Release Me

Shatter Me: The New Republic #2

by Tahereh Mafi

The searing second volume in a new series set in the #1 global bestselling Shatter Me universe ten years after the fall of The Reestablishment.

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 spiraling; her defenses 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 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

Welcome back to The New Republic.

Genres: Fantasy, Dystopia, Romantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Science Fiction

Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 7, 2026

About the author

Tahereh Mafi is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Shatter Me series. She was born in a small city somewhere in Connecticut and currently resides in Santa Monica, California with her husband, fellow author Ransom Riggs. She can usually be found over-caffeinated and stuck in a book. Shatter Me is her first series, with television rights optioned by ABC Signature Studios; Furthermore, her first middle grade novel, is on shelves now, and Whichwood, its darker companion, will be on shelves November 14, 2017.

Reviews

[areeba ✿ (semi-ia)]

dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov. dilf aaron pov.

i'm going insane jk. i'm climbing the walls. i'm screaming. i'm shaking. i'm giggling and kicking my feet. i'm crying. an aaron pov in this economy?! 😭✋🏻

[Belle₊˚⊹♡ (for keeps ∞♡)]

🩵Pre-release:

WE’RE GETTING WARNER’S POV IN THIS BOOK??
OH WE ARE SO BACKK
Alexa, play Daddy’s Home by Usher 🗣️🗣️🔥🔥

[Maddy ✨ ~The Verse Vixen {AFK brb}]

Assassins Collide, Secrets Ignite, and Love's gonna Burn Wild!ᝰ.ᐟ⚡


Welcome back to The New Republic, where trust is lethal, hearts are fragile, and chaos reigns supreme.Rosabelle returns, a storm wrapped in silence, James, caught between duty and desire.. If Watch Me was about survival, secrets, and the brutality of Ark Island, then Release Me is shaping up to be about reckoning... Ark Island isn’t done with Rosabelle yet. The New Republic has secrets. James has questions. And the Reestablishment? They’re only warming up.

⚡ Betrayals will sting.
💔 Hearts will unravel.
🔥 And trust? It won’t survive the fire.

📌 Expect everything:

Deadly alliances? ✔️
Heart-stopping betrayals? ✔️
Villains that make your blood run cold? ✔️✔️
Love simmering in the shadows of assassination? 🔥
Tension so sharp it could cut steel? ✔️✔️✔️

📢Aaron"I grieve nothing, I take everything" warner - in his prime daddy era - inject it into my veins.🥂🔥

We are getting daddy's Warners POV!- GURLLL DINNER 2026🍽️ 🧘🏻‍♀️
and I cannot. I repeat: CANNOT...
I . AM . SAT!!!👏🏻 I’m going FERAL.👏🏻

Manifesting warner as-

A GIRL DAD A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD
A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD A GIRL DAD A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD A GIRL DAD A GIRL DAD A GIRL DAD A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD. A GIRL DAD A GIRL DAD A GIRL DAD A GIRL DAD



🎨 COLOR THEORY:
The cover, y’all. The soft pinks, the muted peaches, the hazy pastels—AHHH MAFI, THE COVER IS GORGEOUS.. I mean, the way the pinks swirl with soft shadows? It’s giving me heart-fluttering chaos and end-of-the-world vibes at once. Every time I glance at it, I hear my own heartbeat syncing to the story’s tension. Mafi, you did that. 👏💘


📍The ending left us hanging (hello, cliffhanger chaos 😭), but book two feels like it will rip deeper into:

✦The Mutative Gene Will Explode in Importance
Rosabelle’s genetic mutation, hinted at in Watch Me, won’t just be a character quirk—it could be the key to either saving The New Republic or destroying it. I think book two will show us exactly how dangerous (or powerful) she truly is.

✦James Will Be Torn Apart
He’s caught between Warner’s expectations, Rosabelle’s pull, and his own need to prove himself. Don’t be surprised if James betrays Rosabelle at some point—out of fear, loyalty conflict, or to protect her. Their trust will be tested.

✦︎Warner Will See Too Much of Himself in Rosabelle
He knows what it’s like to be made into a weapon, stripped of choice, hardened by survival. Their conversations could be some of the most cutting, emotional scenes. He may push her harder than anyone else—but also offer her the sharpest path to redemption.

✦︎Clara’s Health as Catalyst
Clara isn’t just background. If her condition worsens, Rosabelle might do the unthinkable—ally with someone dark (maybe even Soledad) to keep her alive. Clara’s innocence is the ultimate bargaining chip.

✦︎Soledad & Klaus Are Not Done
Expect Soledad to slither back into the story. And Klaus? The ambiguity about whether he’s just code or something more screams book two payoff. If Klaus merges tech with human will, Rosabelle might be his “chosen vessel.”

✦︎The Nexus Will Turn on Everyone
In Watch Me, The Nexus was a tool of surveillance. In Release Me, I think it becomes uncontrollable—maybe even rewriting people’s memories or reshaping identities. What if Rosabelle’s past isn’t even fully hers? 👀

📌 Manifestation Checklist:

-Daddy warner's POV!!!
-Rosabelle breaking her walls. 🪄
-James surviving his own reckless heart. 🔥
-Kenji getting the closure he deserves (I SWEAR, we need it). 🫀
-Ark Island exploding in style. 💥
-Love, betrayal, revenge, redemption… all at once. 🗡️


I’m not ready.
I repeat: I’m so not ready.
Because this book promises tension, fire, and heartbreak, and yet… I cannot wait to dive in. If Ark Island doesn’t break me, the romance, the betrayal, and the chaos will.

🔥 Final Manifesto Update:
Rosabelle’s chaos arc. James self-sacrifice. Daddy Warner POV. Clara’s fate. Kenji x Nazeera reunion.

If we don’t get closure for Kenji, I will cry in lowercase for a week.Because if Release Me doesn’t break me in 72 different directions? Was it even a Tahereh Mafi book!?

[ଘRory]

POV: I have a kind of Stockholm syndrome-like relationship with Tahereh Mafi's books🤡, but I'm hoping that novel will change everything!

[manas (traveling)]

I WILL BE INSUFFERABLE WHEN I GET TO SEE OLDER WARNER AND KENJI AGAIN.


DILF KENJI AND AARON!!! WE WON.

[Avery]

warner chapters. AARON 👏 WARNER 👏 CHAPTERS 👏

[imaan 🍉]

AHHHHH TAHEREH IS FEEDING US 👅👅
I ACTUALLY CANT WAIT THIS IS SO EXCITING

[faith𝜗𝜚]

THIS ISNT A DRILL WE’RE GETTING AARON CHAPTERS OMG OMG OMG

[Kimberlie ౨ৎ]

My gorgeous Aaron Warner is coming home to me 😝
AGAIN

[mia ౨ৎ [semi ia]]

pre release:
WARNERS POV?!!!! YOU ARE FREAKING KIDDING ME! THIS BOOK IS GOING TO EATTTT

[Saranya ⋆☕︎ ˖ [hiatus-will return soon-miss you all]]

Rosabelle Wolff had a plan.
James Anderson had a plan.
Aaron Warner Anderson has a headache.

LMAO

At least Miss Mafi is giving us Aaron's pov after ditching us in Imagine Me😍😍😍

I AM SOOOOO ECSTATICCCCCCCC!!!!!!
I WANT THIS BOOK. NOWWWW!

And the coverrrr???😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

[khadeja]

oh im so ready to hate read this 🥹

[alyymaas]

pre-release:
OHHHH MYY GODDDDDDD EEEEEEEEEEE!!! 3 POVS AND ONE OF THEM IS DADDY AARON WARNER'S POVV EEEEEEEE 🤭🤭🤭 DADDY'S HOMEEE HOME FOR MEEEEEEEE ❤️❤️❤️ i need this book NEOWWWWW!!!!!!!

[T.S]

LONG LIVE TAHEREH MAFI!! 🙇

[𑣲 ezra ೀ]

this is the most anticipated book i have... I NEED IT NOWWWWW!

ALSO HELLLOOOO???? AN AARON WARNER POV 🤭🤭😻😻😻😻😻😻

[Cathy Mejia · Rating 5 out of 5]

best book ever.
haven’t read it yet but i just know.

[trix]

-->
why do we, as a fandom, collectively look past the fact that this is a whole-ass book and not just a few crumbs of warnette (albeit larger, chapter sized, aaron warner pov:d crumbs☺️☺️☺️)

this better deliver, mafiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, or else.
i'm in your walls 👀

[Kiara ୨୧♡]

HELLO THE FIRST CHAPTER IS IN WARNER’S POV?!?!?

[lula 𝜗𝜚 ࣪˖ ִ𐙚]

GIVE IT TO ME RIGHT NOW TAHEREH PLEASEEE!!

[Elinor.]

ITS HAPPENING ITS HAPPENING

[anzhelika ୨ৎ]

pre-read:
AARON WARNER'S POV?! YUUUP!

[brianna♡]

release me from the shackles this damn series has me in

[jess]

SCREAMINGGG

[fay┊͙ ˘͈ᵕ˘͈ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GODDDDD NO WAYYYYY!!!!!
WARNERS POV!!!!!!CANT WAITT🤭🤭😻

[⋆⭒˚.⋆ Eloise⋆⭒˚.⋆]

Pre-release: AYEEE WE FINALLY HAVE A RELEASE DATE!!! also Aaron’s pov?!?! SIGN ME TF UPPP

[littlefox]

A WARNER POV, THANK YOU TAHEREH MAFI FOR YOUR SERVICE 😩🙏🙏

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TRIPLE POV??? WHO’S THE THIRD?????

[౨ৎ]

warner pov. wtf.

[asra⭑.ᐟ (exam ⋆ ia)]

STOP EVERYTHING. AARON WARNER’S POV??? IS THIS FRICKING REAL?????

i’m about to claw the drywall, eat glass, and ascend- THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE DILF TO END ALL DILFS IS ABOUT TO SPEAK AND I HAVE TO WAIT TILL APIRL 2026????

no one talk to me until this is in my hands.

--------------

Rosabelle Wolff had a plan.
James Anderson had a plan.
Aaron Warner Anderson has a headache.

lmfao thats so aaron coded.

--------------

also that cover is insanely gorgeous 😍

[Yusra ☾]

………

[Tami]

Release Me is the second book in Shatter Me: The New Republic series set in the Shatter Me universe. It will be released on April 7, 2026.

The story is told from three POVs: the series’ protagonists, James Kent and Rosabelle Wolff, and Aaron Warner. The first chapter is in Warner’s POV.

Sneak peek from Warner's POV:




Kenji and Nazeera also appear in the story.

You do not need to read the original Shatter Me series before this one. However, you must read Watch Me, the first book in this series, before reading Release Me.

The special edition has a marshmallow theme. The author shared an image showing two marshmallows representing James and Rosabelle.