continue with the series further, but I feel as if I must go back and treat Linked like a stand alone novel, especially since it worked well that way. ...more

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Sep 12, 2016 Nella ☾ rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, young-adult, sci-fi

Yay for finishing my first duology of 2016!*applause*

This novel improved on many of the things the first book lacked, such as the world building, the character development, and the romance.

Firstly, Howson's writing style is entrancing. Her descriptions are spot on and they make for great visual inspiration. I could see the action unfolding before my eyes like a movie.

I love the sister relationship between Elissa and Lin. The differences in their personalities compliment each other. The way they ...more

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Aug 23, 2015 Keeley rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. As well done and great as this book was, I can't give it as many stars as the first due to how much the main character annoyed me, she spent 85% of the book whining insistently about stuff and then back tracking and whining about the opposite.
I cannot fault the plot though. Although spares are now seen legally as human, a lot of people disagree, and Lissa, Lin, Cadan and the rest of the crew of the Pheonix go back to their own planet to help it out of this disaster, only to be greeted with hosti ...more

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May 01, 2014 Emma rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: guest-reviews

REVIEW BY SARAH 9:2

Unravel is a sequel to LINKED. I loved the book linked, it really drew you in and the characters were really relatable.

Untold dangers await the telepathic twins in this sequel to the romantic, futuristic, thriller. The two twins called Elissa and Lin, head back to their planet (Sekoia) to help fix the problems they caused. Although, when the girls and the crew reached Sekoia they find the planet a very different place. Taken to safe houses along with other spares and twins li ...more

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Jun 16, 2016 Anna rated it did not like it

I really powered through this book, and I don't mean in a good way. I mean in a "so utterly determined to finish this book so I can move on" way. I was fed up with Elissa before chapter 3, what with her constant insecurity, moral high ground, and whining. And it wasn't just Elissa; Unraveled's characters made me want to set it down, burn it, and walk away.
In particular, let's take a moment to consider Elissa and Cadan's relationship. It was terrible. They fought all the time, and by that I mean ...more

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Sep 09, 2014 Alison James rated it did not like it

Shelves: unfinished, not-even

Can't even! This is sooo poorly written that even I, who read more books in a series if the story line is good, cannot/could not finish this book. By inserting -Oh my God, or God, or God- every five lines does not make the book appeal to YA. I am a YA teenager, who loves Sci-Fi did not like it. Also just because the general teenage populace says "like" every two seconds does not mean the books we read should. Instead it should move us away. I know that I takes pieces of books I like and use some ...more

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Oct 23, 2014 Jess rated it it was ok

I couldn't even get through this book. Elissa is such a child - a child who doesn't sympathize with her sister and the torture she's been through. It's hard to get through the endless pages of countless flyer attacks and hot chocolate sipping. C and E's relationship feels forced to the point of irritation. If you enjoyed Linked, forgo this sequel. If you didn't enjoy Linked and were hoping for a redemption novel, look elsewhere. ...more

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Feb 20, 2015 Heather Stone rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

brilliant book had me hooked and I couldn't put it down.
good character and plot development continued on from the first book.
hope that there will be more than just the two books so far
really got to like the characters and want to see how they get on and any further adventures challenges they have / have to overcome. ...more

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Jan 04, 2015 Shibly Sikder rated it really liked it

Damn, This was soo good that I had to shed tears of joy. My many thanks to the writer for this awesome book to start the year with. READ THE SERIES. YOU WILL LIKE IT. Well except some itty-bitty part that I also didn't like obviously, but this was amazing. ...more

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Jan 02, 2014 DMS marked it as abandoned

Shelves: kindle

http://dms.booklikes.com/post/1052176... ...more

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Mar 19, 2015 Jessica Bai rated it it was amazing

ohmahgawd Cadan <3

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Jul 24, 2017 Erika Maki (Maniacal Reader) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-science-fiction

I really liked this final book. There was a lot more world building. I also enjoyed meeting the new characters, and I liked each one of them. The plot progressed at the same pace as the previous one did, although this time there were many more roadblocks for the characters to encounter. This made the plot just as fast-paced, but more thrilling. Just as things would start to calm down, another problem would arise. I was on the edge of my seat more with this final book. The plot consisted of more ...more

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Dec 21, 2017 Epiphani rated it did not like it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Remember my complaint about the end of the first book containing the romance I thought we were avoiding?
It gets worse, so far. I'm 124 pages in and, while there's been some action and interesting developments, much of Elissa's focus is on Cadan. Would he have liked her if their lives had been normal? Is she lesser than Lin in his eyes because she has no special talents or focus? Does Cadan still think she's spoiled? Did he tell his parents about their relationship? Will they last, when Cadan is ...more

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Aug 28, 2019 Jenn Hill rated it did not like it

Shelves: did-not-like, did-not-finish

Did not finish at 30%.

I couldn't take anymore. This book was a never ending whine fest. Lissa constantly insecure and jealous about every little thing. She treats her sister Lin terribly. She has this relationship with Caden, but does nothing but argue with him and get annoyed about stupid shit. For example, he says that if they wee in their regular life, who knows if they would have gotten together. And she gets annoyed by that. Girl, he was your older brother's friend and was in an entirely di ...more

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May 05, 2018 Sophie rated it it was ok

Overall it was pretty bad.
The plot was very uneventful and pretty much a poor repeat of the first book.
Lin is ridiculous. I don't care how messed up you are, you do not possess you sister and make them kill people for you.
In the first book Elissa's character was pretty well-developed and you really felt like you understood how she thinks. In this book she is very poorly written. She thinks about how insensitive Lin is being but takes no action to stop it. Seriously, she needs to stop depending o ...more

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Sep 29, 2017 Tanya rated it liked it

Shelves: 2-in-series

Ugh, this book would be so much better without the teenage angst. It is very believable angst, I could see a teen thinking these things. But maybe that is why I have such an issue with it (as an adult that has to deal with teens, I don't want to have to deal with it in my books too).

I think the first one was better. I also think the ending of this one was too "nice" tied up in a nice little bow. It went from everything going down the drain and possible horribleness, to happy ending in less then ...more

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May 15, 2018 Samhita Argula rated it liked it · review of another edition

So much fitted into one book. The first book was lovely. This sequel is well, okay.

Elissa is portrayed more as a confused, highly insecure character, so different from the first book. This is sad.

Yes, I have fallen in love with Cadan. And rightfully so. According to me, he's the real hero of this book. And the heroine? Sweetie Lin :) ...more

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Oct 04, 2019 alice Tileston rated it it was amazing

Borrowed from library:
Continues story of "Linked".
Twin link and paranormal powers in future setting. Nicely written, easy to follow and lose yourself in♡ ...more

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Jan 18, 2021 Emily E rated it did not like it

I had really high hopes for this book when I read it. I loved the first book but in this book I was bored the whole time and didn’t really know what was happening.

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Jun 20, 2014 Jennifer added it

Shelves: earcs

Unravel by Imogen Howson is the second book in the Linked series and picks up shortly after book one ends. Elissa and Lin have found one another and make it to sanctuary but have decided they need to go back and help their home planet. With the help of the crew of Phoenix, they find their way back to deal with some series aftermath. This is the second book in the series so there might be some spoilers from book 1.

I really enjoyed Elissa character in the first book. I was amazed at how timid she Unravel by Imogen Howson is the second book in the Linked series and picks up shortly after book one ends. Elissa and Lin have found one another and make it to sanctuary but have decided they need to go back and help their home planet. With the help of the crew of Phoenix, they find their way back to deal with some series aftermath. This is the second book in the series so there might be some spoilers from book 1.

I really enjoyed Elissa character in the first book. I was amazed at how timid she was in the beginning and then really took charge to save her sister. She didn’t always make the best decisions because she wasn’t exactly skilled at being on the run. She would stop and try to find a new way out of it and was ready to lay down her life to protect Lin. At the beginning of Unravel now that Elissa has accomplished what she set out to do, it’s like her insecurities are catching up to her. Lin is out shining her and everyone else seems to have special skills. Elissa feels like she no longer has a place, nothing that makes her special. I loved the turn her character takes because I think it really shows how the events of the first book have impacted her. I think I would feel the same way as she does. It’s like that moment you realize your child doesn’t need you anymore (even though they do just a different way) and you can’t see how they still do. I loved seeing Elissa change and make more stupid mistakes and then realizing she made them and fixing them. Growing as she gets a better understanding and of course her hidden fearlessness that comes out in tough spots.

Oh Elissa...I actually enjoy Cadan and her romance even with her annoying insecurities. She is constantly calling herself on it all the time but there are also times where Cadan has his unsure moments and you want him to validate it as a reader. Plus throw in Cadan’s mother, or throw her overboard maybe. You know how in a lot of books the guys are so sure and the girl has doubts. It kind of felt like a regular relationship between Cadan and Elissa where they both have their moments. You could see Elissa wasn’t understanding that as much as Cadan at times made her feel insecure. She was doing the same thing to him. I liked that it’s not fate/destiny driven and it’s more about how they slowly but then all at once fell for one another. I love their imperfect perfect relationship.

Poor Lin, it’s hard not to feel for her. She no doubt PTSD from her experiences at the facilities, all the twins must. The prejudices they face after the fact are horrible. I kept getting mad at the book and yelling in my head stop calling them “clones” and “spares” they are people. It’s not fault what other people have done to them. They are just trying to learn how to be human and are not finding any good examples from the people in society. Ugh it just made me feel for her.

I continued to love the plot and it’s flawless transition from one book to the next. If you read the books back to back it flows from one to the other easily. Things are explained again but mostly when you need to be reminded and it’s not over done. I feel like that’s a pitfall sometimes of second books, the info dump summary. Which can get boring if you still remember the previous book. I also really love how this book is the aftermath of winning the war. Most series end with the victory but you don’t know how they rebuilt or if they rebuilt. This book is how you can do something good but end up with bad results. It doesn’t changed that what you did was the right thing but it definitely shows that it’s not necessarily all sunshine, rainbows and lollipops after.

I figured I would like the Linked series being a sci-fi fanatic and all but I really loved these books. I thought the plot was great and unique. I bonded with the characters and not just the main ones. I loved the romance that was involved. Plus just how the first and second books fit together and felt like they flowed one right into the next. It’s one for the shelves.

...more

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May 05, 2014 Steph rated it liked it

Shelves: sci-fi, dystopian, young-adult

I have a couple complaints about this sequel, but overall, I would highly recommend the "Linked" books to anyone who enjoys space-opera Sci-Fi, political intrigue mixed with strong character development, and of course, super powers.

After escaping their home planet of Sekoia to end the brutal torture and experimentation on twins or "Spares", Alyssa and Lin try to return from peaceful Sanctuary to help mend the rift in their old society. With the help of Cadan and his crew, the twins discover a co I have a couple complaints about this sequel, but overall, I would highly recommend the "Linked" books to anyone who enjoys space-opera Sci-Fi, political intrigue mixed with strong character development, and of course, super powers.

After escaping their home planet of Sekoia to end the brutal torture and experimentation on twins or "Spares", Alyssa and Lin try to return from peaceful Sanctuary to help mend the rift in their old society. With the help of Cadan and his crew, the twins discover a collection of other twins who are going through similar experiences, and telepathic growing-pains, all while defending their fragile new life together from both rebels and Sekoian loyalists bent on returning everything to the way it was - or else destroying everything in their path. On top of violent revolutionaries, the twins have an internal threat that could destroy everything for which they've worked.

I loved "Linked" for it's originality and amazing attention to detail and human experience, so I was so excited to start reading "Unravel." The very realistic story of two twins living completely different lives and finally finding each other is still a huge part of this story and one of the most enjoyable aspects. Their lives are certainly not all sunshine and rainbows, and the questions of their loyalties as well as their fears and expectations of each other are extremely compelling and believable. In all situations -particularly the battle scenes - the sense of gruesome reality mixed with stunned unreality is vivid and compelling. As always, the thrills and suspenseful action of the story is a major plus, and the interactions are all crisply manifested through realistic dialogue. As a character study, this book nails it.

While I do like the story, my main complaint is the lopsided pace of the story. The first 2/3 of the book are painstakingly slow, with each moment drawn out so the characters can examine every side of every possible scenario with every outcome in mind. The stream-of-consciousness style of Alyssa's thoughts that I liked so much in the first book is often distracting in this installment. It occurs so frequently in response to every single conversation and new development she sees that what happens over the course of 24 hours becomes 300 pages because Alyssa has to examine every single thing - then frequently, stubbornly, comes to the wrong conclusion!

As the crew and twins finally make it safely into space, everything becomes so fast I feel like there were parts missing. It honestly reads like Howson wanted to capture every passing thought at the beginning and then just grew tired of her own story and wanted to be done with it by the time they finally make it to the ship. The balance of details and action goes completely the other direction for the last 1/3 of the book, and I don't feel satisfied with the way everything ends, regardless of whether it's over completely or open for another sequel. Everything happens in quick succession without very much elaboration or explanation at all, and the plot takes over the story before ending on a vague, nondescript scenario of the future of human society. The last part definitely reads like Howson ran out of steam - or had to meet a too-early deadline.

I would still recommend the "Linked" series, but I'm disappointed with the way this story ended and the rushed feel of the last few chapters. ...more

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Apr 17, 2014 Becky B rated it liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, young-adult, romantic-fiction

Having survived their escape from Sekoia and achieved human rights for spares, Lissa and Lin feel like they shouldn't just rest in comfort. They want to go back to Sekoia and recruit other twins to power hyperdrives together like they can, and possibly give the Sekoian economy a reboot in the process. But pretty much as soon as they land on Sekoia it becomes all too clear that Lissa, Lin, Cadan and the rest of the crew have no idea what all is going on on their former planet. Sekoia has descende Having survived their escape from Sekoia and achieved human rights for spares, Lissa and Lin feel like they shouldn't just rest in comfort. They want to go back to Sekoia and recruit other twins to power hyperdrives together like they can, and possibly give the Sekoian economy a reboot in the process. But pretty much as soon as they land on Sekoia it becomes all too clear that Lissa, Lin, Cadan and the rest of the crew have no idea what all is going on on their former planet. Sekoia has descended into a mess of unrest and hate crimes against spares and twins, necessitating IPL instituting marshall law. Instead of arriving as heroes, Lissa and Lin find themselves targets and in constant danger from the moment they land. As if civil unrest on Sekoia isn't enough, Lissa and Lin are still figuring out their link which seems to be getting stronger. Lissa is overwhelmed with knowing how to deal with her traumatized twin and the link. And then there's her relationship with Cadan. Is their relationship strong enough to survive ordeal after ordeal or even normal life?

I found myself so incredibly surprised and thrilled with Linked. I loved the mystery, action, adventure and scifi combo it provided. I've been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Unravel, but I found this a much slower read. I think mostly because this book focuses a lot more on the interpersonal relationships between Lissa and Lin and Lissa and Cadan, and Lissa is a rather insecure confused mess (and Lin is a complete disaster, understandably thanks to her past, but still a disaster). So it isn't so much a fun read, but at the same time I think it's a really good read for teens. Also lot of teens will be dealing with or will soon deal with the complicated tightrope of a romantic relationship and insecure feelings. It's a very realistic premise, and eventually Lissa and Cadan realize some important realities of communication needs. So while not always fun, I do think Lissa's inner struggles fit a need and could prove helpful to many readers. Of course there's the human rights issues dealt with, causing readers to think (hopefully). Now don't get me wrong, there is still a lot of action and dangerous situations Lissa and Lin have to get through in this book. It does get pretty nail biting several times. But I also kind of felt like the ending, while very satisfying, seemed a little too satisfying. I'm all for happy endings, but I found it a bit of a stretch to believe that everything that got wrapped up at the end could happen and happen so quickly and neatly. I might have been happier with it taking a longer time span. (Actually, I think there's enough there it could have taken up a whole third book and with more details it might have felt more likely.) Anyway, I'm still happy to have the second book to go with the first now. Loved the first book more, but this wasn't bad by any means.

Notes on content: Mild profanity and swearing scattered throughout, no moderate or strong swearing. No sexual content beyond a kiss. There's a fair bit of violence as several battles happen. Most times the details are vague, but there is one murder described in graphic bloody detail. ...more

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Sep 29, 2013 Jess at Such a Novel Idea rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, own-arc, edelweiss, sci-fi, dystopian, 2014-release, 2014-reads

I received a copy of this book via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion or the outcome of my review in any way.

2014 seems to be the year of the duologies , and I have to admit, they make me very happy. Sometimes a stand-alone book just isn’t enough, especially in a sci-fi or dystopian-esque world. BUT a lot of times I find myself reading a series and thinking “Man, this second book is just marking time to get to that ending.” So, reading all these duolog I received a copy of this book via the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion or the outcome of my review in any way.

2014 seems to be the year of the duologies , and I have to admit, they make me very happy. Sometimes a stand-alone book just isn’t enough, especially in a sci-fi or dystopian-esque world. BUT a lot of times I find myself reading a series and thinking “Man, this second book is just marking time to get to that ending.” So, reading all these duologies is happy-making (a little Uglies humor there for all you who have read the series). The fact that we get a complete story in two books is definitely something I can get behind.

When I first saw the cover for Linked, it blew me away. On the surface, this book (and cover) reminded me a lot of Twinmaker by Sean Williams. However, I feel both worlds were different enough to appreciate them for their own merits — they are similar but don’t feel like copies. In Linked, I found myself enamored by all the beautiful words Howson came up with. That paired with the space opera and thrilling mystery, left me breathless. This is definitely my kind of book. The book is definitely questioning our humanity — morality, ethics, and what we as humans will accept, even when it is horrible, to continue at status quo.

Unravel picks up where Linked left off and does a great job of both continuing to build a fascinating science fiction world, while wrapping up a story. This, admittedly, is a hard balance, but I feel like Howson did a great job finding the right amount of each. The last part of the book was rather unexpected and left me a bit wide-eyed. There are definite things in this book that weren’t what you’d expect. I will say the book was rather long, and that can cause the plot to drag. At almost 500 pages, you really have to be committed to the story not to give up. But, for fans of space opera-y type books, this one hits the mark.

I loved that this series contained not one, but two strong female protagonists. While Elissa and Lin are different, they both contained a strength that young girls can admire. Admittedly, I liked that Elissa seemed very realistic in her doubts about herself and her decisions. She didn’t always know what was right and wrong and things were never black and white. I think this is a life lesson and part of being an adult is learning that lesson, so when book characters grapple with that idea, it is something I highly appreciate.

This was a great sci-fi and dystopian series that stands apart in both categories. It will leave you breathless and wanting more!

This review was originally posted on Such a Novel Idea. ...more

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Oct 15, 2013 Elise rated it it was amazing

Shelves: epic

I loved Unravel. It's a relatively uncomplicated read full of sci-fi fun. While it was sometimes irritating how much of Elissa's mind was taken up with how Caydan could want to be with her, you see her intentions are all good. IMO Caydan is an amazing specimen of manhood :P But my point being if someone that upstanding and intelligent could adore Elissa then I deduce she actually isn't that selfish. It's more a fear she is frantically running in her mind. Probably also exacerbated by her lack of I loved Unravel. It's a relatively uncomplicated read full of sci-fi fun. While it was sometimes irritating how much of Elissa's mind was taken up with how Caydan could want to be with her, you see her intentions are all good. IMO Caydan is an amazing specimen of manhood :P But my point being if someone that upstanding and intelligent could adore Elissa then I deduce she actually isn't that selfish. It's more a fear she is frantically running in her mind. Probably also exacerbated by her lack of social interaction during her period of 'illness'. I know personally especially with my anxiety I become socially inept. It's terrible. Anyway, I liked seeing even though all these crazy out-of-hand thoughts worried her mind (and some were valid what with Caydan's parents- sheesh I hate interfering parents/adults who act all condescending and say they're doing it for your benefit but really they just want to control you) she managed to take some amazing action and grapple with important questions about herself and her moral code.

I loved how far Lin came. Some situations set her back and caused her to feel her gradual development of caring for people was of no use. But then she managed to overcome that and it was a beautiful moment. Although in a lot of ways this is a very teenage-y book (the amount of times the exclamation 'God' was used got on my nerves) I appreciated it was about more than just the main girl character and her relationship with the boy character. This story held true to the importance of Elissa and Lin's relationship as twins. Which was what this story is really all about, how it all started. Those moments when (view spoiler) And it also delved into Ivan and Felicity and their characters. Really feeling them felt so true.

Caydan was so cute too. And I adored (view spoiler) He was protective but also gave her room to breathe (view spoiler) While Elissa didn't have the skills Lin did nor was a warrior there was something else about her that was strong. And Caydan recognised this and he happily encouraged it.

I probably should give this a 4 or a 4.5 but for some reason the thrill of it all and overwhelming emotion and feels made it exhilarating. I think also as a duology it was done well. It kept the excitement of the first book while having it's own plot without feeling repetitive. It closed off well too without being rushed but without dragging it out. So for now my rating is staying at 5 stars. ...more

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Nov 09, 2013 Stephanie Ward rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ebook, edelweiss, owned, print-arc, finished-copy, for-review, will-trade

4.5 Stars

'Unravel' is the thrilling and fast-paced sequel in the young adult dystopian Linked series. It picks up where the first book ended - with Elissa and Lin off of Sekoia after exposing the the terrible government experiment inLinked. Lissa and Lin decide to return to Sekoia to help bring the planet back to it's normal state. When they arrive, they are faced with the reality of what Sekoia has become - barely any resources, frightened citizens, and a growing number of people who are blamin 4.5 Stars

'Unravel' is the thrilling and fast-paced sequel in the young adult dystopian Linked series. It picks up where the first book ended - with Elissa and Lin off of Sekoia after exposing the the terrible government experiment inLinked. Lissa and Lin decide to return to Sekoia to help bring the planet back to it's normal state. When they arrive, they are faced with the reality of what Sekoia has become - barely any resources, frightened citizens, and a growing number of people who are blaming the Spares for what has happened. Lissa and Lin finally find refuge in a group of Spares and twins - people just like them - so they feel safe. What they don't know is that hiding among this group of Spares is something so dangerous they never saw it coming.

After reading the first book in the series, I was completely blown away. I couldn't wait for the second installment to release - to find out what was going to happen next. I had high hopes for the book and I have to admit that it went far above and beyond anything I wanted. This was an amazing sequel that had me devouring the pages to find out what was going to happen. I read the entire book in the space of a few hours because I didn't want to - or couldn't - stop reading until the end. Lissa and Lin continue to be unique and strong female lead characters. They both experience character growth in the book along with hardening their determination and conviction about the inLinked program and the Spares and twins. We see more and more of the government's plot revealed and the stability of everything on the planet - from food and other resources to the very people - in a state of destruction. The author did a magnificent job with the world building in this series and it continued to show throughout the second book. I was able to immediately immerse myself into the story alongside Elissa and Lin - it was so vivid that I could shut my eyes and easily see everything as the author described it. The writing was impeccable - the characters were realistic with hopes and flaws, the plot was intricate and detailed, and the setting was immaculately done. I honestly can't rave enough about this book - I couldn't do it the justice it deserves. I don't want to reveal spoilers, so I'll just say that I was on the edge of my seat for the majority of the book, reading as fast as I could to see what would happen next. I very highly recommend this book, and series, to fans of science fiction and dystopias - as well as anyone who wants a breath of fresh air with an intense and original plot!!

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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