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    Ignite Me
    Ignite Me
    Ignite Me
    Ebook391 pages5 hours

    Ignite Me

    By Tahereh Mafi

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

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

    With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn't know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won't keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that's not all he wants with her.

    The Shatter Me series is perfect for fans who crave action-packed young adult novels with tantalizing romance like Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Legend by Marie Lu. Tahereh Mafi has created a captivating and original story that combines 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."

    This bestselling series from powerhouse author Tahereh Mafi showcases relentlessly thrilling action, heart stopping romance, and a war-torn world in which rebellion is the only path to freedom.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateFeb 4, 2014
    ISBN9780062085597
    Author

    Tahereh Mafi

    Tahereh Mafi is the New York Times bestselling author of the Shatter Me and This Woven Kingdom series, the latter of which has been published in over 30 languages around the world. She was born in a small city somewhere in Connecticut and currently resides in Santa Monica, California, with her husband, Ransom Riggs, fellow bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, and their young daughter. She can usually be found overcaffeinated and stuck in a book.

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    Reviews for Ignite Me

    4.5/5

    443 ratings50 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Everything that I ever want a YA dystopian story to do, Tahereh Mafi does that thing. Every type of romance that I want to occur, Tahereh makes it happen.The Shatter Me series is everything I've ever wanted in a dystopian romance, and then some. Ignite Me is the perfect conclusion to the series. When I say perfect, I mean as perfect as the green of Warner's eyes, as the planes of his chest and the waves of his hair. Yes, that perfect. In Ignite Me we reunite with Juliette and Warner on the Sector 45 military base, where J. learns about the supreme commander's utter destruction of Omega Point. Juliette and Warner must reconcile their feelings for each other while trying to stay sane and plan to overthrow Warner's father. Anderson. The supreme. Juliette does most of the planning; she is confident and strong and learning more about her powers than she ever thought possible. She is the lifeline of the story, pushing it forward and pulling you along with her goals, her feelings, her needs. Because this is mostly a story about characters. About self-discovery and confidence. About being who you are and being okay with it. About getting stronger, and helping your friends, and being accepted by them. The drama between Juliette, Warner, and Adam centers around Juliette changing from a terrified, weak, pathetic, yet sweet little girl into a confident, strong, outspoken, and wild woman. Yes, she has changed, but here's the thing: Juliette wasn't herself before. Adam didn't fall in love with the real her. Warner was able to see who she really was all along, and he did terrible things to try and help Juliette realize that herself.And you know what? He did it. "You were right all along," Juliette says to him. It is amazing how Tahereh made us hate Warner at first, so fiercely. Yet now. . .now he is so dear to me. Warner has made an incredible impact on me throughout the Shatter Me series. More than Anderson, more than Juliette, more than Adam or even Kenji, Warner has had the most powerful and complex emotional experiences. I respect him so, so much, and I love Juliette for respecting him, too.Alright, can we talk about Tahereh's writing style? Because it is the best thing ever in any YA book. I am so serious right now. Juliette's stream of consciousness, free-thinking prose is simply incredible. I cannot get enough. It is so powerful, so compelling, and so *real*. I don't know how she does it so well, but I know I don't ever want this series to stop.
    • 5/5
      Inevitable spoilers for Shatter Me and Unravel Me. Spoiler Free for Ignite Me though! I wanted to read Ignite Me, because I have loved the books in the series (minus not being thrilled about the last novella) and I had to know what would happen in this dark world where nothing is quite as it seems. There is a love triangle that I am crazy for and I don't even know how I want it to end. My thoughts towards both have changed since I first met them and I usually have a gut feeling who will win out even if that is not the guy that I like the most. Warner has revealed so much about himself that I never would have guessed, showing he has a heart and the depths of his feelings for Juliette are great and that his actions have been carefully planned to try to win her heart and do things for the sector. Adam, I always just liked but despite their physical attraction and their past together, I just am torn because they have both changed so much since then and that really changes their dynamic. Plus of what I read in his novella, it really made me sad some of the thoughts and ways he viewed her and besides she makes a statement in this one that confirms another nagging suspicion I had. They are now on a more even playing field and I feel like they have had their books to shine, and I just need to know who will earn her heart and what will become of the other. So, not only did I want resolution for the love triangle that has stolen my heart, I also wanted to see further character development in Juliette and see how she steps up to be a key in peace and a better life in this dark world. Pretty quickly we get into the story and seeing some of this growth in Juliette. While she is torn apart and grieving over the losses, she sees this healing and second chance at life in a new way, with determination. She isn't sure if her friends are alive and she is still wavering on Warner, which is understandable because while he has revealed some and they have had some pretty intense and hot moments together, she hasn't been inside his head quite like we have, and there were still lots of dark choices he's had to make. I loved the conversations they had together and just seeing how softened he gets toward Juliette and when he loses his composure and we glimpse through the facades. We do get an answer about whether or not her friends are alive. We also get lots of insight into them in unexpected ways. Through Juliette we discover how heavy Kenji's burdens were with being the funny one, having to really shoulder his grief in different ways. We see the ruins of Omega, and know that it meant even if Adam and some others lived through it, then there were still great losses. I don't know if I have just completely gotten used to the style and there is also the fact that we aren't really experiencing things through Juliette's writing. But the writing and the way Juliette's mind works is really still just so poetic and beautiful to me. It is unlike anything I have read really and it makes the books extra special. I am glad that it is still there even if not as shocking as book one with the setup. And of course, Juliette makes a choice for which guy in this book, and with all of the work up to it, I agree with her so much. It ends up being the best decision for her, and the one that spurs her on to do what she needs to do to help bring down the reestablishment and make changes for a better world. It is someone who proves he sees her heart, believes in her, and has the love and support for her. There was a lot of action towards the end as well as some surprise characters that made life even more difficult for Juliette and crew. She had to make some hard choices along the way, but watching her learn her strength and how to not only be stronger for herself but for others was amazing to watch. She had more help learning to master her powers and how to use them in order to gain control and to take down Anderson. Ms. Mafi also manages to break up the tension and weight of their mission by some awesomely swoony scenes. One of the best YA scenes that while it eventually faded to black, it had me sweating and sighing, wishing I was Juliette in that moment. She also manages to write in some hilarious scenes that had me snorting and literally laughing out loud as I read. I did not want to put down this book, and I am wholly satisfied with this conclusion to this series that has captured my attention and my heart. Tahereh Mafi has a bold writing style and she took some risky moves in these books that paid off, and made me love and remember them even more than I thought possible. I think that the threads were tied off well, and that we have closure on the series, though I do think that it could have been well served with a bit of an epilogue, seeing a glimpse of Juliette's triumph and how the world begins to change into something better, and also a glimpse into the one not chosen to see how that works for him. But otherwise, perfection in hundreds of pages. I despised every moment I had to put the book down, and I am left with a Juliette and crew sized hole in my heart because I will miss these characters and their amazingly awesomeness. Bottom Line: F*ing awesome series conclusion. Brave, addictive, hot, and full of action, character growth and resolution.
    • 1/5
      SPOILERS. You've been warned. Sorry. I simply had too much to say.I ended this with a smile on my face. But for all the wrong reasons. I was smiling because I would no longer have to subject myself to reading more of these books in hopes that they’ll finally start being worth the time and in hopes it’ll start giving me the answers I’ve yearned for. The end did not give me all of those answers but whatever, I’m done with it.Let’s talk about Adam. I touched on this in my review of Fracture Me but I’m feeling the need to discuss it further because I clearly missed the part where Adam got hit in the head with a semi and all his brain pieces got jiggled around causing him to transform into a completely different person. That happened, right? Because that’s the only excuse I’m willing to accept. I can’t for one second buy that this has been Adam’s ‘true self’ this whole series because he did a complete 180 from anything I’ve come to expect from him. Ohhhhhh… maybe he was abducted by aliens? I might be willing to accept that too. But seriously, he’s supposed to care about Juliette. I could understand some animosity between the two since they did break up but he still claims to care about her. Something tells me you’re confused.“[...] Adam-I’m not stupid-”“Are you sure?”“What?” I can’t believe he just insulted me.“I asked you if you were sure,” he snaps. “Because you’re acting pretty damn stupid right now [...]“ or“No-you don’t understand anything,” he snaps. “You don’t understand me, you don’t understand yourself and you don’t understand that you’re acting like a stupid child [...]“ or“I was happier,” Adam says, “when I thought she was dead.” [...] He finally looks at me. “Thinking you were dead,” he says to me, “was so much better. It hurt so much less than this.” You get the picture. What made it even worse was there were people standing around while all this is going on. Listening to him verbally abuse her again and again. Kenji KIND OF sticks up for her but for the most part they let him rant and rave and treat her like she’s a piece of trash. Hello? You just going to let that happen? I kept reading in hopes that either someone (or Juliette) would finally stand up to the prick and punch him in the face.Now onto Warner. Let’s talk about the fact that every time he called Juliette ‘love’ he only succeeded in making himself sound like a pretentious blowhard. I mean seriously, unless you’re British I don’t think you can really get away with calling anyone ‘love’ and since there was no reference to his British-ness then pretentious blowhard it is. Warner becomes Mr. Perfect in Ignite Me because (the love triangle problem needed to be solved) suddenly every issue is revealed to have been one giant misunderstanding this entire time!“…do not presume to understand my actions. [...] Because if you do, I can assure you you’ll only be met with disappointment. And if you insist on continuing to make assumptions about my character, I’ll advise you only this: assume you will always be wrong.” Yes, so basically he was maintaining pretenses this entire time. Naturally. But it was pretty ridiculous that he managed to be as shocked as he was that Juliette thought so little of him. Because really what did he expect? Oh, he just shot his soldier in the head. It was seemingly done for no legit reason. Oh, he just almost made me kill a baby. No explanation given. She was really supposed to surmise that it was all a simulation? Add to that there were so many other things that Warner did do wrong yet because all of his larger misdeeds were explained and forgiven everything else was brushed under the rug? No bueno.And as a side note, how come we’re ignoring the fact that the only reason he even knows Juliette is because he stole her extremely personal diary? It’s not like they spent quality time together having conversations and getting to know one another. He literally knows nothing about this girl that he claims to love other than what was written in the pages of her diary. And what a terrible invasion of privacy! Even when she tries to take it back from him he claims he’s not done reading and promptly takes it from her again.I’ve never been Team Adam or Team Warner because I don’t do teams, sorry. But I didn’t expect Adam to start acting completely out of character for no legitimate reason and I didn’t expect a nice, neat resolution to redeem Warner for all his wrong doing. It just felt like a quick resolution and was the ultimate of cop-outs.Fairly exciting stuff finally starts happening in the last like, 75 pages. They’re going to battle and Juliette is acting like a total badass and I’m loving it. I understand Juliette needed to develop in order to become this newly empowered individual but the last 75 pages of the last book in the trilogy?? Too. Freaking. Late. And that’s what upset me the most and what caused my rock bottom rating: those final pages afforded me a glimpse of what could have been. It was exciting and thrilling with characters I really enjoyed. It made me dislike the other 1,000 or so pages of this series even more than I already did. It could have been an awesome ending to a trilogy and while it was admittedly the best part of the entire series for me, it was still incredibly rushed. If the ending wasn’t quite so rush, if Adam’s character hadn’t been completely razed, if there was more focus on the craziness of the world and not the craziness of Juliette’s ridiculous love-life this could have been an impressive series. If, if, if. I know. But those last pages did showcase the potential that Mafi has and regardless of my opinion of this book or the overall series as a whole I would not be against giving her future novels a shot. I can only hope and pray that the exciting bits happen much, much sooner.
    • 3/5
      Listened for Fun (Audible)Overall Rating: 2.50Story Rating: 3.00Character Rating: 2.00Audio Rating: 4.00 (not part of the overall rating) Part 3 of the Series Review: Maybe spoilerish though not on purpose. I just want to be as specific as I can why Ignite Me didn't work for me.First Thought when Finished: Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi was a little to heavy on the romance and "woe is me" angst for me to enjoy but I did enjoy books 1 and 2.Part 3 Thoughts:I swear I have decided that it is me not Dystopian series at this point! They sale like hot cakes and the endings seems to be a favorite of most everyone but me. Which BTW is not a bad thing, I love that there are books out there for every reader! I have decided that I need adult dystopian with no triangle and the last book should be dedicated to kicking ass, changing the world, and maybe getting the one guy/gal that you have been attracted to the whole journey(or at least going out in a blaze of glory). This is the 3rd YA one that I have read and rated the last book a 2. In each of those cases it was because the characters (or character) did something so unlike how I saw their character in my mind that it made me scream. In this case, the only character that I felt stayed on target was Kenji and he wasn't a main "3" player. I felt the complete 180 of Adam's personality (which I must admit I did not read the novellas which might have changed my mind) was out of left field and didn't make much sense to me. Warner while I find intriguing and would love get one of those people from Investigation Discovery channel to sit down and analyze was another "bad boy" who wins scenario. I believe in fresh starts and second chances but there are big issues that needed to be addressed in this case. Juliette--what can I say? She is bad ass unless she is wrapped up in angst which unfortunately was most of Ignite Me! Problem: Kenji wasn't around enough to put a stop to that ridiculousness. The actual bare-bones story part of Ignite Me I thought was pretty good and the end was actually satisfying. I wish more time would have been spent on that instead of the relationship drama. I think the action and suspense could have blown me away.Audio Thoughts: Narrated By Kate Simses / Length: 11 hrs and 57 mins Kate did a wonderful job. I thought she encompassed all of Juliette, Warner, and Adam. She brought to life their emotions (maybe a little too well) and nailed the pacing of each of them. Great Job overall!Final Thoughts: If you are a fan of dystopians then I do think you should give this world a whirl. Please go read other people's reviews because there are some great ones out there. I think they are more the audience that enjoys these stories and a more accurate reflection of how most people will feel. I just had to be honest about my feelings.
    • 5/5
      Mafi, let me tell you something. You had me SO TERRIFIED of how this story was going to end.Then it ended and I was light. My spirits were lifted because the one thing I was certain was going to happen and was dreading the mostdid not happen.I am positively JOVIAL.I have a special place in my heart for Juliette, and the fact that she has grown so much throughout the series makes me distinctly proud of her. She grew up and she grew strong and she grew fierce and courageous and accepting of herself. She overcame the world and her doubts and fears and I respect her for that.And we get to see more of Warner and Adam than we ever have! Warner has always been my personal favorite, so the chance to see more into the man that he is cemented the special place he holds in my heart. And Kenji, as always, is the most entertaining voice and he does NOT disappoint. He had me ROLLING with his dialogue!You know what I do wish, though? That there had been more action. And the ending seemed a little too perfect, you know? But what can I say, I’m a bloodthirsty beast that demands amusement.*snort*Oh, and if you’re looking for positively swoony moments, look no further. Really, things get pret-ty intense between Juliette and a man whose identity will remain undisclosed (because I value my face and I KNOW if I spoil it, there will be hell to pay). Soooo good friends of mine, you have that mystery meeting to look forward to in Ignite Me. You will NOT be disappointed;)Well comrades, it is the end of the tale of fair Juliette and her band of misfits. But do not fear! For it is a fitting end to this wondrous saga. Truly, I did love every book in this story, and one of the first books I am quick to suggest for a read is Shatter Me. Tahereh has beautiful prose and I couldn’t help but to become consumed by this book, as I was with its predecessors. A favorite,4.83/5 stars;)
    • 5/5
      The third installment of the Shatter Me series has been my favorite book out of them all, so far! So much action, growth for all of the characters, and interesting twists in the plot. I can't wait to read the fourth!
    • 5/5
      This book screwed with my mind. It was a great book though. My only complaint is that the ending was unsatisfying. Almost as if the author rushed it. But then I learned new books are coming out to this series so I’m anticipating!
    • 5/5
      Rating: Five-starsIf you read Shatter Me and Unravel Me don’t even read this. Just go get Ignite Me and start reading! It’s Amazing!Spoilers!Okay wow! This book picks up right after the events of Unravel Me. Juliette refuses to believe everyone is dead and goes back to the ruins of Omega Point. Thank god, because she finds Kenji and meets with the survivors. At this point, Juliette has grown so much. She is ready to fight and although the group is broken they decide to join Warner and her and fight against the reestablishment.Characters: Like I said Juliette makes me proud. She has come so far. In the beginning, she hated herself and her power but in this book she totally owns up. She is determined and finally accepts her powers. She owns up to her feelings (finally) and accepts her true love. Aaron well what can I say. He is the most beautiful broken boy. Juliette broke his heart in Unravel me, (I’m still not over that.) and despite that he still saves her life and hides her from his father, the Supreme Commander. Ignite me shows us more of that vulnerable, sweet boy we finally met in Unravel me. He finally shows us who he really is. Sadly, he is a lot more hesitant towards Juliette, but it’s understandable. I mean she really did screw him over in Unravel me.I started disliking Adam in Unravel Me but that was nothing compared to Ignite Me. He was immature and selfish and a complete jerk towards Juliette. The only good thing that came out from his a-hole actions was that he pushed Juliette away for good.I can’t not talk about Kenji. He has to be the most wonderful best friend ever. I could talk about him or just show you some of his hilarious quotes.“No,” he says, pointing at me as he shifts backward again. “Bad Juliette. You don’t like to kill people, remember? You’re against that, remember? You like to talk about feelings and rainbows—”― Tahereh Mafi, Ignite MeHey, um, I’m sorry to bother you, but I’m looking for a friend of mine,” he says. “Have you seen her? She’s a tiny little thing, cries a lot, spends too much time with her feelings-”“Shut up, Kenji!”“Oh wait!” he says. “It is you.”― Tahereh Mafi, Ignite Me“So that’s it?” Kenji says. “You just like him for his personality, huh?”“What?”“All of this,” Kenji says, waving a hand in the air, “has nothing to do with him being all sexy and shit and him being able to touch you all the time?”“You think Warner is sexy?”“That is not what I said.”― Tahereh Mafi, Ignite MeI could go on forever because he is that awesome! The plot follows the characters efforts to destroy the reestablishment. The first half of the book is focused on them getting their group together and it’s not action packed. Despite that, I was never bored. However, the climax was like an X-men movie scene. It was awesome!The ending was abrupt. At first, I did not know how to feel about it. All my emotions were all over the place. After rereading it and spending a lot of time with my feelings, I loved it. In a way, I feel like their journey has just begun and they’re out there, right now, fighting and changing the word.Overall, this was an amazing ending to an amazing series. I can already feel my book hangover coming.
    • 5/5
      This was a fantastic end to an amazing series. I love the poetic and powerful writing. The characters are interesting, confusing, strong, and dynamic. The heroine goes through huge transformations as she decides to lead a rebellion against an oppressive regime. Love it!
    • 4/5
      I really was not a fan of the first two... but I LOVED LOVED LOVED this one. Warner and Juliette <3. This book actually made me laugh and Juliette finally stopped being useless. I completely enjoyed the friendship between Kenji and Juliette. I loved this book solely because of the interesting, romantic, funny, volatile, complex, and beautiful relationships between the characters. I still never really got invested in the world or the battles (not very compelling or believable to me). But I feel like the relationships were really well developed. I devoured this book in a day. And once more: Warner and Juliette!!! <3
    • 2/5
      So, I'm thinking I should have stopped reading this series after the first book... It's not bad, but I kinda didn't like what the author did to the characters in the last two books and particularly in this (the third) one. I didn't understand the relationship between Juliette and Warner and wasn't quite certain Warner deserved to be rehabilitated as a character. Not the best of the dystopian genre...
    • 5/5
      Added 16 Feb 2014:You know when you read a book and it rather sticks with you...and then something starts to nag at you, then yell at you, then start bouncing a rolling pin off your head? Well, that's why I had to update this review.Dont get me wrong, I loved the story but I cant help but see a bit of a issue. And Ill try my best to keep this spoiler-free...In any story, its easy to dislike a character because s/he's rude, borish, gross, asshatted, or just plain wicked and evil down to the metaphorically twisted mustache. In a love triangle, its so easy to go (or write, as it may be) down this road. Especially when your heroine doesnt pick "him" and goes with the guy the writer has planned.However, there is a big downfall in making a character morph from who they are simply to convince the reader she picked the right guy and not the "bad one". Ms. Mafi wrote these brilliant characters and suddenly one of her characters seemed to break away into this epic asshole land. I didn't like the character's complete change from who they were, from beginning of the trilogy to the end.Why make him a jerk and, even as another character confirmed, he wasn't acting like himself? His only crime was caring abt those around him and not getting the girl? It would have made much more sense to keep him in his character and show the reader why these two were wrong for each other, and in turn, why the other couple worked so well.Convincing a reader without showing why a character would suddenly go from sweet and caring to raging jerk was too convenient. It would be far more feasible and less of an easy way out for the author to write how two people can be good, but not good for each other. Leave out the out-of-character-180-degree behavior.This may not even phase readers but it did for me.Overall, I found this installment and ending to the series was very well done, despite my nagging, yelling, rolling pin thoughts. Still five stars from me.****5 Feb 2014Wow. I did not expect that. I did not expect to like the course of the story at. all. I was unbelievably surprised how much I loved it, to the very end
    • 5/5
      So the book is between my hands, it's morning and I'm quite nervous about starting. I finished Unravel Me last night, Fracture me this dawn and now I'm planning on devouring Ignite Me this morning. Bon appétit to me! x
    • 5/5
      I don't know where to start, so for now I'm just gonna say: Now that's how you conclude a series. That statement alone might be giving away too much but lets just say I was very happy with how Ms. Mafi ended it. Although, I think at least a Novella or even an Epilogue would be great. And after writing that, I think too much info would probably just ruin it. Okay, so you see how confused I am, and that's why I am going to let these feelings I'm feeling from just finishing this book decompress in my mind and I will return to write a more thorough review later.
    • 5/5
      This is the 3rd and last book for the Shatter Me series, the chance of spoilers is very high so just be cautious when reading this review. ( I personally advise you steering clear of this all together and not risk it) A Few points before I move on to the review, these are more points for people who have already read the book:Chapter 55. O.M.G I don’t think I've read any swoon worthy moment better than that in a few long time, before I read Ignite me all I was reading when I came across people talking about it was that chapter, and by god do I understand why, my heart… it was beating fast for far longer after than it should have been. The ending.. ok so that was disappointing, not what happened because I think it was pretty much set in stone from the off, but how little actually went in to the chapter that it happened. I felt like I had spent how ever long reading these incredibly books only to be completely let down by the end. Think Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows ’19 years later’ chapter and how pointless it was, well in my eyes the chapter that was the most important might as well not have even been in the book because it was just rushed and not enough effort was put in to. So yeah, I was very disappointed by the one chapter in it because it just spoil's what was a really good book. This books starts of where Unravel me ended, with Juliet being shot and Warner saving her life even though she broke his heart. He has her hiding out in his room with only one other person knowing exactly where she is or that she is alive for that matter. Omega point is gone, blown up but Anderson and Warner has to break the news to Juliet that no one survived. Of course that doesn't go as well as he hoped and she instantly demands to be taken to see for her self. It doesn't seem real that all her friends could be gone, just like that. Kenji, her best friend, James, Castle, Brendan, Winston, Sonya and Sara. All of her friends at omega point just wiped out. And of course Adam, her first love. Her friend when others shunned her and labelled her a monster, he couldn't possibly be gone.While struggling with her guilt of surviving when her friends didn't, she is also having to battle with maybe or maybe not having feelings for Warner, someone who tried to kill Adam, someone who pushed her and tortured her for his own gain. But she is finding that maybe he isn't the monster she thinks he is, and maybe, just maybe, she has misjudged him like she was once misjudged.One thing she is sure of and that’s her need for revenge. Right now its all she can think about, killing Anderson, the man responsible for so much misery and heart ache.When she recovers from her injury Warner keeps his promise and takes her out to see the remainder of omega point, she had come to convince herself that Warner was wrong, he had to be. But seeing it for herself causes her to completely collapse into herself feeling nothing but grief. Until Kenji turns up, bruised and a little worse for the war but very much alive, and bringing the news that he wasn't the only one.Now comes the planning, they know where Anderson is, and how to get to him. But can a small group of rebels really stop him? (Read it and find out ;) . )This book…. Just shut up. I have loved the world of Shatter Me since I first read Shatter Me last year, at first I didn't think I would like it so much but I was very intrigued by the summary. I loved Juliette's character from the get go and when Adam was introduced, well lets just say I swooned a bit. I read Unravel Me not long after as I was late on the old band wagon, but yet again I loved it, even though Warner was sadistic at times I couldn't help it, I was falling hard.With both Shatter Me and Unravel Me I was taken on an emotional roller coaster, feeling like no of my favorite's were safe. But neither of those two had any of the emotional heart ache/attachment that Ignite Me had (for me anyway) I very rarely cry at books (I came close in this one), I very rarely swoon anymore, and I find myself guessing the ending to the book with still 3/4s to go with around 60% of books I read. But I was blinded while reading this, I couldn’t feel, my heart was beating way to fast. In short this book was a perfect ending to the series. The characters true colours shined through in this book and it was just all really well written. Apart from the ending. I felt it was way way too rushed and thought more time could have been spent on such a crucial part in the story/series. Because even though there was a lot of planning though out the book, I’ll be honest and say that with the way the ending went, the book was more of a love story (not that I’m complaining haha).Anyway I’m very sad that its over and I wish there was more to it, but I’m really looking forward to seeing what Tahereh Mafi has to offer next, because for a debut series it wasn't half bad haha
    • 4/5
      Ahhhh the series is over! *weeps*I never thought that I would be upset that the Shatter Me series is complete; in fact, I never thought that I'd even READ the remaining two books, because I hated Shatter Me. As in, I gave it one star because I hated it so much. But thankfully, I had a few bookish friends who kept pestering me to read the rest of the series, and I am so glad that I did.All spoilers for Ignite Me are hidden, but minor spoilers from the first two books are not. You have been warned!I'll admit that I cheated with this book; I made it through the first chapter before I flipped to the last few pages, because I just had to know how it ended. I'm bad like that. And when I saw that Juliette and Warner ended up together, I may have squealed out loud a little. Maybe. Mainly because Mafi really made me fall in love with the character of Warner. She really sold him to me as something other than a two-dimensional cardboard character, which is how I saw him when I read Shatter Me the first time, and now I really, really want to re-read that book sometime in the future because I have a feeling that I might enjoy it a lot more now.Ahem.Anyway.I love how Juliette matured over the books. In the first book, she was so scared and timid that she barely had a personality. By the time the third book is over, she's acquired so much confidence in her skills and it's wonderful to see. In fact, I don't think she mentally "crosses out" anything she says or thinks in this book. Considering that it felt like half of the first book was "crossed out" by her self-censoring, this is amazing in itself.Although...I really have doubts that Juliette could successfully lead a resistance effort over the long term. Having Warner and Castle by her side will help, of course, but come on, she's seventeen and Warner is nineteen. I am not saying that youth can't accomplish a significant change, but from the way the book acts, The Reestablishment has taken over pretty much THE ENTIRE WORLD. Is she really prepared to rule THE ENTIRE WORLD? Seriously.Warner. I really like how he has evolved as a character too, although I wish that Mafi hadn't taken away some of his sociopathic edge. ;) He never wanted to use Juliette as a weapon; that was all a ruse to fool his father. He shot the soldier in Shatter Me not for stealing, but because he beat the shit out of his family. He kept Juliette isolated from his soldiers in Shatter Me to protect her. And the whole "torturing a toddler thing" was just a simulation. Ahhh can't he still be BAD and be kind of redeemed? Please? Sigh. But I still love his character; he really grew on me fast in the second and third books. I can just imagine how disappointed the "Team Adam" people were with this book, though. I always viewed Adam as responsible and truly loving Juliette. But he turns into a raging jerk in this book, and even by the end, he isn't the same Adam from the first book. I can understand two people, desperate for a family or stability in their lives, clinging together for a time. I can understand those two people growing apart from one another, too. But you don't have to make Adam the bad guy. I think he's actually a very good guy, so his angry outbursts and telling Juliette that he wished she'd died just didn't feel right. At all.I don't mind the ending not tying everything up in a big bright bow with all wrapped up nicely. Life isn't like that. I thought that it was a good ending, and I left satisfied.Mafi's writing style has really grown on me, and I now enjoy her writing much more that I don't have to read a hundred synonyms for "blue." However, I feel that the action sections kind of suffered, and they didn't feel that dramatic or satisfying to me. Anderson's death at Juliette's hands felt horribly anticlimactic and rushed. I would have liked more. A lot more.But altogether, I enjoyed the second and third books in the Shatter Me series quite a lot, and I will definitely be re-reading the first book in the series in the future to see if I enjoy it more now that I've seen how the series grows and matures. I will definitely pick up more from this author once it is published.
    • 5/5
      Spoiler. Spoiler. Spoiler.

      This is a review made by a silly girl and I don't care if you agree or not. (Actually, I don't see this as a proper review. I just want to let out all the feels.)

      You probably should not read this. There's spoilers everywhere okay?

      You've been warned.



      I can't tell you guys enough how much I love love love this book.



      You see, the thing I first love about the story is Juliette. She was used being weak and pathetic, thinking that she was a monster. It's nice seeing her so strong, so determined for a change. She was practically invincible ever since but that's what fear do to us, you know? It paralyzes us so that we'll not be able to do anything at all. But the worst fear there is? It's the fear in ourselves. It limits us and hinders us to show what were really capable of. I am very, very proud of Juliette (not only for the choice of guy) because she overcame her fears and face everything head on. I love her for her weakness and strength. "Fear will come to fear me." I don't know if that's the exact words but I felt terrified just reading them.


      Then there's Warner. AARON. Gah. ahhhhhhhh. @#h#kd#js#@ He was so ruthless and cold outside but that's not all there is. He was really vulnerable when you look at it. He bared his heart and soul to the one that matters most. He was afraid and brave at the same time. My heart broke for him. The lazy morning when they woke up? So cute. He was so adorable. I LOVE HIM WHEN HE BLUSHED. I can't freaking contain my grinning into minimal. Sometimes, while reading the story, i felt like an intruder. They are great together asdfghjkl sjsksodnidnsinsinkdbj #@hah#@jd (this is me, fangirling) Their relationship has never been so easy. As much as I like to have him for myself, I am freaking glad they end up with each other. (I told you, there's spoilers.) "Ignite, my love, ignite."


      I want to feel sorry for Adam but I can't. He's such a douche. What is wrong with a girl being strong and being able to stand for herself? We don't always need guys to protect us, you know. Maybe, it's really not love when you don't have other choices. Okaaaaaay, maybe I feel sorry for him. Just a little bit. He had it so hard. Okay. I don't hate him. It's he's pride and ego that is working. I loved him in the first book. I saw him as a savior, a swoon-worthy hero but he's just not Warner. I know, I know, I'm biased I don't care. But, I feel for Adam really. As I'm typing this, I realized that I can't possibly hate him you know? just because. He's been used as a tool for us to see the great side of Warner. Anyway, I adore James. He's just too cute.


      I love love love Kenji. Gosh, why wasn't he real? I love his jokes. I love him when he's serious. *shouts something inaudible* I will surely miss him.


      The end? It was okay but I would have wanted more. The fight went so fast but it is good nonetheless. What happened after? I really would like to know many things but I respect the author's decision to end there.


      The trilogy is great and I recommend it to you guys who doesn't mind a read with something so cheesy on the side. I'm terribly sad to see this series end.
    • 3/5
      Contains minor spoilers I've been putting off reading this book. I was nervous and then after reading Unite Me, I found my interest in the series had waned. But I'd already bought it so I convinced myself that I should read it and then put the series to rest. Be done with it.I was right to be nervous about this book. After loving Shatter Me, liking Unravel Me and reading both in a day each, this book left me feeling absolutely nothing. After Shatter Me, my heart ached. After Unravel Me, I was angry but hopeful. After Ignite Me, I feel nothing but relief that it is over.Ignite Me is the conclusion of The Juliette Chronicles, the story of Juliette Ferrars, a girl who cannot touch without destroying. After breaking out of the asylum where she spent almost a year locked away and then finding her way to Omega Point where she becomes a part of the war against the Reestablishment, only to have Omega Point destroyed and herself shot. As she recovers, she doesn't know what's happened to her friends or who she should trust. She only knows that she needs to take the down the Reestablishment. Somehow.Before I start ranting, there were things I did like about this novel. Juliette is no longer the helpless, crying girl from the last two books. She is stronger and braver and she has a purpose. This was probably the best thing to come out of this novel. But it came too late and by the time it did I didn’t feel as emotionally invested in the series as I had been previously, so I was lacking in the excitement I would normally feel in such a fantastic character development and only thought to myself “about time”. Which may not be entirely fair, as not all characters will develop in the same way. But at this point I was frustrated with her for taking so long to make important realisations that would have aided her survival. It took way too long for her to care.Oh look, the rant started without me meaning it to. It’s too late to stem the flow now, because I promise this review will move faster that the book. The progress through this book was painfully slow. 400 pages and only the last 30 where we really saw some action rather than just angst. Because it is very angsty. Enough to make you want to rip your hair out (the slow progress will contribute to this feeling). I couldn’t have cared less about the romance in this novel and only really hoped she went out on her own and didn’t end up with either love interest. Both were possessive and angry and if all you can say about them is how attractive they are, that doesn’t really sit well with me because that sort of obsession is fleeting. What happens when someone better looking comes along? All I see at the end of this is two angsty teenagers who are attracted to each other, but I don’t see anything that will make for a lasting relationship. And let’s be honest, if this was real, it probably wouldn’t last. Everything is amplified in their situation, but it won’t always be like that. You’re not going to be an angsty teenager taking over a nation (what the hell? Actually?) for the rest of your life.Which brings me to our next topic. Juliette has superpowers, but she’s not the only one, yet she is the one taking over? Let’s wrap it up all nicely hey? How ridiculous. I know its fiction, but a 17 year old is now leading a country? Come on, we want it to be a little bit realistic.This book also destroyed everything I thought about the characters that had been so carefully constructed from the first book - except the hilarious Kenji and sweet James. But Warner and Adam? Forget everything you thought you knew because Mafi is changing her characters! Warner was a villian, and I liked him that way. Not as a love interest, but as a bad dude. Adam was always patient, calm and enduring. Nope not anymore! I didn't feel like I knew any of these characters and by the time it was done I was so sick of the three of them. I wish more time had been taken with the rest of the cast, such as the Omega Point team, because they were actually interesting!Such a disappointing end to a series that started so fantastically. What a shame. 
    • 3/5
      This is the final book in the trilogy, so readers having read Shatter Me and Unravel Me will definitely want to read this book. Juliette finishes the struggle between choosing either Warner or Adam. Lots of revelations are made about these two characters. The resistance has made a lot of sacrifices and their future looks bleak. Juliette vows to keep fighting. During the time she works to become stronger, she makes a lot of discoveries about herself. There are lots of twists and turns that the reader will enjoy. I also think that readers will like all the details about Warner and Adam’s past.The cover art on all 3 of these books is quite stunning. I think they will appeal to the teen crowd looking for dystopian fiction. There is a lot of action and romance. I think this book could be used for a variety of book displays in a school library – dystopian, strong female characters, vacation reads, etc. I don’t think there are really any curriculum connections. It would be a good recommendation for a free read choice. There is nothing objectionable for high school students. There is some violence and intimacy, it is not graphic, but it might not be a good choice for younger middle school students. While I enjoyed the story, I think a trilogy may have been a bit too long.
    • 5/5
      What a trilogy! Buuuuuuut, that being said, I'm left to wonder if there won't be another, with the way it ended. Excellent! I will recommend this trilogy to everyone I know and meet at my library.
    • 5/5
      Omega Point is destroyed and Juliette is now with Warner, the boy who had originally been her captor but used his power - the ability to "borrow" others' powers - to heal her from a fatal gunshot wound. Despite this, Juliette is more determined than ever to defeat the Reestablishment, the corrupt government headed up by Anderson, Warner and Adam's father. Meanwhile, she starts to realize that her original perceptions of what happened during her imprisonment may not have been accurate. Can Warner be trusted?I love how you can tell just by the writing style how self-assured Juliette has become. In the first book, there were crossouts, broken sentences, and lots of counting as Juliette was near the breaking point, though not quite insane. In the second, this was less common, but still present, and Juliette went back and forth between weepy and strong. Now, Juliette projects confidence in herself and her abilities, and she's not crossing anything out anymore. The tight first-person point of view allows for surprising but believable revelations that turn the first book on its head, and the author isn't afraid to play with readers' expectations of the genre. This is more of a romance than a dystopia, but the non-stop pacing and complex characters kept me reading breathlessly. I wanted to cheer Juliette the whole way.
    • 4/5
      This was a great ending to wrap things up. I can't say much without giving certain things away,but I have to say I was happy with the way things turned out. Even though this was the final installment I still feel like there is more of a story to be told. I hope there is a story for Kenji!
    • 5/5
      I absolutely loved this book. The characters were so unique and I'm really gonna miss them now that I finished the series. They were super genuine and deep with their own growth going on. it's such a good book!!
    • 5/5
      One of the best series that I have ever read. So amazing!
    • 4/5
      This final installment of the trilogy moves a bit slower than the other books but the story wraps up nicely and I still find myself admiring the well developed characters. The entire trilogy is a very entertaining read.
    • 5/5
      I LOVED this series. Definitely a must read. I’ll definitely be rereading this!
    • 5/5
      Sooo intense!!! I know this is the final book, but I wish that there was more!
    • 5/5
      Could not put it down! Literally lost sleep over it!
    • 5/5
      God this book is something else. Finished it in 2 days, couldn’t help myself ?
    • 4/5
      I loved this book. Mafi writes feelings like no author I have ever seen before and, in my opinion, it really makes up for the areas she might be lacking in. The thoughts in Juliette's head are just so vivid that I feel them in my being. And the scenes between her and Warner are electric. I feel him. I've seen some reviews where people are very critical of Juliette ending up with Warner because of what they see as abusive behavior from book one. Some of these people are not too fond of what they call the "rewriting" of history in this book. I'm not too sure that I would call it rewriting. In the first book Juliette was very scared and interpreted things oddly (hence all the mark throughs in the text of the book). Now, in Ignite Me, she's seeing things with more open eyes and more as they actually exist and not as a scared girl afraid of who she is and everyone around her. My one beef with the story is that it ended too soon. I wanted just a bit more. What happens in the long run?

    Book preview

    Ignite Me - Tahereh Mafi

    ONE

    I am an hourglass.

    My seventeen years have collapsed and buried me from the inside out. My legs feel full of sand and stapled together, my mind overflowing with grains of indecision, choices unmade and impatient as time runs out of my body. The small hand of a clock taps me at one and two, three and four, whispering hello, get up, stand up, it’s time to

    wake up

    wake up

    Wake up, he whispers.

    A sharp intake of breath and I’m awake but not up, surprised but not scared, somehow staring into the very desperately green eyes that seem to know too much, too well. Aaron Warner Anderson is bent over me, his worried eyes inspecting me, his hand caught in the air like he might’ve been about to touch me.

    He jerks back.

    He stares, unblinking, chest rising and falling.

    Good morning, I assume. I’m unsure of my voice, of the hour and this day, of these words leaving my lips and this body that contains me.

    I notice he’s wearing a white button-down, half untucked into his curiously unrumpled black slacks. His shirtsleeves are folded, pushed up past his elbows.

    His smile looks like it hurts.

    I pull myself into a seated position and Warner shifts to accommodate me. I have to close my eyes to steady the sudden dizziness, but I force myself to remain still until the feeling passes.

    I’m tired and weak from hunger, but other than a few general aches, I seem to be fine. I’m alive. I’m breathing and blinking and feeling human and I know exactly why.

    I meet his eyes. You saved my life.

    I was shot in the chest.

    Warner’s father put a bullet in my body and I can still feel the echoes of it. If I focus, I can relive the exact moment it happened; the pain: so intense, so excruciating; I’ll never be able to forget it.

    I suck in a startled breath.

    I’m finally aware of the familiar foreignness of this room and I’m quickly seized by a panic that screams I did not wake up where I fell asleep. My heart is racing and I’m inching away from him, hitting my back against the headboard, clutching at these sheets, trying not to stare at the chandelier I remember all too well—

    It’s okay— Warner is saying. It’s all right—

    What am I doing here? Panic, panic; terror clouds my consciousness. Why did you bring me here again—?

    Juliette, please, I’m not going to hurt you—

    Then why did you bring me here? My voice is starting to break and I’m struggling to keep it steady. "Why bring me back to this hellhole—"

    I had to hide you. He exhales, looks up at the wall.

    What? Why?

    No one knows you’re alive. He turns to look at me. I had to get back to base. I needed to pretend everything was back to normal and I was running out of time.

    I force myself to lock away the fear.

    I study his face and analyze his patient, earnest tone. I remember him last night—it must’ve been last night—I remember his face, remember him lying next to me in the dark. He was tender and kind and gentle and he saved me, saved my life. Probably carried me into bed. Tucked me in beside him. It must’ve been him.

    But when I glance down at my body I realize I’m wearing clean clothes, no blood or holes or anything anywhere and I wonder who washed me, wonder who changed me, and worry that might’ve been Warner, too.

    Did you . . . I hesitate, touching the hem of the shirt I’m wearing. Did—I mean—my clothes—

    He smiles. He stares until I’m blushing and I decide I hate him a little and then he shakes his head. Looks into his palms. No, he says. The girls took care of that. I just carried you to bed.

    The girls, I whisper, dazed.

    The girls.

    Sonya and Sara. They were there too, the healer twins, they helped Warner. They helped him save me because he’s the only one who can touch me now, the only person in the world who’d have been able to transfer their healing power safely into my body.

    My thoughts are on fire.

    Where are the girls what happened to the girls and where is Anderson and the war and oh God what’s happened to Adam and Kenji and Castle and I have to get up I have to get up I have to get up and get out of bed and get going

    but

    I try to move and Warner catches me. I’m off-balance, unsteady; I still feel as though my legs are anchored to this bed and I’m suddenly unable to breathe, seeing spots and feeling faint. Need up. Need out.

    Can’t.

    Warner. My eyes are frantic on his face. What happened? What’s happening with the battle—?

    Please, he says, gripping my shoulders. You need to start slowly; you should eat something—

    "Tell me—"

    Don’t you want to eat first? Or shower?

    No, I hear myself say. I have to know now.

    One moment. Two and three.

    Warner takes a deep breath. A million more. Right hand over left, spinning the jade ring on his pinkie finger over and over and over and over It’s over, he says.

    What?

    I say the word but my lips make no sound. I’m numb, somehow. Blinking and seeing nothing.

    It’s over, he says again.

    No.

    I exhale the word, exhale the impossibility.

    He nods. He’s disagreeing with me.

    No.

    Juliette.

    No, I say. No. No. Don’t be stupid, I say to him. Don’t be ridiculous, I say to him. "Don’t lie to me goddamn you, but now my voice is high and broken and shaking and No, I gasp, no, no, no—"

    I actually stand up this time. My eyes are filling fast with tears and I blink and blink but the world is a mess and I want to laugh because all I can think is how horrible and beautiful it is, that our eyes blur the truth when we can’t bear to see it.

    The ground is hard.

    I know this to be an actual fact because it’s suddenly pressed against my face and Warner is trying to touch me but I think I scream and slap his hands away because I already know the answer. I must already know the answer because I can feel the revulsion bubbling up and unsettling my insides but I ask anyway. I’m horizontal and somehow still tipping over and the holes in my head are tearing open and I’m staring at a spot on the carpet not ten feet away and I’m not sure I’m even alive but I have to hear him say it.

    Why? I ask.

    It’s just a word, stupid and simple.

    Why is the battle over? I ask. I’m not breathing anymore, not really speaking at all; just expelling letters through my lips.

    Warner is not looking at me.

    He’s looking at the wall and at the floor and at the bedsheets and at the way his knuckles look when he clenches his fists but no not at me he won’t look at me and his next words are so, so soft.

    Because they’re dead, love. They’re all dead.

    TWO

    My body locks.

    My bones, my blood, my brain freeze in place, seizing in some kind of sudden, uncontrollable paralysis that spreads through me so quickly I can’t seem to breathe. I’m wheezing in deep, strained inhalations, and the walls won’t stop swaying in front of me.

    Warner pulls me into his arms.

    Let go of me, I scream, but, oh, only in my imagination because my lips are finished working and my heart has just expired and my mind has gone to hell for the day and my eyes my eyes I think they’re bleeding. Warner is whispering words of comfort I can’t hear and his arms are wrapped entirely around me, trying to keep me together through sheer physical force but it’s no use.

    I feel nothing.

    Warner is shushing me, rocking me back and forth, and it’s only then that I realize I’m making the most excruciating, earsplitting sound, agony ripping through me. I want to speak, to protest, to accuse Warner, to blame him, to call him a liar, but I can say nothing, can form nothing but sounds so pitiful I’m almost ashamed of myself. I break free of his arms, gasping and doubling over, clutching my stomach.

    Adam. I choke on his name.

    Juliette, please—

    Kenji. I’m hyperventilating into the carpet now.

    Please, love, let me help you—

    What about James? I hear myself say. He was left at Omega Point—he wasn’t a-allowed to c-come—

    It’s all been destroyed, Warner says slowly, quietly. Everything. They tortured some of your members into giving away the exact location of Omega Point. Then they bombed the entire thing.

    "Oh, God." I cover my mouth with one hand and stare, unblinking, at the ceiling.

    I’m so sorry, he says. You have no idea how sorry I am.

    Liar, I whisper, venom in my voice. I’m angry and mean and I can’t be bothered to care. You’re not sorry at all.

    I glance at Warner just long enough to see the hurt flash in and out of his eyes. He clears his throat.

    I am sorry, he says again, quiet but firm. He picks up his jacket from where it was hanging on a nearby rack; shrugs it on without a word.

    Where are you going? I ask, guilty in an instant.

    You need time to process this and you clearly have no use for my company. I will attend to a few tasks until you’re ready to talk.

    Please tell me you’re wrong. My voice breaks. My breath catches. Tell me there’s a chance you could be wrong—

    Warner stares at me for what feels like a long time. If there were even the slightest chance I could spare you this pain, he finally says, I would’ve taken it. You must know I wouldn’t have said it if it weren’t absolutely true.

    And it’s this—his sincerity—that finally snaps me in half.

    Because the truth is so unbearable I wish he’d spare me a lie.

    I don’t remember when Warner left.

    I don’t remember how he left or what he said. All I know is that I’ve been lying here curled up on the floor long enough. Long enough for the tears to turn to salt, long enough for my throat to dry up and my lips to chap and my head to pound as hard as my heart.

    I sit up slowly, feel my brain twist somewhere in my skull. I manage to climb onto the bed and sit there, still numb but less so, and pull my knees to my chest.

    Life without Adam.

    Life without Kenji, without James and Castle and Sonya and Sara and Brendan and Winston and all of Omega Point. My friends, all destroyed with the flick of a switch.

    Life without Adam.

    I hold on tight, pray the pain will pass.

    It doesn’t.

    Adam is gone.

    My first love. My first friend. My only friend when I had none and now he’s gone and I don’t know how I feel. Strange, mostly. Delirious, too. I feel empty and broken and cheated and guilty and angry and desperately, desperately sad.

    We’d been growing apart since escaping to Omega Point, but that was my fault. He wanted more from me, but I wanted him to live a long life. I wanted to protect him from the pain I would cause him. I tried to forget him, to move on without him, to prepare myself for a future separate and apart from him.

    I thought staying away would keep him alive.

    Stupid girl.

    The tears are fresh and falling fast now, traveling quietly down my cheeks and into my open, gasping mouth. My shoulders won’t stop shaking and my fists keep clenching and my body is cramping and my knees are knocking and old habits are crawling out of my skin and I’m counting cracks and colors and sounds and shudders and rocking back and forth and back and forth and back and forth and I have to let him go I have to let him go I have to I have to

    I close my eyes

    and breathe.

    Harsh, hard, rasping breaths.

    In.

    Out.

    Count them.

    I’ve been here before, I tell myself. I’ve been lonelier than this, more hopeless than this, more desperate than this. I’ve been here before and I survived. I can get through this.

    But never have I been so thoroughly robbed. Love and possibility, friendships and futures: gone. I have to start over now; face the world alone again. I have to make one final choice: give up or go on.

    So I get to my feet.

    My head is spinning, thoughts knocking into one another, but I swallow back the tears. I clench my fists and try not to scream and I tuck my friends in my heart and

    revenge

    I think

    has never looked so sweet.

    THREE

    Hang tight

    Hold on

    Look up

    Stay strong

    Hang on

    Hold tight

    Look strong

    Stay up

    One day I might break

    One day I might

    b r e a k

    free

    Warner can’t hide his surprise when he walks back into the room.

    I look up, close the notebook in my hands. I’m taking this back, I say to him.

    He blinks at me. You’re feeling better.

    I nod over my shoulder. My notebook was just sitting here, on the bedside table.

    Yes, he says slowly. Carefully.

    I’m taking it back.

    I understand. He’s still standing by the door, still frozen in place, still staring. Are you—he shakes his head—I’m sorry, are you going somewhere?

    It’s only then that I realize I’m already halfway to the door. I need to get out of here.

    Warner says nothing. He takes a few careful steps into the room, slips off his jacket, drapes it over a chair. He pulls three guns out of the holster strapped to his back and takes his time placing them on the table where my notebook used to be. When he finally looks up he has a slight smile on his face.

    Hands in his pockets. His smile a little bigger. Where are you going, love?

    I have some things I need to take care of.

    Is that right? He leans one shoulder against the wall, crosses his arms against his chest. He can’t stop smiling.

    Yes. I’m getting irritated now.

    Warner waits. Stares. Nods once, as if to say, Go on.

    Your father—

    Is not here.

    Oh.

    I try to hide my shock, but now I don’t know why I was so certain Anderson would still be here. This complicates things.

    You really thought you could just walk out of this room, Warner says to me, knock on my father’s door, and do away with him?

    Yes. No.

    Liar, liar, pants on fire, Warner says softly.

    I glare at him.

    My father is gone, Warner says. He’s gone back to the capital, and he’s taken Sonya and Sara with him.

    I gasp, horrified. No.

    Warner isn’t smiling anymore.

    Are they . . . alive? I ask.

    I don’t know. A simple shrug. I imagine they must be, as they’re of no use to my father in any other condition.

    "They’re alive? My heart picks up so quickly I might be having a heart attack. I have to get them back—I have to find them, I—"

    You what? Warner is looking at me closely. How will you get to my father? How will you fight him?

    I don’t know! I’m pacing across the room now. But I have to find them. They might be my only friends left in this world and—

    I stop.

    I spin around suddenly, heart in my throat.

    What if there are others? I whisper, too afraid to hope.

    I meet Warner across the room.

    What if there are other survivors? I ask, louder now. What if they’re hiding somewhere?

    That seems unlikely.

    But there’s a chance, isn’t there? I’m desperate. If there’s even the slightest chance—

    Warner sighs. Runs a hand through the hair at the back of his head. If you’d seen the devastation the way that I did, you wouldn’t be saying such things. Hope will break your heart all over again.

    My knees have begun to buckle.

    I cling to the bed frame, breathing fast, hands shaking. I don’t know anything anymore. I don’t actually know what’s happened to Omega Point. I don’t know where the capital is or how I’d get there. I don’t know if I’d even be able to get to Sonya and Sara in time. But I can’t shake this sudden, stupid hope that more of my friends have somehow survived.

    Because they’re stronger than this—smarter.

    They’ve been planning for war for such a long time, I hear myself say. They must have had some kind of a backup plan. A place to hide—

    Juliette—

    Dammit, Warner! I have to try. You have to let me look.

    This is unhealthy. He won’t meet my eyes. It’s dangerous for you to think there’s a chance anyone might still be alive.

    I stare at his strong, steady profile.

    He studies his hands.

    Please, I whisper.

    He sighs.

    I have to head to the compounds in the next day or so, just to better oversee the process of rebuilding the area. He tenses as he speaks. We lost many civilians, he says. Too many. The remaining citizens are understandably traumatized and subdued, as was my father’s intention. They’ve been stripped of any last hope they might’ve had for rebellion.

    A tight breath.

    And now everything must be quickly put back in order, he says. "The bodies are being cleared out and incinerated. The damaged housing units are being replaced. Civilians are being forced to go back to work, orphans are being moved, and the remaining children are required to attend their sector schools.

    The Reestablishment, he says, does not allow time for people to grieve.

    There’s a heavy silence between us.

    While I’m overseeing the compounds, Warner says, I can find a way to take you back to Omega Point. I can show you what’s happened. And then, once you have proof, you will have to make your choice.

    What choice?

    You have to decide your next move. You can stay with me, he says, hesitating, or, if you prefer, I can arrange for you to live undetected, somewhere on unregulated grounds. But it will be a solitary existence, he says quietly. You can never be discovered.

    Oh.

    A pause.

    Yes, he says.

    Another pause.

    "Or, I say to him, I leave, find your father, kill him, and deal with the consequences on my own."

    Warner fights a smile and fails.

    He glances down and laughs just a little before looking me right in the eye. He shakes his head.

    What’s so funny?

    My dear girl.

    "What?"

    I have been waiting for this moment for a long time now.

    What do you mean?

    You’re finally ready, he says. You’re finally ready to fight.

    Shock courses through me. Of course I am.

    In an instant I’m bombarded by memories of the battlefield, the terror of being shot to death. I have not forgotten my friends or my renewed conviction, my determination to do things differently. To make a difference. To really fight this time, with no hesitation. No matter what happens—and no matter what I discover—there’s no turning back for me anymore. There are no other alternatives.

    I have not forgotten. I forge forward or die.

    Warner laughs out loud. He looks like he might cry.

    "I am going to kill your father, I say to him, and I’m going to destroy The Reestablishment."

    He’s still smiling.

    "I will."

    I know, he says.

    Then why are you laughing at me?

    I’m not, he says softly. I’m only wondering, he says, if you would like my help.

    FOUR

    What? I blink fast, disbelieving.

    I’ve always told you, Warner says to me, that we would make an excellent team. I’ve always said that I’ve been waiting for you to be ready—for you to recognize your anger, your own strength. I’ve been waiting since the day I met you.

    But you wanted to use me for The Reestablishment—you wanted me to torture innocent people—

    Not true.

    "What? What are you talking about? You told me yourself—"

    I lied. He shrugs.

    My mouth has fallen open.

    There are three things you should know about me, love. He steps forward. The first, he says, is that I hate my father more than you might ever be capable of understanding. He clears his throat. Second, is that I am an unapologetically selfish person, who, in almost every situation, makes decisions based entirely on self-interest. And third. A pause as he looks down. Laughs a little. I never had any intention of using you as a weapon.

    Words have failed me.

    I sit down.

    Numb.

    That was an elaborate scheme I designed entirely for my father’s benefit, Warner says. I had to convince him it would be a good idea to invest in someone like you, that we might utilize you for military gain. And to be quite, quite honest, I’m still not sure how I managed it. The idea is ludicrous. To spend all that time, money, and energy on reforming a supposedly psychotic girl just for the sake of torture? He shakes his head. I knew from the beginning it would be a fruitless endeavor; a complete waste of time. There are far more effective methods of extracting information from the unwilling.

    Then why—why did you want me?

    His eyes are jarring in their sincerity. I wanted to study you.

    What? I gasp.

    He turns his back to me. Did you know, he says, so quietly I have to strain to hear him, that my mother lives in that house? He looks to the closed door. The one my father brought you to? The one where he shot you? She was in her room. Just down the hall from where he was keeping you.

    When I don’t respond, Warner turns to face me.

    Yes, I whisper. Your father mentioned something about her.

    Oh? Alarm flits in and out of his features. He quickly masks the emotion. And what, he says, making an effort to sound calm, did he say about her?

    That she’s sick, I tell him, hating myself for the tremor that goes through his body. That he stores her there because she doesn’t do well in the compounds.

    Warner leans back against the wall, looking as if he requires the support. He takes a hard breath. Yes, he finally says. It’s true. She’s sick. She became ill very suddenly. His eyes are focused on a distant point in another world. When I was a child, she seemed perfectly fine, he says, turning and turning the jade ring around his finger. But then one day she just . . . fell apart. For years I fought my father to seek treatment, to find a cure, but he never cared. I was on my own to find help for her, and no matter who I contacted, no doctor was able to treat her. No one, he says, hardly breathing now, knew what was wrong with her. She exists in a constant state of agony, he says, and I’ve always been too selfish to let her die.

    He looks up.

    And then I heard about you. I’d heard stories about you, rumors, he says. And it gave me hope for the very first time. I wanted access to you; I wanted to study you. I wanted to know and understand you firsthand. Because in all my research, you were the only person I’d ever heard of who might be able to offer me answers about my mother’s condition. I was desperate, he says. I was willing to try anything.

    What do you mean? I ask. How could someone like me be able to help you with your mother?

    His eyes find mine again, bright with anguish. Because, love. You cannot touch anyone. And she, he says, she cannot be touched.

    FIVE

    I’ve lost the ability to speak.

    I finally understand her pain, Warner says. I finally understand what it must be like for her. Because of you. Because I saw what it did to you—what it does to you—to carry that kind of burden, to exist with that much power and to live among those who do not understand.

    He tilts his head back against the wall, presses the heels of his hands to his eyes.

    She, much like you, he says, must feel as though there is a monster inside of her. But unlike you, her only victim is herself. She cannot live in her own skin. She cannot be touched by anyone; not even by her own hands. Not to brush a hair from her forehead or to clench her fists. She’s afraid to speak, to move her legs, to stretch her arms, even to shift to a more comfortable position, simply because the sensation of her skin brushing against itself causes her an excruciating amount of pain.

    He drops his hands.

    It seems, he says, fighting to keep his voice steady, that something in the heat of human contact triggers this terrible, destructive power within her, and because she is both the originator and the recipient of the pain, she’s somehow incapable of killing herself. Instead, she exists as a prisoner in her own bones, unable to escape this self-inflicted torture.

    My eyes are stinging hard. I blink fast.

    For so many years I thought my life was difficult; I thought I understood what it meant to suffer. But this. This is something I can’t even begin to comprehend. I never stopped to consider that someone else might have it worse than I do.

    It makes me feel ashamed for ever having felt sorry for myself.

    For a long time, Warner continues, "I thought she was just . . . sick. I thought she’d developed some kind of illness

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