Do you have some free time and enjoy reading the genres of romance and fantasy? Maybe consider reading the book “Shatter Me” by Tahereh Mafi. It is an emotional roller coaster about a girl named Juliette Ferrars with a lethal touch. She’s a fragile teenage girl who was held captive, locked in a cell by the Reestablishment – a harsh dictatorship of a crumbling world – which wants to use her as a weapon. Throughout the series, she meets others and discovers her true meaning in life. 

There are six books in the series, not including the novellas. There are 5 novellas, showing the other characters’ points of view, which really showcases their emotions. The first novella includes many of Juliette’s diary entries that are important to the book’s plot, especially after the first 2 novellas.

Mafi wrote this book mainly because of her interest in human nature and humanity’s ability to overcome great obstacles. She published the first book series in late 2011, but it has few details that make it feel dated. The setting is a dystopian future, so readers can’t really tell that it was written over a decade ago. 

The main idea of this book is the idea of power and how people use it. Some people are hungry for power and wield it to control others, but some have innate power and show restraint and reverence for others. 

Tahereh Mafi is a great writer. Her prose is so stunning that it’s almost poetic. The book is written in first-person, using inner monologues from the main character, who crosses out and rewrites her thoughts as if it was a diary entry. It has many complementary storylines and relatable characters. One reader, who reviewed this book on Goodreads said, “If you are a fan of a strong and smart leading character like Juliette, you will love it.” Other readers would completely agree with this because Juliette is a compelling main character. Yes, it’s as cool as it sounds.