Don't let the sample fool you - So Good!

I avoided purchasing Shatter Me for months. In fact, I first became interested in the story when I read a review from an author I admire who loved Shatter Me. But when I tried the sample on Audible.com, I thought the narrator's voice sounded whiney and I couldn't get past the "scratch out" noise.

Then I kept finding new authors I enjoyed, and when I would read their blogs, many of them raved about Shatter Me. So then I put it in my "wish list" category and it sat there for months. I just couldn't get past the sample offered.

Finally, I downloaded the book , being too lazy to research a new book and settling on just choosing from my wish list. WOW! What was I waiting for? Shatter Me is exciting and such a good listen - - probably more so for females as far as following the main character's erratic thought process.

The narrator's voice is not whiney at all. I think the sample doesn't do Kate Simses justice. Yes, her voice is higher pitched, but after a moment or so, it's not at all annoying. And the narrator does a great job interpretting and relaying Juliet's (protagonist) internal thought process and emotions. The narrator also does decent male voices - - I just finished two separate books with horrible male voices by a female narrator so this is quite a relief.

Further, the sample (and another review on here) give the impression that the entire story is going to be full of the "scratch out" noise. I interpret this noise to be Juliet's mental stopping or scratching out of her thought process to redirect herself in a different way. In the beginning of the story, Juliet's mind isn't exactly in the most stable place, so her thoughts are more jumbled and the "scratch out" noise happens more often. However, this noise is not as overwhelming or distracting as I thought it would be, and eventually, you don't even notice it at all.

As for the story itself, it's terribly romantic - - not in a horrible gushy way, but in an appropriately steamy way. I love the relationship between Juliet and Adam. But I especially love how the antagonist (Warner) really complicates matters. I have my suspicions as far as his significance, and I can't wait for book 2 to see what happens with him.

I think the author does a great GREAT job of keeping the reader (listener) guessing as far as what Juliet's "issue" is, as well as the current state of civilization (don't want to give away spoilers) as well as a whole array of twists and surprises that actually make sense to the story and help it develop.

I read another review that complains this story is not really a Dystopian novel. I disagree. While yes, this story focuses mainly on character and relationship development, and less on formation of the Dystopian realm of the novel, the end of book 1 clearly sets up the Dystopian world that is about to be revealed to Juliet. It's basically a huge teaser, which worked on me. FYI, Book 2 is said to be set to release in February 2013.

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Scratch This One Off My List

I really wanted to to like this one but could not get past Mafi's writing style. I love good descriptive prose, but when you overuse it, it totally loses it effectiveness, and that is how I felt about this one. And the flowery descriptions were used for all things big and small. If the main character had gotten a paper cut. Mafi would have described it by saying something like "and the pain shot through my finger tip like a thousand biting fire ants". After a while, I found myself rolling my eyes...over and over again. I don't know if I've EVER actually rolled my eyes at an audio book before!

Mafi built a romance that was fairly believable. She gave the characters a history that made it easy to accept their feelings for each other. What was hard to accept was the obsession the heroine had with her beau's looks. I mean, they are basically in the middle of a war, and all the heroine can think about is how HOT the guy is. She says things like, "his body...built of bricks of desire". Gag! I would have sworn this was a Harlequin Romance!!

As equally annoying was the reaction every male had to the heroine. Every man this girl, who by the way hasn't eaten much in a year and must weigh all of 70 pounds, meets falls for her. I much prefer a more modest heroine, or at least one who seems deserving of such adoration.

If you still want to try this one, I'd opt for reading it rather than listening to the audio book. The author shows her heroine's true feelings by SCRATCHING out her words and replacing them with a less truthful line, and the audio offers an awful SCRATCH sound when this happens, which is often. Also, the heroine is a bit nuts (which I like and actually wish there was more development of) and in one scene she repeats the same word probably 30 times, and in an audio...that's VERY annoying.

Overall, this is one I cannot recommend. I do applaud Mafi for trying something new with her descriptive voice, and some descriptions were very pretty, but like I said before, by the end of the story, the good ones lost their power because they were sandwiched between dozens of unnecessary ones.

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Gasp! Freeze! Repeat. Gasp! Freeze! Repeat.

The main character has repeated, repetitive, ongoing, iterative, drama-queen panic attacks that occur without explanation until the second half of the book. Not worth the wait, in my opinion. The vocabulary is limited with six favorite adjectives and a pointless gimmick. Plot and character development are nearly non-existent and what there is, is dully formulaic with a leaden sense of pacing. Overall, the book is a very disappointing effort by an author who seems to have meant well and who seems to have promising writing sensibilities. Perhaps the book would have redeemed itself in the end but I found it too painfully tedious to finish. I'm sorry I bought it and would advise others to steer clear. Some YA fiction is marvellously good quality and very rewarding reading (Treasure Island anyone?). This early draft is an undeveloped bodice ripper in training.

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Woah....too much for me to take

What disappointed you about Shatter Me?

As an adult who enjoys YA books, I was hoping for another great one in Shatter Me...however it has been so hard to get through. I'm not sure if it's the story itself, or maybe the narrator but I am regretting spending a credit on this book. To know that it is a series makes my head spin. How can anyone truly get into these books when there is more time spent talking about describing everything around and very little describing the story. To have the same line read over and over and over in the same tone and voice makes me want to turn it off. I'm sorry this is not a YA book that anyone should read unless you are truly a YA, and a YOUNG YA at that.

Has Shatter Me turned you off from other books in this genre?

This genre will continue to be one of my favorites, this series however will not make it any further in my collection

How could the performance have been better?

The tone was off throughout the entire book. The character always was portrayed horribly, not how I would have imagined the writer intended for her to come across.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

no, sorry

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For six grade girls

This is why you do not write a review until you have finished the book. Had I written the review at the end of ten chapters, I would have given it five stars. It starts out with this girl in prison. A prison where there is only a small window about fist size. The only light is through that window. She is fed maybe once a day. She has been in prison for nine months and has not spoken to anyone in that time. It kind of reminded me a little of Room by Donoghue. The language or vocabulary is different then any I have heard in any book: See Examples. When the story started to go down hill, which is when she is let out of this jail for another jail, I stayed with it for the flavor of Mafi's words. After about a third of the book is over, the story seems rushed, gets very predictable and even the tasty language which had been about every other sentence stops, with the exception of the semi-love scenes. With the exception of one line in the whole book(See Examples), the love scenes are very middle school. The bad guy is laughable. The book ends with a copy of X-Men.

Examples of Mafi's savory language; My words use no parachutes as they fall out of my mouth. I've discovered I don't know how to breathe. The bed under my back. My eyes are fighting not to flutter. I am going to memorize every inch of your body with my lips. I die stupid in that second.

I wish I could have written these down as I drove, they come at you every other sentence in the first half of the book. If Mafi ever writes an adult novel or erotica, I most assuredly want to read it. This book went from five stars to two stars faster then a speeding bullet and I have no interest in the rest of the series.

The narrator sounds like a ten year old girl, the girl is seventeen.

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Emotional Romance

Would you listen to Shatter Me again? Why?

No, I found the recording somewhat annoying,,,lots of scritching metallic sounds, the heroine is mentally crossing out words, thoughts from her mind.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I enjoyed the story, it is a emotional teen romance.

What aspect of Kate Simses’s performance would you have changed?

I had trouble sometimes telling who was speaking,not to often but maybe change the voices a little more?

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, I listened to it all in two days.

Any additional comments?

I will read the sequel if there is one and look for more of this authors work.

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Great story EXCEPT....

This was a very good story and I did enjoy listening to it except for the main characters obsessive compulsive tendency to repeat things over and over and over and. OVER AND OVER AND OVER!!! The repeating of certain things accompanied with the narrators baby voice used for the girl almost put me over the edge in certain parts of the story. If you can get past that, the storyline is very good.

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The worst, only for teens, but even then ....

I hated this book. I tried to stay with it hoping as it went along it would get better. But, alas it didn't. I read the reviews and some gave a 5 star so I thought there might be something there, but no, just drivel. I like a great variety of books depending on my mood; science fiction, thrillers, funny, some bios.....For example I loved The Help, the early James Patterson books, Grisham, Baldacci, but I have no mood in me to like this stuff. I have never written a bad review but this. Sorry, to all who loved it I know everyone is different and my opinion doesn't out weigh yours.
Next, I have the last Corbin book to give a negative on

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LOVE!

What did you love best about Shatter Me?

the book itself started out slow but once it got going, i was hooked. i love the character and don't agree with other people's reviews saying that she's weak. i'd like to see how strong they'd be in her situation! she's very strong considering the obstacles she's gone through.

What did you like best about this story?

warner. i know, i know! he's the bad guy but honestly i'm all for warner. also, i really liked kenji too.

Which scene was your favorite?

all of them, i can't pick just one.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

i'm not that creative....

Any additional comments?

i really enjoyed the narrator. i'll be seeking out other books she's narrated. i like the youngness and softness to her voice. i think it fit the character in this book perfectly.

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WOW!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

i was drawn in right away and the story line is original. The author wrote in such a unique way, your not sure what is said aloud vs. what is being written in her journal.

What other book might you compare Shatter Me to and why?

It's a little like The Pledge, but not really. Both are post apocalyptic America. both have female lead who must find an inner strength, and have a romeo and juliet type love interest.

Have you listened to any of Kate Simses’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no, never

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I did enjoy the story, when she triumphs, i felt pride. when she fears, i was insecure, i didn't know why no one could touch her, but i didn't want them to.

Any additional comments?

I can not wait for more from this author, for a first effort, this book was most excellent.

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