Serpent & Dove audiobook

“Now move, or I swear to God, I will strip naked right here and dance the bourree!”I thrust my hands on my hips and looked at him expectantly.He didn’t even glance at the people around us. […]Instead, he kept his eyes trained on mine, a slow smirk spreading across his face.“Do it.” Don't judge me! I can feel your judgement! I know, I know, I liked a YA fantasy, not even in spite of the romance but because of it. What is the world coming to?I gotta say this right because many people I interact with on Goodreads will not like this book and under different circumstances I would probably be one of them. I really don't want any more of those "I read this because of you and it sucks" comments. So let me just say that this book was sold to me as a paranormal romance, not a fantasy, and I think it was pretty damn thrilling on that front. I got what I went in expecting.This kind of love/hate sexy banter romance works really well for me. I especially liked Lou, which I think helped the whole thing, to be honest. Her witty comebacks and refusal to sit down and behave made the story even more fun. I am fairly certain the main issue for most people will be the world of the novel. I'm not even sure what it's supposed to be. It’s some sorta like France fantasy world where people speak French, but it’s not exactly France-France. Yes, I know, I describe things so well. But I don't know what else to say. It's a made-up world and I don't think we're supposed to say it's France, but like, psst, it's also basically France. And it mixes some medieval views on women with more modern attitudes just in case you weren't confused enough.But, you know what? I didn't really care. I had a lot of fun reading it. The banter, the steaminess, even the whole witches vs witch hunters plot held my attention. That's the central story line. I won't give away how it happens, but Reid is a witch hunter and he is forced by the archbishop to marry Lou who is, unbeknownst to him, a witch. The two of them hate each other, but of course things are about to change. It's exciting! I knew what came next. I recognized the faint brush of energy against my skin, the familiar thrumming in my ears.Magic.Then came the screams. I do find myself wondering if the sequel can possibly be as good. This book drags out the tension through 500+ pages (which is too long) and by the end it's kinda been played out. While the witch aspect is somewhat interesting, I do not think I want to read another 500-page novel about just that. I guess I'll see.Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Youtube

sooooo much fun!

"It doesn’t end in death. It ends in hope." Let me tell you about my favourite NA fantasy book of 2019. _______________ A Story About A Witch Getting Hitched But Much More. Serpent and Dove stole my heart in so many ways and all I want to do is go back and read it all over again. This lush tale full of magic and intrigue is wildly imaginative but soft at the same time and if you're a fan of romance + fantasy, I highly recommend trying this! ©The sales pitch; - enemies to lovers- kickass heroines - lovable side characters (ansel is the floofliest cinnamon roll) - THE ONE BED TROPE™- witches and witchhunters - one badass song about a lady named Big Titty Liddy. “I know if you aren’t swearing or singing about well-endowed barmaids, something is wrong.” I honestly inhaled this and if it weren't for actually having to adult, I would have finished it in one sitting. Before I get into the crooks of my review, let's meet our two main characters; Lou: Reid: If there's one thing about this book that completely sold me was the fact that I loved so many characters. Especially these two! The characters in this book had me crying, laughing and turning every page like an addict. Lou stayed true to herself throughout the entire book and was never sorry for being a badass female! I enjoyed her company right from the beginning and it was such a journey to watch her story unfold. Enter Reid... Reid was the horniest mess all encapsulated within the perfect gentleman. He was everything, to be honest. For all those people that mentioned their dynamic is so similar to Nina and Matthias from Six of Crows... you're absolutely right. “You really think I could knock two fully grown men unconscious?” My husband’s reply came instantaneously. “Yes.” Their banter was off the charts, and their chemistry practically flew off the page. Because this book was told in dual POV's, I thought it was going to be a problem to distinguish two separate voices, but that was not the case. Both these characters had such a wonderful character development throughout the story and even better, was seeing them grow together. I do have to say that this is completely a New Adult book, and not a YA. Reid and Lou definielty get hot and heavy ;) “When you weren’t in bed, I thought maybe—maybe you’d—” “Left?” I said shrewdly. “It’s still on the agenda.” For those who know my reviews, you know that I often fall into the overhype trap. I get very excited about books that have very high ratings and come in highly recommended, but then end up disappointed. I think I've finally found the winner, folks. The world-building (a lavish french renaissance-esque setting with a hub full of of illegal magic, a pleasure house with a mysterious lady, and the men of the church) was fantastic, and embedded within the story rather than separated by info-dumps. There were so many plot twists and character arcs that I was invested in more than just the romance between Reid and Lou, the story itself was fan-fucking-tastic. Truly such a magnificent debut! It was so easy to love this book. “Can you put something on?” He waved a hand in my direction, the other firmly pressed against his eyes. “I can’t talk to you when you’re sitting there—sitting there—” “Naked?” His teeth clamped together with an audible snap. “Yes.” I didn't want this story to end to put it plainly. I loved it so much that I'm just going to ignore the randomness of the last couple of chapters (hehe). One shoutout that I would also like to mention is the fact that this book had LGBT characters but didn't make it a big deal or put any spotlight on them. It was briefly mentioned as a passing comment that Coco had female lovers and then when the fucking Prince of the kingdom all but asked if Reid and Lou wanted to join Coco and him on a sexcapade??! Hell yes to queer characters that don't have "being queer" as their major character trait. ©This is going on my all time favourites shelf and I need the second book yesterday.

5/5 ⭐Full review on my Blog: The Dacian She-Wolf 🐺 This book's mood song match - Witching Hour by In This Moment When other girls were playing with their dolls, pretending to be princesses like Rapunzel or Cinderella or whatever, I was hiding in my secret place aka a huge linden tree at the very back of my family’s orchard and pretending that I had the ability to control the elements.I was basically running around pretending I’m flying on a stick, bending the wind at my will and “magically” talking to my dog (she was basically playing witch with me every day and I swear sometimes I could hear her speaking because I was able to “cast a spell” on her).Even though it is not exactly how people in general picture witches and magic and spells and stuff Serpent & Dove was the perfect book for the witchling me because magic comes in all forms, sizes and colours. And for the grown-ass witch I am today (because I still love to think I can do magic) it is still something that warms my heart. For real, every time I read or see something regarding witches or magic my brain cells feel the need to go wild like:Important things I learned from this book:- Don’t judge someone because you don’t understand them – not all the good is always entirely good and not all the bad is entirely bad;- Boys are allowed to be shy and prude, girls are allowed to be daring and bold (and a bit nasty);- Love is a powerful kind of magic and it is not bound by blood or forged by papers – it’s a wild being who gets to be tamed only when one believes it's true.I truly loved this book, maybe until the verge of a tiny obsession. I mean, I was sure I was going to like it because I fell in love with that cover (and if you know me, then you know that covers play a big role in my choice of a book). I wasn’t expecting to love this book that much.The action was lively and very well structured, based on the gruesome history of the witch hunt in the Middle Age, when all women were prone to be witches and burned on a stick immediately. In the name of God, of course. Duh.I will never ever in a million and two and a half years understand why do people oppress other people only because they are different. People are allowed to believe in anything they want to believe. We must be the masters of our own lives, we cannot let others tell us how to live and in what to believe. Own it, people or someone else would own it for you.Okay so, the witches are, in most of the cases, women.In this book, there are two types of witches: Dames Blanche, whose magic demand balance of nature, and Dames Rouge, whose magic is in their blood (they perform blood magic that doesn’t demand a sacrifice to keep the balance with nature).Lou is a Dame Blanche. Coco is a Dame Rouge.Although they were supposed to hate each other, they became friends sisters. And they would go to hell and back for each other because this is a book about powerful women and about sisterhood and love. “If she was destined to burn in Hell, I would burn with her.” Lou ran away from her coven because she was afraid to fulfil the one thing she was conceived for: to die. So she turns into a thief and a mischief.Everything goes upside down when she meets Reid, the very boss of the anti-witch squad. He’s truly annoying in his religious indoctrination. Truly annoying, almost blind at everything concerning that matter. But he’s also very tall and handsome so I could totally see where this was going to go, honestly. And he’s a good man, kind and caring. He's real. Like, damn, he’s got them all, okay? He’s basically like the sweetest raspberry jam in the pantry.I just love Lou and Reid together. He’s so serious and lives guided by his honour and she’s so vulgar and daring and she drives him mad. But when they fall for each other, they see through each other’s acts. And they fall deeper. “And here I was – pouring my foolish heart out to you.” Also, speaking of which, let me tell you how much I loved the fact that Lou and Coco are so vulgar and so daring and foul-mouthed and so unafraid to actually be sexual beings.It Is InNaPrOpIaTe FoR a WoMaN tO bE tHaT iMoRaL.Well, shit. Says who?Just take a look at those two she-devils singing pub drinking songs about big-chested women (Big Titty Liddy – a bop, I want it in Billboard 100 ASAP).Look at them saying everything they want to say, without censoring themselves. Look at them going for it without a single shit given. Judge them if you dare, but you won’t be able to stop them. Because they know how to carry themselves with pride. Because they know no shame. Fucking superb, don't you think? “She revelled in their disapproval.” There is love and hate and betrayal and plot-twists and everything you need in life just between the pages of this book. I really, really loved it. The characters are amazing, all of them. I loved Lou with that foul-mouth of hers, I loved Coco with her wickedly brave heart, I loved Reid with his pure heart and that stick up his arse and I truly loved babyboy Ansel who was the sweetest sweetheart of them all.Of course, there is a religious touch to the story and a pagan one, men being the embodiment of God’s will and women being Satan or whatever. There is also empowerment going on there, feminist shit and all. There’s, actually, a lot going on there. And I loved it all.Honestly, go and read this book. It’s been so good I almost devoured it. Yeah, there might be a slight chance not to like it, but there is an even higher one you’ll actually enjoy it very much. So go! Go for it and don’t forget to tell me how you felt about it afterwards! There’s love and hate waiting for you in there, so you’ll experience an experience, so to say. “Now, there was only a woman. And she was small. And she was frightened. And she was strong.”

I wasn’t attending to the star giving auctions for too long but finally I FOUND A… ( oh no I couldn’t find an adjective to express my feelings about this book. Fantastic! No! Too weak! Extraordinary! No! Not emphasizing my emotions enough! Okay let’s get over this auction as I resume my brain storming to find the right words!)One zillion stars… Did I hear three zillion! What the hell! Five gazillion! What! One jillion, one jillion! Okay two, three jillion! Oh the read head crazy lady already wrote 5 squillion starred review check! SOLD!I still haven’t found an adjective to describe how I fell in love with this book and it will need to be removed from my hands with an operation at the hospital because I accidentally glued my fingers as an answer to my husband tried too hard to pull it back and force me to sleep. Sorry pal, too many books not enough time is motto of my life!The reasons for a passionate real reader to fall in love with this book are:-Amazing story telling, fast-pacing progression, heartbreakingly enjoyable, likable, adorable characterizations, satisfyingly well rounded improvisations! -Main character Lou is a freaking WITCH falls in love with her own hunter, chausseur Reid! Yes, there is flaming, undeniable chemistry, forbidden, impossible, heart-wrecking, angsty, edgy love story! The enemies to lovers and becoming every adorable thing of each other kind of heart throbbing, sweet stories are always my big winners! Lou is witty, brave, tough, badass witch you want to choose to be on your side because she is more dangerous than she looks. And my dear Reid Diggory, charming, sweet chivalry in his shining fitting armor is one of the most loyal and genuine men in the earth. He still wants to protect Lou which is so noble intention as you consider the woman is already trained enough to protect herself as well.This is amazing journey took place in 18th century France! Do I need another reason to add for liking this book? O lala! Now I’m sipping my Sancerre that I saved for special occasions (I know my husband will kill me not wait for his birthday to change the bottle with cheap grape juice!) and absorbing each words slowly by touching the pages gently (I bought its ten hardcover copies to share it my friends but I decided I love this book so much and I’ll keep all copies with me! Please don’t tell my husband, I used his credit card that I borrowed to buy him plane tickets for his business trip which I didn’t! Shh!)This book makes you clap your hands with joy! It makes you smile, gives your soul a genuine laughter, brushes your heart gently and also makes you eat all your nails at the edgy parts and finally makes you jump up and down at your seat with its emotional turmoil.Oh I felt like non-stop talking PR person and exhausted already to find better words to describe my love about this book but I’m not good at talking. I’m a mediocre writer but I’m a quite lover of reading extra-amazing-fantastic books.THIS IS ONE of THEM AND SO FAR THIS YEAR’S BEST FANTASY BOOK I’VE EVER READ! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED NOT ONLY FOR GENRE FANS BUT ALSO FOR ALL GOOD READERS!bloginstagramfacebooktwitter

4.5 Stars! Such a beautifully rich fantasy debut. I was so pleasantly surprised to find how attached I became to the characters and overall story. This is not a book you are going to want to miss!Full review to come. I received a copy of this book from Harper Teen in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

for the first time ever, i picked up a book without knowing anything about it. i didnt read the synopsis, not the back cover, nothing. and i have no idea if thats why im rating this so highly - because everything was such an exciting surprise - or what, but wow. this had me hooked!the first thing that i noticed right away was the writing. my gosh, this does not read like a debut novel. this feels as if its written by a seasoned fantasy author. its utterly divine. and the content is sooo magical. its totally giving off massive salem witch trial vibes, but set in old france. there are some moments where the religion aspect of the anti-witch stance gets to be a bit much, but i understand why its included. it helps with some character arcs, so i get it. but overall, this surprised and excited me at every turn. i definitely need to start picking up books and going into them blind, because it proved to be such a wonderful reading experience! 10/10 would recommend! ↠ 4.5 stars

Holy Fuck. *deceased*.

reread: oct - nov 2021hmm. it was good. but not incredible. also probably because it took me over a month to reread this and i knew the plot twists in the back of my head. i wasn't floored by this book like i was the first time and i know part of it was just because of my current mood and slow reading pace, but it was a good refresher so that i can get to the sequels. ---- originally read: nov 2019the people who dislike this book are wrong, and that's just facts.(i'm kidding--i love u and your reading tastes very much. muah.)I'll preface this review by saying I typically don't enjoy books about witchcraft, so I was nervous going into this one. For me, books about magic walk a fine line of being too silly, which really takes me out of the world and makes it seem more childish instead of its intended intensity. But this book, its writing, and its world COMPLETELY captured me. My favorite part of this book by far was the main character, Lou. If you loved Lila from A Darker Shade of Magic, you will absolutely love this book. Lou is crass and vulgar and charismatic and brave and doesn't care what other people think. Juxtaposed with a love interest and a world who are subdued and reserved, it made the narration so much fun. Lou was smart and talented and fun to learn about, which made her story that much more addicting. I also relate to using humor as a distraction technique, and the way Lou was written was so relatable. On top of that, the writing in this book was stunning. The world is French-inspired, and I love that I could see the corsets in my mind and the cobblestones and smog. This author is also great at detailing out the characters and their interactions, which makes me feel like I'm in the room with them when they're conversing. Though this book is written in first person dual POV, there's a distinct difference between the voices of the two characters, and I never had to double check to see who I was reading from. I for sure want to read everything Shelby writes in the future. Another interesting facet of this book (I could go on forever) is the whole conflict of witches vs the church. The conversations this book evokes about religion and corruption and fear are so nuanced and subtle, which I really applauded. Both from an external perspective and seeing how the characters develop and learn more about one another and shift their points of views to be more understanding and tolerant was so beautiful. I was actually crying for the whole middle section of this book because it was sad and touching and made me think a lot more than I had anticipated.Although this book is a definite far stars from me, I did find myself a little bit more impressed with the first half of this book than the last. Don't get me wrong, I devoured this 500 page book in nearly two sittings, but it felt like the first half was full of funny and cute and angsty moments, and then the last half of this book was a bit more subdued. The reveals weren't as shocking, the progression of the relationship wasn't as special, but I still like the direction it went. I wish the enemies to lovers plotline was fraught with a little bit more tension in the end, but that's more of a personal preference than an actual flaw of the book. But this book was glorious and I'm highly anticipating book two and that's that on that.

this is definetly one of the best books that i've read this year

[2nd Read] #1 Serpent & Dove — 4 Stars#2 Blood & Honey — 2.5 Stars#3 Gods & Monsters — 1.5 Stars Well, this is awkward . . .The girl who was totally obsessed—and I mean like, TOTALLY it’s the love of my life kind of obsessed—with this book last year (as you can probably tell from my “I’m over the moon when I’m writing this review” review below) and the Debbie Downer, slightly more critical version of myself who just re-read it in preparation for the sequel are not on the same page anymore. Ugh, this kinda makes me sad.I mean, clearly I still liked it. A lot.Mostly because of Reid (I’m all for cute pious virgin boys whose hobby is killing witches in their past time cause they also happen to be a prejudiced asshole) and the romance (arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, Matthias/Nina (Six of Crows) dynamics—YES, I live for that shit). And okay, maybe also a little bit because of Lou. She’s unapologetically cool and I’d do her in a heartbeat had I also swing both ways. *wiggles eyebrows*However, . . .I no longer feel like this is one of my all time favorite books—which is the spot where it’s been sitting on my shelves for the past year until today. My changing view towards YA literature, the overwhelming hype that I helped create, and in light of the arising controversies and criticisms (which LOWKEY made me uncomfy) that weren’t apparent to me on my first read, I think those factors affected how I saw this book during my re-read. (Read as an Audiobook) [1st Read]4.5 StarsAhh I love this book so freaking much!! and I’ve been walking on air since I finished it. This is an impressive debut novel that doesn’t feel like one at all bcs of how outstanding the author’s writing craftsmanship is.I’m not good with summarizing, but basically this book is about two sworn enemies who, after a stunt gone wrong, are forced into a matrimony. However, there’s more to this book than just the slow burn enemies to lovers blooming romance.It has a distinct magic system, bloody action sequences, constant dilemmas between right and wrong, a strong female friendship, heart jolting plot twists, an unlikely alliance among different sets of characters, an alluring 17th century French inspired setting, and so much more.Reading this book had been a living on cloud nine kind of experience. You know that stinging sensation you get in your chest when you feel excited and touched by something?? Well this book gave me lots and lots of that zap in my chest. I am now obsessed!!I would strongly recommend you to READ THIS BOOK!! But please don’t let the hype get to you. I would hate for it to ruin the surprise for you. Just start the book with an open mind, and let it do its job to wow you.___________【CHARACTERS】___________LOUISE le BLANC is the REAL EFFING DEAL!!I love her to the moon and back. She’s sassy, spunky, clever, strong, and independent. With the threat of her terrorizing past looming over her head and the chasseur incessantly hunting down for witches to burn, Lou’s safety hangs in the balance. I loved seeing her inner turmoil and how she slowly learned to view things from different perspectives, including that of her enemies. She’s so relentless in her pursuit to stay alive that she’s willing to do whatever it takes to survive. and I really admire this about her.REID DIGGORY is a SWOON WORTHY IDIOT!!That’s an insult laced with flattery if you ever heard one. His character lacks complexity, but I still liked him nonetheless. I mean, even I am not immune to pompous jerks with anger management issues. I found Reid’s hatred towards the witches to be a little unconvincing. A lot of his reasons came from what he saw being done to other people instead of his own personal traumatic experience. He was also raised to hate them, which I can admit is understandable but also really judgemental on his part._____________【RELATIONSHIPS】_____________I LIVE FOR THIS SHIP!! - The romance between Lou and Reid was everything!! I loved every single moment they spent together. Their banter was off the charts and super entertaining. Their tension and emotional complexity could use some improvement. Also, Reid’s inner turmoil when he found out Lou was a witch lasted too short. I think it’s because the author decided to reveal this detail to his character a little too late nearing the ending phase that Reid didn’t have enough time to be conflicted and reprocess his shattered belief. Regardless, their dynamic was satisfying.WHERE CAN I GET A BEST FRIEND LIKE COCO?? - She’s such a confident badass!! I loved seeing her friendship with Lou. She’s always so supportive and resourceful. Seeing these two teaming up and doing all kinds of shenanigans together really warmed my heart. We need more of this strong female friendship portrayal in books. They’re seriously BFFs goals!! Also, since the next book is going to explore more about Coco’s type of magic and her aunt’s coven, I hope to learn more about Coco and her past. I’m still undecided which one of Ansel and Beau I ship her with.______________________【STORY AND OTHER ELEMENTS】______________________I would say that the first ⅓ of the book, the plot is relatively weak due to Lou and Reid’s new relationship and living arrangement. After hitting the halfway mark, the plot quickly arises during the climax of the story which marks the crack in Lou and Reid’s relationship as well as signals the coming war between the witches and the church. The ending phase is filled with action sequences. Ultimately, the book finishes with a somewhat solid ending that’s not entirely a cliffhanger but still holds a series of unanswered lingering questions. It’s enough to give us the anticipation for the sequel.I also have to give credits to the writing bcs the author’s brilliance really shone through. It’s easy to read and highly addictive. I feel like even if the other elements of the story were poorly done, I would’ve still kept reading bcs of the writing. The other thing I’d like to mention is the 17th century French inspired setting. I don’t know much about French, it’s history and culture. But what little of this book has shown really captivated me. I can only hope that the French ambiance will get more prominent and atmospheric in the next installment.

"A witch and a witch hunter bound in holy matrimony. There was only one way such a story could end-a stake and a match."I don't know about you, but I find it is a rare day that the hype beast lives up to it's nature, and what a glorious feeling it is when a book lives up to the promises doled out by publishers and early reviewers alike. Serpent & Dove deserves every bit of praise that has been heaped upon it's name, and it will be a most excruciating wait for the second installment. If you have become jaded by the seemingly carbon copied YA fantasies released over the past year, please do not harden your heart to this precious gem. Give me a moment of your time, and I'll try my hardest to convince you to take a chance on this scorching, twisty, romantic historical fantasy."Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from you." He trailed his fingers down my arm in slow, tortuous strokes. My head fell back on his shoulder, my eyes fluttering closed, as his lips continued to move against my neck. "Where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay."Whatever I expected this story to be, it was not. How a book can be over 500 pages and not long enough, I'll never be able to explain, but something about the mixture of immersive atmosphere, jam packed action, and tender balance of emotion and secrets made this a winning combination. The narrative flips back and forth between Louise (a witch) and Reid (a witch hunter, or Chasseur), and the setting is a fantasy alternative to the 1700's era, though I will say the language felt very modern, which could be a hit or miss for some readers who are picky about these details. We are also introduced to a wonderful set of secondary characters, and if anyone tries to hurt my precious peach Ansel in this lifetime or the next, you'd better be prepared to hold my earrings. Serpent & Dove is the kind of fantasy novel where we are dropped right in the middle of the action, and pieces of the magic system and setting are revealed as the story progresses, while also leaving other aspects to be expounded on in the sequel. Again, this may be a dealbreaker for some readers, but I found myself in tune with just enough knowledge to make the reading experience enjoyable, while also yearning to uncover more as the plot thickens. Also, I am pleased beyond words that the romance in this book is dreamy, steamy, and slow burning; in lieu of the popular instalove trope, this tale takes the route of swoon-worthy intimacy that is tested by time and trials. Did I mention it's super sexy with a strong message of consent? Totally here for it!Without diving into spoiler territory, you should know that there are twists, and then there are more twists, and then there are twists that we just have to think about until August of 2020 because HOW DARE THE SEQUEL NOT BE AVAILABLE YET?! Seriously, our group was mad texting upon finishing because we had SO many things to unpack from this read. Most of us are currently in a reading slump because this book was just that good. We talked about potential theories along the way, and we were all completely wrong with every guess. My emotions were off the charts, and my knee-jerk reaction was to start at the beginning and reread this book immediately upon finishing; it was that good.Captivating. Refreshing. Serpent & Dove has irrevocably restored my faith in the YA fantasy. If you're a lover of hate-to-love romance with a side of tense action and vivd imagination, please do yourself a favor and pick this one up. PS- the Barnes and Noble edition has an exclusive bonus scene featuring my baby Ansel, just saying.

WOWWW!!! This was amazing! What a stunning début! I did NOT think, going into this, that it would be earning itself a place on my favourites shelf! If uni hadn't been such a hindrance (lol whyyy), I'd have absolutely torn through this in one sitting! If this is what Shelby Mahurin has to offer, I'm excited for what's to come in the future!This was an enemies-to-lovers romance, reminiscent of Matthias and Nina from Six of Crows (aka my OTP of the series), but instead of Grisha, Lou was a witch and Reid was a witch hunter. Setting the book in a 17th century Frenchesque world (as in the Loudun Witch Trials) really added to the atmosphere of the story. Also, the French student in me really enjoyed the smattering of French words throughout the book, hehe. This forbidden love story was so compelling and addicting! However, I will say that this book is definitely upper-YA, as there is an explicit sex scene and tonnes of profanity, so be forewarned. In this new world of Belterra, witches are hunted by order of the king. The Chasseurs are responsible for hunting them down and burning them at the stake. After fleeing her coven, Les Dames Blanches, Lou resorts to a life of thievery on the streets. Unfortunately, one bad event leads to another and she finds herself forced into marriage to the Chasseur, Reid. From then on, she struggles to hide her identity from her husband -- a man who would see her dead if he knew what she was -- while also coming to terms with her growing feelings for him. This pagan witchcraft novel was so well done and perfect for this time of year, so I can't wait for the sequel to be released next year. I'd recommend it to fans of Uprooted, Strange Grace, and The Near Witch.

I DARE ANYONE TO NOT LOVE THIS BOOK! ❤️Being stubborn as I am, I was hesitant about letting myself love this book because I saw how much others loved it (I am stupid like that!). So when I started I was hard at work trying to find flaws with it. And sure, I did find one or two, but soon they fled my mind completely - I was just swept up in this story! This is the first time since I was a teenager that I have stayed up waaaay past midnight because I couldn't stop reading! ❤️ "I promised to love and protect you""And I promised to love and obey you. We're both such pretty liars."- Reid and Lou ❤️ THE THINGS I LOVED ❤️Lou: The first thing that started to break my resolve was Lou! She was the perfect heroine - cocky, brass and vulnerable. And I was really drawn to the fact that she was neither good nor bad, she was this 'gray' character, who was just trying to survive a war, that set 'black' against 'white'.Reid: Secondly, Reid started to get under my skin in the best of ways. At first I wasn't into his holy exterior, but as he softened up to Lou, so did I soften up to him!Lou and Reid: Yes, they do deserve a section on their own, because their relationship was just the cutest! It was so well-crafted and nicely developed, actually one of the best I have read in a long time. I especially loved the hate-turned-love aspect. Wonderful!Transportation: Books that have the power to transport me away from wherever I am while I am reading are the very, very best. This was one of those books! Plot: Though a bit thin at times (sorry), the plot was still, overall, very engaging and riveting! I especially loved how you are unsure of who the bad guys and who the good guys are!Universe: What fascinated me most about the world, this book was set in, was how closely it resembled 17th century France. That was actually a very interesting take on a YA fantasy novel. The magic was, sadly, a little confusing and lacking in explanation at times, but that is easily overlooked when combined with all the other goodness!Follow me for more book goodness: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

8/10Es un libro que me encantó. Lo re disfruté, me llenó de emociones, me hizo fangirlear a gritos y chillar de nervios. Es muy muy romántico y lo amé absolutamente por eso.

"Why the fuck is everyone in this kingdom trying to murder my wife?" And just like that, I fell in love forever. I haven't laughed/suffered so much while reading a book in a very long time. I also just realized one of the reasons I liked this story so much is that the main characters remind me a lot of Matthias Helvar (my absolute favorite character from Six of Crows) and the gorgeous Nina Zenik. Their dynamic is very similar and they're both so beautifully characterized it's impossible not to be drawn to them. And sure, this book gets a bit tropey at times, but it's easy to ignore when you're busy gushing and gasping and fangirling. Anyway...Lou and Reid and Ansel and Coco own my heart, and I need everyone to read this book because Shelby Mahurin is a genius and this story is a flipping masterpiece.