Unravel Me

I'm sorry, but I thoroughly enjoyed this. Ok, I'm not really sorry. Maybe there's something about the middle book in a rather ridiculous series, but at that point you just realize you've got to let go. Good world building? Pfft who needs it? Realistically behaving characters? Whatever. Just go with it.The characters and their behavior still are so over the top, they behave like cartoon. And that's essentially how I learned to look at it – like it was an anime, with emotional speed lines and everything. Adam is a drama queen, Kenji is the joker, and between everyone else Juliette is actually not that bad, aside from her occasional bouts of self-pity and self-hatred, which I came to understand a little better. They were still somewhat boring, but I could deal.I've always liked Mafi's writing style, even if [b:Shatter Me 10429045 Shatter Me (Shatter Me, #1) Tahereh Mafi http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1310649047s/10429045.jpg 15333458] was mind-boggling. [b:Destroy Me 13623150 Destroy Me (Shatter Me, #1.5) Tahereh Mafi http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1340398466s/13623150.jpg 19226840] was beautiful though, so I know that she knows how to write, it's just that some of her experiments miss the mark. I would rather have a writer that's willing to take risks and occasionally falls on their face, rather than someone who sticks with something bland and safe. In any case, she's way more on point here, the more extreme prose is reserved for the more heightened emotional moments, and they're well timed and paced. The dialogue is where it's at though. I think even Mafi is aware of the ridiculous way her characters talk, since she has Kenji occasionally make some snide comments. I came to take it as a part of the heightened reality of the story.Because I do love how Warner talks. He chews scenery better than a lawnmower in a library. And his angst and pain is delicious. I could read about that boy getting his atrophied little heart broken for years. He solidifies for me what this story is supposed to be - a fantasy of a fantasy, a romantic stylized apocalypse. His beauty and physical perfection against his rotten soul and unbridled angst perfectly matches the dystopian landscape, and Juliette's own situation. I'm not going to try to convince anyone that Warner/Juliette is Mafi's endgame, even with the revealing of Book 3's title. I think what it means instead is that Warner is essential to Juliette's progress as a character. This book ends with Juliette coming back from the dead and suddenly deciding on what she needs to do and who she needs to be. She wakes up not only strong, but ferocious. And she does this while lying next to Warner in his childhood bed.I think Warner empowers Juliette. I think when she looks at him she doesn't see someone she can rely on, she sees someone who needs her, someone she has to save from the dragon. When she witnesses how horribly Warner is treated by his father, she flies into a rage, and nearly tortures the man to death. Warner is her damsel, and because she believes she's hurt so many, she jumps at the chance to protect. The two of them have experienced the same kind of pain in their lives, but Warner made all the wrong decisions, and Juliette has the potential to make the right ones. This story hinges on their relationship, whether it's romantic or not. Though, Imma be real, as a pair, the world would freaking tremble before them.Honestly, not a lot happens in this book. Juliette learns more about her abilities, a few very fairly obvious plot points are revealed (I mean, was anyone that surprised about Warner and Adam being brothers?), people talk about their feelings, and there's a whole lot of making out and heavy petting. It's emotion and dialogue heavy, in fact some of the more dramatic action-oriented moments are a bit dull. I've given much better books four stars in the past, but whatever, this isn't amazing on a technical level, but if you invest yourself and don't think too much it's a great ride. I'm hoping in the last book that we step away from the The Resistance and Omega Point. I don't want Juliette or Warner (or Adam, even) to belong to any movement, I want them to be the movement. Juliette is an entity in and of herself and if she embraces that, she'll be unstoppable. I think the same goes for her creator.

This book. THIS BOOK.

If you caught my review for Shatter Me way back when, you know that I absolutely love Tahereh Mafi's unique writing style. She is truly an author whose voice you can't mistake for anyone else's, and she manages time and time again to blend poetry with high-action, emotion-packed novels. I devoured Unravel Me in 48 hours, and I loved it.

I will say that there were moments were I got a little frustrated with Juliette (the protagonist), but I was glad to see her growth in the story. Unravel Me will take your emotions, rip them up, stomp on them, set them on fire, then hand them back to you with a wink and a smile. I need to know what happens next.

A classic distopian YA. Nothing special tbh about this book.
I don't like the romance, I don't like the love triangle (such a YA classic)... The plot is actually a circle, goes nowhere.
As always our main character is more interested in boys than anything else, which is not shocking, just a fact.
Giving 2,5 stars because I like the world and the concept. Minus 2 stars for word repetition (“I blink blink blink”) and I can not read more about boys eyes! God, how many times I need to know that they are green?! AND minus 0.5 for predictible plot and love triangle.

However I believe girls between 13 to 18 may like this book.

2023:
Actual Ratig: 3,5

I really don't like Juliette as much as I should. The only thing she does is complain about how hard her life is. We get it girl. But Kenji is * chef's kiss * so we up the rating just for him.



2019:
Actual rating: 4,5.

This book was so much better then shatter me. I was not a really big fan of the first book. This book had a lot of drama and it had a Juliette that wasn't whiny. So, that was a win. I also really loved Kenji , because Kenji is Kenji en what is there not to love about him?

In this book we have pages and pages of how she bursts into flames when Adam touches and kisses her. Description after description of how she almost faints and trembles from pleasure during their make out sessions.

His heartbeats crash through his chest and topple into mine. His fingers are tracing secret messages on my body. His hands glide down the smooth, satiny material of this suit, slipping down the insides of my thighs, around the backs of my knees and up and up and up and I wonder if it's possible to faint and still be conscious at the same time and I'm betting this is what it feels like to hyper, to hyperventilate when he tugs us backward.

Our lips touch and I know I'm going to split at the seams.I want to scream, sometimes, I want to collapse, sometimes, I want to die knowing that I've known what it was like to live with this kiss, this heart, this soft soft explosion that makes me feel like I've taken a sip of the sun, like I've eaten clouds 8, 9, and 10.

It's like I've been stuffed full of twigs and all I have to do is bend and my entire body will break.

Felling sharp pain in my brain

(Review originally posted here at The Book Barbies.)

Well, it is official! For the first time since my book blogging career began back in December of 2011, I have read a 5 star book (re-reads excepted)! There have been some super close calls (Shatter Me, Outlander, What I Did for a Duke). But Unravel Me was the first that made me give the full-out five-star rating, which I (obviously) save for a very select few books.

I almost filmed a vlog several times over the first couple days after I finished. But I thought if I gave it some time, I would be able to form more coherent, logical thoughts. Because let's just be honest: My review at that point, especially in vlog format, would have been nothing but spoiler-filled, incomprehensible, crazy flailings. Well, it's been some time. It's been more than some time, actually. And it's still difficult to formulate the words for this book.

I'll start with the obvious: Ms. Mafi's writing. The woman absolutely astounds me with her ability to craft words. The cadence, the unique symbolism, the emotion, the way her words flow together. I cannot wrap my brain around how much I love her writing. This was more evident than ever in Unravel Me. I am thoroughly convinced Tahereh Mafi could write a tome on the complexities of soil, and I would read it.

I loved the further development of the secondary characters. Some I decided I did not like (Castle). Some, however, were the complete opposite. For example, Kenji! My love for Kenji grew threefold after reading Unravel Me, and it was already pretty high. I just loved his sense of humor and how he used it, even though he can be serious. I find him a very interesting character, and I hope to continue to get to know him over the next books.

Warner. You knew it was coming. I loved seeing his character developed even further than it was in Destroy Me. I enjoyed every single scene with him in it, and I wanted to see him even more than we did. I became more intrigued by his not-fully-good, but not-fully-evil character. The chemistry between Warner and Juliette was incredible. And just in case you couldn't tell, for me, the SS Adam has officially sunk (or been “destroyed,” if you will ;D ). Mafi got me to completely jump ship, and that doesn't happen with me! Admittedly, I am a lot less stubborn regarding the pick-one-and-stick-with-it approach to shipping than I used to be. I'm the queen of multishipping lately; rarely do my loyalties shift so drastically. But Mafi accomplished it. Although I do still like Adam.

There are a few more things I could discuss regarding this book. For instance, the world-building was developed a little further in this book, which I appreciated. But at the same time, I could possibly ramble on forever. It is also very difficult for me to discuss a lot of things without spoiling the book. So I will wrap it up.

To be honest, I was the teensiest bit concerned that maybe Unravel Me wouldn't live up to my sky-high expectations. I needn't have worried. I absolutely plan to read this book again. Probably soon. I've already read Shatter Me and Destroy Me twice. May as well make it even!

The Shatter Me series is hands-down my favorite currently-in-progress YA series. Just catching a glimpse of the Unravel Me spine on my bookcase is still enough to make me want to start physically flailing or take the book out and hug it to me. Which I did off and on for about two days after finishing this book. Shut up. You know you wanted to do it, too. I await #3 (and #2.5, as well!) with a breathlessness that may eventually warrant medical attention. I have no doubt it will be worth it.

I finished this book in four hours. I could not put it down after finishing Shatter Me a few hours before. I had to know what was going to happen next and how it was going to happen.

[ WANRING MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS ]

Unravel Me starts with Juliette where she was after we left off. She is still confused, hurt, and alone in this new area. The readers get to know more about Castle's system and how it works. Half of the area is for people that have special abilities. Everyone knows they are not alone but Juliette is still different. She is dangerous. She is scary. People do not know how to react to her and if she will go off. She isn't trying to make friends and is in her own little world. There are many things that go wrong for Juliette; one is Adam. Adam is hiding something from her. After Castle made a point to think that he has a gift, Adam has been distant. This makes Juliette very upset and takes things to a drastic extreme.

The readers are introduced to a different side of Kenji. You get to see how smart he is and how observant his character is. Juliette and Kenji have a moment where he makes her understand that there is something more than just her pitty problems. There is a war going on and they need her. She can't just sit in her room and do nothing but wallow about her ruined love.

In this book, you get to know more about Warner and his love for Juliette. I must say, I fell in love with Warner myself by the middle of the book. You get to experience and feel his love for her. It was powerful and it made my stomach do little tiny flips. I adore how Tahereh wrote his character and how hurt he is; just like Juliette. I felt more of a connection with Warner than I did with Adam. There seems to be a spark between him and Juliette that I need to explore more.

Ignite me is next to read! I cannot wait to see how this story will unfold but I am also sad it will be coming to an end! I would recommend this series to anyone that enjoys a little bit of everything.

0.1 stars. I probably have never rated a book so low in my entire life. Seriously, someone should shove a tampon up Juliette's arse. So much hormones and ovaries it should be illegal. the ENTIRE ENTIRE book was devoid of anything of substance, unless you count Juliette's horniness and excessive wetness as essential. Her wetness was so palpable through the pages that you can basically bottle it up. It goes something like this. Someone grab a mop please! Oh no, I am not cleaning that up. I did not sign up for another [b:Insurgent 11735983 Insurgent (Divergent, #2) Veronica Roth https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1325667729s/11735983.jpg 15524542]. The entirety of the book was Juliette squirming with so so many feelings, it made me sick. AND FOR SOME UNFATHOMABLE REASON, Tahereh thought it would be SO COOL to include a love triangle. Because that's what everyone wants okay? You can even find the faults in the sudden integration of the hoard of new feelings in addition to the ones already flooding the book so much they are spilling out. May a metal triangle hit you in the head, Tahereh. Would you like triangles then? And for some reason, Juliette still remains that coward little girl who barely does anything to defend herself. But lets herself be taken over. Then in the moment of the big battle, she gets captured two minutes inside the battle and dragged out from it so yet again we have no idea what the hell is happening out there. The lack of substantial description is offensive. Just feelings raging on and on and on and on and on, so much you want to throw the fuck out as if you have been deep throating a bit too hard. The book felt exactly like deep throating an old man. I will leave you with that elaborate mental image. And then the book ends, suddenly Juliette finding a sort of revelation like finding the face of Virgin Mary on a piece of toast and decides to fight back despite having a million other triggers earlier on that didn't prompt her to do anything of substance. And since when did falling in love with a psychopath become a trend? Do we now have a thing called the “[b:Fifty Shades of Grey 10818853 Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades, #1) E.L. James https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385207843s/10818853.jpg 15732562]” syndrome or something? And then we justify his abuse, his inhumanity, his attempted rape (in book one) like it is something natural? Juliette is so so stupid. She gets treated real seriously by her elders despite possessing so little intelligence. I mean, I am offended on a personal level. For some unfathomable reason, 17 year-olds are now responsible of saving the world. Come on, it is offensive. For some other unfathomable reason, these 17 year-olds get their opinions heard and have their way around everything and suddenly become in a position of leadership and essential to everyone's well-being. I mean, I wouldn't put so much faith in that pile of hormones even if my life depended on it, and I am of the same age. The book was full of clichés. Poorly written. Just a big mass of vaginal lubrication and testosterone (Females do have testosterone for all of you ignorant people out there just like males, but males have it in larger quantities). By the way, someone should teach Tahereh how to write. Suddenly she is becoming like those along the lines of [a:Stephanie Meyer 6563379 Stephanie Meyer https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], [a:Suzanne Collins 153394 Suzanne Collins https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1394819770p2/153394.jpg], [a:Veronica Roth 4039811 Veronica Roth https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1363910238p2/4039811.jpg] who cut out the sentence in its middle and start another sentence with the middle of the first sentence. Something along these lines: (An actual excerpt from Unravel me)(The sentence actually starts like this). And he looks like he's about to respond before he changes his mind. (a dot, I am not kidding) Looks away. (Another one, here we go). Lifts his eyes to the ceiling and smiles, (a comma, I am so thrilled I can practically jump from my seat) just a tiny bit. I wonder how much drama can one pour into one sentence. I seem to think (a lot) that authors revel in the drama that a lone sentence at the end of a chapter cause, just by existing. Chapter 1: He's come to fight. (Yes, a dot again)For me. (oh wow. Stopped mid-sentence now, didn't we?)chapter two: It is hurtling forward heading in an entirely new directing slamming (no commas) face-first into something else and tick tick tick tick tick (I actually counted them to get the number right. I can't live with myself knowing I quoted something wrongly) it's almost (yes, no capitals)(Yes, actual space of two lines and no dots)time for war. (Kill me). Chapter three: The girls are staring at me. Concerned. (YES A DOT NOT A COMMA, THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU WOMAN)Sonya is about to speak, but then (yay, a comma happy dance)a switch a click a flicker (no capitals, you guessed it)and the lights are out. (I don't get the want for dramatic effect in here since the lights are always out on a certain time of the day at Omega Point. Excessive dramatization, allow me to call it) P.S.: I just discovered that dramatization is actually a word. Wow o.o (My browser did not underline the word the first time I typed it. Yay for me. Now I have to live in a world that uses words like dramatization. Facepalm).Chapter 73 (Last chapter, thankfully. Was she trying to make the same amount of chapters in each of A song of ice and fire book of the series? A weird thought, isn't it?): this is the point of revelation I spoke about earlier. I am tempted to post the face of Jesus or something on a dog's ass (a picture we all have seen a lot on the internet, don't act all offended now). P.S. I am horrified that my browser has underlined in red the word “internet” but not “dramatization”. I don't want to live on this planet anymore. This time I am a force. A deviation of human nature. I am living, (it should be “a living” by the way. This is not the first - uhmm I will allow myself to call it a typo -I find in this book.) breathing proof that nature is officially screwed, afraid of what it's done, what it's become. And I'm stronger. I'm angrier. I am ready to do something I'll definitely regret and this time I don't care. I'm done being nice (sound like a 9 year-old emo phase). I'm done being nervous. I'm not afraid of anything anymore. Mass chaos is my future. And I'm leaving my gloves behind. All righty. Good for you, Juliette. These stuff were justifiable to a certain extent in book one because they weren't that many, and because I assumed they were the direct thoughts of a girl living in an asylum. Well, I actually liked the writing in book one. It was new. Well, I think this much rant is enough. I might have more in the near future so expect this review to appear a lot on your Goodreads updates. I apologize in advance.

Holy shit, holy mother of god, holy crap, oh my god what the fuck this about fucked me up.
Just whoa. SO INTENSE.
The last 100 pages of this book were insanity and I LOVED THEM.
The rest of the book was great as well, truly, but I think it suffered from the great second-book-in-a-trilogy disease, which is why, despite it's greatness I can't give it the full five stars.

This book..... Juliette pissed me off because of her whinyness and her ‘character development' (or more like: no development). The problems in the first half were all selfmade by her and Adam. The poetic writing didn't capture the essence and Juliettes feelings. I thought most of the times that the writing was in the way of understanding/sympathizing with Juliette. Ever other character except for Castle got on my freaking nerves in this book. Adam was like a whiny little dog, Kenji was either an asshole or a normal human being saying things to Juliette she needed to be told (in my opinion by everyone), Warner was either Adam from book one or his usual crazy self (I don't really get why people like Warner that much, he's better than other characters but not that great). Also Juliettes indecisiveness: one page loving Adam, the next not. One page stupid and whiny as fuck, next ‘heroic' and selfconfident. One page loving Adam, next loving Warner.

This book is a mess. (I will continue because of readathon reasons.)

I think this book was better than the first and if it wasn't for my thesis, I would have finished it in 2 days max. It is still a 3* since I started noticing a lot of little icks in the writing or the characters, especially Juliette

Guys. I can't stand Juliette and her pov :/// like seriously I'm tired of being in her head get me out.

I do love Kenji and I'm lowkey reading the next books just for him <3. All you Aaron Warner simps?

“but he grins, so brilliantly, not even paying attention. “i love it when you say my name,” he says. “i don't even know why.”“warner isn't your name,” i point out. “your name is aaron.”his smile is wide, so wide. “god, I love that.”“your name?”“only when you say it.”“aaron? or warner?”his eyes close. he tilts his head back against the wall. dimples.”

he is the STANDARD

Lo que me ha hecho sentir este libro no es normal. Empezamos con una Juliette muy insegura con sus poderes, con miedo de dañar a todo el mundo. Amo a Kenji, que hace que no todo sea tan deprimente. Y Adam bueno, es muy buen hermano pero ahí se queda. Amo a Aaron, ¡¿y el capítulo 62?! Nunca he sentido tantas emociones en una unidad de capítulo. De alegría y emoción a enfado y lego a tristeza. Mira que montaña rusa de emociones.

Que ganas de seguir con la saga.