I thought this was a bad retelling. Doing a retelling of Shakespeare is probably not the best idea. I felt like this writing was very weak. If you are doing a retelling the goal is to make it somewhat different from the original. I did not feel like this retelling did that. I just felt like the same story badly written.

Did I like this book? It was okay, slower than I would like from a book. I felt like there was a lot of potential and not a lot happened. I found it hard to stay engaged with the characters, and didn't really care how the story ended. Would I recommend this book? No I don't think I would recommend it. I love LGBTQIA books and this one just didn't do it for me.

I love all these remixes and this is no exception! An amazing remix of Romeo and Juliet. I loved every minute.

One of the better remixes. For me, it's up there with Clash of Steel and Self-Made Boys.

You can never go wrong with a (queer) Romeo and Juliet story, and this book hit all the right elements. Especially because of the happy ending. I adored the platonic bond Romeo and Juliet created during their few interactions, both of them struggling with being different in different ways and having to deal with society’s expectations. Also, since I had not expected to see it, I really loved the aro/ace rep with Friar Laurence and Juliet as well.

Overall, I enjoyed this story very much!

Romeo and Juliet is a play that I have taught many times. I always try to approach it through the lens of teenagers and poor life decisions. I am pleased that this retelling also includes teens making some poor life decisions, just not as many as the source material. Romeo finds love at the Capulet's party. Same set up, but he finds love with Valentine, Mercutio's brother. However, he does find a friend in Juliet Capulet at the party. When Tybalt (completely the same as the source material) becomes his angry self and acts out in rage, Romeo, Juliet, and their friends find themselves trying to figure out a way to both stay alive and to be able to live the lives that they want, not simply living the lives their families want. When Valentine is seriously hurt, Romeo and Juliet have to think quickly in order to figure out how they can be the people they want to be while staying alive. I am pleased that, unlike the source material, this has a less tragic ending. One of the best retellings of Shakespeare I have ever read.

Bravo!! In some ways this feels like it changes the least from the canon of the Classics Remixed series, but also it changes everything. (view spoiler)

It did feel a little draggy in the middle but having an overly-convoluted plot is core to the R&J experience I suppose.

I have only read Romeo and Juliet once in high school, so my knowledge of the plot is now over a decade old. There were bits and characters in this book that I did not remember at all, but overall, this was very recognizably a retelling of Romeo and Juliet. The twist here being...Romeo is gay and falls in love with Valentine, Mercutio's brother. Here was my first stumbling block with the story, as Valentine (Google tells me) is mentioned in the play, but has no real role in it. Instead, the author has elevated this character and had him take on some of Mercutio's plot beats, and while it threw me off at first, I did end up thinking this was a clever way to remix the plot. By far, my favorite part is that we get not just one, but TWO major characters who are asexual in some manner, with both Friar Lawrence and Juliet proclaiming a lack of interest in romantic affairs. Juliet's declaration surprised me, but I was so happy to see it, we so rarely get good, interesting ace spec characters, and to have their sexualities respected and recognized by other characters was a delight. The author manages a happy ending for the main group (Romeo, Juliet, Valentine, Mercutio, Benvolio) that felt realistic and led to a satisfying ending. Not only that, but we get very good characterization of these individuals, the author has fleshed them out in a way that they are still recognizable from their source, but have an added nuance that compliments the turns the story takes.

What a gorgeous novel full of loveable characters and a storyline that I couldn't put down. This one is a must read!

In the original tale, Romeo and Juliet are immature and most of their problems actually stem from communication issues. You know going into any retelling that there’s a level of immaturity that follows. In this case, the immaturity is front and center, and it doesn’t feel like the book will broadly appeal to our patrons.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for the ARC.

This was fine! I thought the writing style was a little pretentious at times, and I generally just didn't find the story very interesting. I think Romeo & Juliet can be tough to retell because of the insta-love aspect of the story, and I felt that really kept me from connecting to the main characters and their relationship here.
I love this cover though!!!

Excellent retelling of a classic story with a LGBTQ twist! The author captures the adventure and tension of the original play, but the relationship between Romeo and Valentine seems more realistic. The characters are all charming in different ways - Benvolio is a rake, Mercutio takes his leadership role seriously, and Juliet is a fiercely independent young woman - which makes the story fun to read.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Thanks Netgalley and Feiwel & Friends for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I am really enjoying these reimagined classics! I think I’ve always struggled with the original stories but the way these are done makes the stories come alive to me! Romeo is destined to follow in his father’s footsteps and to be betrothed to a women of his father’s choosing but he does not want to take over for his father and has no interest in women. When his cousin Ben talks him into going to a masquerade party at his family sworn enemies he meets two people there a beautiful mysterious boy and Juliet daughter of said enemy. There interaction leads to trouble with Juliet’s cousin, trouble that follows Romeo. All Romeo wants is to spend more time with the mysterious boy, Valentine, but I’d emerging friendship with Juliet May just get them all in trouble. Can Romero find love? Will his relationship with Juliet lead to trouble? The story was intriguing and full of action and when not in action the reader is given tender heartwarming moments between two people who cannot be. Caleb Roehrig gives a beautiful twist to the Romeo and Juliet classic! If your a fan of the original you will love Romeo and Valentines tale! I can’t wait to read it again when it comes out!

The Remixed Classics series has been such a treat to read, I love retellings and each book has been so well done. I loved this remix of Romeo and Juliet. Caleb Roehrig does a great job in telling this story and it still has the spirit from the original and make it into a original story. I enjoyed what I read and it did have a wonderful writing style going on. I look forward to the next remix and from Caleb Roehrig.

"He is not truly trying to escape, and seems to have no destination in mind; but he runs and I give chase, my blood still hot with want and wonder. I have no idea what I’m doing, or what will happen when he lets me capture him, but I am desperate to find out. The breeze rippling my nightshirt, the charge in the air grows stronger the faster we go."

A stunning cover. Rich and descriptive prose. A romance to die for (or not …). What do we want more in a retelling?

Of course, I know Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and their tragic ending. But I’m so happy that there are more and more YA retellings that are different. Chloe Wong’s A Violent Delight is an excellent example, and Teach the Torches to Burn is another.

I didn’t know what to expect from this story. I love to read retellings, but I have to admit that I only started to long for this book when I saw that glorious cover by Julie Dillon. From that moment, the yearning kept growing. So when I found the approval for an ARC in my email, I almost screamed out loud.

First of all, Julie Dillon’s art, Caleb Roehrig’s writing, and one of the most important romances in fictional history suit each other wonderfully. The cover and the writing are lush and vivid and irresistibly romantic.

Caleb stays close to the original story, which means that the romance is insta love, and the events happen in a short period. The sentences and wording are a bit more old-fashioned and dense than usual, but all of this (including the insta love) suits a retelling of Romeo and Juliet really well. The blooming and passionate love between Romeo and Valentine made my heart beat faster, and I rooted for the friendship between Juliet and Romeo. And I treasured Christianity in this story, with Friar Laurence as the highlight. He should be an example for current Christian leaders.