Second Chance Read Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me
(Shatter Me #1)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Release Date: November 15, 20111
Publisher: Harper
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
Review by: Jenn

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: BE A WEAPON. OR BE A WARRIOR.

In this electrifying debut, Tahereh Mafi presents a world as riveting as The Hunger Games and a superhero story as thrilling as The X-Men. Full of pulse-pounding romance, intoxicating villainy, and high-stakes choices, Shatter Me is a fresh and original dystopian novel with a paranormal twist that will leave readers anxiously awaiting its sequel.

When I picked out the Shatter Me audiobook, I was super excited. It has been years since I first read the series, let alone the first book. I wanted to go back and fall in love with Tahereh’s words. However, I forgot how much in a bad place Juliette was in the first book. She hadn’t spoken to anyone in almost a year, only stuck in her own head. Unfortunately, I didn’t really get that far into the audiobook, only up to when Adam enter the jail cell she’s in. The narrator did a great job but there were times, I just wanted press the fast forward button. The scene when Juliette just repeats to herself, like a mantra, “I’m not insane,” it made an even bigger impact at how destroyed Juliette was in the beginning. I remembered that when I first read Shatter Me, I really liked but it wasn’t my favorite. The best came afterwards, with the first novella and the second book of the series.

I’m not sure if I’ll listen to the other audiobooks, maybe I’ll reread the books instead but it won’t be the same since rereading as audiobook helps me look at my favorite books in a new light. However, I’m trying to reread some of my favorites so who knows.

Have you listened to Shatter Me on audio?

Review: After The End by Amy Plum

After The End
(After The End #1)
Author: Amy Plum
Release Date: May 6, 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Signed copy from BEA14
Review by: Nahomi

She’s searching for answers to her past. They’re hunting her to save their future. World War III has left the world ravaged by nuclear radiation. A lucky few escaped to the Alaskan wilderness. They've survived for the last thirty years by living off the land, being one with nature, and hiding from whoever else might still be out there.

At least, this is what Juneau has been told her entire life.

When Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that everyone in her clan has vanished, she sets off to find them. Leaving the boundaries of their land for the very first time, she learns something horrifying: There never was a war. Cities were never destroyed. The world is intact. Everything was a lie.

Now Juneau is adrift in a modern-day world she never knew existed. But while she's trying to find a way to rescue her friends and family, someone else is looking for her. Someone who knows the extraordinary truth about the secrets of her past.

4 stars out of 5 stars

     I loved Amy Plum's Revenants series, so when I heard that she was coming out with a new series I was so excited to read it. I finally got around to reading it and I wasn't disappointed. It was a little difficult for me to get into in the beginning because of all of the back story and terminology being introduced but once I got passed that I was invested in the Juneau's journey.

After The End is a heart clenching story. Juneau is forced to deal with the loss of her family and finding out about being betrayed by the elders of her clan. The story is an emotional roller coaster of Juneau trying to find herself among the lies she grew up in. All the while being hunted down by several people for reasons unknown to her. There are several moments full of tension and suspense throughout the novel. The level of suspense and mystery kept me turning pages and left me with the need to find out what happens next.

Juneau is naive but is very in touch with her instincts and although she is lost and has doubts about everything she has been taught, she tries to stay true to herself. She is kind and fierce all at the same time. Miles, on the other hand, is selfish. I get that he has abandonment issues and maybe his actions are more to call attention than anything else but until the end of the story there is not one redeeming quality in him. Together they are the odd couple but it works.

The plot the pacing and the characters are all good. I enjoyed reading After The End and am curious to see what happens in Until The Beginning.

DNF Review: Countdown by Michelle Rowen

Countdown
Author: Michelle Rowen
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: NetGalley
Review by: Jenn

3 seconds left to live. Once the countdown starts, it cannot be stopped.
2 pawns thrown into a brutal underground reality game.
Kira Jordan survived her family's murder and months on plague-devastated city streets with hard-won savvy and a low-level psi ability. She figures she can handle anything. Until she wakes up in a barren room, chained next to the notorious Rogan Ellis.
1 reason Kira will never, ever trust Rogan. Even though both their lives depend on it.
Their every move is controlled and televised for a vicious exclusive audience. And as Kira's psi skill unexpectedly grows and Rogan's secrets prove evermore deadly, Kira's only chance of survival is to risk trusting him as much as her instincts. Even if that means running head-on into the one trap she can't escape.
GAME OVER

***This is a Did Not Finish review. I did not finish the book and only read up to 19% of the book. These are my thoughts of what I read.***

I've struggled with this book for about 11 months before calling it quits. I tried so many times to get in to the story but I just couldn't keep up with what was happening. I typically love when the reader is thrown in the story and you have no idea what's happening. But in Countdown I found myself so confused and nothing was being explained. The main character, Kira, also drove me nuts by how she would say one thing and in the next sentence she would say the complete opposite.

I finally gave up when I realized that if I continued any further, I was just setting myself up for disappointment. I've decided to focus on reading the books that I want to and that won't have me raging later on. While it may not have been my cup of tea, I hope other readers enjoy the story.

Review: Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Ignite Me (Shatter Me #3)
Author: Tahereh mafi
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Harper Teen
Source: Personal Copy
Reviewed by: Jenn

Synopsis: 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.

5 stars out of 5 stars

        I've been anticipating Ignite Me's release since the second I finished Unravel Me. I've been worried and scared just wondering how one of my favorite series was going to end. So when it finally came out, I ran to the bookstore to get my copy.

From the start of the book, we are told of the aftermath of the surprising ending in Unravel Me. Juliette had to come to term with shocking news, all while dealing with a different side of who she thought was our villain, Warner.

I am in awe of how far Juliette has come from being the broken girl in Shatter Me. She has grown so much and become strong, both physically and mentally. Even after being shot, she did what needed to be done. I won’t say who Juliette ends up with because I feel like it would be a disservice to Juliette by focusing on that and how much she fought to get to the point where her ability didn’t hinder her and she was able to use it as an advantage.

“This isn't about Adam or Warner," I tell him, "This is about me and what I want. This is about me finally understanding where I want to be in ten years. Because I'm going to be alive, Kenji. I will be alive in ten years, and I'm going to be happy. I'm going to be strong. And I don't need anyone to tell me that anymore. I am enough, and I always will be.” - Tahereh Mafi, Ignite Me

“I've finally gotten to a point in my life where I'm not afraid to speak. Where my shadow no longer haunts me. And I don't want to lose that freedom--not again. I can't go backward. I'd rather be shot dead screaming for justice than die alone in a prison of my own making.” - Tahereh Mafi, Ignite Me

*fist pump* I was so proud of Juliette at that moment. She grew so much as a character and I love that line. I will say that chapter 55 about killed me. I knew that there was going to be a chapter that would render me useless but I wasn't as prepared as I should have been. I had to reread that chapter twice just to be able to move forward.

My favorite part of the book (aside from Warner) was Kenji. I love Kenji. His friendship with Juliette was one of my favorite part of the trilogy. He’s very honest and real and supportive of everyone he talks to. He becomes Juliette’s soundboard and provides her with the perspective that she needs. He eventually becomes Juliette’s best friend and even though he's Adam's best friend, he stands up for her to Adam. I found that part to be quite interesting because Adam and Kenji had each other before Juliette and now here he's defending her when Adam wants nothing to do with her. And my favorite part about Kenji? His sense of humor:

“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.” - Tahereh Mafi, Ignite Me

I'm so happy with the way Ignite Me ended the Shatter Me series. I'm very happy with where the characters are left in the story. I do wish that there had been a bit of an epilogue or that it had a ending where it wasn't so open.

I can't wait to see what Tahereh Mafi does next because I know I'll be buying whatever she writes. She's just that good.

Review: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by Tahereh Mafi
Release Date: February 5, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Personal Copy
Reviewed by: Jenn
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads / IndieBound

My rating: 5 stars out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
tick
tick
tick
tick
tick
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 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.

        Unravel Me has to be one of my top favorite book of 2013. It was also one of my most highly anticipated book and let me tell you, it was worth the wait. Tahereh Mafi has become one of my favorite writers and this book shows why.

Unravel Me picks up right where Shatter Me end. Juliette is thrust into Omega Point, where she is having a hard time adjusting to her new environment, which is understandable considering all that she went through in Shatter Me. We get our Adam swoons pretty early on and sighhh... If I thought I had forgotten how swoony Adam can be, he definitely reminded me that he is a pretty good competitor against Warner. He has a way with words and gestures that makes me putty in his hands.

I have to admit, that there were several times where I wanted to shake Juliette. She internalizes everything and she was moping around and letting everything happen to her. She didn't know how to be strong. Which brings me to my next point: Kenji. Kenji is favorite character of mine because he is not afraid of telling it like it is. So I loved when he told Juliette to snap out of and to go and do something. That she could either sit there and lament her bad luck or that she could go out there and save herself. She needed a little hard love thrown at her and he did a great job at it.

There were so many things that we learn that even thinking about it, almost a year later, still shocks me. Mafi did an awesome job at keeping her readers guessing all throughout the book. Like with Warner's father and his very surprising connection. Also, we learn a lot about Omega Point and it leader and how it came about.

And for my Warner lovers, the swoons we get in this book, HOMGGG. I get chills just thinking about it. Unfortunately, Team Warner also get their heart broken and are given mini heart attacks several times throughout the book. I worry how this is going to turn out for him.

Basically, this book has to be one of the best sequel I've read and I need for Ignite Me to come out already. I need to know what happens next after that crazy ending. Although I have to admit that I'm sad that I'll be saying goodbye to these character that I've come to know and love. If you haven't already read this, go out and buy it. Now.

Cover Reveal - RecruitZ by Karice Bolton

RecruitZ (Afterworld Series #1) by Karice Bolton

Expected Release Date: October 2013

Cover Designed: PhatPuppy Art

Cover reveal organized by: BB Tours

Synopsis:

Scientists are the new rock stars. The infection has been contained for nearly three months, and the world is celebrating. But humans are still dying. Rebekah Taylor has seen it firsthand. Her husband was killed right in front of her by the very creatures that humans were told they no longer had to fear.

Rebekah is determined to find out who is responsible for the death of her husband and the obvious cover-up. Fueled with revenge, she begins to find answers that lead to one frightening conclusion. The apocalypse might be over, but the battles are just beginning.

About the author:

Karice Bolton is a paranormal romance/urban fantasy author living in the Pacific Northwest. All three books in The Watchers Trilogy are available now, Awakening, Legions, and Cataclysm. Lonely Souls, which is the first book in her new series Witch Avenue, was released in June 2012!

Author Links: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Amazon

Review: Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Destroy Me (Shatter Me #1.5) by Tahereh Mafi
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Personal Copy
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Synopsis: Perfect for the fans of Shatter Me who are desperately awaiting the release of Unravel Me, this novella-length digital original will bridge the gap between these two novels from the perspective of the villain we all love to hate, Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

In Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner - and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she'll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of...

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 forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me, Destroy Me is a novella told from the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

This book, OH MY GOD this BOOK. I effing love Destroy Me. Getting inside Warner's head was everything and nothing like I expected it to be.

Getting to know Warner and understanding his motivations was completely exhilarating. He is methodical and sure and smart and very much human and flawed. I became enamored with him. We learn a lot about why Warner is the way he is and I found myself swooning over him a lot. The way he feels about Juliette and how he realizes how much he cares about her just about killed me. I'm a little bit jealous and I wish I had a guy that want to know me as much as Warner want to know Juliette.

Tahereh Mafi managed to blow me away with her writing style all over again. She has a unique way with words that just utterly captivates me. What I wouldn't give to be able to write like her.

There were so many passages throughout the novella that I just love and enjoyed and swooned over. Warner has quite the sense of humor, which I love. I decided to share some of my favorites parts:

"I've been Dalalieu," I manage to say. I open my eyes. Look into his watery ones. "I haven't gone deaf."

~B&S~

"They said that as long as I stay in bed this week, the new drugs they've given me should accelerate my healing process...I told them it was an interesting theory."

~B&S~

"If it were nothing but sexual attraction I'm sure I would not suffer such unbearable humiliation. But I wanted so much more than her body."

~B&S~

"And even though she hates me, I can't help but be fascinated by her. I'm enchanted by her pretend-innocence; jealous, even, of the power she wields so unwittingly. I want so much to be a part of her world. I want to know what it's like to be in her mind, to feel what she feels."

~B&S~

"But watching her talk to someone else made me crazy. I was jealous. Ridiculous. I wanted her to know me; I wanted her to talk to me. And I felt it then: this strange, inexplicable sense that she might be the only person in the world I could really care about."

~B&S~

"Most days I feel just as caged as these civilians; and that's likely why I always come here. It's like running from one prison to another; an existence wherein there is no relief, no refuge. Where even my own mind is a traitor"

~B&S~

"Every nerve ending in body is awake. I've never felt so alive or so desperate in my life, and I'm sure if she could hear what I'm thinking right now, she'd run out the door and never come back.

Because I want her. Now. Here. Everywhere.

I want nothing between us. I want her clothes off and the lights on and I want to study her. I want to unzip her out of this dress and take my time with every inch of her. I can't help but my need to just stare; to know her and her features: the slope of her nose, the curve of her lips, the line of her jaw. I want to run my fingertips across the soft skin of her neck and trace it all the way down. I want to feel the weight of her pressed against me, wrapped around me."

I am SOOO looking forward to Unravel Me, but now I don't know how I will survive until February after this glimpse into Warner's mind. I'm going to have to make time and reread Shatter Me so I can remember why I like Adam in the first place. Warner definitely has me on his team.

Book Spotlight and Excerpt: Perception by Lee Strauss

Morning lovelies,

Today,  I am spotlighting author Lee Strauss's new novel, Perception.

It was recently released on September 1, 2012. Here's the blurb:

Seventeen year old Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP- a genetically altered person. She lives in the security of a walled city on prime water-front property along side other equally beautiful people with extended life spans. 

Her brother Liam is missing.

Noah Brody is a natural who lives on the outside. He leads protest against the GAPs and detests the widening chasm they've created between those who have and those who don't. He doesn't like girls like Zoe and he has good reasons not to like her specifically.

Zoe's carefree life takes a traumatic turn. She's in trouble and it turns out that Noah, the last guy on earth she should trust, is the only who can help her.

Perception is a (SF/mystery/romance) Young Adult novel that takes place in the not too distant future in a world changed by climate extremes, natural disasters and impending wars, and where scientific breakthroughs cause class divisions - both financially and philosophically. It explores the class between faith and science and how differences can separate us as enemies or ally us together. And in some cases, even in the midst of betrayal and personal crisis, there's room to fall in love.

This is the first book in a planned three book series.

Does this sounds awesome, or what?!

Ms. Strauss was kind enough to let us preview the first chapter of Perception. Check it out:

Review: Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

Glitch by Heather Anastasiu

Expected publication: August 7th, 2012
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

*I received this early copy thanks to St. Martin's Press through NetGalley*

From Goodreads: "In the Community, there is no more pain or war. Implanted computer chips have wiped humanity clean of destructive emotions, and thoughts are replaced by a feed from the Link network. 
When Zoe starts to malfunction (or "glitch"), she suddenly begins having her own thoughts, feelings, and identity. Any anomalies must be immediately reported and repaired, but Zoe has a secret so dark it will mean certain deactivation if she is caught: her glitches have given her uncontrollable telekinetic powers.
As Zoe struggles to control her abilities and stay hidden, she meets other glitchers including Max, who can disguise his appearance, and Adrien, who has visions of the future. Both boys introduce Zoe to feelings that are entirely new. Together, this growing band of glitchers must find a way to free themselves from the controlling hands of the Community before they're caught and deactivated, or worse."

Now, I just loved the premise of this book, dystopian/futuristic/robot-like with a twist? I'm interested. Especially with that cover, I just loved the cover.

     When first meet Zoel, or as she prefers to be called Zoe, right as she is experiencing a "glitch" and hot it works, I was intrigued. I liked Zoe. Although at times I felt like she was a goody-goody, letting people make decisions for her and blaming everything on herself. I can understand and sympathize that she went from not feeling any sort of emotions and individual thoughts to being able to do just that. However, I felt like she let Adrien and Max make all the decisions, while she just sat there being pulled in different directions. But when she needed to take control of the situation and of herself, she rose to the challenge. I feel like she redeems herself, to an extent, in my eyes.

Review: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

My Rating: 4 out of 5

From Goodreads: "Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland, —known as The Death Shop—, are slim. If the cannibals don’t get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She’'s been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild—, a savage, —and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile, —everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria’s help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky."

I was going to a book signing for Tahereh Mafi's and Veronica Rossi's Spring Into The Future book tour and I felt horrible that I had only read Tahereh's Shatter Me and didn't know anything about Veronica's Under the Never Sky. I wanted to know, come the discussions, what everyone was talking about and not feeling like I was getting spoilers. So, off to read I went. 

Upcoming Releases part 2

As I was preparing and researching for this post, I realized that there is only five books that are releasing in 2012. The list I originally had, included those for 2013 and 2014  and since I just wanted to discuss the one for 2012, here is the short version of that list.

    Insurgent by Veronica Roth. Now ever since Divergent came out last year, its popularity has grown rapidly so I don't feel the need to try to explain why I love Divergent and why I think you should go out and run (run, not walk) to your nearest bookstore and purchase it, as well as pre-order Insurgent. So I'll just say one word and be done with it: F O U R.  There. I think Four may be one of my favorite male characters ever. The swoons, ZOMG, loved. It wasn't all about Four and the swoons but that one of the reasons I loved Divergent. It is not the main thing in the book. And I know I'm not alone in this. I even got my best friend into the series and now she is currently anxiously waiting for Insurgent's release with me. (I needed more company, you see. Sorry, friend.)  I need to know what will happen next. What will happen to Tris and Four and everyone else and the factions?

    Next on the list is Being Friends with Boys by Terra Elan McVoy. Now, I have not read any of McVoy's other novels, so I can't really say anything about it. But having read the book's synopsis, it's definitely something right up my alley. Also, there seems to be a lot of good reviews for the novel and I'm looking forward to reading this book. 

*Side note: Both Insurgent and Being Friends with Boys comes out the first of May.*

Review: Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

"An electromagnetic pulse flashes across the sky, destroying every electronic device, wiping out every computerized system, and killing billions. Alex hiked into the woods to say good-bye to her dead parents and her personal demons. Now desperate to find out what happened after the pulse crushes her to the ground, Alex meets up with Tom—a young soldier—and Ellie, a girl whose grandfather was killed by the EMP."

Now, I'm not a zombie girl. Yes, I like my supernatural stories, like the Unearthly series, the Fever series, Wicked Lovely series, and the Hex Hall series. But zombies? No thank you. But there was something about Alex and Ellie that just drew me in. Ms.Bick  knew how to capture my attention.
    My first glimpse into the novel was when I was browsing through my Kindle Mobile App and I read the sample. I downloaded it and a few paragraphs in I was nodding and hmm-ing....I was hooked. I was trying to change the page and clicking and clicking when lo and behold, the sample was done. I was outraged. How can it be done?! It was just getting good! After my little outburst and a well duh moment to myself, I rationalized that of course I had to finish the story. I could not just leave Alex behind on her quest to find out what the hell had happened.
    Unfortunately, I was on a no-buying-books punishments because all those others novels I had that I hadn't even opened since I brought them. (Sorry, mom!)  So like any book aficionado would do, I went online to my local library and  reserved my copy.
   I dived right back in and it did not disappoint. I was creep out and I couldn't read certain parts without being grossed out. But I was intrigued by what was happening.