The Shadow Bride
by Shelby Mahurin
The Scarlet Veil #2
Fantasy Paranormal
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Mar 25, 2025
Harper Collins
Ages: 18+

Celie died saving the people she loved, but she wakes as a vampire thanks to Michal. While she didn't want to die, she also didn't want to exist craving the blood of the people she willingly sacrificed her life to save.

But Celie's sister, Filippa, isn't a vampire, but she is dead and walking beside Death himself, as are revenants, people risen from the grave to seek revenge.

The veil between the living and the dead has split. Death is coming for Celie to claim her as his Bride to bring down the veil completely.


As this is book two, and the last book, of The Scarlet Veil series (and technically book four of the Serpent & Dove series) I don't want to say too much because... spoilers... And yes, one needs to read the Serpent & Dove series first.

It is a good ending to this part of the story, has action and some suspense. There was some dragging in the beginning as Celie began her 'life' as a vampire, the ups and downs, along with a few other places, but the story didn't get bogged down and boring.

I feel that the romance between Celie and Michal was too drawn out, and this book didn't need the adult scene so now it is not suitable for the YA audience it supposedly is aimed at. Because of this scene(s), it's only suitable for readers over eighteen. A little less detail, and it would have been fine.

Overall, I liked the story and the characters, except Filippa; while I got her excuses, she was a little naive for the 'older' sister.

If it wasn't for the adult content in a book aimed at YA, this would have got one more star.

3 Stars

Picking up 2 weeks after The Scarlet Veil we follow Cèlie as she tries to adjust to her new life...and all that entails. But darkness is stirring and its up to cèlie and Co. to save everyone.

All I'm going to say is this: perfect slow burn romance, characters that I will forever cherish. The plot and overall arc was done well. The plot and pacing were good. The ending!!! Tears 😭
Shelby Mahurin thank you for gifting us these beautiful badass characters.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.
Book is out now so go enjoy.

The Shadow Bride is a satisfying end to the Starlet Veil duology. I struggled a little with the beginning and how long it took for the two main characters to connect again, but I love Shelby Mahurin's writing style and was thoroughly entertained with the middle and ending. I would love to see a spin-off following Dimitri or Odessa.

I received an ARC from HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. The Shadow Bride was the PERFECT ending to the duology. I'm obsessed with this world that Ms. Mahurin created between her two series, and I still wish there was more to explore! I loved the characters, the romance, and everything in-between.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!

I didn’t realize going in that Shadow Bride is the second book in a series, and that definitely affected my reading experience. There were moments where I felt a bit lost—especially when it came to the character dynamics and worldbuilding details that seemed to rely heavily on knowledge from book one.

That said, I still found a lot to appreciate. The writing is lush and atmospheric, with vivid imagery and a tone that really fits the gothic fantasy vibe. There’s a haunting quality to the story that kept me curious, even when I wasn’t entirely sure what had happened before.

The relationships are layered and complex, and I could tell there was emotional depth to the characters—even if I didn’t always fully grasp their backstories. It definitely made me want to go back and read book one to fill in the gaps and better appreciate the nuance of this installment.

If you're new to the series, I’d highly recommend starting from the beginning. But if you’re continuing the journey, I think fans will appreciate where the story is heading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a copy of this book. I love a good vampire novel and I thought this was a great end to this duology. I loved these characters and this world. I loved the cameos from characters from the original series. These did lose me at points but overall I enjoyed it.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me the opportunity to read, The Shadow Bride" in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a perfect ending for the Scarlet Veil. The story kept me engaged. The story is dark but heartwarming at the same time. The characters are loveable and ever growing. The characters provide much needed comic relief as the book is quite intense at times.
The book lacked providing more information about doors and windows of the veil and how they close but the story held up without my full understanding.
Overall ..a great follow up to the first book which was amazing in itself. Shelby Mahurin nailed it!

Easy 5 star read! Shadow Bride has been one of my most anticipated reads for almost 2 years now. The Scarlet Veil did so much world and character building so well that Shadow Bride is able to go off running right away. Celie is one of my fave FMCs of all time, never losing her softness but her strength shows so much more in this life she has in book two. Her relationship to herself, her family, and her friends is so consuming and you sit there w her the whole time. Michal is everything, such a well written and genuinely so tender 😭 a perfect perfect conclusion to this universe but more importantly to Celie and Michal’s stories.

The stunning conclusion to The Scarlet Veil duology. Book two picks up mostly where book one left off. We have Celie who is recently reunited with her friends Lou and Coco, with one minor caveat. She's a newly turned vampire, and the vampire who turned her is not here. Celie has to learn how to come to turn with being a vampire, and the possibility of having hurt the ones she loves. But guess who also is back? Her dead sister and Death. Celie and Michal must race against the clock to find a way to rid the world of revenant and Death before he brings down the veil for good. This book has found family, romance, and vampire!!!! While I loved book one, this book did feel a little too long. I wanted more romance and tension.

Célie still struggles with making questionable decisions and believing she always knows what’s best, which becomes frustrating at times. Additionally, her found family mirrors the dynamics of her old group from the first book, repeating the same behaviors, but Célie doesn’t seem to hold them to the same standards, which feels somewhat hypocritical. There’s also a particular character who makes an appearance with little purpose, and their inclusion felt unnecessary to the point where I found myself rolling my eyes more than once.

Despite these drawbacks, the universe remains incredibly entertaining, and the introduction of new characters adds fresh depth to the story. Michal, in particular, shines throughout this book. His growth is remarkable, and he honestly feels like the driving force of the series—his character arc surpasses Célie’s in terms of development and emotional depth.

The emotional intensity of the book really elevates the narrative, creating strong connections with the characters and making their struggles feel deeply personal. The storytelling is immersive, drawing you in with each page, making it hard to put down.

Overall, I would wholeheartedly recommend this series to any reader who enjoys romantasy. The blend of romance, fantasy, and character growth makes it a standout in the genre.

A worth the wait sequel indeed!

This book was truly everything I could have ever anticipated. When I read book one, I was absolutely enthralled with the world and the characters. Returning to these characters felt like coming home again. There is so much that happens in this story and to these characters, and it was such a fun and wild journey.

I will forever have a special place in my heart for Michal and Celie. They melt my heart, and I loved all their moments together. Watching them really fall in love with one another in this book was enchanting. I loved the vampires and the stakes that our lovers faced. And I was more than relieved to see them all get their HEAs. Granted it didn't end the way I expected, which took me by surprise. Lot of things worked out a little too well towards the end, but nevertheless, I'm glad our characters can finally rest and be happy. Leaving this world and these characters behind is hard. From seeing characters from Serpent and Dove, to Dimitri and Odessa and Mila, to our leads, I will truly miss each of their personalities. It was such a fun cast of characters.

Now like I said, it was wrapped up very nicely. Do I wish there had maybe been a little more angst at the end...maybe? But I am glad that is ended happily, and I don't have to wait for another sequel. At times I will say the pacing was wonky, but at the end of the day, the story was still very fun to follow. Overall, I enjoyed this duology, and it now has a special spot as one of my favorite duologies. Would definitely recommend this to everyone!

I would like to extend a huge thank you to author, the publisher, and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 4.5/5

I love it when a book comes along and instantly sweeps you away into an adventure that captures your attention wholeheartedly, where the story makes everything else fall away and completely immerses you. The Shadow Bride was an incredible finale to this beautifully romantic and gothic duology and became a top read of mine for this year!

After the events of The Scarlet Veil, we follow our heroine, Célie, as she encounters new beginnings, struggles, and foes in this second chapter of this incredible series.

I had a feeling this book, after the INSANE cliffhanger from the first one, would be wildly more romantic and that the brewing love story would take off, and *whew* did it!! As much as I love and adore all of the couples in this world of Serpent & Dove, these two just stole my gothic, enemies to lovers adoring, October loving heart! The banter was off the charts, the chemistry was magnetic, and the layered development was brilliant (including the entire plot and character growth as well!).

As always, the found family aspect (and family in this case) is such a strong, bold element woven into these stories. It melts my heart every single time.

Vampire books will always be my weakness, and this one I just devoured. And I can’t wait to see what Mahurin will write next!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I wanted to love this more than I did. I found myself unable to remember so much of the first book that I was lost for about the first 20%. This didn’t really keep my attention like the first book did but it was still good. I loved Célie again in this one! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review.

The Shadow Bride was a really good conclusion to The Scarlet Veil (and the whole Serpent & Dove universe, assuming this is the last one SM will write in this world). After being left on such a cliffhanger in the Scarlet Veil, I was so excited to dive in and see all the fallout from that night. I was not disappointed in Celie's transition and the ramifications of choices made that night. The main issue I struggled with was the layout. I had a really hard time picturing the layout of all the different locations used, especially in the Veil. I got confused at where the characters were and how they were able to interact in different parts. And I wish the big bad and his minions had been, well, a bit more bad/apocalyptic. I will say, I was still so happy so many OG characters were around in this book and I really did love the new characters as well. Overall, I was really happy with this book!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

"You're the sun, Célie. I couldn't let you die because you are my sun; you are every good thing I've ever wanted and never deserved, and once I saw you, felt you, I could no longer live without you."

4.25 stars

This was a pretty solid ending to the duology.

Célie still had her moments of horrible decision making and thinking she knew best. And I feel like her found family did a lot of the same stuff as her friends did in the first book, but she didn't really get mad this time, so that's a little hypocritical. And there's a certain character that shows up for absolutely no reason and I had a really hard time not rolling my eyes a lot.

But this universe is so entertaining and all the new characters are pretty great. Michal carried the whole series on his back honestly. His character growth was 👌 and I think he shines a little brighter than Célie here.

The emotions in this book were really intense and it allowed for easy connections to these characters and the storytelling was so engaging.

I would absolutely recommend this series to any romantasy lovers ❤️‍🔥

Fantastic end to the series. I did feel there were some slow parts but overall I really good book and a fun read. Plenty of found family, romance, and suspense. It was a good book but I don’t get that rush like I did with the first book. This one felt a bit more predictable.

A fantastic ending to the duology. This was such a fun read and continuation of the world. I loved Célie & Michal in this book and adored the found family aspect in this story. I enjoyed getting to know more of the side characters and the romance was just really fantastic. Reading this has been great and I can't wait to read what shelby writes next! hank you so much NetGalley & HarperCollins for the arc 🖤

Before I tell you what I think about this book... let me take you on a journey. I received this as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley and HarperCollins (thank you for this in exchange for my opinion!). Since it was the second in a series, I knew I had to read the first, so I started The Scarlet Veil. I'm like 15-20% in and thinking "wow, this author is alluding to a lot of stuff that would be great backstory detail to know... why is she just skimming over this?" So I do a bit more research... turns out that since it's part of the Serpent & Dove world, it pretty much requires you to read those books first so you have any clue who these people are and about their stories. To which I realize - I read the first book of the Serpent & Dove trilogy in 2022 and haven't read a book since. Cue the mad reading dash so I could finish The Scarlet Veil before my Libby checkout ran out and to let me review The Shadow Bride in good timing! Moral of the story - read the trilogy first, then come to this duology.

Now, for my review of The Shadow Bride. It was stunning. I was drawn in from page 1 wanting to know what happened to Célie. It's truly a fight for the world after she has been turned by Michal. As magic continues to sicken, other horrifying truths are coming to light, like that Célie's sister Filippa is still alive (or is she?). If you enjoyed the world and characters of Serpent & Dove and of The Scarlet Veil, you have to read this to wrap up your time and to find out what happens to our favorite characters.

For those wondering if they should get into these books at all... the answer is yes. Definitely yes. Need more convincing? I wouldn't consider any of these books to be high fantasy, but they also aren't the standard spicy romantasy books. If you enjoy reading about witches, vampires, and the other things that go bump in the night along with a fairly simple and well explained magic system, this is your jam. These books have a bit of a darker vibe, but Shelby Mahurin is a fabulous storyteller and really weaves the whole thing together.

I 100% recommend this book - just make sure you read the others in the world first so you don't have to scramble like I did!

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS BOOK (AND THIS DUOLOGY). My favorite aspect of this duology is that Celie is strong in a way that most people don't think of. Prior to becoming a vampire, she wasn't particularly strong in wielding weapons. She couldn't quite catch up to learning how to fight. She wasn't like Reid or Lou or Coco who had magic and could manipulate things. But Celie was, and is, strong-minded. She's loyal to her friends. She leads with empathy. She so desperately wants to understand people and see them beyond their bad choices. In terms of the plot itself, it was really fun to read. I flew through this in a matter of hours. Yes, the plot is a little predictable but I still absolutely devoured this like it was candy. I loved seeing our old characters from the Serpent and Dove series. I loved seeing the development of our new characters. Everything about this book and series and world was so awesome. I'm sad to see it come to an end, but I'm excited to see what Shelby Mahurin brings to us readers in the future!

I absolutely shattered this series. I was so excited to have received this one shortly after finishing book 1. I admit the scarlet veil was slightly better for me, but this one delivered.

The character development of Celie was enthralling. She is a good soul but the beginning of this book really lets you see that even the brightest souls hold some darkness. She is transitioning and trying to adapt to vampirism. I was very touched to see her friends help her, even when it was such a danger.

Death as the villain along with the newly resurrected sister was very new to me. I’ve seen other books having death as a villain and entity. But i think this one set it up way more creatively. The change of sceneries were also very welcome. Learning about mathilde’s cabin, more of requiem, the grotto, the other side of the veil. Very descriptive and enchanted, full of magic.

Favorite thing was this very surprising happy ending. I never thought I would see all these character like this. I loved how it worked out. (Still mad at jean luc…he likes the hunter girl but disliked it when Celie was a hunter herself?? So mad at him)