Ignite Me Book Summary; Part 1.

The third book in the Shatter Me series, acclaimed by The New York Times Bestseller young adult fantasy hexalogy Shatter Me, is Ignite Me. This continues the adventure from the first book and the second book. Ignite Me is a book full of adventure, emotion, and tension with an even better perspective of the characters.  Ignite Me was initially the last book in the series, but Tahereh Mafi decided to continue the series, making it six books long.

Unravel Me left off with Juliette getting shot in the chest by Anderson. Warner saves Juliette with the help of Sonya and Sara to heal Juliette. Juliette wakes up in bed and decides that she is ready to fight and finish the war.

Juliette wakes up with Warner in front of her. She asks what she is doing there and starts to panic. Warner tries to calm her down, but Juliette keeps struggling against Warner. He says that he had to hide her from his father. She starts to calm down and asks Warner what happened with the battle. Warner avoids the question by asking Juliette if she wants to eat or shower. Juliette says that she wants to know, and eventually Warner tells her it is over. Juliette shakes her head, saying it isn’t true, and falls on the floor. Warner tries to touch her, but she slaps him away. Eventually, Juliette asks why it is over. He looks away and says, “Because they’re dead, love. They’re all dead”.

Warner takes Juliette in his arms and starts rocking her. Juliette asks about Adam, Kenji, and James. He says they bombed Omega Point, it is destroyed. Warner says that he is sorry, but Juliette calls him a liar. Warner left so Juliette can have time to process. Juliette thinks about all the memories she had with the people at Omega Point. She starts to count her breaths to calm down. She gets up and thinks that revenge has never looked so sweet. Warner walks back into the bedroom to find Juliette with her notebook in her hands. She claims that she is taking her notebook back, and she is leaving. He just smiles and asks where she is going. Juliette asks where his father is and Warner says, he left. Warner says his father is back at the capital with the twins. Juliette thinks, since the twins are alive, there must be other survivors. She asks Warner if he can take her to Omega Point to see if there are other survivors. He says he has to go to the compounds in a day or so and he can take her to Omega Point if it would satisfy her. Warner tells Juliette that she has a choice, to live off the grid or to stay with him. Juliette says that she could find his father, kill him, and deal with the consequences. Warner smiles and laughs. He tells Juliette that she is finally ready to fight.  She tells him that she is going to kill Anderson, and Warner asks Juliette if she would like his help. 

Warner says that he has waited for her to be ready since the day they met. Juliette claims that he wanted her to torture innocent people. He says, “I lied. There are three things you should know about me, love. The first, is that I hate my father more than you might ever be capable of understanding. Second, is that I am an unapologetically selfish person, who, in almost every situation, makes decisions based entirely on self-interest. And third. I never had any intention of using you as a weapon.” He says that it was a scheme to trick his father into believing it would be a good idea to have someone like Juliette. Juliette asks why he wanted her, and he says to study her. Warner says his mother lives in the house where Anderson shot her, and he thinks Juliette can help his mother. Juliette can’t touch anyone, and his mother can’t be touched.

Warner explains that no one can touch his mother, including herself. If someone touches her, the sensation causes an excruciating amount of pain. His mother gave up on life. She refused to get out of bed or to eat regularly, and stopped caring about her hygiene. Anderson’s solution was to drug her. Lock her in the house with no one but a nurse to keep her company. His mother doesn’t recognize Warner anymore, and the few times he tried to get her off the drugs, she has tried to kill him. Warner always thought he could fix her problem, but his father didn’t approve of his interest in his mother’s well-being. Warner became obsessed with trying to help her, and he wanted to know what kind of pain she felt. He was never afraid of Juliette’s touch. He wanted to know how the pain felt, but Juliette never touched him. She always refused to touch him. She would throw tantrums over clean clothes and hot meals. He says that it was ridiculous, and it was the most entertainment he ever had. Warner says he was always distracted and wanted to spend time with her. She would yell at him over the most inconsequential things, but she never touched him once. It worried Warner that she would sacrifice herself before using her ability. So he decided to bully Juliette into touching him, but that wouldn’t work either. He lost sight of his purpose and changed tactics again. He pushed her to her breaking point, and Warner got the results he wanted. Juliette realizes he is talking about the torture room. 

Warner says they call it the simulation chamber. Juliette says he made her torture that child. She quickly becomes angry and says she will never forgive Warner for making her do that. “‘You would sacrifice a child!’ My voice is shaking now. ‘For your stupid games! How could you do something so despicable?’ I throw my pillow at him. ‘You sick heartless monster!’” Warner catches the pillow and tries to suppress his amusement. He asks her to say what exactly happened that day. As Juliette says what happened, Warner asks her questions about the day. She ends the story with her choking Warner against the wall. He asks her what happened to the boy after she was done choking him. Juliette freezes. After she was done, she had left the room. Warner tells her it was all a simulation. She yells at him that he is a terrible person. Warner tries to touch her, but she jerks away. She says she should shoot him again for putting her through that. Warner just laughs and asks if she is going to throw a pillow at him again. Juliette shoves him and starts punching him anywhere she can. Warner says, “I’m so sorry. I really, truly am. I didn’t know you then. Not like I do now. I’d never do that to you now.” Juliette says that he doesn’t know her just because he read her notebook. Warner says, “Oh, right-about that-”. He takes her notebook and claims that he wasn’t done reading it yet. Before Juliette can protest, Warner closes the door behind him.

Juliette paces the room, waiting for Warner to return. When he does, he has a tray of hot food for Juliette. Warner starts telling Juliette about how he thought that she was some kind of evil mastermind when they first met. She yells at him about how she treated her like a piece of property. He claims his movements were being monitored, his life depends on his entire personality. Juliette asks about the soldier he shot in the head, or if that was all part of his plan too. Warner replies no. She says that he has no problem killing a soldier who was stealing a little food to survive. “Seamus Fletcher was a drunken bastard who was beating his wife and children. He hadn’t fed them in two weeks. He’d punched his nine-year-old in the mouth, breaking her two front teeth and fracturing her jaw. He beat his pregnant wife so hard that she lost the child. He had two other children, too. A seven-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl. He broke both their arms”. Warner explains. Juliette thinks that she is never going to open her mouth again. Warner monitors his citizens very carefully. He likes to know who they are and how they’re doing. He explains that he is not sorry for what he did and that he would do it again. Juliette starts to apologize when Warner holds up his hand to stop her. He says that he doesn’t expect her to understand, and she doesn’t see what he has to witness every day. Warner pushes himself up off the bed and says that he will be sleeping in his office tonight.

Juliette hates that she is finding fewer excuses to push Warner away. She gets up to get changed but remembers Warner moved all of her clothes to his closet. She thought about knocking on his office door, but decides against it. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees a switch on the wall. When she pushes it, a panel in the wall slides out of place. The closet is bigger than the entire bedroom. There are clothes everywhere, all color-coordinated. Warner has a soft spot for fashion. 

“I can’t scream. My lungs won’t expand. My breaths keep coming in short gasps. My chest feels too tight, and my throat is closing up and I’m trying to shout and I can’t, I can’t stop wheezing, thrashing my arms, and trying desperately to breathe but the effort is futile. No one can hear me. No one will ever know that I’m dying, that there’s a hole in my chest filling with blood and pain and such unbearable agony and there’s so much of it, so much blood, hot and pooling around me and I can’t, I can’t, I can’t breathe-”. Warner shakes Juliette to wake her up. She double-overs in deep gasping breaths. Warner cups Juliette’s face and tells her to look at him. She forces herself to look at him. He tells her it’s okay, and he won’t let go till she’s ready. She closes her eyes and suddenly feels exhausted. Warner helps her lay back down on the bed and brushes her hair out of her face. Juliette asks if he is going to sleep too. He says he doesn’t usually go to sleep this early. It’s two o’clock in the morning and they have to be up in a couple of hours. 

Warner turns to leave when Juliette tells him to stay. He looks alarmed, and she is about to take it back and hide under the covers when he touches her arm. He pulls her forward, so she is nestled up against his chest. Warner suddenly breaks away and says he can’t do this again. He thought he could walk away from her last time. She tells him he lets the world think he is a heartless monster, but he only replies that he is only the regular kind of monster. She asks why he lets people treat him like he’s ruthless, but he doesn’t care what people think of him. She starts to argue about his choices, when instead he asks why she likes Adam. Her only response is that he is kind to her. Warner couldn’t believe it, he thought it was something beyond his grasp. Juliette becomes infatuated with him. She tells him that their relationship is none of his business. Warner asks if Adam understands her, her fears, and the truth she hides in her heart. She asks if he does, and he shouts he does know. He says that Adam has fallen for her quiet, timid shell. That he has no idea what she is capable of. He leans in and says, “You’re a coward. You want to be with me and it terrifies you. And you’re ashamed you could ever want someone like me. You want me and it’s killing you. You deserve so much more than charity. Come back to life, love. I’ll be here when you wake up”.

Warner comes in the next morning and starts explaining the plan to get Juliette off base. Delaieu, who is Warner’s grandfather. Juliette will hide in the breakfast cart and the cloth panels will cover her while they stroll her off base. After Warner is done explaining, he tells Juliette to go take a shower while he and Delaieu discuss a few things. Juliette takes a quick shower and puts on the clothes Warner left for her. By the time she is done, Warner and Delaieu are still talking. Juliette begins to eavesdrop when Warner says, “Come out here, love. It’s rude it eavesdrop”. She steps out of the bathroom and is ready to go.

Delaieu carts Juliette to the tank, where Warner is waiting for her to arrive. When they arrive where Omega Point used to be, there is a large crater. Juliette looks back to find Warner holding out a pair of gloves for her. As soon as Juliette finishes putting on the gloves, she gets tackled to the ground by Warner. Juliette hears someone yelling at Warner to stay away from her. Juliette recognizes the voice as Kenji’s. Kenji yells at Warner to get up, but Warner tells Juliette he’ll be right back and runs the other way. Kenji runs to Juliette and tackles Juliette into a hug. Kenji pulls back and asks where Warner went. Juliette explains that Warner is the one who brought her here, and he is not trying to fight. Kenji doesn’t believe Juliette, he runs off to find Warner. Warner stands behind Juliette and tells her not to move. She tries to turn around and face, but he holds her in place. He explains that no one can see him. When Juliette looks back, she sees that he is right. Warner is projecting his power onto Kenji so he can turn himself invisible. Juliette asks him how he has been practicing and he says he has been practicing on her while she is asleep. He explains he cannot hurt her with her power, he can only return it. Warner tells her that they have to go. Juliette argues that she can’t abandon Kenji again. She tells him he can leave, but she is staying. He hands Juliette a pager and tells her to activate it if she needs him. He tells her she has four to contact him and if she doesn’t, he is going to assume she is in danger and he’ll come to find her himself. 

When Kenji returns, Juliette asks where everyone is. Kenji snaps, saying there is no everyone. He is explaining that he grew up there, and the people there were his family. Juliette tries to snap him out of the grief because they are in danger out in the open. She remembers that she is a lot stronger than Kenji. She yanks Kenji up off the ground and throws him over her shoulder. Kenji unleashes a string of the foulest expletives she has ever heard. But at least he is swearing again. Juliette asks where he is staying and tells him to pull himself together. Kenji is silent for a moment but asks, “Hey, um, I’m sorry to bother you, but I’m looking for a friend of mine, have you seen her? She’s a tiny little thing, cries a lot, spends too much time with her feelings-”. Juliette tells him to shut up, but Kenji only replies with “Oh wait! It is you”. Juliette drops Kenji on the ground because of his comments. Kenji tells her that they are staying on unregulated turf at Adam’s old place. Juliette asks if Adam is still alive. He says there were over a hundred people at Omega Point, and only nine of them are left.

Kenji explains everything from the battle. By the time Adam and he realized Juliette was missing, they saw a soldier dragging her into a tank. They couldn’t go after her because they didn’t want to get shot. Castle, Lily, Alia, and Ian managed to break into Sector 45 and save Brendan and Winston. Castle overheard that troops were mobilizing to bomb Omega Point. On the way back to base to warn everyone about the bomb, they saw the planes overhead, already almost there. They intercepted James almost a mile out from the base. James wanted to fight with Adam in battle. Kenji asks what happened to Juliette after she got dragged into the tank. She explains getting shot, Warner, saving her life, about the twins still being alive, and finally telling him about Warner’s ability. She tells him that Warner was the one who hurt him back at Omega Point. Juliette tells him about Warner’s confession to Juliette about his love for her. Kenji says that Adam is going to be so mad. He explains that after he was telling her what happened; she didn’t once ask about Adam. Juliette feels a sudden shame for not asking about Adam. Before they can continue talking, they arrive at Adam’s old place. 

Kenji pounds on the door. Winston opens the door, gapping at Juliette. Winston asks Kenji if he is hallucinating again, but Kenji cuts him off telling him he’s not hallucinating and to let them inside. Castle, Brendan, Lily, Ian, Alia, and James are all frozen mid-movement when Kenji says, look at what I found. Adam walks out of the bedroom and freezes. He moves across the room and brings Juliette in his arms. He studies Juliette’s face, careful not to touch Juliette’s face. He says he can’t believe she’s here. Kenji clears his throat and tells him their passion is grossing out the little ones. James says he’s not the little one, and he doesn’t think it’s gross. Out of all the things Juliette could be feeling right now, guilt hits her the hardest. Everyone in the room is carrying heavy burdens and she can only grieve for the strangers at Omega Point. Juliette decides she can’t be a little girl anymore. “I am no longer afraid of fear, and I will not let it rule me. Fear will learn to fear me”.

Kenji reintroduces everyone to Juliette. Once he finished, Juliette starts to ask about Castle, but Kenji’s features flicker in alarm. Juliette realizes that Castle has been hit the hardest. His whole life was dedicated to Omega Point, and it was all destroyed. Kenji takes a moment to pull himself together. Castle, who’s been like a father to Kenji. It hits Kenji hard that Castle doesn’t even talk anymore. Before they can dread about Castle anymore, Kenji tells everyone the same story Juliette told him. When Kenji has finished giving every detail of the story, leaving out the parts about Warner. Everyone is gaping at Juliette. Everyone suddenly starts talking over each other. Adam yells over everyone to tell them to shut up. He asks where Warner is now, and when Juliette doesn’t answer, he assumes that Warner has gone to get back up and come take the rest of them out. Juliette starts to defend Warner when everyone starts talking over each other again. Adam pulls Juliette into Jame’s bedroom. Adam asks what’s going on and why she is defending Warner. He says that she should hate him. Juliette tells him that she can’t hate him, and she doesn’t know why. They continue arguing about Warner for a while, until Juliette asks about Castle. Adam explains that he never leaves the chair he sits unless he has to go to the bathroom. He only eats when you force him and he doesn’t say anything. Adam says they’re running out of food and Winston and Brendan need real medical attention. He says they need a plan to find a new place to live, too. He suggests breaking into the compounds like they used to, but if they get caught, the soldiers would shoot them on the spot. Adam wants to give up and hide forever until a stronger group comes along. Juliette doesn’t agree with him. She starts to argue with him when sounds of chaos come from the other room. When they open the bedroom door, she is Warner standing in the room.

Eight guns are pointed at Warner’s face. When Warner looks at Juliette, he smiles. When Juliette starts to defend Warner, He tells her he doesn’t need it. Before anyone can blink, the guns are out of everyone’s hands. Ian asks how he did that, he says he borrowed from present company. Warner says he is there to pick up Juliette. Adam tells him that she is not going anywhere with him. But Warner only replies with, “Do you never get exhausted being so wholly unbearable? You have as much charisma as the rotting innards of unidentified roadkill”. Kenji breaks out laughing and holding a hand up in apology. Adam looks like he might punch Kenji in the face. Warner says he is there to transport Juliette home, but James says, “No. This is her home now. You can’t take her away. I don’t want anyone to hurt her”. Warner looks surprised at the fact that a ten-year-old stood up to him. Warner brushes him off and tells them he made Juliette a promise and he is going to see it through. Juliette tells him she is not leaving, and she doesn’t want to get smuggled in and out of base. She says they are all going to have to work together, so they mind as well just work here. Juliette tells everyone that she is done hiding, she is ready to fight. Whoever wants to fight alongside her is welcome to. Alia is the first to say that she’ll fight with her. Soon everyone agrees to fight except Adam. Adam says that everyone has lost their minds. Kenji tells him to calm down, but Adam storms out the door. It’s only when Kenji goes after him when Juliette hears the voice she least expected. “Ah, Ms. Ferrars. It’s so good to have you back. Things are always so much more entertaining when you’re around”. Castle comments.

Everyone turns to look at Castle. James tackles him into a hug while Castle is smiling and laughing. Castle gets to his feet and tells Warner how nice it is that he decided to join them. Before Warner can argue with him, Castle cuts him off, saying that he hates to be rude, but he is going to take a shower. Warner brings Juliette into Jame’s bedroom to talk privately. He tells her he doesn’t want to work with her friends. It will only slow them down. Juliette says it will give them an advantage because of their abilities. Warner asks what Adam can do. When she doesn’t respond, he asks if she loves him. She tells him she doesn’t know. He tells her he would love it if she comes back with him, but she says she has to stay.

When they leave the room, Adam is standing on the other side of the door. Adam starts yelling at Juliette about Warner. Juliette tells him this is not the time nor place to be discussing that. Adam keeps yelling at her, she tries to answer some of the questions, but can’t get a full answer out before Adam is yelling again. Warner interrupts, saying he needs to leave and asks Juliette if she is sure she wants to stay. Before she can answer, Adam tells him to get out. Warner holds his hand out to Juliette, but Adam charges forward to punch him. But Adam’s hand is frozen inches from Warner’s face, caught in Warner’s hand. Warner pushes Adam back. Before Adam can attack Warner again, Kenji tackles him to the floor. Somehow, Kenji got Adam outside and shut the door behind them.

Warner leaves and tells Juliette he’ll meet her at one tomorrow. Kenji opens the front door and grabs Juliette. They climb to the top of the building and sit on the edge. Kenji asks Juliette when she is going to stop being an idiot. She says that will probably never happen. He tells her he doesn’t know where Adam is, but he will be fine and just needs to cool off. She says she is a horrible person and Kenji says yeah but Kent is too. Kenji asks why she likes Warner, but she doesn’t know why. She asks if he has ever been in love but he says no. “So tell me again why you like Warner so much? Did he, like, take all his clothes off or something’’, Kenji asks. Juliette turns beat red and says no. They talk about Warner for a while until Juliette asks what is she going to do about everything. Kenji only says, “Sh*t if I know”. She says she doesn’t want to do this without him. And he says, “I’m here for you, kid. That’s what friends are for”.

They come back in and Kenji freezes when he sees Castle. Juliette forgot that he hasn’t gotten the chance to talk to Castle yet. Kenji pulls him into a hug and smiles. The door slams shut when Adam comes in. He tells James it’s time for bed. He and James go into the bedroom, while everyone else sleeps on the floor in the living room. When everyone is settled, Juliette mouths good night to Kenji and falls asleep. The next day, Adam is ignoring Juliette. Juliette asks what they do all day, but they say they do nothing. Kenji asks what Juliette has in mind, she just says Warner is going to be there in an hour and wasn’t sure, but she gets cut off by Adam. Adam says he is not coming back there. He tells Juliette if she wants to meet Warner, she can get out of his house. Kenji asks where she is supposed to go, and what if she gets killed. But Adam says, “I don’t give a sh*t anymore, she can go do whatever the hell she wants. You want to be with him? Go. Drop. Dead”. Juliette starts to head towards the door but Kenji stops her. Kenji tells Adam to calm down, but he just yells louder. Kenji tells him to stop being crazy, but Adam says, “I was happier when I thought she was dead”. Adam keeps going on about how he now hates Juliette and tells her he is leaving and she better be gone by the time he gets back.

After Adam leaves, Juliette starts putting on a coat and gloves. She grabs the pager and starts pressing the button to calm herself. Castle puts a hand on her shoulder and tells her that she’s not leaving. Everyone tells her not to go when suddenly the front door flies open. Warner is standing in the doorway looking for Juliette. He strides across the room and takes Juliette’s face in his hands. He asks if she is okay. She starts to thank him for coming when “He wraps me in his arms, not caring about the eight sets of eyes watching us. He just holds me, one arm tight around my waist, the other held to the back of my head. My face is buried in his chest and the warmth of him is so familiar to me now. Oddly comforting. He runs his hand up and down my back, tilts his head toward mine”. He asks what happened and if she wants him to take her back. When she tells him no, he asks what he has to do. Everyone starts making comments about what just happened between Juliette and Warner. Warner asks why she looks like she is about to cry, but no one answers. He then asks where Kent is and what he did to her. Warner asks if she still wants to stay and she nods. He says he will meet her there then. Juliette tells him she can’t because Adam kicked her out. Warner says he will set her friends up in his private training room on quarters so they can have a place to stay and for meetings. They work out a compromise, so everyone is happy, then he tells Juliette to grab her stuff and they will be back tomorrow to bring everyone else.