Ignite Me Book Summary; Part 2

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.

Warner and Juliette get into the tank and leave Adam’s place. Juliette thanks him for letting her friends stay at his house, but Warner cuts her off, saying he can’t stomach her pain. He can feel her pain because of her ability. She tells him he isn’t crazy, and he is a good person. Warner says nothing and nods.

Juliette is in Warner’s room and he still hasn’t said a word to her. Warner asks Juliette what happened with Adam. She explains what happened, and Warner asks what she said when Adam accused her she was in love with him. When she says she said nothing, Warner makes the excuse he has a lot of work to do in the morning and leaves. Juliette takes a bath and lays in bed and thinks about Adam. She realizes he is going to be all alone with James, and they are going to fight for food and income. She thinks about how Kenji was right. Adam was the first person to show Juliette compassion and kindness. She thinks maybe they both fell in love with the illusion of something more. 

Juliette wakes up in the middle of the night. When she steps out into the hall, she notices that Warner’s office door is open. She knocks twice on the door when she hears a crash. She opens the door and finds Warner shirtless with a jar in his hand. There is about a 10-foot gap between them when Juliette asks if everything is alright. He says everything is fine, but Juliette walks up to him and takes the jar out of his hand. She realizes it is medicine for his back. Juliette tells him to turn around so she can put the cream on his back, but he tells her no. She laughs and tells him that she has already seen his scars, but he says that doesn’t mean she needs to see them again. Juliette tells him he doesn’t need it if it makes him uncomfortable unless it causes him pain. Warner is quiet for a moment and says that his back sometimes hurts, but not as bad as the scars used to. She asks where they came from without meeting his eyes. Warner is quiet for so long that Juliette is forced to look up. He eventually says, “They were birthday presents. Every year from the time I was five. Until I turned eighteen, he didn’t come back for my nineteenth birthday”. He explains that his father used a whip, and Juliette gasps in horror. Warner says he doesn’t want her to be repulsed by him. Juliette asks him if he has ever worked in a mirror. She explains, “You’re perfect. All of you. Your entire body. Proportionally. Symmetrically. You’re absurdly, mathematically perfect. It doesn’t even make sense that a person could look like you. I can’t even believe you would ever say something like that-”. But before Juliette can continue, Warner cuts her off, saying she is cruel and heartless. She says his name, but he says he takes it back. He doesn’t want her to call him Aaron anymore. She repeats his name and explains she doesn’t care about his scars. He says he doesn’t know anymore and that he can’t trust his ability because it got him shot in the arm, and caused him to make too many mistakes. Juliette tries to tell him that it’s not too late to fix them, but Warner cuts her off and tells her to leave. She asks why he brought her back if he didn’t want to see her. He says she would understand and when she asks what he says, “‘I love you.’ He breaks. His voice. His back. His knees. His face. He breaks. He has to hold on to the side of his desk. He can’t meet my eyes. ‘I love you,’ He says, his words harsh and soft all at once. ‘I love you and it isn’t enough. I thought it would be enough, and I was wrong. I could fight for you and I was wrong. Because I can’t. I can’t even face you anymore-. Tell me it isn’t true. Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me I’m blind. Tell me you love me’”. Juliette says she doesn’t know what she feels and she messed up once and she doesn’t want to make the same mistake twice. She says she’s sorry and leaves.

Both Juliette and Warner are talking to each other like acquaintances. Warner is getting ready to leave to pick up everyone and tells Juliette she can wait in the training facility for them. Juliette is sitting on a bench when she hears Kenji. She runs and jumps in Kenji’s arms and hugs him tight. “Well, I’ll be damned. He didn’t kill you. That’s a really good sign”. Kenji comments. Juliette shoves him a little and says hello to everyone. Warner is explaining where everything is at and the schedule. Once he is done explaining, he looks at Juliette, then turns around and leaves. 

Kenji asks Juliette what happened between her and Warner. To change the subject, she asks about Adam and James. Kenji says Adam didn’t make it easy for them to leave. He didn’t want to lose all of his friends at once. Kenji sits on the floor and does a haphazard motion with his hand. Juliette asks him what’s wrong, and he says he misses James. He didn’t want to leave him behind. Kenji vents about Adam for a little, but asks Juliette what happened between her and Warner again. Juliette asks if everything is alright. He seems a little off today. He explains he is just in a bad mood and he doesn’t want to keep losing people. “‘It just gets heavy sometimes.’ He looks away. ‘Too heavy. Even for me. And some days I don’t want to laugh,’ he says. ‘I don’t want to be funny. I don’t want to give a sh*t  about anything. Some days I just want to sit on my a** and cry. All day long”, Kenji explains. He asks if he is crazy and Juliette tells him no. He complains that hanging out with her has made him emotional like her. Juliette hugs Kenji and he hugs her back. Kenji asks again how the ‘boyfriend’ is. She explains that one day she and Warner will learn to be friends. Kenji says it is weird to see Warner like he is now because he used to never smile or talk unless he was giving orders. Juliette tells Kenji that Adam should tell Warner that they’re brothers. Kenji tells her it is Adam’s news to share and he will when he is ready. 

Everyone is sitting on benches around the training room. They started to make a plan to get Sonya and Sara back. Warner explains his father is on a ship in the middle of the ocean. He says they have to lure Anderson to Sector 45. They have to create a problem big enough to force him to come. Juliette says she has a plan to make Anderson come there. She says they should take over Sector 45. She explains they can convince the soldiers to fight on their side along with the civilians. They will want to join because of all of their abilities combined. They know how powerful all of them could be together. Once they have their support, Anderson will be forced to come back, and when he does, they take him down. She asks what everyone thinks of her plan, and Alia asks what if it doesn’t work or if they don’t believe them. Juliette says they can show them what they can do. If that doesn’t work, Juliette says she can project her ability that might impress them to join them. Winston repeats the plan just to make sure he got it all. Kenji asks who will be the supreme commander once they take over everything. Juliette says she will be the commander. Castle asks what she would do after that, kill whoever stands in her way, and that would be 554 more wars. Juliette explains that some will surrender, and she trusts herself to do what is right. Everyone says they will follow her into war and have her back.

Once Juliette and Warner get back to his room, she asks what he thought of her plan. He says he should get back to work. When Juliette touches his arm, he goes rigid. Juliette says she wants them to be friends and be able to understand him as a different person. Warner says she misunderstood him, there is a no different person and he will not change. He explains he is afraid that her friendship would destroy him. He then slams his office door behind him.

Juliette and Kenji work together on projecting their abilities. Kenji tells Juliette to move a dumbbell across the room. Juliette tries to do it multiple times but fails. This time she puts out her arms and tries to do it. The dumbbell is still in the same spot. But Kenji tackles her to the floor and yells at everyone to get down. The rock wall in the training facility is fissuring into a hundred jagged pieces. Warner and Castle hold up the wall and start floating the pieces to the ground. Everyone stands back up and watches Castle and Warner work together to contain the disaster. When the work is finally done, Castle and Warner nod in acknowledgment. Warner comes to find Juliette and asks if she is okay. She nods and asks Warner how he is so good at his ability already. He says that he has been good at everything he does. Kenji calls Juliette over so they can get back to work.

Juliette and Kenji have been practicing all week. Juliette is so exhausted that she can barely stand. Kenji pulls Juliette’s hair and tells her to focus. He asks what is going on with her and Warner. She says she has no idea anymore. She explains her feelings about Warner and compares them to what she felt with Adam. Kenji says that Adam still loves her, but she says he doesn’t. She explains Adam fell in love with the girl she was, not the one she is now. Kenji tells her she should tell him that herself because he and James are coming tomorrow. Juliette asks why they would come, and Kenji explains he has been going back to check up on them. He told them about how Warner has been treating them and some other stuff. 

When Juliette asks what other stuff, he says, “‘Maybe,’ he says, backing away now, ‘maybe I told him how you were a calm, rational, very nice person who does not like to hurt people, especially not her very good-looking friend Kenji-’”

‘‘“Dammit, Kenji, tell me what you did-”’

“‘I need five feet,’ he says”

‘“What?’”

‘“Five feet. Of space,’ he says. ‘Between us.”’

‘“I will give you five inches.’”

“Kenji swallows, hard. ‘Okay, well, maybe,’ he says, ‘maybe I told him…that…um, you missed him. A lot.” Juliette almost falls backward from the impact of his words. Kenji says it was the only way he could get him to come. But Juliette says that Adam and Warner are going to kill each other. He also tells Juliette to pretend not to be in love with Warner till after the war is over. Juliette is shaking with rage. When she looks at Kenji, she can see he is hiding something else. Kenji says now that she mentions it, he might have told Adam she is still in love with him. Juliette yells she is going to murder him. Kenji snaps, saying they lost everyone and they shouldn’t lose two more. She asks him when they are going to be here. He says he picks them up in the morning. Juliette says she needs to go cool off and tells Kenji she’ll be back to shave his head in his sleep. She can still hear him yelling at her when the doors close behind her. 

Juliette lays face first on Warner’s bed. Warner comes out of the shower and puts a hand on her back. She jerks up and falls off the bed. She gets it out of the way and tells him that Adam and James are coming tomorrow and that Kenji told Adam that she is still in love with him. There is a flash of anger in his eyes. Juliette gets up and lies on the bed again. Warner asks her if she is in love with Adam. After she tells him no, he leaves.

Juliette steps out of the elevator and sees Adam. She goes up to him and tells him the truth. Kenji comes and interrupts her, saying he came clean to him this morning when he picked them up. Juliette asks if he is okay with the situation with Warner and Adam says no, but he doesn’t want to die, so he is here. He yells at her again, and Kenji tells him to calm down. He grabs his stuff and goes into the locker room to change. She turns to Kenji, and he says he is sorry, but they had almost no food when he went to pick them up. Juliette tells him since he brought Adam here that he is his responsibility. 

Everyone is sitting on the mats while Alia presents her new sketch designs for everyone’s suits. Alia explains that Juliette’s suit will make her invincible. Kenji tells Juliette he hates her because she is invincible. Warner comes in and tells everyone good evening. Adam is looking at him like he wants to kill him. James pipes up and starts asking Warner a lot of questions. Warner asks if anyone would like to take over the conversation, but everyone just sits there smiling. James asks how he has all this nice stuff. Warner tells him he is Sector 45’s commander, and the job comes with all this. Castle announces they should get back on topic with the suits.

Warner tells Juliette to punch him. He tells her not to be afraid, and he just wants her to try. Instead of his morning workout, he has decided to train with Juliette. She says she can defend herself, and that she is strong enough. Warner lists off three times before she was overpowered. Once again, he tells her to punch him. Kenji comes and asks if he is looking for volunteers because he’ll gladly punch him. Juliette tells him to go away. She tries to punch Warner, but he stops her and corrects her. When Juliette throws the actual first punch, Warner blocks it easily. Over the next couple of times, Juliette’s arms grow tired. He tells her that he will try to punch her and she has to block it. Once again, He corrects her and tells her to do it again. After many times, she finally blocks one of his punches and grabs his other arm to pull him off balance. She pushes him back, but he catches himself before he hits the floor. Kenji starts clapping and says he didn’t think she had it in him. Warner tells her she did well, but they still have a lot of work to do. 

Over the next couple of days, Warner trains with her and makes sure she gets everything perfect. Kenji asks if he can take Juliette outside to train with her because the resources are too limited here, and Warner agrees. Adam has been quiet for the past couple of weeks, but James has been asking Warner questions any chance he gets. Juliette notices that Adam and Alia have been spending a lot of time together. She realizes that is what Adam wants, a sweet, quiet, and gentle girl. She thinks Adam is starting to realize it too.

Warner tells Juliette and Kenji that while they train outside, he is going to visit his mother. Juliette asks if Warner is scared to visit his mother. He says he never knows what to expect. Sometimes she is drugged up so she can’t move, sometimes her eyes are open and she just looks up at the ceiling, and other times she is completely hysterical. Juliette tells him that it’s good he still visits her. She asks if she gave him the ring he always wears. He slowly nods and says he was never allowed to receive presents from anyone. His father hated presents, holidays, and parties. One day, his mother told him a story and gave him the ring, and it was the only gift he ever received. 

Warner drops Juliette and Kenji off in unregulated territory and he will pick them up in the same spot in two hours. Kenji and Juliette had a semi-successful mission, but Warner is late. Warner is never late for anything, and if he were going to be late, it wouldn’t be for something like this. Kenji says everything is fine and is probably just got hung with whatever he was doing. Juliette still doesn’t feel right, so she asks Kenji to go with her and find him. She tells him he is visiting his mother at the house where they first met Anderson. Kenji concedes only because he is cold and doesn’t want to freeze to death.

When they arrive at the house, Juliette asks Kenji to stay outside. He tells her to hurry up. She apologizes and says she’ll try to hurry. Juliette opens the door and steps inside. She passes the living room where she got shot. She goes up the stairs and passes Warner’s old bedroom and down the hall to his mother’s. Juliette sees a single bed and a picture of a blond woman and a little boy together. She notices that the machines are shut off, and his mother and her nurse are not there either. She then sees Warner collapsed in a corner. He has curled into himself and tremors are rocking his body. She immediately knows that his mother has passed away. She touches his arms and he looks up at her. She tries to hold him closer, but he wraps his arms around her hips. “I press my cheek to his forehead. Press a kiss to his temple. And then he breaks. Shaking violently, shattering in my arms, a million gasping, choking pieces I’m trying so hard to hold together. And I promise myself then, in that moment, that I will hold him forever, just like this, until all the pain and torture and suffering is gone, until he’s given a chance to live the kind of life where no one can wound him deeply ever again”.

Kenji is sitting in the tank when Warner and Juliette get back. Warner doesn’t say anything the entire ride and when he drops them off. When Kenji and Juliette are about to enter the training facility, Kenji tells Juliette he followed her in. He asks her what happened and she tells him the basic idea. Kenji says he’s sorry and he didn’t know, Juliette just tells him he wasn’t supposed to.

Adam is standing across the room from Juliette. She gets up and tells him that he has to tell Warner they’re brothers. He tells her to mind her own business and not to force him to do something he doesn’t want to do. She asks if he is threatening her and he says he is the only one who can shut her off. He has learned to control his ability since they were together. Juliette tries to pull away from him but he is too strong. He tells her if she waited for him, they could still be together. She tells him they would’ve ended up in the same place and they want different things. Kenji walks over and asks Adam to let go of her and avoid the sh*t show tonight. Adam tells him to stay out of it. Kenji tells him to let go of her again, and Adam says that he can have Juliette since he is jumping to her defense all the time. Adam grabs Kenji’s bare hand and puts it into Juliette’s other hand. It takes a couple second for Kenji and Juliette to register what happened before Kenji rips his hand away and punches Adam in the face. Everyone else in the room is now running up to them. Kenji asks what he was thinking and if he was trying to get him killed. Adam tells him it wouldn’t kill him that quickly. Kenji tells him to pull himself together. Adam says nothing, but then laughs and flips him off, then heads in the other direction. Juliette asks if he is okay if she hurt him. But Kenji says he didn’t feel anything. Juliette realizes that she has learned to control her ability. She tackles him into a hug and he tells her that he is proud of her. 

Juliette steps into Warner’s office. She calls his name and finds him in the bedroom. She tells him that she’s sorry. He tells her that he can’t do this tonight, but she cuts him off, telling him that he’s always been right. He asks about what and she tells him she does want him. He tells her she doesn’t know what she is saying. “‘I love you, I love you and I want you and I wanted you then. I wanted you so much and I still want you, I want you right now–’ Stop. Stop time. Stop the world. Stop everything for the moment he crosses the room and pulls me into his arms and pins me against the wall and I’m spinning and standing and not even breathing but I’m alive so very very alive, and he’s kissing me”. They fall back on the bed and he runs his hands down her body, only to bring them back up to her face. He tells her that he thinks his heart is going to explode. 

Warner has been asleep all morning and Juliette has been watching him for two hours. She drops a kiss on his spine and he shifts a little. He tells her to come here and she crawls into his arms. She tells him it’s 10:30 and he says he should get going and that he doesn’t want to keep Delaieu waiting. They talk about Delaieu for a moment when Juliette asks if he has to get going. He tells her not yet but gets up and walks into the bathroom. He turns on the water and scoops Juliette up and carries her to the bathroom.

Everyone is in their new suits that Alia made. They go over the plan one more time because tomorrow it all begins. 

Juliette is lying in bed next to Warner. She asks if he is okay because he still hasn’t said a word about his mother. He says she is no longer in, and that is a great consolation for him. He thanks her for being his friend and she tells him she is always there for him. Warner kisses her and asks if she is tired. She nods and lies on his chest. He thinks she is already asleep, so he keeps talking. Warner tells her that he can feel how real their relationship is, and how much he loves her as she falls asleep.

Juliette is sitting on the edge of the bed, anxious. Warner asks her if she is ready, and she shakes her head. He tells her to ignite; I grieve nothing, I take everything. He calls for an assembly for the soldiers. He explains to the soldiers that Juliette is still alive and she has a proportion. Juliette tells everyone that she wants to destroy The Reestablishment. Before she can get the next sentence out, all the soldiers start talking to each other, trying to understand what is happening. Juliette starts climbing up to the highest house level to get their attention. She asks what The Reestablishment has done for them, and she promises she will change things. She shows them what she is capable of and has Castle, Kenji, and Brendan show what they can do. Then she jumps from the building and the ground shatters beneath her. All the soldiers start cheering and stomping their feet for them. Warner tells the soldiers to prepare for war, and then Kenji makes them disappear. 

They are all sitting around the training facility discussing the plan. Kenji says Anderson will probably be there tomorrow. Lily asks if Warner’s last name is Anderson, not Warner. Juliette tells her Warner took his mother’s last name, not his father’s. Ian asks what Anderson’s first name is, and Juliette says she doesn’t know. Adam says his first name is Paris. Warner appears out of nowhere and asks Adam how he knows that. When Adam doesn’t answer, Warner pins him against the wall and asks him again because no one should know besides the other commanders. Juliette tells him to calm down, but Warner doesn’t back down. Juliette finally tells him that Adam and James are his brothers. Warner asks Adam if it is true and he starts explaining everything while James is asleep in the corner.

Warner and Juliette head into the bedroom. He asks if she wouldn’t mind if he spent time with Adam. She tells him that would be amazing. She asks if he is happy about this and he says he is not unhappy. He tells her that she is the only family that he’ll ever need.

All the troops are assembled and ready to go. Kenji and Juliette start heading toward Anderson’s ship. The ship is extra guarded and they can’t figure out how to get on. Juliette asks if she were to shove them into the water with her ability. Kenji tells her that would work. She puts her arms out and all the soldiers topple into the water. She and Kenji bolt onto the ship before the doors lock.

Kenji and Juliette get separated right away. Juliette is no longer invisible, which means Kenji is more than 50 yards away. She can hear boots stomping towards her, and there is no way they won’t notice her. She hears a gunshot, and she knows that they have seen her. Juliette slams her elbow into the door behind her and jumps onto the floor. She is sprinting around corners. The soldiers are shooting at her, but her suit protects her. More bullets are flying past her, but she hopes they haven’t found Kenji. She throws open another door, hoping to find Anderson, but doesn’t. A soldier tries to sneak up behind her, but she turns around and pins him against the wall. She asks where Anderson is, but he says he doesn’t know. She crushes his gun and throws it at him. This time, instead of kicking down the door, she tries the handle to find that it’s unlocked. 

Juliette finds Sonya and Sara staring at her. She rushes over to them and asks if they are okay. They say Kenji was there not too long ago, but he was looking for her. Juliette tells them to stay there, but they told her that Anderson made a weapon that he can use against her. Juliette thanks them and starts to back out the door when she hears Kenji yell, “JULIETTE–NO–.”

Juliette gets thrown against the wall. She tries to get up but gets thrown against the wall again. She doesn’t know where the pain is coming from anymore. Juliette starts to crawl and sees Anderson and another guy standing in front of her. The guy claps his hands, and she is thrown again. She realizes Anderson’s weapon is pressure waves. This time, she gets up and takes one step at a time. She thinks of Kenji, James, Warner, and everyone. She reaches out her hand and squeezes until she hears a crack. The guy falls to the floor and so does she.

Anderson is standing over Juliette, shooting at her. She reaches out and grabs Anderson’s ankles and clenches her fists. His bones crush in her hands and his screams bring Juliette back to the present. He dropped his gun and is crawling away from her. He is trying to talk to her, but Juliette isn’t listening. She points the gun at his head and shoots twice. Once for Adam. And once for Warner.

Juliette walks over to Kenji, who is limp but still breathing. She drops him on the bed and asks Sonya and Sara to please fix him. Once they finished, they step back and say he will be asleep for a few days. Juliette picks up Kenji and Sonya and Sara follow her out of the ship because the war is over. She drops them off in the training facility and heads to the technician’s room. She hits the intercom key and says for everyone to hear, “I am Juliette Ferrars, and I will lead this nation. I challenge anyone who would stand against me.”

Warner pulls himself up onto the roof and pulls Juliette into his arms. “You know, the whole world will be coming for us now.” Warner whispers, and Juliette says, “I can’t wait to watch them try.”