Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook

by:  Eileen Cook
published by: Simon Pulse
publish date: January 3, 2012

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.

I was surprised by this book.  I liked it a lot more than I was expecting.  It dealt with some serious issues like mental illness and the struggles of blended families in a thoughtful manner, but at the same time kept up the humor and snarky teenage sarcasm.

The setting for this book was perfect.  The new stepfather moves the family into his estate on a tiny island off the coast of Washington.  Everybody knows everybody and they all know the murdurous history of the creepy mansion. 

Honestly, I wasn't too thrilled with the relationship between Isobel and her step brother Nathaniel.  However, I suppose those things happen (specifically two older teenagers falling in love with each other when they have only become brother and sister because their parents have just gotten married).  I'd be a hypocrite for fussing about it here when I accepted it in Tabitha Suzuma's Forbidden and that was blood relatives.  There I specified that book was for older YAs so I think I'd probably make that stipulation on this book too.  This topic has led to a lot of discussion about what is and what isn't appropriate in YA literature.  What say you?

Teen Reads Week: Forbidden

by:  Tabitha Suzuma
published by:  Simon Pulse
publish date:  June 28, 2011

She is pretty and talented - sweet sixteen and never been kissed. He is seventeen; gorgeous and on the brink of a bright future. And now they have fallen in love. But ...They are brother and sister.

This book deals with a big taboo.  Incest.  Is is appropriate for YA?  Maybe, maybe not?  Personally, I didn't find this book objectionable for older, mature teenagers, but I might not want say, like a 13 year old reading it. 

The situation in this book wasn't one where two strangers fall in love and they find out later that they are brother and sister and have been separated by something like adoption.  This is a brother and sister who live together.  They're forced into the roles of mother and father to their younger siblings when their father leaves and their alcoholic mother becomes increasingly absent. 

Adding to the situation, Lochan, while brilliant and gorgeous, has several social anxiety problems.  He only feels safe at home.  Maya is very sympathic to his problem.  The mess they're in and the circumstances seem to draw them together. 

I found this book to absolutely heart breaking.  By the end I was so incredibly sad for Lochan and Maya.  There were parts I had to read over because I was shocked at what was happening to them.  It's worth the read because it'll make you think and it's one of those books that will stay with you.