Monday, December 24, 2012

Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris ~ Review

Source: Purchased audio book

From Goodreads:

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.

From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl's fight to save herself, her world, and the boy she never saw coming.


My Thoughts:

 

4 stars - An intense read that kept me guessing

Let me start with the narrator since I listened to this book.  Katie Schorr was the narrator.  I was fine with her performance.  It didn't get in the way of the story and I enjoyed it.  I almost felt like there wasn't enough passion in her voice at times but like I said, it didn't get in the way of the story.

Janelle is an incredibly strong female lead that I just loved.  She's dealing with a lot at the start of this book and the story dumps a lot more on her.  She stands strong.  Her effort to protect her heart is only challenged by Ben.  Oh how I love Ben.  A loner with some incredible secrets, Ben already has feelings for Janelle.  She hasn't really even noticed him...until he brings her back to life.  See she died when a truck hits her but Ben will not let her die.  This is how the book STARTS.  Then the intense roller coaster ride starts as the countdown becomes a race that just doesn't seem like it can be won.

This is a mystery that Janelle is trying to unravel but there were some pretty high prices to be paid for the truth and the ending had me reeling.  The story itself is emotional but what really made it so for me was the connection I felt to the characters.  This author does a fabulous job of making me love her characters.  Besides Janelle and Ben, I totally loved Elijah, a bad boy friends of Ben's, and Janelle's best friend, Alex.  Barclay had me guessing wrong.  Loved Janelle's dad and Struz.  Every time he called Janelle J-baby, I was loving him.

So this book is more than the normal paranormal romance that I read so much of.  This book has surprises, kisses, and mystery I had totally wrong.  This book should not be missed!

  

Book Trailer

 


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