AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING!

This book is not for younger YA readers. It has some adult content and language. Unravel Me is AMAZING! I recommend it to all YA readers. It's a dystopian-fantasy novel. Let me tell you, the end, or half the book for that matter, I never saw it coming. Unravel Me is the sequel to Shatter Me, which came out last year. Unravel Me takes place probably about twenty or so years in the future, but the world is SO different from ours. It's a hard place and I do NOT envy its inhabitants (even if some of them get awesome powers). Personally, I believe Tahereh Mafi likes to torture the characters, but that's just me.

The main character is Juliette. And oh my god, she is awesome. Awesomesauce actually. She is insanely powerful, and insane (partially) for that matter. She's had an extremely rough childhood, but has come out stronger, even if she hasn't realized it yet. She definitely gets some reality checks during the book. Let me tell you, surprise doesn't even begin to describe what I felt when we found some things out about the characters. Namely, wait I can't say that. You'll just have to read the book. :D Something Tahereh Mafi can do, and I hate her for it, is make you fall in love with the bad guy. There's a love triangle between Juliette (main character), Adam (childhood friend), and Warner (son of the Supreme Commander). In the first book, I hated Warner. When Tahereh released a novella from his point of view, I pitied him. Now, with new revelations, I'm just as in love with him as I am with Adam (maybe more so) and definitely as in love with him as Juliette is.

Let me say this, anyone who follows Tahereh Mafi, Chapter 62 does not disappoint. Now that that's out of the way, I can finish reviewing this book. I never saw half the things coming, which is hard when I read a book. Some things just feel so obvious, but this book, totally blind. And after reading the end, let's just say, this fall (when the last book comes out) couldn't come soon enough. I am really impressed with Tahereh's writing. She's really talented. And I love reading from Juliette's point of view. It's really interesting to see inside her mind. Like, really really interesting. Check out Tahereh Mafi's website and Facebook page. Also check out the Shatter Me Facebook page. I love the style of writing and it's one not often seen in books, much less YA Lit. I give this book a fat five stars.

4.5/5 stars

I adored this book! At first I found it a bit slow and confusing, but as I read on, it got better and better.

Juliette is a great protagonist and narrator. Tahereh Mafi's writing style is beautiful and I really enjoyed the striked text. It enables the reader to really get inside Juliette's head and gives more insight into Juliette's true thoughts and feelings.

Adam. I wasn't sure how I felt about him at first, but I ended up really liking him. His relationship with Juliette is so sweet and passionate.

Warner is an awesome antagonist. He is a very interesting and complex character who I definitely want to learn more about.

Overall, this is an amazing first book in a trilogy and I have high hopes for Unravel Me. I loved the setup for the sequel at the end and I'm excited to find out what will happen next!

I have every single kind of mixed feeling imaginable. Mostly, I feel like this Adam is someone entirely different than the Adam I swooned over so hard in Shatter Me. There's almost nothing - not one shred - of that person in this novella, and I'm not sure whether I'm more sad or angry about that.

Before I started Shatter Me I found it really odd that my GR's friends had such polarizing views on this book. There were just as many one stars as five stars, and some of the tougher critics I know absolutely loved it, while others detested it on a fairly profound level. However, I totally get it now. While I am firmly on the loved it side of things, I can see that the very same things others loved would drive some readers up the wall.

First, this book uses more poetic language and metaphor than, perhaps, any other book I've read. Clearly, the author paid attention to. every. single. word. I thought it was quite well written and liked how the poetry of the narrative, along with her obsession with numbers, gave Juliette such a unique narrative voice. However, I can see how others might feel like drowning in a murky lagoon, tangled weeds tugging them to the dark abyss, every time Juliette swims in Adam's oceanic eyes.

Also, as other reviewers have mentioned, romance is not a sub-plot it is the plot. I likey some romance so this didn't really bother me at all. Nor did the tantalizing shiver of a potential love triangle. Romance, and in some ways insta-love, shared centre stage with dystopia and supernatural powers. This a great combo for me :). Regardless of the genre, the plot was fast-paced and kept me engaged. From the first minute I started reading I was hooked and my attention never lagged.

I loved the characters. I really liked Juliette as a narrator. Adam was a total sweetheart. Warner was super interesting. He is obviously deranged. He commits murder and torture somewhat gleefully, yet his desire for love and companionship is somewhat endearing. I can't wait to see what he is up to next. Why are the villains always so interesting?

Shatter Me is clearly the first in a trilogy. The plot, the characters, the world-building are slowly being revealed, and there is not a whole lot of depth yet, but it is absolutely enjoyable enough to make me reach for the sequel.

Finally, did anyone else get the Simpson's reference at the end? Tee hee.

DAMN THIS WAS AMAZING i really can't believe me it took me just now to read this?!?

anyway, i really enjoyed this a lot. i was really confused at the start, though? i guess i wasn't feeling the book yet or something but then things started picking up and !!!

tahereh mafi's writing style is so???? LOVELY??? I JUST???? and the striked words were a really nice effect to juliette's thoughts and the narrative of the story in general.

the characters were really great as well? i really liked juliette a lot,,,, girl i would gladly die for u can i just say. adam was pretty great too! also juliette and adam are so precious together i'm dead. and as much as i kinda dislike warner as a person, i think he was really, really greatly written as the story's antagonist. he's also kind of intriguing though. (also can i just say. IS EVERYONE IN THIS BOOK ATTRACTIVE OR WHAT?!)

also this gives me so much x-men vibes i love it??? (like. i only know 20% stuff about x-men but WHATEVER!!!)

overall, this was really great!!! i loved the setup of the plot for the rest of the series and i really can't wait to read the next one. i'll probably read it soon.jpg (the copy i have has previews of the next book "unravel me" and the novella "destroy me" but i don't want to leave myself hanging because i have no copies of them yet hahaha!!!)

This dystopian fantasy truly lives up to all the hype. I’m really enjoying the unique narration style and can’t wait to read more books in this series.

I’d heard raves and gushes about this book. I’d heard that Mafi could write some sexy tension. I was not prepared for how haunting this book was. I wanted to wrap Juliette up in a hug and stroke her hair. I wondered what inspired Mafi to create a character that is so tortured. Juliette has a curse. Her touch kills. This has sentenced her to a life without touch and a life without friends or love. Her parents even reject her. Even though she is utterly alone, she goes above and beyond to do right and be a friend though no one will ever reciprocate. I couldn’t put it down. Page after page, I had to see Juliette out of her bleak existence. Please.

Her opportunity comes at the hands of Warner. He has plans for her. I loved that Juliette saw his offer and him for what they are. He wants to control her and use her as a weapon of torture. Maybe with her on his side, he could rise even further in The Reestablishment. Though his character is interesting and complicated, he is very easy to hate. I really can’t wrap my brain around the idea that there is a Team Warner. Maybe more will be revealed as I read on.

This dystopian world reminds me of V is for Vendetta. It is one where fear is the tool of choice to keep everyone in line from some mysterious disease. Shatter Me reveals the fear and only gives you a small glimpse into the world beyond the compound walls. I look forward to Unravel Me, so I can get a good look at the state of the world beyond. And I am excited about the rebellion brewing.

Adam. He is sensitive and seeing wrapped in the armor of a bad boy. His story is almost as heart-breaking as Juliette’s. Even more their tangled past and his devotion to protect people who are important him, had me melting with every moment he was on the page. He reminded me of a mix of Chase from Article 5 and Dean from Hopeless. Give me MORE Adam. You know how I love stories where the characters have a shared past. Love it.

Unravel Me will make it to the top of my pile sooner rather than later. I have to see what Mafi’s imagination has in store and I hope that her supernatural rebels bring down The Reestablishment.

Shatter Me will tear you apart.

Audio re-read. Narrator nails it. Juliette is perfectly caring and cautious. Warner is cocky and conniving & Adam is firm and resolute. The cross outs are kind of odd, but you get used to it.

Juliette has been locked in a mental institution that is basically a jail. She hasn’t touched anyone for 264 days. Then she gets a roommate. And everything changes.

Those who say this is a romance and not a dystopia are right, albeit a romance set in a dystopian world. Still, there were some compelling seeds planted here in terms of the world, and I’ll be interested to see how they grow. Right now, any political motivations are all kinds of vague, and pretty obviously transparent as plot devices. Also, if it is not explained later in the series why certain people can touch Juliette. I call BS. I was excited because this seemed like a very interesting obstacle to work around throughout the series, but then nope. Look, everyone who might need to can conveniently touch Juliette okay?

And okay, this is a romance. But can I say, I was kind of underwhelmed? First, it was a little too close to insta-love for me. These two people went to school together for a bit a together a longish (for you know, a world going to hell in a handbasket) time ago, and they barely talked, but they’ve held on to the memory of each other and are in L-O-V-E. Okay, fine. There’s some history there. Give me some time to watch it develop and come to fruition. Especially before the big choices. And give me some depth in my male lead. I want to like him too. Like, okay, yay, he’s a stand-up big brother. But that comes kinda late. What else can you give me? I mean, right now the underdeveloped, unmotivated bad guy may be the most interesting character. Surely my leads will grow as the series goes on? Maybe not.

I also had a lot of questions about female agency throughout the book, and I think this may be one of the things I’m supposed to be thinking about. For instance, one of the only people to be able to touch Juliette is also one of the only people that may physically assault Juliette, and is the one to attempt to control her. What do Juliette’s powers ultimately mean? Give me some time and maybe I can look into this novel more closely from a feminist lens. Or maybe I should not do that. Maybe that is a bad idea.

What really kept me going in this novel was Mafi’s almost poetic prose. She often employs strikethroughs. Supposedly, this is because the novel is Juliette’s notebook. Although, I don’t really buy that she would strikethrough in a notebook what is deemed worthy of a strikethrough in the novel, but whatever. Also, where did this diary/notebook/journal come from? She’s given gruel once a day and has to scrounge for soap but she just has a journal lying around in that cell? I need more information. It’s compelling and was fresh enough to keep me reading. Does it always work perfectly? No, but like I said, it kept me interested, even if I was way more interested in this poetic prose as a narrative device on Mafi’s part than any diary writing by Juliette.

There are a lot of interesting pieces here. I can only hope the rest of the series puts them together in a satisfying way.

See full review here! http://ilayreading.com/2015/12/02/shatter-me/

The pace is really fast, so the book is hard to put down. The narrative starts as Juliette’s journal, so there’s a lot of crossed out sections and “purple prose.” Take it or leave it. I think it added to her stream of consciousness, but a lot of people don’t care for that type of writing. I think it works in this instance.