IGNITE ME
Shatter Me Series #3
by Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: HarperCollins (Feb 2014)
Genre: Dystopia, Romance, Young Adult
Format: Hardcover (416 pages)
Source: Bought
Find It: Goodreads | Amazon Print | Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Rating: ★★★★★ (5 stars)
The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, called “a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love.”
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.
The Shatter Me series is perfect for fans who crave action-packed young adult novels with tantalizing romance like Divergent by Veronica Roth, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Legend by Marie Lu. Tahereh Mafi has created a captivating and original story that combines the best of dystopian and paranormal, and was praised by Publishers Weekly as “a gripping read from an author who’s not afraid to take risks.” Now this final book brings the series to a shocking and satisfying end.
At A Glance
F*cking beautiful.
The Good
Mafi continues to mindf*ck me over and over again. I just don’t understand how her brain can create this art. It doesn’t even seem real sometimes. Her writing is so poetic and lyrical it blows my mind every damn time. I can’t believe this series is over. I want to cry!
Ignite Me picks up were Unravel Me ends. The battle is over, the good guys lost, and Juliette has to find out which of her friends survived, if any. But Warner is there for her, in every way possible. It’s still hard to imagine that Warner, the bad guy from Shatter Me, is such a changed man. But really, he’s not changed, we are only just learning who he really is. Warner has so much more depth and emotion in him than any character in this book (well, Juliette and him are pretty equal in that department). His passion for Juliette almost hurts to read about. His love for her is deeper and more real than anything I have ever witnessed before. We get to see Warner in an even bigger whole new light than in Unravel Me. His past and his childhood come to haunt him but Juliette is there to beat down the ghosts.
Even though Warner comes a close second, I actually think Juliette changes the most in this book. She is tired of running, of fighting silly battles. She wants to bring on the war and take down all those mother*ckers who dared suppress her world. Juliette, in essence, was effing badass. No more quiet, meek, kind Juliette. She wants blood and a lot of it. No more second guessing. She knows what she wants and she is grabbing life by the balls. I loved watching this change in her. I loved seeing her make decisions, act like a leader, and train to become the hero she was meant to be. Her power only grows and I am just jealous that I can’t be her because she is AWESOME.
I was so surprised by the 180 we got from Adam. I always had a special place for Adam in my heart. He is such a good guy and Juliette means the world to him. But Adam is a bitter Betty in Ignite Me. He let’s his emotions get the best of him, and I just couldn’t stand how he treated Juliette. He went too far too many times, but I also understood his position. I don’t think I would have trusted Warner and his intentions either if I were Adam. It actually does seem like Juliette is being taken advantage off, but still, Adam needed to check himself.
The story was amazing. It’s mostly about training for the final battle and the Juliette/Warner/Adam drama. Which worked for me. The ending was scary but exciting. Juliette was so freaking cool with her super strength. Pretty much unstoppable. It all ended like I hoped. Very satisfactory. I don’t want it to be over. I am kind of hoping Mafi may revisit this series later because I think there is some story left to be told. But I am happy and content..for now.
The Bad
Ignite Me is pretty much perfection. The only thing I expected more of was action, which really only came at the end. This was more about romance and self-discovery. But I was totally fine with it.
The Snuggly
Oh God, Oh God, Oh God. Best sex scene in a YA book EVER!!! EPIC! Total Bookgasm! I literally read it twice because I was so blown away. It was poetic, it was tantalizing, it was HOT! I just can’t believe it finally happened. Some of us have been waiting for this moment forever! Because Juliette finally makes her choice. It may shock you, or it may not, but I can say I am VERY happy.
Final Thoughts
So, this is it. The end. It was a freaking amazing ride. Mafi is one of the best authors I have ever seen and met. I would like to see her do a more humorous series because she is witty and hilarious. Mafi ended things that way they should have been ended, which is nice. There is nothing worse than a bad ending to a good series. So happy it didn’t happen with this series. Very, highly recommended.
Yeah, I might have gone overboard on the quotes. I couldn’t help myself.
“Words, I think, are such unpredictable creatures.
No gun, no sword, no army or king will ever be more powerful than a sentence. Swords may cut and kill, but words will stab and stay, burying themselves in our bones to become corpses we carry into the future, all the time digging and failing to rip their skeletons from our flesh.”
“And we are quotation marks, inverted and upside down, clinging to one another at the end of this life sentence. Trapped by lives we did not choose.”
“I like the way I feel about myself when I’m with him.” I say quietly. “Warner thinks I’m strong and smart and capable and he actually values my opinion. He makes me feel like his equal–like I can accomplish just as much as he can, and more. And if I do something incredible, he’s not even surprised. He expects it. He doesn’t treat me like I’m some fragile little girl who needs to be protected all the time.”
“The tattoo is just setting below his hip bone.
Hell is empty and all the devils are here
I kiss my way across the words.
Kissing away the devils.
Kissing away the pain.”
“I’m not sure. But there’s something about the darkness, the stillness of this hour, I think, that creates a language of its own. There’s a strange kind of freedom in the dark; a terrifying vulnerability we allow ourselves at exactly the wrong moment, tricked by the darkness into thinking it will keep our secrets. We forget that the blackness is not a blanket; we forget that the sun will soon rise. But in the moment, at least, we feel brave enough to say things we’d never say in the light.”
“Are you out of your goddamn mind? You think we can take on two hundred soldiers? I know I am an extremely attractive man, J, but I am not Bruce Lee.”
“Who’s Bruce Lee?”
“Who’s Bruce Lee?” Kenji asks, horrified. “Oh my God. We can’t even be friends anymore.”
“Why? Was he a friend of yours?”
“You know what,” he says, “just stop. Just—I can’t even talk to you right now.”
“For so many years I lived in constant terror of myself. Doubt had married my fear and moved into my mind, where it built castles and ruled kingdoms and reigned over me, bowing my will to its whispers until I was little more than an acquiescing peon, too terrified to disobey, too terrified to disagree. I had been shackled, a prisoner in my own mind.
But finally, finally, I have learned to break free.”
Share on Twitter“No,” he says, pointing at me as he shifts backward again. “Bad Juliette. You don’t like to kill people, remember? You’re against that, remember? You like to talk about feelings and rainbows—”
Melanie
Adam being a bitter belly? BOOOO. I am reading this sometime soon, and I am so excited by seeing all the 5 star reviews it’s been receiving!
Jennifer Bielman
Oh yeah, I don’t think it’s possible for you not to like this book.
Stacey Brutger
Great review! I love the quotes you picked.
I have the first book in the series, but haven’t read it yet. I’ll have to move it up in my tbr pile.
Jennifer Bielman
OMG, you are going to be blown away.
Joy @ Thoughts By J
I had to skim read your post cos I STILL haven’t gotten around to reading it. I know, I suck. 🙁 But all I’ve been hearing is praise so I’m excited to start it!
Jennifer Bielman
EEE, I am so excited for you, you still get to experience it.
Brandi Kosiner
I just skimmed because I haven’t read this one yet, but so glad to hear that it was a beautiful ending, I have heard others say differently, but I still have high hopes and you confirmed it
Jennifer Bielman
Awww, that sucks. Yeah, it wasn’t perfect but I love this series so much it worked for me.
kimbacaffeinate
Yes, Yes and Yes. I loved Ignite Me and the whole dang series. Fantastic quote choices! I cannot wait to see what Mafi brings us next!
Jennifer Bielman
There were so many quotes to choose from, it was ridicules.
Chene Sterckx
I am so excited to start this series this month 🙂
Shatter me is my Book of the Month read! Great review 🙂
Chanzie @ Mean Who You Are.
Jennifer Bielman
OMG, You are going to DIE!!!
Chene Sterckx
ha ha ha then I hope it is a slow captivating wonderfully intriguing death 😉
Nereyda @Mostly YA Book Obsessed
Holy shit this book was perfect! And hell yeah the sex in it was hot! Why cant we have this more in YA???
I <3 Warner!
Jennifer Bielman
I know!!! I want sex like that in every book! lol
emaginette
You know me. I always wait until the series is finished before I begin. I’d be a fool not to go shopping for this one right now.
I love the covers. In fact, I wish they were posters. 🙂
Anna from Shout with Emaginette
Jennifer Bielman
Well, get your money ready!!! It’s time. I also love the covers. They are so art!
Jaclyn Canada
I’m not reading the full review because I really hope to read this series soon so I don’t want to spoil anything. I love the first sentence though and that really makes me excited to get started on this one. I’m so thrilled that you enjoyed it 😀 You can tell by all the quotes that you just couldn’t land on a few for this which is amazing. Jaclyn @ JC’s Book Haven.
Jennifer Bielman
Yup, pretty much. I am obsessed with this series. I can never hold back with it.
Christy @ Love of Books
Eep! I’ve had Shatter Me for awhile but haven’t read it. I plan on reading the trilogy really close together. And SOON!
Jennifer Bielman
OMG, no, read it now!!!
Jessica Haluska
So glad to know that the series ends well! That’s always a huge fear with series that I really love–that they’ll just sort of fizzle, and leave you wondering what on earth happened to the amazingness that pulled you in with book 1. Now I just have to read it myself . . .
Jessica @ Rabid Reads
Jennifer Bielman
I know, those are the worst types of series, the ones that fizzle out.
Lily B
I have read some mixed reviews of this one, but did buy book 1. I am glad you are enjoying this series. I hope I can give it a shot as well soon.
Jennifer Bielman
I know, it’s not perfect, but it was perfect for me, you know?
Olivia-Savannah
I still need to start reading the series, but I am definitely looking forwards to it all the more! That cover though D: Beautiful!
http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2014/04/how-to-write-poem.html
Jennifer Bielman
The covers for the whole series are my fav of all time.