5/5

For fans of: Romeo and Juliet-inspired stories, forbidden love, rival gangs, complicated enemies-to-lovers, Shanghai, 1920s, political unrest, Communist Revolution, monsters

The Big Questions:

• What genre is this in? Retelling, gangs, alternate history

• Are there any swoon-worthy characters? Roma, Benedikt, and Marshall in their own gangster ways

• Is it spicy? Nope, but there is angst…oh so much angst

• Is it violent or gory? Monsters and gangsters so yes, absolutely yes.

• Should I buy, borrow, or pass on this book? BUY IT.

Synopsis: It has been months since the monster was slayed, loyalties challenged, and lives were taken. Communists, Nationalists, and foreigners are vying for favor amongst the ruling Scarlet Gang and White Flowers. Both gangs tentatively control their respective parts of Shanghai while still pushing each other’s borders for vengeance over the death of Marshall Seo. Roma and Juliette are farther apart than ever before, but the resurgence of monster attacks has the city at the brink of destruction as the gangs failed to deliver on their promise to protect the city from horrific deaths. The city is beginning to revolt and outside forces are seeing a chance to take the city from gangster rule. Can Roma and Juliette solve the mystery of the monsters, put an end to the bloodshed, and keep the city from falling to outside forces threatening to take over?

Review: This sequel FLOORED me. By the end, I was a teary mess, but let’s jump to the beginning before all of that. So we know the story is based on Romeo and Juliet and ended on a massive cliffhanger with our lovers further apart than ever before. The play’s key points come through terrifyingly throughout the book, pushing the plot forward and keeping you on your toes because the big question looms overhead the entire time: Will this end in tragedy or hope? When I tell you, I was STRESSED the whole time, I. WAS. STRESSED.

Not only are we dealing with Roma and Juliette trying to keep the city from falling apart, but the monsters are back, there’s a mole in the Scarlett Gang, someone is messing around in the White Flowers ranks, Nationalists are courting Lord Cai, and Communists are spreading revolution throughout Shanghai. All the while, Juliette must keep the charade that she killed Marshall while keeping him hidden and safe so that she doesn’t lose her position to her cousin Tyler. At the same time, Roma is mourning the loss of his closest friend, trying to keep the White Flowers from falling apart, and both loving and hating Juliette while they are stuck working together. She keeps saving his life and he keeps trying to kill her but can’t bring himself to it. And Benedikt, oh Benedikt, he can’t even mourn properly because no one knows how much he truly loved Marshall. Kathleen and Rosalind have their own crazy side stories as they act as eyes and ears for the Scarlett Gang slowly becoming more involved with the political unrest of the city and the Scarlett Gang’s unwillingness to be ahead of the game.

So much is going on. So much angst, so much political drama, so much lying and backstabbing for a city begging to be ripped apart. The plot never slows. The desire to be loyal, to do what needs to be done for stability wars with the demand for change and revolution. The conflict within the city perfectly mirroring the conflict within each character’s minds, I loved it all.