Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Spice Rating: 🌶️ | Plot: 📕📕📕📕| Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Length: 📖 513 pages | Genre: YA Fantasy | POV: Dual First
Dates Read: 06.22.24 – 06.24.24



✴✴✴ TW: Religious Ab*se; Murder; Perscution; Misogyny; Sexism; Child S*crifice; War; Witch Trials ✴✴✴


🕊️ ➞ Tropes:

🧞‍♀️🧚💕Romantasy 💕🧚🧞‍♀️
⚔️💀 Touch Her, You Die 💀⚔️
☠️ Morally Grey MMC ☠️
❤️🚫 Forbidden Romance 🚫❤️
😒👫Forced Proximity👫😒
⚔️❤️‍🔥Enemies to Lovers❤️‍🔥⚔️
🗡️💃🏻Deadly FMC💃🏻🗡️
🥰😒 Grumpy / Sunshine 😒🥰
🐌❤️‍🔥Slow Burn ❤️‍🔥🐌
🔮✨️Mythos/Magic✨️🔮
🧹🔮🧙‍♀️Witches / Coven 🧙‍♀️🔮🧹
🛏️Only One Bed 🛏️
🤵🏻👰🏼‍♀️🔁Arranged Marriage 🔁👰🏼‍♀️🤵🏻



🕊️ ➞ Synopsis:

Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and the Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.



🕊️ ➞ Progress Notes & Initial Thoughts:

Pg. 143 // So far so good. Lou is resourceful and quick-witted – which I loved in an FMC. I could do without the misogyny of the Church and hunters but Mahurin is pretty on the nose about that. Christianity and Catholicism are known for their oppression of women.

I love the incorporation of the French language in this storyline; French isn’t a language you often see in the fantasy world so it’s refreshing. ❤️

Pg. 228 // Lou purposefully pissing off Reid is amazing; I could do without his love and obsession for another woman. I wonder how Celie’s character arc will go since this isn’t a polygamous romance. Or is it?…

Lou’s entire existence and purpose being a human sacrifice is craaazy. Imagine being doated on your entire life just because you were planned to die by a certain age. BAHNANAS!

Anywho, I’m diving back in…

Pg. 420 // This is getting SO GOOD!! WHY MUST I WORK FOR A LIVING?! Having an adult 9-5 sucks and if I didn’t need the money, I’d revolt!



🕊️ ➞ My Thoughts:

Serpent & Dove turned my heart into Humpty Dumpty and then kissed my forehead before it ended. The plot captivated me, the love engulfed me, and Lou’s trauma shattered me. I’ve been on such a Witch and Hunter trope binge lately and this one hit deeper than when I read Heartless Hunter. Mahurin followed the history of the Salem Witch Trials as the main inspiration, only difference was that the women they were burning were true witches. Mahurin was able to perfectly and beautifully capture the misogyny and hypocrisy of the Church; especially how they villainized and blamed women for their lack of self-control when it comes to carnal desires and urges.

Lou’s character arc was unquestionably painful and heartwrenching. Her childhood trauma and deep-rooted need to be loved and accepted by those she loved was shattering as was her entire life’s purpose. To find out that you were only conceived to be sacrificed is earth-shattering and I about cried while reading that scene. I loved and hated Reid; I loved his development as a character and the way he immediately began to protect Lou regardless of his disdain for her. I hated how close-minded he could be, I know it comes with being a soldier of God but it’s so hypocritical. I am glad he came to his senses and saw the Church for what it was. Bigoted and bloodthirsty.

The incorporation of the French language into this fictitious world was both surprising and refreshing – you don’t see that very often. The worldbuilding was enthralling, the twists and anticipation of the inevitable kept me on the edge of my seat, the slow-burn romance left me panting for more (there is only one open door s*x scene), and the pace of the novel shifted from steady to fast as the story progressed.

Serpent & Dove ripped my heart, marinated it, and served it to me on a silver platter. Don’t worry, I ate every bit of it and then licked my fingers afterward. Have you read Serpent & Dove? If so, what did you think of the plot and the influence of the Church? What about Lou’s paternity? How did you feel about what Reid said to Lou after he discovered who she was? How about Morgane’s response to Lou’s devastating question? Did you love Ansel as much as I did? Comment, comment, comment! I look forward to reading your thoughts! ❤️

xo,

L.B.

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