I--I'm crying sad and happy tears at the same time. Who let Chloe Gong have this much power over my emotions.

Genuinely one of the best books I've ever read, and an instant all-time favorite.

I had such high expectations for this book, and I'm not lying when I say Our Violent Ends blew them all out of the water. The book managed to surpass its predecessor in all accounts: it goes even deeper into each individual character's development and provides infinitely more plot intricacies. The character work in this book is so in-depth, and the side characters are all so fleshed out and complex. The way Chloe Gong was able to craft a specialized story of each of them is truly beyond. That also means you're 10x more attached to them than before, and THE EMOTIONS. THE EMOTIONS.

I need an entire paragraph to discuss my queen, my knife wife, my lover: Juliette Cai. Her character development was the most impressive to me because it slowly deconstructed her morally grey nature. Yes, she's not afraid to pull a trigger and set off destruction. But above all, she fights for love, she fights for the people, and she never goes down without a fight. A million stars to her. She and Roma are the definition of soulmates, and I can only hope to find a bond that runs as deep as the one connecting the two of them.

The plot was so intriguing, with several different plotlines eventually intersecting in a climactic conflict. This book brings in a lot more political intrigue, bringing the conflict beyond the blood feud. It's full of plot twists and shock moments that literally made my jaw drop and had me wanting to take a lap around the room. Chloe Gong really builds up the suspense and keeps you on your toes. There's a wonderful balance between action-packed conflict and tender, sweet moments between characters. If that doesn't encapsulate the character of Juliette Cai, then I don't know what will.

Also, a moment of appreciation for Chloe Gong's writing because her prose is truly beyond. So lyrical, so beautiful.

My heart is broken. My heart is partially put together. My heart adores this book in its entirety.

Thank you to NetGalley & Simon and Schuster for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

CW: suicidal ideation/actions, violence, death, gore

I was sent this ARC by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much publisher!!

The sequel to These Violent Delights, a Romeo and Juliet retelling taking place in 1920s Shanghai. Juliette and Roma continue their journey after the first book.

The first book was so boring to me and this one didn’t really make up for it, for me personally. The setting is amazing, 1920s Shanghai is just so original and such a beautiful setting for the book. I love the idea of warring gangs, and I usually love Romeo and Juliet retellings, but this duology is just boring to me. Not much happens as far as action, despite the horror elements (which were so cool, but didn’t really redeem the lack of plot for me). I know so many people love this series, but it just wasn’t for me.

Wow. What a STUNNING conclusion to this duology. I think Juliette and Roma were so fleshed out in this book. Not only did the writing improve but so did the voice of the novel. Chloe Gong is an instant buy for me.

OMG what an ending!!! It wrecked me. Chloe Gong is an incredible writer and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.I loved this and yes I was disappointed that we never found out about (insert spoiler) but I enjoyed reading about Roma & Juliette. Review will be up on pop-culturalist.com close to pub date with quotations once I get the finished copy.

5 STARS

What a showstopping sequel from Chloe Gong! I cannot say enough good things about OUR VIOLENT ENDS and THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS. Chloe Gong created a masterpiece in this duology, and I will never forget it. I binged OUR VIOLENT ENDS in one day and I don't regret a thing. This duology means the world to me and Chloe Gong is a spectacular author who will definitely be the next big force in publishing.

OUR VIOLENT ENDS is the sequel to THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS, a young adult historical fantasy duology. After Juliette makes the ultimate sacrifice regarding her relationship with Roma Montagov, the heir to the rival gang, tensions are higher than ever. With Marshall Seo hiding, Benedikt not talking to his cousin, and Roma determined to kill Juliette, OUR VIOLENT ENDS is an amazing ending to an amazing duology that will surely delight readers.

There is so much to say about OUR VIOLENT ENDS that I don't know where to start. I could start with the amazing setting, or the loveable characters, or the engaging plot. Everything in this book was perfectly executed and captured my attention from beginning to end. The setting of OUR VIOLENT ENDS is very well fleshed out. There is the historical element of the Nationalists and the Communists along with the fantasy element of the monster and of course the atmospheric Shanghai where the story takes place. I'm not a huge history buff, but I found the politics and history interesting. I loved the premise behind the two rival gangs and the starcrossed lovers. I don't know how Chloe Gong's brain works, but I love it. The characters were even more awesome in OUR VIOLENT ENDS than THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS. Every characters is given such a compelling story and we get to see events from their point of view. I particularly loved Kathleen and her development throughout the duology. I was happy to see that Rosalind was also given a more significant part in OUR VIOLENT ENDS. I felt that she was a little left out in THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS, but I absolutely empathized with her characters throughout the novel. Marshall and Benedikt had such a great love story and I found myself smiling from ear to ear whenever they met with each other. Of course, Roma and Juliette will always have my heart. Their chemistry is unmatched and I love the transition from their relationship in the first book to this one. I don't want to spoil anything, but OUR VIOLENT ENDS was just as amazing as I had imagined and I cannot wait for it to be published.

*Arc provided by SimonTeen in exchange for an honest review-And I literally cannot thank them enough as they have made my whole year*

“You destroy me and then you kiss me. You give me a reason to hate you and then you give me a reason to love you. Is this a lie or the truth? Is the a ploy or your heart reaching for me?”


I am going to be frank right up front: A book hasn’t caused such a deep, emotional, and visceral reaction out of me in a very long time. I eagerly awaited the moment I could dive back inside myself, immerse myself into this lush, enriched world of enemies to lovers. I lost sleep waiting and pining and anticipating what fate my beloveds were dealt…and I only had to wait a few weeks. So I can’t even imagine what my frowny French friend feels, how she deals with the wait on a daily basis. Because I have to say it-My heart couldn’t possibly have waited any longer, it had too many questions and needed far too many answers. And this author? She delivers.

I am SUCH a final book snob. One minute duologies are my favorite, the next, trilogies. Then sometimes standalones. And, I have to say, standalones sometimes keep my heart the longest-though they are far and few between-because there is little margin for overthinking/overwriting/underwhelming endings. It’s all wrapped up in a neat little package all at once. But here, now, Gong has showed just how amazing and well-done a duology can be. How, if done correctly, it delivers great impact in smaller quantity. How, if she CHOSE to expand the universe, to connect with MORE people without dragging it on too long, she could easily pick a less explored side character and create a whole new spin-off without everyone already being exhausted with it (Can anyone rejoice this is, in fact, happening?). Gong restored my faith in books. She restored my faith in how I can be addicted and pine and hope for a certain path to be taken and for the author to write certain things, it not go my way (I am veryyyy picky with my romance and enemies to lovers and peril), and STILL love how it goes. Not one thing felt forced. Not one moment blemished by rushing and trying to fit everything in. It all felt real, it felt natural. That is the mark of a true author. THAT is how you create forever fans. THAT is how you CRUSH the YA world.




And with that realization, it should be no secret that Roma and Juliette own my soul. Not a week goes by that I don’t reminisce over my favorite moments between them-the what-ifs, the pain and longing and anger, the imminent danger that continually brings them together. Not a moment passes without the crescendo of chaos crashing in around them, melding into the most perfect storm raging inside my heart. These two are a couple that are so deeply rooted into one another, into me, that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget them, even for a second.



Gone are the games of book one. Blood has been shed, lines have been drawn, sides have been chosen. The masks are back in place and their hearts are no longer on their sleeves-betrayal has cut deep and Roma can’t see past the pain and heartache that Juliette has caused…he also still can’t fully believe it. Thus begins the tragic circling of one another as they have to work together-again-against a common enemy for the greater good.

I truly loved these two for more than their romance, though-Juliette became this girl that I loved so deeply in my heart, because even though it hurt to not see eye to eye with everyone, with her own family, she followed her heart to do what was just and right. She cared more for her people, for her city, than she did for an ancient blood feud that had no end in sight. That didn’t allow her to be with the love of her life. She cared more for Roma, his sister, the friends she made, and even her cousins, more than something as petty as being a gang leader-in the end, love and hope and the unknown were more important than upholding a reign of terror that was shredding the city apart, piece by piece, no side truly safe.

And Roma-He was far darker in this story and, clearly, that only made me love him more. Is this a flaw in me? No. It is the BEST part of me…I LOVE a good moral dilemma within a character, and when Juliette broke his heart, it opened a dark chasm inside of him that made him question everything he knew about the girl he had always fought side by side with. But that’s just it- he knows her inside and out-at least he thought he did, and nothing adds up. From her actions in book one to her complete lack of doing what he’d expect time and time again, she remains someone he can’t figure out. But they are enemies once again, regardless, and he needs to eliminate her. End of story. But that’s easier said than done as he misses opportunities time and again, never fully able to do what needs to be done to rest his broken soul. But once it’s done it cannot be undone, and that is what truly haunts him.



I can say without a shadow of a doubt that if someone loved book one, they are going to devour book two. The pain, the heartache, the lead up to an inevitable end…it’s so deliberately and deliciously evil that I couldn’t help but fall head over heels for each stolen moment they shared, every future within grasp but hate nipping at their heels, no one content to let them be free, and each stolen moment that slipped from my greedy claws, keeping me on my toes and pining for more-always more-in their battle to do what’s right for their city…while also selfishly trying to escape to a world where they can be free to love one another openly for the rest of their lives. I don’t know about you, but I see myself reading these books over and over until the end of time, and I don’t think I could ever find a flaw. Period.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for an advanced readers copy of Our Violent Ends!
I am honestly speechless, if you thought the first book was incredible just wait until you see what Chloe has done with this one.
This series is a Romeo and Juliet fantasy retelling set in Shanghai in the 1920s and I highly recommend you check out the first book in this series before this one comes out in November.
After I finished the epilogue, I sat and stared at my wall for a solid 5 minutes before I could even move and when I did, I just went back and reread all my highlights (I highlighted pretty much every page THE QUOTES IN THIS BOOK ARE INCREDIBLE) because I just couldn’t get enough of romajuliette, benmars and every single character in this book, they all had me hooked.
These characters all hold such a special place in my heart and I could feel all their struggles, pain and happiness Chloe's writing is truly beautiful
The amount of parallels to the first book had me yelling every time I caught one, I would just pause, pick up TVD, look for the quote, scream then go back to reading OVE. I’m pretty sure I experienced every single emotion reading this book and I can’t recommend it enough.
All I can say is if you haven’t read TVD yet this is you sign do it right now you will not be disappointed and I can't wait to see what Chloe has in store for us in Foul Lady Fortune!
Ps. Chloe pay for my therapy bills after this please.

Chloe Gong’s growth from her first book to second is profound. There were moments in the first book that left me bored where with this book I was hooked from the first chapter til the end. I was holding my breath through the whole book and deeply invested in all the characters. This book is a great end to this duology and I can’t wait to see what Chile Gong writes next. My heart might still hurt but it was worth it to read this masterpiece.

Monsters return to 1920s Shanghai. Tension is heating up between Communists and Nationalists, and the blood feud between the Scarlet Gang and White Flowers rages on. Roma hates Juliette for killing Marshall, but as readers learned, Juliette is always one step ahead. Everything she does is not for the Scarlets, it is for Roma. He just has to catch up and see that.

To keep power, the White Flowers and Scarlet Gangs will do anything they can. Who is controlling the monsters this time? Who will have the vaccine? Is it better to back the Communists or the Nationalists? Time will tell as Our Violent Ends comes to a close.

I enjoyed this book SO MUCH more than These Violent Delights. I liked that this one was more character driven, and I felt more of the plot was cohesive. Don’t get me wrong, TVD was beautifully written, but Our Violent Ends is even better. You can see how Chloe Gong has grown as a writer.

Readers see more of the romance between Roma and Juliette, which is a plus and crucial to this retelling of Romeo and Juliet. However, my favorite part was seeing more of the side characters of Benedikt, Marshall, and Kathleen. Their storylines seem like this world Chloe Gong has created could go further. (Fingers crossed!)

All said, this book is definitely for older teens/high school students. I didn't find it as gory as TVD, but there is still a lot of violence and blood-- it is rival gangs after all- and some suicide ideation.

What a fantastic follow-up to a great historical fantasy/romance. This story marvels in beauty at the realism it creates; you can tell Chloe Gong has done adequate work making this world as realistic as possible. I also like that she pays homage to the source material, but also doesn't shy away from flipping tropes on their head. Knowing that there is more coming from Gong and this world, I am very, very eager to see what's in store. Thank you for the e-arc!

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. everything i was hoping for in the conclusion and more. a perfect blend of retelling and originality. i will read anything chloe gong writes from here on out.

All I can say is that this book truly is an end both as violent and as beautiful as 1920’s Shanghai.

Our Violent Ends balances tragedy and warmth, betrayal and passion, lies and love in a beautiful and compelling dichotomy. From Roma and Juliette’s complicated conflict, to Benedikt and Marshall’s dynamic, to the sisterly relationship between Kathleen and Rosalind - Chloe Gong delivers in every way possible. She paints a stunning portrait of a city lusting for change.

If you’re like me and found yourself drawn to the secondary protagonists in These Violent Delights - Benedikt, Marshall and Kathleen - then you are 100% in for a treat. OVE is more character driven, so you get to see the secondary characters follow their own paths throughout the novel and get time to shine on their own. I found myself falling deeper and deeper in love with the ensemble.

This book was everything I wanted - a crossover from hell that played into my favourite tropes, spoke of issues close to my heart and played with my emotions like putty. I read it obsessively - Chloe stole every hour of my spare time. I’m sitting here barely suppressing a whole barrage of feelings because. Oh. My. God. This book really did it to me. It had me crying, yelling and aww-ing. There’s this one quote that’s been living in my mind rent free, day and night, and it’s slowly killing me that I can’t tell anyone what it is.

This second instalment also dives deeper into the sociopolitical dynamics within 1920’s Shanghai. It paints a thrilling, brutal picture of revolution and its price. The addition of societal analyses and political turmoil alongside fantasy elements, romantic drama and character conflict added depth to the read.

For others like me who are currently in love with Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows and Cassandra Clare’s Last Hours and Infernal Devices Trilogies: This will, I assure you, deliver on everything you’ve been craving.

Chloe’s writing is poetic and powerful - Our Violent Ends is a perfectly imperfect conclusion to a gorgeous duology.

I'm always a little nervous when I start reading a sequel to a book I really liked. So often the story takes too long to catch you back up and repeats itself, or it doesn't catch you up and you need to remember. But #OurViolentEnds by #ChloeGong lives up to its 5-star rating. I didn't feel like I missed a beat catching up where These Violent Delights left off--Roma and Juliette still battling a blood feud between their rival gangs after the events with the monsters in the first book alongside the rising developments between the Communists and the Nationalists in 1920s Shanghai. The story continues to build with Roma and Juliette's feelings for each other overlapping the complexity of their family name; this provides an emotional connection throughout the story on the backdrop of the rise of new monsters as well as the violent outbreaks on the streets. With a balance of action and emotion as well as a mix of some fantasy and historical fiction, this book will prove an excellent purchase for any library. Many thanks for the publishers and #NetGalley for this ARC.

If you thought the first book was incredible just wait until you see what Chloe has done with this one. This series is a Romeo and Juliet fantasy retelling set in Shanghai in the 1920s and I highly recommend you check out the first book in this series before this one comes out in November.
After I finished the epilogue, I sat and stared at my wall for a solid 5 minutes before I could even move and when I did, I just went back and reread all my highlights (I highlighted pretty much every page THE QUOTES IN THIS BOOK ARE INCREDIBLE) because I just couldn’t get enough of romajuliette, benmars and every single character in this book, they all had me hooked.
The amount of parallels to the first book had me yelling every time I caught one, I would just pause, pick up TVD, look for the quote, scream then go back to reading OVE. I’m pretty sure I experienced every single emotion reading this book and I can’t recommend it .

Every single character was so well developed and not a single one was one dimensional you're bound to connect to half if not all the characters and it made my experience reading it so much better.
All I can say is if you haven’t read TVD yet this is you sign do it right now you will not be disappointed.
Ps. Chloe pay for my therapy bills after this please.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and Netgalley for giving me an eARC copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Our Violent Ends was a masterpiece and Chloe Gong has proven herself to be a compelling storyteller. This thrilling and emotional conclusion to the These Violent Delights duology takes place in 1920s Shanghai, where Roma Montagov and Juliette Cai are enemies. Or at least, that’s what their families want them to believe. Roma and Juliette are on two opposing gangs in a blood feud that has lasted for decades, but no one even remembers why it started.

This beautiful twist on the story of Romeo & Juliet adds in other themes as well. Filled with historically accurate political concepts, Roma and Juliette must maneuver this political minefield while also stopping the monsters from attacking again. A new “larkspur” is in control of the monsters now that Paul is gone and both gangs are being threatened. Working together this time proves to be trouble, especially when Roma believes Juliette murdered one of his best friends. It had to be done to prevent her cousin, Tyler, from taking her place as the Scarlet Gang’s heir and killing Roma to do so. Juliette will do whatever is necessary to keep Roma alive, even if it means losing a relationship with him forever.

Wow. Just wow! I cannot believe Chloe Gong is the same age as me and has written one of my top 10 books I’ve read (counting series as one book)! Oftentimes I find retellings to be worn out, after all it’s the same story with different settings, but Chloe made this her own. This book is a beautiful homage to Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, while also being separate enough to leave me on my toes. I found myself thinking one thing would happen, only to be thoroughly surprised when it did not.

I cannot express my love for this book enough, and I will definitely be rereading this for years to come. Not once did I feel like the pacing dragged! The prose was beautifully done and even when something made me sad, I found myself saying “Yes, Chloe, yes!” I cannot wait to read her spin-off duology in 2022. I expect great things from Chloe Gong in the future and she is an automatic buy author for me.

I really enjoyed how the author was able to retell the story of Romeo and Juliet in this way. I will say that the first half of the book was a little slow going for me but once it picked up, it was hard to put down. Even knowing the story and how things are supposed to play out, I still had no idea how this version would go. Some of the twists and reveals I found predictable but the way the story plays out was still enjoyable. Definitely the one of the best retellings of Romeo and Juliette I have read.

(4.5, rounded up)

This book was just--wow. Probably one of the most stressful books I've ever read, but in the best way possible. When reading These Violent Delights, it took me a good chunk of the book to get into the story, but Our Violent Ends had me utterly hooked from the start. The writing made me feel as though I was in 1920s Shanghai right along side Roma and Juliette.

One of the things that truly sets this book apart from other Romeo and Juliet retelling is its unique ability to reshape the borrowed characters and make them anew. While this book maintains a high stakes conflict, the characters still drive the book. The balance of plot and character development was extremely well done, and if I thought I loved the characters after reading the first book, I was proved completely wrong. Our Violent Ends had me so insanely invested in this characters I was holding my breath every time something seemed to go wrong.

In a way, Our Violent Ends felt like a completely different book then These Violent Delights. The author's substantial growth as a writer became abundantly clear from the get-go. Our Violent Ends truly takes you into the heart of Shanghai, and the switch in point-of-views was utilized much more effectively, giving the reader a greater understanding of each side involved.

The ending of this book just absolutely crushed me. Chloe Gong threw my heart down the garbage disposal and ran away. This book was more than just a retelling, it truly managed to create an entirely new narrative that is both as beautiful and heartbreaking as its source material.

It is now time for me to sit and wait--laughing maniacally--for you all to get a chance to read this show-stopping sequel to These Violent Delights. Our Violent Ends was an amazing conclusion to new top duology of mine. It won't disappoint.

Be aware that like the source material, Our Violent Ends does feature suicidal ideation and actions. As always, be kind to yourself.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Publishing for providing me with an eARC of Chloe Gong’s “Our Violent Ends” for me to read and review honestly.

“Our Violent Ends” provides an action-packed conclusion to Chloe Gong’s debut “These Violent Delights” duology. The book had me on my toes the entire way through, keeping me turning pages and unable to set down the book for even one moment. This “Romeo and Juliet” retelling set in 1920s Shanghai explores the complications faced by the direct heirs and overall next generation of two ruling gangs. It has a perfect mix of historical politics and added fantasy aspects carried over from its prequel and then magnified into a finale that explores the truth of the reemergence of the monster threatening the world that Roma and Juliette have always known as well as their constantly shifting forbidden romance. While the infection being spread by a mysterious monster was the true antagonist of “These Violent Delights”, “Our Violent Ends” cultivated this idea of a “monster” as its own source as an opponent into more of a weapon within a world where politics are always on the edge of change. Interspersed throughout this revolution-filled, whirlwind of a novel was beautiful character development that truly had me shedding tears at some moments, smiling big at others, as well as holding my breath and crossing my fingers not knowing how things would end up for Juliette and Roma, Benedikt and Marshall, and Kathleen and Rosalind. With this debut duology, Chloe Gong has truly established herself as a force to be reckoned with when it comes to YA fantasy, and I cannot wait to see what she does next.

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Where do I find the words to describe how I feel after reading Our Violent Ends? I’m filled with so much emotion after everything that happened in this book (and in this duology as a whole, tbh) that I don’t even know where to begin. I’ll keep this completely spoiler-free and thus this review may sound super vague, but I truly believe that you’ll enjoy this book the best without hearing even a smidge of anything that happens.

First off, I will say that Chloe Gong’s writing and storytelling has MAJORLY improved from These Violent Delights to Our Violent Ends. I remember reading These Violent Delights in the beginning of this year and noticing that her writing was a little awkward at times and definitely resembled the writing of most debut authors creating their first-ever novel. But in Our Violent Ends, Chloe is really able to bring her story to life and evict visceral emotions out of her readers through her storytelling. I was genuinely captivated by each sentence and I actually caught myself holding my breath several times throughout this book because of all the harrowing plot-twists popping up left and right.

I also felt so much more connected and invested in these character’s stories than I did in These Violent Delights, which I think is also a testament to how well Chloe was able to convey their feelings and motivations in Book 2 compared to Book 1. For example, regarding Roma and Juliette’s relationship in These Violent Delights, I remember not being that interested in their relationship and feeling like I couldn’t even root for the two. We knew Roma and Juliette had history, but since their actual romance takes place four years prior to the start of These Violent Delights I never felt the genuine chemistry between them. In Our Violent Ends, the tension and chemistry between Roma and Juliette is so palpable that I was literally clinging onto every shared dialogue or individual thought each character had on each other whenever they were in the same scene. This book definitely made me appreciate them so much more. I also felt just as invested in all of our favorite side characters--Kathleen, Marshall, Benedict, Alisa, and even Rosalind. These characters are truly the best aspect of this duology and they provided some incredibly funny and sweet moments in Our Violent Ends.

I feel like that’s all I can really say about this book without spoiling what happens. Be warned that each chapter is one rollercoaster after the other, so be prepared to have your heart dropped, squeezed, and yanked out of your chest before you pick this up. I’m so excited for everyone to read this in November, and for Chloe Gong’s future works!

rating - 4.5 stars

Our Violent Ends is the heartstopping sequel to These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong, and i’m using the word ‘heartstopping’ because there were parts of this book where my heart. literally. stopped. This was probably by far my most anticipated release for this year and i’m so grateful to have gotten the opportunity to read it early.

How can i summarise this in the most vague way possible? Imagine These Violent Delights, but with more angst, more romance, and a lot more heartbreak and violence. It’s almost as if Chloe Gong took everything I loved from the first book and multiplied them, fourfold. I gasped, I cried and overall, was mesmerised. I absolutely love how Chloe Gong spun her own beautiful version of Romeo and Juliette, all while staying true to it’s origin.

Going into this book, the main thing i was hoping for was more focus on the characters and their relationships. Definitely an A+ on that front. These Violent Delights didn’t have as many interactions between the main characters as I was hoping there would be but this one was basically centred around them. Probably my favourite part of the book.

The only complaint I have is that for me, personally, the plot felt a little too predictable in some places which is the only reason I reduced the rating a little. But other than that, I can easily say that it is one of my favourite reads of this year!