Shatter Me audiobook

2022 re-read. I really need to finish this series.4/5 stars.The only reason I gave this book 4 and not 5 stars is because I really dislike Adam and Juliette as a couple.Juliette “loved” Adam because he was the only one who was nice to her, the only one who noticed her when they were kids. It hasn't changed. He can touch her, and she- the girl who has never been touched, the girl whose whole life she wanted to feel loved- she “fell in love” with him.Now, I'm pretty sure she's confused between love and this new feeling she loves, the feeling that someone touches her and that someone loves her.She’s a poor girl after all, she never felt how a person cared about her, I can understand why she’s so sure she’s in love with Adam.Adam himself, well, let’s say I'm not so fond of him when he's with her. He’s insanely cringe in my opinion. The way he always wanted her, the way he looked for her everywhere. I’m sorry, It's too cliche, yuck.And Juliet? You may notice that she enjoys his touch more than him specifically. It's not love. Come on. Nope.But I really like Adam in general, he’s very sweet. And of course Juliette loves Adam in general, but... I don’t think their love is true. Idk, let’s see how it’ll work out.The plot itself was amazing. The idea is amazing. Kenji is amazing. Warner is amazing. Oh, Warner is SO AMAZING. He's a cute psychopath, it's the perfect combination. I love you Warner. Ooookaayyy, I'm ready for the second book.

** spoiler alert ** November 2017I picked this back up on a whim because I've been dealing with anxiety lately and wanted to return to something comforting, so I decided to annotate one of my paperback copies. And I gotta say, It's.... weird returning to book one. Ignite Me is my favorite book of all time, and rereading that book is such an immersive experience that I always come out of feeling empowered. This book, on the other hand, holds such a special place in my heart because it's so relatable that it hurts. From Juliette's panic to her awkwardness to her resilience to the writing style, everything just hurts so good. There's parts of me that I see in Juliette, and there's parts of Juliette that I wish I could be better at. It's just such a refreshing and inspirational book to read because it's about someone who has been handed the shittiest circumstances and still looks for the best in others, perseveres, and demands what's right for her. It's about learning to trust and realizing your worth and giving people second chances. FUCK i'm about to cry typing this review. I love Juliette so much and I love Tahereh even more for sharing a story that touches the deepest corners of my heart. It's truly a life-changing book for me. I’ve always read this as the story of a sad, self-conscious, self-loathing girl learning to see past obstacles to find love in herself and to let others in. however, i haven't read this since summer 2016, so my experience of reading this after the election & other #stressful political happenings opened my eyes to a completely new underside of the story. It had always been visible to me but was it never at the forefront, but this time I noticed it so vividly: this is also the story about a deeply hurt and angry girl who wants justice. People always criticize Juliette for being weak and annoying, especially in Unravel Me, but when she pushes back against her fear and stands up for herself, it's jaw-dropping. I envy her ability to know what's best for her and hold others' happiness and safety above her own even though she's gone through so much turmoil and deserves to be the person being looked out for. I used to think that Juliette gets suddenly really strong in Ignite Me, but reading this closely just showed how ready she was for that transformation. In my annotated editions, I use blue highlighter to mark parts where Juliette is really badass, and I didn't expect to use it a ton in this one, but it's everywhere. Juliette is a pure and fearless motherfucker. Even in book one she has powerful quotes like "I'm not yours to want," and it challenges all the ideas Warner tries to install into her head.Which is where this book gets slippery. It's getting really, really difficult for me to reconcile Warner's actions in book one. I've definitely had others question how I ship Juliette with Warner after all he's put Juliette through in this book, and it's a valid concern. Every time I think about this book, i'm just kinda like “hahaha problematic warner but whatever.” But the more I reread, especially after ignite me came out, and ESPECIALLY during this particular reread, the more questions I have that I can only hope will now be explained in restore me. Don't get me wrong, this book still means so much to me because of juliette, but there’s no possible way for me to read this book with the mindset “omg i love warner!!” because he’s literally the villain and he does and says so many problematic, manipulative things. Honestly, I don't think it's fair to justify everything Warner does. While rereading this I was actually shocked at the amount of nasty things he says to her, that I obviously must have forgotten or blocked from my memory. Things like telling her she'll be miserable if she leaves him because no one else will want her, calling her a monster, professing his love for her even when she's clearly uncomfortable. In Unravel Me and Ignite Me he explains why he did these things and says that he regrets doing it, but... it seems to go so far in this book. I almost theorize that Tahereh must have written warner in book 1 to continue being a villain throughout the series, but there's way too many threads that suggest otherwise (ie. the introduction of the angst behind warner's mom, the fact that she felt "electricity" during their kiss, etc.)I feel like I could write an essay about this topic: the inconsistencies of Warner's personality, and whether or not it's justifiable to forgive him for his "misjudgments" of Juliette. It's just so strange to me that Adam & Kenji can say "Warner is a lot of things, but he's not stupid," and yet Warner misreads her SO horribly. I mean, in the scene that he corners her and kisses her, he's literally saying "I want you to choose me" and "I love you" and later admits that he thought she was into it, EVEN THOUGH she literally said "You're sick/you're a monster/etc." and physically tried to punch him before he pinned her to the wall. If he's so smart, then why couldn't he tell that every time he talks to her, she's afraid and disgusted? Is it really that easy to mistake fear for excitement? Disgust for nerousness? His behavior is so coercive and manipulative, and even though I know he was just trying to get a reaction out of her so that she would abandon her fear and finally use her power, there's not nearly enough of an apology as I would expect for things of this magnitude. The reason why I don't consider Warner an outright misogynist is an incredibly nuanced (and long) discussion, but the difference between him and, say, a Colleen Hoover character is that while Warner is saying and doing problematic things, he is also being cast in a problematic light. He is literally the villain of this story for putting her in those situations. Had Juliette been like "omg he's pinning me against a wall and threatening me, he's so dominating

(Reread)finally writing a review for one of my favourite series of all time. Shatter me, especially the first book has in my opinion alot of death and emotions, mostly dark sad and depressed ones in this book but I think it is a great representation of what it would feel like to be locked up for so long without being able to touch another person. her reaction to the other person, Adam, is very realistic and the way Juliette is obsessed with numbers makes alot of sense. The enemy in this book is great and obviously the sarcastic best friend bring joy to this book. Cannot wait to have others experience the character development and overall growth that juliette goes through

I seriously don’t know why it took me so long to dig my claws into this book, but I definitely know that I don’t regret doing it! ;-)“Shatter Me” was an awesome read and I enjoyed it immensely! There were so many things I loved about this book and whilst it is true that many people complained about the writing style, I have to admit that I actually loved it. “Hope is hugging me, holding me in its arms, wiping away my tears and telling me that today and tomorrow and two days from now I will be just fine and I'm so delirious I actually dare to believe it.”I think it was something new and extraordinary and I loved the way Juliette described her world. The repetitions, her thoughts, the things she thought and even the truths she vehemently refused to admit. It all gave me a very good picture of her character and her mind, the many things she must have gone through shaping her into a person that distrusts everyone and desperately tries not to feel anything. XD Of course she’s failing but this actually only made her even more likeable. *lol*See where I’m getting at? Tahereh Mafi knows exactly what she’s doing and she really managed to drag me into her world. Yes, I confess! I’m officially hooked now and I’m soo going to read all of the other books! ;-PSo be prepared to read many reviews! *LOL*Okay, enough of the threats and right back to the characters! Oh, the characters! There’s so much to tell! XD FAIR WARNING: Mild spoilers lying ahead of you! ;-) Juliette: At the beginning of the book you don’t even know her name. Everything you know is that she’s been imprisoned for ages and that she’s more than just a little insecure. Considering her ability this is no surprise though, the fact she can hurt and even kill people with just the touch of her fingertips making it kind of hard to be all too sociable. Juliette may not talk a lot but she sees everything and she’s more than just observant. She obviously also seems to have a knack for poetry and I really enjoyed the way she used her words. “All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart.”Adam: That boy is hot as hell and Juliette’s new cell mate! Could a girl ask for more? Dark hair, blue eyes, awesome and muscular body! *drools* Okay, okay! I’m back on track! *lol* Yeah, as you can see Adam is just awesome boyfriend material and it’s no wonder that they kind of hit it off! He’s caring and gentle and he always tries to understand Juliette’s thoughts. I liked him from the beginning and I’m really curious to find out how things are going to proceed in the next books. =)Sidenote: Is it just me or does he never tell Juliette that he loves her? O_o I thought this was kind of odd. Juliette told him she loved him but as far as I could read he never returned it…. Did I miss anything? xDGod, Juliette, I'd follow you anywhere. You're the only good thing left in this world.”Warner: Oh my god! Warner! Gosh! Warner! Argh! Warner! *babbling mess* That boy, that boy gave me all the feels! Good and bad! Happy and angry! Disgusted and longing for more! *lol* I wanted him to touch Juliette and I wanted her to touch him! I just couldn’t decide if I wanted it because I wanted him to hurt or because I wanted them to make out! *LOL* What is it with me and the villains? Why do I love them so much!? XD First Maven and now Warner, I think I’m going to die! >_< Oh, well I think I’m supposed to say something about his character as well so here I go: He’s ruthless when he is with his soldiers but he is gentle whenever he is with Juliette. He seems to care about her a LOT and he even admitted that he loved her! But why does he hurt her so much? Warner is a big question mark and some sort of mystery I’m determined to solve. So yesh, I’m so going to read “Destroy Me” after I wrote this review! XD His smile is laced with dynamite. "Go to sleep.""Go to hell."He works his jaw. Walks to the door. "I'm working on it.”"I'm nineteen years old." He clarifies. "I'm a fairly impressive specimen for my age, I know." Kenji: I loved Kenji! That boy is so funny and I really enjoyed his sassy demeanour. He’s constantly hitting on Juliette and his character gives the book a hilarious edge. I want more of him and actually can’t wait to meet him again! =)His grin is crooked. "I don't know why, but I kind of like it when you threaten me.""That's because you're an idiot.""Nah." He shakes his head. "You've got a sexy voice makes everything sound naughty."So, if you haven’t already figured it out: YES I liked “Shatter Me” and I can easily recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a nice and short-lived page turner! =)Enjoy! ;-P

pretty sure my most extreme opinion is: adam is, and always will be, better than warner. never have i felt so strongly about something and i will defend him until my last breath. hes perfect. feels good to get that off my chest. lol.

This is gooooooooood. I'm not giving it 5 stars because, even if I admire the shit out of the author's style and talent, the writing is a bit too pretentious at times (hyperbole thy name is Tahereh Mafi), and I really don't care much about the whole Adam/Juliette thing, which unfortunately, occupies a huge part of the story. If you know me, you know I am a pro at ignoring ships that the authors clearly want you to root for. I don't trust Adam and his and Juliette's feelings for each other are so desperate and all over the place that it's really easy to confuse love with a typical hormonal storm. Also, Adam is super boring, and this seems like one of those romances you often encounter in first books and which only purpose is to prepare you for the abominable love triangle that's inevitably going to be rubbed in your face, later.As if the presence of a love triangle wasn't a problem of its own already... But I'll try to endure it, for the sake of a good book such as this one. Just give me a bit more consensual interactions with Warner -because of course I had to fall for the stunning and stunningly cold-blooded sociopath-, fill up some plot holes, bless us all with some more Kenji sass, let Juliette not become a self-centered and stubborn bish, and I'm sold for the rest of the series. Can't wait to read book 2!

“all i ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being, not just with my hands but with my heart.” this book has been on my tbr forever and i finally caved in just for my psycho aaron warner 💓💗💞— i had mixed feelings starting this book bc the reviews were both good n bad so i was conflicted, but honestly i LOVED it, and i’m mad at myself for waiting so long to read this!!the writing style is different—it took me a while to get used to it, and the start of the book was slow and repetitive but i ended up enjoying it. (the writing style felt poetic to me)i am v grateful for the short chapters and how fast paced this book is >>>— i love kenji so fucking much!! he had me laughing and smiling with all his antics. i hope we see some character development w him in the next book — now warner, no wonder people didn’t like him in this book, he is literally borderline psychotic but he has the biggest soft spot for juliette!! some of the stuff he done was questionable, but i in fact could not hate him - now i can’t wait for his development throughout this series bc i know i’m going to be (already am) obsessed w him. when he calls juliette “love” and the way he cares abt her — he’s the definition of boy obsessed 😩😮‍💨😵‍💫💞💓💕this book left me with so many unanswered questions so i’m excited to see where this series goes and how it progresses

Re-Read (11/02/2018)I enjoyed it as much as I thought I would. I missed the characters a lot so I spent a great time accompanying them in this adventure, I know that it is not the best book in the world and I know that alot of people can't stand it, but personally, even though I'm aware of certain problems in it, I can't stop loving it. Shatter Me is one of those books that have made me love reading even more and will always be in my heart. I can't wait to continue with my re-reading in preparation for Restore Me, which I hope doesn't breake my heart lol.Read about Kenji and Warner again, it makes me so happy! Original Review: (23/06/16) “I have a curse.I HAVE A GIFT.I'm a monster.I'M MORE THAN HUMAN.My touch Is lethal.MY TOUCH IS POWER.I am their weapon.I WILL FIGHT BACK.” I thoroughly enjoyed reading this!.Like many I had said, yes , I finished attached to the characters !. From Adam to Juliette and Warner they are all very good characters with very well-defined personalities.But my heart has been with Warner from the beginning and I need to know more about him RIGHT NOW ! Omg is so interesting!The plot is very interesting from the start, of course that highlights the incredible of the writing of this book, because guys, I've been in love with the way of writing that has Tahereh!. So beautiful, unique and completely addictive!if it has taken me a while to finish reading it, it was simply because I have no time to read (universal dilemma of most LOL), because this book is mainly characterized because, once you start with it is very difficult to leave it !. I had read it in one sitting if I could.Juliette is a great main character for the story, from the beginning won my heart, for the difficult things she has been through (for his "condition"), how hard it has been her childhood and the relationship with her parents, just, broke my heart.There were moments in which I thought, "Why you does this or Why you say that?", I think she was a little lost in some pretty obvious situations to understand, from my point of view, but then you think she's been locked up for a while and has not had intimately contact with anyone in her life, and her actions have much more sense. “I spent my life folded between the pages of books.In the absence of human relationships I formed bonds with paper characters. I lived love and loss through stories threaded in history; I experienced adolescence by association. My world is one interwoven web of words, stringing limb to limb, bone to sinew, thoughts and images all together. I am a being comprised of letters, a character created by sentences, a figment of imagination formed through fiction.” Adam is a character that I liked, but it took me a while to love him, I liked more in the end, in the action scenes, but for others things I consider him as the typical hero of the story, quite stereotype, handsome boy, who saves te girl and I don't know yet I'm not convinced about it. But I have faith on him, and I hope revelations for this character , maybe change my mind :) “His lips soften into a smile that cracks apart my spine. He repeats my name like the word amuses him. Entertains him. Delights him. In seventeen years no one has said my name like that” Warner is my love lol, I feel a great connection with this character, it is dark and hides a mystery that catches my attention. It is so interesting and sexy , I'm dying to know more of its history, really, I know it is something perverse in this book but you can't deny that his scenes with Juliette are INCREDIBLE. High Voltage guys!,even when only they speak to each other. So Good! . I don't know how she resists to him! “His smile is laced with dynamite. "Go to sleep""Go to hell."He works his jaw. Walks to the door. "I'm working on it.” So I'm dying to continue the story I loved it, especially the last pages and the plot twist has surprised me !. I love the whole powers thing . Very clever twist! YAY!.

4 stars!
 “All I ever wanted was to reach out and touch another human being not just with my hands but with my heart.” 
Holy hell… this one was intense! Shatter Me has been on my TBR for YEARS, but one of my book friends/favorite book pushers insisted I get to it ASAP. So I did. This book was addicting. I listened to the audio book in 2 days and can’t wait to get to the next one. I have mixed feelings about what’s going on and I can’t wait to see what happens next! I find both of the guys intriguing and I’m excited to see more of each of them ;) One thing is for sure, though- this author’s writing is strong and captivating. I'm looking forward to more.

(Note: Goodreads friends and followers, you know me by now. You know that, even as much as I love a book, my reviews aren't always a resounding, "Oh my goodness, you need to READ THIS NOW! YOUR LIFE WILL BE SO MUCH FULLER BECAUSE OF IT!" I'm not that naive or arrogant to think that the books I love will be the books you love. Instead, my reviews are...chronicles of the experiences I had with books, and if that can help you decide whether certain books will be for you or not, then I'll be all the happier. However, sometimes I am a gushing mess with books I love, and I don't note the flaws present. I will try to be mindful of this tendency of mine as I write this review.)Hope is hugging me, holding me in its arms, wiping away my tears and telling me that today and tomorrow and two days from now I will be just fine and I'm so delirious I actually dare to believe it.Two years ago, I had my first experience with a young adult dystopian novel: Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games. I fell in love with the characters, found myself fascinated yet horrified by the circumstances of the world, and became invested in a wonderful story that still makes me feel a tangle of emotions to this day. In some respects, Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me gave me some of the same emotions I had back then as I stayed up to the wee hours of the morning just to read what happened next to Katniss, Peeta, and everyone else. Shatter Me left me expectant, worried, and intrigued with every page I turned. It was a stressful reading experience, definitely, but all the stress I felt was pent-up through the heroine, Juliette.Juliette, you see, hasn't been touched for 264 days. Inside of her is a curse gift that brings deathdeathdeath agony to anyone she touches, and this strange ability has led to her being locked away in an asylum. Isolation takes its toll on Juliette, and her only real solace is writing away in a notebook and spinning phrases in such a way that they seem overwrought and not entirely rational or "normal." Then the unthinkable occurs: Juliette is given a cellmate, and everything she thought she knew begins to expand and spin out of her control entirely.Shatter Me is a dystopian novel but, unlike others of the genre, the novel is less about external conflict (though there is some of that; it wouldn't be a novel if there weren't) and more about internal conflict. To make my meaning more clear, let me explain with a comparison: one of my friends recently directed me to a script called Maggie about a teenage girl bitten by a zombie and her slow change into one of the undead. What do zombies and one girl's transformation into one have to do with this novel? Because that script is about a big idea (zombie infestation worldwide) narrowed down to a character (Maggie) and her experiences. In some ways, Shatter Me, is much like that: it's about a big idea (a dystopian world headed by a secretive totalitarian government), but instead it focuses on one character's role in it (Juliette). Given how so many writers focus on the "big ideas" and sacrifice deep characterization because of it, I was very happy with the way this first novel developed, driven by Juliette and her ramblings thoughts.Another hurdle of this novel is the prose, something that I feel will probably alienate many readers since...it's not exactly typical to read novels with lines like I'm catapulted across the room by my own fear or My mouth freezes in place. Also, the strike-outs may become a teensy-bit annoying to some readers. As for my experience, I was surprised: the prose didn't bother me. It actually reminded me of a verse novel (which, I know, many people don't like...but I find some of them very lovely, albeit a bit thin plot-wise). And it also helped that the prose fit the character. Juliette is an isolated girl, left alone with nothing but her own thoughts and words. Her thoughts, eccentric and detailed as they are, are coping mechanisms. The words help her to distance herself from her situation, and even after her life begins to brighten she still relies on her old habits of describing things and actions in an unnatural way. What would have bothered me is if Juliette hadn't seemed a bit "different" after spending so much time alone. Then I would have thought her a robot, and the story would not have drawn me in nearly as much.The hero, Adam, and the antagonist, Warner, also managed to get my heartstrings all tangled. I couldn't help noting some of the sweetness and tenderness I had seen in Peeta Mellark's character within Adam Kent. In contrast, Warner...is a sadistic bastard of a character, but his obsession with Juliette and her powers is as sorrowful as it is pitiful and disturbing. Though a part of me dreads the love triangle already beginning to form, a greater part of me finds the dynamics fascinating since Adam and Warner are two opposite ends of the spectrum. One is heroic and kind; the other is cruel and nearly mad during certain moments. Even though it's a no-brainer who the "right" choice is, one must wonder how this will all play out if Juliette begins to look at herself as a monster again.I'm not going to lie: the direction this novel takes is familiar yet still a bit surprising. When I opened this book, I hadn't known what to expect...but, near the end, I found myself at a complete one-eighty from what I had first expected. That in and of itself is a good thing, so I'm hoping that the rest of the trilogy will continue to bring surprises to the table. With the ending, I actually felt that I had a glimpse of what Tahereh Mafi had been hoping to accomplish with this novel. It's an origins story of transformation and healing amid darkness, despair, and loneliness.The only major thing that irked me a little in this first novel was that the lack of other female characters was...quite noticeable. It gets a tad annoying that all the other characters (who matter) are boys in this first installment. No matter how strong Juliette becomes as a character, somehow it will feel a little lacking if she's the lone girl amid adoring males. I love strong heroines even more when they have a few other strong females around them. As much as I really enjoyed this first installment, my reading experiences with the next two novels may be hindered as far as enjoyment goes if Juliette remains the one girl who matters in the story.Mixed though the opinions may be about this novel, Shatter Me really surprised me with its take on the dystopian genre, narrative style, and characterization. I look forward to seeing what will happen as the story progresses throughout the trilogy, so here's hoping the ride will continue to be exhilarating to me as a reader. As for whether you should try this one for yourself...I advise making use of preview chapters before committing to read the entire novel. Shatter Me isn't going to be for everyone, but I hope that it will find the readers who will appreciate and savor it for what it is and be able to ignore the flaws that may hamper full enjoyment of this novel.

The writing style intrigued me and although at times I was irritated with Juliette, I couldn't help but enjoy this book! I flew right threw it in two days! Here's my booktalk with all my thoughts and musings: http://youtu.be/Ihe6hYaUTRA =D