Spooky Review: Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin

What a debut! Well I think it’s her debut…..and it is an absolutely fab read!

Title: Serpent and Dove

Author: Shelby Mahurin

Bound as one to love, honor, or burn.

Two years ago, Louise le Blanc fled her coven and took shelter in the city of Cesarine, forsaking all magic and living off whatever she could steal. There, witches like Lou are hunted. They are feared. And they are burned.

Sworn to the Church as a Chasseur, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. His path was never meant to cross with Lou’s, but a wicked stunt forces them into an impossible union—holy matrimony.

The war between witches and Church is an ancient one, and Lou’s most dangerous enemies bring a fate worse than fire. Unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, a choice must be made.

And love makes fools of us all.

A witch and a witch hunter……married?

Of course Chasseur, Reid doesnt know his new wife is a witch……

I loved Reid. Honourable, built, honest loyal and just oh so lovely.

And Lou is a crack up….even when she is worried about the past catching up with her.

But Reid and Lou together made my year.

‘He gave me you.’

I loved this story. And is it right that it’s the authors debut? Well it’s one hell of a debut!

There’s wit and humour, a slow burn romance where one really shouldn’t exist (!), a great list of characters (why did I picture the Archbishop as Saruman from LOTR?!) and I cannot wait for the next instalment!

What do you read around Halloween?

Hi everyone! Just a short (spooky!) post today.
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We are getting so close to Halloween so my son and I have got out all our spooky stuff!

We have the house decorated for Halloween so it seemed the perfect time to post my favourite Halloween book! 🦇🦇

I grabbed this book last year but have yet to read it *gasp* Maybe this year will be my year!

So that got me thinking….

What books do you read to get you in the mood for Halloween?

Do you re-read the same book/s each year?

Fairyloot Unboxing – October (Love at First Bite) *SPOILERS*

 

Fairyloot – October

Theme = Love at First Bite

A vampire theme! I couldn’t have been happier and this box was amazing! I squealed at the book as I really wanted it!!!

Book Sleeve by @noverantale

This is big, padded, waterproof and has a zip! It’s the mother of all book sleeves! It features a quote from Dracula too, the ultimate vamp!

Beanie designed by @kdpletters

Hats do not suit me but my son saw the quote and grabbed it for his own!!!

Coaster set designed by @Blanca.design

Fab.U.Lous! A dagger, a bat, a rose and a goblet. Perfect for my Halloween table!

Candle by @themeltinglibrary

Inspired by Interview with a Vampire featuring a quote from the book and a quote on the DUST JACKET IN THE JAR! I loved it!

Enamel pin designed by @taratjah

A bat! It’s so cute!

Twilight sticker designed by @catarinabookdesigns

I’m thinking what I can do with this. I used to stick to my laptop but when it died I had to part with all my stickers 😭 Any ideas?

Vampire art print by @monolimeart

It’s just so beautiful! But it’s gone so I have a feeling my son has nicked it!

 

BOOK OF THE MONTH

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh

Stunning, beyond stunning! I can’t wait to dive into this!

Sprayed edges ✔

Artwork on the jacket ✔

Signed ✔

A map of New Orleans ✔

Spooky Halloween Tag!!!!

I saw this spooky Halloween tag on Life of a Female Bibliophile blog and as its Halloween soon I thought I would get in on that action!

I have condensed it to 21 questions as I’m a scardey cat at heart and some of my answers would be totally yawn!


1. Favourite horror or Halloween-themed song?

Zombie by The Cranberries

Love this and you can watch (and listen!) to it here.


2. Favorite horror monster or villain?

Vampires all the way! 🧛‍♂️🧛‍♀️


3. The creepiest thing that’s ever happened while you were alone?

I was fast asleep at my boyfriends house and he was out. Suddenly his CD player came on and started playing AT FULL BLAST and it was switched off. It was 2 in the morning and I put my clothes on and drove to my Mums!!!!


4. If you were dared to spend the night in a “haunted house”, would you do it?

No way!!!! 😭


5. Are you superstitious?

Yes and no! I salute magpies and love to blame Friday the 13th for stuff but dont believe in ghosts! 🙄


6. Ever made a potion of any sort?

With my son at a Harry Potter night!!! 🧴🧴


7. Do you get scared easily?

Yes! I am a proper scardey cat! 😿


8. Have you ever played Bloody Mary?

Absolutely not!!! ⛔


9. You’re home alone but you hear footsteps in your house, what do you do?

RUN!!!! 👟🏃‍♀️


10. If you got trapped in one scary movie, which would you choose?

None! I’d faint, poop myself and then probably die very quickly! 💩


11. If you could only wear one Halloween costume for the rest of your life, what would you be?

A witch…some of them got style!!!! 🧙‍♀️


12. Would you ever go to a graveyard at night?

No, no and again, no! ⚰


13. In a zombie apocalypse what is your weapon of choice?

A machete to lop those heads off!!!! 🔪


14. Would you rather go to a Halloween party or go trick or treating?

Halloween party! (As long as they have Halloween themed games!) 🎃👻


15. You’re in a horror movie. Are you the final girl, the first to die, the comic relief, the skeptic, the smart one, or the killer?

The skeptic….who also dies first!!! 🤦‍♀️


16. Favorite scary book?

Tunnel of Bones by Victoria Schwab.


17. How old were you when you saw your first horror movie?

7….me and my bestie watched Evil Dead….and then wished we never!


18. What was your first Halloween costume?

I cant actually remember. Probably a witch! On my sons first Halloween I dressed him as a pumpkin and he did not enjoy it! 🎃


19. What are you going to be for Halloween this year?

Nothing. I have to be the toilet paper Mummy creator and keeper upper for my son! 🧟‍♂️


20. If you could have a spooky Halloween pet (black cat, owl, bat, rat, wolf), what would you pick?

I’d love an owl! 🦉


What would your answers be? Comment below!

Review: Void by Coralee June and Raven Kennedy

I think by the blurb and my review you get the jist! This was just what I wanted to read!

Title: Void

Authors: Coralee June and Raven Kennedy

I was born of nothing.

I’m a Void, a rare supernatural capable of absorbing powers at the brush of my skin.

Feared. Hated. Untouchable.

Thibault Academy is full of supernaturals that want me dead, and the most powerful of them, the Paragons, will stop at nothing to ensure I go back to the hell I came from. They’re cruel, heartless, and have created an unlikely alliance to take me down.

If I want to learn how to control the nothingness, I’ll have to survive them.

I was born of the void, but I’ll die from the power.

This is a reverse harem bully romance.

Firstly readers, let me give you some advice. Before reading, grab a towel and and some tissues cause this read is going to hit all the feels. All the feels, amongst other errrm, feelings!!!!

Another piece of advice. You will want to read this book in 1 sitting so make sure you have the time. No one wants to see your sex face wandering round the supermarket so choose your sofa, or your bed to read!

Advise number 3. Make sure you only have socks on. Shoes will do you no good when you kick your own bum for not reading this sooner. Take it from me, it hurts and it’s also hard to kick your own bum, gotta watch those pulled muscles!

I think you can gather from my copious amount of advice that I loved this book.

#TeamGritt

Yours sincerely

PNR lover

What do you watch to get you in the mood????!

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Steering away from books but……Halloween films!

I know I’ve mentioned before that I am a complete wuss and cant watch true horror films but I get in the spirit by watching family friendly ones.

Ok, I watch kids films 😂

But this means my son can watch too and I’ve got him into some of the old classics!

Here are the top 3 films that we crack out every year as we have them on DVD and watch to get in the mood!

Hocus Pocus

Casper

Addams Family

What Halloween films do you watch to get you in the mood?!

What was I reading this time last year?

I saw this somewhere (I’m so sorry I forgot to note down who!) and thought it was a great idea!

This time last year I was participating in OWNtober where you read books off your TBR…….see how I did here.

Anyway….here are the books I read and reviewed this time last year for Spooky Reviews!


 

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

See my review here.


 

Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

See my review here.


 

Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand

See my review here.


 

What were you reading this time last year?

Review: Nevernight by Jay Kristoff

Title: Nevernight

Author: Jay Kristoff

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic—the Red Church. If she bests her fellow students in contests of steel, poison and the subtle arts, she’ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church’s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia’s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves.

Will she even survive to initiation, let alone have her revenge?
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Another audible listen!

Firstly, this narrator is absolutely fabulous! I also love this author’s writing style, it’s funny, it grabs you and I can’t believe I haven’t started this series sooner. Wow what a read. It’s right up there on my top reads of the year!

I fell completely, head over heels in love with Mia. I want to be her (minus all the stuff she went through as a kid!) She is just so sarcastic and funny! There was 1 part when I hated her….but it was for the greater good!

The characters and the world were fascinating. My faves were Mr Kindly and Naev. And then there was Tric. I didn’t just love him, I LOVED him!

Then there was ‘that bit’. You know THAT bit. With Tric and Mia. Omg pass me a fan!!!! I was gagging for something to happen between them….

And sadness. Sadness overtook everything for me. People dying left right and centre and my world shattered. Waaaaah.

Gimme more of that…..book 2 please!