February 2021 First in a Series BOTM - These Violent Delights, by Chloe Gong

[Alaina]

The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery.

A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all 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.

Perfect for fans of The Last Magician and Descendant of the Crane, this heart-stopping debut is an imaginative Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, with rival gangs and a monster in the depths of the Huangpu River.

**This BOTM thread will be open until March 5th @ Midnight (in your time zone)**

[Aly]

Ch 11 (view spoiler)[ I'm very interested in what the disease is that's driving people mad. I also want to know what Roma did to betray Juliette. I do think it's a bit slow but I'm hoping it will pick up soon!

And why are the parents not concerned with this madness?? (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Ch 19 (view spoiler)[ Sad that Alisa has the 'madness'. I'm glad they stopped her from hurting herself and it's good that Juliette and Roma are working together now.
I wonder if the white guy (Paul maybe?) is behind any of it? (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Ch 28 (view spoiler)[ This is so slow... I want to know more about the bugs and the monster and we haven't seen hardly any romance. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Ch 11 ..."

Lol I want to tell you so much but I wont.

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Ch 19 ..."

I love when they work together :) Also (view spoiler)[I had a feeling that something was going to happen to Alisa. Hopefully there's a cure? (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Ch 28 [spoilers removed]"

Aw :( I'm sorry you think it's slow. I hope it picks up for you soon.

[Aly]

Alaina wrote: "Aly wrote: "Ch 28 [spoilers removed]"

Aw :( I'm sorry you think it's slow. I hope it picks up for you soon."

I just want answers ha! We did learn some good information just now so I'm excited

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Aly wrote: "Ch 28 [spoilers removed]"

Aw :( I'm sorry you think it's slow. I hope it picks up for you soon."

I just want answers ha! We did learn some good information just now so ..."

LOL I feel ya.

[Aly]

So question: (view spoiler)[ They talked to the Larkspur who lead them to another guy responsible and Juliette shot him. Why was he doing it? Just for the money made from the vaccine? (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Wait, I'm learning more now. I was impatient lol

[Alaina]

LOL sorry, I was trying to pay attention to my meeting but it's so boring.

[Alaina]

But, yes, you will learn more soon :)

[Aly]

Alaina wrote: "LOL sorry, I was trying to pay attention to my meeting but it's so boring."

Oh no, the four hour meeting!

[Aly]

Finished (view spoiler)[ Okay the ending was so good! I knew Paul was shady AF and yep he released the bugs.
I'm sad that Roma thinks Juliette hates him and Benedict thinks Marshall is dead! Hopefully things will turn around in the next book (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Alaina wrote: "LOL sorry, I was trying to pay attention to my meeting but it's so boring."

Oh no, the four hour meeting!"

It's horrible lol

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Finished ..."

YES! I love the ending.

[Aly]

For other readers, it wasn't necessarily a slow read. I was just very impatient lol

[Alaina]

LMAO Aly you crack me up

[Aly]

Alaina wrote: "LMAO Aly you crack me up"

I struggle with this all the time. I just want action and romance from the very beginning!

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Alaina wrote: "LMAO Aly you crack me up"

I struggle with this all the time. I just want action and romance from the very beginning!"

Don't lie. We all struggle with this.

[Aly]

Haha at least I'm not alone!

[Alaina]

True, I think we need a support group.. maybe?

[Aly]

Alaina wrote: "True, I think we need a support group.. maybe?"

Readers Anonymous?

[Alaina]

Aly wrote: "Alaina wrote: "True, I think we need a support group.. maybe?"

Readers Anonymous?"

Ooo.. we should do that.

[Dee Dee]

Aly wrote: "Ch 11

A..."

That part. Their parents are NOT CONCERNED like?!

[Connie]

Chapter Four: (view spoiler)[ Is it normal to hate Tyler already because I feel like I'm going to hate Tyler hahaha also I really feel that Roma and Juliette are going to be like enemies to lovers for sure (hide spoiler)]

[Dee Dee]

Connie wrote: "Chapter Four: [spoilers removed]"

Perfectly normal (view spoiler)[I hated him all the way through (hide spoiler)]

[Aly]

Connie wrote: "Chapter Four: [spoilers removed]"

Agreed, it's just so easy to hate him

[Connie]

Chapter Six: (view spoiler)[ "Can I see you again?" "Absolutely not" Poor Paul hahahaah I really like Juliette so far, I think she's a great female lead. Ruthless. I love it (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Connie]

Why am I literally only catching on their names are Roma and Juliette, like Romeo and Juliet, that doesn't bode well hahaha

[Aly]

Connie wrote: "Why am I literally only catching on their names are Roma and Juliette, like Romeo and Juliet, that doesn't bode well hahaha"

LOL Connie!

[Dee Dee]

Haha but Connie

[Connie]

Okay so I finished reading this in work and took notes as I went and only now I'm home do I have time to post them so here they are:

29%: (view spoiler)[ the language in this book is so beautiful and artistic, the author has a really great writing style. You really get a good energy for what Shanghai was. "This is what this city is. The party at the end of the world" LIKE are you kidding me? I love that. (hide spoiler)]

45% (view spoiler)[ omg no, not Alisa, I hope they can save her, I was really enjoying her character up until then. (hide spoiler)]

54%: (view spoiler)[ I really like Kathleen but the sense I'm getting from this book is that if you like somebody, be ready for them to get hurt/die because I liked Alisa and now she's dying. (hide spoiler)]

69% (view spoiler)[ "You don't joke about that, Marshall. I will not lose you." Marshall and Benedickt really got me out here in my feels huh? (hide spoiler)]

81% (view spoiler)[ "This is why my betrayal was so terrible. Because you believed me incapable of hurting you, and yet I did." THIS LINE MADE ME GASP. I love that we finally have a little bit of context about what happened four years ago. (hide spoiler)]

96% (view spoiler)[ DID SHE JUST KILL MARSHALL NO SHE CAN'T HAVE (also imagine me out loud gasping at this scene where Roma walks away and she's just killed Marshall. Gooped) (hide spoiler)]

[Connie]

Aly wrote: "Finished Okay the ending was so good! I knew Paul was shady AF and yep he released the bugs.
I'm sad that Roma thinks Juliette hates him and Benedict thinks Marshall is dead! Hopefully things wil..."

(view spoiler)[ I really think Benedickt is going to burn down Shanghai in revenge of Marshall tbh. (hide spoiler)]

[Marissa]

Prologue - Chapter 11 (view spoiler)[
While I am not overly captivated by the story so far, I am interesting in finding out more about the "madness" and "monster" mystery. I am less so interested in the romance between Juliette and Roma and their rival gangs. I guess I am a little fatigued by the Romeo and Juliet plot right now. I do like the setting, though. (hide spoiler)]
Chapters 12-19 (view spoiler)[
We were only introduced to Alisa briefly, but it is upsetting that she has been infected. I knew that was coming, but still really sad! They were lucky that they saved her from tearing out her throat like the others. This will probably be predictable and they will save her with a cure, but that is how I want the story to go instead of her dying. (hide spoiler)]
Chapters 20-28 (view spoiler)[
Honestly, I have never seen or read Romeo and Juliet so everything I know about this play is from pop culture (shout-out to Hey Arnold!). However, I believe it is a romantic tragedy, yet I am not really feeling the chemistry between Juliette and Roma. I like the characters individually, but together is just meh. Hopefully it gets better as they open up to one another (which I am assuming will happen). (hide spoiler)]
Chapters 29-Epilogue (view spoiler)[
I will admit that for some reason I didn't guess that Paul Dexter was Larkspur. Somehow I kept forgetting about him, which I guess was the point. The whole insect monster thing was weird. I thought it was going to end up not actually being a monster.
I still never really liked the relationship, or lack there of, between Roma and Juliette. Maybe the next book will be better.
Also, it should be noted that Tyler is the worst!
Overall a decent book, but nothing too remarkable. (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

30% - (view spoiler)[So far I'm liking this. The main characters are killers but it doesn't mean I can't grow to love them ahah. The madness or whatever this is is creepy. Also, I'm giving this book bonus points for not messing up the French sentences so far. (hide spoiler)]
50% - (view spoiler)[I was wondering when one of the characters close to them would get infected :( (hide spoiler)]
80% - (view spoiler)[I'm wondering how this is going to end but my brain is tired, I'm enjoying the book though. (hide spoiler)]
Finished - (view spoiler)[ I was wondering if it was really going to be something supernatural or not. also.. Paul?? I liked the mystery and plot and the romance was alright but it was slow to get me interested in it. (hide spoiler)]

[Kelly]

Aly wrote: "Ch 28 [spoilers removed]"

I felt the same way! Before diving into this book I expected it to be heavily based on the romance.

[Kelly]

Aly wrote: "Finished ..."

(view spoiler)[Yeah, it was good. You had good instincts about Paul, calling him out early ^^. I was just surprised when everything didn't seem like it was going to be wrapped up in a nice way but I had totally forgotten this was the first in a series even if it's in the title of this br ahah (hide spoiler)]