Believe Me, I Do

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous six books in the Shatter Me series, or don't mind knowing MAJOR spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Believe Me~
Shatter Me
Book 6.5
By Tahereh Mafi
Amazon ~ Powell's

Juliette and Warner fought hard to take down the Reestablishment once and for all. Life in the aftermath isn’t easy, as they and their friends at the Sanctuary work with their limited resources to stabilize the world.

Warner has his sights set on more than just politics. Since he proposed to Juliette two weeks ago, he’s been eager to finally marry her, the person he loves more than anything and has endured so much to be with. But with so much chaos around them, it’s been nearly impossible for them to have a wedding. And even Juliette has been distracted by everything they need to do.

At long last, Warner and Juliette’s future together is within reach, but the world continues to try to pull them apart. Will they finally be able to be happily, officially, together?


We've finally, FINALLY come to this. The definitely-gonna-be-the-last-one FINAL book in the Shatter Me series (after 2 fake-outs already). And it's a novella (though, is 200+ pages still considered a novella?) in Warner's POV. Will we finally get the answers we crave? Will we get a satisfying ending? Or will we just get all the kissing we could ever hope for?

I Was Going to Tell You When I Was Sure You’d Keep Your Promise

~The Promised Neverland~
Introduction & Jailbreak Arcs
Vol. 1-5
By Kaiu Shirai & Posuka Demizu
Translated By Satsuki Yamashita
Amazon ~ Powell's

Norman, Emma, and Ray are the brightest kids at the Grace Field House orphanage. And under the care of Isabella, who they refer to as "Mom," all the kids have enjoyed a comfortable life. Good food, clean clothes, and the perfect environment to learn- what more could an orphan ask for? One day, though, Emma and Norman uncover the dark and twisted truth of the outside world they are forbidden from seeing.

Emma swears that she'll never lose another family member and starts gathering information in order to survive. They eventually bring Ray into the fold, and together the three start planning a way to escape.

I first heard about this story through praise of its anime adaptation. One of my favorite Ani-Tubers, Geoff Thew (aka Mother's Basement) has been gushing about its story, characters, and tension for years. And then they made a second season and absolutely slaughtered any good will they'd built up from the first. So, I decided to take him up on his suggestion and dive into the manga to see just what I'd been missing out on.

I decided to stop at the same place Season 1 of the anime stopped, just at the end of the Jailbreak arc (the second arc of the manga), which took me through the better part of 5 volumes, or 37 chapters. I figured that was the best way to get a good taste of the story and characters (ha), without leaving off on too big of a cliffhanger (like each volume tended to do).

In The Darkness, I Imagine Light

SPOILER ALERT
This review is of the final book in the Shatter Me series, and is mainly for those who have read or are familiar with the five previous books (and 4 novellas), or don't mind knowing major spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Imagine Me~
Shatter Me
Book 6
By Tahereh Mafi
Amazon ~ Powell's

Juliette Ferrars.

Ella Sommers.

Which is the truth and which is the lie?

Now that Ella knows who Juliette is and what she was created for, things have only become more complicated. As she struggles to understand the past that haunts her and looks to a future more uncertain than ever, the lines between right and wrong—between Ella and Juliette—blur. And with old enemies looming, her destiny may not be her own to control.

The day of reckoning for the Reestablishment is coming. But she may not get to choose what side she fights on.


We all thought this was going to be a trilogy, then it turned into two. I already went through an ending once, am I ready to hang up the series for good? Yes and no...

I Think My Feelings Are Warranted

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books in the Shatter Me series, or don't mind knowing major spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Reveal Me~
Shatter Me
Book 5.5
By Tahereh Mafi
Amazon ~ Powell's

This fourth companion novella to Tahereh Mafi’s New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series is narrated by fan favorite character Kenji Kishimoto!

The explosive revelations in Defy Me have left readers reeling and desperate for answers. This fourth and final novella in the series will bring readers back to the world of the Shatter Me before the final novel installment hits shelves in winter 2020.

Another fun(?) romp with Kenji. While the events of these novellas could easily encompass a chapter or two in the main stories, I've loved getting to know Kenji more intimately. Picking up exactly where we left off, Kenji is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. We knew he did that to some extent, but it's different when we're directly in his head. I legitimately felt bad for him during his anxiety attacks.

His super weird romance with Nazeera was also super sweet. Even if they're going through kind of a rough patch in this story. You don't really think about how someone's upbringing could shape them until it's thrown in your face, and then it's all you can think about. I really do love how the author shows kids being kids, drama and all, even in the middle of a war. It's one of the reasons I vastly prefer Shatter Me to The Hunger Games.

I'll definitely be reading this again in my lead-up to the final(?) book of the series coming next year. I just hope we finally stop with the heart-wrenching, mind-bending cliffhangers!

Maybe Love IS a Disease

SPOILER ALERT
These reviews are for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books, Delirium and Pandemonium, or don't mind knowing major spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Requiem~
Delirium
Book 3
By Lauren Oliver
Amazon ~ Powell's

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has transformed. The nascent rebellion that was underway in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight. After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven. Pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels.

As Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain of the Wilds, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena and Hana's points of view. They live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.


I think this was a greatly satisfying end to this series. Most of the major events happened at the end, so I can't go into too much detail, however I just want to say a couple things I didn't understand.

Love, the Deadliest of All Deadly Things

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous book, Delirium, or don't mind knowing major spoilers for it.
SPOILER ALERT

~Pandemonium~
Delirium
Book 2
By Lauren Oliver
Amazon ~ Powell's

The old life is dead. But the old Lena is dead too. I buried her. I left her beyond a fence, behind a wall of smoke and flame. In this electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed New York Times bestseller Delirium, Lauren Oliver sets Lena on a dangerous course that hurtles through the unregulated Wilds and into the heart of a growing resistance movement. This riveting, brilliant novel crackles with the fire of fierce defiance, forbidden romance, and the sparks of a revolution about to ignite.


It's been a while since I read the first book, but why leave a good series unfinished?

How Can We Stand Against Tyranny If We Ourselves Are Filled With Hate?

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books, Shatter Me, Destroy Me, Unravel Me, Fracture Me, Ignite Me, Restore Me, and Shadow Me, or don't mind knowing major spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Defy Me~
Shatter Me
Book 5
By Tahereh Mafi
Amazon ~ Powell's

Will Juliette’s broken heart make her vulnerable to the strengthening darkness within her?

Juliette’s short tenure as the supreme commander of North America has been an utter disaster. When the children of the other world leaders show up on her doorstep, she wants nothing more than to turn to Warner for support and guidance. But he shatters her heart when he reveals that he’s been keeping secrets about her family and her identity from her—secrets that change everything.

Juliette is devastated, and the darkness that’s always dwelled within her threatens to consume her. An explosive encounter with unexpected visitors might be enough to push her over the edge.


This book felt horribly short. I realize I just re-read the entire rest of the series (plus the new novella), but this still felt like an entire book of build-up with nothing actually happening.

Flickering In and Out of Invisibility

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books, Shatter Me, Destroy Me, Unravel Me, Fracture Me, Ignite Me, and especially Restore Me or don't mind knowing major spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Shadow Me~
Shatter Me
Book 4.5
By Tahereh Mafi
Amazon ~ Powell's

Juliette is still reeling from Warner's betrayal, and Kenji is trying to balance his friendship with her with his responsibilities as a leader of the resistance against the Reestablishment. Things get even more interesting when an unexpected person from Omega Point’s past surfaces.

The ending of Restore Me left readers gasping, and this novella full of Kenji’s signature sass and big heart is the perfect story to tide fans over until Defy Me.

That was NOT okay.

Destroyed and Restored All At Once

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books, Shatter Me, Destroy Me, Unravel Me, Fracture Me, and Ignite Me or don't mind knowing major spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Restore Me~
Shatter Me
Book 4
By Tahereh Mafi
Amazon ~ Powell's

Juliette Ferrars thought she'd won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander, and now has Warner by her side. But she's still the girl with the ability to kill with a single touch—and now she's got the whole world in the palm of her hand. When tragedy hits, who will she become? Will she be able to control the power she wields and use it for good?

I thought this was a trilogy. Even Tahereh thought it was a trilogy based on her author's note at the end of Ignite Me. But I guess there were just too many unanswered questions about how Juliette and Co. would continue their revolution. And I must say, I am glad she chose to continue.

Ignite, My Love. Ignite.

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books, Shatter Me, Destroy Me, Unravel Me, and Fracture Me or don't mind knowing major spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Ignite Me~
Shatter Me
Book 3
By Tahereh Mafi
Amazon ~ Powell's

With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.


I could not put this book down. No, seriously, on my first read-through I managed to read the entire book on a work day. It was amazing.

The Bones Inside of Me Fracture

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous books, Shatter Me, Destroy Me, and Unravel Me, or don't mind knowing major spoilers for them.
SPOILER ALERT

~Fracture Me~
Shatter Me
Book 2.5
By Tahereh Mafi
Amazon ~ Powell's

As Omega Point prepares to launch an all-out assault on The Reestablishment soldiers stationed in Sector 45, Adam's focus couldn't be further from the upcoming battle. He's reeling from his breakup with Juliette, scared for his best friend's life, and as concerned as ever for his brother James's safety. And just as Adam begins to wonder if this life is really for him, the alarms sound. It's time for war.

On the battlefield, it seems like the odds are in their favor—but taking down Warner, Adam's newly discovered half brother, won't be that easy. The Reestablishment can't tolerate a rebellion, and they'll do anything to crush the resistance . . . including killing everyone Adam has ever cared about.


While I absolutely love the Shatter Me series as a whole, this is probably my least favorite part of it. Not that it's not good, but...well...

One Accidental Opportunity Unraveled Everything

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous book, Shatter Me, or don't mind knowing major spoilers for it. Unravel Me, however, will remain spoiler-free.
SPOILER ALERT

~Unravel Me~
Shatter Me
Book 2
By Tahereh Mafi
Amazon ~ Powell's

It should have taken Juliette a single touch to kill Warner. But his mysterious immunity to her deadly power has left her shaken, wondering why her ultimate defense mechanism failed against the person she most needs protection from.

She and Adam were able to escape Warner’s clutches and join up with a group of rebels, many of whom have powers of their own. Juliette will finally be able to actively fight against The Reestablishment and try to fix her broken world. And perhaps these new allies can help her shed light on the secret behind Adam’s—and Warner’s—immunity to her killer skin.


I was hooked from page one. There were definitely some X-Men vibes coming off the Omega Point setup, though it's hard to compare with Juliette being secluded so much. I wish we could have met or at least seen some of the other mutants.

Today's Test Will Determine Which Field of Study You're Best Suited For

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous book, The Testing, or don't mind knowing some spoilers for it. Independent Study, however, will remain spoiler-free.
SPOILER ALERT

~Independent Study~
The Testing
Book 2
By Joelle Charbonneau
Amazon ~ Powell's

With her brutal Testing experience forgotten thanks to a government-issued memory wipe, seventeen-year-old Cia Vale is eager to begin her studies at the Commonwealth's elite University, as is Tomas, the boy she loves.

Their bright futures are threatened by the past, however, when violent nightmares that feel more like memories force Cia to question reality and the true motives lurking behind the friendly faces of her classmates.

Embarking on a forbidden course of study that could get her killed, Cia delves into the Commonwealth's darkest secrets. What she learns changes everything...

The Testing was just the beginning.


From a familiar premise arose a story so nailbitingly gripping I literally could not put it down. Though I had my suspicions that this series could turn into a Hunger Games lite, I was pleasantly surprised to find a refreshing complexity and ingenuity in the sequel that has me even more excited for the conclusion. So if you prefer your dystopia with more subterfuge than battlefields, you'll definitely enjoy the unexpected turn this series took as much as I did.

To Enter This Elite Group, Candidates Must First Pass The Testing

~The Testing~
The Testing
Book 1
By Joelle Charbonneau
Amazon ~ Powell's

The United Commonwealth reviews the achievements of yearly graduates in all of its eighteen colonies. Top students are brought to Tosu City for testing to attend the University and become future leaders of the Commonwealth.

Question One: What makes an ideal Testing candidate?
Cia Vale, of Five Lakes Colony, is an exemplar of the Commonwealth's ideal candidate: young, determined, and civic-minded, possessing extraordinary mechanical skills and impressive knowledge of the natural world.

Question Two: How does the Commonwealth decide who passes and fails?
The Testing is designed to reward both warriors and peacemakers. Candidates who are unable (or unwilling) to do what is necessary to complete The Testing may be eliminated by their own actions, by the Test itself, or, in some cases, by a rival candidate.

Question Three: Can candidates refuse their nomination?
No. Participation by selected candidates is mandatory and continues until such time as they complete The Testing or are otherwise eliminated.

Question Four: Is The Testing safe?
The United Commonwealth is not at liberty to discuss specific details related to The Testing's various components.

Question Five: Has anyone ever died while participating in The Testing?
Progress comes at a price. The United Commonwealth cannot confirm or deny mortality statistics related to The Testing.

Do You Have What It Takes To Pass The Testing?

It probably seems cliché to compare a YA Dystopian to The Hunger Games, eh? I mean, just because there's an evil government forcing kids to fight kids in a no-holds-barred setting, does that mean it's really okay to slap the label "Hunger Games Clone" on it and call it a day? Well, no, but can you blame me for at least thinking it?

Making Ourselves Feel Ugly Is Not Fun

~Uglies~
Uglies
Book 1
By Scott Westerfeld
Amazon ~ Powell's

Everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. What could be wrong with that?

Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license—for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world—and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

Perhaps I've been reading too many well-written and utterly fascinating Dystopian books lately. Maybe I've grown too used to the idea that the world is doomed, humanity has all but killed itself, and the future holds nothing but torture and injustice. Or perhaps I've heard too much praise for the series. Because when it came to Uglies, I just didn't get the punch I was expecting.

Every Day She's More Withered

~Wither~
The Chemical Garden
Book 1
By Lauren DeStefano
Amazon ~ Powell's

What if you knew exactly when you’d die?

By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males born with a lifespan of 25 years, and females a lifespan of 20 years--leaving the world in a state of panic. Geneticists seek a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.

When Rhine is sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Yet her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement; her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next; and Rhine has no way to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive.

Together with one of Linden's servants, Gabriel, Rhine attempts to escape just before her seventeenth birthday. But in a world that continues to spiral into anarchy, is there any hope for freedom?

As I'm rather late in reviewing this book, I'm sorry to say that I was not completely impartial in my reading of it. I'd read less than savory things about this book/series. Now, I don't remember exactly what I'd read, nor do I want to find and read it again as I feel it's important to express my personal reactions, plus I don't want to repeat someone else's words. That being said, I admit that I went into this book expecting to hate it.

Well, there's good news, and there's bad news.

What Does It Take To Unwind The Unwanted?

~Unwind~
Unwind Dystology
Book 1
By Neal Shusterman
Amazon ~ Powell's

Connor, Risa, and Lev are running for their lives.

The Second Civil War was fought over reproductive rights. The chilling resolution: Life is inviolable from the moment of conception until age thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, parents can have their child "unwound," whereby all of the child's organs are transplanted into different donors, so life doesn't technically end. Connor is too difficult for his parents to control. Risa, a ward of the state is not enough to be kept alive. And Lev is a tithe, a child conceived and raised to be unwound. Together, they may have a chance to escape—and to survive.


I have no idea how I'd never heard of this book before. In the same vein as Ender's Game, this is a provocative and complex look at our society through the lens of a possible/probable future. And just like Ender's Game, I don't want to spoil too much of Unwind. It may have come out four years ago, but it is just as relevant and engaging now as it was then, and I truly think reading it is an experience that shouldn't be missed.

In the not-too-distant future, technology has enabled transplant surgery to have absolutely no failures. No rejection of foreign parts, no tissue decay, no problems. This means that nearly every medical malady, augmentation surgery, and accident-caused emergency can be solved by cutting out and replacing organs, limbs, and even parts of brains. But where do the replacements come from?

Why, unwanted children, of course.

This Girl Is Destroying Me

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous book, Shatter Me, or don't mind knowing major spoilers for it. Destroy Me, however, will remain spoiler-free.
SPOILER ALERT

~Destroy Me~
Shatter Me
Book 1.5
By Tahereh Mafi
Amazon ~ Powell's

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

Set after Shatter Me and before its sequel, Unravel Me, Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.


Okay, Mafi, I'll say it. You've got balls.

I believe I said in my review of Shatter Me that Warner was a character I hated to love. He was that kind of stalker boyfriend who thought he owned you and you should be grateful for his affections, but even when you made it abundantly clear you were fine without him, thank you very much, he just shrugs off your complaints as playing hard to get, being childish, or not knowing what's best for yourself. He made a great villain, someone easy to root against.

And then this novella happened.

Having Contracted A Significant Case of Amor Deliria Nervosa

~Delirium~
Delirium
Book 1
By Lauren Oliver
Amazon ~ Powell's

They say that the cure for Love will make me happy and safe forever.

And I've always believed them.

Until now.

Now everything has changed.

Now, I'd rather be infected with love for the tiniest sliver of a second
than live a hundred years smothered by a lie.

Lena looks forward to receiving the government-mandated cure that prevents the delirium of love and leads to a safe, predictable, and happy life, until ninety-five days before her eighteenth birthday and her treatment, when she falls in love.

I don't really know what I thought going into this. I guess I knew it was pretty popular, and it was about a society where love was 'cured' and that the main character was bound to rise up and fight the system, but I didn't really have any other expectations. And I think that perhaps that was best.

One Step Closer To The Larger Cure We All Sought

SPOILER ALERT
This review is for those who have read or are familiar with the previous book, The Immortal Rules, or don't mind knowing some spoilers for it. The Eternity Cure, however, will remain spoiler-free.
SPOILER ALERT

~The Eternity Cure~
Blood of Eden
Book 2
By Julie Kagawa
Amazon ~ Powell's

How do you face the end of eternity?

In Allison Sekemoto's world, there is one rule left: Blood calls to blood

She has done the unthinkable: died so that she might continue to live. Cast out of Eden and separated from the boy she dared to love, Allie will follow the call of blood to save her creator, Kanin, from the psychotic vampire Sarren. But when the trail leads to Allie's birthplace in New Covington, what Allie finds there will change the world forever—and possibly end human and vampire existence.

There's a new plague on the rise, a strain of the Red Lung virus that wiped out most of humanity generations ago—and this strain is deadly to humans and vampires alike. The only hope for a cure lies in the secrets Kanin carries, if Allie can get to him in time.

Allison thought that immortality was forever. But now, with eternity itself hanging in the balance, the lines between human and monster will blur even further, and Allie must face another choice she could never have imagined having to make.

I'm so glad I gave this series another chance. If you'll remember my review of book one, The Immortal Rules, I harped on Allie and her motivation (or lack thereof) pretty hard. Yet I was still captivated by the world and the writing style, and thus expressed my hopes for its sequel(s). So when NetGalley knocked on my door/inbox with the offer of book two, I gladly accepted.

I'll admit starting out that I had some heavy reservations against this book. I considered re-reading book one, as I like to do before moving ahead in a series, but couldn't bring myself to push through the boredom I'd already gone through once. And the beginning of this book presented me with a few cases of missed opportunities that had me worried. But after the story got going, familiar faces appeared, and the action ramped up, I found myself enjoying this more and more.

Picking up almost exactly where The Immortal Rules left off, Allie is now hunting for her sire, Kanin. Very little time has passed, maybe a couple months, but there's no doubt that Allie has changed (for the better, in my opinion). She's been exposed to the highs and lows of both humanity and vampires, and is still seeking her place among them. But her existential quandary is put on hold for the moment as her blood-tie to Kanin shows her that his time is running short, so it's road trip time for our heroine as she chases an obtainable goal.