Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: HarperCollins
Series: Shatter Me, Book 3
Rated: YA 14+
Format: Paperback
Source: Borrowed (thanks Richa!)
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

Read my review of Shatter Me HERE.

Read my review of Destroy Me HERE.

Read my review of Unravel Me HERE.

Read my review of Fracture Me HERE.

The fate of Omega Point is unknown.

Everyone Juliette has ever cared about could be dead. Juliette may be the only one standing in The Reestablishment's way. But to take them down, Juliette will need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together to defeat their mutual enemy, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew–about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam–was wrong.

Oh my goodness–it has taken SEVERAL years but I'm finally at this point! I FINISHED THE SHATTER ME TRILOGY!! Never mind that there are three more books to come...I actually finished the original three after years of putting it off! My track record for actually finishing series is terrible and this is an accomplishment in my eyes, so I'm gonna pat myself on the back for this one. Anyway. It all comes down to this: Ignite Me. From first really loving this book a few years ago, to re-reading it recently and not enjoying it as much, to loving the novella from Warner's POV, to enjoying the second instalment, to kind of switching sides in Adam's POV, it all comes down to this. While I did appreciate some of the awesome changes that this book presented, there were a few things I didn't quite enjoy. It's kind of like the Mockingjay of the series–I was left wanting more because I wasn't completely satisfied (which kinda works out seeing how there are going to be more books).

First of all, I liked Juliette the best in this book. She FINALLY grew a backbone, became much more grounded, and actually kicked-ass. She quit her whining, guys! And I'm gonna tell you–it made reading this book sooooo much easier. And then of course, what good is Juliette with all the boy drama? Team Adam and Team Warner...it all plays out here. There's a pretty clear ending for this love triangle that has gone back and forth in the previous books in the series, but I'm gonna scream if book four reintroduces it. Also–Team Kenji ftw, because Kenji is still the best character, in my opinion.

Okay, what I didn't really enjoy about this one was that it was kind of convenient. Like it was convenient that things started to fall into place, and it was convenient that problems were solved pretty quickly. Obviously it isn't the end of the story, but the last third or quarter of the book was just super (one last time!) convenient. I wanted a little more push-back or more problems to arise, but instead of action all I got was drama revolving around the romance. I love romance, but in a dystopian book about taking down the new order you KNOW I want my fair share of battle and action alongside steamy scenes.

I can't be totally disappointed with this book because there's another one coming out! If Ignite Me had been the last book of the series I wouldn't have minded either because it does seem to tie up somewhat nicely, but oh well–looks like further problems will arise because all is not what is seems (apparently). Overall I've been pretty into this series and am curious to see where it goes. Ignite Me may have not been my favourite, but it was still pretty damn good.

If you like this try...

• Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins ● Goodreads

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Fracture Me by Tahereh Mafi

Fracture Me by Tahereh Mafi

Release Date: December 17, 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins
Series: Shatter Me, Book 2.5
Rated: YA 14+
Format: Paperback (part of Unite Me)
Source: Borrowed
Buy: Amazon
Goodreads ● Website

Read my review of Shatter Me HERE.

Read my review of Destroy Me HERE.

Read my review of Unravel Me HERE.

As Omega Point prepares to launch an all-out assault on The Reestablishment soldiers stationed in Sector 45, Adam's focus couldn't be further from the upcoming battle. He's reeling from his breakup with Juliette, scared for his best friend's life, and as concerned as ever for his brother James's safety. And just as Adam begins to wonder if this life is really for him, the alarms sound. It's time for war.

On the battlefield, it seems like the odds are in their favor—but taking down Warner, Adam's newly discovered half brother, won't be that easy. The Reestablishment can't tolerate a rebellion, and they'll do anything to crush the resistance . . . including killing everyone Adam has ever cared about.

Okay, so since Unravel Me I'm heading towards the direction of Team Warner, but I'm glad Fracture Me was written from Adam's perspective because it definitely allowed some Adam appreciation from me! I'm sad that this love triangle is changing a ton, because in Shatter Me is pretty obvious who Juliette should end up with, but the novella and book that came after complicates things–both for Juliette, and for me because DAMN...I don't know who to side with now!

A lot of the events that took place in Unravel Me appear in this book told from Adam's perspective. While it's all stuff that we know, it's kinda cool to see how his character perceived things, especially since he didn't know a lot of the info that Juliette was hiding from him in the second book in the series. **SPOILER** What we also get is the story of what happens after Juliette is captured, and how everyone seems to think she's dead, as well as what they plan to do next.

I know I had some mixed feelings about this series to begin with, but now? Now I'm so excited to see how it ends. I'm captivated by Mafi's debut series, and I need to know how it all ends. I can't wait to pick up Ignite Me!

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Release Date: February 5, 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins
Series: Shatter Me, Book 2
Rated: YA 14+
Format: Paperback
Source: Borrowed (thanks Richa!)
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

Read my review of Shatter Me HERE.

Read my review of Destroy Me HERE.

tick
tick
tick
tick
tick
it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

After my slightly mixed reaction when I re-read Shatter Me, but also my thankfully super positive, renewed-faith-for-me reception of Destroy Me, I was looking forward to reading Unravel Me, but I didn't know what to expect. I'm happy though, because this series seriously just keeps getting better. Some of the things that annoyed me in the first book are still there, sure, but man–I can't WAIT to find out how this originally-a-trilogy-and-now-something-more? will end.

Compared to the last book, there was definitely a bit more world building present in Unravel Me. I managed to get a better grasp of the world that Juliette and the rest of the characters live in, especially since they visit more of the Sector they live in. The writing was also a lot better this time round, for me. It was pretty flowery in the last book, and there was still evidence of that in this one, but it was a lot more tampered down. Tahereh Mafi is wonderful with words, but as I mentioned in my review of Shatter Me, it was overpowering at times it didn't need to be. After reading Destroy Me, I was completely taken away though. Speaking of... Destroy Me continues into this novel! There's a part maybe a quarter or so into the book that picks up where the novella ends. Good thing too, because WARNER.

Ah yes, my friends, I am absolutely all aboard the Warner train. I was taken by him during Destroy Me for sure, but this book kinda sealed it because DAMN DOES IT GET STEAMY. That, and Juliette's character annoyed the shizz out of me, and unfortunately so did Adam. Oh Adam. I loved him in the first book, but in this one both Juliette and Adam were lovesick saps that didn't care about anything. It was just so aggravating to see them run around in circles after each other, hooking up and then breaking up for the same reason every time. So yeah, Warner was a welcome character, but of course, no one can EVER beat my all-time fave, Kenji. Kenji basically voiced my thoughts about Juliette at one point–

❝"And I'm sick of you being so caught up in your own little world all the time. You act like this whole thing––everything we do––is a joke. You don't take of it seriously––"
      "What?" I cut him off. "That's not true––I do take this seriously––"
      "Bullshit." He laughs a short, sharp, angry laugh. "All you do is sit around and think about your feelings. You've got problems. Boo-freaking-hoo," he says. [...] "And I'd really appreciate it if you'd grow the hell up and stop walking around like the world crapped on your only roll of toilet paper. Because it's stupid," he says. "It's stupid, and it's ungrateful. You don't have a clue what everyone else in the world is going through right now. You don't have a clue, Juliette. And you don't seem to give a damn, either."❞

–p. 146, paperback

PREACH, KENJI. I may not agree whole-heartedly on the attack on having feelings bit, but moping around as if your problems are the worst thing ever is just a big nope. So YES to this entire rant, and here's to hoping that she finally grows a spine or something. And some control over her capricious mindset because damn–does the girl flip-flop between Adam and Warner. I have a feeling she does get better though, since everyone's told me that book three she's not as annoying, and by the end of Unravel Me she definitely seemed to be more badass and get better, so I'm just praying that it all pays off in the next book.

I'm super excited about finishing this series–well, the first three books, because I'm unsure how the next three books are connected to this one–because despite all the problems I've had with this series, I'm glad I'm finally getting around to reading it. I now see what I've been missing out on (a hell of a lot of steamy scenes, by the look of it), and I'm all in to see how it plays out. Unravel Me thankfully didn't fall under second-book syndrome and a lot actually happened in this sequel to Shatter Me. Things are about to heat up–in more than one way–and I can't wait to pick up Ignite Me.

If you like this, try...

• Torment by Lauren Kate ● Goodreads
• Delirium by Lauren Oliver ● Goodreads

Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Release Date: October 2, 2012
Publisher: Harper
Series: Shatter Me, Book 1.5
Rated: YA 14+
Format: Paperback (part of Unite Me)
Source: Borrowed
Buy: Amazon
Goodreads ● Website

Read my review of Shatter Me HERE.

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

Okay, so NOW I get the whole Team Warner thing. Not completely on board over here, but my goodness does a novella in his perspective make me more sympathetic towards him. I'm still a little meh with the idea of novellas, because while it's nice to read the extra bits part of the story, because if you miss out on reading them you sort of miss out on part of the story. Anyway, it was short, and I thought pretty important to the plot.

I remember some review mentioning that this book shifted them to Team Warner (or at least was a cause of that change), so I knew that it was crucial to read this one. I do like that the book was from his point of view. We learn so much more about some of the events that took place in Shatter Me from his perspective, and from that it humanises him a more than just a little bit. We also get introduced to his father, who makes Warner in Shatter Me look like a puppy.

I'm definitely more pumped to read the second book after reading Destroy Me, because I'm curious to see how it all turns out with this complicated antagonistic figure and his feelings towards Juliette.

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Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Release Date: November 15, 2011
Publisher: Harper
Series: Shatter Me, Book 1
Rated: YA 14+
Format: Paperback
Source: Gifted
Buy: Amazon ● The Book Depository
Goodreads ● Website

I have a curse
I have a gift

I am a monster
I'm more than human

My touch is lethal
My touch is power

I am their weapon
I will fight back

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.

Before I begin, can I just say how glad I am they changed the cover? I love a good dress on a cover, don't get me wrong, but the new series covers are BEAUTIFUL. Also, I just think that this one in general didn't fit the entire vibe of the book, so yay for actual good cover changes in a series. Anyway, I read this one a super long time ago because my amazing friend gave it to me for my birthday, and while I didn't write a review on it, I'm kind of guessing that I enjoyed it because of the 5-star rating I gave it on Goodreads. I never actually continued with the series, and in a desperate attempt to avoid spoilers FOR LIFE, I'm actually trying to get through series that I've neglected over time. Well, it's the same case as was my re-read of Fallen–I understand why I loved it so much back then, but now I have some problems with the book. Doesn't mean I didn't hate it! I enjoyed a lot of the story, but there were just a few issues I had with the book here and there.

Okay, so I'm kind of half-and-half on the writing. On one hand, it's beautiful. I love the descriptions, because sometimes they're really something else. However, flowery language shouldn't be confused for good language. I feel like a lot of it was overdone and overly descriptive when it didn't need to be. With emotions, sure. But for every single movement? Not necessary. I didn't really need to know how every action that Adam made affected Juliette. It was also kind of repetitive, which was kind of annoying, so I'm hoping that the rest of the series sorts that out. I did like the style of writing though, with the crossed out parts–it made reading Shatter Me a different experience.

As for the characters, I can't say that I have any complaints. Other than the slightly irritating voice of Juliette through the descriptions, I think they all were pretty solid. I liked Juliette, I liked Adam, I loved to hate Warner (I've heard whispers of spoilers of him later in the series, so I'm curious to see how it all plays out), so it was pretty good all around. I LOVED Kenji though, I gotta say. I love a hilarious character in the midst of a serious situation, and I remember loving him the first time I read this book, too.

What I missed in this book, however, was the world building. Like, what even happened to this world? On one hand, the mystery sort of adds to it, but when the characters are sort of running around here and there, it's like um–what does this scene even look like? How's the state of everything on the outside??? World-building is definitely a must for dystopian books because they distort the reality we live in to present potential problems, so give us a visible setting to visualise it clearly please!

All in all, I'm super excited to continue on with the series. I finally get to see what all the hype was about, and finish one of the big, blockbuster series that EVERYONE used to talk about. Shatter Me, despite my thoughts on the writing and somewhat lack of world building, is a promising start to a series, and I know I'm in for an emotional and thrilling ride.

If you like this, try...

• Glitch by Heather Anastasiu ● Goodreads
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer ● Goodreads

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