At the beginning of the year, I was asked to pay very close attention to how I interact online and note the changes in my online interaction. Below I would like to provide you with a self-reflection story about what that experience was like. It was a very enlightening experience, one that I would recommend more people do.
Paperback: $12.99
Hardcover: $22.99
Kindle: $12.99 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
Audible: $23.16 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth was published in 2017 by Katherine Tegen Books.
Page Count: 512 pages (paperback) 480 (hardcover) 472 (Kindle)
Audiobook length: 15 hrs 06 mins
Chapters: 42
Languages: English (also available in the following translations: Arabic, French, German, Italian, and Spanish)
“Cyra Noavek and Akos Kereseth have grown up in enemy countries locked in a long-standing fight for dominance over their shared planet. When Akos and his brother are kidnapped by the ruling Noavek family, Akos is forced to serve Cyra, the sister of a dictator who governs with violence and fear. Cyra is known for her deadly power of transferring extraordinary pain unto others with simple touch, and her tyrant brother uses her as a weapon against those who challenge him. But as Akos fights for his own survival, he recognizes that Cyra is also fighting for hers, and that her true gift—resilience—might be what saves them both.
When Akos and Cyra are caught in the middle of a raging rebellion, everything they’ve been led to believe about their world and themselves must be called into question. But fighting for what’s right might mean betraying their countries, their families, and each other.
When the time comes, will they choose loyalty or love?” – Amazon
“Veronica Roth is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Divergent series and Carve the Mark. She was born in a Chicago suburb, and studied creative writing at Northwestern University. She and her husband and dog currently live in Chicago.
You can find Veronica on Instagram (@vrothbooks), Facebook, or at her website (veronicarothbooks.com), or sign up for her newsletter to get book news and exclusive content here! eepurl.com/dcqzr1” -Amazon
Overall Book Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
My initial reaction: This book took me a while to get into. I had seen this book multiple times and have heard about it before but never really heard anyone say that this was a “must read!” I didn’t hear much buzz on this book, but I still wanted to give it a chance. I wanted to read more from Veronica Roth. I had read the Divergent series which I was impressed with, so I decided to give this book a chance.
Now, my I will admit that I made a mistake when I started reading/listening to this book. When I normally read something unfamiliar to me, I usually do not listen to the audiobook while doing something else until I get a feel for the book and the author’s narrator. However, for this novel I did just that: I started listened to this novel while I was working on household duties. That was a mistake I greatly regret as this novel really required my full, undivided attention from beginning to end. The reason I say that is because I had an issue trying to figure the world out. I didn’t really know where the characters were for a very long time, and I will admit even when I finished, I didn’t really know if I had figured that out. That may have been my fault, so I will give the novel the benefit of the doubt. It probably explained the movements of the characters in this world, I was simply not paying enough attention to realize it. Keep that in mind when reading. Above all other books I have read recently, this one required more attention at the beginning.
When I did finally place my full attention into the novel, it still took me some time to get into it. I didn’t really care for the characters. There was not one character that stood out to me. I usually like to latch on to a character in every novel I read; it doesn’t necessarily have to be the main character. I look for my “book bestie” in the book and continue to follow their every move to see what the author has in store for them. I unfortunately did not find such character, which I think was the reason it took me longer to finish this book than it did the previous books I had read. The characters did not seem all that well-developed, and that made me disconnect some from this book.
The main conflict of the novel didn’t draw me in either. Nevertheless, I still got through the book. Even though I did not find my “book bestie” in this story and I was not too into the major driving conflict, I was still interested in what Roth was doing. I wanted to know what fate would await her characters, and I will say that I was drawn in near the second half of the book. I enjoyed the second half a lot more than the first half, for the second half seems to be more action while the first half is more world and character building. I do think that the second book in the series will be more like the second half of this novel. I think that Roth had a tricky task at building such an intricate world. I am interested to see what will take place now that I am somewhat familiar with it. I do admit that I may have to reread this book in order to really get a feel for it though.
Narration Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
Narration by Austin Butler and Emily Rankin
Butler and Rankin’s narration was well done. It was not over enthusiastic or overdone. It also was not dull and boring. To me, it was just right. Their narration at 1.0 speed was done really well and not so slow that I had to speed it up to be able to tolerate it as I have done with other audiobooks. Their narration 1.25 speed was at what I would consider normal, conversation speed. The favorite listening speed for me was at 1.75 speed. The speed was just right for me. It’s hard to explain, but at that speed I could follow it best. For those of us who like to multitask and listen on the go, I recommend listening at a 1.5 speed, so one does not miss anything. For those who are listening while reading the book and want to listen at a faster pace, I found 2.0 speed to be the best speeds. 2.5 speed was good too, but I liked 2.0 speed better and easier to follow. 3.0 was too fast for me, and I was missing a lot of what the narrator was saying and had to eventually slow down the narrator’s reading speed. However, it is manageable. If you’re used to speed listening, 3.0 speed should be manageable. 3.5 speed was definitely too fast for me.
Carve the Mark Series
Divergent Series
Paperback: $12.04
Hardcover: $18.99
Kindle: $18.99 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
Audible: $20.76 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas was published in 2017 by Balzer + Bray.
Page Count: 464 pages (paperback) 464 (hardcover) 447 (Kindle)
Audiobook length: 11 hrs 40 mins
Chapters: 26
Languages: English (also available in the following translations: Catalan, Italian, Spanish, Polish, and Portuguese)
“Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor black neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend, Khalil, at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, Khalil’s death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Starr’s best friend at school suggests he may have had it coming. When it becomes clear the police have little interest in investigating the incident, protesters take to the streets and Starr’s neighborhood becomes a war zone. What everyone wants to know is: What really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does–or does not–say could destroy her community. It could also endanger her life.
Angie Thomas’s searing debut about an ordinary girl in extraordinary circumstances addresses issues of racism and police violence with intelligence, heart, and unflinching honesty.” – Balzer + Bray
“Angie Thomas was borne, and still resides in Jackson, Mississippi. She is a former teen rapper whose greatest accomplishment was having an article about her in Right On! magazine. She holds a BFA in creative writing. The Hate U Give is her first novel. You can find her online at www.angiethomas.com.” -Balzer + Bray
Overall Book Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
My initial reaction: Wow! This is so powerful!
I was left speechless. I felt so many emotions when reading, that I did not know what to say. The narrator was created in such a realistic and relateable manner. I loved her! I was immersed in her life and the conflict she undergoes is difficult to imagine. I couldn’t imagine how a teen would react in such a situation.
The character’s struggles were so powerfully written. Starr goes through so much! As if school was not hard enough, she endures so many inner struggles that bring the reality of what its like to feel like one doesn’t belong. I found myself relating to her struggles. Not only that but Thomas expresses the injustices that take place.
There were so many different issues going on in this novel that brought the character’s reality to life. The fact that Thomas did not hold back and simply focus on one main conflict makes this novel that much more powerful. What I enjoyed the most about this novel was that Thomas provides a variety of different struggles that reader can latch onto.
Narration Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
Narration by Bahni Turpin
Turpin’s narration was amazing and really brought the story to life. Her narration at 1.0 speed was too slow for me, but starting at 1.25 speed, her narration was excellent. The best listening speed for me was at 1.50 speed. For those of us who like to multitask and listen on the go, I recommend listening at a 1.5 or 1.75 speeds, so one does not miss anything. For those who are listening while reading the book and want to listen at a faster pace, I found 2.0 and 2.5 speed to be the best speeds. 3.0 was too fast for me, and I was missing a lot of what the narrator was saying and had to eventually slow down the narrator’s reading speed. However, it is manageable. If you’re used to speed listening, 3.0 speed should be manageable. 3.5 speed was definitely too fast for me.
Paperback: $9.49
Hardcover: $18.99
Kindle: $18.99 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
Audible: $20.96 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
Defy Me by Tahereh Mafi was published in 2019 by Harper.
Page Count: 368 pages (paperback) 368 (hardcover) 315 (kindle)
Audiobook length: 07 hrs 25 mins
Chapters: N/A (Not separated by numbered chapters)
Language: English
“I’m adrift, suspended in a pool of senselessness, currents pushing me to the surface of something–an emotional revelation–that trembles into existence only to evaporate, seconds later, as if it might be terrified to exist.
This goes on and on and on and on and on
Lightyears.
Eons.
over
and
over
whispers of clarity
g a s p s of oxygen
and I”m tossed back out to sea.
Juliette Ferrars isn’t who she thinks she is.
Nothing in her world is what it seemed. She thought she’d finally defeated the Reestablishment. She thought she’d finally taken control of her life, her power, and her pain. But Juliette has only just begun to unravel a lifetime of lies, and she finds herself faced with a familiar choice:
Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.
This time, she’s not alone. Stronger, braver, and more resilient than ever, Juliette will fight for life and love with her friends by her side–but first, she has to survive the war being waged against her mind:
She has to remember who she was.” -Harper
“Tahereh Mafi is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of A Very Large Expanse of Sea, the Shatter Me series, Furthermore, and Whichwood. She can usually be found overcaffinated and stuck in a book. You can find her online just about anywhere @TaherehMafi or at www.taherehbooks.com” -Harper
Overall Book Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
I had been anticipating the release of this novel. I had spent the previous two months rereading the series in preparation for the release of this fifth installment in the Shatter Me series. After finishing Restore Me, I had high expectations for this novel. I was somewhat nervous in reading it. Mafi had announced that there would only be one more novella and novel following Defy Me, so I was hesitant in reading this one. I was scared that this novel was going to either make or break the finale for me.
As with the previous novels in the series, Defy Me held my attention throughout. I have enjoyed reading all of them so far, but I do have to admit that Defy Me fell short of the pace the others had for me. As soon as I picked one of the other books in the series, I had to force myself to put them down. However, Defy Me was easier for me to put down and do without picking it back up. Now, I was busier when reading this book than I was when I read the four previous books, and I went through several days without picking it up. However, I didn’t have much desire to pick it back up right away. Naturally, I had to ask myself why that was.
The main reason I found that kept me from staying invested in the story was that it had a lot more back-flashes and background information in them. I just wanted the story to go on forward. I didn’t enjoy the amount of backstory that was included. It slowed the tension of the story for me, and essentially, that was the main reason I didn’t care much for picking the book back up right away.
Now, let me clarify that, I still enjoyed the events that took place in the story. Though the background info was a no for me, I was still fascinated with what was going on in the present for the characters. I will also admit that out of all the books in the series, this is the one that I found Juliette to be the most tolerable. I had mentioned in previous reviews how I wasn’t too into Juliette, but this one was not bad. Before, I didn’t care for the whole love triangle that carried the series, and I was very much glad that the very triangle I loathed was absent in this novel. With all of that said, I cannot wait to see how Mafi closes out the series. I am getting anxiety just thinking that is it . . . that is all for the series. I can’t bear the reality of that right now.
Narration Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
Narration by Kate Simses, James Fouhey, and Vikas Adam
Simses continues the narration of the Shatter Me series and is joined by Fouhey, who narrates Warner’s portions of the novel, and Adam, who narrates Kenji’s. I really enjoyed their work; though, like with the previous novel in the series, the narration at 1.0 speed was too slow for me. Their narration at 1.25 speed was the slowest speed I would listen at. The best speed for me was 1.50. For those of us who like to multitask and listen on the go, I recommend listening at a either 1.50 speed or 1.75 speed, so one does not miss anything. For those who are listening while reading the book, I found 2.0 and 2.5 speed to be the best speeds. 3.0 and 3.5 speed was too fast for me, and I was missing a lot of what the narrator was saying and had to eventually slow down the narrator’s reading speed.
Novels
Shatter Me Series
Novellas
Novella Collection
Paperback: $10.99
Hardcover: $18.99
Kindle: $10.99 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
Audible: $25.99 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
Restore Me by Tahereh Mafi was published in 2018 by Harper.
Page Count: 464 pages (paperback) 448 (hardcover) 384 (kindle)
Audiobook length: 08 hrs 39 mins
Chapters: N/A (Not separated by numbered chapters)
Language: English (also available in the following translation: Portuguese)
“It’s been sixteen days since Juliette Ferrars killed the supreme commander of North America and took over as ruler of The Reestablishment on the continent.
Sixteen days since she assassinated Warner’s father.
Juliette thought she’d won. She took over Sector 45 and now has Warner by her side. But she’s still the girl with the ability to kill with a single touch– and with so much power in her young hands, the world is watching her every move, waiting to see what happens next.
Juliette and Warner have risked everything. But when tragedy strikes, they must confront the darkness that exists both around and inside them. Will they be able to control the power Juliette wields, or will it control them?” -Harper
“Tahereh Mafi is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Shatter Me series, Furthermore, and Whichwood. She can usually be found overcaffinated and stuck in a book. You can find her online just about anywhere @TaherehMafi or at www.taherehbooks.com” -Harper
Overall Book Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
I recently re-read Restore Me for the upcoming release of Defy Me. I had recalled really enjoying this novel the first time I read it, and enjoyed it just as much the second time through. There was so much to this story that really brought the Shatter Me world to life.
What I enjoyed the most about this fourth installment in the Shatter Me series was the death of the love triangle that I had not had any interest in since the first book. By this novel, Mafi focuses more on developing the characters and the upcoming conflicts for the fifth novel. I enjoyed a break from the whole “I love Adam. No. I love Warner.” inner battle Juliette was having. If the focus would have been the same in this novel, I don’t think I could have made it through it.
With that being said, prepare yourself! This fourth novel is going to throw you for a loop. When I re-read it, it brought up so many different theories about what I thought would happen next. It made me fear for the lives of my favorite characters (James and Kenji). I just could not picture the Shatter Me world without either of them, but for some reason the character’s I adore are the ones author love to kill. Don’t do this to us in Defy Me, Tahereh. Please don’t!
There was not a lot of James in this character, but there was enough Kenji to go around. Adam was not as present in this novel either, which honestly, I am not complaining about. But the third novel, I was sick of him. He was too whiny, and I just wanted him to get lost. However, by the end of Restore Me, I get the feeling Adam is going to be more present in Defy Me. New information was given by the end of Restore Me (I will not spoil what it was) that gave me a theory as to how the love interests in the series may play out. Needless to say, I cannot wait to read book five!
Narration Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
Narration by Kate Simses and James Fouhey
Simses continues the narration of the Shatter Me series, but this time, she is joined by Fouhey who narrates Warner’s portions of the novel. I have enjoyed Simses’s narration of the series so far, and having an additional narrator was very interesting. I really enjoyed their work. Their narration at 1.0 speed was too slow for me. Their narration at 1.25 speed was the slowest speed I would listen at. The best speed for me was 1.50. For those of us who like to multitask and listen on the go, I recommend listening at a either 1.50 speed or 1.75 speed, so one does not miss anything. For those who are listening while reading the book, I found 2.0 and 2.5 speed to be the best speeds. 3.0 and 3.5 speed was too fast for me, and I was missing a lot of what the narrator was saying and had to eventually slow down the narrator’s reading speed.
Novels
Shatter Me Series
Novellas
Novella Collection
Paperback: $9.99
Hardcover: $17.99
Kindle: $9.99 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
Audible: $22.99 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse was published in 2016 by Little, Brown and Company.
Page Count: 320 pages (paperback) 320 (hardcover) 368 (Kindle)
Audiobook length: 09 hrs 42 mins
Chapters: 34
Languages: English (also available in the following translations: French, German, and Spanish)
“Amsterdam, 1943. Hanneke spends her days finding and delivering sought-after black market goods to paying customers, nights hiding the true nature of her work from her concerned parents, and every waking moment mourning her boyfriend, who was killed on Dutch front lines when the German army invaded. Her illegal work keeps her family afloat, and Hanneke also likes to think of it as a small act of rebellion against the Nazis.
On a routine delivery, a client asks Hanneke for help. Expecting to hear that Mrs. Janssen wants her to find meat or kerosene, Hanneke is shocked by the older woman’s frantic plea to find a person: a Jewish teenager Mrs. Janssen has been hiding, who has vanished without a trace from a secret room. Hanneke initially wants nothing to do with such a dangerous task but is ultimately drawn into a web of mysteries and stunning revelations–where the only way out is through.” – Little, Brown and Company
“Monica Hesse is an author and journalist with the Washington Post. She lives in Washington, DC, with her husband and their dog. She invites you to visit her at monicahesse.com.” -Little Brown and Company
Overall Book Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
My initial reaction: Why hadn’t I read this or heard of this book sooner?
The only reason I picked this book is was because it was being read as the April pick for a book club. I am absolutely thankful that I got the chance to read this book. I read/listened to half of the book one night and by noon the next day, I had already finished it. I could not put it down. I was so invested in the story, the characters, and the history the novel was presenting.
I did not originally consider myself a person that likes books with historical events in them. However, after reading this book I have a new appreciation for them, and I actually want to read more books like this one. I had also never read any book by Monica Hesse, and the way she presents this one really has me invested in her writing. I want to read more work from her. I recently also purchased The War Outside, her most recent release, to get signed along with Girl in the Blue Coat at a book signing event Hesse was at, and I cannot wait to read it as well.
My only “problem” with this novel is that I constantly asked myself why Hanneke was so invested in finding Mirjam. I do think that near the end of the novel, Hanneke gives a brief, sentence-long explanation of why she does. That one description of why she go to the length in her hunt for answers gave me enough to justify her search, but I will admit that I can see who someone else may disagree. It was not really something that stood out when she says why she does search so extensively, and one would actually have to ask that question early on to really notice the answer at the end.
Other than that one picky question I had, I could not find any other complaints. I was too invested in what was going on to really point out anything else that I did not like. It was so real to me! I was getting so anxious and worried. I was scared for the characters throughout. I was frightened to find out what fate Hesse had in store for her characters. When I got to the end, I found myself asking what was next. I am unsure if there is a second part to this novel. It does not need one. I simply want a second book because I really enjoyed the journey Hesse took me on in this book, and I did not want it to end just yet.
Narration Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
Narration by Natalia Payne
Payne’s narration was well done but was too slow for me at 1.0 and 1.25 speeds. Her narration 1.50 speed was at what I would consider normal, conversation speed and the slowest speed I would listen. The favorite listening speed for me was at 1.75 speed. The speed was just right for me. For those of us who like to multitask and listen on the go, I recommend listening at a 1.5 speed, so one does not miss anything. For those who are listening while reading the book and want to listen at a faster pace, I found 2.0 speed to be the best speeds. 2.5 speed was good too, but I liked 2.0 speed better and easier to follow. 3.0 was manageable and easy enough to follow as well. I was able to keep up with a full chapter when I was testing out the listening speed and was able to get through the whole thing. I do recommend reading along with the book if you decide to listen at 3.0 speed. 3.5 speed was too fast for me, and I had to slow it down to 3.0 speed.
Novels
Paperback: $10.99
Hardcover: $17.99
Kindle: $10.99 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
Audible: $20.76 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi was published in 2014 by Harper.
Page Count: 416 pages (paperback) 416 (hardcover) 421 (kindle)
Audiobook length: 09 hrs 50 mins
Chapters: 78
Language: English (also available in the following translations: Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, and Turkish)
“Everyone Juliette cares about may be dead. Now Juliette is the only one standing in The Reestablishment’s way. But to take them down, as well as Anderson, the man that nearly killed her, Juliette needs 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.” -Harper
“Tahereh Mafi is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Shatter Me series, Furthermore, and Whichwood. She can usually be found overcaffinated and stuck in a book. You can find her online just about anywhere @TaherehMafi or at www.taherehbooks.com” -Harper
Overall Book Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
Oh My Gosh! Why was Adam such an ass? I do not like him in this novel. He seemed like Peeta from the Hunger Games. I didn’t like Peeta at all, and Adam is becoming this clingy, jealous guy. He just got on my nerves, and I did not even care for him anymore. He was such a drama queen that I just couldn’t put up with him. I’m so over him and over what is going on between him, Juliette, and Warner.
I think I read that quote from Warner on page 127, I couldn’t help but agree with him. When Warner said, “Do you never get exhausted being so wholly unbearable? You have as much charisma as the rotting innards of unidentified roadkill” I couldn’t help but agree with him. I wasn’t much of a Warner fan up until that point. When he said exactly what I was thinking of Adam, it was like one of those moments when you meet your best friend, that moment when you both become friends over mutual hatred and judgment of the same thing and people. I think I have found my new character bestie!
I very much enjoyed the parts where Adam was not involved. I know that sounds horrible. It felt horrible to say, but considering one of my favorite characters is James, I do hope that Adam gets to be more tolerable. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I kind of want him to care more for his brother and less for Juliette. Juliette can hold her own. James can’t. Adam, do not let anything happen to James or else I will never forgive you! I want him to be a good brother, and I think that if that is the route Mafi has for him, I’ll actually grow to like him.
Above all, that was my main criticism for the novel. The rest of the events in the story were fine, and I actually enjoyed this novel more than book two. If you were able to tolerate book two, you should enjoy this one more. Out of all the books in the series, Unravel Me is my least favorite.
Narration Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
Narration by Kate Simses
Simses continues the narration of the Shatter Me series. Simses’ narration at 1.0 speed was too slow for me. Her narration at 1.25 speed was the slowest speed I would listen at. The best speed for me was 1.50. For those of us who like to multitask and listen on the go, I recommend listening at a either 1.50 speed or 1.75 speed, so one does not miss anything. For those who are listening while reading the book, I found 2.0 and 2.5 speed to be the best speeds. 3.0 and 3.5 speed was too fast for me, and I was missing a lot of what the narrator was saying and had to eventually slow down the narrator’s reading speed.
Novels
Shatter Me Series
Novellas
Novella Collection
Paperback: $8.99
Hardcover: $18.99
Kindle: $8.99 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
Audible: $26.95 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi was published in 2016 by Dutton.
Page Count: 432 pages (paperback) 416 (hardcover) 402 (kindle)
Audiobook length: 08 hrs 12 mins
Chapters: N/A (Chapters not indicated)
Language: English (also available in the following translation: Portuguese)
“There are only three things that matter to Alice Alexis Queensmeadow: Mother, who wouldn’t miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and, most important of all, Father, who always loved her. It’s been almost three years since the day Father disappeared from Ferenwood with nothing but a ruler in his pocket, but Alice is determined to find him. She loves her father even more than she loves adventure, and she’ll have to embark on one to find the other.
To bring Father home, Alice will travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. Her only companion is a boy named Oliver, who is an experienced guide with his own tangled secrets. It will take all of Alice’s wits to make it through Furthermore and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of uncertainty and loss.
Bestselling author Tahereh Mafi takes readers beyond the limits of their imagination in this captivating tale where color is currency, adventure is inevitable, and friendship is found in the most unexpected places.” -Dutton
“Tahereh Mafi is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Shatter Me series. She was born in a small city somewhere in Connecticut and currently resides in Santa Monica, California, with her husband, fellow author Ransom Riggs. She can usually be found overcaffinated and stuck in a book. You can find her online just about anywhere @TaherehMafi or at www.taherehbooks.com” -Dutton
Overall Book Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
After reading the Shatter Me series, I look for more works by Tahereh Mafi. I came across Furthermore, and picked it up because I was curios to know more about it. It was so much different than the Shatter Me books that I was fascinated to read something different by this author.
This story was very different than anything I have read recently. The world Mafi creates for this story is so captivating, and the challenges she has Alice endure just had me speechless. I could not believe how in the world Mafi could have created such a world. It was just so interesting. I found myself continuing to flip the page cause I wanted to know more about this world. Reading this reminded me of Alice in Wonderland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Something that took me for a loop is the serious problems the main character undergoes. Her internal and familiar conflicts make her such a relate-able character and one that readers can sympathize with. To a certain extent the story seemed “dark,” and I was worried what was going to happen to her. I found myself really wondering what it was she would find on her adventure and feared for her life. Her personal conflicts and struggles are those that I would expect my younger sisters to encounter and love that Mafi create a novel that expressed a young girl’s problems in a way where they could relate to it.
The ending was surprising. I will not reveal what occurred to avoid any spoilers, but this is the first story that I have read in a long time with that type of ending. It was refreshing to read one like this after having read so many novels with various endings. This is a story that would be great to read together as a family. I can see this a story for both parents and children to enjoy together.
Narration Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
Narration by Bronson Pinchot
Pinchot’s narration at 1.0 speed was too slow for me. Starting at 1.25 speed, I extremely enjoyed his narration. His narration was not over-dramatic or over-the-top. I found his narration to be so well done and as if I were listening to a bedtime story told by a parent to their child. The best speed for me was 1.50. For those of us who like to multitask and listen on the go, I recommend listening at at either a 1.50 or 1.75 speed so one does not miss anything. For those who are listening while reading the book, I found 2.0 and 2.5 speed to be the best speeds. 3.0 and 3.5 speed was too fast for me, and I was missing a lot of what the narrator was saying and had to eventually slow down the narrator’s reading speed.
Novels
Shatter Me Series
Novellas
Novella Collection
Paperback: $10.99
Hardcover: $17.99
Kindle: $10.99 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
Audible: $27.99 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi was published in 2013 by Harper.
Page Count: 496 pages (paperback) 480 (hardcover) 485 (kindle)
Audiobook length: 11 hrs 53 mins
Chapters: 73
Language: English (also available in the following translations: Italian and Portuguese)
“Juliette has escaped from The Reestablishment. Now she’s free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from hr lethal touch. Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible. Haunted by her past and terrified of her future, Juliette knows that she will have to make some life-changing choices. Choices that may involve choosing between her heart–and Adam’s life.” -Harper
“Tahereh Mafi is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Shatter Me series, Furthermore, and Whichwood. She can usually be found overcaffinated and stuck in a book. You can find her online just about anywhere @TaherehMafi or at www.taherehbooks.com” -Harper
Overall Book Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
Disclaimer: I think I have finally read enough love triangle stories and want a change in character dynamic. This new outlook is going to change the way I read and review books from now on as I will ignore that part of the novel to see what else it has to offer. If a book cannot offer anything beyond a love triangle, it is going to end up in my DNF shelf on Goodreads.
After re-reading Shatter Me, I continued with the next book in the series. I recalled the first time I read this book and felt similar emotions toward it the second time through. I felt conflicted. I did not know what I wanted or expected the first time I read it. Was I Team Adam or Team Warner? I was a little more invested in where Juliette’s emotions would lie when I read Unravel Me for the first time. However, after my second time reading this novel, I wasn’t so much interested in the love triangle. I mentioned in the my review of Shatter Me that I have come to a point as a reader where I have no interest in love triangles. My disregard for the love triangle between Adam, Juliette, and Warner continued. However, like with the first novel, other conflicts and characters held my interest.
There was not a lot of James in this second novel, which I was kind of disappointed since he was one of my favorite characters in the first novel. However, there was a whole lot of Kenji to account for James’ absence. I was very impressed by this character in the first novel and grew to like him even more in the second. In a way, my re-reading made me completely forget about my Team Adam or Team Warner feeling I experienced the first time through. Instead, I found myself siding more and more with Kenji. The conflict with Warner and Adam was just too much. I couldn’t really handle much of it, and Kenji’s scenes made the love triangle bearable. I do admit that if Kenji were to be nonexistent, I would not have enjoyed this book at all. It would have been one of the books that ended up in my DNF shelf if it relied solely on Adam, Juliette, and Warner.
This second novel moved slower than the first. The first novel focused more on the plot, and that was what made the reading feel so quick to me. However this second one focused more on the Juliette love triangle and her interactions with both Adam and Warner. For that reason, this second novel read slower. The plot was slowed down because Mafi caught more of Juliette’s confusion about what she wanted. That, honestly, annoyed me. At some point, I found myself saying, pick one already; you’re just making yourself look slutty Juliette. I didn’t really care about the whole, “I don’t know who to choose; I can’t pick one over the other,” part to this story. Again, I admit that that is due to my being tired of love triangle stories.
After re-reading this novel, my feelings about the characters and plot changed. By the end of this re-reading, I was interested in what would happen with The Reestablishment (since that is the main conflict carrying the whole series), what would happen between Adam and Warner, and what would happen with Kenji. I did not care where Juliette’s feelings would end up. By the end of this novel, I just found myself saying, “girl you better pick one in the third book. You’ve gone undecided for two books now. You’re running out of books. Just pick one already.” I was instead more interested in what would happen with Adam and Warner after what was revealed in this novel. After what Mafi revealed in this novel about the two (I won’t spoil it) I wondered how that revelation would change this whole love triangle she introduced. I actually hoped it would shatter the love triangle altogether.
Narration Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
Narration by Kate Simses
Simses does an amazing job narrating the second part of this series. Her narration made the story interesting, and I enjoyed that the same narrator was used for this next book. It is kind of strange to me when different narrators are used to narrate a series, and it kind of makes me disconnect from the series since I relate the narrator’s voice to the story. I am glad the same narrator was utilized for this novel so that didn’t happen. Simses’ narration at 1.0 speed was too slow for me. The best speed for me was 1.50. For those of us who like to multitask and listen on the go, I recommend listening at a 1.75 speed, so one does not miss anything. For those who are listening while reading the book, I found 2.0 and 2.5 speed to be the best speeds. 3.0 and 3.5 speed was too fast for me, and I was missing a lot of what the narrator was saying and had to eventually slow down the narrator’s reading speed.
Novels
Shatter Me Series
Novellas
Novella Collection
Paperback: $18.00
Hardcover: $28.00
Kindle: $10.99 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
Audible: $20.67 (Not available on Kindle Unlimited)
The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith was published in 2013 by Mulholland Books.
Page Count: 480 pages (paperback) 464 (hardcover) 561 (kindle)
Audiobook length: 15 hrs 54 mins
Chapters: N/A – Separated into 5 parts (Chapters per part numbered)
Language: English (also available in the following translation: Bulgarian, Catalan, Dutch, French, Italian, German, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish)
“When a troubled supermodel falls to her death from the balcony of her London home, it is assumed that she has committed suicide. However, her brother has his doubts and calls in private detective Cormoran Strike to investigate.
Strike is a war veteran–wounded both physically and psychologically–and his private life is in disarray. The case gives him a financial lifeline, but it comes at a personal cost: the more he delves into the young model’s world, the darker things get and the closer he comes to terrible danger.” -Mulholland Books
“Robert Galbraith’s Cormoran Strike series is classic contemporary crime fiction from a master story-teller, rich in plot, characterisation and detail. Galbraith’s debut into crime fiction garnered acclaim amongst critics and crime fans alike. The first three novels The Cuckoo’s Calling (2013), The Silkworm (2014) and Career of Evil (2015) all topped the national and international bestseller lists and have been adapted for television, produced by Brontë Film and Television. The fourth in the series, Lethal White (2018), is out now.
Robert Galbraith is a pseudonym of J.K. Rowling, bestselling author of the Harry Potter series and The Casual Vacancy, a novel for adults. After Harry Potter, the author chose crime fiction for her next books, a genre she has always loved as a reader. She wanted to write a contemporary whodunit, with a credible back story. J.K. Rowling’s original intention for writing as Robert Galbraith was for the books to be judged on their own merit, and to establish Galbraith as a well-regarded name in crime in its own right.
Now Robert Galbraith’s true identity is widely known, J.K. Rowling continues to write the crime series under the Galbraith pseudonym to keep the distinction from her other writing and so people will know what to expect from a Cormoran Strike novel.” -Amazon
Overall Book Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
This book has been on my shelf for years now. I never really had much interest in picking it up since I had other books that I really wanted to read. After getting through a good chunk of the books on my TBR list and on my bookshelves, I finally decided to give this book a chance and give it a go.
This story starts out really slow to me. I found myself wondering when we would get to the good part. The characters themselves didn’t draw me in. They were developed very well; I just simply did not latch on to any of them. That made my reading experience fairly dreadful. I usually don’t read detective stories/mysteries/thrillers for that very reason. I don’t know why but usually the characters don’t draw me in. This was one of those.
This book is not in a genre that I tend to read, but I did recently read another thriller just before reading this one. I read Watching You by Lisa Jewell. Compared to the way Jewell tells her story versus Galbraith, I very much enjoyed Jewell’s writing over Galbraith. I think that maybe after reading Jewell, I may have expected a similar set of characters in this book. I quickly had to remind myself that Watching You was not from the detective’s perspective like how The Cuckoo’s Calling was.
I would have to read more mysteries, thrillers, and suspense to give the genre a chance. I don’t know if I will pick up the next books in this series. I may start with more writing from Jewell and then after having read some more from that author, jump back to this series. I very much enjoyed the interactions between the characters and the interviews Strikes conducted. They were written phenomenally. Those conversations and scenes kept me invested enough to get through the story. The actual mystery itself did not. I was very must disinterested in the plot.
Narration Rating: ★★★★★ / ★★★★★
Narration by Robert Glenister
Glenister’s narration at 1.0 speed was too slow for me. At 1.25 speed, I enjoyed his narration more but was still fairly slow for me. I had to listen to his narration at least at a 1.50 speed. For those of us who like to multitask and listen on the go, I recommend listening at at either a 1.50 or 1.75 speed so one does not miss anything. For those who are listening while reading the book, I found 2.0 and 2.5 speed to be the best speeds. 3.0 and 3.5 speed was too fast for me, and I was missing a lot of what the narrator was saying and had to eventually slow down the narrator’s reading speed.
Cormoran Strike Series
H. J. Ortiz 