Sweet Wicked Thing (Scream for Me Duet, #1)

Wow, wow, wow. Similar to how I felt when I read Little Bird Lost, I feel like this book melted my brain in the best way possible, because I finished it and just sat and stared at the wall for 10 or maybe 20 minutes marinating in how shook I was. Another five for my favorite author, that’s for sure. I present you with my thoughts: - I really appreciate that Jessie branched out with this one. There’s a mixed media element, there’s dark comedy, and there’s references and allusions galore, and it’s all a very fun time - Genuinely, I think the prologue will haunt me for the rest of my days. That whole scene was like a movie in my head, but also, I felt like I was there with them, in the room. That’s the kind of writer jessie is. She makes you hold your breath and forget that you’re reading. - If you like to read thrillers or any other kind of book that leaves you little breadcrumbs along the way and gets the gears in your head turning, you will love this. Because there are so many layers and so many little pieces that get revealed that build on bigger secrets. I could tell it was all very carefully thought out and laid out for the reader. Then you can go back and read everything with new eyes once you know what you know. - I always heavily annotate Jessie’s books, and this one is no exception. (497 highlights, to be exact). Immediately again from the prologue not only was I sucked into the story, but I was genuinely marveling at her writing abilities. She’s always been…

Love Jessie. Exiled was my first read of hers and now I’m hooked. This one is foster brothers until one goes to jail. When they reconnect under the oddest of circumstances, the athlete doesn’t want anything to do with him. It’s a bully romance, and it broke my heart in more than a few places. I need the next book asap!

Aston, Sweet Wicked Thing & Vale This book is the first in a dark rom-com MM romance duet. Aston & Vale have been through hell. They are foster brothers who will meet again after six years. I love Aston so much and love his bratty attitude.😈🪽 He can be so adorable and cute with his inner talks. Aston is obsessed and he has hearts eyes only for Vale. He is so in love with Vale that he can't help himself. He's doing everything to get Vale’s attention. Aston’s dream is for them to become lovers. He knows that “he is kind of a lot”. Vale is doing everything to reject Aston, he is falling for and becoming obsessed with Aston, too. Vale has secrets which will be revealed when the time comes. Their journey will continue in the next book. The mystery of k&lling, who is behind it, what happens next to Aston… Waiting patiently to read about Aston & Vale. Check the CW. This book is a masterpiece, beautifully written and with the characters who see the world with not so delicate humor.

I don't know what the motivations were for this storyline, but I'm heartbroken. Reading this on the heels of the JE Files, I feel like need to unpack with a therapist afterwards. The comedic relief was cute at first, but I just started to feel really vile about halfway through. One of the main characters is dark and dangerous, dishonestly running from himself and his past. The other main character is so tragically relatable, often subjecting himself to abuse in exchange for the smallest semblance of love and attention. Although he's by far innocent, I almost wished I could reach into the pages and hug him; to tell him that he is worth more than he's accepting; that his abuse does not have to define him. He needed more than what he was given and watching him on his lonely path, with people actively plotting against him, it broke me. Nevermind the plot holes, they all failed him and I can't believe there's a part two to this.

Ok… I need to collect my thoughts for a moment before we start, because.. wow… Story/Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5) Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️(3.5/5) Triggers: 🚨🚨🚨🚨(4/5) Some storyline hints below, but I will try not to spoil it! First off: DO NOT SKIP THE TRIGGER WARNINGS if you have triggers. I usually find myself saying “nah, I don’t have any triggers!” But this book tested that. Along with matters of mental health, the child abuse is a huge part of this book. It is emotional and disturbing and a major theme throughout. Also, be warned that this book ends on a cliffhanger. K. Let’s move on. This book is a dark MM romance about Aston and Vale. They become foster brothers at a very young age and quickly bond due to their shared traumas and in order to survive their foster home. A life changing night happens that forces the two apart, and they have no contact for the next 6 years. Happenstance has them reuniting senior year of high school when they are both 18. Aston is fresh out of an asylum and he is trying to figure out how to live life with normies. His character is so easy to love because he uses humor to cope and is a sassy twink who is aggressively protective of those he bonds with. That said, he is using humor to cover his darkness and is also an unreliable story teller due to blocking out past trauma. This leaves the reader with questions and mystery throughout the book. Vale is the star quarterback of the HS that Aston gets sent to. Vale is not as excited about…