abbyycadabbyy's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
3.5
I went into this book with super high expectations. I feel like that's always the start to a review of a book I didn't really love. Don't get me wrong I liked this book. I just didn't love it.
I enjoyed the romance. It was definitely a slow burn. I really like Warner; he has got to be one of my favorite book boyfriends by far.
Juliette has always pissed me off. Every time she does something stupid, I just want to throw the book across the room. I feel like she never knows what she wants, and when she does know what she wants it's always the worst possible choice she could pick. I don't like the books being in her POV because I feel like she makes Adam look way better than he is because she "loves him". There is a lot about her I personally would change if I had the chance. I think in this book she got A LOT better.
OH. GOD. So... the powers... I don't really care about this kinda thing, but Juliette is WAY too overpowered. I mean if she wanted to, she could destroy the whole earth. I just feel like she is unmatched (conveniently) except for Adam and Warner. I don't know it really bothered me that she literally is the strongest one. I feel like a power system should have some balance.
Personally, I think this author would write really amazing romances. I just feel maybe dystopia and fantasy aren't really her thing. She isn't really good at going into detail about fights. By no means am I saying that she is a bad author, because she isn't I really like her books. All I am saying is that maybe just romance would work better for her.
Maybe this is just me being really picky, but this book really wasn't it for me. It took me like 2 weeks to read it, and that's long for me.
I enjoyed the romance. It was definitely a slow burn. I really like Warner; he has got to be one of my favorite book boyfriends by far.
Juliette has always pissed me off. Every time she does something stupid, I just want to throw the book across the room. I feel like she never knows what she wants, and when she does know what she wants it's always the worst possible choice she could pick. I don't like the books being in her POV because I feel like she makes Adam look way better than he is because she "loves him". There is a lot about her I personally would change if I had the chance. I think in this book she got A LOT better.
OH. GOD. So... the powers... I don't really care about this kinda thing, but Juliette is WAY too overpowered. I mean if she wanted to, she could destroy the whole earth. I just feel like she is unmatched (conveniently) except for Adam and Warner. I don't know it really bothered me that she literally is the strongest one. I feel like a power system should have some balance.
Personally, I think this author would write really amazing romances. I just feel maybe dystopia and fantasy aren't really her thing. She isn't really good at going into detail about fights. By no means am I saying that she is a bad author, because she isn't I really like her books. All I am saying is that maybe just romance would work better for her.
Maybe this is just me being really picky, but this book really wasn't it for me. It took me like 2 weeks to read it, and that's long for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, War, Violence, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexual content
marippe's review against another edition
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
This book really aggravates me. It feels like I was reading the same conversation over and over. Everyone is far too emotional and there’s no logical person there to help calm things down.
There is way too much focus on the romance and the emotional sides of the book that the plot and character development suffers. Juliette finally starts to understand her powers, but it has felt like such a background thing yet its key to the story?
Adam is still incredibly aggravating and confusing. He’s so annoying! I’m glad Juliette has finally realised how pessimistic he really is, and how strange his obsession with her when “she was broken” truly was. I hope he falls off a cliff I really don’t care for him.
Kenji’s confusing to me. I don’t know why he jumps to the conclusion that Juliette’s being a dickhead or whatever - I thought his character was meant to be more logical? Idk he was written weirdly to me.
Ok. With Aaron Warner, a lot of this book felt a bit like history revisionism and gaslighting Juliette into making her believe that Aaron’s not that bad - after all the things he did, theres reasons!!! It didn’t feel planned really, it felt like she realised Aaron was really popular so rewrote the stuff in order to make him redeemable. It’s too perfect.
Aaron himself is kinda funny - He does carry this book a lot.
idc about any of the other side characters i cant even tell u their names tbh
There is way too much focus on the romance and the emotional sides of the book that the plot and character development suffers. Juliette finally starts to understand her powers, but it has felt like such a background thing yet its key to the story?
Adam is still incredibly aggravating and confusing. He’s so annoying! I’m glad Juliette has finally realised how pessimistic he really is, and how strange his obsession with her when “she was broken” truly was. I hope he falls off a cliff I really don’t care for him.
Spoiler
how he belittled Juliette’s imprisonment in the first book, even after being in the same cell as her, was actually disgusting, and wasn’t fully realised. Just because others have it harder than Juliette that doesn’t diminish the struggles that she went through?Kenji’s confusing to me. I don’t know why he jumps to the conclusion that Juliette’s being a dickhead or whatever - I thought his character was meant to be more logical? Idk he was written weirdly to me.
Ok. With Aaron Warner, a lot of this book felt a bit like history revisionism and gaslighting Juliette into making her believe that Aaron’s not that bad - after all the things he did, theres reasons!!! It didn’t feel planned really, it felt like she realised Aaron was really popular so rewrote the
Spoiler
child torture and Aaron killing that soldierAaron himself is kinda funny - He does carry this book a lot.
idc about any of the other side characters i cant even tell u their names tbh
Spoiler
The final build up to Anderson’s assassination was so fast and easy. The fact we spend 320 pages on a love triangle and like 20 on executing the main antagonist is ATROCIOUS. This guy should’ve been dead years ago if hes that easy to kill.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Death of parent, War, Death, Medical content, Violence, Gun violence, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, and Injury/Injury detail
vereadsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
I didn't want to read this book. I didn't think I would enjoy it. I knew that this was Warner's book. So, I read it.
I enjoyed it much more than the others. Ignite Me is also plotless. We spend a lot of time wrapped up in Juliette's drama. But at least we have Warner. He is charming as ever, and in this book, all his actions are explained and justified.
<soiler> Being in Juliette's head is exhausting. Also, she spends a great deal of time describing a wardrobe instead of focusing on world-building. But I get it. She spends most of the book locked in rooms, tanks, houses, or boats. The poor girl can't describe what she can't see.
Yet it's vital to a dystopia to know that Warner does, in fact, have good taste in clothes, and he's an obsessive-compulsive like me. But, instead of color-coordinating books, he color-coordinates his closet.
This book has some interesting scenes and subplots. It does not develop them because the drama overshadows them.
The war is laughable. In the blink of an eye, Juliette manages to defeat the commandant. Everything felt rushed and convenient.
I enjoyed it much more than the others. Ignite Me is also plotless. We spend a lot of time wrapped up in Juliette's drama. But at least we have Warner. He is charming as ever, and in this book, all his actions are explained and justified.
<soiler> Being in Juliette's head is exhausting. Also, she spends a great deal of time describing a wardrobe instead of focusing on world-building. But I get it. She spends most of the book locked in rooms, tanks, houses, or boats. The poor girl can't describe what she can't see.
Yet it's vital to a dystopia to know that Warner does, in fact, have good taste in clothes, and he's an obsessive-compulsive like me. But, instead of color-coordinating books, he color-coordinates his closet.
This book has some interesting scenes and subplots. It does not develop them because the drama overshadows them.
The war is laughable. In the blink of an eye, Juliette manages to defeat the commandant. Everything felt rushed and convenient.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Death, Violence, Gun violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and War
lbg352's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Violence, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship
hellodebbies's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Juliette Ferras. Aaron Warner.
That's it. It should be enough to make you read the book
That's it. It should be enough to make you read the book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Death
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Toxic friendship
akane_shio's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, War, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Blood, Toxic relationship, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Physical abuse, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Confinement, and Domestic abuse
saoirse10's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship, War, Violence, Emotional abuse, Murder, Torture, Blood, Death, Hate crime, Terminal illness, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, and Chronic illness
nirellis's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This. Was. Awesome. I love Juliette and Warner so much :’)
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail and Toxic relationship
ephemeral_remi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Blood, Gaslighting, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Gun violence, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Grief, Slavery, Medical content, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, and Murder
jen1804's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
So this book gets a 4 star but those points are mainly because I love Aaron and there were parts of the ending which were pretty good and I’m pleased that we’re finally seeing some, albeit perhaps could be considered much too rushed, character development of Juliette.
Overall though I’m feeling kinda disappointed by this series. Especially after reading Mafi’s acknowledgments section at the end of the book, calling this a ‘final instalment’. It makes me wonder where the hell the next half of the series goes because there’s loads of books left. Were the next books actually planned or did the readers demand more after reading Ignite Me and being left disappointed?
The various character developments during this book feel kinda odd in places. And there’s scenes where I’m like hmm odd choice from Mafi there. I don’t fully know how to explain.
The ending of this book is good and fast paced and interesting and we get some badass Juliette scenes, but it is also so, so rushed, like what, I was left thinking, that’s it? It was that easy? I mean maybe it’s supposed to show just how powerful Juliette is, she essentially single handedly took down the supreme commander, all it took was her learning to accept her powers as a strength and not a curse. But I can’t help reflecting on the wider plot points of the whole series up til now and just being confused.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s also scenes which I love though, namely Aaron scenes lol. And also the blossoming friendship between Kenji and Juliette and also little James. Adam can get in the bin for all I care though, I don’t like him. He is so sour and angry and bitter in this book. I actually wasn’t totally keen on him from the start of book 1 but during this book he is sooo dislikable.
Something Mafi put beautifully was explaining that of course Juliette fell for the first and only person to ever show her kindness and the only one who was able to touch her. She’d never experienced that before. Adam was a default relationship, it was never love and I loved everything about those revelations and how Mafi put it. I loved that Juliette learned so much about her power during this book, getting shot changed her, she wanted to do something worthwhile, she accepted herself, enough to control her energy to the point she can now touch whoever she wants without harming them. And how she was overjoyed that this means she’d never have a love by ‘default’, that she is entirely free to choose who she gets to embrace and this was wonderful. Her hugging Kenji for the first time was lush.
But everything in the latter half of the book just seems to be described as happening way too fast, like Warner finding out he had brothers and then it was like ‘okay, we’re cool now then I guess, I’ve always wanted brothers’, despite the fact that 5 mins ago they couldn’t stand each other and wanted each other dead. Then within a couple pages of them having this bro moment it’s all of a sudden like ‘right let’s go to war’, and then within a further handful of pages Anderson is dead and Juliette is like this invincible super hero and announces she is now going to run the world and she challenges anyone who disagrees with that notion - which made me cringe because what a 180(!) and I’m like oh god the soldiers and civilians are probably thinking they’ve gone from one oppressor to another by the way she’s talking - and I was just like wait, what, how did we even get here? How can we even call that a ‘war’ what do you mean ‘the war is over’ that wasn’t a war that was barely even a single battle??? It felt like it lasted 10 minutes.
Also I get Anderson shot Juliette or whatever and she had a score to settle but what about all the rife he’s given his sons throughout their lives, would it not have been more poetic and had more of an impact for the reader had Adam and Aaron been there for the ending of Anderson? It was just all so FAST. I feel like Juliette’s character arc was ‘pathetic, pathetic, pathetic, pathetic, still pathetic, still pathetic, suddenly no longer pathetic, invincible’?????.
Aaron is such a beautifully complex character and I love it so much. I loved learning more about his past and his mum and his grief. And thank fuck Juliette and Aaron finally got together, woohoo, I want more of that and I want them to become all powerful and shit together.
Satisfactory ending? Mostly yes.
Overall though I’m feeling kinda disappointed by this series. Especially after reading Mafi’s acknowledgments section at the end of the book, calling this a ‘final instalment’. It makes me wonder where the hell the next half of the series goes because there’s loads of books left. Were the next books actually planned or did the readers demand more after reading Ignite Me and being left disappointed?
The various character developments during this book feel kinda odd in places. And there’s scenes where I’m like hmm odd choice from Mafi there. I don’t fully know how to explain.
The ending of this book is good and fast paced and interesting and we get some badass Juliette scenes, but it is also so, so rushed, like what, I was left thinking, that’s it? It was that easy? I mean maybe it’s supposed to show just how powerful Juliette is, she essentially single handedly took down the supreme commander, all it took was her learning to accept her powers as a strength and not a curse. But I can’t help reflecting on the wider plot points of the whole series up til now and just being confused.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s also scenes which I love though, namely Aaron scenes lol. And also the blossoming friendship between Kenji and Juliette and also little James. Adam can get in the bin for all I care though, I don’t like him. He is so sour and angry and bitter in this book. I actually wasn’t totally keen on him from the start of book 1 but during this book he is sooo dislikable.
Something Mafi put beautifully was explaining that of course Juliette fell for the first and only person to ever show her kindness and the only one who was able to touch her. She’d never experienced that before. Adam was a default relationship, it was never love and I loved everything about those revelations and how Mafi put it. I loved that Juliette learned so much about her power during this book, getting shot changed her, she wanted to do something worthwhile, she accepted herself, enough to control her energy to the point she can now touch whoever she wants without harming them. And how she was overjoyed that this means she’d never have a love by ‘default’, that she is entirely free to choose who she gets to embrace and this was wonderful. Her hugging Kenji for the first time was lush.
But everything in the latter half of the book just seems to be described as happening way too fast, like Warner finding out he had brothers and then it was like ‘okay, we’re cool now then I guess, I’ve always wanted brothers’, despite the fact that 5 mins ago they couldn’t stand each other and wanted each other dead. Then within a couple pages of them having this bro moment it’s all of a sudden like ‘right let’s go to war’, and then within a further handful of pages Anderson is dead and Juliette is like this invincible super hero and announces she is now going to run the world and she challenges anyone who disagrees with that notion - which made me cringe because what a 180(!) and I’m like oh god the soldiers and civilians are probably thinking they’ve gone from one oppressor to another by the way she’s talking - and I was just like wait, what, how did we even get here? How can we even call that a ‘war’ what do you mean ‘the war is over’ that wasn’t a war that was barely even a single battle??? It felt like it lasted 10 minutes.
Also I get Anderson shot Juliette or whatever and she had a score to settle but what about all the rife he’s given his sons throughout their lives, would it not have been more poetic and had more of an impact for the reader had Adam and Aaron been there for the ending of Anderson? It was just all so FAST. I feel like Juliette’s character arc was ‘pathetic, pathetic, pathetic, pathetic, still pathetic, still pathetic, suddenly no longer pathetic, invincible’?????.
Aaron is such a beautifully complex character and I love it so much. I loved learning more about his past and his mum and his grief. And thank fuck Juliette and Aaron finally got together, woohoo, I want more of that and I want them to become all powerful and shit together.
Satisfactory ending? Mostly yes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Gun violence, Violence, and War
Moderate: Physical abuse and Death of parent
Minor: Torture and Toxic relationship