Book Break-Ups: Unleashed by Nancy Holder

Title: Unleashed
Series: Wolf Spring Chronicles
Author: Nancy Holder and Debbie Viguie
Publisher: Doubleday Children's
Publication Date: 8 Dec 2011

Synopsis from Goodreads

Katelyn McBride’s life changed in an instant when her mother died. Uprooted from her California home, Katelyn was shipped to the middle of nowhere, Arkansas, to her only living relative, her grandfather. And now she has to start over in Wolf Springs, a tiny village in the Ozark Mountains. Like any small town, Wolf Springs has secrets. But the secrets hidden here are more sinister than Katelyn could ever imagine. It’s a town with a history that reaches back centuries, spans continents, and conceals terrifying truths. And Katelyn McBride is about to change everything.

Broken families, ageless grudges, forced alliances, and love that blooms in the darkest night—welcome to Wolf Springs.

REVIEW

I am having such a hard time writing this review because I really had issues with it. The premise sounded brilliant but for me it didn't translate within the narrative.

Although I felt sympathy for the main character, Katelyn, for the loss of her mother I felt that there was more of a background story surrounding her death than was stated but this was never developed. Katelyn morphs into Kat when she moves in with her Grandfather, trying to build a new life to accompany the new town. I found her emotions/reactions and character in general to be inconsistent. Thinking about it now it was the inconsistencies with the characters that frustrated me the most about this book not only with Kat but with ALL the characters. I found myself wondering about their change in actions/attitude as it didn't seem to fit in with how they were portrayed earlier within the story.

There are a number of plot threads hinted at within the narrative, only one was really pursued while the others were like constant static noise in the background. It made me feel as if there was no true direction and that the plot had been left wide open to go off at any angle it chooses to in the future. I am all for plot twists but did feel that this story needed less possibilities or more answers.

On a positive note the writing is beautifully descriptive, the tension and atmosphere are well portrayed. However, it do not think it will be enough for me to continue with this particular series.

Thanks to Carla of The Crooked Shelf for the use of Book Break-Ups