If you are searching for a young adult series that combines romance, action, and psychological intrigue, Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me series is a must. The dystopian setting, thrilling world-building, and unique writing style will convince you to love the books, if you are already obsessed with Aaron Warner.
You can find the book on every list under the romance and fantasy section, making Aaron Warner one of the top book boyfriends of all time. Mind you the first book was published in 2011, but Aaron’s reputation definitely precedes him!
In this article, though, you will find a complete summary of the first book in the Shatter Me series, and a little preview of the next books. Major spoilers ahead just to hook you up so you pick up the book faster.
It is to us clear that Shatter Me is worth the hype, but here is a whole list of 20 BookTok books that are worth the hype to fill your TBR list. In case you are more of a close-reading bookworm, or you like theories and analyses, you can’t miss our review on It Ends With Us, or our Massverse Theories.
And for our dystopian enthusiasts, we have prepared a list with 10 dystopian books like Uglies because we know you have binge-watched the series on Netflix.
Thirsty for more bookish content? Visit our blog, and find a mixture of media, and posts with memes, quotes, character analysie and more book recommendations, only on crewfiction.
A 17-year-old girl is about to change the course of the world as they know it. If only she accepts that her power is not a curse, but a gift able to free humanity. But how can anyone perceive her powers as a gift when Juliette’s touch is deadly?
Juliette Ferrars has suffered quietly, ostracized as a child, and locked up as a teen. People are afraid of her, her parents gave up on her too easily, but the Reestablishment sees a weapon they can use. The issue is that Juliette has no hope left in her, as the 264 days she is confined in a room alone take a toll on her sanity. Is there anything left of the world she has known?
The answer is no. The earth has gone through a great environmental catastrophe; trees do not grow, animals cease to survive, and humans are in desperate need of food and shelter, as they have failed Mother Nature. Of course, a group of aspiring tyrants took advantage of the situation and forced their command through the military. The so-called Reestablishment has divided the world into Sections, each having its own leadership, but following the same strategy; reform the world, deprive people of their free will, create merciless soldiers, and brainwash everyone. Their goal is conformity, even if that means that might destroy any kind of civilization before them; language, literature, art, science—all written anew.
Juliette silently awaits to lose her mind completely and drown in self-hatred and fear. She believes she deserves her fate, as a result of an accident with a little boy who died in her arms. Yeah, her touch is lethal, and she was aware of it. However, that boy was neglected, and crying uncontrollably, in need of comfort. Juliette’s kind nature drove her near, but the price was too big for her soft heart. That room is her punishment—or so she thinks.
Then one day, a young man is thrown into the room with her. Her new cellmate’s presence does nothing but make Juliette nervous. He feels familiar and dangerous at the same time. His eyes and his bird tattoo are triggering Juliette’s mind. Why is he there? Why is he talking to her like he knows her? Like he is not afraid of her lethal touch? All of a sudden, Juliette is reminded of her desperate need to connect with people; to touch them; to care for them.
Adam is indeed a person of her past; a classmate that she was in love with. He had been watching her, and he was kind, even when everyone considered her to be a freak. His presence becomes comforting, and he draws her closer, making her feel alive. But then life betrays her again. Adam is a soldier in Sector 45, where Juliette is held hostage. His appearance is orchestrated by the head of the Sector, the infamous, bloodthirsty, commander Warner.
When Warner calls for Juliette, she can see the twisted thoughts in his head. He is obsessed with her, claiming he has been watching over her for years, and fell in love with her in the process. His reputation for murders precedes him, though, and Juliette can be nothing but disgusted with him. He pushes her, testing her limits, and forcing her to activate her power.
She knows he wants to use her to the Reestablishment’s benefit, but strangely, he is the first person to openly admire her, and dare her to accept what she is; a miracle. However, Juliette is done being the Reestablishment’s lapdog and swears to never use her power. If it is to hurt people, she will make sure it is suppressed.
Adam approaches her again, timidly confessing he is on her side. Juliette’s emotions are in tatters, and she desperately needs someone to hold on to. And as a twist of fate, Adam is immune to her touch! Finally, Juliette can confide in someone, and experience all the fragile feelings she dares not admit she deserves.
She follows Adam and escapes the Sector, running away to build a new life together. She needs to stay hidden, and away from Warner. She knows he won’t let her walk away easily, though, especially when he has a significant power over her. He can also touch her.
Another soldier will come to play a significant role in her life. Kenji Kishimoto worked next to Adam, the two of them having developed a brotherhood in the strict and suffocating life as soldiers. However, behind his aloof character, Kenji hides a world-shattering secret. There are more people like Juliette, and they are the very rebels the Reestablishment is after. They are the only people they are afraid of.
Kenji will lead Juliette, Adam, and his little brother, James, into the rebel’s hideaway, the Omega Point. There Juliette will begin her journey to self-acceptance and empowerment, as she will come to realize that she will be the key not to destroying, but defending, and taking out the Reestablishment once and for all. She will meet aspired and significant people, like Castle, the leader of the rebels, who will guide her through the difficult path of self-discovery.
Juliette Ferrars is locked in a room for 265 days, awaiting a cruel fate. When she gets a cellmate, her will to survive becomes more intense. She is determined not to cooperate with her captors, the world’s military government, and especially Warner, their sector’s commander. She will escape them, and a series of events will lead her to the underground hideaway, where rebels have been preparing to take down the government.
Juliette tries to find her place in Omega Point, but the pressure is too much. Everyone’s expectations are too heavy on her shoulders, and the only thing she cares about is Adam. A relationship in the middle of war is rather challenging, but Juliette is desperate to hold on to someone. An unexpected ally will find his way into the Omega Point, and the only one he will talk to is Juliette. The problem is that she does not want to be anywhere near him. Time is ticking, though, and the rebels are called out. The fight brutally ends, and any hope seems lost.
Hurt and lost, Juliette has no one left but the man who saved her at the last minute—Warner. Breathtaking truths and unbelievable facts are on Juliette’s plate, and she must decide if she is going to trust him. Who is Warner behind the mask of the commander? Juliette gets to see both sides of his persona, and something strange happens; she can relate, and she can understand his motives. She can love her enemy, as he is the only one who truly believes in her. Together, they will stand against the government.
Juliette has seen her plans through, and with Warner by her side, she is ready to see the world change—or is she? Navigating through the politics and sectors, she finds herself in great frustration. What does she really know of the world? What does she really know about herself? Her common ground with Warner is the only solid thing she can depend on, even if their relationship is challenged several times.
Another tragic turn of events has Juliette under the hold of the Reestablishment, but this time, they are more decisive in keeping her under their control. Wiping her memories away, they have made her their supreme commander. However, nothing can keep Warner away from her, and soon he will be by her side again, challenging her new reality.
Ella Sommers is Juliette Ferrars. The memory barrier is blurred, her mind filling the holes between the two realities she has been living. People from her past won’t let her walk away from them, though. While fighting these mental demons, the Reestablishment orchestrates one final attack. May the bravest heart survive.
At this point, we shall mention that there are four novellas to be read between the main book in the series; Destroy Me, Fracture Me, Shadow Me, and Reveal Me. All follow Warner’s point of view, and before you ask, yes, they are worth it.
Make sure to check out our post on Shatter Me Series Reading Order, and find out the best way to experience Juliette and Warner’s dystopian adventure.
Juliette is the main character whose development and growth we follow throughout the whole series. In Shatter Me, she is a seventeen-year-old girl, betrayed by the world, and disgusted with herself. She has no hope left, and she drowns in self-hatred and self-indulgence. She is afraid of her powers, considering them a curse, thinking herself a monster. Trying to keep any humanity left in her, she suppresses her powers. She will sacrifice her need for human connection in order to protect the people around her. Her journey starts the moment she decides she won’t be anyone’s lapdog.
Adam is a soldier in Sector 45 and the main love interest in the first book. He is an example of a soldier; competent, obedient, and strong. He will not fail his commander’s orders—or so he thinks. When he hears Juliette is held captive, he is ready to blow everything up for her. He risks his life under the cunning watch of Warner, and he escapes with her. Adam feels significant when he has something to protect, and in Juliette, he sees a fragile girl in desperate need of his attention.
However, what Juliette should look for is a man in command, trust-fund, 5’9’, green eyes.
Kenji is also a soldier alongside Adam. He has a reputation built around himself, as the goofy, easy-going guy, who is everyone’s pushover. However, Kenji is a genius, hiding in plain sight. Not only is he a rebel working undercover, but he is also a gifted one. When Adam and Juliette escape, he runs after them, trying to convince them to follow him to the Omega Point. There, Juliette realizes how important a figure he is among the rebels, and how much she can learn from him. Kenji grows close with Juliette, becoming best friends, as he is the only one she feels at ease around.
The son of the Supreme Commander, he is believed to be a merciless, emotionless, cold-blooded murderer. And he is… At least “he is honest about being a liar”, to quote him straight from the series. Warner is feared, and respected because of that. He handles his soldiers ruthlessly, and does not hold back on criticism. He likes to keep his appearance immaculate, as if a suit that protects the inside of his soul. Warner is a lot of things, but one must have a great deal of patience and faith to understand his motives.
Juliette has rarely felt comfortable in her skin. Being locked up for 265 days, she has no idea what she even looks like anymore. She never felt close to her parents, and the moment they abandoned her after the accident with the little boy, she lost any hope in people. No one is coming for her. She cannot stand up for herself. Slowly, and painfully, she will come to terms with who she truly is and what her power represents: hope.
The theme of identity seems to play a part in many characters’ development, such as Adam, Kenji, and even Warner. Perhaps that is not clear in the first book, but throughout the series, it gets prominent. Adam will come across striking truths, and his role as a brother, a friend, and a lover will be challenged, changing his whole center of balance.
We have already discussed Kenji’s hidden identity, posing as a soldier, while being a rebel. His motives are clear, but there is more trauma covered behind his easy smile. That, though, is a story that you must discover further in the series. Nevertheless, Kenji is the most authentic, and cool guy ever!
Politics, rebellion, deprivation. In this dystopian society, everything is a game of power. When the Reestablishment takes over playing the savior, all they can think about is how to gain people’s respect and obedience. Like every efficient tyrant in history, they, too, apply force and coercion. They train soldiers to keep civilians under control with the threat of violence, while they wipe out any literary text to create a new global language and write a new history.
In the rebels’ quarters now, the notion of power has a different dimension. After the environmental collapse, people developed skills to help them survive. Some can control concrete, like Castle, others become invisible, like Kenji, and so on. They are trained to control their power, aiming at using it to take the world back.
Love in this series is as painful a journey as the one to find oneself. Love is trust, betrayal, and one’s total undoing. Some find love in a hopeless place, and it gives them the strength to go forward. Occasionally, love becomes toxic, and does not let your true self shine—Juliette. Or, it can be disguised as a form of self-importance, and be one’s motive to prove their worth—Adam. Love can be an obsession, an oasis in the middle of a desert. One-sided, and completely devastating, especially when they believe they do not deserve to be loved—Warner.
Finally, love is a maze, with twists and turns that will challenge your sanity and choices. It will dare you to stay, conquer your fears, change your perspective, and even fall for your enemy.
The ultimate step in this self-discovery journey is self-acceptance. Everyone will get through trials and tribulations, failures and victories, but their final battle is against themselves. Juliette always thought she could redeem herself by sacrificing her needs and punishing herself for what she is. Then, she wants to be powerful, freeing humanity from the Reestablishment. However, wearing the mask of a hero is hiding your true features nonetheless.
On the contrary, Warner wears the mask of the villain, seemingly, because it is easier. It is the only way to survive in the environment he has grown up in. Apologies, dear bookworms, but we won’t elaborate more on that. You have probably already heard of Warner and his connection to Juliette, but some things are better narrated by the person in question.
For the hardcore BookTok enthusiasts, who have not read the Shatter Me series, their first question would be: Who the f* is Adam Kent? Why is he the main love interest in book one? Where is Aaron? Should I even care about Adam?
Firstly, who does not like a neat love triangle? Oh, it gets messy further on, but our lips are sealed.
Now, to be honest, it all serves Juliette’s hero journey. She wouldn’t be ready to make the right choice from the start, would she? Not when her confidence, and self-worth are almost non-existent.
Her needs change in the process, and she can tell who is making her a better person. Who is making her feel powerful, confident, and desired. Who dares her, and challenges her, and fights for her, but does not stand in front of her, but beside her; as equals.
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Here are five reasons you need to read the Shatter Me Series today!
You may find the Shatter Me series starter a bit slow and confusing, but by the time you reach the second book, you will be immediately drawn to the dystopian world of Mafi. And, let’s admit it, you are too eager to find out more about Aaron Warner.
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The Shatter Me series includes six books and four novellas that are to be read between the six main books in the series, as they match chronologically and are interestingly written from Warner’s POV.
Yes, Shatter Me has romance as a subplot in the first book, that gets to a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers turn throughout the series. The main love interest in the first book is Adam Kent, and then we explore another romantic potential relationship between Juliette and Warner.
The Shatter Me series is composed of young adult, dystopian novels. There are kissing scenes, fading-out intimate scenes, talks about sex, violence, swearing, and depiction of dead bodies. Further down in the series, the intimate scenes get more graphic, but again, they are not particularly descriptive.
Nikki Sheryee insists that she’s “up to no good” whenever she’s in the company of books. Armed with a degree in English Language and Literature, she wields the power of words like a mischievous wizard. Her lifelong dream? To be the editor who sprinkles magic dust on manuscripts! To Nikki, a book is more alive than a caffeinated squirrel on roller skates. Readers nurture it, cuddle it, scold it, and occasionally challenge it to a duel! But in the end, a book does its own thing, pulling at our heartstrings and revealing our inner human-ness. Nikki’s favorite pastime? Well, it’s none other than the noble art of daydreaming! And she wears her daydreamer’s badge with pride, sharing this delightful delusion with the crème de la crème of her friends.
