Book Title/Author: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
Publisher/Year: HarperTeen 2013
Genre: YA Dystopian
Series: Yes, read my review of Shatter Me — book 1 in the series!
Other Books From Author: Shatter Me (book #1 in series)
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I received this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way swayed my opinion. Pinky swear!
** Some spoilers for Shatter Me (book 1) may be lurking around here **
We pick up where Shatter Me leaves off and Juliette, Adam and Kenji have escaped the Reestablishment and are underground at Omega Point. Juliette is trying to learn the strength of her abilities and power and learns more about the gifts of all the other people who are at Omega Point. She realizes that the freedom isn’t all that she thought it would be and that simply loving Adam isn’t as easy as it sounds with the power that brews inside her. The Reestablishment is still reeling from Juliette’s escape and will stop at nothing to find her and silence the spirit of a resistance they’ve only heard about.
“There was too much kissing in this book.” — SAID NO ONE EVER. Seriously, Tahereh Mafi. You upped the sexy in this book. I had to fan myself quite a few times even if I didn’t always LOVE what was going on. I wish there was an award for good kissing scenes because Tahereh has a whole arsenal of them in Unravel Me that proves why she would win this award. As much as I enjoy swoon and kissing and romance, I don’t know that I’ve ever started a review out talking about the kissing nor have I devoted an entire paragraph in a review to it. But, here we are. You need to know it.
So Unravel Me. WOW. What an incredible follow-up to Shatter Me — it was sexy, daring, gripping and certainly didn’t lack in excitement. I really enjoyed learning more about this underground resistance and watching Juliette trying to learn how to fit IN with other people and come to terms with her abilities. There are some explosive moments in this book and I was constant state of being riveted and then completely blindsided by THINGS — aka a huge twist that is a BIG deal and a certain chapter that definitely changes the course of this series.
I love the way all of these characters are written. Tahereh isn’t afraid to lift the curtain and make us see characters in a different way — even if it makes us have conflicting feelings. Juliette becomes my least favorite character in this series — she is whiny and acts stupidly sometimes and just has way too much self loathing going on…but at the end of the day I’m still rooting for her to realize her own strength and feel comfortable in her skin. I love Adam but he becomes stale for me this time around and I’m left wondering what is so special about him but I STILL LOVE HIM SO MUCH and want Juliette to be with him when she can sort her damn feelings and emotions. Kenji doesn’t really change but just becomes my ALL TIME FAVE and so incredibly awesome! And Warner…oh Warner. He is so complex. I got that feeling from Shatter Me and most of my suspicions were true in terms of there is something else within him and that he probably had a hard childhood that hardened him. I’ve never had such polarizing feelings towards a character. I will say, I am NOT a person who switched to Team Warner but I do understand him more and believe he can be redeemed but not quite on board with a romance (because ew he was her captor and he has done some beyond horrible things and is manipulative). I believe there is more to him but could not even entertain anything romantical. But HOLY EFF, Tahereh. I have never ever before seen such a passionate switch of teams by readers and an even more passionate resounding HELL NO by others.
The emotions she brings to Unravel Me just astound me — I seriously felt a myriad of things. Things I never knew I felt. It was kind of like how after you work out or do a new workout and the next day your muscles are so sore because you are using muscles you’ve neglected or barely worked out but never realized. That’s how my heart felt — these deep aches and soreness from places in my heart that have rarely seen the light of day. It’s amazing the kind of emotions I felt reading this book — sadness and aching and anger and longing and ALL THE FEELS. My heart was a volatile organ while reading this and I just always felt I was on the brink of uncertainty.
An amazing sequel to a book that captivated me from the start. Suffice it to say — my mind is reeling and in complete and utter awe of Tahereh Mafi and everything about this series — the realness of the characters, her exquisitly unique writing style that just captivates you, the KISSING, the depth of emotions she unearths and the risks she is just willing to take. If you haven’t read Shatter Me, get on it so you can experience things that your heart might not experience every day — including being smashed to pieces, writhing in agony and possibly this polarizing feeling when it comes to the boys in this series. I love that I could hate characters or be frustrated by them and even be opposed to the direction that the story was going but I still undoubtedly loved this book and BELIEVED it wholly.
Let’s Talk: Have you read this one?? Heard of the series? If you’ve read it, did you enjoy it?? Are you Team Adam or Team Warner? EXPLAIN YOURSELF IF YOU ARE TEAM WARNER!! Did anyone else just fall in love with Kenji?? I OH SNAPPED when he told Juliette off basically. ALSO, did you see the REALLY BIG SHOCKING TWIST COMING?? I did not. At all.
Paige says
I hate to say this but I AM TEAM WARNER. I hated him in the first book — of course! Who didn’t!? But I absolutely turned 180 degrees for Warner in Unravel Me. He’s an awful person, yes, but I feel like he’s so scarred and so wounded and understands Juliette in a way that Adam just doesn’t. He understands how she feels when she touches other people, he understands her innermost thoughts from reading her journal. I just can’t get over them! I am almost positive she will end up either alone or with Adam, but in my head I will always be Team Warner!
I agree 100% with your review, by the way! I just loved this book.
DannyBookworm says
ahaha!! I cannot freaking wait to read it.. Or rather, I will definitely go with the audiobook again!
Oh and.. Team Adam! Love this boy. But I know Pushy loves Warner and .. I have no clue why! And .. this is also why I am so afraid of this book *sigh*
But.. the kissing!!! woot…
Rachel says
I’m TOTALLY Team Adam…though I may have fallen for Warner. And I love Kenji–he’s hilarious! He had me laughing out loud, and my cousin was all “shut up,” but I just couldn’t. And that twist? What one? THERE WERE SO MANY. This book was all kinds of cray cray, and it totally killed me. Not just Chapter 62 (*fans self*) but Chapter 67 and beyond? I REALLY want to know what that’s like from Warner’s POV. I may have already reread that part. And want to again. And again. And again. Great review!
Juliet says
Oh my totally agree with you about ALL the feels! I had to take breaks from reading AND for the first time in YA love triangle history i am not on a team! so weird.
bookrockbetty says
THE KISSING. hahahaha you know how i feel about kissing books… and looooove that you felt compelled to dedicate about a third of your review to the sexiness that this book is. 😉
You are so right about the insane team switching– people are usually all or nothing once they hop on board with someone early on, but man o man did a lot of people jump ship and swim to the dark side. OH WARNER is right! 🙁
So glad we read this one together. Without our texts I would have exploded.
Lily says
Personally I have concluded The shatter Me series has the hottest love triange in YA right now. I love how you just had to spend a portion of your review going over the level of hotness this book has, because honestly I had to fan myself a few times too reading this one.
I think i’m one of the early one people that found Warner interesting and immedately shipped him, I don’t know I could just somehow sense the broken damaged boy in him and was immedately attracted. I liked Adam too though and at the begining of UM had a bit of a thing for him but i think it’s not safe to say i’m forever Team Warner.
And the twists! Christ, Tahereh Mafi loves to just break out hearts doesn’t she? EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED IN THIS BOOK WAS UNBELIVEBLY AND LEFT ME SHOCKED. UM can probably in my books be considered even better than SM, the level of awesomeness surrounding this book is unreal. I know you were so scared to read this one because of all the team switching but I’m glad you did Jamie and that you liked it 🙂
Lily
Elizabeth says
I absolutely loved Shatter Me and really enjoyed Destroy Me, also. I am super anxious to finally get to Unravel Me. Sounds amazing!
Gaby Robbins says
Team ADAM! I get it Warner has feelings and Juliette doesn’t know what to feel, but come on!!! It’s always been Adam. I had to put this book down because of the stress and chapter 62 on numerous occasions. Overall, loved it! Can’t wait to see what happens. Great review!
Molli says
Your review is so great, Jamie! If I hadn’t already read Unravel Me, I’d be going out RIGHT NOW and doing everything and anything to get my hands on a copy!
THE KISSING. The kissing was awesome. The plot was awesome at times. I wanted to smack Juliette a few times, BUT I always believed in her, and I feel like Book 3 will be her bringing it, you know? Like she’s had to hit rock bottom in order to just dig deep and become JULIETTE. I hope that makes sense. And I hope she does bring it in book 3 or I’ll be pissed. lol.
I have a LOT of feelings about Adam vs Warner. I feel like Adam was her first love – he was there, he was kind and GOOD to her, he wanted her and cared about her, and I think she fell in love with THAT as much as anything. Warner, yes has done bad things, but he’s showing he CAN change. I doubt he’ll ever be perfect, but I think his love for Juliette makes him more human, that and Tahereh lifting the curtain so to speak and showing us he isn’t ALL bad. I really, really am enjoying learning about Warner. Whether or not he ends up with Juliette or not, he’s fascinating, and he just tugs at my heart! I want to hug him forever. (Darn it, I ALWAYS fall for characters like him.)
I just need book 3 in my life. At least a title. Jeez. TOO LONG TO WAIT.
Brenna from Esther's Ever After says
I haven’t read Unravel Me YET (eeeeek, I’m working on it!) but I’m so glad to hear that you liked this one, Jamie! I love Tahereh’s writing style and I completely agree with you about Warner (after reading Destroy Me). I don’t HATE him, but I’m really not feeling the romance there either. It just feels too creepy for me!
Brenna from <a href="http://everafteresther.blogspot.com"Esther’s Ever After
Andrea @Cozy Up With A Good Read says
I am totally a Team Adam as well, but I agree that he was stale in this book. I just wanted him to get over himself. And the kissing scenes… OH MY, there were so many times I started turning red, just reading the scenes. I really don’t want this series to end, I love everything about it, and the things that came out in this book completely shocked me! As soon as I saw this book in a store I ran for it, I needed to have it in my hands ASAP.
Alexa Y. says
You basically read my mind when you wrote this review! No really, you did. I seriously am annoyed with Juliette at the moment, although she redeemed herself a little towards the latter half of the book. And I too am missing Adam’s presence greatly. But it was interesting to learn more about Warner AND Kenji was an epic character! Tahereh really knows how to make her characters complex and interesting and multi-dimensional, and I LOVE IT.
Tara says
Girl, that twist… I read this book ages ago and I still think about it. Book #3 is going to kill us.
Rachel says
I love how you describe Unravel Me as “Explosive, sexy, and daring” because that is an absolutely perfect description of this book! I loved the romance in this book even though I don’t like Warner. The way Mafi writes is beautiful and breathtaking and I just love her so much. I would agree that it’s one hell of a sequel; it’s definitely one of the best I’ve ever read. Mafi’s writing has improved leaps and bounds and she really brings Juliette’s story to life in this one. I’m so happy you loved it!
Jen says
OBVIOUSLY I’m Team Warner. But you know what? All the people who don’t switch and stand their ground totally make this series thrive. Such a divided fanbase rooting for our book loves and such STRONG emotions for the respective choices are what make Tahereh Mafi such a great author. Yet we are united in our bowing to her awesomeness. ALL HAIL TAHEREH.
marissa | Rae Gun Ramblings says
ahhh you’re making me so excited to get to this! it’s sitting on myself but I’ve got a few books i have to get through first
Marissa @ Rae Gun Ramblings
Christina says
Jamie, I think those of us who are Team Warner have all probably read the e-novella Destroy Me. It explains so much and turns some (most? all?) of the horrible things Warner has done on their heads. I can’t say more without spoilers!
Janita (Book, Interrupted) says
Want to read, so bad! I don’t think I was ever Team Adam or Team Warner, mostly because I don’t really like either of the guys. Adam is just a shallow guy with no defining attractiveness except for his muscletone, and Warner is a manipulative jerk, and I don’t want Juliette to go for the stereotypical bad boy, because that’s so cliché. Sooo…Team Kenji!! based on the few chapters he was in when I read Shatter Me. He’s the only one with a semi-likeable personality for me.
Giselle says
Eeek! I was already excited about this one but you made me even moreso! So excited to see how she does with being out in the world that’s always fascinating for me for some reason. Seeing how people adapt etc. I also love the way Tahareh writes her characters–at least in Shatter Me. They were actual real people and even if you don’t like them they don’t becomes annoyances if you know what I mean! I can’t wait to go get my copy of this! Great review, muffin!
Vivian says
I def felt a slew of emotions while reading this one. Juliette got on my nerves sometimes too and I agree w/you, I see the appeal of Warner, but I’m still rooting for Adam. He has his low points in this book, but his devotion to Juliette is what makes me stay true to him. Great review! Love those kissy scenes too!
Vivian
Confessions of a Vi3tBabe
Deity Island
Casey says
I didn’t really like Shatter Me, but I can’t wait to read this one! I think it’s going to be a lot better!
Christy M says
I seriously need to read this book! I loved Shatter Me but I have yet to buy this one 🙁
Oh, and as of right now I am Team Adam!
Christy @ Christy’s Book Addiction
Cody Doll says
Completely unrelated to the book: I think you are an amazing book review. You do an amazing job of grabbing peoples attention. I want to create my own book review blog but I have no idea on how to create a review. Maybe after reading a TON more of yours I will understand.