Reviewed: Watch Me by Tahereh Mafi – Spoilers

Watch Me by Tahereh Mafi is a spin off of Shatter Me series. The story is high stakes action, twists—plus, a hint of Juliette and Warner’s legacy, while some of the new characters are also introduced.

Well let’s dive into it but if you are into Romantasy or Fiction, and want a similar read you can checkout complete story at Trial of the Sun Queen by Nisha J. Tuli.

Book Review: Watch Me (Shatter Me The New Republic #1)

But before we dive in, let me be clear: I enjoyed it! (Mostly.) James Anderson, he’s charming & sarcastic . His banter is gold, and his legacy of being Warner’s little brother gives him major identity issues.

Rosabelle Wolff? A literal teenage assassin raised by AIs. Could be cool, right? But then, she’s just a little too robotic ….emotional depth, where are you?

The romance? It’s fine. Slow burn, enemies-to-lovers, but sometimes it felt like the tension was more forced than natural. They went from “kill each other” to “in love with you” in a way that made me raise an eyebrow. Like, really?

But here’s the deal: 3.0 stars. Yup, we’re right in the middle because while there was a lot to love, there was also a lot that didn’t quite landed.

The pacing is a bit slow in spots, and some of the emotional moments felt too unconvincing. That’s where the star came off for me. It’s a solid read, but it could’ve been more. Still, I’d read the next one. Maybe they’ll get it just right.

Also Read: Skyshade by Alex Aster

Watch Me by Tahereh Mafi Summary (Spoilers)

James Anderson might not technically have a plan, but he does have guts, and a legacy to look up to. Yes—he’s the son of Aaron Warner (recalling Shatter Me). And what does he do with that glorious bloodline? gets himself thrown into a prison on Ark Island. Iconic behavior.

“I don’t need a plan, I just need to be clever enough to make it look like I do.”

But James is there for a reason—he suspects The Reestablishment isn’t as dead as everyone thought. Spoiler alert: he’s right. Surprise! They’ve been quietly rebooting their villain era and they’ve got Rosabelle Wolff, a teenage assassin raised by AI overlords. She’s efficient & ruthless.

Naturally, the two are assigned to kill each other. (Because of course.) But instead of doing the murder, they share a cell, throw snarky insults, exchange tragic backstories, and oh—start catching serious feelings. Feelings that confuse Rosabelle so badly her AI watchdogs glitch. Literally.

Similar Read: Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli

On other side, James discovers the hidden truth behind everything that’s been going around, “the Reestablishment wants to clone Warner and Juliette’s powers” ( tho she’s still the most dangerous woman), and they’re using Rosabelle as the prototype & What’s worse? Rosabelle is a weapon made from Juliette’s own DNA.

Quotes:

‘If I’m going down, I’m taking you with me. And I mean that in the most romantic way possible.”

Final Verdict?

The final answer, The ending? Explosive. And leaves us asking: will love save them—or break them? And is James finally more than just “Warner’s little brother”?

Who should read it:

• Fans of enemies-to-lovers romance.(kinda slow burn)
• if you like dystopian setting storyline.
• Fans of forbidden romance with assassin love story.

Books like Watch Me by Tahereh Mafi:

• The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken
• Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
• The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

About the Author:

Tahereh Mafi is the NY Times bestselling author famous for her dystopian fiction books. Her most notable work include Shatter Me series which is national and international bestseller.

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