Serpent and Dove (Serpent and Dove #1)

Author: Shelby Mahurin
Pages: 513
Overall: 4/5
Setting: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot and Themes: 4/5
Cheers Factor: 4/5
Pairing: Red Beer
I used to be opposed to this entire concept of drinking something that seemed so backwards, however I have come to learn that they are indeed quite yummy and taste quite good especially if you like Bloody Mary’s. I feel very much like foul mouthed Lou would love a drink like this because it is so unconventional. I also like this twist on a Bloody Mary in reference to Coco and her blood witch heritage. It’s very empathetic with blood rites and that sort of stuff which feels very relevant. 

“Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.”

Ingredients
½ Blue Moon Bottle
4 ounces Bloody Mary Mix
½ Lime Juice
2-3 dashes Tabasco
Pepper (to taste)
Ice

Instructions
Step one: Pour half of  a bottle of Blue Moon into a glass with ice.
Step two: Pour in Bloody Mary Mix
Step three: Add lime juice, tabasco and pepper
Step four: Stir and enjoy

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“But deep down, I knew better. Lou had broken in that moment. My wild-hearted, foul-mouthed, steel-willed heathen had broken. I had broken her.”

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Setting
A wonderful parisian setting that we get with this book because our characters are french. I really like the renaissance feel that isn’t explicitly explained given we are in a fantasy world. I think future books will develop more on the setting as the story continues to develop.

Characters
I really love the dichotomy we get with Lou and Reid. Lou is a loud mouthed, raunchy and self confident witch (haha get it). Whereas Reid is a man of the cloth and a devoted religious boy resembling that of an altar boy. The way that the two opposites interact is really great. I also really like the side characters. My first read I didn’t like them as much, but the second time around Coco and Ansel really did add to the story and I’m excited to follow our band of hooligans into future novels.


Plots and Themes 
I mean come on a witch having to marry a witch hunter? That’s enemies to lovers GOLD. So naturally I was obsessed. I also liked the way that there’s this ever present danger of an unknown female presence that is hunting Lou. That adds a sense of a timeline to the story that helps with the pacing and obviously with the events that will take place in the next book.


Overall
I really liked this book. It was really great and pleasantly reminiscent of a Sarah J Maas novel with the dynamic of our characters which I really appreciated. I’m looking forward to the second installment and any that follow after that. 

Too Strong : I think it’s a little tough to grasp how all the characters really come together at the end, but it’s a first book so give it some grace.
Reasons to Raise a Glass : Lou is really great and reminds me of Aelin, the relationship is really cute, ANSEL IS ADORABLE

“Love makes fools of us all, darling”

Beweare spoilers ahead. Read on/click read more at your own risk.

I really liked this book. Like I said previously I did enjoy how similar Lou feels to Aelin. It’s a wonderful character trait to be fiery and unabashed. I also love the prudish nature in contrast with Reid and then the childlike nature of Ansel and the feminine charm of Coco. I do wish we got to see more of the Prince. He feels like a strange add on at the end and I don’t know if that was purposeful because of revealing Reid’s parentage, but I liked his addition nad wished it had come sooner and maybe we shall get more in the coming books.
    I enjoyed the danger of Lou’s mom being our bad guy. I didn’t love the whole Archbishop being her father. That made me uncomfortable, but also makes sense. Like I respect it, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. 
    I don’t have much else in the way of spoilery thoughts, but that’s typical of a first installment I think. We shall see what happens in the later novels.

“‘If she was destined to burn in hell, then I would burn with her.’”