This book blew me away by how phenomenally well the characters developed and with the gothic, haunting world-building. It was simply decadent.

Célie is a character I was ambivalent about in the Serpent & Doce trilogy, but I adored her in this one. She shows you don’t have to be a sword-wielding fighter to be fierce and brave. There is courage in asking and relying on your friends for help. And in knowing your strengths and accepting your weaknesses. Her growth throughout the book was evident as she learned to stand up for herself and her wants and beliefs. And, of course, Michal helped her along the way.

Fans of morally grey, touch-her-and-die MMCs rejoice because Michal is here to join your list of favorites and knock a few down to claim his spot amongst the top. Witnessing him go from “you’re inconvenient” to “I’ll dance with you shirtless while your clothes literally burn my skin” had me soaring amongst the clouds from happiness 🤣. The slow-burn romance burns so passionately.

The supporting characters were all multidimensional and unique in their personalities and backstories, creating heartwarming friendships and found family. The fantastic world-building featured a gothic castle with ghosts around the corner, a stunning masquerade ball, and an underlying haunting atmosphere.

The mystery also kept me hooked, while the perpetrator could be uncovered if close attention is paid to the crumbs throughout the story. That ending has me needing the next book stat. This is going on my list of all-time favorites. And that only-one-coffin scene alone is a reason to read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Just want to say that I would have read this sooner, but I’m going through some health issues.
I didn’t really like Celie until I read Gods and Monsters (the finale to the Serpent and Dove series), so when I heard she was getting her own series I was nervous but interested. I liked that the book opened to seeing her struggle into her role as a huntswoman because it feels realistic especially since this is historical. I still don’t like Jean Luc and this book solidified that he is not my kind of character. I especially don’t like him and Celie together.
I really loved that we got to read about vampires and I really enjoyed the plot; I was not expecting where the book was going. I really like that the past is mixed in with the present mysteries. I like that Celie was able to do something that she felt she was good at with helping Michal. The prophecy part was surprising; I really enjoy when fantasy stories have prophecies. I loved seeing all the characters we already know again. The ending was chaotic. I can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC copy of The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin.

After the battle of Cesarine, Celie Tremblay is ready to start her new life as the first female huntswoman and as a fiancee. Both are proving to be far more difficult than she anticipated. With the Chaussers treating her like a plague and her loved ones treating her like a glass doll, Celie finds herself drawn back into the darkness of that fateful coffin she battled so hard to escape. With a growing evil taking over Belterra, Celie's search for knowledge leads her to dangerous situations with monsters that were told as scary nursery stories. Along with familiar companions and some new faces, Celie fights for answers about the recent attacks, the truth to her sister's secrets, and what lies in the unknown of her future.

**SPOILERS**

They had me at vampires, and I am so happy that the trend is coming back. After not loving the end of the Serpent and Dove series, I was interested to get back into it from another perspective. To be 100% honest, I did not like Celie in the original series. Trauma done walloped her with a brand new personality and I loved it. She had depth, she had anger, she had drive, she had a purpose. I liked seeing Celie's development from the glass doll who does what she is told, to the knife who ran headfirst into danger if it meant she got answers. The romance in this was secondary to me. I like Celie and Michal just fine. I enjoyed Celie's discovery that everything does not have to be straight laced and socially acceptable, especially when it comes to love. Michal's growth into trusting someone as a partner was heartfelt, but what kept me turning the page was Celie making decisions on her own and embracing all parts of who she had become. Also, Jean Luc can choke on a Pan's patisserie while simultaneously kicking rocks.

Shelby Mahurin will forever be one of my favorite authors. Serpent and Dove holds a special place in my heart. So when Shelby mentioned in her social media that she will continue the series in Celie’s perspective I was extremely happy. I really enjoyed the setting. I loved that Lou, Reid, Coco, and Beau were in the story as well. I enjoyed Celie as our main character and the concept of vampires. The ending was the best part and I'm already ready for book 2 after that clifthanger! Thank you NetGalley for giving me this amazing opportunity. I have purchase a physical copy and it looks beautiful on my book shelves.

I love the entire Serpent and Dove series (if YA fantasy with a heavy dose of romance is your jam, read it if you haven’t!) and knew Celie’s story would be incredible.

Reid’s ex in Serpent & Dove, Celie was wild child Lou’s foil - dainty and sweet, delicate.

But it isn’t who she wants to be.

She wants people to stop underestimating her — she is kind and good, and also smart as a whip.

Although she is with Jean Luc from the end of the first trilogy, it’s almost another expected move of her.

Nothing like a romance with Michal, a vampire!

That’s right, folks- prepare for gothic, vampire romance vibes with a morally grey hero I absolutely loved.

And the romance itself? A slow burn with high stakes.

I’m going to suggest reading this series whether you enjoyed the first trilogy or not— the characters are there and familiar in a comforting way (I love them) but the vibes are different, evolving into something moodier.

The writing itself is stunning and atmospheric.

While I’m being vague to not spoil much from any of this author’s series, I highly recommend this.

I will be following each book as it’s released, and I’ll be rooting for the morally grey hero to get the girl. Obviously!

I was really excited to get back into the World of Belterra, but unfortunately The Scarlet Veil wasn't quite what I'd hoped for. The plot dragged a bit and I found I didn't actually like the characters as much as I did in the original series.

Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for review.

This was my first book by Shelby and oh my goodness it completely captivated me and kept my attention. You had me at vampires right from the get go. So well written That I felt like I was there watching the events play out. I definitely cannot wait to discover more books by Shelby.

Myth: 3.5/5

I was a little slow getting back into the world of Belterra. I honestly didn’t remember much about the conclusion of Serpent and Dove, and I do feel like that impacted the way I read the first ~20% of this book. Once Célie’s journey for this story is established, and she’s off on it, I found it much easier to get into.

I found the characters a little stiff at first as well, which I think was the point, but it made it hard to even like the idea of Michal and Célie at the beginning.

Magic: 3/5

Back to the world of Belterra, which seems like an ~1800’s French world. The previous books in the world focused mostly on witches, so this is the first branch off into vampires. This is only book one, but it seems to be fairly standard vampire lore with a dash of ghost whispering.

Overall: 3.5/5

This book ends with a bang, a lot is packed into the last few chapters, but it definitely leaves you wanting more. To be fair, as soon as Célie and Michal partner up, I was sold.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. This was a great book. A continuation of the Serpent and Dove series, this book follows Celie as she tries to become a female Chaucer. You get to meet old characters and new including vampires. If you loved the Serpent and Dove series than this is a must read!

Words fail to describe how much I enjoyed this book! I was a bit hesitant when I started this, as it was thick and Célie wasn't my favourite character overall in Serpent and Dove, but this book changed my mind. Her character arc was SO STRONG! One of the best and powerful I have ever read. The plot also kept me on the edge of my seat, so the thickness didn't bother me at all as it was a real page-turner! The story was quite predictable, though, but I found I didn't mind at all. And the ending! I cannot wait to see how the story continues!

I was super excited to find this book on NetGalley, as I recently had read S&D and I absolutely love that vampire fiction is having a resurgence this fall. At first, I liked that the main character seem to be sort of a hot mess, and despite that people continue to shelter despite her wishes, she’s going to go her own way. I also absolutely adored Michal and the brewing chemistry there.

Though this was a quick read for me, there were several places that I had to go back and reread again, because I felt like I lost the thread. I also was taken out of the story by a Twilight-esque jaunt where she rides a vampire’s back.

All the characters have traumatic back stories that make the characterization and motivations very strong, but there’s something missing with Célie. Her friends infantilize her from her POV, and Michal acts as if she’s brilliant, but I had trouble understanding why they made some of their decisions. In fact, the main character sort of reminds me of Elena Gilbert, because she is constantly making bad decisions and her friends just justify it.

It’s a slow burn with a breakneck last 10% or so, and I’m wondering if the series should’ve started later in Célie’s narrative.

Six months after the events of Gods and Monsters, Célie Tremblay is the first female Chasseur and is determined to prove herself in the role. However, her fiancé Jean Luc, who is also the Captain, is equally determined to protect her from everything, keeping her from training and hiding the news of grim events afoot in the city, much to Célie’s frustration. When she finds out that bodies dead under mysterious circumstances have been turning up with the latest being a blood witch, she has had enough of being coddled and decides to investigate on her own – only to run headlong into trouble lurking in the shadows. Her brush with darkness still haunts her, but as a new evil rises, Célie must find the strength to overcome it.

To be very honest, I had my doubts going into this book. First, it’s a spin off and those usually aren’t to my taste. Second, Gods and Monsters was a struggle to get through and really soured the whole Serpent and Dove series for me to an extent. And finally, it has been two years since the trilogy ended, so I basically had zero recollection of anything that happened in that beyond main characters and a fuzzy outline of the plot. In fact, I had to think for several minutes to remember who Célie even was and read through my reviews to remind myself of the major plot points (I was certainly not going to muddle through all three books again). Still, I wanted to give it a chance because I was curious to see what storyline could still be there in this world, after all, Gods and Monsters had a pretty conclusive ending. All in all, my expectations weren’t high for this book, but one of my favorite things about reading is how a book can turn around and surprise you – and this one certainly did.

The author really has tried to provide as much context as possible to the original trilogy which was a boon because I’d forgotten most of the story. It also makes this book possible to read without having read Serpent and Dove, though you will be missing out on a lot of stuff and knowing the previous story will add a whole new layer to this one and make you appreciate it even more.

Shelby Mahurin has done a wonderful job in expanded on the world building with this book, from the hidden Isle of Requiem, darker magic in Belterra, to introducing Les Eternels, or vampires. Vampires were pretty much the only supernatural character missing in this world and this book completed the set.

I really liked that the core of this story was a murder mystery because it set the mood beautifully and inched up the tension chapter by chapter, maintaining that dark, gothic atmosphere. It wasn’t just a murder mystery though, there was plenty else going on – politics, old and forbidden magics, and villains on multiple fronts.

I suppose you could say the pacing was a bit slower in the first half, but I barely noticed it. The Scarlet Veil is over 600 pages long, and while it did take me two sittings to finish it, it was an effortless read. The writing style was engaging and I really enjoyed Célie’s POV. She made for a great narrator and seeing everything through her eyes only showcases just how much she grows over the course of this book.

Célie was not your typical YA heroine, which was what intrigued me most about the blurb because I was curious to see what kind of protagonist she would make. She wasn’t physically strong, nor did she wield any weapons or flashy magical powers to stand in place of that – she was a soft and gentle and completely ordinary girl who has been through traumatizing events and only wanted to do her best to help others and make a difference – and this book showed that such characters can make fine heroines too.

It took me a while to begin connecting to Célie as a character, but once her story began to unfold, her arc was an absolute delight to follow as she set out to find her own path and prove everyone who thought her to be just a pretty delicate thing wrong, and in the process finds out that she is much stronger than she ever believed she could be. She was scared and naive and reckless at times, yes, but her motivations were always good, and it was such a refreshing change to see a main character like this.

I’d forgotten how much I adore a slow burn romance and this book reminded me of that. The ending did me no favors on this front and I’m just about ready to scream because I need to know what happens to them. Ansel was hard enough to deal with and I really hope the author doesn’t decide to take that route again.

Many familiar faces made a reappearance too, practically the entire gang from Serpent and Dove. It was a little odd to see them, particularly Lou and Reid in the role of secondary characters, but it was lovely to see them on page again.

As far as the whodunnit goes, I had figured it out well before the climax, if only by process of elimination – there weren’t that many characters the story focused on particularly so it wasn’t hard to guess. But those final chapters still had much more in store! I was so wrapped up in the story for that last 15-20% of the book that I don’t think I blinked, much less moved. What an absolutely devious cliffhanger to end things on – and that epilogue especially! I have a ton of questions right now and I need to know what happens next!

I am completely astounded at how good this book turned out to be and extremely satisfied after reading it – there’s nothing quite like the feeling of finishing a book you thoroughly enjoyed and knowing there is more of the story yet to come.

This was such an exciting read but it was also so very gratifying to sink back into an enthralling fantasy novel after such a long time. The Scarlet Veil is one of very few novels I’ve read this year that has held my attention to this extent and I am thoroughly glad I decided to pick it up. The sequel is undoubtedly going to be one of my most anticipated titles next year and I wish I had it already! If you loved the Serpent and Dove trilogy – or even if you didn’t – I would highly recommend picking up this book when it’s out. This is the most unexpected addition to my best of shelf all year, but it certainly deserves it!

I will read anything she writes!! This was amazing! It feels so good to be back in the serpent and dove world. It was also unique enough too that it felt like a completely different story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I can definitely see the growth of the writer from her previous series.

This book had me laughing, double guessing and at the end GASPING! I can't believe I have to wait for the next installment to find out what is going on! This writer does banter really well, and I laughed out loud a few times. I loved seeing all the characters from the previous series, and I liked that even though they played a role they weren't the main focus, which in turn didn't take away from the new characters in the book.

I know it's a YA, and the FMC did have me rolling my eyes at times, but I still enjoyed seeing her growth as a person, and saying it was OK not to know what she wanted at the age of 19.

Overall, I am excited to see where this story is going.

I received this book from NetGalley & Harper Collins as an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

This spin off series from the Serpent and Dove trilogy focuses on Celie and starts off approximately 6 months after G&M finishes.

I was hesitant at first because I wasn't a huge fan of Celie in the original books. But the mention of vampires and expanding the world to another new area had my scooping up the chance for an ARC. And I'm glad I did. I was pleasantly surprised but how much I liked this one. Celie had a rally good character arc and I liked watching her find her worth and inner strength. Her struggles were so relatable. Michal was the text book definition of a morally grey "villain". I really loved him as a match for Celie. They balanced each other out well with him pushing her outside her limits and her helping to bring out his humanity. Mahurin also provides with a great cast of new supporting characters. I don't want to give a lot of plot details and ruin the story. You'll have to pick it up for yourself to find out how good it is.

While this one can be read on its own, I highly suggest reading the previous books first. One of the biggest reasons being it will spoil the ending of G&M. As well there are lots of references to events from the other series.

The Scarlet Veil is Book 1 in a spinoff from Mahurin's Serpent and the Dove series. Our FMC Célie is now the first Huntswoman, who works alongside the church at hunting magical creatures. After her encounters with evil witches in the previous series she feels it is her calling. Célie is soft-hearted though and she is a divergent thinker, which keeps her from being accepted by the other Huntsmen. She is also engaged to Jean-Luc who is the head Huntsman who is keeping things from her and treating her as though she is fragile. Yes, she has some PTSD from things she endured in the Serpent & Dove series, but she's working through them. Nevertheless, things are not looking promising. All this sets the stage for an unfolding mystery and new adventure for Célie.

Someone or something is murdering magical creatures all around the town, and Célie is wanting to get in on the hunt. However, what she does end up doing is getting kidnapped by Michal the king of the vampires. This is where the story takes off and you find yourself in a dark world of vampires and mystery. The enemies-to-lovers story of Michal and Célie is wonderful, it's not instalove by any definition at all. It's what I would call a super duper slow burn, but oh so worth it slow burn. There is humor, heartbreak, and some horror. In all of it, we see Célie grow into herself and stand up for her way of doing things and not back down when overbearing men try to tell her what to do. That is the one aspect of this book that I enjoyed the most is Célie's growth. I can only imagine how much more growth we will see in the next book in the series. This YA novel was one of the best I have read in a long time and I look forward to more.

The Serpent & Dove trilogy had me enraptured and The Scarlet Veil was no different. The angst and slow-burn were everything and had me consuming pages at an ungodly rate trying to find out what happened next.

Shelby really outdid herself with this one and I cannot wait until book #2!!

Thank you HarperCollins Children's Books, HarperCollins for my copy, it was fantastic!

4.5/5

I came into this a little bit lost because I admittedly did not finish the original trilogy (I just could not with Lou anymore and I could not with her in this book either!) This was firmly ok for me, Celie was annoying and it's way too long for no reason but I will be back for the sequel because vampires.

Having loved the Serpent & Dove series, I couldn’t wait to pick up the first book in this series, set in the same universe!

It focuses on Cèlie, who is struggling to find her place as the first ever hunstwoman with the Chasseurs, despite her fiancé Jean Luc’s dogged persistence that it will all work out. But when bodies start turning up drained of blood, and all her friends seem to know more than they’re letting on, Cèlie decides to insert herself into the investigation to try and protect Belterra. But something much darker than she could’ve ever imagined is lurking, waiting just for her.

This was the perfect read for the beginning of the fall season - it’s atmospheric and gothic, full of lush black and red imagery. There are all kinds of paranormal beasties, too - vampires and ghosts and witches, oh my. It definitely features a slow burn romance, and I would’ve loved even more of that being explored, but I know it’s only the first book in the series and there’s plenty of time for that.

It’s a solid first book in a series and I can’t wait for book two!

It’s hard to put emotions into words….unless you’re Shelby Mahurin!

We all know there’s a main character in a story. We all know there is a plot. We all know there is a setting. That there is a conflict and side characters and a beginning and a middle and an end. We all know the basics.

But what entrances a reader to a story—to the author—is the connection to SOME element in the story.

That element was Célie Tremblay for me.

There is always a main character in the story—there has to be. However, the way this character shined through everything else spoke volumes. The paths the reader goes on with Célie, the journey and exploration of SELF that happens was eye opening. Shelby does a spectacular job of making her readers FEEL what the character is going through—especially when there is something buried underneath all the layers—something vulnerable that ALL readers can connect to. As someone who has read Shelby’s Serpent & Dove series, I was able to appreciate the growth Célie went through-and have that stronger connection with her; she is extremely different then the other strong characters in Shelby’s other series. But do not worry if you haven’t read S&D yet—you can still appreciate Célie’s journey all the same! Now, I could go on and on about Célie and how much she matters to the story—how much she matters to ME, but everything else about The Scarlet Veil matters too!

The side characters—where do I even start with the side characters? The newer cast that is introduced to us in TSV is unique and very heartfelt. They each have their own personalities, their own pasts and secrets, and their own dramas that they have to overcome. They have HISTORY; which makes it all the more exciting to read and discover!

The setting was new and refreshing! We got to see a hidden part of the world we already know (if you don’t that’s okay too!) However, because this book is part of a series, and because of how it ended, I have an inkling that we will, MAYBE, be visiting other locations in the following book(s)! But this book for sure has more “vampire” vibe settings—Dracula feels.

The mystery and conflict of the story overall was very entertaining! I enjoyed the ride of watching “who done it” instead of actively finding clues and thinking ahead. Therefore, this side of the review is coming from someone who did not see the surprise coming! And I loved it! Sadly cannot say TOO much because of spoilers!

Overall, let me just say that all who read it will be activity and eagerly waiting for book two to come out as soon as they finish reading the last page of The Scarlet Veil!

Thank you SO much Shelby Mahurin for show a fang-gripping story! Not so patiently waiting for book two now! And thank you to @netgalley for allowing me this opportunity to read this SURPRISING piece of work before it officially comes out on September 26th 2023!