Ignite Me is the conclusion to the Shatter Me trilogy. I don’t want to give any more info really then what the official synopsis said on Amazon, ” 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.”
Here’s what I’m not going to tell you in this review:
1. Who she ends up with
2. How it ends.
3. Specific spoilery things
To be clear. I will however have a video with me FEELINGS at the end.
Oh, Tahereh Mafi. You made me cry. You made me laugh. You made me blush severely. You made me nervous. You also did not do what I thought you were going to do. Nope. I definitely went into Ignite Me with some pretty strong predictions for what was going to happen but neither of them happened.
So basically Ignite Me pretty much starts off where Unravel Me leaves off with Juliette getting shot and Omega Point being destroyed. She’s clued in to what has happened and now Juliette becomes even more determined to take down the Reestablishment — at whatever cost — and she needs Warner to do it. In Unravel Me, she largely is learning about her powers and trying to OWN them and is also trying to heal mentally and overcome everything that happened in Shatter Me. In Ignite Me, Juliette stops feeling sorry for herself and goes balls to the walls with wanting to really 100% understand and control her powers for the good of the people.
I loved watching Juliette start to feel this confidence and finally become her own person. I felt the fire lit under her and I was ready for her to start making things happen and stop being so passive about everything. I loved watching her become more badass by the turn of each page and mentally stronger too. Learning the extent and the ins and the outs of her powers was interesting to me. I also loved watching her really decide what SHE wanted — for so long everything had been decided for her and she pretty much was resigned to it — so it was nice to watch her continue to grow.
Obviously the other huge thing in all this is Juliette’s struggle to figure out things with Adam and confront the feeeeelings from Unravel Me’s chapter 62 with Warner. I am not going to spoil you here but I felt this struggle HARD. I was team nobody coming out of Unravel Me as a reference. And I’m just going to tell you that, this shocked the hell out of me, but early on in Ignite Me I KNEW what I wanted and I didn’t waver. I’m not going to tell you if it was the right move or not in relation to what happens in the book but my heart wanted what my heart wanted but I felt the conflict within Juliette SO INTENSELY. The more information I gathered of both Adam and Warner, as well as some important interactions with both of them mixed with past interactions, and I just knew my feelings on who Juliette should end up would never change no matter what. I’d go down with that ship if that’s what it took. I was committed!
Let’s also talk about how Tahereh Mafi made me blush harder than I ever have reading a book –especially YA. STEAMY MCSTEAMY. Holy crap. If Tahereh Mafi wrote an adult romance novel, YEP I’d be reading it.
OH ALSO. Kenji continues to be my favorite EVER.
Now, if I’m being honest, there were a few things (mostly small-ish things besides the one I’m going to talk about) that weren’t perfect for me but it was one of those reading situations where it didn’t really matter for me. The heart of the story, my feelings, and just my love for the series/characters made my brain gloss over them. I have no regrets.
But I will just tell you the one thing I feel I have to note:
I felt like the ending was pretty rushed. I never felt like Shatter Me/Unravel Me were action type novels. They had their bits of WHOA ACTION moments but a lot of what was happening was Juliette really becoming a PERSON again and finding her strength after being in her situation and then learning about her superpower and seeing it in a different way than she had. Lots of pages were in Juliette’s head. The Reestablishment and all the crazy stuff happened in Unravel Me was pretty action-y but I was waiting for the ultimate OH SHIT, explosive type action in Ignite Me since it’s the end. Much of the book was the characters putting their plan into action and also Juliette working things out with herself and with the guys but then I could feel the pages REALLY thinning and I’m like WAIT the plan still needs to happen! So I felt like the ending and a BIG scene were rather rushed for my liking. This is PURELY PURELY speculation (or just me never wanting this series to end) but the ending left me feeling like there could be another book maybe some day in the future? I know that’s probably an irrational and stupid thought but I just…I don’t know. Most things felt resolved and I was satisfied in most ways but there were ways there could be MORE.
Spoilery video: Not FULL spoilers bc it’s the end of a series and it JUST came out so I don’t want anything leaked while people are just getting their books! From my phone before bed because I AM LAAAZY so sorry for the bad quality.
I’m so, so sad to let this series go. I’m in denial. I loved Juliette’s story throughout and I was pleased with Ignite Me overall. I was happy with the resolution to some of the bigger plot lines (namely the romance because I just FELT it in my hearts of hearts and made the most sense to me despite me being Team NOBODY coming out of Unravel Me). There were a few things I didn’t find to be “perfect” but I was so immersed in the story/the writing that I didn’t care. The only exception to that is my feelings on the ending being pretty rushed. It was resolved but rushed and I can’t explain it without spoilers so I’m going to just stop now.
Let’s Talk: PLEASE warn readers of spoilers in the comments should you talk about any! (THANKS!). What did you think of this one?? Were you pleased with the outcome? With the resolution to the love triangle? Are you sad for the series to come to an end??
![DD_BloggerGraphic_IgniteMe_02[1]](https://www.perpetualpageturner.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/DD_BloggerGraphic_IgniteMe_021.jpg)
Come back on Thursday when Tahereh Mafi invades this blog!! I may have even asked her what the most annoying thing about Ransom is 😛
Rachel Patrick says
Great review, Jamie! I think agree with you on everything. And the more I think about it, the more I’m just POSITIVE that there could (and should) be another book. It was an interesting finale to the series, but done quite well, staying true to the series, and it was just GOOD. I’d say more but, well, I already discussed it with you. (: Again, great review! You put this into better words than I did!
Jamie says
I’m so glad I had you to talk to after!!!
Tirta @ I Prefer Reading says
Aaaahhhh, I’m excited! I’m so happy to read that Juliette starts to be more confident about herself and her power. All those pages about her worriness and insecurities in the previous two books was kinda painful to read because I couldn’t help but to feel bad along with her 🙁
This is a great review, Jamie. I think many readers won’t disagree about MORE books from this series, we know it’s the end but we just can’t part with it YET, or ever!
Jamie says
NEVER EVER! I’m in denial it’s ending!!
Allie @ Little Birdie says
I think the world is going to stop spinning until I read this book! It seems like one of the rare series finales that isn’t going to be a complete letdown, and THAT is a miracle in itself
Jamie says
Hope you enjoy!!
Nadia says
I’m waiting for my copy to arrive ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Nadia says
Wait, so I’m really curious, I read spoilers as to who she was going to end up with, couldn’t help myself. But what ship were you going to down with ?
Jamie says
*Potential spoilers**
I put it in the video. I didn’t care what Mafi did bc I would have gone down with it but luckily I didn’t have to! 😉 totally not what I thought she would do but I was pleased!
Nadia says
I just finished Ignite Me (I was up until 6am reading :O /zombie) and I saw the video now. Woo! I was on the same team too, and I was glad things went the way they did, but most of all I loved that Tahereh took the time to explain Juliette’s thoughts on everything, and that the resolution to the romance didn’t feel rushed at all.
Cassie Conant says
I am definitely picking this up on my lunch break today! I am so pumped! 🙂
Jamie says
YAY April had said you were DYING for this one!!
Sharon @ The Book Barbies says
A) I loved this book! Though I do agree about the ending being rather rushed. Still, though. AWESOME.
B) KENJIKENJIKENJI. I really think he was my favorite character in the whole trilogy. He never failed to make me smile. ♥
C) Can Tahereh Mafi write an adult romance novel? PRETTY PLEASE? That would be awesome. You have the best ideas, Jamie.
Jamie says
KENJI. He really was my favorite everrr.
LET US START A PETITION TO MAKE HER WRITE THEM!! haha
Kayla @ The Thousand Lives says
Loved this review! I have a feeling I’ll be exactly the same way after I finish it. I just got my copy in the mail, and plan on binge reading until I finish the whole thing tonight!
Can’t wait for your Thursday post with Mafi!
Addison says
Loved this review. Thank you for making it spoiler free! Also, your video is adorable!
Missie says
I am so glad it ended well! Can’t wait!
Lefty says
I am unbearably excited for this book. I don’t know when I’ll get my hands on it, but hopefully soon! Anyway, great review! I am so glad to hear about the STEAMY MCSTEAMY because who doesn’t love the sexytimez? Especially Tahereh Mafi’s sexytimez! I am also pleased that Juliette goes…”balls to the walls” was it? Magnificent! And Kenji!!!!!!
Basically, I just want to read this more than I want to watch Netflix right now, and that’s sayin’ something.
Heather@The Flyleaf Review says
Great review–it’s so hard to write coherent, relevant thoughts when you are trying not to spoil (I’m facing the same thing as I try to pen my thoughts for a review.) This book surprised me–my predictions didn’t pan out either. I also felt that the ending was rushed, and if I’m being a bit honest, a bit anticlimactic.
So many changes in the three main characters left my head spinning–thank goodness for good ole Kenji who remains True North despite it all in this series:) He really does deserve his own spin off series!
Overall I’m still unsure of my feelings. Kinda happy, kinda disappointed. maybe more of the latter then the former.
Kelly says
Mafi took Ignite Me in such a different direction than I was expecting, which I was thankful for. I was happy to see Juliette finally embrace her inner badass, even if that (I felt) was slightly rushed.
This next bit is SPOILERY so please stop reading if you don’t want to be SPOILED. Again. After this there will be SPOILERS.
Ready?
I also felt like how Adam reacted to everything, how bitter and cruel he was, was done on purpose to make it easier for us to hate him and like Warner. I really felt like all of Adam’s reactions were made just a little bit more cruel than he should have been, just a little bit more condescending than he needed to be, in order to push us (and Juliette) into Warner’s arms without much of a fight. Otherwise, Mafi might have had a lot of upset #TeamAdam fans to contend with.
Alexa S. says
I won’t watch the video yet, as I’ll be reading IGNITE ME tomorrow! But I’m pretty excited to see how Tahereh concludes her series. So far, I haven’t been spoiled (thank goodness!). I think it’s great that Tahereh brought the feels on in this book, and also that Juliette is so. much. stronger. Can’t wait!
Deyse says
THAT ENDING WAS SO TOTALLY OPEN FOR A SEQUEL! Like when Juliette finally came out of her shell and we get to be herself the series end? NOT FAIR TO MY HEART ahaha I totally hope that Tahereh decides to continuum writing about these characters and we get to have a endless series of Juliette taking over the world <3
Tiffani S. says
This is a nice review.
Ashley Pounders says
This is one of my favorite series. I loved all the characters (Kenji for the win!)! I know not a lot of people like all the purple prose stuff, but I really enjoyed how Mafi did it in this series. I found her words to be beautiful. The covers are GORGEOUS and Mafi herself is an absolute doll. I’m so happy Juliette and Warner are together, because well… WARNER! Haha but seriously, I’m sad this is over. I can’t wait to read whatever else Tahereh puts on shelves!