I absolutely loved this! I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as i did since the last two books of the Serpent & Dove series weren’t my favourite but this was just so good! It was amazing to be back in this world and I loved having Lou and everyone as side characters in this story. Although I disliked Jean-Luc already and it only got worse in this 😤

I wasn’t a massive fan of Celie in Serpent & Dove though she did grow on me a lot but I really loved her in this (more than Lou). She was feminine and soft but also had a lot of trauma and misconceptions about herself that she needed to overcome and learn from so she could stand up and accept herself. I thoroughly enjoyed her journey and can’t wait to see more from her. The plot was great - murders, an abduction, new magical creatures introduced, ghosts and a lot more. The plot was exciting with lots of unexpected scenes and great twists. Getting to know Requirem and the vampire characters was so fun and the whole gothic vibe of the book was on point. It was immersive, seductive and had me flying through the story. I loved the darker feel and that it felt more NA that YA.

I just really enjoyed this book. Celie was an amazing protagonist, her pain, her history and her growth were beautifully done. The romance was slow burn and didn’t get too far but I’m invested and the scenes we did get were delectable. All the new vampire characters were brilliant and just as interesting and complex and loveable as the gang in serpent & dove. Mahurin wove together the old and the new wonderfully and I really can’t wait to see where the story goes. The ending was intense and I need the next book immediately!!