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heather4994's review against another edition
5.0
WAIT!!! Don't read the book Summary! It tells too much! Read mine instead! And don't read any of it if you haven't read Juliet Immortal because you won't understand anything! Don't read the book Summary!!!
For 700 years Romeo has been a bad dude. He kills true lovers ruthlessly turning them into agents for the Mercenaries who are immortal and otherworldly strong. He hasn't felt, tasted or touched anything since the night he tricked Juliet into killing herself. But he saved her from the hands of the Mercenaries and now he's a shriveled skeletal thing just waiting to become a lost soul. But the Ambassadors of the Light want to give him a chance to redeem himself. He's got one shot. With a girl he's already killed. And who wants to kill him. But this is Romeo, no one can resist his charms. Or can they?
Now that's not the whole story, a romance, there is a lot more involved and if you haven't read Juliet Immortal just stop right here and go read that first because none of this will make any sense. This is one of those tricky novels. You have to think. It's got parallel universes and alternate realities and you have to reconcile what's happening in this one to what happened in Juliet Immortal. I think I got it. I did a pretty good job though things got a bit hairy for a little bit. This book is complicated. But it is so great to read.
As I wrote above, Romeo has been a bad, bad boy for centuries battling true loves coming up against Juliet many times. But he takes his shot at redemption, not exactly believing he has any shot at salvation after all the many things he's done. But it's a really incredible twisty turny plot and if you think you can predict it then you are a better reader than I. Romeo, after living 700 centuries has seen it all so doing whatever it takes to get Ariel to fall in love with him is not a problem. However, he's in a tough situation at the very beginning when he enters the body of the boy she's with and he realizes the boy has made a major blow to her ego and self esteem. She is so furious she's willing to drive them over a cliff and she yanks on the steering wheel. He's able to actually salvage this date. Romeo's got skills!
Ariel is complicated. Friendless except for Gemma who disappeared two weeks ago she's known as the Freak. She was burned in an accident as a child and not only does she have scars, but when she gets really angry, she hears voices, sees ghosts, monsters, they take over her body and she passes out and loses control of her bodily functions. Yeah, that doesn't make you popular. And we all know kids can be cruel.
So she has a major dose of "I don't believe a word you're saying" and mistrust and doubt when the school bad boy shows interest in her. Then he pulls the stunt and she is livid. But as I said, Romeo's got skills!
Of course, Romeo has a time limit with which he has to work with, three days to make Ariel fall in love with him. Yes, now I know what you're going to say, insta love, but just read it. It sure doesn't feel like three days. And it really is well written. No wasted words, yet some real beautiful phrases.
Here were some of my favorites:
This is Romeo- "Her laughter dances through the night, making the stars shine brighter. The happiness in it surprises me. I think it surprises her as well. She pulls in a breath swallowing the sound. The absence of her amusement makes the quiet seem...emptier than it was before. " (p.47)
I liked the irony in this. Again this is Romeo-"I stopped reading books a while back" (he told Ariel) Like, two hundred years back, when my ability to empathize with man's condition deteriorated to the point where I couldn't understand why the characters were making the choices they did, or why I should care if they lived or died or found their happy ending." (p 126-127)
And lastly, from Ariel-"I'm afraid," she whispers, and I know she isn't talking to Romeo anymore. And that's the only thing you have to lose, I say softly. There's no need to shout. The truth is as loud at a whisper as at a scream." (p.337).
There is a lot that goes on in this novel and you have to pay attention but none of it will make sense if you haven't read Juliet Immortal which I highly recommend. I read it last year, but didn't review it except a very short review on Goodreads. It was a really great book. I'm definitely going to get the hardback of Romeo Redeemed to have with my copy of Juliet Immortal. They are both spectacular spins on the Bard's tale of Romeo and Juliet.
I read the E-ARC of this through NetGalley from the publisher Delacorte Books for Young Readers. The review is my honest opinion and was in no way influenced by this. I did not receive any monetary compensation for my review.
For 700 years Romeo has been a bad dude. He kills true lovers ruthlessly turning them into agents for the Mercenaries who are immortal and otherworldly strong. He hasn't felt, tasted or touched anything since the night he tricked Juliet into killing herself. But he saved her from the hands of the Mercenaries and now he's a shriveled skeletal thing just waiting to become a lost soul. But the Ambassadors of the Light want to give him a chance to redeem himself. He's got one shot. With a girl he's already killed. And who wants to kill him. But this is Romeo, no one can resist his charms. Or can they?
Now that's not the whole story, a romance, there is a lot more involved and if you haven't read Juliet Immortal just stop right here and go read that first because none of this will make any sense. This is one of those tricky novels. You have to think. It's got parallel universes and alternate realities and you have to reconcile what's happening in this one to what happened in Juliet Immortal. I think I got it. I did a pretty good job though things got a bit hairy for a little bit. This book is complicated. But it is so great to read.
As I wrote above, Romeo has been a bad, bad boy for centuries battling true loves coming up against Juliet many times. But he takes his shot at redemption, not exactly believing he has any shot at salvation after all the many things he's done. But it's a really incredible twisty turny plot and if you think you can predict it then you are a better reader than I. Romeo, after living 700 centuries has seen it all so doing whatever it takes to get Ariel to fall in love with him is not a problem. However, he's in a tough situation at the very beginning when he enters the body of the boy she's with and he realizes the boy has made a major blow to her ego and self esteem. She is so furious she's willing to drive them over a cliff and she yanks on the steering wheel. He's able to actually salvage this date. Romeo's got skills!
Ariel is complicated. Friendless except for Gemma who disappeared two weeks ago she's known as the Freak. She was burned in an accident as a child and not only does she have scars, but when she gets really angry, she hears voices, sees ghosts, monsters, they take over her body and she passes out and loses control of her bodily functions. Yeah, that doesn't make you popular. And we all know kids can be cruel.
So she has a major dose of "I don't believe a word you're saying" and mistrust and doubt when the school bad boy shows interest in her. Then he pulls the stunt and she is livid. But as I said, Romeo's got skills!
Of course, Romeo has a time limit with which he has to work with, three days to make Ariel fall in love with him. Yes, now I know what you're going to say, insta love, but just read it. It sure doesn't feel like three days. And it really is well written. No wasted words, yet some real beautiful phrases.
Here were some of my favorites:
This is Romeo- "Her laughter dances through the night, making the stars shine brighter. The happiness in it surprises me. I think it surprises her as well. She pulls in a breath swallowing the sound. The absence of her amusement makes the quiet seem...emptier than it was before. " (p.47)
I liked the irony in this. Again this is Romeo-"I stopped reading books a while back" (he told Ariel) Like, two hundred years back, when my ability to empathize with man's condition deteriorated to the point where I couldn't understand why the characters were making the choices they did, or why I should care if they lived or died or found their happy ending." (p 126-127)
And lastly, from Ariel-"I'm afraid," she whispers, and I know she isn't talking to Romeo anymore. And that's the only thing you have to lose, I say softly. There's no need to shout. The truth is as loud at a whisper as at a scream." (p.337).
There is a lot that goes on in this novel and you have to pay attention but none of it will make sense if you haven't read Juliet Immortal which I highly recommend. I read it last year, but didn't review it except a very short review on Goodreads. It was a really great book. I'm definitely going to get the hardback of Romeo Redeemed to have with my copy of Juliet Immortal. They are both spectacular spins on the Bard's tale of Romeo and Juliet.
I read the E-ARC of this through NetGalley from the publisher Delacorte Books for Young Readers. The review is my honest opinion and was in no way influenced by this. I did not receive any monetary compensation for my review.
withthebanned's review against another edition
4.0
Originally reviewed on Books Take You Places.
Warning! There will almost definitely be spoilers for Juliet Immortal in this review, be wary as you read! Also, if you haven’t read Juliet Immortal, go ahead and read it because it’s quite lovely.
Romeo is dying. Actually, dying is an understatement because in actuality he is beginning to decay from the inside and it really isn’t pretty. As his body decays, his mind still holds the guilt for every bit of turmoil he realizes he forced Juliet into. You see, back when Romeo and Juliet lived in Verona, back when he tricked her into killing herself, he really thought he was saving her. He trusted The Friar and believed he was helping Juliet escape from a life of shame and exile. The Friar lied to Romeo and told him that Juliet was going to be living free from sin in Heaven. Unfortunately we know this is not what happened and it was through Romeo’s actions that Juliet suffered.
Finally, after Juliet’s (second) demise, Romeo is given a chance at redemption. He must save Ariel, yes the same Ariel whose body Juliet inhabited in Juliet Immortal, and turn her from the darkness she is slowly falling into. The irony and complication in this task is that Romeo is inhabiting Dylan’s body and in order to save her from the darkness, he must make her fall in love with him. Those of you who remember Dylan from book one can grasp the severity of this cause as Dylan is a jerk (to say the least) and Ariel has an extremely hard time trusting him. The worst part? Romeo has three days. Three days to turn Ariel into a trusting individual, Three days to make Ariel love him, and three days to save them both.
I’m going to be honest here, I really love tortured male leads. I love the whole “I am not worthy” and the angsty, long-haired, “I have a serious edge but really I will snuggle your cat when you’re not looking” kind of guy. It’s just my thing. So Romeo? He’s my kind of dude. He is apparently Ariel’s kind of dude as well because it doesn’t take long for her to fall for him too, and let me tell you Ariel was quite the character herself. In fact, one of my favorite things about this novel was the characterization of Ariel. She had some major STUFF going on in her head yet she was still written like a teenage girl filled with “normal” teenage insecurities. There were moments in the story where there was no doubt in my mind that she and Romeo were destined to be together and it was not because of their mutual goodness. Instead, Ariel stood out at times as a perfect match to Romeo’s dark nature, she was quite kick-ass, and at times, a tiny bit scary. I really fell into their romance, they were even more passionate and “meant to be” than Juliet and Ben from book one and I adored the way that one played out.
“Set me as a seal on your heart,” I whisper against her lips. “For love is as stong as death.”
Juliet Immortal was full of some plot twists, most of which I saw coming. The glorious difference in Romeo Redeemed was that I really didn’t see the twists in plot, and character, coming. I was happily surprised at how things progressed and I really loved the way the novel concluded. The ending in this novel was in no way a rushed epilogue but things progressed a little slower and unfolded in a really wonderful way.
It is often that I enjoy sequels more than book one in a series. In the case of Romeo Redeemed I can’t say that I enjoyed the sequel more simply because for me the novel worked as a wonderful compliment to Juliet Immortal, not so much a continuation of story but more of a necessary companion. The duality between book one and two was apparent and in retrospect I really can’t see reading one without the other. Romeo Redeemed was a delicious read, it was equal parts of romance and intrigue and I highly recommend you give it a chance.
Warning! There will almost definitely be spoilers for Juliet Immortal in this review, be wary as you read! Also, if you haven’t read Juliet Immortal, go ahead and read it because it’s quite lovely.
Romeo is dying. Actually, dying is an understatement because in actuality he is beginning to decay from the inside and it really isn’t pretty. As his body decays, his mind still holds the guilt for every bit of turmoil he realizes he forced Juliet into. You see, back when Romeo and Juliet lived in Verona, back when he tricked her into killing herself, he really thought he was saving her. He trusted The Friar and believed he was helping Juliet escape from a life of shame and exile. The Friar lied to Romeo and told him that Juliet was going to be living free from sin in Heaven. Unfortunately we know this is not what happened and it was through Romeo’s actions that Juliet suffered.
Finally, after Juliet’s (second) demise, Romeo is given a chance at redemption. He must save Ariel, yes the same Ariel whose body Juliet inhabited in Juliet Immortal, and turn her from the darkness she is slowly falling into. The irony and complication in this task is that Romeo is inhabiting Dylan’s body and in order to save her from the darkness, he must make her fall in love with him. Those of you who remember Dylan from book one can grasp the severity of this cause as Dylan is a jerk (to say the least) and Ariel has an extremely hard time trusting him. The worst part? Romeo has three days. Three days to turn Ariel into a trusting individual, Three days to make Ariel love him, and three days to save them both.
I’m going to be honest here, I really love tortured male leads. I love the whole “I am not worthy” and the angsty, long-haired, “I have a serious edge but really I will snuggle your cat when you’re not looking” kind of guy. It’s just my thing. So Romeo? He’s my kind of dude. He is apparently Ariel’s kind of dude as well because it doesn’t take long for her to fall for him too, and let me tell you Ariel was quite the character herself. In fact, one of my favorite things about this novel was the characterization of Ariel. She had some major STUFF going on in her head yet she was still written like a teenage girl filled with “normal” teenage insecurities. There were moments in the story where there was no doubt in my mind that she and Romeo were destined to be together and it was not because of their mutual goodness. Instead, Ariel stood out at times as a perfect match to Romeo’s dark nature, she was quite kick-ass, and at times, a tiny bit scary. I really fell into their romance, they were even more passionate and “meant to be” than Juliet and Ben from book one and I adored the way that one played out.
“Set me as a seal on your heart,” I whisper against her lips. “For love is as stong as death.”
Juliet Immortal was full of some plot twists, most of which I saw coming. The glorious difference in Romeo Redeemed was that I really didn’t see the twists in plot, and character, coming. I was happily surprised at how things progressed and I really loved the way the novel concluded. The ending in this novel was in no way a rushed epilogue but things progressed a little slower and unfolded in a really wonderful way.
It is often that I enjoy sequels more than book one in a series. In the case of Romeo Redeemed I can’t say that I enjoyed the sequel more simply because for me the novel worked as a wonderful compliment to Juliet Immortal, not so much a continuation of story but more of a necessary companion. The duality between book one and two was apparent and in retrospect I really can’t see reading one without the other. Romeo Redeemed was a delicious read, it was equal parts of romance and intrigue and I highly recommend you give it a chance.
cjyu's review against another edition
4.0
Romeo was a tad bit more interesting to read about than Juliet.
trisha_thomas's review against another edition
4.0
really an amazing story. This is the second book and I'm still absolutely blown away with Stacey Jay's imagination and incredible writing - that can turn an ordinary story that we all know (Romeo & Juliet) and give it such a unique and original twist.
it is falling in love all over again.
it is falling in love all over again.
booksncurls's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great story in addition to Juliet Immortal. I loved Romeo's story and how he grew as a character. I was also surprised and pleased to see Juliet pop up into this story.
scientist_reading_world's review against another edition
4.0
Good ideia to redeemed Romeo, showing that nobody if truly evil and great ideia in therms of multiverses.
Its a enjoyable book like the other one and having the three perspectives are great
Its a enjoyable book like the other one and having the three perspectives are great
secret_getaway's review against another edition
4.0
After the dramatic conclusion of Juliet Immortal, Romeo’s fate as a corpse left me hungry for more. This book is all about his chance at redemption, not only to make up for the past atrocities he committed but also a second chance at love. While he uses an act to court Ariel, feelings he had long forgotten begin to awaken inside of him.
This was a fairly good sequel but was a bit soppy in the romance side. I’m usually not one for a romantic heavy book, so I prefer Juliet Immortal because it was filled with much more action and danger. Juliet isn’t forgotten and has her own story in this book which was the most redeeming quality of the book. She brought more excitement than Romeo and Ariel’s story.
Outside a lot of the romance was the continued struggle between Ambassador and Mercenary. Nurse is the one running things with Romeo but something sinister about her methods had me on edge. With the return of the Friar, there was the darkness seen in the first book that clashed with the romantic side of it.
I enjoyed this book for the chance for Romeo to come to terms with his real self and finding a way to redeem himself. I made it through a lot of the mushiness because of the tidbits of Juliet’s struggle and the Friar’s presence so I did enjoy the book. If you’ve read Juliet Immortal, the conclusion is a good read but in all honesty, I will always ship the two original lovers.
This was a fairly good sequel but was a bit soppy in the romance side. I’m usually not one for a romantic heavy book, so I prefer Juliet Immortal because it was filled with much more action and danger. Juliet isn’t forgotten and has her own story in this book which was the most redeeming quality of the book. She brought more excitement than Romeo and Ariel’s story.
Outside a lot of the romance was the continued struggle between Ambassador and Mercenary. Nurse is the one running things with Romeo but something sinister about her methods had me on edge. With the return of the Friar, there was the darkness seen in the first book that clashed with the romantic side of it.
I enjoyed this book for the chance for Romeo to come to terms with his real self and finding a way to redeem himself. I made it through a lot of the mushiness because of the tidbits of Juliet’s struggle and the Friar’s presence so I did enjoy the book. If you’ve read Juliet Immortal, the conclusion is a good read but in all honesty, I will always ship the two original lovers.
vanessamariebooks's review against another edition
5.0
I had this book sitting on my shelf for a year before I finally picked it up. I was very apprehensive about it because I did not like Romeo at all in the first book but I absolutely fell in love with him in this one. It was interesting to see a different side of Romeo in this one and to see his struggle with forgiving himself for his past. His character was so complex and I loved reading from his POV.
Usually I don't like it when books switch POVs back and forth but it really does work in this one, I was equally interested in Ariel's POV as I was with Romeo. I really liked Ariel's character (though she was crazy at times), I liked learning more about her and seeing her struggle with her dark side.
I really enjoyed Romeo and Ariel's relationship. It wasn't easy and they definitely had some serious bumps in the road and even though they did fall in love quick, it didn't feel quick. They only had 3 days together but it felt like they were together much longer and their relationship developed a lot slower (compared to Juliet Immortal). I also loved that they brought out the best in each other. Ariel brought out the good in Romeo, the sincere part of him and he brought out a much stronger side of Ariel.
The ending was really interesting and there's some twists that I didn't expect. I liked how things turned out and overall I really enjoyed this one, even more than Juliet Immortal.
Usually I don't like it when books switch POVs back and forth but it really does work in this one, I was equally interested in Ariel's POV as I was with Romeo. I really liked Ariel's character (though she was crazy at times), I liked learning more about her and seeing her struggle with her dark side.
I really enjoyed Romeo and Ariel's relationship. It wasn't easy and they definitely had some serious bumps in the road and even though they did fall in love quick, it didn't feel quick. They only had 3 days together but it felt like they were together much longer and their relationship developed a lot slower (compared to Juliet Immortal). I also loved that they brought out the best in each other. Ariel brought out the good in Romeo, the sincere part of him and he brought out a much stronger side of Ariel.
The ending was really interesting and there's some twists that I didn't expect. I liked how things turned out and overall I really enjoyed this one, even more than Juliet Immortal.
marmar_16's review against another edition
3.0
This series was okay. It was definitely a cool retelling idea though.
joliendelandsheer's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this sequel a little bit better than the first one. They are very enjoyable stories with a lot of twists and confusing loyalties.