The Scarlet Veil Deluxe Limited Edition (The Scarlet Veil, 1)

This book…it’s soooo not what I expected. While I did grow to like Celíe as a character in Gods & Monsters I didn’t know how I’d feel about reading a book with her as the MC. She just didn’t have that spark like Lou ya know? But I was curious. And I knew Mahurin was capable of many things, including making me love this new MC, which she did with aplomb.I was happily surprised that this surpassed all my expectations, if not blowing them out of the water completely. I expected to maybe give it 4 stars at the highest, but this book had other ideas and demands the full five stars 🌟This book takes place a few months after the Battle of Cesarine with Celíe as a member of the Chasseurs and trying to find her place in the world while battling severe ptsd from the events in the previous series.I have found the books I enjoy most are the ones that I also see myself in the characters, and some of Celíe’s struggles are also my own. At times it was almost painful reading some sections, and I had to put the book down to read something else. But then I picked it back up and binged huge swaths of it.To see Celíe’s growth as she adapts to her new surroundings and the dangerous company she keeps, it just warmed my heart to see her flourish and grow into her new self rather than trying to squeeze herself into the ill-fitting box the world was trying to shape her into. She finally was able to cast aside everyone’s expectations of who she should be and how she should act, and Michal, bless his dark heart, gave her that space to grow. He gave her the confidence to believe in herself and her own capabilities 🖤Speaking of Michal, who doesn’t love a bad boy vamp?? He can come bite me anytime 🥵 He’s a proper brutal vamp, none of that sparkle fairy shtuff 😏 I love him so much 🖤❤️‍🔥The humor, omg the dialogue in this was epic! I didn’t think anything could beat Serpent & Dove for wicked humor but this one goes right up there with it. I was snickering constantly, and downright cackling over parts of it 🤭 Books with humor always take my heart 🫶🏻I don’t want to say too much about the story itself though because it’s excellent to go in blind and just enjoy the ride. I did see some of the big plot twists coming but still enjoyed the reveals even so.It unfortunately does end on a cliffhanger which has me desperate for book 2!!Read for the following tropes:🖤 bad boy vamp🖤 enemies to lovers🖤 only one coffin ⚰️🖤 murder mystery🖤 mental health rep🖤 soft heroine who’s actually a stronger than anyone thinks (including herself)🖤 epic banter🖤 a talking cat 🐈‍⬛🖤 vamps at their finest brutal glory

Started off a bit slow but got so good after a while. I’m a sucker for a vampire romance though.

"I realize Hell is empty, and the Devil is here."i saw that epilogue coming BUT THE MURDERER??? i never wouldve guessed that person💀 curse this cliffhanger because i dont want to wait until next year for book 2😭 im in desperate need of more célie and michal🥺🫶but guys shelby has renewed my faith in her books again!! after the mess of G&M i originally wasnt interested in TSV but i was convinced AND SO GLAD I DID BECAUSE IT MADE ME REMEMBER WHY I LOVE SHELBY'S BOOKS SO MUCH??? this wasnt just so fun but also heartbreaking, funny and gave me the "i need more asap" feeling. (i may or may not have neglected school life for this book oops)I smile--because I know, in this moment, my strength has never been like the others'. I am not cunning or fearless like Lou, nor am I strategic or disciplined like the Chasseurs. No. I am Célie Tremblay, Bride of Death, and my strength has always and will always be in my loved ones. My friends.célie's story is one i never imagined we'd see but im so so happy that shelby decided to write it because she deserved her own story!! from her acknowledgements: I still remember sitting down to write Gods & Monsters and hesitating when you asked, “What about Célie?” Though I’m ashamed to admit it, I’d already dismissed her as the jealous ex-girlfriend. You challenged me to see her differently—as a flawed character, yes, but also as a sheltered, grief-stricken young woman with a spine of steel truly this made me tear up🥺 i also never really thought twice abt her in S&D trilogy but oh if there's anything that TSV has done, it's made her one of my favourite MCs ive read abt this year (and maybe even ever??). her strength is in her love for others and cliché as that may sound i love that her optimism in situations and trying to see the best in others!! she's actually too pure."Perhaps the Célie you know never existed. Have you ever considered that? It can happen without us even realizing--we fall in love with an idea instead of a person. We give each other pieces of ourselves but never the whole thing, and without the whole thing, how can we ever truly know a person."no because when célie spoke of this... it hit HARD. like it really takes so much courage and strength to give all your pieces to someone because... what if they dont accept every part of you?? there's always that small possibility and to have to deal with the possible pain and heart break that would come with it?? so its safer to just not give someone all of you and avoid that chance of rejection😭🥹which brings me to MICHAL AKA NEW LOVE OF MY LIFE!! their start was truly an ACTUAL enemies to lovers (and actually to the lovers parts👀👀). he sees all of célie and doesn't shy away in disgust or pity from any of it. he's so sweet, tender, funny, and charming to célie GAHHH MY HEART🥺🫶 célie said it herself His smiles fades with it, returning him instantly to the cool and collected Michal I've always known. My muscles go weak with relief. I've witnessed his wrath, his grace, his power, and I've survived them all, but his charm? I don't think anyone can survive that. SPEAKING FACTS i swooned so many times like michal acting ruthless?? can totally handle that BUT HIM BEING SO CHARMING AND SWEET??? IM WEAK and so in love with my vampire king. when célie asked what he feared and michal's response was nothing but philophobia oh i just🫠🫠 IM IN LOVE WITH THEM YOUR HONOR i need more michalcélie🥹and may i just express my love for their conversations as well?? so many times i laughed like truly célie is so funny😭“We aren’t exactly being inconspicuous as it is, and”—I lower my voice—“and couldn’t you just compel a courtesan to tell us where to go?”“Doest my ears deceive me, or did the holier-than-thou Mademoiselle Célie Tremblay just suggest we take away free will?” He casts me a sidelong glance. “I had no idea you were so wicked, pet. How delightful.”“I don’t mean we should compel her,” I say hastily. “I’m merely asking, hypothetically, what would happen if we did.”“Hypothetically,” he repeats, his voice dry.“Of course. I would never actually suggest we force someone to do something against their will. I’m not”—I cast about for the right word, failing to find it—“I’m not evil.”“No, no. Just hypothetically evil.” He rolls his eyes again as I sputter indignantly.michal's response to celie helppp they had me dying actually these two🫶 also!! i adore the new characters we got to meet !! odessa, dimitri, d'artagnan, mila and monsieur marc <33 my favs were definitely mila and odessa i love those two queens. and i really want to see more odessa & célie moments because the potential for their friendship blooming more!! always saying yes to that.it was so fun seeing the old gang from S&D together also (not jean luc though, he can respectfully go to hell🤩. THAT ONE SCENE WITH LOU, COCO, AND CÉLIE??? IT WAS EVERYTHING🥹 the pride and love they hold dear towards célie makes my heart full of so much happinessi am so beyond excited for book 2 and truly cannot wait to see where things head, i can already see book 2 being very character driven and of course more romance🤭 michal and célie are my newest obsession and you're telling me i'll have to wait a year to see more of them??? i will do anything to get my hands on book 2

So beautiful!! I love the book especially the sprayed edges.

It’s a beautiful book and I can’t wait to read it!A bit disappointed in the slight damage it had upon receiving it though.

Such an amazing book! Very cool cover too.

I'm not a fan of vampire stories (which seem to be making a comeback) so I went into this book hoping I'd love it (because I did like Mahurin's first series) but prepared to hate it. Well, I did like it a lot. I found myself reading "just one more page" on nights I was exhausted and really needed sleep.Not all was perfect. Célie annoyed me many times but as an author myself I can totally see that it was all part of her character arc and growth. Her self-doubt might have been irritating at times but so relatable. How many times have we been told we are not good enough that we start to believe it?Michal (the vampire) turned out to be an awesome character as well and I love him more than any of the others because who doesn't love a redemption story?But what I like the most about Mahurin's stories (definitely something she does really well) is the supporting cast. Shelby writes side characters to perfection, well developed and full of surprises.My only gripe about this book (which was also a gripe for me in the previous series) is the--in my personal opinion--the over-description of the surroundings. In her enthusiasm to build up their world (which is awesome, by the way), Mahurin often goes a little overboard. But that's probably just me. I'm not a fan of detailed descriptions.All in all an awesome book that I highly recommend. Now, when is the next coming out?