Shelby Mahurin is back and better than ever! Definitively, this book is for the Klaus girlies, for the "mirrorball" girlies, for the girlies who won’t smile when asked, but will show you their teeth.

In “The Scarlet Veil”, we get to see the continuation of Célie Tremblay’s story after the events of the Serpent & Dove trilogy as she becomes a Chasseur and embarks upon an investigation in Cesarine where she crosses paths with vampires, ghosties, all sorts of creatures, and it’s one hell of an atmospheric ride with appearances from old, beloved characters, and with the addition of new favorites!

While the whimsy of the Requiem—where Célie’s journey takes her in this book—and the introduction of captivating new characters were exciting to read about, I have to say, my favorite part of this book was just getting to see more of Célie. She starts off in Serpent & Dove as a character you want nothing more than to dismiss, but once Gods & Monsters rolls around, you really get to see how multi-dimensional she is. What “The Scarlet Veil” did, though, is expose her for the relatable heroine she is, the one you see yourself in and the one you want to root for. I just loved this journey for her.

Aside from that, I really liked seeing the mystery format this book takes, as it’s a bit different from the trajectory of Shelby’s previous books. It was fun, suspenseful, and I really truly did not at any point see where the mystery was going or where it would end up. The vibes are also immaculate, as they always are from Shelby. I feel like if you want a good vampire book for fall that taps into favorite aspects of older vampire media, this is the book for you. Throughout “The Scarlet Veil”, settings and, I don’t know, just the vibes were so reminiscent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, True Blood, Interview with the Vampire… and, yes, The Vampire Diaries. Everything you already love about vampires is here, but there’s also so much fresh life breathed into the genre (see what I did there?).

I will say, “The Scarlet Veil” has a slower start compared to Shelby’s other books, but the set-up of our new characters and world requires some groundwork to be laid out first. With that in mind, the romance is also very slow-burn in this book, but, I don’t know, I felt like the pacing worked, like it was a perfect fit for a more gothic fantasy sort of book!

I’m not going to delve into too much else because it’s really difficult without spoiling, but I just wanna say… that ending… lmao, y’all are gonna hate Shelby for the ending in this book because I know I do😀 So, have fun with that!

One last thing, though. The biggest question you might have, is whether or not you need to read the Serpent & Dove trilogy in full before starting “The Scarlet Veil”. And, like… noooo, I guess you don’t have to do that, but I genuinely wouldn’t recommend it. I think it helps a lot to have the background of the other three books first, especially in relation to who Célie is as a character and how she has evolved thus far. And, like… THE OTHER BOOKS ARE SO GOOD, I PROMISE, WHY WOULD YOU WANNA SKIP THEM😭 Seriously, I say this so often, but it’s still true two years later: Gods & Monsters is the best finale to a series I have ever read, and that is the book which really jumpstarts Célie’s development as a character. So, do with that information what you will!

Shelby Mahurin has been one of my go-to authors ever since I first picked up Serpent & Dove. There’s something about the way she builds her worlds and writes her characters that feels both immersive and approachable—like you could just slip into the story and instantly become part of the friend group.

The Scarlet Veil is no exception. It’s a natural, seamless expansion of a world I already love, and I was thrilled to see familiar characters return without it feeling forced or overly nostalgic. Everything about it—from the dark atmosphere to the emotional tension—felt fresh but comfortingly familiar.

And true to form, Shelby left us dangling off a cliff by the final page. I closed the book and immediately screamed (lovingly) into the void, desperate for book two. If you loved her previous series, this continuation is a must-read.

I loved the first two books that this author wrote (Serpent and Dove, and Blood and Honey!) but I couldn’t get into this one! I tried many times and even bought the hardcover version for my bookshelf… but this was a DNF! I couldn’t get past the writing style and I didn’t connect with the characters at all. I’m sorry I couldn’t finish it

**Review of *The Scarlet Veil* by Shelby Mahurin**

*The Scarlet Veil* was super intriguing and showcased themes of love, power, and betrayal. The magic system was great and the authors writing had vivid world-building and a rich plot that kept me engaged. The characters were well developed and the romance didn't overshadow the action. Its overall a great read!

I own this and intend to read it in the future I'm just clearing this off my board to reduce stress. I will update when I read/review.

I was a huge fan of this authors previous series. This was great. It took me back into the world and I loved every minute of it.

A return to the world of Serpent & Dove with a vampire tale, I was sold. I enjoyed the return of old characters and the presence of new ones. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

This is part of a popular YA fantasy series and also vampires are growing in popularity. I think this is a must by for libraries serving teens who enjoy fantasy.

Shelby Mahurin does it again!! The Scarlet Veil is a spin off duology that, while it can be read as a standalone, is a continuation of her Serpent and Dove series … BUT now there are vampires. Celie is a character that I wasn’t sure I would love in the original trilogy but I am so excited to see her come into her own and step into her power in this book. This book made me fall in love with Celie and it is so interesting to hear her inner dialogue and PoV vs seeing her from the outside only. Peace out Jean Luc, hello Michal! Enemies to lovers, in the way that only Shelby Mahurin can do. I can’t wait for book two!! Also… getting to reunite with old friends aka, the gang from G&M was everything my heart needed.

The book was somewhat entertaining for me. The plot is clear and precise to the leading characters objective. The background story of the FMC, celie is remarkably detailed. I love reading about the different characters and how they contribute to the story. The action sequences are a added plus to how well the book reads. The twists in the book is surprising to the story. I will say that the book feels like it has a very slow pace to it. I would like the action or entertaining sequences to last more than one or two pages. I think that it’s great to Celie out on her own to help her kingdom out, but I felt that she could have a small team of defenders to travel and fight alongside her.

I loved reading more about these characters that I enjoyed from the previous trilogy. I enjoyed the progression of the story and the growth of the main character. The slow burn romance is perfect - now I want to read the next book!!

I enjoyed this book. I love how it was interconnected with her previous series. I've found that the book was centered on the healer, which was a character. I was really curious about. I also really just enjoy the world building in the magical system within this universe. The character arcs, and the growth that everyone goes through this book was a meant, but it was also well paced and well developed. And I just enjoyed how the main character went through a lot of changes, but it came out, almost better in the end.

I actually think I enjoyed this more than the Serpent and Dove books! I love vampires, and this just tickled that part of my brain nicely.

Really enjoyed this book!

Rating 4/5 🌟

I really enjoyed the previous series and was so happy that the world is expanding! This series you don't need to have read the pervious series but it was such a good thing cause I knew things and didn't have questions about who the MCs were!

A spin-off to the Serpent and Dove series, a new vampire enemy to lover book delivers a story that will leave you wanting more. Celie is determined to never be the weak fragile girl she was seen as before and after she becomes the first huntswoman in the Chasseurs she is met with distain and secrets that try to force her back into the shadows of her former life. Refusing the role that others have chosen for her she sets out to uncover a new evil that is causing the land to wither and people to be drained of all their blood. However when she is captured by a ruthless blood sucking king, this once damsel in distress steps up to prove to herself and others that there is more to her then meets the eye especially when she discovers newfound abilities place her in a prophecy that may lead her to her and others downfall.
I loved this book and being able to return to this land yet discover new aspects about it. Will definitely be reading the second and in fact am waiting impatiently to get my hands on the second.

Loved this book. The scarlet veil is an exceptional first book in a fantastic spin off series. Celie has been one of my favourite characters since reading the very first series. It’s rare that a fantasy heroine is depicted the way she is as they’re usually very different, and that’s exactly what drew me into her character. It was a thoughtful story and I’m super excited to see what happens next!

Content warning: kidnapping, murder, drugging, blood, large age gap relationship

Célie may have redeemed herself by Gods & Monsters but I was unsure about going back into the Serpent & Dove world with her as the protagonist. While I get that Célie is only 19, it was exhausting how naive she was and how many times she failed to do something/understand what was going on. Based on everything else she's encountered it took her WAY too long to figure out vampires exist. Given her age and lack of life experiences it also made little sense that Michal was as interested in her as he was. I didn't buy the romance.

This book is also WAY too long in general at over 600 pages, but especially for a YA novel. With that being said, Mahurin does a great job at making her novels super readable and even though the plot lagged, it was an enjoyable read... even if it was super easy to predict how this whole thing was going to end.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, and HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.

After DNFing Blood & Honey in her first series, I was hoping that this book would give me that loving feeling I had for Serpent & Dove. Unfortunately, I feel like the author didn't learn anything from the pacing issues they had in the first book. This book was FAR too long. I also wish it had been in a different universe than Serpent & Dove since I think that was kind of one of my issues with it. There were just so many problems that carried over to this series so I won't be continuing with this.

Okay this shocked me with how much I enjoyed it. After having read the Serpent & Dove trilogy and liking it but not loving it, I had mixed feelings going into this book. I will say that you kind of have to had already read S&D to fully appreciate and understand this story since the world is closely tied together. The writing was fun and I enjoyed the characters like I did with S&D. This dark and gothic story had all the fall vibes you could ask for and I am definitely looking forward to the next book. Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was hesitant at first to continue Célie’s story; however, I was quickly pulled in. I admire how Mahurin showed the character’s depth and determination. As Célie comes into her own, we’re introduced to new compelling characters, as well as dark, magical settings. Cannot wait for the sequel!