Props to Tahereh Mafi

TaherahBooks.com

I think it's time I posted a book review on here, not just a "I read this book" post.  So, since I just finished Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi, I figured I'd start there.  Besides, I can't get her writing out of my mind. 

SPOLIER ALERT: If you have not read either Shatter Me or Unravel Me, you may want to stop reading now as I'm going to be giving away some major plot points.

First I am going to start by talking quickly about Shatter Me, because it comes first in the trilogy.

Juliette has been imprisoned for the murder of a small child, locked up, studied and nearly tortured.  Her mere touch is lethal and the murder was an accident but people suddenly feared her and her ability.

A childhood acquaintance winds up imprisoned with her, Adam and her trust is slow to come by.  Over time, he does win her trust and her love after we find out that for some reason Adam can touch her.

But here comes Warner, the hot bad guy we all love to hate...or do we?  He uses Juliette's powers trying to teach her to become something greater than she is, but she hates his methods and him.

Adam and Juliette escape the prison and Warner only to be hunted as they work their way to Omega Point, a sanctuary for those against Warner and his father's regime.

Here's where Tahereh Mafi lost me:  it gets all X Men in the book.  See Omega Point is not only a sanctuary, but it's for people with powers.  Their leader has extreme telekenesis (Magneto, anyone?), they have healers, people that can blend into their surroundings, stretchy limbs, etc.  Juliette doesn't know where she fits in and moreover, will they let Adam stay?

Now, on to Unravel Me, the book I can't get out of my head.  Well, maybe not the book, the writing style.

Juliette struggles to find a place within Omega Point, her relationship with Adam is tested, so much so that we come to learn that Adam does have special powers too: he has the ability to disable other people's powers.  Which kinda sucks when it comes to him and Juliette, because even though they can touch, her power is so strong that it takes so much out of him to fight off her lethality (is that a word?) that it is literally killing him.

With the help of Kenji, Juliette's only friend, other than Adam at Omega Point, she is able to begin to fit in and learn more about her ability.  He gives her the trust she needs to start going out on assignments with other Omega Point people, which leads them into a trap set by Warner's father.

Anderson is evil, just like his son, Warner - but far worse.  In an attempt to rescue four Omega Point members, Juliette, Adam and Kenji agree to meet with Anderson - only Kenji blends himself and Adam into the surrounding so it looks like Juliette goes in alone.  Warner shows up only to find out that Anderson plans to kill Juliette in front of him because he's fallen in love with her, which is weakness in the eyes of Anderson.

His plan goes south after an argument occurs, Juliette gets a gun and shoots Anderson in the legs.  Adam and Kenji rescue two of the four hostages and take Warner hostage as well - only after we learn that Anderson is not only Warner's father, but Adam's father too.  While he's held captive at Omega Point, Juliette is assigned to question him and find out where the other two hostages are located.

Through her conversations with Warner, she begins to have feelings for him and feels guilty thinking she's betraying Adam - even if they are broken up.  We learn that Warner also has powers, and he's not happy about it.  Warner has the ability to transfer other people's power.

Warner tells Omega Point that there is going to be an all-out war, so all of Omega Point prepares.  He approached Juliette asking her to run away with him - followed by the longest make out scene I've ever read (seriously like 5 pages, maybe 6).

Warner escapes Omega Point, they go to war.  Juliette is captured and brought to Warner's mother's house where Anderson promptly shoots her in the chest in front of Warner.  The healers of Omega Point have been kidnapped, and Warner uses them to heal Juliette.  And now she's pissed.

The end.

Wow, this is turning into a really long post - oh well.  So, my overall review of Shatter Me and Unravel Me is that I like them, 3.75 stars for the plot, 4.25 for readability.  Book 1 flowed really well, and I read it quickly.  I really enjoyed it until it went down the X Men path.  Book 2 redeemed the whole X Men factor, though I found Juliette almost annoying this go around.  She is so depressed and unsure of herself or her purpose.  It's not until the end of the book that you get a sense of who she's becoming.  I also thought some of the plot was predictable, such as where we learn that Warner and Adam are brothers.

What I did REALLY like, is Tahereh's writing - more so in Unravel Me.  I feel like a lot of what she wrote was almost like poetry.  I felt like I could feel what was going on inside of Juliette's head. There were so many parts of the book where I felt the writing was just magical.

Would I recommend these books - yes, without a doubt, you'll just have to wait until Fall 2013 to finish up the series and to find out if Juliette picks Warner or Adam.