I was honestly hesitant to start this new spinoff series for the Shatter Me series because, I’ll be honest, I didn’t think the Shatter Me series was that developed (and I ranked all of them here). But with Watch Me (the first book), and Release Me (this one), I can tell that Tahereh Mafi has put a lot more into developing the plot and world for this spinoff. 

So, in Release Me, we’re following James and Rosabelle again. Rosabelle has some very obvious trauma and some really weird powers. James is trying to reach her. Warner believes that she’s a lost cause and must be disposed of. Everything that follows is the basis of this novel. Rosabelle, though, is trying to save her sister and possibly the world as they know it from the Reestablishment. 

I really enjoyed James and Rosabelle’s characters and seeing how they interact with each other. I seriously felt bad for Rosabelle because, jeez, this girl has gone through the wringer. James, on the other hand? He felt like a brat for a majority of this book (but seems like he at least recognizes it a little by the end). I also seriously loved seeing Warner’s POV again and how he and Kenji had to basically follow each other around for Juliet again. Juliet is rarely seen, so don’t get your hopes up for that (although, anytime you have Warner’s POV, he thinks about her all the time). 

With the plot, a lot of it is spent building up to a pretty big cliffhanger. The ending was very satisfying and I honestly can’t wait for the next book in the series. 

Spoilers ahead.

So, basically that big cliffhanger I mentioned? Well, the Reestablishment has infiltrated the New Republic and you aren’t sure if the “attack” is real or fake. Rosabelle thinks it’s fake, but then her fiancé, Sebastian, hunts her down and comes to take her “home”. James and Kenji find her before it’s too late, and James is hopeful that they can interrogate Sebastian before the Reestablishment releases their DNA altering bomb that will allow them to essentially use mind control on everyone (while also taking away their powers).

Overall, I really enjoyed this addition to the series and I like James and Rosabelle as our new leads. You still get to see a lot of Warner, so you aren’t completely cut off from the characters we all know and love. It ends on a cliffhanger, though, but I think it sets us up for the next book perfectly. 4/5 stars. Definitely a must-read if you enjoy the Shatter Me series!

Source: Personal Copy

(P.S. You can read this book for free by signing up for a free trial of Audible, which gives you two free audiobooks of your choice!)