Read if you like: YA fantasy, retellings.
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This book picks up right where the first one left off, and I maybe even liked it better than the first book. There is so much tension between Roma and Juliette. They still love each other but their allegiance to their gangs are keeping them apart.
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The threat of another monster forces Roma and Juliette to work together and they have to reconcile their differences to save the city and it’s people.
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Action packed and full of adventure, this book was engaging and made me want to keep reading.
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CW: death of a loved one, violence, torture, murder, slight gore.

Our Violent Ends is the second part in a duology retelling Romeo and Juliette set in 1920s Shanghai. Full disclosure; overexposure to Shakespeare in High School has made the mere mention of the playwright bring waves of nausea upon me. So, Chloe Gong’s retelling of a Shakespeare mega hit was at a disadvantage from the start. But, Gong preformed a small miracle and I think maybe I am cured of my deep aversion to Shakespeare, can you tell I loved this book? Think The Great Gatsby, but through in political revolution and monsters! I felt like if I put Our Violent Ends down for too long the story might just forge ahead without me. It is fast passed, satisfying and it is clear Gong is ohh so clever!

What a perfect ending to this YA duology! Chloe Gong surprised me with both These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends in her striking prose and decadent descriptions of Shanghai in the 1920s. This duology is more than simply a YA retelling but hinges on the politics of a city on the verge of revolution. ⁠
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Multiple POVs kept the pacing running smooth during this longer read, though the way it was done had me figuring out a twist sooner than I would've liked. The story is extremely character driven and Gong is just absolutely cruel at times, seriously my heart just wanted happiness! ⁠
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I love the characters, setting and writing but as with These Violent Delights, I couldn't get down with the monster fantasy aspect. It didn't do much for me and I would've rather focused solely on the gangs, politics and Roma/Juliette!.
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Read if you like YA, Shakespeare, tragic love stories with some fantasy!⁠
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CW: death of a loved one, violence, torture, murder

*thank you to the wonderful team at Simon & Schuster for my ARC, i appreciate you so much*

okay here we go because i finished this book about 40mins before it is officially released. i have thoughts. i really like the premise of the book, i'm a huge fan of story retellings and i think there's so much to be explored.
i also love chloe gong. she's a young POC author and she's writing stories that feel authentic and true to her. this duology is really serving the enemies to lovers we all want. the story is rich and diverse and i would recommend it. also i think i enjoyed the second half of this book more than the entire first book. HOWEVER.
i found this duology SO CONFUSING. there is so much plot and sub-plot and so many characters and so many languages and everything is interspersed and personally, i found it extremely overwhelming (full disclosure my ARC is not the final printing so that might also have contributed). i also felt like some aspects of the book were playing into tropes to 'sensationalize' them and make them into tiktok buzzwords.

in conclusion, although i really enjoyed this duology, i felt it was lacking in some areas. the world-building is so massive and honestly confusing, i think the story could have been pared down slightly and would have been a 4 maybe even 5 star read. that being said, this was a smash debut and i can't wait to read the rest of chloe gong's work.

YOU GUYS. THIS. BOOK.

Chloe Gong is my favourite author and Our Violent Ends reminded me why. This book made me smile and cry and laugh and scream internally and stop reading just to stare at the page in shock. It warmed my heart and absolutely shattered it all at once. Our Violent Ends is a masterpiece, but it’s Chloe so what else could I have expected?

Before I end this off, I just want to say thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review! This was my first ARC and I was so excited when I received it especially since I love Chloe. I’m really grateful to have been given this opportunity!

This book is a masterpiece. It will make you cry and it will make you smile. I read it in one day, I couldn’t stop reading it. It was a perfect conclusion to this duology. The writing was beautiful. This series is now one of my favourites. I definitely recommend it if you love fantasy novels, classic retellings and enemies to lovers romance.
5/5

It is hard to take a story as well known as Romeo and Juliet and make it your own. It's even harder to do that and not seem unsatisfying in comparison. Our Violet Ends manages to distinguish itself and remain entertaining. The addition of new issues and conflicts, epidemics, colonialism, and economic inequality, help keep it fresh, rather than just another retelling in a new setting. Our Violent Ends, and the duology has a whole, was excellent. I highly recommend.

I received an advanced copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

If you enjoyed the first book, Our Violent Delights there’s no doubt you’re excited to step back into Chloe Gong’s world set in Shanghai in the 1920s and you will be SO glad you did! This book is a masterpiece. The emotion that is poured into this retelling is absolutely amazing. The characters each come with their own unique depth and the plot will have you ignoring all of your responsibilities to turn pages. Our Violent Ends twists a story of love and power and everything in between, finishing with an incredibly satisfying ending.

4.5 ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

I really liked These Violent Delights because it was so well written and beautiful but OUR VIOLENT ENDS? Guys it was even BETTER!

I cannot even begin to express how wonderful this book was, but I shall try my best anyway. As you all know, I struggled with these violent delights because it took me awhile to get into the story, but with this one? I WAS HOOKED FROM START TO END, I simply couldn’t stop reading. Juliette and Roma are as iconic as ever, but like 10x more, the tension, the drama, THE PAIN. Omg, guys I’m lowkey very numb but in the best way possible, I highly HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS, RUN TO THE STORE and go buy it and then talk to me when you’ve finished because I’m Screaming! Chloe you did it again! You broke me, congratulations and if you see this please let me know where to send you my therapy bills! 😭❤️❤️

This book was absolutely spectacular! I was wondering how Chloe could continue this Romeo and Juliette re-telling that wouldn't feel exhausting. She blew my socks off with how well this was written, so many moments where I was sitting here anxiously flipping to the next page with no idea what would happen next. The suspense really made this book special to me. Can't forget the characters, in this book we delve more into the development and getting to know the characters we met in the first book and I am head over heels in love with both Roma AND Juliet.

I'm so thankful for the arc! However I'm not even sure why I got it or if i accidentally requested it? I still haven't finished the first novel in the series! Already preordered this one though!

I received an e-arc of Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong from Simon & Schuster Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

After the whirlwind of mystery, intrigue, forbidden romance, and secrets abundant that was These Violent Delights, Our Violent Ends was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021. And it definitely did not disappoint! It was just as good, if not better, as it continued to build upon all the characters and drama that occurred in the first book. The story is just as much about Juliet and Roma as it is about their friends and family and the developments that are happening in their beloved city of Shanghai. If you haven’t read These Violent Delights, do yourself a favour and do it now. If you have, then you are bound to love its continuation in Our Violent Ends as much as I did.

The year is 1927, and Shanghai teeters on the edge of revolution.

After sacrificing her relationship with Roma to protect him from the blood feud, Juliette has been a girl on the warpath. One wrong move, and her cousin will step in to usurp her place as the Scarlet Gang’s heir. The only way to save the boy she loves from the wrath of the Scarlets is to have him want her dead for murdering his best friend in cold blood. If Juliette were actually guilty of the crime Roma believes she committed, his rejection might sting less.

Roma is still reeling from Marshall’s death, and his cousin Benedikt will barely speak to him. Roma knows it’s his fault for letting the ruthless Juliette back into his life, and he’s determined to set things right—even if that means killing the girl he hates and loves with equal measure.

Then a new monstrous danger emerges in the city, and though secrets keep them apart, Juliette must secure Roma’s cooperation if they are to end this threat once and for all. Shanghai is already at a boiling point: The Nationalists are marching in, whispers of civil war brew louder every day, and gangster rule faces complete annihilation. Roma and Juliette must put aside their differences to combat monsters and politics, but they aren’t prepared for the biggest threat of all: protecting their hearts from each other.

Despite being a bit disappointed with These Violent Delights, I decided to give Our Violent Ends a chance since this is a duology and I was interested enough in the story to discover how it ends. I can confidently say that I enjoyed OVE more than the first book, but unfortunately I still had some of the same issues I had with the first book- just to a lesser degree.

OVE picks up where the first book left off- Shanghai is on the brink of revolution and the rival gangs of the Scarlets and White Flowers play a delicate balancing act to retain their powers against the Nationalists. Meanwhile, the stench of fear continues to permeate the streets of Shanghai as the threat of monsters capable of unleashing a devastating and horrific plague looms over the city. Juliette and Roma’s relationship has fractured seemingly beyond repair as a consequence of Juliette’s actions in the first book. But despite the fact that the violent blood feud rages on, Juliette and Roma must learn to put aside their differences and work together in an effort to save their beloved city from falling into chaos and destruction.

One of the things I enjoyed the most about this duology was the way the city of Shanghai comes to life through Gong's detailed description and is almost another character in it's own right. I also feel like she manages to balance the blood feud, the threat of Revolution, the monster and Roma and Juliette's relationship better in Our Violent Ends compared to These Violent Delights.

Just like in TVD however, there’s something about the author’s writing style that I can’t seem to get on with! I can’t pinpoint what it is exactly, but I found that there was no flow to the story in both books and as a consequence my interest would wane in some areas then pick up in others. There were also some moments where I found the way she wrote certain scenes to be quite strange and it would pull me out of the story.

Despite this being a Romeo and Juliet retelling, the most interesting romance was not between Roma and Juliette but Marshall and Benedikt and theirs was a relationship that had more chemistry compared to our leads. I guess because the buildup of their romance happened in the past prior to when these books take place, it felt like Roma and Juliette acted like they hated each other for the majority of both books, leading to almost zero investment from me in their love story.

Although I had some issues with these books, I can see why this duology would be a must read for others. I feel like the odd one out saying this but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-Arc of this book!

In Our Violent Ends, Chloe Gong writes the sequel I had hoped for but didn't quite expect. After These Violent Delights, I wasn't sure where the story could go, and I worried that a second book would simply rehash the first with the roles reversed between Roma and Juliette. I am very happy to say I was wrong. Chloe Gong artfully dodges cliches and manages to make an age-old story new again.

This sequel took the best parts of the first book and repurposed them, keeping the same combination of thrilling romance, high stakes conflict, and mystery that made the first so intriguing while upping the political ante. The writing is so rich and detailed that I felt as though I was walking through Shanghai alongside the characters, and I felt their loss, grief, love, and hope as though they were my own. Relationships that were taken for granted in the first book were explored further, and we got much-needed glimpses into the thoughts and motivations of the broader cast of characters.

Though I struggled at times with the pacing – some parts dragging while others were jarringly fast-paced, overall, the sequel was a satisfying, complex finish to an incredibly written duology. I'm eager to see what else Chloe Gong comes up with, and I'm confident that her next project will be as captivating and enjoyable as Our Violent Ends.

I feel like I have so many thoughts, and at the same time, I feel like my brain is mush and I cannot process a single thing! How?! Why?! Oh my gosh!

Okay so this was... explosive, to say the least. A brilliant ending to this duology, although I am slightly angry with it. This book needs a timeout.

These Violent Delights left me wanting for more and Our Violent Ends delivered. I now feel complete. Sort of. Not really... I mean, that ending though!

Moving on to the rest of the story... I love how Roma and Juliette's relationship was handled. There was so much hatred mixed with passion and love. It definitely made for an intense dynamic between the pair. It is also great to see more of some side characters, and interesting to see new bonds and alliances form according to events. The story was fast-paced enough and captivating. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am sad to see this story come to an end.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and to NetGalley for the eARC!

Chloe gong has done it again. This is definitely one of my most anticipated reads of 2021! Ever since I finished These Violent Delights, I’ve been urging to read OVE and let me just say I finished it so fast! I’m not going to say much right now but my full review will come out after release date! I gasped so much during this book and it was even more intense then These Violent Delights! Roma and Juliette❤️❤️❤️ also I love Roma sm 🥰🥰 There were so many twists and Chloe did not disappoint! All the questions you would have from the end of book 1 would be answered in this book and I’m so excited for everyone to read it!
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@shelvesofrachel

Read this, they said. It'll be fine, they said. Fine--Chloe Gong will be hearing from my lawyer shortly because my heart is nothing but a number of sharp, stabby splinters in my chest.

Thank you so much to Simon and Schuster CA for the ARC! I don't know what I did to deserve such mail but I am grateful beyond belief. This book picks up a few months after the events of the first book's finale. Roma and Juliette are back to opposite sides of the blood feud, but only Roma has his whole heart in hating for Juliette for what she did, and Benedikt is even worse in his feels. And as much as it breaks Juliette's heart that Roma despises her, she's making the most of it between the rest of what she has on her plate. Her cousin continues to watch her every move and is one step away from usurping her position as heir of the Scarlets. All the while, danger looms on the horizon for both gangs with Shanghai sinking into rebellion and civil war, and the monsters they thought defeated aren't hiding.

This is easily one of the best retellings I've ever read. Bold statement, I know, but it's the truth. The base premise alone, of 1920's Shanghai with Romeo and Juliet being the heirs of opposing street gangs, it's enough to pique anyone's interest. But then add in the almost effortless twining of historical events with Shakespeare's tale together with such distinct components, and you have an incredible feat of story telling with a quality of uniqueness that makes my jaw drop. Communists versus Nationalists. White Flowers versus Scarlets. Monsters of madness versus a city on the edge. Chef's kiss writing that deserves to keep landing on the NYT Bestseller list.

As with TVD, the characters are what really make this story pop. Gong continues the multi-POV narrative, with the bulk of the story told through Juliette's eyes. Roma comes second, although I would have liked it to be a bit more evenly matched between them. Then we get small interludes from side characters like Alisa, Benedikt, Rosalind, Kathleen, and a few others. The stakes and struggles that apply to each character are so so good, and together they carry the story to a devastating and satisfying ending. I remain as in love with Roma and Juliette as ever, but kudos to Gong for making me absolutely despise Tyler this time around.

The angst. I cannot write a review for this and not talk about the angst. *pinches fingers like a pleased Italian* Oh, but this was so darn good. The will-they-won't-they vibes between Roma and Juliette, not to mention their palpable chemistry, are off the charts. The banter between them has always been something I enjoyed, and I adore that not a single word is wasted. Every one is said to wound, to love, to goad, to soothe, and I am obsessed. Also, there were some moments between them that were so unbelievably romantic that I swooned and wept and screamed in that exact order.

I think what will divide readers on this book is the pacing. Already 500 pages long, this story is deceptively thicc. Usually I can get through a book this size in 4 days, but this took me a week because not only are there are a lot of pages, but those pages have more text on them than most would. It does feel a little slow at times, but there are a lot of subplots that were introduced in the first book that are both built upon and wrapped up nicely. Some people likely won't enjoy the Communist vs. Nationalist backdrop that does steer quite a bit of the book, but it comes together in such a way that I honestly didn't mind. What really made the pacing just right to me is that the entire time, the story is building and building towards what can only be described as tragedy. And we all know Romeo and Juliet is as much tragedy as it is a love story.

This story may be done, but there is still the spin-off set in the 1930's, and I cannot wait to get my hands on that. I admit I am at a loss as to who it could be about, but my guess is it will star either Alisa or Rosalind. Personally, I'm hoping for Alisa, considering what happens to her in this book. But one way or another, I will read it because I am far from done with Chloe Gong and her writing.

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.