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

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.

*Thank you to the publicist at Simon & Schuster for sending me an ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR "THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS"
Picking up from These Violent Delights, Our Violent Ends returns us to the amazing and cutthroat city of Shanghai. I really enjoyed how the story played out as a reverse to the first. In the first book, we were really focused on Juliette's POV and her hatred for Roma after his "betrayal", but then the second book takes the complete opposite view, with Roma hating Juliette because he "betrayed" her, when it's not entirely as it seems. I think it was a really well thought idea and it read wonderfully.

I'm really happy we got to see a new side to Roma in this book. I felt like in the first book we never really saw the powerful and callous character that was advertised in the book(if only glimpses) and he was softer while Juliette was the brutal one. But the tables turned in the second, and we got to see the darker side of the White Flower heir. While some characters I learned to love even more in this second book, there were some that I really lost interest in, the twins in particular. They just became very annoying to follow and their choices left me confused. I was also a little disappointed about how at the very end of the story, some of the side characters were sort of forgotten(or very briefly mentioned) and just seemed to disappear. Two characters in particular I really fell in love with and they just left and were only vaguely mentioned when I would have liked to see them stick around until the end. I just think some parts are unfinished, and I was left wanting more.

Overall, though, the pros out way the few cons I had and I'm so very pleased to have been given the chance to read it. Some very unexpected plot twists and plenty of great politics are in the book as well, so if you are into that, then you would love this duology. Chloe Gong managed to put together another gorgeously written masterpiece. Such a satisfying end to this outstanding duology.

4.5/5 Stars

This book is so much more then I hoped it would be. I ended up loving this much more then the first book. There is so much more depth within this book as it develops the world building and characters. This book goes more into the lives of the other members of both the Scarlet and White Flower gangs. Really getting you to know and understand more of the beloved secondary characters Marshall, Alisa, Kathleen, Rosalind, and Benedict.

This book had me on the edge, making it almost impossible to put down. The storyline seemed much more developed then the first as it seemed to move away from the typical Romeo and Juliet retellings. While the first book is targeted as engines to lovers this one is even more so. Like legitimately the definition of enemies to lovers. Chloe has done an amazing job in getting you so invested with her world and characters! I loved this book from start to finish and cannot advocate for this series enough.

Finally getting around to this review!!
OKAY, first of all, I liked this one so much more than the first book! I found it was a lot more detailed, continued the story in a really action-packed and fast-paced way, and had more romance than the first time around. Juliette and Roma's character development is much more believable and nuanced than in the first book, which I found was lacking some background to set up the story. While the ending was a nice twist on the classic Romeo and Juliet tale, I was a little frustrated with it but also happy with it. It made me feel things that's for sure. An excellent excellent sequel! Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced ecopy!

THANK YOU Simon & Schuster Canada and #NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy of Our Violent Ends in exchange for an honest review. (This review is spoiler free for both These Violent Delights & Our Violent Ends - if you haven't read the duology yet have no fear).

FIVE STARS.

I'm stunned by Chloe Gong's follow up to These Violent Delights, which left me in heavy anticipation of whether the blood feud between Juliette and Roma's respective gangs would be resolved, what would become of the city of Shanghai and the gangsters influenced by the divisive nationalists, communists, and imperialists, and OF COURSE I was dying to know how the personal lives of Juliette, Roma, Marshall, Benedikt, and Kathleen would end up.

From the first page, Our Violent Ends sent my heart straight into my throat. I was torn between wanting to read this book incredibly fast and wanting to be able to experience reading this for the first time as long as possible. (Reading in one day won out - I had to know what would happen!) I was tense the whole time I was reading this book - there were such high stakes and I was so invested in the story. The pacing of the story in this book was even better than the last, (the backstory was established in the first book which certainly helped), but the events flowed well between and it made the book hard to put down. Her writing was BEAUTIFUL. Mostly, I LOVED the characters. The chemistry and the tension between Juliette and Roma was incredible, and I loved the development of Marshall, Benedikt, and Kathleen's storylines. I also loved every nod to Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet - her spin on the tragic romance was unique and wonderfully done.

OKAY I won't say anymore because I am trying very hard not to be spoiler-y and I am still processing the ending. But this book made me cry and I will be rereading. I can't wait to see what Chloe Gong writes next & to talk to people about this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for providing me with an e-Arc of this book!

In my review for These Violent Delights, I said, and I quote, “Rumor has it, in the depths of the Huangpu River, you can find my heart ripped out and torn into shreds.” Well, this time around, my heart has actually been taken out of the river, stitched back up together, carefully massaged, stabbed with every dagger that Juliette owns (which I’m sure is many), and then wrung out, not necessarily in that order. I don’t know how many more times Chloe can alter my brain chemistry before I am a completely new person.

I’m going to say this in the most non-spoilery way possible: This book was a rollercoaster. I felt every emotion on the spectrum and then some. Chloe probably invented new emotions for me to experience while reading this book.

The pacing for this book is definitely faster than that of These Violent Delights. You’re thrown right into the action, because there’s no need for context. Along with the volatile historic backdrop (you’d do well to do some research on 1927 Shanghai + China as a whole), the tensions between characters are higher, you, the reader, are more anxious because this is the second book of a duology based on Romeo and Juliet, and everything is just that much more suspenseful. It’s a high pressure reading experience for sure.

Seeing as this is a Romeo and Juliet retelling, I’d be remiss not to mention the central romance: Roma and Juliette. I don’t know how to articulate into words the amount of feelings I felt while reading about them. Every single line they spoke to each other, every time they were mentioned in the same paragraph, I could feel the tension. I definitely let out some squeals, gasps, and other related noises while reading about them. This implies there’s a lot of angst, which there is, but I can promise you that there is at least some happiness. So, do with that what you will. Just know that you will be rooting for them so so much.

One of the things I wanted to see more in These Violent Delights was more perspectives from characters other than Juliette, whom I do love. In this book, I definitely got what I wanted. I got to do more of a deep dive into Roma’s character and motivations, along with his feelings throughout *gestures at all the things happening*. Moreover, we get more Benedikt, Marshall, and Kathleen! Benedikt and Marshall are absolutely adorable - and that’s all I’m going to say because I’m afraid if I keep going I’ll start running my mouth and reveal something. Chloe has created such a vibrant cast of supporting characters, and I (pun intended) support them all. One that I hold particularly near and dear to my heart is Alisa, because I too am an annoying younger sister who just wants everyone to get along. So that’s some #representation in there too.

That is actually a perfect segue into my next section, which I touched upon in my These Violent Delights review, but: the representation in this book is amazing. I can only speak to the Chinese representation, but I love how Chloe wrote the essence of being Chinese in this book? Obviously there’s lots of different ways to be Chinese and to expect her to be the almighty arbiter of representation is pretty unrealistic, but I thought she did a pretty good job! There’s even the depiction of the setting. A lot of the times, Asian cities are depicted in this incredibly exotified, Orientalist way, but Shanghai is just Shanghai. It feels like a living, breathing, very chaotic city, which it was during the time period that Our Violent Ends takes place.

Moving on, the linguistic representation of this book is so cool to see. Pretty much all the main/side characters in the book are multilingual, and seeing how their character dynamics are established through which language they decide to speak in. Also, Juliette speaking Korean with Marshall pushed the Juliette/Marshall best friends 4eva agenda which is always nice.

I’m sure many of you, as I did before I got my hands (or rather screens) on this book, are scouring these reviews to see how this book ends, and I’ll say this. I remember being on Chloe’s twitter and seeing a tweet that Chloe liked around the lines of, “a good tragedy provides closure. It leaves the readers thinking that it was tragic for a purpose.” That, I think, aptly represents how Romeo and Juliet, the play, ended. Does it represent how the book ended? I can’t say. And not just because I don’t want to give spoilers, but because the ending of this book was so emotionally charged that I cannot assign a single connotation to it. You’ll have to read it to find out.

Now, if you need me, I will be curled up in a corner, re-reading my annotations, and listening to my romajuliette playlist.

“It was a city divided by names and colors and turfs, but all bleeding the exact same shade of violence”

Wow. This book started off with a bang, I honestly knew that this was going to surpass the first book and definitely be my favourite before I even finished chapter one. I was already feeling all the feels and emotions and I just knew I was in for a ride.

Roma has turned himself into someone to be feared, killing scarlet gang members as a way to cope with Marshall’s ‘death’ and extract revenge. Juliette is living with the consequences of this lie to keep everyone safe. Chloe Gong really turned the tables and now Juliette is in Roma’s shoes this time. If you think you are prepared you aren’t!


“In the event of my death, release them all”

The story continues with the news that the scarlet gang is being blackmailed for months wanting money in exchange for not letting out another monster, in fact there are now five monsters.

“No longer is the madness a contagious matter. The madness strikes at will now”

This book was absolutely amazing, where it started off is very far from where it ended. I feel this book was a lot more plot driven, we learn a lot more about the politics of Shanghai but at the same time we also get a deep dive into all of the characters. I feel I learned a lot more about each character and I grew attached to all of them, this book definitely will have a special place in my heart for a long time with this amazing group of characters.

“These violent delights have violent ends”

This book has such pace and cadence that no other retelling has which is why I have nothing but good things to say. When reading a retelling it is hard to follow usually since the characters and plot are not new to you, but in both TVD and OVE I found myself still surprised, and impressed with the depth of the characters. My only gripe with the title is that the formatting was off on my kindle and all the drop caps/ chapter heads didn't display properly, but that is easily fixed so no worries! I will be posting a full review on my socials around pub date!

Overall Rating: 5 stars

This was seriously one of the most stressful books I’ve ever read, but I loved every second of it. These Violent Delights was one of my favourite reads of this year so far and ever since I finished it I’ve been itching to read the sequel. While I did love These Violent Delights, I found myself way more invested in this book. It took me a little bit to get adjusted to the world in the first one, but with Our Violent Ends, I was addicted right away.

I’m so obsessed with the way that Chloe Gong took the themes, plots, and characters from Romeo and Juliet and shaped them into her own. Every single character in this was so well thought out. Juliette is literally the coolest person ever. I became so much more attached to the characters in this and it definitely hurt. And oh my god don’t even get to start on Roma and Juliette’s relationship. “Enemies to lovers” is certainly one of the most popular tropes in Young Adult literature at the moment but I have a hard time finding books in which it’s actually done well and here, it’s done perfectly. The chemistry and tension between Roma and Juliette are off the charts. The scenes between the two of them in this were literally everything. We were given the content we deserved! Romajuliette fans you will not be disappointed, I promise.

Aside from the characters, the stakes in this were incredibly high, my heart was racing so fast while reading. I may have even audibly gasped a few times. The plot and writing grab you in and don’t let you go. As for the ending, I swear Chloe Gong took my heart out and stomped on it. I cried for way longer than I should have afterward. It’s going to take me a while to fully process it, I’m never going to get over it.

This was everything I wanted it to be and more for the conclusion of one of my new favourites series. It had me going through almost every emotion out there, I swear. And again, these characters literally have me in a chokehold I love them so much. It was everything I wanted it to be and more for the conclusion of one of my new favourites series. Please go get yourself a copy in November, you won’t regret it.

"It was this city, divided by names and colors and turfs, but all bleeding the exact same shade of violence."

Upon finishing this book I went through a myriad of emotions. I was heartbroken, hopeful, distraught, and longing for more. Our Violent Ends ripped my soul in the best way possible.

These Violent Delights was a stand-out read for me, I simply cannot compare it to any other books out there because it stands in a category all its own. The characters become so real, their problems and heartache portrayed so vividly that you can hear their voices and see their faces as you read. Chloe Gong truly gifted us a masterpiece when she began typing on her keyboard and the story began to form.

Looking back on all the passages I highlighted and all the moments that captured me the most, they were the moments when the characters break down to their truest self. Watching Juliette realize she is living a facade, seeing Roma grapple with whom he loves and the pain they caused him, or reading as Kathleen finally embraces who she really is, these were moments so beautiful and accurate to the human experience that I couldn't help but pause and reread those moments and try to cherish them for just a bit longer.

Not only did Gong create an unbelievable cast of characters, but she also painted such a stunning portrait of life in Shanghai in the 1920s. The hustle and bustle of the city mixed with the political and social unrest created such a unique story for these characters to exist in. We saw the characters pushed to their limits and Chloe did a fabulous job allowing us to experience the animosity that was occurring in Shanghai through their adventures. The added plot point of the bugs infesting the bodies of men and women alike painted a raw picture of how easily humanity can be changed and influenced in the name of preserving peoples or saving one group from another. We see so many dichotomies in this book, but most importantly, The Scarlets against the White Flowers. Their struggles with each other can be extrapolated to represent so many issues within our own modern society, and Juliette and Roma must figure out if they can separate what they grew up in with who they are now.

"'I'm not saving this city because it is good,' she said carefully, 'Nor am I saving it because I am good. I want it safe because I wish to be safe. I want it safe because safety is what is deserved, goodness or wickedness alike.'"

The stakes are increased, tensions are high, and the end is almost here. Our Violent Ends was exactly what I needed to end Juliette and Roma's story. It was poetic and justified and packed just the right amount of punch to have a lasting impact on readers. Chloe Gong's writing style is evocative and magical, and I loved finding the small references to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. I am eager to see what she comes out with next, because I am sure it'll be truly extraordinary.

Fans of historical romance and enemies to lovers, look no further than Chloe Gong's stunning duology, These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends.

"Only he knew that if he screamed I hate you, what he really meant was I love you. I still love you so much and I hate you for it."