Book Review: Release Me by Tahereh Mafi

Release Me by Tahereh Mafi, book two in the Shatter Me: The New Republic series, came out last week, and it exceeded my expectations.

Do you like dystopian novels? Reading about worlds and possibilities that border the line between reality and fiction? If so, you need to read the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi.

The Shatter Me series is a young adult dystopian series, and it is one of my favourite book franchises of all time. Then, Tahereh Mafi announced that she was writing a spin-off series titled Shatter Me: The New Republic.

Last year, Watch Me, book one in the spin-off series, was released, and I loved it – you can read my review here. Now, book two has just come out, and it is one of the best books I have ever read.

It exceeded my expectations, and I just had to share my thoughts here because I am slightly obsessed with the novel still, days after having finished it.

Release Me by Tahereh Mafi

Genre: Dystopian Romance

Series: Shatter Me: The New Republic (book two)

Rating: 5 Stars

Synopsis:

The synopsis of Release Me by Tahereh Mafi is:

"Rosabelle Wolff had a plan. Now she wants revenge. To save her sister, she needs to get back home and destroy the system that created her. Rosabelle’s greatest strength is her ability to deaden her mind and body; it’s the only way to survive the surveillance state of Ark Island. But lately her heart has been beating harder; her thoughts are spiralling; her defences are coming undone.

And there’s only one person to blame.

"James Anderson had a plan. Now he has nothing but problems. Rosabelle might be the ally they need in a fight against The Reestablishment, but no one wants to trust an enemy assassin. It doesn’t help that Rosabelle’s not much of a talker, doesn’t work well in groups, and kills people on instinct. Taking her side has cost James nearly everything―but keeping her alive might help save his world.

If only he could convince his older brother.

"Aaron Warner Anderson has a headache. Something dark is coming, and Rosabelle’s arrival is just a prelude. In her, he sees shades of himself he can’t trust, and worse: he can no longer get a read on the girl. She’s a dead battery, emanating no emotional feedback. At least not until James walks into a room…

"Volcanic tension, breathless reveals, breakneck action―and a dystopian world that never stops raising the stakes:

"Welcome back to The New Republic."

My review of Release Me

Since finishing Watch Me last April, I have been eagerly anticipating the publication day of Release Me; however, my copy arrived a few days late. This, though, gave me time to finish my current read and give my full attention to Release Me when reading it.

Credit: WriteWatchWork

Release Me picks up straight after the cliffhanger of Watch Me, give or take a few hours/day. It is still told through the perspectives of both James and Rosabelle, but in Release Me, we also get the extra treat of reading Aaron Warner's point of view.

I received my copy of this book last Thursday, and I finished it within five hours across Thursday evening and Friday evening. I absolutely devoured the entire book and am so tempted to re-read it already, so for that reason, I'm breaking this review down into two sections: characters and overall story.

My thoughts on the characters

When I read the original Shatter Me series, I fell in love with James. He was sweet and kind, and so innocent, I feared for his future within the dystopian world he lived in, growing up as a young boy. Fast forward 10 years, and wow!

James Alexander Anderson is the perfect combination of Aaron Warner and Kenji Kishimoto, two of my favourite fictional characters. He is strong, capable and willing to fight for what he believes and to protect those he loves. His power of healing himself is a strength, but it's also a weakness that causes him to jump headfirst into danger.

I loved James's characterisation throughout Release Me. If possible, I loved him even more. He was sarcastic and so caring; I really enjoyed his POV chapters because we got a real insight into his struggles growing up in Juliette and Aaron's shadow, but also his feelings for Rosabelle. I did feel sorry for James because he is still treated like a kid at times, with others not realising just how connected to Rosabelle he actually is.

Rosabelle Wolff really intrigued me in book one. She wasn't like Juliette from the original series, and yet, there were similarities. As a trained assassin, she's desperately trying to complete her mission, but in Release Me, her perspective shifts having met James.

She is in a fight to get back home so that she can save her sister. However, James makes her feel things she didn't think were possible and with the blanket over her eyes finally lifted, Rosabelle realises that the original Shatter Me gang aren't too bad.

I loved her fight and tenacity. She is such a powerful FMC, I couldn't help but admire her love and devotion. Even in the face of death, Rosabelle continues fighting.

Aaron Warner has a much bigger part in this book than in book one, but there's not really much to say other than he was, as expected, absolutely amazing. Aaron is a top-tier MMC, and even 10 years older, he still made me laugh, swoon, and fall in love with ink on paper.

Other characters, such as Nazeera and Kenji, also have a bigger part in this novel, and it was great to see them again, and also learn more about their character development and relationships, too.

Credit: WriteWatchWork

Credit: WriteWatchWork

Credit: WriteWatchWork

Credit: WriteWatchWork

My thoughts on the overall story

One of my favourite genres of fiction is dystopian; I love the worldbuilding of dystopian settings and the different aspects that go into creating a society.

And Tahereh Mafi's writing is seamless in both the original Shatter Me series and the spin-off. In Release Me, I knew I would love the development of The New Republic, and The Waffle (you'll have to read it to understand what The Waffle is).

But what I didn't expect was to become so engrossed in the story that I read it in two sittings across five hours – the quickest I've ever read a book – and feel like I'm heading for a reading slump after finishing it.

The story of Release Me is fast-paced, emotional, engaging, and everything in between. It picks up after the end of book one and follows Rosabelle and James dealing with the fallout.

I couldn't put this book down and loved every minute of it. The development of Aaron Warner and Juliette's relationship was so good. Having read the original series, I knew I loved them already, but with them expecting, I fell in love with them even more through their devotion to each other and the scenes between them.

But James and Rosabelle really stole the show. I loved the intimate moments between them throughout the action-packed plot. The poetic lines showcasing their feelings without actually admitting how they feel were beautiful.

There are some twists at the end when everything hits the fan, and oh my God. I did not expect some of the reveals towards the end, and then the final line!

I love a good cliffhanger, and whilst I love this one, I also don't like it because I don't think I can patiently wait for book three — I have to wait, I know, but whether I can do that patiently is the question.

Tahereh Mafi is an incredible author. Her writing inspires me, and I will forever recommend the Shatter Me series and the Shatter Me: The New Republic series, too. I am slightly obsessed with these characters at the moment, if my BookTok is anything to go by, but I do not apologise for recommending a fantastic series.

You can buy the hardback of Release Me by Tahereh Mafi from Amazon here.

Until next time...