Beautiful photo by @heather_o_gorman
Hi FairyLooters!
Weolcome to the 5th, and final, day of our readalong for Serpent & Dove! Wow what a journey! The readalong weeks always go by so quickly!
It’s the last day of the readalong but remember you still have time till the end of the week to enter the readalong photo competition! Don’t forge to let us know you’ve entered in the Day 3 post comments!
But enough chit chat, we gotta finish this strong! Grab some coffee and let’s read until the last page!
Please be warned, the following will include spoilers for Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin! Read only if you’ve finished those pages!
-!SPOILERS!-
Honestly Reid is not the smartest huh? After at least 2 moments where she said “I have something to tell you”, he didn’t put it together that it was THIS? Sorry, I get angry when a favourite character of mine gets crap for what or who they are!
Thank goodness for Ansel! How many times have I said that during this readalong? Probably too many, but can you blame me? It’s true! He’s the real hero here!
Okay, we got some sense spoken into Reid – to the rescue!
See, I somehow just assumed that Coco told Ansel about them both being witches, but the boy realised all on his own when Lou has swapped mental places with the burning witch. I thought that would be pretty obvious as well, her screaming while the witch stood silently. Reid must not belong in Ravenclaw, that’s probably it. And he said he didn’t say anything because she was his friend. I love this character. I mean it’s the least he can do, like bare minimum of a friendship requirement is that you don’t betray your friend, but still since it goes against everything the church has taught him he chose not to reveal her identity and I think that’s so showing of his character.
You know Reid truly snapped when he stars cussing! ?? Realising that most women he knows are witches might do that! But will he know that he’s a son of one? What would that do to him?
So it WAS Madame Labelle who topped off Archbishop but with a letter saying where his daughter will be, hence the shaking of his hands! Not sure if he was aware anyone else knew about her existence! If not, that would have been quite something! That’s why he asked them to bring the witch back alive. He must care…a little bit I suppose??
“A little honesty would’ve gone a long way”. Ah yes Coco but then where’s the fun? Hah I do usually really dislike the miscommunication trope but I think it’s fitting to Madame Labelle’s character that she’d be a tad dramatic. I think she has a flare for this, scheming and acting all-knowing.
I can’t tell if Madame Labelle knows Reid is her son or not? Guys help, do you think in that scene at her institution, does she know? Of course Reid’s default is to get angry about this fact but I hope he softens up later. It wasn’t her fault really? She had her son forcefully taken from her! Her pain is not lesser than his. Although if she knew he was her son all these years, why not seek him out? Or would it be too late? Maybe she only learnt recently.
Lou’s mother shouldn’t be able to call herself a mother at all! What sort of mother is this woman! I don’t have children myself yet but I just can’t imagine feeling so twisted! Granted I wouldn’t feel like that towards anyone but especially your kid? She’s constantly injecting her with stuff so she can’t move, which to me kind of shows she still think she’s a threat at least. Easy to be all snarky and cheeky when your opponent cannot move a finger. She says of course she never loved her. She’s a child of their enemy. She points to every person who has been harmed by the church, I almost wish Lou would list the names and curses of those in the Curse Tower (I’m sure that’s not the name but it is in my head ?). This is so infuriating!
Apparently her friend from childhood is Manon! Probably not the one we are thinking about *wink wink*.
How do these friends are so brainwashed to keep telling her what an honour is to be this sacrifice. And everyone always says they’d give everything up to be in her place. Riiiiiiight, suuuure you would. Easy for them to say as they DO get to feast in her honour afterwards. Ugh and if she flees then she will put Reid in danger. But if she stays he dies either way. Not sure she made that connection properly yet.
Labelle whispered something to the cat and she was just shot down about grouping up with Jean Luc, what if she sent the cat there as a messenger? Nobody’s suspicious, no? I really don’t think Jean Luc will be able to resist killing Lou! Or even Reid in the “crossfire”. let’s be honest, that dude would be glad to be rid of him!
It’s terrible seeing Lou lose all hope. Heartbroken and hopeless, just sat there feeling guilty and betrayed, waiting to die. I just want to hug her and tell her she’s not crazy for thinking she deserves to live, and not selfish for not wanting to be a sacrifice.
And now Archbishop is there. Because her inner fire is gone she has no desire for him to die. I think in general she just wishes deaths around her would cease. She asks if he hates her though which was surprising. I suppose no matter what the circumstances we always care what our parents think about us, at least deep down.
The villain’s need to gloat is insatiable, she just HAD to tell Lou (or tell her again) that Reid is going to die with her, huh?
Labelle has really just pulled the “you know what the signal is when you’ll see it” , woman… don’t mess with us! Let us know! She must love having the plan only known to herself! ?
Oh okay never mind. Maybe she didn’t share the plan as she knew others wouldn’t go along with it. I say plan but really sacrifice would be a better term. We all know Reid would have actually tried to know her once his anger has subsided. The guy really needs to think before getting upset! Now Morgane is pulling them all out of the crowd. Oh no, stuff’s about to go down!
Coco jumps on Morgane and stabs her in the neck! Coco made Reid promise to go for Lou and we all know why now, but her limp body is so nerve wrecking I hope she’s okay!
And then…
Beau stars bellowing the big titty liddy to the hall full of witches whilst undressing??!!
Wait, did I read that right?
Lou has just died and then Reid discovers magic! He actually “trades” Archbishops life for Lou’s. Brutal! Dang!! This took a sharp turn!
Oh phew both Coco and Labelle are alive. Weak. But alive. How can Reid protest the sage spell from Coco when he just performed magic himself? Boy is slow to process and readjust! Aw I love how Lou’s first words were “did you just curse?” Haha she has lots to catch up with, as that’s not the only thing he just did!
Okay so the plan is for Coco, Reid, Ansel and Lou to hide at Coco’s coven, which apparently is led by her aunt La Voisin. This is someone who grants a reaction from our characters, but unless I missed something (and I might have!) we don’t know yet what deeds made her so reputable!
WHAT. A. RIDE!
We did it! Thank you so much for joining this readalong, you made it so much fun!
I want to hear all your thoughts! How many starts did you end up giving this, who’s your favourite character, favourite scene? Will you be reading the sequel when that is out?
Let us know down below & we hope to see you in the next one!
Have a wonderful weekend ahead!
Love,
G
I JUST WANT TO SAY: WHAT?!??!
REID IS A WITCH??!? that totally blew my mind and just HOLY CRAP! Totallt didnt expect that! The way he did it was shocking too! What’s going to happen now?
I doubt Jean Luc is going to let this slide. He might suspect Reid too. Ugh so many things!! I have so many emotions with this book I cant even!
I love everyone! Lou is easily my favorite of the bunch. Its so pleasing to see characters like her. My favorite scene was definitely the attic scene in Soleil et Lune ? For obvious reasons. I also wouldnt classify this as YA because of that.
Definitely reading the sequel. Thos book blew my mind and I am OBSESSED WITH IT. My soul is dead as I await the next book
Y’know it makes sense that Reid could be magically inclined given that his Mother is a witch but it never crossed my mind till it happened. I feel like the ending went over a little too fast, but I still have the book 5 stars. I thorougly enjoyed reading it and I looked forward to picking it up every day. It’s so rare for me to start reading a book and become so attatched to the characters after only a few chapters.
I thought I would struggle with basically a 100 pages a day because I’ve had a busy week, but it was such an easy read and before I knew it I had read through that day’s pages. But I am so looking forward to the next book!
A very enjoyable read, I adore Ansel and Coco, best supporting characters. The ending really was just an end; I was turning the rest of the pages trying to find the next chapter and looking stunned on the bus.
The magic was well handled, clever and of course comes with a price.
When’s the sequel out?
It’s expected in 2020, and it has a name already. It’s on Goodreads.
He is a witch! Omg it’s official. It’s a 5 stars on Goodreads read for me. I have not read a book with so many twists and turns in a long time. I’m detoxing by audiobooking Will my cat eat my eyeballs (questions kids have about death explained by a mortician, it is funny) otherwise I wouldn’t be able to find any other book good enough to read after that.
What did just happen?
The last pages were such a ride. First the whole situation around the relatives – not only Lou is a princess, Reid did you get you’re a prince too? Romeo and Juliet is hitting!
But first things first: Besides one really wants to slap Reid into thinking himself, into getting what’s up, it’s a whole story in itself. Being the biggest puppet of all and developing into being a witch and sacrificing his own ‘dad’, I personally like it’s happend slowly and with loops. ? Ansel wasn’t a proper chausseur from the beginning on – so his developement wasn’t that spectacular, but he is the greatest sidekick! Besides Coco, she is a badass. Even through I don’t even know who her aunt is and I think, I’ve paid attention closely. It’s part of the writing to drop things and explain those later – the first chapter was quiet the same!
Poor Lou’s background is kind of wicked, born in hatred and just to die. I think it’s a part of the emotionless character of the witches who gave up a lot for their magic – just think about the spell Morgana not just used once to kill her daugther, but didn’t get to finish twice now. What the balance of white magic must have cost her for this.
In the end it’s kind of ironic, that Chausseurs and Dames Blanche equally blinded by the hatred of their leaders. The gleam in their eyes, the ruthlessness and bloodthirst.
I wonder who you think is more bad considering the witches gave away their humanity for magic and the chausseurs not regarding witches as humans after all?
Would love the second book as fairyloot edition too!
I thought that when I started reading this book ok its going to be ajother ok book but it quickly became a really good book and now I can’t wait to read about their advenute in the next book ( which i hope it will aldo be a dairyloot exclusive)
It is awosome that Reid is a warlock soo cool and I am acually gled that he killed the Archbishop that man deserved to die to save at least one witch and his daughter non the less
It was a good book it got me hooked till the and because I desperately needed to kniw what will happen next
But seriously I really cant wait to read more of their story but mostly to find out who La Voisin really is and how she got her reputation ooooh cant wait to find out
Serpent & Dove was a really good read for me! I will read the sequel for sure!
So many plot twits at the end!
Love Reid and Lou (I also ship Coco and Ansel ?)
I loved this book it was so good!!! It hit me hard when Reid said ‘you’re not my wife’ I had to put it down for a moment. I’m so glad that he got the sense knocked into him though. I can’t wait for the second book ??.
I’m not sure if anyone else thought this but the ending was a little blunt I was kinda a shocked that it was done but it’s only a small thing and it has left me hyped to see what happens next.
Omg Reid is a witch?! That was a big shock for me and wait, the Archbishop is dead?! Then things actually went super fast for me after they decided to go rescue Lou…… I can’t wait for the sequel and this was definitely a 5 star read for me.
What an amazing ending to an amazing book!
Reid is a witch?? But it took something major like the imminent death of the love of his life to jolt it into place. So all those boy babies that were abandoned……wow, the implications…..
I totally loved this book, and cannot wait for the sequel ?
I got a little behind in the read-a-long, but I managed to finish it last night! I really enjoyed the book. 🙂
That was a lot of information to get in a hundred pages. I feel very sorry for Reid as the world as he knows it gets turned on its head. Beau was a lot more enjoyable in these pages (especially with what he did to distract the witches) than he had been before. I liked Coco talking about what witches were really like with Ansel and Reid and I can only hold they draw more witch-hunters in by talking to them.
I enjoyed this book and I’m definitely going to check out the sequel. I think I got bitten by the hype backlash bug though, this book was not an absolute favourite for me but it was a solid fantasy book. Plus I actually managed to read it during the readalong mostly 😀
Okay……. I unintentionally read this book in 2 days. I was reading one night then noticed the sun was coming up and made myself put this book down with maybe 100ish pages left. It’s been a while since a book has engulfed me.
I enjoyed the magic (this for that) and how it was something to be seen and smelt.
I can’t wait to see what happens next and to meet the witch La Voisin and what they have been up too and what is there opinions on everything!
So the sequel is called “blood and honey” and Coco in the final part says that it’s a healing spell…oh my, I don’t know how I feel about this info. Kinda worried actually. Miss. Mahurin please don’t hurt these precious babes!!
Oh. My. God. Excuse me while I go cry in the corner! This book was phenomenal! I think it’s my favorite that I’ve read all year so far.
The characters, the setting, the atmosphere. Ugh. Perfection. I need book 2 yesterday.
All of the characters were amazing and meshed so well. I of course loved the rooftop scene, it added so much to their relationship and just ugh. Perfection?? I gave it 5 stars!