Title- Gods & Monsters
(3rd in trilogy following Serpent and Dove, then Blood & Honey)
Author– Shelby Mahurin
Rating– 4.3/5
Genre- Fantasy, witches
POV- first person, past tense (usually switching back and forth between Lou & Reid)
Trope- enemies to lovers, evil parents, save the kingdom
My emotions- a little frustrated by the pacing of the first half, in love with the second half
Characters–
I want to be Lou!
Comments-
Page 60- the novel seems to have started off in the “all is lost” moment. So it’s hard to consider how it can get much worse.
Page 70- I’m loving the creepy doors to travel through
Page 81- I can’t remember who Thierry St. Martin is
Page 100- I’ve forgotten what kind of powers Reid has since she hasn’t used any in this novel yet
Page 104- I dont remember who this god Deveraux is either from the last book
Page 109- book 2 begins. I kind of wish different books and sections weren’t used. Or if so to put them at the beginning like a table of contents.
(Book 3 starts at page 243 & book 4 at 451). There’s 600 pages total. I think there should be a law that fiction books stay under 450 pages for a 6×9 size lol.
Oh page 109- new POV character
Page 120- more characters joined to the group. I dont remember Zenna or Seraphine & am just confused about who is who at this point.
Page 196- great quotes. This book has a LOT going on, and some events feel like a side plot- but the story-telling is gorgeous, the prose are written so vividly with superb vocabulary and sensory representation of the scenes. I just truly love this series. The dark vibe sends chills trickling over my spine. Oh, so good.
Page 264-300 feels kind of pointless so far, aimless & as if the author has been sidetracked. The setting is gorgeous abs the prose add to die for. But I dont understand the point and it’s taking too long to get there and have something happen
Page 308- I need more clarification from the phrase -“sea urchin has become La Dame does Sorcieres” …what just happened?
Page 320- yay! I’ve been waiting for something like this to twist it up.
Page 326- amazing. Great chapter! So excited!
Page 340- not fully believable that this happened but I’m as it did to move things toward the direction I want it to go
Page 370- who the hell is Zenna? There’s waaay too many side characters and at this point the book needs a chart in the beginning to write them all out.
Page 536- a little confused what exactly is happening with details in this pivotal climax scene and I keep having to reread to figure out who is where and who is hurt and who is safe
Page 606- I loved this novel, the romance, the personalities of the main characters, the adventures, the world of witches and the theme of motherhood. They were brilliant.
Plot/Blurb-
Lou has spent her whole life running. Now, after a crushing blow from Morgane, the time has come to go home—and claim what is rightfully hers.
But this is no longer the Lou her friends knew. No longer the Lou who captured a chasseur’s heart. A darkness has settled over her, and this time it will take more than love to drive it out.
Best part- page 320
What I’d change-
There were way too many side characters. And I’m pretty sure the entire novel could’ve started on page 315 as the first chapter & possibly be even better being more condensed like that. The entire mermaid/underwater scene could’ve been cut
Pacing- slow first half, perfect second half
Cassie Swindon 