Fracture Me (Shatter Me #2.5) & Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3) by Tahereh Mafi

Book #2.5: Fracture Me
4 Stars
This short novella is told from Adam’s POV and sets the stage for the final installment in the series, Ignite Me. Adam is reeling - Omega Point is preparing to launch an attack on the Reestablishment, Juliette has broken his heart, Kenji has been injured, and he is desperate to keep James safe.

When the battle alarm sounds, Adam and his fellow rebels face a decisive battle that will forever change the course of the revolution. While being in Adam’s headspace does a good job of setting the tone of the third book in the series, it is not an essential read. You can skip it and still understand what’s happening in Ignite Me. If you are a fan of the series, then I think it’s worth your time.

Book #3: Ignite Me
3 Stars

Ignite Me is the third and final installment in the Shatter Me Series. After the destruction of Omega Point, Juliette is determined to fight back and bring down the Reestablishment. In her quest to fulfill this goal, Juliette finds herself teaming up with Warner. This partnership will put many of Juliette’s relationships to the test, sowing conflict in relationships that she thought were unshakable, and forcing her to question and redefine what she thought was true. Juliette will be forced to face her own insecurities and decide once and for all who she is. With everyone looking to Juliette to lead, the fate of their world hinges on Juliette’s choice to embrace her true power and fight back.

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I have really mixed feelings about this book and the end of this series. I really wanted to love this book, but I have to say that I was somewhat disappointed by it. It just didn't hold my attention in the same way that the previous two books did, and I found myself struggling to get through it at times, for reasons that I will elaborate on in a moment.

Overall, I think this series is definitely worth the read. Tahereh is a fantastic writer and has created an imaginative world that, while similar to other dystopian novels, is also unique. Over the course of the series, I grew to love the characters she created. I cried, laughed, and cheered right alongside of them. Tahereh has a unique writing style that makes for an interesting reading experience. I appreciate her ability to submerse her reader’s fully into the mind’s of her characters, both in the novels and the novellas. It is the perfect blend of dystopian and paranormal.

The thing that I appreciated the most about the series, especially the third book, was the empowerment of Juliette. While stories with strong female characters do exist, they are still more of an exception to the rule. It is refreshing to watch a female character grow into herself and lead. I think it is important for young women to have these examples to look up to.

Okay, stop reading now if you haven’t read the book yet. The rest of this review contains some spoilers.

The Shatter Me Series by Tahereh Mafi

Book 1: Shatter Me
Juliette has a dark gift - she is able to kill someone with a simple touch. She has been locked up by The Reestablishment - an organization who seized control after the Earth's destruction. For over 200 days Juliette has been locked up in a cell by herself. When Adam Kent, someone from her past she never expected to see again, becomes her new cellmate, Juliette finds herself falling for him. However Adam isn't all that he seems - he is a soldier with The Reestablishment and he has been searching for Juliette ever since she disappeared. The Reestablishment, lead by Warner, plan to use Juliette's gift to help destroy the rebel forces. Warner has also been searching for Juliette for a long time and he has become obsessed with her, wanting her for more than just her gift. With the help of Adam and another soldier,  Kenji, Juliette flees the confines of The Reestablishment to join the Omega Point, a rebel outpost home to others with special abilities like Juliette. With Warner hunting her, it is only a matter of time before Juliette will have to take a stand and fight back.

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Book 1.5: Destroy Me
This short novella is told from the point of view of Warner and picks up where Shatter Me ends. Now that Juliette has escaped, Warner is desperate to get her back. His fascination with her has turned into something more and he finds himself feeling things he has never experienced before - Warner has fallen for Juliette. Warner's father, the supreme leader of The Reestablishment, has arrived in Sector 45 to oversee the capture of Juliette and punishment of Adam and Kenji. Juliette has become a liability to him and his power, inspiring in the citizens the hope of resistance and he is determined to find her and destroy her. Warner is also determined to find her, but his reasons for doing so differ greatly from his father's.

I enjoyed this novella quite a bit and have to admit that it has changed my opinion of Warner. I find myself not being able to hate him quite so much and feeling sorry for him, now that I have been in his head and understand him better. This of course was probably the motive behind this book. I'm interested to see how this will play out in the next books, as we clearly have the makings of another epic love triangle.

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Book 2: Unravel Me
Juliette has escaped with Adam, Kenji and James to Omega Point, a refuge for people like Juliette with special gifts and headquarters of a budding resistance movement. Juliette should feel relieved - she is safe, for now - but safety does not bring peace. Juliette struggles to find her place in Omega Point and as war becomes imminent, Juliette must decide what role she is willing to play, if she is willing to stand up and fight back. At Omega Point, Juliette struggles to control her abilities, discovering new facets of her gift that she never knew existed. The researchers at Omega Point also help Adam discover the reasons behind why he is able to touch Juliette. He too has a gift, but the limits of his gift force Juliette to make a painful decision between what she wants and Adam's life.

When Warner is captured by the resistance, Juliette can't help the draw she feels towards him, despite the love she has for Adam. She wants desperately to hate him, but can't. He is the only one who knows her deepest, darkest thoughts, and he can touch her in a way that Adam cannot. Warner, however, is too steeped in his past, to resistant to change, too reluctant to fight back against his father. But Supreme Commander Anderson is determined to crush the rebel resistance and the spark of hope they have ignited amongst the people of Sector 45. As the battle commences  no one knows what to expect or who will survive, but Juliette knows what her choice will be - she will fight.

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I have enjoyed with series immensely so far and I love Tahereh Mafi's writing style! The way she uses words and describes things is magical and extraordinarily beautiful. I love the vocabulary she uses and how things are crossed out, italicized  and presented in a never ending stream of consciousness. I did find myself slightly annoyed in some places in Unravel Me as the love triangle between Juliette, Adam and Warner played out. Adam became a little too desperate and I was annoyed with Juliette (as I always am when it comes to love triangles) and her inability to resist Warner, when she is so clearly in love with Adam. But that seems to be the way with these series and as much as I dislike it, it does make for compelling reading...

I am excited to see how this story will play out. According to Goodreads, we should be expecting an as of yet untitled short novella in December, 2013 and book three to be released in February, 2014, which means that I will have to (im)patiently wait for the next installment in the series. This is definitely a must read!