Unravel Me

by Tahereh Mafi

Unravel Me releases two months from tomorrow on February 5, 2013! I cannot wait for everyone to read this book. Then we can all start anticipating the final installment together. 

Thank you to HarperCollins for the opportunity to read this story and keep defending Adam. Check out this post for an excerpt from the 'In Defense of Adam Kent' letter I wrote to get a copy of the book.

Read: November 2012
Published: February 5, 2013 by HarperCollins (2 months!)
Source: ARC from publisher
Category: Dystopian/Paranormal Romance
Series: Shatter Me book 2

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 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. (From Goodreads)

NOTE: Unravel Me is book 2 in a series. My review contains SPOILERS for Shatter Me. If you have yet to read it, see my review HERE. 

Before I start talking about Unravel Me, I want to tell you two truths.
1) You should read Destroy Me before picking up Unravel Me. Written from Warner's perspective, Destroy Me gives you insight into his mind and tells you about what he is doing between the first two books of the series. Whether you like or loathe Warner, Destroy Me will give you a new perspective on the Shatter Me antagonist. The novella is also an important transition to the events that take place in Unravel Me. 

2) After reading Unravel Me, I am still Team Adam. However, I am unsurprised that people have fallen for Warner, and I don't blame them for it. (Much.)

When Unravel Me begins, Juliette is struggling to fit into her new home. 
Unravel Me starts soon after the end of Shatter Me, and Juliette is attempting to settle into life at Omega Point. However, she's having some trouble adapting. This is not really surprising considering how much psychological damage she's suffered throughout her life, including her recent solitary confinement in the mental institution. She has been shunned by nearly everyone she's ever met and as a result is distrustful of people. She also lacks social skills, because she was only ever taught to keep away from people because she could hurt them. On top of that, Juliette is trying to come to terms with who she is and what her powers are. Basically she's a mess. 

The only place Juliette feels safe is with Adam, and she relies on him. But Adam has been kept busy at Omega Point, and he can't be there for her all the time. He also has his own issues going on, which creates even more tension for an already stressed out Juliette. 

Although I understood why Juliette was so depressed throughout this book, I did start to get annoyed by her constant moping and second-guessing of herself. She also made some choices in this story that I did not agree with. BUT I was also pleased with how she eventually worked through everything. The high emotional content of Juliette in Unravel Me made me thankful for Kenji, who is excellent at putting things into perspective for her and for easing the tension. He has become one of my most favorite characters in this series. 

Two people can touch Juliette. 
At the end of Shatter Me, Juliette knows that Adam is not the only person who can touch her, but she hasn't told anyone else about Warner. In Unravel Me, I was biting my nails waiting for that news to come out. I also couldn't wait to discover why Adam and Warner can touch Juliette. Unravel Me answers both questions and of course it creates tons of drama. 

Mafi's prose is still divine.
One reason why I fell in love with Shatter Me was Juliette's unique voice. The way that Juliette and her world are portrayed through Tahereh Mafi' exquisite writing captured my heart. I was completely taken by the story and emotionally tied to Juliette's journey. 

When I started Unravel Me, I was excited to be back in Juliette's world again. Right away, I was able to recapture the magic of Mafi's prose, which is just so beautiful. However, this book stressed me out in places, and that made it hard for me concentrate on the words making up the plot, instead turning the pages quickly to find out what happens next!! But that also means that I was completely invested in this book. Seriously, I could not put it down. 

The leader of The Reestablishment makes me shudder. 
We do find out a lot more about The Reestablishment and the structure of the government in Unravel Me. We also meet the man in charge, and he causes all sorts of problems for these characters. If you've read Destroy Me, you know exactly the person I'm talking about. 

I still have a lot of questions about the world in which Juliette lives. But this series is the story of one girls' growth, and I think the sheltered nature of her life and the stress she's been facing has kept the focus off of some of those bigger questions. We also don't get much more information about the 'science' behind people's abilities, and I am really curious about those answers. 

Of course I'm going to talk about the love triangle.  
I'm just going to come out and state that YES there is a massive love triangle that pops up in Unravel Me.  It is something that truly blindsided me, and was extremely difficult for me to come to terms with. Honestly, I was heartbroken when I found out about it from earlier reviewers, and I had to go through a mourning period (I am not joking). When I read Shatter Me, I fell hard for Adam. With the same bird in Juliette's dreams inked on Adam's chest, I was certain that he was the one for her (I still think this!). I thought Warner was a brilliant villain. 

Unravel Me challenged all of my beliefs. Against my better judgement, I found myself considering Warner as an option. He is still Warner, but he is also not what he seems.  As much as it pains me to write this, there are several reasons that make him an attractive choice for Juliette. However, some elements of this story also seemed too convenient - or inconvenient as it were - and I felt a manipulated by some of the details of the plot. I will readily admit that many readers will disagree with me, and even relish these elements. (I have written a more in depth essay about the love triangle, that is filled with spoilers. But I don't want to post that until after Unravel Me is available in stores.)

Despite everything, I am still rooting for Adam, and I predict big things for him in the next book. I am also crossing my fingers for a novella from his perspective. 

You might need a fan for this one. 
Unravel Me is quite steamy. Juliette has never been able to experience physical touch before, and she craves it in a way that is palpable. This heightens the drama and intensity around the two people who can touch her. Tahereh Mafi writes in a way that is able to convey a lot of heat without giving away too many details. All I can say is WOW. 

I am completely addicted to this series. 
Unravel Me solidified how much I love Tahereh Mafi's writing and these characters. I seriously went into this story determined to continue to loathe Warner. But I just couldn't do it. It is a testament to her incredible talent as a writer that she's been able to confuse me as much as she has. However, there were also times that I felt like the plot was pushing me in certain directions, and I wanted to scream "that's not fair!" But I trust Mafi's ability to confound and astound me. Her first two books have blown me away, and I'm already counting down until the moment I receive the final book in the series. 


Cliffhanger Scale: Medium
Love Triangle Factor: Medium-High

Rating: 4.5 stars (For the sake of Adam)