A review by renettereads
Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

adventurous funny tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

“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.”

Lou is a witch on the run, but when she let’s her paranoia get the better of her, she finds herself in a precarious situation with a witch hunter. Forced into marriage, Lou must navigate her new life, hiding her true self from her husband as well as the witch out to sacrifice her. 

I absolutely adored this book. Lou is insufferable, but in the best kind of way and her chemistry with Reid, her husband and witch hunter, is spot on. Other than the delightful tension and yearning between the two, I enjoyed Lou’s strength as an individual, as well as sidekick Coco. 

Good magic systems, in my opinion anyway, relies on an equal measure of give and take, and Serpent & Dove nails that balance really well, and in a way that, I thought, felt original. 

This was a real page turner for me and although I don’t really like anything that relies to heavily on religious themes, I think this struck a balance and the commentary on the hypocrisy of the church was really interesting. The character growth was another strength of this book and I also though plot, pace, and prose were all enjoyable. A couple of twists later, I’m really excited to see where book 2 takes us. 
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