Unravel Me

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.

Read for Fun (Library Book)
Overall Rating: 4.25
Story Rating: 4.50
Character Rating: 4.00

Part 2 of the Series Review

First 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 show more 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! show less

ReRead Review Date, April 20th 2017:
LET ME JUST SAY RIGHT FROM THE JUMP
I did not plan to reread this series on the exact days that I originally read them.
So obviously that means I'm a witch because that timing is pure magic.

This was just as marvelous to reread as Shatter Me was, but obviously a little better because, well, Warner.
What a blessing he is like honestly. Reading this and remembering how everything fell into place for his characterization was awesome to read about again. It made me realize why I fell in love with the Wrath and the Dawn this year as well, because Khalid and Shazi have the same sort of balancing act relationship. It's the couples that almost have conversations like a chess game, where each statement or comment show more could change the board.
It makes for an amazingly intriguing read, and made me long for the chapters where Warner and Juliette had alone time.

Sidenote: I'm so on board for the Hunter Parrish fancast people have for Warner like just



Yup there he is.



Also I lowkey feel bad for Adam more this time around but still buddy like come on I'm sorry u lost u gotta go ur just making this sad now pls bud

Original Review Date, April 20th 2014:
You have to understand that it is very difficult for me to form coherent thought about this book due to the mere fact that I fuCKING LOVE THIS BOOK AND THE SERIES AND TAHEREH MAFI AND ASHJKGFSDAKHJSFHJGSDFHGD.

Alright now that I've gotten that out of the way, I love this book. Everything about it just blew me away. Action, adventure, romance, kick ass characters and ugh perfection.

And it would be a crime to ignore how beautiful Tahereh Mafi's writing is. I don't know how that woman does it. Reading one of her books is like reading poetry, but poetry that goes on for more than 200 pages.

I love all the characters, they're perfect and you really feel like you know these people. I may also have a tiny tiny crush on Kenji becausehesperfectandhesminesoyoucanthavehim hA.

All in all I'm pretty damn sure Tahereh Mafi has stolen the #1 book spot for 2013 and this year is only about half over. show less

How can I be so invested and yet not care about the main characters at all? The second I think I’m on common ground with them or applauding the character development, something gets thrown out of wholly left field, and I have to rebuild again…and, oh. This is what living, and moving past trauma feels like. I hate this book for being so annoying and yet gripping all at the same time.
I still don’t like how I can get deep, poetic monologues and then a bunch of grammatically nonsensical sentences to make me feel like I’m going insane with the character. It doesn’t need to try that hard. Then, there is the lesson almost every dystopian fantasy story has been screaming for years: Never get involved with brothers.

This is worth the hype.
Honestly, after i read the first book, I didn't think the second would appeal to me, but I decided to give it a chance. I do not regret it one bit. Now, let's dive deeper.
At first we're introduced with Juliette's new life at The Omega Point, a place Kenji bought her and Adam to at the end of the first book. We meet various new characters, but my absolute favorite are the twins. I feel really bad for what they went through. Out of old characters, my favorite is James. I think he represents that perfect child innocence and how it is to just be a kid and live your own life.
I have to say that Adam highly disappointed me. Not only did he lie to Juliette, but he also hid things from her. A perfect example of reverse show more character development. And I love it as much as i hate it. I understand he's desperate, he gave everything up to be with Juliette just to find out he can't be with her after all. It's heartbreaking and exactly how he should've turned out. I love a good character development and, one way or another, this is character development.
Aaron continues with his questionable choices, especially after his father finds out about Juliette escaping and him being shot. He didn't really develop, staying the same character we met in the first book, but with added depth. But that's okay, because that's exactly what a character like Aaron needed.
Juliette on the other side, got really good character development, finally focusing without whining and realizing she isn't the only one who has issues she needs to face. Honestly, it was time for her to finally come out of the shadows and realize how strong and powerful she can be.
In my opinion, this book is well-written and easy to read. It doesn't lack emotion, development, world building or depth. As someone who didn't read the novellas, I understood the book completely without missing any information. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves dystopian novels, but make sure to read Shatter Me first. show less

Read more of my YA book reviews on my blog here

Synopsis:

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tick
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it's almost
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.

My thoughts:

Okay, It's official: this is show more the best series I've read in a long, long time. I can not put into words how emotional I felt once I'd turned the very last page.

Mafi has a pure gift for language. Her words flow effortlessly off the page is an almost lyrical way, and I the entire time while reading, I was immersed in Juliette's world, her thoughts, her emotions. Shatter Me was perfection, and I knew I was going to love this from page one.

I usually have real trouble picking a "team" with love triangles. I seem to like both sides for different reasons, it just depends on which one I feel for more. Although, I tend to go for the more in depth complicated character, and in Shatter Me, Adam was that for me. He was the boy Juliette loved from the beginning. The only one who ever thought she wasn't a monster, then seemingly betrayed her, but then he defied everything for her.
But... I honestly don't see how anyone could not love Warner (or should I call him Aaron?) after this book. In Shatter Me, he was the cruel man who tortured Juliette with her own lethality and shot grown men in the foreheads without blinking. But reading this, we crack through his hard cold exterior to find he is a much more complicated a character underneath. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and let's Juliette see him for who he truly is, a traumatized son and a loving boy, desperate for affection, who is on so many levels, perfect for her.
So to put it simply, I've switched from Team Adam to Team Warner, and I'm never going back.
Ever.

Everything in Unravel Me is intense and incredibly emotional. The romance is even more heart wrenching, action more fast paced - it's on a whole other level to the first book in the series.

If you haven't read Shatter Me yet, I suggest you do so right. now. And if you've read it and contemplating this one... I say, don't think. Just buy. I promise you, it won't disappoint. show less

This book blew me away. SO incredibly awesome! Even better than the first. I could not get enough of Juliette and Warner. Yeah, he is the bad guy, but Mafi really soaked us in the tension between those two. I mean, oh man! I just can't say anything coherent. This book is really like no other. We are so into Juliette's head, I mean deep. And that is what I loved. Oh and I loved Kenji to. He was the comic relief, but he was real. Called Juliette on her crap. Maji didn't do so much development into Adam's character, so at this point I am rooting for Warner. I even feel bad for Adam. Poor guy. Give this book a read and be prepared to let it devour you. Totally suck you in. Total mind blow.

Anyway, one caution, this might not be for my LDS show more friends, tons of swearing and taking of the lords name in vain. Mostly from Kenji. Ha. The steamy scenes were PG-13 as well. So use your best judgement, if you want to assail your ears . . . show less