And Then Everything Unraveled

Delia Truesdale #1

by Jennifer Sturman

First there was a disappearance.
Then there was a clue.
Then there was a kiss.
And then...

Delia Truesdale has no idea her life's about to change forever. She's too busy enjoying the California summer. Her Internet tycoon mother, T.K. Truesdale, is out of town, and that means Delia can spend all her time at the beach, surfing.

That is, until everything unravels.

Her mother suddenly goes missing, and everyone thinks she's dead—except Delia, who knows T.K.'s way too organized to simply disappear. But Delia's still sent to New York to live with her two aunts—a downtown bohemian and an uptown ice queen. And in case that's not bad enough, she also has to deal with a snooty new school and trying not to fall for the wrong guy. Oh, and finding her mother.

As she delves deeper into the tangle of conspiracies and lies surrounding T.K.'s disappearance, Delia begins to suspect that the wrong guy may be the right guy... and that some secrets—especially the dangerous ones—were never meant to be unraveled.

Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Fiction, Teen, Chick Lit, Romance, Contemporary

244 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2009

About the author

Jennifer Sturman is the author of several mystery novels, including The Pact and The Jinx. After graduating from Harvard College, Jennifer earned her MBA from Harvard Business School. She now lives in New York City, a few blocks from Delia’s aunt Charley (And Then Everything Unraveled). She has no free time, but if she did she would probably spend it watching teen movie classics from the '80s.

Reviews

[oliviasbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I ordered this book, which has been praised highly by readers I follow, spontaneously, when I was looking for a way to save the shipping costs for a DVD that I wanted to purchase as a last minute Christmas present. I grabbed "Then Everything Unraveled" (which does not happen, b.t.w.) yesterday night and finished it this morning. The story proved to be a pleasant, rather short piece of New-York-based teen-romance including a 16-year-old girl from Silicon Valley turning into a self-proclaimed investigator plot line - or maybe the other way around. I enjoyed a lot of scences and especially the fact, that the heroine turns out to be rather her until recently unknown mother's sister's daughter then her mom's (aka loving expensive clothes and drama instead of practical things and science), but overall the book didn't lift itself from the huge pile of available teen stuff. The setting of the crime and how little was done about it from the official side stroke me as very unbelievable (I don't know: maybe the US oil firms have that kind of power) and I resent cliffhangers as steep as this. I won't pick up the sequel out of pure protest ;-) ... and also a slight lack of interest. The second part of the story (And Then I Found Out The Truth) would have easily fitted into the acceptable length of a young adult novel. So apart from the urge to make more money I see no sense in splitting it into two halfs or - let's hope not - even more.

Favorite quote (following Nic's style of reviewing):
'Good,' she said. Then she exhaled a long breath and leaned back in her seat. 'I can't believe I just talked to you like that. Ugh. I sounded like someone's mother.' She said "mother" like she was talking about cockroaches or snakes.
'It was pretty impressive,' I said. 'I never would have guessed you were an amateur.'

[Nomes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm crushing on this book hard.

Mainly because of the voice which is exactly my kind of thing. Clever and funny and quirky, I was grinning my way through this and nodding along at Delia's wry observations. Also, its written in a slight stream of consciousness style, which is just so wonderfully done.

I'm envious of the way Sturman captures the essence of a character and just breathes life into them in a few sentences and mate, you know these people. And you'll love them and laugh at them and will amuse yourself to no end.

I love Delia. Who wouldn't? Even if there was no mystery here, I'd just read pages of her voice. Anyway, the mystery helped drive the plot, but it wasn't overly in-your-face Nancy drew style, more just Delia trying to figure out what happened to her mum and there's some lovely foreshadowing of who could be the bad dude which I couldn't figure out - despite being 30 and highly intelligent ;) - and I liked that mysteriousness about it all.

Delia's Aunt, Charley. I want to be her. Anyway, I want my adult characters to shine this hard and work their way into my heart in just a few paragraphs like Charley did.

And, helloooooo Quinn. Here's a YA dude that can make you swoon with no cringe-y details of hotness (but trust me, he is hot). He is awesome and I wish there had been more of him so thank God there is a sequel. Because I am so there. (Ahh, when it comes in paperback that is, a painful wait, but hard covers aren't in my budget...and they hurt my hand more).

And, I also love that this book has a fresh and innocent feel about it. No swearing or drugs, etc. Very sweet and I wish I could go back in time and give it to my teen self who craved books exactly like this. And craved boys exactly like Quinn :)

I read this book in one day. Good times.

I give it 4 stars of brilliance.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delia’s summer of lazily surfing under the California sun turns into just a fleeting dream when her internet genius mother T.K. Truesdale goes missing. The unexplainable disappearance of the research vessel T.K. was aboard leads most people to believe T.K. is dead—but Delia knows better. It would be impossible for someone as intelligent and organized as T.K. to just disappear from thin air. Nonetheless, Delia is sent to New York City to live with her polar opposite aunts, her new guardians. Now Delia has to deal with one ditzy but bohemian chic aunt, another uptight and severe, not to mention the snobby elite new school she’s been enrolled in and the unpredictable boy she shouldn’t like—all while trying to determine the whereabouts of her mother. But the deeper into the investigation Delia gets, the more she realizes that some people aren’t who she thought them to be, for better or worse, and that T.K.’s disappearance is just the beginning of something huge—and hugely dangerous.

And Then Everything Unraveled has the makings of a great mystery, with strange disappearances, shady characters, cryptic messages, danger, and the promise of a scandalous international conspiracy. What I love about this story is how Sturman puts everything in the context of the global economy, particularly fossil fuel dependence and corporate greed; it makes this mystery seem so much more important and relevant to the world today. Unfortunately, this is probably the best written part of the novel. The characters are not sufficiently developed; I understand that an important part of mysteries are the cryptic minor characters, but that does not mean that the main characters need to be neglected as well. I couldn’t get a clear image of Delia’s personality, and I don’t like how she is defined mostly by her search for her mother. She just seems kind of empty to me, and her mannequin role to her aunt Charley is more bothersome than an accurate portrayal of a teen girl. Sturman’s attempt at romance is also awkward. How Delia’s mental paralysis over a sighting her crush Quinn turns into Quinn being in love with her doesn’t completely add up, a situation only made worse by the fact that the reader barely gets to know Quinn’s character. Plus, I really dislike the end to this novel because practically everything is left up in the air, and I will be incredibly disappointed if And Everything Unraveled doesn’t get a sequel, because that would make this novel seem pointless.

Though lacking in character development, And Then Everything Unraveled is still an enjoyable, creative, and well structured mystery. I recommend it for fans of Dream Girl by Lauren Mechling and Linda Gerber’s Death by… series.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com

[Ashley - Book Labyrinth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had heard good things about this book and its sequel, so I was really looking forward to picking it up. I think the cover is wonderful, although I don't know how much it reflects the tone of the book. Another thing that is great about the cover is that its not white washed: the model actually looks like she's of Indian descent, as Delia is. I loved how Jennifer Sturman managed to combine a well written mystery with a more typical boy meets girl story. I would have liked the background characters, such as Gwyneth and Grey, and even Patience, to be more well rounded. I even felt like we could have gotten to know more about Quinn, besides the fact that he's cute and rich, and that his father is potentially a Very Bad Man. Delia is a likeable character, and despite the fact that her thoughts about her mother end up having evidence behind them, I found it a little unrealistic that she would have very little emotional reaction at all to the fact that her mother is, or at the very least, might be, dead. This changes a bit throughout the book, but despite her emotional outbursts, she seemed a bit too levelheaded about it all. However, I enjoyed her narrative voice a lot. As the book leaves off on a cliff hanger, there's no real resolution to the mystery. You sort of know what's going on, but you have to wait for the next book to find out how it all works out. I will definitely be picking up the 2nd book, as I'm a sucker for any story involving big business conspiracy and disappearances.

[Ms. Patterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mystery with female in the lead role. Delia is trying to find out what happened to her mother after her ship disappears during an expedition to the Antarctic. While everyone else is convinced that Delia's mother is dead, Delia isn't so sure. I found it a little unbelievable with the conspiracy and how Delia and her friends can find out things no one else can. I didn't like how too many things are left unanswered in the end. I know, it's leaving room for a sequel, but in a mystery I still want things tied up at the end of the novel. Not a bad story and I think there will be fans of this book. It's just not one of my favorites.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved it, the only reason that I rated it 4 stars instead of five was because the last line was: to be continued, and that was really really annoying.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a lovely quick read which was easy to get into. I was afraid the high school drama might get in the way of the mystery but it had a very nice balance between the two. Plus it had well written characters: Delia was determined but never sounded crazy or paranoid, Charley was inexperienced but never exaggerated, and Patience was cold but not cruel. It had realistic relationships (as far as ya books go) and an interesting plot. Overall, three stars: I liked it.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok. While it was a quick and easy read, it was only half the story and therefore did not live up to its potential. It drives me nuts when authors do this! The book should be able to stand on its own without having to purchase another one to get the full story. I doubt I’ll bother reading the next one because of this.

[Autumn McDade]

This is a great book. I would recommend this book to anyone who like to read about a teenagers life.

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

I'm not sure if it's an element of a mystery novel or not but I've decided that I'm really bothered when a character foreshadows something very dramatically (i. e. "I should have known..." or "How could I have been so stupid..." etc). These statements have really started to bug me and there are a few of those throughout the book. The ending was an annoying type of cliffhanger and yet as I type this review and reflect I've realized that I'm not in a hurry to read the sequel (which I own). I thought it was somewhat ironic that the ice queen Aunt Patience was a more well-rounded character to me than Aunt Charley. I found Charley to be the typical free-spirit, reluctant-to-play-mom-but-rises-to-the-occasion-beautifully aunt. Patience was more complex, in part because Delia doesn't spend much time with her so there's an air of mystery about her. Of course we have the genius best friend who is a whiz with technology and thus can crack anything. I really need to find a friend like that because they only seem to exist in books and movies.....And I have to admit I'm skeptical at the power a certain oil company yields so I was disappointed that I couldn't entirely believe the plot. The most ANNOYING part though is a * that Delia finally told Quinn what was going on and not only does the author write the scene off camera (so to speak) but we don't get to read about his reaction afterward, we are just told to assume he accepts it. Ugh no!

All that being said, I really liked the mystery element. It's not ridiculously dramatic (as in a teenager solving a murder or something) and while one particular villain was obvious, I was not expecting another villain (hinted at via psychic in what I thought was a clever twist). The mystery is rather complex and it's definitely original. Delia is a down-to-earth, mostly logical main character who neither wallows in self-pity nor is she overconfident about her looks. In short, she has good self esteem. I enjoyed reading about Delia's comparing and contrasting NYC to Silicon Valley having only spent four tourist-y days in NYC and never been to California. Plus as flat a character as Quinn was, he embodied typical boy in being so on and off so I definitely could relate to Delia's confusion. I did roll my eyes at the classic Romeo and Juliet scene performed in drama class of course in front of everyone.

And Then Everything Unraveled is an appealing read due to its mostly plausible mystery and the engaging voice of Delia. The setting of NYC is a vibrant one in this book as well and I liked how some of the seemingly-random occurrences were tied into the story. I have to admit I don't see why the author couldn't have made this one mystery story instead of making a sequel. I thought the book was moving slowly and knowing I had the sequel didn't appease me, it just bothered me that I knew the mystery wouldn't be wrapped up and the book would mostly be about the more mundane and the data-gathering. Most of the characters were typical, Quinn is nothing special, Aunt Charley is great fun but still typical (there was a time when she would be atypical but now that I'm a somewhat jaded reader....haha) and Thad is predictable although his motives are fuzzy. The mystery did keep me on my toes when Delia stopped thinking about Quinn. I will eventually read the sequel especially since I'm hoping Delia's half Indian side (her father died) will be explored.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

And Then Everything Unraveled was a fantastic and well written mystery that left me dying to pick up the sequel! Filled with plot twists, interesting characters, and great writing, I had a hard time putting this down.

Delia was an original and likable main character. Readers get to learn more about her parents and background within the first few chapters and I love how diversity played a role with Delia being half Indian. Her father was not only a big computer genius, but also a big surfer and he passed this talent on to Delia before he was killed. You could tell how much Delia missed her father, and how it was even more important to her that her mother was alive. The mystery surrounding her mother’s disappearance was an excellent idea and had me trying to figure out what was going to happen next.

Delia’s mother, TK, was a well developed character and I had to agree with Delia right from the start that her “death” was very mysterious and unbelievable. The clues Delia uncovered were amazing and it really helped that her friend Natalie was such a computer genius (as were many of the characters in this novel!). Without her Delia still would be struggling to put some clues together. And there were a lot of clues and twists in the plot that will keep the reader on their toes. New facts, suspicious characters, and a hit and run attempt all made each page that much more exciting!

The mystery angle was my favorite, but there were still other sub plots that made me enjoy the novel even more. When TK disappeared, Delia was shipped off to live with her fun-loving, ice-cream eating Aunt Charley. I loved Charley, she was just the right amount of caring and understanding that made it easy to overlook her sometimes confused and random nature. Delia’s other aunt, Patricia, was the complete opposite of the carefree Charley. Patricia and her twins, Gwyneth and Grey (“with an E”) were all cold and demanding, but as the novel went along readers get to see a bit of Gwyneth’s other side and I hope to see more of her in the sequel.

There was romance in this too! Quinn was a fun loving and popular guy at Delia’s new school in New York and you could see their connection from the start. While at first Quinn appears a bit dull and standoffish, he soon proves himself to be a caring and sweet guy. He even helps Delia out quite a bit with her quest to find TK.

In conclusion, And Then Everything Unraveled was a delightful debut and one of my favorite reads of the year. Mysteries are few and far between in the YA genre so I can’t wait to see where Jennifer Sturman takes Delia’s story next. The ending was quite a cliffhanger and left me really anxious to get started on And Then I Found Out The Truth. This was just released in paperback so definitely pick up a copy soon!

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

A captivating mystery with a bold teenage protagonist, And Then Everything Unraveled is a quick but engaging read. The plot and set up has been well planned out with more clues and hints coming at the right moments but still leaving many things hard to foresee. The writing is great, keeping easily with the teenage narrator but also holding a strength a range of readers will enjoy.

Delia is a spunky character, well developed with a strong sense of her upbringing that comes across the pages. Her mother, although not physically in the novel, still comes in strongly both in the way Delia thinks and acts as well as being the basis of the entire mystery. From her views on different acts and events to her job and interests, there is a large part of T.K. in Delia. Her father’s influence is also prevalent, providing a strong sense of family despite their absence. Her actions and motivation are smoothly handled, creating an understandable mix between teenage girl and child determined to find her mother.

Charley is a fantastic character, full of life and brings constant humor to the story. Her interactions with Delia are some of the most memorable parts of the book and she is as well developed and rounded as Delia. Her responses and quirks add spark, even bringing out more of Delia’s personality as a result. Patience also adds a certain flair though in a different manner and the crazy family who disagrees often scenario plays out fantastically here. Quinn is adorable, a nice mix of apathetic and caring. He has a few different sides and they show up at the right times. Delia’s involvement with him covers a few different areas and it adds another nice feature to the book as a whole.

The plot progresses at a pretty steady pace, mixing in high school, teenage drama and events with the mystery of T.K.’s mother’s disappearance. Delia is in over her head to some extent as the truth begins to unfold but her determination to continue is both true to her character and to a teenager. The entire set up plays out perfectly for the targeted age group. The book closes with a cliffhanger, leaving a great set up for the next installment, but still does a great job tying up some of the events introduced with this book.

And Then Everything Unraveled is a great mystery, filled with intrigue and strong characters but still harboring a good sense of teenage drama and angst. Delia handles many of the situations maturely and even her moments of weakness come at the right moments to be sympathetic. Quirky characters across the board and vivid descriptions tie together to make this book a fantastic, quick read with a great set up for the next book.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Jennifer Sturman's "Rachel Benjamin" series but it's getting a little repetitive so I was glad to see she's written something outside the series and thought it would be a good break.

The first thing I noticed was that the setting reminded me a lot of the movie "Raising Helen". Three sisters, one dies and in her will, leaves her children (or in this case, child) in the care of the unlikely one of the two other sisters. In "Raising Helen", the unlikely sister is single and career driven (no time for kids and doesn't know what to do with them) but in this book, she's single and flakey, never settling on a career and known for her irresponsiblity. In both stories, she's made all the more the unlikely choice given the fact that the remaining sister is married with kids of her own. It put me off knowing that the setting of the story is kind of a rip off of a 2004 movie. But I put my trust in the fact that this book is supposed to be a mystery, which "Raising Helen" is not and that it's told from the teen daughter's point of view, not the unlikely sister's point of view.

While it's definitely not a copy of the movie (what I detailed is where the similarities end), it's difficult to say much about it since a lot still remains to be seen and revealed. It's obviously just setting the stage for part 2 (titled "And Then I Found Out The Truth"). This book is more about introducing and building characters, something Sturman does pretty well, even in her faster-paced books.

Not having read the sequel, I still think they should have been published as one book because they are both very short (256 and 272 pages respectively) and this one ends abruptly, pretty much forcing you to buy the next book. In her other book series, each book was a stand alone story. Though the characters were the same and their relationships developed over the series, each book had a completely seperate plot and mystery.

Despite being a young adult book, it's enjoyable for adults too. Although the main character is 16 years old and teens may relate to her, she is intelligent, witty and mature enough not to alienate adult readers. Sturman's book are always quick and easy reads - they are never a huge investment of time or effort and this one is no exception so I'm sure I'll be picking up the sequel.

[Sophie Riggsby / allthingsequilateral · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit that I loved the setting mostly because I grew up in Silicon Valley. I remember the start-up internet families living in their McMansions with Priuses parked in their driveways. This is the world that sixteen-year-old Delia lived in until a tragic accident left her mother missing. Because her father had already passed away, Delia found herself at the mercy of her mother's will which stated that Delia would move to New York City. The will also stated that while Delia will live with the bohemian aunt, Charley, her education will be in the hands of her mother's other sister, the no-nonsense, social climbing Patience. The interactions between the extreme personalities of Charlie and Patience create some of the best scenes and dialogues in the book.

So, you can imagine Delia's shock in switching not only lifestyles, from surfing on the West Coast to shopping around SoHo in New York, but also the dramatic switch in schools. Enrolled in what was both her mother's and aunts' private school of choice, she meets new friends - the geeky genius Natalie and the helpful and handsome Quinn. Together the three friends begin to piece together what happened to her mother. While everyone else, assumes that she died, Delia with the help of a quirky psychic and an equally quirky detective begins to solve the mystery of clues her mother left behind.

I thoroughly enjoyed Delia's voice, which was consistently smart, funny and very logical. I liked the secondary characters and the setting. Why the three stars? Well, the ending. The ending reminded me of those After School Specials. You know, the two part ones? This book uses exactly that style of ending. There are still lots of loose unresolved plot points and I almost expected to see a page titled - "on next week's episode of...".

But, if you like a young adult novel with a tinge of mystery and smart quirky characters, by all means pick up And Then Everything Unraveled. Just don't expect things to be tied up in the end.

[JennRenee · Rating 4 out of 5]

see more reviews http://jennreneeread.blogspot.com/

I really love mysteries. This book is great! I love everything about the book, characters, the story, the setting, and the writing.

Delia’s life starts to unravel when she comes home to hear that her mother has disappeared somewhere in the Arctic. This was the first bit of bad news… right after she learns she has to live with an aunt she has never met. Not only has she never met this aunt, she lives on the other side of the country. Delia is used to the laid back Californian life and now has to join the buys New York life.

From the moment that Delia is told about her mother’s disappearance and presumed death, she refuses to believe her mother is dead. She believes she would know, feel it ,if this were true. Once she arrives in New York and gets settled in she becomes determined to learn the truth behind her mother’s disappearance and find her mother. With the help of her new friends, the investigation is under way.

The author did a great job with this story. The writing is very vivid and thought out. I could imagine clearly everything that was happening. From the very beginning I was intrigued and couldn’t stop reading. The characters are all so real and different. Delia has lived most her life taking care of herself, her mother traveled often for business and her dad died years before. She has a good sense of responsibility and is pretty straight forward with everything she does. Her aunts are crazy but in different ways. Charley is so fun! She is kooky and wild but really cares for Delia from the moment she meets her. Her author Aunt, Patty, is just CRAZY… She is particular and snooty but still cares for Delia’s best interest, of course according to what she considered Delia’s best interest.

I was a little upset in the end but only because it is a “to be continued” book. I really want to know what is going on. A little of the mystery is solved but not all of it. I will need to get my hands on the second book.

[Trupti Dorge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cordelia Truesdale or Delia had a nice, carefree life in California with 2 best friends and a school she likes. All this comes to an abrupt end when her mom T.K goes on an environmental trip to Antarctica. Her ship is said to have disappeared and everyone, including her mom’s manager Thad, believes she is dead. But Delia is not convinced. After all there no body is found.

When her mother’s will is read, Delia is sent to her aunts Patience and Charity to New York. Although Delia believes her mom is going to return, she has no choice. She decides to investigate into the matter from New York.

This book was awesome, really. I could not keep it down. It was just so much fun with all the quirky characters. The fun and carefree Charity, the controlling and uptight Patience, her genius geek friend Natalie, the psychic Carolina, and yes the very cute and handsome Quinn. Quinn reminded me a lot of the guy from the movie The Cinderella Story staring Hilary Duff. A caricature, yes, but cute anyway. The sense of humor was amazing and I found myself laughing out loud many times.

From the blurb I thought this book would be funny, but I was really unprepared for how sad I felt for Delia and what she was going through. Maintaining a level of humor and yet making Delia’s pain real was a very good and difficult balance. That was one of the reasons I liked the book more.

I was kind of surprised when everyone called their parents by their first name. I mean, is that normal? I didn’t find any explanation of that in the book, so it left me a little confused. But other than that, And Then Everything Unraveled
was very good.

This book obviously has a sequel. But this book has just released, so I wonder how long I will have to wait for that. Anyway, do read it if you like Young adult or just want to tuck into a nice, fun novel.

First posted at http://violetcrush.wordpress.com/2009...

[Kait · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delia Truesdale is certain her mother is alive. She knows that she would be able to tell if she had died but how can she convince everyone else of this before they ship her across the country to live with the aunt she has never met?

Well, as it turns out, she can't. The day after she finds out about the disappearance of her mother, Delia is sent to New York to live with her aunt Charity. Delia has no idea what to expect from her aunt but she gets a nice surprise when she finally meets her. Charley is an awesome aunt but her aunt Patience definitely cancels that out.

New family, new school, new friends, and new romance give Delia a lot to think about. On top of that, she is conducting her own investigation of her mother's disappearance and every clue she finds leads her into more danger.

Is Delia's mother really still alive and if she is will Delia be able to find her?

This was another wow book for me. Looking at the cover, I expected something meant for younger kids and something that I probably wouldn't really like. Boy was I wrong. I loved it. I read the whole book in one sitting and it left me wanting more. This is one of those books where I hope there is a sequel.

Delia was a great heroine. She was very likable and her personality was great. I also loved her aunt Charley. She was mu favorite. Overall, most of the characters were great but I was left wondering about Quinn's true personality. You saw a couple different sides to him and I was guessing as to which one was really him. I also wondered a little more about Patience and her twin son and daughter. You don't really get any background to them.

Overall, the book was great but the end left me asking some questions. Hopefully, there will be a sequel to this because I just think that would make the story even better. I still receommend this for a fun, mysterious romance!

[Lianxin Lin · Rating 4 out of 5]

And Then Everything Unraveled Point, 2010, 256 pp. $8.99
Jennifer Sturman ISBN 978-0-545-08723-0

I Am Coming to You, T.k.: A Review of And Then Everything Unraveled

“She’s way too organized to die by just disappearing like that.” Delia, a 16-year-old high school girl, who lives with her aunt, Charley, in New York City, still can’t believe that T.K., her mom, is gone. On top of that, Delia once overhears a secret phone call of her aunt about her mom’s strange disappearance. She then determines to figure out what really happened to her mother.

Throughout the story, Delia is set out to solve the mystery of T.K.’s disappearance. At the end of the book, an evil eye gazes at Delia... However, the whole book is not just about the mystery of missing mom. In the school, Delia meets Quinn, an extraordinary, humor, hot guy, who always there to accompany her searching for the suspicions of T.K.’s disappearance. As you may know, Delia can’t help falling for Quinn. Until a beautiful accident narrows the distance between these two teens’ hearts all of a sudden — a kiss in front of the whole school! How excited romantic! Wow, for more information, check it out in And Then Everything Unraveled by Jennifer Sturman.

I strongly recommend this book to the kind of readers that seek for humor photoganists and detective-type of story. This is such an awesome book that glues you to the pages and you can hardly put it down. I finished it within three sittings and I can’t wait to read the sequel, And Then I Found Out the Truth!

One last thing, eyes here, Jennifer Sturman also detailly describes the customs in New York City in both books. Take a tour in words New York!

[La Femme Readers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5

And Then Everything Unraveled was a gripping, witty and fun start to a promising series. Jennifer's writing drew me into the story and well-developed characters. Delia, the main character, was a determined, intelligent and lovable girl. I related to her personality off the bat and quickly learned to sympathize with her situation. Delia's mother T.K. unexpectedly goes missing. On top of that, everyone around her assumed she was dead. Her intuition sensed that her mother was alive and she would do everything in her power to find T.K. The journey she faced was exciting yet dangerous. There were a few evildoers in the novel that Delia had to watch out for. There was more to her mother's disappearance then people led on. Once evidence started unraveling I couldn't put the book down. I read it in two sittings because I was so eager to find out what would happen to Delia and her plan.

As she played Sherlock Holmes, she resided with her aunt Charley in New York City. I absolutely loved Charley. She was quirky, funny and chic. I'd love to have a cool, fashionable aunt like her. I admired how she not only took the role of a parent but, a friend as well. Throughout the novel, there was little romance and a hint of curiosity between Delia and a boy in school, Quinn. He was truly a stand up guy and I really liked the whole cat and mouse relationship. Eventually, he started to play a bigger role in Delia's life and I enjoyed getting to know him better. In general, this book was an awesome YA debut from Jennifer and I recommend it to those who are looking for a fast-paced, thrilling read.

[Steph | bookedinsaigon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! How do I even begin to describe AND THEN EVERYTHING UNRAVELED, which defies categorization? It’s a mystery-suspense story wrapped around a typical girl-coming-of-age tale, and yet as a result it is so much more.

Delia is a darling, an unassuming high school girl with a lot of bad luck but an equal amount of smarts on her hand. In straightforward, attention-grabbing prose she tells us how the transition from California to NYC is, how living with her crazy aunts after her by-the-book mom is, and how important it is to her that she get to the bottom of this mystery with her mom. The plot is definitely the best thing about this book, for the hint of a mysterious and dangerous conspiracy in an otherwise normal YA novel is unusual, and thus delightful.

Besides for Delia, most of the other characters are interesting as well. Her aunts Charley and Patty are complete opposites of one another, and yet neither of them feel clichéd or unrealistic in their differences. Jennifer Sturman has the crazy-awesome ability to make even the most minor of characters have personality. The only character that falls slightly short in my opinion would be Quinn, Delia’s love interest, who’s gallant and noble and infuriating but still a little fuzzy in my head.

However, since the ending of this book clearly promises a sequel or two, I am confident that I will only fall more and more in love with Delia’s world. AND THEN EVERYTHING UNRAVELED is a stellar start to what promises to be an exciting, heartwarming, AND nail-biting series. Can it really get better than that?

[I'd So Rather Be Reading {Nat} · Rating 3 out of 5]

Natalie won And Then Everything Unraveled and the sequel, And Then I Found Out the Truth, from Jami at YA Addict and she let me read these books first! Isn't she the best? I don't know if I could ever do that, but Natalie does that kind of thing all the time.

Anyway, on to my review. And Then Everything Unraveled is fun, contemporary YA. I really enjoyed it! Delia is a high school student living in Silicon Valley and her mother goes missing while on a science expedition.

Everyone believes that T.K. is dead, but Delia holds on to hope that she is alive. Delia is sent to New York to live with her aunt, who she's never met, starts a new school, meets a cute, mysterious guy, and tries to solve the mystery of her mother's disappearance on her own.

I liked Delia a lot. She was plucky, had good self-esteem, and very relatable. She doesn't give up on her mother, despite everyone trying to keep her from investigating her mother's disappearance. The love story was sweet, the mystery kept me guessing, and the cast of supporting characters was well-developed. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel!

Just One Gripe:
This was a very fast read---I think it took me less than two hours. Sometimes books that read that fast leave me feeling somewhat unsatisfied, but that wasn't the case here. I guess that's not really a gripe, huh?

The Best Thing About This Book:
Delia's voice.

Appropriate for a younger audience:
Yes

Score:
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 3/5
Setting/Imagery: 3/5
Originality: 4/5
Ending: 4/5
Total Score: 18/25

[Jenifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

And Then Everything Unraveled by Jennifer Sturman

One of the books that I have read in this school year is And Then Everything Unraveled by Jennifer Sturman. This book is about a girl named Delia who’s mother has mysteriously disappeared, then her whole life is changed. I think this is a really good book, thumbs up.

The main point of this book is about going through change and solving a mystery. About dealing with all the obstacles that are thrown your way. It’s a lot about facing challenges and putting all the pieces back together. I think the author is trying to say that you should not give up to quick and you should work hard to get where you want to get. To fin what you want to find. To solve what you want to solve.

I think this book is an amazing book. It has romance, mystery, and a little humor. I stayed up late at night reading this book because I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t even wake up in the morning! I really liked it because I am more into mystery or sci-fi books and also with a little romance so this one was one that I really loved.

I think I would recommend this book to girls more than boys. The ones that like mystery and a little romance too. Since it had both I loved it. Before someone could read this, they would probably need to know about money and oil because I got a little lost a long the way from those topics. Other than that, you could really enjoy this book.

So does Delia find her mother? You have to read book two, And Then I found Out The Truth to find out!

[Riley M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever heard a story that you knew couldn't be true? I just finished the book, And Then Everything Unraveled by Jennifer Sturman. And that's what happens to Delia Trusdale.
Delia is a fifteen year old girl from California who loves to surf and lay out in the sun. She's never expects anything out-of-the-ordinary, until everything unravels. Her computer-savvy mom, T.K. Trusdale is suddenly said to be dead, but Delia knows for a fact, it's not true. She soon has to move to New York City to live with her two opposite personality aunts. She has to go to a new school, make new friends, and above all, find her mother and bring her home. But things seem to get worse and worse for Delia, until she meets Quinn, a blond haired, high school jock. Delia soon takes interest in Quinn but always seems to get mean looks from her preppy cousin Gwyenth. Maybe the guy she never thought she'd be with, could be the one.
And then there's Natalie. The so-into-computers girl who doesn't like to spend her time doing anything but homework or being in the library. Her parents want her to be more social, so Delia makes a deal with her. She'll help her on her social skills if Natalie will help her track down her mom, and she agrees. But as the investigation unravels, Delia realizes that some things, are never meant to be unraveled.
So , what's going to happen? Will Delia find her mom? Will she end up with Quinn? Read this book to find out!

[Alea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt like this book just got me. It was a mix of my favorite things, a little sleuthing (I love Veronica Mars) a pair of crazy aunts (I love Pushing Daisies) one who has fabulous taste in 80s movies, a cute boy, New York City and ice cream. Yes, there is a lot of ice cream in this book, I kid you not! I just loved this book.

I loved the mystery in the story and really I still don't know how it going to end, can you say sequel! I found the book really funny too, Delia's descriptions of her cousin's facial expressions, just priceless. And Delia in general was just a great character, I really liked her. She was one of many strong characters in a great cast. They were all unique from the P.I. with the cute ties to Natalie the girl that promised her parents she would go to a party to work on her social skills!

There are so many elements in this story I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to find out that the story is left open for a sequel. I need that sequel NOW! It ends with so many unanswered questions, I must know what's going to happen! It reminded me a lot of how Kiss Me, Kill Me and Kisses and Lies acted together, almost thinking of the first book and sequel as one book split into two.

I found this to be a great opener to a really interesting story. I can't wait to see where the story picks up and check out some of the author's adult titles in the meantime.

[Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review will be brief, because what I really want to be doing right now is reading the sequel, And Then I Found Out the Truth. That's how good And Then Everything Unraveled was.

Delia Truesdale is a child of the Silicon Valley, but when her Internet tycoon mother disappears while on an environmental trip to Antarctica, an apparently-orphaned Delia is sent to New York to live with her Aunt Charley, a woman she has never met. Delia doesn't think her mother is really dead, but how can she prove it without getting sent to a shrink for not dealing with her grief?

This book has all the usual trappings of a novel set in NYC (prep school, subways, fashion), but the writing is so fresh and Delia and her Aunt Charley are so likable that the novel is in no way derivative. In fact, this book is like nothing that I've read this year. If you're looking for a fun read in the contemporary realistic fiction genre, then look no further than And Then Everything Unraveled.

Off to read the sequel!

[Books and Literature for Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

And Then Everything Unraveled is a great little read, perfect for summer vacations. At first I excepted it to be a light romance/mystery mix, but this book defiantly went a bit deeper than that. In fact, I was rather thrilled to read something new, something that was based on a much bigger scale, and not just a simple disappearance. In anticipation, you watch as Delia uncovers clues, love, and danger all at once; there is never a boring moment!

Delia was a courageous spunky protagonist and I really enjoyed her aunt Charley's humor. There was a colorful array of characters and a variety of settings which made the book even more fun to read. The only part (which was still a small part) I didn't care for was when the physic told Delia some things about her mother's disappearance. I thought it took away a lot from the mystery and cut some corners. Despite that one little flaw, did I enjoyed the added scenes about Quinn and his family; I think it gave the mystery an even greater appeal to it-especially when it came with a few stunning surprises. Overall, And Then Everything Unraveled was a great read-couldn't put it down-and it left me dying for a sequel!



Age Group: YA, ages 12+ Content: None
Recommend: Yes

Courtesy of BLT reviews: booksandliteratureforteens.blogspot.com

[Megan Burback · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cordelia Truesdale knows that he mother can't be dead, problem is, everybody else thinks she's dead. So, after being shipped off to New York to live with her zany aunt Charley, and starting a new school, she starts to delve into her mother's disappearance. Then finds out that there is a lot more going on then she could have ever imagined. With a cast of characters like the hot/sweet/distant Quinn Riley, The Wicked Witch of the Upper East Side and the Fly Monkeys (Delia's other aunt Patience, and her two children), Natalie the surprisingly not-shy genius, and of course Aunt Charley with her talkativeness that borders of extreme, and her kind heart, this book can be nothing but great.

I really appreciated the the author never really over-exaggerated any situations in this book (overdramatization is a book killer in my opinion), and everything, and the characters seemed pretty realistic. And Then Everything Unraveled is a page turner until the very end. With drama, romance, hilarity and mystery this was defiantly a four star book. I can't wait to read the sequel, And Then I Found Out The Truth.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

And Then Everything Unraveled is a great mix of mystery and suspense. From the beginning you are drawn into Delia's life, feeling that you are there with her every step she takes to find out what really happened to her mother. One of my favorite qualities of Delia's was her ability to never give up, no matter what got thrown at her. Since, without that this novel could have been pretty boring. Delia's aunts, Charley and Patience, were hilarious supporting characters who always had you laughing when they were featured.

The plot in this always provided you to keep flipping the pages and had you guessing at what would occur next. Even,though the mystery aspect is not that original it still made And Then Everything Unraveled a quick read.

My only problem with this was the ending. Since, Jennifer Sturman let a lot to be unanswered. So hopefully, that means a sequel is in the works. :)

Overall, And Then Everything Unraveled is a funny and charming read for a sunny day in summer. I am looking forward to reading more by Jennifer in the future.

[Sab H. (YA Bliss) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, wow! I loved this book! A very witty and fun detective-type of story. The writing was fantastic. It pulls you in right away. Delia's voice is one of the best voices I've read in a while. She's a down-to-earth, hilarious, no-nonsense character. The type of character anyone would love to read about. You'll laugh out loud with her sarcasm.

The plot was rich and delightful. A mixture of a coming of age story with the suspense of a conspiracy. Delia's mother is dead, except Delia thinks she's not, and she's determined to prove it. But first, she has to face her aunts in a new city, a new school, which includes a hot mysterious guy... you get the point. The characters were wonderful; all so different and unique, it's hard to believe they're not real. Quinn, the male lead, needs a little more depth, I feel I don't quite get him yet, so I'm hoping for more of him in the sequel, And Then I Found Out the Truth.

Overall, I think this is a must read for any YA lover for it's uniqueness and originality. A fresh mystery/adventure that will have all readers begging for the next book.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good book. It had just the right amount of teen romance and mystery to keep you glued to the pages. I finished the book in a day.
I really liked the character of Delia. She actually reminded me of myself. She over thinks things and is always worrying about what is going to happen next. I felt bad for her at the beginning of the book because her father had died a few years earlier and then her mom comes up missing and she has to move in with her crazy Aunt Charley, who I loved. She was such a fun character in the book. She was always happy and upbeat and was always eating ice cream. The book takes a big turn when Delia starts to research into her mom's 'death'. Delia knows deep in her heart that she is still alive and she keeps searching, even when her life is in danger.
I really liked Delia and Quinn's relationship in the book as well. Nothing really happened until closer to the end when Delia was almost killed, but the way the author leaves the book at the end I know that something good is going to happen in book 2.