Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi (spoilers)

Song I Played While Reading- It Was Always You by Maroon 5

Rating- 4 stars

Synopsis-

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it's almost
time for war.

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

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

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

I'm jumping right in people. Move out of the way.

SO, Juliette is at X-men headquarters Omega Point and unsurprisingly, is not being friendly. She's reverted back into her fucking shell. I'm sorry, I have such a potty mouth bUT IT MAKES ME SO ANGRY. JULIETTE. HONEY. YOU NEED TO GET OVER YOUR ISSUES. YOU CANT SKIN YOURSELF AND REGROW A NON-LETHAL PAIR.  SO PLEASE JUST ACCEPT IT. I so thought she was going to do a 360 in this book. Don't get me wrong, she does, but most of this book was the same old fears and the whispering and the crying and her wanting to curl up into a corner and hide. 

"2 weeks I've been here and in 2 weeks I've taken up residence on a bed of eggshells, wondering when something is going to break, when I'll be the first to break it, wondering when everything is going to fall apart. In 2 weeks I should've been happier, healthier, sleeping better, more soundly in this safe space. Instead I worry about what will happen when if I can get this right, if I don't figure out how to train properly, if I hurt someone on purpose by accident." (pg. 3)

BITCH PLEASE. I DONT FEEL BAD FOR YOU ANYMORE. Luckily Kenji, sweet, sweet, golden boy Kenji, felt the same way. I would've kissed him if I could have. Now, I really want to type out the whole speech cause it was flawless, but that would take up a lot of room. And to be honest I'm kind of lazy. So to sum it up, he says "Boohoo, your parents hate you, people are scared of you, the whole world possibly hates you. Your skin can kill people. That doesn't mean you need to act like a little pathetic shit all the time. Man up, you have a roof over your head, food to eat, a bed to sleep on. You can either make a choice to own your power, to control and accept that it will always be a part of you, or you can run back to the asylum and hide in the dark again. Your choice." It almost made me cry because finally someone tells her! The only person who shares their feelings with her is Adam, and don't even get me started on that fool. 

Too late.

Let's try and pretend Juliette doesn't turn into a legitimate baby around him and coo about how wonderful and beautiful he is. Let's pretend he's not refusing to tell her about these mysterious meetings between him and Castle, which seem to be leaving him worn out, weak, and super pale. Let's pretend Juliette doesn't use him as a crutch in life and that she actually talks to other people because she is definitely not one of those girls that only talks to her boyfriend. AND FINALLY, lets pretend Juliette doesn't physically drain him and leave him constantly weak around her. LETS JUST PRETEND THAT DOESNT EXIST. 

NOPE. "Nah, I'll just keep thinking about the boy who I physically, mentally, and emotional drain, and push away the perfect specimen that I legitimately strengthen. And believe in."

WHAT. 

I dont hate Adam, I really don't. He's a nice guy and doesn't deserve the shit that keeps being flung at him. But he's just not right for Juliette! Not mentally, physically, or emotionally. Warner makes her think. He challenges her, questions her, constantly keeps her on her toes. She never knows what to expect from him and he can sometimes be too much for her. But is that really so bad compared to being with a guy that turns you into a mute puddle on the floor? I so hope Juliette picks Warner, PLEASE LET IT BE SO.

Okay let's get off this topic before I have a hernia. 

In this book, we get some fabulous new characters. We learn more about Castle, who has psychokinesis and can move things with his mind. This, my friends, is my ALL TIME FAVORITE POWER. Do you know how crazy awesome that would be?! We meet Sonya and Sara, who are two twins that can heal. Another crazy cool power, and they're such sweet girls who manage to crack Juliette's shell in the smallest way possible. And we also meet Winston and Brendon again, who also come reeling in with some sassy remarks. So we do get a reprieve at some points in this book, which is always awesome to have.

And then finally, we meet Anderson. Supreme Commander Anderson, to be exact. Warners father. One of the leaders of The Reestablishment. That hot prick. I gotta admit, him being a dilf really threw me off my game. I CANT KEEP ADDING BOYS TO MY MAN SANDWICH, DAMNIT MAFI. I'm up to 4 guys in it now, when I necessarily only need 2 (just because Adam annoys me sometimes doesn't mean I don't want him to join the party.) Anyways, Juliette finally goes all Hulk on his ass and turns into this cold-hearted weapon and honestly I loved it. She was awesome. She was smiling while shooting both his legs. I couldn't have been more prouder. 

Now, with the added shitstorm that is Adam and Warner being brothers (OH THE THINGS THAT RAN THROUGH MY HEAD AT THAT), I'm wondering if big papa has abilities too. Both his sons do, so why shouldn't he? I both want him to but also don't, because obviously that would make things very complicated, but if he doesn't that really wouldn't make sense. Scientifically. 

After that scene where Warner and Juliette make out (don't EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THAT TEAM WARNER TEAM WARNER TEAM WARNER), I really didn't know what to expect from this big, bad war. It was so.. pushed back from reality, from Juliette and Warner and Adam and Kenji and everyone at Omega Point. It was something they all had to do and plan, but so much was happening down below that I honestly forget about it half the time. It wasn't at all what I was expecting, just like what I thought with the ending of Shatter me. I definitely didn't expect a repeat of the little threesome in a house again, but alas, twas so. 

Now, I hope Warner is Team Omega Point. How can he not be?! His father SHOT Juliette in the chest and she almost died. Her heart pretty much exploded, and she only lived because Warner managed to take some of the twins healing powers and heal her. And it finally seems Juliette is ready to pull on her big girl panties and take on the world. I want her to kick ass and ask questions later. 

(Also I want more Juliette and Warner scenes. Specifically very steamy ones with lack of clothing.)

I see why Mafi does those little cross-outs, they're kinda cool and fun to use. 

Quotes

"It's only then that I realize what a spectacle we've made. Every eye in the room is blinking at me. I attempt a weak smile and a twitchy wave before allowing Kenji to shuffle me out of the room.

"No need to wave at the people, princess. It's not a coronation ceremony."" (pg. 47)

I LOL'd hard at this scene because KENJI and I love the Princess Diaries movies, so I could totally see Mia doing this back in New York and someone telling her this. 

"Kenji snorts. He's looking at me like he has no idea who I am, like he's not sure if he should laugh or applaud or run like hell in the opposite direction. He rubs the back of his neck, eyes intent on my face. He won't stop staring.

"What?" I ask.

"How much do you weigh?"

"Wow. Is that how you talk to every girl you meet? That explains so much.

"I'm one hundred seventy-five pounds," he says. "Of muscle."

I stare at him. "Would you like an award?"

"Well, well, well," he says, cocking his head, the barest hint of a smile now flickering across his face. "Look who's the smart ass now."" (pg. 50)

SASSY JULIETTE. AND WHERE DID SHE GET THAT FROM? KENJI

"Kenji, I swear, I never- I n-never-" I have to bite back the words to blink back the tears. It's crippling, this feeling, this not knowing how to prove your own innocence. It's my entire life replayed over and over and over again, trying to convince people that I'm not dangerous, that I never meant to hurt anyone, that I didn't intent for things to turn out this way. That I'm not a bad person." (pg. 72)

I swear I didn't mean to post-it note every scene with Kenji. Clearly, it's meant to be.

"This time I am a force.

A deviation of human nature.

I am living, breathing proof that nature is officially screwed, afraid of what it's done, what it's become.

And I'm stronger. I'm angrier. 

I'm ready to do something I'll definitely regret and this time I don't care. I'm done being nice. I'm done being nervous. I'm not afraid of anything anymore.

Mass chaos is in my future.

And I'm leaving my gloves behind."

HELL YEAH JULIETTE. POUND THE EARTH AND TEAR IT UP. 

(Image and synopsis from Goodreads)