Serpent & Dove
Ratings235
Average rating3.7
A bit of a slow start for me, but after a little break to clear my SJM book hangover I got into it and really enjoyed it!! Also...Ansel is just the sweetest, I want to give him a hug!
AHHHHH. I loved this book. The whole enemies-to-lovers trope is honestly my FAVORITE, especially because it involves witches, magic, and loooooove. I'm dying to get my hands on Blood & Honey!!!
actual rating: 4,5 stars.
re-read before blood & honey. Still really loved this book
I knew this was a hate-to-love before I went in, but I didn't expect it would be that way for me with the characters as well! I kinda hated them both at the start, then loved them by the end. Pretty neat.
“Such a love was not something of just the heart and mind. It wasn't something to be felt and eventually forgotten, to be touched without it in return touching you. No . . . this love was something else. Something irrevocable. It was something of the soul.”
Is it the worst thing I've ever read? No. It was fast-paced and mildly engaging a couple of times. But, overall, it was just so bland. Like boiled unseason potatoes. I adore potatoes, not without salt though.
For me, the world-building was weak. The magic system is barely explained, we have just one massive info dump in the middle of the book. The characters were no better. Lou was just simply annoying. Loud, over-the-top snarky, obnoxious. Reid just didn't make sense. He switched sides awfully fast. I don't see why he cared about her. Or her about him. My husband this, my wife that. Who talks like that when they've just gotten into a marriage of convenience? They are virtually strangers. They fall ‘in love' in a matter of days. The character I enjoyed the most was Coco, I wish she has more space in the book. The rest of the characters felt like decor.
The plot felt kind of ridiculous too, just as the twists. The language, modern and crass is an unpleasant choice considering the action is taking place in medieval-like times. Also, the French random inserts were cringy.
I don't get the hype around this one either. Eh, what else is new?
2,5 stars, maybe.
I really don't know how to rate this book. It was decent, it didn't live up to the hype.
Uhm, so some random thoughts:
- I did not like the romance. It didn't feel like it was very well executed. It felt so sudden and I cringed most of the time whilst I was reading about it.
- I ADORED Lou. No hard comments towards her, she's great.
- I did not like Reid. He was cringey.
- The humour felt unneccessary. It felt like the writer was trying to be funny, but just couldn't execute it, or something.
- I expected way more of the story and I was hoping something would happen, something I wouldn't see coming, but nope, that didn't happen.
4.5
Me ha gustado mucho y la verdad es que me muero por leer la segunda parte, los últimos capítulos han sido muy intensos y casi me da un parraque pero promete mucho la continuación XP
This book could have been everything. The premise was awesome and the love trope was everything that I love. The “It started out that way... but I really did fall in love with you in the end”- love it. But the characters left much to be desired. I didn't care about the first 60% of the book. Then everything happened in the last 40%. There was no real pacing in the book. If it would have been more spaced out with the timing of certain revelations, then it would have been a lot better. I'm so disappointed because it could have been everything I didn't know I needed....but it wasn't.
Who doesn't love an enemies to lovers, slow burn, witch and witch hunter marriage of convenience? Just me? Coolcoolcoolcool.
Lou (the witch) is a hot mess. Always had something smart assy to say ( i can relate) and she was running scared trying to do the right thing. Reid (the witch hunter)...so oh so tall, chivalrous, loyal and adorably virginal. So dead set on his black and white views. Watching them both fall in love and realize that things they've learned about either side may not entirely be true was fantastic. Watching them both grow and change internally was beautiful to see.
The magic system was on point. Not your regular run of the mill witch magic. Along with the romance was the story of sister hood. Coco is the shit..and proof positive that blood can bond in more ways than one (IF YOU READ THIS YOU'LL GET IT BWAHAHAHAHAHA). ALSO.....as much as I loved Lou and Reid..I'm going to need more people to make some noise for Ansel. WE MUST PROTECT HIM AT ALL COSTS.
Big Titty Liddy.
This was everything I wanted it to be. Sassy, dangerous, romantic, and very witchy. Strong and exciting characters and believable world building mean I will most definitely be picking up the sequel.
I was skeptical about picking this one up. I am so glad that I did. I absolutely loved it! Lou, Reid, Coco and Ansel are some of my new favorite characters. I loved the story. I'm not a romance fan, but this book was so good that the romance didn't even bug me.
Another example of “don't believe the hype.” I was in it for the enemies to lovers trope that gets me every time, and I was super let down by characters who annoyed the crap out of me, a world that confused me (is it France? Is it made up fantasy dimension France?) I might have liked the book more if it was like, 200 pages shorter. I could keep going with this but I don't even really want to devote any more time or energy to this book.
This was an amazing debut! Sexy, funny banter. Strong female leads. The action is quick-paced and the dialogue doesn't hold back. Lou is someone I'd want to be friends with, even as she pushed all my buttons and my boundaries. Five bewitching stars!
4.5 Stars
This was going to be a five-star book but the “big reveal” at the end was too cliche so I had to dock 1/2 a star. I love this world and the characters and cannot wait for the next book and to see what this gang of witches and witch hunters gets up to!
I had a great time reading Serpent and Dove. The first chapter didn't convinced me but the more you discover the characters the more you know about the story, the more you want to continue reading !!
This Book does have nice surprises, expected plot twist and less expected ones. Most of the surprising things at the beginning actually make a lot of sense when you finish your reading.
I especially enjoy the magic in this book and the fact that it is not a black and white vision. Everyone has it dark sides. There is not good or bad sides.
I def recommend this reading even though I have a real issue with the use of french in the book. It doesn't add anything to the story. It doesn't make sense at all... I expect they just stop it for the next book.
And again... Lou is not a boy name.
This book was amazing! The writing, the characters, the story!! Everything was so well written and the story flowed so seamlessly. Also, very well written romance. I loved every second of this book and will worship it foreveeeeer~
Wow! What a great debut! This is packed full of action, witches, witch hunters, loyalty, betrayal, lies...LOVE. Characters don't even have to beg for you to fall in love with them and want to fight along side them. I cannot wait for the next installment. The author has a great style of writing, and I was hooked from very early on.
