Novels in Tahereh Mafi‘s Shatter Me series are known for their skillful use of prose, unexpected metaphors, and elaborate descriptions to ensnare readers. In this world, the power of your eyes can go beyond anything you could imagine, and the power of your touch can be either divine or fatal. Juliette Ferrars, a seventeen-year-old girl who can kill with her touch, is the protagonist of this dystopian young adult romance saga. Reading the books is like witnessing the heartwarming sweetness of love and the harsh reality of a crumbling world.
Mafi’s characters, whether you’re Team Warner, Team Adam, or Team “I’m Just Here for Kenji’s Wit,” are crafted so deeply that readers might find themselves weeping, laughing, or sometimes wanting to shatter their copies in delightful exasperation. The series boasts 11 books, with the first three novels forming the original Shatter Me trilogy and the next three books making up the “extended” version of the series. Additionally, five novellas flesh out the characters and their histories.
Here’s how to read each book in the Shatter Me series in order.
1. Shatter Me (2011)
The first book in the series, Shatter Me, opened our minds to a world where touch becomes more than just a casual gesture—it’s a potential weapon of destruction. We dive into a dystopian world, draped in misery and regimented order, only to meet Juliette — a heroine whose mere touch is lethal. Stowed away in an asylum, Juliette counts days, not hugs, until her world is turned topsy-turvy. The oppressive Reestablishment sees her as a tool, while she wishes for a touch that doesn’t spell doom.
2. Destroy Me (2012)
In Destroy Me, the narrative baton is passed to Warner, the antagonist you hate to love—or perhaps love to hate? This delightful novella wedged itself between the pages of the main series, giving readers a sneak peek into the brooding mind of our favorite green-eyed commandant. Warner’s exterior is as polished as his schemes, yet with an interior that’s a cauldron of emotions, simmering and bubbling. With Juliette gone, one might think it’s a vacation for him, but he is more tangled in feelings than ever.
3. Unravel Me (2013)
Unravel Me, as the title hints, will tug at your heartstrings. Our touchy protagonist, Juliette, finds herself amid rebels, and like any good YA dystopian heroine, she’s riddled with as much self-doubt as the plot has twists. And then there’s Warner—the human embodiment of the ‘complicated’ relationship status. But wait, there’s more. Just when you thought the love triangle was over, it morphed into a love polygon. Mathematical and emotional all at once.
4. Fracture Me (2013)
In this riveting interlude, the spotlight swivels to our earnest soldier boy, Adam, giving readers a scenic tour of his cerebrum and complicated feelings. If you ever wondered, “What’s Adam really thinking?”—brace yourself. As Fracture Me‘s plot thickens and Omega Point gears up for battle, Adam’s thoughts veer between Juliette, his baby brother James, and the ever-daunting specter of war.
5. Ignite Me (2014)
Juliette rises like the proverbial phoenix but with way more sass—and her touch is still as lethal as a pot of freshly brewed coffee in this fiery installment. Gone is the timid girl of yore; enter stage right, a fierce leader ready to ignite a revolution. The love geometry continues with passion hot enough to warm even the coldest dystopian winter. Warner, with his enigmatic allure, is still in the mix, while Adam seems to be on a rollercoaster ride, both emotionally and literally. Kenji, ever the scene-stealer, provides the witty banter and camaraderie we all secretly read these books for.
6. Restore Me (2018)
Restore Me is where Mafi seems to ask us readers, “Missed the angst, intrigue, and touch-driven dilemmas? Well, I’ve got a treat for you.” After a brief hiatus, we’re back in the world of Juliette, or should we say, Supreme Commander Ferrars (a title upgrade that even LinkedIn would applaud). Just when you thought she’d gotten a grip on her powers and heart’s compass, the rug is pulled, the plot thickens, and new characters stroll onto the stage. It’s like a dystopian high school reunion with even more secrets and political maneuvering.
7. Shadow Me (2019)
To remind us that everyone in this series, even the comic relief, has layers, Shadow Me sees our favorite sarcastic sidekick Kenji sashay from the sidelines into the limelight. You thought he was just good for a laugh and a sassy retort? Think again. This novella offers a delightful detour into the coilings of Kenji’s mind, which—spoiler alert—isn’t all jokes and jests. Our dear levitating lieutenant grapples with his own shadows, proving that even the brightest personalities have their dusky corners.
8. Defy Me (2019)
Defy Me defies expectations, gravity, and perhaps even the limits of one’s emotional bandwidth. Just when you thought Juliette and Warner might get a breather, maybe a quiet cuppa amidst the ruins, Mafi deliciously complicates things, unraveling threads faster than a cat in a yarn store.
The past is back with a vengeance, parading revelations and memories that have our beloved characters and readers reeling.
9. Reveal Me (2019)
This novella is like the unexpected bonus track that has you rethinking the whole album. Kenji, our beloved bundle of snark and sensitivity, is back under the microscope, and the revelations are more delicious than finding forgotten chocolate in your pocket. The title isn’t just a command—it’s an invitation to delve deeper into the enigma wrapped in hilarity that is Kenji. Through his eyes, the dynamics at the heart of our favorite dystopian band of rebels shift, shimmy, and occasionally shatter.
10. Imagine Me (2020)
As the purported final bow in the Shatter Me saga, Imagine Me is like the grand finale at a fireworks show: dazzling, dramatic, and with just the right amount of “Did that just happen?” Juliette, our touch-sensitive heroine, and Warner, the brooder-in-chief, face their highest stakes. The chessboard is set, but the pieces? Well, they’ve developed minds of their own. As alliances blur and revelations pop like champagne corks, readers might find themselves clutching the book with a white-knuckled grip. Mafi, ever the crafty puppeteer, pulls at heartstrings and plot threads with gleeful abandon.
11. Believe Me (2021)
Just when you’d put your emotions back in their box and sealed it with a “handled that series” sticker, another chapter comes to make your heartstrings play a tune. This installment feels like an encore when the concert is supposedly over, the house lights have come on, and then— surprise. Juliette, Warner, and our favorite emotional rollercoaster, Kenji, are back in the fray, and the stakes? They’ve been super-sized. Love, in this series, has never been a straightforward affair; it’s more like trying to fold a fitted sheet in a windstorm.
(featured image: HarperCollins Publishers UK)
