Category: Science Fiction

Title: Shadow Me (Shatter Me #4.5)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Purchased
Format: Ebook
Release Date: March 5, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Fan favorite character Kenji Kishimoto narrates this gripping companion novella to Tahereh Mafi’s New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, set during the explosive events in Restore Me!

Juliette is still reeling from Warner’s betrayal, and Kenji is trying to balance his friendship with her with his responsibilities as a leader of the resistance against the Reestablishment. Things get even more interesting when an unexpected person from Omega Point’s past surfaces.

The ending of Restore Me left readers gasping, and this novella full of Kenji’s signature sass and big heart is the perfect story to tide fans over until Defy Me, the shocking fifth book in the Shatter Me series, hits shelves in April 2019.

Review:

This novella was different from the other two in the Shatter Me series because it is told from Kenji’s perspective. The other two were narrated by Warner and Adam. Kenji is one of my favourite characters, so I was so excited to read some of his story.

Kenji is a fun character. He usually brings some comic relief to the serious story. He’s Juliette’s best friend, so he is in a very different position from Warner and Adam, who have both been her love interests. However, this story shows a different side to Kenji. He has had a tough life, being orphaned and living on the streets before being taken in by Castle. Though he has been through a lot, he is still there for Juliette when she needs him.

These novellas are a great addition to the series. They usually show the same scenes that were in the main novel, but from a different point of view. This gives us a full image of what is happening in the story.

The next novella is also from Kenji’s perspective, so I can’t wait to read it!

What to read next:

Have you read Shadow Me? What did you think of it?

Title: Restore Me (Shatter Me #4)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: March 6, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Juliette Ferrars thought she’d won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander, and now has Warner by her side. But she’s still the girl with the ability to kill with a single touch—and now she’s got the whole world in the palm of her hand. When tragedy hits, who will she become? Will she be able to control the power she wields and use it for good?

Review:

This was an amazing story in the Shatter Me series! The first three books can be read as a trilogy. This continuation of the series is even better than the first three books.

Even though so much happens in the first three books, there is still an entire world to discover in this one. The first trilogy was centred around Juliette in Sector 45. This story explores the leaders of the other continents. There was so much information that Juliette didn’t know, and that we learn along with her.

This story was different from the other ones because the chapters alternate between Juliette’s and Warner’s points of view. There are betrayals and lots of new discoveries to be made, so it was important that the two different perspectives be shown in this story. It’s also great to see Warner’s narrative again. He was the narrator in the novella Destroy Me. He’s a complicated character and I love reading his scenes.

I loved this book! I’m so glad I’m almost caught up! I can’t wait to see what happens next.

What to read next:

Have you read Restore Me? What did you think of it?

Title: Fracture Me (Shatter Me #2.5)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: December 17, 2013
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this electrifying sixty-page companion novella to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, discover the fate of the Omega Point rebels as they go up against The Reestablishment. Set during and soon after the final moments of Unravel Me, Fracture Me is told from Adam’s perspective.

As Omega Point prepares to launch an all-out assault on The Reestablishment soldiers stationed in Sector 45, Adam’s focus couldn’t be further from the upcoming battle. He’s reeling from his breakup with Juliette, scared for his best friend’s life, and as concerned as ever for his brother James’s safety. And just as Adam begins to wonder if this life is really for him, the alarms sound. It’s time for war.

On the battlefield, it seems like the odds are in their favor—but taking down Warner, Adam’s newly discovered half brother, won’t be that easy. The Reestablishment can’t tolerate a rebellion, and they’ll do anything to crush the resistance . . . including killing everyone Adam has ever cared about.

Review:

I’m obsessed with this series! I love that there are novellas to read between novels. They fill in the gaps in time between the novels.

I didn’t realize that this novella was written from Adam’s point of view. I thought they were all from Warner’s perspective, just like the first one. I was so excited that this one was told by Adam, because he wasn’t in the previous book as much. He’s a complicated character, who had to make some tough decisions in this story.

One of my favourite parts of these novellas is that they show parts of the story that couldn’t be shown in the other novels. Since the novels are told from Juliette’s perspective, only her side of the story is told. There are important things going on around her, so it is great to see those events too. This was especially important for this part of the story, because Juliette wasn’t present for a lot of the battle at the end of Unravel Me.

I loved this novella! I can’t wait to read Ignite Me very soon!

What to read next:

Have you read Fracture Me? What did you think of it?

Title: Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2)
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Publisher: HarperTeen
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: February 5, 2013
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The thrilling second installment in New York Times bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me series.

It should have taken Juliette a single touch to kill Warner. But his mysterious immunity to her deadly power has left her shaken, wondering why her ultimate defense mechanism failed against the person she most needs protection from.

She and Adam were able to escape Warner’s clutches and join up with a group of rebels, many of whom have powers of their own. Juliette will finally be able to actively fight against The Reestablishment and try to fix her broken world. And perhaps these new allies can help her shed light on the secret behind Adam’s—and Warner’s—immunity to her killer skin.

Juliette’s world is packed with high-stakes action and tantalizing romance, perfect for fans of the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard and the Darkest Minds trilogy by Alexandra Bracken.

Review:

This book was amazing! I couldn’t have predicted what happened in this second book of the series.

There were so many twists in this story. Just when you think that you can predict what will happen, a huge plot twist happens which makes you rethink everything you know. This was great because I was constantly surprised.

I love the depth of the characters in this series. They all have good qualities as well as flaws. Sometimes I was rooting for them, and sometimes I wasn’t. At times, I cringed at things the main characters did. Juliette did so many things that I didn’t agree with, but the conflicts within her made the story fascinating.

I wish I had read this series before, but I’m glad I’ve started it now! I can’t wait to read the next book!

What to read next:

Have you read Unravel Me? What did you think of it?

Title: Corpse and Crown (Cadaver and Queen #2)
Author: Alisa Kwitney
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: February 12, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Oliver Twist gets a fresh take in this reimagining of the Dickensian classic taking the familiar characters and turning them on their heads in a historical thriller packed with weird science, political suspense, and steamy romance, perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco’s Stalking Jack the Ripper and Marissa Meyer’s Cinder.

From Alisa Kwitney comes a connected novel set in the same alternative Victorian England of Cadaver & Queen. Corpse & Crownfollows the story of Agatha DeLacey, an Ingold nursing student who travels to London and uncovers a devastating secret about the country’s Bio-Mechanicals. Inspired by the classic story of Oliver Twist and complete with a dashing Artful Dodger-inspired male lead, this retelling is a satisfying follow-up to Kwitney’s clever and critically acclaimed young adult debut.

Review:

This is a fun series! It is set in Victorian times, with science fiction themes.

The first book in the story, Cadaver and Queen, is an adaptation of Frankenstein. This story is an adaptation of Oliver Twist. I actually haven’t read either of those books, so I’m not sure how much of the original story is included, though the characters are there.

There are a lot of medical scenes because it is set in a hospital. I’m quite squeamish, but I was able to get through those scenes. There were some blood and surgeries involved. However, these scenes were limited so I was able to enjoy the story.

The biomechanicals in this story are corpses who have been turned into machines by attaching different body parts. An interesting aspect of these creatures is that they can continue to experience the lives and memories of the donor. This was similar to the phantom limb syndrome, which is when a person can still feel their limbs after they have been amputated.

I really enjoyed this book!

What to read next:

Have you read Corpse and Crown? What did you think of it?

Title: Dragon Pearl
Author: Yoon Ha Lee
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Publisher: Disney Book Group, Rick Riordan Presents
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: January 15, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Rick Riordan Presents Yoon Ha Lee’s space opera about thirteen-year-old Min, who comes from a long line of fox spirits. But you’d never know it by looking at her.

To keep the family safe, Min’s mother insists that none of them use any fox-magic, such as Charm or shape-shifting. They must appear human at all times. Min feels hemmed in by the household rules and resents the endless chores, the cousins who crowd her, and the aunties who judge her. She would like nothing more than to escape Jinju, her neglected, dust-ridden, and impoverished planet. She’s counting the days until she can follow her older brother, Jun, into the Space Forces and see more of the Thousand Worlds.

When word arrives that Jun is suspected of leaving his post to go in search of the Dragon Pearl, Min knows that something is wrong. Jun would never desert his battle cruiser, even for a mystical object rumored to have tremendous power. She decides to run away to find him and clear his name.

Min’s quest will have her meeting gamblers, pirates, and vengeful ghosts. It will involve deception, lies, and sabotage. She will be forced to use more fox-magic than ever before, and to rely on all of her cleverness and bravery. The outcome may not be what she had hoped, but it has the potential to exceed her wildest dreams.

This sci-fi adventure with the underpinnings of Korean mythology will transport you to a world far beyond your imagination. 

Review:

This was an exciting story!

I loved the mix of folklore and a futuristic setting. Min is a Fox, so she is a shapeshifter. She lives on a different planet, but they take the form of humans since those are most common. There was a lot of science fiction, since most of the story took place on spaceships, but the background came from Korean folklore.

This story was so fast paced. I read it in just one day! It felt like a whole series because so much happened. It was thrilling in some parts too, because there was a lot of danger. Min started out as an innocent teenage girl, but she put herself in a lot of risky situations in a short amount of time.

I also like the diversity of the characters. The characters had Korean names. There was a character who preferred gender neutral pronouns. It takes a while to get used to a single person being referred to as “they,” but this was a great way to include gender diversity in the story.

What to read next:

Have you read Dragon Pearl? What did you think of it?