REVIEW: Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Destroy Me (Shatter Me #1.5)  by Tahereh Mafi
Publication Date: October 2, 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: eBook Purchased by Reviewer
Buy it at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBookstore

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner- and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of…

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 rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as eve, 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.

Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me, Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

So I have to admit that i'm totally in shock with Warner right now. I just can't believe that he isn't the person I thought he was. He seems so sweet and kind in this novella that it leaves me feeling really, really, REALLY sad for him. Especially now that he's actually in love with Juliette. I mean come on, Warner?! Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be...

We come to learn a lot about Warner in this novella, showing a side of his that we never knew was even there. Turns out he's not as heartless a we thought! It definitely leaves me wondering what is going to happen with him and Juliette. Maybe there is something there after all??? Maybe she's the one to change him and make him a better person. Or maybe not! 

My thoughts? Keep dreaming Warner! Juliette and Adam BELONG together!!!

REVIEW: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2)  by Tahereh Mafi
Publication Date: February 5, 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer
Buy it at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, IndieBound

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

Tick

Tick

Tick

Tick

Tick

It’s almost over

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.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. decisions that might involve choosing between her heart- and Adam’s life. 

Soooooo....OMG! OMG! OMG!!! This book..THIS BOOK!!!!!! I mean there really aren't any words to describe how I feel about this book. To say it left me hanging is an understatement...it left me dead. Dead on the floor. Maybe i'm still breathing, maybe i'm not...I can't even tell right now. Like Juliette, I constantly had to remind myself to just breathe.

Unravel Me picks up where Shatter Me left off, with Juliette and Adam as the new-comers to Omega Point. Omega Point being the "safe haven" for special people like Juliette, people with powers. There are some great strides made with our main characters in this book and there are some not so great strides made. Lets get started!

Juliette: I totally loved that she regressed back to her claustrophobic, paranoid, and self-conscience ways in the beginning (and middle) of this book...ok not the nicest thing to say, but it's for good reason. I would've highly doubted that she could miraculously become a super hero over night. This poor girl has been emotionally abused her whole life! She was locked away and left alone for the world to forget about her. I would be more surprised if she didn't have a meltdown at Omega Point. When we last left off in Shatter Me, Juliette seemed powerful, strong, even understanding and full of confidence about her powers and new life when she arrived at Omega Point, but it seems completely natural for her to lose all of that when she finally settles down and realizes that Omega Point is just a cell. It's underground, full of rules and restrictions. Just like at the asylum. Plus she isn't used to getting so much attention [read: Castle can be a little overbearing at times lol] I did not, however, approve of the fact that she was constantly whining about something. She seemed so completely immature and i'm sure she was just as immature in Shatter Me, but it didn't bother me then...it bothers me now. Maybe that's because I expected her to grow up a little bit and mature somewhat but............I guess I was wrong. Stop whining Juliette and get your $h!t together, girlfriend! We're at War!!!

Kenji: I absolutely LOVED Kenji in this book. In Shatter Me, he was such an insensitive jerk, but he totally transformed in Unravel Me. Getting to know the real Kenji was so awesome. It’s like he went from being a forgettable character in Shatter Me to being a beloved childhood friend.Turns out he's strong, brave, smart, and everything else in between. Which naturally that also makes him super schmexy too!!! (hehe)

Adaaaaaam! I know, I know, I'm biased, but I swear I love my guy!!!! It breaks my heart that him and Juliette are having the “issues” they are having. It’s like, after everything they have been through, they deserve at least a sliver of a happy ending and it just never comes for them…it’s always one thing after the other. He’s such a kind, sensitive, and protective hunk of perfection, that it breaks my heart to see him so sad and beaten down about the situation. Ms. Mafi, you're killing me with this!! I can’t take the emotional distress of it all. Please, please, PLEASE help a sister out and give me the ending I want!!

Warner: OH.MY.GAW. I mean seriously Warner, why did you have to become so darn irresistible?!? I get that you’re all in love with Juliette, but becoming this sweet, charismatic, charming and honest guy is not what I was prepared for. Not that I could EVER take my heart back from Adam (because Adam literally stole my heart <3) but I have to admit that there were a few moments that I may have swayed just a tad and was just as smitten with Warner as Juliette was. Come on, talk about transformations?!?! Plus, HE HAS DIMPLES! So yea, total swoon factor going on Warner!

So here are my emotions, use what little life is left in them and be prepared to hyperventilate at least once while reading this book!!!

REVIEW: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me (Shatter Me #1) by Tahereh Mafi
Publication Date: November 15, 2011
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Book Purchased by Reviewer
Buy it at: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, IndieBound

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

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 come by, 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.

This book started off a little rocky for me. I had a little bit of trouble getting past Tahereh Mafi’s style of writing. Once I adjusted though, this book was amazing. I mean it really just rocked my world with how awesome it is. There are so many factors that make this book great and the biggest one, which was what I hated in the beginning, is the strike through writing. I feel like it makes Juliette such a raw character, getting to know her in the most honest way possible: knowing every single thought she has.

And I definitely think that is the first noticeable thing about the book. the writing style is so different from any other book out there that it kind of draws you in, even if you're a little unaccepting in the beginning, like I was.

The main character Juliette, is such a great character to flow with. Seeing how she changes from beginning to end is so great to watch. From being skiddish and scared to finally embracing herself and her gifts… It’s definitely an empowering experience. I do have to admit though, she seems a bit off at first. You can tell right away that she’s had a lot of bad things happen to her and she hasn't been treated very well in her life at all, but her thoughts kind of lead me to believe that some serious therapy is needed to really get her over and moved on with every obstacle that she has encountered in her life. I have to give it to her though. She has made so much progress in such a short time and I think we owe a lot of that to Adam…and Warner.

No matter what horrible things we say about Warner (and we know they’re all TRUE) he was the spark that started the fire. Without his particular interest in Juliette, she never would have gotten out of that cell and into a glimpse of the real world. His interest in her gave Juliette her life back. She resisted every proposal he offered, but being back in the real world, being wanted, gave her the spark she needed. That being said, he is still the antagonist in this story and no matter what anyone says I believe there will never be anything good about him. He has way too much charm and influence for his own good!

And Adam…OHMAGAW can you say swooooon … I mean I'm literally gushing here…HE.IS.EVERYTHING! The fact that he did, technically, lie to Juliette when he first met her means absolutely NOTHING to me…Every decision he made was for her. I LOVE him and adore that he loves her so much. He even risked his life to be with her and protect her…gotta love a guy like that right!?

So, let’s just say that I'm thrilled that I read this book so late, because now I don’t have to wait a year for the next book in the series, Unravel Me. Can you say SQUEEEEEEE?!?!??!