Twice as Twisted

Willow Heights Prep Academy: The Enemy #1

by Selena .

This is book 1 in a duet.
More details & blurb coming soon.

Genres: Dark Romance, Abuse

349 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2025

About the author

You might not guess it when you pick up your first Selena novel, but Selena is a true romantic. She writes gritty, realistic New Adult contemporary novels with characters you'll love to hate and hate to love.

If reading about teens behaving badly upsets you, steer clear because these are full of drama, angst, fighting, drugs, sex, and rock & roll. There will be times you want to throw your Kindle. There will be lying, cheating, bullying, backstabbing, violence, and hard-earned, sweet redemption for those who won't give up on love. Because life's not always picture perfect, but every heart, no matter how broken and damaged, deserves love.

Reviews

[B Higgs · Rating 1 out of 5]

No just no. SPOILERS AHEAD. Also there is no warning of pedophilia thoughts from one of the MC. Now she does say if you have any triggers this isn’t the book for you but why on earth would I have thought that was going to be a part of this?!? Like wtf duke is having sexual thoughts about Olive a damn child!! He went down that dark hole while he was raping Mabel, after he drugged her..
I just can’t get over this, they practically just rape the mfc, taunt her, make fun of her, they rape her while she’s laying on a dying/dead man and even rape her aunt in front of her while she’s being is being raped by the other one. They also f*cked her mom. Like that’s disgusting.
And Blue poor Blue. Baron just abuses her, cuts her up, literally opens her up and f*cks her intestines and sews her back up afterwards, he tortures hers for months and months. Then sorry to tell yall but because the mfc finds out and she demands it they kill Blue. Also did Harper just give up looking for her, because that’s how it seems like she’s just forgotten all about her.
F*ck this book, it and those characters can die in a fiery death. I’m not one that’s triggered easily but that has stayed with me even after I stopped reading. I hope none get a HEA I hope they all die in book 2.
Now I do understand that some people literally have no trigger and they know it’s just a book but those pedophilia thoughts, and the raping her aunt in front of her while she’s being raped over a dead guy broke me. Not of sadness it just broke me and makes me feel sick to have read that.
But if you’re okay with all that, then I guess read it.

[Hunter Mosswood · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not a dark romance. It’s torture porn.

I had such high hopes for this book and the one that’s to come after this. I can’t begin to express how disappointed I am with the whole book. Again, not dark romance. The characters all made me feel gross. The time jumps and POV changes were meh but their personalities went all over the place.

This was so disjointed and just didn’t flow, at all. I wish I could unread it.

EDIT: apparently this has been listed as “horror romance”. Sure great, that wasn’t entirely my issue. (I love horror, and splatter punk)

This is to follow up my original review now that I’ve had a chance to process more.

The book felt rushed and written without remembering what was established with the characters to begin with.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, mine is this is the worst book as far as actual story telling that Selena has put out.

It’s beyond disappointing to have characters she’s established and you’re genuinely interested in their story for it all to feel like this was a bother to right and that she hated writing it. Maybe she didn’t but that’s what it felt like.

I still don’t really know who Mable is as a person and why exactly she’s like this.

Anyway, MEH

[Malanala · Rating 1 out of 5]

The long wait is finally here and I felt as though I read a "let's get this out of the way" type of story.

This is a horrormance, but this should have just been a HORROR.

None of the main characters were likable, and I hate that they may get an undeserved HEA. The book felt rushed and I never understood what the true focus was about. Just like it was mentioned in the beginning there is no romance, absolutely 0. Mabel and the twins have no chemistry with each other. So we the readers are forced to be uncomfortable with this relationship. Duke would have certainly benefitted from having his own story told without his twin and even Mabel involved because she has a clear number 1 and number 2 thing going on between them. Was hoping this was a Rain King situation where they would have their own love interests because I was not feeling the whole sharing thing with twins. I didn't get the whole Batman analogy that was going on either. In what world is Batman similar to Baron?

Mabel was a complete letdown. I was already over getting to know her after a long time since her story kept getting dangled throughout Harper's books with no direct insight into who she was. I'm supposed to believe she's this innocent shy girl, but she's just as much a terrible human being as Baron and Duke, which is why they probably feel drawn to her. Because they suck too.

Duke is disappointing...his POV is just plain sad. He's insecure about being a 3rd wheel and living in his twin's shadow, but that's his reality. He never truly fights to change and will continue to take orders from Baron. How do I believe he loves Mabel when they don't even understand each other? Why were there weird implications between him and Olive who is a literal child?

As for Baron, well, it took a while but Selena finally got me to despise this character. He may have played the villain well in Harper's books, but in this one, he was a straight demon from hell. The only way I can be satisfied with him is if he died a gruesome death. A life for a life.

The twins were better off as side characters. I don't know what this was.

RANT- Spoilers
I will discuss Blue and her fate because it affected how I viewed the whole story. Blue...who I thought would one day have her story told because that's what was implied in all her cameos in the Exile series and even the CCL series, is DEAD. An abused character, who leaves to get a better life for her sister, continues to get abused in the worst way is DEAD. A character who ended up as a sacrifice with her only crime was that she was a kind and good sister to Olive is DEAD. And the worst part is Baron, Duke and Mabel will sleep soundly at night with a HEA. They will forget Blue and all the evil they committed. I hate this! I hate that my favorite side character was used as a plot device. And I hate that one day Olive will look back and believe her sister hated her! What a terrible end for someone with a terrible life.

I truly did want to get to know Blue and wanted to know all about her home life and time at Faulkner High since she's apparently looked down upon and has a reputation that we'll never know about. What lead her to leave town and ask Harper for help? What was going on with her????

Blue's name is never mentioned at all in this book. They call her Jane. Harper never looks for her or reports her missing at all. She just gets disrespected to the bitter end. R.I.P to a good character who deserved more, I don't know why but Selena must have hated her to the point where she was tired of fans asking about her.

Even worse...I never expected Mabel would be a reason for an innocent to die and why? Because she was jealous? Well then she can die too!
Blue>>>>>Mabel

I will continue to be in denial about what happened with her because I won't be reading the next one unless she comes back and murders them all. It was sickening how she was used as a punching bag and was physically and verbally harmed to the point of death. Maybe I wasn't supposed to be so attached to her or cry as much but Blue deserved so much more since characters like Dixie are allowed to be happy.

[✨ Katee · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am disappointed.

This is NOT a dark romance like the cover and the authors description of herself here on goodreads might make you think. It's disgusting horror. Do not be fooled by the cover.
There was nothing likable about anyone here, I was rooting for everyone to just die already.

First of all, Selena can write. She is good at creating an intriguing atmosphere and writes her characters so well you might think they are real living breathing people.
My problem is the content, or rather where the plot in this book is going. Nowhere good.
I cannot for the life of me, rate a book like this better than 1 star, even with the authors aforementioned obvious talent for writing.

So if you read the other books in the Faulknerverse you already know the twins and you've heard of Mabel. If you are an even below average decent person, you hate them, especially after the ending of the third book of the Bad Apple Series. Which is not my reason for this bad rating, you can hate a character and still find the book enjoyable. I hated Royal and still read his books.

Now you know about how the twins were sooooo obsessed with Mabel, especially Duke. And if you've read the other books, read the ending of the bad apple series, and got a few hints here and there then you might think you know where this was going. Well, no.

This book suffers from the same problem her other Faulknerverse series "The Envy" did, as in: it is absolutely messy and chaotic. Not as badly as that other series, but still.

I felt like back with Devlin and Crystals story, even with Harpers and Royals, the author still held the thread of the plot in her hand, but everything after that just went to chaos.
For example: characters that formerly had a certain opinion of themselves/someone/something, just completely change it 1000 times throughout the story, you never know what is actual fact about someones personality and what not because the facts change all the time.
The characters contradict themselves with their actions and words all the time and I honestly got whiplash.

Now here is what I thought, based on the previous books, would be the dynamic:

We know that Duke and Baron messed with Mabel until she skipped town. We also know that Duke regrets a lot and actually misses her and thinks he loves her. Duke, not Baron. Baron is incapable of feelings and just wants her back for Duke.
In the end of the Bad Apple books, Baron picks up Blue as a hitchhiker. Fans are speculating wether or not he might get with Blue or what will happen to her, and Duke with Mabel.

Now in this book it's apparently more Baron-Mabel than Duke-Mabel? It seems she doesn't even like Duke? We know they fooled her by acting like the other twin, but still, especially the final chapter, one might think it's a Baron-Mable book and Duke is just kinda there in the background (which Mable actually says).

As for Blue? Well, what happened to her character is 90% of the reason that this is a 1 star read for me, it put me in a bad mood for the whole day. This literally ruined the read for me, she did not deserve that.

Duke is even more of a pathetic weak coward, he should burn in hell, and Baron is truly, truly evil. It was disgusting reading chapters from his POV, I just wanted him to die.

Mabel is a bitch, and I fail to understand what makes her so special. Spoiler, it's absolutely nothing.
I hated her from the moment she got to the basement and saw Baron TORTURING Blue and got jealous from that and demanded they get "rid of her". I hope she dies too.

Now, the only thing that could save this series is if Mabels behavior was all a ploy to get the twins to trust her and she is actually working toward their demise and somehow concocted a plan with Blue to only make it look like Blue is dead? Pretty improbable but there were some hints (Mabel talking to Blue alone about something, Mable being ready for the Dolces to find her and alluding to some secrets she has kept from them, her constantly being compared to a Black Widow (yes please kill them and then set yourself on fire))
Now that I think about it maybe she had their baby and its going to be revealed in the next book since Duke went on and on about wanting to be a father, ew.

You will need to have read the other books taking place in Faulkner to understand this one.

I know the claim is "dark romance" and "you have been warned" and whatever, but I feel the author is working towards a HEA for those three and in her goodreads bio she speaks of "There will be lying, cheating, bullying, backstabbing, violence, and hard-earned, sweet redemption for those who won't give up on love. Because life's not always picture perfect, but every heart, no matter how broken and damaged, deserves love" and I just want to say: no. No, someone who kidnaps, tortures, starves and cuts someones belly up to rape that wound (!!!!!) is not deserving of anything but a gruesome death and I have faith that the author will deliver. Otherwise, how could you write such monsters and look at yourself in the mirror after having given them happily ever afters?


Triggering things in this book that I can think of (or rather things that pissed me off):

-mentions of p*dophilia
-horrible violence
-so much rape and sexual violence
-torture
-maiming, mutilation
-strangulation
-starvation
-captivity
-murder/death

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was already nervous to read this and I’m pretty disappointed and disturbed by the outcome. The story was not at all going where I thought it was after the lead in from other books related to the series. Duke’s direction sucked. Blue…I’m devastated by the things that were done to her. My biggest problem with this book is Selena always has disturbing themes, but they’re tied in to the plot of the story and the “can they get over the worst things” themes. Here all the disturbing things felt overly gratuitous, like it needed to go up ten thousand notches, be messed up for the sake of being messed up and not because it served the plot. It didn’t. And why? Just why on some of the messed up crap in this book. I won’t be continuing. It read like someone took Hostel and tried to mesh it with a romance. No thanks.

[Lee Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow

I am not one to be a DNF'er or leave a bad review ever but....I have never had any triggers but this book was absolutely disgusting. There are just no words or reason writing needs to be so vial. I have read most of her other books and enjoyed them even though there were things that went past that line. But this book goes so far past that line it is unspeakable.

[Cher · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my first time writing a review. I usually don’t, but I’ve been so invested in Selena’s books that I felt I had to. I’ve read many of her previous works and really enjoyed the Crystal and Devlin books. I especially loved the Harper and Royals books—they’re ones I’ve reread multiple times. Naturally, I’ve been waiting forever for the Dolce twins books, and I was most excited about Blue and Baron. Unfortunately, this one was a major letdown.

To start, I’ve never really been interested in Mabel. And from her previous appearances in the book, I already struggled to connect with her or feel anything much for her. She felt flat and dull as a character. She still feels like a total stranger and it felt like there was no character development. Felt super rushed. I couldn’t empathize with her, and I found myself wanting to skip her parts. As for her dynamic with the twins, it didn’t feel much of a romantic connection —it just felt like obsession without love.

Blue, on the other hand, is someone I loved from the other books, because we’ve known her longer. What happened to her was beyond disturbing. The torture scenes, especially the one where Baron cut her abdominal, and not giving her food or treating her like a human. Got me beyond angry. I honestly hope if Baron and Mabel get together they have the most unhappy ever after. Unless there's some way to make it up to Blue. Like she comes back from the dead and one of the twins fall for her... though even redemption might not be possible—I don’t think they deserve peace.

Baron was one of my favorite characters in earlier books, but in this one, he was a character I rather see dead. Duke wasn’t as bad, and I could still see some potential in his character. If he gets a HEA with someone else, I’d be okay with that.

As for a Baron and Mabel pairing? Absolutely not. If they end up together, I honestly hope it’s in death. That’s how strongly I disliked both of them in this book.

Most disappointing of all, there was no real romance here. There was no chemistry between anyone. Even if the book was meant to be dark, I still expected at least some meaningful romantic connection—especially for Blue, who deserved so much better. Honestly the only hint romance I felt was Baron being pissed thinking about Duke sleeping with Jane. Cause he has no problem sharing Mabel with Duke, but he did seem to have a problem with Jane sleeping with his brother? So if she's still alive I hope the author explores that more.

In summary: this book was disappointing. The characters felt off, the story was emotionally hollow, and the one character I liked was treated horribly. I’m still hoping for a HEA for Blue. But if the next book focuses only on Baron, Duke, and Mabel, I honestly hope none of them make it out alive.

[Nickyboy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is really fucked. Like dark romance isn’t the right genre for this but more like horror porn. Reading this I felt not connection to the characters and so I had no emotions whatsoever when reading this. Why is Baron a love interest? That guy was just disgusting and I honestly wanted to bleach my brain reading his POV. I love dark romance and I’ve read haunting Adeline so trigger don’t really bother me but this was just too much to the point it was just distasteful.

[MJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think we've all been looking forward to the twins and Selena did not disappoint. Mabel might become one of my favorite females in the Faulkner universe. Really getting a look inside Baron's head is both frightening and addictive. Duke is always interesting. I look forward to the next book

[ArycaReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️ | Twice as Twisted by Selena
I really enjoyed the Bad Apple series, so I was excited when the twins finally got their own book—they were way too complex to stay side characters. I was ready for dark… but I wasn’t quite ready for this.

Some of the horror elements caught me off guard—not because I’m sensitive to triggers (I usually love dark romance), but because a few scenes were genuinely disturbing. This book had a very different tone than the previous ones, and not necessarily in a way I loved.

Honestly, I was a little disappointed. None of the characters felt redeemable—not even a little—and I like my dark boys to at least give me something to root for. It takes a lot to rattle me, and this one did. Just not in the way I hoped.

[Shyla S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome back to the Faulkner Universe. Twice as Twisted is book 1 of a duet in Selena's new spinoff series, Willow Heights Prep Academy. We are back in Willow Heights.. back to the twisted/depraved twins, Duke & Baron (the Dolce boys are back!)

The story kicks off and doesn't let up... you are on a dark, chaotic, diabolical ride. When you thought you've seen/read it all... you haven't. I went in knowing the twins were psychos, but Twice as Twisted showed & put them on another level.

𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙤/𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙚 = Duke & Baron Dulce (twins) and Mabel Darling
𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 = yes
𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 = ehh.... (If you read the Willow Heights series, you will get an intro to all characters and understand the dynamics & history of all characters relationships).
𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙚(𝙨) = DARK Romance • "Horrormance" • some MM • Second Chance? lol • Twins! • Multiple POVs
𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨 = Language • Sexual content (dub con/non con) • Drugs/Alcohol • Murder/Torture/Fighting • Pedophile/Prey •
NOTE: the author warns you MULTIPLE times before about triggers. There are A LOT.
𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 = ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (still trying to process what I read!)

[Charlotte · Rating 1 out of 5]

Im not usually one for giving out one star reviews but i kinda thought I knew what was coming in this book and I read the trigger warnings before delving into it. To say I was disappointed is an understatement. I did read it all the way through but I struggled to find any redeeming qualities that I liked from any of the main characters to be honest.

I didn't like either Baron or Duke. Blue was a character who just seemed to be there to be tortured. Whereas Mabel was a contradiction of a character being a serial killer/vigilante, victim and so called Prey (what Baron & Duke regarded her as). I couldn't get my head around that. I've read other books featuring other Willow Heights characters and apart from one of Harper's books I've liked reading them but this one was just not for me I'm afraid. I sadly won't be reading the next book.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars! ★★★★★
“SECOND WARNING: If you have a trigger, ANY trigger, stop reading. It is in this book.”

“One day, I’m going to kiss you and ruin your life.”

This book sucked the air out of my lungs after every chapter. This was not a cute romance. There is nothing redeeming about these two brothers. Vile, evil, deranged and hot with huge eggplants.

Some parts had even me cringing and looking up at the ceiling while I learned how to breathe again. It was intense. From beginning to end, these two brother will stop at nothing to get Mabel in their grasp. Stalking , killing is nothing to them.

Twice as Twisted by Selena is not for the faint of heart but I must say, it’s takes a special brave person to publish a book like this and I thank you. I mean, after you read the sh!t Baron did to Jane…holy sh!t.

[Darkreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not quite sure how I feel about this one. Horror-mance is the right name for sure, with a much bigger element of horror than romance. I cringed many times while reading this. The entire Jane subplot???!!! The bigger issue for me is that I didn't really feel emotion while reading this like I did with Harper and Royal. Their story was quite brutal, but it evoked emotion. Here, I felt disconnected and like I was reading something written for shock value. I didn't really get to know Mabel very well. And the twins... Duke is clearly in love with Colt and struggling with his own sexuality. Baron and Mabel make sense on paper, until one of them kill the other. Also, back to Jane, because wat was that??? I was really looking forward to the twins, especially Baron and this left me hollow and like he's a much more basic version of who I thought he might have been. Selena is a talented writer and that hasn't changed. This is very well written, but I question whether she herself knows where she is going with these characters. I guess we'll see...

[Taylor Aragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

(BIIIIIIG TRIGGER WARNING)

This was both horrifying and also once of Selena’s best books. It was pitch BLACK. I don’t know if I have ever read anything quite this dark. For the first 30%, I wasn’t sure I could keep reading it. It felt almost like it was trying too hard to be dark.

But I think Selena’s real goal was her rich characterization that I have come to love her for. Mabel, Duke, and Baron all had such incredibly different POVs. I learned so much about them in this book. Baron ended up being a lot more fucked up than I thought he was, and that is kind of addressed in Duke’s POVs where he says that Baron has reached new levels that even he didn’t think he was capable of.

First, on Duke:

“It’s the first time he’s tasted me since that day in the basement, after we fucked up his sister but before the worst things we did to her; when my brothers and I put him on his knees and then stood there looking at each other, like “What now?” I don’t think any of us knew what to do then. We knew what needed to be done, but Royal and Baron weren’t going to do it, so I did. I did what needed to be done. I took my dick out, and I fucked Colt’s virgin mouth until I came, and he threw up on my feet.”

“Feeding the demon. That’s what Baron called it. The more I give it, the bigger it grows, and the bigger it grows, the hungrier it gets, and the more it needs to sustain life.”

“Fuck, she’s wrong though. I’ve never felt something so perfect, so right, in all my life. “You can,” I promise her, kissing her trembling lips. “God, I fucking love you, Mabel Darling. Take all of me. I know you can do it.” “No,” she cries. “I can’t, Duke. Please, you have to stop.” “I can’t,” I say. “I have to feel you. You’re too fucking good.”

“I want to keep filling her until she explodes, until she’s as round and swollen as a water balloon, her belly stretched as tightly around my baby as her cunt is around my cock. I want to give her a thousand babies, so she can never leave me because she needs me as much as I need her. I thrust again and again, erratic and rhythmless, even as my erection flags. I can’t stop fucking her. I’ll never stop, no matter how much it hurts her. It feels too good to stop.”

“Duke runs over and jumps onto the sofa on his knees, bouncing the couple under him. “Mabel’s fucking a dead guy,” he crows, shoving the guy down with each bounce. “His dick’s still inside you, isn’t it, little sicko?” “Get him off!” she cries in pure panic, bracing her palms on his shoulders and trying to shove the corpse off her. “You’re doing a good job of that all by yourself,” I say. “Can dead guys cum?” Duke asks, cackling as he drops onto his hands and knees, thrusting his hips against the other man’s ass to push him harder into Mabel.”

“We’re lions tearing apart the bed in our mating frenzy. Then I’m back, and I’m fucking that girl in the room in our Fifth Avenue apartment while Dad watches, telling me how to make her wet, make her cum. I’m Dad, pushing his son aside and licking her pussy, showing him how it’s done. I’m Baron, watching. I’m Baron in the basement, fucking Jane’s guts out through a hole he carved in her abdomen. I’m Jane, begging him to take my ass instead. I’m Colt, walking into the basement, seeing what’s happening. I’m Duke, standing over Colt while he kneels, choking on my cock until I cum down his throat. I’m Colt, his fist in my hair and his dick in my ass, slamming into me under the treehouse in their grandfather’s backyard. I’m Mabel, taking my place under that tree, taking her brother’s pierced cock in her ass until she screams for mercy. I’m Mabel, her sore pussy stretched around both me and Baron, screaming and sobbing and begging us to let her go. I’m myself, giving her mercy and sliding into her ass instead. I’m Olive, climbing into my lap—Not that one.”

So many ugly parts of Duke are explored. How he’s the fun comic relief character but he feels that he needs to constantly use drugs or women in order to suppress his darker urges. It even explores his feelings for Olive, which he is confused by. I think a lot of people have misconstrued his feelings towards her. He never once has a sexually explicit thought about Olive. But she is important to him. So he thinks about her sometimes, and he’s never cared about any woman that he wasn’t related to or he wanted to have sex with. It all kind of adds to the aspect that Duke doesn’t know who the fuck he is without pleasure seeking or loyalty. At least that is how I perceived it. I don’t think Selena would ruin a lovely character like Duke by making him a pedophile.

On Baron:

”How shall I have her sing for her supper?” Baron muses, looking pleased with himself. “I can cut into her abdomen and let you fuck her intestines. I did that a few times. It’s easier than you’d think. You have to make sure not to slice through the muscles, but go between them. It feels just like a pussy, but the blood and the screaming are so much better than what you can get from even the roughest anal.”

“That’s right,” I say, sliding the frozen rod in and out of her. “Hold your tongue like you did for your grampa. Save up those banshee screams for when you take our cocks.”

“This is your fault,” I remind her. “You knew what you were doing. Just like it’s your fault we raped your aunt. And for what? To save yourself a little pride? It’s not like I even asked you to lie.”

“If you try to go to the police, we’ll come back, and this time, we’ll fuck you with the knife blade before our dicks. Then we’ll take turns fucking your bloody hole and tearing it bigger and bigger while you bleed out. Fucking a woman to death seems like the ultimate act of a god.”

“The fact that I can kill, but I choose not to, proves that I am all-powerful. As a god, I choose who lives too, after all. It’s not just about taking lives. That would make me a murderous psycho, not a god. I’m one level up from an ordinary man, even a king like Duke or a queen like Mabel. They’ll worship me because that’s what I need, and I’ll protect them as they need.”

Baron is a monster. A truly horrendous, sadistic monster. He acts like he does the things he does because they’re experiments, but the truth is he gets off on other people’s pain. What he did to Jane is truly unfathomable. I really loved him as a character in Harper and Royal’s series, but I fear I do not like him in this one. That said, I am still entertained by him. He’s interesting to read about in the same way serial killers are interesting to watch documentaries on.

On Mabel:

”It started the way so many love stories start. Boy meets girl. Boy wants girl. No one has ever looked at girl before. Girl gives in. Girl goes mad.”

“Over the years I learned that when people say they want the truth, what they really want is to have their own beliefs confirmed.”

I liked her! She’s an odd girl. I don’t know why she loves Baron and Duke. Clearly something is seriously wrong with her, and that was even more conclusively hinted at in the scene at the end.

So like… it is mentioned several times that Baron scares her cat. But at the end of the book, when Baron comes in he is petting her cat and the cat is loving it. And he’s looking at her very strangely and lovingly. She mentions it’s out of character for him. It’s also mentioned that neither Baron nor Mabel have been killing those men she’s been dating. And the body disappeared from the beach house. Oh, and Mabel states multiple times how she freaks out about how she can’t tell them apart and is scared they are switching.

This might be a total crackpot theory but like… what if there is a third? Like they were triplets. I know that sounds absolutely batshit but the only other explanation I can think of is that Mabel has dissociative identity disorder with “Dahlia” and I am overthinking the cat thing.

I don’t know but I am VERY intrigued.

[mariANetta · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has heavy spoilers!

I'm going to be completely honest. I have never once reviewed on goodreads. Sometimes amazon, but most of the time, I'm a reader who stays behind the scenes, that is, until
I read Twice as Twisted, featuring Duke and Baron. I just couldn't keep quiet any longer after what I've just read. I mean, everyone waited for the twins story for YEARS since the ending of Blood Empire and fans wanted to know how characters like Baron can be a love interest we'll actually like. How Baron and Duke can be redeemed, if not redeemed, maybe we can understand them and they'll be likable characters we can root for? I mean they're only morally grey characters, right? They can't be that bad, RIGHT? Because with this story we'll FINALLY get the mystery of what went down with Mabel and the twins and because Harper's story never explicitly states what was going on with Blue, maybe we'll find out about her now?

…

Yeah no, it never happened.

The hype. The mystery. The suspense and how fun and dark we thought this might turn out was excruciatingly disappointing with shallow pitch black elements added in because it's supposed to be a horrormance, emphasis on horror. I don't have triggers, but I was triggered by the lack of plot, and story and how there were little to no emotions that made me feel for the main 3 characters. You can tell just by reading that the author had no love for the characters she wrote for at all. It doesn't matter how popular the twins may be, you can just tell how below mid this was written compared to her other books.

I'm someone who cares about consistency in story, and there were several inconsistencies in this one. Dixie for example has said in her monologue in Filthy Elite, that she was “pure” and “untouched” by the Dolces. Yet Baron said he got with Dixie at some point. How?

My interest was curious, but already low while reading. The tension and chemistry between the heroine and the “love interests” was not there and relied too much on shock value. An incredibly disappointing read when we've been waiting for years on Mabel, who I was less thrilled to read about already. I suspected she wasn't going to be much since her past mentions were already hollow to begin with. While I was slightly curious about her in Harper's story, Mabel only confirmed my suspicions of being a boring and unlikable character when I read this one.

I didn't get why or how the twins were so enchanted by Mabel and what made her different from every other girl (She's never cried as a baby and has an aversion to touch, wow so different.) Duke was sooooo into this girl, except he also wasn't? He was more into Colt, which I had hoped that plot point died in the last story, if only because of how weak it made Duke's character out to be. Baron was soooo curious about Mabel and thinks she's the most fascinating being for the most basic shit.

To add context, Let's say Baron would believe Mabel's favorite color to be pink, but BUT Ha Ha that's wrong! she'd uno reverse Baron and say IT'S BEEN SILVER THIS WHOLE TIME 😈!!! Then Baron would say how cunning her mind is and how he just HAS to study it, because, wow, Mabel Darling has surprised him yet again 🙄.

I'm not into the ‘Not like other girls’ trope. Other than being a female version of Baron, she is not an established character. She feels like a blank canvas, adding cool shit on it to make her colorful, only to see it turned out to be a glob of a mess. And that makes me sad. I wanted to like and root for her but I don't get nor understand her motives or what she's trying to accomplish.

“You can go find her as soon as you graduate. I don’t give a fuck about her.” - Royal Dolce (Blood Empire)

Yes, Royal…despite my mixed feelings about you, I should have followed your example and ignored this story focused on Mabel. The girl was all over the place, but she wasn't the only one.

“Baron’s a mystery you didn’t see at all, one you didn’t know needed solving.” -Harper Apple (Brutal Boy)

But is he really? The guy has mommy issues. I used to like Baron, despite him being the mastermind in Royal and Harper's story I still thought he was the most cool and interesting, but turns out he's pretty basic.

I also don't like him much anymore.

“I think to myself. This guy isn’t just cold, his heart is made of ice. Royal can make himself that way, but there’s some switch he flips inside to get there. But Royal feels. He feels a whole fucking lot, probably more than he wants to. Enough that he goes into that dead-eye mode to protect himself. Baron, though… Baron’s ice cold to the core.” - Harper Apple (Blood Empire)

I knew he was detached. I knew he was unfeeling and cruel. As a secondary character, it made him a fun villain. But as a main character who is meant to be a “love interest”? It did not resonate a bad boy who you think could be fixed, but cruel psychpath who murders hobos off the street for no reason other than being bored. It doesn't matter that he's dark (more pitch black), he just doesn't evoke male lead in a story that's supposed to be about him and Duke. And he lacked all the layers that would protect him from being a surface level character.

At this point, Baron feels like he's evil for the sake of being evil. His rotten behavior, his depravity was taken up a notch x10000 after Harper's story ended. Baron isn't even an anti hero or morally grey. Just evil incarnate that hurts innocent people just because. Baron is not Royal, not King, or like any other male character we've read from Selena so far. If I were to expect any similarities, I thought it would be Lennox, but Lennox isn't evil either. He isn't a sadist for the hell of it like it feels for Baron. Lennox has character depth, flaws and development. Baron is surprisingly bland and we've known him far longer too.

Also, Baron's “hangup” would have sounded interesting and unique if explored more, but it’s only giving rapist in the making. Again, it's clear he has mommy issues and some weird middle school syndrome because the guy deems himself a God…

There was one comment, which I think was meant to be a joke because of the irony of him saying he would never beat women. That “joke” was of poor taste considering it was after he tortured Jane and he did in fact beat and kick her in the story(woman beater should be its own warning, but it wasn't there so whatever). And I'm pretty sure there were implications of this character being physically abused in Harper's books, but it was never said from what or how. So it felt like a very odd joke to make toward a person I think is an abuse victim. Idk there are certain kinds of evil that shouldn't be made to poke fun at.

I do not love to hate him..
or even hate to love him…
I just despise him!

NEXT!!!

“...And Duke, well, he’s a mystery who pretends he’s already been solved.” -Harper Apple (Brutal Boy)

There is something wrong with Duke Dolce. I used to like him too, but he’s been really pathetic in this story. I would have thought him the perfect lead for someone and he was the complete opposite. But he was made to be the biggest loser and sidekick for Baron.

Maybe it's the writing, but his relationship with Mabel felt as forced as Baron’s relationship with her. His once wholesome relationship with Olive is disturbing now. Duke is the most confusing, not even complicated, character. His writing felt all over the place. Like is Duke really gay? He thinks about Colt way too much even when around Mabel. I thought there was some deeper meaning behind it, that maybe he was bisexual because according to Colt

“With Duke, it’s not as simple as saying he only likes girls, but just like there’s a shade of grey to the black of his soul, there’s a layer to his sexuality that goes beyond that. He only admits this craving to me, and I happen to be a man, but it’s unrelated to his sexual preference. Just because he likes to crawl in the dirt and be humiliated until he cries, that doesn’t make him any less straight. It probably makes him a good candidate for boot camp.” - Colt Darling (Filthy Elite)

So he's straight? Lmao, yeah right!

Colt pretty much states that his sexuality is complex and can't just be labeled as one thing, but it’s too hard to believe considering Duke sucking Colt's dick for the hell of it and Colt letting him, despite already being with Lo. The humiliation fetish makes sense though.

If Baron is a sadist then Duke must be a masochist.

Duke can cry about never being acknowledged as the “nice guy” who always gets blamed, but he needs to accept that he's never been a hero. He's not Batman or Robin or even the joker. He's just a clown waiting to fill his role.

“Blue’s the opposite. She’s the kind of person who would boost me up, stand there and let me climb onto her shoulders and scramble up, even knowing she’d be left behind.” - Harper Apple (Blood Empire)

I will never truly know her because she wasn't a prominent side character in even Harper's story or this story, never got a pov. But she was the only character I had no problem with. I loved everything about her in the Exile. But my main issue is how all Blue did was do nothing but get abused by all the characters in this story. Did she deserve it?

No. She most certainly did not.

“She understands me because we’re the same somehow, even if she’s quiet and shy and I’m loud and prone to getting picked up by the cops. We never judge each other for our differences. I don’t think she’s weak because I know better, even if I’d do things differently. I don’t know her life, but I know she has her reasons, just like I have mine.” - Harper Apple (Blood Empire)

And we will never know.

Blue was a character I was looking forward to the most. She had a story and mystery to be told that felt intentional in the way Selena wrote her. I'll give the receipts to those who weren't paying enough attention and are defending her fate in this story as if Blue didn't have WAY more set up for a story to be told than the twins and mabel.

“Maybe she’d tell me why her mother can’t work and if the rumors last year were true, that she fell down the stairs at Faulkner High on purpose because she couldn’t afford a baby or an abortion.” - Harper Apple (Bad Apple)

Did she fall on purpose? Well did she?

“She tripped and fell down the stairs at Faulkner a few years ago. Maybe she is clumsy. If that’s what she wants me to believe, I won’t question it.” - Harper Apple (Broken Doll)

Was she clumsy? Am I supposed to believe something else?

“...and I wonder not for the first time where she gets her bruises. I’ve never seen her at the Slaughterpen, but I’m not naïve enough to think that’s where most girls get hit.” - Harper Apple (Broken Doll)

What happened to her Selena…? What was going on with Blue???

“That blue-haired girl killed her baby!”“Our church group went down to Little Rock to protest at a clinic a few years ago, and we saw her going in with her mom,” - (Casing Chase London: Midseason)

I'm so done bro. Something was up with this character but the story treats her like a nobody. Somebody without layers and a story that was clearly there. It was like I was reading a Faulknerverse book set in another parallel universe or something.

Blue had the perfect foundation, we care because we actually know her. To say I'm biased is correct. To say I was looking forward to seeing Blue, and not Mabel is also correct. Like what happened to her was incredibly depressing and unfair. And I wouldn't fault those who didn't enjoy the read solely because of her fate. My day was certainly ruined because of it too.

If Selena wasn't going to do anything with the character, she could have just killed Blue off before the start of the story or better yet not have created that mystery around her. I wouldn't have minded any of the torture scenes if it wasn't done to a character we've known and loved. Because again, what purpose did she serve in this story? What was the point of her getting kidnapped and held against her will? I abhor stories that have pointless deaths just to show how dark it is. Her death didn't make any sense other than to just get rid of the character and make Mabel look good.

And on the relationship between the 3 main characters, well, it was not good. This isn't the type of love story where you hope they work things out despite the toxicity. I would hate it if they got together because I don't want good things for Mabel, Duke, and Baron. I want them to suffer and die for what they did.

Even though it was stated on multiple occasions Duke's feelings toward Mabel in Colt's books, this story shows Mabel's initial interest is only in Baron. So much so that Duke worries about not being included because Mabel seems to only want Baron. Duke is basically considered the added bonus that isn't needed. For some reason, it's Baron who is number 1 to her 🤮.

I feel like I missed something about Mabel's allure toward Baron. I didn't feel it or get it. Mabel had a clear goal for Baron and it wasn't building a relationship with him or getting to know him just like his was to sabotage her. Just look at these quotes!

“the realization that I know what he wants to hear, and if I tell him, he’ll like it, and he won’t be able to help but liking me more for it. If I want him, I can give him what he wants, so he wants me too.”- Mabel Darling (Twice as Twisted)

“I can weave a web that he climbs into willinglybecause he thinks I’m everything he wants,something I’ve never dared to do. The thought of something so novel, so new I’ve never considered it before, intrigues me.Maybe I could even break his heart.”- Mabel Darling (Twice as Twisted)

“Baron, lifting his glass to toast with us, clinking his glass against ours. Baron, watching from the balcony when we looked up from playing in the water.Baron, wiping the smile from her face when she remembered that he was above such things, and therefore, she should be too.”- Duke Dolce (Twice as Twisted)
*Le sigh* Can anyone tell me what these 3 passages have in common? It's fairly simple.

What's crazy is that even when Baron has Mabel, there is still no satisfaction on his side to be loyal. Not with what I read. It was one thing not having her around and getting with other girls, but it’s another thing completely that he does have her and STILL feels the need to have Jane as a clutch. Even Duke has made it necessary not to mess with anyone who isn't Mabel while trying to win her back, and Baron was hesitant to do the same. “Jane” would have been in that basement forever to live out a twisted fantasy.

But then we have scenes in the past where Mabel had her heartstrings pulled by Duke.

“...I could have read you a passage and made you squirm,” he says, walking his fingers up the back of my hand, sending a warm buzzing through my body that unsettles me. I want to tell him to stop touching me, that I don’t like it, but for some reason I don’t. Maybe I don’t want him to know something about me that might invite questions. Or maybe I don’t want him to stop. The thought is startling, dizzying. Terrifying.” - Mabel Darling about Duke Dolce (Twice as Twisted)

“I find my breath catching, my body drawn forward before I can stop it, as if his magnetism is irresistible even for a girl made of nothing but blank cardboard.” - Mabel Darling (Twice as Twisted)

“I wrinkle my nose, and he laughs again, a quiet sound. Our eyes catch, and there’s a moment, just a heartbeat, that’s weighted with something strange and electric.” - Mabel Darling Twice as Twisted” - Mabel Darling (Twice as Twisted)

Can someone tell me what these 3 passages have in common when it comes to Mabel and her feelings? Because I would think it was Duke she liked. I'd go as far as to say their scenes felt more special. Sadly, those moments between Duke and Mabel were the ONLY time I felt some romantic chemistry and good couple banter. Duke going cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs in some scenes for her was never the problem. It was the pacing, characterization, and interactions that I had a problem with.

And you know what? Duke's and Mabel's feelings aren't the only ones who are all over the place either. Because then you have Baron, who is just as confusing and odd, because if you squint, and I mean really squint, you'll know what I mean. Remember when I talked about his wishy washy loyalty to Mabel?

“I hit the button to roll down the window, as if I can catch a different girl’s scent on the air in the place, mingling with dirt and wet leaves.” - Baron Dolce (Twice as Twisted)

I want to point out he's not sniffing for Mabel

“That’s why someone so alive felt vibrant in comparison, bright as plumage against the drab grey winter, stark as crimson droplets of blood left on a world muffled with snow.”- Baron Dolce (Twice as Twisted)

And he's not spouting random dark poetry about Mabel, either

“She’s in my room.”
I should have seen that coming, and it pisses me off that I didn’t. At least, I think that’s why I’m pissed. “Did you fuck her?” I demand. - Baron Dolce (Twice as Twisted)

He’s also not getting upset about Duke fucking Mabel in this scene because we all know he has no problem sharing when it comes to Mabel.There are other moments in his pov where he has memories of Blue fixing his leg, small details on her soft hair and big eyes, and giving her a 2nd chance to live, even though that goes against the deal he made with Mabel. Either I’m missing something, or these details weren't as meaningful as I’m making them out to be. Besides he kept comparing Blue to Mabel, whom he seeks to control and possess. I just found it confusing that’s where his thoughts went when it came to a girl he saw as less than human, so he shouldn't have attachments to Blue. I don't even know anymore since the entire read felt like an unprepared circus.

I wonder if that's the reason Blue's name was changed to Jane. Because both their names match and Baron has a connection to the color?

In any case, I hope Mabel, Duke and Baron get what's coming for them in the next book. If it's not death then it wont be good enough. I for one wont be continuing the next one because I only read for one character and that character is gone, which in turn ruined the entire faulkner world for me too.

I'll say goodbye to this world for good and will leave this review with 2 stars.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Skimmed a lot

I skimmed a lot after “Jane”. The writing was great but I have limits I didn’t know I had.

Spoiler alert:
——————



I couldn’t get past Baron cutting open different body parts of “Jane” and doing the deed inside those parts. Ugh and then when he made her spit out and then drink her food. I like dark romance but I guess I have a limit to what kind of dark romance I like and this was it.

[Cassie Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

What the f*ck did I just read? I’m sending Selena my therapy bill

All jokes aside there absolutely is a disclaimer before you read this and I did in fact go into knowing fully that I was about to read something pretty messed up. If I had to guess Duke is a sociopath based on his impulsive and volatile nature, whereas, Baron is a psychopath with his clear lack of empathy and inability to experience real emotions. Their povs are absolutely insane to read how they justify their actions in their own mind.

I found Baron intriguing from Selena’s previous books but I couldn’t help but be disappointed with how this book turned out. I thought I would see more of Barons genius come out and I had hopes we would see Mabel go toe to toe with him in intelligence and strategy. I really wanted to see Mabel play the part but ultimately have a plan in place and perhaps that is still the case but she mentions that she knew they were coming and then allows herself to become a victim again. If it was all an act in order to manipulate then in some genius idk Trojan horse sort of way I’d have been all for it but I did not see anything of the sort indicated.

The torture of Jane. I don’t even know what to say. It was brutal to read. Baron, dude, you’re one messed up cookie. Was Jane’s torture really necessary? Besides showing us just how demented Baron was I didn’t feel like it added anything to the plot besides a shock factor.

As for Duke…I was so confused where she was going with his character. I felt like he was all over the place. One minute he is fixated on Mabel then he’s thinking about Colt then he keeps fixating on Olive and wondering if it’s weird then back to Mabel then always back to Colt. But ultimately the way he talks about men and how men should be admired vs women just being “holes” makes me think Duke is gay and just hasn’t accepted it yet. Totally a sociopath but definitely a gay one in my opinion.

I honestly had no idea how to rate this. Did I enjoy it? Not really but that’s based from my personal preference rather than the writing itself. There was not much of a plot per se and there were a lot of flash back POVs which is normal for Selena but it definitely felt like there was a build up towards somthing for the next book. I’m interested to find out who the actual Black Widow Killer is but idk if I can stomach book two after reading just how demented it really was.

[Camille Murray · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let's start with the positives. This was well written and it was property listed as a horror. This is very much a horror. I don't usually read horror books but I wanted to know what happens with the evil twins of the Dolce family. I truly hate these twins and I believe that is what the author was going for. I really appreciate that the author didn't try to write the twins a love story because they do not deserve it. Both of them are not capable of romantic love. Both of them are so smart that they believe their own delusional ideas of love.


Some of the following will have spoilers.....


I had to take breaks reading this because it is truly horrific. Every 'spicy' scene written is non consensual and resulted in bodily harm. It truly shows how unredeemable Baron is that he cannot find satisfaction unless his partner is unwilling and he inflicts bodily damage. What he does to Mabel's body repeatedly would cause permanent damage. I wish it was noted that her body doesn't just bounce back from that. Duke is evil in his own way. In fact I would say he is worse because he convinces himself and others that he is the 'good' twin, when in fact he is just as vile as his twin brother. How did their older brother, King turn out to be a decent person while these twins are truly evil. I will be reading the next book because I desperately want them to at least get a taste of what they have inflicted on other people. Not that they are capable of mental growth. Mabel is no saint but I hope so badly that she kills them both. I need some satisfaction from this story and it's not going to be with a hea. I really wanted more for Blue. The things she was forced to endure would break anyone. If she comes back and kills all three of them I would go to bed happy. I know I may not get my wish but I desperately want them to die or at least live out their lives in prison. If I really got my wish, both the twins would live the rest of their lives chained to a basement and treated like they treated Blue.

[Susana Sousa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok....what?!

Twice as Twisted is Selena's much anticipated first installment in the WHPA Series: The Enemy, part of the peculiar Faulknerverse and, honestly, something I didn't see coming, but totally understand such development.

If I were to dessicate this first book, I would be taking the risk of spoilling its content and, after that initial shock and knowing already how the twins roll, let's just say I was eager to see the ugliest truth truly begin.
I really liked how the author explored the twins personality as two faces of the same coin that influence each other and, at the same time, can be perfectly be set apart. Very naturedly, Baron is the imposing twin, rational, conniving, sadist, but a fierce protector of his brother while Duke is his human and emotional mirror. I would go as far as saying Baron is the mastermind and Duke the process of achievement since they're in together, respecting each other's actions, never interfering and taking part when it's suitable to their wills and wants.
Mabel Darling is, imo, the star of the show and once we get to delve inside her head, everything we thought we knew about the plain Jane, we didn't.
I loved the fact of getting the scope regarding our protagonists' social context, childhood experiences and familial socialization and truly comprehend how astray words can impact such young minds.
It's not a beautiful story, rather one of obsession, hate as goal, most of all blurred lines and, deep down, unhinged love, plans revenge abd possession, recognition of the other and volition to act.....or not. It's raw, gritty and chaotic, a psychological mayhem in all it's glory tajen from the flesh....
For the very first time, I don't have a clue where this is going, but can't wait to get there!

[TINA | DejaLu✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars - not quite sure. Gotta sit with it for a while.

This story was actually hard to read. It wasn’t just non-con, it was sexual torture. It was depravity and deviant to the nth degree. Look. I love dark books but this one… can’t imagine it’s going to go well for a majority of the readers.

I’m not even sure how to rate this book because it was beyond, way beyond, just ‘bad boys.’ But, in keeping with what Selena has always said and done, she keeps to the characters personality. Even Royal is still a complete ass but does have that itty bitty soft spot for Harper.

I have no words for Baron. We knew he was bad. Selena said there was no redeeming him. I HOPED. The ONLY bit of compassion I felt for him was his flashbacks as a child. I thought, this is how she’s going to redeem him to everyone … but then I finished the book.

And then there is Duke. We definitely got more feelings from Duke, but he was so weak against Baron. He doubts himself. He’s insecure. He follows Baron’s lead. At times I felt sorry for him. But he’s like a child not knowing right from wrong!

And then we have Mabel. Not quite the girl I was expecting. She is obviously hiding secrets. Do I think she loves them? I think she does, but it’s Baron that owns her. I’ve always said Baron and her were end-game and I’m standing on that hill. She has the ability to tame Baron in a way that no one else (other than his twin) could.0

I have some thoughts but do not want to give away any spoilers for any continuing this series.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was ALOT 😮‍💨!

1. Blue is dead?!?! NO 😩. (I hope not)
2. Mabel’s character is NOT what I was expecting AT ALL. (Hoping we get a better understanding of her in book 2) Did she actually help Blue? Will Mabel DESTROY Baron & Duke?
3. Duke has a soft spot for Olive….Some of the things that were brought up with him & Olive I didn’t understand, I think there’s NO WAY Duke is a Pedo.
4. Duke seems to feel like a 3rd wheel in the relationship right now. 🧐 I feel like Duke wants somebody to love, and for them to love him just as much 🤷🏻‍♀️.
5. BOTH twins are obviously NUTS 😂…BUT I REALLY HOPE Baron & Duke get somewhat of a HEA w/Mabel.
& if Blue is alive, I’m hoping she gets a HEA too.
6. Baron I think is the craziest…I even think he beats Royal’s crazy…atleast Royal & Harper got a HEA. Hoping Baron & Duke & Mabel can get one too.

I have been OBSESSED w/these books…this one CONFUSED TF out of me tho….
Apart of me is like “Hell Yeah Mabel, you get your REVENGE girl!”
BUT there’s another part of me that REALLY wants Baron NOT to be such a f#ck boy, & him, Duke, & Mabel be able to get a HEA.
A part of me also hopes that Blue is still alive, & gets to go home to Olive & get a HEA 🥹.

Selena, I feel like you CAN make the twins redeemable…it’ll be DIFFICULT, but remember how much of a crack pot Daddy Dolce was! Maybe you can use whatever mess the twins endured with him to help us understand somewhat 🤷🏻‍♀️.

I’m hoping Selena can bring it all together in the next book 🙏🏻 😌.

Till the next book tho, I’ll be like this 🫠🙃🤯😶

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was excited for this story but unfortunately this one was not for me. I feel bad because the author did work hard on it but I have to give it 1 star. I need my male characters to at least be redeemable and these two were not. They showed no feelings. They are the most unhinged main male characters I have ever met, Baron especially. It would be one thing if he showed emotion but he came across like a robot.

The story is definitely dark and depraved and the title is quite fitting. There are plenty of triggers and you are warned at the start that it's not a traditional romance.

Ovrall the story was a bit chaotic and jumped around. Unfortunately I didn't feel any connection to the characters or even between the characters themselves. They also seemed to contradict themselves by saying one thing and doing another. I'm not sure Duke really even likes Mabel and is instead using her to cover his feelings for her brother. Baron was just No all the way around.

I'm not entirely sure what to think of Mable. It's almost like she has different personalities because she would go from strong and confident to vulnerable and weak in the blink of an eye. It was a little jarring and made it hard to feel anything for her.

This was a miss for me and I will not be finishing the duet because I really don't need anymore disturbing visuals. I would not recommend it.

[J H · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story of the Dulce twins and Mabel Darling has been hinted at and hyped up for years, but this was a disappointing read.

Baron lived up (or is it lived down?) to expectations. What he did to Blue/"Jane" was sickening. But at least he was genuinely fascinated with Mabel and obsessed with knowing everything about her.

Mabel's character seemed inconsistent. Sometimes she seemed strong, sometimes she was incredibly weak. Sometimes she was wary, sometimes she was painfully naive. Maybe it was meant to reflect her mental instability, but if so, it wasn't really successful and just came across as badly written.

But the biggest disappointment was Duke. Despite having been told all these years that Duke was in love with Mabel, it turns out that he's actually been pining for Colt all this time. There are paragraphs about how beautiful Duke finds the male form and how he barely sees the girls he fucks. So he's not even bisexual, he's actually a gay man with massively internalized homophobia.

Also the twins forcing Mabel to break her own toes with plies to prove she won't try to leave them again was too much for me. It's unforgivable for characters for whom we're meant to want a Happily Ever After.

[Marni Ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twice As Twisted; Willow Heights Prep Academy: The Enemy Book 1) omg what a truly phenomenal start to what will surely be an unforgettable new duet. I just have to ; I really am not sure that any words could possibly even start to describe the wild ride I was just taken on. I mean from page one I knew without a doubt I was in trouble. That it was absolutely going to be a very long night of reading without any sleep for me. And man was I so so right. All the feelings I was reeling with while reading. The degree to which I was devouring every single word. The complexity of the story and each and every character. This book is most definitely not for the faint of heart. It does have many triggers so please be aware before going in. But if you are feeling adventurous, if you love dark, raw and gritty romance as much as I do !!! If you love MMC's who are twisted and morally gray and kick@ss heroines then look no further. In fact run as fast as you can and download Twice As Twisted right now. Because I know all your expectations will be exceeded just as mine were

[Brooke Torrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have waited for Baron and Duke Dolce's book, and holy moly, it was everything and more than I expected. Selena has done it again with this book. I loved learning more about Mabel and what she experienced under their rule. I was obsessed with what happened to her in the Willow Heights Prep series and devoured this book in one day. This book is part of a series and leaves off on a cliffhanger, so now I patiently wait to get more of their story!!! Twice as Twisted is a dark-bully romance and touches on dark themes and topics that can be triggering so check the CW to make sure this book is for you. I thought the storyline was original and page-turning. The characters were complex and had intriguing backstories, that were heartbreaking and had an undeniable chemistry. I love Selena's writing style; she is gritty and raw and will bring out every emotion possible with her storytelling. She always creates beautifully written stories with vivid details and captivating characters that will have you wanting to laugh, cry, and throw your Kindle.

[Rheanan Gallegos · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.9⭐️ with the possibility of a higher rating for book 2.

While I blew thru the first half of the book I loved getting some insight to the beginning of the twins and Mabel, I was kind of thrown on some of the later parts. I was prepared for the horror and over the topness (which I was all for) what I wasn’t prepared for tho was how far gone baron was. I knew the twins were unhinged but even baron shocked me.

After reading the preorder chapters some of Mabel’s behaviors make a little more sense but I’m hoping to see more of her and her actions in book 2.

I was super sad to see blue die as her ties with olive are pretty important considering Olive is such a big character to Harper and duke.

I think the second half of the story coming out will truly make a difference with this book. I am very excited to get the rest of the story and get the full picture.

No matter what I am always a die hard Selena fan and the dolce brother will always have a spot in my heart!l

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually enjoy dark romance, even the heavier stuff—but this? It went too far for me in every direction. The content was overwhelming. Not just dark, but deeply disturbing in a way that felt unnecessary. There were way too many triggering elements, and it wasn’t handled with any care or buildup. Just shock after shock.

Mabel’s character didn’t feel layered or emotionally compelling. She felt like a caricature of trauma rather than someone I could understand or root for. And the story? It didn’t unfold so much as spiral. I kept hoping something would click, but it never did. It just kept getting more extreme.

If you’re sensitive to certain topics, even within dark romance, I’d seriously recommend reading with caution or skipping this one entirely. It was too much for me, and I wish I’d known what I was walking into.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sunni Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of Selenas darkest books.

This book is not for the faint of heart. Barron and Duke are just as twisted as ever. Time away from Mabel didn’t mellow either of them out at all. There are so many interesting dynamics in this book, from Dukes feelings about being a third wheel, to Mabel’s feelings about love. I can’t wait to see how their relationship evolves in the second book. Does Duke embrace the relationship or does he go out on his own? Does Mabel embrace being loved? Does she pick between the two? Will Barron feel any remorse for what he does, or will it all feed into more desires for him? This book ends on a cliffhanger, though I would say it’s not a HUGE one, and again, the book is DARK! Selena warns it’s dark in the beginning, so if you have reservations, you need to go into it knowing your limits.

[Rebecca Unsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

First things first this book is very dark, ive heard it called horrormance and that describes it very well. Twice as Twisted is book 1 in the Willow Heights Prep Academy: The Enemy. It is Duke & Baron Dolce and Mabels story. After 3 years apart, Baron has decided its now time to get their girl Mabel. This read is very dark but is a page turner. You really get to see how twisted Baron is. I felt a bit for Duke because he can be quite sweet, but has an inner demon which also makes him unlikeable. He does show some guilt about his behaviour unlike Baron. Then there's Mabel, I can’t fully work her out but I can't wait to read more about her.

If you have read the other books in the Faulkner world you will know that the Dolce Twins are twisted especailly Baron and because it is their story you see their behaviour straight on, so if you have triggers, read the warning and triggers first.