Review: Unraveling by Elizabeth Norris

Title: Unraveling
Author: Elizabeth Norris
Series: Stand Alone/Possible Sequel
Published By: Balzer + Bray (April 24, 2012)
Source: ARC from Publisher
Genre: YA Sci fi/ Fantasy
My Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads Description:
 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 Review: 
 

I have been super excited to read this book since reading the synopsis of it months ago and then the release of the book trailer made that excitement grow even more.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this, a mystery? A little parnormal even. I certainly wasn't expecting the whole sci fi factor it had going on. I don't know why, but that concept never even crossed my mind when I read the synopsis.

I don't normally read sci fi, with a few exceptions, so to say I was pleasantly surprised to see all the sci fi factors of this novel unfold as the story went on may not be the best way to put it, but I was surprised by how much I really did enjoy this story, sci fi and all. And how I was never turned off by that aspect of it.

It is going to be hard explaining what I liked most about this story without revealing any spoilers so I will say this about it, it had some pretty great twists and turns and some pretty good characters. And while I never felt a connection with any of them, not even the main character J, I will say that I did feel for them when things got rough and when people started to get hurt and worse. And with all the action it had, it never once felt dull, in fact it kept me pretty entertained throughout.

It is rare that I quote books but this one quote stood out to me so much that I had to write it down, so I am going to share it with you.

“Lives are made of strings of moments and every once in a while, one of those moments is pivotal and defining. It changes everything, alters you so completely that when you look back, there's a clear before and after.”

I think that is a great quote to describe all the befores and afters in this book, because there are a lot of them and there were all significant to the story, to the characters and to their world.

It was a great story. I wish the ending would have been a little more...heartwarming? maybe but it will be fun to see what the author can do with a sequel and I do want a sequel. That can't be the end for them all. Their story isn't over yet, in fact, I think it has only just begun.