5/5 stars.

Our Violent Ends was an incredible book, to the point that I have struggled immensely to write a review and put my love for it into words. First off, Chloe Gong's writing (which I already loved) developed beautifully, and her characters and settings only became more real to me as a reader. I completely adored them, as I adored the book. Despite Our Violent Ends being a retelling of a well-known and well-loved tale, I was kept on the edge of my seat throughout, was thoroughly invested in the plot, and absolutely wrecked by the ending. All the relationships were brilliantly written, as was literally everything else, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to anyone considering reading it (and also to try my best to persuade those who aren't).

this series surprised me. From the beginning, I did not expect this kind of story. I had a hard time getting into the history, understanding what was going on with political intrigues and gangs. But once started, I enjoyed this series. It’s not a favorite of mine but it deserves to be read. Volume 2 completes the series perfectly, with a good mix of action, revelation, intrigue, and romance. I can’t wait to see what the author will write to us afterward, because her writing style is very beautiful and I would be happy to see her evolve in her career as a writer.

this book was even better than the first one! the tension was immaculate and i loved how they were genuinely enemies at first!

"These violent delights have violent ends"
is how I would describe this sequel.

Let me tell you, reading this book was stressful! I am a Chinese Malaysian. I watched China drama series that tells the story of the China Revolution through the decades, yes, I'm talking about the ones that take you through year by year from the POV of a merchant, general, soldier, housewife, farmer, ordinary everyday folk. I felt like I was reading a parallel universe of the China Revolution, one that involves a monster and a Shakespeare retelling.

My NetGalley request was approved by the publisher - Hodder & Stoughton! Thank you for seeing to my NEEDS! Proud Chinese right here! I am so grateful for the representation and all the Chinese words in it, it feels like an alternative universe to call home.

The drama, the politics, the intense plot, ROMA and JULIETTE, it was all *chef kiss*

'What are you afraid of' Roma Montagov asked.
Juliette lips parted. She exhaled a short, abrupt breath. 'The consequences,' she whispered, 'of love in a city ruled by hate.'

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Cough, sorry.

Since we got the backstory of our protagonist lovers, the second book is even more enjoyable because you already know them. You are able to truly get inside their head and feel their PaIn. And I truly did feel it. Tears flowed. I was rooting for them the whole fking time! My OTP! I don't want a man if he isn't gonna banter with me using razor-sharp big brain words and daggers like Roma and Juliette. The Angst in this!! Holy, if you think the first book was fire, this is lava. I really do love a good angst, I-love-you-so-much-that-I-hate-you couple. It kinda made me have a flashback moment of feels about my ex. *barfs*

There are so many favourite scenes and quotes. You can really see Chole's confidence in her writing with her second book. The characters took a shape of their own and they basically wrote themselves into the dialogues. I can never trust anyone but Chloe Gong now to write a savage-found-family-against-all-odds-yet-I-still-hate-you book.

Let's not talk about the ending of the book here, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS if my mouth opens. All I can say is... Shakespeare is immortal.

I can't wait for November to come, I am a book tabber so I'm gonna be tabbing every 10 pages. Watch me do endless cosplays in my qipao and pretend I'm a Scarlet. Spiritually, I am one :)

BBR, too busy recommending this book to EVERYONE. Congrats on your success Chole, keep writing out there so we can keep fighting for you! 谢谢你，我爱你💕我为你为荣！ 恭喜你！！ 加油喔！

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this eArc!

The highly anticipated conclusion to the amazing Romeo and Juliet inspired duology! And whoa, it sure did live up to its source material in every heart wrenching way.

trigger warning
<spoiler> gun violence, gore, massacre, kidnapping, being held hostage, mention of suicide, death by fire, mention of drug abuse, torture </spoiler>

As bad as the blood feud between two rival gangs in Shanghai is, things get far worse when a revolution is coming and communists and nationalists bathe the city in blood. Can Juliette and Roma, against all odds, find a way to be together?

Book two is as fast paced and action packed as the first one was. You know how the original tale goes, but you wonder how close the author will adhere to it. Just changing the names is boring, after all, and could be done by everyone.

I enjoyed this book, and will make sure to keep a look out for new books by this author.
Yes, I don't have that much to say because I want to keep this spoiler free. Just give this a go if you read YA.

The arc was provided by the publisher.

These Violent Delights was, undoubtedly, one of the best book I read back in 2020. Ever since I finished it, I was waiting not-so-patiently for the sequel. I was dying to know about Roma and Juliette, about the monster, about the gangster. Though Our Violent Ends is vastly different from what I'd expected, it's still an astonishing sequel, if not heartbreaking as well.

Our Violent Ends continue right after we left off These Violent Delights. Paul Dexter was dead, and yet his monster still exist, controlled by someone out there. Not only that, the monster's controller are now blackmailing both Scarlet Gang and White Flower, in exchange for the monster not attacking their establishments. Due to this, Roma and Juliette were forced by their fathers to join hands in order to exterminate their common enemies, never mind that Roma wanted to avenge Marshall's (supposed) death on Juliette. Only problem is, the more they investigate, the more they realize that the monster is not the only problem that face Shanghai, and the other problems might bring their city to ruin.

Originally, I thought that OVE would also focus on the monster and its origin, but I was wrong. Rather, its focus was also on the increasing-confrontation between the Nationalist and the Communist, and the connection (or lack thereof) of both gangs to this. This confrontation would eventually lead to the Chinese Civil War. Although the events portrayed in the book is not 100% accurate to the history, it still made OVE darker and deadlier and therefore, even more devastating than its predecessor.

Of course, I couldn't talk about OVE without mentioning the wonderful characters. Every character in this book is morally-grey at best, and that's why I couldn't truly hate any of them. Some of them might be annoying, but given their position and situation, it made sense. I probably shouldn't be surprised with some of the characters' fate since this is a Romeo & Juliet retelling, and yet, I cried when I read about it.

All in all, Our Violent Ends is truly a devastatingly beautiful sequel. It's woeful and heartbreaking, and yet hopeful at the same time. I'm sad that this duology has come to an end, but I'm also excited for its continuation.

3.5 stars

The finale to this Romeo and Juliet retelling takes place around the Shanghai Uprisings of 1927. As well as a blood feud to deal with, the pair also have to contend with more monsters and the looming battle between communists and nationalists.

There are a lot of threats, therefore, to navigate, and plots to unravel. However, most of the action around those threats comes in the second half. The first half is an investigation that Roma and Juliette are pushed into collaborating over, exploring the tension between them after the finale of the final book - and their continuing attraction.

There's also more time spent on the supporting POVs - Benedickt, Marshall, and Kathleen/Celia. (Alisa is technically a POV again, but once again she has very little she says. I am hoping we get more of her in the spin off.)

I did enjoy getting more time with them, seeing their growth. There's Benedickt falling apart with grief, Marshall chaffing against the restraints of being dead, and Kathleen trying to find her way in the world as she continues to be drawn deeper into the communists. Particularly in the first half, they really help to move the story along.

In the first book, there were a very few scenes written in third person present tense (vs the majority of the book in third person past.) They were scenes that sort of zoomed out to give a sense of what was happening widely. Here, there are a lot more of these scenes, and the tense change could be pretty jarring - particularly as it might swoop down on these characters and show what they were doing, but without their names or the tense it was usually in.

Everyone knows the ending of Romeo and Juliet - tragedy (or foolishness and poor communication, depending on how you view it.) I honestly wasn't convinced that this book was going to lean into the tragedy, but was instead going to find some way out - faking, perhaps? Like Marshall's in book 1? (The duology has spent almost 1000 pages getting us to like them as a couple, so I wasn't sure it would be able to just kill the pair of them and defy the expectations of YA so much.)

The ending sort of tries to play it both ways at one, though it leans a little more one way. it will definitely take me some time to decide whether I liked that, or would have preferred a more definitive answer.

A slow start, obviously to catch the readers up, but then a fast-paced sequel that perfectly concludes the duology. I was enthralled once the action got going and was a big fan of the ending. The conclusion lingers with you for awhile and perfect sets up the next duology from this mega-talented author

Chloe Gong has once again broken my heart. Her work is just so brilliant and I can't wait for every single read from her.

Full review to be posted soonish. I'll update review with links to socials.
I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This has to have been one of my most anticipated reads since I finished These Violent Delights. I can not believe that this is only a duology and that it is now over. I am sad I put off reading this because I was scared to be hurt (the thought of the bugs) and that I did not want it to end.

Chloe Gong's story in Our Violent ends is so beautiful written, full of pain, angst, and trauma, words that had me hooked from the first page.

This duology is defiantly one that I will revisit countless times.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this e-ARC

Our Violent Ends picks up a couple of months after the ending of These Violent Delights; with character dynamics perilously strained, a continued power struggle for the ultimate control of Shanghai and the return of a past evil.
Chloe Gong brings together so many themes and genres - there’s romance, fantasy, mystery and historical fiction, to surmise some - to provide an exhilarating conclusion to this YA duology.

My favourite part of Our Violent Ends, similar to These Violent Delights, is the character interactions. The connection between the characters feel like real tangible friendships; each character is complex yet possesses disarming charm and questionable morals to feel believable and to be easily loved. All of them together - Juliette, Roma, Marshall, Benedikt and Alisa - definitely deliver the friends-as-family trope perfectly. It was nerve-wracking to see this unit tested and broken due to the gang rivalries… I still would like to refer my therapy bill onto Gong for the anxiety it induced. So, reader, beware. You’ll need to be prepared for how hard this series seizes on the emotions!

I really enjoyed how Gong retold this romance. The chemistry between Roma and Juliette was just perfect. Their fine tread between love and hate was one heck of a full throttle ride. It equally pays homage to Shakespeare’s original work, Romeo and Juliet, of the starcrossed lovers, and injects new life into the tale, as a thrilling reimagining of the glitzy but seedy environment of 1920s Shanghai. I absolutely adore how historically enriched the duology is by geopolitics and historic events (like the Communist revolution). The historical elements is what drew me to the series in the first place, which didn’t disappoint in the slightest.

Gong brings to life a vibrant world full of angst and heart - it is an explosive and well worthy conclusion - and I can’t wait to see what else Gong has coming on the horizon.

Thank you kindly to Hodder & Stoughton for an e-ARC in exchange for this honest review.

One monster is dead, and another threatens to push Shanghai into ruins as it balances on a tightrope. Juliette must protect her place as the Scarlet Gang’s heir, even if it means working again with Roma to end a new monster in the city. As the city reaches a boiling point, with civil war right on their doorsteps, Roma and Juliette must find a way to work together or face losing everything they’ve ever known.

Our Violent Ends was a disappointing experience. We return to 1920s Shanghai with a much larger focus on the communists and nationalists as the Scarlet Gang and White Flowers struggle to control the city. These Violent Ends revolves around the monster that lurks with the conflict between the Nationalists and Communists is brewing in the background. Our Violent Ends does a complete switch, now the civil war is the main focus with the threat of a new monster lurking in the background. Both novels follow young Juliette and Roma trying to find the truth and help their people before the war breaks them apart.

Sadly, there is just not enough substance to carry this story, clocking at almost 500 pages. Our Violent Ends was dragging itself for no good reason. The progression between the last book and this one should’ve been a sign for me to stop before it got even worse. These Violent Delights ends on a thrilling cliffhanger, the return of a beast, the death of a friend that should spur the characters to keep moving, but the sequel starts after some time has passed and Gong info-dumps everything and moves on. And what she moves onto felt like nothing to me.

Our Violent Ends was everything and nothing at the same time. Juliette is still on edge about Tyler taking her spot as the heir. I enjoyed Tyler as a villain, but at one point, I was rooting for him just to do the damn thing and take her spot because despite Juliette believing she should be the heir, she does nothing even to showcase that she deserves it. We are told she is badass, smart and deserves to be the heir, but it comes up empty for me. I was hoping Roma’s perspective would at least be interesting. He is, rightfully, upset about Juliette, thinking she is responsible for Marshall’s death. And when they’re forced to work together again, of course, he’s conflicted. I honestly could not bring myself to care about these two as lovers or friends, or enemies.

A big issue with this duology overall is that it relies on withholding information as plot twists. If Gong wanted to pack a punch, there should’ve been more consequences to the actions of these characters, which is why this entire duology was so underwhelming to read. A few moments came across as shocking, but I found that I could not care at all after the initial shock, and I realise that it just came out of nowhere.

If there was anything positive about this duology, everything is so interesting except for Juliette and Roma. Whenever the story shifts to follow Tyler, Benedikt, Marshall or Kathleen, it feels like I’m reading a completely different story. I enjoyed myself but then when we returned to our main couple; I just wanted to move on from them. I could not bring myself to feel invested in Roma and Juliette at all.

Our Violent Ends was disappointing, to say the least. I truly wanted the best for this duology, but I found it to be incredibly repetitive. As friends, enemies or lovers, Roma and Juliette’s relationship was utterly unsatisfying. It is frustrating to see an exciting concept squandered, which left me dissatisfied with my reading experience.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒅:
-The plot, the subplot, the writing, the HEARTBREAK. I loved These Violent Delights, it was one of my favourite books of 2021. I went into Our Violent Ends with high expectations and this did NOT disappoint. It was everything I wanted, needed and more.
-The twists and turns... my mind was blown page after page. So much was happening. The plot felt so fast but at the same time everything was so well-written and detailed that you feel able to absorb and understand everything that is happening and why it is happening.
-Roma and Juliette... I mean this is a story we all know and this retelling puts such an amazing, unique twist on the story whilst also closely tying in with the one we all know and love. The romance between these two is just... *chefs kiss"
-The ending... I knew it was coming but damn, it still hurt.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆:
-The fact that is is only a Duology and the ending was actually an ending and my time in Shangahi is over.

-𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍:
If you enjoyed These Violent Delights then without a doubt you will love this too. Chloe Gong is a master storyteller who writes characters that just feel so real. I connected so much with the story, the relationships and the world in general. It's a fairly long book at nearly 500 pages but it is so worth it!

This was absolutely my most anticipated release of 2021 and it did not disappoint!

These violent delights was such a surprise favourite for me, I didn’t expect much but I fell head over heels in love with it and it quickly catapulted into perhaps my top 3 reads of all time. As you can imagine… our violent ends had a lot to live up to.

And I looooved it! It had an amazing plot, great pacing with lots of drama and a wonderful ending. Chloe gong should be so proud of herself to create these two books at such a young age. I can’t imagine how she will top these in the future but I will be reading everything she ever releases, just in case!

*With thanks to netgalley & the publisher for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review!*

i do not think i'm alive after reading this book. Chloe gong is a genius and this series is climbing the list of my favorites. amazing.

An idea of a book which is gripping. Love the characters and the twists. A duology of which I wish that it would go on and on.

I’m still dying because of the end !
It’s amazing, well written and I couldn’t stop reading. Seriously in love with Roma and Juliette and I’m SO sad omg

I put off reading this because I knew it would hurt me, and I loved These Violent Delights so much that I was nervous this book wouldn't live up to it. Well, somehow I think this book was even better? The characters in this book are so complex and layered, their conflicts are organic and heart wrenching. I highly, highly recommend this duology.