The third and final instalment to the HMRC trilogy delivers exactly what the previous instalments promise… ‘Leviathan will rise!’

Much like the previous books the writing is accessible, witty, at times emotional and full of cultural references with short punchy chapters.

The world the witches live in is more magical realism than full on fantasy which I personally prefer as it’s easier to submerge yourself into their world and there is more time for character development instead of world building.

However, this is where the book didn’t quite deliver. Even without the need to explain fantasy elements some of the characters were still a little underdeveloped or their storylines rushed. I felt the book needed to be longer (or have an extra book in the series) to really do all the character arcs justice. I also wasn’t a massive fan of the time travel element as it could be a little confusing and would have like more explanation in some parts.

That being said all the loose ends were tied up at the end. It was a brilliant ending to a phenomenal series and wanting the book/series to be longer is never a bad thing.

I would definitely recommend the entire series and I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy when released and of course I’m hoping for Nicola Coughlans return to the audio.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance download of this book.

Thank you so much to the team who sent me the early copy of Human Rites. I was very grateful!
In the last instalment of HMRC we get to follow the wonderful witches again, in their battle with Satan.
It was so beautifully written I didn't want the book to end. I highly recommend this to everyone

If you've been along for the whole ride of this series - this book does its job and concludes many of the character arcs. That being said, this did stray a bit from the original series style as it gets very focused on time travel which seems to allow us to jump around the timeline from all the books to pull in various bits of plot line to the main battle. Lots of action in the book, lots of pop culture nods - but didn't feel like we got much character introspection like the first two books, although Ciara now is my hero and I wish we'd gotten more of her!
Overall - it's a good conclusion for the series, although not as strong as the first two.

Juno said this: « In 2018, in a hotel room in Melbourne, I had an idea: Desperate Housewives, but they’re witches. » And I think it describes the vibes, even though it’s more than that now. This saga is wild. It’s sarcastically funny and the pop culture references are on point. It’s also political and queer -obviously. The characters are the centerpiece of this incredible chaos tapestry. It’s the found family you’re rooting for. The secret magic societies you’ve hoped for. Dawson’s writing is just so smooth, so immersive and fun. The pov are switching with such an ease, she makes it seem effortless -which I bet isn’t. Queen B was one of my favorite reads of 2024 and I will always remember the first time I’ve read Her Majesty Royal’s Coven. This saga could have been a rom-com except it’s pretty dark. Terrible things happened (in all four of those books to be clear), and I still haven’t recovered from the bold choices, from all the ups and downs. Still, the ending was satisfying. To me, Human Rites is a great conclusion. Sure it hurts, in so many ways because I will miss those witches. Leonie especially, which I found had such a great arc in this one. But also, Theo, my love, you’ve been through so much.. Like all of them to be fair. Niamh and Ciara. Elle and Holly. *bow down*

Human Rites is the hotly anticipated third and final outing for Her Majesty’s Royal Covern. Following the strong witches of Hebden Bridge and continues their story. No spoilers here but Juno Dawson has developed a strong and compelling cast of true to life women and all the loose ends are tied up nicely at the end.
The only reason for a 4* review is there is a vignette of memories at the start of each chapter which is interwoven through the first few pages and, I'm not sure if it's a formatting issue but it made each of the 74 chapters hard to get into.
A great ending to a good story.

Human Rites brings the series Her Majesty's Royal Coven to a nice ending. The loose ends are brought together, and we get a real conclusion. 


I really enjoy the writing of Juno Dawson. It is contemporary and has a lot of references to pop culture, but for the right people they will hit. Spice Girls and Buffy are some that come up now and then, and I think they fit well. The characters are well rounded for the most part, and they're an easy squad to get attached to. The LGBTQ+ and feminist themes in the books are written in a way that comes across as natural and true to real world situations. 


It's a series I would definitely recommend reading, and I'm excited to see what Juno Dawson will write in the future.

This is the perfect ending to an incredible story.
Full review to come after publication because there will be spoilers.

Human Rites is a great conclusion to the HMRC trilogy & I was so excited to read it early (especially because the previous book ended on such a cliffhanger!).

The story is fast paced and sometimes confusing, but time travel is always a bit confusing to my brain. All the loose ends are tied up with a satisfying conclusion even though it’s nothing like I’d have imagined.

There continues to be a lot of LGBTQIA+ (especially trans) representation in this series which is appreciated & needed in literature. I also liked that the main characters are mid-late 30s as in fantasy women always seem to be teenagers or at most early 20s, it made it a bit more relatable for me as I’m sure it is for teenagers who can relate to Theo & Holly.

The formatting of this book was unreadable on Kindle, luckily I managed to read it without issue on the NetGalley App.

Human Rites had me HOOKED. It’s bold, smart, and deeply unsettling in all the best ways. Juno Dawson doesn’t hold back — the social commentary? Sharp. The worldbuilding? So scarily believable. I loved how messy and real the characters felt, even when I didn’t agree with them. It’s the kind of book that leaves you thinking long after you’ve finished. Not quite a five-star-haunt-my-dreams read, but it came so close!

I have been waiting for this book for a long time and while I’m always nervous for the ending of a series, this was…not what I expected.

There’s a lot of timey-wimey stuff that is quite surprising and I don’t really understand how it adds to the plot but also it’s very much the kitchen sink approach of tying up loose ends at the end of a series.

I enjoyed the book overall and I think for fans of the series it will be a satisfying ending with all the characters in places we don’t expect them to be.

I do think it dragged in some places but the chapters are short and impactful.

I have been looking forward to this book since the second that I finished The Shadow Cabinet, and it absolutely did not disappoint. And now I'm just in denial that it's over. Is it too much to ask to move to Hebden Bridge and become besties with Niamh, Elle, Leonie, and Ciara??

I am genuinely obsessed with everything about this series - strong characters, strong female-friendships, found family, witches... what more could you need? This series really is a testament to how strong women are.

Human Rites is a strong conclusion to this trilogy. There is a lot going on here, and at times it does feel a bit wild, but it honestly the whole story was just epic. I did not want to put this down. And the ending... wow.

If there isn't a spin off story about Seniat I may just protest.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Human rites

Human rites is the perfect ending to this series.

“A with was something like rain or grass, not velvet and gold.”
“A sister isn’t the same as a friend. The love goes all the way to the core, like a peach stone. Whatever you say or do to each other, it stays the same; hard and strong. No matter what.”


After that giant cliffhanger of the shadow cabinet I was thrilled to be able to arc read to conclusion to this series. Once more, the witchy and girl power vibes were very present. Story wise; I feel like everything was tied up neatly. Ciara’s redemption arc was chef’s kiss. I only found the part with the time travelling with Leonie a bit confusing at times but overall I’m glad with how the story ended!
I rated it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

Human Rites by Juno Dawson is a bold, thought-provoking novel that skillfully blends dystopian themes with sharp social commentary. Dawson’s writing is as fearless as ever, tackling complex issues around human rights, identity, and justice with both sensitivity and urgency. The world-building is vivid and unsettling, pulling the reader into a future that feels chillingly plausible.

The characters are richly drawn, each bringing their own emotional depth and perspective to the story. Dawson does an excellent job of making you care deeply about their journeys, and the relationships feel authentic and impactful. While at times the pacing dips slightly in the middle, the powerful themes and compelling voice more than make up for it.

Human Rites is a timely and courageous novel that challenges readers to think critically about the world around them — and the world we could be heading towards. Juno Dawson continues to prove herself as a vital voice in contemporary fiction.

Highly recommended for readers who enjoy dystopian narratives with real emotional resonance and a powerful message at their core.

I have not read the first two books, but still enjoyed this book, and I will read the first two, and edit my review if my opinion changes.
A witty concept. Satan is back.
The coven fight the demons.
The friendships is the highlight of this book.
3.5 stars.

I absolutely love this series; Juno Dawson fuses a perfect blend of action, sarcasm, love and relatable pop culture to bring forward a thoroughly bingeable read.

The dynamic between the main characters is fantastic and the combination of their mundane daily struggles with their magical ones keeps them grounded.

For me, the change in location and the ease with which a couple of things were resolved is why we drop a star on the rating but it was still a great time.

I’m looking forward to getting a physical copy when this comes out, and doing a re-read of the whole series and picking up on the details I’ve missed the first time.

The formatting of the Kindle version was unreadable - I had to read on the NetGalley app which worked well but was a shame as too much screen time isn’t great.

Unfortunately this was a dnf for me at 50%. I am unsure if the arc format on my kindle had a part to play in this but compared to the authors other books this one failed to keep my attention and the POV’s were confusing (however I feel the pov issue was a format issue).

The return of Niamh? Chef’s kiss. Elle’s character arc was nothing short of phenomenal. Her growth throughout the series felt so authentic and empowering. What really makes these books shine, though, is the beautiful blend of found family, fierce girl power, and a hidden fantasy world that feels just close enough to reality.
This series is femininity in its purest, most powerful form. It’s raw, real, magical, and unapologetically bold. I’ll be recommending these books to absolutely everyone I know.

The perfect ending to a fantastic series!.

I adore Juno Dawsons writing style, and In each of these books the way in which the story is told is utterly brilliant and has you hooked to the very end. I adored the Witches and the way we got to follow their lives and how they changed throughout these books, through both life changes and personal development too, something that was done beautifully by the author.

Full of adventure, suspense and hope throughout it all, this really is a series that will stay with me for a very long time.

What a conclusion to the trilogy!

Girl power at its finest, Human Rites reminds us that it takes a village and with your village, you can work wonders - even when the apocalypse is at your door.

A fabulous witchy, powerful read tying up all the threads that have been woven in the first two entries to the series.

I laughed out loud in so many places and my heart broke in others. I wish some characters had a better ending than they got and a bit of the last few chapters felt a little rushed and tacked on but on the whole, I really enjoyed this book.

I can’t wait for the audiobook to come out - I hope Nicola Coughlan returns - as that’s how I discovered the world of HMRC and I missed her unique, fantastic voices bringing the characters and story to life.

Thank you to HarperCollins, Juno Dawson and NetGalley for the ARC!

Sorry but this is unreadable.

Not sure if the formatting is wrong but the sentences are jumbled up on each page making it ridiculously difficult to read so I haven't read past 15%