Random book talk
Hey and welcome to 'diaryofanoverthinker' today I will be yapping about books yet again because that's my whole personality at this point. However todays book talk is going to be slightly different because while I'm going to be talking about a very popular book series it's going to be one that I don't particularly like.Now before I tell you what book I want everyone to know that I'm not judging anyone for liking this book and everything I'm going to say today is my own opinion so if you love this series please don't get offended.
What book series?
The book series I’m going to be talking about today is the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi. I actually read this series a while ago, but recently, one of my close friends finished it and—like most of BookTok—she’s absolutely obsessed. That got me thinking: maybe it’s time I shared my own thoughts on it, especially since I know a few others who feel the same way I do.
Again, before I start I really tried to like this series. I gave it a fair shot, but at the end of the day, it just didn’t work for me so please don't hate me.
Opinions
When I first started the Shatter Me series, I actually really loved it. The first book was genuinely interesting, and I found myself pulled into the world and Juliette’s perspective. Even the novella was enjoyable—I thought it was a bit overhyped, but I could kind of understand the hype. This feeling stuck with me through the third book (Ignite Me) because, honestly, the plots were strong and the character development was really well done. I even liked the smaller, seemingly irrelevant moments. Kenji and James quickly became my favorite characters.
However, after Ignite Me, things started to go downhill for me. The plot felt increasingly unnecessary, like it was being stretched out just to continue the series. Even though, in theory, some of the plot points were good ideas, they became overly complicated and lost the emotional impact they were supposed to have. To be honest, I think the series should have ended with Ignite Me.
There were also too many new characters being introduced, and many of them didn’t feel essential. As much as I absolutely love Nazeera, it felt like she was added mainly to give Kenji a love interest. They were great together, sure—but the subplot didn’t feel like it added much overall. And then there’s Emmaline. I honestly don’t understand why she was introduced at all. That plotline became incredibly convoluted and just added more grief and confusion for the characters.
I kind of get the idea behind Warner and Juliette having known each other since childhood and the whole memory-wiping twist—it could have been compelling—but adding that plus Emmaline made everything feel too overstuffed. It was just too much.
Now, don’t get me wrong—I love books with depth. The Secret History is one of my favorite examples of a story that’s deep . But with Shatter Me, the added complexity didn’t feel necessary. It felt like depth for the sake of drama rather than meaningful storytelling.
And then there’s Aaron Warner. I know, I know—he’s a top-tier book boyfriend for so many readers. And while I do think he’s a good character, I just don’t get the massive hype. I’ve read lots of books with and I have read about book boyfriends I find better . So no hate to anyone who loves him—I just don’t personally see him as the best of the best.
Another thing that really started to bother me as the series went on was Juliette’s character. I know she was always kind of emotionally intense and conflicted, but at a certain point, she just became really whiny and frustrating to read. I don’t even know exactly when it happened, but her behaviour started to feel more like drama for the sake of it rather than a natural part of her growth.Even though that was always the case it somehow got worse
What annoyed me most is that the series tried to paint her as this incredibly strong, powerful female lead—but honestly, I didn’t buy it. Her strength felt forced, and a lot of the time, it just didn’t match her actions. She constantly second-guessed herself, made impulsive decisions, and relied heavily on the people around her to fix things. That’s not to say characters can’t be vulnerable or flawed—I actually prefer characters who are layered and realistic—but it has to feel consistent. With Juliette, it felt more like her personality was being rewritten to fit the plot, not the other way around and that just made her whininess more annoying .
So yeah, those are all my thoughts and opinions on the Shatter Me series. Please don’t hate me for this—I’m not trying to offend anyone who loves these books! I totally respect that everyone connects with stories differently. But for me personally, I just didn’t get the hype, and those are the reasons why.Well that's all for today thank you so much for reading my blog.
until next time
byeee<333