Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:
Synopsis for Serpent & Dove (from Goodreads):
Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.
Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.
Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.
The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.
And love makes fools of us all.
Author: Shelby Maurin
Series: Serpent & Dove
# of Books: 3 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: Yes
Genre: Young Adult, Supernatural, Fantasy, Magic, Romance
Heat Rating: Cool
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Dates: September 2019 – July 2021
Source & Format: Public Library–Audiobook
Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:
I had intended to read this series a long time ago because I remember seeing it everywhere when it first came out. But I don’t always have the best experience with witch-based novels so I found myself passing it over for other series. So when I needed a new audio series to start, the covers called to me and I decided to take a chance!
The Concept / The World:
Like I said above, I struggle with witch stories because I aim a logic driven person. I often find the rules are bent in magic based stories and it drives me nuts! But with this series, I liked the bigger picture of what the witches stood for in the world. The dichotomy between the witches and the Church created a very intriguing dynamic and amplified the stakes of everything that was happening to the characters.
I will admit, I think I get lost in the mechanics of the world when it came to keeping all the aspects of magic straight and such. That feeling of being lost is part of the reason I tend to stay away from witch stories. I also think that might have been a result of listening to this series in audio vs reading the text and being able to quickly go back to clarify something I might have overlooked earlier.
The Plot:
This series had great pacing (except for the last book, which I’ll explain below). There was always a sense of danger in the air and it made every chapter tense with anticipation. And as I read, the supporting cast started to shine and I felt like the action was nonstop.
When it came to the finale, Gods & Monsters (#3) while there were a lot of great twists to the plot, parts also felt slow and dull. I think if this series had stuck to being a duology, we would have had a stronger finale. Instead, it just felt stretched and pushed to be something more than it was maybe originally intended to be.
The Characters:
I’ll admit that I did get lost when more characters with convoluted pasts arrived. But the core cast we follow were fabulous, complex characters. I honestly didn’t know how attached I was to everyone until I finished the epilogue and realized my time with them was done. I love when that happens!
The Romance:
I loved all the tension when Lou and Reid (who are enemies) start to fall for each other. The banter between Reid and Lou was fabulous throughout the series. At the same time, it did seem like it was just a switch that got flicked but I think that might have been a me problem as I listened to the audiobook.
My Audiobook Experience:
While the audio production was great, I’m just not sure it was the right way for me to read this complex series? I might have benefitted from being able to go back in the pages to reread key aspects to the plots. On the other hand, I think having the emotions of the narrators helped bring the story to life in a way I wouldn’t have gotten from the text version. So I have no regrets about my choice.
Series Rating: 3.5/5
Serpent & Dove 3.5/5 | Blood & Honey 3.5/5 | Gods & Monsters 3/5
This series surprised me in a great way and I am so glad I took a chance to read it. I get why people were hyping it up when it was first released.
Read if You Like: witches, magic, enemies to lovers
Avoid if You: dislike action, dislike magic
- Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco (Kingdom of the Wicked Series #1)
- The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller (The Shadows Between Us Series #1)
- Dance of Thieves by Mary E Pearson (Dance of Thieves Series #1)
