Just like the first book - there is so much going on.
I really like listening to the audiobook and reading along with the actual book too (think I need both to keep track of whats going on) This is so fast paced, you really have to be paying attention!
Juno Dawson is just the perfect writer - she has it all! There is so much in here. I love how 'political' this book is too, and the slight references to what is going on in the world right now - it feels so relevant!
Bring on the next one! (Will definitely have to re-read this one before then!)

Fantastically witty, gripping and full of twists, The Shadow Cabinet lives up the promises of Her Majesty's Royal Coven and then some! The characters leap off the page. There was a lot of personal growth as we saw this group of friends and witches being stretched to their limits. My only niggle is (without spoilers) when the twist with the twins is uncovered by their friends, and as much as we the reader have experience the positive change in the character, they should have held to account. It felt somewhat anti-climactic in an otherwise break-neck speed book.

Juno Dawson has done a fantastic job of making this world of witches and warlocks feel fresh and new. Would recommend to anyone that wants a book to make you laugh, cry and leave you on the edge of your seat! I can't wait for the final instalment.

Fantastically queer, feminist, with BIPOC representation

The Shadow Cabinet is a triumphant sequel! It’s not always that the second book is better than the first in a series, but I really feel that is the case here. I loved the character growth and dimension, the plot twists, and the cliffhanger at the end. There’s really not much more to say than I cannot wait for the next one!

The first book in this excellent series ended on one of the biggest WTF cliffhanger moments that I can remember, and this sequel jumps right back into the action, ramping up the tension while losing none of the superb character development and humour of the first.

The Shadow Cabinet isn’t a book that would work well as a standalone, in my opinion (and I’m not just saying that because I think everyone should read the first!). The complexity of who’s who (inevitably complicated by the fact that some characters aren’t who they say they are!) is really best understood by reading the series in order.

Overall, this is the intersectional fantasy series I didn’t know I needed in my life, which poses the question: in a tradition based on dividing those with magical powers by sex into witches and warlocks, what happens when a trans witch comes along?

5 stars

Absolutely brilliant, loved it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy, I will definitely be recommending.

I will try EXTREMELY hard not to contain any spoilers for either of the books in the trilogy so far.

I can only describe reading The Shadow Cabinet as putting on your favourite pair of pyjamas. After reading HMRC I was fully invested in all the characters and all the goings on in Hebden Bridge. Such a comfort to pick up in world in which I am so familiar.

After the biggest gasp at the conclusion of Her Majesty’s Royal Coven, so loud even my husband gave me a funny look. We immediately pick up in the aftermath of that shocking cliff hanger ending. I did however have to wait almost a year for the pleasure.

Havoc is been wreaked, double crossing is happening and a question of who can we trust is in there from the outset. Many moments during The Shadow Cabinet I wanted to shout especially at Theo when her powers were dampened down for some ‘unknown’ reason.

Juno Dawson’s two parts of the trilogy so far, are a stunning read and so gripping I finished The Shadow Cabinet in a little over 24 hours!

I shall await with bated breath for the third and final part of the trilogy.

If you are knew to the world of HMRC and Hebden bridge then I envy you the discovery of this world.

This series is great! i love juno dawson, such a fantastic writer and really captures the imagination and some how makes it feel real like you are there watching in person.
i cannot get enough of this series i love reading about leonie and her friends. its so gripping and people turn out to be not who you think they are it keeps you on your toes.

Following the great success of Her Majesty's Royal Coven, The Shadow Cabinet does not disappoint! Dawson turns her focus keenly towards the political in this sequel, plumbing new and darker depths as the world of witches and mundanes grows more complex with every new chapter. A fast paced and pithy journey with an explosive finish, The Shadow Cabinet expertly expands the fantastical world of its predecessor, tackling contemporary issues with grace, humour, and magic that will leave you wanting more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this ARC

I was so excited to be approved to read this book and it did not disappoint.

I was originally told this books was like Spice Girls meets The Craft but it so much more! I love this series and I am not usually a fantasy person. Juno Dawson does an amazing job crafting a compelling story and weaving in the magical elements.

I am sickened I am going to have to wait a year for the next book!!

Her Majesty's Royal Coven was a huge smash hit in my Library last year and having read The Shadow Cabinet, I have no doubt this will be as equally well received. A fantastic read!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free arc in return for an honest review.

This is the perfect sequel to Her Majesty’s Royal Coven and includes all the things that made the first book great. Ciara is a great primary character as she provides new dynamics to the story through her background (which remains a mystery to both her and the reader) and engages a darker side of the magic world.

The multi-POV continues to work for this series and helps balance with the pacing, especially now that we have the additional chapters from Luke’s POV.

Towards the end, however, it does feel like a lot of things are being crammed in at once. Whether this is a pacing, stylistic or plot issue I can’t be sure however it is something which will be hopefully fleshed out in the third.

Oh my word this book is next level - just when you think it's all over the ending hits you like a brick wall. The second of a series about Her Majesty's Coven, part two will have you stuck to your seat and wanting part three now!

The magical world of witches and mundanes gets more complex as the good are not always good and the bad not always the worst or the obvious. At least two generations of witches try to work out the meaning of why they're here and what the future will hold for them. and there are at least as many questions raised as answers given.

A clever and complex world that draws on the first in the series and expands on it beautifully - can't wait to read the third instalment already!

The Shadow Cabinet by Juno Dawson is everything I want in a contemporary fantasy.

Young witches experimenting with powers and sneaking around behind adults backs, adults using their powers for vengeance and dodgy organisations trying to maintain power in the current climate.

I loved Juno’s writing style as it was very easy to follow the plot especially while navigating four different POVs. While I agree with a lot of other people when we say we wanted more of Theo, I feel like it was nice to let her have a semi-normal few months just going to school and studying magic. I really enjoyed watching the new main character (no spoilers here) and seeing how everything was revealed.

Beware, this book ends on another cliffhanger! I love it though, it means I’ll pick up the next book asap.

Bring on the next one!!

Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Screaming, crying, throwing up... 10/5 stars! Loved it!
I didn’t think this series could get any better after Her Majesty’s Royal Coven but Juno Dawson didn’t just hit it out the park with this sequel, they knocked it into another universe. I’m honestly obsessed.

SHE DID IT AGAIN!
Oh my Goddess - this is EVERYTHING.
Juno is a Witch (and it isn't a surprise)
I loved this second volume of the magical HMRC series.
Character developments, twists... I love how Juno weaves societal issues and the rampant misogyny we currently face in our day and age to the fictional world she created. She also explores themes such as abusive relationships, friendships/sisterhood and girlhood in such an accurate and visceral way.
Some quotes i can't stop thinking about (no spoilers!):
'How she'd bent backwards to distance herself from girlhood to appease men.'
'Nothing illustrates failure like an adult in their childhood bed.'
'The city ached. Everyone was pretending all the time. Every smile was a grimace, masking the ache of what it is to be human.'
'You learn the hard way that every girl wants to think they're not like other girls, and that's because other girls are regarded so poorly by the world.'
'So it was true, after all, every last man was a waste of oxygen.'

I'm always lost for words when it comes to these books because they are just soooo beautifully crafted.
Another jaw-dropping cliffhanger. How long will we have to wait?!!

The Shadow Cabinet is absolutely fantastic! If you loved Her Majesty’s Royal Coven, don’t worry, you will not be disappointed by The Shadow Cabinet – it’s even better!

It’s all kicking off and everything is happening.

Juno Dawson has created a fantastic magic book series. The Shadow Cabinet expands on great world building, features gripping storylines, and complicated, real characters. I liked seeing new character points of view and loved the twists and surprises.

There’s all of the pop-culture, female empowerment, and brilliant diversity and trans storylines I loved in the first book. On top of that, Dawson keeps it coming; exploring a radical right-wing men’s group that hates women, complex witch-mundane political relations, and substance abuse. And that’s not the half of it!

I loved being back with our favourite characters and learning more about witch history. The story arcs for two side characters in particular, completely blew my mind.

Wow - what a sequel this is! I'm almost lost for words at the enormity of what I've just read. The Shadow Cabinet refers to the small group of people at the heart of Government who are aware of the role witches and warlocks play in society.

As we learn more about the secrets hidden in plain sight this magical world becomes ever more real to me - weather phenomenon, freak accidents, unexplained deaths - all caused by magical events. I can't say much without giving away some major plot lines, but witchfinders, epic battles and stolen identities feature heavily. Bring on HMRC: Human Rites!

After the cliffhanger of the first book, I'm was so happy I was approved for the E-ARC because... I couldn't wait for June.

I absolutely loved the first book, and the sequel takes up a few notches more.

The characters in the first book return and they become more complex, especially the character we got introduced to at the end of book one. Instead of taking a more social approach, this book dives more into politics and the relationship between the covens and said political figures. I enjoyed the switch and how well Dawson explores it and describes it.

This doesn't mean that there aren't social issues mentioned. There's a focus on misogyny, how the power of women frightens weak men, and the clash between the magical and the mundane worlds.

As for the characters, I found the newest addition to the cast quite mysterious and complex. Ciara has a unique mind, and watching her trying to walk on her sisters' shoes is both painful and interesting.

Like I've learned in the first book, not everything is what it seems with Dawson. Whatever you think you got figured out, think again. It's a wild ride that will leave you begging for book three!

Wow, I absolutely adored this sequel to Her Majesty's Royal Coven! It picks up right where the first book left off with so many unexpected moments that had me hooked.

Trust me, if you've read the previous book, you're in for a real treat. The only downside is the torturous wait for the final book in the trilogy.

The pace of The Shadow Cabinet is just as fast paced although with both there is a slow start , introducing new characters with hidden secrets that add to the excitement.

One of the most touching aspects of this series is Theo's journey and her heartwarming scenes with Holly. I wish we had more time to delve into Leonie's storyline, the shocking finale brilliantly ties everything together, leaving me in utter shock.

There is a shift in themes, with a deeper exploration of relationships in their many forms, including toxic couples and an open relationship. I loved Her Majesty's Royal Coven was amazing, but The Shadow Cabinet takes it to a whole new level of awesomeness!

Juno Dawson's writing style kept me reading way beyond my bedtime, and the twists will constantly leave you shocked. Seriously, I couldn't put it down!

The witches in The Shadow Cabinet are fierce and there is so much strength on display here that I feel will really resonate with readers, I will be recommending this one to everyone!

The HMRC is in a bit of a shambles - the previous High Pristess is dead, and the one that's about to take her place is not who people think she. Other than that, young Theo is struggling with her failing powers, Leonie travels to rescue her brother from one of the worst villains the world has known and Elle deals with marital issues in possibly the worst way imaginable.

It's official that the HMRC trilogy is now probably one of my favourites of all time - the two books I've read have just been soooo good and given me everything I wanted, and missed, for a novel about magic and witches but aimed at adults who have been through stuff, just like the readers. I just love and admire how Juno Dawson has brought this world to life - it genuinely feels so real, and the world-building is just so, so good as is the magic - the dark, the good, and the limitations of it.

I'm always so impressed how Juno Dawson brings real world issues into her books and explores them through character actions and how these movements affect and hurt people. In the first book, we saw a main character, Helena, become a full-blown TERF and how it hurt her relationship with her best friends and ultimately brought about her demise, mostly by her own hand. There isn't as much blatant transphobia in this book from characters which is a relief though we see trans-character Theo still struggling with her transition and what it means for her in a very realistic way. In this book, we see the topic of women-hating men in the form of the Hard Working Men witchfinders group (a couple of twists/reveals about this one that had me shocked!!). This group is very much what you would expect from the type of women-hating incel groups you'd find on 4chan and the dark web in how they rile each other up about how awful women/witches are and how they've been hard done by by them. The way Juno Dawson explores this subject (and rising issue in today's modern society) through witchcraft is just genius.

The characters are a bit more scattered in this one so although we will always have our main Spice Girls, they are a little on their own adventures here. Leonie and Ciara as well as Theo and a bit of Luke are the main POVs in this story with Elle taking a little bit more of a backseat apart from a couple of crazy moments. I loved Leonie's journey to different covens - especially her discovery of a sacred coven/safe place.

Our main POV in this book is the most interesting one as it's darker and more twisted than the ones we have had before (even Helena's) and it's a story we have heard a bit about in the previous book but now we're getting, and feeling it, through the actual source and it's different from what I would have imagined it to be. I thought I would hate this character as we've been told how evil they were but after this book, I don't think this at all and I'm just so excited for book 3 when we will have all the Spice Girls back together, even Geri, to kick some Lucifer butt.

Also, screaming, crying, throwing up at the last scene.