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Shatter Me #6
Imagine Me
The explosive finale to the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Shatter Me series.
Juliette Ferrars.
Ella Sommers.
Which is the truth and which is the lie?
Now that Ella knows who Juliette is and what she was created for, things have only become more complicated. As she struggles to understand the past that haunts her and looks to a future more uncertain than ever, the lines between right and wrong—between Ella and Juliette—blur. And with old enemies looming, her destiny may not be her own to control.
The day of reckoning for the Reestablishment is coming. But she may not get to choose what side she fights on.
Juliette Ferrars.
Ella Sommers.
Which is the truth and which is the lie?
Now that Ella knows who Juliette is and what she was created for, things have only become more complicated. As she struggles to understand the past that haunts her and looks to a future more uncertain than ever, the lines between right and wrong—between Ella and Juliette—blur. And with old enemies looming, her destiny may not be her own to control.
The day of reckoning for the Reestablishment is coming. But she may not get to choose what side she fights on.
450 pages, ebook
First published April 2, 2020
About the author
Tahereh Mafi
45 books47.8k followersTahereh Mafi is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Shatter Me series. She was born in a small city somewhere in Connecticut and currently resides in Santa Monica, California with her husband, fellow author Ransom Riggs. She can usually be found over-caffeinated and stuck in a book. Shatter Me is her first series, with television rights optioned by ABC Signature Studios; Furthermore, her first middle grade novel, is on shelves now, and Whichwood, its darker companion, will be on shelves November 14, 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 15,876 reviews
January 27, 2023
This series should have remained a trilogy. Life would have been good if it had ended with Ignite Me. But no, I guess life is not in fact, good.
First, I gotta admit, my hopes for this book were pretty gosh darn low. I literally expected nothing from this novel. I didn't know what I was getting into and had no idea how it was gonna all turn out.
And you know what?
I am very glad about it because this novel was nothing at all like anything I could have possibly imagined.
First, let me start with the good and say that I love Tahereh's writing. I had forgotten how atmospheric and beautiful it was. How does her mind come up with such lyrical sentences?
Also, let me say that I really liked Kenji in this book. No wonder Kenji was constantly on the verge of a breakdown in this novel, the poor boy was carrying the whole story on his back!
While Kenji was trying to add light to dark times and trying to keep his friends and found family together and safe, all the other major characters were off undoing their character development.
Adam is still irrelevant in this book so let's not even mention him. The other kids of the supreme leaders were helpful at some points, but mostly just sort of... there... I guess? The crew from Omega Point was actually relevant in this one. I guess Mafi remembered that they existed and gave them dialogue lines. I actually liked all their interactions with Kenji. You could actually see how close they were.
But then, there was Warner/Aaron and Juliette/Ella.
Warner, whom I really enjoyed in Unravel Me, and whom I totally loved in Ignite Me completely reverted back to his Shatter Me self. He had been slowly going back to his cruel, insufferable persona since Restore Me, but here he really took a nosedive.
Warner is really just a horrible person without Juliette around and that's not cute. It was so frustrating to watch him be so horrible and unreasonable. It's understood he loves her, but I hate the idea that loving her is his only good character trait.
Then we have Juliette. Was she even really a character in this book?
Juliette went from learning her own strength and gaining autonomy in the first three books to being the most annoyingly passive character in this last novel. Juliette didn't make the story happen. She didn't push the plot forward. The story happened to her, and the plot pushed her forward. She was a puppet, figuratively and literally.
I barely recognize these characters from the original three books.
Lastly, I want to mention the worldbuilding and general plot because I had no idea what the heck else this series was going to pull out of left field. I'm still confused about the entire convoluted plot and backstory of these past three books.
I am even more confused by the ending. It didn't feel like an ending. Not only did it feel rushed and like we didn't actually solve all the problems, but I also have so many questions about it. There are so many loose threads and things that just sort of never get mentioned again. There is so much that was ignored about the ending in favor of a cute epilogue. And even the epilogue didn’t feel finished!!
It was so frustrating!
In the end, I didn't really like this book all that much. Any enjoyment that I got from it came from Kenji's inner thoughts and how he always managed to say something hilarious even in the darkest of times.
I said it once, I will say it again. This series should have remained a trilogy!!!!
Also, Mafi better not come back four years later and say this is all part of a nine-book series because I will actually riot. I mean, I will probably still read them because I clearly have masochistic reading tendencies, but I'll definitely be angry about it.
First, I gotta admit, my hopes for this book were pretty gosh darn low. I literally expected nothing from this novel. I didn't know what I was getting into and had no idea how it was gonna all turn out.
And you know what?
I am very glad about it because this novel was nothing at all like anything I could have possibly imagined.
First, let me start with the good and say that I love Tahereh's writing. I had forgotten how atmospheric and beautiful it was. How does her mind come up with such lyrical sentences?
Also, let me say that I really liked Kenji in this book. No wonder Kenji was constantly on the verge of a breakdown in this novel, the poor boy was carrying the whole story on his back!
While Kenji was trying to add light to dark times and trying to keep his friends and found family together and safe, all the other major characters were off undoing their character development.
Adam is still irrelevant in this book so let's not even mention him. The other kids of the supreme leaders were helpful at some points, but mostly just sort of... there... I guess? The crew from Omega Point was actually relevant in this one. I guess Mafi remembered that they existed and gave them dialogue lines. I actually liked all their interactions with Kenji. You could actually see how close they were.
But then, there was Warner/Aaron and Juliette/Ella.
Warner, whom I really enjoyed in Unravel Me, and whom I totally loved in Ignite Me completely reverted back to his Shatter Me self. He had been slowly going back to his cruel, insufferable persona since Restore Me, but here he really took a nosedive.
Warner is really just a horrible person without Juliette around and that's not cute. It was so frustrating to watch him be so horrible and unreasonable. It's understood he loves her, but I hate the idea that loving her is his only good character trait.
Then we have Juliette. Was she even really a character in this book?
Juliette went from learning her own strength and gaining autonomy in the first three books to being the most annoyingly passive character in this last novel. Juliette didn't make the story happen. She didn't push the plot forward. The story happened to her, and the plot pushed her forward. She was a puppet, figuratively and literally.
I barely recognize these characters from the original three books.
Lastly, I want to mention the worldbuilding and general plot because I had no idea what the heck else this series was going to pull out of left field. I'm still confused about the entire convoluted plot and backstory of these past three books.
I am even more confused by the ending. It didn't feel like an ending. Not only did it feel rushed and like we didn't actually solve all the problems, but I also have so many questions about it. There are so many loose threads and things that just sort of never get mentioned again. There is so much that was ignored about the ending in favor of a cute epilogue. And even the epilogue didn’t feel finished!!
It was so frustrating!
In the end, I didn't really like this book all that much. Any enjoyment that I got from it came from Kenji's inner thoughts and how he always managed to say something hilarious even in the darkest of times.
I said it once, I will say it again. This series should have remained a trilogy!!!!
Also, Mafi better not come back four years later and say this is all part of a nine-book series because I will actually riot. I mean, I will probably still read them because I clearly have masochistic reading tendencies, but I'll definitely be angry about it.
April 12, 2022
April 2022
I think it's finally time to admit that I only gave this book five stars originally because I was relieved that it was over. This is the only Shatter Me book I've only read once, which is saying something. One star is kinda unfair because I think I hate Defy Me more and I still gave that one 3 stars, but until I reread this (if I ever do), I need to speak my truth lmao
March 2020
FINALLY SOME GOOD FUCKING FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!
I think it's finally time to admit that I only gave this book five stars originally because I was relieved that it was over. This is the only Shatter Me book I've only read once, which is saying something. One star is kinda unfair because I think I hate Defy Me more and I still gave that one 3 stars, but until I reread this (if I ever do), I need to speak my truth lmao
March 2020
FINALLY SOME GOOD FUCKING FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!
March 30, 2020
kenjis shoulders must hurt from carrying this book
Read
April 26, 2020Hmm.. I need to think on this before sharing any thoughts.
April 1, 2020
this series, a train metaphor:
so this is me, reviewing from the afterlife, to tell you about the absolute disaster that is this final book. i mean, i didnt have any expectations, literally none, and somehow im still disappointed.
bad writing (low quality fan-fiction vibes). bad characters (i am genuinely offended by how adams character is handled in this). bad plot (no substance, just pointless filler). just bad overall.
↠ 2.5 stars
books 1 to 3 - wow! im so glad i boarded this train. im really enjoying this fun ride!
book 4 - hmm. the train seems to have missed my stop. guess i will just wait it out and see where its going!
book 5 - RUNAWAY TRAIN HEADED TO NOWHERE. SOS! SEND HELP!
book 6 - train derails and falls off a cliff. unsalvageable. i am now deceased.
so this is me, reviewing from the afterlife, to tell you about the absolute disaster that is this final book. i mean, i didnt have any expectations, literally none, and somehow im still disappointed.
bad writing (low quality fan-fiction vibes). bad characters (i am genuinely offended by how adams character is handled in this). bad plot (no substance, just pointless filler). just bad overall.
↠ 2.5 stars
June 21, 2021
i deserve a golden fucking medal for finishing this series so i can trade it to put my mental health back together
December 12, 2020
”What happened to you, man?” I whisper. “Where’d you go?”
“Hell,” he says. “I’ve finally found hell.”
Me too, Ladies and Gentlemen, me too! >_<
Hell was reading this book and you better get yourself some chocolate before you continue to read because I’m so bitter that I could be mistaken for a lemon. I’m not just bitter though, I’m salty as well. So buckle up this is going to be a spicy ride. (Okay, I’m done with the food hints now. *lol* You get the idea! ;-P)
This book was just ... URGH!!
I’m so disappointed right now I’ve been fighting to find the proper words for at least two weeks. And I just realized that I’ll probably never find them. >_< I think the most important thing you have to know is that I loved the original trilogy! It was so good and I’m such a huge Tahereh Mafi fan! Moreover I actually enjoyed books 4 and 5! They were different but they were still good! So what went wrong? A LOT!!! Or basically everything!
Seriously, if it wouldn’t have been for my beloved Jello who had thequestionable pleasure to experience my disappointment first hand I most certainly would have never made it through this book! So a huge shout-out to Jello for surviving this buddy read with me! *lol* You’re the best, girl! And I swear I would have never made it through this book without your support! <333 So thank you so much for keeping me company on this hard ride. XD It was tough for both of us but we got through it somehow! *sighs* This said let’s get to the root of the problem:
”My questions are endless.
I kill them.”
Oh, how I wish I would have had the same luxury!!!
Unlike Juliette I couldn’t just kill my questions though and instead of getting answers all I got was a headache and even more questions than before. There happened so many things that left question marks above my head and NONE, really NONE were answered! You’d think an author who writes the last book in a series that consists of 6!!! (SIX!!!) books in total would try to wrap it up all nicely in the end? Nope! Nah, Nuh-uh. Nopedy nope! I didn’t get my awesome ending wrapped up in a lovely bow and I’m so bitter about it! So, so bitter! And this comes from a fan that loved and read all the former books, mind you! I’m not writing this rant because I dislike Tahereh’s books or because I want to make her feel bad, I’m writing this rant because I LOVE Tahereh and her writing style and I can’t believe that she would write such an ending!!! I just can’t wrap my head around it!
”It is only in the desperate seconds before death that we realize the windows against which we broke our bodies were only mirrors, all along.”
What went wrong Tahereh? Why give us such a sloppy ending even though we know you are a magnificent writer?! Where did your amazing and beautiful writing style go? I missed it during the entire book. The fact that I only wrote down 4 quotes from a book that consists of 450 pages should already tell us enough! After reading all the other books I couldn’t even pack all those lovely and beautiful quotes into my reviews. I had no problem this time around. In fact I had to go looking for those 4 quotes so that I actually COULD put something into this review. *shakes head*
Still, the writing style wasn’t the only thing that made me sad. I also missed the amazingness of my beloved characters. They used to be complex, they had character arcs and they developed. They grew and changed over time. In this book it was like they all went back to their starting point and couldn’t be more than stereotypes. Which is such a shame! And don’t even get me started on Juliette/Ella!
Another thing that riled me big time was that the main topic of those last 3 books was Emmaline and then we barely get anything about her. The first 10% of the book and then... nothing! Like she wasn’t important enough to keep the plot moving. Instead we get... moments that made me want to tear my hair out! >_< And to add insult to injury we get an epilogue that was so unsatisfying that I sat there crying into the book! Not because it was so good, but because it made my heart bleed all over the pages by not being what I wanted it to be. T_T
This book should have been named “Torture Me” instead of “Imagine Me” but if I have to go with the theme, I’ll do it my way (and this is where it gets salty, my friends):
“Imagine Me” borrowing Winston's whiskey flask and taking a big swig in order to get through this book. *lol* Thank you, Winston! ;-P
“Imagine Me” throwing this book against a wall.
“Imagine Me” setting it on fire and then chucking it out of the window.
And “Imagine Me” letting it being run over by a car only to get drenched in rain! All for good measure, of course! ;-)
“Imagine Me” hoping for a great ending and getting THIS and...
“Imagine Me” and my face falling when I realized this was neither about Emmaline nor about my OTP.
“Imagine Me” being one of Tahereh’s biggest fans but being so damn salty I could turn a lake into the sea. If you ever come across an Austrian lake that’s as salty as the Black Sea: I’m sorry, that was me! XD
“Imagine Me” getting whiplash from shaking my head too much! My neck hurts, no kidding!
“Imagine Me” losing my appetite every single time Juliette said “Yes, sir!” (I need to eat lots of Christmas cookies to compensate for that!!)
“Imagine Me” wanting to erase the memory of this book with bleach! Yes, I’m that desperate! Come to think of it Evie and Max would come in pretty handy right now.
“Imagine Me” collapsing under the weight of all those question marks, because let’s face it: This book was all over the place! I feel like Atlas and it’s no fun!
And last but not least: “Imagine Me” renaming this book “Torture Me”!
The only good thing about “Torture Me” was Warner’s and Kenji’s bromance! Well, and this quote:
”To the world, she is formidable.
To me?
She is the world.”
That’s it!
My fan heart is so broken right now, I want to “imagine” a world with a better ending than this! T_T
Okay, I’m done with the puns and I’ve vomited all my bitterness into this review.
I’m sorry to say it but I can’t give this more than 2,5 stars rounded up to 3. (I really wish we’d have half-stars here because 2,5 would be way more accurate than 3.) 2,5 stars because otherwise it would feel like I’d let Tahereh get away with this disaster of a book and someone has to speak the truth. As a huge fan of this series my heart is bleeding but I stand by my opinion! #SorryNotSorry
Let’s hope Mafi’s next book will be better again!
_______________________________
Buddy read with my one and only J.!
(Should I call you “Jello” now? *lol* 😜)
I’m not gonna lie: I’m kinda scared about what will happen in this one, but as long as I’m reading “Imagine Me” with you I shall be fine! ;-)
Let’s fight through this!
Together we cansurvive make it.
I mean, how bad can it be?! *they said right before the shit hit the fan* XD
______________________________
OMG!!
Wait!
What?!
When did this become a thing, how come I didn't know about this?
Since when is there a cover?
GAHHHHHH! *has a mental breakdown*
Okay,
I'm fine now.
THIS.
COVER.
THOUGH!!! *whimpers*
“Hell,” he says. “I’ve finally found hell.”
Me too, Ladies and Gentlemen, me too! >_<
Hell was reading this book and you better get yourself some chocolate before you continue to read because I’m so bitter that I could be mistaken for a lemon. I’m not just bitter though, I’m salty as well. So buckle up this is going to be a spicy ride. (Okay, I’m done with the food hints now. *lol* You get the idea! ;-P)
This book was just ... URGH!!
I’m so disappointed right now I’ve been fighting to find the proper words for at least two weeks. And I just realized that I’ll probably never find them. >_< I think the most important thing you have to know is that I loved the original trilogy! It was so good and I’m such a huge Tahereh Mafi fan! Moreover I actually enjoyed books 4 and 5! They were different but they were still good! So what went wrong? A LOT!!! Or basically everything!
Seriously, if it wouldn’t have been for my beloved Jello who had the
”My questions are endless.
I kill them.”
Oh, how I wish I would have had the same luxury!!!
Unlike Juliette I couldn’t just kill my questions though and instead of getting answers all I got was a headache and even more questions than before. There happened so many things that left question marks above my head and NONE, really NONE were answered! You’d think an author who writes the last book in a series that consists of 6!!! (SIX!!!) books in total would try to wrap it up all nicely in the end? Nope! Nah, Nuh-uh. Nopedy nope! I didn’t get my awesome ending wrapped up in a lovely bow and I’m so bitter about it! So, so bitter! And this comes from a fan that loved and read all the former books, mind you! I’m not writing this rant because I dislike Tahereh’s books or because I want to make her feel bad, I’m writing this rant because I LOVE Tahereh and her writing style and I can’t believe that she would write such an ending!!! I just can’t wrap my head around it!
”It is only in the desperate seconds before death that we realize the windows against which we broke our bodies were only mirrors, all along.”
What went wrong Tahereh? Why give us such a sloppy ending even though we know you are a magnificent writer?! Where did your amazing and beautiful writing style go? I missed it during the entire book. The fact that I only wrote down 4 quotes from a book that consists of 450 pages should already tell us enough! After reading all the other books I couldn’t even pack all those lovely and beautiful quotes into my reviews. I had no problem this time around. In fact I had to go looking for those 4 quotes so that I actually COULD put something into this review. *shakes head*
Still, the writing style wasn’t the only thing that made me sad. I also missed the amazingness of my beloved characters. They used to be complex, they had character arcs and they developed. They grew and changed over time. In this book it was like they all went back to their starting point and couldn’t be more than stereotypes. Which is such a shame! And don’t even get me started on Juliette/Ella!
Another thing that riled me big time was that the main topic of those last 3 books was Emmaline and then we barely get anything about her. The first 10% of the book and then... nothing! Like she wasn’t important enough to keep the plot moving. Instead we get... moments that made me want to tear my hair out! >_< And to add insult to injury we get an epilogue that was so unsatisfying that I sat there crying into the book! Not because it was so good, but because it made my heart bleed all over the pages by not being what I wanted it to be. T_T
This book should have been named “Torture Me” instead of “Imagine Me” but if I have to go with the theme, I’ll do it my way (and this is where it gets salty, my friends):
“Imagine Me” borrowing Winston's whiskey flask and taking a big swig in order to get through this book. *lol* Thank you, Winston! ;-P
“Imagine Me” throwing this book against a wall.
“Imagine Me” setting it on fire and then chucking it out of the window.
And “Imagine Me” letting it being run over by a car only to get drenched in rain! All for good measure, of course! ;-)
“Imagine Me” hoping for a great ending and getting THIS and...
“Imagine Me” and my face falling when I realized this was neither about Emmaline nor about my OTP.
“Imagine Me” being one of Tahereh’s biggest fans but being so damn salty I could turn a lake into the sea. If you ever come across an Austrian lake that’s as salty as the Black Sea: I’m sorry, that was me! XD
“Imagine Me” getting whiplash from shaking my head too much! My neck hurts, no kidding!
“Imagine Me” losing my appetite every single time Juliette said “Yes, sir!” (I need to eat lots of Christmas cookies to compensate for that!!)
“Imagine Me” wanting to erase the memory of this book with bleach! Yes, I’m that desperate! Come to think of it Evie and Max would come in pretty handy right now.
“Imagine Me” collapsing under the weight of all those question marks, because let’s face it: This book was all over the place! I feel like Atlas and it’s no fun!
And last but not least: “Imagine Me” renaming this book “Torture Me”!
The only good thing about “Torture Me” was Warner’s and Kenji’s bromance! Well, and this quote:
”To the world, she is formidable.
To me?
She is the world.”
That’s it!
My fan heart is so broken right now, I want to “imagine” a world with a better ending than this! T_T
Okay, I’m done with the puns and I’ve vomited all my bitterness into this review.
I’m sorry to say it but I can’t give this more than 2,5 stars rounded up to 3. (I really wish we’d have half-stars here because 2,5 would be way more accurate than 3.) 2,5 stars because otherwise it would feel like I’d let Tahereh get away with this disaster of a book and someone has to speak the truth. As a huge fan of this series my heart is bleeding but I stand by my opinion! #SorryNotSorry
Let’s hope Mafi’s next book will be better again!
_______________________________
Buddy read with my one and only J.!
(Should I call you “Jello” now? *lol* 😜)
I’m not gonna lie: I’m kinda scared about what will happen in this one, but as long as I’m reading “Imagine Me” with you I shall be fine! ;-)
Let’s fight through this!
Together we can
I mean, how bad can it be?! *they said right before the shit hit the fan* XD
______________________________
OMG!!
Wait!
What?!
When did this become a thing, how come I didn't know about this?
Since when is there a cover?
GAHHHHHH! *has a mental breakdown*
Okay,
I'm fine now.
THIS.
COVER.
THOUGH!!! *whimpers*
September 8, 2023
One more novella to go and then the series will be over😭 I'm not ready for it to end! I loved the beginning and end of this book but the middle moved a bit slow for me. I think this is my least favorite book in the series but I still loved it!
You can really see the love the two main characters have for each other in this book. And this book definitely had some darker elements and tone to it which I loved. After such a long series, it was so great to read this last book and see everything come together in the end. Excited to start the last novella and hopefully read about their happy ending :)
You can really see the love the two main characters have for each other in this book. And this book definitely had some darker elements and tone to it which I loved. After such a long series, it was so great to read this last book and see everything come together in the end. Excited to start the last novella and hopefully read about their happy ending :)
July 13, 2020
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I should have not continued the series as soon as I read book 4 and did not enjoy it. I was not pleased with the ending of the first trilogy and so I was happy to see we were getting an extension and boy, I was wrong. My feelings whenever I saw the books of the first trilogy drifted toward the positive side but whenever I see the new books, I just have all kind of negative emotions.
This was certainly a downgrade from all the previous books, everything gets worse, characters, plot, world building! I think Mafi did an outstanding job in surprising me which is not an easy feat! Here is what I thought about the characters:
Juliette/ Ella: Screams and faints!
Warner: everyone’s POV: He is such a monster from hell, he is ruthless but soft inside
Ella’s POV: He has long eyelashes, nice muscles and green eyes!
Adam: I forgot that I exist in this series so let me appear in the epilogue.
James: Did I tell you that the poor boy is 10 years old 😦 ??
Sara and Sony: Finish each others sentences and diagnose all with coma.
Kenji: more like Cringy now
Nazeera: *Comes out of no where*: I have a plan.
Castle: Forgive and forget.
Winston and Brendan: <333
Anderson: She is perfect now!!
The writing is okay, I mean the books are easy to read and fly through but I felt that Mafi got stuck in the creative process and couldn’t come up with something new so she decided to come up with the trilogy and it shows. A lot of authors do that nowadays and I don’t think it was ever a positive decision to make. I felt the author was trying to please the fans and serving them what they wanted while ruining the good trilogy she already had.
Summary: I am disappointed with this series because it did not add anything new to the original story but it ruined it for me. I think everything went downhill after book 3 and I was really sad to see characters I liked change into characters I barely recognized (Kenji specially). The character growth that I liked in the first trilogy is deleted and we start from the beginning with two dimensional characters. I just recommend giving book 4 a chance and if it is not for you, stop right there and pretend you never read it!
You can get more books from Book Depository
“Imagine me
master of my own universe
I am everything I ever dreamed of”
I should have not continued the series as soon as I read book 4 and did not enjoy it. I was not pleased with the ending of the first trilogy and so I was happy to see we were getting an extension and boy, I was wrong. My feelings whenever I saw the books of the first trilogy drifted toward the positive side but whenever I see the new books, I just have all kind of negative emotions.
This was certainly a downgrade from all the previous books, everything gets worse, characters, plot, world building! I think Mafi did an outstanding job in surprising me which is not an easy feat! Here is what I thought about the characters:
Juliette/ Ella: Screams and faints!
Warner: everyone’s POV: He is such a monster from hell, he is ruthless but soft inside
Ella’s POV: He has long eyelashes, nice muscles and green eyes!
Adam: I forgot that I exist in this series so let me appear in the epilogue.
James: Did I tell you that the poor boy is 10 years old 😦 ??
Sara and Sony: Finish each others sentences and diagnose all with coma.
Kenji: more like Cringy now
Nazeera: *Comes out of no where*: I have a plan.
Castle: Forgive and forget.
Winston and Brendan: <333
Anderson: She is perfect now!!
The writing is okay, I mean the books are easy to read and fly through but I felt that Mafi got stuck in the creative process and couldn’t come up with something new so she decided to come up with the trilogy and it shows. A lot of authors do that nowadays and I don’t think it was ever a positive decision to make. I felt the author was trying to please the fans and serving them what they wanted while ruining the good trilogy she already had.
Summary: I am disappointed with this series because it did not add anything new to the original story but it ruined it for me. I think everything went downhill after book 3 and I was really sad to see characters I liked change into characters I barely recognized (Kenji specially). The character growth that I liked in the first trilogy is deleted and we start from the beginning with two dimensional characters. I just recommend giving book 4 a chance and if it is not for you, stop right there and pretend you never read it!
You can get more books from Book Depository
Want to read
April 3, 2019The old Juliette can’t come to the phone right now
January 1, 2021
update: 01/01/21
1.5 stars. I didn’t think my rating would drop any lower but every time I am reminded of Andersen and Juliette’s weird attraction to him in this book, it makes me want to drop my rating, so here we are!
update: 04/01/20
Before I start, if you loved this book, you should probably ignore this negative review. This is one of those times when the fan theories are better than the actual plot.
Even though I had no excitement for this book, I tried going into it with an open mind. I love Tahereh Mafi's writing, and I was so excited for the new books but after having read all 3 of them, I really don’t see the point of coming back to this world and writing more books in it if she didn't really have anything new to add to it. These new books had a lot of repetitive plot lines starting from Anderson coming back from the dead to offer absolutely nothing to the story to both Defy Me and Imagine Me being rescue mission books and revolving around Juliette losing her memories and getting them back.
The only thing these new books had going on was Warner and Juliette’s amnesia storyline and before I say this, I should mention that I absolutely love amnesia trope if it is done right, but I don't feel like it was explored properly here. Juliette is captured before we ever get the chance to see her lose her memories and Warner's reaction to it. Talking about repetition of things, Juliette's journal entries! I have read those entries so many times before (in Destroy Me, Unravel Me, Restore Me) that when they showed up in Imagine Me, I skipped them altogether. I understand that the intention here was to create some sort of parallel, but again....we've been there we've done that already. I feel like I just read a book of 460 pages with absolutely no new content of Warner and Juliette. I don't even think there were any memorable quotes from the two Warnette scenes that we got.
I think I speak for the majority when I say we love this series for its main characters, Warner and Juliette, their development, and the romance . But this book barely had them in it. Both Juliette and Warner are apart for the most part. Juliette’s mentally unstable because she is losing her memories again so most of her chapters are all over the place and don’t offer much Warnette content because even when she is reunited with him, she doesn't remember him at first. I still don't understand why Tahereh didn’t just give Warner, her MAIN character, a POV (I’m not counting the epilogue here). I personally would’ve loved to read from his POV while Juliette was in danger and was losing her memories again. But everything we got, we got from Kenji's POV, and this book felt more like a Kenji book to me rather than Warner and Juliette's. I can’t help but think that she should have just written a Kenji spin off instead.
I'm not even going to try to get into the whole Anderson / Juliette thing in the book, that was just way too weird, and boils my blood every time I think about it.
Shatter Me has been my favorite series for 4-5 years now, this series will always mean something to me, and I was so excited for the new books when they were announced but it makes me so sad to say that I ended up disliking them and wishing she’d never written more books. Even with the epilogue, this book didn’t really feel like a last book. There are so many things that were left unaddressed, and I know that the author said that she doesn't write very long books but if Imagine Me hadn't been another rescue mission book, I feel like those things could've been addressed. All in all, Ignite Me was way better a conclusion in my opinion.
Small things I did like from the book:
- Brendan and Winston (so happy for them) <3
- Warner going feral when Juliette is in danger.
- Warner with a freaking MACHETE???
- Kenji and Warner’s banter (it was cute and made me remember why I loved their love / hate dynamic in the first place)
- the 2.5 warnette scenes (in the beginning and at the end when they've reunited)
So, 2.5 stars for the 2.5 warnette scenes because in the end, they are the only thing that I really care about.
1.5 stars. I didn’t think my rating would drop any lower but every time I am reminded of Andersen and Juliette’s weird attraction to him in this book, it makes me want to drop my rating, so here we are!
update: 04/01/20
Before I start, if you loved this book, you should probably ignore this negative review. This is one of those times when the fan theories are better than the actual plot.
Even though I had no excitement for this book, I tried going into it with an open mind. I love Tahereh Mafi's writing, and I was so excited for the new books but after having read all 3 of them, I really don’t see the point of coming back to this world and writing more books in it if she didn't really have anything new to add to it. These new books had a lot of repetitive plot lines starting from Anderson coming back from the dead to offer absolutely nothing to the story to both Defy Me and Imagine Me being rescue mission books and revolving around Juliette losing her memories and getting them back.
The only thing these new books had going on was Warner and Juliette’s amnesia storyline and before I say this, I should mention that I absolutely love amnesia trope if it is done right, but I don't feel like it was explored properly here. Juliette is captured before we ever get the chance to see her lose her memories and Warner's reaction to it. Talking about repetition of things, Juliette's journal entries! I have read those entries so many times before (in Destroy Me, Unravel Me, Restore Me) that when they showed up in Imagine Me, I skipped them altogether. I understand that the intention here was to create some sort of parallel, but again....we've been there we've done that already. I feel like I just read a book of 460 pages with absolutely no new content of Warner and Juliette. I don't even think there were any memorable quotes from the two Warnette scenes that we got.
I think I speak for the majority when I say we love this series for its main characters, Warner and Juliette, their development, and the romance . But this book barely had them in it. Both Juliette and Warner are apart for the most part. Juliette’s mentally unstable because she is losing her memories again so most of her chapters are all over the place and don’t offer much Warnette content because even when she is reunited with him, she doesn't remember him at first. I still don't understand why Tahereh didn’t just give Warner, her MAIN character, a POV (I’m not counting the epilogue here). I personally would’ve loved to read from his POV while Juliette was in danger and was losing her memories again. But everything we got, we got from Kenji's POV, and this book felt more like a Kenji book to me rather than Warner and Juliette's. I can’t help but think that she should have just written a Kenji spin off instead.
I'm not even going to try to get into the whole Anderson / Juliette thing in the book, that was just way too weird, and boils my blood every time I think about it.
Shatter Me has been my favorite series for 4-5 years now, this series will always mean something to me, and I was so excited for the new books when they were announced but it makes me so sad to say that I ended up disliking them and wishing she’d never written more books. Even with the epilogue, this book didn’t really feel like a last book. There are so many things that were left unaddressed, and I know that the author said that she doesn't write very long books but if Imagine Me hadn't been another rescue mission book, I feel like those things could've been addressed. All in all, Ignite Me was way better a conclusion in my opinion.
Small things I did like from the book:
- Brendan and Winston (so happy for them) <3
- Warner going feral when Juliette is in danger.
- Warner with a freaking MACHETE???
- Kenji and Warner’s banter (it was cute and made me remember why I loved their love / hate dynamic in the first place)
- the 2.5 warnette scenes (in the beginning and at the end when they've reunited)
So, 2.5 stars for the 2.5 warnette scenes because in the end, they are the only thing that I really care about.
November 1, 2020
WARNETTE WAS AND IS THE BEST PART OF THIS SERIES.
This was a bittersweet read for me.
This is one of my favorite series ever, so to see it end is sad.
Although I felt like the end was rushed and anticlimax, and that things, in general, felt rushed and I didn't have enough of my husband and my favorite couple in this book, and hated some of the things that happened in this, I'm going to give this book 5 stars because I love this series and characters with my whole heart and I don't have it in me to give it a lower rating than that.
But if I did I would probably give it a 3⭐️
And the “original” trilogy will always remain superior.
All of the first three books went to my “favorite of life” list, and neither of the last three went to it. I only keep reading it, because Warner and Juliette are my favorite couple and characters of all time. And I would never past the opportunity to have more of them in my life. So you can realized that even though I didn’t gave a low rating to Restore Me and Defy Me and this one, I was thoughtfully disappointed.
5⭐️ is for my love for the couple and characters in this series. Because if I’m being honest I didn’t read this series for the plot. But for Warnette and the fact that I didn’t have the amount of scenes that I wanted of them in this book, got me a little pissed.
And I didn’t have a Warner/Aaron pov? This book would have been so much better if it had. Every chapter I was expecting to be of Warner and none of them were.
As I have already mentioned, if I had it in me to give this book 3⭐️ I would. But this series was what made me fall in love with reading (along with hush hush). So 5⭐️ is for everything that this series brought to my life and how happy I am for having read it.
And now I’m crying 😭.
GOODBYE
I'll miss this series forever...
------
I’m not ready. I’M SO NOT READY BUT GIVE THIS BOOK TO ME NOW.
Just reread Restore Me and Defy me and I need this conclusion immediately. Like now.
-------
This better be an epic conclusion.
This is going to be an epic conclusion.
Okay, Is this really the end ???? I’m not ready, I am not ready to suffer again. Like I died when it ended it with 3 books, I am now very much alive for more 3 books.
GIVE THIS BOOK TO ME NOW. I can’t wait that long 😭😭
I don’t want it to end. I’m not ready to say goodbye to one of my favorite series ever!
This was a bittersweet read for me.
This is one of my favorite series ever, so to see it end is sad.
Although I felt like the end was rushed and anticlimax, and that things, in general, felt rushed and I didn't have enough of my husband and my favorite couple in this book, and hated some of the things that happened in this, I'm going to give this book 5 stars because I love this series and characters with my whole heart and I don't have it in me to give it a lower rating than that.
But if I did I would probably give it a 3⭐️
And the “original” trilogy will always remain superior.
All of the first three books went to my “favorite of life” list, and neither of the last three went to it. I only keep reading it, because Warner and Juliette are my favorite couple and characters of all time. And I would never past the opportunity to have more of them in my life. So you can realized that even though I didn’t gave a low rating to Restore Me and Defy Me and this one, I was thoughtfully disappointed.
5⭐️ is for my love for the couple and characters in this series. Because if I’m being honest I didn’t read this series for the plot. But for Warnette and the fact that I didn’t have the amount of scenes that I wanted of them in this book, got me a little pissed.
And I didn’t have a Warner/Aaron pov? This book would have been so much better if it had. Every chapter I was expecting to be of Warner and none of them were.
As I have already mentioned, if I had it in me to give this book 3⭐️ I would. But this series was what made me fall in love with reading (along with hush hush). So 5⭐️ is for everything that this series brought to my life and how happy I am for having read it.
And now I’m crying 😭.
GOODBYE
I'll miss this series forever...
------
I’m not ready. I’M SO NOT READY BUT GIVE THIS BOOK TO ME NOW.
Just reread Restore Me and Defy me and I need this conclusion immediately. Like now.
-------
This better be an epic conclusion.
This is going to be an epic conclusion.
Okay, Is this really the end ???? I’m not ready, I am not ready to suffer again. Like I died when it ended it with 3 books, I am now very much alive for more 3 books.
GIVE THIS BOOK TO ME NOW. I can’t wait that long 😭😭
I don’t want it to end. I’m not ready to say goodbye to one of my favorite series ever!
March 31, 2020
I AM SO DISAPPOINTED WTF
never in a million years did i ever expect to give a shatter me book less than 5 stars, let alone 1 star. shatter me was the book that literally got me back into reading. i gave defy me 3 stars last year, so i wasn't as hyped for imagine me, but i was still excited bc it was the finale. and it was just SO BAD??
there's genuinely nothing i liked about this book. i read it very fast but like...i can't give you any positives. the plot was A MESS. something happened in the beginning that just felt like it came out of nowhere, and then all of a sudden, that was the storyline?? it was just so weird. and we were BARELY in juliette's pov. even when we were, it didn't feel like juliette. i do love kenji, but it wasn't the same. and there was no warner pov, which i hated.
everything felt so slow but so rushed at the same time?? like i genuinely don't even know how to describe it. it was just so WEIRD. the conflicts with anderson and the other supreme commanders had NO stakes to me, and it just felt so strange. everything got wrapped up too quickly. the emmaline subplot was so weird to me and so boring, i didn't care about it.
i was hoping the ending would be better so i could bump it up to 2 stars but it was even worse?? like it was so rushed and stupid. it was all tied up so badly. i was like they can't possibly end it here, and then all of a sudden it said epilogue and i was like TF???
most of all, these characters just don't feel the same to me anymore. not juliette, not warner, not kenji. it was like all the character development from the previous books was just gone out the window. the writing style felt like the first book again, like it felt like slam poetry. but i didn't care that much when i was reading the first book, because i loved the plot and the characters.
i feel like tahereh made the same mistakes as ignite me in the sense of wrapping it up too quickly and not giving any insight into the future, but it was easy to overlook those issues in ignite me bc the book was so good. imagine me, on the other hand, was not. i'm just confused because i thought she continued the series for that purpose??
i don't know, i'm just SO disappointed with this book. it felt so rushed, i honestly don't know where tahereh's head was at when she was writing it...the original trilogy is still one of my all time favorites, so i'm honestly just going to pretend the new series doesn't exist, especially imagine me. i just can't believe this was the FINALE??? like wtf. like i said, i know some people complain that ignite me was rushed, and tied together too nicely at the end, and i see where they're coming from, but like...ignite me had a good plot to me. i cared about the characters. i didn't in this book. i didn't care about anything in this book, honestly. it was just so bad :/
never in a million years did i ever expect to give a shatter me book less than 5 stars, let alone 1 star. shatter me was the book that literally got me back into reading. i gave defy me 3 stars last year, so i wasn't as hyped for imagine me, but i was still excited bc it was the finale. and it was just SO BAD??
there's genuinely nothing i liked about this book. i read it very fast but like...i can't give you any positives. the plot was A MESS. something happened in the beginning that just felt like it came out of nowhere, and then all of a sudden, that was the storyline?? it was just so weird. and we were BARELY in juliette's pov. even when we were, it didn't feel like juliette. i do love kenji, but it wasn't the same. and there was no warner pov, which i hated.
everything felt so slow but so rushed at the same time?? like i genuinely don't even know how to describe it. it was just so WEIRD. the conflicts with anderson and the other supreme commanders had NO stakes to me, and it just felt so strange. everything got wrapped up too quickly. the emmaline subplot was so weird to me and so boring, i didn't care about it.
i was hoping the ending would be better so i could bump it up to 2 stars but it was even worse?? like it was so rushed and stupid. it was all tied up so badly. i was like they can't possibly end it here, and then all of a sudden it said epilogue and i was like TF???
most of all, these characters just don't feel the same to me anymore. not juliette, not warner, not kenji. it was like all the character development from the previous books was just gone out the window. the writing style felt like the first book again, like it felt like slam poetry. but i didn't care that much when i was reading the first book, because i loved the plot and the characters.
i feel like tahereh made the same mistakes as ignite me in the sense of wrapping it up too quickly and not giving any insight into the future, but it was easy to overlook those issues in ignite me bc the book was so good. imagine me, on the other hand, was not. i'm just confused because i thought she continued the series for that purpose??
i don't know, i'm just SO disappointed with this book. it felt so rushed, i honestly don't know where tahereh's head was at when she was writing it...the original trilogy is still one of my all time favorites, so i'm honestly just going to pretend the new series doesn't exist, especially imagine me. i just can't believe this was the FINALE??? like wtf. like i said, i know some people complain that ignite me was rushed, and tied together too nicely at the end, and i see where they're coming from, but like...ignite me had a good plot to me. i cared about the characters. i didn't in this book. i didn't care about anything in this book, honestly. it was just so bad :/
April 4, 2020
tahereh tell us this was an april fools joke and give us the real book i beg you 😭
Want to read
December 7, 2019imagine me????? really????
March 31, 2020
don’t mind me. crying over this being over. my favorite series since i was 11 years old. i’m crying like a baby
April 28, 2020
IS THIS A JOKE?!
March 31, 2020
shatter me suicide part 2
January 1, 2023
“To the world, she is formidable. To me? She is the world.”
This series, in my opinion, just went downhill ever since Restore Me. I've said this many many times, but it seriously should've just ended at Ignite Me, which is still the best book in the series.
I'm going to pretend that this trilogy doesn't exist and Warner and Juliette in Ignite Me lived happily ever after. Though I SUPPOSE the upside to this extra trilogy is Kenji and Nazeera. But I will tell myself they met after Ignite Me and fell in love. Let me live in my imagination.
Just because I finished this book in like 1-2 hours (roughly, I wasn't keeping track of time) doesn't mean I liked it. I literally FLEW through this book, and I honestly have no idea how I did it. I wanted to dnf it so many times but once I reached the halfway point, there was no point in turning back.
I rated Restore Me and Defy Me 3 stars I think, so this 1.5 stars is definitely a drop. There was just literally nothing I liked about this except for Kenji. I didn't even like the epilogue, which I was sure I would because I love cute stuff like that.
The Plot
I literally had no idea what the hell was going on in this book. Like, Defy Me ended happily, everyone celebrating Warner's birthday but then in this book the beginning was all darkness, madness, chaos and death, and I thought I was reading a flashback. I'm sure it was explained later, which I'm pretty sure it was because I vaguely remember skimming over something (yes, I may have skimmed a little bit, but I don't have any regrets) that was talking about it, but I honestly do not care.
It felt like everything was going so fast, but it was odd, because it felt so....unfinished, I guess. Like once I reached the end, I was like, oh I have a few pages left, this must be another chapter and then the epilogue, BUT NO. The epilogue was straight afterwards, and I was so confused because what even happened at the ending??
It was all just so rushed and annoying.
“Imagine me
master of my own universe
I am everything I ever dreamed of.”
The Characters
And just like the other books in this second trilogy, the characters were absolutely awful. Except Kenji. Kenji is the highlight of the second trilogy.
I despise Juliette. She literally has no personality, especially in this book when she was literally just under some sort of weird "spell" (obviously not a spell but whatever) where she was practically a robot. She's like a piece of cardboard. Why Warner would want her, I don't know. But I don't even know who WARNER is anymore.
He went right back to the asshole he was in Shatter Me (to be fair, I loved Shatter Me Warner) and he literally made me close my book. James had just woken up and Warner decided to INTERROGATE THE CHILD ABOUT WHERE JULIETTE COULD POSSIBLY BE. DUDE. STOP. He was so rude to everyone, threatening to kill everyone, and literally killing people. It's like his whole freaking personality revolved around Juliette, which I HATED. In my review of Defy Me I was hoping that wouldn't happen, BUT, WHOOP DE DOO, IT SURE DID. The only upside to his character was his machete.
Kenji carried this book. No, he carried this entire trilogy. He's so kind, caring, funny, and trying to make light of dark moments but Warner has to be all moody and brooding and threatening to kill him literally any chance he got. Kenji cares so much about Juliette (don't ask me why, I've got no idea) and he risked his life to save her, which I admire. I will forever be a Kenji lover. I need a Kenji and Nazeera spin off.
The side characters were also meh. I liked them but didn't feel any strong emotions. I feel like Nazeera wasn't really present in this book, even though she was literally part of the rescue mission to get Juliette. It felt like she was there but also not. Which makes no sense.
“Come back to life, love. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
The Romance and Friendships
And I'm definitely going to hate. By now you can probably figure out my feelings for the romance in this.
Maybe this could've redeemed Warner and Juliette for me, but they were apart for literally the WHOLE BOOK. And Warner was a psychopath when Juliette was kidnapped, which didn't help at all, because I HATE when that happens. I wanted them both to shut up so badly.
I love Nazeera and Kenji, but I need MORE. We got hardly anything with them, just small little talks here and there but that is literally NOTHING.
I love Winston and Brendan though. They're so cute. I want a book on them too. We should've gotten books on Nazeera and Kenji and Winston and Brendan instead of this unnecessary trilogy.
Also, when Juliette was attracted to Anderson, I wanted to puke. No, just no, absolutely not.
The friendships in this book are amazing though, I must admit. Kenji and Juliette are amazing as friends and deeply care for each other and I did enjoy Warner and Kenji's banter, even though Warner was pissing me off the whole time.
“Here. This. My bones against his bones. This is my home.”
So here we are, I have finally finished the Shatter Me series. I am still going to be reading Believe Me, because I've heard that it's basically just a cute spicy novella with no wedding and there's also Kenji, and I want that. Will I be angry with Warner and Juliette the entire time? Maybe. But I don't care.
1.5 stars
“It is only in the desperate seconds before death that we realize the windows against which we broke our bodies were only mirrors, all along.”
<><><><><><><><><>
i'm finally free
rtc
This series, in my opinion, just went downhill ever since Restore Me. I've said this many many times, but it seriously should've just ended at Ignite Me, which is still the best book in the series.
I'm going to pretend that this trilogy doesn't exist and Warner and Juliette in Ignite Me lived happily ever after. Though I SUPPOSE the upside to this extra trilogy is Kenji and Nazeera. But I will tell myself they met after Ignite Me and fell in love. Let me live in my imagination.
Just because I finished this book in like 1-2 hours (roughly, I wasn't keeping track of time) doesn't mean I liked it. I literally FLEW through this book, and I honestly have no idea how I did it. I wanted to dnf it so many times but once I reached the halfway point, there was no point in turning back.
I rated Restore Me and Defy Me 3 stars I think, so this 1.5 stars is definitely a drop. There was just literally nothing I liked about this except for Kenji. I didn't even like the epilogue, which I was sure I would because I love cute stuff like that.
The Plot
I literally had no idea what the hell was going on in this book. Like, Defy Me ended happily, everyone celebrating Warner's birthday but then in this book the beginning was all darkness, madness, chaos and death, and I thought I was reading a flashback. I'm sure it was explained later, which I'm pretty sure it was because I vaguely remember skimming over something (yes, I may have skimmed a little bit, but I don't have any regrets) that was talking about it, but I honestly do not care.
It felt like everything was going so fast, but it was odd, because it felt so....unfinished, I guess. Like once I reached the end, I was like, oh I have a few pages left, this must be another chapter and then the epilogue, BUT NO. The epilogue was straight afterwards, and I was so confused because what even happened at the ending??
It was all just so rushed and annoying.
“Imagine me
master of my own universe
I am everything I ever dreamed of.”
The Characters
And just like the other books in this second trilogy, the characters were absolutely awful. Except Kenji. Kenji is the highlight of the second trilogy.
I despise Juliette. She literally has no personality, especially in this book when she was literally just under some sort of weird "spell" (obviously not a spell but whatever) where she was practically a robot. She's like a piece of cardboard. Why Warner would want her, I don't know. But I don't even know who WARNER is anymore.
He went right back to the asshole he was in Shatter Me (to be fair, I loved Shatter Me Warner) and he literally made me close my book. James had just woken up and Warner decided to INTERROGATE THE CHILD ABOUT WHERE JULIETTE COULD POSSIBLY BE. DUDE. STOP. He was so rude to everyone, threatening to kill everyone, and literally killing people. It's like his whole freaking personality revolved around Juliette, which I HATED. In my review of Defy Me I was hoping that wouldn't happen, BUT, WHOOP DE DOO, IT SURE DID. The only upside to his character was his machete.
Kenji carried this book. No, he carried this entire trilogy. He's so kind, caring, funny, and trying to make light of dark moments but Warner has to be all moody and brooding and threatening to kill him literally any chance he got. Kenji cares so much about Juliette (don't ask me why, I've got no idea) and he risked his life to save her, which I admire. I will forever be a Kenji lover. I need a Kenji and Nazeera spin off.
The side characters were also meh. I liked them but didn't feel any strong emotions. I feel like Nazeera wasn't really present in this book, even though she was literally part of the rescue mission to get Juliette. It felt like she was there but also not. Which makes no sense.
“Come back to life, love. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
The Romance and Friendships
And I'm definitely going to hate. By now you can probably figure out my feelings for the romance in this.
Maybe this could've redeemed Warner and Juliette for me, but they were apart for literally the WHOLE BOOK. And Warner was a psychopath when Juliette was kidnapped, which didn't help at all, because I HATE when that happens. I wanted them both to shut up so badly.
I love Nazeera and Kenji, but I need MORE. We got hardly anything with them, just small little talks here and there but that is literally NOTHING.
I love Winston and Brendan though. They're so cute. I want a book on them too. We should've gotten books on Nazeera and Kenji and Winston and Brendan instead of this unnecessary trilogy.
Also, when Juliette was attracted to Anderson, I wanted to puke. No, just no, absolutely not.
The friendships in this book are amazing though, I must admit. Kenji and Juliette are amazing as friends and deeply care for each other and I did enjoy Warner and Kenji's banter, even though Warner was pissing me off the whole time.
“Here. This. My bones against his bones. This is my home.”
So here we are, I have finally finished the Shatter Me series. I am still going to be reading Believe Me, because I've heard that it's basically just a cute spicy novella with no wedding and there's also Kenji, and I want that. Will I be angry with Warner and Juliette the entire time? Maybe. But I don't care.
1.5 stars
“It is only in the desperate seconds before death that we realize the windows against which we broke our bodies were only mirrors, all along.”
<><><><><><><><><>
i'm finally free
rtc
May 14, 2023
"To the world, she is formidable.
To me? She is the world."
Wow. I've finally finished this series or well may be it finished me. Whatever it is. Well that was an amazing series. This whole series was insane and brutal and dark and has the best characters especially the women in this book are everything 🤌🔥 I loved it and yes, I enjoyed it a lot.
And do I have a type who likes murdering people and calls you 'LOVE' ? Umm..!? If he's AARON ANDERSON WARNER then hell yeah! Haha I love him sm!
This is one of the best series I have read but the last book was just okay and may be I had great expectations from it since it was the last and also because the previous 5 books were amazing. But so far this is my least favourite book and I did enjoyed it but just not the way I thought I would. The beginning of this book was chaotic and there was darkness and death and war and madness. While the start got me exciting for what was about to come, the middle part where they all were planning for the war against the The Reestablishment was boring. Although I'm satisfied with how the events turned out in the end and how Kenji and Aaron amd Nazeera fought together against The Reestablishment and their parents.
I loved the characters and the ending but the ending felt a bit rushed to me. Also the middle part if this book was so slow for me and a few unnecessary things happened. Which in my opinion didn't needed at all. And the most weird thing that I hated in this book was Julliete's attraction for Anderson. Yes Anderson! That was even weird to read and it was going on and on and on which is also why I reduced the one star. I mean I get she has a type which is Anderson's sons but girl that was their father. And I get that it was because she had no memories of her past. But still!?
And the scene where Aaron was fighting the soldiers with machete was freaking hot and I was screaming at that scene😩🔥 I love this side of Aaron.
I did liked the ending chapters a lot and they literally had me in a chokehold because I didn't know what would happen next and it was a mess but damn it was perfect even though I felt like it was short or may be I always need more when it comes to this series. There were scenes in the ending which were hard to read and what happened to Emmaline broke my heart 💔 and also when Aaron begged Julliete to come back to him was just 😭😭 💔
They deserve the world and every happiness. And I'm so so so happy that they finally got their own happy ending and even though there are still so many hurdles they have to pass and so many things they need to do in order to finally live in a peaceful and a better world. But atleast they are together and in love and are happy, surrounded by people who love them and that's all I want for them.
Aaron Warner
He was a wreck after what happened to Julliete and seeing him like that shattered my heart in pieces. Why it's always him and why does he have to go through this over and over again. Give my man some rest.
But I love that Kenji was there for him even though Aaron tried to pushed him out of his life. He was always there for him. A friend he needed and even though Aaron gives him life threats but Kenji knows that Warner loves him just not the way a normal person would love their friends. But he does and they are besties I know they are but they would never admit that truth.
He is pristine and meticulous and has always intrigued me from the very start and there's no one like him in this world. He's the best. He's love and everything and I would protect him with everything I have. I love him so so much and I want to know more about him 😭💗💗
Yes, he is a very good person even the best😌💞
Julliete Ferras
Well again The Supreme Commanders were torturing and doing brutal experiments on her. And the scene where she burned the whole capital to ashes was badass but that scene was also painful because of what she had to do in the end. But this girl is so strong and never let them break her. She suffered and sacrificed so much for her world and she cares so deeply for everyone and I think it's also why she is strong because she never let her emotions break her. I'm happy for her that she's finally building the world where she always wanted to live with her loved ones.
Kenji Kenji Kenji my man the best character of this series and the best friend to ever exists in shatter me world and the best man. He's best and words will never be enough to describe how much I love him 😭💗 he cares for everyone and he comforts everyone no matter what. He's so pure and sweet 💗 He cares so much for Julliete and even risked his own life to save her. I will always admire him for his bravery and everything he does for other people. I loved his pov the most in this book and he carried this whole book on his shoulders. Literally.
Nazeera Ibrahim
This woman is just 🤌🔥 I admire her so much for her strength and her confidence and how she fought for their world. And she's a hacker. Isn’t it hot!? I wanted more of her in this series and especially more Kenjinazeera moments to know how their story is going on. But Tahereh robbed me of their sweet moments and I need a Kenji and Nazeera spin off right now 😭💗 I know they love each other and are happy and I guess I have to live with that only.
Stop🤚they are so adorable 😭💗🤌
Winston and Brendan
I love these two adorable dorks even though they were side characters they were just so cute and wow they are finally together and I was waiting for it to happen since Book 2. It was endearing seeing how Winston blushes when Brendan is near 💗
Also I wanted to read about Adam in this book or may be his redemption arc but there was none in this book. He did changed though but it felt like his character did a 180 turn and suddenly he is this normal guy. But he did fucked up in this book again and well he's Adam so what can I even expected from him.
The epilogue was cute and Warnette finally getting married was what I needed in the end 💞😌 and the scene where Aaron held the dog was adorable 😭💗
I'm happy and sad at the same time. This was absolutely perfect. I'm always gonna love all the characters especially my loves Aaron and Kenji 😭💗 they both are my forever favourite from this series.
—Favourite Quotes—
➸ "I imagine love, I imagine wind, I imagine gold hair and green eyes and whispers, laughter
I imagine Me extraordinary, unbroken
the girl who shocked herself by surviving, the girl who loved herself through learning, the girl who respected her skin, understood her worth, found her strength."
�� "You realize then that anger is safer than kindness, that isolation is safer than community. You shut everything out. Everyone. But some days, no matter what you do, the pain gets so bad you’d bury yourself alive just to make it stop."
➸ "It is only in the desperate seconds before death that we realize the windows against which we broke our bodies were only mirrors, all along."
➸ "I'd finally walked away from my own pessimism, and the moment I did, life stuck a knife in my back."
➸ "You've always known me, love. I've always known you. And I'm so-I'm so desperately in love with you-"
➸ "Here. This. My bones against his bones. This is my home."
To me? She is the world."
Wow. I've finally finished this series or well may be it finished me. Whatever it is. Well that was an amazing series. This whole series was insane and brutal and dark and has the best characters especially the women in this book are everything 🤌🔥 I loved it and yes, I enjoyed it a lot.
And do I have a type who likes murdering people and calls you 'LOVE' ? Umm..!? If he's AARON ANDERSON WARNER then hell yeah! Haha I love him sm!
This is one of the best series I have read but the last book was just okay and may be I had great expectations from it since it was the last and also because the previous 5 books were amazing. But so far this is my least favourite book and I did enjoyed it but just not the way I thought I would. The beginning of this book was chaotic and there was darkness and death and war and madness. While the start got me exciting for what was about to come, the middle part where they all were planning for the war against the The Reestablishment was boring. Although I'm satisfied with how the events turned out in the end and how Kenji and Aaron amd Nazeera fought together against The Reestablishment and their parents.
I loved the characters and the ending but the ending felt a bit rushed to me. Also the middle part if this book was so slow for me and a few unnecessary things happened. Which in my opinion didn't needed at all. And the most weird thing that I hated in this book was Julliete's attraction for Anderson. Yes Anderson! That was even weird to read and it was going on and on and on which is also why I reduced the one star. I mean I get she has a type which is Anderson's sons but girl that was their father. And I get that it was because she had no memories of her past. But still!?
And the scene where Aaron was fighting the soldiers with machete was freaking hot and I was screaming at that scene😩🔥 I love this side of Aaron.
I did liked the ending chapters a lot and they literally had me in a chokehold because I didn't know what would happen next and it was a mess but damn it was perfect even though I felt like it was short or may be I always need more when it comes to this series. There were scenes in the ending which were hard to read and what happened to Emmaline broke my heart 💔 and also when Aaron begged Julliete to come back to him was just 😭😭 💔
"Come back to me, love. Come back.” I’m still struggling to breathe, desperately searching his eyes for answers. Explanations. “Where?” “Here,” he whispers, pressing my hands to his heart. “Home."
They deserve the world and every happiness. And I'm so so so happy that they finally got their own happy ending and even though there are still so many hurdles they have to pass and so many things they need to do in order to finally live in a peaceful and a better world. But atleast they are together and in love and are happy, surrounded by people who love them and that's all I want for them.
Aaron Warner
He was a wreck after what happened to Julliete and seeing him like that shattered my heart in pieces. Why it's always him and why does he have to go through this over and over again. Give my man some rest.
But I love that Kenji was there for him even though Aaron tried to pushed him out of his life. He was always there for him. A friend he needed and even though Aaron gives him life threats but Kenji knows that Warner loves him just not the way a normal person would love their friends. But he does and they are besties I know they are but they would never admit that truth.
He is pristine and meticulous and has always intrigued me from the very start and there's no one like him in this world. He's the best. He's love and everything and I would protect him with everything I have. I love him so so much and I want to know more about him 😭💗💗
"I don’t think you’re crazy,” I say. “And I don’t think you’re a psychopath. I don’t think you’re a heartless murderer. I don’t care what anyone else says about you. I think you’re a good person."
Yes, he is a very good person even the best😌💞
Julliete Ferras
Well again The Supreme Commanders were torturing and doing brutal experiments on her. And the scene where she burned the whole capital to ashes was badass but that scene was also painful because of what she had to do in the end. But this girl is so strong and never let them break her. She suffered and sacrificed so much for her world and she cares so deeply for everyone and I think it's also why she is strong because she never let her emotions break her. I'm happy for her that she's finally building the world where she always wanted to live with her loved ones.
"Imagine me
master of my own universe
I am everything I ever dreamed of"
Kenji Kenji Kenji my man the best character of this series and the best friend to ever exists in shatter me world and the best man. He's best and words will never be enough to describe how much I love him 😭💗 he cares for everyone and he comforts everyone no matter what. He's so pure and sweet 💗 He cares so much for Julliete and even risked his own life to save her. I will always admire him for his bravery and everything he does for other people. I loved his pov the most in this book and he carried this whole book on his shoulders. Literally.
Nazeera Ibrahim
This woman is just 🤌🔥 I admire her so much for her strength and her confidence and how she fought for their world. And she's a hacker. Isn’t it hot!? I wanted more of her in this series and especially more Kenjinazeera moments to know how their story is going on. But Tahereh robbed me of their sweet moments and I need a Kenji and Nazeera spin off right now 😭💗 I know they love each other and are happy and I guess I have to live with that only.
"It’s nice to see you, too, Kenji.” I look up. She’s smiling. Ugh, so pretty.
Stop🤚they are so adorable 😭💗🤌
Winston and Brendan
I love these two adorable dorks even though they were side characters they were just so cute and wow they are finally together and I was waiting for it to happen since Book 2. It was endearing seeing how Winston blushes when Brendan is near 💗
Also I wanted to read about Adam in this book or may be his redemption arc but there was none in this book. He did changed though but it felt like his character did a 180 turn and suddenly he is this normal guy. But he did fucked up in this book again and well he's Adam so what can I even expected from him.
The epilogue was cute and Warnette finally getting married was what I needed in the end 💞😌 and the scene where Aaron held the dog was adorable 😭💗
I'm happy and sad at the same time. This was absolutely perfect. I'm always gonna love all the characters especially my loves Aaron and Kenji 😭💗 they both are my forever favourite from this series.
—Favourite Quotes—
➸ "I imagine love, I imagine wind, I imagine gold hair and green eyes and whispers, laughter
I imagine Me extraordinary, unbroken
the girl who shocked herself by surviving, the girl who loved herself through learning, the girl who respected her skin, understood her worth, found her strength."
�� "You realize then that anger is safer than kindness, that isolation is safer than community. You shut everything out. Everyone. But some days, no matter what you do, the pain gets so bad you’d bury yourself alive just to make it stop."
➸ "It is only in the desperate seconds before death that we realize the windows against which we broke our bodies were only mirrors, all along."
➸ "I'd finally walked away from my own pessimism, and the moment I did, life stuck a knife in my back."
➸ "You've always known me, love. I've always known you. And I'm so-I'm so desperately in love with you-"
➸ "Here. This. My bones against his bones. This is my home."
March 30, 2020
I'M FREEEEEEEEEE! WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY FUCKING LIFE
August 21, 2020
”Here. This. My bones against his bones. This is my home”.
Okay, habiendo leído y terminado esta segunda trilogía de Shatter Me, puedo decir con toda confianza que… no debería haber existido. ¡O debería haber sido un solo libro! Cuando terminé de leer toda esta historia de Juliette/Ella me di cuenta de lo extraña, pasiva y, muchas veces, irrelevante que fue. Creo que el 70% de todo lo que hay en esta segunda trilogía se siente como relleno y, por muy hermoso que sea el estilo de Tahereh Mafi, las palabras lindas no compensan la falta de una trama real y bien construida.
Pero vamos al principio, Imagine Me empieza cuando Juliette/Ella, Warner, Kenji y todos los demás están refugiados en el santuario de la hija de Castle. Se enteraron de que Anderson, el líder del Restablecimiento, no está tan muerto como creían, así que saben que querrá cobrar venganza muy pronto. El problema es que Juliette/Ella, después de haber sido secuestrada por sus padres de Oceanía y de haber sufrido un montón de cosas extrañísimas en su mente y con su hermana-arma-mortal, está literalmente perdiendo la cabeza. ¿Y qué sucede? Pues que obviamente Anderson ataca el santuario, vuelve a secuestrar a Juliette/Ella y los demás tienen que planear un nuevo rescate.
Mi problema con este libro es que no pasó prácticamente nada. Juliette perdió cualquier tipo de desarrollo de personalidad que Tahereh Mafi le pudo haber dado en los libros anteriores. Ya no era una chica aprendiendo de su fuerza, amando su independencia y peleando por sus ideales, sino que era una muñeca de trapo a la que Anderson manipulaba demasiado fácilmente. Realmente Juliette no existe en este libro y eso me hizo muchísima falta.
Ahora, debo admitir que una de las cosas que más molesta a las personas de este libro fue algo que a mí sí me encantó… y estoy hablando de Warner. Cuando él pierde a Juliette una vez más, vuelve a ser ese Warner distante, frío y que roza lo psicópata que conocemos en Shatter Me. Es un poco agobiante para los demás personajes interactuar con él porque es una piedra y sin Juliette a su lado no tiene ninguna motivación para ser amable. Pero, díganme rara si quieren, a mí me fascina esa versión de Warner. Así lo conocimos, como un villano, como alguien que realmente sólo se preocupa por sí mismo y por las tres personas que le importan. Obviamente también amo al Warner vulnerable y apasionado que ama con cada fibra de su ser a Juliette y se deshace en ella, pero no me molesta su versión rough.
Y Kenji… ay, mi niño. De verdad, a Kenji deberían darle una medalla porque realmente este libro no fue totalmente insufrible gracias a él. Literalmente él narra el 80% del libro y, aunque no pasa mucho, sí que logramos ver un poco más de su mundo interno y de sus preocupaciones. Un poco como en las novellas. Ahora, ¿creo que Tahereh Mafi le hizo justicia a su historia? No, para nada.
Y, de hecho, hacia allí va mi siguiente punto. Este libro no se siente como el último… y no sé si eso es bueno o malo. Es decir, el asunto del secuestro y la cuasi locura de Juliette se resuelve al final y mueren unas cuantas personas importantes, pero el mundo sigue girando y a mí me quedan muchísimas preguntas. ¿Qué onda con la gente del santuario y de Omega Point? Con la mayoría de los líderes muertos, ¿ahora quién se va a hacer cargo del mundo? ¿Sigue existiendo el Restablecimiento? ¿Qué está pensando la gente del común? ¿Son los hijos de los líderes algo más que nombres en un papel? ¿Cuándo va a tener Kenji el romance tremendo que se merece con Nazeera? ¿Por qué carajos no vimos la boda de Warner y Juliette? ¿CÓMO DESTRUYÓ KENJI EL VESTIDO DE JULIETTE? En fin… creo que me entienden.
No sé, termino esta segunda trilogía con un sabor bastante amargo y un poco decepcionada, a pesar de que no esperaba muchísimo. Creo que seguiré pensando en mi mente que Shatter Me es una trilogía y que todo acabó con la última línea de Ignite Me.
Okay, habiendo leído y terminado esta segunda trilogía de Shatter Me, puedo decir con toda confianza que… no debería haber existido. ¡O debería haber sido un solo libro! Cuando terminé de leer toda esta historia de Juliette/Ella me di cuenta de lo extraña, pasiva y, muchas veces, irrelevante que fue. Creo que el 70% de todo lo que hay en esta segunda trilogía se siente como relleno y, por muy hermoso que sea el estilo de Tahereh Mafi, las palabras lindas no compensan la falta de una trama real y bien construida.
Pero vamos al principio, Imagine Me empieza cuando Juliette/Ella, Warner, Kenji y todos los demás están refugiados en el santuario de la hija de Castle. Se enteraron de que Anderson, el líder del Restablecimiento, no está tan muerto como creían, así que saben que querrá cobrar venganza muy pronto. El problema es que Juliette/Ella, después de haber sido secuestrada por sus padres de Oceanía y de haber sufrido un montón de cosas extrañísimas en su mente y con su hermana-arma-mortal, está literalmente perdiendo la cabeza. ¿Y qué sucede? Pues que obviamente Anderson ataca el santuario, vuelve a secuestrar a Juliette/Ella y los demás tienen que planear un nuevo rescate.
Mi problema con este libro es que no pasó prácticamente nada. Juliette perdió cualquier tipo de desarrollo de personalidad que Tahereh Mafi le pudo haber dado en los libros anteriores. Ya no era una chica aprendiendo de su fuerza, amando su independencia y peleando por sus ideales, sino que era una muñeca de trapo a la que Anderson manipulaba demasiado fácilmente. Realmente Juliette no existe en este libro y eso me hizo muchísima falta.
Ahora, debo admitir que una de las cosas que más molesta a las personas de este libro fue algo que a mí sí me encantó… y estoy hablando de Warner. Cuando él pierde a Juliette una vez más, vuelve a ser ese Warner distante, frío y que roza lo psicópata que conocemos en Shatter Me. Es un poco agobiante para los demás personajes interactuar con él porque es una piedra y sin Juliette a su lado no tiene ninguna motivación para ser amable. Pero, díganme rara si quieren, a mí me fascina esa versión de Warner. Así lo conocimos, como un villano, como alguien que realmente sólo se preocupa por sí mismo y por las tres personas que le importan. Obviamente también amo al Warner vulnerable y apasionado que ama con cada fibra de su ser a Juliette y se deshace en ella, pero no me molesta su versión rough.
Y Kenji… ay, mi niño. De verdad, a Kenji deberían darle una medalla porque realmente este libro no fue totalmente insufrible gracias a él. Literalmente él narra el 80% del libro y, aunque no pasa mucho, sí que logramos ver un poco más de su mundo interno y de sus preocupaciones. Un poco como en las novellas. Ahora, ¿creo que Tahereh Mafi le hizo justicia a su historia? No, para nada.
Y, de hecho, hacia allí va mi siguiente punto. Este libro no se siente como el último… y no sé si eso es bueno o malo. Es decir, el asunto del secuestro y la cuasi locura de Juliette se resuelve al final y mueren unas cuantas personas importantes, pero el mundo sigue girando y a mí me quedan muchísimas preguntas. ¿Qué onda con la gente del santuario y de Omega Point? Con la mayoría de los líderes muertos, ¿ahora quién se va a hacer cargo del mundo? ¿Sigue existiendo el Restablecimiento? ¿Qué está pensando la gente del común? ¿Son los hijos de los líderes algo más que nombres en un papel? ¿Cuándo va a tener Kenji el romance tremendo que se merece con Nazeera? ¿Por qué carajos no vimos la boda de Warner y Juliette? ¿CÓMO DESTRUYÓ KENJI EL VESTIDO DE JULIETTE? En fin… creo que me entienden.
No sé, termino esta segunda trilogía con un sabor bastante amargo y un poco decepcionada, a pesar de que no esperaba muchísimo. Creo que seguiré pensando en mi mente que Shatter Me es una trilogía y que todo acabó con la última línea de Ignite Me.
April 11, 2020
SPOILERS EVERYWHERE
This was the finale to the shatter me series, one of my absolute favourites. The entire series is done forever. Warner and Juliette. Ella and Warner.
so why oh why oh why oh why oh why did kenji basically become the sole narrator of imagine me? I am confusion. This was truly the last book of the series and we couldn't get even a couple of warner chapters?
Many people said this series should have stayed as a trilogy and I agreed with them after reading restore me. However, after devouring defy me, I was so fucking grateful this series continued and flourished. Having said that, it should have stopped at defy me because imagine me was a fucking disappointment. It was incredibly underwhelming. What the fuck was that? This is the so called last installment of the shatter me series? I'm mad. Whilst I enjoyed the book, it became extremely frustrating. Why?
KENJI.
Because of kenji. Did I not get the memo? Was this suppose to be his book? It was just kenji kenj kenji kenji all the damn time. Don't get me wrong, I love him and there were so many funny moments because of him but oh my, i got so frustrated reading his point of views. I feel robbed. I became sick and tired seeing his name at the top of the chapters when all i wanted was warner chapters. I wanted to be in his mind, I wanted to read his broken thoughts whilst he was going through something so heart breaking but I didn't get that chance, not even once. He didn't eat and shower in days, and that alone is so sad because warner is all about hygiene!! You think I didn't want to know what he was going through?? Defy me was utterly perfect to me and the ending left me content but this book? It was decent, i did enjoy it but this was such a dissatisfying way to end an epic series that created warner and juliette. I thought restore me was taking the piss but imagine me took it three steps further.
When warner, kenji and nazeera are trying to rescue juliette, do you think we, as readers, give a fuck about what kenji is thinking in that moment. No, I certainly didn't. I am invested in warner and juliette so I want to know his thought process about it all. I want to read and devour his murderous and villainous thoughts as he realises juliette has finally become the person she never wanted to be. Crazy, obsessive warner was back and i wanted TO READ IT. I wanted to know all about his aching sadness and his love and heart when he is fighting against juliette but to only protect and save her. I didn't even get a little hint of this. All I had was fucking kenji's POV. At least we had juliette's POV when she came face to face with warner. And also, most of juliette's chapters were not when she was in the right state of mind so it was bascially just kenji giving us all the information. AND, i've just realised that I did not witness more than maybe four conversations between warner and juliette??? maybe less than that, am i fucking wrong???
Juliette became the brainwashed soldier and suddenly she was attracted to Anderson? Why was this even a thing? Why waste words and pages on such a ridiculous matter that didn't need to happen!! ALSO IS ANDERSON ACTUALLY DEAD???
The ending was so abrupt and rushed??? Her sister dies and everything's on fire and the next page is the epilogue. Sorry? what about the aftermath? Did Juliette's energy ever go back to normal? Adam's powers?? All those chapters with kenji but not even one kiss with nazeera, barely any moments of them together. Make it make sense, please. I wanted to see Juliette and Warner properly reunited, i wanted to see how juliette was after losing her sister, after being brainwashed and how warner becomes whole again. But of course, I didn't get that and if i did, it would have been through Kenji's fucking eyes. But let's not forget that the epilogue was the first and last time we got warner's POV in imagine me and it was honestly great and exactly what I needed after this disappointing read. It was their wedding day but i'm upset we didn't get their actual wedding scene. A warnette wedding??? I would like to see it. Kenji walking juliette down the aisle, warner crying whilst smiling ear to ear when he watches the love of his entire life running towards him in a beautiful wedding gown and a kenji struggling to keep up with the glowing bride???? imagine their vows??? their kids??? warner as the most supportive dad??? juliette as the most loving mum??? listen, i'm sobbing with all my heart.
-also, winston and brendon finally together?? i'm so happy and kenji's reaction was hilarious!!
-james, warner and kenji? a powerful, entertaining trio.
-warner and kenji moments? warner bullying kenji??? incredibly satisfying!! i love love love them
-kenji calling nazeera, my girl?? absolutely lovely
-warner in sweatpants??? my fucking ovaries are gone
-warner making haider cry?? I JUST WANTED TO SEE IT.
-juliette holding a dog for the first time ever??? listen, i started bawling.
-whenever warner calls juliette love??? my heart melts every. single. time.
-warner the fashion trendsetter made a comeback???? his passion for fashion??? inspiring. he was sad over juliette's wedding dress getting ruined!! sir, can i please suck—
-warner can literally feel how much juliette loves him but still it shocks him even after getting engaged, after everything they went through??? call me old-fashioned but i was raised to serve my husband. i am his property. i will be on my kne—
this beautiful series started with juliette so emotionally broken and it ended with her so gloriously happy and in love with herself and with aaron warner. their growth is unmatched and cannot be replicated, it is so special. i'm so incredibly sad it's over!!! warner will always be my whole whole whole whole whole heart. he is the best, softest and most complex character to ever fucking exist. i will miss him forever and always.
This was the finale to the shatter me series, one of my absolute favourites. The entire series is done forever. Warner and Juliette. Ella and Warner.
so why oh why oh why oh why oh why did kenji basically become the sole narrator of imagine me? I am confusion. This was truly the last book of the series and we couldn't get even a couple of warner chapters?
Many people said this series should have stayed as a trilogy and I agreed with them after reading restore me. However, after devouring defy me, I was so fucking grateful this series continued and flourished. Having said that, it should have stopped at defy me because imagine me was a fucking disappointment. It was incredibly underwhelming. What the fuck was that? This is the so called last installment of the shatter me series? I'm mad. Whilst I enjoyed the book, it became extremely frustrating. Why?
KENJI.
Because of kenji. Did I not get the memo? Was this suppose to be his book? It was just kenji kenj kenji kenji all the damn time. Don't get me wrong, I love him and there were so many funny moments because of him but oh my, i got so frustrated reading his point of views. I feel robbed. I became sick and tired seeing his name at the top of the chapters when all i wanted was warner chapters. I wanted to be in his mind, I wanted to read his broken thoughts whilst he was going through something so heart breaking but I didn't get that chance, not even once. He didn't eat and shower in days, and that alone is so sad because warner is all about hygiene!! You think I didn't want to know what he was going through?? Defy me was utterly perfect to me and the ending left me content but this book? It was decent, i did enjoy it but this was such a dissatisfying way to end an epic series that created warner and juliette. I thought restore me was taking the piss but imagine me took it three steps further.
When warner, kenji and nazeera are trying to rescue juliette, do you think we, as readers, give a fuck about what kenji is thinking in that moment. No, I certainly didn't. I am invested in warner and juliette so I want to know his thought process about it all. I want to read and devour his murderous and villainous thoughts as he realises juliette has finally become the person she never wanted to be. Crazy, obsessive warner was back and i wanted TO READ IT. I wanted to know all about his aching sadness and his love and heart when he is fighting against juliette but to only protect and save her. I didn't even get a little hint of this. All I had was fucking kenji's POV. At least we had juliette's POV when she came face to face with warner. And also, most of juliette's chapters were not when she was in the right state of mind so it was bascially just kenji giving us all the information. AND, i've just realised that I did not witness more than maybe four conversations between warner and juliette??? maybe less than that, am i fucking wrong???
Juliette became the brainwashed soldier and suddenly she was attracted to Anderson? Why was this even a thing? Why waste words and pages on such a ridiculous matter that didn't need to happen!! ALSO IS ANDERSON ACTUALLY DEAD???
The ending was so abrupt and rushed??? Her sister dies and everything's on fire and the next page is the epilogue. Sorry? what about the aftermath? Did Juliette's energy ever go back to normal? Adam's powers?? All those chapters with kenji but not even one kiss with nazeera, barely any moments of them together. Make it make sense, please. I wanted to see Juliette and Warner properly reunited, i wanted to see how juliette was after losing her sister, after being brainwashed and how warner becomes whole again. But of course, I didn't get that and if i did, it would have been through Kenji's fucking eyes. But let's not forget that the epilogue was the first and last time we got warner's POV in imagine me and it was honestly great and exactly what I needed after this disappointing read. It was their wedding day but i'm upset we didn't get their actual wedding scene. A warnette wedding??? I would like to see it. Kenji walking juliette down the aisle, warner crying whilst smiling ear to ear when he watches the love of his entire life running towards him in a beautiful wedding gown and a kenji struggling to keep up with the glowing bride???? imagine their vows??? their kids??? warner as the most supportive dad??? juliette as the most loving mum??? listen, i'm sobbing with all my heart.
"You know my name," he says softly.
"You've always known me, love. I've always known you.
And I'm so—I'm so desperately in love with you—"
-also, winston and brendon finally together?? i'm so happy and kenji's reaction was hilarious!!
-james, warner and kenji? a powerful, entertaining trio.
-warner and kenji moments? warner bullying kenji??? incredibly satisfying!! i love love love them
-kenji calling nazeera, my girl?? absolutely lovely
-warner in sweatpants??? my fucking ovaries are gone
-warner making haider cry?? I JUST WANTED TO SEE IT.
-juliette holding a dog for the first time ever??? listen, i started bawling.
-whenever warner calls juliette love??? my heart melts every. single. time.
-warner the fashion trendsetter made a comeback???? his passion for fashion??? inspiring. he was sad over juliette's wedding dress getting ruined!! sir, can i please suck—
-warner can literally feel how much juliette loves him but still it shocks him even after getting engaged, after everything they went through??? call me old-fashioned but i was raised to serve my husband. i am his property. i will be on my kne—
this beautiful series started with juliette so emotionally broken and it ended with her so gloriously happy and in love with herself and with aaron warner. their growth is unmatched and cannot be replicated, it is so special. i'm so incredibly sad it's over!!! warner will always be my whole whole whole whole whole heart. he is the best, softest and most complex character to ever fucking exist. i will miss him forever and always.
"imagine me
master of my own universe
i am everything i ever dreamed of"
January 1, 2021
It’s 3 AM. I have a bad habit with staying up too late reading the Shatter Me series. This broke me.
October 14, 2022
”to the world she is formidable.
to me? she is the world.”
this book was a whole mess.
i rly wanted to love this, but i couldn’t. it was just so bad and VERY anticlimactic. it was an underwhelming read and painful to get through, i was close to adding it to dnf. i had to push through to finish this book!! idk why i had high expectations that this series would end on a high.
— i can’t believe i had to read about juliette’s creepy attraction towards anderson for 3/4 of the book, that was the final straw for me. like girl snap tf out of it rn he literally made you cut off your fucking finger—it was honestly so traumatising it was killing me!! LIKE WHY WAS IT EVEN NECESSARY TO ADD THAT IN THE BOOK?!?
— we didn’t get warner’s POV but miss mafi thought it was okay for juliette to pine for anderson?? ABSOLUTELY NOT. NOPE, NOT OKAY.
the only thing i loved about this book was aaron warner in that machete scene. like he went absolutely feral, my god i was getting butterflies. SO SEXY OF HIM.
— we finally got our angry and psychopath aaron warner back, and i was not complaining at all — i missed him <33
NOW LISTEN, I JUST WANTED MORE WARNETTE ROMANCE!!
June 6, 2020
Ok, so I have a very unpopular opinion, but I loved this book. The Shatter Me series (when it was only a trilogy) was the first ya series I read when I got into ya books (besides The Hunger Games ofc). I just loved the plot and the characters and was captivated by the entire story. I was such a novice in ya, that I completely loved the series. Looking back on it now, I can definitely spot issues, but this series is like my guilty pleasure. No matter how bad it is, I will always love it because of it’s place in my heart. When I saw that she was continuing the series a few years back I was like “woah, I’m gonna love this”. However, Restore Me was pretty bad ngl. I ended up loving Defy Me because the history that was uncovered 🥺.
So I was pretty scared going into this book. I forgot a lot from the previous books like side characters and side plots, but I still loved this book so much. I felt like there could’ve been more to the story (like the whole Adam situation, Emmaline/Ella thing, and other parts) Although, that would’ve made this finale very long (I wouldn’t have minded). Also the Warner/Kenji friendship 😱😍😍. The whole Juliette/Anderson thing was just — funny but disturbing. I loved this series so much and I don’t understand why the goodreads ratings are so low, but if you haven’t read this book because of the rating, do it because I was scared too and look at how that turned out.
So I was pretty scared going into this book. I forgot a lot from the previous books like side characters and side plots, but I still loved this book so much. I felt like there could’ve been more to the story (like the whole Adam situation, Emmaline/Ella thing, and other parts) Although, that would’ve made this finale very long (I wouldn’t have minded). Also the Warner/Kenji friendship 😱😍😍. The whole Juliette/Anderson thing was just — funny but disturbing. I loved this series so much and I don’t understand why the goodreads ratings are so low, but if you haven’t read this book because of the rating, do it because I was scared too and look at how that turned out.
March 31, 2020
Well, this was awful.
RANT REVIEW COMING SO IF YOU LIKED THIS BOOK, WELL, GOOD FOR YOU.
I fell in love with shatter me in the far away 2011. I loved the magical writing and the complexity of the characters. I would've never though that this day would come. The day where I had to say "I hate it."
Everything about this book felt different. It wasn't well written at all, the plot was the most confusing thing I've ever read. It wasn't the ending I expected. We all know we didn't read the sequel series for the plot, but for the couple and seeing it being treated like this, like it wasn't relevant irritated me. This was supposed to be the goodbye to Juliette and Warner. To one of my all time favorite couples and I barely had two scenes with them. And yes, I am angry. There's not much else to say because like I said this was another series, written by another author. I refuse to believe Tahereh wrote this and thought it was a good ending. This was a filler book, this was supposed to be mixed with book 5 and then we'd have the last book. So yeah. I am bitter and I don't apologize for it.
I am contemplating to change my rating to 1 star because honestly the only good thing about it was the epilogue and Brandon and Winston happening. But whatever.
RANT REVIEW COMING SO IF YOU LIKED THIS BOOK, WELL, GOOD FOR YOU.
I fell in love with shatter me in the far away 2011. I loved the magical writing and the complexity of the characters. I would've never though that this day would come. The day where I had to say "I hate it."
Everything about this book felt different. It wasn't well written at all, the plot was the most confusing thing I've ever read. It wasn't the ending I expected. We all know we didn't read the sequel series for the plot, but for the couple and seeing it being treated like this, like it wasn't relevant irritated me. This was supposed to be the goodbye to Juliette and Warner. To one of my all time favorite couples and I barely had two scenes with them. And yes, I am angry. There's not much else to say because like I said this was another series, written by another author. I refuse to believe Tahereh wrote this and thought it was a good ending. This was a filler book, this was supposed to be mixed with book 5 and then we'd have the last book. So yeah. I am bitter and I don't apologize for it.
I am contemplating to change my rating to 1 star because honestly the only good thing about it was the epilogue and Brandon and Winston happening. But whatever.
July 20, 2022
after the BOMBSHELL of defy me, this was probably not going to be my favorite of the series, however it is still amazing because WARNER and KENJI
Read
July 27, 2022UPDATE, 08/08:
If you're wondering what the title means, Tahereh Mafi shared the back cover on Instagram and it reads:
Awwww, so inspiring.
• • • • • •
[22 July 2019:]
reporter: hello oh you addicts of coverporn! Behold the mother of all covers, the high and mighty, the breathtakingly glorious, the regally magnificent, the utterly parfaite...
drummers: *drumroll*
reporter: *reveals cover* Imagine Me! Let us hear it for the queen of covers, you people! Let us see you faint!
audience: *loud cheering, screams, people dying on the spot, bloodshed, death, oh so much death so much beauty*
reporter: *satisfied and smiling, turns mic to cover* how do feel about this fanfare?
cover:
On the Title Imagine Me
Okay I have no idea what the heck that's supposed to refer to, but I disagree that the two previous books' titles were empty.
After finishing Restore Me anyone with a little observation would realise it means . I mean it's so obvious I just can't understand who wouldn't see it 😐
And defying sb/sth, according to Oxford Dictionary, means: to refuse to obey or show respect for sb in authority, a law, a rule, etc.
Do you guys need a dictionary and more elaboration or is it clear enough? No? Okay, it M E A N S that Defy Me is talking about Got it? Hopefully yes 😶
I can't yet figure out what Imagine Me is referring to—or, more specifically, who or what the Me part of it is—but maybe it means “imagine a future”? (Me being the future)
But really, if this book doesn't meet the high expectations Defy Me has set, I swear I will sue her 😐
If you're wondering what the title means, Tahereh Mafi shared the back cover on Instagram and it reads:
in the pain, I imagine bliss.
My thoughts are like wind, rushing, curling into the depths of myself, expelling, dispelling darkness
I imagine love, I imagine wind, I imagine gold hair and green eyes and whispers, laughter
I imagine
Me
extraordinary, unbroken
the girl who shocked herself by surviving, the girl who loved herself through learning, the girl who respected her skin, understood her worth, found her strength
s t r o n g
s t r o n g e r
strongest
Imagine me
master of my own universe
I am everything I ever dreamed of
Awwww, so inspiring.
• • • • • •
[22 July 2019:]
reporter: hello oh you addicts of coverporn! Behold the mother of all covers, the high and mighty, the breathtakingly glorious, the regally magnificent, the utterly parfaite...
drummers: *drumroll*
reporter: *reveals cover* Imagine Me! Let us hear it for the queen of covers, you people! Let us see you faint!
audience: *loud cheering, screams, people dying on the spot, bloodshed, death, oh so much death so much beauty*
reporter: *satisfied and smiling, turns mic to cover* how do feel about this fanfare?
cover:
On the Title Imagine Me
Okay I have no idea what the heck that's supposed to refer to, but I disagree that the two previous books' titles were empty.
After finishing Restore Me anyone with a little observation would realise it means . I mean it's so obvious I just can't understand who wouldn't see it 😐
And defying sb/sth, according to Oxford Dictionary, means: to refuse to obey or show respect for sb in authority, a law, a rule, etc.
Do you guys need a dictionary and more elaboration or is it clear enough? No? Okay, it M E A N S that Defy Me is talking about Got it? Hopefully yes 😶
I can't yet figure out what Imagine Me is referring to—or, more specifically, who or what the Me part of it is—but maybe it means “imagine a future”? (Me being the future)
But really, if this book doesn't meet the high expectations Defy Me has set, I swear I will sue her 😐
April 8, 2020
Okay, let's begin to explain why I gave this book one star, despite how much I adore this series!
Imagine Me is the last book of a six book series. Imagine what you want from the final book in a series. I know that I want a conclusion. I'm a fan of happy endings but I'll take anything that feels like it's an end to the story, that all of the ideas are tied together, and even if there are some open ends, there's a feeling that the story is over. I've poured years of my life into this, I want to feel like it all has boiled down to the big question, and that it was solved and now we can live happily. I think Harry Potter managed to do this really well.
Imagine Me absolutely fails at this. This is an abomination of a final book. I stand firmly by the idea that this series should have stopped as a trilogy. I'm going to go over the things that made this book so disappointing now.
Juliette:
In Shatter Me, we meet a girl who is scared of her own powers. She's lonely, she feels weak, she is powerless, she's trapped in a unjust dictatorship. By the end of Ignite Me, Juliette is incredibly powerful, she has control of her powers, she is in love, she has taken down the establishment, she has friends. And well, three more books afterwards, she is in the exact same place. Nothing of substance has happened and I don't understand how this book could allow this to happen. . This is unforgivable to me.
Warner:
When I think about Warner, I remember scenes from the first three books. Warner opening up to Juliette in Omega Point. Warner at his mother's home. Warner arriving when she fought with Adam. All these scenes are iconic because we thought Warner would behave a certain way and he entirely surprised us. We saw new sides of Warner and fell in love with him.
However, in this book, Warner essentially reverts back to the first book but this time, I didn't buy it. Mafi tries to throw in the idea of "maybe Warner was evil all along and only with Juliette is he a decent person" but I didn't buy it because I remember him killing the guy who abused his wife and I remember him taking care of his mother. This has nothing to do with Juliette.
Since Ignite Me, Warner hasn't made any progress either. In the first book, he was unable to murder his father. Since then, he has overcome this and at this point, I've grown tired of seeing him and his father repeat arguments. I mean, come on.
Kenji:
Unpopular opinion here, I don't think Kenji's narrative managed to salvage this shipwreck. I adore Kenji. Kenji is the only character in this entire book who has something active going on. He is in the midst of building a relationship with Nazeera. However, this book doesn't really focus on this budding relationship enough. Instead, we see Kenji once more as the "comic relief who cares for people". As with Warner, we all know this already. That scene when Kenji stands in front of the graves of everyone he loves and allows himself to cry? That is what character development should be and this book had nothing like that.
Adam:
I feel like no one really liked Adam by this book. I mean, he's so unbearable in the third book and it was hard to love him after that. However, Mafi absolutely does him an injustice here. Adam deserved so much better.
Anderson:
I am in the midst of writing a paper about Elizabeth Anderson, the bad-ass philosopher who managed to show that Republicans should support government work laws (like minimum wage) so my brain kept picturing her in those scenes with Juliette.
Anyway, I felt like Mafi was trying to show new sides of Anderson here. We get to see him in this workplace. We experience the drama with the other leaders. Unfortunately, I'm unable to care because I spent 5 books thinking of him a certain way and I just, I don't care about his power trips. This wasn't what I wanted at all.
Juliette's family:
As an idea, answering the mystery of "where is Juliette from?" is a great idea. Is it so great that it deserves three books? I don't think so. Because ultimately, Emmaline was not developed properly. As a reader, I'm still not entire sure what's the scope of her powers and why she's so important. Evie doesn't step out of the evil genius and her dad is just kind of useless. This just wasn't built very well and in comparison to the first three books, it's not compelling.
The writing:
I loved the purple prose of this series. I really did. It always felt like Mafi can put into words things that I didn't know could be expressed. However, the magic of her writing was that I could relate. I mean, the feeling that Mafi was describing were ones that I (and I think most people) have felt. In this book, Mafi's beautiful prose gets wasted on describing Juliette losing her mind. It was the first time that I found myself thinking, "ugh, what is this writing, I can't understand anything".
The plot:
Mafi seems to have lost her plot and I think that's the reason for the disappointing ending. We meandered around with Nouria, things went badly, Juliette and Warner save the day. We've done this before. I don't feel like anything was new. Mafi recycled quite a lot of things, from Anderson being literally immortal to love saving the day.
Diversity:
Okay, so before I expand on this, I have to say this. I am probably one of the biggest supports of political correctness. I definitely believe that literature needs to reflect the diversity of people and that it's time we stop being so American-centric.
That said, this book felt like Mafi suddenly woke up and said, "oh no, my book doesn't have diversity in it" and so she was trying to solve this. It's great that she tried but this is a weak attempt.
Why? First of all, Ian and the Spanish speaking. The heck? This series is built on the idea that languages have been destroyed, that only the elite of the society study languages. So when Ian suddenly starts speaking Spanish, that's weird and I don't understand how that happened.
Secondly, Brendan and Winston. I am always excited for queer characters. I really am desperate for more representation. However, up until this book, the dynamic between them was like father-son and it's weird that they're suddenly together, it feels like it came in the middle of nowhere.
Thirdly, the tea. How the heck does Brendan know what England is? I thought all of the countries lost all of these things. I don't understand how this happened and why. These are minor things but together, they turn this book into a mess.
To me, these three things show that Mafi was trying hard to make this book more international but she did this at the cost of the inner logic of the world she built. To me, that's just depressing. It makes me feel like an attempt to appease readers without working hard to think about how to fit these things into the world.
To conclude, wow, this review is long. If you've read until here, I congratulate you. I suppose that if you've read the first five books, you'll read this book. Just lower your expectations because it's not nearly the ending we deserve. I'm just going to reread Ignite Me and pretend the story ends there, like it should have.
What I'm Taking With Me
- Ugh, books where *technology* is always the solution.
- Also, what is it with ya and the army? Armies are nothing like this and really aren't exciting. Like, seriously, the real drama is in politics.
- Kenji deserved much much better, I can't believe we didn't even get a wedding scene, this is such a travesty.
Imagine Me is the last book of a six book series. Imagine what you want from the final book in a series. I know that I want a conclusion. I'm a fan of happy endings but I'll take anything that feels like it's an end to the story, that all of the ideas are tied together, and even if there are some open ends, there's a feeling that the story is over. I've poured years of my life into this, I want to feel like it all has boiled down to the big question, and that it was solved and now we can live happily. I think Harry Potter managed to do this really well.
Imagine Me absolutely fails at this. This is an abomination of a final book. I stand firmly by the idea that this series should have stopped as a trilogy. I'm going to go over the things that made this book so disappointing now.
Juliette:
In Shatter Me, we meet a girl who is scared of her own powers. She's lonely, she feels weak, she is powerless, she's trapped in a unjust dictatorship. By the end of Ignite Me, Juliette is incredibly powerful, she has control of her powers, she is in love, she has taken down the establishment, she has friends. And well, three more books afterwards, she is in the exact same place. Nothing of substance has happened and I don't understand how this book could allow this to happen. . This is unforgivable to me.
Warner:
When I think about Warner, I remember scenes from the first three books. Warner opening up to Juliette in Omega Point. Warner at his mother's home. Warner arriving when she fought with Adam. All these scenes are iconic because we thought Warner would behave a certain way and he entirely surprised us. We saw new sides of Warner and fell in love with him.
However, in this book, Warner essentially reverts back to the first book but this time, I didn't buy it. Mafi tries to throw in the idea of "maybe Warner was evil all along and only with Juliette is he a decent person" but I didn't buy it because I remember him killing the guy who abused his wife and I remember him taking care of his mother. This has nothing to do with Juliette.
Since Ignite Me, Warner hasn't made any progress either. In the first book, he was unable to murder his father. Since then, he has overcome this and at this point, I've grown tired of seeing him and his father repeat arguments. I mean, come on.
Kenji:
Unpopular opinion here, I don't think Kenji's narrative managed to salvage this shipwreck. I adore Kenji. Kenji is the only character in this entire book who has something active going on. He is in the midst of building a relationship with Nazeera. However, this book doesn't really focus on this budding relationship enough. Instead, we see Kenji once more as the "comic relief who cares for people". As with Warner, we all know this already. That scene when Kenji stands in front of the graves of everyone he loves and allows himself to cry? That is what character development should be and this book had nothing like that.
Adam:
I feel like no one really liked Adam by this book. I mean, he's so unbearable in the third book and it was hard to love him after that. However, Mafi absolutely does him an injustice here. Adam deserved so much better.
Anderson:
I am in the midst of writing a paper about Elizabeth Anderson, the bad-ass philosopher who managed to show that Republicans should support government work laws (like minimum wage) so my brain kept picturing her in those scenes with Juliette.
Anyway, I felt like Mafi was trying to show new sides of Anderson here. We get to see him in this workplace. We experience the drama with the other leaders. Unfortunately, I'm unable to care because I spent 5 books thinking of him a certain way and I just, I don't care about his power trips. This wasn't what I wanted at all.
Juliette's family:
As an idea, answering the mystery of "where is Juliette from?" is a great idea. Is it so great that it deserves three books? I don't think so. Because ultimately, Emmaline was not developed properly. As a reader, I'm still not entire sure what's the scope of her powers and why she's so important. Evie doesn't step out of the evil genius and her dad is just kind of useless. This just wasn't built very well and in comparison to the first three books, it's not compelling.
The writing:
I loved the purple prose of this series. I really did. It always felt like Mafi can put into words things that I didn't know could be expressed. However, the magic of her writing was that I could relate. I mean, the feeling that Mafi was describing were ones that I (and I think most people) have felt. In this book, Mafi's beautiful prose gets wasted on describing Juliette losing her mind. It was the first time that I found myself thinking, "ugh, what is this writing, I can't understand anything".
The plot:
Mafi seems to have lost her plot and I think that's the reason for the disappointing ending. We meandered around with Nouria, things went badly, Juliette and Warner save the day. We've done this before. I don't feel like anything was new. Mafi recycled quite a lot of things, from Anderson being literally immortal to love saving the day.
Diversity:
Okay, so before I expand on this, I have to say this. I am probably one of the biggest supports of political correctness. I definitely believe that literature needs to reflect the diversity of people and that it's time we stop being so American-centric.
That said, this book felt like Mafi suddenly woke up and said, "oh no, my book doesn't have diversity in it" and so she was trying to solve this. It's great that she tried but this is a weak attempt.
Why? First of all, Ian and the Spanish speaking. The heck? This series is built on the idea that languages have been destroyed, that only the elite of the society study languages. So when Ian suddenly starts speaking Spanish, that's weird and I don't understand how that happened.
Secondly, Brendan and Winston. I am always excited for queer characters. I really am desperate for more representation. However, up until this book, the dynamic between them was like father-son and it's weird that they're suddenly together, it feels like it came in the middle of nowhere.
Thirdly, the tea. How the heck does Brendan know what England is? I thought all of the countries lost all of these things. I don't understand how this happened and why. These are minor things but together, they turn this book into a mess.
To me, these three things show that Mafi was trying hard to make this book more international but she did this at the cost of the inner logic of the world she built. To me, that's just depressing. It makes me feel like an attempt to appease readers without working hard to think about how to fit these things into the world.
To conclude, wow, this review is long. If you've read until here, I congratulate you. I suppose that if you've read the first five books, you'll read this book. Just lower your expectations because it's not nearly the ending we deserve. I'm just going to reread Ignite Me and pretend the story ends there, like it should have.
What I'm Taking With Me
- Ugh, books where *technology* is always the solution.
- Also, what is it with ya and the army? Armies are nothing like this and really aren't exciting. Like, seriously, the real drama is in politics.
- Kenji deserved much much better, I can't believe we didn't even get a wedding scene, this is such a travesty.
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