This is a book I would have adored when I was a teenager. There’s a strong focus on sisterhood which I loved and it had fantastic lgbtq+ representation which I feel is missing from a lot of young adult fantasy. I also really loved the Yorkshire setting, being from there myself I could vividly picture some of the descriptions. I just feel like it felt ever so slightly too adolescent for me, which isn’t a critique on the book itself but just on my ability to connect with it on the level I wanted. I think Juno is an incredible writer and the narrator Nicola Coughlan really brought this book to life !

I truly enjoyed this. The story was fantastic and went in a direction I wasn't anticipating at all. The audiobook was really well done as well. Loved the narrator, really brought the characters to life. Very excited for The Shadow Cabinet

Unfortunately I couldn’t get into this story! I really wish I had, but it wasn’t for me. I loved the premise, the narrator was brilliant.
Hence why I’m not giving it a low rating!

This band wagon is so full to bursting already that my input won't even make the wheels wobble, but I'll jump on board anyway.

The audiobook for this novel is sensational - I am so pleased that I listened to it rather than read the "tree" book because it made the experience so much better. The story premise is fun, witchy and feminist with a catalogue of likeable characters, clashing cabals and covens, and a little bit of romance. I wouldn't say it was at all like the stories the blurb claims it's similar to - unless having witches is all it requires to be a similar book - and actually this does a disservice to the complexity of the story because it really is quite different to anything I've read before, particularly with such a large cast.

Having said that, I'm ready to jump off the band wagon now purely because, despite the incredible narration and easy writing style, there was no real connection for me with the characters. They're well developed, although simple in design, they're likeable too, but I just didn't like any of them enough to want to revisit them. I think some of the language used in the book was a bit unnecessary and detracted from my enjoyment a bit (I sound so stuffy and old, I promise I'm not!) and the story wasn't something I'm excited to revisit again sadly.

So, not for me overall but I still had a really fun ride.

I did enjoy this and I loved the story. I'm not some of the swear words were necessary and I'm really not a fan of the c word. If I had read this, rather than listened I may not have been so bothered but it definitely put me off any more by the same author. Well written and a good story though.

Four Stars!

Such an interesting modern day look at witches through the eyes of diversity and gender.

I absolutely adored Nicola's narration of the book. She gives every character such a distinct voice and brings so much vibrancy to the story.

The levels of representation in this novel is hugely commendable. There is quite a bit of LGBT representation, with Leonie being a lesbian and Theo a trans witch. From the small snippets of their relationship we see I loved seeing Leonie and her girlfriend together. Of course, there are some difficult moments to read, and a lot of transphobia which is quite difficult reading. On a much smaller note, I loved that Niamh was Irish. It's a pull factor in books for me, especially when done well.

Fantasy is not usually my genre, which is a reason I had some trepidation going into this book. There was nothing to fear. I've loved Juno's contemporaries, and this was just as impactful and beautifully written.

I can't wait for the second instalment. Maybe I am a fantasy fan after all...

Thank you for this advanced reader copy.

This is fantastic. Completely original and so unlike anything else I've read/listened to. I loved the narrator and how she was able to completely change her voice for the different characters. Eagerly waiting for the next instalment!

I found the concept of a government funded witch coven quite camp and fun and enjoyed the satirical use of bureaucracy and red tape which makes the magical mundane. I thought this was a good way to explore how institutions operate, particularly those of the UK, and criticise their fundamental flaws and prejudices. I found it empowering that women were dominant in this particular field. Although this book promised magic and conflict with dark forces, I found that to be secondary to the political satire. I appreciate the book as a response to JK Rowlings transphobia by centering a trans girl in a world of witches, but I don’t feel that is how the book is advertised. Maybe it is designed that way as a Trojan horse to introduce possible JK fans to the reality of transphobia and trans rights.

I loved the concept of this book but it fell very short for me.

However, I did really like the narration! Read the book beautiful, accents were prefect.

I really enjoyed this book and I’m so intrigued to see where the story goes. It did take me a little bit of time to get into it at first but after the first 100 pages I was invested. And after that ending I cant wait for book 2.
I also really loved the narrator.

A gorgeously intimate story of friendship and sisterhood.

And honestly, a secret coven of witches is as good an explanation of the world since 2016 as any I've seen

A brilliant start to the Royal Coven series. Dawson wove a brilliant web for readers to get caught up in. I was gripped from the start needing to uncover the witchy secrets and find out what would happen.

I finished this book over a month ago (sorry for the slow review) and I am still thinking about it. I have had the hardback for a while but hadn’t gotten to it, but when I saw the audiobook narrated by the one and only Nicola Coughlan, I just had to nab it on Netgalley. I was not disappointed.

Even if you’re not into fantasy, I guarantee you can get into this book. With a chaacter base who grew up in the 90s, facing similar societal issues to us now, but from a witchy perspective; it was so easy to become immersed in their world as if it was a friends story you were catching up on over coffee.

The story is well paced, littered with pop culture references and zingy one liners, and it genuinely made me snort laugh out loud on the train to work multiple times - which is a feat in itself on the London Underground.

Dawson has created an array of nuanced characters dealing with personal and community responsibilities in different ways and Coughlin brought them to life beautifully in the audiobook.

The second book in this series is due out in June 2023 and I think I’ll be nabbing myself a Hardcover and the audiobook. This is the modern, feminist coven that we all need right now.

I really enjoyed this book and I’m so intrigued to see where the story goes. It did take me a little bit of time to get into it at first but after the first 100 pages I was invested. I love that it mixes this magical story with important issues that affect the world as we know it. Can’t wait for the sequel.

I have highly anticipated this book for so long and Im so happy b/c I really, really loved absolutely everything about this book !!! I adored the magic system, the classes of Witch and adepts and what they could do, I loved the concept of the procephy and the characters working to prevent/unintentionally ensure it. I rlly loved sm characters and most of our leading Coven.

I genuinely hated Helena with everything I had to give. She started to wind me up and grate on me very early into the book when she wouldnt listen to Niamh and kept gettijg defensive bc Niamh was her friend so why wasnt she taking her side, and yet Helena wouldnt just trust Niamh's judgement and realising she was doing the right and compassionate thing. And then she got increasingly worse and too stuck in her beliefs and believing she was right to even consider any other angle or listen to anyone who disagreed with her. And then she was down right transphobic and fuck that shit, its so vile and there is no possible justification for being so hateful, even her past abuse is no excuse to be transphobic, fuck. that. shit. Even in her final moments, she blamed her friends for all she'd lost instead of realising she'd done it herself, she'd brougjt it on herself and more tjan anything, SHE would be responsible for triggering the start of the rise of Leviathan and the visions of death and destruction she'd seen. ALSO, when she killed Annie in cold blood, that hurt me so much. And for what??? FOR WHAT HELENA??? WHAT GOOD CAME OF THAT????

Niamh was absolutely my favourite character, I rlly loved her development throughout the book as she opened herself up to love and living again after losing her fiancé in the War. I adored her relationship with Theo, she was so accepting and patient with her, and became so protective of her, which is rlly what Theo needed after all the shit she'd been through since being so small. I love that Niamh acted with compassion to save Theo from being shut in the prison and so rapidly went down the pipeline of almost reluctant foster parent to her new adoptive mother who would actually die to protect her and sacrifice everything. She was just so strong and fierce in her love, and I adored her so fucking much !!!

I loved Theodora so fucking much too, she was so sweet and I loved watching her settle in to living with Niamh, being able to be herself and feel safe and loved. When she had her witch ceremony at the end eith Holly and Snow, I genuinely bawled my eyes out; its what she deserved !!! Im rlly excited to watch her grow more and become the powerful witch she !!

And THAT ENDING?!?!? excuse me, how could she do this to me?!?!?! Im so hyped to read The Shadow Cabinet and also so scared !!!

I went in not really knowing what to expect as I have never read anything by Juno Dawson before, but I am happy to say that i thoroughly enjoyed this book.
And yes that ending has been hanging on for book 2.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for providing this Arc for review. All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

This is a well-paced easy-to-read book that does what it does really well. Set in a world that isn't quite our world the ordinariness of a Yorkshire setting contrasts with the unexpected nature of having organised witchcraft in parallel to more mundane lives. The sisterhood and belonging is explored nicely, and the premise of the central character is sound and provokes a lot of questioning about who gets to belong and take their place in the coven. And there has to be at least one sequel after this...

To make this rather short I think that the strength of this book is its message as a direct response to JK’s…um…idiocy? Thoughts? Call it whatever you want but, in the end, it’s transphobia. And for this reason, and this reason alone, this book is a great story. Now, after having listening to it on audio, so many things are just very confused in my mind and I honestly think it’s because of the narration. 1) imagine my surprise when I heard Nicola’s voice (aka Penelope’s actress from Bridgerton) but um 2) her accent was kinda hard to follow along and all the names just got confused in my mind as well as who was the character narrating the chapter. I think it would’ve been better with one narrator for each character but that’s a me problem you know? The magic system was interesting it’s simply the pacing and the narration that had me struggling a lot. I’d still recommend it and maybe I’ll try book 2 when it comes out. 3.5 stars

I love everything about this book and the audiobook is amazing! You follow a group of friends who were thrown together as kids and have retained their unlikely friendship through war and disagreements as sisters do. A prophecy about a child has driven an irreparable wedge between members of the group and the plot develops from there.

I loved the magic system and most of the characters. It was so cozy and high stakes. It made me feel so angry as well as love and understanding. It was so well written and I can’t wait to read the next installment.

Pick this book up now! I highly recommend the audiobook, the narrator and all the accents really elevate the story and created another level of immersion.