Mafi, Tahereh ; Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2), Informal Buddy Read, Start Date December 3, 2014

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

What is a Buddy Read?

This is an "Informal Buddy Read"
An “Informal Buddy Read” doesn’t have a discussion leader and participants are asked to consider some generic questions when making comments about the book. An example is here.

Book synopsis

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it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life

[Moderators of NBRC, Challenger-in-Chief]

reserved

[Khaoula E.]

Great. Will try to read Shatter me in November and read this one with you guys!

[Greta]

Thank you Red Baron!

[Marla]

Looking forward to it ladies. I might start it earlier, but I will put my comments under spoilers, because I already have it from the library and it's due back on December 2nd.

[Damini]

I had read Shatter Me earlier this year, didn't like it much though. But it ended on a rather curious note. So I'll read this one.

[Hope]

Same it just didn't interest me as much it didn't get to the point I guess it was world building but it just didn't make me want to read the next one but I might just to see

[Amy]

I am totally in :)

[Marla]

For once, I'm early...lol

Chapter 1-6: nothing much happens, except Juliette whine and feels sorry for herself and crushes on Adam
Chapter 7-9: (view spoiler)[Is Adam being tortured? Is that what has been wrong with him? Wow, Juliette is scary. (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 10-12: Love Kenji's talks at Juliette. (view spoiler)[Though how Kenji can think this mess of a girl is together enough to concoct this intrigue is farfetched. Maybe Juliette will stop feeling sorry for herself. (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 13-14: Okay, I may actually feel sorry for Juliette. (view spoiler)[The boy she loves is wearing himself down because he wants to touch her. She tries to reject him and ends up hurting him. (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 15-22: (view spoiler)[Juliette going on a mission was very interesting and the change of scenery and moping was great. She is so stupid going after Warner, thank goodness for Kenji! (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 23: Getting tired of the romantic dramatics.
Chapter 24-26: Training and even talking to Kenji is so good for Juliette.

[Marla]

Chapter 27-43: (view spoiler)[This hostage trade off sounds like a setup. I LOVE James and I've missed him. I'm glad he cleared the air with Juliette. I wonder if Juliette is trying to torture Adam, she keeps drawing attention to herself. Kenji's observation that she looks great and if she were his girl and he couldn't touch her, that he doesn't envy Adam.

Speaking of which, why exactly does Juliette's outfit have to be form fitting? She just needs to be covered. It doesn't help for her outfit to be skin tight. It could be a sweats or a baggy jumpsuit and gloves. So long as it didn't ride up on her body. I think this was purely for the benefit of the Omega Point males.

As expected, Warner's father, the Supreme Commander Anderson is a Class A jerk. But I was surprised at Juliette torturing him. Wow, I didn't see it coming that Adam and Warner were half brothers. Why didn't they take Anderson rather than Warner? (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 44-56: Juliette get distracted and has NO idea how to interrogate a prisoner. (view spoiler)[Juliette talking to Warner is all in Warner's advantage. Warner reading Juliette's diary comforts her that someone truly knows her instead of angering her for his violation of her privacy or creeping her out that this monster read her secret thoughts?

Juliette is falling for Warner? So his father is a monster, Adam didn't turn into a cruel manipulating jerk. (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 57-62: Warner can (view spoiler)[channel other people's powers. Very cool and he's not affected by Juliette's power. Juliette messes around with Warner until she remembers Adam and stops. What kind of selective memory does she have that she only is attracted to the monster that is Warner? (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 63-65: (view spoiler)[Glad that they save most of the civilians. Good thing Kenji was good enough to go with them. (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 66-73 (end): Juliette gets (view spoiler)[captured again. Anderson washes her up and cleans her up, so Warner has time to get there and watch her die? I thought Warner said his mother was dead. If Warner channels powers wouldn't some of Juliette's power backwash and hurt Sonya and Sara? Again, Juliette is so self-centered that only when Anderson hurts her then she's willing to get involved. While she is being bathed and sleeping in a comfy bed she forgot her friends who are fighting for their lives. Just like she forgets the love of her life when Warner is feeling her up. I am quite disappointed with the level of Juliette's self absorption. (hide spoiler)]

I don't know how I can like this book, when I don't trust or like Warner at all, Juliette is all about herself and Adam is all emotional and lovesick. Kenji is definitely a large part of the reason I like this book and the crazy descriptions that almost don't make sense.

[Greta]

Marla, I will make sure to respond to you once I get started!!

[Marla]

Thanks Greta, I'll be popping back in after Dec 3. My library book was due :D

[Greta]

Ok, I've just started and I Realize its been a long time since I read the first book. It is taking a while for me to remember all the characters and what happened in the first book.

[Marla]

Me too, Greta, I didn't write a very detailed review of Shatter Me, so I wandered around and read reviews and such until I got a feel for the first book again. This book is so different, new faces, new location and new situation.

[Kelly]

Hmm. Been wanting to read this series.

[Marla]

I liked Cinder and I'm not a huge fan of retellings. So come play Kelly...

[Greta]

Marla wrote: "Me too, Greta, I didn't write a very detailed review of Shatter Me, so I wandered around and read reviews and such until I got a feel for the first book again. This book is so different, new faces,..."

I am going to that too then!

[Greta]

I have finished through Chapter 6.

(view spoiler)[I thought Juliette was whiny also,even though it must be really difficult to have people avoid you all the time. That would make me pretty mad and want to withdraw from everyone too.

I'm interested in finding out what is going on with Adam. What did they discover and is it as serious as Adam thinks it is.

So far I'm not really liking the writing style of this book. It was enjoyable in the first book, but now I feel like Juliette is being overly dramatic and the broken sentences and repeating just add to that feeling for me. (hide spoiler)]

[Greta]

Marla wrote: "For once, I'm early...lol

Chapter 1-6: nothing much happens, except Juliette whine and feels sorry for herself and crushes on Adam
Chapter 7-9: [spoilers removed]
Chapter 10-12: Love Kenji's talks..."

I'm through Ch. 14 now.
(view spoiler)[Juliette's dramatic thinking is still bothering me...she doesn't think logically at all!! Her emotions completely drive her and that is her major problem right now.

I find it interesting that she finds out he is being weakened by her, and then abd tries to resist for a couple of minutes, and then they go into a full fledged makeout session..,maybe a little caution would be good...but that would require something besides her emotions deciding her actions, which we gave seem is not possible for her so far. (hide spoiler)]

I wish I was more into this book! I hope it gets better!

[Marla]

Greta wrote: "I wish I was more into this book! I hope it gets better! "

Um...don't hold your breath? You've said much of what I thought and I was frustrated with most of the book.

[Greta]

Ch. 15 (view spoiler)[ I did feel sad to hear her express all those tough emotions and to hear what her parents told her. It would be very difficult growing up having those messages told to you all the time. And just when she thought she could have happiness in one area of her life, that is being ripped away from her. So, I did pity her especially in this chapter. (hide spoiler)]

[Marla]

You're very compassionate Greta, I'm not very patient with fictional characters. I tend to reserve my empathy for real life. :D

[Greta]

Marla- I am trying to like her but it's just not working so far!!

[Greta]

Hey Marla, I think I'm going to give up on this one...I just am not enjoying it at all and I have too many other good books to read right now. I think you should still get the buddy read points for all of your observations. Sorry to bail...I wish I liked this book more!!

[Greta]

If you don't think you can get the points without me finishing, then I will press on and finish!

[Megan]

Is anyone still reading this? I am halfway finished with Shatter Me and was hoping to get some more points for my tower team, but if not that's okay. :) I am waiting for the rest of the books to make it to my library branch.

[Kelly]

Megan wrote: "Is anyone still reading this? I am halfway finished with Shatter Me and was hoping to get some more points for my tower team, but if not that's okay. :) I am waiting for the rest of the books to..."

I have to read the first one first but then was planning on doing this one. Need to finish up some of my current open books though.

[Kelly]

Megan wrote: "Is anyone still reading this? I am halfway finished with Shatter Me and was hoping to get some more points for my tower team, but if not that's okay. :) I am waiting for the rest of the books to..."

BTW. There's a buddyread/bom post for Shatter Me here.

[Marla]

Megan, I read it last month and I'd discuss it with you, my comments start on Message 9, but I will warn you that I liked Shatter Me much better.

[Megan]

Thanks, Marla! I really appreciate it. I would've been back sooner, but I forgot about the buddy read post for it.

I loved Shatter Me, but I am really liking this one so far too.

I'm on chapter 36. I agree with everything you've said up to this point. (view spoiler)[I am wondering about why her suit has to be as tight as it is as well. Maybe thinner, stretchy material will allow her to move easier, since she has the super strength.

I've come to really like Kenji. Especially when he just tells her like it is even though she could kill him if she wanted to.
It was definitely about time for someone to tell her to stop moping around and use the gifts she was given instead of trying to stifle them. I'm kind of glad that she and Adam aren't together as much in this one.
Even though I was fascinated by Shatter Me it seemed like every other chapter or so there were two or three pages about them not being able to keep their hands off each other. I get it, she hasn't been able to have anyone touch her without experiencing pain, but come on. You don't have to act like animals in heat lol.
I keep telling them in my head that they need to suck it up and work on controlling their powers. Probably once he stops sulking about not being able to touch her he will work on control so they can be together. (hide spoiler)]

[Megan]

Holy cow! The end of chapter 38 an interesting twist to the story! I can't wait to find out what happens next!

[Megan]

I still don't trust Warner either. (view spoiler)[Half of me thinks that he is working with his father to take Omega Point down from the inside. They're both nuttier than squirrel poo so I wouldn't be surprised at all.
I don't know why Juliette lets Warner get to her, she has this crazy super human strength, but yet she's too much of a chicken to use it. She could've over powered Anderson and kept him from taking her guns a couple of chapters ago, but she is in her head too much and doesn't use her powers when she needs to. (hide spoiler)]

[Marla]

Sorry, been busy with life.

I thought Juliette was (view spoiler)[over confident with Anderson thinking she could overpower him whenever she wanted. If she had been training and had more control, I would've bought it, but I wanted to shake her many a time!

I'm just not into bad boys, so everyone crazy over Warner has me perplexed and a bit concerned over the taste of today's teenage women. Did they forget that Warner made people kill and torture in Shatter Me? I have another series where the main character conveniently forgets all the despicable things the handsome, adoring villain did to innocent people. Ugh!

What was the twist at the end of Chapter 38? Was that the big reveal about Adam and Juliette or Juliette finding the secret area? (hide spoiler)]

[Kay Kay]

I had trouble remembering the first book so this one started out very confused for me, although I am glad she did not do a lot of retelling. I just went and read a summary of the first book so that should help me get going now!

[Kay Kay]

Greta wrote: "I have finished through Chapter 6.

I thought Juliette was whiny also,even though it must be really difficult to have people avoid you all the time. That would make me pretty mad and want to withdr..."
The good think about the repeating and the list like writing is that it takes up room on the page, so the book goes faster. Needless to say, I am not really enjoying this book either. I am on chapter 14

[Kay Kay]

Greta wrote: " Marla wrote: "For once, I'm early...lol

Chapter 1-6: nothing much happens, except Juliette whine and feels sorry for herself and crushes on Adam
Chapter 7-9: [spoilers removed]
Chapter 10-12: Lov..."

That is exactly what I was going to post. (view spoiler)[ I was so frustrated with her when she not only gave in, but went WAY overboard! (hide spoiler)]

[Kay Kay]

Just finished chapter 21
(view spoiler)[ Way to go Kenji! I hope his little speech helps! I am so tired of her whining! (hide spoiler)]

[Marla]

I liked Kenji better than Adam or Juliette in this book.

[Kay Kay]

Marla wrote: "I liked Kenji better than Adam or Juliette in this book."

So far I really do too!

[Kay Kay]

Ok. I finished it. I did not really like it. Here is why (view spoiler)[ I thought that Juliette was way too whine and self absorbed to be any kind of hero! (hide spoiler)]

[Marla]

I agree Karrie, Juliette is NOT my favorite female main character. I might like everyone else more than her.

[Laura]

Karrie wrote: "Ok. I finished it. I did not really like it. Here is why [spoilers removed]"

I agree Karrie, Juliette is not my favorite character. I think I like Werner actually the most in this book! I just finished this one up this evening. I didn't like it as much as the first one. I am intrigued enough to want to find out what happens next!

Hi Marla!!