Ratings

Content Ratings based on a 0-5 scale where
0 = no objectionable content and
5 = an excessive or disturbing level of content

Guide to Rating System

LANGUAGE

VIOLENCE

SEXUAL CONTENT

ADULT THEMES

Ratings Explanation

Language:  There are frequent uses of mild swearing (hell, damn, ass) in various forms.  There are a couple instances of stronger swearing.  Words like bastard, suck, piss, dickhead, douche and screw are also used.  Someone wants to give someone else the middle finger.  There is also frequent profanity.

Violence:  There is a car accident when a girl grabs the wheel and steers them off the road.  There is a fight between a boy and a girl with hitting, kicking, punching and so forth.  A boy chases after a girl and puts his fist through a car window.  A girl dreams of death with a knife through her chest.  Both Romeo and Juliet see the undead forms of themselves.  Romeo enjoys watching people die and suffer.  A lady is abducted, held prisoner and then brutally killed when her throat is split.  There is blood everywhere.  A Mercenary grabs a boy by the throat and makes him feel severe pain.  Romeo stabs Juliet with a knife to kill her.  There is a shooting at a theater.  A car crashes on the way to the hospital.  A boy is beaten up.  Romeo shoots Juliet and Ben in the forehead with a gun.

Sexual Content:  Romeo and Juliet have sex, which is implied and not described in detail.  A boy makes a bet he can sleep with a girl.  Someone says, “did you finally see a penis?”  There are several kisses throughout the book.  Someone talks about “doing” two girls in one night.  A girl thinks about having sex with a boy.  It is implied that a girl has had sexual relations with many different boys.

Adult Themes:  There is underage drinking.  Kids sneak into a wine cellar and steal wine to drink.  They play a drinking game.  A girl’s father finds her drugs.  There are very poor parent/children relationships.  A boy moves to escape the pressure of gangs.

Synopsis

“The greatest love story ever told is a lie.”  Juliet did not take her own life.  She was murdered by her new husband, Romeo, who sought immortality.  Romeo didn’t ever think that Juliet would be granted immortality as well through the Ambassadors of Light.  For 700 years Juliet has struggled to preserve the innocent souls of true love while Romeo does everything in his power to destroy them.  It is an epic struggle until the day Juliet finds herself with someone she is forbidden to love and everything changes.

I found this to be a very creative retelling of an old story.  I really enjoyed the new ideas presented in this book.  It was fast paced, interesting and exciting with me completely rooting for the happily ever after ending that Juliet never had.  I loved the ending which both left it open for a next book and gave me some resolution.  This book is labeled YA which encompasses a broad age range of 15-25.  Based on content I would recommend 18 and up.