Review: Unravel Me by Tarereh Mafi

Unravel Me by: Tahereh Mafi

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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 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.

I was completely blown away by Shatter Me (read my review here). The lyrical writing, the intense characters, and an intriguing new world made Shatter Me a fabulous book, quickly becoming one of my favorites. Unravel Me was even better than that, if that’s even possible!

After escaping from Sector 45, Juliette is now safe at Omega Point, surrounded by other people with gifts just like her. Everything seems to be going well, but she finds out a devastating secret that threatens the delicate balance she has finally acquired. A hostage situation makes her question everything she has ever known about Warner, the leader of Sector 45. With a war looming, can she ever be free from her deadly touch and to love without harmful consequences?

Juliette grows stronger with each book. I admire everything about her, from her willingness to always find the best in people to her kickassery displayed on many occasions. She cares so much for people and cannot bear to anyone she loves to suffer. Her gift is definitely scary, but she is trying her best to rein it in to be used for destruction against the baddies. Even though she has been ostracized and berated her whole life, she manages to turn that hate into love to fuel all her actions.

Okay. Warning. This paragraph will be all about my love for Warner. Now I know he was an assface in Shatter Me, but in Destroy Me, we saw a completely new Warner. Warner is the way he is because of his completely terrible father (more on him to come later), but he has the capacity to change, and he already has. Warner is sexy (oh my god is he gorgeous), sweet, and is one of the deepest characters I have ever had the honor of reading about. Warner kept surprising me the whole book, and all I want is to know him better. He has so much to give, and he wants to give everything of him to Juliette. My love for Warner knows no bounds because he just has it all. 

When compared with Adam, Warner is such a dynamic character. Adam is definitely sweet, but I don’t feel that depth with him, even though I wanted to. He just fell flat to me, especially when up against Warner. He gave Juliette exactly what she needed when she first escaped the asylum, but I am not sure he can be who she needs anymore. Kenji is my favorite character, well, besides Warner. He is hilarious and definite comedic relief, but he is a rock for Juliette.  He does not sugar-coat anything and tells everything like it is. James, Adam’s brother, is still adorable and surprisingly mature for his young age. Warner’s dad, Anderson, is one of the worst villains I have ever had the displeasure of coming across. Every time I think he can’t get any worse, he does. Times a billion. I am looking forward to his demise in book 3.

One of my favorite things about this series is Mafi’s writing. It is magical, poetic, and completely perfect. Since the story is told in Juliette’s POV, I know exactly what is going through her mind. Her struggles, her deepest fears, and her greatest desires are all wonderfully portrayed. The plot was intriguing and just plain awesome. I wouldn’t change a thing about it. At all. Now for the romance…I will always be Team Warner. Like forever. Unless he does something absolutely horrible in book 3, which I don’t think he will. The reason I love Juliette and him together is because of how much he needs her and how much of an impact she has made on him. He loves her with all of his being, and it’s like he needs her to survive. It is as if she is his anchor to life. He honestly would give anything and everything to Juliette, and his devotion is awe-inspiring; I just love them together very much. They understand each other explicitly in ways no one else do and ever will. Plus, they have the best amazingsexyromanticcantwaitformore sexual chemistry like ever, much, much more so than Adam and Juliette. Two words…chapter sixty-two. Favorite. Chapter. Ever. There were so many emotions, and I felt them all right in my heart. Don’t get me wrong, I like Adam. He’s nice and attentive, but I just don’t have the feels for him like I do for Warner. He’s just not very interesting to me I guess. Warner’s just more. More of everything. Butttttt I have no idea how it’ll turn out. I have my hopes, but Tarereh is so good at throwing curveballs at her poor readers!

If any book does not suffer from sophomore syndrome, it is Unravel Me. What direction book 3 will take, I could not even begin to guess. I will be biting my fingernails for the final book. Total destruction is on the horizon for Juliette, and I just hope she finds the happiness she so deserves.

Favorite Swoon-worthy Quote: His hands travel the length of my back, learning every curve of my figure and he’s kissing my neck, my throat, the slope of my shoulders and his breaths come harder, faster, his hands suddenly threaded in my hair and I’m spinning, I’m dizzy, I’m moving and reaching up behind his neck and clinging to him and it’s ice-cold heat, it’s an ache that attacks every cell in my body. It’s a want so desperate, a need so exquisite that it rivals everything, every happy moment I ever thought I knew.

Rating: 5/5 Tar Heels!