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kenna92005's review against another edition
3.0
If I could give half stars I would rate this 3.5. Unbreakable was much better than Unraveling. It was way more action packed and I felt like Janelle really grew.
In the beginning I was very annoyed at the main character. Without giving too much away if you haven’t read the first book, she kept saying she accomplished so much/saved so many. I tried thinking back to that first book and I really didn’t feel like she contributed much at all.
However, she definitely stepped it up in Unbreakable. She was tough, determined, and quick to think. I definitely appreciated her more towards the end of the book.
About the romantic relationship in this story. I was never really sold on the Ben and Janelle ship. I felt there just wasn’t very much chemistry or backstory to it. They literally went on one date and they were never friends before, but suddenly she is so in love with the guy. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Ben’s character. I just didn’t like the instant love between them. I also had issues with this in Unbreakable.
To be honest, I was kind of hoping for a Barclay and Janelle romance. He challenged her to step it up and be better.
Long review short: Unbreakable was much better than the first book. It took me a little while to really be invested in it, but I’m glad I finished the story out.
In the beginning I was very annoyed at the main character. Without giving too much away if you haven’t read the first book, she kept saying she accomplished so much/saved so many. I tried thinking back to that first book and I really didn’t feel like she contributed much at all.
However, she definitely stepped it up in Unbreakable. She was tough, determined, and quick to think. I definitely appreciated her more towards the end of the book.
About the romantic relationship in this story. I was never really sold on the Ben and Janelle ship. I felt there just wasn’t very much chemistry or backstory to it. They literally went on one date and they were never friends before, but suddenly she is so in love with the guy. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Ben’s character. I just didn’t like the instant love between them. I also had issues with this in Unbreakable.
To be honest, I was kind of hoping for a Barclay and Janelle romance. He challenged her to step it up and be better.
Long review short: Unbreakable was much better than the first book. It took me a little while to really be invested in it, but I’m glad I finished the story out.
trisha_thomas's review against another edition
4.0
"Remember who you are, Tenner."
wow, lots of twists and turns in this one! It gave a lot of answers and really let us see the worlds, get to know portals and their use good and bad. We also see whole new sides to Ben, Janelle, Cecily and many others. It was a great page-turner and I love how all the pieces came together. There were literally pages that I was holding my breath!
I loved this one!
wow, lots of twists and turns in this one! It gave a lot of answers and really let us see the worlds, get to know portals and their use good and bad. We also see whole new sides to Ben, Janelle, Cecily and many others. It was a great page-turner and I love how all the pieces came together. There were literally pages that I was holding my breath!
I loved this one!
wrenl's review against another edition
4.0
I love the action and Barclay and his cocky attitude. I ADORE the romance and loving between Ben and Janelle. You gotta love Struz, like always. The only thing that makes this book a four....the confusing connections. How does Barclay knows EVERYONE? I do love the idea of alternate realities. Just change one small, or not small, thing..BAM! totally different place!
becs_l's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 Stars
The ending was really good and the rest was just ok. The plot was interesting and I did want to know where it was going. However after two books, I wish I was better connected to the characters.
The ending was really good and the rest was just ok. The plot was interesting and I did want to know where it was going. However after two books, I wish I was better connected to the characters.
paradoxically's review against another edition
3.0
What is with these books and (MAJOR SPOILERS) This happened in the last book as well! It's like the author can't go a book without making me whine to myself and flop around like a depressed eel.
I'm still not so enchanted with the entire Ben/Janelle romance. Mostly because it seems a bit forced and still kind of unbelievable. On the plus side, most of the book is Barclay and Janelle trying to stop a human trafficking ring. I'm still not convinced that Barclay should have chosen Janelle (because while I love her and she's competent, it's not like she's a trained agent of some kind), but I'm willing to gloss over such thoughts.
Again we have another countdown, but this one is less world shattering than the last one. It doesn't make it less immediate for Janelle though. It wasn't as exciting though, maybe because I knew what was going on and what was going to happen (generally), so that air of mystery that surrounded the beginning of the last book was gone.
Janelle's grown up a bit more in this book, but in some ways she took a backstep with me because of how much she thought of Ben. I like the guy, in a vague sort of way, but the constant revolving thoughts around him made me unhappy. Also the whip lash of emotions at several points of the book concerning Ben... eh.
What I did love was the evolution of Barclay and Janelle's relationship. Not in that way (though, uh, I may have had some hopes in that general direction), but the snarking and the gradual trust and everything. I ended up really liking Barclay. Guess that guy grows like a mold on you.
The plot was pretty quickly paced and at least Barclay had a clear picture of what he wanted to do and how he was going to go about it. Along the way you get the bumps along the roads that comes with every book. I do think it's quite silly that they called the humans that were kidnapped the Unwilling because it seemed so formulaic for a book.
I wanted to like this book more than I did. The romance was a tease and a flop, the plot was mildly interesting, but several character decisions made me want to hit something. Or someone. Like Ben. Um. But I did love Barclay and I did love Janelle still (even with all of her hangups). 3 stars.
Spoiler
killing people I finally like? Whyyy Barclay, whyyy.I'm still not so enchanted with the entire Ben/Janelle romance. Mostly because it seems a bit forced and still kind of unbelievable. On the plus side, most of the book is Barclay and Janelle trying to stop a human trafficking ring. I'm still not convinced that Barclay should have chosen Janelle (because while I love her and she's competent, it's not like she's a trained agent of some kind), but I'm willing to gloss over such thoughts.
Again we have another countdown, but this one is less world shattering than the last one. It doesn't make it less immediate for Janelle though. It wasn't as exciting though, maybe because I knew what was going on and what was going to happen (generally), so that air of mystery that surrounded the beginning of the last book was gone.
Janelle's grown up a bit more in this book, but in some ways she took a backstep with me because of how much she thought of Ben. I like the guy, in a vague sort of way, but the constant revolving thoughts around him made me unhappy. Also the whip lash of emotions at several points of the book concerning Ben... eh.
What I did love was the evolution of Barclay and Janelle's relationship. Not in that way (though, uh, I may have had some hopes in that general direction), but the snarking and the gradual trust and everything. I ended up really liking Barclay. Guess that guy grows like a mold on you.
The plot was pretty quickly paced and at least Barclay had a clear picture of what he wanted to do and how he was going to go about it. Along the way you get the bumps along the roads that comes with every book. I do think it's quite silly that they called the humans that were kidnapped the Unwilling because it seemed so formulaic for a book.
I wanted to like this book more than I did. The romance was a tease and a flop, the plot was mildly interesting, but several character decisions made me want to hit something. Or someone. Like Ben. Um. But I did love Barclay and I did love Janelle still (even with all of her hangups). 3 stars.
erinarkin20's review against another edition
4.0
4-4.5 stars
Unbreakable picks up 4 months after the end of Unraveling and a lot has changed for Janelle. She’s now out of school and working with the FBI. She absolutely misses Ben and hopes every day that he will come back. While looking into some mysterious disappearances of people, Taylor Barclay happens to show up with some interesting news for Janelle.
Here is where the action picks up and it doesn't really stop until the book is done. Janelle has made the decision to partner with Taylor to help bust this kidnapping ring and find Ben and Elijah. On top of all of that, they don’t really know who can be trusted in the IA. I’m not going to go into a lot of the detail of the story only because there is no way I can write about everything that happens but so much happens throughout the book that changes who these characters are and their relationships.
I was happy to see that the story focused on the kidnapping ring and the corruption within the IA. As a girl who appreciates a good romance, I was also happy to see the relationship stuff between Janelle and Ben threaded through the story but not be the main focus. Janelle is such a tough character and she has lost just about everyone important to her. When she finally does see Ben again, I thought her reaction fit who she is and I really liked the fact that Barclay is the one she ends up leaning on.
That is another piece of the story that I enjoyed – the progression of the friendship between Janelle and Barclay. I wouldn't say they were BFF’s but they were definitely on better footing by this point than they were at the end of book 1.
I was happy with the way the book ended. Norris is definitely not afraid to make people feel all of the feelings and it certainly made me do that. If you haven’t started this series, go out and get these when you can. They have action, romance, and a different twist on alternate universes.
Unbreakable picks up 4 months after the end of Unraveling and a lot has changed for Janelle. She’s now out of school and working with the FBI. She absolutely misses Ben and hopes every day that he will come back. While looking into some mysterious disappearances of people, Taylor Barclay happens to show up with some interesting news for Janelle.
Here is where the action picks up and it doesn't really stop until the book is done. Janelle has made the decision to partner with Taylor to help bust this kidnapping ring and find Ben and Elijah. On top of all of that, they don’t really know who can be trusted in the IA. I’m not going to go into a lot of the detail of the story only because there is no way I can write about everything that happens but so much happens throughout the book that changes who these characters are and their relationships.
I was happy to see that the story focused on the kidnapping ring and the corruption within the IA. As a girl who appreciates a good romance, I was also happy to see the relationship stuff between Janelle and Ben threaded through the story but not be the main focus. Janelle is such a tough character and she has lost just about everyone important to her. When she finally does see Ben again, I thought her reaction fit who she is and I really liked the fact that Barclay is the one she ends up leaning on.
That is another piece of the story that I enjoyed – the progression of the friendship between Janelle and Barclay. I wouldn't say they were BFF’s but they were definitely on better footing by this point than they were at the end of book 1.
I was happy with the way the book ended. Norris is definitely not afraid to make people feel all of the feelings and it certainly made me do that. If you haven’t started this series, go out and get these when you can. They have action, romance, and a different twist on alternate universes.
0rdinaryreader's review against another edition
4.0
3.75 / 4
The romance we a little much in this one too for my likings. I didn't like this one quite as much as the second one. It dragged a little bit.
And Elizabeth Norris has a way with handling my favorite characters that just kills me a little.
This was still a pretty good book, but I liked the first one better.
The romance we a little much in this one too for my likings. I didn't like this one quite as much as the second one. It dragged a little bit.
And Elizabeth Norris has a way with handling my favorite characters that just kills me a little.
This was still a pretty good book, but I liked the first one better.
sonshinelibrarian's review against another edition
4.5
I liked this even better than the first one. I thought the writing was tighter, the adventure obviously much bigger and more intense, and the characters more interesting. I did think the ending was a little too wish fulfillment - I mean, nothing really changed between when they left each other and when Ben came back. His parents and brother are still recovering and he's going to feel guilt for leaving them. I understand why it happened, but it just felt like they didn't actually solve the problems, just determined "love would be enough." However, overall this was a solid sophomore novel and a great ending to this duology.
jlove731's review against another edition
5.0
When I first read Unraveling, it instantly became one of my favorite books. I completely fell in love with the world and the concepts and the brilliant characters. Unbreakable absolutely in every way stood up to any expectations I had for the book. There were new factors I absolutely adored, parts where my heart completed ached, and overall yet another amazingly weaved, mind-blowing book from Elizabeth Norris.
Find the full review at Shortie Says
Find the full review at Shortie Says