Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me 1.5

"Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to keep his soldiers in check and suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner’s father, The Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son’s mistakes, it’s clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow."

Destroy Me is a novella that takes place between Shatter Me, and Unravel Me. It is also told from Aaron Warner's point of view. In Shatter Me, we only knew him as the villain. He tormented Juliette and caused her a great deal of pain. He was the guy we were supposed to hate. I read this book after I read the sequel to Shatter Me, but in this book we get a look into why Warner is the way he is. What we find out makes us feel for him, makes us want to hug him. It also becomes clear that he really truly does fall for Juliette. She was just meant to be an experiment, something that could be used for the government. But the longer he was around her the more he felt for her, and after her escape and finding her journal. He fell even harder and watching him crumble under his own feelings for her as he realizes how much he loves her. Just makes you want to root for him. He is as damaged as she is, I think they are good for each other in a way.

This is also the book where we first meet Warner's father, the leader of the Reestablishment. And as bad as we thought Warner was, his father is a thousand times worse. That man is proper ruthless and heartless. Him not just having no problem killing children, but making a joke and laughing about it. Quite a sick bastard, one who I know everybody wants to see dead.

After reading this, it just makes me want to read the rest of the series. I seriously can't wait.