Unlike its predecessor, this book hooked me from the start and really hit the ground running. I loved the characters and the way they developed and changed, though I still had trouble connecting to them sometimes, due to the unfocused nature of the storytelling. Still, this time, I felt the POV's were utilizied much better, with the switches happening at better moments, probably a testament to Chloe Gong's growth as a writer. Also... that ending. How dare you?? Truly a gut punch, even for me, who never really got attached to the characters as much as I wanted. Still, the plotting is very well paced and the intrigue between gangs is masterful, definitively an upgrade. I am looking forward to Chloe Gong's next works!

Okay I will premise this by saying I did only read the arc, so there may be parts of the finalized book that wasn't included. Despite that, I think I had higher expectations for this book. Considering how I felt after the first one I can say that I was much more pleased by the characters in this iteration of the book. You could really see the enemies to lovers trope here between Roma and Juliette, and I felt as though their relationship was more drawn out allowing the audience to see them fall back into love with one another. I think what really missed the mark for this book was the ending, which i think felt too rushed and a little all over the place. There were new plot points introduced at the end of the book that maybe didn't need to be there, and it felt like the last few chapters we were reading a completely new story line than what we had been reading the entire time. It felt confusing to read and I found myself skimming the pages to ultimately just finish the book. I was expecting a bit more for an ending, but I guess to really stick to the Romeo and Juliet aspect of the book there was only so much of an ending we can hope for. Despite the flaws in this book I did highly enjoy it and I am sure fans of the first book will feel satisfied with the ending. I am excited to see where Gong's career takes her and will for sure be reading more of her work in the future.

Thank you to the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

After the events at the hospital, though Juliette managed to cover up the truth of what had been going on between her and Roma, her position as heir is very much at risk, as one false move will mean Tyler taking over. Having Roma hate her for supposedly killing Marshall is an acceptable cost to keep him safe. Roma is determined to kill Juliette to avenge Marshall, but there is another danger emerging in the city. The threat of the monster still lingers even as the situation in the city grows more tense by the day. Between the gangsters, Communists and Nationalists, Shanghai is about to descend into revolution, and in the midst of it all, Roma and Juliette must join hands once more, putting aside their differences to protect their city and people.

“A rose is a rose, even by another name. But we choose whether we will offer beauty to the world, or if we will use our thorns to sting.”

It was such a relief to have this book at hand to read immediately, especially with the tense note upon which These Violent Delights ended. While this started out a bit slowly at first, it was very easy to return to the world of Shanghai, blood feuds and politics as the story unfolded into an intricate and riveting plot. I absolutely loved the writing style and the descriptive narration makes the story come alive. It was also really impressive that despite the amount of chaos of other events going on, this was still recognizably a Romeo and Juliet retelling and a beautifully crafted version at that.

Juliet definitely took center stage in terms of character development in this book, and while both her’s and Roma’s arcs were good, Roma’s arc didn’t really have as much substance to it as in the previous book. In my review of the first book, I remarked upon how interesting the secondary characters had been and they turned out to be even more central to the plot this time around. Rosalind, Kathleen, Benedict and Marshall’s arcs were amazing and their perspectives provided a much more rounded view of the whole situation as Shanghai descended into chaos. As for the romance, I think this has to be the first Romeo and Juliet retelling where I’ve truly enjoyed the romance, angst included. It really was perfectly done and I have no complaints whatsoever.

The pacing was initially a bit slow and I felt that much of the earlier chapters could have been condensed. There was a lot more focus on the politics this time, and while historically relevant, it was just a little too much. I usually enjoy political intrigue, but in this case, I felt like there was far too much else going on to properly focus on the plot line and those chapters ended up feeling more like a distraction I had to get through before returning to the main story. Also, the plot of the monster and the vaccines mostly became a side plot to the rest of the story, which was a pity because I was really enjoying that arc.

I don’t know how to talk about the ending without spoilers, but suffice to say, it was evil. Finales shouldn’t be allowed to end on such an ambiguous note! This was quite the ride, a fitting finale to this duology and I can’t wait to see what this author writes next! This book was just as dramatic and thrilling a read as I expected, and I would highly recommend this for fans of retellings. If you enjoyed the first book, this sequel is one not to be missed!

Absolutely amazing! Loved it even more than the first book, if that’s even possible! I am a sucker for Romeo and Juliet retelling and this is by far a favourite of mine! Definitely recommend!

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong is the sequel to These Violent Delights, and is the final book of the duology. Juliette has sacrificed her relationship with Roma to protect him from the blood feud. Juliette knows the only way to protect Roma from the Scarlet Gang is for Roma to believe Juliette killed his friend. Roma and his cousin Benedikt are mourning the loss of Marshall. Roma knows the only way to make things right is to kill Juliette, even though he still loves her. But when new monsters emerge in Shanghai, Roma and Juliette must work together once more to save everyone.

I am in love with this story. The cast of characters is lovable, the romance is beautiful. Chloe Gong is a talented writer with a knack for crafting intricately woven stories. I absolutely need more from Chloe Gong!

I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was WILD. It had betrayal, monsters, gang fights, you name it.  I liked the idea of the Romeo and juliet retelling, and although the concept has been beaten to death, the author was able to take a fresh and interesting twist to the story. Of course we know it won't be a happy ending, but I was satisfied,  albeit broken, with how it ended. The writing kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and apparently 2021 is cursed for me because we're going to have to add this to the long list of anticipated books that disappointed me. Did I perhaps have high expectations going into this? Probably. I loved the first book - I thought the writing was beautiful, the angst was well executed, and I adored our cast of characters. Juliette, specifically, is one of my favourite YA protagonists. So while I was a little skeptical at how much story was left to tell at the end of the first book, I was hopeful that Chloe Gong would be able to deliver a stellar ending.

However, while I still love these characters and enjoyed my time with them for the most part, there are a few things that really keep me from giving this a higher rating, or even to say that I enjoyed this book overall.

First of all, there is not nearly enough plot or character development to justify this book. I strongly believe that These Violent Delights should've been a standalone. The first 60% of this book is purely filler, with little to no character or plot development. While I'm not opposed to a bit of a filler arc if I love the characters, I still need some sort of progression. It felt like the characters regressed at the beginning of this book only to end up at the same place they were at the end of the first book.

Honestly, I would not even have minded all this filler if the ending was actually satisfying because on hindsight, at least I enjoyed spending time with the characters during those moments. The ending was, in my opinion, way too rushed and not really that satisfying either. One of the things I liked about book 1 was how Chloe Gong reinterpreted Romeo & Juliet and made it feel fresh and a little unpredictable, but I honestly can't say the same for the sequel. I also feel like because of the slow/meandering pace of the first 60% of the book, there was just not enough time left to properly explore the political dynamics between the Nationalists and Communists, and it all ended up feeling very surface-level. I would expect this type of worldbuilding/character work/plot from a standalone, but not from a duology.

I also think that while in book 1, I definitely understood some of the criticisms regarding the fantastical elements of the book feeling out of place, it didn't bother me personally because I loved the characters, the history, and the writing so much. However, I definitely felt like in this book, the fantastic elements felt even more out of place. It comes and goes at convenient times, but it's not actually super relevant to the overall political landscape and the main plot of the second half of the book, and just feels like more of an afterthought than anything else.

Perhaps once I've gotten over my initial disappointment, I might bump this up to a 2.5 or a 3 stars because there were still moments and elements that I really liked about the book, but right now, I'm just really sad that this book did not live up to my expectations at all.

“These violent delights have violent ends, you have always known this.”

Soul? Annihilated.
Heart? Broken.
Tears? Cried.

WARNING: This book will cause you severe emotional distress.

First of all, I'd like to congratulate Chloe Gong for successfully ruining me (again). I am in immense emotional pain. Where do I even begin? The thought process that must've gone into planning this whole duology, specifically this book. It's so well put together, it connects all of the points in history so well. The perfect balance of fact and fiction, really. And. The. Characters. SO WELL-WRITTEN. I had (and still have) so many emotions directed at these characters, both good and bad. They made me feel things like none other. I'm a fucking wreck after reading this, but that didn't stop me from loving it :') I still think about Roma and Juliette and Marshall and Ben and Kathleen. Look, I'm doing it right now as I do every day. I have a shrine. Chloe Gong, you hit it OUT OF THE PARK. THIS BOOK IS MAGNIFICENT. EVERYONE GO READ IT (once it's out).

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ALL OF THESE STARS FOR YOU

Thanks Simon and Schuster for providing this ARC!

Our Violent Ends destroyed me in the best way possible. I've been trying to find the words to write this review for a while and I'm still heartbroken and in awe of how beautiful of a duology Chloe Gong has created. Because this is a Romeo and Juliet retelling, it's not surprise that this was a painful end but at the same time I think it was a a rather hopeful end despite how some things are left. Still, it absolutely broke my heart.

My favourite thing about this duology has to be the characters and the different dynamics which have all stolen my heart, but in particular, our two ill-fated lovers, Roma and Juliette. I was attached to them in the first book but oh boy, Our Violent Ends really kicked it up a notch. Chloe Gong has written one of the best enemies to lovers stories I have ever had the pleasure of reading. This is one of those series where every time the two main characters interact I'd start squealing or making frustrated noises because I just wanted them to make up. The angst between Roma and Juliette almost killed me. Chloe Gong does a masterful job at making your heart break but there are still heartfelt and funny moments between these two ex-lovers who are supposed to hate each other. Moving on to my other faves, Benedikt and Marshall. I love these two so much and they balance each other out so well. They are the kind of relationship that slowly creeps up on you and then suddenly you can’t stop thinking about them. I thought they were adorable in These Violent Delights but the stakes weren’t as high and now with Benedikt believing that Marshall is dead, all the feels came out and absolutely destroyed me. They are each other’s everything, and that completely shows in the absence of each other from each of their lives for about 60% of this book.

Marshall and Juliette’s friendship surprised me a lot because I wasn’t expecting it, but it was one of the highlights of this book for me. I love unexpected friendships and these two were adorable and are an unlikely duo that I wish I had more of. Gong has a way of making characters interact only a couple of times and still creating an amazing dynamic that definitely added to the fluff and comedic parts of the book, so I had a breather from my constant crying.

Juliette Cai, is simply, a badass. Basically, she’s an take-charge, awesome, stabby girl who protects her own and I love her a whole lot. I absolutely loved her character development in this one and how the hatred festering in her the gangs doesn't stop her from getting what she wants. Juliette Cai is willing to cut down anyone that tries to hurt those that she loves and that’s what I love about her.

Anyway majority of this review has just been me fangirling about the dynamics in this book and the characters but I just love these characters so much and i’ll hold onto them forever. I can’t wait to read the next book that Gong writes in the These Violent Delights world, I’m sure it’ll be spectacular, just like this amazing duology. This series deserves all the stars in the world.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon Schuster Canada for this review copy.

what an intricate weaving of true-life events in 1920's Shanghai, Communists and Nationalists and the gang culture, with a sweeping love story reminiscent of the classic Romeo and Juliet tale.
We love Juliette in all her cold calculations, covering a marshmallow heart. we love Roma, strong and ruthless, devoted to his secret and forbidden love. And a true Plague on their Houses, with the monsters and their magical infection.
All the secondary characters are delightful, Marshall, Benedikt, Rosalind and Kathleen, and Alina, the youngest and perhaps cleverest of the lot.
I would love more stories in this world M.Gong has woven.

Oh! My! God! This book is a masterpiece!

Our Violent Ends has everything good from These Violent Delights - unyielding tension, heart-wrenching romance, breathtaking action, well-crafted mystery, dynamic politics, diverse culture and language - but it amplifies all of this to a whole new level! Whether you're here for the star-crossed lovers or the politics or just a glimpse into the glamorous history, this book has something for everyone, and then you'll also get hooked by other parts of it that you didn't know you were looking for.

It's been a long time since I read a YA book so immersive and exhilarating. I was so invested the whole time I was - still am - losing my mind. The author not only put me in the scene of 1920's Shanghai, not only made me care wholeheartedly about the characters, but also made me care about its society and political situations, which is something that even nonfictions and documentaries (and the previous book) never managed to do. Characterization is also more vivid than in These Violent Delights - everyone feels significant, and they all get the page time they deserve. The pacing is also much more gripping than the previous book, and the build-up of all the tensions and stakes is perfect. I especially love how the author balances conforming and diverging from Romeo & Juliet, constantly making me recalling the play but also leaving me in awe because the difference is pure genius!

(Also, not to spoil anything, but the ending is so self-reflective, realistic, and beautiful. Chef's kiss.)

4.5/5 Stars

The amount of representation present in this book and the duololy as a whole is just incredible, especially for a first-time author. There were so many Easter eggs and lines that reference the original play. I thought it was so brilliant how she was able to intertwine her ideas with this classic play in a way that was very subtle.

One of my main criticisms of the first book is that I wanted more romance. Not because every fantasy book has to have it but specifically because this is a Romeo and Juliet retelling. This book was a vast improvement in that aspect.

My only criticism is that I found the beginning a bit slow, so it was hard to get into the book for the first 15%. The last 50 pages of this book caused me soooo much stress but that ending was really something

*I received this as an Advanced Reader Copy thanks to Netgalley and the Authors Publisher; all thoughts an opinions are my own*

This book blew me away and it was such an exciting sequel to These Violent Delights, The story and characters pulled me in immediately, and the world building was some of the best that I have read in a long time. I enjoyed my initial read of These Violent Delights, and I knew that I would I enjoy this book, but I did not anticipate connecting with the characters and being on the edge of my seat every time something seemed to happen that put the characters at risk.

I devoured this book and found myself forcing a slower pace when I neared the final 100 pages because I didnt want it to end. This book blew all my expectations out of the water and I cannot wait for my signed first edition to arrive - November 18th come sooner, I cant wait to annotate my physical copy!

What a conclusion! My favourite aspect of this book is the character dynamics. We were able to see a lot more of the characters interact with each other in this book and how their grief, anger and the blood fued directly impacted those intercetions and that was done phenomenally. Both romances were expanded upon in the most delightfully angst-ridden way and I adored every second of it. The ending sets ups the spin off series quite well. I'm excited to see where we go next!

Rep: LGBTQIA+, Asian rep, Russian rep

After enjoying These Violent Delights, I was super happy to get an ARC of this book from Netgalley! This sequel had even more political tension in it than the first, and I really liked learning about the struggles of the Communist and Nationalist parties. In my review on These Violent Delights, I mentioned that the “monster” took a plot backseat … well, the author directly addresses that in this novel and I loved that level of self-awareness! The rivalry is so much stronger in this book, with misunderstanding galore (which I secretly love) so it made the tension between the different characters come alive. The ending completely took me aback and I’m still reeling from it! The plot and pacing were slower than I expected but it allowed for good character development. For these reasons, I’m giving it 4/5 stars.

4.3/5⭐️

Okay WOOOOOW! First I want to say thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada and Netgalley for sending me an ARC.

So I struggled a bit with These Violent Delights BUT THIS!!! Absolutely incredible. The secrets, the action, the love IS JUST SO GOOD. I couldn’t put this book down with how much I was attached and needed to know what happened.

Prepare yourself to feel ✨pain✨ I grew attached to all the characters and I felt all the emotions. I even got emotional and cried which to me shows it was good.

The plot twists were incredible! All the characters were interesting and well written. The relationships were so good and I can’t say too much without spoiling but I really loved everything. I also loved the different POVs. I felt like it was so important to see everyone’s POV and it made the story that much better. The multiple POVs helped to give key information and not leave me to wonder what the others were thinking.

The only thing I would’ve liked to know more of what the future had in store and get more details about how everyone was going to go on in life. It was still a great way to end and I know people will love it, but for me I prefer having all loose ends tied and all my questions answered.

I cannot wait for everyone to read this!

Thank you, Simon and Schuster, for providing me with an ARC of Our Violent Ends - this was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021!!!

When I first read These Violent Delights two months ago, I was not too fond of the initial pacing and how the world-building did a lot more telling instead of showing. So it took me three weeks just to get through the first 100 pages. However, I am so glad that the pacing and writing style improved so much in the sequel. There was not a single dull moment. Instead, I was stressed, blushing and crying at all the parallels to the first book.

More importantly, all my favourite side characters get WAY more screen time in the sequel. Plus I thought the knife to throat scenes were incredible in the first book..... I was not prepared to read them in the second book!!

Ultimately I think I found my new favourite trope?? childhood lovers - enemies - lovers — enemies — forced alliance — fake dating????? — lovers???? My goodness.

“These violent delights have violent ends.”

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for giving me an advanced reader's copy of Our Violent Ends, the final book in the These Violent Delights duology. This book takes place a few months after These Violent Delights.

I loved the first book and also rated it 5 stars, but I loved Our Violent Ends even more! Just like the first book, we learn a lot about the political climate in Shanghai in the 1920s. However, Our Violent Ends was a lot more fast-paced and we got to see a lot more character development, especially Juliette’s, in addition to seeing how the blood feud between the Scarlett Gang and White Flowers is influenced by the nationalists and communists.

This book was overall a rollercoaster ride. There were so many plot twists that I didn’t see coming and I felt a lot more attached to the side characters in this book. I felt so many different emotions (I sobbed) but I was very satisfied with how the book ended and felt like I got closure!

Chloe Gong did such a great job of taking Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and shaping it into her own diverse retelling. I can not recommend this duology enough and I can’t wait for my physical copy to arrive on November 16th!

This is my number 1 most anticipated book of the year. Even though I got this eArc, I still preordered 3 different editions. Chloe Gong is a mastermind, and her retelling of Romeo and Juliet has blown me away yet again. I liked this book so much that I didn't want to keep reading so I wouldn't have to leave the story I was so immersed in. I'm ready for Chloe Gong's next work, and for her to break my heart yet again.

OH LORD HAVE MERCY ON ALL THE POOR SOULS THAT WILL BE READING THIS BOOK.

*yes the book was that good*

I myself wasn’t that much of a fan of the first book so I prayed to the book lords that I would like this book, and I ended up loving it.

The book takes place a few months after the end of These violent delights, and we see the aftermath of everything that happened in book one. We see the relationship between Roma and Juliette (WHICH LITERALLY MADE ME WANT TO RIP CHUNKS OUT OF MY HAIR) and we get some POVs from side characters which made me really happy. The only two characters that were actually sane and chill throughout the book were Kathleen and Marshall. I LOVE THESE TWO. Also, the side characters' relationship… AHHHH. *cough cough* Benedikt and Mars—

The plot does get confusing at times, with a lot of politics and gangster rivalry, and a bit of a crossover between the two???

I can’t spoil the plot so I will just add more screaming

AHHHHH. I’m telling you, the relationship between Roma and Juliette was absolutely insane. Everything that happened left me on the edge of my seat, and I kept saying one more chapter every night. And this is coming from someone who didn't LOVE the first book. So if you loved the first book, oh are you in for a ride. And if you think Chloe can’t outdo the first book, oh boy are you wrong.

Again I can’t spoil much but AHHH- IM STILL SCREAMING

And the ending… I’ll leave it at that.