Serpent&Dove
AUTHOR AND BOOK REVIEW
Everywhere you turn in the Bookstagram world will likely meet you with beautiful imagery, perfectly staged around the cover of Serpent&Dove by Shelby Mahurin. This is a cover that effortlessly lends itself to a perfectly curated Instagram feed because it is in itself beautiful. Coupled with it being on sale in the Kindle bookstore for $2.99, who am I to say no.
I was in between reads at that same moment, with an ever growing TBR pile looming beside me on the bedside table, I chose beauty over all else. I'm only human. I had assumed it was a romance story, but I had zero knowledge of the book's premise, possibly something paranormal, definitely not set in a current time frame. A few pages in I decided to stop and maybe do the research I should've started with. Who is Shelby Mahurin? What is this book even about? What century is she aiming for? I had a lot of questions.
I quickly found out Shelby Mahurin is the indie artist to emulate. Her story is inspiring from what I pieced together from her old blog and a handful of interviews. She is from a small town in Indiana, wrote a half decent book, and worked hard to get it discovered. She documents how she did this in her three blog posts from 2017, and if you are an inspiring indie author, run, don't walk, over there and hear what she has to say.
How to Query, and her experience with Pitchwars could prove invaluable.
Shelby also photographs as beautifully as her books.
So here comes my dilemma. I didn't like this book, I hated the dialogue, and while some things I found silly – the oddly forced marriage – ended up being explained by the end, the damage of my carrying the belief that it was just a contrived story arc for 400 pages was already done.
However, lots and lots of people loved it, it's a New York Times Bestseller, and I believe it is for a reason, also I am not in the business of tearing young, accomplished women down.
I strongly suggest that you read it for yourself and if you are an aspiring writer, follow Shelby's story. Pin her up on your vision board and celebrate her as she deserves.
The best part that came out of this book for me was learning about her, her story, and her hustle and feeling proud of this woman I have never met and how she made her dreams come true.
Serpent&Dove by Shelby Mahurin currently sits on Amazon with a 4.5 star rating and 3,896 reviews. It’s the #1 best seller in Fantasy and Fiction about Wizards and Witches, which coincidentally is a very popular genre right now.
An Amazon Best Book of 2019 * New York Times Bestseller * B&N's YA Book Club Pick * Indiebound Bestseller * #6 on the 2019 Kids’ Indie Next List
Synopsis from Amazon
Bound as one, to love, honor, or burn. Book one of a stunning fantasy trilogy, this tale of witchcraft and forbidden love is perfect for fans of Kendare Blake and Sara Holland.
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.
As a huntsman of the Church, Reid Diggory has lived his life by one principle: Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. But when Lou pulls a wicked stunt, the two are forced into an impossible situation—marriage.
Lou, unable to ignore her growing feelings, yet powerless to change what she is, must make a choice. And love makes fools of us all.
Set in a world of powerful women, dark magic, and off-the-charts romance, book one of this stunning fantasy trilogy will leave readers burning for more.