Unravel Me

By Tahereh Mafi

X-Men meets The Handmaid's Tale in the second instalment in an epic and romantic YA fantasy trilogy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Victoria Aveyard's The Red Queen, Netflix's Stranger Things and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows.

 

They want to find me. I will find them first.

 

Juliette has escaped. She has found the headquarters of the rebel resistance - and people like her. People with gifts. She is 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 heart-racing sequel to the New York Times bestselling 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 the life of those she loves.

'Dangerous, sexy, romantic and intense. I dare you to stop reading!' - Kami Garcia, bestselling author of the Beautiful Creatures series

 

Tahereh Mafi is the New York Times bestselling author of the Shatter Me series which has been published in over 30 languages around the world. She was born in a small city somewhere in Connecticut and currently resides in Santa Monica, California, with her husband, Ransom Riggs, fellow bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, and their young daughter. She can usually be found overcaffeinated and stuck in a book. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @TaherehMafi 

 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Electric Monkey
• Release date: Mar 6, 2018
• ISBN: 9781780318578

Tahereh Mafi

Tahereh Mafi is the #1 international bestselling and National Book Award nominated author of over a dozen books, including the Shatter Me series, the Woven Kingdom series, A Very Large Expanse of Sea, and An Emotion of Great Delight. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages. She lives in Southern California with her husband, fellow author Ransom Riggs, and their daughter. You can find her online at taherehmafi.com.

Reviews for Unravel Me

[verkruissen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was even better than the first one if that's possible!

[emma_manolis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have really been looking forward to this book. There was so much hype surrounding events that took place and certain developments. It didn't completely let me down. The book wasn't quite as consistently exciting and as engaging as I had hoped. Scattered throughout were "Oh my goodness. Did that really just happen?!" moments and they were HUGE, but I almost would have preferred those moments to occur much more regularly in smaller increments just so I would feel like I couldn't put the book down. It ended up taking me kind of awhile to read this simply because it would get boring and drag a little and then we would have these moments that made me want to devour the story, only to have it cycle back into the drab.

I'm really not a fan of the Juliette, Warner and Adam triangle. Mainly because Adam really irritates me. He just seems far too emotional and whiny and I just don't see the appeal. Kenji is featured much more in Unravel Me and I really wish Adam would have got the boot and Kenji would take his place. Kenji is funny and lighthearted but knows when to be mature and serious. Maybe the next book will make my dreams come true?

Juliette is also fairly irritating. She is just so wishy-washy and nothing is ever black or white to her. It literally seems like she is always in the gray.With that said, her character does make some serious strides and towards the end of this installment I found myself really liking and looking forward to all things Juliette.

The ending to this book was superb. It left me absolutely wanting to read the next book!

[laneliterati · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Follow up to "Shatter Me." I love Mafi's writing style. Great read-a-like for those wanting dystopian fiction.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.Quick & Dirty: Unravel Me was such a deep and thoughtful novel filled with dark secrets and terrible emotions.Opening Sentence: The world might be sunny-side up today.The Review:Unravel Me was such a great read. As much as I enjoyed the uniqueness of Shatter Me, Unravel Me really sucked me into a great story. Juliet is finding it hard to live with the rebels. She doesn’t get to see Adam as much as she would like. She feels as though everyone hates her and that they are avoiding her because of her powers. Her touch can kill and when she’s angry she has super Hulk strength! (You don’t want to be on her bad side when she’s angry.) Castle, the leader of this little group of misfits, is trying to train Juliet to be able to use her powers whenever she wants.Warner and his soldiers are searching uncomfortably close to the underground home of the rebels looking for Juliet and the two traitors who helped her escape. In the meantime, the rebels are working on a plan to fight the Reestablishment by using their powers. Juliet slowly begins to feel like she could fit in but something terrible always happens when the others begin to trust her. Dark secrets are revealed that could be shocking. These secrets could possibly change the course of the future for some characters.This is not a world I would want to live in. It is so dark, cold and hopeless. Your whole family could be killed if just one person was thought to be a traitor. You can tell there is not a sense of hope in this world except for Castle. He believes that he is doing good in the world and that his people can stop the treachery of the Reestablishment.I lived for the parts with Juliet and Warner. The hopelessness and despair that they both felt towards the world and their awkward intimate scenes just flew by. No matter what it seems that the world just keeps wanting these two together. (*fingers crossed* I hope.) The story did seem to drag down at times from how whiny some characters could get (Juliet and Adam mainly). I found Adam quite annoying in this novel compared to the first. No matter how many times characters tried to talk some sense into Juliet she seemed to not get it. I found myself trying to yell advice at her.The ending was crazy, I loved it! Juliet has really grown and it feels like she will be making more adult decisions. Unravel Me is just the beginning act in a war that will hopefully end in the next book and it can’t come out fast enough!Notable Scene:He says, “I don’t want you to call me Warner anymore.”I open my eyes.“I want you to know me,” he says, breathless, his fingers pushing a stray strand of hair away from my face. “I don’t want to be Warner with you,” he says. “I want it to be different now. I want you to call me Aaron.”And I’m about to say yes, of course, I completely understand, but there’s something about this stretch of silence that confuses me; something about this moment and the feel of his name on my tongue that unlocks other parts of my brain and there’s something there, something pushing and pulling at my skin and trying to remind me, trying to tell me andit slaps me in the faceit punches me in the jawit dumps me right into the ocean.“Adam.”FTC Advisory: Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Unravel Me. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[pollywannabook · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban FantasyCan you imagine what it would be like to have spent the past several years in near total sensory deprivation? Unable to see, touch, or talk to another human being? Add to that the curse of killing anyone you touch. This is not a recipe for happiness, but as Tahereh Mafi has shown, it does create one of the most intriguing characters ever.There is something so mesmerizing about the lyrical writing in the Shatter Me series. It is so immersive and textural that at times it can feel overwhelming. But that’s part of what makes it so perfect considering the protagonist. Juliette has been locked away, starved of any kind of contact for years. When she first interacts with people again, falls in love, every experience is super charged and overly bright. When her heart is shredded, so is the reader’s. When she experiences passion–even just a kiss or caress–the reader feels every exquisite sensation. When she unwillingly causes pain, the reader wants to die with her.It can happen in YA with really great characters that the plot takes a backseat, but not in UNRAVEL ME. This dystopian world is fascinating with it’s totalitarian Reestablishment and the small but growing resistance made up of people with abilities, like Juliette. War is coming and casualties are inevitable, the emotional ones are already happening between Juliette and the two people who have been able to touch her. My heart is still wounded just thinking about the two of them.The next book in the Shatter Me series(coming in Fall 2013) promises to be as deeply sensual, deeply emotional, and every bit as thrilling as UNRAVEL ME. This series has a plot, characters, and writing that are beyond beautiful. It will be a torturous wait to return to Juliette’s story.Sexual Content:Kissing. Sensuality

[rubewrites · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved it and I would like the next one now please. Team Warner.

[lilcrickit · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Thoughts:
Juliette has escaped whatever fate Warner had for her as a tool for the Reestablishment and now has the chance to be amongst those that understand that she is different. At Omega Point, a portion of the inhabitants have gifts and they all work together to make the operation of the facility run smoothly. Though Juliette has her freedom, she feels more trapped underground with them than she did with Warner. At least then she could see the sky. I think if she becomes any more withdrawn, she will internally combust. She is so focused on the fact that she doesn't want to hurt anyone that she sits balled up in the corner of her room rather than learning to harness her abilities. But it's not all about her; there are other lives at stake. For her to truly understand, it will take something drastic to happen.

Adam is different in this book because he has discovered something he's not ready to cope with, which makes him unable to share it with Juliette. She has her secrets as well, one big one she discovered in the first book. Warner can touch her and she is keeping this from Adam. The thing about secrets, they have a way of coming out and Juliette figures this out the hard way. Does this stop her from keeping more information about Warner that may be crucial to the pending war? No.

Ugh! I can't decide which fella I like better, at the moment it's a tie. Warner surprised me with his emotional depth in this one. He strummed Juliette's heart strings like a pro, thoroughly confusing her more than she already is. Warner is a complex character and I'm starting to like him. Adam seems more unstable emotionally but he is going through a lot that is putting a strain on him. He is scared that he may lose Juliette.

The leading lady, Juliette, in the beginning of this book, seemed the same. She doesn't seem to have grown much outside of her own personal bubble of uncertainty and confusion. She's too afraid to accept herself and the power that has been gifted to her. Juliette is more focused on the harm she can cause instead of the good she can do if she makes the effort to harness her powers. Towards the end, I began to see a glimpse of a new Juliette, sort of like a rebirth...maybe. O Juliette, Juliette! wherefore art thou, Juliette?

My favorite parts of the book are the scenes with Warner and Juliette's notebook. I like her thoughts in the notebook because she sounds more certain of who she is in the world and what she wants. And my second favorite part is when Kenji told Juliette off, priceless. She needed to hear all of it. Unravel Me is full of surprises and action and I loved them as they are unexpected. I look forward to seeing Juliette grow into the fighter that I know is simmering to get out and stop internalizing everything.

Some funny thoughts while I was reading:
"If this girl faint one more time!"
" That boy does not look that good, Dang it's like her brain gets all befuddled around hot boys. Jeez!"
"Well played Warner, you sneaky rascal...I think, I like you."
" Whoo-hoo! Kenji, about time someone told her about herself! High-Five!"
"Finally, Juliette *sigh*, sheesh."

[jrlibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sometimes it is possible to read the second book in a series, and deduce everything that happened in book one. This is not one of those books, so if you haven't read the first one, I strongly suggest that you do that first.Juliette has escaped from Warner and the Reestablishment, but there are serious complications preventing her from being happy. Something is the matter with Adam, and it is connected to Juliette, Warner wants her back, and she still can't control her power. She is going to have to make some changes. Thankfully, she has some people who are willing to help her, such as Kenji and Castle.

[bookswithbite · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Have you ever read a book that I soo good it leaves you speechless? Yup! This book totally amaze me and mess my mind up.What I love most about this book is the plot. WHAT A PLOT TWIST! I mean really, really good plot twist. I did not see that coming nor did I think it ever turn out that way. This author is an genius when it comes to taking her readers for a ride of their life. Completely unexplainable I'm at lost at words with the way this story went.The love interest. HOLY CRAPOLA! Did she just really do that? Why yes she did!! I don't even know what say. It's crazy yet exciting at the same time. It's gives you a total book high and then when it's over you just want to read it all over again.I should warn you that once you read this book it will give such a book hangover, it will take days to get over it. A vibrant story that will take over every last emotion in your body, Unravel Me is amazing. This story is totally entertaining and squeal worthy. Leaving the reader rendered and yearning for more, Unravel Me is stunning!

[usagijihen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

4.5/5 stars.Okay, so...you know when you watch a movie, or read something that hurts so much it actually feels good? Like plunging into ice cold water - so cold that it actually starts to feel scalding hot? That's "Unravel Me" right there. There is so much hurting and a love rhombus and usually I'd be screaming at said love rhombus but Mafi makes it work, and work hard. You're going to need a lot of ice cream after this one, guys - I know I did. And you probably will cry at least once. In this follow up to "Shatter Me" (and the inter-novel novella, "Destroy Me"), Mafi shows that not only that she's got staying power as an author, but that she's grown hugely between that first novel/novella and this book. Which is always a joy to watch. If there's one sequel you have to read this year, it's most definitely "Unravel Me".I think what I really, really love about this series is its boldness when it comes to breaking standard prose form - more precisely, into free verse poetry. I loved all of those moments, and it was really refreshing. A risk? Yes. But Mafi makes it work with keeping things dreamy yet horrifying real, a total dichotomy in reality but here, it all worked so very well. I wish more YA authors would be bold enough to let their prose unravel (no pun intended) into free verse because the results are not only lovely, but interesting. It changes the entire cadence, rhythm, and beat of Juliette's narration for the remainder of the book. Okay, so, the love rhombus (because in this book, with all of his flirting, I do kind of consider Kenji a semi-love interest, even if it's just in name only): It hurts. It hurts a lot. But it's also steamy as hell. For a YA book? My god. The scenes with both Adam and Warner (separately, not together) actually made me blush, and it's hard to make me blush. I attribute this to Mafi's style when writing Juliette - it's very innocent, yet very knowing at the same time. Throw in the aforementioned poetic changes in prose form, and wow. You get dreamy sensory run-on sentences that will make you want to fan yourself. There's a sense of loss of innocence in the physical sense for Juliette, though no one actually does the deed. Those almost-but-not-quite moments make things all the steamier - and that's where Mafi really gets it when it comes to sex and YA - letting down the velvet curtain, as it were, actually makes things MORE attractive and will make you want to come back for more.Generally, I feel like Mafi grew in every technical area in writing between these two books. In the worldbuilding arena, though, Mafi uses her main cast to do a lot of filling in of backstory when it comes to Omega Point and the rise of the Reestablishment. This is a very clever (and easy) way to keep building your world. She teams up this approach along with the relationship web school of worldbuilding (how everyone connects within a world and using that to actually build it), and bam, said the lady, we have a lot more information and backstory on previous events for pre-"Shatter Me". It also sheds a lot more light on Kenji and Warner's characters, specifically, as well as the Big Reveal on Adam's parentage toward the end of the book. We don't learn too much more about Juliette here - just that we have a timeline in terms of at which point the Reestablishment took over, and what happened in between that happening and her unintentional murder (and who helped manipulate her into doing it) and then being imprisoned up until Adam and Warner come into her life. Which was awesome. We get new characters, too, that help finally complete a main cast both in the antagonist and protagonist arenas - which is rare, to have a full cast for both sides of the war. Rare but not unpleasant. As for character growth and development, the relationship web comes to the rescue again in terms of learning more about Adam, Warner, Kenji, and the rest (as well as giving everyone separate character journey/development arcs, no matter how small they may be), but for Juliette alone, Kenji voices our (well, my) frustration with Juliette in terms of being ostracized by the rest of Omega Point - stop sitting on your pity pot, Juliette. I wanted to stand up and cheer. Because as much as I love Juliette and I know how legitimate her very serious issues are, I was getting a bit tired of her throwing herself pity parties every other chapter. So yay Kenji for that one. Thanks to Kenji's kick in the ass, Juliette is forced to grow, and is forced to realize that there may not just be black and white/good and evil, but a very wide gray range in between that ranges the spectrum between the two. The last scenes are the book were some of the most gratifying in Juliette's character development so far. And it also made me start frothing at the mouth for book three. But I think the most significant character development award has to go to Warner - because never has such a villain had such an insane bunch of extremes in one body. He feeds stray dogs, and happily creates mass graves of people who don't obey him. He loves Juliette, but is willing to kill anyone and everyone to get her. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually want to take up the "Team X vs Team X" flag when it comes to this love rhombus - and in Warner's favor. He's easily the most complex character, and I really hope we get another novella from his POV. Final verdict? Mafi's grown by leaps and bounds, so if you've already started the journey with Juliette and the rest in "Shatter Me" and "Destroy Me", respectively, you simply must continue it with "Unravel Me". Definitely one of my favorites of 2013 so far, and one of the most satisfying sequels I've read in YA in a very, very long time, "Unravel Me" drops on February 5, 2013 in North America from HarperTeen. Definitely be sure to check it out when you get the chance!(posted to goodreads, shelfari, librarything, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)

[booktwirps · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Since this is the second book in a series, there may be minor spoilers of the first book within this reviewJuliette and Adam have escaped the Reestablishment and found safety within the walls of Omega Point, the underground hideout led by a man named Castle. Juliette finally feels as if she is with people who understand her, since, like her, these people all have special abilities. But, Juliette’s relief is short-lived. The people in Omega Point seem to fear her — and who can blame them when you can kill someone just by touching them. With Adam gone all of the time (he’s undergoing testing to find out why Juliette can touch him without harming him) Juliette finds herself shrinking back into herself. But there’s a war waging outside and the people of Omega Point will have to rise up if they want to beat The Reestablishment, and they need Juliette’s help. Determined to stop the men who held her captive for so many years, Juliette puts on her big girl panties and decides to do her best to get over her fears. But, someone on the outside is waiting for Juliette, and the secrets he holds may be too much for her to handle.What a wild ride this one was! A majority of the action takes place deep within Omega Point as Juliette trains and tries to tap into her true abilities. There are still several things that she can do that she doesn’t quite understand, and she’ll need to learn about her powers and how to control them if she doesn’t want to harm innocent people. It was nice to see this community of “different” people working together.All of our favorite characters are back in this installment: Juliette, Adam, Warner, James and Kenji. I really liked that we got to see more of Kenji and we got to know him better. He is a riot! I think my biggest disappointment was with Adam and Juliette. Adam felt a little flat to me. I remember him being stronger in the first book, and while I understand he was dealing with a lot here, I wanted more from him. I also wanted Juliette to be stronger. Again, I understand why she reverted back to being the “wilting flower”, but I wanted to see her kick a little more ass. I love it when she totally loses her shit and just starts tearing it up.Perhaps the most surprising character development came from Warner. I HATED him in the first book, and while I’m still not a huge fan, I liked learning more about him. His backstory really is heartbreaking and explains a lot about why he is the way he is.Ms. Maffi’s writing style is once again flawless. I always love a distinct voice, and she dives right inside Juliette’s head, showing us the manic thoughts of a broken girl with pitch-perfect style and prose. I will admit that it took me a few chapters to get back into the rhythm of Juliette’s head, but once I was there, I was in.I will admit that I went into this one dreading “second book syndrome”. I can’t help it. I always do this in a series. I’m happy to say that despite a few (very minor) annoyances, I was very happy with this book. There is a lot of action, plenty of twists and turns and shocking revelations. I can honestly say that I can’t wait for book three!

[amberfib · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Unravel Me is a beautifully written masterpiece. Mafi does not disappoint with the second installment of this series. The characters are fantastic and evolve naturally, the plot is suspenseful and emotional, and the pacing is perfect. This captivating sequel will take you on an emotional roller-coaster ride that you won't forget as you get to know new sides of characters you thought you had figured out. Unravel Me cannot be missed. Mafi's writing is even more unbelievably poetic, tortured, and beautiful in this book. I don't know how she does it. Life inside Juliette's head is poetic and painful, but addictive. No wonder Warner kept reading her journal. Her words are magical. The descriptions and her expressive feelings really spoke to me, and I was hooked from the first page. Juliette grew a lot as a character over the course of this novel. She got on my nerves some at the very beginning because she was just so weak and defeated. It made me sad for her and also irritated me because she couldn't seem to snap out of her funk. However, she is extremely self-aware, and she made the hard choices needed in order to grow. I really love how she began to create her own space in the world. Adam annoyed the ever living crap out of me in this book. Oh my God, he was such an emo/angsty brat! And clingy. Dear Lord was he clingy. I'm not sure if he was supposed to come across that way or not, but I was not his biggest fan. Warner, however, blew me away. I have completely switched from Team Adam to Team Warner. I thought Warner was the ultimate bad guy, but the more I got to know about him (through Destroy Me and now through Unravel Me), the more I loved him. And at least he acts like a man and not some spoiled 10 year old girl who broke her favorite Barbie. His character growth and development really blew my mind. It's just shocking that he has so many layers. I really can't wait to learn more about him. The plot was action-packed, emotional, and suspenseful. Mafi threw in a ton of surprises, and I was blindsided on more than one occasion. However, all of the surprises made sense and came across naturally instead of forced. The plot was intricate and intense, but I had no problems following it. The pacing was perfect, too. The book flowed from one event to the next. Also, the ending really got my hopes up for book 3, and I wish it was out now. I can't wait until it's released!Overall, I'd recommend this book (and Shatter Me and Destroy Me) to anyone who enjoys Dystopian novels with beautiful writing. If you're looking for something different, and something with meaning, then this series is for you. I do have to warn you about one thing, though... you will lose sleep with this book.

[ohsillytwigg · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Much like Shatter Me, Unravel Me is light on the sci fi but heavy on feeeeeeeeeelings.

[kmjanek · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Recommended Unravel Me is the sequel to Shatter Me. Juliette Ferrars has been discovering supernatural powers. He touch has the ability to kill people or to crack through any structure. She is the perfect war machine. She had lived all by herself in an asylum for years and now has trouble fitting into Omega Point. She is fighting against the Reestablishment in this dystopian world. Juliette, Adam and Warner make up the love triangle to the point where it’s causing her to lose focus on the fight. Juliette discovers that she has it within her to kill when necessary and her emotions are a mess because all she wants is peace.There was a lot of focus on the relationship in this book. In Shatter Me, it seemed that more of the story would be on fighting the Reestablishment. It ended in a cliff hanger, so readers will have to wait for the third book to see how things end. Like the first book, the author uses punctuation and sentence structure to make up Juliette’s thoughts. So, it is a unique style of writing that the reader will notice right away. I think the story moved a bit slow in some parts, but it was really a lot of the character development. I think it will be a good recommendation to girls looking for more romance than action.The dystopian setting is pretty common right now with YA Fiction, but I think the supernatural powers some of the humans have sets it series apart. I do not think there are any curricular connections with this book, just a fun read for students. I would put it on my “new” fiction display and also book talk it with other dystopian novels. I think it will appeal more to girls because of the emphasis and descriptions of feelings. The cover art has changed on the first book and the second follows the new theme, which might give it a wider appeal. But I think the writing itself will mostly appeal to girls. It sets itself apart with the use of grammar, chapter length and crossing out some thoughts within the story. I enjoyed reading it, but it was a little slower than some.

[bell7_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Rescued from captivity and from Warner, the boy soldier who wants her to work for the Reestablishment, Juliette finds herself in a compound of people who are resisting the government and each have their own powers. Their leader, Castle, wants Juliette and her boyfriend, Adam, to discover their powers, but she knows it's just a matter of time before she hurts someone again.In Shatter Me Juliette learns to trust Adam; now she has to learn to trust herself. She starts out hurting and afraid and begins to grow into a stronger person as she comes to accept her power and herself, and to make new friends at the compound. I enjoyed seeing her growth and coming to see secondary characters, such as Kenji, in a new light as Juliette starts to open herself up. The sequel was even better than the first book, and I look forward to seeing how the trilogy wraps up.

[erlangerfactionless · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was an incredible sequel. It really delivered everything you wanted it to, and more. Fans of the first book "Shatter Me" will love the sequel.

[melissarochelle_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I am torn. I am conflicted. My thoughts about this series go back and forth -- positive to negative and back again. At the end of Shatter Me, I felt like there was some growth -- Juliette was becoming stronger even though it was incredibly annoying that she depended on Adam so much. There was the shocker with Warner and she was conflicted. I get that. But...basically...grow up already.[spoiler]At the beginning of Unravel Me she's back to the sad, shattered girl. As the book progresses she FINALLY begins to own her life and make her own choices. But Omega Point is a place full of special people like her, OPEN UP. TALK TO PEOPLE. Sure. I get it. She's been cast aside for most her life, she doesn't know how to open up. But GEEZ! And everyone keeps telling Juliette she acts a fool because she doesn't know any better. HOW ABOUT YOU PEOPLE TELL HER WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?! Kenji is one of my favorite characters and it was fantastic to learn more about him...but even he failed to fill Juliette in with some details about what she missed while she was locked up in detention centers and the psych ward. Then Warner shows back up and she's still conflicted because she's attracted to the bad guy. Fine be confused, but DON'T FEEL SORRY FOR HIM and don't GET PHYSICAL WITH HIM! Warner is THE BAD GUY. Despite all that we learned about him and Adam in this book, he's still a sociopath. [End spoiler]I'm definitely interested in reading the next in the series. I'd like to learn more about the world outside of Juliette's head. Because if Juliette is in the dark with what has happened to the outside world, so are the readers. That REALLY annoys me. Tell me about this world that's being built. I want less love triangle and more world building. We got a little smattering here and there, but I want more!

[missaligirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

At the end of Shatter Me, Juliette seemed to be on the verge of taking control. At least, that is what it felt like for me. She had escaped to Omega Point, found refuge with others who have bizarre powers, found a safe place that was willing to help her nurture her abilities. I expected Unravel Me to start with a huge punch of power, of self awareness and control on Juliette's part.What I found instead was the same old Juliette. Mopey, depressed, self-deprecating and annoying. There were several moments when we would see a spark, a flicker of something...something that maybe meant Juliette was finally ready to be more. All too quickly that little flicker would snuff out. “I am nothing more than the consequence of catastrophe.” I understand her life has been ridiculously horrible and hard but come on already. Grow a backbone and use it rationally. That's all I'm asking. I lost a bit of my love for Juliette with Unravel Me. She just got more and more ridiculous, more selfish, more ridiculous...did I say that already? Her decision making ability was non existent, she did dumb thing after stupid thing followed by moronic thing. When she should have been learning and training and working to save lives she was instead dreaming about boys and kisses and touches and ugh....just getting utterly distracted by all things Juliette, Adam and Warner.Let's move on, shall we? We are finally exposed to the reason Adam can touch Juliette and brings on a whole new set of problems for them. While I can sympathize with the situation, Adam's reaction to it and decisions he makes because of it had me gritting my teeth in anger on multiple occasions. I'm (almost) always spoiler free so I can't go into any detail here but I can say he should be thinking a little more about her than himself at this point. Yet, he is still so sickly sweet and loveable that it tears at my emotions. “Juliette, please, tell me what I'm supposed to do. How am I supposed to feel? It's one shitty thing right after another and I'm trying to be okay--God, I'm trying so hard but it's really freaking difficult and I miss--I miss you, I miss you so much it's killing me.” I was pretty upfront in my review of Shatter Me that I was Team Warner ~ all the way. I loved him even more after reading the novella Destroy Me which is told in his point of view. However, Warner also has my emotions torn in two now. I still adore him, he's the best character in the series as far as I am concerned. But there are more and more confusing decisions made by him that make me think, yes he's redeemable but not necessarily ever will he be deserving of winning the girl.Then we have Kenji. Kenji takes a much more prominent role, being a big wig at Omega Point he seems to be everywhere. He too is an amazing character and this book would be missing something horrible if his quirky jabs were not a part of it. “Are you kidding?” I stop in the middle of the kitchen. Spin around. My face is pulled together in disbelief. “You’ve spoken to me maybe once in the two weeks I’ve been here. I hardly even notice you anymore.” “Okay, hold up,” he says, turning to block my path. “We both know there’s no way you haven’t noticed all of this” — he gestures to himself — “so if you’re trying to play games with me, I should let you know up front that it’s not going to work.” “What?” I frown. “What are you talking abou—” “You can’t play hard to get, kid.” He raises an eyebrow. “I can’t even touch you. Takes ‘hard to get’ to a whole new level, if you know what I mean.” “Oh my God,” I mouth, eyes closed, shaking my head. “You are insane.” He falls to his knees. “Insane for your sweet, sweet love!” The writing style is as strange as it was in Shatter Me, and again I have to applaud Kate Simses for her wonderful job of narrating. She is remarkable at taking me to a place I don't think I could get to on my own.With all that I hated about Unravel Me, I still loved it. Sometimes I wonder what is wrong with me. Why do I like these train wrecks so much? I love the world, I love the struggles, I love the turmoil of this stupid love triangle, I love that it makes me an emotional puddle of soupy goo. I think I am just as ridiculous as Juliette for wallowing in this misery. Or maybe I am just as insane as Kenji...insane for this crazy emotional roller coaster ride.

[capnrandm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

God, just turn me inside out. Leave me breathless and roused and ready to storm the castle. Just when I lose a little faith, when Juliette's crippling doubts and insular nature try my patience, the rug sweeps out from under my feet. Fans of Downside Ghosts will recognize this love story, this break your heart passion between characters that are bloody and damaged and beautiful. All the more powerful, however, is how in this story I actually fear Terrible. In this love triangle, I actually love both men. UNRAVEL ME let me crawl inside this character and this narrative and hold my breath until I'm on the other side.

[ritastradling · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

NOOOOOO!!!! a cliffhanger? really? really. Not cool. But, okay, as much as I want MORE MORE MORE MORE! I loved this sequel. oh, it was so anxty-good.I love the writing style; at times it's a little "emo" overcooked, but I think that might be the point. Am I screwed in the brain for wanting her to end up with Warren? Likely. But he just has so much more umph, you know? Great book. Great series so-far.

[isisunit · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

SPOILER ALERT - IF YOU'VE NOT READ THE FIRST TWO BOOKS READ NO FURTHER!!We find Juliette, Adam, and Kenji at Omega Point. Juliette and Adam are beginning to settle in, or at least Adam is. Juliette slips farther and farther into her old, semi-catatonic state with each passing day. Juliette has reverted to form, her fears and insecurities coming to the fore, easily shattering her resolution made at the end of book one.Castle, the creator and power that runs Omega Point, is working to get Juliette and Adam to learn how to harness their "Energy," otherwise known as their gifts. Just like Kenji learned that he could become invisible, over time and with a lot of hard work he learned to project that out. Now he has reached the point where he can cloak others with his invisibility as long as he is touching them. And this is what Castle is pushing Adam & Juliette to do. But Juliette spirals out of control in her head and is unable to make any progress. Having Castle push just makes things harder, as do all the secrets Juliette is keeping from Adam and the others. Secrets that just keep piling up as time goes by. Even after some of her secrets are revealed by others she still can't take that step to open up and share all she knows. Particularly when it comes to Warner for some unknown reason - except she knows in her heart of hearts why she is holding his secrets safe.The action is never lacking in this installment of the series, nor is the ongoing mental mess that is Juliette. Just when you think she's made a breakthrough she suddenly has a setback and reverts to form. Life with Juliette often seems to be one step forward and two steps back, then three steps forward and one step back. She just can't seem to truly break free of the insanity that she's been struggling to hold at bay for her entire life. Just when things begin to like like they are turning a corner for Juliette she learns something about Adam that has the ability to destroy not only her, but potentially him as well.The interaction between Warner and Juliette is wild in this book. It covers the entire range if emotions and even physical discoveries. Discoveries that are both a blessing and a trial in one, at least from Juliette's point of view. And though Warner comes off as being more stable than Juliette, I tend to think that it is simply a side effect of his military upbringing that allows him to seem so much more 'together' than Juliette. And Juliette's new knowledge of Adam opens the door for Warner to try to step into the breach.Once again Ms. Mafi has crafted a story that is full of compelling characters and intense, individual story lines that all twist together to form the central story. This is another pick it up and read until the end before you can set it down book. My only real issue is with Juliette's continual relapses. By now I am ready to see her take control of her own life and accept responsibility for her actions without constantly apologizing and dissolving into a quivering mess. Yet with the strong ending that once again leaves us hanging, there is no question that I will be reading the next book in the series the day it is released (unless I get lucky enough to wrangle an ARC somehow)!! Now to pray that another book IS planned to follow this one and answer all the loose ends, and that Juliette finds her spine and keeps it. :-)

[wanderlustlover_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really want to give this a 2.5, but don't think it deserves a 2. I picked up and put down this book four times, and the only reason I finished it was because I got tired of logging on to Good Reads and seeing it *still* sitting there in my Currently Being Read novels.



I wanted more from this book, and I'm sad to say the more lucidly present in society and sanity Juliet becomes the more the writing in the book changes from the writing in book one (and all the poetry jammed everywhere) that I was so deeply entranced and entrenched in.

I feel like things weren't well plotted or paced. That there wasn't much growth going on with the characters, and there were these shocking reveals with no lead up and almost no reaction/growing through/thinking about/dealing with on the other side of them either. I loved the disjointed later chapters somewhere in the last 5% of the story, but I, also, feel like the definitive decision made in the last chapter has almost no lead-up to it.

I want to know what happens at the end, but I really don't know if I have it in me to finish this series.

[themadhatters_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

So much drama and emotion! Juliette is still an annoying, whiny girl that I just couldn't sympathize with at all. Her relationships with the two guys in her life are still creepy and unhealthy. The author's writing hasn't improved much in this sequel to Shatter Me.

[thehistorychic · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Read for Fun (Library Book)Overall Rating: 4.25Story Rating: 4.50Character Rating: 4.00 Part 2 of the Series ReviewFirst Thought when Finished: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi ramped up the story, plot, and pacing to a blistering speed that I enjoyed!Part 2 Thoughts:I picked up Book 2 of the series because Shatter Me got me wondering what was going to happen to Juliette. I am going to say upfront that while in Shatter Me it was the characters who shined, in Unravel Me it was the story that blew me away. The pace was blistering and the action was top notch. I felt every moment was fueled with something significant that would impact all the players. The players changed positions in Juliette's life and the way that they changed made the story plow forward in a way that you knew was going to give you a "WOW" ending (which delivered). The angst was kept to a minimum and survival was first and foremost in every person's mind. My favorite character had to be Kenji. I think he was the voice of reason in the story. He called BS when it was happening and told everyone (in a very blunt way) to keep their eye on what was important. I liked that he called the "angst" on the floor and said drop it. There needs to be a character like Kenji in EVERY angst-filled (or potential) story. The Juliette/Adam relationship stuff was the only thing that I think drew me out of the story at times and part of the reason I think the characters weren't "wowing" me in Unravel Me. I felt that Juliette was growing (and going through some growing pains) but that Adam's lack of communication with her was making this far more "over the top" than it needed to be.Final Thoughts: So much story to go and can't wait to see how it ends!

[bonniemarjorie · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

‘I don’t understand what’s happening or why he seems so uncertain about me and us and him and me and he and I and all of those pronouns put together.’What. The. Fuck. Just stop talking.Yeah, I don’t understand why I’m still reading this series either. I’m clearly the black sheep. Baa.Unravel Me picks up where Shatter Me left off with Juliette trying desperately to get along with the rebel resistance that saved her life. Despite being surrounded by people just like her, she’s never felt like more of an outcast. Her powers are far more dangerous than any of the others and it’s easy for them to fear the unknown. Adam is also acting differently towards her and Juliette fears that the tests he’s been undergoing to determine why he’s able to touch her means their relationship will never be the same.So my biggest issue with this book is lack of overall development in each and every part of this story. The storyline itself, the characters, etc. Nothing made progress. I think Juliette actually did some backtracking back to the weakling she was when she was alone in her cell. Not having the connection with Adam caused her to become this whiny, sniveling character that drove me absolutely batty. She spent a tremendous amount of time keeping secrets from everyone that obviously would have helped the situation the resistance found themselves in. It was ridiculous.The love triangle continued, of course, and that was of course the sole focus of Unravel Me even when there were far greater concerns that could have been delved into. I’m sure if you’re into a more romance focused story then this will be your thing but if you’re going to slap a dystopian genre tag on a book I’m going to expect some detailed exploration into the world-building. The drama and angst was great and Juliette was so beyond ridiculous that she stopped caring completely for her future because she was determined to ‘live in the moment’.‘His right hand slides up my spine and tugs on the zipper holding my suit together until its halfway down my back and I don’t care. I have 17 years to make up for and I want to feel everything. I’m not interested in waiting around and risking the who-knows and the what-ifs and the huge regrets.’hahaha Just remember to wear a condom!So by this point I’m obviously in for the long haul so I will be picking up Ignite Me. I don’t have much hope for Juliette making a noble sacrifice and putting her out of my misery but I do retain hope that the dystopian society will be explored in more detail considering this is the final installment. My hopes are not high though.

[meradeth · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I totally adore this series! Mafi's writing is just, gah, so amazing. It's definitely different, but I love the texture of it, like it's possible to scoop up her words and sift them through your fingers while reading. It brings Juliette to life so well. The bulk of this book was mainly about Juliette finding her inner strength, which at times felt a touch slow, but then a twist rounded out the action and I found myself still stuck within the pages. Also, sheesh, it's rare for me to feel as bad for a character as I do for Juliette. She's definitely gotten a rough deal. But she's trying to cope, and it's no wonder she has trouble after all she's been through. Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if she'd been rocking in a corner, completely out of her mind after everything that's happened. Anyhow, I won't go into too much more detail so as to not spoil things, but this was definitely a fun read and I can't wait for the last book in the series!

[asgwilli · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What an amazing effin RUSH!

Gah.. I don't even know what to say right now! I am reduced to a four letter vocabulary. I want to cry over my broken heart, blush over my lusty heart, rage with anger, and scream at the still unknown! I am undecided.. confused.. devastated. I am so angry that I cannot jump into sector 45 and love Warner like he should have as a child. Devastated that Adam is upset. 5 hours and 30 minutes I forgot to breathe. I am Unraveled...

Tahereh's writing is superb as usual. So poetic
random
inspiring.
You could take every single line from this book and quote it.. literally.

But time is beyond our finite comprehension. It's endless, it exists outside of us; we cannot run out of it or lose track of it or find a way to hold on to it. Time goes on even when we do not.

I don't know how to be a verb, an adverb, any kind of modifier. I am a noun through and through.

Nothing in this life will ever make sense to me but I can't help but try to collect the change and hope it's enough to pay for our mistakes.

Beautiful!!

The covers to these books are amazing!

I think that Julia still struggles through this book with her powers and the aftermath of what happens. She still struggles with her grief and is terrified of herself. I am glad that she is slowly making her way out of her shell. And can't wait to see her embrace her inner Bad Ass!

Swoonworthy points: 8
SWEET BABY Jesus!! I thought the shower scenes in Shatter Me were hot and steamy, but.. just.. w-wow! Since there is a possible triangle, I don't want to spoil it. But there was one scene in particular that I had to find my nitroglycerin pills because my heart sped up then stopped.

I simply loved this book, and this is my FAVOURITE series for a reason. This edition just solidifies that fact!

[jeb5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Once Juliette had escaped, found Adam and his brother, James she was given hope and a chance for love. Now, hidden in the tunnels and chambers of Omega Point with other people of supernatural talents, she must either decide to learn how to manage her ability or to decide not to remain. A novel of coming to terms with one's identity and the very aspects of our human natures that we cannot or are not capable of changing, Juliette's journey is one that everyone took as a teenager (though admittedly, hers does have side-effects). Will she be able to harness her abilities? Will she finally escape the loneliness that has followed her for years? Will she be able to fight against those who are determined to end humanity as we know it? Those are the questions that Mafi asks and answers in her sequel to "Shatter Me". In her unique journal/novel style, Mafi will captivate her readers and hold them in the clutches of her novel's pages until this portion of Juliette's tale has been told.

[emmyson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I am dead. Killed. Murdered by all the feels rushing through me. So broken that I may not recover anytime soon.

[joanasimao-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

3.5 ok? Ok.

So many conflicting feelings! Let's see if I can make some sense of this at all.

I love Mafi's writing about 70% of the time, but sometimes the repetitions are a bit too repetitive (see what I did there?) and the fact that she doesn't write the numbers in alphabetical form drives me a little nuts. That being said, I still feel like her writing style is refreshing and it really works in this kind of book.

Now, for the real issue here: TEAM ADAM FOREVER AND EVER AMEN. I don't get Warner's appeal and I don't think I ever will. He's a manipulative egomaniac and I'm not even sure he loves Julliette as much as he wants her on his side as an ego stroking will. SO THERE.

I feel like plot wise this book fell a little short. We do find stuff out...it just doesn't get anywhere.

Sits here waiting for the next one.

PS: WHAT THE FREAK DOES THAT BIRD MEAN?