Recent Reads - Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook

Unraveling Isobel, Eileen Cook

 5 of 5 Stars

Age Group/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary/Paranormal/Mystery

Pages: 304

Publication: 1/3/2012, Simon Pulse

Buy It:


Why I Chose It: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) from S&S Galley Grab (publisher) in exchange for a thoughtful and honest review.

Synopsis from Goodreads:  "Thrilling and creepy, super sexy, and so very hilarious." --Lisa McMann, bestselling author of the Wake trilogy

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 Review:  Okay, so I've been on a streak with amazing reads this month and Unraveling Isobel is no exception. In fact, it was kind of awesome. Not in a kick butt/take names way, but in a humorous, creepy, wonderfully written kind of way. I finished the entire thing in one sitting because I didn't want to stop reading. Definitely a page-turner.

I also clicked with Isobel from the very first line. Her voice is funny and snarky and I loved it. She had me laughing out loud on numerous occasions. On top of that, she's just very likeable. She's been thrust into an unenviable situation (her mother has remarried to a man she's known for 3 months, she's being moved away from her friends and her life, she doesn't like her stepfather), but she handles it all with an amazing sense of humor--even after she starts seeing ghosts and believes she may have inherited her father's schizophrenia.

In order to convince herself she isn't sick like her father, she begins to investigate and discovers that the home she's living in has a lot of history. There are all sorts of ghost stories and rumors. Enough to make her question whether she is just she seeing things, falling ill, or if she is actually be experiencing the paranormal.

I loved her relationship with her stepbrother Nate, even though I guess they're kind of related, but whatever. It didn't matter. He was hot and sweet and perfect for her. Their relationship was so cute and romantic, I couldn't help but want to see them together.

Final Thoughts: Unraveling Isobel is an incredibly unique story that I have a hard time classifying into a genre. It's mostly contemporary with a ghost story and a little bit of a mystery. There is a fantastic cast of characters, a creepy setting, and a story line that will keep you guessing. And there are so many dark and amazing scenes in this book. I don't want to elaborate because I think the reader needs to experience it themselves the way that I did, but trust me you are going to love it.

Highly enjoyable and highly recommended.

---