IGNITE ME by Tahereh Mafi, Book Review

By: Tahereh Mafi
Published by: Harper Teen
Series: Shatter Me #3 
Released on: 2/4/14
Source: Purchased
5 Stars: I LOVED IT!!!!!!!
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Add it to Goodreads

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.

Oh my Shatter Me series heart, I LOVED this book! Like I'd make out with this book... okay maybe not that, but I seriously loved this book so much. 

The shortened review:

Oh my Warner heart! This book is AWESOME!! I have so many Shatter Me series feelings right now I don't even know what else to say other than GO GET THIS BOOK! Mafi has render me speechless right now. I don't even know what else to say at the moment without sounding like a Shatter Me fangirl who can't stop rambling about how awesome this book is.

The REAL review: Do NOT read this review if you have not read the rest of the series *slight spoilers*

Tahereh Mafi is a writing goddess, or maybe she has that secret talent I like to call writing brilliance. Whatever you want to call it, Mafi has it. There's no other way to explain the awesomeness of IGNITE ME! This book literally ignited all those feelings I tried so hard to keep in while reading this book, but failed miserably at doing. I snort laughed, sighed, swooned, teared up, and laughed until I was crying. This book is nothing but awesome! Literally. 

Juliette grows up a lot in this book. I admired the fierce, determined heroine she becomes. Tahereh does a brilliant job at showing her struggles with overcoming her preescptions of Warner, Adam, and herself, as well as situations that lead her to where she is now. The realization of how wrong her presceptions have been is a hard thing for her to accept. It was what was driving her, and now everything she thought she knew is wrong. I liked getting to see her struggle with that. Because now Juliette has to figure out where she stands, what she's going to do, and figure out her heart's desire. For the first time in her life, Juilette has never been more free to be herself. More free to make her own decisions, and to follow her heart. It's empowering to be free. Seeing Juliette accept that and embrace that freedom was bitter sweet, and oh so fabulous all at the same time. I loved that Tahereh showed me, vs telling me about her struggles. It's what emotionally gripped me with the story.

If you read Unravel Me, then it's no spoiler about where Juliette and Adam now stand. Seeing her battle over her feelings of how things used to be to how things are now between the two was heartbreaking, but incredibly empowering at the same time. Anyone who's had a first love and a first heartbreak will understand exactly what Juliette is going through. I did. Along with that, you'll also understand her hope for where things can go for her and Warner. Understanding the differences in how Juliette felt about Adam and Warner were well established and discussed in this book. It was perfect. It made sense to see and understand the changes in her feelings for both guys. I loved that I got to see that. Not only with her, but with Warner and Adam as well. There's a conversation between Juliette and Kenji about the changes that I loved in this book, as well as the inner thoughts Juliette has as she sorts out her feelings, and the truths of what she's learning. I admire the fact that Mafi didn't rush these feelings and emotions. Everything that unravels in this book has been built up and hinted at in the previous books/novellas in this series. I loved how everything happens in this book. 

I've said this from the get go, I LOVE WARNER! I just have to say, I KNEW IT!!!! I knew there was so much more to him than we have previously seen, and now we get to see more of who Warner really is. I swear I fell in love with this Warner as much as Juliette. Like her, he's broken, stronger, fiercely determined, and totally vulnerable. Then there's the swoon worthy factor. Oh my Warner. Talk about igniting things.... Warner knows how to ignite a slow burning fire that literally melts the pages. Mafi writes these sizzling moments between Juliette and Warner perfectly! I love what she gave us on the page, and what gets taken off the page. When you read those scenes you'll know what I mean. It was perfect.

Ignite Me is full of passion, tension, and action. I love it when an author can emotionally pull me into their book. Between the threat of war, the desolation that is evident at times, and then friction between a few characters I found my self fidgety and literally on edge. I felt like I was about ready to snap in two at times with the mounting tension. Leave it up to Kenji make me laugh so hard I'm crying during those times. He can make those tension mounting scenes laughable. His lines are by far the best in this book. No other character has made me laugh out loud as much as he did. I swear if Mafi published a Kenji quote book, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. He at times reminds me of the things my brothers would say. I love that brotherly love he has for Juliette. These two have such a great, real, best friend chemistry. I loved the scenes when these two were together.  Who wouldn't want a best friend like him?! Kenji is by far one of my all time favorite literally secondary characters!

I thoroughly enjoyed how everything that has been set up in the previous two books in this series played out in IGNITE ME. It was brilliant! Looking back at everything the has previously happened, it all made sense now at the course of action some of the characters took, and the direction the story went. Tahereh was still able to throw in some great twists, but everything from the romance, the action, the friendships, and shocking truths all made sense. Everything in the other first two books lead up to everything that takes place in this book. To me, nothing, even down to who Juliette gives her heart to, was shocking to me, because of how well Tahereh set up the over all series's plot. It was perfect! 

IGNITE ME is the perfect ending for a series I am so sad to say good bye to. Now that I have so many Shatter Me series feelings, you'll find me curled up on the couch re-reading Ignite Me over and over again. 

Read my raving reviews for: Shatter Me | Unravel Me | Unite Me