It's so hard to find a good YA novel nowadays. It's like every single one has the same whiny main character, the same forbidden romance aspect, and the same blah plot.
So, basically, Twilight wannabees.
When I picked up the first book in this series, Unraveling, I thought it would be just like the others: painful and a waste of my time. Surprisingly, it wasn't. It's main character was a strong and interesting individual, the romance did not take up the entire story, and I was entranced by the plot. It was such a refreshing change of pace that I could not wait for this book to come out.
Now that it's here (and I got the chance to read it), I have to say that Elizabeth Norris has done it again; this book is great.
First off, Janelle is fabulous. She's such a joy to read about because she's not one of those girls who obsess over the boy she cares about. Yes, it crosses her mind from time to time, but she knows that there are more pressing things to think about than what he's up to. She's also not blinded by her love. When she gets news about Ben having gone missing, she's upset, but she doesn't automatically go looking for him. She knows that she has people she cares about in San Diego and, only after a lot of persuading and weighing her options, does she finally decide to go after him.
Norris is also not afraid of killing. Many YA authors shy away from characters killing one another because it's morally wrong. But that's not realistic! If someone was attacking you, would you make sure you didn't hurt them or would you do whatever was needed to survive?
I would choose survive every day.
This is what makes Unbreakable such a great novel. It has the perfect amount of action, suspense, and realism. It doesn't smother you; instead, it brings all these elements together to make a great read.
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