The young adult Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi is a dystopian narrative that blends the science fiction, fantasy, and romance genres to explore themes of self-discovery, power, and freedom. The story follows Juliette Ferrars, a young woman with the superhuman ability to kill anyone she touches, and begins with her imprisonment by the Reestablishment, a totalitarian government that controls society with fear and advanced technology. As the series progresses, Juliette grapples with her powers, her identity, and the oppressive regime while discovering she is capable of love and resistance against oppression.

The original trilogy starts with Shatter Me, in which Juliette is used as a weapon by the Reestablishment after her capture. She is imprisoned in a psychiatric hospital because of her ability to kill others with her touch; she is used and abused, but she also meets Adam Kent and his half-brother and her future love, Aaron Warner Anderson, or Warner. Both Adam and Warner are immune to Juliette’s lethal touch, which introduces the romantic element that starts between them. Throughout the story, she becomes entangled in a love triangle between Adam and Warner, whom she finds complex and cruel. Warner has power and authority and uses both to coerce Juliette into working for him. For a long time, there is only conflict and violence between Juliette and Warner, but they soon discover that their connection is based on love, much like the story between James and Rosa years later.

In the sequels, Unravel Me, Ignite Me, and the novella Restore Me, the story deepens with Juliette’s personal growth, leadership, and struggles in her relationships. She uncovers new truths about the Reestablishment, the nature of her powers, and the people around her. Defy Me and Imagine Me further develop the overarching narrative, with Juliette facing even greater obstacles, including betrayals and the battle to save the future of the world. The series ends with Juliette and Warner’s victory against the Reestablishment. What remains of the regime is exiled to Ark Island, while they establish a new government, the New Republic, and the novellas that end the series detail their efforts, as well as address the continuation of their personal relationship.

Watch Me is the first novel in a spin-off series of the Shatter Me series: Shatter Me: The New Republic. It focuses on protagonists Rosabelle Wolff and James Kent and takes place 10 years after Juliette and Warner organized a rebellion against the Reestablishment and established the New Republic, which Warner now rules. Rosa lives in what remains of the Reestablishment on Ark Island, while James, Warner’s younger brother, is a trusted member of the New Republic’s government. As the Reestablishment and the New Republic clash, Rosa and James begin on opposite sides of the conflict, but they are drawn together by circumstance and attraction, forcing them to reckon with their beliefs and loyalties.