Book Review: Unbreakable

The finale book I'll be reviewing today is Unbreakable, the final book in the Unraveling duology. 

Title: Unbreakable

Author: Elizabeth Norris

Series: Unraveling #2

Publisher: Balzer & Bray / HarperCollins

Original Publication Date: April 23, 2013

Format Read: kindle

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Purchase: Amazon

Find on Goodreads

Description from the publisher:
Four months after Ben disappeared through the portal to his home universe, Janelle believes she'll never see him again. Her world is still devastated, but civilization is slowly rebuilding, and life is starting to resume some kind of normalcy—until Interverse Agent Taylor Barclay shows up, asking for Janelle's help. Somebody from an alternate universe is running a human-trafficking ring—kidnapping people and selling them on different Earths. And Ben, with his unique abilities, is the prime suspect. Now his family has been imprisoned and will be executed if Ben doesn't turn himself over within five days. When Janelle learns that someone she cares about—someone from her own world—has become one of the missing, she knows that she has to help Barclay, regardless of the danger.

Now Janelle has five days to track down the real culprit. Five days to locate the missing people before they're lost forever. Five days to reunite with the boy who stole her heart. But as the clues begin to add up, Janelle realizes that she's in way over her head—and that she may not have known Ben as well as she thought. Can she uncover the truth before everyone she cares about is killed?

In this heart-pounding sequel to Unraveling, author Elizabeth Norris explores the sacrifices we make to save the people we love and the worlds we'll travel to find them.

I have to say, after reading the first book, Unraveling,  I wasn't sure what Elizabeth was going to write for the second book in the series. She could have very easily just left the first book open ended or tweaked the ending a little and been done with the story. Overall, I'm glad she didn't. I enjoyed the second full length novel, although, not quite as much as the first book. 

The sudden jump from the last story to human trafficking was a little bit of a stretch for me or at least a change of pace. Nevertheless, I could easily see where there are multiple universes how people could take advantage of that. Elizabeth Norris even managed to write a good story about it. On the other hand, I could have more easily seen a book strictly about Janelle and everyone trying to rebuild after the disaster at in the first book and Ben coming back to help, with some universe travel thrown in. I think that could have been an equally entertaining novel.

One of the things I really liked about this novel is the evolution of Agent Barclay. I enjoyed learning about his character, he really grew on me. I also like how much stronger Janelle becomes through out the book. Knock the girl down, give her a really hard task, and she manages to rise up and overcome the problem.

I think anyone who enjoyed the first book and maybe the novella, would most likely enjoy the conclusion in this series. I look forward to seeing what Elizabeth Norris comes up with next.

If you liked the Unraveling series, you might also like The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (4 Stars) or Slide by Jill Hathaway (3 Stars).

My Rating: 

Book Review: Undone: An Unraveling Novella

The second thing I'll be reviewing today is Undone. I picked this novella up after reading Unraveling and was not disappointed.

Title: Undone: An Unraveling Novella

Author: Elizabeth Norris

Series: Unraveling #1.5

Publisher: Balzer & Bray / HarperCollins

Original Publication Date: March 5, 2013

Format Read: kindle

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Purchase: Amazon

Find on Goodreads

Description from the publisher:
Riveting and romantic, Undone: An Unraveling Novella contains three short stories set in the world of Unraveling, the first book in the gripping sci-fi duology by Elizabeth Norris.

Before Ben Michaels saved Janelle Tenner's life, Janelle saved Ben when he stumbled through an interuniverse portal into a completely new world. That day, he fell in love with the girl of his dreams. And he never forgot her.

Through three stories told from Ben's point of view, learn how Ben and his friends discovered their ability to travel between worlds, how Ben first met Janelle, and how he pined for her for years before he actually got the chance to meet her, save her life, and capture her heart. And find out what happens to Ben between the cliff-hanger conclusion of Elizabeth Norris's Unraveling and the beginning of its heart-stopping sequel, Unbreakable.

Since this is a novella, this will be short. I LOVED seeing Ben's point of view. Each little story is a short little gem. Not only do you learn more about Ben; how he got to Janelle's world, how he pinned for Janelle for years, as well as his perspective on when he saved her; through his eyes you learn more about Janelle too! I enjoyed every minute of it. 

My Rating: 

Book Review: Unraveling

I want to thank all of the men and women, who have fought and died to make sure our country is still free. Happy Memorial Day! 

Today I will be reviewing BOTH books in the Unraveling duology, as well as the short novella that goes along with them.

I was really looking forward to reading Unraveling and I was not disappointed.

Title: Unraveling

Author: Elizabeth Norris

Series: Unraveling #1

Publisher: Balzer & Bray / HarperCollins

Original Publication Date: April 24, 2012

Format Read: kindle

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Purchase: Amazon

Find on Goodreads

Description from the publisher:
Like The Forest of Hands and Teeth, Elizabeth Norris’s Unraveling blends realistic coming-of-age issues with a gripping science fiction world.

Unraveling’s heroine, sixteen-year-old Janelle Tenner, is used to having a lot of responsibility. She balances working as a lifeguard in San Diego with an intense academic schedule. Janelle’s mother is bipolar, and her dad is a workaholic FBI agent, which means Janelle also has to look out for her younger brother, Jared.

And that was before she died…and is brought back to life by Ben Michaels, a mysterious, alluring loner from her high school. When she discovers a strange clock that seems to be counting down to the earth’s destruction, Janelle learns she has twenty-four days to figure out how to stop the clock and save the planet.

I really liked this book. I found the ideas to be very interesting. The very basic concept made me reminisce about watching Sliders years ago (I know this dates me). I found the story-line to be a very believable science fiction story. It's possible, if you are a hardcore science nerd, you might find some fault, but I was easily able to go along with the story.

One of the things I found most interesting about this novel is the point of view. You follow Janelle's point of view. Janelle does not have any special powers. She is just a girl who was brought back to life by Ben. Ben is the one with a special power or ability. Normally with these types of books you follow the person with the special ability's point of view. That is not the case here. However, it works. You get to discover what is happening at the same time that Janelle does. 

I not only liked Janelle, I liked all of the main characters in the book. They are all very realistic characters, people that could very easily exist in real life just a few doors down from you. I eagerly anticipate the further novels in this series. 

If you liked Unraveling there is a pretty good chance you will also like Undone: An Unraveling Novella and Unbreakable, the next books in the series currently available. You might also like The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (4 Stars) or Slide by Jill Hathaway (3 Stars).

My Rating: 

Book Review: Through the Ever Night

For the first book review on my blog, I'll be reviewing, Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi. This is the second book in the Under the Never Sky trilogy. If I get time, I'll go back and add a review of the first book. Through the Ever Night was first published on January 8, 2013 through HarperCollins.



Brief Summary: 
*SPOILER ALERT* This summary contains spoilers for Under the Never Sky.
Through the Ever Night picks up with Aria and Perry reuniting months after Aria learned of her mother's death and Perry became Blood Lord of the Tides. Aria is out on her own searching for the Still Blue. Perry is trying to hold things down with the Tides and keep control as Aether storms are increasing in frequency and becoming more violent. Perry wants to help Aria find the Still Blue to save his people, but do his people really want to be saved by a former Dweller? And is the Still Blue really out there?

My Initial Thoughts:
I really LOVED Under the Never Sky it was one of the 5 star books I read in 2012. After completing the first book, I immediately added this one to my to-read list. 

I really like how the cover the this book goes with the cover of the first book. 

Early this year, I got a little sneak peak into the beginning of this book so, when I opened it up I knew a little of what I would expect in the first chapter, but beyond that I was on my own.

My Thoughts While Reading:
This is a very exciting book. While there isn't a lot of fighting action scenes, the book still is intense. I found myself wanting to read more and more to find out what was going to happen next. It took me a little over two days to read this book, with most of the reading done in one sitting late into the night.

I like how this book goes back and forth between Aria and Perry's POVs. I found it very helping in knowing what was going on. Both when Aria and Perry are together and when they are apart.

My Thoughts Once I Had Finished:
To be perfectly honest my first thought was, when is the third and final book going to be published? And I had to go online to look right away. 

While this book ties up some loose ends from the first book as well as some problems that arose in this book, there are still loose ends that you will have to wait for the next book to find out the resolution.

I really feel that both Aria and Perry grow into themselves in this book. They are both becoming confident in who they are. I also have to say that I really like Roar, even though we don't get his POV. I love the brother/sister type of relationship he has with Aria. It's very cute and playful, plus they have pulled each other through some very rough times.

I think Veronica Rossi has managed to write a very good second book in a trilogy. I know sometimes it feels like an author is dragging the story out in order to write three books, so nothing really happens in the second book. That does NOT happen in this book. It is a very good story on its own, but would definitely be better understood, if you start out with the first book in the series.

Who Would I Recommend this Book for?
I would recommend this book to anyone who read Under the Never Sky, lovers of young adult dystopian/post-apocalyptic novels, anyone who loves a good adventure story.

My Rating: 

Happy Reading!