My reading of this book featured a series of horrified gasps and quiet hopes this story wouldn’t hurt as much as the other sequels I’ve read this year. I was so wrong and it was SO MUCH WORSE. After all of these soul shattering sequels, I’m definitely going to be picking up something more lighthearted for my next read. However, before I do that, I’ll definitely be talking up this amazing book. The characters are all trying to work together to defeat evil, but their own fighting against each other might end them faster than the witch that’s hunting them down. Lou’s snarky banter with Reid was just as fun as the first book, and their relationship development in this book was so intense that I wasn’t expecting that absolute curveball at the end. This story packs a wallop that I don’t think readers will be prepared for, and will need some time to recover from. One thing is for sure, Shelby Mahurin has one hell of a third book in store for us. Also, if you’re sensitive to violence and trauma, this might be a book to approach cautiously.
While I try my best to avoid spoilers of the books I’m talking about, it can sometimes be inevitable when talking about sequels. If you haven’t read Serpent & Dove yet, I highly encourage you to read that one before continuing on.
We last saw Lou, Reid, Coco, and Ansel on the run from Les Dames Blanches. They have nowhere to hide, since they’re also being hunted down by the church and the crown. In order to fight against their enemy, the group will need allies. However, protection comes at a cost, and soon, the group will be separated in order to gather allies. As Lou and Reid try to mend the widening rift between them, they’ll be caught in another of Morgane’s deadly games of cat and mouse.
However brief of a summary, there is so much packed between the pages of this book that it honestly felt like I was reading something much longer. This isn’t to say that it took a long time, because that was not the case at all. I definitely panicked when I realised I only had around 50 pages of the book left. It moves quickly out of necessity, and adds to the added elements of danger and suspense that the characters are facing. What I love are the moments in between, where Shelby manifests some of the best bantering between characters. My favourite scenes are at the beginning of the book, and toward the end when the group is reunited.
The character development here is fascinating. I can’t talk too much about Lou, but there is definitely quite a bit going on within her that makes for some fascinating perspectives. Reid is still struggling with the fact that he’s now the very thing that he vowed to hunt. The inner turmoil within this man is really something because it manages to unseat him in the most unfortunate of moments. Then there’s my dear Coco! Oh, she’s feisty, but her love and bond with Lou just transcend everything. We get to find out so much more about her and her life in this book, and while not all of it is good, there’s definitely some growth. As for Ansel and Beau, both of these gentlemen were equal parts light hearted and serious at the right moments, and while I am lumping them together in this description, they were quite different characters. We get to see sides of both I wasn’t expecting.
Of course, I can’t talk about this book without talking about the romantic tension you could practically cut with a knife. It’s not just Lou and Reid either, and I revelled in the drama of it. The way that tension is woven in with that ending just ties this book together in one of the messiest bows.
Villainess and villains-wise, it often feels like our poor group is definitely fighting against losing odds, and it’s only a matter of time until someone cuts them down. However, the hope that Mahurin writes in her characters is palpable, but so is their despair and desperation to get out of horrible situations. Her descriptions bring the characters and their emotions to life, and it’s set against such a brutal backdrop. I loved getting to explore more of the world, especially at the end of the book.
Something that threw me off a little was that this book’s pacing felt a bit off. Not very noticeable at the beginning, but I definitely felt like there were moments where the book slowed down and it took it a moment to pick up again. Like I said, it’s not too noticeable, but it does make you stumble as you go through the book.
I’m not sure what’s going to happen in the next book, and I’m definitely worried for my favourites. Once you’ve read it, please come and join me in some awed yet worried silent screams into the void. Add this book to your TBR list if you can, it’s definitely worth the wait.
Blood & Honey is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of September 1st 2020.
Will you be picking up Blood & Honey? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
The hotly anticipated sequel to the New York Times and IndieBound bestseller Serpent & Dove—packed with even steamier romance and darker magic—is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas.
After narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Dames Blanches, Lou, Reid, Coco, and Ansel are on the run from coven, kingdom, and church—fugitives with nowhere to hide.
To elude the scores of witches and throngs of chasseurs at their heels, Lou and Reid need allies. Strong ones. But protection comes at a price, and the group is forced to embark on separate quests to build their forces. As Lou and Reid try to close the widening rift between them, the dastardly Morgane baits them in a lethal game of cat and mouse that threatens to destroy something worth more than any coven.
