The next YA book series for your 'Tiktok made me buy it' list! The YA written by a young adult, These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong is the book series that will get you hooked on 1920s Shanghai at the flip of the first page. If you love the enemies-to-lovers trope, look no further, as this is the best Romeo and Juliet retelling we've had in such a long time!
A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city in the grip of chaos. At its heart is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang - a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette's first love . . . and first betrayal.
But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns - and grudges - aside and work together, for if they can't stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.
And this is just the beginning of a four-part series exploring Shanghai gangster adventures, mixed with spicy romance, from the 1920s all the way to the 1930s.
Filled with romance, intrigue and betrayal, this heart-stopping debut is perfect for fans of The Last Magician series and Lightlark.
Please keep in mind this book has some light spice, so might not be ideal for younger readers. We give These Violent Delights an age rating of 15+.
Praise for These Violent Delights:
'Deliciously dark' Natasha Ngan, New York Times bestselling author of Girls of Paper and Fire
'Heady, smart, and vicious' Tessa Gratton, author of The Queens of Innis Lear
'Deliciously dark' Natasha Ngan, New York Times bestselling author of Girls of Paper and Fire
'Dark and beautiful' Emiko Jean, author of Empress of all Seasons
'A terrific, deliciously unputdownable read' June Hur, author of The Silence of Bones
All the These Violent Delights books in order:
Book 1: These Violent Delights (2020)
Book 2: Our Violent Ends (2021)
