Tag: shelby mahurin

Book Review: The Shadow Bride (The Scarlet Veil #2) by Shelby Mahurin

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 624 pages
Author: Shelby Mahurin
Publisher: Harper Collins
Release Date: March 25th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the thrilling conclusion of the duology set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Serpent & Dove series by Shelby Mahurin, a vampire and the woman who tried to kill him prove that true love can conquer anything, even Death. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Mass.

Célie’s life is over. She took her final breath trying to save the people she loves—including the powerful and enigmatic vampire king, Michal, who refused to let her go. When Célie wakes, she cannot walk in the sun; she can hear her friends’ heartbeats and she craves their blood. Michal has cursed her to the eternal existence of a vampire.

But Célie isn’t the only dead roaming the earth. Her sister, Filippa, has returned as a shadow of her former self, and other revenants are rising from their graves intent on revenge. The fragile balance between life and death has broken, awakening an even darker force—and he is coming for Célie, ready to claim her as his Bride. With the fate of their world at stake, Célie and Michal must set aside their searing attraction to mend the veil and right the balance, once and for all.

WELL I LOVED THIS.

This one found me at the right time because I just had a good time with this. 600 pages who? It did not matter because I was glued to my headphones devouring this story.

I loved Celie’s journey. With a substantial character arc woven throughout, you definitely got a feel for everything she went through. I loved that she maintained a soft, feminine nature while also showing how strong and filled with perseverance you can be too. It’s a beautiful balance.

And I was obsessed with the romance (it is very open door so I would not call this a YA book). I loved the heat and swoon and all of the between Michal and Celie.

I felt satisfied with how everything wrapped up with the ending. The characters had the conclusions I needed and getting a little epilogue was exactly what I was hoping for.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: 2-3 open door
  • Violence: high

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Book Review: The Scarlet Veil (The Scarlet Veil #1) by Shelby Mahurin

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 640 pages
Author: Shelby Mahurin
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: September 26th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

This dark and thrilling vampire romance—set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Serpent & Dove series—is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas!

Célie Tremblay has always been a good girl: kind and beautiful, a daughter of whom every parent would be proud. She surprises the entire kingdom when she defies tradition to become the first huntswoman—including her new captain and fiancé, Jean Luc, who rules the huntsmen with an iron fist. He isn’t the only one concerned for Célie’s safety, however. Though her friends try to protect her from the horrors of her past, mysterious whispers still haunt her, and a new evil is rising in Belterra—leaving bodies in its wake, each one drained of blood.

Determined to prove herself in her new role, Célie tracks the killer to the lair of Les Éternels—ancient creatures only spoken about in nursery rhymes—and catches the attention of their king, a monster who hides his plans for her behind beautiful words and sharp smiles. Now Célie has new reason to fear the dark because the closer he gets, the more tempted she feels to give in to his dark hunger—and her own.

I AM HERE FOR IT.

And please, for all that is bookish, don’t let me down like books two and three of the previous series. I BEG. Because this was FANTASTIC. I knew from the first few hours of listening this was going to be a five star. I loved Celie’s journey and the stronger self she became by being forced outside of the box she’d be unknowingly forced into.

The romance is a SLOWWWW burn and I am obsessed. I can’t wait for this to continue throughout the series. I am hooked over these two and I liked the evolution of that relationship too. It’s not noticeable right away and subtly sneaks up on you as the book progresses.

I loved the overall plot and story. I found the book very well balanced between those hard, fast action moments and the softer, self discovery types (or maybe even a little romance) too. The ending had me SCREAMING and I am anxiously awaiting the next book.

Overall audience notes:

  • Upper YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: low innuendo; make-outs
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: blood/gore depiction, murder, loss of loved ones

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Book Review: Gods & Monsters (Serpent & Dove #3) by Shelby Mahurin

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Rating: ☆☆☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 624 pages
Author: Shelby Mahurin
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: July 27th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The spellbinding conclusion to the New York Times and IndieBound bestselling trilogy Serpent & Dove. This stunning fantasy take on French witches and forbidden love is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas.

Evil always seeks a foothold. We must not give it one.

After a heartbreaking loss, Lou, Reid, Beau, and Coco are bent on vengeance more than ever before—and none more so than Lou.

But this is no longer the Lou they thought they knew. No longer the Lou that captured a chasseur’s heart. A darkness has settled over her, and this time it will take more than love to drive it out.

THE DISAPPOINTMENT I FEEL HURTS.

My one main sentiment is that of the previous sentence. Why can’t I get a good ending to a series? Is this why I have a hard time finishing them? UGH.

I love the characters and this world and I think that’s also what made the dissatisfaction more apparent. Everyone on this cast is solid and well rounded with flaws and strengths. Wit and passion that make me love them. And I desperately needed more of that.

What I missed most was Reid and Lou, being Reid and Lou. In vague terms, both characters were dealing with separate debacles that took until page FIVE HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE to be completely and fully resolved. To say I was salty was an understatement. I wanted the banter and flirtation that was way more present in the first two novels. The main conflict doesn’t always have to come between the couple. Especially if the couple has already truly gotten together before the finale then why not LET THEM WORK TOGETHER. Gosh dang it, such a missed opportunity.

With those debacles came a very round about and torturously long route to the final battle. With many scenes that dragged on. And when the sex scenes came into play I didn’t love those either. They didn’t fit the story, and they definitely didn’t fit the YA category. A big mash up of MEH.

I was full of anguish at how all of this went down. I loved the tidbit from a past character. That was sweet and hopeful. The ending wrapped things up at least, and the epilogue was cute.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses to two brief open door scenes
  • Violence: physical, magical, near drowning, fires, loss of friends, battle scenes

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Book Review: Blood & Honey (Serpent & Dove #2) by Shelby Mahurin

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: YA Fantasy + Romance
Length: 528 pages
Author: Shelby Mahurin
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: September 1st, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

After narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Dames Blanches, Lou, Reid, Coco, and Ansel are on the run from coven, kingdom, and church—fugitives with nowhere to hide.

To elude the scores of witches and throngs of chasseurs at their heels, Lou and Reid need allies. Strong ones. But protection comes at a price, and the group is forced to embark on separate quests to build their forces. As Lou and Reid try to close the widening rift between them, the dastardly Morgane baits them in a lethal game of cat and mouse that threatens to destroy something worth more than any coven.

The hotly anticipated sequel to the New York Times and IndieBound bestseller Serpent & Dove—packed with even steamier romance and darker magic—is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas.

WHERE’S THE LOVE?

Wow did this characters go through the ringer this round.

This was a great sequel! Though, it may have ripped my heart out. It’s fine. Everything’s fine.

RIGHT?

We got dropped right back in where we left off from the first one. And thankfully there’s plenty of nice segues to remember details of what happened in Serpent & Dove. The action was picked up exponentially this round. I found the pace pretty quick and turning every page with anticipation of what creature in the woods was going to pop up next. Plenty of violence and shock moments that really left me reeling.

This was really missing some romance. From the beginning their was a reasonable amount of angst between Lou and Reid but it needed MORE MORE MORE. What I did like is that the conflict between them wasn’t silly drama or a major lack of communication. Both of them were struggling to grasp and cope with the changes being thrown wildly at them. As time progressed and Lou and Reid realized their mistakes they were able to come together, so I liked the general development of their relationship. I also love these guy separately. Such clear opposites that play so well off of each other and in their own segments.

All of these characters really have my love (and when necessary, ABSOLUTE LOATHING). Even those on the side are incredibly well developed, and we get enough back story on them to connect emotionally, but not overrun the story itself. I loved learning about more of the creatures (witches, werewolves, and other mythical beings oh my!) and how they fit into the world Mahurin has built.

I felt a string of emotions and easily devoured this quickly. Talk about an ending that makes you absolutely flip out and I will be [yet again] anxiously awaiting the finale for this trilogy.

Overall audience notes:

  • Young adult fantasy + romance
  • Language: some
  • Romance: kisses / heated make-outs; some almost scenes and a mild detailed scene
  • Violence: bloody and gory; murder, swords, arrows, physical altercations, animal attacks, kidnapping

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