DOTTY DETECTIVE – SUPER SECRET AGENT by Clara Vulliamy

“Dot loves super-sour apple sherberts, running fast and puzzles! And with the help of TOP DOG McClusky she is always up for unravelling a mystery. So when someone seems set on sabotaging the school show Dot is determined to find out how, and save the day!”

What is the book about?

This book is about a girl called Dot, who has a dog called McClusky and a sister (Maisy) and a brother (Alf). Dot had just moved and was having her first day at Oakfield School. She was nervous. Soon, she met Laura, Amy and Beans. She also found out that there was a concert at her school where you have to do what you are good at show everyone. Everyone was excited about the show and Amy really wanted to win. However, Dot overheard Laura talking about how she was going to win over Amy no matter what. They were all wondering what it was that Laura was planning, so when Beans and Dot found out that they both enjoy being detectives, the decided to form a group called Dots Detectives, and they decided that their first mission would be saving the school show and stopping Laura. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

My favourite character was Beans because he was very helpful and kind. He helped Dot with many missions, formed a group with her and was also a very kind friend. He helped Dot out with a lot of things and he made no drama and I liked him a lot. One time I really liked Beans because he helped out Dot with the mission about Laura and Amy and the talent show and they finally figured out it at the end of the story. Dot wouldn’t have been able to do all of that without Beans!

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

 My favourite part was at the end of the book when Amy was on the stage and was so scared and nervous because she didn’t have the lucky shoes on her. I was so scared for her. But, finally, McClusky came with the lucky shoes and saved the day! I really liked this because it made me so relieved that the got them in time and I was so happy because, if McClusky didn't get the lucky shoes, then the story would have a sad and terrible ending. Also I'm happy because whoever hid them would be so angry that they found them and that would be so funny to see. 

What did you think of the book and why?

It was very interesting because there were lots of missions and I liked seeing the Dots Detectives find stuff out. But, it was also a little confusing because there were lots of things happening in the book. It was also very annoying because there was lots of drama in the story and the drama was annoying because Dot couldn’t find a few things and she was very annoying when she did that because I just wanted to know more about the missions. But, it was more exciting and funny. Overall, I liked the book, even though it was annoying and it had lots of drama.

Reviewed by Fabiola Gutierrez Reviriego

FIND ME by Tahereh Mafi

“Kenji will do anything to protect the people he loves… 

Shadow Me – Kenji must support Juliette as she reels from Warner's betrayal. 

Reveal Me – Kenji must stand up to the people he trusts the most.”

What is the book about?

This book includes 2 incredible novellas: Shadow Me (book 4.5) and Reveal Me (book 5.5). 
Shadow Me – Warner just betrayed Juliette and she feels completely alone. She believes that everyone lied to her, including her best friend Kenji. But Kenji was lied to as well, and now he needs to show Juliette that he will always be there for her and that he would never do anything to hurt her. He needs to be there for her while Warner isn’t and push down everything else just for her, even though on the inside he is also in need of support. 
Reveal Me – Ever since Juliette found out that everyone had been lying to her, Kenji has also been feeling a bit betrayed. He wasn’t aware of anything and he feels like no one truly trusts and believes in him. And now, his friends all seem to be keeping secrets again. He just wants them all to stop treating him like he is a joke and to take him seriously for once. But, the only way to do that is to finally stand up to them and prove that he belongs, and he isn’t sure if he is ready…

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

As soon as I glanced at the blurb and spotted that both of these novellas were going to be from Kenji’s perspective, I was over the moon. I had wanted to hear from his point of view for a very, very long time and I was ecstatic to get the opportunity, and in two novellas as well! I read Shadow Me after reading Restore Me, which didn’t include Kenji’s point of view, so I was so desperate to start reading the novella. Restore Me had also ended in a huge cliff-hanger so I was so anxious to find out more, so I dove straight into the short story. I was just as excited to read Find Me because I also wanted to continue on from Defy Me; however I was a little less desperate to get my hands on more information as Defy Me had ended perfectly. But, I enjoyed both novellas from the very start, and they both started incredibly well and quickly and I literally took no time at all to finish them. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

I don’t think it is much of a surprise that my favourite character was Kenji. I mean, I have been writing a lot about him in the reviews for all of the other books, but also its obvious it would be him as the novellas are written solely from his perspective and there weren’t many other characters that played a bit enough role to be considered. These novellas really opened up a new part of him and I was so glad that I got to see what he was truly thinking in some of the key scenes of Restore Me and overall it was great to see into his inner thoughts. I always knew he was one of those wounded characters who used humour to hide their pain because it was pretty obvious from the start, but I didn't realise just how hurt he was until I got to see things from his perspective. It made me love his so much more because I knew he was alone and hurting and that no one really got it, and so I wanted to be able to be there for him. But, obviously, that isn’t possible so I just ended up hurt myself. Kenji is just such a great character and I hope he gets his happy ending because he deserves it. 

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

No matter how hard I tried to come up with a novella, or a part, or anything at all, to answer this question, I just couldn’t think of my favourite part because, even though I loved the novellas, they were just so sad and similar that I can’t name a favourite novella. Instead, I am just going to discuss the parts of the novellas that were the most emotional for me. One part was at the beginning of Shadow Me when Kenji talks about how he only gets to truly be himself in the comforts of his own private room and he literally says this about the room: “Somewhere to hang the happy face I force myself to wear even when I’m having a [bad] day”. He uses a more explicit word rather than bad, but this clearly shows just how broken he is inside and by this point I was already crying. He also talked a lot about being alone: “…everyone seems to have someone. Everyone but me.” “I’m a big, raw, bleeding heart, and I spend my days pretending not to notice that I want more. That I need more.” “This capacity to love… And I’ve got no one to share it with.” Reading all of these broke me because no one deserves to feel like that and I just wanted to reach out and hug him, but that isn’t possible. Find Me was just as depressing and I read quotes like: “No one really cares about my emotional state.” “Why don’t my feelings matter?” “I can’t be anything but happy without making most people uncomfortable.” I think now I have made it pretty clear that there was nothing about these novellas that could be my favourite anything, but they truly were incredible and so emotional.  

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, I loved reading Find Me and I thought both novellas within it were so well written and really emotional. One thing that I loved about Find Me was that it was solely written from Kenji’s point of view. This meant that there were no interruptions and I got to read from his perspective without worrying it would come to an end. It was actually a huge relief to get to read from a new person’s viewpoint because I was getting kind of overwhelmed by the constant Juliette and then Warner perspectives. They were great points of view, but I think that I really benefitted from a change and I also loved to see Kenji’s own opinions and views on the matters. Another thing I loved about the book was that it made me cry. Overall, I haven’t really cried very much reading the Shatter Me series books; however, Find Me really changed that because I pretty much spent the duration of the book crying over how broken and alone Kenji was. It was a great feeling to get to release all of my own feelings while feeding off of the emotions from the novellas. I love when a book makes me feel something because it means that the book has done its job in making me truly bond with the characters and the story, so the fact that the novellas made me feel so devastated and torn shows the great writing, characters and world building. One last thing that I really enjoyed about the book was that I got some behind the scenes information from some of the biggest scenes in the main novels and that I got to see certain parts through a fresh set of eyes. It really let me see some of the characters and events a lot clearer and it also helped me get my head around some of the more action-packed events of the novels (which were very overwhelming the first time I read them). Find Me was a really great book and I loved both novellas so much. 

Would you recommend this book?  

I would definitely recommend reading Find Me, though obviously you have to read all the other books in the series fist. These novellas are definitely worth it, even though they are just short stories and not really part of the big thing. I think Find Me is particularly great for 15 year olds or over and those who love fantasy, dystopian fiction, romance and action.

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

A short story collecting full of new romance and action, all narrated from a fresh point of view. 

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

DEFY ME by Tahereh Mafi

“‘She was never meant for you. She was never meant for any of this. That girl was sentence to death the moment I named her Juliette.’ Juliette Ferrars isn’t who she thinks she is. Nothing in her world is what it seemed. She thought she’d defeated The Reestablishment. She thought she’d finally taken control of her life, her power, and her pain. But a lifetime of lies unravelling before her changed all of that. Stronger, braver, and more resilient than ever, Juliette must fight for life and love. But first she has to survive the war being waged against her mind. She has to remember who she was.”

What is the book about?

Juliette Ferrars always knew that her life had been horrible and that she had gone through some torturous times. She always knew that no one would ever understand what she went through. But she never thought that her life was as messed up as she had just discovered. Everything was a lie. She wasn't even actually Juliette Ferrars. It turns out her entire existence was a lie and everyone she ever knew was keeping secrets from her. She thought she had finally taken control of her own life and taken down The Reestablishment, but now after millions of secrets were uncovered, everything has changed and Juliette is back where she started, in the hands of people who couldn't care less about her. Now, Juliette has to fight for what she had and she has to be stronger and braver and smarter than she ever was before. If she wants to defeat The Reestablishment once and for all then she has to be better than she ever thought possible. But before that she has to remember her past life and remember everything that they took away from her, or she will never be able to get back what she lost...

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

After finishing Restore Me, I just couldn't believe what had happened and I needed to read more. Restore Me had ended in one of the most shocking cliff-hangers that I have ever experienced and I just had to get my hands on the next book or I was actually going to burst. I was so anxious to find out what was going to happen next and I just had to pick up Defy Me. Even before reading it, I knew that Defy Me was going to be so good and I had no doubt in my mind about it. After reading the blurb, I was even more intrigued; I was desperate to read it and needed to get back into the book. It was so shocking and I had so many theories about the book that I just knew I had to start reading soon or I wouldn’t be able to distinguish the real plot from my own imagination. From the very first word, I already knew I was reading another perfect book and I knew I was going to love it. It was like I had never left and I was back with the characters I have grown to love. Defy Me grasped my attention as soon as I opened the book and it didn’t let go, not even as I turned the last page and prepared for another adventure. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

I can't believe I'm still having to type this all out when I think it's pretty clear that my favourite character is still, and I'm pretty sure always will be, Kenji. Oh my gosh – it's just every time he appears on the page I can't help but smile. It's like his character just radiates positivity and I know inside he is feeling all sorts of grief and pain, but just seeing him makes me want to smile. When I never thought I could love him anymore he said one thing that, even now, I can't help laughing about it. Tangled has always been my favourite Disney movie and when I saw that can he felt exactly the same, I couldn’t help but tell everyone (well, everyone that cared). He actually said, “Tangled is one of the greatest movies of all time. It's about fighting for freedom and true love.”  Reading this also made me realise that this is what the story of the Shatter Me books is all about, and hearing this from Kenji made me so happy and yet so sad because here he is with no one to fight for and yet he keeps going and keeps plastering that smile on his face because he knows he needs to be there for his friends. It just hurts me so much to see him so alone and that I can’t be there for him breaks my heart. He is one of the best supporting characters I have ever read about and I can’t wait to read more about him.

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

It didn't take much time for me to answer this question because, as soon as I read this, I knew that my favourite part just had to be the ending.  Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. This was my literal reaction. I just sat staring into space, smiling like an absolute idiot after reading it.  I don't want to say much about it because it will ruin the book and it is a pretty big spoiler, but I feel the need to say that it is a very happy ending and I just couldn't stop squealing. This is probably one of the longest series I have read and the fact that Tahereh Mafi has not just developed the whole taking over the government plot line, but also the romance has really made this series so much more enjoyable. I love the books that I read, but sometimes I feel like the authors don't truly develop the romantic plot as much, so I always feel like I'm missing something because I don't get to see the characters develop their relationship much, so the fact the Shatter Me series has really gone deep into Juliette and Warner’s relationship makes me love the series so much. I can't wait to see what happens next and I have high hopes as I still have a whole book and a few novellas to go. I just hope this happiness gets to continue longer into Imagine Me because the characters do deserve it.

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, Defy Me was an absolutely incredible book and the only thing I can think about is how there was just so much going on and it was so incredible and just that it was a great read. One thing that I loved was Juliette’s incredible transformation. I know I have said this in quite a few other reviews and you're probably getting confused about how many transformations Juliette can go through, but I think (and hope) that this is the last one because I truly believe that now she's finally comfortable in her own skin and is the true version of her. I was so surprised how easily I got used to the fact that she was now going by Ella and I just adjusted so quickly that the only real explanation for that is that that was the true her all along. She has just come so far from the girl trapped in the asylum and I'm just so proud to have such a strong female character in the books. Another thing that I really loved about Defy Me was that the book included Kenji’s point of view. I knew in the very beginning that there was something missing in the other books that I really needed and, as soon as I saw his name plastered on one of the pages, I knew this was it. Just looking at the first word written from his perspective made me sure I was going to love it more than any of the other books. It was the perfect addition to an already perfect book. One last thing that I really loved about the book was the ending. The whole novel was like an absolute rollercoaster. There were new things about Warner and Juliette’s pasts appearing around every corner I was constantly on the edge of my seat, afraid of what was coming next. Then, the ending came and I realised that the whole book was filled with crazy, action-packed scenes, but it was just waiting for the perfect ending to finish the ride. Once I finished the book I couldn’t help but think deeply about the beautiful ending and I'm just so excited to pick up the next book and continue the story.

Which book did you like better: 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5?

This was probably the hardest question to answer, mainly because Defy Me was just as incredible as my previous favourite book Restore Me. It had everything I loved in Restore Me: the narration from not just Juliette, the crazy new discoveries about Warner and Juliette and their past, and also the perfect ending. However, I had to make a choice and I decided that for me Defy Me was just the better book. The main reason for my decision is that the book included, not just Warner and Juliette’s points of view, but also Kenji’s, which was something that I really needed and once I got it I just felt so happy and fulfilled that I couldn’t help but love this book slightly more. One other thing that also stood out to me was that the ending was perfect in a much more perfect kind of way. I know that makes little sense, but what I mean is that Restore Me ended perfectly because it was a cliff-hanger and made me want to grab the next book and dive right in. However, technically that is not an ending as nothing has ended, it is just waiting for a continuation, and Defy Me continued Restore Me and concluded it so well that I just have to say that it was the better book. But, although I loved Defy Me a little more, that doesn’t mean that I don’t love all the other books and overall I have enjoyed the Shatter Me series so much and I am so excited for the next book!

Would you recommend this book?  

I would definitely recommend reading this book as it is one of the most amazing ones I have read so far, but I think it is best for readers over 15, and particularly those who are interested in action, romance and dystopian fiction. 

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

A wild, whirlwind full of romance, surprises and action based in a dystopian world. 

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

RESTORE ME by Tahereh Mafi

“‘The girl with the power to kill with a single touch now has the world in the palm of her hand…’ It’s been sixteen days since Juliette Ferrars killed the supreme commander of North America and took over as ruler of The Reestablishment. Sixteen days since she assassinated Warner’s father. She thought she’d won. She took over Sector 45 and now has Warner by her side. When tragedy strikes, Juliette must confront the darkness that consumes her world – and those she loves. Can she control the power she wields, or will it control her?”

What is the book about?

Everything appears to be perfect now – Anderson is dead, Juliette is now the supreme commander of North America and it seems like destroying The Reestablishment is finally going to be possible. But nothing is as easy as it seems. Now, Juliette is in charge of a whole continent and it takes a lot more work than she had initially had in mind. She has only been in charge for sixteen days and is already consumed by anxieties on whether she made the right choice and if she is really the right person for the job. And, as if those work struggles weren’t enough, now the other supreme commanders are sending their own kids to do their dirty work for them and Juliette must entertain the children of the most ruthless, psychotic leaders the world has ever seen. And that’s not all – everyone seems to be lying to Juliette and she doesn’t know who to trust, she is safe from no one. When the truth finally comes out, Juliette must find way to cope with the new trauma and darkness in her life. On top of all of that, Juliette thought she had full control over her powers, but it looks like she has less limits than she thought and she must now learn to once again control her abilities…before they take control of her. 

What were your initial thoughts on the book?

Excitement, anticipation, desperation, concern, these were all the feelings I went through when I picked up Restore Me. I was so glad to see that the author didn’t decide to end the series on Ignite Me, as she had initially planned, because I was so desperate to find out what was going to happen next. It had been such a surprise to see Ignite Me end exactly where things normally start to get interesting and the book tends to begin, so I wasn’t too surprised to discover that Tahereh Mafi had written many more Shatter Me series books. When I finally got my hands on Restore Me and read the blurb, I was bursting with anxieties over what the great tragedy would be and I was so desperate to start reading. As soon as I opened the book, I was immediately thrusted back into Juliette’s world and it was like there had never been a break between the books. I was so happy to see that I hadn’t missed much and I felt at home. Restore Me started and I instantly feel in love, already devouring the book. I think that this is the book that I read the fastest and found that it was absolutely incredible from the very first page. 

Who was your favourite character and why? 

This didn’t take me very long to decide because my favourite character hasn't really changed, although there were a couple other characters that really stood out to me too. My favourite character is, once again, Kenji for many reasons, but mainly because he was the only character who didn't let his emotions get the better of him. He had traumatising past and it tore me apart to learn about what he went through at such a young age. But, what really set me off was the fact that he went so much and yet he chooses not to talk about it with absolutely anyone and he chooses not to let those emotions show because he doesn't want to burden anyone with them and he doesn't want them to affect his life. Everyone else has had an interesting and challenging past as well, but they all act very differently and they let those experiences dictate how they act in their day-to-day lives. In contrast, Kenji was determined to live a life free of drama and this really stood out to me because it showed me that, if he is able to get past his own traumatic experiences for the good of the world, then everyone else in the world should be able to set aside their personal problems and deal with the bigger issues.  I know that a lot of other characters managed to deal with their problems properly (and maybe even better than Kenji), and I know that it exactly the healthiest thing in the world to hid behind a mask of comedy and not speak about your problems, but I am a sucker for emotional wrecks that hide behind their humour, so I love Kenji more than anyone else and I am blinded by all his (non-existent) imperfections.

What was your favourite part of the book and why?

Choosing my favourite part of the book was really difficult because I loved the whole of Restore Me.  However, when I put my mind to it, there was one part that did stand out to me.  This was the part where Juliette's personality shifted completely. I had been surprised at her change from the isolated, timid little girl in Unravel Me to the more confident young woman we saw in Ignite Me and at the beginning of Restore Me,  however what we saw later on in Restore Me was a ginormous transformation into the supreme commander she was born to be.  I can't say too much about what happened because I don't want to ruin the story for anyone; however I do want to say that this part showed me that no matter what happened to Juliette she was always going to fight back and bounce back stronger than ever before.  It was like every time the world threw a challenge at her, it forced her to become a new person and to retaliate in ways that seemed unimaginable in the beginning. If I was to go back to the beginning of Shatter Me, I would not be able to recognise the girl sat in the corner counting every little crack in the room because she was too traumatised  to live in her own mind.  Restore Me was an incredible book and I can't wait to see what Juliette does next. 

What was your overall impression of the book?

Overall, Restore Me was an amazing read and I devoured it quicker than any of the other books. One thing that I absolutely loved about the book was the fact that it was written from two perspectives. All the other books so far (except for the novellas) have been written from only  Juliette's point of view and, although I have no criticism on a single perspective, I do love being able to see the story through more than one person’s point of view. To me it was an absolute privilege to be able to see the world through the eyes of, not just Juliette, but also of Warner. I caught a glimpse of his thoughts in the novella Destroy Me, but I was honoured to have the chance to have a whole book written partly in his perspective. It took the book to a whole new level and I absolutely loved being able to see him falling in love Juliette first-hand. The moments when they were together were so lovely and romantic and I absolutely loved every time I got to hear from Warner. Another thing that I really enjoyed about the book was the fact that I got so much new information and, although these were delivered to Juliette as lies and secrets finally coming to light, I did love being able to get so much on the inner workings of her past life.  I always love getting my questions answered and this book was just filled with information that helped me solve so many mysteries (though the book was also the creator of the questions I had).  It was one plot twist followed by another and I was always on the edge of my seat just waiting for the next burst to come.  I have missed the murder mysteries that I would read when I was younger and this was so delightful and so familiar because it was like I was uncovering the mystery again. This allows me to move on nicely to my third point on Restore Me: the absolutely amazing cliff-hanger ending. It has been a while since I've read one of these and I know that I always used to complain about how I was left sitting on the edge of my seat, not knowing what was going to happen next, but I have come to appreciate the feeling of pure shock and of being left not knowing if there is going to be another book that's going to follow up and explain what happened.  It is the best feeling to know that now you have a reason to pick up another book and you can just burst right in and keep reading. The ending was absolutely incredible and, although it left me so many more questions, it also gave me so much motivation and so many answers. Restore Me was an absolutely incredible book that left me screaming at the end, wanting more but not wanting to let the book go. The only thing that would make this better is if I actually had someone who had read the book to talk to with because right now I feel like I'm just about to burst and have no one to discuss the book with. I just can't wait to read the fifth book in the series.

Which book did you like better: 1, 2, 3 or 4?

Coming to this question there was no doubt in my mind that my answer was going to be Restore Me. I know that the book was not free of imperfections, but there is nothing that truly overshadowed all of the amazing things that just made it at least 5 times better than all of the other books. The first thing that made me love it more than Shatter Me, Unravel Me and Ignite Me is the fact that I had the incredible opportunity of having Restore Me narrated by not just Juliette, but also by Warner. I absolutely adored the fact that I was able to see the inner workings of Warner’s mind and witness first-hand how much he really loved Juliette. There was never a doubt in my mind that he loved her, but it was much appreciated to be able to see that it wasn’t an obsession and was true love. Another thing that made this book stand out to me from a mile away was the incredible plot twists that just kept on coming. This book was filled with secrets and lies and I loved getting so much information all at once – it was overwhelming and exhilarating and I loved it! One last thing that I would like to point out is the absolutely incredible ending that left me sitting in my seat staring into space for about 10 minutes before I finally realised that I had lessons to go to and homework to do, and (more importantly) a fifth book to read. Tahereh Mafi hadn’t really given us a good cliff-hanger ending for a while and this was all that and so much more. It was the most shocking ending in the world and I have never been so pleased that I always buy the whole series together in my life. Restore Me (and all the books in the Shatter Me series) was an amazing read and I can’t wait to continue my adventure with Defy Me. 

Would you recommend this book?  

I would 1000000000000000000% recommend this book and I am so confident that anyone who picks up the book, even if they normally don’t enjoy books will absolutely love it. It is the perfect read for anyone who loves some romance, dystopian fiction, action and is ready for an absolute rollercoaster of lies and mysteries. (It is for over 15s though!)

Summarise the book in one sentence. (Verdict)  

A rollercoaster read of endless twists and turns that will keep you tense and terrified for the next big drop into uncertainty.

Reviewed by Jimena Gutierrez Reviriego

IGNITE ME by Tahereh Mafi (My Inner Thoughts on the Characters)

Now, I still completely agree with absolutely everything I wrote in the real book review for Ignite Me, however I just wanted to evaluate on the point that I made about my thoughts on Adam and Warner. I know that after reading Ignite Me a lot of people claimed that they hated Adam and some people felt that Juliette was made for Adam and not for Warner, so there were a lot of unhappy people. However I found that I didn't hate either one of these boys. 

I know that Tahereh Mafi's intention when she wrote Adam's character in this book was to make all of us hate him so that we would all be happy with Juliette and Warner ending up together. However, no matter how much I hated how Adam  was treating Juliette, I just couldn't hate him. No matter how hard I tried, I could not see why everyone thought that he was in the wrong because in reality I cannot blame him for his actions for he had a bruised ego and a broken heart. I also think that his attitude here made me like him even more because of how I got to see the true him and his true feelings, which I really enjoyed. I think that, if people are going to be horrible to Adam, then they should really think about how Warner acted in Shatter Me. 

By how Warner acted I do not mean is ruthless way of leading Sector 45, I actually mean near the end of the book when Juliette had to shoot him just to stop him from using her body for his own pleasure. It disgusted me how he just thought that Juliette wanted him, even though it was clear that she was resisting him. He also had a clear obsession and always needed to have her near him. After reading Ignite Me, I now quite like Warner and Juliette together and I love that he would do absolutely anything for her, but if we are going to question Adam because of one tiny detail, I think it is important that we also think of Warner's actions too. 

So, in summary, I liked both Adam and Warner, though I do agree that Warner and Juliette are better together than Adam and Juliette ever were. I also loved how in the end they were willing to work things out and be bros (literally!).