Waiting on Wednesday:

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine. It spotlights books that have not yet been released, but ones that you should pre-order today! This week's book that we are anxiously awaiting is IGNITE ME by Tahereh Mafi.  It will be released February 4, 2014 from Harper Teen.

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The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, called "a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love"

Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she'll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew-about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam-was wrong.

In Shatter Me, Tahereh Mafi created a captivating and original story that combined the best of dystopian and paranormal and was praised by Publishers Weekly as "a gripping read from an author who's not afraid to take risks." The sequel, Unravel Me, blew readers away with heart-racing twists and turns, and New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia said it was "dangerous, sexy, romantic, and intense." Now this final book brings the series to a shocking and climactic end.

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I don't think it would be possible for me to put into words how much I want to read this book.  I just love Tahereh Mafi and her eclectic way of writing. I get lost in her metaphors, and her men just sweep me away--good or bad!!!!  It will be a sad and joyous day to see this series end.

Review and Giveaway: Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

ARC received from HarperTeen

Release Date:  2-5-2012

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say: Undeniably and Irresistibly Unforgettable

tick, tick, tick, tick, tick
it's almost
time for war.

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

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

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

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

 It might be called Unravel Me, but I want nothing more to be tangled up in Mafi’s world!  I loved Shatter Me more than words can describe, so I was just hoping that this second installment would live up to the first.  Oh how my hopes were tossed to the stars when this sequel captured my heart even more than the first!!!!  Laced with secrets and hidden agendas, catapulted into the void between good and evil, and filled to the brim with unwavering and unrelenting love—from page 1, Tahereh’s world will entrap you within its web.

I just love, love, love the language and metaphors that Tahereh uses in her novel.  Many people find it annoying, but I think it’s breathtakingly beautiful.   Poetic and truthful, it cuts to my soul.  Now you might think I’m exaggerating or being too “oh my she’s awesome,” but I really have never had a reaction to writing like I do to Tahereh’s prose.

“These sticks and stones may break my bones, but these words, these words will kill me.”  ARC, pg. 279

Ah!  I just love it.  I can feel the sorrow seeping from Juliette’s heart—knowing what people say about her—that she’s dangerous, untrustworthy, ready to explode.  Juliette can take all the physical pain in the world—I mean, she was locked away for so long without any comforts or communication; but words?  They can cut you more deeply than anything, and the way that Tahereh shows this…my words can never do her genius justice.

One way I know if a book is memorable is whether or not I like the heroine.  Like I’ve said before, it’s easy to right a swoony guy.  But a girl that will keep my attention and gain my confidence?  That’s difficult to do.  But Juliette had me rooting for her from the first page of the first book, and I will continue rooting for her until the very end.  She’s strong and brilliant, and she doesn’t let the bleak and the hopeless break her.  She stands firm and fights for her cause—even if it means she could die.  She’s willing to give up everything, and for that, I admire her.

I loved that we got to know Warner even more in this book.  We see a side that is so surprising and so heartfelt, and I do believe many girls will start to waver between Adam and Warner.  I know I did—I was Adam all the way in Shatter Me, but now, there is a part of me that wants Juliette to love Warner.  It’s like they are Catherine and Heathcliff—two souls that reach out and recognize each other, through all the pain and fear.  I won’t say much more about what we learn about Warner because it is so great to get to read and discover his truth for yourself!

My only complaint—and it’s not really even a complaint, it’s just an observation, really—there wasn’t much Adam in this book.  There were so many steamy scenes with them in the first book, and I loved seeing them feed off each other, but there weren’t many scenes with them together in this book.  I understand why she did this, though, because this installment was more about Warner and Juliette’s discoveries as opposed to Adam’s, but I think some readers will find themselves missing him.

Steam.

Longing.

Truth.

Betrayal.

Power.

Unravel Me has it all.  This is a series I will never hesitate to recommend to everyone—even the stranger in the elevator!  Full of life and death, love and hate, fear and power; Unravel Me will bring you to the edge of your seat, and come the end of the book, it will kick you right over the edge!  Now I just have to wait until 2014…oh, the horror!

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Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Published by HarperTeen

Release Date:  Ebook Available Now

Reviewed by:  Middle Sis Jenn

The Sisters Say:  Dark and Despondent, A chilling look into Warner’s world

Perfect for the fans of Shatter Me who are desperately awaiting the release of Unravel Me, this novella-length digital original will bridge the gap between these two novels from the perspective of the villain we all love to hate, Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

In Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner—and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But as she’ll learn in Destroy Me, Warner is not that easy to get rid of. . .

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

Set after Shatter Me and before its forthcoming sequel, Unravel Me, Destroy Me is a novella told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45.

If I could just list all the quotes that broke my heart instead of doing an actual review, I totally would because then you would realize just how much you need to read this novella!

Tahereh cracks open a door into Warner’s world, revealing a bleeding heart, a broken childhood, and an unwavering love.  Never before have I been truly swept off my feet by the villain of the story.  But is Warner really a villain?  Destroy Me will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about Warner, Juliette, and the world that is crumbling beneath them.

“Sometimes I wish I could step outside of myself for a while.  I want to leave this worn body behind, but my chains are too many, my weights too heavy.”  Location 138-140

I relished seeing through Warner’s eyes.  I have already read Unravel Me, so there were many things that were not surprising to me, but I still felt like I understood Warner a bit more—understood that his circumstances drove him to the brink of madness, understood how a man that appeared so strong and invincible could be at the mercy of another, understood how one woman could both save and destroy him.

Most of the novella centers around Warner’s thoughts, but there are times when action happens outside of the safety of his mind.  These are the times when Warner’s dad appears, and he is just as evil as you would think!  Ferocious, like a snarling dog, Warner’s dad lives his life taunting and manipulating everyone, including his son.  His actions are so cruel that Warner wishes for death saying, “Torture is not torture when there’s any hope of relief.”  Loc 405  Warner’s dad pushes and pushes until Warner is right up on the edge of a cliff, and then he stops, putting aside the torment until another day.  Seeing this mangled relationship was heart-breaking and eye-opening.

But perhaps the best part of the novella was seeing Juliette through Warner’s eyes.  I really believe that Warner understands her more than Adam will ever be able to.  It’s more than that, though, it’s even more than Warner being able to see into Juliette’s mind and soul.  It’s more like they are two halves to the same whole.  Or they are magnets that are inextricably drawn together, maybe for no other reason than that’s what they were made for.  Whatever it is, seeing Warner fall for her was breath-taking.  He doesn’t lie about who she is, what she’s capable of; and he finally doesn’t try to twist her to his will.  He sees her for who she really is, and he knows what her future holds:

“She’s either going to completely shut down, or she’s going to explode.” Loc 1072-1073

There were some slower parts to this novella, but the insight was enthralling.  I love Adam, and I know he wants the best for Juliette, but there is a part of me that just can’t help rooting for Warner. 

I’ll leave you with one final quote that shows how Warner faces his world:

“I build walls until they begin to crumble, and then I force another set to take their place.  I build and build and remain unmoving until my mind is clear, uncontaminated, containing nothing but a small white room.  A single light hanging from the ceiling.”  Loc 134-135

Match #2: Juliette (Seed 16) vs Cammie (Seed 17) Goes to Cammie

Winner of Match # 2 is Cammie Morgan


Welcome to the YA Sisterhood! Thank you in advance for your participation in our Tournament of Heroines! We hope you make some friends (and not too many enemies), discover some fantastic books, and have a lot of fun! 

Some general rules before we begin:

There may be some spoilers in the following post. We've tried to keep it fairly general, but overall, this Tourney will not be spoiler-free. So beware.

Secondly, You are welcome to write your own comments about either character in the comments section, but we will not tolerate rudeness. The minute it crosses over from logical argument into character bashing, your comments will be deleted and your vote canceled.
POLLS WILL BE OPEN FOR 24 HOURS AND WILL CLOSE AT 12:01AM EST ON DECEMBER 2ND.

And now for the match....

Hi guys! I'm Brenna from Esther's Ever After, and for the YA Heroine Tournament I am advocating Juliette from Tahereh Mafi's SHATTER ME! Whether you've read this book and loved it, or are interested in learning more about it you can stop by my blog, my Twitter, and my Facebook page all of which will be kept up to date with news and announcements regarding #TEAMJULIETTE!

In Shatter Me, the world has been nearly completely destroyed, and we meet this girl. Juliette is a 17 year old teenage girl living in a world ruled by the iron fist of The Reestablishment, who govern out of fear and intolerance.

Juliette doesn't fit in, and she isn't like other people. Charged with a murder she didn't intend to commit, Juliette is special because her touch has the power to absorb the energy of others. She's a freak and an outcast, a girl who's been constantly rejected even by her own parents.

So when we meet Juliette, she has been isolated, and broken down to a point where she is holding on to her sanity by a thread. But she doesn't remain that way.

I read lots of YA, and I love lots of characters. But while I was reading the book, what struck me was how inspiring Juliette was compared to these other leading ladies.

She is incredibly brave and strong, forced to adapt to the lonely and broken life she's been given.

But that doesn't stop her, because she's determined to LIVE. To experience all the best life has to offer, and she's going to fight for that.

She's so much  more than just another survivor- she's a fighter.

Her passion to truly live is contagious, and she jumps at every chance she's given to experience life to the fullest of her capabilities.

An intelligent young woman, with a voice narrating how even her memories of a child represent her brilliant understanding of the evil in the world, and her strong sense of justice will resonate with everyone.

  

A heroine is someone who stands up for what's right, and is willing to risk everything she has to meet that. Not only that, but she inspires others to do the same. Even as a child she was doing this, as she was caring and constantly putting the needs of others above her own. And there's someone who remembers this about her from years earlier...

Her resilience and refusal to give up eventually provide her with the motivation to accept herself and her ability. And while she first comes across as broken, the sheer inner strength radiating from her is like a blinding light in this dark and bitter world. She refuses to allow others to manipulate her, and even practices extreme self-control and restraint to save the lives of others, even if their death and suffering would benefit her.

Yet at the same time, her strength hasn't hardened her. She is as delicate and vulnerable as can be, and while she bends she doesn't break.

Shatter Me is all about Juliette's growing confidence in who she really is and what she can do. Because she won't let others define her, and she won't let anyone else control her. This is HER life, and she is going to OWN it.

Image from Novel Novice

  

Juliette has literally been through hell and back again. Her life is a constant struggle of life and death, and she recognizes a true purpose of what she can achieve with her gift- something much bigger than becoming an international secret agent, and getting the guy. And while Cammie is a great girl, she has yet to exhibit such inner strength and purpose to the extent that Juliette has. A revolution is stirring in the world of Shatter Me, and change is coming... and I have a feeling we know exaclty who's going to be in the frontline. Juliette is mature beyond her years after all the horrors she has gone through and witnessed, something that a girl in a spy highschool can't contend with.

  

Keep in mind that Shatter Me is a new debut, one that was only released TWO weeks ago and Juliette is a newcomer to the YA scene. But that does NOT mean that she is easily ignored! And while many of her opponents are well-established characters with multiple books of history to back them up, she has one. Don't let that sway you away from recognizing Juliette as the heroine she is- for those who have already read Shatter Me are continually acknowledging how much of  a role model and inspiration Juliette is as a young woman. And if you haven't read Shatter Me yet, I hope you're a bit more interested after getting to know Juliette a bit more today!

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Intro:

Hi all!

Jen here from Almost Grown-up! I'm in my twenties and an aspiring writer. I've been many things, but a spy isn't one of them! Nevertheless, the idea fascinates me, which is why I'll be representing Cammie Morgan in the Tournament of Heroines.

You can follow along with the Gallagher Girl's tournament efforts using the Twitter hashtags #TeamCammie or just following me @almost_grown_up.

But enough about me. You're here for Cammie.

1. About Her

Cameron Morgan doesn't live the life of the average fifteen (seventeen as of the latest book) year-old, not even when the Gallagher Girls series begins. For one thing, she goes to a boarding school. For another, it's an all-girls school. And if that wasn't enough? It's a school to train spies.

And Cammie? The girl is nearly as good as spies-in-training get. Maybe it's genetic. Both of her parents were spies (in fact, Mom's the headmistress of Gallagher Academy), as was her aunt Abby. Dad was lost in a mission, the details of which are only just beginning to come to light.

Ally Carter's been quoted as saying "Cammie is average. In every way average [...] She's not too tall, too short, too chubby, too thin, too anything. She's probably got light brown hair and eyes that change color depending on what she's wearing."

2. Best Attributes

She makes her looks work for her as a spy in training, but not as the cliched femme fatale. Those average looks let Cammie blend in with the crowd to gain information, lose tails, and get closer in tricky situations. She refers to herself both as "The Chameleon" and a "Pavement Artist." It's her gift as a spy, but not her only one.

Cammie is incredibly smart-- she has to be to attend school at the Gallagher Academy. At the age of 4, she cracked the NSA's Sapphire Series and when she was 9, she trailed her father (the renowned spy) through a mall to find out what he was buying her. She also speaks several languages.

One of Cammie's strongest attributes is her sense of loyalty. She doesn't always let someone into her trust and her confidence that easily, but once they're there, it's hard to shake her.

Some examples AND A COUPLE SPOILERS:

(1) Even after things have to be broken off with her first boyfriend, Josh, she still feels badly about hurting him and doesn't rub other boys in his face. (2) Mr. Solomon and Zach both work their way into Cammie's trust (though it takes some time), and even when signs point to them being on the opposite side, she can't quite believe it. (3) Though Macey McHenry starts as the bane of Cammie's existence, she becomes one of her dearest friends. (4) Cammie's love for her father and his memory is taking her down a dangerous path, but she's determined to continue anyway.

3. What makes your girl a true heroine?

Though her life isn't average, in so many ways, Cammie is an average girl. She gets crushes on boys, she studies for classes, she breaks some school and family rules, she makes mistakes. And that's what makes her a heroine. She's one of us. Given the right circumstances, a girl could be like Cammie in some ways. She kicks butt. She doesn't let things stand in her way. She wants to save her friends and her family, and she sometimes does exactly that. We can all do things like that in small ways, which is what she inspires.

But the biggest thing that makes Cammie a true heroine to me? She grows. She learns from her past, both in relationships and spy work. The first book is centered around her desire to have a boyfriend, but the later books show major growth. There are still boys, but they're not everything anymore. She realizes that there are bigger problems than boy problems and first loves don't have to be forever.

4. What makes your girl better than her competitor?

Cammie can be downright hilarious at times, from the investigative "journals" that she and her friends keep up to her everyday antics, something that the serious world and situation of Juliette's doesn't allow much time for. The levity perfectly balances things out when situations get a little more serious. Also, though she gets a little zany at times, she doesn't walk the fine line between sanity and insanity that Mafi's Juliette does. And her problems are neither caused, nor can they be solved, by paranormal means.

5. Anything else you’d like to add?

Cammie made a video about how much she wants you to vote for her in this Tournament. Check-ch-check-check-check-ch-check it out!

VOTE CAMMIE (!) and be a true "sister of Gillian" ;)