Book Review: Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin

Witches, tension, and a whole lot of waiting.

I dove into Blood & Honey right after finishing Serpent & Dove, fully expecting another fast-paced, magical whirlwind. Instead, I found myself slowly trudging through it and five months later, I finally turned the last page. This wasn’t the sequel I expected, but there’s still a lot to unpack.

A Slower Journey

Where Serpent & Dove grabbed me from the start, Blood & Honey felt more like wandering through thick fog. It’s not that the writing lost its charm, Mahurin’s prose is still immersive, but the pacing dragged. Entire sections felt stretched thin, and I found myself craving the urgency and momentum of book one.

Filler or Foundation?

It’s hard to shake the feeling that much of this book exists to move pieces into place for the finale. There were character moments I loved (more on that below), but a lot of the plot felt like stalling. Big emotional beats were buried beneath side quests and political maneuvering that didn’t always land for me.

Lou & Reid: The Saving Grace

What did keep me reading? Lou and Reid. Their relationship continues to evolve in a way that feels messy and real. Watching them deal with trauma, power struggles, and trust issues was compelling, even when the plot lost steam, their emotional arcs held my attention.

Setting Up for the Finale

By the end, I could see the groundwork being laid for something bigger. Blood & Honey may not have blown me away, but it tees up the final book with enough tension and unfinished business to make me want to finish the trilogy.

Final Thoughts:
If you loved Serpent & Dove, temper your expectations going into Blood & Honey. It's not a bad book, just slower, more introspective, and maybe a little lost in the middle. But if you're here for Lou and Reid’s journey (and that inevitable storm coming), it’s still worth the read.