Science Fiction & Fantasy
![Chloe Gong - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B084KQTQMZ.jpg)
Our Violent Ends (These Violent Delights)
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."
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 a mission. 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.
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 a mission. 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.
Readers Top Reviews
Syndelle
I was really excited to pre-order this and while I haven’t had time to start it, I can’t wait! I love the cover and the fact that there’s a little dragon imprint behind the dust jacket. Only downside is that my copy of the hardcover came with a little rip on the bottom of the dust jacket, but a little tape should fix it.
Book BeastKathrin F.
This setting and overall concept are stellar, the cover artwork is alluring . . . sadly, the resulting storyline lands firmly in the okay category for me. I had immediately added this title to my wish list and was already drooling over the prospect of devouring this duology . . . I had high expectations. I gladly purchased and read These Violent Delights just before starting Our Violent Ends to give the best results, having no lag time between the two books. I wanted so much to fall in love with Romeo and Juliette reimagined in Shanghai circa 1920s. Some elements for a good rendition were present, but they quickly got lost and the excitement fizzled early on. I struggled to finish. In order to thoroughly enjoy this novel, you must be a fan of highly dysfunctional relationships, deceitful gang-land politics, the constant warring of egos, senseless violence, and repetition. There were bright spots where the story felt clever and exciting . . . unfortunately they were few and far between. I was unable to find a main character to root for, instead finding myself hoping that this poor city could rid itself of all these horrible parasites (both human and insect). I'd like to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of Our Violent Ends for my unbiased evaluation. 3 stars
A
This book has made me feel so much I want to sell my soul so I can reread it again for the first time and experience the emotions again. .!;&482@/!;739292!,7 AHHHHHHHHHH ITS SO GOOD. GO READ IT.
Autumn
This book. This series! They completely destroyed me. In the best possible way. I laughed, I cried, I squealed, just all of the emotions. Roma and Juliette. All of these characters really. Each one is so complex and you love and hate them in turn. They go through so much. This is now a new favorite duology even though it destroyed me mind body and soul. I cannot wait for her upcoming books. I have theories, but as with this series I really have no idea what masterful amazingness is going to come.
Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter One One
JANUARY 1927
The New Year in Shanghai passed with such fanfare that a sense of party still permeated the city a week later. It was the way the people moved about-the extra bounce in their toes and the twinkle in their eye as they leaned over the seats of the Grand Theatre to whisper to their companion. It was loud jazz music audible from the cabaret across the street, the cool air of handheld bamboo fans waving about in rapid color, the smell of something fried smuggled into the viewing room despite Screen One's strict rules. Marking the first day of the Gregorian calendar as a time for celebration was a Western matter, but the West had long stuck its roots into this city.
The madness in Shanghai was gone. The streets had been lulled back into uproarious decadence and nights that went on and on-like this one, where theatergoers could watch a picture and then saunter along the Huangpu River until sunrise. After all, there was no monster lurking in the waters anymore. It had been four months since the monster of Shanghai died, shot to death and left to rot on a wharf by the Bund. Now the only thing civilians needed to worry about were gangsters… and the increasing number of bullet-hole-ridden corpses showing up on the streets.
Juliette Cai peered over the railing, squinting down at the ground level of Screen One. From her vantage point, she could see almost everything below, could pick out every minuscule detail among the chaos broiling under the golden light fixtures. Unfortunately, it would have been more useful if she were actually down there herself, mingling with the merchant she had been sent here for, rather than staring at him from high above. Their seats tonight were the best that she could do; the assignment had been given far too last minute for Juliette to finagle something good in the thick of the socializing sphere.
"Are you going to be pulling that face all night?"
Juliette swiveled around, narrowing her eyes at her cousin. Kathleen Lang was trailing close, her mouth set in a grimace while the people around them searched for their seats before the picture started.
"Yes," Juliette grumbled. "I have so many better things to be doing right now."
Kathleen rolled her eyes, then wordlessly pointed ahead, having spotted the seats marked on their tickets. The stubs in her hands were ripped poorly after the uniformed ticket boy at the door got his top hat knocked into his eyes by the crowd surging into the portico. He had hardly a moment to recover before more tickets were waved in his face, foreigners and rich Chinese alike sniffing their noses at the slow speed. In places like these, better service was expected. Ticket prices were sky-high to make the Grand Theatre an experience, what with its arched ceiling beams and wrought-iron railings, its Italian marble and delicate doorway lettering-only in English, no Chinese to be found.
"What could possibly be more important than this?" Kathleen asked. They took their seats: the front-most row by the second-level railing, a perfect view of both the screen and all the people beneath. "Staring angrily at your bedroom wall, as you have been doing these few months?"
Juliette frowned. "I have not been doing merely that."
"Oh, pardon me. How could I forget screaming at politicians?"
Huffing, Juliette leaned back into her seat. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest, the beads along her sleeves clinking loudly against the beads dangling from her front. Grating as the sound was, it contributed only a small fraction to the general bedlam of the theater.
"Bàba is already giving me enough grief for upsetting that Nationalist," Juliette grumbled. She started to take inventory of the crowd below, mentally assigning names to faces and keeping track of who might notice that she was here. "Don't you get on my case too."
Kathleen tutted, setting her elbow onto the armrest between them. "I'm only concerned, biaomèi."
"Concerned about what? I'm always screaming at people."
"Lord Cai doesn't reprimand you often. I think that might be an indicator of-"
Juliette lurched forward. Out of sheer instinct, a gasp rose in her throat, but she refused to let it out, and instead the sound lodged itself tightly in place, an ice-cold sensation pressed up against the back of her tongue. Kathleen immediately jerked to attention too, searching the floor below for whatever it was that had drained Juliette's face utterly of blood.
"What?" Kathleen demanded. "What is i...
JANUARY 1927
The New Year in Shanghai passed with such fanfare that a sense of party still permeated the city a week later. It was the way the people moved about-the extra bounce in their toes and the twinkle in their eye as they leaned over the seats of the Grand Theatre to whisper to their companion. It was loud jazz music audible from the cabaret across the street, the cool air of handheld bamboo fans waving about in rapid color, the smell of something fried smuggled into the viewing room despite Screen One's strict rules. Marking the first day of the Gregorian calendar as a time for celebration was a Western matter, but the West had long stuck its roots into this city.
The madness in Shanghai was gone. The streets had been lulled back into uproarious decadence and nights that went on and on-like this one, where theatergoers could watch a picture and then saunter along the Huangpu River until sunrise. After all, there was no monster lurking in the waters anymore. It had been four months since the monster of Shanghai died, shot to death and left to rot on a wharf by the Bund. Now the only thing civilians needed to worry about were gangsters… and the increasing number of bullet-hole-ridden corpses showing up on the streets.
Juliette Cai peered over the railing, squinting down at the ground level of Screen One. From her vantage point, she could see almost everything below, could pick out every minuscule detail among the chaos broiling under the golden light fixtures. Unfortunately, it would have been more useful if she were actually down there herself, mingling with the merchant she had been sent here for, rather than staring at him from high above. Their seats tonight were the best that she could do; the assignment had been given far too last minute for Juliette to finagle something good in the thick of the socializing sphere.
"Are you going to be pulling that face all night?"
Juliette swiveled around, narrowing her eyes at her cousin. Kathleen Lang was trailing close, her mouth set in a grimace while the people around them searched for their seats before the picture started.
"Yes," Juliette grumbled. "I have so many better things to be doing right now."
Kathleen rolled her eyes, then wordlessly pointed ahead, having spotted the seats marked on their tickets. The stubs in her hands were ripped poorly after the uniformed ticket boy at the door got his top hat knocked into his eyes by the crowd surging into the portico. He had hardly a moment to recover before more tickets were waved in his face, foreigners and rich Chinese alike sniffing their noses at the slow speed. In places like these, better service was expected. Ticket prices were sky-high to make the Grand Theatre an experience, what with its arched ceiling beams and wrought-iron railings, its Italian marble and delicate doorway lettering-only in English, no Chinese to be found.
"What could possibly be more important than this?" Kathleen asked. They took their seats: the front-most row by the second-level railing, a perfect view of both the screen and all the people beneath. "Staring angrily at your bedroom wall, as you have been doing these few months?"
Juliette frowned. "I have not been doing merely that."
"Oh, pardon me. How could I forget screaming at politicians?"
Huffing, Juliette leaned back into her seat. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest, the beads along her sleeves clinking loudly against the beads dangling from her front. Grating as the sound was, it contributed only a small fraction to the general bedlam of the theater.
"Bàba is already giving me enough grief for upsetting that Nationalist," Juliette grumbled. She started to take inventory of the crowd below, mentally assigning names to faces and keeping track of who might notice that she was here. "Don't you get on my case too."
Kathleen tutted, setting her elbow onto the armrest between them. "I'm only concerned, biaomèi."
"Concerned about what? I'm always screaming at people."
"Lord Cai doesn't reprimand you often. I think that might be an indicator of-"
Juliette lurched forward. Out of sheer instinct, a gasp rose in her throat, but she refused to let it out, and instead the sound lodged itself tightly in place, an ice-cold sensation pressed up against the back of her tongue. Kathleen immediately jerked to attention too, searching the floor below for whatever it was that had drained Juliette's face utterly of blood.
"What?" Kathleen demanded. "What is i...
