Destroy Me (Shatter Me #1.5)

Title: Destroy Me (Shatter Me #1.5)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Release Date: November 15th, 2011
Pages: 357
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Synopsis: 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.

Review
I love it when authors make you understand, even like the bad guy. It just adds so much depth to the story, when you have interesting, well-rounded characters, especially villains.
This novella allows us to take a look into Warner's mind, and it shows us just how complex a character he is. As a matter of fact, I now find him to be much more interesting than Adam. I'm not saying I want Juliette to ditch Adam and go for Warner; I just mean that I find Warner fascinating and I want to read more about him.

Warner reminded me a tiny bit of Cole from the Everneath series: He too is the antagonist of the story and is seen as evil by the main character, but when you read the story from his perspective, he's really just trying to do what he thinks is right.

I was surprised by many things in this story, and now I feel sorry for Warner (which is awesome, because I love caring about characters. It makes them feel more real somehow).

I haven't read Unravel Me yet, so I don't know for sure, but I'm pretty certain Warner must have some kind of ability, too.
"My research had led me to her files by pure accident. Coincidence. (...) I had been researching something else. For something else. My motives were my own."
(Also, there's the whole thing that he can touch her.)

Props to Tahereh Mafi for creating such an interesting and complex character.

Shatter Me (Shatter Me#1)

Title: Shatter Me (Shatter Me#1)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Release Date: November 15th, 2011
Pages: 357
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Synopsis: Juliette hasn't touched anyone in exactly 264 days. The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal. As long as she doesn t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don't fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things. So they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she's exactly what they need right now. Juliette has a choice to make: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.


Review
Maybe I should just put this book down. Read something else. No. It might get better. People on Goodreads say it is good.

But whenever I tried to read it, my thoughts drifted off like butterflies, flying through the warm air of a midsummer evening, beating their wings, while they spiraled higher and higher, out of my reach, until I could no longer touch them and ... I had no idea what I'd just read.



(I like beautiful metaphors and poetic writing styles but in this book it was over the top sometimes. Too much. For me, at least. I'm sure many people enjoy that kind of writing.)

Luckily, it did get better! I really enjoyed the second half of the book. Baaaam, Kenji! He had only said like 2 sentences and I already knew that he would be my new favorite character in this series. Juliette and Adam are so serious; it was refreshing to get an easy-going and funny character into the story.

So yay Kenji!



The ending was unexpected and I am definitely going to read the sequel.

A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2)

Title: A Million Suns (Across the Universe #2)
Author: Beth Revis
Release Date: January 10th, 2012
Pages: 400                  

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Synopsis: Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.
It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

Review
If "A Million Suns" were told from the perspective of any other person on board of the spaceship, Elder would be the villain of the story.
And how interesting is that? It makes you wonder about all the other villains in dystopian novels- what if they're just trying to make things better? What if they're just trying to do what they think is right?

Like, I know Phydus is wrong, and people should never be put into that mindless state, but I actually found myself thinking that maybe Elder should just use the drugs again so people don't kill each other and don't destroy the spaceship. And then I was a bit shocked at myself for even thinking that.

And then there's Bartie and he's one of Elder's antagonists in the story, but some of the things that he says had me thinking that he's absolutely right; why should they just accept Elder as their leader? Why not let the people vote?

These things; this whole struggle between "Hell yeah-Revolution!" and "Please just listen to Elder, people, he's trying to help!" were what made me really enjoy this book: It makes you think.

And of course there's the fact that this is a mystery set in space, which in itself makes this story all kinds of awesome.

Last but not least (watch out, huge spoiler!): I soooo knew it!
(highlight the text below with your mouse to see the spoiler)
I soo knew they had already arrived at the planet. I feel so smart. :P

[ I soo knew they had already arrived at the planet. I feel so smart. :P (hide spoiler)]

The Fault in Our Stars

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Release Date: January 10th, 2012
Pages: 313           
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Synopsis: Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.
Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.
Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

Review
My initial reaction after finishing the book was this:
"How the hell am I supposed to focus on the Roman emperor Augustus and his stupid provinces, after just finishing Fault in Our Stars!?? HOW??!"


(I was studying for my history final, which just happened to be about the emperor that shared a name with our beloved Gus.)

But, in all seriousness, this book leaves you speechless. It is beautiful, and sad and funny and heart-wrenching, moving, thought-provoking and wonderful.  John Green, the author, said he wanted people to experience "ALL THE THINGS!" when reading this book. And that's exactly what you do. You will laugh, you will cry (I did). I initially didn't want to read it because I'd heard a lot of people say how sad it was. But weirdly all those people still gave the book an outstanding rating. And now that I've read it, I agree with them.
I have 49 quotes from this book highlighted on my kindle. 49! 49 wonderful, horribly tragic, funny, amazing quotes. Here's one of them:
 
"My thoughts are stars I can't fathom into constellation."

I recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Yes, it is sad. But it also much more than that.
You will love this book.

 SPOILER
Want to know which scene broke my heart?
Augustus: "I hate myself! I hate myself! I hate this. I hate this I disgust myself I hate it I hate it I hate it just let me fucking die."

Yay

AWESOME STUFF WILL BE HERE SOON.