Review: Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

Author:

Elizabeth Norris

Release Date:

It's available. :)

Grade:

Does It Have a Trailer?

UK trailer.

Add it on Goodreads here.

Cover:

It's awesome! We have Jannelle and Ben looking so freaking bad ass. 

Summary/Synopsis

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed--as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she's opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn't possible, she knows--with every fiber of her being--that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.
But her revival, and Ben's possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father's files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something--but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what's right in front of her: Everything that's happened--the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben's sudden appearance in her life--points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she's going to need to uncover Ben's secrets--and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

I was expecting more suspense. I was expecting more of a thriller. One that would maybe question if the world really has a countdown button but ...I really didn't fall in love with this book the way I thought I would.

First, the characters. I felt no connection with them what-so-ever. Some lives were lost and, truth be told, I didn't care who died and who didn't. I just like "Okay, they're dead. Can we move on?" I know it sounds harsh but that's how I felt. It's not that I didn't like them ...I loved Alex, Janelle's best friend, and her younger brother but I didn't feel any connection to them or the choices they made.

The plot was really interesting and gripping. It was amazing how all of this stuff came together. Janelle's accident, her suspicions of Ben, the accidents and everything in between lined up perfectly and was kind of mind-blowing. For me this novel was definitely plot driven and just AH. I still can't wrap my mind around it!! I thought Ben was an alien or something but it's okay. Janelle thought so too.

One thing I wasn't entirely comfortable with was the use of language. I usually don't mind swear words. It's something I hear in my every day life and I use it myself but when we start getting to the F-words. That's where I wince. It was being used a lot in Unraveling and made the reading experience a bit uncomfortable but I get it. YA does have obscenities and I'm cool with that but it was just the atmosphere that didn't cut it for me.

Overall, Unraveling was bittersweet for me. Amazing but slow. Deadpan but enthralling. The ending was amazing and Elizabeth just killed me. I love Janelle and Ben as a couple b-but ..AH. Why did you do you do this to me, Elizabeth? WHY? Now, I HAVE to read Book 2 ...Unbreakable. :)