The magic in this book was incredibly well written and pretty commonplace for anyone who is used to reading witchy books. There are whisperings of a prophecy that will bring the coven to its knees, and four best friends are about to be caught at the centre. Any who i'm a little broken and dying to get my hands on the next book, so if that doesn't make you want to pick it up, I don't know what will!

Book Review: New Science Fiction and Fantasy - The New York Times

This is a book you never want to end, you want to stay in the world of magic and witchcraft that Juno Dawson has created forever.A big theme in this book is what it means to be a woman, is it biology that makes you one, or can you choose to become one at will. Helena is the new leader of the HMRC and has set views on who should be allowed to join the coven, views that get tested and questioned throughout the novel. When our characters joined the Coven, they became sisters, linked in a way that is difficult to destroy. But what Dawson does brilliantly is show the physical use of magic through her descriptive writing, every scene where it was used be it in battle, or a more mundane task was effortlessly brought to life and I almost felt like I was watching the scenes like a movie in my head whilst reading.

Her Majesty’s Royal Coven: Her Majesty’s Royal Coven, Book 1 Her Majesty’s Royal Coven: Her Majesty’s Royal Coven, Book 1

It’s the first time I’ve read anything by Juno and I’m thrilled to discover her writing…am very much looking forward to HMRC 2 … oh and the ending of book 1! There are whisperings of a prophecy that will bring the coven to its knees, and five best friends are about to be caught at the centre. We see the people we grew up with become unrecognisable, put things into motion, dangerous things, because their way of life is threatened. But unfortunately that is the state of the world we live in today and Dawson does a great job showing the daily plight of trans people. She has very limited views on life, but is a woman who knows her own mind and will not be removed from her path once she has started.Fast forward 20 or so years , Helena is head of the English coven, Niamh is a vet, Ellie a nurse, Leonie has formed her own coven and Ciara? Now a doting mother and wife to a family who have no idea of her past, she uses her powers sparingly and only in dire need. I would say that the story started off a little slowly, I wasn't 100% sure where it was going until about 40% of the way through, but once it get's going it absolutely takes flight and I found the last 50% so hard to put down. Partially my fault because I had it in my head this was a stand alone, but I also just can't believe she went there. The launch book in a trilogy, the first half is largely world-building and the cliffhanger ending is pure torture.

The Shadow Cabinet: the bewitching sequel to the sensational

But what Dawson does brilliantly is show that as children we are so sure that life will work out the way we want, we have blinders on to life, rose tinted glasses that make everything seem possible. A spellbinding, very real and current book that leaves you wanting to read everything Juno Dawson has ever written.Still recovering from the last war Niamh, Elle and Leonie lead their own lives, separate from the Coven, but Helena is quick to draw them back in when trouble rears it's head. The premise doesn't really give away much of the story, which makes it so much more shocking and entertaining whilst reading, but does make it incredibly hard to talk about without giving away any spoilers. Though there is plenty of romance in this book, both straight and queer, the main relationships Dawson showcases is that of family, both through blood and circumstance. The world of the covens may be immersive, the social commentary highly pertinent and the combination of demons and domesticity deliciously enticing, but it is the relationships between the women, in all their gnarly complexity, that form the real meat of the novel: the messy, tender, fierce realities of friendships honed over a quarter of a century.