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The Scarlet Veil #1
The Scarlet Veil
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2023)Full of everything I love: a sparkling and fully-realized heroine, an intricate and deadly system of magic, and a searing romance that kept me reading long into the night. Sarah J Maas on Serpent & Dove Six months have passed since Célie took her sacred vows and joined the ranks of the Chasseurs as their first huntswoman. With her fiancé, Jean Luc, as captain, she is determined to find her foothold in her new role and help protect Belterra. But whispers from her past still haunt her, and a new evil is rising―one that Célie herself must vanquish, unless she falls prey to the darkness.
640 pages, Paperback
First published September 26, 2023
1540 people are currently reading
112159 people want to read
About the author
Shelby Mahurin
8 books14.2k followersShelby Mahurin grew up on a small farm in rural Indiana, where sticks became wands and cows became dragons. Her rampant imagination didn't fade with age, so she continues to play make-believe every day—with words now instead of cows. When not writing, Shelby watches the Office and obsesses over her Twitter feed. She still lives near that childhood farm with her very tall husband, semi-feral toddlers, two dogs, and one cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,064 reviews
October 9, 2023
i had such high hopes going into this book because how do you fuck up a vampire book? i think the premise was actually really good and so was the plot but it was so dense. also i remember when serpent and dove came out there was a lot of complaints about the language in book for the time and place and i didn’t see it (i only read the first book) this book definitely has those issues. i found the main character dumb and annoying. i hate when authors write their characters like that to get them from plot A to plot B, it’s so insulting to that character. This books is definitely inspired by sarah j mass. instead of being original and coming up with her own romance dynamic for once she has to go and copy something else to get her fans to read. i when authors can’t be creative with their romances. lastly, this didn’t need to be 600 pages.
July 30, 2024
Celie being kidnapped 19 days before Halloween
[image error]
Bring back Vampire Books.
I need a vampire renaissance
[image error]
Bring back Vampire Books.
I need a vampire renaissance
December 24, 2025
1st reread: updating to 4.5 stars
I still agree with everything below, but it just hit different this time around and seeing some details I most likely missed before. So excited to start Shadow Bride 🦋
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4.25 stars
Really enjoyed being back with this clan again, and I'll never say no to vampire romances honestly.
The storyline was really interesting, although I was a little disappointed that it kind of got away from the murder investigation a bit. And wtf Jean Luc? Why are you vibing so hard as Tampon? I'm glad Celie got out of there and started doing things on her own. Kind of >D
It was great to see everyone from the first series, though I would have liked to see them more. Always a fan of Lou and Reid. But I also enjoyed all the newcomers so it balanced out.
I was a little annoyed with Celie throughout the book. She was always trying to stand on her own, but then she would make horrible decisions. ESPECIALLY at the end. I was so mad when she basically forced Michal to deal with the Necromancer on their own when the whole group is available. What. Are. You. Doing?
And wth is with all this shit being hidden in Michal's room and he had no idea? That just seemed so ridiculous to me. As well as the Necromancer being Frederic. I called that as soon as the necklace showed those initials, even if they aren't his, I had a feeling he was involved, so that didn't end up surprising me.
BUT looks like Celie is going to be our new friendly neighborhood vampire, so can't wait to see what happens. And I guess her sister is just gonna be a bitch? We'll see!
I still agree with everything below, but it just hit different this time around and seeing some details I most likely missed before. So excited to start Shadow Bride 🦋
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4.25 stars
Really enjoyed being back with this clan again, and I'll never say no to vampire romances honestly.
The storyline was really interesting, although I was a little disappointed that it kind of got away from the murder investigation a bit. And wtf Jean Luc? Why are you vibing so hard as Tampon? I'm glad Celie got out of there and started doing things on her own. Kind of >D
It was great to see everyone from the first series, though I would have liked to see them more. Always a fan of Lou and Reid. But I also enjoyed all the newcomers so it balanced out.
I was a little annoyed with Celie throughout the book. She was always trying to stand on her own, but then she would make horrible decisions. ESPECIALLY at the end. I was so mad when she basically forced Michal to deal with the Necromancer on their own when the whole group is available. What. Are. You. Doing?
And wth is with all this shit being hidden in Michal's room and he had no idea? That just seemed so ridiculous to me. As well as the Necromancer being Frederic. I called that as soon as the necklace showed those initials, even if they aren't his, I had a feeling he was involved, so that didn't end up surprising me.
BUT looks like Celie is going to be our new friendly neighborhood vampire, so can't wait to see what happens. And I guess her sister is just gonna be a bitch? We'll see!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2023
DNF @ 1/4 because it’s just too dumb. Here are some excerpts from me trying to explain this plot to a friend:
🦇What if you had a fiancé who was SO SUPER MEAN because he wouldn’t share confidential info about his job with you
🦇Also he’s your superior, so like, awkward
🦇Also you have no romantic tension together
🦇You have, like, a really tragic backstory of course
🦇Your parents are alive but don’t love you, your sister is dead, and you loved this dude who left you for your best friend who you’re still besties with
🦇To make matters worse, you’re so bad at your job that your fiancé is constantly trying to hide how bad you are so you don’t feel bad
🦇You find a dead body in a graveyard that has all the blood sucked out
WHAT MANNER OF CREATURE COULD HAVE DONE THIS
🦇Possibly the hot guy who shows up and doesn’t have a pulse, but also he’s real sexy right
🦇Anyway you go yell at your fiancé because he didn’t tell you this isn’t the only dead body and there are other dead bodies and all your best friends know but no one told you because
Like
You’re bad at your job and no one wants you to die on accident, but also, your fiancé is still your superior and clearly is keeping the info within a task force
🦇You take off your 💍ring and go out into the night to brood even after your best friend mentions maybe that’s a bad idea because, like, there’s a serial killer but you’re an adult and she can’t stop you
🦇Anyway you’re not gonna believe this
🦇But someone attacks you! And you get knocked out
🦇When you wake up, the mystery hot guy and his creepy lady cousin have kidnapped you and you’re on a boat
🦇They’re controlling the crew with their vampire powers and seem vaguely evil
🦇Doing regular evil things like making it look like the crew will jump to their deaths if you try to jump off the boat and ripping people’s tongues out
🦇I’m sure we’ll justify that later so it’s a nonissue
🦇You arrive at an island that seems unusually supportive of racial diversity given that it’s run by tyrannical blood sucking mad people
🦇And start hallucinating things and being followed by cats
Anyway don’t worry about the whole “you don’t smell human” thing I’m sure it’s that you’re like, secretly a goddess or something and not that you have cancer
🦇And now you’re a prisoner and have to pretend to be your best friend because she’s SO IMPORTANT and they really wanted to kidnap her but accidentally kidnapped you instead
But you’re so bad at pretending that everyone figures it out in like 30 seconds
But it’s fine! Because now you can be bait for your important best friend
🦇Then the creepy vampires have you visit a dressmaker because this is the part in the story where you, a 19 year old, suddenly become incredibly attractive to a 1,000 year old vampire king
🦇Who has like, never seen a woman that annoying before and is probably impressed
I get it, I am too
🦇What if you had a fiancé who was SO SUPER MEAN because he wouldn’t share confidential info about his job with you
🦇Also he’s your superior, so like, awkward
🦇Also you have no romantic tension together
🦇You have, like, a really tragic backstory of course
🦇Your parents are alive but don’t love you, your sister is dead, and you loved this dude who left you for your best friend who you’re still besties with
🦇To make matters worse, you’re so bad at your job that your fiancé is constantly trying to hide how bad you are so you don’t feel bad
🦇You find a dead body in a graveyard that has all the blood sucked out
WHAT MANNER OF CREATURE COULD HAVE DONE THIS
🦇Possibly the hot guy who shows up and doesn’t have a pulse, but also he’s real sexy right
🦇Anyway you go yell at your fiancé because he didn’t tell you this isn’t the only dead body and there are other dead bodies and all your best friends know but no one told you because
Like
You’re bad at your job and no one wants you to die on accident, but also, your fiancé is still your superior and clearly is keeping the info within a task force
🦇You take off your 💍ring and go out into the night to brood even after your best friend mentions maybe that’s a bad idea because, like, there’s a serial killer but you’re an adult and she can’t stop you
🦇Anyway you’re not gonna believe this
🦇But someone attacks you! And you get knocked out
🦇When you wake up, the mystery hot guy and his creepy lady cousin have kidnapped you and you’re on a boat
🦇They’re controlling the crew with their vampire powers and seem vaguely evil
🦇Doing regular evil things like making it look like the crew will jump to their deaths if you try to jump off the boat and ripping people’s tongues out
🦇I’m sure we’ll justify that later so it’s a nonissue
🦇You arrive at an island that seems unusually supportive of racial diversity given that it’s run by tyrannical blood sucking mad people
🦇And start hallucinating things and being followed by cats
Anyway don’t worry about the whole “you don’t smell human” thing I’m sure it’s that you’re like, secretly a goddess or something and not that you have cancer
🦇And now you’re a prisoner and have to pretend to be your best friend because she’s SO IMPORTANT and they really wanted to kidnap her but accidentally kidnapped you instead
But you’re so bad at pretending that everyone figures it out in like 30 seconds
But it’s fine! Because now you can be bait for your important best friend
🦇Then the creepy vampires have you visit a dressmaker because this is the part in the story where you, a 19 year old, suddenly become incredibly attractive to a 1,000 year old vampire king
🦇Who has like, never seen a woman that annoying before and is probably impressed
I get it, I am too
September 27, 2023
”Some might call it fleeing, some might call it hiding, but some might be wrong. Some might say they want to protect me, but what they mean is they want to coddle me. To manage me. I will not be managed. I will show all of them.”
Gather round and listen up, fellow fantasy readers, and let me tell you about my new favorite fantasy read. No one is more surprised than me that I loved this, considering I wasn’t blown away by the Serpent & Dove trilogy. Oh sure, I really enjoyed the first book, but something about the following book really didn’t do it for me, and I never even read the third and final installment. *hangs head in shame* I did do my best to look up general spoilers, and I’m glad I did, because… while this is technically a spinoff from S&D and its own story featuring a minor character from the series, it builds heavily off of the founding novels. You could go in blind, but I would recommend at least reading the spoiler summary for S&D that the publisher posted previously. You can find that HERE .
Now that we have the technical details out of the way…. THIS BOOK. Insert all the heart eyes, dreamy sigh, swoony foot popping goodness, folks, because vampires are back and better than ever. Make Vampires Great Again. You may remember Celie from S&D, but if it is all a bit fuzzy, don’t worry. The author does a fantastic job of slowly piecing together the details from Gods & Monsters without info dumping a rehash of the plot. I’ll be honest, I was a little lost during the first 20%, but once I had some of those details down, it was smooth sailing for the rest of the reading experience.
The basis of this book is that Celie has joined the brotherhood of the Chasseurs as the first female inductee, is newly engaged, and headed toward a life she has always dreamed of, or as much as can be after the trauma she has endured in recent times. Wanting to get to the bottom of what really happened to her sister, she is determined to hunt down the monsters responsible for sowing the chaos across their lands, while also proving herself invaluable to the cause. With all this going on, Celie is also wrestling with the fact that everyone is treating her like she is fragile after her ordeals from the previous book, which in turn makes her suffering worse.
On top of all of this, there are strange murders happening and Jean Luc, the head of the Chasseurs and her fiancé, is keeping secrets from her involving the investigation. It’s during the investigation that Celie meets a mysterious man, and little does she know that small interaction will change her life as she knows it. Part murder mystery, part romance, part journey of self discovery, The Scarlet Veil is a dark dive into the glittering world of seductive monsters-creatures of the night who are equal parts horrifying and thrilling.
Many familiar characters spring up in the beginning of the book, which gave me a cozy feeling, and probably added to my love of this book. I don’t think it would have meant as much to me if I didn’t have some stake in the characters prior to starting the book (see what I did there?) so do with that what you will. This is a SLOW burn romance, over the course of 640 pages, so please keep that in mind before starting this book. For me? It was flawlessly done. The pacing of the romance felt perfectly paced for an enemies-to-lovers story, and the thrilling murder mystery elements and world building kept my interest in between the building of Celie and Michal’s relationship. This book is actually darker than I expected it to be, which isn’t a bad thing, and really leaned into the horror aspect of the story, and pushed the typical boundaries that people like to place on YA stories, which I LOVED.
Honestly, why did that cliffhanger have to do me dirty like that? I’m itching for the next book! The person behind the murders is who I suspected it was, but for once, that didn’t affect my enjoyment because there were many other aspects to the why and how that I hadn’t figured out, which kept many of the twists still a surprise. If you are looking for a young adult PNR with mystery elements and a hefty page count, consider adding this to your TBR. Even if you weren’t thrilled by the S&D trilogy, but you adore vampire romances, I would say this is worth giving a try. You might be as surprised as I was to find out it’s one of your favorite books of the year.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
Gather round and listen up, fellow fantasy readers, and let me tell you about my new favorite fantasy read. No one is more surprised than me that I loved this, considering I wasn’t blown away by the Serpent & Dove trilogy. Oh sure, I really enjoyed the first book, but something about the following book really didn’t do it for me, and I never even read the third and final installment. *hangs head in shame* I did do my best to look up general spoilers, and I’m glad I did, because… while this is technically a spinoff from S&D and its own story featuring a minor character from the series, it builds heavily off of the founding novels. You could go in blind, but I would recommend at least reading the spoiler summary for S&D that the publisher posted previously. You can find that HERE .
Now that we have the technical details out of the way…. THIS BOOK. Insert all the heart eyes, dreamy sigh, swoony foot popping goodness, folks, because vampires are back and better than ever. Make Vampires Great Again. You may remember Celie from S&D, but if it is all a bit fuzzy, don’t worry. The author does a fantastic job of slowly piecing together the details from Gods & Monsters without info dumping a rehash of the plot. I’ll be honest, I was a little lost during the first 20%, but once I had some of those details down, it was smooth sailing for the rest of the reading experience.
The basis of this book is that Celie has joined the brotherhood of the Chasseurs as the first female inductee, is newly engaged, and headed toward a life she has always dreamed of, or as much as can be after the trauma she has endured in recent times. Wanting to get to the bottom of what really happened to her sister, she is determined to hunt down the monsters responsible for sowing the chaos across their lands, while also proving herself invaluable to the cause. With all this going on, Celie is also wrestling with the fact that everyone is treating her like she is fragile after her ordeals from the previous book, which in turn makes her suffering worse.
On top of all of this, there are strange murders happening and Jean Luc, the head of the Chasseurs and her fiancé, is keeping secrets from her involving the investigation. It’s during the investigation that Celie meets a mysterious man, and little does she know that small interaction will change her life as she knows it. Part murder mystery, part romance, part journey of self discovery, The Scarlet Veil is a dark dive into the glittering world of seductive monsters-creatures of the night who are equal parts horrifying and thrilling.
Many familiar characters spring up in the beginning of the book, which gave me a cozy feeling, and probably added to my love of this book. I don’t think it would have meant as much to me if I didn’t have some stake in the characters prior to starting the book (see what I did there?) so do with that what you will. This is a SLOW burn romance, over the course of 640 pages, so please keep that in mind before starting this book. For me? It was flawlessly done. The pacing of the romance felt perfectly paced for an enemies-to-lovers story, and the thrilling murder mystery elements and world building kept my interest in between the building of Celie and Michal’s relationship. This book is actually darker than I expected it to be, which isn’t a bad thing, and really leaned into the horror aspect of the story, and pushed the typical boundaries that people like to place on YA stories, which I LOVED.
Honestly, why did that cliffhanger have to do me dirty like that? I’m itching for the next book! The person behind the murders is who I suspected it was, but for once, that didn’t affect my enjoyment because there were many other aspects to the why and how that I hadn’t figured out, which kept many of the twists still a surprise. If you are looking for a young adult PNR with mystery elements and a hefty page count, consider adding this to your TBR. Even if you weren’t thrilled by the S&D trilogy, but you adore vampire romances, I would say this is worth giving a try. You might be as surprised as I was to find out it’s one of your favorite books of the year.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
March 11, 2024
4.5/5 ⭐
As a Shelby Mahurin novels devourer, I wish I could say that this is so much better than her previous works aka the the Serpent & Dove trilogy. But to me, this was equally as good man, I don't know.
Somehow I understand why people didn't vibe with Mahurin's first series because it wasn't everyone's cup of tea, really. But at the same time, I don't see why people keep saying that this was better because (to me at least) it looks like the same beautifully artistic, slightly darker than maybe it should be extension of a great witch story...but this time with vampires!
Yes, I did love the vampire story and the way they were acting and how they all have been constructed like a little Frankenstein's monster out of so many pieces of what is like to be a vampire in other well-known stories (such as Twilight and Dracula and maybe even the Vampire Diaries, who knows!!).
The setting changes this time, the real action doesn't happen in the city of Cesarine anymore but on a beautiful island full of vampires with colourful and various personalities, called the Isle of Requiem.
Sometimes I don't like it when there's an island there, Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and William Goulding's Lord of the Flies made me be a liiiittle bit sceptical about people on islands. But I must admit that I did like the Isle of Requiem. It had such a chic, bohemian vibe and it was full of hot undead people ready to have blood-drinking parties shamelessly any time. Wonderful, right?
I did say earlier that I don't think this is better than Serpent & Dove, but now let me explain why because it balances things out.
In the first series, I loved Lou so much, especially in the first book. To me, Lou as an MC made so much sense and her mouthy, sassy and bratty behaviour enthralled me. On the other hand, I can't say I was (at least at first) Reid's biggest fan. He started being alright after a while and I loved his love for Lou, but overall, not really a strong MC, but he was a really good love interest choice for the enemies-to-lovers trope that I ADORE so much.
Here, I can't say that I liked Célie, she isn't the type of character I am usually drawn to. A little bit too silly at times, and a little bit too pushy at others, but I will allow her some good comebacks though. However, I loved Michal.
Michal was dark and mysterious and sexy and dangerous and he had this kind of wit about him that was making him that irresistible kind of character. Very tease-y too. In a way, I don't understand the dynamics between him and Célie, but in another way, it feels like they are promising to be matched way better depending on how the plot in the next book is going to be.
Also, a special shoutout to the wonderful ladies Mila and Odessa whom I actually fell in love with, they are wonderful characters and they made my life more beautiful.
And another special shoutout to Jean Luc whom I despise and I hope his teeth fall off *casts spell*
Now, if you still have second thoughts about picking this up, let me make your life easier: ✨read it✨. And have fun with it!
As a Shelby Mahurin novels devourer, I wish I could say that this is so much better than her previous works aka the the Serpent & Dove trilogy. But to me, this was equally as good man, I don't know.
Somehow I understand why people didn't vibe with Mahurin's first series because it wasn't everyone's cup of tea, really. But at the same time, I don't see why people keep saying that this was better because (to me at least) it looks like the same beautifully artistic, slightly darker than maybe it should be extension of a great witch story...but this time with vampires!
Yes, I did love the vampire story and the way they were acting and how they all have been constructed like a little Frankenstein's monster out of so many pieces of what is like to be a vampire in other well-known stories (such as Twilight and Dracula and maybe even the Vampire Diaries, who knows!!).
The setting changes this time, the real action doesn't happen in the city of Cesarine anymore but on a beautiful island full of vampires with colourful and various personalities, called the Isle of Requiem.
Sometimes I don't like it when there's an island there, Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and William Goulding's Lord of the Flies made me be a liiiittle bit sceptical about people on islands. But I must admit that I did like the Isle of Requiem. It had such a chic, bohemian vibe and it was full of hot undead people ready to have blood-drinking parties shamelessly any time. Wonderful, right?
I did say earlier that I don't think this is better than Serpent & Dove, but now let me explain why because it balances things out.
In the first series, I loved Lou so much, especially in the first book. To me, Lou as an MC made so much sense and her mouthy, sassy and bratty behaviour enthralled me. On the other hand, I can't say I was (at least at first) Reid's biggest fan. He started being alright after a while and I loved his love for Lou, but overall, not really a strong MC, but he was a really good love interest choice for the enemies-to-lovers trope that I ADORE so much.
Here, I can't say that I liked Célie, she isn't the type of character I am usually drawn to. A little bit too silly at times, and a little bit too pushy at others, but I will allow her some good comebacks though. However, I loved Michal.
Michal was dark and mysterious and sexy and dangerous and he had this kind of wit about him that was making him that irresistible kind of character. Very tease-y too. In a way, I don't understand the dynamics between him and Célie, but in another way, it feels like they are promising to be matched way better depending on how the plot in the next book is going to be.
Also, a special shoutout to the wonderful ladies Mila and Odessa whom I actually fell in love with, they are wonderful characters and they made my life more beautiful.
And another special shoutout to Jean Luc whom I despise and I hope his teeth fall off *casts spell*
Now, if you still have second thoughts about picking this up, let me make your life easier: ✨read it✨. And have fun with it!
October 15, 2023
I have no desire to pick this book up again - DNF @52%
You would think by the premise that it was a compelling and entertaining read but I have literally fallen asleep.
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂ ⠂⠄⠄⠂☆⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂ ⠂⠄⠄⠂☆⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂ ⠂⠄⠄⠂☆
𝐕𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬. 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬. 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬.
⋆♱✮☽🦇☽✮♰⋆🦇 🥀 🕯 🪦 🩸⋆♱✮☽🦇☽✮♰⋆
𝑬𝒙𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒚, 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌, 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒇 𝑰'𝒎 𝒂 𝒑𝒖𝒛𝒛𝒍𝒆 𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆. "𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏," 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕.
𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒍𝒚. "𝑫𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕?"
"𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬."
You would think by the premise that it was a compelling and entertaining read but I have literally fallen asleep.
⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂ ⠂⠄⠄⠂☆⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂ ⠂⠄⠄⠂☆⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄⠄⠂ ⠂⠄⠄⠂☆
𝐕𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬. 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬. 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬.
⋆♱✮☽🦇☽✮♰⋆🦇 🥀 🕯 🪦 🩸⋆♱✮☽🦇☽✮♰⋆
𝑬𝒙𝒉𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒚, 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌, 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒇 𝑰'𝒎 𝒂 𝒑𝒖𝒛𝒛𝒍𝒆 𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆. "𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏," 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕.
𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒍𝒚. "𝑫𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕?"
"𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐬."
November 18, 2023
"I realize Hell is empty, and the Devil is here."
i saw that epilogue coming BUT THE MURDERER??? i never wouldve guessed that person💀 curse this cliffhanger because i dont want to wait until next year for book 2😭 im in desperate need of more célie and michal🥺🫶
but guys shelby has renewed my faith in her books again!! after the mess of G&M i originally wasnt interested in TSV but i was convinced AND SO GLAD I DID BECAUSE IT MADE ME REMEMBER WHY I LOVE SHELBY'S BOOKS SO MUCH??? this wasnt just so fun but also heartbreaking, funny and gave me the "i need more asap" feeling. (i may or may not have neglected school life for this book oops)
I smile--because I know, in this moment, my strength has never been like the others'. I am not cunning or fearless like Lou, nor am I strategic or disciplined like the Chasseurs. No. I am Célie Tremblay, Bride of Death, and my strength has always and will always be in my loved ones. My friends.
célie's story is one i never imagined we'd see but im so so happy that shelby decided to write it because she deserved her own story!! from her acknowledgements: I still remember sitting down to write Gods & Monsters and hesitating when you asked, “What about Célie?” Though I’m ashamed to admit it, I’d already dismissed her as the jealous ex-girlfriend. You challenged me to see her differently—as a flawed character, yes, but also as a sheltered, grief-stricken young woman with a spine of steel truly this made me tear up🥺 i also never really thought twice abt her in S&D trilogy but oh if there's anything that TSV has done, it's made her one of my favourite MCs ive read abt this year (and maybe even ever??). her strength is in her love for others and cliché as that may sound i love that her optimism in situations and trying to see the best in others!! she's actually too pure.
"Perhaps the Célie you know never existed. Have you ever considered that? It can happen without us even realizing--we fall in love with an idea instead of a person. We give each other pieces of ourselves but never the whole thing, and without the whole thing, how can we ever truly know a person."
no because when célie spoke of this... it hit HARD. like it really takes so much courage and strength to give all your pieces to someone because... what if they dont accept every part of you?? there's always that small possibility and to have to deal with the possible pain and heart break that would come with it?? so its safer to just not give someone all of you and avoid that chance of rejection😭🥹
which brings me to MICHAL AKA NEW LOVE OF MY LIFE!! their start was truly an ACTUAL enemies to lovers (and actually to the lovers parts👀👀). he sees all of célie and doesn't shy away in disgust or pity from any of it. he's so sweet, tender, funny, and charming to célie GAHHH MY HEART🥺🫶 célie said it herself His smiles fades with it, returning him instantly to the cool and collected Michal I've always known. My muscles go weak with relief. I've witnessed his wrath, his grace, his power, and I've survived them all, but his charm? I don't think anyone can survive that. SPEAKING FACTS i swooned so many times like michal acting ruthless?? can totally handle that BUT HIM BEING SO CHARMING AND SWEET??? IM WEAK and so in love with my vampire king. when célie asked what he feared and michal's response was nothing but philophobia oh i just🫠🫠 IM IN LOVE WITH THEM YOUR HONOR i need more michalcélie🥹
and may i just express my love for their conversations as well?? so many times i laughed like truly célie is so funny😭
“We aren’t exactly being inconspicuous as it is, and”—I lower my voice—“and couldn’t you just compel a courtesan to tell us where to go?”
“Doest my ears deceive me, or did the holier-than-thou Mademoiselle Célie Tremblay just suggest we take away free will?” He casts me a sidelong glance. “I had no idea you were so wicked, pet. How delightful.”
“I don’t mean we should compel her,” I say hastily. “I’m merely asking, hypothetically, what would happen if we did.”
“Hypothetically,” he repeats, his voice dry.
“Of course. I would never actually suggest we force someone to do something against their will. I’m not”—I cast about for the right word, failing to find it—“I’m not evil.”
“No, no. Just hypothetically evil.” He rolls his eyes again as I sputter indignantly.
michal's response to celie helppp they had me dying actually these two🫶 also!! i adore the new characters we got to meet !! odessa, dimitri, d'artagnan, mila and monsieur marc <33 my favs were definitely mila and odessa i love those two queens. and i really want to see more odessa & célie moments because the potential for their friendship blooming more!! always saying yes to that.
it was so fun seeing the old gang from S&D together also (not jean luc though, he can respectfully go to hell🤩 ). THAT ONE SCENE WITH LOU, COCO, AND CÉLIE??? IT WAS EVERYTHING🥹 the pride and love they hold dear towards célie makes my heart full of so much happiness
and now that ending->
i am so beyond excited for book 2 and truly cannot wait to see where things head, i can already see book 2 being very character driven and of course more romance🤭 michal and célie are my newest obsession and you're telling me i'll have to wait a year to see more of them??? i will do anything to get my hands on book 2
April 24, 2024
3/5
Unfortunately this was not giving dark and scandalous vampires. It instead presented us with vampires who do complete 180 personality changes (I liked Michal more when he was an asshole at the beginning) and main characters who reach new levels of naïve and dumb (sorry Célie but what were you thinking??? Ever??).
The plot is lacklustre and honestly kind of more based on vibes than intricacies. That being said, Shelby has the unique talent of writing books that are addictive and for the most part well written writing style wise. It wasn’t that good, but it wasn’t that bad either.
Unfortunately this was not giving dark and scandalous vampires. It instead presented us with vampires who do complete 180 personality changes (I liked Michal more when he was an asshole at the beginning) and main characters who reach new levels of naïve and dumb (sorry Célie but what were you thinking??? Ever??).
The plot is lacklustre and honestly kind of more based on vibes than intricacies. That being said, Shelby has the unique talent of writing books that are addictive and for the most part well written writing style wise. It wasn’t that good, but it wasn’t that bad either.
August 28, 2024
Momentarily categorising this book as 'dnf' until further notice... maybe.
***************
This update includes spoilers for those who haven't read Serpent & Dove trilogy.
I know I'm not the biggest fan of S&D trilogy, but hearing that the author is writing a new duology set in the same universe as previous works and that it is going to be about Célie had me over the moon! I found her character interesting from the very first book and always saw a main character potential in her and wanted her to have her own story. Now that is finally happening!!!!
Here's the blurb of this book:
𝗖𝗲́𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗮𝘆, 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀, 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲—𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝘃𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗿, 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴…𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮 𝗵��𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻.
***************
This update includes spoilers for those who haven't read Serpent & Dove trilogy.
I know I'm not the biggest fan of S&D trilogy, but hearing that the author is writing a new duology set in the same universe as previous works and that it is going to be about Célie had me over the moon! I found her character interesting from the very first book and always saw a main character potential in her and wanted her to have her own story. Now that is finally happening!!!!
Here's the blurb of this book:
𝗖𝗲́𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗮𝘆, 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀, 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲—𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝘃𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗿, 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴…𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮 𝗵��𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻.
September 27, 2023
Shelby Mahurin is back and better than ever! Definitively, this book is for the Klaus girlies, for the "mirrorball" girlies, for the girlies who won’t smile when asked, but will show you their teeth.
In “The Scarlet Veil”, we get to see the continuation of Célie Tremblay’s story after the events of the Serpent & Dove trilogy as she becomes a Chasseur and embarks upon an investigation in Cesarine where she crosses paths with vampires, ghosties, all sorts of creatures, and it’s one hell of an atmospheric ride with appearances from old, beloved characters, and with the addition of new favorites!
While the whimsy of the Requiem—where Célie’s journey takes her in this book—and the introduction of captivating new characters were exciting to read about, I have to say, my favorite part of this book was just getting to see more of Célie. She starts off in Serpent & Dove as a character you want nothing more than to dismiss, but once Gods & Monsters rolls around, you really get to see how multi-dimensional she is. What “The Scarlet Veil” did, though, is expose her for the relatable heroine she is, the one you see yourself in and the one you want to root for. I just loved this journey for her.
Aside from that, I really liked seeing the mystery format this book takes, as it’s a bit different from the trajectory of Shelby’s previous books. It was fun, suspenseful, and I really truly did not at any point see where the mystery was going or where it would end up. The vibes are also immaculate, as they always are from Shelby. I feel like if you want a good vampire book for fall that taps into favorite aspects of older vampire media, this is the book for you. Throughout “The Scarlet Veil”, settings and, I don’t know, just the vibes were so reminiscent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, True Blood, Interview with the Vampire… and, yes, The Vampire Diaries. Everything you already love about vampires is here, but there’s also so much fresh life breathed into the genre (see what I did there?).
I will say, “The Scarlet Veil” has a slower start compared to Shelby’s other books, but the set-up of our new characters and world requires some groundwork to be laid out first. With that in mind, the romance is also very slow-burn in this book, but, I don’t know, I felt like the pacing worked, like it was a perfect fit for a more gothic fantasy sort of book!
I’m not going to delve into too much else because it’s really difficult without spoiling, but I just wanna say… that ending… lmao, y’all are gonna hate Shelby for the ending in this book because I know I do😀 So, have fun with that!
One last thing, though. The biggest question you might have, is whether or not you need to read the Serpent & Dove trilogy in full before starting “The Scarlet Veil”. And, like… noooo, I guess you don’t have to do that, but I genuinely wouldn’t recommend it. I think it helps a lot to have the background of the other three books first, especially in relation to who Célie is as a character and how she has evolved thus far. And, like… THE OTHER BOOKS ARE SO GOOD, I PROMISE, WHY WOULD YOU WANNA SKIP THEM😭 Seriously, I say this so often, but it’s still true two years later: Gods & Monsters is the best finale to a series I have ever read, and that is the book which really jumpstarts Célie’s development as a character. So, do with that information what you will!
In “The Scarlet Veil”, we get to see the continuation of Célie Tremblay’s story after the events of the Serpent & Dove trilogy as she becomes a Chasseur and embarks upon an investigation in Cesarine where she crosses paths with vampires, ghosties, all sorts of creatures, and it’s one hell of an atmospheric ride with appearances from old, beloved characters, and with the addition of new favorites!
While the whimsy of the Requiem—where Célie’s journey takes her in this book—and the introduction of captivating new characters were exciting to read about, I have to say, my favorite part of this book was just getting to see more of Célie. She starts off in Serpent & Dove as a character you want nothing more than to dismiss, but once Gods & Monsters rolls around, you really get to see how multi-dimensional she is. What “The Scarlet Veil” did, though, is expose her for the relatable heroine she is, the one you see yourself in and the one you want to root for. I just loved this journey for her.
Aside from that, I really liked seeing the mystery format this book takes, as it’s a bit different from the trajectory of Shelby’s previous books. It was fun, suspenseful, and I really truly did not at any point see where the mystery was going or where it would end up. The vibes are also immaculate, as they always are from Shelby. I feel like if you want a good vampire book for fall that taps into favorite aspects of older vampire media, this is the book for you. Throughout “The Scarlet Veil”, settings and, I don’t know, just the vibes were so reminiscent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, True Blood, Interview with the Vampire… and, yes, The Vampire Diaries. Everything you already love about vampires is here, but there’s also so much fresh life breathed into the genre (see what I did there?).
I will say, “The Scarlet Veil” has a slower start compared to Shelby’s other books, but the set-up of our new characters and world requires some groundwork to be laid out first. With that in mind, the romance is also very slow-burn in this book, but, I don’t know, I felt like the pacing worked, like it was a perfect fit for a more gothic fantasy sort of book!
I’m not going to delve into too much else because it’s really difficult without spoiling, but I just wanna say… that ending… lmao, y’all are gonna hate Shelby for the ending in this book because I know I do😀 So, have fun with that!
One last thing, though. The biggest question you might have, is whether or not you need to read the Serpent & Dove trilogy in full before starting “The Scarlet Veil”. And, like… noooo, I guess you don’t have to do that, but I genuinely wouldn’t recommend it. I think it helps a lot to have the background of the other three books first, especially in relation to who Célie is as a character and how she has evolved thus far. And, like… THE OTHER BOOKS ARE SO GOOD, I PROMISE, WHY WOULD YOU WANNA SKIP THEM😭 Seriously, I say this so often, but it’s still true two years later: Gods & Monsters is the best finale to a series I have ever read, and that is the book which really jumpstarts Célie’s development as a character. So, do with that information what you will!
August 8, 2023
Here I am yet again begging readers to read the original trilogy before jumping to its spin off series.
To address the most important question—can you read this without reading Serpent&Dove?
You could, I wouldn't recommend it though.
I probably insist on this every time I write a review for a spin off series (see: OUaBH) but for the love of all that isunholy don't skip the original trilogy.
1. The Scarlet Veil spoils how the trilogy ends.
2. You'll have a better understanding of the characters, their relationships, the world-building, the magic system if you read Serpent&Dove first. Célie, and all of her friends, have been through a lot, and you won't be able to fully grasp any of it if you just start with TSV.
3. There are quite a few veiled references of events that took place throughout the trilogy, so you won't understand anything that's being mentioned or hinted at without reading S&D.
Will you be lost without this prior knowledge? Perhaps not, Shelby tries to give you enough context but you might get confused for a second or two when certain past events are not fully explained, so save yourself the confusion and read Serpent&Dove first.
(disclaimer: all puns are intended)
This book surprised me so much. It exceeded my expectations, hell, blew them out of the water even.
I was never a fan of Célie, I still remember how much I couldn't stand her the first time I read S&D, but now finally doing a read through the whole trilogy and finally completing it, the unthinkable happened — Gods&Monsters made me fall in love with her. However, when I first heard TSV being announced I had my reservations, especially since I hadn't read G&M at that time and Célie wasn't a character I was interested in.
But then somehow, miraculously, I landed an arc and everything changed.
And this book was just so damn good, and so much more than I thought it would be.
We have murder mysteries and gothic castles, and deadly beautiful creatures - and at the heart of it all the beginning of a love story you can sink your teeth into.
The tension, the angst, the slow burn, the pull between Célie and Michal —
I wasn't expecting we'll see the gang so early on in the book or that we'll even see of them as much as we did but I'm so happy this was the case 🥹🥹
Though they don't take away from Célie and her story, exactly the opposite!
I'm so happy she still has her friends even if they don't treat her exactly right in the beginning of the book.
Not to worry, they quickly realize their mistake and honestly I blame Jean Luc for everything even if they shouldn't have listened to him in the first place.
the characters
Célie is the type of heroine we don't see often as a lead in a fantasy book - soft, kind, gentle, her mind is her strongest weapon, and her strength is the people she loves. It's very interesting to take her away from everything she's ever known and make her realize she can survive on her own.
Célie went through so much in S&D and she continues to struggle in TSV – to find a place where she belongs, to work through her trauma, to prove herself – and the way Shelby presents it is so painfully relatable. When she told Lou "you know what I went through, you were supposed to be my friend" oh, how that hurt, I can easily imagine how gutted Lou was.
Jean Luc was never someone I thought she's gonna end up with. I'm sorry to all of his fans, at this point I don't mind him but to me it always felt like Célie was settling for him, and after everything it's obvious he loved more the idea of her or perhaps who she used to be than the person she is now.
Everything that happens between them made perfect sense and I'm glad she was able to talk to him and try to make him understand even if he's in denial.
Michal ...
I don't wanna give away too much but I think everyone will love Michal , I know I do.
He's definitely a villainous character though I wouldn't call him a "villain", he's exactly what I love - morally grey .
And the way he treats Célie, the way he is when he's with her and everything that happens between them is just...
I love them together so much omg and barely anything even happens between them in this book. The romance is so torturously slow burn and I loved every minute of it. They better end up together or I swear —
The new supporting characters are fantastic and I can't wait to learn even more about them.
I need to point out that even though I was able to guess like half way through who was behind the murders (call it occupational hazard, 98% of my reads are fantasy lol) that didn't take away from my enjoyment and there were plenty of other things that shocked me.
If you go into this book expecting only romance - you will be disappointed, even if what u get in TSV will set you on fire. But the plot is so much more - it gave me The Vampire Diaries, The Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast vibes. As I mentioned there's a murder mystery, a masquerade ball, there are ghosts, betrayal and heartbreak and scorching tension. Célie 's arc is so beautiful and compelling I couldn't put this down.
Such a thrilling, engrossing read with gothic, decadent atmosphere that will grip you by the throat refusing to let go.
The ending had me gasping, I didn't think she will go there, I can't believe Shelby actually went there and I'm so SO excited that she did, I can't wait to see where it's gonna take Célie and I'm already begging on my knees for the sequel.
eternal gratitude to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
all quotes are from an advance copy and may differ in the final publication
_________________________________
I JUST GOT AN ARC, CAN YOU HEAR MY SCREECH —
To address the most important question—can you read this without reading Serpent&Dove?
You could, I wouldn't recommend it though.
I probably insist on this every time I write a review for a spin off series (see: OUaBH) but for the love of all that is
1. The Scarlet Veil spoils how the trilogy ends.
2. You'll have a better understanding of the characters, their relationships, the world-building, the magic system if you read Serpent&Dove first. Célie, and all of her friends, have been through a lot, and you won't be able to fully grasp any of it if you just start with TSV.
3. There are quite a few veiled references of events that took place throughout the trilogy, so you won't understand anything that's being mentioned or hinted at without reading S&D.
Will you be lost without this prior knowledge? Perhaps not, Shelby tries to give you enough context but you might get confused for a second or two when certain past events are not fully explained, so save yourself the confusion and read Serpent&Dove first.
(disclaimer: all puns are intended)
This book surprised me so much. It exceeded my expectations, hell, blew them out of the water even.
I was never a fan of Célie, I still remember how much I couldn't stand her the first time I read S&D, but now finally doing a read through the whole trilogy and finally completing it, the unthinkable happened — Gods&Monsters made me fall in love with her. However, when I first heard TSV being announced I had my reservations, especially since I hadn't read G&M at that time and Célie wasn't a character I was interested in.
But then somehow, miraculously, I landed an arc and everything changed.
And this book was just so damn good, and so much more than I thought it would be.
We have murder mysteries and gothic castles, and deadly beautiful creatures - and at the heart of it all the beginning of a love story you can sink your teeth into.
The tension, the angst, the slow burn, the pull between Célie and Michal —
Exhaling slowly, he stares right back, his black eyes narrowing as if I'm a puzzle he cannot quite solve.
"You're doing it again," he says at last.
I look away quickly. "Doing what?"
"Romanticizing nightmares."
I wasn't expecting we'll see the gang so early on in the book or that we'll even see of them as much as we did but I'm so happy this was the case 🥹🥹
Though they don't take away from Célie and her story, exactly the opposite!
I'm so happy she still has her friends even if they don't treat her exactly right in the beginning of the book.
Not to worry, they quickly realize their mistake and honestly I blame Jean Luc for everything even if they shouldn't have listened to him in the first place.
the characters
Célie is the type of heroine we don't see often as a lead in a fantasy book - soft, kind, gentle, her mind is her strongest weapon, and her strength is the people she loves. It's very interesting to take her away from everything she's ever known and make her realize she can survive on her own.
"Every step of the way, you've tried to put me in a glass box and keep me on your shelf, untouched and untested and untrue. But don't you understand? I'm already broken. Morgane shattered me, and I used those shards to strike back."
Célie went through so much in S&D and she continues to struggle in TSV – to find a place where she belongs, to work through her trauma, to prove herself – and the way Shelby presents it is so painfully relatable. When she told Lou "you know what I went through, you were supposed to be my friend" oh, how that hurt, I can easily imagine how gutted Lou was.
Jean Luc was never someone I thought she's gonna end up with. I'm sorry to all of his fans, at this point I don't mind him but to me it always felt like Célie was settling for him, and after everything it's obvious he loved more the idea of her or perhaps who she used to be than the person she is now.
Everything that happens between them made perfect sense and I'm glad she was able to talk to him and try to make him understand even if he's in denial.
"It can happen without us even realizing—we fall in love with an idea instead of a person. We give each other pieces of ourselves but never the whole thing, and without the whole thing, how can we ever truly know a person?"
Michal ...
I don't wanna give away too much but I think everyone will love Michal , I know I do.
He's definitely a villainous character though I wouldn't call him a "villain", he's exactly what I love - morally grey .
And the way he treats Célie, the way he is when he's with her and everything that happens between them is just...
I love them together so much omg and barely anything even happens between them in this book. The romance is so torturously slow burn and I loved every minute of it. They better end up together or I swear —
I lift his hand to the feverish skin of my cheek. His fingers are cool. Lovely. The guilt twists deeper.
"This isn't real," I tell him. "We're just pretending."
He tilts his head languorously to consider me. "Of course we are." His thumb, however, brushes my bottom lip in the next second, parting it from the top and lingering there. Daring me, I realize, to make the next move.
The new supporting characters are fantastic and I can't wait to learn even more about them.
I need to point out that even though I was able to guess like half way through who was behind the murders (call it occupational hazard, 98% of my reads are fantasy lol) that didn't take away from my enjoyment and there were plenty of other things that shocked me.
If you go into this book expecting only romance - you will be disappointed, even if what u get in TSV will set you on fire. But the plot is so much more - it gave me The Vampire Diaries, The Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast vibes. As I mentioned there's a murder mystery, a masquerade ball, there are ghosts, betrayal and heartbreak and scorching tension. Célie 's arc is so beautiful and compelling I couldn't put this down.
Such a thrilling, engrossing read with gothic, decadent atmosphere that will grip you by the throat refusing to let go.
In some [of my stories], my heroines would triumph, conquering great evil and dragging
their prince back from Hell. In others, the prince himself would be great evil, and he and my heroine would rule Hell together, hand in hand and side by side.
Those stories were always my favorite.
The ending had me gasping, I didn't think she will go there, I can't believe Shelby actually went there and I'm so SO excited that she did, I can't wait to see where it's gonna take Célie and I'm already begging on my knees for the sequel.
eternal gratitude to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
all quotes are from an advance copy and may differ in the final publication
_________________________________
I JUST GOT AN ARC, CAN YOU HEAR MY SCREECH —
Want to read
February 11, 2022Vampires ? Yes please and thank you! 😁
Are vampires back? I saw many new books or books to be released with vampires in the last few months… 🤔
Are vampires back? I saw many new books or books to be released with vampires in the last few months… 🤔
February 12, 2022
I'm incredibly biased, but this is the best book on the planet.
June 11, 2024
this is the best book i've read and will ever read
April 18, 2025
Reread April 2025-STILL love it. STILL gave me the feels.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay I read the first book of Serpent & Dove and I loved it. Due to waiting for the other books I never made it back to the series.
This book sounded amazing and I started reading it having no idea it was set in the same world AFTER the Serpent & Dove series ended and it's a spin off with a character from that first series. I didn't even realize it was the same author. Needless-t0-say I now know how the rest of the series ended and I'll probably never read them even though I own them. That being said I heard many were disappointed with the rest of Serpent & Dove which is a bummer.
This book was AAAMMMAAAAZZZZING!!!! I first started with the audiobook but soon found myself unable to put the book down and picked up the physical copy so I could read fast and with my own voices and emotions when reading it. I freaking loved this book. LOVED IT.
I am dying with that ending though. DYING! I need book 2 and we don't even have a title or date for book 2.
I loved all the morally gray characters, the character development of them all, the twists and turns of the mystery behind everything. So many different mysteries that the author was able to tie all together so nicely.
I need more vampire stories like this!!!
Sexual Content: moderate
Spice-O-meter: 2/5
Language: moderate
Drugs/Alcohol: moderate
Violence: heavy
LGBTQ: no
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay I read the first book of Serpent & Dove and I loved it. Due to waiting for the other books I never made it back to the series.
This book sounded amazing and I started reading it having no idea it was set in the same world AFTER the Serpent & Dove series ended and it's a spin off with a character from that first series. I didn't even realize it was the same author. Needless-t0-say I now know how the rest of the series ended and I'll probably never read them even though I own them. That being said I heard many were disappointed with the rest of Serpent & Dove which is a bummer.
This book was AAAMMMAAAAZZZZING!!!! I first started with the audiobook but soon found myself unable to put the book down and picked up the physical copy so I could read fast and with my own voices and emotions when reading it. I freaking loved this book. LOVED IT.
I am dying with that ending though. DYING! I need book 2 and we don't even have a title or date for book 2.
I loved all the morally gray characters, the character development of them all, the twists and turns of the mystery behind everything. So many different mysteries that the author was able to tie all together so nicely.
I need more vampire stories like this!!!
Sexual Content: moderate
Spice-O-meter: 2/5
Language: moderate
Drugs/Alcohol: moderate
Violence: heavy
LGBTQ: no
April 6, 2025
Stand-out tropes:
-Vampires
-Only one coffin
-Enemies to (hopefully) lovers
-🌶️ / 5
Shelby Mahurin is an automatic read author for me. She has such a seamless writing style that allows the story to play out like a movie in my mind.
It was so fun being back in the Serpent & Dove world! I adored that series and I had no doubt I would love getting to know Celie better in this story. We also get introduced to a new cast of characters and they are SO endearing. I loved the playful banter with Dimitri and Odessa. The scene of Celie’s first time in the dress shop was a delight to read.
Michal is the mysterious, complex, morally grey, vampire and the perfect person to turn Celie’s world upside down. Their progression from enemies, to reluctant allies, to friends/more(?!?!) was done so well. The small details to show how his feelings towards her were changing; like the way he covered every surface of her room with candles when he discovered her fear of the dark 😩🫠
Be warned, this ends on a monster cliffhanger. Now I will sit impatiently waiting for book two 😅
-Vampires
-Only one coffin
-Enemies to (hopefully) lovers
-🌶️ / 5
Shelby Mahurin is an automatic read author for me. She has such a seamless writing style that allows the story to play out like a movie in my mind.
It was so fun being back in the Serpent & Dove world! I adored that series and I had no doubt I would love getting to know Celie better in this story. We also get introduced to a new cast of characters and they are SO endearing. I loved the playful banter with Dimitri and Odessa. The scene of Celie’s first time in the dress shop was a delight to read.
Michal is the mysterious, complex, morally grey, vampire and the perfect person to turn Celie’s world upside down. Their progression from enemies, to reluctant allies, to friends/more(?!?!) was done so well. The small details to show how his feelings towards her were changing; like the way he covered every surface of her room with candles when he discovered her fear of the dark 😩🫠
Be warned, this ends on a monster cliffhanger. Now I will sit impatiently waiting for book two 😅
December 22, 2025
Trama/Plot ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Personaggi/Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stile/Style ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spicy ⭐
Mi è piaciuto molto! Non credevo di poter amare Celie così tanto dopo Serpent and Dove. È venuto fuori un personaggio molto bello, da ex fidanzata gelosa e delusa di Reid a donna matura, autonoma e consapevole di sé; mi spiace un po' per Jean Luc, spero possa maturare anche lui nei prossimi libri perché in fondo non credo sia né cattivo né poi tanto stupido, ma un buono con dei paraocchi belli grandi, forniti dalla società in cui è cresciuto. Unico neo: si capisce un po' troppo presto e facilmente chi è il Necromante...
***
I really liked it! I didn't think I could love Celie so much, after reading Serpent and Dove. A very beautiful character came out in this novel, from Reid's jealous and disappointed ex-girlfriend to a mature, independent and self-aware woman; I feel a little sorry for Jean Luc, I hope he can mature too in the next books because - deep down - I don't think he's bad or that stupid, but a good guy with big blinkers provided by the society he grew up in. The only flaw: you understand a little too soon and easily who the Necromancer is...
Personaggi/Characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stile/Style ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spicy ⭐
Mi è piaciuto molto! Non credevo di poter amare Celie così tanto dopo Serpent and Dove. È venuto fuori un personaggio molto bello, da ex fidanzata gelosa e delusa di Reid a donna matura, autonoma e consapevole di sé; mi spiace un po' per Jean Luc, spero possa maturare anche lui nei prossimi libri perché in fondo non credo sia né cattivo né poi tanto stupido, ma un buono con dei paraocchi belli grandi, forniti dalla società in cui è cresciuto. Unico neo: si capisce un po' troppo presto e facilmente chi è il Necromante...
***
I really liked it! I didn't think I could love Celie so much, after reading Serpent and Dove. A very beautiful character came out in this novel, from Reid's jealous and disappointed ex-girlfriend to a mature, independent and self-aware woman; I feel a little sorry for Jean Luc, I hope he can mature too in the next books because - deep down - I don't think he's bad or that stupid, but a good guy with big blinkers provided by the society he grew up in. The only flaw: you understand a little too soon and easily who the Necromancer is...
July 12, 2023
There words immediately come to mind as to how I felt after reading The Scarlet Veil:
Consumed
Devoured
Obsessed
This book consumed me entirely. I was thoroughly enthralled with its story, its cast of characters, its world-building, with all of it. I absolutely ate up the deliciously slow burn romance. And that ending! Good grief, that ending! I will not stop crying, screaming, flailing about until the sequel is out. I need more, more, and more!
This book served each of its tropes gorgeously. I came into its world without having read the Serpent & Dove trilogy and believe even without reading those books, this book provided enough context and background to characters those readers will be familiar with. It’s a book friendly to both previous readers and new ones. It’s a book that welcomes you warmly even as its narrative weaves a tale that will prickle your skin, chill your bones, and set fire to your heart.
》The Lead《
Oh my lovely Célie. She is the exact type of heroine I most adore. Soft, kind, gentle, resolved, intelligent, and determined. I must admit I was initially a bit worried when I saw the note of “huntswoman” in the blurb. I wondered if she’d be another weapon-toting lead who is strong in the very physical sense, not to mention mouthy and sassy, basically another traditional fantasy heroine. I unfairly judged her before I got to know her, because it turns out Célie can barely lift a sword, much less swing it. In fact, she is a character who is constantly judged without first getting to know. She is overlooked and underestimated constantly. She is deemed by many as nothing more than a fragile doll who needs to be protected, holding a position she has not earned. Because her strength is different, because it’s not found in the force of her fist, in the weight of her muscles, in the quickness of tongue, because it comes from her heart, her resolve, her determination…in the things that cannot be measured, she is seen as a less than. She is judged before she has a chance to show who she is. To even learn for herself who she is— who she wants to be. Her journey is one that both broke my heart and inspired it.
She is vulnerable yet courageous. She may not possess the expected traits of heroines on the type of adventure she is thrust into, but she shows that she still has all that is required to take on such a journey.
She can still lead to the best of her abilities.
She is not secondary.
》The Romance《
The second Célie meets Michal I was hook, line, and sinker. It was them for me. Just them. Luckily the romance isn’t as quick to develop as my opinion of their potential. No, in fact this narrative lets the romance simmer gorgeously. It’s very much a slow burn romance and rightfully so— there’s trust that needs to be earned, understanding to be dealt, and a camaraderie to build. Not to mention a whole history to learn of a people Célie believed only to exist in scary tales at bedtime.
I loved how these two slowly learn more about one another and change their perspective, especially Célie, and I loved how being opening to new perspectives it also helped Célie to come into her own agency and potential.
This romance is one I can’t wait to see further developed, and one I desperately hope has a happy ending by journey’s end.
》The Stakes《
The world-building and plot are built fantastically. The ambiance set has you peeking over your shoulder to make sure nothing spooky is lurking around the corner. Everything came to life vividly in my mind as I read along. The descriptions are beautiful, the atmosphere is the perfect mix of gothic, whimsy, dread, and romance. And the storytelling is incredibly strong. All of it combine to make you feel the high stakes involved, and the ending cements that.
》The Veil Beyond《
I came into this story without having read the Serpent & Dove trilogy, while I’m sure having read that would bring me closer to the recurring cast of characters, I thought this book provided enough context so it can stand very well right on its own. Truly this book shined so spectacularly on its own.
I loved Célie, I loved Michal, I loved the entire cast. I loved the storytelling, the gripping hold it possessed me with with its chilling sightings of spectres, grief, and heartbreak. I loved it all.
I will finish by saying brace yourselves…brace yourselves for an explosive ending.
That ending had me raving and ranting like a lunatic, and I won’t lie— I am so so so scared of what that ending can hold for the future— but I am also so very ready for what’s next. I am buckled in and ready for what the rest of this ride will hold. I have a feeling it will be glorious.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Spoilers about the ending:
Consumed
Devoured
Obsessed
This book consumed me entirely. I was thoroughly enthralled with its story, its cast of characters, its world-building, with all of it. I absolutely ate up the deliciously slow burn romance. And that ending! Good grief, that ending! I will not stop crying, screaming, flailing about until the sequel is out. I need more, more, and more!
This book served each of its tropes gorgeously. I came into its world without having read the Serpent & Dove trilogy and believe even without reading those books, this book provided enough context and background to characters those readers will be familiar with. It’s a book friendly to both previous readers and new ones. It’s a book that welcomes you warmly even as its narrative weaves a tale that will prickle your skin, chill your bones, and set fire to your heart.
》The Lead《
Oh my lovely Célie. She is the exact type of heroine I most adore. Soft, kind, gentle, resolved, intelligent, and determined. I must admit I was initially a bit worried when I saw the note of “huntswoman” in the blurb. I wondered if she’d be another weapon-toting lead who is strong in the very physical sense, not to mention mouthy and sassy, basically another traditional fantasy heroine. I unfairly judged her before I got to know her, because it turns out Célie can barely lift a sword, much less swing it. In fact, she is a character who is constantly judged without first getting to know. She is overlooked and underestimated constantly. She is deemed by many as nothing more than a fragile doll who needs to be protected, holding a position she has not earned. Because her strength is different, because it’s not found in the force of her fist, in the weight of her muscles, in the quickness of tongue, because it comes from her heart, her resolve, her determination…in the things that cannot be measured, she is seen as a less than. She is judged before she has a chance to show who she is. To even learn for herself who she is— who she wants to be. Her journey is one that both broke my heart and inspired it.
She is vulnerable yet courageous. She may not possess the expected traits of heroines on the type of adventure she is thrust into, but she shows that she still has all that is required to take on such a journey.
She can still lead to the best of her abilities.
She is not secondary.
》The Romance《
The second Célie meets Michal I was hook, line, and sinker. It was them for me. Just them. Luckily the romance isn’t as quick to develop as my opinion of their potential. No, in fact this narrative lets the romance simmer gorgeously. It’s very much a slow burn romance and rightfully so— there’s trust that needs to be earned, understanding to be dealt, and a camaraderie to build. Not to mention a whole history to learn of a people Célie believed only to exist in scary tales at bedtime.
I loved how these two slowly learn more about one another and change their perspective, especially Célie, and I loved how being opening to new perspectives it also helped Célie to come into her own agency and potential.
This romance is one I can’t wait to see further developed, and one I desperately hope has a happy ending by journey’s end.
》The Stakes《
The world-building and plot are built fantastically. The ambiance set has you peeking over your shoulder to make sure nothing spooky is lurking around the corner. Everything came to life vividly in my mind as I read along. The descriptions are beautiful, the atmosphere is the perfect mix of gothic, whimsy, dread, and romance. And the storytelling is incredibly strong. All of it combine to make you feel the high stakes involved, and the ending cements that.
》The Veil Beyond《
I came into this story without having read the Serpent & Dove trilogy, while I’m sure having read that would bring me closer to the recurring cast of characters, I thought this book provided enough context so it can stand very well right on its own. Truly this book shined so spectacularly on its own.
I loved Célie, I loved Michal, I loved the entire cast. I loved the storytelling, the gripping hold it possessed me with with its chilling sightings of spectres, grief, and heartbreak. I loved it all.
I will finish by saying brace yourselves…brace yourselves for an explosive ending.
That ending had me raving and ranting like a lunatic, and I won’t lie— I am so so so scared of what that ending can hold for the future— but I am also so very ready for what’s next. I am buckled in and ready for what the rest of this ride will hold. I have a feeling it will be glorious.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Spoilers about the ending:
did-not-finish
July 18, 2025DNF @7%
🧛🏼♀️♥️ | actually reading something on my tbr?? excited for this vampy duologyyyy
Didn’t make it far but just had a gut feeling it wasn’t going to be worth it.
The first 7% was a hard read & dreaded picking my kindle up
🧛🏼♀️♥️ | actually reading something on my tbr?? excited for this vampy duologyyyy
Didn’t make it far but just had a gut feeling it wasn’t going to be worth it.
The first 7% was a hard read & dreaded picking my kindle up
November 5, 2023
No tak tohle bylo výborný! 👌🏻 Upířina, která navazuje na trilogii Holubice a had a soustředí se na jednu z vedlejších postav Célie, je něco, co jste možná neměli v plánu číst, protože Célie se nezdá jako nejvíc hustá hrdinka, o které chcete vědět víc, ale budete plakat, když to nezkusíte. Jakože já miluju i Holubici a hada (další díly jsem vynechala a pro pochopení Scarlet Veil to vůbec nevadilo), ale Reid je na mě moc naivní hodňák 🙈 Zato upíří král Michal?! Jakožeeeeee… hodně dobrej týpek a přesně ten hrdina, co mi teď sedí – tak trochu záporák s dobrými motivy, tak trochu hajzl, ale ochranitelský a hot 🔥
No a i ta Célie mi vlastně nakonec strašně sedla. Není to holka, co to umí s mečem, je mocná a badass, ale je děsně chytrá a umí využívat své kontakty a opřít se o své přátele 💪🏻 Měla fakt parádní vývoj a dobře balancovala temnotu a krutost Michala. První díl je pořád young adult, ale Shelby umí napsat jiskření i mimo postel (tady je parádní scéna v nevěstinci) a trope #onlyonebed povýšila na #onlyonecoffin (tam se teda nic hot nedělo, ale ta paralela mi během čtení naskočila a strašně mě to pobavilo).
No a i ta Célie mi vlastně nakonec strašně sedla. Není to holka, co to umí s mečem, je mocná a badass, ale je děsně chytrá a umí využívat své kontakty a opřít se o své přátele 💪🏻 Měla fakt parádní vývoj a dobře balancovala temnotu a krutost Michala. První díl je pořád young adult, ale Shelby umí napsat jiskření i mimo postel (tady je parádní scéna v nevěstinci) a trope #onlyonebed povýšila na #onlyonecoffin (tam se teda nic hot nedělo, ale ta paralela mi během čtení naskočila a strašně mě to pobavilo).
August 30, 2023
This book was pissing me off so I stopped 18% through. I've never met such an insufferable main character. Like, I wanted to slap her many times. I hope some of you like it.
dnfs
August 5, 2025DNF @ 30%
No rating.
This book was just boring to me. The writing was semi-fine tbh and I didn't hate it. I felt like the author did a great job describing the setting and atmosphere but I felt like the author was telling me that I should know certain things.
When I saw that this was a spin-off it made sense and just made the reading experience go down by a lot. It's like I'm reading about a world that I'm supposed to know, but don't, and the author doesn't care too much to explain it because she's going off the assumption that I know, even though I don't know... you know? Exactly. (For those of you who were confused by reading that.... that's the point.)
Also the FMC.... she's apparently supposed to be "soft" and more "feminine-like" and maybe I just don't vibe with those types of characters anymore... idk but she just felt incompetent to me. Like her fiancée said she killed one OP villain due to pure luck and lowkey..... he was kinda right.... BUT NEGATIVE POINTS FOR THE AUTHOR CUZ HOW U GONNA MAKE ME AGREE WITH A MANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. Célie was a stupid character and lowkey the author was in between YA and adult content but by making Célie as dumb as a doorknob she def made this into a YA....
Overall I don't see myself coming back to this book unless I read her previous series that connects to this one and I do plan to unhaul the edition I have...
REC by my BF.... that's a strike one for him (even tho he literally just picked this book based off the cover)
No rating.
This book was just boring to me. The writing was semi-fine tbh and I didn't hate it. I felt like the author did a great job describing the setting and atmosphere but I felt like the author was telling me that I should know certain things.
When I saw that this was a spin-off it made sense and just made the reading experience go down by a lot. It's like I'm reading about a world that I'm supposed to know, but don't, and the author doesn't care too much to explain it because she's going off the assumption that I know, even though I don't know... you know? Exactly. (For those of you who were confused by reading that.... that's the point.)
Also the FMC.... she's apparently supposed to be "soft" and more "feminine-like" and maybe I just don't vibe with those types of characters anymore... idk but she just felt incompetent to me. Like her fiancée said she killed one OP villain due to pure luck and lowkey..... he was kinda right.... BUT NEGATIVE POINTS FOR THE AUTHOR CUZ HOW U GONNA MAKE ME AGREE WITH A MANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. Célie was a stupid character and lowkey the author was in between YA and adult content but by making Célie as dumb as a doorknob she def made this into a YA....
Overall I don't see myself coming back to this book unless I read her previous series that connects to this one and I do plan to unhaul the edition I have...
REC by my BF.... that's a strike one for him (even tho he literally just picked this book based off the cover)
October 14, 2023
Devastated, in physical pain, may throw up
GIVE ME BOOK 2 immediately
GIVE ME BOOK 2 immediately
May 13, 2024
Quick disclaimer/background note: I haven't read the Serpent & Dove series that precedes this (nor do I ever intend to) and it is not a necessary prerequisite for this book. The only reason to read S&D first would be to avoid spoilers, since this book picks up just after its ending.
All of this book's problems comes down to the same one thing: the absence of any substance whatsoever. Everything is superficial, everything is an aesthetic, nothing has any depth.
This review could stop here, but for the sake of demonstration + because I had to read this for a book club and now need catharsis, below is some further explanation of the oxymoronically abysmal shallowness of this book.
So, we have characters as old as time who barely behave like mature adults (centuries old vampire royalty who somehow care about the birthday of that not especially bright girl they keep hostage? Did you hear my eyes roll?). We have professional monster hunters, self-cutting blood witches and self-sacrificing white witches, royalty and all sorts of other kinds of leadership, and many races of intelligent monsters. We also have a lot of French in there and one of the vampire speaks Czech at some point, so there are different nationalities and cultures in this world. There is so much to work with here... but instead everyone acts basically the same. This could all be happening to a bunch of suburban teenagers in the U.S. around Halloween, carved pumpkins and all. Again, it's all just for aesthetics. This book can't produce anything deeper than skin-level diversity.
As for the protagonist, she had promising room for growth at the start but it was quickly squandered for more meaningless fluff and the needs of a meandering plot. In the end, she keeps repeating the same mistakes, and she sounds dumber with each chapter (and there are a lot of them!). Which is almost comically highlighted by what her great strengths as a character are supposed to be:
* First, while having neither power nor any physical abilities, she supposedly is someone who thinks and does her research.
Through the whole story, there is only one scene where she finds a book. The book happens to be a textbook on the very thing she is then trying to investigate. Guess what she does? She proceeds to NOT read it, just haphazardly try random things until something works, and then ultimately ask others to explain the why to her later. Such a great mind, indeed.
Meanwhile, her love interest keeps doing some extreme squinting and cherry picking at the facts when recounting to others who were not there what just happened (on page) in a way that puts her actions in a light of capability. Are we, as the readers, also supposed to somehow believe his highly edited tale instead of what we just read?
But in all fairness, this produces the only depth to be found in this book: an unintentional reflection on the narrative construction of reality.
* Second, another redeeming trait of hers should be that she always perseveres. But since she resolutely keeps making the dumbest choices, her determination soon reads more and more like childish petulance and stubbornness, than anything else.
In short, she is useless - at every turn, in all and every respect. When she seems to have a mental breakthrough, a scene promptly follows where she thoroughly demonstrates she's in fact learned nothing, then she has to be rescued or propped up or both by her daddy-issue of a love interest.
Speaking of, we have the good ol' power imbalance romance bingo: old sensual vampire patronizingly guiding our virgin ingenue with the IQ of an oyster, so she can realize some supposed potential buried deep in there, like the prize show pet that she is. So romantic.
Plot? Sprinkled with all the lazy YA tropes possible along the way, of course.
There is also kind of a mystery element to it, I guess, though the protagonists keep making wildly random conclusions or even change their mind about what the clues might mean from one convo to the next, because of (you guessed it) shallow reasoning. It could have been frustrating, but by that point I didn't have any more care left anyway.
Oh and one last thing: such a dreadful lack of class. Be it in characters' interactions, scenes of growth for the MC, masquerade costumes, action scenes... anything and everything is somehow the trashy version of itself (when it is clearly written to be a cool or impactful moment).
So.
A shallow and formulaic YA.
Writing is seriously not the worst part of this - very repetitive, but fine mostly. But the content is just... how old is the author?
All of this book's problems comes down to the same one thing: the absence of any substance whatsoever. Everything is superficial, everything is an aesthetic, nothing has any depth.
This review could stop here, but for the sake of demonstration + because I had to read this for a book club and now need catharsis, below is some further explanation of the oxymoronically abysmal shallowness of this book.
So, we have characters as old as time who barely behave like mature adults (centuries old vampire royalty who somehow care about the birthday of that not especially bright girl they keep hostage? Did you hear my eyes roll?). We have professional monster hunters, self-cutting blood witches and self-sacrificing white witches, royalty and all sorts of other kinds of leadership, and many races of intelligent monsters. We also have a lot of French in there and one of the vampire speaks Czech at some point, so there are different nationalities and cultures in this world. There is so much to work with here... but instead everyone acts basically the same. This could all be happening to a bunch of suburban teenagers in the U.S. around Halloween, carved pumpkins and all. Again, it's all just for aesthetics. This book can't produce anything deeper than skin-level diversity.
As for the protagonist, she had promising room for growth at the start but it was quickly squandered for more meaningless fluff and the needs of a meandering plot. In the end, she keeps repeating the same mistakes, and she sounds dumber with each chapter (and there are a lot of them!). Which is almost comically highlighted by what her great strengths as a character are supposed to be:
* First, while having neither power nor any physical abilities, she supposedly is someone who thinks and does her research.
Through the whole story, there is only one scene where she finds a book. The book happens to be a textbook on the very thing she is then trying to investigate. Guess what she does? She proceeds to NOT read it, just haphazardly try random things until something works, and then ultimately ask others to explain the why to her later. Such a great mind, indeed.
Meanwhile, her love interest keeps doing some extreme squinting and cherry picking at the facts when recounting to others who were not there what just happened (on page) in a way that puts her actions in a light of capability. Are we, as the readers, also supposed to somehow believe his highly edited tale instead of what we just read?
But in all fairness, this produces the only depth to be found in this book: an unintentional reflection on the narrative construction of reality.
* Second, another redeeming trait of hers should be that she always perseveres. But since she resolutely keeps making the dumbest choices, her determination soon reads more and more like childish petulance and stubbornness, than anything else.
In short, she is useless - at every turn, in all and every respect. When she seems to have a mental breakthrough, a scene promptly follows where she thoroughly demonstrates she's in fact learned nothing, then she has to be rescued or propped up or both by her daddy-issue of a love interest.
Speaking of, we have the good ol' power imbalance romance bingo: old sensual vampire patronizingly guiding our virgin ingenue with the IQ of an oyster, so she can realize some supposed potential buried deep in there, like the prize show pet that she is. So romantic.
Plot? Sprinkled with all the lazy YA tropes possible along the way, of course.
There is also kind of a mystery element to it, I guess, though the protagonists keep making wildly random conclusions or even change their mind about what the clues might mean from one convo to the next, because of (you guessed it) shallow reasoning. It could have been frustrating, but by that point I didn't have any more care left anyway.
Oh and one last thing: such a dreadful lack of class. Be it in characters' interactions, scenes of growth for the MC, masquerade costumes, action scenes... anything and everything is somehow the trashy version of itself (when it is clearly written to be a cool or impactful moment).
So.
A shallow and formulaic YA.
Writing is seriously not the worst part of this - very repetitive, but fine mostly. But the content is just... how old is the author?
January 11, 2024
3.75 - 4 / 5
În cazul în care căutați o poveste cu un plot bine definit, cu intrigă politică, cu personaje bine construite, cu vampiri și cu un world building bun, atunci aceasta este cartea potrivită pentru tine. Bifează tot ce trebuie bifat pentru un fantasy ca la carte.
Dacă totuși vrei un fantasy cu vampiri cu focus pe romance, romantasy basically, atunci nope. Mai ai de așteptat :)) Inițial am crezut că este un slow burn romance, că o să avem parte de puțin spice, dar nope. În volumul 2 maybe.
Overall este lectura perfectă dacă vrei să revii în lumea genului fantasy. recomand de la 12+
În cazul în care căutați o poveste cu un plot bine definit, cu intrigă politică, cu personaje bine construite, cu vampiri și cu un world building bun, atunci aceasta este cartea potrivită pentru tine. Bifează tot ce trebuie bifat pentru un fantasy ca la carte.
Dacă totuși vrei un fantasy cu vampiri cu focus pe romance, romantasy basically, atunci nope. Mai ai de așteptat :)) Inițial am crezut că este un slow burn romance, că o să avem parte de puțin spice, dar nope. În volumul 2 maybe.
Overall este lectura perfectă dacă vrei să revii în lumea genului fantasy. recomand de la 12+
Want to read
May 1, 2023Edit 4/30: the cover is so pretty!
I saw a sneak peek of this when I finished Gods & Monsters and my jaw literally dropped when I saw it because I had no idea this was a thing. But count me in, I really like Célie in the Serpent & Dove series so hopefully I like this! Also- vampires? While reading Serpent & Dove I was thinking "we've got werewolves, mermaids, dragons, and witches, now all we need are vampires!" Well, here we are
I saw a sneak peek of this when I finished Gods & Monsters and my jaw literally dropped when I saw it because I had no idea this was a thing. But count me in, I really like Célie in the Serpent & Dove series so hopefully I like this! Also- vampires? While reading Serpent & Dove I was thinking "we've got werewolves, mermaids, dragons, and witches, now all we need are vampires!" Well, here we are
March 23, 2025
i hate to say it but this was acomaf in sheep’s clothing. what pains me even more is that i ate up every second 🫣
November 26, 2023
4.5 ****
Shelby Mahurin does it again- I need the next book in the series to be published right now! I have so many questions that I need answered
Shelby Mahurin does it again- I need the next book in the series to be published right now! I have so many questions that I need answered
October 23, 2024
I'm genuinely shocked by how much I liked this. I hated Serpent and Dove, honestly I'm not sure what compelled me to pick this up, but I'm glad I did. The writing was much less try-hard than the original trilogy, I really liked all the characters, particularly Célie's softness and femininity, and the romance was honestly really good. The book was a bit longer than it needed to be, but the plot moved along well. And honestly, a fun vampire story will always do it for me!
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