ARC Review: The Shadow Bride (The Scarlet Veil #2) by Shelby Mahurin

In the thrilling conclusion of the duology set in the world of the New York Times bestselling Serpent & Dove series by Shelby Mahurin, a vampire and the woman who tried to kill him prove that true love can conquer anything, even Death. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Mass.

Célie’s life is over. She took her final breath trying to save the people she loves—including the powerful and enigmatic vampire king, Michal, who refused to let her go. When Célie wakes, she cannot walk in the sun; she can hear her friends’ heartbeats and she craves their blood. Michal has cursed her to the eternal existence of a vampire.

But Célie isn’t the only dead roaming the earth. Her sister, Filippa, has returned as a shadow of her former self, and other revenants are rising from their graves intent on revenge. The fragile balance between life and death has broken, awakening an even darker force—and he is coming for Célie, ready to claim her as his Bride. With the fate of their world at stake, Célie and Michal must set aside their searing attraction to mend the veil and right the balance, once and for all.

Title: The Shadow Bride (The Scarlet Veil #2)

Author: Shelby Mahurin

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publication Date: March 25, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Harper Colins and Edelweiss for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

To say I was excited to read this installment in the Serpent and Dove world is an understatement. The Scarlet Veil was one of my top reads for 2024. I enjoyed Serpent and Dove by The Scarlet Veil too Mahurin's story and writing to the next level. And since it ended on a huge cliffhanger, I had been chomping at the bit to get an early copy and see the outcome.

This book starts off right where the last book left off, so don't go reading this thinking you'll understand anything at all. You have to have the background from the first book. I would even say you need the background from the Serpent and Dove trilogy to truly understand it all. Reading this series without having read the trilogy will ruin relationships for you and leave you wondering about the magic system and how the world was built.

Celie is a vampire and her world has been thrown into upheaval. Death is hounding her to take her place as his bride and she is trying her hardest to adjust to her new life while keeping her friends safe.

I really loved Celie's growth in the first book of this series. I wasn't a fan of hers from the trilogy but The Scarlet Veil really pushed her to a height I wasn't expecting. Unfortunately, she didn't grow more with this book. That growth leveled out and this book was more about her fighting the good fight and saving the world (and her friends and family along with it). She does come into herself a bit as her new form: a vampire. She learns what she needs to do to survive. But above that she is the same.

I will say I enjoyed the romance in this. It was a slight slow burn, which we had in the first book, as well. But the first book showed the relationship might not go anywhere where this book focuses on her and Michal becoming closer and falling into each other. Michal had the most growth in this book of any of the characters. I do wish there was more than one point of view in the book so I could have been a bit inside his head.

More than anything, I love the side characters in this book. I feel like they are my friends given their development from the beginning of the first trilogy. I enjoyed how they were always there for Celie, accepting her for who she is and not judging her for who she was.

The pacing of this book was definitely slower for me than the first. I didn't feel drawn to run and read it whenever I had a chance, though I wanted to. And there were times I was actually bored and found myself skimming and then having to go back so I could understand what was happening. I dare say it suffers from second book syndrome even though this series is a duology. The journy the characters take is kind of all over the place jumping back and forth between the veil but never getting anywhere until the very end. The story was a little disjointed, as well. Sometimes I was totally lost as to what the characters were talking about or doing and how it related to the story. Other times they would come to conclusions that I didn't really understand. Perhaps had I read the books back to back I may have been more in tune, though I do remember the first book quite well. 

There were quite a few plot holes, with things being forgotten that were important to the story line making for a messy read at times. Elements that made no sense being part of the story and leaving me wondering why they may have even been introduced if they were never fully developed. It pulled me out of the story and made me feel lost. And I had a hard time visualizing some of the scenes.

Overall, this was more disappointing to me than I would have liked. I did enjoy the story and I was pretty happy with the ending but overall I just felt like it wasn't as tightly put together as the first book.

Author:

Shelby Mahurin grew up on a small farm in rural Indiana, where sticks became wands and cows became dragons. Her rampant imagination didn't fade with age, so she continues to play make-believe every day—with words now instead of cows. When not writing, Shelby watches the Office and obsesses over her Twitter feed. She still lives near that childhood farm with her very tall husband, semi-feral toddlers, two dogs, and one cat.

 

ARC Review: The Folklore of Forever (Moonville #2) by Sarah Hogle

 

From the acclaimed author of Old Flames and New Fortunes comes a steamy enemies-to-lovers romantasy about a paranormal skeptic who is roped into a ghost hunting romp by the charming boy next door . . . who might just show her what real fantasies are made of.

Paranormal skeptic Zelda Tempest is hoping for a much-needed creativity boost for a new paranormal mystery novel. But despite the alleged magic of her hometown, Moonville, Ohio, she’s as stuck as ever. 

With two witch sisters, not believing in magic is strange for a Tempest, but no one is more disappointed than Morgan Angelopoulos, the charming man next door. So, to cure her of her writer's block and her disbelief in magic, Morgan ropes her into a ghost-hunting romp, only for Zelda to discover something else bizarre, never-before-seen creatures that appear as ordinary pets to everyone else. 

Curious about what else might be lurking in Moonville's woods, Zelda and Morgan embark on a quest to uncover the true magic that lies in their midsts . . . and perhaps, just maybe, they will find that the magic they're searching for has been with them all along.

Title: The Folklore of Forever (Moonville #2)

Author: Sarah Hogle

Publisher: G.P. Putnam & Sons

Expected Publication Date: April 8, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Are you looking for a cute, small town, slow burn romance series with some magic sprinkled in? Then you should be reading the Moonville series by Sarah Hogle. If you love Sarah Hawley's Glimmer Falls series (which I ADORED), you will enjoy these stories and characters. While you don't need to read the first book in the series to read this one, I definitely found this one more enjoyable because I knew the side characters. I highly recommend reading them in order but if you don't mind knowing some outcomes for the other characters, then pick this one up and dive in!

I will say, this one had much more magic than the first book did. I wasn't expecting the level of magic to be ramped up so much but I loved it for that reason so much more.

After many disastrous moves and an inability to write anything new for her publisher, Zelda Tempest moves home to live with her sisters in the hopes creativity will spark. What she wasn't expecting was Morgan Angelopoulos to get in her way. And she certainly wasn't expecting the foretelling of her and her sister's love lives to take shape and become true!

I really liked Zelda. She was quirky and creative and a lot of fun to get to know. I also loved that Hogle included some mental health representation with her character. Someone who could not keep herself together but learned that medication and talking about her issues helps. She questions everything, including the witchiness of her sisters and niece. She's a skeptic and doesn't want to give into her base being of magic. But holding it back just makes her more confused. Once she accepts who she is, she blossoms so much.

Morgan is an interesting character. To be honest, he was hard to figure out. He's a bit eccentric and unusual not only in his personality but in his dress and the way he presents himself. I didn't get much of a read on him when I read the first book, just that he was a journalist who had taken up residence in their store. I enjoyed getting to know him more in this book. 

I loved the idea of the enemies to lovers trope in this book. Though I'm not sure they were so much enemies as they were forced to be in each other's proximity. And Zelda gave off the grumpy vibes while Morgan was definitely more sunshine. Their chemistry was a bit unusual. One moment Zelda is saying she knows she needs to find her true love but it's not Morgan and the next she's kissing him. There's a lot of push and pull on her end. Morgan, on the other hand, has his mind made up from the start; he knows he wants Zelda but he is patient enough to wait for her until she realizes what they have.

It was fun seeing all the characters from the first book. Especially Zelda's sisters, Romina and Luna. And I love Zelda's niece Aisling. It would be fun for her to have a book, though she's a little young for such romance yet!

One thing I will say is that Hogle does a lot of jumping around in this book. At some points, I was rather confused with what was happening and had to read scenes a few times to have the plot click. Other times, I felt like a chapter ended and then jumped somewhere else, but the previous plot point was not wrapped up. I feel like the magic sometimes got in the way of the story.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, though not as much as the first. I'd love to pick up some of the other titles this author has written. And I'm looking foward to Luna's story because I know it's going to be a doozy!

Author:

Sarah Hogle is a mom of three who enjoys trashy TV and provoking her husband for attention. Her dream is to live in a falling-apart castle in a forest that is probably cursed. Her novels are You Deserve Each Other, Twice Shy, Just Like Magic, and Old Flames and New Fortunes.

Most Anticipated Releases Tuesday March 25, 2025

Happy new release day!

Check out the releases I'm most excited about.

The Shadow Bride (The Scarlet Veil #2) by Shelby Mahurin

I loved the first book in this series. I am reading this second one and, while I like it, it's not as good as the first in my opinion. But this cover!

Slaying the Vampire Conqueror (Crowns of Nyaxia #2.5) by Carissa Broadbent

While I know this one was published previously, I'm excited the author got picked up by a major publisher and is having this amazing series reprinted!

Just Our Luck by Denise Williams

I love a good romance. This one sounds adorable!

What are you most anticipating this week?

 

Cove Reveal: Love In Plane Sight by Lauren Connolly

 I'm excited to help reveal the cover for Lauren Connolly's next book:

LOVE IN PLAN SIGHT!

Title: LOVE IN PLANE SIGHT

Release date: December 16, 2025

Pre-order link: https://books2read.com/LovePlaneSight

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/229221067-love-in-plane-sight

Tropes:

- hot for teacher

- brother's best friend

- found family

- forced proximity

- only one bed

- forbidden romance

- unrequited love

- dog mom x cat dad

- open door spice

Blurb:

With her brother’s grumpy best friend—and her longtime nemesis—as Beth’s flight instructor, her pilot lessons could be a plane disaster or their first-class ticket to forever.

Mayday. Mayday. Engine failure.

When flying with George Bunsen, the last thing Beth Lundberg wants is to be horny in the cockpit. But when her first ride-along dives toward disaster, the perpetually stoic George is forced to execute a skillful emergency landing, and Beth is horrified to find herself with an adrenaline-fueled crush on the pilot. She’s even more shocked when her brother’s best friend offers her discounted flight lessons—possibly out of guilt for almost killing them.

And despite George’s annoying habit of departing any room the moment Beth enters, she really wants to accept. No matter that it’s an egregiously expensive hobby, or that her waitressing wages go right toward her mother’s medical bills, or that she’s already in debt up to her eyebrows. Flying is Beth’s dream, and she could use her private license to earn real money.

The more time they spend navigating the sky, the more the turbulence between George and Beth dissipates. But Beth has seen the burning wreckage that comes from mixing business with pleasure—plus, she’s been keeping a secret that, once revealed, will send all her relationships into a tailspin. Can she really take a risk on romance when her pilot career isn’t even off the ground?

Have you read Connelley's Book P.S. I Hate You? It's fabulous, so go check it out!

Fat Stack Friday March 21, 2025

Here's what I was lucky enough to get this week!

NetGalley/Edelweiss:

The Love Haters by Katherine Center

I already have a Kindle copy of this book but this one is the AUDIO! I'm super excited because I really love Patti Murin and can't wait to hear her read it! Thanks NetGalley!

The Shadow Bride (The Scarlet Veil #2) by Shelby Mahurin

I adored the first book in this series and had been waiting to see if it would go up on NetGalley and/or Edelweiss. I saw it on NG first and requested the Kindle and audio versions. But then I went to Edelweiss and was able to download it as I'm preapproved for Harper Collins on there. I don't have much time to get it done and I'm about 40% in now. Hoping to get it done to review on Monday since publication date is next Tuesday!

Kindle:

Banana Pants by Penny Reid

This one was free to download from Amazon and I liked the blurb. Hope it's cute!

Sunrise On The Reaping (Hungers Games #0.5) by Suzanne Collins

Excited to have another installment in this series as I truly love it. Hoping to dive into this one in April.

In the mail:

These beauties showed up in the mail. I was shocked to see them. Excited to give them all a read! Especially Fateless because I love Kagawa!

Fateless (Fateless #1) by Julie Kagawa

Embrace the Serpent by Sunya Mara

Tempest by K. Ibura

Bought:

ProActive Yoga by Goldie Karpel Oren

I could not pass up this book when I was buying some other yoga items because it was only $5. I'm getting back into my yoga journey (which I am loving) and thought having a simple book of yoga poses would be helpful.

What did you get this week?

 

ARC Review: Fun For the Whole Family by Jennifer E. Smith

A breathtaking, joy-filled novel about the people we love, the secrets we keep, and the enduring power of family, from the bestselling author of The Unsinkable Greta James.

The four Endicott siblings—Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude—were once inseparable, a bond created by the absence of their dazzling, mercurial mother, who would return for a few weeks each summer to whisk them off on sprawling road trips around the country.

Decades later, the unthinkable has happened: the Endicotts haven’t spoken in years . . . until an out-of-the-blue text arrives from Jude, now a famous actress, summoning them to a small town in North Dakota. They’re each at a crossroads: Gemma, who put her own ambitions aside to raise the others, now isn’t sure if she wants to be a mother herself; Connor, a celebrated novelist, is floundering after his recent divorce and suffering from an epic case of writer’s block; and Roddy, at the tail end of a professional soccer career, is dangerously close to losing his future husband for the chance at one last season.

Jude is the only Endicott who seems to have it all together—but appearances can be deceiving. As the weekend unfolds, and the siblings wrestle with their shared past and uncertain futures, they’ll discover that Jude has been keeping three secrets . . . each of which could change everything.

A captivating journey and an ode to forgiveness that takes readers across all fifty states, Fun for the Whole Family brims with heart and resonates long after the final page.

Title: Fun For the Whole Family

Author: Jennifer E. Smith

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Expected Publication Date: April 8, 2025

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Ballentine for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I've been a fan of Jennifer E. Smith for a long time. Her YA books really are great and I was excited when she decided to take a dive into the adult world. I really enjoyed the Unsinkable Gretta James and was excited when I was approved to read this new title early!

This book is about family and it's ups and downs. The crises family goes through together and apart. The rifts that are made and then healed through time and space. It's an emotional journey of a family finding itself again and realizing how much they all need each other despite the secrets they've kept and the mistakes they made. Despite the title and fun cover, there are some very heavy subjects addressed in this book. Smith does so with care, honesty, and, above all, kindness.

Smith presents us with four siblings who follow completely different life paths from soccer star, to movie star, to well known author, to every day marketing strategist. Three years ago they stopped speaking to one another, despite having been close all their lives. Despite having been raised more or less by their oldest sister because their parents were physically and emotionally unavailable. There's so much trauma they have all endured over the years dealing with parents who just were not there. The bond they share truly is unbreakable, despite the distance they put between them.

Each character has a very unique story and Smith does a wonderful job developing them and showing who they are. 

Gemma, the oldest, who is trying for a baby at 43 and not sure she would ever really make a good mother. Connor, the author who shot to stardom telling a tale that rather closely resembles the story of his family's life. Roddy, the star soccer player who is aging out of the sport and trying for one last time to be known, despite the rift it puts between him and his partner. And, finally, Jude, Roddy's twin and the famous movie start who has always been rather closed off with what is going on in her life but who organizes a trip to bring the family back together and put all her cards on the table. Smith uses each character to tell us not only about themselves, but about their family and the ups and downs that have been the Endicott's. I enjoyed hearing from each unique character; seeing the story from these different points of view made it whole.

What begins as a trip to bring the family back together, quickly devolves into a weekend of drama when they are snowed in at a cabin with no electricity. The story unravels showing us both the present and the past. Smith builds on their relationships through the flashbacks. And also gives us insight into the secrets all the siblings are holding close to their hearts. 

The story is an emotional rollercoaster ride from beginning to end. It started off a bit slow for me as Smith built the world and showed us who each character was but it picked up once all the siblings were finally together and their stories started to unfold. I had moments where I was laughing out loud and moments were the tears flowed freely. It was definitely a trip worth taking. And the ending was done nicely. I love that Smith didn't tie everything up into a neat little package, That there was still trauma for the siblings to process and an understanding that they always needed to be there for each other no matter what. Smith creates believable characters who drive a poignant and touching story through a nostalgic journey, steal your heart, and make you trust in the power of the family bond. 

Author:

Jennifer E. Smith is the author of nine books for young adults, including The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight and Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between, both of which were recently adapted for film. She earned her master's degree in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, and her writing has been translated into 33 languages. She currently lives in Los Angeles. 

 

Most Anticipate Releases Tuesday March 18, 2025

Here are the books I'm excited to see being brought into the world this week!

Sunrise On the Reaping (Hunger Games #0.5) By Susan Collins

All the Hunger Games lovers are going to be fawning over this one, for sure. I'm with them! I love me sone Hunger Games. Hope this lives up to the hype,

Nine Month Contract (Mountain Men #1) by Amy Daws

I love a cute forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine trope. This one fits that bill. I got to read it early and you can see my thoughts HERE.

Falling Overboard by Sariah Wilson

I originally wanted to request this book but then didn't and now it's here so I'll just have to get it from the library, Libby, Hoopla, or on my Kindle. 

Fallen Academy Year One (Fallen Academy #1) by Leia Stone

I know this is a re-release since it was picked up by Sourcebooks Bloom Books but it sounds good to me. I hope it is!

Code Word Romance

Another cute romance I put on my list. I love romances and this one sounds delightful. This is a new author for me but I love finding new authors!

Spring Fling by Annie England Noblin

Second chance love, friends to lovers, small town, yes! Bring it on. This one just sounds adorable. I don't know this author but I'm willing to give her a try!

What are you most anticipating this week?

 

ARC Review: The Scorpion and The Night Blossom by Amelie Wen Zhao

 

In a world invaded by demons, one girl will face the ultimate test when she is forced to enter into an ancient, deadly competition for the chance to save her mother's soul… before she loses her forever. From the New York Times bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night comes the beginning of a dark and opulent fantasy duology, perfect for fans of Throne of Glass.

Nine years ago, the war between the Kingdom of Night and the Kingdom of Rivers tore Àn’yīng’s family apart, leaving her mother barely alive and a baby sister to fend for. Now the mortal realm is falling into eternal night, and mó—beautiful, ravenous demons—roam the land, feasting on the flesh of humans and drinking their souls.

Àn’yīng is no longer a helpless child, though. Armed with her crescent blades and trained in the ancient art of practitioning, she has decided to enter the Immortality Trials, which are open to any mortal who can survive the journey to the immortal realm. Those who complete the Trials are granted a pill of eternal life—the one thing Àn’yīng knows can heal her dying mother. But to attain the prize, she must survive the competition.

Death is common in the Trials. Yet oddly, Àn’yīng finds that someone is helping her stay alive. A rival contestant. Powerful and handsome, Yù’chén is as secretive about his past as he is about his motives for protecting Àn’yīng.

The longer she survives the Trials, the clearer it becomes that all is not right in the immortal realm. To save her mother and herself, Àn’yīng will need to figure out whether she can truly trust the stranger she’s falling for or if he’s the most dangerous player of all . . . for herself and for all the realms.

Title: The Scorpion and the Night Blossom

Author: Amelie Wen Zhao

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Publication Date: March 4, 2024

Review:

Thank you to Delacorte Press for asking me to read and review this title. The opinions expressed here are my own.

First let me say how I'm really into the Asian lore I've been seeing in books these days. I don't know anything about most Asian lore so it's fun to read stories to learn. More often than not, though, I've been a bit disappointed with what was offered. I thought perhaps this book might solve that issue. I was not correct.

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this title and ended up DNFing it at 30% in. I wanted to love it. I wanted to fall for the world and the characters and the story, but it just wasn't grabbing me and I found myself skimming passages and not paying attention to what I was reading.

The good:

The cover to this book is absolutely gorgeous. I would buy it just based on that.

The pacing was fairly fast, moving the characters from scene to scene.

The bad:

Nothing happened for me. I needed something to happen that was exciting. Something to draw me in and keep me there. It just wasn't happening. I didn't feel like picking up the book and falling back into the story.

The world building was lacking, as well. By 30% I should have had some idea of it, but it just wasn't there. And I didn't understand the magic system at all. Both things integral to building a unique fantasy and creating an interesting story.

The romance, I saw it building, but I really didn't feel any chemistry happening between the FMC and the MMC.

My biggest issue with the book was I was bored. I didn't care about the characters at all. It didn't matter to me if they lived or died, fell in love or didn't, got out of chaos or fell victim to it. I just didn't care. I hope others like it more than me.

Author:

Amélie Wen Zhao（赵雯）was born in Paris and grew up in Beijing, where she spent her days reenacting tales of legendary heroes, ancient kingdoms, and lost magic at her grandmother’s courtyard house. She attended college in the United States and now resides in New York City, working as a finance professional by day and fantasy author by night. In her spare time, she loves to travel with her family in China, where she’s determined to walk the rivers and lakes of old just like the practitioners in her novels do.

Amélie is the author of the Blood Heir trilogy and the upcoming Song of Silver, Flame Like Night duology.

Fat Stack Friday March 14, 2025

 

Happy Friday. Here's what I got this week!

NetGalley/Edelweiss

Coming in Hot by Josie Juniper

I'm still searching for a F1 book that will gel with me. Maybe this will be the one!

On my Kindle

Kisst Now, Lie Later by C.W.Farnsworth

Saw this advertised on Facebook. Really liked the sound of the blurb. Plus, I love the cover! Hope it's good!

Hate To Fake It To You by Amanda Sellet

I won a copy of The Odds Of Getting Even by this author from Goodreads and saw there was a first in the interconnected series, so I got it!

Go Luck Yourself (Royals and Romance #2) by Sara Raasch

Have you read the first book in this series? No? WHY??? I had the opportunity to listen to the audio version and it was fabulous. You can see my review for that HERE. Unfortunately, I didn't get an early copy of this to review, but I now have it on my Kindle so it's all good!

Chaos (Uncharted Hearts #3) by Constance Fay

I stumbled upon this series because the publisher sent me a copy of the first book to read. I was so surprised by how much I liked it. I got to listen to the audio of the second book and that totally hooked me to keep going with this series. I can't wait to jump into this one.

In The Mail:

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewel

Love me some Lisa Jewel. I actually have an egalley of this one so I'm surprised an ARC showed up in the mail. But I do like it when I can read more than one format of a title. Looking forward to what she gives us with this one.

Alice Chen's Reality Check by Kara Loo & Jennifer Young

Fake dating? CHECK! Rivals to lovers? CHECK! Let's go! This one came in the mail from Penguin Random House and I'm excited to give it a try!

The Scorpion And The Night Blossom (The Three Realms Duology) by Amelie Wen Zhao

I received this copy from FairyLoot. It is so pretty. Unfortunately, I also had an egalley for review which I ended up DNFing (check our my reasons HERE). But it sure does look pretty on my shelf.

The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith

I was excited when I heard this would be in my FairyLoot delivery this month. And it does not disappoint in the way it looks. I got a chance to read this one early and you can see my review HERE.

What did you get this week?