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Untangled: A Family Web Novella
We know Clara’s side of the story, but what about Shelby’s?
Buckle up for the return of one of The Family Web’s most lovable characters as she’s finally given the chance to say what’s on her mind. (Not that she ever holds back!)
Buckle up for the return of one of The Family Web’s most lovable characters as she’s finally given the chance to say what’s on her mind. (Not that she ever holds back!)
199 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 2, 2023
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 23, 2024
In order to understand the novella Untangled by Itzel Cummings, it is important to read The Family Web first. For a fresh reminder, in The Family Web, Clara finds herself ensnared in a web of deceit spun by her manipulative mother-in-law, Debbie, whose storytelling prowess has the family wrapped around her finger. As Clara strives to uncover Debbie's lies, she must navigate a treacherous path where every revelation could backfire, casting Clara as the villain in a tale masterfully twisted by Debbie. The tension mounts as Clara's reputation teeters on the brink, with each attempt to expose the truth threatening to further isolate her. In this intricate battle of perceptions, the line between victim and perpetrator blurs, leaving Clara to wonder if she can ever untangle the truth from Debbie's cunning fabrications.
Clara felt pressured by Debbie to give up her friendship with Shelby to maintain her relationship with Theo, Debbie’s son, leaving her heart filled with regret and desperation. Shelby encouraged Clara to stand up for herself and not allow Debbie to control her. However, Debbie's influence was a shadowy whisper in Clara’s ear, a constant, unsettling premonition of what would happen if she disobeyed. Clara believed her relationship with Theo was the only light in the encroaching darkness Debbie wove around her. The ultimate sacrifice was made, severing the bond with her lifelong best friend, Shelby, to placate the puppet strings Debbie held.
In "Untangled," the narrative shifts, plunging us into Shelby's perspective. The absence of Clara gnawed at Shelby like a phantom limb, an unrelenting ache. Shelby's efforts to move on led her to Patrick, the best friend of her new neighbor, Tony, and Tony’s coquette sister, Cassandra. But as Shelby began to forge these new bonds, unsettling events started to unfold. Debbie, with her sinister presence, forcefully entwined herself into the lives of those Shelby was growing close to. Debbie’s web was not just a tool of control; it was a living, breathing entity, its tendrils creeping into every corner of Shelby’s existence. New friendships were fraught with unseen dangers, the shadow of Debbie’s manipulation lurking just out of sight, ready to strike.
Itzel Cummings once again delivers a gripping narrative filled with suspense in her “Untangled” novella. The storyline keeps readers on the edge of their seats, skillfully balancing the anticipation of Shelby and Patrick’s evolving relationship with the intense revelations surrounding Debbie’s interactions with other characters. Each page teems with tension and intrigue, making it difficult to put the book down.
The characters themselves are endearingly flawed, adding depth and realism to the story. Their imperfections make them relatable, drawing readers further into the intricate web of relationships and secrets. Itzel Cummings' ability to portray complex, multi-dimensional characters ensures that this novella is not just a suspenseful read but also an emotionally engaging one.
If you've enjoyed reading The Family Web by Itzel Cummings, you should definitely give Untangled a read. You won't be let down.
Clara felt pressured by Debbie to give up her friendship with Shelby to maintain her relationship with Theo, Debbie’s son, leaving her heart filled with regret and desperation. Shelby encouraged Clara to stand up for herself and not allow Debbie to control her. However, Debbie's influence was a shadowy whisper in Clara’s ear, a constant, unsettling premonition of what would happen if she disobeyed. Clara believed her relationship with Theo was the only light in the encroaching darkness Debbie wove around her. The ultimate sacrifice was made, severing the bond with her lifelong best friend, Shelby, to placate the puppet strings Debbie held.
In "Untangled," the narrative shifts, plunging us into Shelby's perspective. The absence of Clara gnawed at Shelby like a phantom limb, an unrelenting ache. Shelby's efforts to move on led her to Patrick, the best friend of her new neighbor, Tony, and Tony’s coquette sister, Cassandra. But as Shelby began to forge these new bonds, unsettling events started to unfold. Debbie, with her sinister presence, forcefully entwined herself into the lives of those Shelby was growing close to. Debbie’s web was not just a tool of control; it was a living, breathing entity, its tendrils creeping into every corner of Shelby’s existence. New friendships were fraught with unseen dangers, the shadow of Debbie’s manipulation lurking just out of sight, ready to strike.
Itzel Cummings once again delivers a gripping narrative filled with suspense in her “Untangled” novella. The storyline keeps readers on the edge of their seats, skillfully balancing the anticipation of Shelby and Patrick’s evolving relationship with the intense revelations surrounding Debbie’s interactions with other characters. Each page teems with tension and intrigue, making it difficult to put the book down.
The characters themselves are endearingly flawed, adding depth and realism to the story. Their imperfections make them relatable, drawing readers further into the intricate web of relationships and secrets. Itzel Cummings' ability to portray complex, multi-dimensional characters ensures that this novella is not just a suspenseful read but also an emotionally engaging one.
If you've enjoyed reading The Family Web by Itzel Cummings, you should definitely give Untangled a read. You won't be let down.
September 21, 2023
Have you read Itzel Cummings’ haunting debut, The Family Web? No?
STOP.
Find it. Read it. Now. We’ll wait…
Untangled is a companion piece to the aforementioned book and will likely not resonate as much if you haven’t read the other story first, but Cummings warns readers of this from the get-go. Now that I think of it, this review might not make much sense if you haven’t read the first story. Just go read it. As I said, we’ll wait…
Are we all caught up? Okay, let’s go!
Untangled centers around Shelby, Clara’s best friend from the first book. Nothing against Shelby, but in The Family Web, she felt like a slight side character, important in Clara’s life for a time but that time ended as Clara’s courtship to Theo heated up. Their friendship was collateral damage in Clara’s war to win approval from her soon-to-be mother-in-law, Devil. I mean, Debbie. Or do I?
Losing a long-standing best friend is arguably every bit as traumatic as ending a romantic relationship, and the story picks up right after Clara tells Shelby she can’t have her in her life anymore. For Shelby, this is also the person with whom she shared an apartment, so the gaping hole in her life is inescapable, not to mention the sense of betrayal from the one person she always thought she could count on. Tired of the games people play, she is determined to keep her guard up and prevent herself from ever being hurt again. Right. It all goes out the window by way of Chinese delivery when her usual order is delivered by a handsome new face. When she discovers the delivery driver is best friends with the new downstairs tenant in her apartment complex, it seems that keeping him at arm’s length may be more difficult than anticipated.
And that’s when the fun begins…
Cummings’ primary strength is her ability to drop you into the heads of her characters. These feel like very real people, the likes of whom you’ve probably met. The point of view shifts effortlessly, primarily from Shelby to Patrick (a loving nod to Cummings’ own husband who also provided delightful chapter illustrations for this novella). I honestly remembered very little about Shelby from the first book. After she played her part, I let her go, but just a few paragraphs in, she was right there, waiting to tell her part of a story I hadn’t even imagined existed. In fact, when I heard the first book was part of a series, I couldn’t begin to imagine how that might play out.
Full of the same sense of growing dread as the first, the story is both imaginative and unpredictable. I don’t know what Itzel has in store for us next, but with something this good, I’m already in line.
STOP.
Find it. Read it. Now. We’ll wait…
Untangled is a companion piece to the aforementioned book and will likely not resonate as much if you haven’t read the other story first, but Cummings warns readers of this from the get-go. Now that I think of it, this review might not make much sense if you haven’t read the first story. Just go read it. As I said, we’ll wait…
Are we all caught up? Okay, let’s go!
Untangled centers around Shelby, Clara’s best friend from the first book. Nothing against Shelby, but in The Family Web, she felt like a slight side character, important in Clara’s life for a time but that time ended as Clara’s courtship to Theo heated up. Their friendship was collateral damage in Clara’s war to win approval from her soon-to-be mother-in-law, Devil. I mean, Debbie. Or do I?
Losing a long-standing best friend is arguably every bit as traumatic as ending a romantic relationship, and the story picks up right after Clara tells Shelby she can’t have her in her life anymore. For Shelby, this is also the person with whom she shared an apartment, so the gaping hole in her life is inescapable, not to mention the sense of betrayal from the one person she always thought she could count on. Tired of the games people play, she is determined to keep her guard up and prevent herself from ever being hurt again. Right. It all goes out the window by way of Chinese delivery when her usual order is delivered by a handsome new face. When she discovers the delivery driver is best friends with the new downstairs tenant in her apartment complex, it seems that keeping him at arm’s length may be more difficult than anticipated.
And that’s when the fun begins…
Cummings’ primary strength is her ability to drop you into the heads of her characters. These feel like very real people, the likes of whom you’ve probably met. The point of view shifts effortlessly, primarily from Shelby to Patrick (a loving nod to Cummings’ own husband who also provided delightful chapter illustrations for this novella). I honestly remembered very little about Shelby from the first book. After she played her part, I let her go, but just a few paragraphs in, she was right there, waiting to tell her part of a story I hadn’t even imagined existed. In fact, when I heard the first book was part of a series, I couldn’t begin to imagine how that might play out.
Full of the same sense of growing dread as the first, the story is both imaginative and unpredictable. I don’t know what Itzel has in store for us next, but with something this good, I’m already in line.
January 5, 2024
Engaging, Gripping, Absorbing
Genre: Contemporary Fiction/General Fiction
Untangled: A Family Web Novella (A Family Web Series) by Itzel Cummings, Author 🦋 🕸
Following the sudden blatant disregard for the bond of deep friendship that had developed since a very young age at the hands of the most important female in her life, someone who had been her best friend, her sister and her soul mate, someone she loved, Selby was feeling hurt and betrayed and could simply not fathom her life without Clara. She could not come to terms with how Clara had sacrificed their relationship on instruction of someone who had only been in her life for a short time.
She then finds out that, that person is prepared to go further than she imagined, in order to ensure Shelby's disassociation with her 'family'. But how far will she go & who else will be caught in the cross fire?
I read the prequel to this book back in July of last year and enjoyed it so much that I knew I had to read the sequel. The first book 'A Family Webb' tells the story of a female matriarch of a family, who will go to any lengths to defend and protect her three children. The narrative is told from the perspective of Clara, the son's fiance. Likewise, 'Untangled' is also told in a single person perspective, mainly Shelby, but also other character's have their own chapters. I like books told in single person narrative for it's immediacy, clarity & connection with the Protaganist. They are telling you their story. Shelby was somewhat of a 'side' characters in the first book, so it was good to read her story & see her & Clara's parting from her viewpoint, whilst all the drama with Clara and her family were 'unfolding' elsewhere, and learn more about her as a person. She is described as being an attractive girly girl, but in the dialogue, certainly in the first few chapters she comes over as very tough and defensive. However, after being stabbed in the back by her bestie, this is hardly surprising.
I was a little disappointed that this second book was a novella, but I was actually able to read it in a day though, which made a nice change. It would be interesting to read about the perspectives of the other characters, particularly Theo I think. But I would also like to read a continuation of the story of Debbie and her family following the death of one of the Peterson family in the first book. I love family dramas in literature & how they effect those both in and outside of the fold. I feel that this could be a good little series if the Author wishes to continue with it and for however long she feels it has mileage.
Genre: Contemporary Fiction/General Fiction
Untangled: A Family Web Novella (A Family Web Series) by Itzel Cummings, Author 🦋 🕸
Following the sudden blatant disregard for the bond of deep friendship that had developed since a very young age at the hands of the most important female in her life, someone who had been her best friend, her sister and her soul mate, someone she loved, Selby was feeling hurt and betrayed and could simply not fathom her life without Clara. She could not come to terms with how Clara had sacrificed their relationship on instruction of someone who had only been in her life for a short time.
She then finds out that, that person is prepared to go further than she imagined, in order to ensure Shelby's disassociation with her 'family'. But how far will she go & who else will be caught in the cross fire?
I read the prequel to this book back in July of last year and enjoyed it so much that I knew I had to read the sequel. The first book 'A Family Webb' tells the story of a female matriarch of a family, who will go to any lengths to defend and protect her three children. The narrative is told from the perspective of Clara, the son's fiance. Likewise, 'Untangled' is also told in a single person perspective, mainly Shelby, but also other character's have their own chapters. I like books told in single person narrative for it's immediacy, clarity & connection with the Protaganist. They are telling you their story. Shelby was somewhat of a 'side' characters in the first book, so it was good to read her story & see her & Clara's parting from her viewpoint, whilst all the drama with Clara and her family were 'unfolding' elsewhere, and learn more about her as a person. She is described as being an attractive girly girl, but in the dialogue, certainly in the first few chapters she comes over as very tough and defensive. However, after being stabbed in the back by her bestie, this is hardly surprising.
I was a little disappointed that this second book was a novella, but I was actually able to read it in a day though, which made a nice change. It would be interesting to read about the perspectives of the other characters, particularly Theo I think. But I would also like to read a continuation of the story of Debbie and her family following the death of one of the Peterson family in the first book. I love family dramas in literature & how they effect those both in and outside of the fold. I feel that this could be a good little series if the Author wishes to continue with it and for however long she feels it has mileage.
March 9, 2024
Itzel Cummings' The Family Web was a highlight of 2023, a year I read more books than I had in a long, long time. It shocked me, captivated me, aggravated me...a whole swirl of emotions. It's an amazing book.
I didn't want to dive into this follow-up right away because I knew I'd then be left with nothing else to read in this world for awhile. But I finally did it, and I'm glad! Untangled hits the same array of emotions, albeit in a more compact story.
The main character Shelby is first seen in The Family Web. You don't get to see a whole lot of her before she's cut off and not seen again. Even so, that little taste of the character was enough to make her memorable. Well, she gets her focus now and she's great! From the get-go, she's sassy, independent, and irreverent. Things that The Family Web's Clara is not. The story picks off at the moment Clara ditches their friendship to focus on the messed up family of her significant other.
Clara heads into a new chapter in her life, meeting an interesting cast of new characters including a love interest named Patrick. Patrick's charming and you can see why Shelby is drawn to him, but though he has a few moments you want to wring his neck. And you didn't think vile Debbie from The Family Web wasn't going to make appearances in this novella, did you? Debbie shows up...and Debbie does Debbie things.
Once again, we're treated to a tense story with a twist that'll shock you. It's a fast read, but a great one. If you enjoyed The Family Web (honestly, I don't know how anybody couldn't!), you will for sure appreciate this dive back into that world. I'm not sure what else could happen in future books, but I look forward to finding out.
I didn't want to dive into this follow-up right away because I knew I'd then be left with nothing else to read in this world for awhile. But I finally did it, and I'm glad! Untangled hits the same array of emotions, albeit in a more compact story.
The main character Shelby is first seen in The Family Web. You don't get to see a whole lot of her before she's cut off and not seen again. Even so, that little taste of the character was enough to make her memorable. Well, she gets her focus now and she's great! From the get-go, she's sassy, independent, and irreverent. Things that The Family Web's Clara is not. The story picks off at the moment Clara ditches their friendship to focus on the messed up family of her significant other.
Clara heads into a new chapter in her life, meeting an interesting cast of new characters including a love interest named Patrick. Patrick's charming and you can see why Shelby is drawn to him, but though he has a few moments you want to wring his neck. And you didn't think vile Debbie from The Family Web wasn't going to make appearances in this novella, did you? Debbie shows up...and Debbie does Debbie things.
Once again, we're treated to a tense story with a twist that'll shock you. It's a fast read, but a great one. If you enjoyed The Family Web (honestly, I don't know how anybody couldn't!), you will for sure appreciate this dive back into that world. I'm not sure what else could happen in future books, but I look forward to finding out.
February 9, 2024
I needed this
This is a beautiful side story to the Family Web. I needed this, because the first novel had me caught in the story, and getting some closure for certain characters is always welcome.
It is very well written, poetic at times, and straight to the point when necessary. The author manages to switch voices with an ease that hints at her mastery of the craft. I feel like I know the characters well.
And again, I was on the edge of my seat until the very last page.
This is a beautiful side story to the Family Web. I needed this, because the first novel had me caught in the story, and getting some closure for certain characters is always welcome.
It is very well written, poetic at times, and straight to the point when necessary. The author manages to switch voices with an ease that hints at her mastery of the craft. I feel like I know the characters well.
And again, I was on the edge of my seat until the very last page.
February 1, 2025
Bourbon for Butterflies and Hush Money
I just slammed this down like a shot of fine bourbon and didn't even make a face. A Completely smooth but full bodied experience. Hints of spice and intrigue.
Shelby and Patrick -
I need another of that double!
I just slammed this down like a shot of fine bourbon and didn't even make a face. A Completely smooth but full bodied experience. Hints of spice and intrigue.
Shelby and Patrick -
I need another of that double!
March 9, 2024
Susan
Well another great read that grabbed my interest from the start and I hope to see more from this Author
Well another great read that grabbed my interest from the start and I hope to see more from this Author
September 5, 2024
another great read!
I hope to see more of this author. This is a great read! She leaves me wanting more of the intrigue. What a tangled web has been woven.
I hope to see more of this author. This is a great read! She leaves me wanting more of the intrigue. What a tangled web has been woven.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews