(ARC) Ya Book Review: Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook

Release Date: 3 January 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Source: Around the World ARC Tours

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Goodreads description:

Isobel’s life is falling apart. Her mom just married some guy she met on the internet only three months before, and is moving them to his sprawling, gothic mansion off the coast of nowhere. Goodbye, best friend. Goodbye, social life. Hello, icky new stepfather, crunchy granola town, and unbelievably good-looking, officially off-limits stepbrother.

But on her first night in her new home, Isobel starts to fear that it isn’t only her life that’s unraveling—her sanity might be giving way too. Because either Isobel is losing her mind, just like her artist father did before her, or she’s seeing ghosts. Either way, Isobel’s fast on her way to being the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons.

My Thoughts...

Unraveling Isobel was a delightful contemporary paranormal read! The story pulled me in from page one and I found myself turning page after page, finishing it in just a few hours one afternoon! It was highly engaging and impossible to put down. While the plot twists were not overly new or exciting, Ms. Cook has written a novel that truly keeps you on your toes.

When you're seventeen and the only friend you have in town is a stuffed animal that doesn't even belong to you, I think it's safe to say your life is officially in the shitter.

-p27, ARC

Isobel caught my attention from page one. She's so realistic--I'm totally convinced that we would have been BFFs in high school. Her sarcastic personality translates into her dialogue, both internally and externally. She's a strong young woman, but she's clearly susceptible to the same insecurities as all most high school girls. Thus, she has to deal with catty friends, a boyfriend, and parent issues, just like we all have at some point. I'm not really sure what else to say about her--I just really connected with her (well, except for the obvious...you know, seeing ghosts).

"Okay, fair enough. You're embarrassed and I made it worse. Do you want me to do something embarrassing to even the score? You want me to sing?"

-Nathaniel, p52, ARC

Nathaniel grew on me VERY quickly, once he got over being a bit of an ass. He sang "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in the library and from that moment on, I was won-over. The relationship between him and Isobel is very sexy and realistic...with that hint of "forbidden love," because, uh, they're step-siblings. Let's just say...I got over that real fast. :) I think two of my final comments while I was reading were "Yay Nate!!! <3."

There were really only three options. Either Evie was intent on trying to send me a message, Dick was behind everything to get rid of me, or I was crazy.

-p203, ARC

This storyline overall felt fun and fresh. I enjoyed the way that the paranormal played into the story in little ways throughout, but I was left, in the end, wishing that the ghosts would have played just a slightly larger role in the story, especially toward the end. I suppose part of me wanted the ghost to swoop in and scare the hell out of some people who I wasn't too fond of. The only other thing that irked me a little bit was how Dick's accusations of Isobel's potential mental illness seems to pop up out of everywhere. I mean, I seriously disliked Dick throughout but it was a moment that seemed out of place regardless. I found myself flipping back a few pages to look for the set-up to that moment. It was totally a "Dick" move, but I think that it just came too suddenly out of seemingly nowhere.

I would definitely recommend this as a read to pick up in January! It was a fun read with realistic, relatable characters.  The story moves at a quick pace that keeps the reader turning page after page.  This is a fabulous contemporary read with a perfect blend of the every day and the paranormal--a little bit for fans of both!