Book Review: Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay

Juliet Immortal  first book in the Juliet Immortal series by Stacey Jay
Synopsis from Goodreads:

"These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, Which as they kiss consume." —Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
The most tragic love story in history . . .
Juliet Capulet didn't take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn't anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she's fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she's forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.

--- Romeo and Juliet is the quintessential love story. One that has been referenced by the writer, the young girl, the schoolroom teacher, the lover, and the jilted. It is touted as the most tragic love story and oddly, many people find it romantic... but I don't.
I've never read Romeo and Juliet. Our English classes in high school consisted of spelling and grammar lessons while my English Literature class in college was focused more on the analyses of short stories that were full of underlying themes and countless instances of epiphanies and a book that recounts the history of our country through fictional characters. The one play that we did discuss was Oedipus Rex, the tragedy written by Sophocles, which I find as disturbing as Romeo and Juliet. 
Oh, I know the basic plotline of Romeo and Juliet, I just had no patience to swim through the flowery speech the characters. I also know about the classic lines that are being spouted by contemporary lovers and I know an entire watchamacallit  which was said by Montague and started with "Many a morning hath..." and ended with "...may the cause removed." I've also watched Romeo + Juliet. Yes, the one with Leonado DiCaprio and Claire Danes. Even though I said I had no patience with flowery speech, at least the lines in this movie was tamed and tailored for mere mortals to understand.
I love love stories but I have no great love for instalove. And in the case of Romeo and Juliet, it was like a case of instalove, the thrill of the forbidden, hormones, and the idea of being in love with being in love (do you get me?)
Which is why Juliet Immortal is like the unlikely sequel of that tragedy and somewhat tells of the consequences of the actions of the two young lovers whether or not they were at fault. It also tells of the youthful thought of invulnerability and finding out that it takes a lot to be in love or if you were even in love at all.
It was hard for Juliet, knowing that Romeo betrayed her out of fear and selfishness and that said person, you thought you were in love with, went and told your story to a playwright who was looking for another tale to immortalize, only to find out that he butchered the truth of that story. Or so she thought.
In an incredible twist, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet do tell the story of star-crossed lovers but without the fantastical elements that complicated this classic tale and much more riveting. I said in a previous post that I would a who's-who and who-did-what, but doing so would give out the whole narrative so you have to find out for yourself what that twist was about - one which I never expected and one of the best WTF (in a good way) reactions I've had to a story. Although, I do give negative points for that instalove again. Please, only three days? Connection and chemistry are all good but to broadcast it as love immediately is not really believable. I also give minus points to the ending - an ending which adheres to the required tragedy and happy ending.
All dislikes aside, I did enjoy reading it and I give it: