I don’t want to say to much and risk spoiling Our Violent Ends or even the first book (These Violent Delights) but it’s safe to say book 2 is just as good as book 1. Again Chloe Gong has proved this novel is no mere retelling, it’s an entire world with characters you can’t help but adore. Expect twists and turns and more of the characters we love.

These Violent Delights was one of my favourite 2020 reads (and one of my all-time faves) so I was super excited about Our Violent Ends. Its an absolutely good feeling when the book you’re so excited turns out to be amazing, the kind that leaves you with tears and lots of denial. And that’s what Our Violent End did for me.

Our Violent Ends continues the story of Roma and Juliette in Shanghai where the stakes are higher than ever with the brewing political tensions and monsters still lurking around, both of which seems impossible for Roma and Juliette to fight along with the blood feud and the increasing threat to their status from the foreigners.

This book amps up on the betrayal, action and intrigue which keeps you hooked and also scared to continue because as you read ahead there’s also this feeling of impending tension woven in between which gives the constant feeling that something is going to happen. If you thought These Violent Delights was intense, Our Violent Ends takes all of it and doubles it. It was terrifying and heartbreaking and emotional.

One of my favourite parts about TVD was the characters and I loved how this book focuses on every character so well and takes them all on their journey. It was amazing to read the way the author handles the character arcs and emotions of the characters and makes you feel for all of them and this has only one downside which is that it makes you stressed for them all throughout the book. I love the side characters and equally invested in their stories. Benedikt and Marshall were great and I loved reading more about Rosalind and Kathleen too.

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

Roma and Juliette’s rivalry and their hatred and their love is all so much more in this book. Their passion was no doubt intense but there was also a certain tenderness to the whole dynamic in this book. The slow burn and the push-pull dynamic with them in the eye of the storm raging around them, was all just *chef’s kiss*. Roma and Juliette truly are one of the top tier lovers to enemies to lovers I have ever read about. I also feel compelled to add how I screamed every time Roma called Juliette dorogaya, like that shit hurt (in a good way though). I love them both and I’m definitely going to miss reading about them.

I love how well the author handles the plot, the characters and the world building of the book together, not even one part of the book suffers. There’s a good balance to it all which made me so invested in the book and also worry about the characters A LOT.

It’s been a few months since I read the book now but a part of me is still in denial about the ending. It was bittersweet and explosive and I speed read the first time and then went back and read it again just to make sure. Chloe truly made sure to make this as emotional and painful as possible.

Overall, Our Violent Ends was a stunning conclusion to Roma and Juliette’s story. It was emotional, stressful and satisfying. If you love books with star crossed lovers on the opposite side of a blood feud which will make you feel intense feelings and then make you hate those feelings and at the same time make you fall in love with a beautifully written world and characters, you must read These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends.

Our Violent Ends was an absolute delight to read. Once I started, I couldn't stop and ended up binge reading the story, finishing it in two sittings.

OVE picks up right where TVD left off, and ups the stakes for Roma & Juliette beautifully. The story centers more around the brewing civil war in Shanghai and it gives the characters a chance to shine even more. It's packed with a healthy dose of political intrigue that I absolutely love.

The relationships between all the characters were explored beautifully in the story and amazed me. Not just Roma and Juliette and their fraught and tense relationship, but their relationship with their family and friends, and even those secondary characters' relationships with each other, were given screen space too, and I really liked that.

I did feel that the story got repititive in some parts with Juliette's insistence to keep Roma at length, mirroring the mistakes Roma had made in TVD. Also, most of the plot twists in this one were pretty predictable as opposed to TVD, at least for me.

But, overall, reading this was a delightful experience and I'm looking forward to reading more of Chloe's work.

These Violent Delights was an OK read last year, gripping me enough that I was intrigued about what came next. I love the push and pull between Juliet and Roma, and the creepy vibe that I enjoyed from the previous book was still there.

Unfortunately, I had real trouble getting through it though. I have no idea why - on paper, this book is everything I love! And I cannot identify why I struggled with it so much. I'd still recommend picking it up for that reason, since it may just be me! Despite my disconnect, it's still a fast paced and thrilling story.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book constantly had me on the edge of my seat, it's so amazing. Roma and Juliette really are such amazing characters. All the characters are really well written and come to life right in front of you on the pages. What I also really enjoyed where the quotes from the original theater piece, Romeo and Juliette.

**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

Our Violent Ends, where the “our” is really the reader because after finishing this I was so NOT okay!

This sequel continues a couple of months after the end of These Violent Delights with Shanghai on the brink of revolution. The blood feud is back in full force, especially with Roma seeing red after Juliette’s betrayal, which is not helping the situation in the slightest. Meanwhile Juliette is trying to tiptoe her way around her own secrets to save her neck as well as Roma’s. However, when the dreaded monster madness threat resurfaces Roma and Juliette are forced to once again come to a truce and combine forces to save their beloved city.

Chloe Gong's remarkable prose both immerses you right back into the setting, the city once again acting as a character itself, and perfectly captures the various tensions that can be found in its streets.

Much like the first book Gong has masterfully merged the classic story with the real world history of Shanghai, the political side to the storyline in particular taking centre stage. Plus with some of the primary plot from the play already having been mirrored in book 1 the retelling side is a little looser. However, I still had that constant anticipation for what events from the original were going to be rewritten and stumbling across cleverly utilised Shakespeare quotes made it all the more enjoyable.

As ever the characters own my heart. The interactions between Roma and Juliette were as you would expect like a dagger in the heart, full of even more angst than before and I loved every second of it. I will admit I did spend a lot of time just wanting to jump into the book myself to knock some sense into the two of them and mainly yell at him to admit that HE LOVES HER and at her to acknowledge that HE’LL UNDERSTAND if she comes clean!!!

What I also really enjoyed was that there was a bigger spotlight on Kathleen, Rosalind, Benedict, Marshall and even Alisa which added so much more to the narrative! It has made me all the more excited for Foul Lady Fortune, the first book in the spin off duology releasing later in 2022!

All that aside I think I fall into the minority group of those who really enjoyed this book but didn’t love it as much as the first one (hence my slightly lower rating). The main reasons being the pacing and that I guessed a lot of the twists.. The book had a little bit of a slow start – despite there being some actiony scenes in the beginning which were great - and then when the political side of the plot really kicked off it got much more explosive and interesting but I also felt that the amount of focus on this made the monster part of the story seem a little overlooked? Not that this was a bad thing just there was SO MUCH going on!

Furthermore, I was reading this at an off time for me personally (it’s why I didn’t get through the ARC in time) so I think my mood definitely had an impact on my overall enjoyment but like I mentioned before this book was fantastic and I really didn’t want it to end.

Speaking of which, bittersweet though it was I don’t think we could have asked for a more perfect conclusion to this duology. I look forward to my heart being broken again in the next adventure Chloe Gong has in store for us.
Final Rating – 4.25/5 Stars

I'm a sucker for Shakespeare retellings and the sequel to this duology definitely did not disappoint. Full of pain, angst, and trauma, yet a beautiful read.

Shanghai is under siege in this captivating and searingly romantic sequel to These Violent Delights, which New York Times bestselling author Natasha Ngan calls “deliciously dark.”

TW : description of war, violence, physical abuse and self mutilation

I absolutely loved this book and the writing style was top notch.
The romance in the book was Vell written and executed with the hint of forbidden love and slow burn which made it more exciting.

I was broken after the ending 🥺
WHY DO YOU HAVE TO HURT ME LIKE THAT?!?!

I need some time to emotionally recover from this🥺😭🥺
BRB

I have been trying to write a review for this one since ages. I read it last year and I have not been ok since then. I don't have two braincells to rub together to be eloquently about this particular review so bear with me.

The emotions I felt while reading this, I can't describe. Somewhere in between anger, desperation, and love. The imagery, the aesthetics, the feels, it's all so perfect.

I have never bawled my eyes out so hard as I did during the end of this book. Juliette deserved the whole world but the world didn't deserve her.

This is a Romeo and Juliet retelling, set in the old China. I loved the intrigue, mystery, and questions that kept chasing me from page to page. I loved the reveal too. I think it fits perfectly. But let's talk about the characters, and I don't just mean the MCs. The side characters are equally witty, fleshed out, and enjoyable; whether they are villains, the good ones, or in between. I'm dying for Foul Lady's Fortune.

The author's vocabulary, narration style, and storytelling is so damn hypnotizing. I could not stop reading once I started but I was also reluctant to read quick because I knew what fate awaited us. Did it still break my heart? YES. Would I recommend this duology t the end of time? WHY, YES!

It is 1927 and shanghai stands divided by blood, and deep within the city, something dangerous lurks. There is action, betrayal, violence and love. Our Violent Ends had me incredibly hooked since the very beginning, the foreboding atmosphere, the tropes and of course the couples!

There was, of course, a compelling and bittersweet ending. Chloe Gong tore my heart into pieces and absolutely destroyed me in the best way possible.

5 stars, I look forward to reading more of Chloe Gong’s books in the future.

Our Violent Ends is a terrific sequel! I personally enjoyed it much more than These Violent Delights. So many unexpected twists!! I'm going to miss these characters :(

This book was filled with sharp dialogue, excellent pacing and a fantastic conclusion to a tense duology!

After the way, These Violent Delights ended I immediately dived into Our Violent Ends. A big thanks to Netgalley and Publisher for the eARC. I pre-ordered my copy of the book but I haven't received it yet. Now that I've finished reading it; so, when my book finally arrives I'm just gonna reread a few of my favourite scenes and then simply just place it on my shelf, a prized possession and then stare at it from time to time, reliving the book, the experience.

With heavy-hitting themes of imperialism's lingering ramifications and fighting a war that can only end in one way: in a massive blood bath. Our Violent Ends is a must-read for everyone who enjoys a promising historical fiction/fantasy retelling. The Shanghai Purge on April 12, 1927, is a major theme in the story. These Violent Delights was centred on a creature that was mostly symbolic of colonialism and how colonists believe they can impose Western ideals on other civilizations to change them.

The story is set four months after the events of These Violent Delights. Gong's beautiful writing just instantly pulled me into the book. Just like that, I'm right back in Shanghai where the glamour is still glimmering like it was in the previous book. However, right in the midst of all the glitter, the monster is back, who is now selectively targeting the gangs and their associates. Clearing the streets for the new rulers to come and take over the city.

Juliette and Roma are forced to work together once again. This time it's the decision of the leaders of their respective gangs. They have to quickly find out who is controlling the monsters before the city is ravaged and left in a state of turmoil. But even without the monsters, the city is in turmoil. The Nationalists are coming closer to Shanghai and war to take over Shanghai is imminent.


In this book, there are a lot more similarities between the plot and Romeo and Juliet's story. These Violent Delights was just the beginning now the main part of the story is spread out here. Almost near to 65% of the book I started to panic a bit. I got scared because at the end of the day this is a Romeo and Juliet retelling. That revelation felt like a punch to the gut. After that I took the book slowly, I took my time processing everything, every feeling. Trying to decipher if this book was actually going to end the way Romeo and Juliet ended. But, Gong is a very good writer and I could not figure it out until the last chapter.

I don't want to spoil anything but the ending hurts a lot. It is so heartbreaking and painful. I was ugly crying, I feel like ugly crying right now while I'm trying to express what I felt. I'm reliving those last few chapters. Then again, there is a little thing that kind of gives me hope right at the end of the book. It's a good silver lining and I'm holding on to that thread like it's the little shred of happiness, a small hope of a happy ending I'll get. I am a massive sucker for happy endings so I'm going to hold on to that silver lining. One second I was sad ugly crying and then in the next, I was happy ugly crying.

This duology has wrecked me. Please go read it.

A big thank you to Simon and Schuster publishing and to NetGalley for the eARC of Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong.

I enjoyed reading this duology. These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong are set in 1920's Shanghai where the streets are ruled by the White Flowers and the Scarletts.

The story is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, and we follow Roma and Juliette as they come together to battle the familiar problem from the book before.

I expected this series to be more fantasy than it was- but that is more of a personal preference to me rather than a critique!

These Violent Ends is rife with love, loss, hate and politics in an enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies-again troupe. You know exactly how its going to end, and its still leaves you full of emotion.

I’m always so fond of sequels to books I loved. There’s something wonderful about being able to spend even more time with characters you’ve grown to know and love, seeing how they develop even more from book one. With Our Violent Ends, Chloe Gong hasn’t just built upon existing character conflicts and relationships but introduced even more interesting politics and events, crafting a volatile and intense story that is a stunning sequel to These Violent Delights and a perfect end to the duet.

I love the way Chloe writes, with beautiful prose and the ability to make everything feel so alive. She’s painted 1920s Shanghai in such glorious and miserable colours, and filled it with characters who are flawed and broken and distinct. I particularly in the way she describes the internal conflict within Juliette and Roma between allegiance to their families and the love they hold for each other. Their interactions are full of tension, especially after Juliette’s apparent betrayal at the end of These Violent Delights, and it was so delicious to read about Roma’s struggle between love and hate. Their relationship is gorgeously rendered in this book, flitting between enemy and lover, offering both pain and comfort. Betrayal is one of my favourite things to read about within the fantasy genre and Chloe has proven herself a master of it, filling the story with just enough yearning and dramatics that I felt like I had to keep putting the book down just to collect myself.

As if such a complex and explosive relationship wasn’t enough, Our Violent Ends also increased the intensity with the politics of power within Shanghai. With Civil War erupting, the stakes were higher and the picture of revolution was both visceral and heartbreaking in how it affected different people, the horror and the hope intermingling. With power slipping from the gangster’s grasp, Juliette’s own conflict about her role within the Scarlets was magnified tenfold, creating a tense atmosphere throughout that made it completely unputdownable.

Though Roma and Juliette were the stars of the show, the other characters shone in their own right. Benedikt and Marshall were just as scene-stealing as in book one, and seeing how they were both navigating the world away from each other was heartbreaking but made for scenes that meant I just couldn’t stop reading, desperate to see where their story was going to end up. Every character had a satisfying ending, and the hint we got at the end about where the spin-off series is going to go and who it is going to follow was the perfect little tease without compromising the integrity of the ending of this duet in it’s own right.

Although I loved These Violent Delights, Our Violent Ends was on a whole other level. I put the book down and had to immediately have a good cry whilst listen to My Tears Ricochet by Taylor Swift, something I would highly recommend doing if you also enjoy wallowing in pain. Overall, Our Violent Ends was an amazing finale and I’m so excited to read everything Chloe writes in the future.

A beautifully written series with wonderful characters and set against the amazing backdrop of Shanghai. The ending is action-packed, explosive and although it is left a little open-ended it ended satisfactorily. I really enjoy duologies and this one was really well done with great pacing. I’m looking forward to the release of the 1930s spin off series next year, featuring a character from this book.

I absolutely loved the first book so was so excited to read this one. Lets say i was not dissapointed! Lets just say i am now broken! It's not often i cry over a book but oh my goodness my heart!

I loved being back in 1920's Shanghai its just such an amzing enviroment to be immersed in. Chloe Gong writes so beauitifully. Everybody should read this series!!

A stunning sequel to the most wonderful duopoly to grace YA in years. Gong’s worlds are is powerful and Our Violent Ends closes a story loved by so many in a way only Gong could. Majestic.

Is there any way to describe this book other than perfection?! I think not. Our Violent Ends is the follow up to These Violent Delights and Chloe Gong has crafted an intense, impeccable and delicious conclusion to the story of Juliette and Roma.

After the events of These Violent Delights we find Juliette and Roma full-on into the blood feud between the Scarlets and the White Flowers since Juliette has (seemingly) killed Roma's best friend Marshall when in reality Juliette faked Marshall's death in order to protect Roma and her position as the heir. When the threat of a new monster arises, Juliette seeks Roma's cooperation in finding out who's behind this new threat. Roma and Juliette must put their differences aside in order to save their city from the monster and a much larger looming threat.

I absolutely loved everthing about Our Violent Ends. The relationship between Juliette and Roma is written so well. You can literally feel the tension dripping from the page. The enemies-to-lovers trope is amazing and Chloe Gong will truly take your heart for a spin. Another relationship that was further explored in Our Violent Ends is the one between Marshall and Benedikt. And thank god. I don't want to give anything away but I loved it 3000. All the characters in this book are so well-layered and interesting, I really enjoyed reading about all of them.

Our Violent Ends will take you on a wild ride. There are so many unexpected twists and turns, I never would have guessed how this story would've played out. But the result is so worth it. If you haven't started this duology yet, I recommend you read it as soon as you can!

4/5 stars

I enjoyed These Violent Delights when I read it around August 2021 so I was interested in seeing how the story would conclude in its sequel. Immediately the reader is taken back into the world of 1920s Shanghai, and the consequences of what happened in the first book is clear right from the first page. This book really plays into the politics of this time, weaving Shanghai's own real history with the complicated alliances in the Scarlet and White Flower Gang. The characters really excelled in this book, I was fascinated by Roma and Juliette's relationship development in this book after the events of the first one, especially in relation to the plot and everything that happens. Since this is a Romeo and Juliette retelling, I was a bit worried about where this would go so I didn't expect a happy ending, or want it knowing the nature of this book. The plot and events of this book were for the most part well mapped out, although I did feel that at some points this book did drag on a little and maybe didn't need to be almost 500 pages, and I found that the writing wasn't as good as the first book (don't get me wrong, it is still great). I think the ending will be quite a divisive part of the book, I can see some people (like me) will be fine with how it wraps up, and others will be quite dissatisfied though.

Overall, I did really enjoy this conclusion to the series, I probably prefer it more than the first book as that was more of a 3.75 for me, with this one being a solid four star read. I know that Chloe Gong is releasing another book [series] related to this series at some point in 2022, so I'll be very interested in picking that up after enjoying this duology.