Review ~ Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

 Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Blurb: Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she'll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew - about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam - was wrong.

 My rating:  5 out of 5 stars

I was hesitant to start Ignite Me because every other trilogy that I have read recently fell flat in the last book.  Shatter Me and Unravel Me were so amazing, I just did not want to be let down.  But after reading it, all I have to say is this book was totally freaking AWESOME! I could not put it down!

 Juliette finally toughens up and became this tough and independent girl who will not let anything or anyone get in her way.  It was quite a turn-around from her poor me attitude in the previous two books.

I saw a different side of Adam in this book, and I must say, he really became a jerk. The Adam I totally fell in love with in Shatter Me has disappeared and in his place is a very cold and bitter individual. Juliette had come to the conclusion that he preferred her weak and dependant on him, and the new and improved Juliette has no need for that foolishness.

Kenji will always be my favorite character.  The friendship that he and Juliette have is totally amazing.  He is not afraid to speak his mind, and when he does, he is so witty and humorous. I really wish I had a Kenji as a best friend....someone to tell me like it is, always have my back and add humor to every situation.

And then there is Warner.  In the beginning, Warner was not my favorite.  Then when reading Unravel Me, I started to really warm up to him.  And then with Ignite Me, we get to see a whole different side of him that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.  The years of abuse from his absolutely wretched father broke my heart, but you get better understanding of his actions.  There were times when I just wanted to reach into the pages and give that boy a hug.

The whole series is by far my favorite that I have read this year.  Ms. Mafi's writing is so beautiful and captivating.  I loved the ending, but I am so sad that this story had to come to an end.  I really look forward to see what comes out in the future from this brilliant author.

 

Review ~ Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

My rating:  5 out of 5 stars

"Juliette has escaped from The Reestablishment.  Now she's 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.  Haunted by her past and terrified of her future, Juliette knows that she will have to make some life-changing choices.  Choices that may involve choosing between her heart - and Adam's life."

I just love the relationship between Adam and Juliette for the most part (more to come on that).  The chemistry is over the top with them.  When they kissed in the beginning of the book, I just loved the description of Juliette's feelings:

"It's like swimming in molasses, this kiss, it's like being dipped in gold, this kiss, it's like I'm diving into an ocean of emotion and I'm too swept up in the current to realize I'm drowning and nothing even matters anymore.  Not my hand which no longer seems to hurt, not this room that isn't entirely mine, not this war we're supposed to be fighting, not my worries about who or what I am and what I might become. 

This is the only thing that matters. 

This. 

This moment.  These lips.  This strong body pressed against me and these firm hands finding a way to bring me closer and I know I want so much more of him.  I want all of him.  I want to feel the beauty of this love with the tips of my fingers and the palms of my hands and every fiber and bone in my being. 

I want all of it."

Absolutely beautiful and so romantic!  But their relationship is about to become a little bit more complicated.  Adam's 'gift' of being able to touch Juliette will eventually kill him.

Juliette still has the 'poor me' syndrome and has this HUGE chip on her shoulder.  At times, it does start to get on your nerves, but finally Kenji tells her like it is, and I was all like 'YAY Kenji!'

"All you do is sit around and think about your feelings.  You've got problems.  Boo-freaking-hoo.  Your parents hate you and it's so hard but you have to wear gloves for the rest of your life because you kill people when you touch them  Who gives a shit?"

Tell her like it is Kenji!

In book one, I had really strong feelings of dislike for Warner, but in Unravel Me, we learn about the life events that have shaped the man that he has become.  I really did start to feel sorry for him.  What a crappy father he has.  What really made me think that there was a glimpse of hope for him was when Juliette discovers him feeding and showing kindness to a stray dog....that just tugged on my heart-strings.  I mean anyone who can give a stray dog some affection can't be that bad right?  We also find out that Warner really does have strong feelings for Juliette:

"I want to be the friend you fall hopelessly in love with.  The one you take into your arms and into your bed and into the private world you keep trapped in your head.  I want to be that kind of friend," he says.  "The one who will memorize the things you say as well as the shape of your lips when you say them.  I want to know every curve, every freckle, every shiver of your body, Juliette - "

"I want to know where to touch you," he says. "I want to know how to touch you.  I want to know how to convince you to design a smile just for me.  Yes, I do want to be your friend.  I want to be your best friend in the entire world."

"I'm so desperately in love with you - "

~~~~sigh~~~~  

This just melted my heart and made me realize that I have now joined Team Warner.

I basically really get frustrated with love triangles, because like Juliette, I am falling in love with both guys as well.  Is Warner in the lead?  Hell yes!  But it is a small lead, so I guess I will be able to determine the winner in book 3...at least I hope. There also seems to be some hope that Juliette loses the poor me attitude at the end of the book and she is ready to fight.....about time!  Take of the gloves sweetie and let's get this show on the road!

I really enjoyed reading Unravel Me.  Between the love triangle and the wretched Reestablishment, I had so many emotions going on and I was always on the edge of my seat.  Ms. Mafi truly does have a way of writing a beautiful, refreshing story that will keep you engrossed the entire time.

Review ~ Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

"No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her.  Plans to use her as a weapon.  But Juliette has plans of her own.  After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time - and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever.
In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a riveting dystopian word, a thrilling superhero story, and an unforgettable heroine." ~ description from the back of the book

I was a little late to the Shatter Me Series party, but boy am I glad I decided to join in the fun!  Shatter Me truly lived up to my expectations and I can see why it is a bestseller. 

My heart broke for Juliette.....I could not even imagine having to grow up with parents not wanting to touch me or love me...and to just give up on their own child.  Having to live in an asylum for almost a year and not have any kind of contact whether verbal or visual just tore me up inside.  You can tell from the beginning that Juliette is a very strong person, and that it takes a lot to break her.

Adam.....ah Adam.  I just fell in love with him.  I just admire that he cares so much for Juliette and was not scared to be around her.  He risked so much to rescue her and I can't wait to see what develops with the romance....there is such a great connection between the two.   And his little brother James.....well he is just too cute!

Warner....hate is such a strong word, but I truly hate this psychotic man.  There is a special place in hell for demented psychopaths like him.  I had heard that there is a love triangle with this series, and I really hope it does not include him, or if it does I hope he gets less creepy as the trilogy progresses.

Lastly, who could not love Kenji?  What a character!  He has such a witty humor, I can't wait to read more about him.

This is a superb dystopian romance and I highly recommend it to anyone.  The writing was spectacular and draws you in immediately to a very moving, very emotional story. 

Now on to Unravel Me!

5 out of 5 stars

• Series: Shatter Me (Book 1)
• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (October 2, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062085506
• ISBN-13: 978-0062085504
• 
  

"You can't touch me," I whisper. I'm lying, is what I don't tell him. He can touch me, is what I'll never tell him. But things happen when people touch me. Strange things. Bad things.

No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon.

But Juliette has plans of her own. After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time - and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever. ~ from Amazon Editorial Review