I wanna start off saying I have never read one of Shelby Mahurin’s books before. But I know how popular her other series was. So thought I’d give it a whirl.
Was a book I easily got lost in and was always craving more. By the end I was screaming at the Clift hanger, why do authors have to do this to me?

I loved the Serpent & Dove trilogy and couldn’t wait to read Shelby Mahurin’s latest book! The Scarlet Veil follows Célie Tremblay, who is trying to make a name for herself as the first huntswoman in the legendary Chasseurs. However, her fiancé Jean Luc is also their captain, making the task even harder. Célie feels coddled and overprotected by the people she loves most. When she discovers a murder, Jean Luc tries to shut her out of the investigation. Célie must use all of her skills and knowledge of stories to survive the adventure that happens next…

I enjoyed Célie in the Serpent & Dove trilogy, but I felt like I got to know and love a whole new side of her in The Scarlet Veil. I loved The Scarlet Veil so much that I actually read it twice before writing this review! One of my favorite parts was seeing Célie’s immense character growth and her bravery in deciding what relationships/things no longer worked for her. The world-building was exquisite. The sensory detail makes you feel as if you’re there beside Célie. Mahurin creates atmospheric and vivid scenes as Célie struggles to find out who she is and decides who she wants to be.

The Scarlet Veil is the perfect book for readers who love excellent characters and witty dialogue. As the plot unfolds, the tension between Célie and her love interest is scorching. It is SO good! The characters are engaging and I loved getting to know them (especially Michal, Mila, and Odette). The cameos from Serpent & Dove characters were fantastic and felt seamless. Célie is a character who I think many readers will relate to, myself included, as she deals with trauma and finds the courage to pursue her dreams. The ending left me on the edge of a cliff, so I’ll just have to keep rereading it until the sequel comes out. I can’t wait to find out what happens next!!

Readers who enjoy Renée Adieh (The Beautiful), Sarah J. Maas, and Stephanie Garber (The Ballad of Never After) should check out The Scarlet Veil. I listened to a voice galley, so I’m looking forward to listening to the finalized audiobook/narrator.

Thank you so much to Shelby Mahurin, Harper Audio, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

A really promising start to this spinoff series! At first I didn’t really follow the references from Serpent & Dove and I had forgotten what happened to Celie, but it was easy enough to pick back up on. While I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with Celie throughout the book, I enjoyed following her journey. She goes from being the first female Chasseur to living on an island full of vampires and it was just a really fun and unexpected story. And of course I loved seeing more of Lou and the gang.

Obviously my favorite part was the vampires and I loved Michal the vampire king. Honestly at times I found myself wondering why he would like Celie so much, but I did enjoy their hate to (almost) love relationship. The big reveal was a surprise to me but I thought it was kind of a boring choice. The ending was action packed though with a good cliffhanger so I will be looking forward to the next book.

I didn't realize this was related to Serpent and Dove when started, and to be transparent, I haven't read that series first. A very typical but still fantastic read about 1800 style vampires. You follow the story of Celie, a girl who suffers from severe trauma from waking up, locked in a casket next to a dead body. Yikes.
As she deals with this trauma, her fiance hides secrets of mysterious deaths occurring throughout their town, in order to decrease her anxiety. However, his lies end up in Celie's abduction as she walks the dark streets alone.

Celie wakes up to discover she has been kidnapped by a group of vampires who intend to lure all her friends and fiance to the island to kill them all. During Cillas hunt for a way to kill them before the fated night of all hallows eve, she discovers she can speak to ghosts... But why? Is Celie human? Not human? Why haven't the vampires killed her yet? Why do they want her friends and fiance?

This was a great read that had you very frustrated at the FMC as she is so OBLIVIOUS to everything around her. Definitely one of those stories you end up yelling at and setting down aggressively for a break.

This book was long, but flew by. The worldbuilding was comprehensive and I loved all of the characters. I haven't read the series this is a "spinoff" for, so I was a little bit lost at times, but overall it made no difference. The main character is still a teenager, so this could appeal to YA or NA audiences.

The main character, Celie, grows frustrated with the way she is coddled and dismissed by her fiance and friends, and I like how the book leans into the fact that just because she's beautiful AND cries doesn't mean she isn't strong and competent. I think the only thing that would've made this better is if she didn't just cry at night, but also during the day in front of people, yet still managed to earn her credibility. Oh, one other thing that would make it better is if there wasn't a cliffhanger. Sigh. I guess I'm reading the next one, and going back to read the rest of the series.

Shelby Mahurin has a way with words that’s hard not to love. The gothic atmosphere was chilling, and Celie was a wonderful MC to follow and I enjoyed her character immensely. I did find the overall story/plot very slow and hard to get into. I have not finished the S&D trilogy and read this under the impression that is wouldn’t be a requirement. After many starts and stops in the first third of this book, I would highly recommend reading the other trilogy first as I think certain character relationships and dynamics are written in a way where it’s assumed you already know all the details. Aside from this, the pacing felt a little unclear for me, but the enjoyment of Mahurin’s prose was the only thing really pushing me along.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to listen to this advance listeners copy of the Scarlet Veil. I did enjoy this story, although there were times I found it difficult to fully attend. However, this because it seemed as if the voice simulation had difficulty with punctuation and inflection. The story starts off shortly after the end of Gods and Monsters. Célie is having some difficulty finding her place among the Chasseurs, even with her friends and her new fiancé. She is still haunted by the death of her sister and doesn’t want to be treated like a doll that easily broken. Soon bodies are being found all around Belterra with no leads to find the killer. Although Jean Luc only wants to protect Célie from further harm and trauma, he inadvertently pushes her away to begin her own investigations. This where the real story begins. I enjoyed Célie’s road to strength for herself and all the things that she finds along the way. The new characters in this part of Shelby Mahurin’s world are some of my favorites. I don’t think that anyone would necessarily need to read the original trilogy prior to The Scarlet Veil, but it definitely helps to better understand the relationships and beliefs of the supporting characters. If you enjoy found family, coming of age tales, and characters with a dark side, I think you’ll enjoy this book.

As a fan of the original series, I absolutely loved this story! I appreciated the cameos from the original characters as well and I loved that it included Vampires instead of just witches. I loved seeing Celie's growth and overcoming her insecurities. I'm really hoping for a sequel!

4.75/5

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This was a fantastic read! I loved Serpent and Dove so I was so excited to read this book. It far surpassed my expectations! It was the perfect mixture of fantasy and romance.