Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Release date: November 15, 2011
Published by: Harper Teen
Received from: Brooke @Brooke Reports


Summary from goodreads.com

Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn't hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old-girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color. 

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war- and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now. 

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior. 


For the love of all things holy, I really just don't know what to say!!!  This book blew me away or in other words Shattered Me...yep I went there!  I'm so ecstatic that I was able to read this before it came out (thank you Brooke)!  I am predicting it to be one of the next big ones!  It combines the world of supernatural in a dystopian background!  Two popular sub-genres combined into one book!  There were so many wonderful aspects to this story, but I will narrow it down to just a few without going on for the rest of the day!

The first thing you notice when you open the book is the strike marks!  It's such a phenomenal idea!  Shatter Me reads like a diary, so the strike marks make sense.  Juliet will say something that she doesn't really want to think, then she strikes through it!  For example: I am a monster.  We all have those deep, dark, ugly thoughts that we wish we would not think, and it's reassuring that our character has them too!  In my eyes it made her real and gave her legitimacy as an actual person!  The words under the strikes give us a deeper insight into who Juliet is and how she works.  With that, the characters in this book have such a genuineness and believability about them.  I found myself routing for them!  Cheering them on in their love for each other and their fight against the enemy!

I know in most reviews, the reviewer will usually mention how great the characters were in a particular book!  But now, having read Shatter Me, I am ashamed I have said that so readily.  Truly, truly, truly, Ms. Mafi's characters are amazing!  There's a deepness to Juliette, I think we all yearn for.  She such a selfless character, but not once does it enter into your mind that she's a Mary Sue.  Life has dealt her a horrible hand, and she has borne it brilliantly!  She hasn't let the pain of her childhood or the abuse she's been subject to mar her soul in any way.  All I can say is, she is a lovely, lovely character!

Now onto the boys Adam and Warner! Two more opposite guys cold not exist!  Oh sweet Adam, my internal temperature raised a few degrees by just thinking his name (and thinking of those very special shower scenes, yes people, I said SHOWER)!  If you are a fan of Peeta, Xander, or Vincent then you are going to fall hard and fast for Adam.  I love him, really I do!  I love that he is dependable and determined to the point of which we rarely see in YA books or even real life.   He's the ideal hero.  He's willing to face all obstacles constantly looking death in the face for the people he loves!  On the other hand, there's Warner.  There's something broodingly sexy about him!  People always say there is a fine line between love and hate, and this book makes that line more interesting!  One moment Warner embodies the definition of evil and the next he's insecure and vulnerable.  I really don't know what to think!  All I now is I like him!!!  He's a bloody brilliant character!!!

Lastly, this is such a beautiful story.  The writing is so clean and precise.  The metaphors Tahereh uses bring the book life in your fingertips!  Plus, I can't think of a more appropriate title of this book, Shatter Me!  It took on several different nuances as I read.  I dare anyone to read this book and not see that at one point or another, the reader, Juliet, Adam, and all the other characters are a sliver away from shattering.  Several times I could feel the adrenaline rising up in my body and making my hands shake!  I implore you as a fellow reader to go pre-order this book right now!!! You will not regret it!!!