me: now that I am done with finals, I just want to relax and nestle into the soothing embrace of a good bookalso me: *picks up this Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s gangster-run Shanghai about star-crossed exes putting aside the blood feud between them to prevent a monster from terrorizing their city that everyone tells me it's guaranteed to break my heart*

"I was raised in hatred, Roma. I could never be your lover, only your killer." Before you get too excited, that was practically the only pithy line in the entire book. I thought I was getting an exciting gangster retelling of Romeo and Juliet with some fantasy elements. Instead, the writing almost did me in.In 1920s Shanghai, rival gangs the Scarlets and the White Flowers are engaged in a blood feud. Their young heirs Juliette Cai and Roma Montagov used to be secret lovers, until Roma betraye

What.Was.That?!?!Seriously. What the hell was that cliffhanger?!?!All that work and then that happens??? omgomgomg-Chloe Gong really knows how to deliver an ending. I just love how she ends the book in the middle of a climax?!?! (She even added the "To be continued" at the end as if knowing that her readers would be begging for more aghhhh and I unknowingly fell into the trap)I could honestly just feel the beginning of despair swallow up the characters and horror dawn on them as they...

Instagram || Twitter || Facebook || Amazon || PinterestDNF @ 15%Well, that was disappointing. The 1920s Shanghai setting hooked me and the idea of a Romeo and Juliet retelling intrigued me, because even though I'm not keen on the play, I think it offers a lot of potential for reworking the storyline. And a retelling with rival gangs? YAS.Sadly, this book just wasn't it for me. The writing was such a slog. It has that forced ornateness to it that a lot of the YA coming out these days has-- TH

– 2.5 starsFirst of all I want to say that I think it's unfair that this book is in the GCA Semifinals in Young Adult Fantasy when it hasn't even released yet. GR messing up these awards every year is nothing new, but it still bugs me. A book that has been released for months now, should be able to have that spot. I would have said this regardless if I liked These Violent Delights or not, I just think other books that have already been released may deserve the exposure more.Edit: Not surprise th...

This author is still an undergrad in college...what have I been doing with my life??????

A Romeo and Juliet retelling coupled with a historical screenplay of Shanghai torn by two rival Gangs (Scarlet gang and the White Flower gang) the Communists, and other foreigners fighting for power, These Violent Delights is, without an ounce of doubt, a debut of immense talent. The crux of the story Scarlet Gang is in charge of Shanghai and is the most powerful of all gangs in Shanghai. Juliette Cai , heiress of the Scarlet Gang ruled by the ruthless Lord Cai, has returned from America and i...

Trigger Warnings: violence (pretty gory), abuse, racism, grief, mentions of drug use.Listen, I just came for the 1920’s Shanghai aesthetic. And then I got so much more than that.“This place hums to the tune of debauchery. This city is filthy and deep in the thrall of unending sin, so saturated with the kiss of decadence that the sky threatens to buckle and crush all those living vivaciously beneath it in punishment.”It was gorgeous. There was glitter and grit and a lot of dark alleyways. Julliet...

Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!Check out this review (and more) over on my blog!Quick Stats:Overall: 5/5 StarsCharacters: 5/5Setting: 5/5Writing: 5/5Plot and Themes: 5/5Awesomeness Factor: 5/5Review in a Nutshell: I had some pretty high expectations for this book, but I never expected it to fly above all of them.// Content Warning: Violence, Death, Assault, Gun Violence, Torture, Suicide, (Drug) Addiction (Mention), Child Abuse, Murder,

↠ 5 starsYou had me at Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920's Shanghai. In this wondrous debut from author Chloe Gong, Shakespeare meets a new decade, one with rivaling gangs and a river monster tormenting the citizens. The blood feud between the White Flowers and the Scarlet Gang is one that has transformed the city. Alliances have been drawn and no one can stand the middle ground. Enter the once-lovers, Juliette and Roma, separated by their families and a long ago betrayal. They must set asi...

These Violent Delights is superior to Romeo and Juliet in so many ways, and reducing it to simply "a R and J retelling" is doing it a disservice. Even though I did feel like an intellectual whenever I caught the Shakespeare references.This book is the product of an intriguing mystery, a forbidden romance, and the gorgeous atmosphere of 1920s Shanghai. Juliette Cai, heir to the Scarlet Gang, is a young Chinese girl desperately trying to live up to her family's expectations before her throne can b...

THAT ENDING THOUGH!!!!One of the best YA books of this year. Completely amazing, I love it sm.

I'm dreaming of a good fantasy...Just like the ones I used to know...Without the tryhard writing...And silly love interest fighting...And a plot I can only say is slow...(insert pause for applause, standing ovation, loud WOO's, the whole arena to do the wave, people chanting my name, etc. here)Anyway. Clearly this whole "reading" thing isn't working out, as I continue to get disappointed by my most anticipated reads as if it is my job, so I might try my hand at songwriting."White Christmas" is t...

Just posted my Dec 2020 OwCrate Unboxing and Review Video !!Overall: this book was a 2.5-star read for me. It certainly had elements that were interesting but ultimately was lackluster when it came to execution. The science felt...awful...simply awful and neither of the characters felt particularly compelling to read about...I probably won't be continuing this series cause I simply cannot care enough to continue. For more details, check out my video review!YouTube | Blog | Instagram |...

if i could sum up the story of roma and juliette, it would be this quote by toni morrison: ‘we mistook violence for passion… and thought recklessness was freedom.’ the ruthless gangs, the rekindling of a first love after betrayal, the haunting of a monster and madness, and the dramatic ploys of various nationalities trying to gain control of shanghai, this story delivers on so many fronts. i could most definitely see how this follows the tale of romeo and juliet, but at the same time, it feel...

Additional note: I forgot to highlight this because I only realized it, the reason I love (and perhaps for a lot of other people too) Juliette and Roma so much is because it never felt like Roma was Juliette's knight in shining armor. The romance felt like they were reliant on each other without ever making half of the couple showcase inferiority. They were both strong and vulnerable.Miss Chloe Gong really said let’s put diversity, chemistry, and beautiful writing together and then write a book....