Blood & Honey by Shelby Mahurin

Lou, Reid, Coco, and Ansel are on the run from not only the Dames Blanches but also the Church, after narrowly escaping with their lives. Now they are fugitives without a place to hide.

In order to stay clear of and fight their enemies, Lou and Reid require the assistance of allies. However, protection from strong allies requires something in return. To secure two very powerful allies, Lou and Reid must separate despite trying to close the increasing rift between them. All while Morgane toys with the group like a cat with a mouse, playing a game that threatens something more precious than any coven.

Before finishing Serpent & Dove, I was ordering Blood & Honey on Amazon to be able to read it the second I finished the first book. I absolutely love the characters and world, so I refuse to not read the rest of the series immediately. Now that this is the review for Blood & Honey, the second book, I can discuss the other characters that don’t have view points.

First I want to touch on the characters I haven’t gotten a chance to discuss. The characters that I will discuss are Coco, Ansel, and Beau. Now Coco’s a badass with a soft side. Like Lou, Coco’s a witch. However, Coco’s a Dame Rouge or blood witch. The difference is Lou’s magic comes from the land and Coco’s from her blood. What I love about Coco is her control and understanding of magic, her loyalty to loved ones, and how she kicks ass while feeling deeply. Next is Beau, the crowned prince. Alright, Beau provides comic relief, unfiltered remarks, and is occasionally helpful. My favorite thing about Beau is despite his title, he’s almost useless and acts like everyone’s brother. Last is Ansel. Ansel’s the purest of them all, and so inherently good. He deserves nothing but the best and must be protected at all costs.

Now to discuss Lou and Reid. I’ll be honest, both characters are frustrating in this book. However, the circumstances are understandable, but still frustrating. I will start with Lou. After escaping Morgane, Lou struggles to come to terms with everything, learning to be a leader, and controlling her magic. Not only that, but navigating her relationship with Reid is a new struggle as well. As for Reid, his struggles are more internal. Even though he is no longer a Chassuer, those beliefs don’t go away overnight. Reid struggles with his belief system and learning that he’s a witch, like Lou. Their circumstances aren’t ideal, but a majority of the time they frustrate me.