Author: Shelby Mahurin
Publisher: Harper Teen
Synopsis:
Lou, Reid, Coco, and Ansel are on the run from coven, kingdom, and church—fugitives with nowhere to hide.
To survive, they need allies. Strong ones. But as Lou becomes increasingly desperate to save those she loves, she turns to a darker side of magic that may cost Reid the one thing he can’t bear to lose. Bound to her always, his vows were clear: where Lou goes, he will go; and where she stays, he will stay.
Until death do they part.
Review:
“A magical journey that missed the mark.” J.M. Buckler, award-winning author of the Seeker of Time Series
I struggled to finish this book. It’s slow pacing, confusing magic system, and lack of character development left me scratching my head, wondering why I kept turning the pages. I waited for something epic to happen, but it never did. Most of the novel explored Lou and Reid’s developing relationship. Mahurin failed to deliver an engaging plot. Side characters, such as Coco and Ansel, fell flat. I’m not sure why this happened. I loved these characters in the first book but lost interest in them while reading Blood & Honey. I tired of Reid’s moping and Lou’s internal struggle. I wanted to see more of Coco and Lou’s friendship. The author solidified this in book one but dissolved it in book two.
The magic system confused the hell out of me. Magic must follow rules. The system Mahurin created kept changing. Some witches’ magic followed certain rules, while others wrote their own script.
I enjoyed Lou’s snarky attitude and the banter between her and Reid. I just wanted more. More action, more tension, more altercations. Each time a character ran into a problem, they escaped or survived too easily. I became detached from the outcome of the story about halfway through.
Book two leaves the reader on another cliffhanger. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to pique my interest.
Readers: Those looking for an easy YA read about witches and unique magic systems will enjoy this book.
Writers: Helpful for those studying romantic relationships and internal struggle. Relationship drama, banter, and visual descriptions are strong suits of author Mahurin.
Warnings/Triggers: some adult language and adult content
Grading Scale:
Plot: 3/5
Pacing: 3/5
Escapism Factor: 3/5
Emotional Connection: 2/5
Character Development: 2/5
Star Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️
Completed Read: 10/02/2020
Comments