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A review by ellariawrites
Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin
3.0
This story was rough, and difficult to get through. I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as Serpent & Dove. The characters I loved in the first book were immediately, like page 1 chapter 1, insufferable and difficult to like. It was a frustrating read with very, very few enjoyable moments. And I know it’s the second book in the series and second books usually drag all the characters through hell but dang, I feel like a number of things could’ve been done better, or at least differently. The first book kept me on the edge of my seat but this, I just felt like I had to get through it out of obligation, not out of pleasure. I hope Gods & Monsters improves greatly on this book.
The rest of this review will have mild spoilers so tread lightly.
Pros:
+ Coco and her backstory
+ Ansel, who deserved infinitely better than what this story gave him
+ Beau, who really didn’t do much but was great comedic relief and all around lovable guy. I loved when he would call Reid little brother and I loved how much he adored his little sisters
+ Lou’s three familiars (who just kinda disappear during the last third of the book)
+ Madame La Belle calling everyone out on their bs
+ All the new characters, especially Toulouse, Terry, Gabrielle, and Claude; especially Claude
+ Morgan, a phenomenal villain, purely evil and wicked
+ I love how natural and normal queer relationships are in this universe. Characters are openly gay or bi and no one ever makes a big deal out of it, it just is and I love that
+ The Funeral chapter: that was the best chapter in this book, period. And it was one of the best chapters I've ever read in a story. It was gentle and tender and emotional and raw and I could reread it a thousand times
+ Something New chapter: good god did we have to earn this chapter. Truly the only time I think I felt joy in this book
+ The Woodwose chapter: except for the very last paragraph, readers will know why
+ Jean-Luc and Reid squashing their beef (kinda)
+ Part 3 was the best part of this entire book. I wish the way I felt reading it was the way I felt reading parts 1 and 2
Cons:
- Reid being nothing short of insufferable the entire story. He was cantankerous and obtuse and unyielding. He hates magic and himself and so he has to make everyone stop using their magic? And he keeps trying to “fix” Lou. I was happy to see he had more POV chapters and yet, there was barely any joy in those chapters. Just Reid brooding every moment possible. It was so exciting discovering that he is a male witch with magic, and the book dedicates no time to actually watching him learn to use his magic. Just him hating magic and himself and then poof, he uses it. And like, I get it. Undoing years of hating witches and magic is no easy feat but dedicating like 80% of the book to it?? I would've given anything for just one chapter where Reid uses his magic and actually enjoyed it
- Lou apparently and suddenly descending into madness, like what was the point of this? Were the stakes already not high enough? It just doesn’t make any sense why this needed to be a plot point aside from adding very unnecessary tension and drama to the story. Magic is a big point of tension in this book because Reid is deeply uncomfortable with it. Fine. Why couldn’t the tension focus on his discomfort and distress on using his magic and those around him trying to get him to use it and understand? Instead, Lou becomes power hungry and is now in danger of becoming her mother. I really hated this plot point. I have no problem with morally grey characters, but Lou, who was portrayed as someone who did what she had to do to survive but still was compassionate and exercised restraint in the first book, now suddenly she’s delighting in other’s pain?? Setting Coco on fire and laughing? She was just awful for the vast majority of this book and it was very unenjoyable to watch. I just, I just don’t know why her characterization had to take that direction. All because she is Morgan's child? And what little restraint she did finally learn by the end of the book is gone after what Coco's aunt did to her.
- How on earth did Lou forget that she took Baz’s memory? And for what reason did he even need to come back? You could've replaced him with anyone and nothing in the story would have changed.
- Madame La Belle doing a 180 and now being very against Reid’s marriage and quite antagonistic towards Lou. How do you go from risking it all to save this girl and being happy to reunite her with your son, only to constantly question the validity of their marriage and tell said son to break up with her like three different times?
- There is barely any kind of character development for the vast majority of the book. Reid does not grow or change or unlearn his prejudice towards magic until the very end of the story and honestly, it was jarring when it finally happened. He just complains at best and hates things at worst. Lou just becomes utterly unlikable. And these two have no real meaningful interactions for the vast majority of the book. They barely talk in a way that brings any kind of good revelations about their relationship or each other, any kind of growth, any kind of forward progress. Just pain and ruin until the last few chapters and by then, it was hard to fully enjoy it. I just felt tired.
- The plot was kind of all over the place but also, it doesn’t feel like much actually happened? So much more time should have been dedicated to forging an alliance with the Blood Witches and the Werewolves. It would’ve been nice to actually get to know the history, culture, and backstory of these groups. The only purpose they served was moving the plot forward. Plus, those alliances were earned too easily.
The rest of this review will have mild spoilers so tread lightly.
Pros:
+ Coco and her backstory
+ Ansel, who deserved infinitely better than what this story gave him
+ Beau, who really didn’t do much but was great comedic relief and all around lovable guy. I loved when he would call Reid little brother and I loved how much he adored his little sisters
+ Lou’s three familiars (who just kinda disappear during the last third of the book)
+ Madame La Belle calling everyone out on their bs
+ All the new characters, especially Toulouse, Terry, Gabrielle, and Claude; especially Claude
+ Morgan, a phenomenal villain, purely evil and wicked
+ I love how natural and normal queer relationships are in this universe. Characters are openly gay or bi and no one ever makes a big deal out of it, it just is and I love that
+ The Funeral chapter: that was the best chapter in this book, period. And it was one of the best chapters I've ever read in a story. It was gentle and tender and emotional and raw and I could reread it a thousand times
+ Something New chapter: good god did we have to earn this chapter. Truly the only time I think I felt joy in this book
+ The Woodwose chapter: except for the very last paragraph, readers will know why
+ Jean-Luc and Reid squashing their beef (kinda)
+ Part 3 was the best part of this entire book. I wish the way I felt reading it was the way I felt reading parts 1 and 2
Cons:
- Reid being nothing short of insufferable the entire story. He was cantankerous and obtuse and unyielding. He hates magic and himself and so he has to make everyone stop using their magic? And he keeps trying to “fix” Lou. I was happy to see he had more POV chapters and yet, there was barely any joy in those chapters. Just Reid brooding every moment possible. It was so exciting discovering that he is a male witch with magic, and the book dedicates no time to actually watching him learn to use his magic. Just him hating magic and himself and then poof, he uses it. And like, I get it. Undoing years of hating witches and magic is no easy feat but dedicating like 80% of the book to it?? I would've given anything for just one chapter where Reid uses his magic and actually enjoyed it
- Lou apparently and suddenly descending into madness, like what was the point of this? Were the stakes already not high enough? It just doesn’t make any sense why this needed to be a plot point aside from adding very unnecessary tension and drama to the story. Magic is a big point of tension in this book because Reid is deeply uncomfortable with it. Fine. Why couldn’t the tension focus on his discomfort and distress on using his magic and those around him trying to get him to use it and understand? Instead, Lou becomes power hungry and is now in danger of becoming her mother. I really hated this plot point. I have no problem with morally grey characters, but Lou, who was portrayed as someone who did what she had to do to survive but still was compassionate and exercised restraint in the first book, now suddenly she’s delighting in other’s pain?? Setting Coco on fire and laughing? She was just awful for the vast majority of this book and it was very unenjoyable to watch. I just, I just don’t know why her characterization had to take that direction. All because she is Morgan's child? And what little restraint she did finally learn by the end of the book is gone after what Coco's aunt did to her.
- How on earth did Lou forget that she took Baz’s memory? And for what reason did he even need to come back? You could've replaced him with anyone and nothing in the story would have changed.
- Madame La Belle doing a 180 and now being very against Reid’s marriage and quite antagonistic towards Lou. How do you go from risking it all to save this girl and being happy to reunite her with your son, only to constantly question the validity of their marriage and tell said son to break up with her like three different times?
- There is barely any kind of character development for the vast majority of the book. Reid does not grow or change or unlearn his prejudice towards magic until the very end of the story and honestly, it was jarring when it finally happened. He just complains at best and hates things at worst. Lou just becomes utterly unlikable. And these two have no real meaningful interactions for the vast majority of the book. They barely talk in a way that brings any kind of good revelations about their relationship or each other, any kind of growth, any kind of forward progress. Just pain and ruin until the last few chapters and by then, it was hard to fully enjoy it. I just felt tired.
- The plot was kind of all over the place but also, it doesn’t feel like much actually happened? So much more time should have been dedicated to forging an alliance with the Blood Witches and the Werewolves. It would’ve been nice to actually get to know the history, culture, and backstory of these groups. The only purpose they served was moving the plot forward. Plus, those alliances were earned too easily.