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hannibanani29's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, and War
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief
Minor: Child death, Infidelity, Confinement, Blood, Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Chronic illness, and Torture
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
ell_n's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-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
4.0
I love seeing how Juliette is growing throughout these books!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
valreadssometimes's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book was the best of the trilogy (I’m carefully ignoring the rest of the books right now). Maybe it’s the fact that I know the characters better or that I spent enough time reading all of the books and the novels that I started to enjoy the ride.
I kind of like Warren in this book, and his interactions with Juliette were sweet (which is a huge change for me since I really did not like Warner at first). I still don’t really like him, but he has grown as a character even if it’s just because he wants to be with Juliette (which is not the best reason to change).
Adam infuriated me throughout the entire book. He was whiny and annoying and even outright agressive near the end. I wanted him to leave the scene every time he was mentioned and I think watching him lose Juliette to Warner brought me some twisted sense of joy .
Now for the plot:
I personally think they won the battle too easily, I felt that there was barely any struggle for Juliette to kill Anderson.
Also, Warner’s mother dies and he grieves (understandable), but then he brushes it off when Juliette tells him she loves him. I was kinda confused and a little frustrated that the main girl decides to confess her feelings and get with Warner the day his mother dies; and it worked!?
I kind of like Warren in this book, and his interactions with Juliette were sweet (which is a huge change for me since I really did not like Warner at first). I still don’t really like him, but he has grown as a character even if it’s just because he wants to be with Juliette (which is not the best reason to change).
Adam infuriated me throughout the entire book. He was whiny and annoying and even outright agressive near the end. I wanted him to leave the scene every time he was mentioned and
Now for the plot:
Also, Warner’s mother dies and he grieves (understandable), but then he brushes it off when Juliette tells him she loves him. I was kinda confused and a little frustrated that the main girl decides to confess her feelings and get with Warner the day his mother dies; and it worked!?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Death
Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Violence, War, and Sexual content
laura007's review against another edition
adventurous
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
This is what I wanted from the books. This was so awesome, I caught myself grinning at this book a lot. It was so sweet, funny and so serious at one time. I enjoyed it so much. Aaron, Kenji and James basically carried the whole book. I originally wanted to read just the original trilogy, but after this. I'm going to read the other books as well. Definitely worth the hype.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
wonderful_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Violence, and War
Moderate: Death of parent, Blood, and Sexual content
lindasoderlundd's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Grief, Gun violence, Violence, Death, and Death of parent
themoodreader's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death of parent, Death, Physical abuse, and War
chloelj27's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: War, Cursing, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual content
Minor: Torture
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