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The Nature of Grace #1
Untraceable
16-year-old Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival.
When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him.
One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father.
Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves.
When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him.
One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father.
Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 9, 2011
About the author
Shelli R. Johannes
35 books429 followersShelli R. Johannes is the author of 18 books (out and forthcoming). She is the coauthor (with Kimberly Derting) of the popular CECE LOVES SCIENCE series and PENNY (An Engineering Tale of the Fourth Pig). In addition to her tween and teen novels, she is also the author of the THEO THESAURUS series and SHINE LIKE A UNICORN. Her new chapter book in Chelsea Clinton’s “She Persisted” series on FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE comes out in March 2023.
Shelli can often be found on highways and country roads saving strays and other jaywalking critters or volunteering with animal conservation groups. After earning a master’s to follow her passion of writing.
She lives in Atlanta with her own pack of unicorns: a British husband, two teens, two Goldendoodles, one sassy bird, and the many loud characters that “live” in her head. Shelli is addicted to exclamation points, puns, unicorns, and anything sciencey. You can always count on her to laugh at her own jokes, at least once.
You can find her online at srjohannes.com
Shelli can often be found on highways and country roads saving strays and other jaywalking critters or volunteering with animal conservation groups. After earning a master’s to follow her passion of writing.
She lives in Atlanta with her own pack of unicorns: a British husband, two teens, two Goldendoodles, one sassy bird, and the many loud characters that “live” in her head. Shelli is addicted to exclamation points, puns, unicorns, and anything sciencey. You can always count on her to laugh at her own jokes, at least once.
You can find her online at srjohannes.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 457 reviews
October 24, 2016
Grace has lived in the Smoky Mountains her whole life where her father was a forest ranger who has taken her out daily teaching her tracking and wilderness survival. When Grace's father went missing a few months ago she refused to give up hope that he wouldn't be out there and alive surviving against all the odds.
Fighting the law enforcement who have chalked Grace's father's disappearance up to an accidental drowning on very little evidence Grace finds herself still searching the woods daily. When Grace runs into some trouble in the woods and is rescued by a handsome stranger she can't help but find herself liking him but doesn't want to lose focus on her father and her search either.
Untraceable is the first book in the Nature of Grace series which is a fast paced young adult read with a mix of mystery/thriller along with a bit of romance. The book moved at a fairly good pace all throughout and was a rather quick read for me.
I did have the feeling that the book seemed a tad predictable with what was going on in the story at any given time through the middle. But I will say this one was more than a little surprising with how everything turned out in the end and with a bit of a lead in to the next book in the series it was quite engaging.
Overall, a fast paced young adult mystery/thriller with a bit of romance in the mix. As much as I thought I saw the ending coming it had a nice surprise waiting, would definitely be interested in book 2.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Fighting the law enforcement who have chalked Grace's father's disappearance up to an accidental drowning on very little evidence Grace finds herself still searching the woods daily. When Grace runs into some trouble in the woods and is rescued by a handsome stranger she can't help but find herself liking him but doesn't want to lose focus on her father and her search either.
Untraceable is the first book in the Nature of Grace series which is a fast paced young adult read with a mix of mystery/thriller along with a bit of romance. The book moved at a fairly good pace all throughout and was a rather quick read for me.
I did have the feeling that the book seemed a tad predictable with what was going on in the story at any given time through the middle. But I will say this one was more than a little surprising with how everything turned out in the end and with a bit of a lead in to the next book in the series it was quite engaging.
Overall, a fast paced young adult mystery/thriller with a bit of romance in the mix. As much as I thought I saw the ending coming it had a nice surprise waiting, would definitely be interested in book 2.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
September 29, 2014
Nothing is Untraceable
This book was awesome! I really liked it a lot.
Grace is a very strong female lead. She's searching for her father who was claimed to be missing and dead but Grace does not believe it. So, she hunts for her father on her own strongly believing he is still alive somewhere.
Then she meets Mo whom she really likes. Mo is nice. He is simple, interesting and realistic.
Grace is a very inquisitive person and she pokes her nose into everything and unfortunately her inquisitiveness gets her tangled up with bear hunters and poachers. There are so many shocking revelations in the book that makes everyone think Grace has lost her marbles but she strongly believes in herself and that is something I really liked about her. She completed trusted her instincts and went on with it irrespective of its repercussions.
On the whole, I enjoyed reading this book but sometimes I felt myself drifting away from the concept. It was fun to read especially the survival quotes in the beginning of every chapter but I felt something was missing. Something that might have gripped me more.
Some quotes that I really liked:
1) Life is short. Be sure to make your mark.
2) Asking yourself questions can't lead you home; the answers matter the most.
3) Nature will talk to you if you listen. Every sound tells you something.
Have fun reading this book. It's worth your time and I'm sure you'll love Grace.
"Courage is just grace under pressure." - Ernest Hemingway
This book was awesome! I really liked it a lot.
Grace is a very strong female lead. She's searching for her father who was claimed to be missing and dead but Grace does not believe it. So, she hunts for her father on her own strongly believing he is still alive somewhere.
Then she meets Mo whom she really likes. Mo is nice. He is simple, interesting and realistic.
Grace is a very inquisitive person and she pokes her nose into everything and unfortunately her inquisitiveness gets her tangled up with bear hunters and poachers. There are so many shocking revelations in the book that makes everyone think Grace has lost her marbles but she strongly believes in herself and that is something I really liked about her. She completed trusted her instincts and went on with it irrespective of its repercussions.
On the whole, I enjoyed reading this book but sometimes I felt myself drifting away from the concept. It was fun to read especially the survival quotes in the beginning of every chapter but I felt something was missing. Something that might have gripped me more.
Some quotes that I really liked:
1) Life is short. Be sure to make your mark.
2) Asking yourself questions can't lead you home; the answers matter the most.
3) Nature will talk to you if you listen. Every sound tells you something.
Have fun reading this book. It's worth your time and I'm sure you'll love Grace.
"Courage is just grace under pressure." - Ernest Hemingway
October 4, 2016
A-Z and PopSugar Challenge with Karly and Jess
A book at the bottom of your to-read list - Untraceable (The Nature of Grace, #1)
J = S.R. Johannes
2.5 stars
“Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival. When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he's dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him.”
We meet Grace as she is in the woods, searching for evidence of her father, three months after he has disappeared. She searches for tracks, broken branches, takes photos, samples, etc.
“ Nature will talk to you if you listen. Every sound tells you something. 'Dad used to always say, nothing is untraceable. Everything that touches this earth leaves a special imprint, a unique mark that proves we existed in some way- no matter how invisible we may feel.' ”
Initially I bought into Grace being the tough woodsy girl the author portrayed her to be, but as the story progresses, she makes so many ridiculous mistakes that it becomes a little farfetched. For one, she’s 16 years old and not a CSI agent, anything she collects as “evidence” wouldn’t really be considered evidence and if it was, she would have tampered with its authenticity. Secondly, when evidence such as a Cheetos bag (I’m not kidding) is found, she carefully documents it, but when real evidence is found, she forgets everything and runs away. Ok, so maybe it was the heat of the moment you say, she got scared. Plausible…but then why does she all of the sudden become this helpless girl out in the woods then? Being capable one minute and helpless damsel the next? It just isn’t believable or consistent writing.
Grace also has a propensity to be a bit obsessive and self-centered. EVERYTHING is about her dad, no matter how small (*ahem* Cheetos bag). It gets a little ridiculous. But of course she sees it as everyone is out to get her when clearly she knows how to do everything better than the officials. She is a sad hapless thing even though she has not one, but TWO boys falling at her feet. One being her sexy, sweet, and a little pushy stalkerish ex-boyfriend, who already has new girlfriend btw. The other being a mysterious boy she met in the woods.
So, why the 3 star rating you ask? Honestly, I am not really sure. The MC was a bit annoying, but I liked the storyline. I especially
I have a REALLY big problem with trophy hunting and killing ANY animal that is not being used for food (tusks, horns, claws, bile, etc.)….and I am going to leave it at that so that I do not go on a rant.
Although this book isn't in relation to Polar Bears, all bears are being affected by this.
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley!
March 5, 2018
I received a free ARC of this book via NetGalley and would like to thank S.R. Johannes and Coleman & Stott.
When I first started reading this book I thought yeah this is for me, by 20% I was like kill me now of boredom but the last 20% kinda caught my attention. Due to this, I would only give the book 1 and a half stars.
Grace has grown up in the Smoky Mountains her whole life.
When her father unexpectedly disappears with no trace she becomes obsessed with trying to track what has happened. Will she uncover the truth or will she find something more sinister than she could ever have ever imagined?
I seriously thought of DNF'n this book as it was really starting to bore the life from me, not only was it completely far-fetched I couldn't really connect with any of the characters. Did I hate it? Funnily enough no, that's why I skim read it until about 80% where it sort of caught my attention again which brings me internal turmoil if I should read book 2 or not because I actually want to know what bloody happens!
I can't say I hated Grace, she made me laugh at points as she could be pretty witty and I must admit that if my dad went missing I would literally scale every corner of the world until I found out what happened to him but she's a little more obsessive than others. For instance the Cheeto's bag... yeah a CHEETOS BAG! Seriously girl? Put that nasty ass rubbish in the bin. She also made me laugh she referred to her mum by her first name, I also do this to annoy my dear mother and it works a charm each and every time!
I didn't really connect with any the characters, I did have a little soft spot for Mo but it still made me wonder why the hell was a 17 year old just living in a forest? Just running around like a regular ole Bear Grylls in his little man made hut, could you call it a hut? Pretty sure we had gang huts better than this when I was younger. Wyn also, he seemed a little cutie but at the end, I actually wanted to punch him in the face!
The plot was literally insane, like why would you murder people for it. I get poaching is a big thing and people are ignorant to the fact that it happens so it was probably a smart idea to bring it to the attention of young readers, especially nowadays as younger people are more into looking into ways to save and improve the planet.
Will I read the second book? I don't know, just now I kinda want to start it because it's driving me insane, I want to know what happened to certain characters but yeah, I might forget about it as most it fell pretty flat and I would feel bummed if I had to pay for the second installment and it falls the same.
Www.amandaminnockx.tumblr.com
"Mary, can I help you with something? Or are you just browsing?"
When I first started reading this book I thought yeah this is for me, by 20% I was like kill me now of boredom but the last 20% kinda caught my attention. Due to this, I would only give the book 1 and a half stars.
Grace has grown up in the Smoky Mountains her whole life.
When her father unexpectedly disappears with no trace she becomes obsessed with trying to track what has happened. Will she uncover the truth or will she find something more sinister than she could ever have ever imagined?
I seriously thought of DNF'n this book as it was really starting to bore the life from me, not only was it completely far-fetched I couldn't really connect with any of the characters. Did I hate it? Funnily enough no, that's why I skim read it until about 80% where it sort of caught my attention again which brings me internal turmoil if I should read book 2 or not because I actually want to know what bloody happens!
I can't say I hated Grace, she made me laugh at points as she could be pretty witty and I must admit that if my dad went missing I would literally scale every corner of the world until I found out what happened to him but she's a little more obsessive than others. For instance the Cheeto's bag... yeah a CHEETOS BAG! Seriously girl? Put that nasty ass rubbish in the bin. She also made me laugh she referred to her mum by her first name, I also do this to annoy my dear mother and it works a charm each and every time!
I didn't really connect with any the characters, I did have a little soft spot for Mo but it still made me wonder why the hell was a 17 year old just living in a forest? Just running around like a regular ole Bear Grylls in his little man made hut, could you call it a hut? Pretty sure we had gang huts better than this when I was younger. Wyn also, he seemed a little cutie but at the end, I actually wanted to punch him in the face!
The plot was literally insane, like why would you murder people for it. I get poaching is a big thing and people are ignorant to the fact that it happens so it was probably a smart idea to bring it to the attention of young readers, especially nowadays as younger people are more into looking into ways to save and improve the planet.
Will I read the second book? I don't know, just now I kinda want to start it because it's driving me insane, I want to know what happened to certain characters but yeah, I might forget about it as most it fell pretty flat and I would feel bummed if I had to pay for the second installment and it falls the same.
Www.amandaminnockx.tumblr.com
"Mary, can I help you with something? Or are you just browsing?"
January 15, 2015
2.5 stars
YA mystery is not my typical genre, so I'm thinking that may be why I didn't enjoy it as much as everyone else. There are a lot of things I liked about it, but none of them would convince me to pick this series back up again in the future.
The story is well written, but I just didn't like the main character, Grace. Throughout the entire book, I thought she was a loony who refused to believe that her father was dead. I thought it was fairly unconvincing that anyone would ever enter the woods alone after what happened to her, either.
Ugh.
Trying for no spoilers here, but let's just say that something really bad almost happened while she was 'investigating' her father's disappearance. Sorry, but after that, I wouldn't have left the house for a month...at least.
And why didn't she report it? Seriously?
And then the end? Oh God! What?! Really?
Sigh
Again, not my genre.
But I will say that the author did point out some pretty awful things that happen to bears. I just couldn't get past all the unbelievable parts of Untraceable. Sorry.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the book
YA mystery is not my typical genre, so I'm thinking that may be why I didn't enjoy it as much as everyone else. There are a lot of things I liked about it, but none of them would convince me to pick this series back up again in the future.
The story is well written, but I just didn't like the main character, Grace. Throughout the entire book, I thought she was a loony who refused to believe that her father was dead. I thought it was fairly unconvincing that anyone would ever enter the woods alone after what happened to her, either.
Ugh.
Trying for no spoilers here, but let's just say that something really bad almost happened while she was 'investigating' her father's disappearance. Sorry, but after that, I wouldn't have left the house for a month...at least.
And why didn't she report it? Seriously?
And then the end? Oh God! What?! Really?
Sigh
Again, not my genre.
But I will say that the author did point out some pretty awful things that happen to bears. I just couldn't get past all the unbelievable parts of Untraceable. Sorry.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the book
December 1, 2011
I sent an email to the author last week asking her where I could purchase her book. I'm not sure if she could tell but I was a little...er, frantic. I literally searched all the on line bookstores and I couldn't find a copy! Well, she was nice enough to tell me that her book wasn't available yet. Duh! Anyway, I waited {im}patiently like a good little bookworm that I am and when the day finally arrived, I wasted no time and devoured this baby right away.
Untraceable is a story about a teen who doesn't know the words surrender, relinquish, defeat, give up, submit or any other words synonymous to concede. Grace is practically the only person in the whole town who believes that there's something suspicious about her father's disappearance. The rest of the population of small town North Carolina just tolerated her inquisitiveness as a way to deal with grief, even her own mother. Grace seem to keep finding herself in a heap of trouble as she digs up clues to her father's whereabouts. But she's determined. She refuses to give up hope; as long as there's no body, Grace will scour every square inch of the Smokies to find her father. What she discovers along the way is the gruesome reality of what extremes people will do for money and a boy with a history connected to her search.
Grace is such a refreshing character. Her rock hard determination and belief that her father was still alive parallels her will to do whatever she sets her mind into. Her best trait is that she just wouldn't give up, no matter how ludicrous she may seem to other people or no matter how many times she'd hit a dead end. She just keeps going. Nothing fazes this girl, not even a knife to her throat. Heck, she'd pet a bear one moment and give a guy a roundhouse kick on the next! I truly enjoyed reading her POV. She has this funny opinion about herself; not so much self-deprecating but just candidly real.
The action in this novel was unrelenting. It made for a fast read, in my opinion. The gruesome parts were a bit unBEARable - I found myself tearing up on some scenes, especially the one with a trapped cub. If you're an animal lover, there are some hard-hitting, hard-to-swallow facts about poaching. It was disturbing and yet I was oddly thankful for the education.
I've never been a fan of camping or any outdoor activities myself. But after reading this book, I may sign up for the next fly fishing class. I have no clue how Ms. Johannes did it, but she somehow romanticized all the things I hated about any outdoor activities known to man.
Now, I'm sure you've read me lamenting about annoying love triangles many a times and unfortunately, this book has it. FORTUNATELY, it wasn't the kind that made me want to yank my hair out. It almost felt like the author was running two different stories. It wasn't that Grace was a completely different person when she was with either guys, it was just the way she compartmentalized either boys. Never did I feel the usual annoyance that I usually feel when I read love triangles and I think it also had something to do with the way Ms. Johannes gave Grace a feeling of certainty on who her heart truly belonged. I know there were some instances where she could've gone either way but I wasn't fooled. The boy whom she ended up with (?) just felt like her other half. There's just no ifs and buts about it...and I may or may not be biased to the Brit boy because he kept calling her, "blossom". Sawwwwwwooooon (oh crap! did I just spoil that?)
This book ended in a cliffy and I'm dying to read the next one. If you're looking for a change of pace, this YA suspense will just be the ticket. This book had me up and at 'em at four in the morning. I just couldn't get it out of my head. Untraceable is a well conceptualized, well written novel that's truly one of a kind. It had an environmental message woven in a tale about a family's way of dealing with a loss of a loved one. Unconventional, yes but oddly appropriate. Everyone's got a way of telling a story and I thought that S.R. Johannes did a marvelous job. I love finding great reads that really wasn't even in my radar up until seven days ago. Don't pass up on this book.
"Everything that touches this earth leaves a special imprint, a unique mark that proves we existed in some way - no matter how invisible we may feel." - S.R. Johannes
Untraceable is a story about a teen who doesn't know the words surrender, relinquish, defeat, give up, submit or any other words synonymous to concede. Grace is practically the only person in the whole town who believes that there's something suspicious about her father's disappearance. The rest of the population of small town North Carolina just tolerated her inquisitiveness as a way to deal with grief, even her own mother. Grace seem to keep finding herself in a heap of trouble as she digs up clues to her father's whereabouts. But she's determined. She refuses to give up hope; as long as there's no body, Grace will scour every square inch of the Smokies to find her father. What she discovers along the way is the gruesome reality of what extremes people will do for money and a boy with a history connected to her search.
Grace is such a refreshing character. Her rock hard determination and belief that her father was still alive parallels her will to do whatever she sets her mind into. Her best trait is that she just wouldn't give up, no matter how ludicrous she may seem to other people or no matter how many times she'd hit a dead end. She just keeps going. Nothing fazes this girl, not even a knife to her throat. Heck, she'd pet a bear one moment and give a guy a roundhouse kick on the next! I truly enjoyed reading her POV. She has this funny opinion about herself; not so much self-deprecating but just candidly real.
The action in this novel was unrelenting. It made for a fast read, in my opinion. The gruesome parts were a bit unBEARable - I found myself tearing up on some scenes, especially the one with a trapped cub. If you're an animal lover, there are some hard-hitting, hard-to-swallow facts about poaching. It was disturbing and yet I was oddly thankful for the education.
I've never been a fan of camping or any outdoor activities myself. But after reading this book, I may sign up for the next fly fishing class. I have no clue how Ms. Johannes did it, but she somehow romanticized all the things I hated about any outdoor activities known to man.
Now, I'm sure you've read me lamenting about annoying love triangles many a times and unfortunately, this book has it. FORTUNATELY, it wasn't the kind that made me want to yank my hair out. It almost felt like the author was running two different stories. It wasn't that Grace was a completely different person when she was with either guys, it was just the way she compartmentalized either boys. Never did I feel the usual annoyance that I usually feel when I read love triangles and I think it also had something to do with the way Ms. Johannes gave Grace a feeling of certainty on who her heart truly belonged. I know there were some instances where she could've gone either way but I wasn't fooled. The boy whom she ended up with (?) just felt like her other half. There's just no ifs and buts about it...and I may or may not be biased to the Brit boy because he kept calling her, "blossom". Sawwwwwwooooon (oh crap! did I just spoil that?)
This book ended in a cliffy and I'm dying to read the next one. If you're looking for a change of pace, this YA suspense will just be the ticket. This book had me up and at 'em at four in the morning. I just couldn't get it out of my head. Untraceable is a well conceptualized, well written novel that's truly one of a kind. It had an environmental message woven in a tale about a family's way of dealing with a loss of a loved one. Unconventional, yes but oddly appropriate. Everyone's got a way of telling a story and I thought that S.R. Johannes did a marvelous job. I love finding great reads that really wasn't even in my radar up until seven days ago. Don't pass up on this book.
"Everything that touches this earth leaves a special imprint, a unique mark that proves we existed in some way - no matter how invisible we may feel." - S.R. Johannes
February 8, 2012
At the heart of Untraceable is a mystery. Grace's father has been missing for three months and is presumed dead. Grace refuses to give up hope that he is still alive. The authorities are ready to close the case but Grace is fighting to keep it open.
Raised in the Smokies, Grace's forest ranger father has taught her a lot about survival. She's not afraid of much when it comes to the great outdoors. Determined to find her father Grace spends her time searching for clues about her father's disappearance. What she uncovers goes much deeper and is darker than she could have imagined.
Untraceable has a good mix of adventure, mystery and romance. There were several things in this book that seemed a little far fetched and unbelievable and there were a few editing/continuity issues but over all I enjoyed the story.
Untraceable has a great ending. I enjoyed the book but loved the ending. In fact this felt like a stand alone novel and I could have easily passed on the sequel until the last couple of chapters when it became obvious that there was a lot more to this story than I had realized.
Rating: 4 Stars - Great Book
Content: A little language including 1 use of the F word. Mild innuendo, some gory details and violence.
Source: Review Copy from Smashwords
Raised in the Smokies, Grace's forest ranger father has taught her a lot about survival. She's not afraid of much when it comes to the great outdoors. Determined to find her father Grace spends her time searching for clues about her father's disappearance. What she uncovers goes much deeper and is darker than she could have imagined.
Untraceable has a good mix of adventure, mystery and romance. There were several things in this book that seemed a little far fetched and unbelievable and there were a few editing/continuity issues but over all I enjoyed the story.
Untraceable has a great ending. I enjoyed the book but loved the ending. In fact this felt like a stand alone novel and I could have easily passed on the sequel until the last couple of chapters when it became obvious that there was a lot more to this story than I had realized.
Rating: 4 Stars - Great Book
Content: A little language including 1 use of the F word. Mild innuendo, some gory details and violence.
Source: Review Copy from Smashwords
March 3, 2015
I received this from Netgalley for my honest review. Pulisher: All Night Reads. This title is available.
Oh, man! I hate to 1 star a book. I'm sure I said that already once this year but I just don't have the heart to hack at this one any longer.
In the beginning, I was so excited and intrigued. The writing had me captivated and the story seemed like it was something that would strike my fancy but somewhere after page 50 it just felt like... I don't know. I was reading about this girl on a mission to save her dad, yet she just seemed sooo naive. And immature. And for some reason she just bothered me.
I'm sorry, I really hate 1 stars but i think that reading is all about tastes and this simply wasn't mine.
So if you like love triangles, lots of survival advice(which I thought was cool), a southern setting and a high school mind set; pick this one up and tell me how much I suck because I dnf:)
Oh, man! I hate to 1 star a book. I'm sure I said that already once this year but I just don't have the heart to hack at this one any longer.
In the beginning, I was so excited and intrigued. The writing had me captivated and the story seemed like it was something that would strike my fancy but somewhere after page 50 it just felt like... I don't know. I was reading about this girl on a mission to save her dad, yet she just seemed sooo naive. And immature. And for some reason she just bothered me.
I'm sorry, I really hate 1 stars but i think that reading is all about tastes and this simply wasn't mine.
So if you like love triangles, lots of survival advice(which I thought was cool), a southern setting and a high school mind set; pick this one up and tell me how much I suck because I dnf:)
December 21, 2015
1,5 stars
WHAT A WASTE OF TIME.
After her father disappears, Grace gets obsessed with finding the truth. By obsessed I mean really really obsessed. I’m not kidding.
She finds a Cheetos bag. It’s an evidence about her dad. She finds some tracks. It’s about her dad. She finds a article. It’s about her dad. She finds some sneaky strangers in forest. It’s about her dad. She hears gunshots. It’s about her dad. SHE LINKS EVERY DAMN THING SHE FINDS OUT TO HER MISSING DAD.
I tried to get it. I really did. My father passed away when I was really really young so I know a thing or two about grieving. When a kid loses a parent, it’s common to want to blame it on someone. Deny the facts. It’s hard for a kid, especially in Grace’s age, to understand that accidents happen and sometimes they are unexplainable. But just no ok? NO. What Grace doing is not grieving. She is rude. She is full of herself. She blames people for not dropping everything and looking for her dad even when there is a huge evidence that he drowned.
She is Miss Perfect. Miss Mary Sue. She solves this case by watching CSI, googling, tracking and being damn stubborn. Excuse me while I dont buy this shit.
I mean, guys look, she finds a Cheetos on the forest and thinks it’s this BİG CLUE because her father loves them. He surely must be alive.
I know right? Can you belive this shit?!
Grace whines that everyone looks at her with disbelief, pity, and doubt. But all she has a hunch. A HUNCH. She decides to do her own investigation. She snoops around. And finds some suspicious things. But you know what she doesnt have? Evidence. But she still has the nerve to bitch about how nobody believes her. And the worst happens when paranoia finally takes over her. Everybody is a bad guy according to her.
I wish at least she was good at what she was doing but oh no, SHE IS STUPID. She finds a dead bear and runs to the police station.
Umm, how about using your cell phone or taking pictures or getting samples or other evidence from the scene? Of course not, hey it's not like it can rain and evidence can lost or somebody could come back and clean there, right?
She keeps interfering with her fathers case. She has no respect for police or the people her father works with. She keeps sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong. She keeps stepping way over the line—so far over for the line, she can’t even see where that line is any more. She thinks she is P.I., she thinks she is a forensic scientist, she thinks she is a lawyer. She is lashing out at the police. She is trying to teeach people how to do their job. Yeah, cause watching CSI makes you a master at solving crimes, right?
She is so dramatic. Irrational. FULL OF HERSELF. A total nut job. You know what, I dont care she was right in the end or not. That doesnt excuse her behavior, ok?!
She even thinks her mom is messed up because she accepted that her husband died and is struggling with that. Grace thinks nobody besides her cares about her dad. Nobody misses her dad. She is so freaking arrogant and rude. Her behavior is so bad it cant be excaused by being a teenager.
Another bad character was Wyn aka Grace’s bestie/ex boyfriend. I loath him. He flirts with Grace even though he has a girlfriend and what worse is;
Sooo guys, apperantly it’s ok to cheat on your girlfriend when she knows you’re into your ex-girlfriend. WOW. What a asshole. And hey, this isnt his worst moment. His worst moment is after Grace uncovers the truth behind her father’s disapperance/death; Wyn blames her for ruining his life. For leading him (even though she didnt). For not telling about her new hot boyfriend Mo (even though she didnt have to). WHAT AN ASSHOLE.
WHAT WAS THE POINT?!
A few suprising twists and turns happen after 70% of the book but I also stopped caring about the book at that point soooo I didnt give a damn.
FINAL VERDICT:
Sooo, I love watching Sherlock. I’m a huge fan. Is this means I’d be great at solving crimes too? According to this book yes, so... I guess, good to know.
NOTE: This book was provided by Net Galley in exchange for a honest review.
WHAT A WASTE OF TIME.
After her father disappears, Grace gets obsessed with finding the truth. By obsessed I mean really really obsessed. I’m not kidding.
She finds a Cheetos bag. It’s an evidence about her dad. She finds some tracks. It’s about her dad. She finds a article. It’s about her dad. She finds some sneaky strangers in forest. It’s about her dad. She hears gunshots. It’s about her dad. SHE LINKS EVERY DAMN THING SHE FINDS OUT TO HER MISSING DAD.
I tried to get it. I really did. My father passed away when I was really really young so I know a thing or two about grieving. When a kid loses a parent, it’s common to want to blame it on someone. Deny the facts. It’s hard for a kid, especially in Grace’s age, to understand that accidents happen and sometimes they are unexplainable. But just no ok? NO. What Grace doing is not grieving. She is rude. She is full of herself. She blames people for not dropping everything and looking for her dad even when there is a huge evidence that he drowned.
She is Miss Perfect. Miss Mary Sue. She solves this case by watching CSI, googling, tracking and being damn stubborn. Excuse me while I dont buy this shit.
I mean, guys look, she finds a Cheetos on the forest and thinks it’s this BİG CLUE because her father loves them. He surely must be alive.
I know right? Can you belive this shit?!
Grace whines that everyone looks at her with disbelief, pity, and doubt. But all she has a hunch. A HUNCH. She decides to do her own investigation. She snoops around. And finds some suspicious things. But you know what she doesnt have? Evidence. But she still has the nerve to bitch about how nobody believes her. And the worst happens when paranoia finally takes over her. Everybody is a bad guy according to her.
I wish at least she was good at what she was doing but oh no, SHE IS STUPID. She finds a dead bear and runs to the police station.
Umm, how about using your cell phone or taking pictures or getting samples or other evidence from the scene? Of course not, hey it's not like it can rain and evidence can lost or somebody could come back and clean there, right?
She keeps interfering with her fathers case. She has no respect for police or the people her father works with. She keeps sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong. She keeps stepping way over the line—so far over for the line, she can’t even see where that line is any more. She thinks she is P.I., she thinks she is a forensic scientist, she thinks she is a lawyer. She is lashing out at the police. She is trying to teeach people how to do their job. Yeah, cause watching CSI makes you a master at solving crimes, right?
She is so dramatic. Irrational. FULL OF HERSELF. A total nut job. You know what, I dont care she was right in the end or not. That doesnt excuse her behavior, ok?!
She even thinks her mom is messed up because she accepted that her husband died and is struggling with that. Grace thinks nobody besides her cares about her dad. Nobody misses her dad. She is so freaking arrogant and rude. Her behavior is so bad it cant be excaused by being a teenager.
Another bad character was Wyn aka Grace’s bestie/ex boyfriend. I loath him. He flirts with Grace even though he has a girlfriend and what worse is;
“Come on. What about Skyler?”
Wyn rubs his chin. “What about her?” He bends forward again, teasing me. “She knows I’m still into you.”
Sooo guys, apperantly it’s ok to cheat on your girlfriend when she knows you’re into your ex-girlfriend. WOW. What a asshole. And hey, this isnt his worst moment. His worst moment is after Grace uncovers the truth behind her father’s disapperance/death; Wyn blames her for ruining his life. For leading him (even though she didnt). For not telling about her new hot boyfriend Mo (even though she didnt have to). WHAT AN ASSHOLE.
WHAT WAS THE POINT?!
A few suprising twists and turns happen after 70% of the book but I also stopped caring about the book at that point soooo I didnt give a damn.
FINAL VERDICT:
“You seem to be a smart young lady to have solved this on your own.”“Watching TV comes in handy.”
He winks. “One hell of a computer gal too.”.
Sooo, I love watching Sherlock. I’m a huge fan. Is this means I’d be great at solving crimes too? According to this book yes, so... I guess, good to know.
NOTE: This book was provided by Net Galley in exchange for a honest review.
December 1, 2014
“So let me get this straight. You’re a flyfisher, a tracker, and a black belt’s protégé?”
I hate Grace, the protagonist. She is a huge bitch and the author doesn't even seem to realise it. Grace is so unbelievably rude and inconsiderate. She thinks so highly of herself I wanted to punch her. She blames everyone and never takes any responsibility. She's shockingly selfish.
If you saw how I wrote this review, it would've gone like this:
Start – Grace is a pretty cool character. I think we're going to get along
Then – Grace, you're supposed to be a girl of the woods, born and bred, you are being TSTL right now.
Damsel in distress? Puh-lease. She even faints at one point.
Losing your head over a pretty face. NOOOOO.
Oh, and that was damn rude of you. You're not entitled to talk like that.
The author sells Grace as a tough and experienced woods girl but SHE'S NOT. I have never seen anyone trip, slip, and fall over so many times let alone in her "natural habitat". One of the worst things is she's supposed to be this trained tracker, and she can't spy on anyone without sneezing or bumping into something. Her lack of coordination is grating. She shoots a gun with her eyes closed. She has to be saved and mollycoddled to the point of ridiculousness. She has no sense of her surroundings at all which seems so contradictory with the picture the author is trying to present.
Grace, you are the most stupidest heroine to stumble into my life. She does so many stupid things I just can't fathom what the author was thinking.
And one last complaint. I'm sorry, but I have to comment, “the fine line between British and Australian”? Do Americans really think that? *sigh
Wyn
Wyn is Grace's best friend. He's handsome but scrawny and has lots of hilarious swagger to make up for it.
Grace - “Oh? And what will you do? Talk him to death?”
Wyn - “A real man never gives away his fighting strategy.”
He's to-the-death loyal to Grace and I liked how cheery he is. I think most people would underestimate him but I'm glad the townspeople adore him as much as Grace does.
Wyn makes everyone happy.
Mo
Mo is a British geo-student living out in the woods for summer break. I was surprised at how much he likes Grace the weirdo.
Grace - “Uh. What … what did you say?”
Mo protects his face with both hands and peers through his fingers. “You’re going to smack me, aren’t you?”
I giggle nervously, which sounds more like a witch on helium.
Mo offered me some relief I suppose. Grace is prickly and unstable and a complete nutjob. His unconditional affection for her is charming and sweet.
Grace - “You should play hard to get or something.”
His eyes are intent on keeping my attention, and his voice sounds raspy. “Why? What’s the point?”
The ending is quite the finale. So my interest perked up a bit. There are multiple deaths. I do appreciate a well-placed death.
Admittedly, I considered the sequel because things like Grace's character can be fixed, but I don't think I'll put myself through this again.
I hate Grace, the protagonist. She is a huge bitch and the author doesn't even seem to realise it. Grace is so unbelievably rude and inconsiderate. She thinks so highly of herself I wanted to punch her. She blames everyone and never takes any responsibility. She's shockingly selfish.
If you saw how I wrote this review, it would've gone like this:
Start – Grace is a pretty cool character. I think we're going to get along
Then – Grace, you're supposed to be a girl of the woods, born and bred, you are being TSTL right now.
Damsel in distress? Puh-lease. She even faints at one point.
Losing your head over a pretty face. NOOOOO.
Oh, and that was damn rude of you. You're not entitled to talk like that.
The author sells Grace as a tough and experienced woods girl but SHE'S NOT. I have never seen anyone trip, slip, and fall over so many times let alone in her "natural habitat". One of the worst things is she's supposed to be this trained tracker, and she can't spy on anyone without sneezing or bumping into something. Her lack of coordination is grating. She shoots a gun with her eyes closed. She has to be saved and mollycoddled to the point of ridiculousness. She has no sense of her surroundings at all which seems so contradictory with the picture the author is trying to present.
Grace, you are the most stupidest heroine to stumble into my life. She does so many stupid things I just can't fathom what the author was thinking.
And one last complaint. I'm sorry, but I have to comment, “the fine line between British and Australian”? Do Americans really think that? *sigh
Wyn
Wyn is Grace's best friend. He's handsome but scrawny and has lots of hilarious swagger to make up for it.
Grace - “Oh? And what will you do? Talk him to death?”
Wyn - “A real man never gives away his fighting strategy.”
He's to-the-death loyal to Grace and I liked how cheery he is. I think most people would underestimate him but I'm glad the townspeople adore him as much as Grace does.
Wyn makes everyone happy.
Mo
Mo is a British geo-student living out in the woods for summer break. I was surprised at how much he likes Grace the weirdo.
Grace - “Uh. What … what did you say?”
Mo protects his face with both hands and peers through his fingers. “You’re going to smack me, aren’t you?”
I giggle nervously, which sounds more like a witch on helium.
Mo offered me some relief I suppose. Grace is prickly and unstable and a complete nutjob. His unconditional affection for her is charming and sweet.
Grace - “You should play hard to get or something.”
His eyes are intent on keeping my attention, and his voice sounds raspy. “Why? What’s the point?”
The ending is quite the finale. So my interest perked up a bit. There are multiple deaths. I do appreciate a well-placed death.
Admittedly, I considered the sequel because things like Grace's character can be fixed, but I don't think I'll put myself through this again.
June 2, 2013
'Dad used to always say, nothing is untraceable.
Everything that touches this earth leaves a special imprint, a unique mark that proves we existed in some way- no matter how invisible we may feel.'
Sometimes you need to let go. Sometimes you just can't.
Grace knows the Smokies like the back of her hand - all thanks to her forest ranger father who taught her all the ins and outs of tracking, and wilderness survival since she was smaller than a river otter.
But when her father goes missing, not even the authorities can convince Grace that he isn't coming back. She scours the Smokies day after day, clinging to the flimsy pieces of evidence she finds: bark with blood-like sap, Cheetos bags, empty toilet paper rolls.
The world thinks she's crazy.
But Grace can't let go. Not when her father could be out there. Alive.
It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a town to keep a secret.
Just when she thinks the trail has gone cold, Grace stumbles across a web of deeply-buried secrets that may hold all the answers - from the mysterious going-ons in the woods, to her father's disappearance. Not knowing who she can trust, Grace throws herself into solving the mystery...even if it means putting her own life in danger.
Think with your head. Not your heart.
But secrets are not all Grace uncovers in the woods. Mo - with his "Abso-bloody-lutely"'s and adorable accent - is an enigma, spending his days surrounded by the wild, fishing and cracking jokes. He makes Grace feel things she'd rather not feel.
He makes living worthwhile. He makes her forget.
But Grace keeps her guard up, not willing to deal with feelings that she's better off without. But both Mo and her ex-boyfriend Wyn aren't willing to let her go without a fight.
If she's going to find her father, nothing can get in her way. Not even love.
What will people do for love? How far will they go to save the ones they love?
A brilliant action-packed journey of loss, love, betrayal and how to lose and find yourself on the way.
Everything that touches this earth leaves a special imprint, a unique mark that proves we existed in some way- no matter how invisible we may feel.'
Sometimes you need to let go. Sometimes you just can't.
Grace knows the Smokies like the back of her hand - all thanks to her forest ranger father who taught her all the ins and outs of tracking, and wilderness survival since she was smaller than a river otter.
But when her father goes missing, not even the authorities can convince Grace that he isn't coming back. She scours the Smokies day after day, clinging to the flimsy pieces of evidence she finds: bark with blood-like sap, Cheetos bags, empty toilet paper rolls.
The world thinks she's crazy.
But Grace can't let go. Not when her father could be out there. Alive.
It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a town to keep a secret.
Just when she thinks the trail has gone cold, Grace stumbles across a web of deeply-buried secrets that may hold all the answers - from the mysterious going-ons in the woods, to her father's disappearance. Not knowing who she can trust, Grace throws herself into solving the mystery...even if it means putting her own life in danger.
Think with your head. Not your heart.
But secrets are not all Grace uncovers in the woods. Mo - with his "Abso-bloody-lutely"'s and adorable accent - is an enigma, spending his days surrounded by the wild, fishing and cracking jokes. He makes Grace feel things she'd rather not feel.
He makes living worthwhile. He makes her forget.
But Grace keeps her guard up, not willing to deal with feelings that she's better off without. But both Mo and her ex-boyfriend Wyn aren't willing to let her go without a fight.
If she's going to find her father, nothing can get in her way. Not even love.
What will people do for love? How far will they go to save the ones they love?
A brilliant action-packed journey of loss, love, betrayal and how to lose and find yourself on the way.
November 25, 2011
Thrillers seem to be up and coming in the young adult arena and UNTRACEABLE leads the way. A unique, well-written story about Grace, who uses her tracking skills to find her missing father.
Danger lurks at every turn, and the secrets she needs to uncover can’t all be found in the woods. So she takes to sleuthing and nosing around where she shouldn’t be to find the clues.
When she runs into two hillbilly suspicious-looking hunters, Grace pulls a thread that unravels a mystery that runs farther and deeper than she realizes. And somewhere in the middle of it, should be her father. But is he dead or alive?
Everyone tells her he’s dead and she needs to move on, but Grace listens to her gut. She meets dead end after dead end. Is she in denial? Or could her father still be out there? And will she manage to stay alive to find out the truth?
A must-read, fast-paced, heart-racing thriller that will pull you in and not let go until the last page.
Danger lurks at every turn, and the secrets she needs to uncover can’t all be found in the woods. So she takes to sleuthing and nosing around where she shouldn’t be to find the clues.
When she runs into two hillbilly suspicious-looking hunters, Grace pulls a thread that unravels a mystery that runs farther and deeper than she realizes. And somewhere in the middle of it, should be her father. But is he dead or alive?
Everyone tells her he’s dead and she needs to move on, but Grace listens to her gut. She meets dead end after dead end. Is she in denial? Or could her father still be out there? And will she manage to stay alive to find out the truth?
A must-read, fast-paced, heart-racing thriller that will pull you in and not let go until the last page.
January 19, 2015
Thank you netgalley for providing me this book in exchange of an honest review
OKAy AT FIRST I'M REALLY CAPTIVATED BY THIS BOOK because my favourite author Susan Dennard (author of something strange and deadly) really enjoyed this book. SO WHY NOT. I even saw great reviews about this book, in addition netgalley has it in the "read now" button so umm YEAH I HAVE TO READ THIS
Okay our Heroine, is kickass she grown up being a hunter taught by her dad. However one day her dad went missing so she decided go find him (i didn't finish this book).
The writing style was find for me, this book is not bad or anything is just that I'm so tired of mysteries like
"family // friends" went missing
Protagonist do everything to find them
I'm so sick of this crap xD
by all means, I do not hate this book and this book definitely isn't bad is just the concept I don't really like about.
Hope this helps :D
OKAy AT FIRST I'M REALLY CAPTIVATED BY THIS BOOK because my favourite author Susan Dennard (author of something strange and deadly) really enjoyed this book. SO WHY NOT. I even saw great reviews about this book, in addition netgalley has it in the "read now" button so umm YEAH I HAVE TO READ THIS
Okay our Heroine, is kickass she grown up being a hunter taught by her dad. However one day her dad went missing so she decided go find him (i didn't finish this book).
The writing style was find for me, this book is not bad or anything is just that I'm so tired of mysteries like
"family // friends" went missing
Protagonist do everything to find them
I'm so sick of this crap xD
by all means, I do not hate this book and this book definitely isn't bad is just the concept I don't really like about.
Hope this helps :D
January 21, 2014
3.5 stars
ARC was provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.
Let's be honest, I requested this book from NetGalley because 1) the cover reminded me of Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. 2) The main character, Grace Wells is quite similar to Caledonia from The Athena Effect series. I love both series and somehow I thought that I might like this one too, though I didn't set my hope high. Just in case it isn't as good as I think before so I won't too disappointed, if you know what I mean.
So this is a story about 16 years old girl, Grace Wells, who loves nature. Her dad is a wildlife officer. One day her dad is gone, missing, out of the blue. Everybody in her town believed that he's already died because of drowning in one of the rivers in Smoky Mountains. Grace refused their thought she believes he’s still alive. Therefore she does her own research into the deep Smoky Mountains.
[...]I - a sixteen-year-old tomboy who can build a fire from scratch, yet can’t seem to cut her own bangs straight— [...]
From the moment Grace was introduced I already loved her. She's smart (though she said it depends on to whom you talking to), fierce, brave and independence. But she’s also impulsive and stubborn. Those qualities sometimes annoying me but other time have its perks for her research. One thing I understand well is her love for nature and animals. It's like her purpose is to protect them, aside to find her dad, of course. She talks about it all the time. She even made a metaphor/analogy based on animals and nature which I really liked, by the way. It convinced me of how good she is as a character.
Without saying anything, I study his eyes. They’re similar in color to mine, except mine resemble algae; his are more of a muted pine green, which reminds me of the deep forest.
I peer through a crack in the wood, wondering if this is what a roach feels like.
The story itself was quite simple, I can guess some of the important things from first part of the story. But the way it was written made me kept wondering whether what I thought was right or wrong. It surely was a page-turner book since I couldn't take my eyes off of it. It also has a very good paced. I liked how the author built the tension. There were time for funny and sad moments but there was also times when my heart beat fast with Grace. I just love the roller coaster feeling that I got while I read this.
However it also has things that felt like kind of farfetched to me . It didn't make me less enjoy it, though. In fact reading this book brought back my memory and feeling like when I read one of my favorite detective books when I was a child, Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators. It’s a good feeling since I seemed couldn’t get enough of the story, just like now I think I should buy its sequel soon.
ARC was provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.
Let's be honest, I requested this book from NetGalley because 1) the cover reminded me of Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. 2) The main character, Grace Wells is quite similar to Caledonia from The Athena Effect series. I love both series and somehow I thought that I might like this one too, though I didn't set my hope high. Just in case it isn't as good as I think before so I won't too disappointed, if you know what I mean.
So this is a story about 16 years old girl, Grace Wells, who loves nature. Her dad is a wildlife officer. One day her dad is gone, missing, out of the blue. Everybody in her town believed that he's already died because of drowning in one of the rivers in Smoky Mountains. Grace refused their thought she believes he’s still alive. Therefore she does her own research into the deep Smoky Mountains.
[...]I - a sixteen-year-old tomboy who can build a fire from scratch, yet can’t seem to cut her own bangs straight— [...]
From the moment Grace was introduced I already loved her. She's smart (though she said it depends on to whom you talking to), fierce, brave and independence. But she’s also impulsive and stubborn. Those qualities sometimes annoying me but other time have its perks for her research. One thing I understand well is her love for nature and animals. It's like her purpose is to protect them, aside to find her dad, of course. She talks about it all the time. She even made a metaphor/analogy based on animals and nature which I really liked, by the way. It convinced me of how good she is as a character.
Without saying anything, I study his eyes. They’re similar in color to mine, except mine resemble algae; his are more of a muted pine green, which reminds me of the deep forest.
I peer through a crack in the wood, wondering if this is what a roach feels like.
The story itself was quite simple, I can guess some of the important things from first part of the story. But the way it was written made me kept wondering whether what I thought was right or wrong. It surely was a page-turner book since I couldn't take my eyes off of it. It also has a very good paced. I liked how the author built the tension. There were time for funny and sad moments but there was also times when my heart beat fast with Grace. I just love the roller coaster feeling that I got while I read this.
However it also has things that felt like kind of farfetched to me . It didn't make me less enjoy it, though. In fact reading this book brought back my memory and feeling like when I read one of my favorite detective books when I was a child, Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators. It’s a good feeling since I seemed couldn’t get enough of the story, just like now I think I should buy its sequel soon.
January 28, 2012
I’m still sniffling from crying. This book made me cry more than any book I’ve read. I mean, I was crying crying…its like the author, S.R. Johannes, played with my heartstrings all throughout the book then tore out my heart, threw it on the ground, played soccer with it, and the tossed it back to me when she was done with it. And I mean that in a good way. This book was abso-bloody-lutely amazing and like nothing I’ve read before. Obviously, I’m a fan of the paranormal so reading a book about nature, and things that could actually happen – not my usual but I like to branch out. Most times when I do branch out, I surprise myself. This was definitely one of those moments.
Grace Wells is a sixteen year old girl whom is trying to find her father, Joe, who went missing about three months ago. Everyone in her small town of North Carolina has pretty much accepted the fact that he’s probably dead, but not her. She knows it in her gut that her father is still out there, alive. She goes through many obstacles, many times when she and the reader are questioning whether someone else she trusted and loved is involved in his mysterious disappearance.
She meets this mysteriously good looking boy in the woods one day while out fishing who has an accent somewhere between an English and Australian accent. First impression wasn’t exactly the best but he comes back to save her in a time when she really needed it. They grow close, and you really start to fall for Mo, like Grace does but then we have her best friend since forever and ex-boyfriend, Wyn. They have amazing chemistry and there are still feelings there, on both sides (moreso his than hers) and she’s torn between what she’s familiar with and something new but – she doesn’t need a distraction. Her mission and what she wants more than anything to find out the truth about her father, and find him…alive.
This book is filled with nonstop action and suspense but there’s plenty of humor and romance, that it’ll keep you entertained and swooning all throughout. Not to mention, there are a lot of curveballs in this book. You suspect one person or one thing and it turns out to be so far from what you thought, it’s amazing. As you grow more attached to Grace, Mo, Wyn or even Grace’s boss and close friend, Tommy, that’s when the author starts messing with your emotions. And she does a damn good job of it. You won’t want to put this book down and when it’s over you’ll be twitching for more. This is definite MUST READ. It’s definitely the best book I’ve read this year. I know its only the beginning of the year but it’s definitely the best book, by far. It’s a cheap kindle buy or pick up a copy of it…I’m serious. You’ll be thanking me…
Review also posted at: Fictional Distraction
Grace Wells is a sixteen year old girl whom is trying to find her father, Joe, who went missing about three months ago. Everyone in her small town of North Carolina has pretty much accepted the fact that he’s probably dead, but not her. She knows it in her gut that her father is still out there, alive. She goes through many obstacles, many times when she and the reader are questioning whether someone else she trusted and loved is involved in his mysterious disappearance.
She meets this mysteriously good looking boy in the woods one day while out fishing who has an accent somewhere between an English and Australian accent. First impression wasn’t exactly the best but he comes back to save her in a time when she really needed it. They grow close, and you really start to fall for Mo, like Grace does but then we have her best friend since forever and ex-boyfriend, Wyn. They have amazing chemistry and there are still feelings there, on both sides (moreso his than hers) and she’s torn between what she’s familiar with and something new but – she doesn’t need a distraction. Her mission and what she wants more than anything to find out the truth about her father, and find him…alive.
This book is filled with nonstop action and suspense but there’s plenty of humor and romance, that it’ll keep you entertained and swooning all throughout. Not to mention, there are a lot of curveballs in this book. You suspect one person or one thing and it turns out to be so far from what you thought, it’s amazing. As you grow more attached to Grace, Mo, Wyn or even Grace’s boss and close friend, Tommy, that’s when the author starts messing with your emotions. And she does a damn good job of it. You won’t want to put this book down and when it’s over you’ll be twitching for more. This is definite MUST READ. It’s definitely the best book I’ve read this year. I know its only the beginning of the year but it’s definitely the best book, by far. It’s a cheap kindle buy or pick up a copy of it…I’m serious. You’ll be thanking me…
Review also posted at: Fictional Distraction
March 11, 2012
This is a fantastic story!! I want #2 now!!
Untraceable was fantastic! If you want action, suspense, mystery, romance and a little humor, this book is for you!
I loved this book! Grace is a strong protagonist with a fighting will to find her father. When she feels she is the only one not giving up, she sets out to look for clues, something that will lead her to him. She knows deep down that he is still alive. On her journey, Grace uses her survival skills, training and her instincts to dig deeper into this mystery. Along the way, she starts unlocking clues, lies, deceptions and a new found attraction to a guy who is a mystery all on his own. There is a small love triangle but it isn't one that will turn you away if you aren't fond of them.
This was such a thrilling book to read. I could relate to Grace and her love of the outdoors. I thought the plot was thick and the characters were written so descriptively, I could imagine what they looked like and picture their actions and the scenes. I kept thinking while reading this that Grace has got to be one tough cookie and has some strong a$$ legs to hike and walk as much as she did. I fell for Mo, he has a mysterious quality about him and a sexy accent to boot! I admired Grace and her strength. She was so tough and even when she started to get a little doubt in her mind, she shook it off and continued on, not giving up. There were unexpected twists and when things became clear I was in awe and it sets the next installment up perfectly. I LOVED the ending. I'm not going into details because you have to experience it for yourself and it will make you crave for the next installment. I look forward to it.
I definitely recommend this book.
Untraceable was fantastic! If you want action, suspense, mystery, romance and a little humor, this book is for you!
I loved this book! Grace is a strong protagonist with a fighting will to find her father. When she feels she is the only one not giving up, she sets out to look for clues, something that will lead her to him. She knows deep down that he is still alive. On her journey, Grace uses her survival skills, training and her instincts to dig deeper into this mystery. Along the way, she starts unlocking clues, lies, deceptions and a new found attraction to a guy who is a mystery all on his own. There is a small love triangle but it isn't one that will turn you away if you aren't fond of them.
This was such a thrilling book to read. I could relate to Grace and her love of the outdoors. I thought the plot was thick and the characters were written so descriptively, I could imagine what they looked like and picture their actions and the scenes. I kept thinking while reading this that Grace has got to be one tough cookie and has some strong a$$ legs to hike and walk as much as she did. I fell for Mo, he has a mysterious quality about him and a sexy accent to boot! I admired Grace and her strength. She was so tough and even when she started to get a little doubt in her mind, she shook it off and continued on, not giving up. There were unexpected twists and when things became clear I was in awe and it sets the next installment up perfectly. I LOVED the ending. I'm not going into details because you have to experience it for yourself and it will make you crave for the next installment. I look forward to it.
I definitely recommend this book.
November 30, 2011
WOW!
I had to take a minute to let it all sink in before I could start to actually gather my thoughts. UNTRACEABLE is without a doubt going to be the next big YA phenomenon. With a kick-butt heroine who will become an instant favorite, this fast-paced thriller will keep you guessing at every turn. UNTRACEABLE is packed with adventure, betrayal, mystery, and a conspiracy that will leave you only wanting more. Just like the North Carolina woods Grace navigates fearlessly, Johannes weaves a beautifully mysterious story of a daughter's brave, never-ending devotion to her missing father. And I felt every emotion so fully through the writing, that my husband actually thought he made me cry. But no, it was this fabulous book, with such a rich well of emotion.
Grace is stoic, brave, fearless, inventive, and smart and is one of the best female characters I've read in a long time. In fact, I believe the YA genre needs more female characters like Grace. She doesn't need a boy to save her, she doesn't sit around and feel sorry for herself, and most importantly she's not afraid to be herself. But I have to say, those boys are something else.
UNTRACEABLE is by far my favorite debut of 2011, and I cannot wait for more in The Nature of Grace series.
Abso-bloody-lutely fantastic!
I had to take a minute to let it all sink in before I could start to actually gather my thoughts. UNTRACEABLE is without a doubt going to be the next big YA phenomenon. With a kick-butt heroine who will become an instant favorite, this fast-paced thriller will keep you guessing at every turn. UNTRACEABLE is packed with adventure, betrayal, mystery, and a conspiracy that will leave you only wanting more. Just like the North Carolina woods Grace navigates fearlessly, Johannes weaves a beautifully mysterious story of a daughter's brave, never-ending devotion to her missing father. And I felt every emotion so fully through the writing, that my husband actually thought he made me cry. But no, it was this fabulous book, with such a rich well of emotion.
Grace is stoic, brave, fearless, inventive, and smart and is one of the best female characters I've read in a long time. In fact, I believe the YA genre needs more female characters like Grace. She doesn't need a boy to save her, she doesn't sit around and feel sorry for herself, and most importantly she's not afraid to be herself. But I have to say, those boys are something else.
UNTRACEABLE is by far my favorite debut of 2011, and I cannot wait for more in The Nature of Grace series.
Abso-bloody-lutely fantastic!
January 11, 2012
UNTRACEABLE is packed with suspense, action, tension, and enough romance to make you swoon. I didn’t know what to expect when diving into this read. From the blurb, I had a different picture painted in my mind. But I was surprised how easily I was sucked into Grace’s world, and how much I cared about her plight to save her father. Also, I think I could go trekking through the wilderness and know exactly how to survive, as there are some amazing survival skills learned throughout this story.
The writing itself was clear and descriptive, and perfectly balanced between showing us the wilderness around Grace and the action scenes. I loved how Johannes infused each paged with tension. Grace was a strong, capable heroine, who weighed the issues around her and thought things through. I really enjoyed being inside her head as she was smart and relatable. Mo is an extremely swoon-worthy love interest. I loved the chemistry between Mo and Grace. Though there is a bit of a triangle involving Grace’s ex-boyfriend, it’s done well, and Grace’s focus on saving her father and discovering the truth comes first. I liked this about her. Overall, an amazing thrill-ride with real, three-dimensional characters that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat to find out what happens next.
The writing itself was clear and descriptive, and perfectly balanced between showing us the wilderness around Grace and the action scenes. I loved how Johannes infused each paged with tension. Grace was a strong, capable heroine, who weighed the issues around her and thought things through. I really enjoyed being inside her head as she was smart and relatable. Mo is an extremely swoon-worthy love interest. I loved the chemistry between Mo and Grace. Though there is a bit of a triangle involving Grace’s ex-boyfriend, it’s done well, and Grace’s focus on saving her father and discovering the truth comes first. I liked this about her. Overall, an amazing thrill-ride with real, three-dimensional characters that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat to find out what happens next.
June 20, 2016
*I received this book free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
This review has been a really long time coming. I've had this book for a while and haven't been able to read it until now. Untraceable is essentially a young adult mystery: a missing father, a determined daughter, and a town that seems to have given up the hunt come together to create a suspenseful story.
I liked Grace's persistence and the fact that she continued to trust her instincts (though maybe, in real life, you'd want a teenager to be able to at least accept that her father's gone and not insist on his being alive). I thought the final resolution was interesting and I can see where a second book comes in. The romance elements weren't bad, but I don't know how necessary they were, either. I'm wondering what will happen with the romance plots as the series continues. I'm also not sure the mother/daughter dynamic here was realistic at all -- I know it doesn't reflect how things would have gone in my house.
I was originally planning to rate this three stars, but the ending was the highlight of the book for me, and I decided to bump it up to four. This was well-written and well-paced, and overall I enjoyed reading it.
This review has been a really long time coming. I've had this book for a while and haven't been able to read it until now. Untraceable is essentially a young adult mystery: a missing father, a determined daughter, and a town that seems to have given up the hunt come together to create a suspenseful story.
I liked Grace's persistence and the fact that she continued to trust her instincts (though maybe, in real life, you'd want a teenager to be able to at least accept that her father's gone and not insist on his being alive). I thought the final resolution was interesting and I can see where a second book comes in. The romance elements weren't bad, but I don't know how necessary they were, either. I'm wondering what will happen with the romance plots as the series continues. I'm also not sure the mother/daughter dynamic here was realistic at all -- I know it doesn't reflect how things would have gone in my house.
I was originally planning to rate this three stars, but the ending was the highlight of the book for me, and I decided to bump it up to four. This was well-written and well-paced, and overall I enjoyed reading it.
August 27, 2016
I am at a lost of words when writing this review. I don't know where to start or how to describe this book. It has a mixture of everything from mystery, to investigation, to romance to murder making this book a fantastic read. Grace reminds me a lot of Veronica Mars who will stop at nothing to learn the real truth behind her father's disappearance. No one can stop her, she's strong willed, independent, and although, everyone including her mother and the town sheriff have given up and believe that her father is dead, Grace believes he's still alive, and will prove it. I mean how can her father, a forest ranger for many years just disappear one day after patrolling, right?
Well that's not all! There's a love triangle, suspense and more. You have to read this story to know what i'm talking about. I don't think that this review will do it justice. I do have to say that at first, I thought that this book would have some type of paranormal characters in it. But I wasn't disappointed, I was actually refreshed that there is a great book out there that doesn't consist of anything paranormal. Can't wait for the sequel ~
Well that's not all! There's a love triangle, suspense and more. You have to read this story to know what i'm talking about. I don't think that this review will do it justice. I do have to say that at first, I thought that this book would have some type of paranormal characters in it. But I wasn't disappointed, I was actually refreshed that there is a great book out there that doesn't consist of anything paranormal. Can't wait for the sequel ~
February 18, 2015
YA Suspense Promising plot, but too much teen stupidity for an adult reader. Grace, after begging for help for months regarding her dad's disappearance, fails to go to the authority's after stumbling across the likely perpetrators. Instead she goes home, gets up the next morning and goes to work pretending nothing happened.
Also Grace, supposedly an expert tracker by the time she was a preschooler AND an expert computer hacker, has no common sense and must be continually rescued. To make matters worse, there is no way that Mo is 17, feels like the author wrote him as a 25 year old, then decided that would be to creepy to introduce as a love interest for a 16 year old.
I probably could have dealt with the above if the writing had been compelling or the protagonist likeable, unfortunately that is not the case for Untraceable. Grace shows no compassion for her poor mother. And why do YA novels so often portray mom as uncaring? I don't care what she was going through, no way mom would plop a milkshake down in front of a lactose intolerant daughter.
Well...I guess there were more thing bothering me about this story than I realized.
Also Grace, supposedly an expert tracker by the time she was a preschooler AND an expert computer hacker, has no common sense and must be continually rescued. To make matters worse, there is no way that Mo is 17, feels like the author wrote him as a 25 year old, then decided that would be to creepy to introduce as a love interest for a 16 year old.
I probably could have dealt with the above if the writing had been compelling or the protagonist likeable, unfortunately that is not the case for Untraceable. Grace shows no compassion for her poor mother. And why do YA novels so often portray mom as uncaring? I don't care what she was going through, no way mom would plop a milkshake down in front of a lactose intolerant daughter.
Well...I guess there were more thing bothering me about this story than I realized.
November 23, 2011
After three months of fruitless searching and numerous dead-end leads, Grace Wells is the only person who believes her dad, Joe, may still be alive. Grace, an accomplished wilderness survivalist, learned everything she knows about tracking, fishing, and the Smokies from her forest ranger father. And she is certain, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that he’s still out there somewhere – convinced that he wouldn’t fall victim to the fatal scenarios the police postulating. When the authorities decide the case doesn’t have enough viable evidence to continue an ongoing investigation, Grace redoubles her efforts to get down to the bottom of the mystery surrounding her dad’s sudden and unexplainable disappearance. What she uncovers is shocking – a complicated web of lies, betrayal and danger – and she’s in over her head.
Staying with the wilderness theme, Grace as a character is a breath of fresh air. More inclined to be nursing a sick bear, hiking mountain trails or perfecting her fly-fishing lures, she’s not exactly what I would call a “people person.” She’s a bit isolated from the rest of her peers, by circumstance and her own choice — her only real friend being her childhood-pal-turned-recently-dumped-boyfriend. She’s a unique character and I found myself really admiring her tenacity. Her unfailing determination to find her dad and her unshakeable belief that he’s still alive perhaps borders on the obsessive and at times I wondered if maybe she was just in deeply entrenched in denial — if her unrelenting search for her dad was just enabling her unwillingness to acknowledge that he might be gone. But whatever the reasons, her love for her father runs so strong and and her faith so contagious that I found myself hoping along with her that she’d find him safe and sound. When everyone else – even her mother – has lost hope, she refuses to give up on him. Her stubbornness, her determination, her resourcefulness, her instincts, her deductive skills and her in-your-face attitude all combine to create this extremely empowered heroine. I found her to be unique and despite her rough exterior, extremely sympathetic.
If being stuck in the middle of a dangerous mystery wasn’t enough, Grace finds herself further confused by the reappearance of her ex-boyfriend Wyn, and Mo, a mysterious European backpacker who she meets in the woods. I personally don’t mind a well done love triangle, and this one was no exception. Johannes had me falling for both guys until I was just as confused as Grace. Wyn was sweet, funny, dependable and had the benefit of a shared history with Grace. He’d been there for her his whole life, until she pushed him away in the aftermath of her dad’s disappearance. Now he’s back in her life and doesn’t intend to go away any time soon. Mo, on the other hand, is brave, confident, kind, rugged, a survivalist like Grace and has that oh-so-attractive air of mystery about him. After being saved by Mo from a potentially life-threatening situation, Grace decides to get to know him better. Johannes has done such a good job bringing her characters to life and the romantic tension she creates in Untraceable between these three is fantastic.
The story Johannes has written surrounding Joe Well’s disappearance is incredibly fast-paced and well-researched. There was hardly any downtime as Grace is always on the go – plotting, planning and investigating. And all the little details surrounding wilderness survival, tracking and even fishing added so much to the story, not to mention credibility. As far as the mystery itself, though sometimes I felt the evidence that moves the case along is a little circumstantial and perhaps a little flimsy… it works. At times it seems as if Grace is grasping at straws trying to find the evidence necessary for the authorities to reopen the investigation. But really, who wouldn’t look into every possible lead if someone they loved was in danger or missing? It also serves to round out her character and made me wonder if she really is as unhealthily obsessed as everyone seems to think she is or if she’s just unfailingly optimistic. So, though I usually prefer my mysteries a little more concrete, when considering the bigger picture it ended up working for me.
If the story throughout is, as previously mentioned, very fast-paced, then Johannes puts it into overdrive in the last three quarters. Chilling, shocking and horrifying are the three words that come to mind when Grace finally gets to the bottom of what’s going on with her dad’s disappearance. Some mystery novels are amazing with the build-up of clues and suspense, only to falter anti-climatically in the revelation. Johannes and Untraceable has no such problem. Her build-up throughout the story is worthy of the reveal at the end. It is gritty, it is hard, it is thrilling and when surveying the cost of what Grace’s search for truth cost her in the end, it is heartbreaking (and may require a fistful of tissues), but it is also oh-so-worth it. I’m trying to remain purposefully vague, Dear Reader, because if you’re anything like me, half the appeal of reading a mystery is being taken totally unaware and then thrilled by a sudden twist of the plot – your own personal mental roller coaster. So make sure you double check your safety harness before beginning Untraceable. (Ok…that might’ve been a little corny, but we’re moving on.)
The reason I didn’t give Untraceable a five star rating hinges upon a couple different things. First of all, I love Mo. I really do, but his extremely British dialogue began to grate after a bit. I realize it’s a fine line – how to create a convincingly foreign character without making him sound too American — but I think a few less British-isms would’ve left the reader with a good compromise. Secondly, even though I love Mo and Grace together, their relationship felt a teensy bit too insta-love for me. He’s a somewhat secretive guy, and she knows very little about him. And I know that his strength and goodness of character, the important things one needs to know about someone else, is apparent through his actions toward Grace. I also know that perhaps emotionally, she needed someone who doesn’t viewing her through the lens of her loss. So the unknown and anonymity may have been a draw for her when it comes to Mo. But their connection was still a little too instant for my taste. Silly as they might be, these points may not be an issue for you, Dear Reader, but they were factors in my own personal analysis of this book. Despite my minor hang-ups, I really enjoyed this story and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery/thriller.
Overall, with breathtaking suspense and wonderful romantic tension, Untraceable is a wilderness thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Staying with the wilderness theme, Grace as a character is a breath of fresh air. More inclined to be nursing a sick bear, hiking mountain trails or perfecting her fly-fishing lures, she’s not exactly what I would call a “people person.” She’s a bit isolated from the rest of her peers, by circumstance and her own choice — her only real friend being her childhood-pal-turned-recently-dumped-boyfriend. She’s a unique character and I found myself really admiring her tenacity. Her unfailing determination to find her dad and her unshakeable belief that he’s still alive perhaps borders on the obsessive and at times I wondered if maybe she was just in deeply entrenched in denial — if her unrelenting search for her dad was just enabling her unwillingness to acknowledge that he might be gone. But whatever the reasons, her love for her father runs so strong and and her faith so contagious that I found myself hoping along with her that she’d find him safe and sound. When everyone else – even her mother – has lost hope, she refuses to give up on him. Her stubbornness, her determination, her resourcefulness, her instincts, her deductive skills and her in-your-face attitude all combine to create this extremely empowered heroine. I found her to be unique and despite her rough exterior, extremely sympathetic.
If being stuck in the middle of a dangerous mystery wasn’t enough, Grace finds herself further confused by the reappearance of her ex-boyfriend Wyn, and Mo, a mysterious European backpacker who she meets in the woods. I personally don’t mind a well done love triangle, and this one was no exception. Johannes had me falling for both guys until I was just as confused as Grace. Wyn was sweet, funny, dependable and had the benefit of a shared history with Grace. He’d been there for her his whole life, until she pushed him away in the aftermath of her dad’s disappearance. Now he’s back in her life and doesn’t intend to go away any time soon. Mo, on the other hand, is brave, confident, kind, rugged, a survivalist like Grace and has that oh-so-attractive air of mystery about him. After being saved by Mo from a potentially life-threatening situation, Grace decides to get to know him better. Johannes has done such a good job bringing her characters to life and the romantic tension she creates in Untraceable between these three is fantastic.
The story Johannes has written surrounding Joe Well’s disappearance is incredibly fast-paced and well-researched. There was hardly any downtime as Grace is always on the go – plotting, planning and investigating. And all the little details surrounding wilderness survival, tracking and even fishing added so much to the story, not to mention credibility. As far as the mystery itself, though sometimes I felt the evidence that moves the case along is a little circumstantial and perhaps a little flimsy… it works. At times it seems as if Grace is grasping at straws trying to find the evidence necessary for the authorities to reopen the investigation. But really, who wouldn’t look into every possible lead if someone they loved was in danger or missing? It also serves to round out her character and made me wonder if she really is as unhealthily obsessed as everyone seems to think she is or if she’s just unfailingly optimistic. So, though I usually prefer my mysteries a little more concrete, when considering the bigger picture it ended up working for me.
If the story throughout is, as previously mentioned, very fast-paced, then Johannes puts it into overdrive in the last three quarters. Chilling, shocking and horrifying are the three words that come to mind when Grace finally gets to the bottom of what’s going on with her dad’s disappearance. Some mystery novels are amazing with the build-up of clues and suspense, only to falter anti-climatically in the revelation. Johannes and Untraceable has no such problem. Her build-up throughout the story is worthy of the reveal at the end. It is gritty, it is hard, it is thrilling and when surveying the cost of what Grace’s search for truth cost her in the end, it is heartbreaking (and may require a fistful of tissues), but it is also oh-so-worth it. I’m trying to remain purposefully vague, Dear Reader, because if you’re anything like me, half the appeal of reading a mystery is being taken totally unaware and then thrilled by a sudden twist of the plot – your own personal mental roller coaster. So make sure you double check your safety harness before beginning Untraceable. (Ok…that might’ve been a little corny, but we’re moving on.)
The reason I didn’t give Untraceable a five star rating hinges upon a couple different things. First of all, I love Mo. I really do, but his extremely British dialogue began to grate after a bit. I realize it’s a fine line – how to create a convincingly foreign character without making him sound too American — but I think a few less British-isms would’ve left the reader with a good compromise. Secondly, even though I love Mo and Grace together, their relationship felt a teensy bit too insta-love for me. He’s a somewhat secretive guy, and she knows very little about him. And I know that his strength and goodness of character, the important things one needs to know about someone else, is apparent through his actions toward Grace. I also know that perhaps emotionally, she needed someone who doesn’t viewing her through the lens of her loss. So the unknown and anonymity may have been a draw for her when it comes to Mo. But their connection was still a little too instant for my taste. Silly as they might be, these points may not be an issue for you, Dear Reader, but they were factors in my own personal analysis of this book. Despite my minor hang-ups, I really enjoyed this story and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery/thriller.
Overall, with breathtaking suspense and wonderful romantic tension, Untraceable is a wilderness thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
September 25, 2017
This is an YA thriller that takes place in the Smokey Mountains.
I love the Smokies. I spent every summer there growing up. It has a special place in my heart.
Grace is a 16 year old who gets stuck in a love triangle, conspiracies and has to deal with a murder. It's an exciting premise but I wish it was more in depth. I found myself speed reading to finish it.
This book was given by NetGalley and the publisher for a fair & honest review.
I love the Smokies. I spent every summer there growing up. It has a special place in my heart.
Grace is a 16 year old who gets stuck in a love triangle, conspiracies and has to deal with a murder. It's an exciting premise but I wish it was more in depth. I found myself speed reading to finish it.
This book was given by NetGalley and the publisher for a fair & honest review.
December 3, 2016
(I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
BLURB
16-year-old Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival.
When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him.
One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father.
Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves.
CHARACTERS
Grace is my new favorite YA heroine!! She is outdoorsy, sarcastic at times, determined, inquisitive, confident and a bit crazy. She refuses to believe her father is dead as everyone says and continues to search for him. She drives a motorcycle called Lucifer 'Luci' and is pretty awesome at wilderness survival. I liked how she was a three dimensional character who is believable. She isn't always perfect and makes her own share of mistakes that makes the readers empathize with her.
I abso-bloody-lutely Loved Mo. He is sweet and I liked how there is more to him than meets the eye. I like it when people other than the protagonist also have a story of their own. It makes things more interesting.
I liked Wyn for the most part. He is a loyal friend and goes out of his way to help Grace even though he believes her to be crazy.
PLOT
I absolutely loved the plot. It has so many twists and turns that I definitely did not see coming. The main plot of Grace looking for her father who has disappeared is emotional and I found myself close to tears at certain points. The story is unpredictable and the the author shocked me with some of the secrets. And also the ending a bit of a cliffhanger. I can't wait to read Uncontrollable to know more!
WRITING
The writing is perfect. I loved the dialogues and the descriptions. This book has 100% amazing imagery that keeps readers captivated. Writing plays an important role in building up the suspense and creating the twists in a story like Untraceable and the author does a perfect job!
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE BOOK
-Everything!
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE BOOK
- Not a thing!
WILL I BE READING THE REST OF THE TRILOGY?
Abso-bloody-lutely !
CONCLUSION
Go ahead and pick up the book right now and don't stop reading till you finish it!
BLURB
16-year-old Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival.
When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him.
One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father.
Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. And it’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves.
CHARACTERS
Grace is my new favorite YA heroine!! She is outdoorsy, sarcastic at times, determined, inquisitive, confident and a bit crazy. She refuses to believe her father is dead as everyone says and continues to search for him. She drives a motorcycle called Lucifer 'Luci' and is pretty awesome at wilderness survival. I liked how she was a three dimensional character who is believable. She isn't always perfect and makes her own share of mistakes that makes the readers empathize with her.
I abso-bloody-lutely Loved Mo. He is sweet and I liked how there is more to him than meets the eye. I like it when people other than the protagonist also have a story of their own. It makes things more interesting.
I liked Wyn for the most part. He is a loyal friend and goes out of his way to help Grace even though he believes her to be crazy.
PLOT
I absolutely loved the plot. It has so many twists and turns that I definitely did not see coming. The main plot of Grace looking for her father who has disappeared is emotional and I found myself close to tears at certain points. The story is unpredictable and the the author shocked me with some of the secrets. And also the ending a bit of a cliffhanger. I can't wait to read Uncontrollable to know more!
WRITING
The writing is perfect. I loved the dialogues and the descriptions. This book has 100% amazing imagery that keeps readers captivated. Writing plays an important role in building up the suspense and creating the twists in a story like Untraceable and the author does a perfect job!
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE BOOK
-Everything!
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT THE BOOK
- Not a thing!
WILL I BE READING THE REST OF THE TRILOGY?
Abso-bloody-lutely !
CONCLUSION
Go ahead and pick up the book right now and don't stop reading till you finish it!
January 18, 2012
A thrilling murder mystery set deep in the heart of North Carolina's Smoky Mountain's, Untraceable is a suspenseful page turner loaded with plot twists, action, and a swoon worthy romance. Not everything is as it seems in this story, and that element of wanting to uncover the mystery kept me hooked the entire time I sat reading Grace's story. It's a story about survival, corruption, love, the outdoors and so much more. I completely fell in love with this story's beautiful setting. The outdoors/woods of the Smoky Mountains plays such a huge part in the book that it felt like it was a character in itself. It really set the tone for a lot of the action scenes and some of the sigh worthy moments between Grace and Mo that take place there.
Grace is a strong willed, courageous teenager who will stop at nothing to uncover the mystery behind her father's supposed death and the corruption that's happening in her own back yard. Her independence and quest for the truth is the driving factor in her uncovering what's really going on in her town's woods, and what happened to her father on her own. Her quest for the truth is something I really admired about her. When everyone else has all but given up on him, she's his only hope and WOW does she uncover one heck of a complicated conspiracy that's going on. Growing up with a forest ranger father they often roamed the back woods, and her father taught Grace all she knows about the survival skills she relies on through out her story. On a side note I really liked each chapter of the book is titled with some form of survival skill, which also clues readers into what they can except to happen each chapter. I loved Mo and Grace together. These two have a fabulous chemistry together. They have those sweet sigh worthy moments, and other moments they had me laughing out loud with the things they say or do to each other.
S.R. Johannes's writing is engaging. She does such a great job at throwing readers into what's going on, and she definitely pulls out all the stops through the story. The end is full of one twist after the other and I was totally shocked at some of the revelations. I didn't see those ones coming. That ending makes me want to go take my own notes to try and solve the big mystery, because just as I thought I had it figured out who was behind all that happens, S.R. threw in another twist. While I thought she did a great job wrapping up this story, I need more answers! I can't wait for the sequel to be released. This is one thrilling read that I highly recommend picking up. There's plenty of heart bounding action, swoon worthy romance, and plenty of twists that will keep readers glued to the pages. There is very mild language, and a some realistic action scenes that may not be suitable to younger readers. I'd definitely recommend this to fans of YA.
Grace is a strong willed, courageous teenager who will stop at nothing to uncover the mystery behind her father's supposed death and the corruption that's happening in her own back yard. Her independence and quest for the truth is the driving factor in her uncovering what's really going on in her town's woods, and what happened to her father on her own. Her quest for the truth is something I really admired about her. When everyone else has all but given up on him, she's his only hope and WOW does she uncover one heck of a complicated conspiracy that's going on. Growing up with a forest ranger father they often roamed the back woods, and her father taught Grace all she knows about the survival skills she relies on through out her story. On a side note I really liked each chapter of the book is titled with some form of survival skill, which also clues readers into what they can except to happen each chapter. I loved Mo and Grace together. These two have a fabulous chemistry together. They have those sweet sigh worthy moments, and other moments they had me laughing out loud with the things they say or do to each other.
S.R. Johannes's writing is engaging. She does such a great job at throwing readers into what's going on, and she definitely pulls out all the stops through the story. The end is full of one twist after the other and I was totally shocked at some of the revelations. I didn't see those ones coming. That ending makes me want to go take my own notes to try and solve the big mystery, because just as I thought I had it figured out who was behind all that happens, S.R. threw in another twist. While I thought she did a great job wrapping up this story, I need more answers! I can't wait for the sequel to be released. This is one thrilling read that I highly recommend picking up. There's plenty of heart bounding action, swoon worthy romance, and plenty of twists that will keep readers glued to the pages. There is very mild language, and a some realistic action scenes that may not be suitable to younger readers. I'd definitely recommend this to fans of YA.
September 28, 2012
Sometimes you just need to step away from all the paranormal fantasy and the magical plot and sit down with a good mystery. I honestly had no idea what kind of book this was when i bought it, the cover looked really awesome and I needed something different. Plus I met the author and she was a really nice, so I felt no issues with buying a book from her with little to go on. My trust and faith was well placed.
The plot of this is a true mystery novel, as the book snakes along there is a hint here and a hint there…pretty soon things start coming together and at the same time things are getting blurry. Who did it? Was it this guy or maybe it was someone she trusts? My suspect list pretty much included everyone by the time everything was revealed, and I had fun trying to piece all the evidence together. I loved the setting as well because it’s rare that you find a true outdoorsy book that includes camping and tracking, and even a bit of fishing. It appeals to my inner Georgia girl that loves to hike through the forest, and Johannes really captures the beauty of nature.
Grace is a strong and independent girl, and it can be argued that she’s a bit too much of both at times especially when it comes to finding out why her dad is missing. I kind of admire her strength to never give up on her dad when everyone else has written him off as dead, but I also felt really terrible for her because she couldn’t let go. Everyone in the book doubts her even if they don’t say it out right and as a reader I even kind of doubted her, I could see what all of the searching and clue finding was doing to her and I kind of wanted her to take a step back myself. I also admire that even though she’s going through a tough time she finds the time to be sarcastic and funny, and doesn’t just go completely cold. Wyn is a good best friend, but I wasn’t fond of his way of handling her or his feelings. He is supportive but in a way his support is kind of negative because he lets her know how little his faith is, even though he helps out. Also speaking from experience if a girl is hesitant and the guy keeps pushing his feelings, even in the smallest way, it doesn’t make the situation easy to deal with and thoughts get kind of muddled. So I was a bit rocky when it came to him. Mo never had my full trust as a character, I liked him but I stayed wary the whole time. He’s a good guy and he’s British but he is kind of shrouded in a bit of mystery, and never really opens up until about 70 percent through.
Overall I enjoyed the thrill and the journey that is Grace’s story, and since the ending was a bit open I can’t wait to see what happens in Uncontrollable. There is also a short story I’ll be reading that is from Mo’s point of view, so I’m sure that will be interesting. I totally recommend getting a copy of this and it’s worth the money without any doubt.
The plot of this is a true mystery novel, as the book snakes along there is a hint here and a hint there…pretty soon things start coming together and at the same time things are getting blurry. Who did it? Was it this guy or maybe it was someone she trusts? My suspect list pretty much included everyone by the time everything was revealed, and I had fun trying to piece all the evidence together. I loved the setting as well because it’s rare that you find a true outdoorsy book that includes camping and tracking, and even a bit of fishing. It appeals to my inner Georgia girl that loves to hike through the forest, and Johannes really captures the beauty of nature.
Grace is a strong and independent girl, and it can be argued that she’s a bit too much of both at times especially when it comes to finding out why her dad is missing. I kind of admire her strength to never give up on her dad when everyone else has written him off as dead, but I also felt really terrible for her because she couldn’t let go. Everyone in the book doubts her even if they don’t say it out right and as a reader I even kind of doubted her, I could see what all of the searching and clue finding was doing to her and I kind of wanted her to take a step back myself. I also admire that even though she’s going through a tough time she finds the time to be sarcastic and funny, and doesn’t just go completely cold. Wyn is a good best friend, but I wasn’t fond of his way of handling her or his feelings. He is supportive but in a way his support is kind of negative because he lets her know how little his faith is, even though he helps out. Also speaking from experience if a girl is hesitant and the guy keeps pushing his feelings, even in the smallest way, it doesn’t make the situation easy to deal with and thoughts get kind of muddled. So I was a bit rocky when it came to him. Mo never had my full trust as a character, I liked him but I stayed wary the whole time. He’s a good guy and he’s British but he is kind of shrouded in a bit of mystery, and never really opens up until about 70 percent through.
Overall I enjoyed the thrill and the journey that is Grace’s story, and since the ending was a bit open I can’t wait to see what happens in Uncontrollable. There is also a short story I’ll be reading that is from Mo’s point of view, so I’m sure that will be interesting. I totally recommend getting a copy of this and it’s worth the money without any doubt.
June 17, 2013
No one can convince Grace that her father, a forest ranger missing for over three months in the wilds of the Smokie Mountains is never coming back. With determination more fierce than a Momma Bear protecting her cubs, she doggedly searches for some clue to the whereabouts of her missing father. Grace is obsessed, but every clue she finds is discounted and time is running out on her hope. More comfortable in the woods, than in town, trained to survive by her father, she stumbles upon a heinous operation that kills, maims and brutalizes bears for profit. As she digs deeper, she discovers that the people she knew, the town she knew and even her own father were not as they seemed. Lies, deceit and evil surround her until she doesn't know who she can really trust. Is anyone as they seem? Will she ever learn the truth of her father's fate? if she does, will it bring closure?
Untraceable is by far,one of the best Young Adult Mystery/thrillers that I have ever read! Author S. R. Johannes has created a dark story that not only raises awareness to the hidden black market that is endangering the lives of the black bear, as greed trumps the preservation of life for this majestic animal, but does so in a fast-paced and intriguing manner with vivid details and brilliant plot and character development all around. Grace's character is determined, smart and daring, as well as independent and emotionally strong, a wonderful role model for the YA crowd! I found myself glued to each word, yet never expecting where the story would end up!
A review copy was provided by NetGalley and All Night Reads in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: November 1, 2011
Publisher: All Night Reads
Series: The Nature of Grace, #1
ISBN: 9780984799121
Number of Pages: 312
My Rating: 5 stars
Available at: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
Untraceable is by far,one of the best Young Adult Mystery/thrillers that I have ever read! Author S. R. Johannes has created a dark story that not only raises awareness to the hidden black market that is endangering the lives of the black bear, as greed trumps the preservation of life for this majestic animal, but does so in a fast-paced and intriguing manner with vivid details and brilliant plot and character development all around. Grace's character is determined, smart and daring, as well as independent and emotionally strong, a wonderful role model for the YA crowd! I found myself glued to each word, yet never expecting where the story would end up!
A review copy was provided by NetGalley and All Night Reads in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: November 1, 2011
Publisher: All Night Reads
Series: The Nature of Grace, #1
ISBN: 9780984799121
Number of Pages: 312
My Rating: 5 stars
Available at: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
September 14, 2012
I was lucky enough to receive an email from author S. R. Johannes asking if I would be interested in a free copy of her book Untraceable in exchange for an honest review. Well, of course I jumped at the opportunity. As I have read...and Loved...Shelli's other two books, On The Bright Side and Suffocate, I knew that I would enjoy Untraceable. Not only did I enjoy it? I loved it!! Shelli had me hooked from the beginning and I could not put this one down. First off I loved the storyline. I am a lover of the outdoors, camping and of course wild life, so that alone had me hooked. But these characters?
Grace is an amazing young women. She is strong, smart, funny and everything I like to see in a YA female character. But we also get to see that she is vulnerable too. She is put through an array of very tough and often horrific situations, that as an adult, I am not sure could withstand. I love Grace.
Then we have Mo. Yummy, yummy Mo. I must admit, that I was a bit worried that the relationship between Grace and Mo was going to be too quick, and forced like is often seen in a lot of YA books. However, it was not forced at all. These two were just made for each other. I was also worried that we were going to have to deal with an annoying love triangle between Grace, Mo and Wyn. But no. We got to see Grace's internal struggles, but it was not an in your face type of thing. And Wyn? Well, I must admit I am a fan of his as well. He's the perfect 'best friend' turned boyfriend.
I also love how each and every character had a part in this book. I know, I know. Of course they did. No really. This book would not have been what it was without each and every one of them. Including the river, the forest and the animals. Everything just came together and fit perfectly. This book really has it all. It is a mystery, coming of age, romance, suspense and adventure story all rolled into one amazing little package.
In the end? I would highly recommend Untraceable. Author S. R. Johannes is one of my new go to authors. I look forward to more in the Nature of Grace series and anything else she 'Graces' us with!!
Grace is an amazing young women. She is strong, smart, funny and everything I like to see in a YA female character. But we also get to see that she is vulnerable too. She is put through an array of very tough and often horrific situations, that as an adult, I am not sure could withstand. I love Grace.
Then we have Mo. Yummy, yummy Mo. I must admit, that I was a bit worried that the relationship between Grace and Mo was going to be too quick, and forced like is often seen in a lot of YA books. However, it was not forced at all. These two were just made for each other. I was also worried that we were going to have to deal with an annoying love triangle between Grace, Mo and Wyn. But no. We got to see Grace's internal struggles, but it was not an in your face type of thing. And Wyn? Well, I must admit I am a fan of his as well. He's the perfect 'best friend' turned boyfriend.
I also love how each and every character had a part in this book. I know, I know. Of course they did. No really. This book would not have been what it was without each and every one of them. Including the river, the forest and the animals. Everything just came together and fit perfectly. This book really has it all. It is a mystery, coming of age, romance, suspense and adventure story all rolled into one amazing little package.
In the end? I would highly recommend Untraceable. Author S. R. Johannes is one of my new go to authors. I look forward to more in the Nature of Grace series and anything else she 'Graces' us with!!
March 27, 2013
4.5 stars round down to 4
I am a book cover hoarder. When I see a book cover that catches my eye, I have to stop and take a look at the book. I have even been known to buy a book just because of the cover. Untraceable’s cover is bright green and very outdoorsy so I had to read the back cover. I’ve had this book on my TBR for quite some time and this book satisfied 2 challenges. I struggled with a 4 or 5 star rating and decided to give it a 4, because the ending was not what I expected. It left me asking too many questions, which means that now I have to read book 2. Hopefully, Uncontrollable will answer those questions and nicely wrap up the storyline.
Grace is 16 years old and knows everything that there is to know about safety in the Smokey Mountains. Her dad, a park ranger, taught her survival tips since she was a toddler. At the beginning of the plot, Grace’s dad had been missing for 3 months. Everyone in her small town, including her mother, thinks that her dad, Joe, is dead. Grace refuses to believe this and hikes on a daily basis in hopes of locating him. The only person that would help her is Wynn, her lifetime friend.
During one of her stints, she met Mo who happened to save her during a trying ordeal. Unfortunately, along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets about people that she has known and loved all of her life. Soon she's embattled in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder.
Untraceable starts off with the descriptions of Grace’s small hometown and the surrounding area. The plot quickly picks up to become a dangerous encounter.
I really enjoyed the thriller portion of this storyline. At times, it was difficult to remember that Grace was only 16. This book would have been fantastic if the protagonist was a little older and the ending hasn’t just left me hanging. I will say that I can’t wait to read more!
I am a book cover hoarder. When I see a book cover that catches my eye, I have to stop and take a look at the book. I have even been known to buy a book just because of the cover. Untraceable’s cover is bright green and very outdoorsy so I had to read the back cover. I’ve had this book on my TBR for quite some time and this book satisfied 2 challenges. I struggled with a 4 or 5 star rating and decided to give it a 4, because the ending was not what I expected. It left me asking too many questions, which means that now I have to read book 2. Hopefully, Uncontrollable will answer those questions and nicely wrap up the storyline.
Grace is 16 years old and knows everything that there is to know about safety in the Smokey Mountains. Her dad, a park ranger, taught her survival tips since she was a toddler. At the beginning of the plot, Grace’s dad had been missing for 3 months. Everyone in her small town, including her mother, thinks that her dad, Joe, is dead. Grace refuses to believe this and hikes on a daily basis in hopes of locating him. The only person that would help her is Wynn, her lifetime friend.
During one of her stints, she met Mo who happened to save her during a trying ordeal. Unfortunately, along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets about people that she has known and loved all of her life. Soon she's embattled in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder.
Untraceable starts off with the descriptions of Grace’s small hometown and the surrounding area. The plot quickly picks up to become a dangerous encounter.
I really enjoyed the thriller portion of this storyline. At times, it was difficult to remember that Grace was only 16. This book would have been fantastic if the protagonist was a little older and the ending hasn’t just left me hanging. I will say that I can’t wait to read more!
February 23, 2012
ALYSSA thought:
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
Okay, so there are no lions. Or tigers. But Untraceable does have bears. So how about:
Bears and villains and mystery and drama and romance and heartache and surprises and...
This wilderness survival mystery thriller has punch! Grace is spunky and tough, and tends to get herself into trouble even when she knows better. Typical teenager. But it all stems from her love of nature and her determination to find her father.
Nature, a huge part of Untraceable. Vivid description took me right into the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee - that's where the bears come in. Grace offers up survival advice and each chapter is even titled with survival skills.
But it's the story that's the big draw.
A fast-paced thriller, full of interesting characters, and a never ending supply of unexpected turns. As Grace's investigation pulls her deeper in to a much larger web of lies and corruption, the intensity rises and just when you (and Grace) think you have it all figured out, Bam! you get side-swiped with a new twist.
The romance stars Wyn, Grace's childhood friend and ex-boyfriend, and the new hottie in the woods, Mo. Wyn is sweet but has rebounded with the town mean girl, so that lost him points with me. Mo comes across as a terrific fellow, but harbors plenty of secrets.
Danger and suspense increase. Grace gets caught up with some nasty folk so be prepared for violence to escalate. And the emotional roller coaster ride becomes very intense, especially near the end.
The ending isn't quite a cliffhanger, but it does leave some questions that leave you ready to get answered in the next installment, Uncontrollable, due out this summer.
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
Okay, so there are no lions. Or tigers. But Untraceable does have bears. So how about:
Bears and villains and mystery and drama and romance and heartache and surprises and...
This wilderness survival mystery thriller has punch! Grace is spunky and tough, and tends to get herself into trouble even when she knows better. Typical teenager. But it all stems from her love of nature and her determination to find her father.
Nature, a huge part of Untraceable. Vivid description took me right into the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee - that's where the bears come in. Grace offers up survival advice and each chapter is even titled with survival skills.
But it's the story that's the big draw.
A fast-paced thriller, full of interesting characters, and a never ending supply of unexpected turns. As Grace's investigation pulls her deeper in to a much larger web of lies and corruption, the intensity rises and just when you (and Grace) think you have it all figured out, Bam! you get side-swiped with a new twist.
The romance stars Wyn, Grace's childhood friend and ex-boyfriend, and the new hottie in the woods, Mo. Wyn is sweet but has rebounded with the town mean girl, so that lost him points with me. Mo comes across as a terrific fellow, but harbors plenty of secrets.
Danger and suspense increase. Grace gets caught up with some nasty folk so be prepared for violence to escalate. And the emotional roller coaster ride becomes very intense, especially near the end.
The ending isn't quite a cliffhanger, but it does leave some questions that leave you ready to get answered in the next installment, Uncontrollable, due out this summer.
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