I’m sharing another instalment of my Mini Review Mondays, the most recent of which was last week. In case you haven’t seen any of my previous posts, I do ‘mini’ reviews of books that I’ve previously read and am now ready to share my full thoughts about.
First up, I’d like to talk about The Scarlet Veil by Shelby Mahurin. Thank you to Madeline Adeane at Farshore for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
A dark and thrilling vampire romance set in the world of the New York Times bestselling series Serpent & Dove!
Six months have passed since Celie took her sacred vows and joined the ranks of the Chasseurs as their first huntswoman. With her fiance, Jean Luc, as captain, she is determined to find her foothold in her new role and help protect Belterra. But whispers from her past still haunt her, and a new evil is rising-one that Celie herself must vanquish, unless she falls prey to the darkness.
Publication Date: 28th September
TW: blood, murder, violence, gore, death, kidnapping, stalking, obsession
My Thoughts:
The Scarlet Veil totally enraptured me and took me on an epic journey of a love story for the ages, a deeply Gothic murder mystery and my personal favourite, the masquerade ball scene.
I must admit the younger Emily within me is absolutely loving the paranormal fantasy and romantasy boom we are experiencing at the minute. It is not a genre I always frequent, but occasionally I love losing myself in these types of books. Of course, the vampire renaissance also feels great to witness. The Scarlet Veil marries those two elements in an exhilarating romp. This is the type of book that is just pure fun to read.
I came into this having never read the Serpent & Dove series, but it did not feel like that mattered too much! Mahurin works hard to contextualise you and make it all understandable, while also weaving in little hints and nods that I assumed were to the previous series. Celie is trying to work through the trauma she experienced. She is brilliant – kind, gentle, clever and deeply loving. Thereby, in isolating her and forcing her to test her own limits, you can glimpse the steel in the softness.
Mahurin has crafted an intricate and expansive world, with plenty of wonderful flourishes. This is a book that thrives in a Gothic style atmosphere, drawing on several generic tropes and characters, but imbues them with vivacity and a spin that catches you off guard. At the centre of it all, we have the all important romance. This is one that sizzles with chemistry and dialogue that I loved. Their dynamic was shifting and scandalous, creating a great tension and interplay that I adored. It is an actual enemies to lovers dynamic, slow burnt over this massive book.
The Scarlet Veil sets a rose amongst thorns that may yet draw blood in this darkly sumptuous romantasy.
Next up, I’d like to talk about You Could Be So Pretty by Holly Bourne. Thank you to Usborne for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Beauty comes at a price. And girls must pay.
In Belle and Joni’s world there are two options for girls:
One, follow the rules of the Doctrine like Belle: apply your Mask, work hard to be crowned at the Ceremony, be a Pretty.
Or two, fight the rules like Joni: leave your face bare, work hard to escape to the Education, be an Objectionable.
But maybe there is a third option… If Belle and Joni work together, can they destroy the rules and set themselves free?
Publication Date: 28th September
TW: eating disorders, domestic abuse, physical abuse, sexual harassment, sexual assault, pornography, misogyny, violence, hospitalisation
My Thoughts:
You Could Be So Pretty is a dystopian nightmare not too dissimilar from our image-obsessed reality. It drives for consideration, complexity and a conscious effort to push beneath the surface.
Holly Bourne was one of the authors that got me into YA. She is a legend of UKYA and this blazing new novel cements that status. It is one that smokes with a righteous fury. You know that gnawing hunger and rage that sometimes simmers in your belly whe you consider the state of the world, particularly for young women facing the rape culture, constant societal pressure pushed by the beauty industry and media & the rampant misogyny prevalent throughout our world. Holly Bourne has written a book that nails all of that – a fierce rallying cry.
Belle and Joni are two characters that stole their way into my heart instantly. They are both enmeshed in their oppressive societal ideology in different ways. The trauma they have suffered is horrific and you can see how it has shaped them into who they are at the start of the book. Their individual journeys are incredible, so complex and actually allow room for growth and mistakes. They are so authentically messy, like real teenagers. Even their dialogue rings true and often frighteningly so.
The way everything hinges on your appearance really speaks to the aesthetic obsessive society we live in, yet Bourne explicitly draws on needing to still hit that while being rebellious and pushing back. There is a lot of nuance and a considerate throughline of intersectionality. Also, while the primary focus is on that of self-discovery and learning to love yourself completely, I was enjoying the hints throughout at a changing dynamic between two central characters.
You Could Be So Pretty is the type of book you just want to press into everyone’s hands. Listen up and listen well.
Finally, I’d like to delve into And Don’t Look Back by Rebecca Barrow. Thank you to Hot Key Books for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Harlow and her mum, Cora, have been on the run her entire life. She has no idea why or what they’re running from, but in every place they stop, they create new names and stories, and they never stay for long.
Then, one night, while attempting to skip town, Cora is killed, leaving Harlow alone and with a million questions.
But her mum’s secrets live on. And when a key to a hidden safety deposit box leads Harlow to Crescent Ridge – Cora’s hometown – she discovers a trail of buried secrets and lies.
Harlow was hoping to find something that would help her understand her mum better. But what she finds instead will change everything she knows about her mum – and herself – forever.
Publication Date: 3rd October
TW: death, murder, abandonment, grief, car accident, emotional abuse, physical abuse, child abuse, gun violence, gaslighting, stalking, violence, gore, blood, injury
My Thoughts:
And Don’t Look Back carves out a twisty atmospheric thriller that asks you what you would do in order to survive a horrific reality.
Ok, Barrow has my full attention. Bad Things Happen Here was a book that delves deep beneath the veneers of societally deemed perfection, exposing its deadly flaw, with wonderful representation and a killer mystery. It was a really twisty and constantly engaging mystery, with shocking reveals and an impressive focus on quieter character work. And Don’t Look Back shows that it was no one-hit wonder. It is packed with jaw-dropping twists and turns, as well as nuanced character work that allows for introspection and moments that are more internally devastating. It is a book that hinges on familial relationships and that bond of love and strength that can surface through horrendous circumstances. When the penny drops here, it is a true gut punch.
This is a book that delves head first into the lingering effects of abuse and trauma. It is a book that goes to some dark and difficult places. Barrow wallows in a complex morality that defies simplistic categorisation. Instead, it tells the story of love against the odds and the gritty dirt beneath your nails sometimes needed to survive. It is deeply touching and powerful. Barrow encapsulates it within a claustrophobic, atmospheric and Gothic style mystery. Setting here becomes its own character. The long buried secrets of Crescent Ridge feel omnipresent. They have invaded everywhere, with lies infecting everyone and everything around them. It feels corrosive to even enter the town. Barrow’s pacing is that of a thriller, razor-sharp and unrelenting. At every turn, the stakes are raised.
And Don’t Look Back is an ode to the murky depths you may go to in order to survive. It is affecting and character driven, yet still an incredibly strong and twisty mystery.
A Short Book Lover 
One thought on “Mini Review Monday #122”