Defy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Title: Defy Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: Harper Teen
Release: April 2, 2019
Series: Shatter Me
Pages: 352
Review: 5 Stars

Synopsis:

The gripping fifth installment in the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling Shatter Me series. Will Juliette’s broken heart make her vulnerable to the strengthening darkness within her?

Juliette’s short tenure as the supreme commander of North America has been an utter disaster. When the children of the other world leaders show up on her doorstep, she wants nothing more than to turn to Warner for support and guidance. But he shatters her heart when he reveals that he’s been keeping secrets about her family and her identity from her—secrets that change everything.


Juliette is devastated, and the darkness that’s always dwelled within her threatens to consume her. An explosive encounter with unexpected visitors might be enough to push her over the edge.

You Can Find it At:
Books-A-Million
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound
Goodreads

First Impressions

You might or might not know that I am a Shatter Me series fanatic. I am seriously obsessed with this series. I've been reading it since Shatter Me came out back in 2011. AKA since I was in middle school. When I heard the series was continuing past the original trilogy, I was ecstatic. I read and loved Restore Me when it came out last year, and with the huge cliffhanger ending, I was practically salivating for Defy Me. The Kenji novella that came out in March just barely held me over until I could get Defy Me. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer.

Spoilers from here on out.

Characters

Juliette my love. Or as we now know her, Ella. Her journey was a tough one in this book. There was a lot of torture, done by people who definitely shouldn't have done that to her. There's also the meeting of her sister, and boy that was a hard scene to read. That said, this book really showed how far Juliette has come since Shatter Me. She is no longer the terrified girl cowering in the corner. She has embraced her abilities and isn't afraid to use them. That self-confidence shows in other ways, such as her relationship with Warner.

Warner! I was so excited to get his POV in this book. He's always been the mysterious villain/love interest, and getting into his head has been awesome. I also loved seeing just how much he loves Juliette. Honestly, their relationship and working back toward each other was one of the best parts of the book.

We also got Kenji's POV in Defy Me, which was fun. Kenji was always my favorite side character, with his hilarious sense of humor. I loved his sense of sass, and his crush on Nouria was adorable. He's also the character most likely to go 'wait a second, is this actually a good idea? I don't want to die today.' His voice of reason combined with his humor make for a great character.

World Building

There are some major things revealed about the Shatter Me world in Defy Me. In Restore Me we get a glimpse at the other world leaders, but that is really shown in this book, since Juliette leaves North America. I don't want to say what the huge revelation is, cause major spoilers, but it changes everything. I can't wait to see what Juliette and the gang do with it in the last book, Imagine Me!

Author Bio:

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 over-caffeinated and stuck in a book.

You Can Find Her At:
Website
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Goodreads